Mobility securement system
A mobility securement system, and method for securing a wheelchair or other mobility device, and its passenger, within a public or private vehicle. The system includes two attachment members, two vehicle anchor assemblies, and at least one fixed or moveable bumper, and may further include a fixed or moveable barrier. A tensioning assembly is operable connected to at least one attachment member and vehicle anchor assembly. One or more moveable bumpers may extend and articulate to apply a force against one or more points of the mobility device that are not coplanar with vehicle wall. The mobility securement system may further include a rear barrier which may move, swivel or articulate.
1. A mobility securement system for securing a mobility device having a first device securernent element and a second device securement element, within a vehicle having a wall side and an aisle side, the mobility securement system comprising:
a first vehicle anchor assembly affixed to said vehicle and positioned substantially proximate to one of the front and rear of said mobility device and positioned substantially proximate to one of the wall side and the aisle side of said mobility device;
a first attachment member capable of being operably attached between said first vehicle anchor assembly and said first device securement element so as to restrain the position of said mobility device within said vehicle;
a second vehicle anchor assembly affixed to said vehicle and positioned substantially proximate to the other of the front and rear of said mobility device and positioned substantially proximate to the other of the wall side and the aisle side of said mobility device;
a second attachment member capable of being operably attached between said second vehicle anchor assembly and said second device securement element so as to restrain the position of said mobility device within said vehicle;
at least one of said first vehicle anchor assembly, second vehicle anchor assembly, first attachment member and second attachment member being operably connected to a tensioning assembly for imposing a tensile force thereupon; and
a bumper capable of applying a force against said mobility device;
said first and second vehicle anchor assemblies serving to restrain the mobility device, in conjunction with said bumper, along a diagonal axis extending between said first device securement element and said second device securement element,
said mobility securement system being limited to no additional attachment members beyond said first and second attachment members, to secure the mobility device within said vehicle.
2. The mobility securement system of claim 1 , wherein
the first vehicle anchor assembly is proximate to a front wall side adjacent to the mobility device; and
the second vehicle anchor assembly is proximate to a rear aisle side adjacent to the mobility device;
said first and second vehicle anchor assemblies serving to restrain the mobility device, in conjunction with said bumper, along a diagonal linear axis extending between a front wall side portion and a rear aisle side portion of the mobility device.
3. The mobility securement system of claim 1 , wherein the bumper is moveable.
4. The mobility securement system of claim 3 , wherein the bumper extends from proximate to the wall side of the vehicle.
5. The mobility securement system of claim 3 , wherein the bumper comprises a single bumper that can articulate to apply a force against at least two points of the mobility device, which points are located at different distances from the wall side of the vehicle.
6. The mobility securement system of claim 3 , comprising two bumpers that can each extend to apply a force against the mobility device.
7. The mobility securement system of claim 6 , wherein the two bumpers are each located proximate to the wall side of the vehicle.
8. The mobility securement system of claim 6 , wherein the two bumpers comprise a first bumper and a second bumper, in which the first bumper may extend to a position that is different from an extended position of the second bumper.
9. The mobility securement system of claim 6 , wherein at least one of said two bumpers can articulate to apply a force to a non-coplanar surface of the mobility device, relative to one of said wall side or aisle side of the vehicle.
10. The mobility securement system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first vehicle anchor assembly and said second vehicle anchor assembly are operably connected to said tensioning assembly.
11. The mobility securement system of claim 10 , wherein each of said first vehicle anchor assembly and said second vehicle anchor assembly are each operably connected to a respective tensioning assembly.
12. The mobility securement system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first attachment member and said second attachment member is operably connected to a tensioning assembly for imposing a tensile force thereupon.
13. The mobility securement system of claim 12 , wherein each of said first attachment member and said second attachment member is connected to a tensioning assembly for imposing a tensile force thereupon each.
14. The mobility securement system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first vehicle anchor assembly and said second vehicle anchor assembly is stored at a position substantially flush to the floor of the vehicle.
15. The mobility securement system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of one of said first vehicle anchor assembly and said second vehicle anchor assembly is a removable vehicle anchor assembly capable of being operably attached to an anchor restraint fitting fixed to the floor of the vehicle.
16. The mobility securement system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first vehicle anchor assembly and the second vehicle anchor assembly is positioned to the front of the mobility device and proximate to the wall side of the vehicle.
17. The mobility securement system of claim 1 , in which said system further comprises a rear barrier assembly for positioning behind said mobility device, said barrier assembly extending from a position substantially proximate to said wall side to a position substantially proximate said aisle side.
18. The mobility securement system of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first vehicle anchor assembly and the second vehicle anchor assembly is operably positioned within said rear barrier assembly.
19. The mobility securement system of claim 17 , wherein the rear barrier assembly further includes a moveable bumper that can extend from a retracted position to apply a force against the mobility device.
20. The mobility securement system of claim 17 , wherein the rear barrier assembly may rotate about a vertical axis.
21. The mobility securement system of claim 17 , wherein the rear barrier assembly may articulate in a downward direction toward said mobility device.
22. The mobility securement system of claim 17 , wherein the rear barrier assembly may translate in a forward and rearward direction relative to the vehicle.
23. The mobility securement system of claim 3 , wherein, upon extension, said moveable bumper is capable of applying an angularly downward force against the mobility device.
24. The mobility securement system of claim 3 , wherein, upon extension, said moveable bumper is capable of articulating to apply an angularly downward force against the mobility device.
25. The mobility securement system of claim 3 , wherein the moveable bumper can articulate to apply a coplanar force against a mobility device secured in a skewed position relative to the wall side of the vehicle.
26. The mobility securement system of claim 1 , wherein
the first vehicle anchor assembly is proximate to a front wall side of the mobility device,
said first attachment member extending from said first vehicle anchor assembly to the first device securement element proximate the front wall side of the mobility device;
the second vehicle anchor assembly is proximate to a rear aisle side of the mobility device,
said second attachment member extending from said second vehicle anchor assembly to the second device securement element proximate the rear aisle side of the mobility device;
said first and second vehicle anchor assemblies serving to restrain the mobility device, in conjunction with said bumper, along said diagonal axis extending between said first device securement element and said second device securement element.