Technical Field
The present subject matter relates to a three-wheeled vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modified chassis supporting at least one wheelchair passenger seat assembly for the three-wheeled Electric vehicle.
Background
A motor vehicle particularly a three-wheeled vehicle commonly referred in India as auto-rickshaw or e-Rickshaw is a significant mode of public transportation. Nowadays, e-Rickshaw is predominantly used as a point to point mode of transportation in rural and urban areas, considering its simpler construction, unlike an auto-rickshaw, which is powered by an internal combustion engine. Though such vehicle is designed to bear the load of four people, generally it is overloaded and is operated intermittently for 12 to 14 hours a day to enable the driver to maximize his / her earnings. However, currently, there is no known e-Rickshaw available in the market that can easily, comfortably and safely transport people who are dependent on wheelchair.
An existing three wheeled Electric vehicle (commonly referred as E-Vehicle) includes a driver compartment in a front side having a front seat for a driver and a passenger compartment at rear side with two or three rear seat assembly for passengers. (As shown in Fig 1)
The known three-wheeled vehicle suffers from the following disadvantages:
1) Does not have any space to safely accommodate a passenger on a wheelchair.
2) Not being accessible for a wheelchair passenger.
Hence there is a need to improvise the existing three wheeled E-Vehicle to overcome the above disadvantages, considering the fact that these type of three wheeled vehicles will be a viable alternate mode of transport for the economically weaker sections of the society who are physically disabled, specially people who are dependent on wheelchair. This modified vehicle will ensure that the dignity of the wheelchair passenger is preserved as the physical lifting and transferring of the passenger is eliminated.
Summary of the Invention
With the above objectives in view, the present invention discloses a three wheeled E-Vehicle with a modified chassis supporting at least one passenger seat assembly and adequate provision and space to accommodate a wheelchair passenger. More specifically, said present invention provides a three-wheeled vehicle body structure having an extended chassis with increased stiffness and rigidity without compromising the safety of non-disabled passengers and further providing an increased safety to the passenger seated on a wheelchair.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle comprising of at least one passenger seat assembly including a first seat assembly and a space to accommodate a standard wheelchair, which will be front facing; and wherein said first passenger seat is disposed opposite to said wheelchair passenger in said passenger compartment of said vehicle.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a three wheeled E-Vehicle with a means for a wheelchair to enter and exit the vehicle, in safe and dignified manner, without physically lifting the disabled person.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a mechanism, to secure the wheelchair to the chassis of the said vehicle.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a means within the compartment P, to securely fasten the wheelchair passenger.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a three wheeled E-Vehicle, with flexible means to accommodate at least two additional passengers in the event of vehicle not being used by a wheelchair passenger.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a means to secure a standard wheelchair when it is not in use.
Summary provided above explains the basic features of the invention and does not limit the scope of the invention. The nature and further characteristic features of the present invention will be made clearer from the following descriptions made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Brief description of the drawings
The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same
numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components.
Fig 1. Right Side view of a typical three wheeled E-Vehicle
Fig 2. Right Side view of three wheeled E-Vehicle of the present invention, with a passenger seated on a wheelchair
Fig. 3. Top view modified structure of the three wheeled E-Vehicle with the top cover removed
according to the present invention.
Fig. 4.a Rear view in closed condition of the three wheeled E-Vehicle according to the present
invention.
Fig. 4.b Rear view in closed condition of the three wheeled E-Vehicle, with a folded wheelchair
hanging on the rear door according to the present invention.
Fig. 5. Rear view in open condition of the three wheeled E-Vehicle according to the present
invention.
Fig. 6 Enlarged top view of the wheelchair passenger accommodated on the rear side of the three
wheeled E-Vehicle according to the present invention.
The three wheeled E-Vehicle is solely, used as a passenger carrier. It is to be noted that "front" and "rear", and "left" and "right" wherever referred to in the ensuing description, refer to from

and rear, and left and right directions as seen in a state of being seated on a seat of the vehicle and looking forward. Furthermore, a longitudinal axis refers to a front to rear axis relative to the vehicle, while a lateral axis refers generally to a side to side, or left to right axis relative to the vehicle. Various other features of the three-wheeled E-Vehicle according to the present subject matter here will be discernible from the following further description thereof, set out hereunder.
Detailed description of the invention
Fig. 2 Shows Right Side view of three wheeled E-Vehicle of the present invention, with a passenger seated on a wheelchair (001). As Per first preferred embodiment, three wheeled passenger carrier vehicle (001), powered by an electric motor (not shown in drawing). It has a front cowl (Not shown) supporting a windscreen (003). The lower portion of the front cowl (not shown) is connected to a front wheel (004) through suspension means (005). A pair of handlebars (006) are present behind the cowl (not shown) which is used to operate the said three-wheeled E-Vehicle (001). The vehicle (001) is divided into two compartments along the line X-Y; driver compartment (D) having a driver seat assembly (007) and a passenger compartment (P) having at least one passenger seat assembly (008), below which battery (002) is placed, just behind the driver seat assembly (007).
The structure for compartment P and D are formed by providing vertical members (009, 010) on either side on the longitudinal axis. The said vertical members (009,010) projecting laterally from opposite sides of said floor board (011) and are rigidly attached to the floor board (011). The top portion of the said vehicle (001) is covered by a flexible member (012). The vertical members (009) are rigidly place on either side and separates the compartments D and P such that the ratio between D and compartment P is at least 1:2.5, so as to get adequate space to accommodate a passenger on a wheelchair (013). The Wheelchair is restrained by a set of known type of restraining means (014). There is a provision for securing the passenger on the wheelchair by at least one seatbelt (015). The seat belt (015) is anchored (016) to the rear vertical member (010). The seat belt (015) is locked by known type of seatbelt lock (017), anchored to the floor board (011). The anchoring is done through a set of bolts (not shown). The rear compartment P along with the passenger compartment is supported on a pair of rear wheels (018) located on either side of the longitudinal axis. The rearmost portion can be opened by a bottom hinged Ramp door (019) to facilitate easy entry and exit of the wheelchair passenger. The entry and exit for the driver is on either side of compartment D. The entry and exit for the non-disabled passengers to compartment P is through the openings (020 (indicated as EP in Fig 3)) on provided on either side of the said vehicle (001). The sides of the rear compartment is partly closed rigidly by known means (021).
Fig 3. shows a schematic top view of a three-wheeler (001). As explained in earlier, the vehicle structure is divided into two compartments along the line X-Y; a driver compartment (D) having a driver's seat assembly (007) and a passenger compartment(P), which is substantially longer than the driver compartment to accommodate with 4 non-disabled passengers or 2 non-disabled passengers and one passenger on a wheelchair. As per the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, said at least one passenger compartment (P) includes a first seat assembly (008) and a second foldable seat assembly (022). A rear cabin / passenger compartment (P) of the vehicle (001) is supported on a pair of rear wheels (018) (not shown in figure 3), located on

either side of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle (001). At least one battery box (002) is disposed on said vehicle (001). Said battery box (002) is disposed beneath said first passenger seat assembly (008). The Passenger compartment (P) is fitted with at least two known type of restraining system (014), which are connected to the floor (011) as described earlier, in order to secure the wheelchair when a wheelchair passenger travels in the vehicle. The Passenger compartment (P), also contains 2 laterally foldable seats (022) that can be used when wheelchair passenger is not traveling in the vehicle. The overall structure of the vehicle consists of 2 longitudinal members, tapering down as shown in Fig 2. A cross member (023) separates compartment D and P. Rear passenger compartment has an entry(EP/020) and exit point(EP/020) on either side on the longitudinal members. Likewise, entry(EP) and exit (EP) for the driver is on either side of compartment D. The Fixed non-disabled seats are located just behind driver's seat, facing the rear.
Fig 4a Shows the rear closed position of the said three wheeled vehicle. The rear portion shows two wheels (018) connected by an axle (024). The rear compartment can be closed and opened by a rear door (019), supported to the floor board (011) through a set of hinges (025). A set of latches (026) are provided to secure a folded wheelchair (027), when the vehicle is not being used to ply a wheelchair passenger as shown in Fig 4b. The rear door (019) is typically made of Aluminium chequered plates, with adequate reinforcement to provide sufficient strength, to carry the load of the passenger seated on a wheelchair, while the wheelchair passenger enters and exits from the rear. A set of locks (028) are provided on either side of the rear door to securely lock the door to the vertical members (010) of the vehicle.
The rear door (019), which also acts a ramp can be opened in the longitudinal direction, to facilitate the safe entry of a wheelchair as shown in Fig 5. The wheelchair is moved through the ramp (29) provided in the door (019)
An enlarged top view of a wheelchair passenger is shown in Fig 6, where in the Wheelchair is
restrained by a set of known type of restraining means (014). There is a provision for securing the
passenger on the wheelchair by at least one seatbelt (015).
Improvements and modifications may be incorporated herein without deviating from the scooe of the invention.