WO2006048632A1

WO2006048632A1 - Flooring structures with anchorages

Info

Publication number: WO2006048632A1
Application number: PCT/GB2005/004219
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard Geoffrey Coates
Original assignee: C. N. Unwin Limited
Priority date: 2004-11-01
Filing date: 2005-11-01
Publication date: 2006-05-11
Also published as: GB0424154D0; GB2419573B; GB0522331D0; GB2419573A

Abstract

The application describes flooring structures and specially-adapted extruded aluminium plank components (1) for incorporation in them. The plank components (1) are characterised by a fixed point anchorage such as a retractable stud (3). Support and retention structure for the anchorage (3) is provided internally of the plank (1), with appropriate internal bracing and reinforcement (22,23,25). The anchorage structure is supported entirely by the plank, and does not need to project out behind the plank for securement to a vehicle underfloor.

Description

FLOORING STRUCTURES WITH ANCHORAGES

This invention is to do with flooring structures for vehicles, providing means for anchoring objects in the vehicles. In other aspects, it relates to providing methods of preparing such flooring structures, either before or after installation thereof in a vehicle, and to vehicles - especially road passenger vehicles - including such flooring structures . A particular aspect is a novel plank component useful in such structures. We particularly envisage use of these proposals in vehicles where there is a requirement for the temporary but secure anchorage of personal restraints, supports or seating, particularly wheelchairs. However the ideas will have other uses as will be apparent. BACKGROUND

It is now well-known for vehicles such as buses, intended for carrying passengers who may be in wheelchairs or other special seating, to be specially adapted for securing such wheelchairs and seating to acceptable safety standards. As the safety standards have become more demanding, so the level of adaptation has increased. There is a continuing effort to provide anchorages for seating, wheelchairs or other furniture that combine a high level of strength and durability under appropriate test conditions with versatility, ease of use and ease of fitting, all at a manageable cost and weight. It has increasingly become the practice to equip a bus with a customised flooring module providing inbuilt securements and anchorages able to cooperate with a range of standardised fittings, which in turn can be used with a wide range of components, furnishings and securements with the aim that any passenger's securement needs can be safely met.

The preferred flooring modules incorporate elongate rails or tracks, since these provide a means of readily adjusting the positions of furniture and fittings - typically longitudinally of the vehicle - to meet changing demands. See for example our EP-A-709247 and GB2321626, in which securing rails have a central groove with opposed overhanging edge flanges and a series of scalloped recesses in the flanges, enabling the insertion and locking of fittings having corresponding projections which can be dropped through the recesses, shifted out of alignment with the recesses and locked there so that they cannot be pulled out. These rails may be laid into the floor between boards. Another possibility, seen in

GB2321626 Figs. 3 and 4, is to form the rails as integral parts of extruded flooring "planks", typically of aluminium, which can be positioned edge-to-edge and secured down to the underfloor of the vehicle. See also US6595142 describing building up a floor from a range of different such planks having interfitting edges which are glued together, some planks being plain-surfaced, others having grooves to receive an anchor rail of one of the known kinds .

In our own "Innotrax" product extruded aluminium plank profiles have edge formations enabling mechanical locking-together by a simple action, so that the only bonding or fastener needed is down onto the underfloor structure of the vehicle (usually a continuous underfloor, but recently fastening onto a frame or chassis has been proposed) . THE INVENTION

What we now propose are further developments in flooring structures comprising plank components of the kind described, i.e. plank components with upper and lower faces, and edges adapted to fit against the edges of adjacent plank (or other) components side-by-side to form a flooring unit. Typically at least the upper face presents a generally continuous flat surface. The preferred construction is hollow. It may be a profile such as an extrusion. Preferably the plank element has internal longitudinal upright elements for reinforcement and support. The planks may have continuous lower surfaces too, e.g. to facilitate bonding down to an underfloor structure - so that they then substantially or fully enclose one or more internal cavities . Such constructions can be made as aluminium extrusions so as to be both light and strong.

In general terms, our proposal is that a longitudinally local point anchorage ("point" as distinct from longitudinally-adjusting, as in track or rail) or point anchorage mounting is provided in a flooring plank of the kind described, and comprises or interacts with at least one discrete element fixed or incorporated into the plank. This anchorage or anchorage support structure is desirably confined to the plank, in the sense that it does not extend out through or beyond the rear face level of the plank (continuous or open) to engage structure behind/beneath the plank; accordingly all or substantially all of a force applied to the anchorage is transferred to the vehicle through the plank.

Particular features of the structure may include any of the following, singly or in combination.

The top wall of the plank can have a longitudinally isolated opening (through-hole) at which the anchorage/anchorage mounting emerges. This contrasts with track or rail constructions co-extensive with the plank (although the plank may have such constructions additionally) . It may be a circular opening. It may be appropriate to form this opening only after the design of a particular floor structure for a specified installation, when it is known where the point anchorage (s) should be. Additionally or alternatively, plank segments having an opening at a standard position may be incorporated end-to-end with other plank segments, e.g. longer ones, to position the opening appropriately in the overall structure. The internal structure of the plank preferably has one or more internal reinforcement or bracing portions adjacent to the anchorage point. This lends structural strength to the anchorage by distributing force at the anchor point over and preferably through a region of the plank, e.g. so that the top plank web does not itself need to be heavily thickened for that purpose. Preferably the internal structure of the plank provides such a portion integrally. In line with the preferred production of the plank as an extrusion, one or more such integral reinforcement portions desirably comprise one or more internally-projecting elements which extend continuously longitudinally of the plank. The or each such reinforcement portion may be or comprise a lug or web extending rearwardly/downwardly behind the upper plank surface, alongside the position (or intended/available position) of the anchorage opening. Desirably plural such webs or projections extend laterally-spaced along to either side of such position (s) . Most desirably these are reinforcement webs which extend from the upper wall of the plank. They may meet a continuous lower wall of the plank which extends out beyond one or both sides of the reinforcement. However it is possible that the reinforcement webs simply terminate at rear edges, or meet one another as a channel, without joining a rear continuous wall.

Additionally or alternatively, bracing or reinforcement may be provided by a discrete reinforcement insert portion, preferably inside a cavity of the plank, fitting against surrounding longitudinal surfaces - preferably including a downward directed internal surface around the opening, especially that of the top wall - over a region extending beyond the opening, to distribute forces . The bracing/reinforcement may be integral with or secured to an insert counter-element used to secure the anchorage element to the plank, as described below. It will be appreciated that such constructions provide extra mechanical strength to the assembly at the anchorage point .

Desirably the reinforcement or bracing structure provides for an interlock or counter-surface inside the plank, directed away from the upper surface of the plank, so that engagement thereof by a corresponding surface of the anchorage/anchorage mounting resists withdrawal of that element from the plank. Preferably the counter- surface traps a discrete counter-element inside the plank against upward withdrawal, the anchorage/anchorage mounting having an upper portion positionable/insertable from above and securable to the counter-element to hold the anchorage/mounting into the plank. Typically this counter-surface is also a longitudinally continuous structure - so that it can be extruded - and need not itself assure point location of the anchorage. Point location may be adequately assured by a hole in the top wall. Preferred counter-surfaces may be provided by an intermediate floor through which holes may be formed, or by opposed inward flanges on reinforcement projections as discussed above with clearance between them for passage of a bolt to engage the counter element.

In a simpler construction, at least a part of the top wall corresponding to potential anchorage positions is formed as a solid section in which a detaining bore e.g. a threaded bore can be formed to receive a correspondingly-formed e.g. threaded anchorage element. In an extruded plank, this solid section can be a line of thicker material underlying the top surface. Preferably it is laterally localised, and less than the full plank thickness. It may then be reinforced by one or more webs as discussed above. Threading may be directly into the material of the plank, or by inserting a threaded sleeve into a bore in which case this sleeve preferably makes a counter-abutment against a downwardly-directed counter- surface of the plank material as discussed, so that the threaded sleeve constitutes a discrete anchorage mounting. Bore detent formations other than threading are possible, preferably giving a rigid fixture.

The anchorage formation itself may be of any desired form, and may be permanently or removably fixed to the plank. Preferably it is a discrete element in relation to the plank. It may be for example a socket, a stud, eye, hook, lug, plate or "mushroom" element i.e. with a stem and an enlarged head. It may have a directional selectivity for engagement with elements to be secured to it. It may be mounted in the plank at a corresponding predetermined rotational orientation relative to the plank's longitudinal direction (or in the assembled vehicle, relative to the front-rear sense of the vehicle) . In one preferred type, the point anchorage has an element mounted in the plank movably between extended and retracted positions relative to the plank' s upper surface. This can reduce obstruction when the anchorage is not being used. This retractability may be used with many kinds of anchorage formation. In a particular embodiment we use an enlarged end or mushroom-headed formation e.g. of the general kind described in our GB2355437 in which the anchorage is directionally selective. The anchorage formation may have a fixed rotational orientation in relation to the floor surface, and a cooperating element to be anchored (e.g. on the end of a strap) can be moved onto/off the anchorage formation only in a specified relative orientation thereof.

For retractability, the point anchorage element e.g. anchorage formation preferably has a shaft element extending slidably down into the plank and a retaining element on the shaft preventing its withdrawal. There may be a spring or other means, or gravity, or a clip or holder, biasing the element to or retaining it releasably in the retracted position. Such a spring may act between an end-retaining element as mentioned and an internal counter-surface of the plank structure, as has been discussed above. An end-retaining element may be shaped so as to be non-rotatable in relation to the surrounding internal plank structure, e.g. by its fit between opposed reinforcing walls of that structure. In an extruded structure, such an element may be slidable along an internal plank cavity to the desired anchorage location. In another option, powered drive may be provided in the plank enabling the anchorage element to be driven between the retracted and advanced positions . Analogously, a remotely-operated release or catch may be provided to initiate movement from one position to the other, e.g. under a biasing force.

The anchorage and/or anchorage mounting may be a discrete element in relation to the plank, the top flange overlying a region of the plank around an opening through the plank's top wall to strengthen the construction.

It is also generally preferred that the plank has a bottom wall which is continuous past the anchorage region, so that the presence or absence of fitted anchorages does not affect the securing of the planks to an underlying structure.

In the known fashion, this securing of the planks to underlying structure is preferably by gluing but other means may be used. It may involve connecting a set of planks side-by-side using mechanical connections with interfit or interlock. The floor structure may include planks of a variety of different kinds e.g. planks enabling fixed anchorages as described above in combination with plain planks of appropriate widths, and/or planks incorporating securing tracks of the kind referred to previously. The planks need not necessarily interconnect, however. Furthermore a plank having one or more point anchorages of the present kind may be fitted between other kinds of flooring infill such as panels or boards, or adjacent gaps or spaces.

Constructions described above have particular advantages in practice. While a variety of anchorage points are known, e.g. the directionally-selective retractable mushroom studs such as described in our

GB2355437, these have always been mounted right ^'through the vehicle floor. This has led to problems, firstly in that the viable positions for such an anchor may be restricted by structure under the floor such as chassis, suspension, fuel lines etc., and secondly in that such anchors require one person in the vehicle and another underneath the vehicle to install them. These difficulties are neatly avoided in the present proposals, which in their preferred embodiment give a full versatility in the choice of position for anchorage points, as well as in the nature of the anchorage formations which can be provided.

Unless the context requires otherwise, it will be understood that these proposals may extend to wall- mounted structures. For convenience of description we use the terms "flooring", "top wall" etc. but these should be interpreted to include (separately) use in non- horizontal contexts. Also, the planks and structures may be useful in contexts other than vehicles .

Examples of our proposals are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a sectional view of part of a floor structure having a plain plank section and two anchorage plank sections;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section through an anchorage plank, showing a mushroom anchorage in a retracted position;

Fig. 3 shows the Fig. 2 plank with the anchorage extended;

Fig. 4 is an oblique view of a plank segment adapted for anchorage formation, before an anchorage is installed;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show respectively a moving counter element, a mushroom component and a top plate component of the anchorage seen in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 8 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 and showing alternative anchorages;

Figs. 9 to 11 are enlarged cross-sections showing a different mounting mode in a plank similar to the first embodiment, and

Figs. 12^' to 14 are a cutaway plan view and section at XIII-XIII and XIV-XIV of a different mounting using an internal bracing block.

Referring to Figure 1, a modular insert floor structure for a bus consists of a set of extruded aluminium planks 1,1a joined edge to edge (seen end-on in this view) . Three planks are shown; the entire floor will contain others of different kinds. Here two point- anchorage planks 1 are separated by a plain plank Ia. Each plank is based on a one-piece aluminium extruded profile having a continuous top wall 11, a continuous bottom wall 12 and internal reinforcement structure which in the plain plank is a set of upright longitudinal webs 2a, and in the anchorage planks includes an anchorage mounting structure 2, described in detail below. The planks are clipped together edge to edge by left-hand interlock formations 13 which mate with right-hand interlock formations 14, forming a locked unit which can take its own weight during installation of the floor module into a vehicle. Briefly, the left-hand formation 13 includes a curved pivot hook 131, a sprung hook 132 on a cantilever element and a central abutment surface 133. The right-hand formations 14 have a curved pivot groove 141 to receive the hook 131 of the adjacent edge, an outwardly-directed groove 142 to receive the sprung hook 132 on the adjacent edge, and an abutment surface 143 to lie against the abutment surface 133 on the adjacent element so that inadvertent in-plane forces during assembly do not damage the hooks. To join planks, the pivot hook is detained in the pivot groove 141 of the adjacent plank, with the tops of the planks inclined towards one another, and the planks then pushed down in- plane whereupon the sprung hook 132 catches into place and locks. This is just one convenient example; profiles can be joined together in a variety of ways.

The modular floor presents a flat undersurface 12 which is designed to be glued down onto the underfloor of a vehicle such as a bus, the underfloor typically being a sheet metal floor construction with underlying frame members. Again, other or supplementary methods of fixing may be used.

The anchorage planks 1 are to provide fixed anchorage points at selected locations. A preferred use is for anchoring tie-down straps for wheelchair restraint. Conventionally four tie-down straps are used. The Fig. 1 arrangement may therefore represent left- and right-hand anchorages, with two further ones in-line ahead.

Fig. 4 shows a segment of anchorage plank 1 as a short length, intended to be butted end-to-end with plain plank sections in line. For reasons which will become apparent, this can facilitate installation of the anchorages. Such short sections might be for example from 100 or 150 to 500 mm long. However there is no intrinsic length restriction, and they may be provided in longer or full-length planks e.g. from 2 - 5 m in length, with one or more anchorage locations on each. Referring to Figs. 2 to 4, the central reinforcement structure 2 of each anchorage plank 1 is provided as a pair of spaced support structures running along to either side beneath a longitudinal strip (designated "A" in Fig. 4) of the upper wall 11 where anchorages may be installed. Beneath the upper wall to either side of this strip A, and formed integrally with it as part of the aluminium extrusion, are top, thicker support ribs 22 extending down (e.g. perpendicularly) to either side of an upper internal cavity 24, these upper support ribs 22 meeting a horizontal intermediate floor 23 part-way through the thickness of the plank. The ribs 22, top wall 11 and floor 23 define the upper cavity 24 as a closed tunnel. Below the floor 23, lower, thinner reinforcement webs 25 extend down as integral continuations of the upper ribs 22 until they meet the bottom wall 12. This defines a lower closed cavity or tunnel 26. To either side of these reinforcement constructions, there are full-height wing cavities 16 all along the plank section.

The described reinforcement structure is specially adapted to enable the installation of point anchorages. This is described in relation to a retractable mushroom- headed stud anchorage. A circular location hole 111 is drilled through the top wall of the plank 1, and extends partly down into the thick side ribs 22 beneath to form upwardly-directed shoulders to either side of the hole 111. In-line beneath the top wall hole 111, a further smaller hole is drilled through the intermediate floor 23 down into the lower cavity 26.

With reference also now to Figs. 5 to 7, a mushroom anchorage 3 including a discrete mounting includes a slidable mushroom component 31 (Fig. 6), a top plate 36 (Fig. 7), a counter-element 34 (Fig. 5) and a spring 35 (Fig. 2) .

The mushroom component has a circular radially- enlarged head 32 on top of a cylindrical shaft 33 with reduced-diameter end portion 332, creating a downwardly- directed shoulder 333. Such a mushroom head is a useful anchorage for various kinds of strap fitting or other furniture, by sliding a correspondingly-shaped channel or recess over the mushroom head. The mushroom head may have a variety of conformations, preferably ones which enable locking of the engagement. In this embodiment this is by means of a radial directional slot 321 in the head extending from the centre (where there is a through bolt hole 331) to the edge. This receives in use a downward stud on a channel component which is slid over the mushroom head (not shown: see e.g. our GB2355437) . The top plate 36 has a smooth circular top flange 361 with a central hole and a dependent skirt 362 with grip ribs 363. This ribbed skirt plugs down into the hole 111 drdlled in the top plank wall 11. In the process it clamps the exposed edge of a floor covering 4 (e.g. vinyl or carpet) covering the plank. The top plate skirt 362 also defines an annular internal mounting groove 364 for a sealing ring 37.

As seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the mushroom component 31 fits slidably down in through the top plate 36 and is received with full radial support inside the plank structure.

Its reduced-diameter end 332 fits down into the hole through the intermediate floor 23, which is of the same diameter. Its shoulder 333 rests against the top of the intermediate floor 23 around the hole, and the underside of the mushroom head 321 rests against the top plate 36. The mushroom 31 can be raised to an extended position (Fig. 3) , guided by its engagements with the floor bore and the top plate opening, and with the sealing ring preventing dirt and water from getting into the cavity beneath.

A counter-element or T-piece 34 (Fig. 5) is provided to hold the mushroom 31 in place and this T-piece 34 has an elongate base 342 on which an internally-threaded stud is formed. The elongate base 342 fits length-on snugly into the lower cavity 26 of the plank's anchorage structure. The compression spring 35 is fitted around the stud 341 and in this downwardly-biased state (the spring bears up against the underside of the floor 23) it is slid along into alignment beneath the drilled holes and the mushroom component. The mushroom component 31 is first oriented with regard to the direction of its direction-selective slot 321, and the assembly then secured in place by a fixing bolt 38 (Figs. 2, 3), in this case a socket-headed bolt, which recesses down inside the mushroom component. The anchorage is now installed and has a rest condition in which, under the bias of the spring 35, the mushroom head 32 is held down against the top plate 36 as in Fig. 2. For anchoring, it rises against the spring force to the Fig. 3 position.

In this construction, the internal structure of the floor plank mounts and locates a point anchorage strongly and conveniently, without any part of the system projecting through the bottom surface of the plank. As a result, the anchorage location can be chosen irrespective of possible obstructions in or beneath the vehicle underfloor, and it is not necessary to go beneath the vehicle to secure the anchorage. It is installed as part of the overall floor structure.

The skilled person will understand that a variety of kinds of anchorage can be used. Fig. 8 shows a variant in which the discrete component secured into the anchorage plank 101 is itself the anchorage, in this case an eye bolt having a male threaded stud 51, stabilising plate 52 and eye 53. Here, as best seen to the left of Fig. 8, the plank 101 has its reinforced anchorage region formed with an upper solid-section part 112 into which threaded bores 113 can be drilled wherever an anchorage is to be secured. The eye bolt 5 can simply be screwed down into such a bore. In other embodiments a solid- section part may not be necessary: it may be adequate merely to thicken the reinforcing ribs to either side of the anchorage track sufficiently to form a partial bore with thread that will retain the anchorage or anchorage mounting. Figs. 9 to 11 show a plank 1 with internal mounting reinforcement 2 similar to Figs. 1 to 4, but simplifying the components internal to the plank profile. Specifically, the only part inserted into the lower channel 26 is the securing nut 234, which is a fit between the profile walls preventing it from turning. All of the other anchorage components are assembled from above. The biasing spring 235 is positioned between the head of the securing bolt 238 and an internal upward shoulder of the moving mushroom component 231. Relative rotation of the mushroom head 231 is prevented by a non- circular engagement (not shown) between the head 231 and the surrounding top plate/seat insert component 236, which is a circular plate giving reinforcement as before. Figs. 9 and 10 show the head in the raised and retracted positions respectively. Fig. 11 shows how adjustability, to accommodate different thicknesses "F" of floor covering, is given by different degrees of tightening of the bolt 238 through the nut 234. Figs. 12 to 14 show a different way of reinforcing the construction locally. The aluminium profile 301 is formed with a single vertical internal reinforcement web 302. At the chosen location for the anchorage 303, the top wall is drilled through and the web 302 cut away partially. The anchorage has an insert seat element 336 with a top plate as before. The mushroom head component sits in this, with a retraction spring, as in the embodiment of Figs. 9 to 11. However, instead of sitting down into plural integral reinforcement formations of the aluminium plank profile, a discrete reinforcement block is slid into the plank and secured into place beneath the anchorage point. In this version the block is provided as two separate portions 306a, 306b, which fit to either side of the central web 302 and are bolted to one another through that web by transverse bolts 337 (whose heads are accessed through holes 339 drilled through the side wall of the plank which is concealed when assembled) . The insert block 306a, b is dimensioned to fit closely against the upper and lower internal surfaces of the plank profile, distributing loads across and through the plank elements to reinforce the construction and reduce the demands on the integral reinforcement 302. The seating insert 336 of the anchorage itself sits down into a complementary circular recess of the reinforcing block 306a,b as seen in Fig. 14.

Numerous other variants will occur to the skilled reader, taking advantage of the new proposals herein.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. Flooring structure in or for a vehicle, comprising a hollow plank component presenting a generally continuous upper surface, said plank component having fixed or incorporated therein a longitudinally local fixed point anchorage or fixed point anchorage mounting which comprises, or is engageable in fixed relation with, a discrete anchorage element, and in the flooring structure is integral with or secured to only the plank itself.

2. Flooring structure according to claim 1 in which a top wall of said plank component has a longitudinally isolated opening at which the anchorage or anchorage mounting emerges .

3. Flooring structure according to claim 2 in which the anchorage or mounting comprises a discrete anchorage element trapped in the plank component behind the opening.

4. Flooring structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which said plank component has integral internal reinforcement or bracing portions adjacent the anchorage or anchorage mounting.

5. Flooring structure according to claim 4 in which said plank component is an extrusion and said integral reinforcement extends continuously longitudinally of the plank.

6. Flooring structure according to any one of the preceding claims in which said hollow plank component presents a continuous and/or flat lower support face below which said anchorage or anchorage mounting does not extend.

7. Flooring structure according to claim 2 or any claim dependent thereon in which the anchorage or anchorage mounting comprises a discrete upper portion, positionable in said longitudinally-isolated opening from above the upper surface, and a discrete counter-element, trapped inside the plank against upward withdrawal by the plank' s interior structure, the upper portion being securable to the counter-element to hold the upper portion in position.

8. Flooring structure according to any one of the preceding claims in which the anchorage comprises, as a discrete element in relation to the plank, an anchorage formation selected from a socket, stud, eye, hook, lug, plate or mushroom element.

9. Flooring structure according to any one of the preceding claims in which the anchorage has an element, such as an anchorage formation as specified in claim 8, mounted in the plank movably between extended and retracted positions relative to the plank' s upper surface.

10. Flooring structure according to claim 9 in which said movable element comprises a shaft element extending slidably down into the plank, with a retaining element on the shaft element to prevent its withdrawal.

11. Flooring structure according to claim 9 or 10 in which the movable element is biased, e.g. spring biased, to the retracted position, and/or is drivable between said positions by a powered drive.

12. Flooring structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5 in which a said point anchorage mounting comprises a bore with detent formations such as a thread, formed in a solid section of the plank top wall, for connection to an anchorage element such as a socket, stud, eye, hook, lug, plate or mushroom element, with corresponding detent formations .

13. Flooring structure according to claim 12 in which the plank is an extrusion, and said solid section is or comprises a laterally-localised line of thicker material underlying the top surface.

14. A road passenger vehicle having a flooring structure according to any one of claims 1 to 13, the flooring unit thereof being secured to an underfloor structure of the vehicle .

15. A hollow extruded plank component, useful in a flooring structure according to any one of claims 1 to 13, presenting a generally continuous upper surface and a continuous and/or flat lower support face, the plank component having fixed or incorporated therein a longitudinally local fixed point anchorage mounting which comprises a discrete anchorage element, secured to the plank and not extending below said lower support face.

16. Plank component according to claim 15, having further features as defined in any one of claims 2 to 13.

17. A method comprising the installation of a flooring structure according to any one of claims 1 to 13 in a vehicle.

18. In a vehicle having a flooring structure as defined in any one of claims 1 to 13, the use of one or more said fixed point anchorages to secure a personal restraint, support, seating or wheelchair, such as by means of a flexible connector connected to the fixed point anchorage.