Material or article handling – Self-loading or unloading vehicles – Loading or unloading by other carrier or mover means – and...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-16
2002-08-20
Keenan, James W. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Self-loading or unloading vehicles
Loading or unloading by other carrier or mover means, and...
C212S255000, C414S917000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06435806
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Swiss Patent Application No. 2498/98 dated Dec. 17, 1998 and Swiss Patent Application No. 1589/99 dated Aug. 31, 1999, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pick-up vehicle having an open cargo bed connected to a passenger cab in which the cargo bed includes or is defined by side walls, a rear wall, and wheel wells located inside or outside of the cargo bed. The invention also relates to a swivel device for loading and unloading the pick-up vehicle, and to a process for loading and unloading the pick-up vehicle.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Pick-up vehicles, e.g., road vehicles having a passenger cab connected to a cargo bed separated from the vehicle chassis, include side walls and a rear wall. The loading of pick-up vehicles can present problems when loads which cannot be lifted, either over the side walls or into the cargo bed through an opened rear wall, by hand. Since pick-up vehicles are being used more frequently as recreational vehicles, also called SUVs (sport utility vehicles), it would be beneficial to be able to load them with, e.g., all-terrain motorcycles or small watercraft without problems. When loading motorcycles, e.g., ramps can be used, however, this may require considerable dexterity and pose a certain safety hazard when the motorcycle is driven onto the ramp. Of course, when loading watercraft, the ramp option is not available. Moreover, the loading of other loads by hand can also be problematic.
Swivel devices for onloading, offloading, and tilting of trough-shaped containers are known, e.g., for use with trucks and construction vehicles. For trucks, two lateral swivel arms are generally provided which are respectively swivelably linked with one end behind the truck chassis. Further, the swivel arms can have a holding device for a load-bearing device, e.g., chains or wire cable at their free end, which device can be attached to the hopper to be onloaded or offloaded. During onloading, the hopper is deposited or positioned on transverse or longitudinal supports of the truck chassis. The swiveling motion of the swivel arms is generally achieved by hydraulically activated piston/cylinder arrangements which are fastened to the chassis and to the respective swivel arm. Swiss Patent Application No. CH-A-546 657 discloses, e.g., a swivel device for a truck, and European Patent Application No. EP-A-0 337 678 discloses, e.g., a construction vehicle having a swivel device for hoppers, in which the hoppers are likewise laterally received on swivel arms. A bridge that connects the swivel arms to an additional holding element serves to hold the hopper in a fixed position, which is arranged on the swivel arms when this hopper is tilted.
With such known swivel/tilt devices, a large height in the rest state results which is not objectionable for trucks and specialty vehicles, i.e., construction vehicles, but which by contrast is unacceptable for road vehicles such as pick-up vehicles because these vehicles should also be able to negotiate residential and commercial garages as well as wash stations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a simple option for loading even bulky and/or heavy loads onto a pick-up vehicle without diminishing the vehicle's suitability as a normal road vehicle.
Thus, the present invention is directed to a pick-up vehicle similar in general to that discussed above, which also includes a swivel device for loading and unloading of the vehicle. The swivel device includes at least one swivel arm which is laterally arranged in the cargo bed, and a swivel axis of the swivel device is arranged between the end of the cargo bed, i.e., the rear wall, and the wheel wells. The swivel arm also includes at least one bent or curved section along its length.
Using the swivel device of the instant invention for loading and unloading a pick-up vehicle allows for effortless loading and unloading by depositing a load on the ground behind the vehicle or on the cargo bed, and for a reduction in the height at the rest position through the curvature of or bend in the swivel arms, which renders the pick-up vehicle more roadworthy.
Further, the present invention provides a swivel device for the pick-up vehicle which ensures good loadability of the vehicle without impairing the use of the vehicle as a road vehicle. In this regard, the swivel device includes at least one swivel arm which is laterally arranged in the cargo bed, and a swivel axis of the swivel device is arranged between the end of the cargo bed, i.e., the rear wall, and the wheel wells. The swivel arm also includes at least one bent or curved section along its length.
The bowed or bent swivel arms of the swivel arms enables the swivel device to be arranged on a pick-up vehicle without significantly increasing height of such a vehicle. Moreover, the swivel device allows for simple loading and unloading of the pick-up vehicle.
Further still, the present invention is directed to a process in which a pick-up vehicle can be simply loaded and unloaded without limiting the suitability of the vehicle as a road vehicle. In this regard, a loading and unloading motion of the process includes swiveling of the swivel arm.
The present invention is directed to a pick-up vehicle having an open cargo bed coupled to a passenger cab, side walls, a rear wall, and wheel wells located one of inside and outside of the cargo bed. The pick-up vehicle includes a swivel device adapted for loading and unloading the open cargo bed, and the swivel device includes at least one swivel arm having one of a curved and bent section along its length. A swivel axis of the swivel device is located between the rear wall and the wheel wells.
According to a feature of the instant invention, at least one connecting bridge can be included. The at least one swivel arm can include swivel arms located on both sides of the cargo bed, and the at least one connecting bridge can be positioned to couple the swivel arms to form a swivel yoke. The swivel yoke in a resting position can form a roll bar for the passenger cab.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, at least one movable connection piece can be included. The swivel device can include two swivel axes located one behind the other in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, a swivel arm can be swivelably coupled around the two swivel axes, and the swivel arms may be coupled together through the at least one movable connection piece, thereby forming a parallelogram-like swivel arm structure. At least one load uptake device can be couplable to the movable connection piece. At least one rigid suspension can be included. The at least one load uptake device may include a platform, and the at least one rigid suspension can rigidly couple the platform to the movable connection piece.
According to still another feature of the invention, the swivel axes can lie essentially on a plane of the cargo bed. Alternatively, the swivel axes can lie beneath a plane of the cargo bed. Moreover, at least one of the swivel axes may be raised compared to the cargo bed.
The present invention is also directed to a swivel device for loading and unloading a pick-up vehicle. The pick-up vehicle can have an open cargo bed coupled to a passenger cab, side walls, a rear wall, and wheel wells located one of inside and outside of the cargo bed. The swivel device includes at least one swivel arm having one of a curved and bent section along its length. A swivel axis of the swivel device is adapted to be located between the rear wall and the wheel wells.
In accordance with a feature of the instant invention, at least one connecting bridge can be included. The at least one swivel arm can include swivel arms located on both sides of the cargo bed, and the at least one connecting bridge can be positioned to couple the swivel arms to form a swi
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Grover Trading Corporation AG
Keenan James W.
LandOfFree
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