Material or article handling – Vehicle attached auxiliary carriers
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-01
2004-07-27
Hess, Douglas (Department: 3651)
Material or article handling
Vehicle attached auxiliary carriers
C414S475000, C414S480000, C414S917000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06767171
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the loading and un-loading of recreational vehicles on to a truck. More particularly, the invention relates to an inclined vehicle receiving ramp that may be raised with the vehicle on the ramp to facilitate loading of the vehicle on to a truck.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Recreational vehicles, including but not limited to snowmobiles, all terrain vehicles, motorcycles, garden tractors, and personal water craft, are often used in outdoor locations remote from the dwelling places of their riders. Accordingly, the need exists to transport the vehicles to the location of use. One means of transporting a recreational vehicle is by using a truck, for example a pickup truck, and loading the vehicle on to the bed of the truck. However, modern recreational vehicles are heavy, often in excess of 500 pounds, and usually require some type of vehicle loading means to assist the user in loading the vehicle on to the truck.
One example of a vehicle loading means is an inclined wooden ramp placed against the rear of the truck. The vehicle is then driven up the ramp on to the truck. A disadvantage of such a ramp is that there is little or no room left on the bed of the truck for storage of the ramp. The ramp is heavy and awkward to handle and to place in the correct position, and the ramp may be unsafe if positioned incorrectly. For these reasons and others, various pickup truck mounted apparatus have been developed to assist in the loading of recreational vehicles.
One example of such an apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,991 B1, issued Mar. 19, 2002. The apparatus comprises a tillable rail mechanism that may be lowered for loading a recreational vehicle, specifically a personal water craft. The tilting or pivoting of the rail mechanism operates on the same principle as a teeter-totter. As the vehicle is moved forwardly along the rails, the center of gravity shifts to tilt the mechanism, thereby raising the vehicle. To avoid abrupt movement of the rail mechanism, a pneumatic air cylinder is provided between a fixed member of the mechanism and the towing bar. The pneumatic cylinder extends to lower the rail mechanism and retracts to raise the rail mechanism. This allows for the controlled lowering and raising of the rail mechanism in response to the movement of the vehicle along the rails. The pneumatic cylinder is always operable and cannot be selectively operated to raise or lower the load. A disadvantage of this apparatus is that the pneumatic cylinder is sized and positioned for loading only vehicles of a certain weight and center of gravity, reducing the flexibility of the apparatus for loading a variety of types of vehicles. Another disadvantage is that there is no way to selectively release the pneumatic cylinder, making it difficult to tilt the mechanism to the lowered position when no vehicle is loaded.
Another example of a system for loading a recreational vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,380,141, issued Jan. 10, 1995. The system includes a frame member affixed to the transport vehicle, or truck, including rail means and platform means slidable along the rail means. The rail means is deployed rearwardly of the transport vehicle and tilted to load the recreational vehicle. A mechanical lifting means, specifically a winch attached to a vertical standard, is setup adjacent a rearward end of the rail means and connected to the rail means by a flexible steel cable. The lifting means is used to raise the rail means to a horizontal position and the platform with the recreational vehicle is then slid along the rail means for loading the vehicle on to the truck. A disadvantage of the system is that the lifting means is not mounted on the truck and must be setup on the ground in a stable manner each time the apparatus is used. Another disadvantage is that the frame member is affixed to the bed of the transport vehicle, requiring holes to be drilled through the metal bed that could lead to unsightly rust formation.
The need therefore still exists for a recreational vehicle loading and un-loading apparatus that is simple and safe to use with a variety of recreational vehicles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for loading a recreational vehicle on to a truck, the truck having a front and rear and a longitudinal axis defined therebetween, the apparatus comprising: a vehicle receiving ramp that arcuately moves between a lowered position and a raised position, the ramp longitudinally mobile in the raised position between a rearmost longitudinal position and a foremost longitudinal position; a lifting means engaging the underside of the ramp, the lifting means selectively operable to arcuately move the ramp, the lifting means comprising a mounting means for mounting the lifting means to the rear of the pickup truck.
In one embodiment, the ramp is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis when the ramp is in the lowered position and parallel with the longitudinal axis when the ramp is in the raised position. In another embodiment, the arcuate movement of the ramp can be independent of the longitudinal position of the ramp. In yet another embodiment, the arcuate movement of the ramp occurs at the rearmost longitudinal position of the ramp. In yet another embodiment, the mounting means is removably secured within a hitch means attached to the rear of the pickup truck. In yet another embodiment, the lifting means further comprises a selectively operable locking means for preventing longitudinal mobility of the ramp.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for loading a recreational vehicle on to a truck, the truck having a front and rear and a longitudinal axis defined therebetween, the apparatus comprising: a vehicle receiving ramp that arcuately moves between a lowered position that is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis and a raised position that is parallel with the longitudinal axis, the ramp longitudinally mobile in the raised position between a rearmost longitudinal position and a foremost longitudinal position; a lifting means engaged with the underside of the ramp, the lifting means comprising: a jack mechanism; a scissors linkage engaged with the jack mechanism; a vertical support member forward of the scissors linkage; a pivot axis passing transversely through the vertical support member; and, a mounting means for removably mounting the lifting means to the rear of the pickup truck; wherein the jack mechanism is selectively operable to extend, thereby opening the scissors linkage to arcuately move the ramp from the lowered position to the raised position by pivoting the ramp about the pivot axis.
It will be understood by one skilled in the art that the invention may be used with a variety of types of vehicles having a cargo carrying bed, for example pickup trucks, flatbed trucks, vans, flatbed trailers, and the like. The embodiment of the invention described herein is with reference to a pickup truck, though the invention could be used in conjunction with any appropriate vehicle.
In the lowered position, the vehicle receiving ramp is inclined to receive the recreational vehicle. A variety of types of recreational vehicles may be loaded using the invention; for example, snowmobiles, all terrain vehicles, motorcycles, garden tractors, or personal watercraft. The vehicle may, for example, be driven on to the ramp under its own power, pushed on to the ramp, or pulled up the ramp by a cable passing over the forward end of the ramp. A winch may be used with the cable to assist in pulling the vehicle up the ramp.
When in the lowered position, the ramp is preferably locked in the rearmost longitudinal position to prevent longitudinal mobility of the ramp when the vehicle first makes contact with the ramp. To load the vehicle, the ramp and vehicle are arcuately moved to a raised position parallel with the longitudinal axis of the truck. Preferably, the ramp is then un-locked, the ramp and vehicle are moved longitudinall
Anissimoff & Associates
Brunet Robert A. H.
Hess Douglas
LandOfFree
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