Hitch mounted carrier system with ramp
阅读说明:本技术 具有坡道的安装在挂接装置上的承载系统 (Hitch mounted carrier system with ramp ) 是由 西奥多·J·凯克 于 2017-12-21 设计创作,主要内容包括:本发明公开一种用于处置车辆的货物的承载系统和方法。承载容器包括内部存放空间,内部存放空间由面向车辆后部的前侧面、后侧面、左侧面、右侧面和底侧面以及允许利用盖进入内部存放空间的敞开的顶部围成。安装至承载容器的承载支撑结构插入到车辆的挂接装置中并且保持容器的顶表面与车辆的载货平板齐平。打开盖以展开存放在其内部的坡道,把坡道锚固至容器,使得它与容器的顶表面齐平并且到达地面。关闭盖,并且跨越载货平板与容器顶部之间的任何间隙展开与盖共同铰接的桥板,从而在载货平板与地面之间提供了连续表面,以供宠物使用或用于处置货物。(The invention discloses a load bearing system and a method for handling cargo of a vehicle. The carrying container includes an interior storage space bounded by a front side facing the rear of the vehicle, a rear side, a left side, a right side, and a bottom side, and an open top permitting access to the interior storage space with the lid. A load bearing support structure mounted to the load bearing receptacle is inserted into the hitch of the vehicle and maintains the top surface of the receptacle flush with the cargo bed of the vehicle. The cover is opened to deploy the ramp stored inside it, anchoring the ramp to the container so that it is flush with the top surface of the container and reaches the ground. The cover is closed and a bridge panel, which is co-hinged with the cover, is deployed across any gap between the cargo bed and the top of the receptacle, providing a continuous surface between the cargo bed and the ground for use by pets or for handling cargo.)
1. A carrier system for a vehicle to assist in handling cargo of the vehicle, the vehicle having a cargo bed at a rear of the vehicle and an opening through which the cargo can be unloaded from and loaded into the vehicle, the carrier system comprising:
a carrying container including an interior storage space bounded by a front side, a rear side, a left side, a right side, a top side, and a bottom side facing the rear of the vehicle, at least one of the rear side, the left side, the right side, and the top side being an open side and allowing access to the interior storage space;
a load bearing support structure having a first end configured to be connected to the vehicle and a second end connected to the load bearing container, the load bearing support structure configured to hold the load bearing container in a selected position relative to the cargo bed of the vehicle;
a bridge device mounted adjacent to the top side of the load container, the bridge device forming a bridge spanning a gap between the cargo bed of the vehicle and the top side of the load container, a width of the bridge device when in a deployed configuration spanning a distance between the cargo bed of the vehicle and the top side of the load container;
a ramp having a first end configured to engage the carrier and a second end configured to engage a ground surface, thereby providing a ramped surface between the top side of the carrier and the ground surface.
2. The carrying system of claim 1 wherein the interior storage space of the carrying container is sized to receive and store the entirety of the ramp when undeployed.
3. The carrier system of claim 2, wherein:
the ramp comprises two hingedly connected sections that are retractable between a compact configuration and an extended configuration; and is
The interior storage space of the carrying container is dimensioned: receiving and storing the ramp within the interior storage space when the ramp is in its compact configuration.
4. The carrying system of claim 1 wherein the carrying support structure includes a height adjustment mechanism positioned between the first end and the second end of the carrying support structure, the height adjustment mechanism operable to move the carrying container relative to the first end of the carrying support structure and selectively position the top side of the carrying container relative to the cargo bed of the vehicle.
5. The carrying system of claim 4 wherein the height adjustment mechanism is operable to move the carrying container relative to the first end of the carrying support structure and selectively flush the top side of the carrying container with the cargo bed of the vehicle.
6. The carrying system of claim 1 further comprising a carrying container lid positionable in a closed configuration in which the carrying container lid covers the open side and an open configuration in which the carrying container lid exposes the open side allowing access to the interior storage space.
7. The carrying system of claim 6, wherein the carrying container lid is pivotally mounted to the carrying container.
8. The carrying system of claim 7, wherein the carrying container lid is pivotally mounted to the carrying container at the top side.
9. The carrying system according to claim 8, wherein the bridge device and the carrying container lid are pivotally mounted together to the carrying container.
10. The carrying system of claim 1, further comprising a hinge assembly configured to attach the bridge device to the carrying container in both the deployed configuration and the non-deployed configuration of the bridge device.
11. The load carrying system of claim 1, wherein the load carrying container includes a threshold portion disposed along each of the rear side, the left side, and the right side, the first end of the ramp being configured to engage the threshold portion when the second end of the ramp is engaged with the ground.
12. The load carrying system of claim 1, further comprising a work surface:
wherein the carrying container includes a mounting arrangement configured to receive and secure the work surface adjacent at least one of the left side of the carrying container, the right side of the carrying container, and the rear side of the carrying container and not resting on the top side of the carrying container, and a support arrangement arranged and configured to extend below a work surface to provide vertical support for any work performed on the work surface.
13. A carrying system according to claim 1 wherein the ramp includes retractable legs attached to the second end of the ramp which, when deployed, raise the second end of the ramp from the ground, thereby reducing the slope of the ramp relative to the top of the carrying container.
14. The carrying system of claim 7 wherein the open side of the carrying container is the top side of the carrying container, the carrying container lid and the bridge arrangement being pivotally mounted to the front side of the carrying container, the carrying container lid covering the top side of the carrying container when in a closed configuration and the bridge arrangement resting on the carrying container lid when in its non-expanded configuration.
15. The carrying system of claim 1 wherein the open side of the carrying container is one of the left side and the right side of the carrying container, the interior storage space of the carrying container including a track secured to the carrying container, the ramp slidably disposed on the track and accessible through the open side, the ramp sliding out of the container along the track and the ramp unfolding from the open side.
16. A carrier system for a vehicle to assist in handling cargo of the vehicle, the vehicle having a cargo bed at a rear of the vehicle and an opening through which the cargo may be unloaded from and loaded into the cargo bed of the vehicle, the carrier system comprising:
a carrier container including an interior storage space bounded by a front side, a rear side, a left side, a right side, an open top side, and a bottom side facing the rear of the vehicle, the carrier container including a carrier container lid positioned to cover the open top side;
a load-bearing support structure having a first end configured to be connected to the vehicle and a second end connected to the load-bearing receptacle, the load-bearing support structure configured to maintain the load-bearing receptacle in a variable selected position relative to the cargo bed of the vehicle;
a bridge device mounted to the open top surface of the carrier container, the bridge device having a deployed configuration in which it forms a bridge spanning a gap between the cargo bed of the vehicle and the top side of the carrier container, the width of the bridge device when in its deployed configuration spanning the distance between the cargo bed of the vehicle and the top side of the carrier container;
a ramp having a first end configured to engage the carrier and a second end configured to engage a ground surface, thereby providing a ramped surface between the top side of the carrier and the ground surface.
17. The load carrying system of claim 16, wherein the vehicle has a rear hitch at the rear of the vehicle, the first end of the load bearing support structure having a tongue sized and configured to be received by a receiver opening of the rear hitch.
18. The carrying system according to claim 1 wherein the bridge arrangement is pivotally mounted adjacent the top side of the carrying container.
19. A method for handling cargo of a vehicle having a cargo bed at a rear of the vehicle and an opening through which the cargo may be unloaded from and loaded into the cargo bed, the method comprising:
connecting a first end of a load bearing support structure to the vehicle such that the load bearing support structure maintains a load bearing container in a selected position relative to the cargo bed of the vehicle;
positioning the carrying container adjacent the opening, the carrying container including an interior storage space bounded by a front side, a rear side, a left side, a right side, a top side, and a bottom side facing the rear of the vehicle, one of the top side, the left side, the right side, and the rear side of the carrying container being an open side and allowing access to the interior storage space, the carrying container including a cover covering the open side, the carrying container being supported by a carrying support structure having a first end configured to be connected to the vehicle and a second end connected to the carrying container;
adjusting a height of the top side of the load container relative to the cargo bed of the vehicle;
a deployed bridge device mounted to the top side of the load-bearing container, the bridge device having a deployed configuration in which it forms a bridge spanning a gap between the cargo bed of the vehicle and the top side of the load-bearing container, the width of the bridge device when in its deployed configuration spanning the gap between the cargo bed of the vehicle and the load-bearing container; and
deploying a ramp, a first end of the ramp engaging the carrier to secure the ramp to the carrier, a second end of the ramp configured to engage the ground.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of deploying the ramp comprises:
removing the ramp from the interior storage space of the carrier through the open side.
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of deploying a ramp opening comprises opening the left side or the right side of the carrying container as the open side.
22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:
opening the lid of the carrier, removing the ramp from the carrier, and closing the lid of the carrier.
23. The method of claim 19, wherein deploying the bridge device comprises pivoting the bridge device from a non-deployed configuration in which the bridge device is adjacent the topside to the deployed configuration.
Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a load carrying system and method usable with a vehicle to handle cargo, and more particularly to a load carrying system and method that provides a surface that is horizontal and continuous with a bed of the vehicle and extends out from the rear of the vehicle to more easily handle cargo.
Background
Vehicles are commonly used to transport cargo, which may take many forms. For the purposes of this application, cargo is used to refer to inanimate objects as well as animals. The cargo may range from smaller sizes to larger sizes. Many vehicles have cargo beds that extend from the rear of the vehicle to a more forward position. The goods may be transported on a flat bed and, if desired, secured in place with straps or other means. The rear of the vehicle has one or more doors that, when opened, allow access to the cargo bed for disposal of the cargo as needed. The cargo may be loaded onto the cargo bed or unloaded from the cargo bed and vehicle via the rear door.
Full-size vans, minivans, Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), hatchbacks, vans, utility vehicles, work trucks, pick-up trucks, and station wagons are just a few examples of vehicles having cargo platforms. An example of a cross-country utility vehicle is
Q7 TDI. The vehicle has a cargo bed accessible through a rear door of the vehicle by opening the rear door in an upward direction. In many non-motor vehicles (e.g.,trailers) are similarly present.Regardless of the size of the vehicle, loading and unloading cargo into and from the cargo bed of the vehicle can be difficult. Heavy goods can be difficult to handle, especially if it is cumbersome. Vehicles with protruding bumpers may prevent an operator from standing straight when accessing the cargo bed, requiring the operator to bend over to load or pull items onto or off of the cargo bed. Bending over in this manner can put stress on the operator's lower back, which can strain the lower back or potentially cause more serious injury. A structure that allows the exterior resting surface to extend from the rear of the vehicle and be flush with the interior surface of the vehicle will help facilitate the movement of cargo into and out of the vehicle. The exterior resting surface allows cargo to be pulled and slid from within the interior cargo area of the vehicle to the exterior resting surface outside the vehicle and then lifted and removed from the left, right, or rear side of the vehicle.
The problem is also applicable to animals, such as pets, that are transported in vehicles. When the dog is transported in a car, young and healthy dogs are generally able to jump in and out of the car without significant risk of injury; however, older, injured and young dogs cannot jump in and out of the car without significant risk of injury. Thus, in many cases, the owner must manually carry the dog in and out of the car to prevent the dog from being injured by jumping. Lifting the dog from the ground to place it in the car and removing it from the car and placing it on the ground is a significant burden for both the dog and the owner. This burden is magnified when the dog is heavy or is moving around constantly when the dog is held up.
Many people are unable to hold their dogs because of age, injury, lack of physical strength or other physical limitations, and fear that they are themselves injured by the act of holding, fear that dogs are injured by dropping during holding, difficulty holding a dog that moves about, or fear that their clothing is soiled by holding a dog. Picking up and moving a heavy dog to and from the ground is particularly difficult because the dog clasping requires the owner to bend over when picking up, which causes great stress on the lower back. The protruding bumper may make it more difficult to assume the correct posture to gently lift the dog from the cargo area and gently place the dog into the cargo area of the vehicle. Being in an incorrect posture may cause the clasping action to place more stress on the owner's back and make it more difficult to grasp the dog securely. Both the owner and the dog will be much better if the owner never has to hold the dog in order to get it in and out of the vehicle.
Older, injured or young dogs should not be allowed to jump in and out of the car when the dog is transported in the car because there is a significant risk of injury. Older dogs can develop progressive physical limitations as they age, which makes jumping more difficult and dangerous. For obvious reasons, injured dogs cannot jump at all, while young healthy dogs cannot safely jump the distance necessary to get in and out of the car. As the height required to jump in and out of a car increases, the risk of dog injury from jumping in and out of the car increases exponentially. Jumping into and out of higher ground vehicles (e.g., larger SUVs) is more difficult and dangerous for dogs than for lower ground vehicles (e.g., station wagons). As dogs age, the risk of dog injury from jumping in and out of cars increases dramatically.
Jumping into a vehicle requires the dog to erupt from its hind leg to gain the height necessary to enter the vehicle, which places tremendous strain on the dog's hip, knee and knee ligaments. This explosive leap can over time produce terrible degenerative effects on the joints and ligaments of the dog, can cause significant injury at any time, and can greatly exacerbate existing injury. Jumping into the car may result in muscle tears, increased arthritis, torn ligaments in the knee, injury to the hip, and accelerated conditions such as hip dysplasia. A burst jump may be particularly dangerous due to a cold start when the dog is not warm, and a fatigue start when the dog is fatigued to move.
Jumping out of the vehicle requires the dog to undergo repeated high force compression at the joints of the forepaw, ankle, elbow, shoulder, neck and back. Such jumping can produce terrible degenerative effects on the joints and intervertebral discs of the dog over time, can cause significant injury at any time, and can greatly exacerbate existing injury. Jumping out of a vehicle can result in muscle tears, increased arthritis, ankle injuries, elbow injuries, shoulder injuries, back injuries, and neck injuries. Jumping can be particularly dangerous due to cold starts when the dog is not warm, and jumping can be particularly dangerous due to fatigue starts when the dog is tired of moving. As a result, as dogs become older or injured, the simple task of jumping in and out of automobiles can become physically demanding and can become a very dangerous health risk. Eliminating the need to jump in and out of a car can prevent the dog from being injured, significantly improve the quality of life of the dog, improve the mental health of the dog, and greatly extend the life of the dog. Both the owner and the dog will be much better if the dog never has to jump in and out of the car.
If the dog is unable to jump in and out of the car and the owner is unable to carry the dog in and out of the car, it seems unlikely that the dog will be taken anywhere. Thus, some owners tend to leave old or injured dogs alone at home due to the difficulty and risk of getting the dogs into and out of the car. For many pets, leaving alone may lead to depression and loneliness. Dogs prefer to stay with the owner in the car rather than at home. Older or injured dogs that were unable to move or play as in the past found the process of riding in a vehicle to be a very enjoyable and exciting experience. Riding in a car can become one of the ultimate great pleasures of an aged or injured dog and greatly improve its quality of life. Also, the ability to safely and easily bring an aged or injured dog to a new location greatly improves its quality of life.
Providing a better way for dogs to enter and exit the vehicle enables pet owners to travel with the dogs more, eliminates the possibility of injury to the owners and dogs when the dogs enter and exit the vehicle, greatly improves the quality of life of the dogs, and enhances the mental health of the dogs. The relatively easy deployment, use and storage structure for the dog to enter and exit the vehicle will make the pet owner more inclined to bring the pet into the vehicle. Both pets and owners would benefit from such a system.
Ramps are well known structures and are commonly used to facilitate the loading and unloading process of vehicles. The ramp is generally defined as a flat support surface that is higher at one end than the other, and that may be inclined at an angle. It serves as an auxiliary means for raising or lowering the load and is also referred to as an inclined plane. An advantage of using a ramp to load cargo into a vehicle is that the ramp provides an angled flat surface from the ground to the interior cargo area of the vehicle. In the case where the dog is able to walk on its own, it is particularly valuable to form an angled flat surface because the ramp allows the dog to walk in and out of the car, which eliminates the need for the owner to hold the dog in and out of the car, and eliminates the need for the dog to jump in and out of the car. This can be a great advantage to both the pet and the pet owner.
The slope angle of the slope has a great influence on the difficulty of the pet walking up and down the slope, so that the slope angle is very favorable to be reduced. The two most important factors affecting the slope angle of the ramp are the length of the ramp and the difference in height between the resting surface of the top of the ramp and the resting surface of the ground of the ramp. Increasing the ramp length and reducing the height difference between the top and the ground ramp resting surface makes it much easier for the dog to use the ramp. It is important to note that many times when using ramps oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the car there are kerbs which will rise above the ground level of the street on which the car is parked relative to the ground level of the side of the car. As a result, when a ramp perpendicular to the vehicle is used when there is a curb, the difference in height between the top of the ramp and the ground resting surface can be significantly reduced, which therefore reduces the ramp angle. This is a major benefit of using a ramp perpendicular to the vehicle.
Forming an angled flat surface with a ramp also allows rolling the cargo into the vehicle rather than lifting the cargo, which allows the user to manage heavier loads at one time and perform more quickly and safely. While rolling the load up the ramp incline requires work, it is generally much less labor intensive than lifting. The ramp slope angle has a large effect on the amount of work required to roll the cargo up and down the ramp, and therefore it is highly advantageous to reduce the slope angle of the ramp. The two most important factors affecting the ramp angle are the ramp length and the difference in height between the top resting surface of the ramp and the ground resting surface. Maximizing the ramp length and minimizing the height difference between the roof and the ground ramp resting surface makes it easier to roll cargo in and out of the vehicle.
Ramps come in many forms, many lengths, and have different design features that lend themselves to different applications. The ramp typically has an angled top resting surface to make the transition to the ramp smoother and to facilitate a more secure resting profile. The ramp typically has a height of several inches such that when deployed on a flat surface, the ramp surface is several inches above the flat surface. Typically, the portion of the ramp that contacts the rest surface has a non-smooth surface, such as a surface formed of rubber, that produces a high coefficient of friction between the ramp and the surface to which the ramp is connected. This friction provides a grip between the ramp and the rest surface which tends to limit relative movement. Ensuring that the ramp does not move in use may be critical to the safe use of the ramp. The risk that the ramp may move in use is that the ramp tips to both sides as a result of not resting on a flat, firm, horizontal and stable surface, the ramp slides off the lower rest surface as a result of a smooth connection with the ground and/or upper rest surface, the ramp slides off the upper rest surface as a result of no safety lip on this rest surface, or the ramp falls onto the ground as a result of failure of the rest surface.
The ramp for the dog rests on a flat stable surface at both the upper and lower ends and is sufficiently firm in normal use conditions that it does not move during use. Gravity and friction will stabilize the ramp. In the normal conditions of use for dogs, it is not necessary to use any special anchoring system to secure the ramp, however, the safety feature in the form of a raised tongue on the outer periphery of the rest platform at the upper end of the ramp eliminates a small risk of the ramp sliding off the rest surface in use. In some cases, such as when rolling cargo into a vehicle, the process of using the ramp may be at greater risk than the typical use conditions for dogs, and it is necessary to have a secure anchoring mechanism connecting the ramp and the rest surface to provide more robust protection against movement of the ramp in use.
There are several difficulties with using ramps with vehicles. These difficulties include: it is difficult to find a flat, stable and firm resting surface for resting the ramp in the vehicle, to find ways in which the ramp can be used perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, other than parallel to the vehicle, to find ways to reduce the slope angle of the ramp, and to find ways to smoothly transition from the interior surface of the vehicle to the ramp. When using the ramp with a vehicle, the rear door access is the only practical option for accessing the cargo area. The rear side door of most automobiles cannot be opened wide enough to allow a ramp of moderate width to rest perpendicular to the automobile, which makes it impossible for the ramp to access a firm and stable resting surface within the automobile. The front door is usually opened wide enough for the ramp to rest vertically, however, the top of the ramp must rest on the front seat of the car, which is not a stable, horizontal and flat surface. Furthermore, in order to exit the car from the front door, the dog must transition from the rear of the car through the area between the front seats to the front seat and then to the ramp, which can be difficult and dangerous for an aged or injured dog.
In most cases, the rear door of the vehicle spans the entire width of the vehicle and opens up or sideways, which creates an open space in the vehicle that is wide enough to accommodate the width of the ramp, and an open space behind the vehicle that is not obstructed by the door itself. When using the ramp through the rear door opening of the vehicle, the user rests the top of the ramp on the interior surface of the cargo area of the vehicle and the rear portion of the ramp behind the vehicle on the ground so that the ramp rests out of the rear of the vehicle parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. This approach has several disadvantages. First, if another car is parked behind the vehicle or there is another obstacle behind the vehicle, it is impossible to unfold the ramp out of the rear of the vehicle. Second, when the ramp rests on the interior cargo surface of the vehicle, the ramp surface is several inches above the interior cargo surface, which forms a non-flush transition with the ramp and increases the ramp angle. The non-flush transition and increased slope angle make using the slope much more laborious and dangerous for the dog.
Third, due to the internal structure of the vehicle, it is not possible to rest the ramp below the vehicle interior surface level. This makes it impossible to form a smooth transition with the ramp and limits the ability to reduce the ramp angle. Fourth, many times, the surface at the entrance to the vehicle interior cargo area is designed such that it is not completely flat or completely horizontal to facilitate loading and unloading of cargo; however, this makes the rest surface less secure and less safe for use with the ramp. Fifth, the ramp can only be deployed when the back door is open, but cannot remain deployed when the back door is closed. Sixth, the ramp cannot be used in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle at the rear of the vehicle because the rear of the vehicle does not have a stable ramp resting surface that is perpendicular to the rear of the vehicle and accessible from the side of the vehicle.
A structure mounted to the rear of the vehicle, including a firm ramp rest surface at the side periphery and enabling a stable flat continuous exterior surface extending from the rear of the vehicle and flush with the vehicle interior would facilitate, enhance and improve the use of ramps from the rear of parked vehicles. Such a configuration would allow the ramp to deploy perpendicular to the right side of the parked vehicle, perpendicular to the left side of the parked vehicle, or parallel to the rear of the parked vehicle. Such a configuration would provide a safe and easy transition from the vehicle interior surface to any potential ramp rest surface location beyond the continuous exterior surface. Such a configuration would allow the ramp to rest at a position below the level of the interior surface such that the top surface of the ramp is flush with the interior surface of the vehicle, which smoothes the transition from the interior surface to the ramp and reduces the ramp angle of the ramp. This configuration allows the ramp to remain deployed regardless of whether the rear door is closed or open.
When storing a ramp in a vehicle while driving, there are several key problems of its own. The first problem is to find a simple, convenient and out of the way place to store the ramp while driving. When the ramp is stored in the vehicle cargo area, the ramp can be stored with its top lying flat on the vehicle cargo area or can be stored with its sides standing on the vehicle cargo area. If the ramp is stored with its top lying flat on the vehicle cargo area, the ramp may easily occupy more than half of the available surface area of the cargo area, which significantly limits the amount of space available for other cargo. When traveling in a vehicle with a dog or dogs, these dogs often require a large amount of open space to sit down, walk around, and feel comfortable. There may not be enough space in the cargo area of the vehicle to accommodate both a flat lying ramp and a comfortable seating space for a dog or dogs. In addition, it may be unsafe for a dog to ride in a cargo area having a flat lying ramp because the dog may bump into the ramp or fall on the ramp and injure himself while traveling. Furthermore, if the ramp is stored lying flat, additional cargo cannot be stored on top of the ramp, because the ramp must be reasonably accessible for deployment when the vehicle is stopped. If the ramp is stored with its side on the vehicle loading area, it occupies a much smaller surface area than if it were lying flat, however, it must be well secured so that it does not fall or move during travel and so that it does not create an extremely annoying rattle during travel. Securing the ramp while lying on its side in the rear of the vehicle requires the user to bend down in the vehicle and tie the ramp to the side of the vehicle, which can be time consuming, cumbersome and hard on the lower back. Furthermore, even with the greatest effort, it may be difficult to secure the ramp sufficiently strong to completely restrict movement of the ramp under the action of vibrations and other forces typically present in moving vehicles. Furthermore, when the ramp vibrates, it can produce very annoying rattles.
A second problem associated with stowing a ramp in a vehicle is: the process of securing the ramp in the vehicle, unsecuring the ramp from the vehicle, lifting the ramp in the vehicle, lifting the ramp out of the vehicle, deploying the ramp for use, and disassembling the ramp for storage. All of this can become quite cumbersome and therefore any method that can simplify, minimize and ease the process would be advantageous.
A third problem associated with stowing a ramp in a car is that: the ramp can become dirty during use and storing the ramp in the vehicle can transfer the dirt to the vehicle. Some commercial trucks have ramps and a ramp storage area built into the rear of the truck below the load bed. The ramp is simply pulled out of the rear, the front end is lifted to the anchoring position, and within a few minutes, the ramp is fully mounted to the vehicle and ready for use. When the vehicle must be driven, the ramp is simply disengaged from the anchoring location and slid back into the ramp storage area. The ramp is locked there and the vehicle can be driven. The storage process may be completed in less than two minutes. However, many vehicles (e.g., passenger cars including minivans and utility vehicles) do not have a built-in ramp system such as this. The ramp must be stored elsewhere. A structure that allows for easy storage of the ramp in the passenger vehicle and a structure that reduces the effort involved in deploying the ramp from the passenger vehicle would be advantageous.
People use their vehicles to perform many recreational activities, including camping, travel picnic, and hunting. When using vehicles in pursuit of recreational activities, many people work or operate outside the rear of their vehicles. When working or operating outside the rear of a vehicle, there must be available surface space to place and rest tools, equipment, or any number of things. The interior cargo area of the vehicle may be used for this purpose, however, this approach suffers from several disadvantages. First, if the cargo area of the vehicle is fully loaded, some of the cargo must be removed from the vehicle to make open surface space available for work or operation. Unloading cargo from a vehicle to provide available surface space can be cumbersome, can be physically demanding, and requires that the cargo be placed elsewhere, such as on the ground, which can make the cargo dirty. Secondly, when working outside the rear of the vehicle cargo area, the surface is accessible only from directly behind the vehicle and not from the side of the vehicle. Third, when working or operating outside the cargo area of the vehicle, it must bend down and lean to access objects on the surface of the cargo area of the vehicle, which may exert force on the lower back. This disadvantage is amplified if there is a protruding bumper.
Fourth, many times, when working or operating outside the rear of the vehicle, the amount of surface space available is not sufficient to meet the requirements of the task at hand. Fifth, many times, when work or operations are performed outside the rear of the vehicle, confusion or undesirable accidents may occur on the interior surface of the vehicle. Accidents or mess on the interior surfaces of a vehicle can be difficult to clean, can complicate the use of the space for other cargo, can cause discomfort to passengers due to odors in the vehicle while traveling, and can cause long-term damage to the vehicle.
The configuration of the transformable stable continuous exterior surface that allows for outside the rear of the vehicle and flush with the vehicle interior would provide significant additional exterior surface space as follows: which is outside the rear of the vehicle and is easily accessible and available for convenient work or operation while engaged in recreation. The configuration of the convertible continuous exterior surface that allows it to extend from the rear of the vehicle will allow unrestricted access by the user for work and operation from the right side of the exterior surface, the left side of the exterior surface, and the rear side of the exterior surface. The ability to operate from all three sides of the surface greatly improves the utility and usability of the surface and alleviates the need to bend over when approaching objects on the surface, which reduces stress on the lower back. The more exterior surface space that is available outside the rear of the vehicle when working or operating, the greater the utility and usability of the exterior surface area. An additional surface extension allowing the extension of the main continuous outer surface would be advantageous. The more placement options available for additional surface extension, the greater flexibility and use options when working or operating from the rear of the vehicle while engaged in recreational activities. The switchable continuous exterior surface can be rinsed and easily cleaned, which can be convenient when managing messes and accidents.
Accordingly, those skilled in the art have recognized a need for an improved system and method for loading and unloading cargo into and from a vehicle. It is also recognized that there is a need for an improved system for easily and safely loading and unloading live cargo, including pets, into and from a vehicle using a ramp and storing the ramp in readiness for access during the loading and unloading process. It is further recognized that there is a need for an improved system that allows cargo to be moved laterally (e.g., from a sidewalk) into and out of a cargo bed of a vehicle. The present invention fulfills these needs and others.
Disclosure of Invention
Briefly, and in general terms, the present invention is directed to a system and method for loading and unloading cargo at the rear of a vehicle using an externally mounted load-bearing container and ramp that provides a continuous surface between the cargo bed of the vehicle and the ground. In particular, there is provided a load bearing system for a vehicle to assist in handling vehicle cargo, the vehicle having a cargo bed and an opening through which cargo may be removed from and loaded into the vehicle, the load bearing system comprising: a carrying container including an interior storage space bounded by a front side facing a rear of the vehicle, a rear side, a left side, a right side, a top side, and a reinforced bottom side, one side of the carrying container being open and allowing access to the interior storage space; a load bearing support structure having a first end configured to be attached to the vehicle and a second end attached to the load bearing container, the load bearing support structure configured to hold the load bearing container in a selected position relative to a cargo bed of the vehicle; a bridge arrangement pivotally mounted to the top side of the load container and pivotable between a non-deployed configuration in which the bridge arrangement rests on the top of the load container outside the vehicle opening and a deployed configuration in which the bridge arrangement pivots towards the rear of the vehicle and provides a bridge spanning a gap between the cargo bed of the vehicle and the top of the load container, the width of the bridge arrangement when in its deployed configuration spanning the distance between the cargo bed of the vehicle and the top of the load container; and a ramp having a proximal end configured to engage the carrier container and a distal end configured to engage the ground, thereby providing a ramp surface between the top of the carrier container and the ground.
In a more detailed aspect, the interior storage space of the carrier is sized to receive and store the entire ramp when the ramp is not deployed. The ramp may be telescopically extendable from a stored compact configuration or have two hingedly connected sections that are retractable between a compact configuration and an extended configuration; and the internal storage space of the load-bearing container is sized large enough to fit the ramp within the internal storage space when the ramp is in its compact configuration.
In other aspects, the load bearing support structure includes a height adjustment mechanism located between the first and second ends of the load bearing support structure, the height adjustment mechanism operable to move the load bearing receptacle relative to the first end and selectively position the load bearing receptacle such that the top side of the load bearing receptacle is flush with the cargo bed of the vehicle. The first end of the load bearing support structure includes a tongue removably insertable into the receiver opening of the vehicle trailer hitch and a plurality of support arms including a vertical support arm and an upwardly angled support arm, all connected between the tongue and the load bearing container to retain and position the load bearing container adjacent the rear of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the tongue is removably inserted into a hitch extender that is attached to a trailer hitch of a vehicle.
In still other detailed aspects, the carrier system further includes a carrier container lid pivotally mounted to the carrier container between a closed configuration in which the carrier container lid covers the open side and an open configuration in which the carrier container lid exposes the open side, thereby allowing access to the interior storage space. The open side of the carrier container is a top side and the cover is arranged to cover the open top side, and further comprising a common hinge by which the carrier container cover and the bridge device are together pivotably mounted to the carrier container at the top side such that the cover is mounted closest to the open side of the carrier container and the bridge device is mounted on top of the cover, such that the bridge device can now be pivoted to its unfolded position at the cargo bed regardless of the position of the cover. In more detail, the common hinge comprises a hinge barrel comprising a lid hinge knuckle connected to the carrying container lid, a bridge hinge knuckle connected to the bridge device and a container hinge knuckle connected to the carrying container, the lid hinge knuckle, the bridge hinge knuckle and the container hinge knuckle being assembled together to form the hinge barrel, and a single hinge pin extending through the lid hinge knuckle, the bridge hinge knuckle and the container hinge knuckle such that the carrying container lid and the bridge hinge knuckle pivot coaxially about the common hinge with respect to the carrying container. In another embodiment, the bridge device is pivotably mounted to the carrying container independently of the lid being pivotably mounted to the carrying container.
In a further detailed aspect, the system includes a weight support bracket mounted to the front side of the load bearing container and located below the bridge device such that when in the deployed configuration, the bridge device rests on the bracket, the weight support bracket providing support for the combined weight of the bridge device and cargo moving over the bridge device when the bridge device is in the deployed configuration. The threshold portion is externally secured to a side of the carrier, wherein the threshold portion includes one of a projection and a recess, wherein the proximal end of the ramp includes the other of the projection and the recess, whereby the proximal end of the ramp is secured to the carrier when the projection engages the recess. The interior storage space of the load bearing container includes a tray configured to receive and store the ramp in the compact configuration. The tray restricts the movement of the ramp while driving. The ramp includes retractable legs attached at its distal end that, when extended, raise the distal end from the ground, thereby reducing the slope of the ramp relative to the top of the load carrier.
In a further aspect, the open side of the carrier container is a top side of the carrier container, wherein the carrier container lid and the bridge device are pivotally mounted to a front side of the carrier container such that the hinged carrier container lid covers the top side in the closed configuration and the hinged bridge device rests on the carrier container lid in the non-deployed configuration. In yet another aspect, the open side of the carrier container is one of a left side and a right side of the carrier container, wherein the interior storage space of the carrier container includes a rail secured to one of the sides of the carrier container, the ramp is slidably disposed on the rail and accessible through the open side, wherein the carrier container lid is pivotally mounted to one of the top side and the bottom side of the carrier container and covers the open side in its closed configuration.
In another detailed aspect of the invention, there is provided a work surface, wherein the load-bearing container comprises a mounting arrangement configured to receive and secure the work surface in a fixed position relative to at least one of a left side of the load-bearing container, a right side of the load-bearing container, and a rear side of the load-bearing container, such that the work surface is located on one side of the load-bearing container and not resting on a top surface of the load-bearing container, and a support arrangement disposed and configured to extend below the fixed work surface to provide vertical support for any work performed on the work surface. The work surface is flush (at the same level) with the top surface of the carrying container.
In a method aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for disposing of cargo of a vehicle, the vehicle having a cargo bed and a rear opening through which cargo may be unloaded from and loaded into the cargo bed, the method comprising: connecting a first end of the load bearing support structure to the vehicle such that the load bearing support structure maintains the load bearing receptacle in a selected position relative to the vehicle cargo bed; positioning a load-bearing container adjacent to the vehicle opening, the load-bearing container including an interior storage space bounded by a front side facing the rear of the automobile, a rear side, a left side, a right side, a top side, and a bottom side, one of the sides of the load-bearing container being open and allowing access to the interior storage space, the load-bearing container including a cover covering the open side and supported by a load-bearing support structure, the load-bearing support structure having a first end configured to be connected to the vehicle and a second end connected to the load-bearing container; adjusting the height of the top of the cargo container to be flush with the cargo bed of the vehicle; a deployed bridge arrangement pivotally mounted to the top of the load carrier, the bridge arrangement being pivotable between a non-deployed configuration in which the bridge arrangement rests on the load carrier outside the opening of the vehicle, and a deployed configuration in which the bridge arrangement provides a bridge spanning a gap between the cargo bed of the vehicle and the top of the load carrier, the bridge arrangement having a width in the deployed configuration that spans the gap between the cargo bed of the vehicle and the load carrier; deploying a ramp having a proximal end relative to the carrier to secure the ramp to the carrier, wherein a top surface of the ramp at the proximal end is flush with a top of the carrier, the ramp having a distal end configured to engage the ground; and storing the ramp in the interior storage space of the carrying container. The bridge arrangement is wide enough to cover the gap at the side edges of the cargo area, especially if the rear of the cargo area is curved.
More detailed method aspects include: the step of deploying the ramp includes opening the carrier container lid, removing the ramp from the interior storage space of the carrier container through the open side, deploying the ramp so that it extends the full length thereof, and engaging the proximal end of the ramp having one of the tab and the groove with the carrier container having the other of the tab and the groove to secure the proximal end of the ramp to the carrier container. In yet another aspect, the step of deploying the ramp opening includes opening a left or right side of the carrier container as the open side, pulling the ramp out through the open side along a track attached to one of the sides of the carrier container, the ramp being slidably mounted to the track.
Additional method aspects include opening the lid of the carrier, removing the ramp from the carrier, closing the lid of the carrier; and deploying the ramp to engage the load carrier with the proximal end of the ramp such that the top surface of the proximal end of the ramp is flush with the top surface of the cover, and after opening the rear door of the vehicle to allow access to the cargo bed of the vehicle, pivoting the bridge device from the cover of the load carrier into the cargo bed of the vehicle into its deployed configuration to provide a bridge spanning a gap between the top of the load carrier and the cargo bed.
The features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Drawings
FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a load bearing system for loading and unloading cargo onto and from a cargo bed of a vehicle. The load carrying system is shown to include a load carrying container, a load carrying support structure having a tongue formed to be inserted into a receiver opening of a vehicle hitch, a top hinged cover shown in a partially open/partially closed configuration, a removable ramp mounted to a rear side of the load carrying container in a configuration parallel to the vehicle and parallel to the tongue, and a rotatable bridge device (in this case a bridge deck) shown in an unfolded configuration;
FIG. 1B is a view of a detail taken along line IB-1B depicted in FIG. 1A, showing a cross-sectional view of the threshold portion and groove of the anchoring device for receiving the ramp around the exterior of the load-bearing container;
FIG. 2 is a perspective left rear view of the load carrying system of FIG. 1A, showing the load carrying system centrally mounted to the rear of the vehicle with the bridge plate deployed to form a continuous and flush surface between the cargo bed surface inside the vehicle and the closed cover of the load carrying system, and showing the ramp anchored in the sill portion and the trough at the rear side of the load carrying container such that the ramp is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;
FIG. 3 is a top view of the load bearing system of FIGS. 1 and 2 installed, showing the ramp positioned at a 90 degree angle to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle in this embodiment such that the ramp extends perpendicular to the vehicle and the distal end of the ramp may rest on a sidewalk, further showing the top of the vehicle removed such that the bridge provides a smooth surface spanning the gap between the load bearing member and the cargo area of the vehicle;
FIG. 4 is a rear view of the vehicle with the vehicle rear door raised and open, showing the load carrying system of FIG. 3 installed in the vehicle hitch, the support structure, the load carrying container, and the ramp of FIG. 3 mounted perpendicular to the vehicle and anchored to the rocker portion at the right side of the load carrying container;
FIG. 5 is a flow chart depicting a method of disposing of vehicle cargo using a load bearing system according to aspects of the present invention, wherein the load bearing member is mounted to a vehicle, the height and distance from the vehicle are adjusted so that the lid of the load bearing member is flush with the vehicle bed and the gap can be covered with a bridge, and the ramp is deployed;
FIG. 6 is a left side view of the utility vehicle with the rear door of the vehicle open to gain access to the cargo space and the carrier system mounted to the hitch of the vehicle, a portion of the left side of the vehicle removed so that a dog located within the vehicle can be seen, the carrier container stored with a folding ramp shown in phantom, and the top of the carrier lid adjusted to be flush with the cargo bed surface;
FIG. 7 is a side view of the load carrying system of FIG. 6 showing the deployment of the ramp anchored to the rear surface of the load carrying container and in the rocker portion with the bridge and cover pivoted in opposite directions to bridge the gap between the container and the cargo bed surface and close the container, respectively;
FIG. 8 is a side view of the carrying system of FIGS. 6 and 7, shown in a fully deployed and operable configuration with the carrying container lid closed and flush with the cargo bed surface, the ramp anchored to the carrying container such that its top surface is flush with the lid of the container, and showing the collapsible ramp having legs hingedly attached at its ground-engaging (distal) end such that the legs can be deployed when desired to raise the ground end of the ramp to reduce the slope of the ramp relative to the carrying container lid;
FIG. 9 is a left side view of the carrier system in a travel configuration in which the bridge plate and carrier cover are latched to the carrier after the ramp has been safely stored within the carrier, and showing a mechanism to secure the contents of the carrier, according to aspects of the present invention;
FIG. 10A is a perspective view of the front end of an embodiment of a carrier having individual hinges connected to a bridge plate and a carrier container and including gaps in the weight support brackets for receiving and supporting the bridge hinges;
FIG. 10B is a perspective view of the front end of an embodiment of a carrier with a dual function hinge for connecting three items together (in this case a carrier container, a lid of the container, and a bridge plate) for selective use;
10C-10F are side views of the embodiment similar to FIG. 10B, except that the bridge supports are vertically movable to accommodate a height difference between the carrier cap surface and the cargo area surface;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a load bearing system in accordance with aspects of the present invention, wherein the ramp is configured to be unfolded sideways so that it will be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 4, the inner components shown in phantom, the ramp connected with an inner slide rail of the carrier, the inner spring providing spring loading for the ramp to assist in unfolding the ramp slidably across the right side of the load bearing container, and a hook guide slot into which a pin pivotable at the top end of the ramp engages so that the upper surface of the ramp is flush with the top surface of the container when the ramp is fully unfolded, in which embodiment the ramp is folded up for storage with a visible ramp hinge;
FIG. 12 is a partial perspective view of the rails and guide slots and pivotable end locator pins shown in FIG. 11 to illustrate the deployment operation of the ramp such that the top end of the ramp is flush with the top surface of the container;
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the carrying system of FIG. 12 with the ramp fully removed from the carrying container and deployed to provide a ramp from the ground to the top surface of the carrying container, further showing the bridge deck being deployed;
FIG. 14 is a rear elevational view of a variation of the load carrying system of FIG. 1A wherein the load carrying container is mounted off-center from the longitudinal centerline of the vehicle using a differently configured load carrying support structure which in this embodiment also includes a bicycle frame;
FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the load carrying system of FIG. 14 showing the eccentric mounting of the load carrying container, the modification of the bridge plate for proper fit within the cargo area of the vehicle, and the centered mounting of the bicycle frame;
FIG. 16 is a side view of a variation of the structure of the bicycle frame support post with the load carrying system of FIGS. 14 and 15, further showing the use of the hitch extender to position the bicycle frame rearwardly far enough to permit the rear door of the vehicle to open unobstructed;
FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a variation of a carrying system including a removable work surface placed on a pivotable support forming part of the outer structure of a carrying container, the pivotable support having a support housing assembly connected to the carrying container;
FIG. 18 is a rear view of the carrying system showing the work surface pivotable support mounted under the lid of the carrying container for supporting the work surface when desired;
FIG. 19A is a top view of the carrying system of FIG. 18 showing in phantom pivotable brackets on both the left and right sides and the rear side of the container that may be used with a work surface, in this case actually showing the support of the rear mounted work surface;
FIG. 19B is a perspective view of a container lid of the carrying system with a working surface slidably mounted, the working surface being slidable rearwardly through an opening in a rear side of the carrying container lid, and a handle mounted to a rear surface of the working surface, the handle being graspable by an operator to assist in movement of the working surface;
fig. 19C is a rear view of the housing into which the vertical support brackets have been retracted. The support bracket is configured to pivot outwardly and below the work surface to provide vertical support for the work surface;
FIG. 19D is a cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 19C showing a portion of the housing of the stand and a mounting device positioned above the stand and configured to receive and secure a work surface in a fixed position relative to the side of the load container and above the stand such that they will provide vertical support for the work surface as the stand pivots outwardly;
FIG. 19E is a cross-sectional view of a portion similar to FIG. 19D, but additionally showing the load bearing container, the lid of the load bearing container, and a portion of the work surface secured with the vertical support brackets;
FIG. 20 is a perspective rear view of a carrier system having a container including two storage compartments, one primary storage compartment of which is shown in FIG. 1A and a secondary storage compartment at the bottom of the container, accessible by pivoting the primary compartment rearward to open the secondary compartment; and
FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the carrying system of FIG. 20 showing the main compartment pivoted rearwardly to open the second container;
fig. 22A-22L are plan views (fig. 22E and 22F are partially exploded forms) depicting operation of the hinge assembly and pivotal movement of the bridge plate and carrying container lid;
fig. 23A to 23D are plan views depicting the operation of the hinge assembly and the pivotal movement of the bridge plate;
FIG. 24 is a plan view depicting the operation of the hinge assembly and the pivoting movement of the bridge and side doors;
fig. 25A-25C are plan views depicting deployment of the telescoping ramps from a side opening of the carrier storage area.
Detailed Description
Referring now in more detail to the exemplary drawings that illustrate embodiments of the present invention, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding or similar elements throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1A a
As shown in fig. 1A, the carrying system includes a carrying
The load bearing
When the load bearing
The purpose of the
The
The bridge width is dependent upon the amount of curvature of the rear portion of the vehicle and the distance between the outer edge of the rear cargo door and the beginning of the interior cargo area of the vehicle. These factors vary from vehicle to vehicle, but vehicles with greater curvature will require longer bridge decks, as will vehicles with larger distances between the outer edges of the rear cargo doors and the beginning of the vehicle interior cargo area.
The distance between the outer edge of the rear cargo door and the beginning of the cargo area within the vehicle is a function of vehicle design factors such as the width of the door jamb of the rear door, the width of the rubber insulation of the door jam, the width and position of the rear door locking mechanism, and the vehicle features in front of the cargo area that facilitate loading and unloading cargo into and from the vehicle as if they were angled metal surfaces.
For example, in
The maximum bridge width on the Q7TDI was 14 inches. When the carrier is installed as close to the rear of the vehicle as possible and the deck is deployed, the portion of the deck that rests furthest into the cargo area is 7 inches within the cargo area of the vehicle. This is just inside the angled metal piece which facilitates loading and unloading of cargo into and from the vehicle. The distance between the outer edge of the rear cargo door and the bridge plate (in its stored and secured position on the outer platform) is also 7 inches. This distance includes 1.5 inches for the width of the bridge bracket on the back of the storage carrier and an additional 5.5 inches of clearance from the outer edge of the bridge bracket to the outer edge of the rear cargo door.If the carrier is mounted away from the vehicle, the bridge plate must be longer to accommodate the additional distance created by moving the carrier away from the vehicle. If the top surface length of the carrier is 18 inches (assuming a 17 inch wide ramp and a carrier side wall width of 0.5 inches), the bridge plate will cover 14 inches of the top surface of the carrier cap when in a secured position on top of the carrier cap. In a preferred embodiment, the bridge panel should cover about three-quarters of the top of the container lid when in the secured position on the top of the carrier lid, and the bridge panel should enter the cargo area of the vehicle about 7 inches when in the deployed position. Of course, these dimensions and proportions are variable depending on the configuration of the vehicle cargo compartment. It is important that when deployed, the bridge plate must enter and rest on the floor of the cargo area a sufficient distance so that cargo or animals can be safely transported through the bridge plate.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, the
In one embodiment, the
The carrying
In another embodiment, the
Another feature of the
In view of the above, embodiments of the present invention use an anchoring scheme for the proximal end of the ramp. As shown in fig. 1A and 1B, the anchoring mechanism includes a
In another embodiment, the anchoring mechanism includes one or more protrusions formed into the top of the threshold portion that have a shape complementary to a groove formed into the bottom surface of the proximal end of the ramp. In one form of this second embodiment, the projection on the threshold portion includes a ridge extending upwardly along the entire length of all three threshold portions (left, right and rear sides of the container), with the proximal end of the ramp having a complementary groove at the bottom. In either embodiment, the anchoring mechanism secures the proximal end of the ramp to the load-bearing container due to gravity pulling the ramp down into the recess or over the threshold protrusion. In addition, the lip of the groove or the groove in the underside of the ramp will resist any tendency for the ramp to slide away from the carrying container. Other forms of anchoring mechanisms may be used that rely on gravity, latching, or other types of securing devices.
The
One of the main features of the
The
It should be noted that the
Additionally, the distal end 118 of the
Vehicles come in different shapes and sizes, and therefore, when mounted to the hitch of a vehicle, the
In another embodiment, a horizontal adjustment mechanism 133 is included that allows for moving the carrying container horizontally; i.e. towards the rear of the vehicle or away from the rear of the vehicle. The adjustment mechanism can be used to adjust the load-bearing container so that the bridge plate is optimally utilized. For example, leveling mechanisms may be used to address these issues when the bridge plate does not completely cover the gap between the load carrying container and the cargo bed when deployed, or when the bridge plate extends too far into the cargo bed. Alternatively, the bridge deck may be curved to accommodate cargo bed panels that have curvature due to the curved rear end of the vehicle. Alternatively, a trailer hitch extender (discussed below with reference to fig. 16) may be used in place of or in addition to the leveling mechanism. Furthermore, another alternative is to replace the bridge deck with a longer one if it does not completely cover the gap, or with a shorter one if it extends too far into the cargo bed.
Various height adjustment mechanisms may be used, including a conventional telescoping mechanism with screw lock, a pneumatic mechanism, a pin system in which the upper shaft has a plurality of closely spaced holes drilled through the shaft, the shaft rests in a sleeve, the sleeve also has a hole drilled completely through the sleeve, and the pin is used to set the height of the load bearing container by moving the shaft to the desired height and inserting the pin through the sleeve and the nearest shaft hole. An enlarged catch may then be placed through the hole drilled through the distal end of the pin to hold the pin in place so that it cannot be pulled out of the sleeve and shaft hole. Many other height adjustment devices are available.
Also, various level adjustment mechanisms may be used. In one embodiment, a standard type hitch adjuster may be used, wherein the
Referring now to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the
When the load bearing support structure is mounted to the
The
Fig. 2-4 illustrate the
Fig. 5 depicts a preferred embodiment of a method 200 of using the
One embodiment uses hitches to attach the
hitch class
Tongue weight
Class I
200 pounds (79 kg)
Class II
300 pounds (118)Kilogram)
600 pounds (236 kg)
If the ramp is merely stored in a load container, load bearing
Returning to FIG. 5, the top 104 of the load-bearing container lid is then inspected 220 to determine if it is flush with the cargo bed of the vehicle. If the load-bearing container is too high or too low relative to the cargo bed, the operator adjusts the
Next, the bridge panel is deployed 260 across the gap between the rear of the vehicle and the load-bearing container, as shown in fig. 8. This
FIG. 7 shows a
As further shown in fig. 8, the
In a method according to aspects of the present invention, an operator of the vehicle will park it at a selected location. A decision is then made as to whether the ramp is deployed in a direction parallel to the vehicle or in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle. If an animal is involved, the early step for the operator would be to unlock the carrying container. The operator then opens the carrying container lid sufficiently that the operator can grasp the ramp and remove the ramp from the container. The container lid automatically remains open until intentionally closed by the operator. The ramp is unfolded to full length. The lid may then be closed. The ramp is mounted to the threshold portion of the load-bearing container in a desired orientation relative to the vehicle.
One or more rear doors of the vehicle may then be opened and the bridge deck pivoted into position on the cargo bed. If the bridge plate does not interact with the cargo bed as desired, the position of the load bearing container may be adjusted up or down so that the load bearing container lid and the bridge plate are flush with the cargo bed. Likewise, if the bridge deck is not in desired contact with the cargo bed; that is, there is a gap between the cargo bed and the bridge, or the bridge is extended too far into the cargo bed, the distance from the load container to the cargo bed may be adjusted at the hitch or by some other adjustment method. The animals are then encouraged out of the bed onto the bridge, onto the load-bearing container lid, and down the ramp onto the ground by means of the belts.
Where the cargo comprises inanimate objects, they may be pulled towards the load-bearing container lid by someone standing at the vehicle bumper or may be pushed towards the load-bearing container lid by someone within the vehicle load bed. They then slowly descend the ramp to the ground.
When all the cargo has been removed from the cargo bed, the ramp is disengaged from the threshold portion of the load carrier and folded over. The lid of the carrier is opened and the folded ramp is securely placed into the carrier for storage. The carrier container lid is then closed, the bridge plate is pivoted into contact with the lid of the carrier container, and the bridge plate is locked in place relative to the carrier container. One or more rear doors of the vehicle may then be closed.
Fig. 9, 10A, and 10B illustrate an exemplary hinged connection by which the
In the alternative example of fig. 10B, a
In fig. 10C-10F, the bridge supports 309 on the outer periphery of the
Although fig. 9 and 10A and 10B show specific examples of hinges, other hinge configurations and connection configurations may be used. This is only one example. The use of a hinged connection for the
Also shown in fig. 9 is a
Turning now to fig. 11-13, another embodiment of a
Fig. 12 shows the
The guide pin brackets, each having a guide pin at the end, are sized long enough to allow the entire ramp to be pulled out of the
The
FIG. 13 shows the ramp storage and deployment system of FIGS. 11 and 12 with the ramp deployed and with its
In the figures discussed above, the load bearing system (50, 400) has been centered about the
In the embodiment of fig. 14 and 15, the load-bearing
In the over-center configuration of the load-bearing container shown in fig. 14 and 15, the
Fig. 14, 15 and 16 show a
Turning now to fig. 16, one embodiment of a bicycle
A second reason for mounting the bicycle frame behind the
To achieve spacing between the
Various modifications to the
In addition, as shown in FIG. 14, the carrying container includes one or more collapsible or telescoping legs 550 on the back side thereof at the
In another embodiment, the
In another embodiment, the
Depending on the particular design of the individual vehicle, different load bearing support structures may be required. As an example, the height difference between the cargo bed and the hitch of a vehicle may be in the range of a few inches to a few feet (a few centimeters to more than 1 meter). To accommodate these height differences, the load bearing support structure shown in FIG. 1 may be modified to extend downward or upward prior to mounting to the bottom 74 of the
In another embodiment, the load bearing support structure has a built-in height adjustment mechanism that can raise or lower the height of the load bearing container in increments of a few inches. For example, a first version of the load bearing support structure includes a height adjustment mechanism capable of increasing the height of the load bearing receptacle in the range of 6.0 inches (15.3 centimeters) and a second version capable of increasing the height of the load bearing receptacle in the range of 7.0 inches to 12.0 inches (17.8 centimeters to 30.5 centimeters) such that an operator can selectively position the load bearing receptacle so that its top surface is flush with the bed of the vehicle. In the case where the
The top surface 104 (see fig. 2) of the load-
In the embodiment of fig. 17, a
Referring now to fig. 18 and 19A, two
As shown in fig. 19B, the
It should also be noted that although the
Still referring to fig. 18 and 19A, the
In one embodiment where the
In this embodiment, the working surface may be restricted from being completely removed from the cover so that it is fixed in place and does not fall off the bracket. A pair of ridges (one extending upward from the back of the working surface and one extending downward from the top of the cover at the
Deployment of the side working surfaces (not shown) slidably stored in the cover will proceed in a similar manner to the rear working surfaces described above. In the case of a lid storing three working surfaces that slide out from the back and sides of the lid, each working surface is likely to be much smaller than the working surfaces shown in fig. 18, 19A and 19B. In another embodiment, only one working surface is slidably received within the cover.
In the embodiment shown in fig. 17-19A, the stowed position of the work
Referring now to fig. 19C-19E, each pair of rear and
As shown in fig. 19C and 19D, the support
The support stand
When the support
To attach the rear or
In one embodiment, the support stand
It should be appreciated that the
In another embodiment of the carrying container as shown in fig. 20 and 21, the
Although fig. 21 shows that the
In another embodiment, the carrier does not have a carrying
There are several considerations for the load-bearing platform type. If the width of the outer platform is less than 14 inches (which is the width of a typical bridge plate), the bridge plate will overhang the outer platform surface at the back side. This is not a problem as long as the overhang is not so great as to also overhang the outer periphery of the ramp-resting threshold mounted on the rear side of the outer platform. This means that the overhang can be up to 3 inches, which means that the minimum width of the outer platform is 11 inches.
Also, as the width of the platform narrows, the width of the side periphery of the outer platform becomes narrower. If a 17 inch ramp is used, the side-resting threshold portion of the ramp must have a width of at least 19 inches if the ramp is to be safely used perpendicular to the vehicle. 19 inches includes a 17 inch ramp and a 2 inch safety margin. As described above, a 17 inch ramp and a 2 inch safety margin were used at this time. As mentioned above, when a 17 inch ramp is used, there must be 19 inches of available width on the threshold portion, which means that the threshold portion must extend at least 5 inches beyond the front perimeter toward the rear of the vehicle.
In order to have sufficient space for the ramp threshold to extend beyond the front perimeter of the outer platform toward the rear of the vehicle, the vehicle design must have a certain amount of curvature in the rear of the vehicle and the outer platform must be installed in a side rather than a center configuration. There may be a configuration in which the outer platform is as wide as the entire width of the vehicle so that there is sufficient space for resting the doorsill portion extending beyond the front periphery of the outer platform on both sides of the outer platform toward the rear of the vehicle. This is equivalent to having two side-mounted external platforms mounted on both sides of the vehicle.
A vehicle with a curved design and an external platform mounted in a side configuration may accommodate a resting threshold portion that extends beyond the front perimeter of the external platform toward the rear of the vehicle with a greater width than a vehicle without a curve. Vehicle design and the amount of space available to rest the sill portion extending beyond the front perimeter of the outer platform toward the rear of the vehicle are the primary factors driving the minimum width of the outer platform. If the outer platform is less than 14 inches wide, it must be installed in a side-on configuration and must be used on vehicles with a certain amount of curvature. Moreover, regardless of the amount of curvature of the vehicle, the outer platform cannot be less than 11 inches due to the limitation of the rear overhang of the deck. The main problem when the outer platform has a width of less than 14 inches is to retain the important function of using the ramp both perpendicular to and parallel to the rear of the vehicle. The problem of outer platform width and vehicle curvature has no effect on the ability to use the ramp parallel to the rear of the vehicle. These numbers can also be adjusted by changing the width of the ramp to a narrower width that allows for a relative reduction in the minimum platform width. It is important to keep the distance that the carrier extends from the rear of the vehicle to a minimum.
The improved system and method described above: 1) facilitating, significantly improving and increasing the flexibility of the user's ability to deploy the ramp from the rear of a parked vehicle; 2) allowing the ramp to deploy perpendicular to the right side of the vehicle, perpendicular to the left side of the vehicle, and parallel to the vehicle from behind, as opposed to current standards that use ramps only from behind parallel to the vehicle; 3) allowing the top of the ramp to be level with the cargo bed of the vehicle, thereby making the transition to the ramp smooth, reducing the ramp angle, and making it easier to use the ramp, as opposed to current standards that require the ramp to rest on the interior surface of the vehicle, resulting in increased difficulty of transition to the ramp, increased ramp angle, and making the ramp more difficult to use; 4) contrary to allowing the vehicle rear door to be opened and closed while the ramp is being deployed in all three possible directions, current standards only allow the ramp to be deployed when the rear door is open and only allow the ramp to be deployed parallel to the vehicle from behind.
The improved system and method further comprises at least: 5) allowing the ramp to deploy perpendicular to the vehicle when a curb is present, significantly reducing the height difference between the ramp resting surface and the ground, reducing the slope angle of the ramp and significantly reducing the difficulty of using the ramp, as opposed to current standards that only allow the ramp to deploy from the rear of the vehicle and make it impossible to take advantage of the increased ground height relative to the side of the vehicle provided by the curb; 6) to provide a storage carrier that significantly reduces the burden and pressure of loading and unloading ramps to and from the rear of a vehicle, and the burden and pressure of deploying and stowing ramps from and to the rear of a vehicle, as opposed to the current standards requiring significant effort and pressure to load and unload ramps and deploy and stow ramps; 7) there is provided a platform having the very significant advantage of serving as an easily deployable stable exterior resting surface outside the rear of a vehicle, which facilitates the process of loading and unloading cargo to and from the rear of a parked vehicle and the process of working outside the rear of a parked vehicle.
The load bearing system of the illustrated and described embodiment has several additional advantages. For example, a vehicle operator storing the ramp in its compact configuration in the covered interior storage space of the carrying container may extend the useful life of the
In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in fig. 22A-22K, a
The hinge assembly 806 also includes a
As shown in fig. 22B, the
Referring to fig. 22G, with the
Turning to fig. 22I, the
In another embodiment, as shown in fig. 23A-23D, the
In another embodiment, as shown in fig. 24, this embodiment is similar to the embodiment shown in fig. 23A-23D except that the carrying container has a
Other embodiments (not shown) include the carrier system shown in fig. 23A-23D, except that there is no carrier stored at the bottom, but the hinge assembly operates the same.
In appropriate circumstances, the vehicle operator can simply walk on top of the load carrying system when moving cargo into and out of the vehicle, and can avoid back injuries by being able to stand straight when lifting or lowering heavy objects on top of the load carrying container.
The load bearing system of the illustrated and described embodiment may be applied to other vehicles having rear hitches, including pick-up trucks, work trucks, delivery trucks, minivans, SUVs, ATVs, trailers, or other motorized and non-motorized vehicles. The carrier system may be used with a ramp to assist in moving cargo into or out of the vehicle, to increase the carrying space for cargo of the vehicle, and to provide a travel picnic extension for placing items such as those used in a travel picnic party.
Moreover, by storing the ramp outside the vehicle, any dirt, mud, water, leaves, or other environmental matter will not enter the vehicle. The ramp is stored outside the vehicle so as to avoid any contamination of the interior parts of the vehicle.
Although shown and described in the context of loading and unloading vehicles on the ground, ramps may also be used to interconnect the cover of a load-bearing container with other surfaces that may be higher than the ground. For example, the distal end of the ramp may be positioned on a doorway of a house that is level with or even higher than the containers of the carrier. The distal end of the ramp may be positioned in a different vehicle for transferring the dog from one vehicle to another. Other uses of the ramp are possible.
The various drawings included in this application are not necessarily drawn to scale. Rather, they are prepared for the purpose of illustrating each feature of the invention as specified in the claims and to convey a clear understanding of the subject matter for which patent rights are sought.
Various modifications may be made while remaining within the scope of the invention. For example, in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the open side of the
The word "comprise" and variations thereof (e.g., "comprises" and "comprising") are to be construed herein in its conventional sense (i.e., in an open-ended sense) as being under the patent statutes, i.e., "including but not limited to. The word "comprising" and variations thereof is not to be construed in a non-inclusive sense and does not mean "consisting of.
The term "ground" is intended to be interpreted broadly and includes ground, grass on the ground, sidewalks, and any other type of surface from which pets or goods may be lifted or delivered.
The adjective "flush" means the thickness of the bridge deck on the surface of the cargo bed. According to common dictionary definitions, flush as used herein is meant to include "having surfaces in the same plane; flat ". Flush, as used herein, is also meant to include "disposed against an adjacent side, surface or edge". The inventors believe that "flush" refers to the configuration of the bridge deck on the surface of the cargo bed, as shown in particular in fig. 2, 3 and 8.
For the purposes of this application, "continuous" has a common meaning. Two surfaces are continuous if they are in contact with each other. Thus, when the bridge plate is in contact, the bridge plate will be continuous with the cargo bed.
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment and elements, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications, combinations of features, equivalent arrangements, and equivalent elements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
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