Patent ID: 9675508
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: A47C,A61G,B66F,F16M

Claim:
1. A lifting apparatus for raising and lowering a payload comprising: a base, having a top surface and having x and y dimensions x a platform having a bottom surface and being spaced above the top surface of the base; a plurality of linkage assemblies that couple the platform to the base such that the platform can be controllably raised and lowered relative to the base, each linkage assembly comprises a lower plate and an upper plate, the lower plate being pivotally coupled to the base, the upper plate being pivotally coupled to the platform and the lower plate and upper plate being pivotally coupled to one another, each linkage assembly being disposed along one edge of the base and a corresponding edge of the platform, each linkage assembly being movable between a collapsed position and an extended position, the linkage assemblies being arranged so as to define an interior space that is located internal to all of the linkage assemblies; an inflatable bag that is defined by a bag footprint; the inflatable bag being disposed between the base and the platform, wherein the bag footprint is located entirely within the interior space such then even when the linkage assemblies are in the collapsed positions, the inflatable bag is spaced from the collapsed linkage assemblies; and a fluid delivery device operatively coupled to the inflatable bag for delivering pressurized fluid to the inflatable bag; wherein the number of linkage assemblies is four, wherein the four linkage assemblies, denoted A an x coordinate of a lower-hinge axis of A an x coordinate of a lower-hinge axis of A a y coordinate of a lower-hinge axis of A a y coordinate of a lower-hinge axis of A