Patent ID: 7290975
Filing Date: 2007-11-06
Classification: A61G,B60P,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A passenger lift for use in a motor vehicle having a passenger-mobile floor and an electrical power supply, the lift comprising: a lift platform pivotally connected to the vehicle for movement between a generally vertical stowed position in the vehicle, a generally horizontal deployed position at the height of the vehicle floor, and a lowered position at ground level; the lift platform comprising a passenger tray to carry a passenger between said deployed and lowered positions, and back and front walls connected for movement between associated roll-stop positions and lowered positions establishing bridges between the tray and the vehicle floor and ground, respectively, when the platform is in said deployed and lowered positions, respectively; a hydraulic actuator operatively connected to effect selected movement of the lift platform between said positions, the hydraulic actuator being primarily dependent upon fluid flow to effect said movement of the lift platform; a hydraulic pump connected to the hydraulic actuator for supplying said fluid flow; a DC electric motor (i) drivingly coupled to said hydraulic pump for operation thereof and (ii) electrically connected to the vehicle power supply to establish a motor power supply circuit; a fixed-resistance power-dissipating resistor connected to the electric motor; and a switch connected for switching the fixed-resistance of the power-dissipating resistor into and out of series with the motor in the motor power supply circuit to establish two alternate motor operating voltages and associated motor and pump speeds for selected movement of the lift platform between said stowed position and said deployed position at a first speed and between said deployed position and said lowered position at a second speed to effect two-speed operation of the lift; the difference in voltage of the two alternate motor operating voltages being at least the voltage across the resistor when switched in series with the motor in the motor supply circuit.