Patent ID: 6190112
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: A61G,Y10S

Abstract:
A lifting device for installation in a motor vehicle at a location where a portion of a frame of the motor vehicle has been removed, said device comprising:a stationary frame installable in the location where the portion of the frame has been removed;a movable frame movable with respect to the stationary frame;a platform having a fixed portion fixed to the movable frame and a movable portion movable with respect to the fixed portion;a platform lifting device for lifting and lowering the platform when the movable portion and the movable frame are in an extended position;a driving mechanism operatively engaging the movable frame and the movable portion to separately move the movable frame and the movable portion, said driving mechanism comprising a threaded member and a motor for rotating the threaded member, said threaded member engaging corresponding first threads on said movable frame and corresponding second threads on said movable portion such that rotation of said threaded member by said motor can separately move the movable frame and the movable portion;maintaining means for maintaining the movable frame near the stationary frame while the driving mechanism is moving the movable portion of the platform;wherein, once the movable portion of the platform has been extended to a platform extended position, continued movement of the movable platform by the driving mechanism overcomes the maintaining means such that the driving mechanism can then move the movable frame with respect to the stationary frame;wherein the driving mechanism moves the movable frame and the movable portion from a stored position, where the movable frame, the platform, the platform lifting device and the driving mechanism are contained within the portion of the frame of the motor vehicle that has been removed, to the extended position where the platform lifting device can lift and lower the platform.