Lift cart assembly

A lift cart assembly for loading an off road vehicle into the bed of a pickup includes a lift that is positionable in a first position having the lift angling downwardly from a tailgate of a pickup. Thus, an off road vehicle may be driven onto the lift. The lift is positionable in a second position having the lift being horizontally oriented on the tailgate to lift the off-road vehicle upwardly from the ground. The lift is urged above into a third position having the being positioned in a bed of the pickup. In this way the lift positions the off-road vehicle in the bed of the pickup. A plurality of rollers is provided and each of the rollers is rotatably coupled to the lift. Each of the rollers rolls along the bed of the pickup for positioning the lift between the first position, the second position and the third position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to lift devices and more particularly pertains to a new lift device for loading an off road vehicle into a bed of a pickup.

The prior art relates to lift devices.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a lift that is positionable in a first position having the lift angling downwardly from a tailgate of a pickup. Thus, an off road vehicle may be driven onto the lift. The lift is positionable in a second position having the lift being horizontally oriented on the tailgate to lift the off-road vehicle upwardly from the ground. The lift is urged above into a third position having the being positioned in a bed of the pickup. In this way the lift positions the off-road vehicle in the bed of the pickup. A plurality of rollers is provided and each of the rollers is rotatably coupled to the lift. Each of the rollers rolls along the bed of the pickup for positioning the lift between the first position, the second position and the third position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As best illustrated inFIGS. 1 through 6, the lift cart assembly10generally comprises a lift12that is positionable in a first position having the lift12angling downwardly from a tailgate14of a pickup16. Thus, a snowmobile18or an off road vehicle20such as a four wheeled ATV or the like, may be driven onto the lift12. The lift12is positionable in a second position having the lift12being horizontally oriented on the tailgate14to lift the snowmobile18or off-road vehicle20upwardly from the ground. Additionally, the lift12is urged into a third position having the lift12being positioned in a bed22of the pickup16thereby positioning the snowmobile18or off-road vehicle20in the bed22of the pickup16.

The lift12comprises a pair of ramps24that each has a first end26, a second end28and a first lateral edge30extending therebetween. Each of the ramps24angles downwardly from the tailgate14of the pickup16when the lift12is positioned in the first position having the first end26corresponding to each of the ramps24abutting ground. Thus, the ramps24are positioned to have the snowmobile18or off-road vehicle20drive thereon. The first end26corresponding to each of the ramps24is lifted upwardly thereby horizontally orienting the ramps24on the tailgate14of the pickup16when the lift12is positioned in the second position. Additionally, each of the ramps24is urged forwardly to lie in the bed22of the pickup16when the lift12is positioned in the third position. In this way the snowmobile18or off-road vehicle20is transferred between the ground and the bed22of the pickup16. Each of the ramps24has a top side31and the top side31corresponding to each of the ramps24is textured to enhance traction.

A plurality of supports32is provided and each of the supports32is coupled between each of the ramps24having the ramps24being spaced apart from each other. The supports32are spaced apart from each other and are distributed between the first end26and the second end28of the ramp. Moreover, the supports32are distributed along the first lateral edge30corresponding to each of the ramps24.

An upright34is coupled to and extends upwardly from one of the supports32that is aligned with the second end28of the ramps24. The upright34is centrally positioned between the ramps24and the upright34may include a gusset, an angled support and any other means of retaining the upright34in a vertical orientation. A winch line36from the off-road vehicle20may be extended through the upright34when the lift12is positioned in the first position. In this way the winch line36may draw the off-road vehicle20upwardly onto the ramps24without compromising the vertical orientation of the upright34. The upright34has a distal end38with respect to the support32that the upright34is positioned on. A guide40, such as a pulley, an eyelet or other type of cable guide, is positioned on the distal end38to inhibit the winch line36from frictionally engaging the upright34.

A plurality of rollers42is provided and each of the rollers42is rotatably coupled to the lift12to roll along the bed22of the pickup16. In this way the lift12is positioned between the first position, the second position and the third position. Each of the rollers42is positioned on the first lateral edge30of an associated one of the ramps24and the plurality of rollers42includes a pair of first rollers44and a pair of second rollers46. The first rollers44are positioned between the second end28of the ramps24and the second rollers46.

The second rollers46abut the tailgate14when the lift12is positioned in the first position to inhibit the lift12from sliding downwardly off of the tailgate14. Moreover, each of the second rollers46acts as a fulcrum when the snowmobile18or off-road vehicle20is fully driven on to the lift12. Thus, the first end26corresponding to each of the ramps24may be lifted upwardly from the ground thereby facilitating the lift12to be urged into the second position. The first end26corresponding to each of the ramps24is subsequently urged into the bed22to move the lift12into the third position. Each of the first rollers44and each of the second rollers46roll along the bed22when the lift12is urged into the third position.

In use, the lift12is positioned in the first position and the snowmobile18is fully driven onto the ramps24such that the snowmobile's18engine is positioned above the fulcrum defined by the second rollers46. The parking brake on the snowmobile18is engaged and the first end26corresponding to each of the ramps24is urged upwardly from the ground. The weight of the snowmobile's18engine facilitates a single person to urge the lift12into the second position when the snowmobile18is parked on the lift12. Each of the first rollers44and the second rollers46roll along the bed22when the lift12is urged into the third position. In this way the snowmobile18is loaded into the bed22of a pickup16.

The lift12is positioned in the first position and the off road vehicle20is partially driven onto the ramps24. The winch line36is extended through the guide40on the upright34and the winch line36is attached to a front end of the bed22. The winch on the off road vehicle20is turned on, subsequently urging the off road vehicle20upwardly onto the lift12. A stop48is coupled to a bottom side of the ramps24and the stop48engages the tailgate14when the lift12is in the first position. In this way the lift12is inhibited from sliding upwardly on the tailgate14when the winch line36draws the off road vehicle20upwardly on the ramps24. Additionally, the winch line36urges the lift12into the second position when the off road vehicle20abuts the upright34. In this way the off road vehicle20is fully rolled onto the lift12and the lift12is urged into the second position. Additionally, the stop48is lifted upwardly from the tailgate14when the lift12is urged into the second position. The lift12may be urged into the third position with the winch line36or the lift12may be manually urged into the third position once the winch line36has positioned the lift12and the off road vehicle20in the second position. In this way the off road vehicle20is loaded into the bed22of a pickup16.