Patent Publication Number: US-2010124477-A1

Title: Electric Platform System

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an electric platform system, and more particularly, to an electric platform system which is foldably connected to a vehicle and can be lifted, lowered and pivoted for convenience of carriage and release of electric cart. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Electric carts are designed for elders or disables which include an electric motor which drives the cart usually have four wheels and the cart can be easily operated by operation of handlebars. The electric carts allow the elders or disables to feel free to go outside without need of high standard of physical conditions. In order to carry the electric cart on a vehicle, an electric platform is developed which is connected to the hitch on the vehicle and the platform can be lifted or lowered such that the electric cart can be positioned on the platform and transported to a destination at distance. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9 ,  10 ,  11 A and  11 B, the conventional electric platform system is connected to a support link  76  which is connected with a connection member  70  which is connected to the vehicle. A connection unit  77  is used to connect the support link  76  and the platform  80  by multiple plates  78  of the connection unit  77  and the rods  81  on the platform  80 . The platform  80  can be pivoted upward about the pins connecting the multiple plates  78  and the rods  84  as shown in  FIG. 11B . The support link  76  is retractably inserted into the tube  73  so as to adjust the position of the platform  80 . A control box  75  is connected to the top of the tube  73  so as to operate the support link  76 . The connection member  70  is connected to an upright rod  72  which is connected to the frame  74  connected to the tube  73 . The electric cart can be fixed on the platform  80  and conveniently carried to distanced destinations. The platform cart does not occupy the interior space of the vehicle. The platform  80  is pivoted upward as shown in  FIG. 11B  so as to reduce the depth required when parking. 
     Some electric platforms are cooperated with a swing device which allows the platform to be swung aside such that the rear door of the vehicle can be opened while the whole electric platform does not need to be removed or disengaged from the vehicle. However, the swing device can only be operated manually and which obviously is not convenient for most of the users. Some electric platforms are cooperated with a system that receives the electric cart into the vehicle so that the electric cart is not exposed outside of the vehicle. Nevertheless, the system is complicated and occupies the interior space in the vehicle. Besides, because the system is located in the vehicle, the maintenance will be difficult due to the small space available in the vehicle. 
     US 2009/020577A1 discloses a hitch-mounted device which includes a fork unit driven by a hydraulic system and the fork unit is connected with a link unit which allows the fork unit to be move up and down when the hydraulic system is activated. The fork unit can only lift or lower objects in vertical direction and is not suitable for the user of the electric cart and the electric platform for carry the electric cart. 
     The present invention intends to provide an electric platform system which includes a link unit, a driving unit, a support board, the support board can be adjusted in vertical direction for carry and release the electric cart. The support board is also be pivoted upward by the driving unit and the link unit to save space when parking the vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an electric platform system which includes a link unit pivotably connected between a connection member on the vehicle and a support link. The link unit includes multiple links and the support link. A support board is pivotably connected the support link and the support board can be pivoted upward when not in use. A driving unit is connected to the link unit and drives the link unit up and down to adjust the position of the support board. Two stop links are connected to the connection member and the support board. The two stop links have inclined surfaces which contact a side of the support board when pivoting the support board upward. 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide an electric platform system wherein the support board can be lifted or lowered by operation of the link unit and the driving unit. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an electric platform system wherein the whole electric platform system can be lowered to a position that is lower then a lower edge of the rear door of the vehicle, such that the rear door can be opened. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an electric platform system which includes two stop links which contact one side of the support board to assist the pivotal action of the support board. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide an electric platform system which includes a locking member to lock the link unit and the support link when the support board is positioned in upward position. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view to show the electric platform system of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view to show the electric platform system of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view to show that the link unit expands to lower the support board of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3B  is a perspective view to show that the electric cart is to be moved onto the support board of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3C  is a perspective view to show that the electric cart is moved onto the support board and securely positioned by two straps; 
         FIG. 4A  shows that the pin is removed from the stop link and the link unit is to be folded; 
         FIG. 4B  shows that stop links are pivoted downward; 
         FIG. 5A  is a side view to show that the pin is inserted into stop link and the slot of the restriction member; 
         FIG. 5B  is a side view to show that the driving member is extended to pivot the link unit upward; 
         FIG. 5C  is a side view to show that the second inclined surfaces of the stop links contact the support board when the support board is pivoted upward; 
         FIG. 5D  is a side view to show that the first inclined surfaces of the stop links contact the support board when the support board is positioned at the upright position; 
         FIG. 6  shows that a locking member is connected to the support link; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view to show that the locking member locks the support link and the link unit when the support board is positioned at the upright position; 
         FIG. 8  shows that the support board is fully expanded and positioned at the lower position; 
         FIG. 9  is a side view to show a conventional electric platform system on a rear end of a vehicle; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the conventional electric platform system; 
         FIG. 11A  shows that the platform of the conventional electric platform system is to be pivoted upward, and 
         FIG. 11B  shows that the platform of the conventional electric platform system is positioned at the upright position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the electric platform system of the present invention comprises a connection member  10  having a first end connected to a vehicle and a second end of the connection member  10  is connected with a link unit  20 . A recess  11  is defined in the second end of the connection member  10 . An upright portion  12  perpendicularly extends from the connection member  10  and two first rod  13  extend from two sides of the upright portion  12 . Two second rods  14  and two second rods  15  extend from two sides of the connection member  10 . 
     The link unit  20  includes first links  21 , second links  22  and a support link  24 . The first links  21  each includes a first hole  211  through which the first rod  13  extend so as to be pivotably connected between two sides of the connection member  10 . Each of the first links  21  further includes a first inclined section  212  which is pivotably connected to the support link  24 . A second hole  213  is defined through each of the first links  21  and a third hole  214  is defined through the first inclined section  212  of each of the first links  21 . Each of the second links  22  includes a first bore  221  in one end thereof and a second inclined section  222  extends from the other end of each second link  22 . The second inclined section  222  includes a second bore  223  to which the third rod  15  on the connection member  10  is pivotably connected. A bridge member  23  is connected between the two second links  22  and includes a fixing hole  231 . 
     The support link  24  includes a first aperture  241  and a second aperture  242  defined therethrough. A third inclined section  24  is connected to an end of the support link  24  and two first side rods  244  and two second side rods  245  extend from two sides of the third inclined section  24 . The third holes  214  of the first links  21  are mounted to the first side rods  244 . The first bores  221  of the second links  22  are mounted to the second side rods  245  of the support link  24 . 
     Two stop links  25  are connected to the connection member  10  and the support board  40 , wherein the stop links  25  each have a first inclined surface  251  and a second inclined surface  252  which is located adjacent to the first inclined surface  251 . A passage  253  is defined through each stop link  25  and located at a remote end from the first and second inclined surfaces  251 ,  252 . A hole  254  is defined through each stop link  25  and located above the passage  253 . 
     A restriction member  26  is a quarter of a circular plate and located between the connection member  10  and one of the stop links  25 . The restriction member  26  includes a pivot hole  261 , positioning hole  262  and a slot  263  defined therethrough. One of the second rod  14  on the connection member  10  extends through the pivot hole  261  of the restriction member  26  and the passages  253  of the two stop links  25  are mounted to the two second rods  14 . A pin  27  extends through the hole  254  of the stop link  25  and the positioning hole  262  of the restriction member  26 . 
     A driving unit  30  is connected to the link unit  20  and drives the link unit  20  up and down. The driving unit  30  includes a motor  31  and a driving rod  33 , a connection part  32  connects the motor  31  and the driving rod  33 . The driving rod  33  is driven by the motor  31  and connected to the connection member  10 . The connection part  32  is connected to the second holes  213  of the first links  21  so that the motor  31  is located between the two first links  21 . The driving rod  33  is connected to the recess  11  of the connection member  10 . 
     The support board  40  includes an entry plate  41  on one end and a side part  42  on the other end of the support board  40 , wherein the side part  42  is a U-shaped board and multiple positioning holes  422  are defined through two sidewalls thereof so that the side part  42  can be adjusted relative to the support board  40  by connecting the support board  40  at different positioning holes  422 . Multiple protrusions  43  extend from one side of the support board  40  and two push plates  44  are connected between the protrusions  43 . A connection frame  50  is connected between the support link  24  and the support board  40 , and includes a main part  51  and two end plates  52  which are connected on two ends of the main part  51 . Multiple connection plates  53  are connected to the main part  51  and the support link  24  is pivotably connected between the connection plates  53 . The end plates  52  and the connection plates  53  are pivotably connected to protrusions  43  on the support board  40 . Each of the connection plates  53  includes first, second and third connection holes  531 ,  532 ,  533 . The first and second apertures  241 ,  242  of the support link  24  are respectively and pivotably connected to the first ands second connection holes  531 ,  532  of the connection plates  53 . The end plates  52  and the third connection holes  533  of the connection plates  53  and the protrusions  43  on the support board  40  are connected to each other by a bolt. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3A to 3C , when the driving unit  30  is activated to drive the link unit  20  to lower the support link  24  and the support board  40 , the entry plate  41  is located close to the ground so that the electric cart  60  can easily move onto the support board  40  via the entry plate  41 . The first wheels  61  of the electric cart  60  are positioned in the space between the side part  40  and the support board  40 . The entry plate  41  is then pivoted upward to stop the second wheels  62  of the electric cart  60 . Two straps are used to securely position the electric cart  60  on the support board  40 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B, and  5 A to  5 D, when the electric cart  60  is removed the support board  40 , the support board  40  can be folded. The pin  27  is first removed from the positioning hole  262  of the restriction member  26 , and the two stop links  25  are pivoted downward and the pin  27  is inserted into the slot  263  of the restriction member  26 . The driving rod  33  extends downward and moves the link unit  20  upward to raise the support link  24  and the support board  40  by the first and second links  21 ,  22 . The second inclined surfaces  252  of the stop links  25  are now in contact with the push plate  44  of the support board  40 . The driving rod  33  and the link unit  20  continue to move, because the second inclined surfaces  252  of the stop links  25  are in contact with the push plate  44  of the support board  40 , and the stop links  25  are restricted to move within the slot  263  in the restriction member  26 , so that the support board  40  can be pivoted upward. When the support board  40  is pivoted to its upright position, the first inclined surfaces  251  are in contact with the push plates  44 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , a through hole  246  ( FIG. 1 ) is defined through the support link  24  and a locking member  28  extends through the through hole  246  of the support link  24  and the fixing hole  231  of the bridge member  23  to lock the support link  24  and the link unit  20  when the support board  40  is folded upward. 
       FIG. 7  shows that the electric platform system is folded and connected to the rear end of the vehicle. 
     When expanding the electric platform system, the locking member  28  is first removed from the fixing hole  231  of the bridge member  23  and the driving rod  33  is retracted to drive the link unit  20  lower. Because the support board  40  is in contact with the first inclined surface  251  of the stop links  25 , so that, with the lowered link unit  20 , the support board  40  is pivoted downward along the second inclined surfaces  252 . The pin  27  is then removed from the slot  263  of the restriction member  26  and the stop links  25  are pivoted upward, and the pin  27  is then inserted into the positioning hole  262  of the restriction member  26 . The driving unit  30  continues to lower the link unit  20  and bring the support board  40  to the ground as shown in  FIG. 8 . The electric cart  60  can be moved onto the support board  40 . The driving unit  30  is then activated again to lift the support link  24  and the support board  40  to a desired height. The electric cart  60  can be carried by the vehicle. 
     The whole electric platform system can be lowered to a position that is lower then a lower edge of the rear door of the vehicle, such that the rear door can be opened. The electric cart on the support board  40  is located at a distance from the rear door so that the electric cart does not need to be removed when opening the rear door. The first and second inclined surfaces  251 ,  252  are in contact with the support board  40  in sequence and this assists the pivotal action of the support board  40 . 
     The bridge member  23  is designed to provide a position that the locking member  28  can extend through the support link  24  and be connected to the bridge member  23 , such that the support link  24  and the second links  22  are well positioned and the electric platform system is not expanded accidentally. 
     While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.