Patent ID: 8616383

Claim:
A saddle rack assembly, comprising: (a) a reciprocating assembly moveable between a deployed position and a collapsed position, the reciprocating assembly comprising: (i) an elongated front mounting member that is substantially U-shaped in cross-section and defining upper longitudinal edges and an elongated rear mounting member that is substantially U-shaped in cross-section and defining upper longitudinal edges, wherein the upper longitudinal edges of each of the front and rear mounting members are configured to abut one another to define a single mounting member unit defined by the front and rear mounting members, the single mounting member unit having an interior; and (ii) at least one lift arm assembly, wherein the at least one lift arm assembly includes at least one lift arm having first and second ends, the at least one lift arm pivotally coupled at its first end to the front mounting member through a first pivot point and pivotally coupled at its second end to the rear mounting member through a second pivot point to movably couple the front mounting member to the rear mounting member; (b) a saddle rack coupled to a portion of the reciprocating assembly and moveable by the reciprocating assembly between a lowered position and an elevated position when the reciprocating assembly is moved between the deployed and collapsed positions; and (c) a lift actuator assembly operably coupled to the reciprocating assembly and configured to selectively move the reciprocating assembly between the deployed position, wherein the front and rear mounting members are spaced a predetermined distance apart and the at least one lift arm is substantially transverse to the front and rear mounting members, and the collapsed position, wherein the upper longitudinal edges of each of the front and rear mounting members abut against one another to define the single mounting member unit and the at least one lift arm extends diagonally across at least a portion of the single mounting member unit, wherein the lift actuator assembly includes a motor and a linear actuator, the linear actuator having a piston moveable within a cylinder by the motor, the piston pivotally coupled to the reciprocating assembly such that extension and refraction of the piston within the cylinder moves the reciprocating assembly between both the deployed position and the collapsed position, wherein a distal end of the piston is pivotally secured to the at least one lift arm at a third pivot point between the center of the at least one lift arm and the first pivot point at the first end of the at least one lift arm and closer to the center of the at least one lift arm, wherein the lift actuator assembly is substantially enclosed within the interior of the single mounting member unit when the reciprocating assembly is in the collapsed position.