Patent ID: 7766127

Claim:
A lift assembly, comprising: (a) a lift frame; (b) a lift platform reciprocally coupled to the lift frame and moveable between a raised position, wherein the lift platform is substantially coplanar with a first support surface, and a lowered position, wherein the lift platform is substantially coplanar with a second support surface; (c) first and second vertical support structures extending upwardly from the first support surface to define an opening providing access to the first support surface; and (d) a barrier assembly, comprising: (i) a frame having a first side rail and a second side rail, the first and second side rails each having a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, the horizontal portions disposed beneath the first support surface and the vertical portions extending upwardly from the first support surface and coupled to the first and second vertical support structures; (ii) a flexible barrier slidably disposed between the first and second side rails, the flexible barrier moveable between at least a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein at least a portion of the flexible barrier is disposed between the horizontal portions of the first and second side rails when the barrier is in the stowed position, and wherein the flexible barrier is substantially disposed between the vertical portions of the first and second side rails when the flexible barrier is in the deployed position; and (iii) a drive assembly operably coupled to the barrier for selectively moving the barrier between at least the stowed position and the deployed position.