Patent ID: 7234565

Claim:
A convertible lift assembly comprising; a raisable frame which can be moved between a raised and lowered position; a flat platform resting on said raisable frame when said raisable frame is in said raised position, wherein said flat platform comprises at least two separate stair panels; a first side panel and a second side panel, with at least one of said first or second side panels being reversibly moveable between an extended position, to a contracted position, by movement of at least one side panel towards or away from said second side panel; a first motive device for movement of said raisable frame; a second motive device for movement of at least one side panel; a support structure for supporting said raisable frame, said side panels and said first and second motive devices; and, a plurality of resting points on said side panels, on which said stair panels rest when said raisable platform is lowered when said side panels are in said contracted position, and wherein said stair panels have a length which is less than the distance between corresponding resting points on said side panels when said side panels are in said extended position, and a length which is greater than the distance between corresponding resting points on said side panels when said side panels are in said contracted position.