Patent ID: 8032963

Claim:
A ramp assembly for a vehicle having a floor, the ramp assembly comprising: (a) a movable floor at least partially disposed within the vehicle, the movable floor having a first end and a second end; (b) a ramp support element rotatably coupled within the vehicle; (c) a ramp portion coupled at a first end to the ramp support element so that the ramp portion reciprocates between a stowed position and a deployed position when the ramp support element rotates; (d) a reciprocating mechanism to reciprocate the second end of the movable floor between a lowered position when the ramp portion is in the stowed position, and a raised position when the ramp portion is in the deployed position; (e) a panel having a first end hingedly coupled to the first end of the movable floor, and a second end hingedly coupled to the ramp support element; and (f) a support mechanism secured relative to the vehicle to support the first end of the movable floor; wherein the support mechanism comprises: (i) a first bearing surface attached to the movable floor; and (ii) a first roller rotatably secured relative to the vehicle floor, wherein the first roller maintains rolling contact with the first bearing surface to slidingly support the first end of the movable floor.