US5393192A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Underfloor extendible ramp for vehicles
Assignee: Ricon Corp
•
Filing: 1993-10-01
•
Granted: 1995-02-28
•
Expires: 2013-10-01
Abstract
Abstract The disclosure comprises a tray mountable under the floor of a vehicle, which tray contains an extendible ramp mechanism. This mechanism comprises a ramp and a driving panel for the ramp. The ramp is fulcrummed intermediate its ends on the outer ends of parallel arms extending from the driving panel. Also in the tray, as part of the driving mechanism, are a pair of parallel toothed belts driven by a reversible rotating motor, which belts are attached to the driving panel for extending and retracting the ramp from the tray. Mounted under the driving panel is a reciprocating motor connected by a crank arm to a shaft having additional crank arms pivotally connected to the underside of the ramp adjacent the driving panel. When the ramp is fully extended, the reciprocating motor tilts the ramp so that its inner end is moved upwardly to be flush with the floor of the vehicle. Simultaneously, the outer end of the ramp contacts the ground. The ramp has parallel side barriers which spring into position when the ramp is fully extended. These barriers are automatically folded against the top surface of the ramp by an angularly-mounted roller which contacts a cammed surface at the inner ends of each barrier as the ramp is retracted into the tray.
Inventors
- 👤 John C. Hall
- 👤 Paul F. Risner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 07:06
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R3/00; B60R3/02; A; A61; A61G; A61G3/00; A61G3/02; A61G3/06; A61G3/061; A61G3/067; B60P; B60P1/00; B60P1/43; B60P1/431; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S414/00; Y10S414/134
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
In a vehicle having an underfloor extendible ramp, a pair of parallel ramp supporting rails, and a reversible first motor means for moving said ramp, the improvement comprising: A) a driving panel guided in said rails and having an extension pivotally connected to said ramp, B) parallel belts driven by said first motor means and connected to said driving panel for extending and retracting said ramp, and C) a reversible second motor means mounted on said driving panel and connected to said ramp for tilting said ramp when said ramp is fully extended.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
93 words
In a vehicle having an underfloor extendible ramp, a pair of parallel ramp supporting rails, and a reversible first motor means for moving said ramp, the improvement comprising: A) a driving panel guided in said rails and having an extension pivotally connected to said ramp, B) parallel belts driven by said first motor means and connected to said driving panel for extending and retracting said ramp, and C) a reversible second motor means mounted on said driving panel and connected to said ramp for tilting said ramp when said ramp is fully extended.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
A ramp according to claim 1 wherein said belts are toothed belts.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
A ramp according to claim 1 wherein said reversible motor means are electrically controlled.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A ramp according to claim 1 including automatic barriers along opposite parallel sides of said ramp, which barriers move into vertical barrier position as soon as the ramp is completely extended from the vehicle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
102 words
In a vehicle having a floor and a ramp means extendible and retractable from under the floor of said vehicle, said ramp means comprising: a) a fulcrummed ramp panel, b) a driving panel connected to said ramp panel, c) parallel side rails under said floor for guiding said panels, d) rotating motor means connected to said driving panel to extend and retract said panels between said parallel side rails, and e) a reciprocating motor means mounted under said driving panel and connected to said ramp panel to tilt said ramp panel when said ramp panel is fully extended into its ramp position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
102 words
In a vehicle having a floor and a ramp means extendible and retractable from under the floor of said vehicle, said ramp means comprising: a) a fulcrummed ramp panel, b) a driving panel connected to said ramp panel, c) parallel side rails under said floor for guiding said panels, d) rotating motor means connected to said driving panel to extend and retract said panels between said parallel side rails, and e) a reciprocating motor means mounted under said driving panel and connected to said ramp panel to tilt said ramp panel when said ramp panel is fully extended into its ramp position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A ramp means according to claim 5 wherein said motor means comprises a pair of parallel toothed belts fastened to said driving panel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A ramp means according to claim 6 wherein said belts engage toothed pulleys on a shaft driven by said rotating motor means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A ramp means according to claim 5 including a flexible power connection to said reciprocating motor means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A ramp means according to claim 5 including parallel side barriers along said ramp panel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A ramp means according to claim 9 including resilient means for urging said barriers into their upright barrier position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A ramp means according to claim 9 wherein said barriers are hinged and automatically foldable onto said ramp panel when said ramp panel is retracted into said rails.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A ramp means according to claim 5 wherein said ramp panel has a ground bevelled end.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
107 words
An underfloor retractable ramp for a low floor vehicle comprising: a) a shallow box having a bottom, parallel side rails, an open top and an open outer end, b) a driving panel guided between said rails having outwardly extending parallel arms, c) a ramp pivotally attached to said arms and guided between said side rails for movement by said driving panel, d) reversible motor-driven belt means attached to said driving panel for reciprocating said driving panel between said side rails for extending and retracting said ramp, and e) reciprocating motor means under said driving panel for operating a rocker means for tilting said ramp when fully extended.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
107 words
An underfloor retractable ramp for a low floor vehicle comprising: a) a shallow box having a bottom, parallel side rails, an open top and an open outer end, b) a driving panel guided between said rails having outwardly extending parallel arms, c) a ramp pivotally attached to said arms and guided between said side rails for movement by said driving panel, d) reversible motor-driven belt means attached to said driving panel for reciprocating said driving panel between said side rails for extending and retracting said ramp, and e) reciprocating motor means under said driving panel for operating a rocker means for tilting said ramp when fully extended.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
A ramp means according to claim 13 including means for automatically raising parallel side barriers on said ramp when said ramp is fully extended.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1639879A
Cited
US1699882A
Cited
US3511393A
Cited
US3870170A
Cited
US3933258A
Cited
US3955827A
Cited
US4058228A
Cited
US4134504A
Cited
US4078678A
Cited
US4198187A
Cited
US4325668A
Cited
US4242032A
Cited
US4305694A
Cited
US4372727A
Cited
US4722109A
Cited
US4685857A
Cited
US4685858A
Cited
US4958979A
Cited
US4759682A
Cited
US4850788A
Cited
US4900217A
Cited
US5158419A
Cited
US5133634A
Cited
US5199150A
Cited
US5160236A
Cited
US5257894A
Cited
US5305486A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-02-27 | 1998-08-29 | 1999-02-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-02-27 | 2002-08-29 | 2003-02-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-02-27 | 2006-08-29 | 2007-02-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |