Loading/unloading device for a delivery vehicle

A loading/unloading device for delivering an item(s) to be delivered, the loading/unloading device comprising:

• an outer nested track;
• an inner nested track being nested within the outer nested track;
• a curved generally U-shaped guide track being nested within the inner nested track;
• a movable trolley being accommodated and movable along the curved generally U-shaped guide track;
• and
• a drive assembly being supported by a first end of the curved generally U-shaped guide track for conveying the movable trolley back and forth along the curved generally U-shaped guide track, and the movable trolley facilitates loading and unloading the item(s) to be delivered, wherein a first end of a cylinder housing of a first nested track cylinder is connected to the outer nested track while a free end of a piston of the first nested track cylinder is connected to the curved generally U-shaped guide track to facilitate sliding movement of the curved generally U-shaped guide track relative to the outer nested track.

A delivery vehicle comprising at least one loading/unloading device for delivering an item(s) to be delivered, the delivery vehicle comprising a vehicle frame and a vehicle bed, and the at least one loading/unloading device comprising:

• an outer nested track;
• an inner nested track being nested within the outer nested track;
• a curved generally U-shaped guide track being nested within the inner nested track;
• a movable trolley being accommodated and movable along the curved generally U-shaped guide track, the movable trolley supporting a fork platform and the fork platform supports at least one pivotable fork for loading and unloading the item(s) to be delivered;
• a drive assembly being supported by a first end of the curved generally U-shaped guide track for conveying the movable trolley back and forth along the curved generally U-shaped guide track to facilitate loading and unloading of the item(s) to be delivered on to or off of the vehicle bed of the delivery vehicle;
• and
• at least first and second lifting members are provided for raising and lowering the outer nested track, the inner nested track, the curved generally U-shaped guide track and the movable trolley relative to the vehicle bed of the delivery vehicle.

A method forming a delivery vehicle having at least one loading/unloading device for delivering an item(s) to be delivered, and the delivery vehicle comprising a vehicle frame and a vehicle bed, and the method comprising:

• providing an outer nested track;
• nesting an inner nested track within the outer nested track;
• nesting a curved generally U-shaped guide track within the inner nested track;
• accommodating a movable trolley within and along the curved generally U-shaped guide track, the movable trolley supporting a fork platform and the fork platform supporting at least one pivotable fork for loading and unloading the item(s) to be delivered;
• supporting a drive assembly at a first end of the curved generally U-shaped guide track for conveying the movable trolley back and forth along the curved generally U-shaped guide track to facilitate loading and unloading the item(s) to be delivered on to or off of the vehicle bed of the delivery vehicle;
• and
• providing at least first and second lifting members for raising and lowering the outer nested track, the inner nested track, the curved generally U-shaped guide track and the movable trolley relative to the vehicle bed of the delivery vehicle.