Vehicle access ramp
AssigneeMpower Mobility, Inc
InventorStanton David Saucier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ramp assembly comprises a support defining each of a vertical axis and a horizontal axis, a ramp being coupled to the support and being configured to support an passenger thereon. An optional actuator mechanism may be coupled to at least one of the support, the ramp, a power source and a controller, the actuator mechanism configured, in a response to a control signal from the controller or in a response to a manual force, to rotate the ramp about the vertical axis between a stowed position and a deployed position or rotate the ramp about the horizontal axis between the deployed position and a ground engaging position. The actuator may comprise a motor with a gearbox and two gears to rotate the ramp about the vertical axis. The actuator may comprise a linear actuator to rotate the ramp about the horizontal axis.
Claims18
A latch assembly, comprising:
- a latch mounting element, the latch mounting element at least including a housing with a peripheral wall defining a hollow interior and an open end, and a mounting flange extending outwardly from the peripheral wall;
- a latch, the latch at least including:
- a latch shaft rotatably attached to the peripheral wall,
- one or two springs configured to encircle a portion of the latch shaft, and
- one or two latch flanges having a proximal edge attached to the latch shaft,
- the latch being attached to a distal end of the one or two latch flanges for a rotation with the latch shaft between a retracted position where the latch is disposed within the hollow interior due to a bias force from one or two springs and a deployed position where the latch extends through the open end past an edge of the peripheral wall.
A latch assembly, comprising:
- a latch, the latch comprising:
- a housing, the housing comprises a peripheral wall defining a hollow interior and an open end, the peripheral wall comprises a cable access,
- a latch shaft, the latch shaft mounted for a rotation within the hollow interior,
- a latch lever, the latch lever attached to the latch shaft for the rotation therewith between a retracted position where the latch lever is disposed within the hollow interior and a deployed position where the latch lever extends through the open end past an edge of the peripheral wall,
- a cable arm attached to the latch shaft opposite the latch lever, and
- two latch springs, each latch spring from the two latch springs configured to encircle a portion of the latch shaft at each end of the latch lever, the each latch spring configured to bias the latch lever into the retracted position;
- a cable, the cable comprising one end thereof attached to the cable arm;
- a latch operating mechanism, the latch operating mechanism comprising:
- a shaft mounted for a rotational movement,
- a force receiving element, the force receiving element mounted on the shaft for the rotational movement therewith,
- an operating lever, the operating lever mounted on the shaft for the rotational movement therewith, and
- an operating spring, the operating spring having one end connected to the operating lever, the operating spring having another end thereof connectable to an opposite end of the cable,
- the latch operating mechanism configured to tension the cable in a response to a rotation of the shaft in a first direction and to rotate the latch lever into the deployed position;
- and
- a latching and release mechanism, the latching and release mechanism comprising:
- a lever comprising a latch engaging portion, the lever rotatable, in a rotational connection between a latched position and an unlatched position,
- a spring, the spring biases the lever into the latched position, and
- a handle, the handle being in a rotational connection with the lever, the handle configured to move the lever into the unlatched position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.