Cargo decking elevation system
AssigneeAmerican Manifest, Inc.
InventorsChelsea Hypes, Bradley C. Schaefer, Timothy A. Maillet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cargo decking elevation system includes an even number of vertical track mounts at opposite, facing interior wall surfaces. A decking beam is disposed between two vertical track mounts. A lift assembly is disposed at each of the two vertical track mounts. The lift assemblies raise, lower, and support the decking beam. A controller receives inputs from a user for providing commands to the lift assembly. The lift assembly includes an engagement element configured to engage and retain an end of the decking beam, a lifting means for raising and lowering the engagement element, and a guide along which the engagement element travels by operation of the lifting means to raise or lower the decking beam.
Claims20
A cargo decking elevation system comprising:
- a pair of lift assemblies configured to be disposed at opposing walls of a transportation cargo compartment, wherein the pair of lift assemblies are configured as independently installable modular units that attach to existing structural features on the opposing walls of the transportation cargo compartment, wherein the pair of lift assemblies each comprises a carriage unit, and wherein at least one of the pair of lift assemblies comprises an actuating mechanism operably coupled with the carriage unit of the respective lift assembly for raising and lowering the carriage unit along one of the opposing walls;
- a decking beam spanning between and engaged at the carriage units of the pair of lift assemblies;
- and
- a controller configured to receive inputs from a user for providing commands to the actuating mechanism of the pair of lift assemblies, wherein, responsive to user inputs at the controller, the actuating mechanism operates to raise or lower the decking beam relative to the opposing walls via the carriage units.
A system comprising:
- a transportation cargo compartment having a floor and walls extending along opposing longitudinal edges of the floor;
- a plurality of lift assemblies disposed at the walls of the transportation cargo compartment and arranged in pairs spaced along a longitudinal extent of the transportation cargo compartment, wherein each lift assembly is installed in the cargo compartment by releasably attaching to existing mounting features at the walls of the transportation cargo compartment, each lift assembly comprising:
- an elongated guide vertically disposed at one of the walls;
- a carriage unit movably engaged with the elongated guide;
- and
- an actuating mechanism disposed at an upper portion of the elongated guide and operably coupled with the carriage unit, the actuating mechanism configured to vertically displace the carriage unit along the elongated guide;
- a decking beam spanning between a pair of the plurality of lift assembles with ends of the decking beam engaged at the respective carriage units;
- and
- a controller configured to receive inputs from a user for providing commands to a pair of the plurality of lift assemblies, wherein, responsive to user inputs at the controller, the pair of lift assemblies raise or lower the decking beam.
A cargo decking elevation system comprising:
- a plurality of vertical track mounts disposed at opposite, facing interior wall surfaces of a cargo compartment, wherein the plurality of vertical track mounts are each configured for removable attachment to existing mounting features at the interior wall surfaces;
- a decking beam extending between two of the plurality of vertical track mounts;
- a lift assembly disposed at each of the plurality of vertical track mounts and attached to ends the decking beam, the lift assemblies configured to raise and lower the decking beam;
- and
- a controller configured to receive inputs from a user for providing commands to the lift assemblies,
- wherein, responsive to user inputs at the controller, the lift assembly raises or lowers the decking beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.