In-vehicle lift mechanism
AssigneeActuant Corporation
InventorJames Kunz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanism for raising and lowering an appliance, such as a video display, in an interior of a vehicle has a carriage supporting the appliance that slides or rolls vertically up and down in tracks of a guide frame between stowed and elevated positions. A force assist manual lift or an automated lift can be used to raise (and lower) the appliance. The force assist lift can have one or more pivotally and over center mounted gas springs to assist raising the appliance. The automated lift can have a motor driving one or more cables, wound through sheaves, to raise and lower the appliance. The entire assembly is preferably concealed in a furniture quality container until it is raised through a top opening for use.
Claims20
A mechanism for raising and lowering an appliance in an interior of a vehicle, the mechanism comprising:
- a carriage for movably supporting the appliance;
- a guide frame for supporting the carriage in a stowed position and an elevated position vertically above the stowed position;
- and
- a lift applying a lift force biasing the carriage toward the stowed position through at least a portion of the extension between the stowed and elevated positions.
A mechanism for raising and lowering an appliance in an interior of a vehicle, the mechanism comprising:
- a carriage for supporting the appliance;
- a guide frame for supporting the carriage in a stowed position and an elevated position vertically above the stowed position;
- and
- a lift applying a lift force biasing the carriage toward the stowed position through at least a portion of the extension between the stowed and elevated positions, wherein the lift includes:
- a drive unit;
- at least one elongated flexible member having first and second ends;
- and
- at least one guide member linked to the carriage engaging the flexible member between the first and second ends and directing the flexible member through at least one turn;
- wherein the drive unit drives the flexible member to move the carriage at least from the stowed position to the elevated position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.