Assist Lift
OwnerKenneth Robert Niemiecinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The lift assembly eliminates the need for unsightly items such as step ladders, stools etc. in the personal kitchen area. It provides safe, easy access to upper areas that are difficult to reach. The lift assembly has a step that extends automatically by a convenient and simple toe tap to the cabinet kick panel located at the bottom of all standard kitchen cabinets. Upon extension, the step raises to a height of up to ten inches. Once a person has stepped off the step a load sensor first triggers the automatic lowering of the step and then urges the front movable section of the telescoping frame to retract back under the cabinet where it is out of sight and ready for use again. No unsightly ladders, no tripping over step stools.
Claims16
A lift assembly for extending the upward reach of a person comprising:
- a non-movable section of a telescoping frame located in the unused space under a kitchen cabinet,
- a movable section of the telescoping frame movably coupled to the non-movable section between an extended position and a retracted position wherein the non-movable section is located outside the unused space under the kitchen cabinet when in the extended position and is located under the kitchen cabinet when in the retracted position;
- a gear rack attached to the non-movable section of the telescoping frame;
- a gear coupled to the movable section and positioned to engage the gear rack;
- a motor coupled to the gear to urge the movable section to its extended position or its retracted position;
- a step having a rear edge facing the back of the kitchen cabinet and a front edge facing away from the back of the kitchen cabinet;
- a first pair of support legs for supporting the rear edge of the step and a second pair of support legs for supporting the front edge of the step;
- and
- step height controlling means located between the step and the movable section for raising the step to its elevated position or retracting the step to lying flat within the interior of the movable section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.