Powered cargo rack for tall vehicles
AssigneeAPI Engineering, LLC
InventorKenneth Lee Presley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided are powered roof racks for tall vehicles, configured for cargo loading or unloading near to and parallel to the ground. The cargo is lifted to or lowered from roof height using an electric drive. Cargo motion comprises two separate essentially linear motions. The motion on and off of the roof is linear and essentially horizontal. The motion between roof height and the near ground level loading/unloading position is linear and near vertical. During all operations the load remains parallel to the ground. The majority of cargo load is supported on the ground during loading/unloading. All parts may be stored in a low profile roof mounted package when not in use, and ensures that setup and teardown uses a minimal number of easy to execute steps.
Claims20
A device for supporting cargo on a vehicle roof comprising:
- a roof beam configured to connect to a vehicle roof and to support cargo on top of the vehicle roof;
- a lift assembly translationally and rotably connected to said roof beam, said lift assembly comprising:
- a longitudinal lift member;
- a foldable cargo slide support translationally connected to said longitudinal lift member;
- said lift assembly having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, wherein in a deployed configuration:
- said longitudinal lift member laterally extends from said roof beam and has a rotation angle relative to said roof beam to provide a deployed direction that extends in a direction from the vehicle roof toward ground level;
- said foldable cargo slide support extends from said longitudinal lift member and is aligned with said roof beam;
- wherein in a stored configuration said lift assembly is stored within an interior volume of said roof beam;
- a cargo slide platform translationally connected to said roof beam and to said foldable cargo slide support,
- said cargo slide platform translational connection with each of said roof beam and said foldable cargo slide support is releasable for translation of said cargo slide platform along said roof beam or said foldable cargo slide support;
- said cargo slide platform and said foldable cargo slide support in combination translate along said longitudinal lift member from a minimum height for cargo loading or unloading to a transfer height that aligns said cargo slide platform with said roof beam, and
- said cargo slide platform is continuously horizontally aligned during translation along said longitudinal lift member and translation along said roof beam.
A method for storing cargo on a vehicle roof comprising the steps of:
- removing a lift assembly comprising a longitudinal lift member from an interior volume of a roof beam that is connected to said vehicle roof;
- pivoting said removed lift assembly relative to said roof beam to extend said longitudinal lift member in a direction away from said vehicle roof and toward a ground surface;
- deploying one or more ground support legs connected to an end of said longitudinal lift member to support said removed lift assembly against the ground surface;
- aligning a foldable cargo slide support connected to said longitudinal lift member with said roof beam at a transfer height;
- removing a cargo slide platform from said roof beam by translating said cargo slide platform along said roof beam and translating along said foldable cargo slide support;
- translating said cargo slide platform and said foldable cargo slide support along said longitudinal lift member to a cargo loading height that is less than said transfer height;
- securing cargo to said cargo slide platform at said cargo loading height;
- translating said cargo slide platform and said foldable cargo slide support along said longitudinal lift member to said transfer height, thereby aligning said cargo slide platform and cargo with said roof beam;
- moving said cargo slide platform and cargo from said foldable cargo slide support to said roof beam by translating said cargo slide platform along said foldable cargo slide support and said roof beam;
- securing said cargo on said cargo slide platform to said vehicle roof;
- and
- storing said one or more ground support legs, said lift assembly, and said foldable cargo slide support within said roof beam interior volume;
- wherein during translation of said cargo slide platform, said cargo slide platform is continuously maintained in a substantially horizontal configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.