Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02945554 2016-10-18
Description
Tailgate Lift
Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to an apparatus which allows
lifting, loading, unloading,
and lowering of heavy cargo into and out of a truck that would normally be
difficult or impossible
without the assistance of such an apparatus.
Background
Vehicles and trucks are used to transport cargo however the cargo being
transported must
be loaded into the vehicle for transport, and unloaded from the vehicle upon
reaching the
destination. The cargo is often loaded into the cargo compartment of a
vehicle, this cargo
department being the bed of a pickup truck or the enclosed portion of a van,
both of which are
elevated from the ground level. When the cargo is at ground level and has to
be elevated to the
height of the cargo department of a vehicle for loading, and where the cargo
is too large, heavy, or
difficult to load, assistance is required to allow safe and efficient loading
of the cargo.
Various forms of cargo loading assistance are available including additional
manpower,
ramps, and powered tailgate lift systems. Additional manpower can often
overcome loading
difficulties however additional manpower isn't always practical nor available.
Ramps assist in
wheeled cargo such as lawnmowers and snow blowers however ramps require the
wheeled cargo
be rolled up the ramps which may not be possible depending on the size and
weight of the
wheeled cargo and whether the wheeled cargo is operational with a powered
drive system to
propel the cargo up the ramps. Powered tailgate lift systems allow lifting of
heavy cargo however
these systems require installation on a vehicle including mechanical affixing
to the vehicle and
connection to the vehicle for power. This installation process often results
in a vehicle not being
equipped with such a powered tailgate lift system due to time limitations,
cost of installation, or
the required altering of the vehicle in a way the vehicle owner does not wish
to have their vehicle
altered.
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There is a need for a practical solution to loading and unloading of heavy
cargo into and out
of vehicle cargo compartments which is convenient, efficient, doesn't require
altering of a vehicle,
and allows both wheeled and non-wheeled cargo to be loaded and unloaded.
Furthermore, this
solution will ideally remain affordable and easy to install on vehicles to
make for a useful and
practical solution.
Summary
A tailgate lift is described. The tailgate lift is designed to install on
vehicles which have a
standard two inch trailer hitch receiver mounted to the vehicle, often
described as a tow package,
which is a very popular package on a large number of transport vehicles. The
tailgate lift described
does not require any type of powered connection to the transport vehicle. The
tailgate lift is
designed to allow an operator to manually operate a cable winch which will in
turn raise and lower
a loading platform allowing the operator to lift heavy, large, and awkward
items from ground level
to the cargo compartment of a vehicle and likewise lower heavy, large, and
awkward items from
the cargo compartment of a vehicle to the ground level.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The invention may be better described both in the construction of the
invention and the
operation of the invention by reference to the accompanying drawings and the
detailed description
which makes reference to the drawings.
Figure 1¨ a perspective view of a tailgate lift from the left side with the
loading platform in
the horizontal and raised position.
Figure 2 ¨ a perspective view of a tailgate lift from the left side with the
loading platform in
the vertical and raised position.
Figure 3 ¨ a perspective view of a tailgate lift from the left side with the
loading platform in
the horizontal and lowered position.
Figure 4 ¨ a perspective view of a tailgate lift from the rear with the
loading platform in the
vertical and raised position.
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Detailed Description
The accompanying drawings represent the invention to provide illustration only
to the
various aspects of the invention however they may not represent every exact
detail of the
invention. Modifications and alterations may be made to the invention which
will not alter the
scope or basis of the invention. The drawings and illustrations are not to
limit the invention of
alterations and modifications in any way whether those alterations and
modifications be functional,
structural, or relate to any feature of the invention as the scope of the
invention will not change.
A detailed description of a tailgate lift will be made with reference to the
illustrations in
Figures 1 ¨ 4.
The tailgate lift 1 may mount into a vehicle's standard trailer hitch receiver
(not shown)
which may be built from square steel tubing with inside dimensions of
approximately two inches by
two inches. The tailgate lift 1 may include a square steel tube which may have
outside dimensions
of approximately two inches by two inches, the mounting tube 2, which is
capable of sliding into
the vehicle mounted trailer hitch receiver. By utilizing a securing method
similar to the securing of
a trailer tow ball mount into a trailer hitch receiver, the tailgate lift 1
may secure into the trailer
hitch receiver by the alignment of a hole 3 in the tailgate lift's mounting
tube 2 with a hole in the
trailer hitch receiver and the insertion of a standard hitch pin and clip
through both holes to secure
the tailgate lift 1 to the trailer hitch receiver and effectively to the
transport vehicle.
The tailgate lift 1 does not require the connection of electrical power or any
other type of
power with the transport vehicle which eases the burden of installation of the
tailgate lift 1. The
power to lift heavy objects to the height of a transport vehicle's cargo area
may be a result of a
manually operated cable winch 26 and a series of pulleys 22,23 designed to
multiply the lift force
and direct the motion of that force into the appropriate direction to allow
the lifting of a heavy
object to the desired height.
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The tailgate lift 1 may have a main beam 4 which runs perpendicular to the
tailgate lift's
mounting tube 2 with this main beam 4 extending the width of a loading
platform 5 and further
extending out to allow the mounting of the cable winch 26. This main beam 4,
once the tailgate lift
1 is mounted to the vehicle, may run across the rear of the vehicle behind the
vehicle's rear
bumper. This main beam 4 may also provide the mounting points for the series
of pulleys 22,23
which direct the force of the cable winch 26 to allow the lifting of the
loading platform 5. This
main beam 4 may also provide mounting points for hinges 14 which may allow the
loading platform
5 to pivot up and down to effectively lift and lower the loading platform 5
and consequently the
cargo. This main beam 4 may also provide mounting points for stabilizing legs
27 which may extend
from the main beam 4 downwards to the ground to provide stability to the
tailgate lift 1.
The tailgate lift 1 may have a loading platform 5 which may be the main
surface to lift and
lower as it provides a base for the cargo which in turn will lift and lower
while on the loading
platform 5. The loading platform 5 may be held horizontal and parallel to the
ground as best
possible to allow the loaded cargo to remain on the loading platform 5 whether
the loading
platform 5 may be in the raised or lowered position or any position in
between. The loading
platform 5 may be pivoted to be vertical and perpendicular to the ground as
best possible to allow
the tailgate lift 1 to consume less space which may make the transport,
storage, and mounting of
the tailgate lift 1 more convenient. The loading platform 5 may have
structural support beams 6,7
running both the length of the loading platform 5 and side to side of the
loading platform under a
top surface 8 so the top surface 8 may provide a platform to hold the cargo
while the structural
support beams 6,7 may provide strength to hold the loading platform 5 in the
horizontal position
while under load. The loading platform's top surface 8 may be angled at the
outward end to allow
a ramp 32 for wheeled cargo to roll up this ramp 32 as it compensates for the
difference between
the ground level and the top surface's level being the top surface 8 is
sitting atop the structural
supports 6,7.
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The structural support beams 6 running the length of the loading platform 5
may provide
the pivot points 9 and as a result the ability of the loading platform 5 to
pivot from horizontal to
vertical, with the corresponding pivot points 9 being on structural supports
10 which extend from
the tailgate lift's secondary beam 13. To maintain the structural support
beams 6, which run the
length of the loading platform 5, in a horizontal position and in turn
maintain the loading platform
5 in a horizontal position, holes 11 in the structural support beam 6 and the
structural supports 10
affixed to the secondary beam 13 may be aligned to allow a pin 12 to be
inserted through both
holes 11. This secondary beam 13 may run parallel to the tailgate lift's main
beam 4, and while the
main beam's 4 function is to support the forces on the transport vehicle's
side of tailgate lift's
hinges 14 and hinge arms 15 necessary to allow the tailgate lift 1 to work,
the secondary beam's 13
main function is to support the forces on the loading platform's 5 side of the
tailgate lift's hinges 14
and hinge arms 15 necessary to allow the tailgate lift 1 to work.
The secondary beam 13 may be affixed to the main beam 4 by use of hinges 14
and hinge
arms 15 which provide both the ability of the loading platform 5 to raise and
lower while providing
the strength to hold the loading platform 5 horizontal and parallel to the
ground while heavy cargo
is on the loading platform 5. The tailgate lift 1 may use four such hinges 14
mounted so that a
hinge 14 is mounted vertically, outward of centre on each side of centre, on
the secondary beam 13
which in turn line up with a hinge 14 mounted vertically on the main beam 4.
Each hinge 14
provides a mount and pivot point 16 for two hinge arms 15, one mounted above
the other, so that
when two hinge arms 15 are mounted to their pivot points 16 on the hinges 14,
and one hinge 14 is
mounted on the main beam 4 and one hinge 14 is mounted on the secondary beam
13, the hinges
14 and hinge arms 15 may make the four sides of a parallelogram. There may be
a matching
parallelogram of hinges 14 and hinge arms 15 at each side of the loading
platforms to provide
strength and stability. It is this structure of hinges 14 and hinge arms 15
which maintain a
parallelogram throughout any position of raising and lowering the loading
platform that provides
the support to keep the loading platform 5 horizontal and parallel to the
ground under load.
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A cable winch 26 may be used to provide the force necessary to raise and lower
the loading
platform 5. The cable winch 26 may be affixed to the tailgate lift's main beam
4 off to one side
further outward than the lift platform 5 would obstruct. This mounting
location may allow the
cable winch 26 to be operated without the loading platform 5 interfering with
the operator. The
cable 17 force is held at one end by affixing the cable 17 to the cable
winch's spool 18 with the
cable winch 26 being affixed to the main beam 4, and the cable's 17 force is
held at the other end
by affixing the cable 17 to the secondary beam 13 which may be by way of an
affixed eyebolt 24.
The cable winch 26 operates by pulling cable 17 in and onto the spool 18 when
a handle 19, which
controls the spool's 18 rotation by way of reduction gears 20, is turned by
the operator. The cable
17 is pulled off of the spool 18 and out of the cable winch 26 by an external
outward force on the
cable 17.
By design, when the loading platform 5 is in the lowered position there may be
more cable
17 routed through the series of pulleys 22,23 than when the loading platform 5
is in the raised
position. When the loading platform 5 is in the lowered position it may be
raised by rotating the
cable winch's handle 19 which in turn rotates the spool 18 and pulls cable 17
onto the spool 18.
This cable 17 runs from the spool 18 towards the centre of the lift where the
mounting tube 2
connects to the main beam 4, and at this point there may be a pulley 22
mounted vertically and in
line with the main beam 4, this being the first pulley 22, which allows the
cable 17 to route under
the first pulley 22 and upwards along the opposite side of the first pulley 22
effectively making a
ninety degree turn upwards. This cable 17 then routes to another pulley 23
mounted vertically and
perpendicular to the main beam 4 and slightly higher than the first pulley 22,
this being the second
pulley 23. The pulleys 22,23 may line up so that the cable 17 leaves the first
pulley 22 and lines up
with the second pulley 23 in a fashion that the cable 17 is routed over the
second pulley 23 and
towards the loading platform 5, the cable 17 is led over the top of the second
pulley 23 and
directed towards the secondary beam 13 where it may be affixed to the
secondary beam 13 by use
of an eyebolt 24.
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Raising the loading platform 5 from the lowered position may be accomplished
by turning
the cable winch's handle 19 which retracts the cable 17 through the series of
pulleys 22,23, and
due to the design that the extended cable 17 is shorter in the raised position
than in the lowered
position the loading platform 5 is raised. The loading platform 5 is lowered
by the weight of the
loading platform 5 and gravitational force providing an outward force on the
cable 17 from the
spool 18 and in turn allowing the loading platform 5 to lower.
The cable winch 26 may allow locking positions, known as ratcheting, which
keep the cable
17 from being pulled from the spool 18 by outward forces when the cable winch
26 is being
operated to retract the cable 17 or when the loading platform 5 is left in a
raised position.
Operation of the cable winch 26 and the ratcheting mechanism allow for
operation of the tailgate
lift 1 to be raised or lowered. There may be a lever 21 on the cable winch 26
which allows the
spool 18 to ratchet in a retracting function, extracting function, and to
rotate freely without
ratcheting to allow full operation of the cable winch 26 and the tailgate lift
1. Holes 25 in the
sidewall of the cable winch's spool 18 allow for further security by affixing
a trailer hitch pin or a
padlock (not shown) into one of the holes 25 to secure the loading platform 5
in a raised position
and obstruct an operator from lowering the loading platform 5 unless the
operator removes the
trailer hitch pin or padlock.
Two stabilizer legs 27 may be affixed to the main beam 4 of the tailgate lift
1 to provide
further strength and stability during use of the tailgate lift 1. These
stabilizer legs 27 may allow
forces to be passed from the main beam 4 to which the stabilizer legs 27 are
affixed and down to
the ground where the stabilizer legs 27, when in the extended position, are in
contact with to
provide stability. These stabilizer legs 27 may be affixed at the approximate
position that the
hinges 14 are affixed to the main beam 4 which are approximately lined up with
the outward edges
of the loading platform 5. To provide both adjustment for different levels of
ground as well as
retraction for ground clearance during transport the stabilizer legs 27 allow
for adjustment to
different levels of retraction. This adjustment may be by way of a mounted
square tube 28 to the
main beam with a smaller square tube 29 capable of telescoping from within the
larger square tube
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28, and with a hole 30 drilled through the larger square tube 28 and multiple
holes drilled through
the smaller telescoping tube 29 at different intervals along the length, a pin
31 may be inserted
through the holes 30 as they line up to allow the stabilizer legs 27 to
maintain their position in
varying degrees of retraction.
The above description and reference to the illustrations are representative of
the invention.
The invention is not limited to the description and illustrations as there may
be modifications which
do not affect the scope or intent of the invention, however these alterations
and modifications may
be necessary for structural or functional purposes.
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