Vehicle storage area lift assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9828222-B2
Application number	US-201514592946-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2015
Priority date	Jan 9, 2015
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area includes a floor supported by a scissor mechanism, an actuator for raising the scissor mechanism and the floor from a neutral position to an elevated position, a plurality of rollers attached to the floor, guide members attached to the scissor mechanism and within which the plurality of rollers move, and a detent protruding into one of the guide members to resist rotation of at least one of the plurality of rollers and create a pivot point about which the floor rotates to a pivoted position. The floor may be rotated to the pivoted position from the neutral position, the elevated position, or any position between the neutral and elevated positions. In addition, the floor may be removed from the assembly by passing the first and second pairs of rollers through the cutouts in the guide members.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area, comprising:
a floor supported by a scissor mechanism;
an actuator for raising said scissor mechanism and said floor from a neutral position to an elevated position;
a plurality of rollers attached to an underside of said floor, said plurality of rollers include a first pair of rollers attached adjacent a rear edge of said floor and a second pair of rollers attached apart from said first pair of rollers between a front edge and the rear edge of said floor;
guide members attached to said scissor mechanism and within which said plurality of rollers move; and
a detent protruding into one of said guide members to resist rotation of at least one of said plurality of rollers and create a pivot point about which said floor rotates to a pivoted position, wherein said guide members include a cutout through which said second pair of rollers pass when said floor is rotated to the pivoted position.

2. The lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area of claim 1 , wherein said floor rotates to the pivoted position from the neutral position, the elevated position, or any position between the neutral and elevated positions.

3. The lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area of claim 2 , wherein said scissor mechanism includes at least one lateral cross brace.

4. The lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area of claim 1 , wherein said first pair of rollers also passes through said cutouts when removing said floor from the lift assembly.

5. The lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area of claim 1 , wherein said first and second pairs of rollers are positioned within said guide members, and said at least one of said plurality of rollers is in contact with said detent and said second pair of rollers is adjacent said cutouts, in the neutral position and the elevated position.

6. The lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area of claim 1 , wherein said scissor mechanism includes a pair of first and second pivotally connected supports, and a base, said first supports attached adjacent a first end to said base and attached adjacent a second end to said guide member, and said second supports having a member attached adjacent a first end for movement along said base and attached adjacent a second end to said guide member.

7. The lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area of claim 6 , wherein said base includes a pair of elongated channels, and said member attached adjacent the first end of said second supports is a roller which moves within said elongated channels.

8. The lift for a utility vehicle storage area of claim 6 , wherein at least one of said first and second pivotally connected supports includes a channel within which at least a portion of said actuator is positioned in the neutral position.

9. The lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area of claim 6 , wherein said floor rotates to the pivoted position from the neutral position, the elevated position, or any position between the neutral and elevated positions.

10. The lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area of claim 6 , wherein said scissor mechanism includes at least one lateral cross brace.

11. The lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area of claim 6 , wherein said plurality of rollers are attached to an underside of said floor including a first pair of rollers attached adjacent a rear edge of said floor and a second pair of rollers attached between a front edge and the rear edge of said floor.

12. The lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area of claim 11 , wherein said guide members include a cutout through which said second pair of rollers pass when said floor is rotated to the pivoted position.

13. The lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area of claim 12 , wherein said first and second pairs of rollers pass through said cutouts when removing said floor from the lift assembly.

14. A utility vehicle incorporating the storage area lift assembly of claim 1 .

15. A method of removing a floor from a lift assembly of a utility vehicle storage area, comprising the steps of:
actuating a scissor mechanism supporting said floor to move said floor to a removal position;
pivoting said floor from the removal position to a pivoted position;
applying a force to said floor sufficient to release a roller attached adjacent a rear edge of said floor and positioned within a guide member attached to said scissor mechanism from a detent;
maintaining the force until said roller is adjacent a cutout in said guide member; and
lifting a rear edge of said floor such that said attached roller passes through the cutout in said guide member.

16. The method of removing a floor from a lift assembly of a utility vehicle storage area of claim 15 , wherein the step of pivoting includes lifting a front edge of said floor such that a second roller attached between a front edge and the rear edge of said floor passes through the cutout in said guide member prior to the step of applying a force.

17. The method of removing a floor from a lift assembly of a utility vehicle storage area of claim 16 , further comprising the step of bracing said scissor mechanism with at least one lateral support.

18. A lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area, comprising:
a floor supported by a scissor mechanism;
an actuator for raising said scissor mechanism and said floor from a neutral position to an elevated position;
a plurality of rollers attached to said floor;
guide members attached to said scissor mechanism and within which said plurality of rollers move; and
a detent protruding into one of said guide members to resist rotation of at least one of said plurality of rollers and create a pivot point about which said floor rotates to a pivoted position,
wherein said scissor mechanism includes a pair of first and second pivotally connected supports, and a base, said first supports attached adjacent a first end to said base and attached adjacent a second end to said guide member, and said second supports having a member attached adjacent a first end for movement along said base and attached adjacent a second end to said guide member, and at least one of said first and second pivotally connected supports includes a channel within which at least a portion of said actuator is positioned in the neutral position.

19. The lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area of claim 18 , wherein said floor rotates to the pivoted position from the neutral position, the elevated position, or any position between the neutral and elevated positions.

20. The lift assembly for a utility vehicle storage area of claim 18 , wherein said guide members include a cutout through which said second pair of rollers pass when said floor is rotated to the pivoted position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Nedelman Marc David

Classifications

• B60R5/04 Primary

  arranged at rear of vehicle {(B60R5/003, B60R5/006 take precedence; external trunks arranged at rear of vehicle B60R9/065)} · CPC title

• B66F7/06

  with platforms supported by levers for vertical movement · CPC title

• B66F7/0608

  driven by screw or spindle · CPC title

• B65G67/24

  Unloading land vehicles · CPC title

• B62D43/10

  and arranged substantially horizontally · CPC title