ERGONOMIC HOSE LOAD PLATFORM

• US 20190201726A9
• Filed: 06/07/2017
• Published: 07/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spartan Fire, LLC (AIP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Spartan Motors Incorporated
• Inventors: Lackore, JR., James Roger, Williamson, Scott D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,441,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 27/00 Fire-fighting land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 33/04 Supports or clamps for fire hoses
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/33 Hollow or hose-like material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/362 with stored material housed within a casing or container B65H75/368 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/425 attached to, or forming part of a vehicle, e.g. truck, trailer, vessel
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4402 Guiding arrangements to control paying-out and re-storing of the material guides per se B65H57/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6899 With hose reel storage means

Abstract

An ergonomic hose load platform for a fire fighting vehicle is provided. The ergonomic hose load platform includes a platform and at least one pivot mount defining a pivot axis. The platform is pivotable about the pivot axis to open and close the platform.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. An ergonomic hose load platform for a fire fighting vehicle comprising:

a platform;

at least one pivot mount defining a pivot axis;

the platform pivotable about the pivot axis to open and close the platform;

a hose clamp mounted adjacent an edge of the platform, the hose clamp defining in opening, wherein a hose of the firefighting vehicle is routable through the opening; and

a roller, the roller aligned with the opening of the hose clamp to support the hose after the hose has passed through the opening of the hose clamp.

26. The ergonomic hose platform of claim 25, wherein an actuator transitions the platform from an open position to a closed position and from a closed position to an open position.

27. The ergonomic hose load platform of claim 26, wherein in the open position, the platform is configured to support at least the weight of a firefighter standing on the platform.

28. The ergonomic hose load platform of claim 26, wherein in the closed position, the platform at least partially retains a fire hose in a fire hose bed of the fire fighting vehicle.

29. The ergonomic hose load platform of claim 25, wherein the pivot axis of rotation extends normal to forward and reverse directions of travel of the fire fighting vehicle.

30. The ergonomic hose load platform of claim 25, wherein the platform includes a nonskid surface.

31. The ergonomic hose load platform of claim 30, wherein the nonskid surface is applied adhesive to a top surface of the platform.

32. The ergonomic hose load platform of claim 30, wherein the nonskid surface is a diamond plate surface formed into a top surface of the platform.

33. The ergonomic hose load platform of claim 26, wherein the actuator in the closed position of the platform is in a retracted state and in the open position of the platform the actuator is in an extended state.

34. The ergonomic hose load platform of claim 26, wherein the platform includes a strut, wherein in the closed position of the platform the actuator is in an extended state and in the open position the actuator is in a retracted state.

35. A method for stowing a fire hose of a fire fighting vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

pivoting a platform about a pivot axis to open a fire hose bed of the fire fighting vehicle;

paying out the fire hose from the hose bed through an opening of a hose clamp mounted to the platform; and

supporting the fire hose via at least one roller after the fire hose has passed through the opening, wherein the roller extends beyond a peripheral edge of the platform.

36. The method of claim 35, including the step of configuring the platform to act as an at least partial rear wall of the fire hose bed at the rear of the fire fighting vehicle.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of opening the platform includes the step of actuating an actuator to open the at least partial rear wall of the fire hose bed.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising a step of stowing the fire hose in the fire hose bed at least in part from the platform, wherein the step of stowing is configured to be performed by a firefighter on the platform.

39. A fire fighting vehicle comprising:

a fire hose bed defined by a front wall, a pair of opposed side walls, a bottom wall, and a rear wall, the fire hose bed bounding a space for the containment of a fire hose;

wherein the rear wall is formed by a foldable platform, the platform mounted to a support structure of the fire fighting vehicle by at least one pivot mount, the pivot mount defining a rotational axis about which the platform rotates between an open position and a closed position and between a closed position and an open position, the platform further comprising a pivot stop; and

wherein the pivot mount defines a pivot mount receiving face and the pivot stop defines a pivot stop face, the pivot mounting receiving face and the pivot stop face arranged such that they abut one another to define a maximum rotational position of the platform.

40. The fire fighting vehicle of claim 39, wherein the platform further comprises a hose clamp defining an opening through which the fire hose is routable, and a roller aligned with the opening such that the roller supports the fire hose after it passes through the opening.

41. The firefighting vehicle of claim 39, further comprising an actuator, wherein the actuator transitions the platform from the open position to the closed position and from the closed position to the open position.

42. The fire fighting vehicle of claim 41, wherein the actuator is a linear actuator.

43. The fire fighting vehicle of claim 42, -herein in the open position, a strut is located between the linear actuator and the platform.

44. The fire fighting vehicle of claim 39, further comprising a controller to actuate the actuator.

45. The fire fighting vehicle of claim 44, wherein the controller is located in a cab of the fire fighting vehicle.

46. The fire fighting vehicle of claim 44, wherein the controller is located outside a cab of the fire fighting vehicle.