Strap Bed Lift

• US 20100219660A1
• Filed: 05/13/2010
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lippert Components (LCI Industries)
• Original Assignee: Lippert Components (LCI Industries)
• Inventors: Rasmussen, C. Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,038,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/156
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 17/84 Suspended beds, e.g. suspended from ceiling hammocks A45F3/22
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 19/20 Multi-stage bedsteads; e.g. bunk bedsmultiple-wall beds A47C17/50; suspended beds A47C17/84; Bedsteads stackable to multi-stage bedsteads
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/02 with parallel up-and-down movement of load supporting or containing element in combination with tipping B60P1/34; devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes, movable on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/06 ; suspensions with electronic levelling control during loading or unloading B60G17/0157
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/07 for carrying road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/08 Multilevel-deck construction carrying vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/32 comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping, or like vehicles tents or canopies, in general E04H15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/39 expansible, collapsible or repositionable elements adapted to support a bed, e.g. wall portions
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/42 convertible from one use to a different one vehicles capable of travelling in or on different media, rail-and-road vehicles B60F
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle

Abstract

A vehicle includes a lifting mechanism that may be used to lift one or more objects between a lowered or use position and a raised or stowed position. The lifting mechanism includes a strap to lift the objects.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a first guide member coupled to the vehicle, the first guide member being oriented vertically in the vehicle;

a second guide member coupled to the vehicle, the second guide member being oriented vertically in the vehicle;

a first strap that extends lengthwise in a vertical direction adjacent to the first guide member;

a second strap that extends lengthwise in a vertical direction adjacent to the second guide member;

a bed; and

a motor that drives movement of the first strap and the second strap to move the bed vertically and at least substantially translationally between a lowered position where the bed is positioned to be receive one or more persons to thereon and a raised position where the bed is stowed adjacent to a ceiling of the vehicle;

wherein the first guide member and the second guide member guide the bed as it moves between the lowered position and the raised position.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 comprising:

a third guide member coupled to the vehicle, the third guide member being oriented vertically in the vehicle;

a fourth guide member coupled to the vehicle, the fourth guide member being oriented vertically in the vehicle;

a third strap that extends lengthwise in a vertical direction adjacent to the third guide member;

a fourth strap that extends lengthwise in a vertical direction adjacent to the fourth guide member;

wherein the motor drives movement of the first strap, the second strap, the third strap, and the fourth strap to move the bed between the lowered position and the raised position;

wherein the first guide member, the second guide member, the third guide member, and the fourth guide member guide the bed as it moves between the lowered position and the raised position.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 comprising a first stop and a second stop which are positioned to support the bed when the bed is in the lowered position.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 wherein the first stop and the second stop are each attached to a wall of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 3 wherein the first stop is coupled to the first guide member and the second stop is coupled to the second guide member.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the motor is positioned under the bed.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the first strap and the second strap are anchored near the top of the first guide member and the second guide member, respectively.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the motor is positioned adjacent to the ceiling of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the first guide member and the second guide member each define a channel, and wherein the first strap and the second strap are positioned in the channel of the first guide member and the second guide member, respectively.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 comprising a first moving member coupled to the bed and a second moving member coupled to the bed, wherein the first guide member and the second guide member cooperate with the first moving member and the second moving member, respectively, to guide movement of the bed as the bed moves between the lowered positioned and the raised position.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the bed is positioned parallel to a lengthwise direction of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 comprising a first wall, wherein the bed is only coupled to the first wall of the vehicle.