초록 ▼

An apparatus for loading and un-loading a recreational vehicle from a truck. The truck has a front and rear and a longitudinal axis defined therebetween. The apparatus comprises, in one embodiment, a vehicle receiving ramp and a lifting mechanism engaged with the underside of the ramp. The lifting m

An apparatus for loading and un-loading a recreational vehicle from a truck. The truck has a front and rear and a longitudinal axis defined therebetween. The apparatus comprises, in one embodiment, a vehicle receiving ramp and a lifting mechanism engaged with the underside of the ramp. The lifting mechanism is mounted to the rear of the truck and is selectively operable to arcuately move the ramp between a lowered position that is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis and a raised position that is parallel with the longitudinal axis. The ramp is longitudinally mobile in the raised position between a foremost and rearmost position and is selectively lockable in the foremost and rearmost positions using a locking mechanism. To load the recreational vehicle, the ramp is preferably locked in the rearmost longitudinal position and placed in the lowered position for receiving the vehicle. The ramp with the vehicle is then raised using the lifting mechanism, unlocked from the rearmost longitudinal position, longitudinally moved to the foremost longitudinal position, and locked again using the locking mechanism.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for loading a recreational vehicle on to a truck, the truck having a front and rear and a longitudinal axis defined therebetween, the apparatus comprising:a) a vehicle receiving ramp that arcuately moves between a lowered position and a raised position, the ramp longitudinally mobile

1. An apparatus for loading a recreational vehicle on to a truck, the truck having a front and rear and a longitudinal axis defined therebetween, the apparatus comprising:a) a vehicle receiving ramp that arcuately moves between a lowered position and a raised position, the ramp longitudinally mobile in the raised position between a rearmost longitudinal position and a foremost longitudinal position;b) a lifting means engaging the underside of the ramp, the lifting means selectively operable to arcuately move the ramp, the lifting means comprising a vertical support member with a pivot axis passing transversely therethrough, and a mounting means for mounting the lifting means to the rear of the pickup truck. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ramp is inclined with respect to horizontal when the ramp is in the lowered position and parallel with horizontal when the ramp is in the raised position. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifting means is selectively operable to extend, thereby arcuately moving the ramp from the lowered position to the raised position. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifting means comprises a jack mechanism. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifting means further comprises a scissors linkage. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ramp arcuately moves about the pivot axis. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifting means includes rotational elements for engagement with the underside of the ramp to facilitate longitudinal mobility of the ramp along the lifting means. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein arcuate movement of the ramp can be independent of the longitudinal position of the ramp. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the arcuate movement of the ramp occurs at the rearmost longitudinal position of the ramp. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the arcuate movement of the ramp occurs at the rearmost longitudinal position of the ramp. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifting means is selectively operable to release, thereby arcuately moving the ramp from the raised position to the lowered position. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting means is removably secured within a hitch means attached to the rear of the pickup truck. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lifting means further comprises a selectively operable locking means for preventing longitudinal mobility of the ramp. 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the locking means locks the ramp in either the foremost longitudinal position or the rearmost longitudinal position. 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the locking means comprises: an elongated locking pin journaled to the lifting means; an aperture corresponding to the pin and concentrically aligned therewith, the aperture located on the underside of the ramp near the end of the ramp; and, wherein the pin is translatable transversely between an un-locked position and a locked position, the pin engaged within the aperture in the locked position. 16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ramp is longitudinally mobile with respect to the lifting means along the lifting means. 17. An apparatus for loading a recreational vehicle on to a truck, the truck having a front and rear and a longitudinal axis defined therebetween, the apparatus comprising:a) a vehicle receiving ramp that arcuately moves between a lowered position that is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis and a raised position that is parallel with the longitudinal axis, the ramp longitudinally mobile in the raised position between a rearmost longitudinal position and a foremost longitudinal position;b) a lifting means engaged with the underside of the ramp, the lifting means comprising: a jack mechanism; a scissors linkage engaged with the jack mechanism; a vertical support member forward of the scissors linkage; a pivot axis passing transversely through the vertical support member; and, a mounting means for removably mounting the lifting means to the r ear of the truck;c) wherein the jack mechanism is selectively operable to extend, thereby opening the scissors linkage to arcuately move the ramp from the lowered position to the raised position by pivoting the ramp about the pivot axis. 18. An apparatus for loading a recreational vehicle on to a truck, the truck having a front and rear and a longitudinal axis defined therebetween, the apparatus comprising:a) a vehicle receiving ramp that arcuately moves between a lowered position and a raised position, the ramp longitudinally mobile in the raised position between a rearmost longitudinal position and a foremost longitudinal position;b) a lifting means engaging the underside of the ramp, the lifting means selectively operable to arcuately move the ramp, the lifting means comprising a locking means comprising: an elongated locking pin journaled to the lifting means; an aperture corresponding to the pin and concentrically aligned therewith, the aperture located on the underside of the ramp near the end of the ramp; and, wherein the pin is translatable transversely between an un-locked position and a locked position, the pin engaged within the aperture in the locked position. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the locking means is selectively operable to prevent longitudinal mobility of the ramp. 20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the locking means locks the ramp in either the foremost longitudinal position or the rearmost longitudinal position.