Modular Lift Gate With Ground Support Legs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art lift gates are complex, impractical to move between vehicles, have limited lift capacity, and cannot function with a vehicle's tail gate in place, which affects fuel efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A lift gate system comprising a brace frame assembly with downwardly extendable legs, a mount for vehicle attachment, and a gate assembly that can be vertically and horizontally moved, using actuators and a self-contained hydraulic system for support and operation, allowing the system to be easily installed and removed without modifying the vehicle and functioning with or without a tail gate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If prior art lift gates are designed with complex mechanisms for support and operation, then they can provide lifting function, but they require modification to the vehicle frame and electrical system, making them impractical to move between vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The lift gate system is divided into separate modular components: a brace frame assembly with legs that can be independently positioned, a gate carrier frame, and a gate assembly. This segmentation allows each component to be independently installed and removed from the vehicle without permanent modifications, enabling easy movability between vehicles while maintaining structural integrity during operation.
2Strength
If prior art lift gates rely solely upon the vehicle for support, then they can be structurally simple, but this places a fairly low practical limit on their lift capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure transitions from relying solely on vertical vehicle support to utilizing ground support through downwardly extendable legs. By extending the support dimension vertically downward to the ground, the system creates a stable triangular support structure that distributes the load between the vehicle mount and the ground, dramatically increasing lift capacity beyond what the vehicle alone could support.
3Adaptability or versatility
If prior art lift gates are designed to function independently, then they can provide lifting capability, but they cannot function with a vehicle tail gate in place, requiring tail gate removal which harms fuel efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The brace frame assembly incorporates legs that can dynamically extend downward to the ground when needed and retract upward when not needed. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to adapt to different operating conditions: the legs provide ground support when lifting heavy loads, but can be retracted to allow the vehicle tail gate to remain in place for normal driving, thereby maintaining fuel efficiency while providing versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
A modular lift gate system which can be easily moved from one vehicle to another comprises a brace frame assembly, a mount, a gate carrier frame, and a gate assembly. The brace frame carries a pair of downwardly extendable legs. The mount is for mounting the brace frame assembly to a vehicle having a receiver hitch, the mount being received by the brace frame assembly. The gate carrier frame is mounted for vertical movement on the brace frame assembly. The gate assembly is mounted for vertical movement on the gate carrier frame.