Movable Floor Lifting Mechanism for Confined Space Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing delivery vehicle lifting platforms face challenges in congested areas due to 'working at height' risks, noise pollution, and limited space for level access, which are not adequately addressed by current designs.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle body with a lifting mechanism that moves a portion of the floor vertically between a lowered and raised position, allowing for level access through side or rear openings, and featuring pivotally mounted doors that do not obstruct access or extend outside the vehicle's envelope, enabling efficient loading and unloading in confined spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an external lifting platform is provided outside the vehicle body, then loading and unloading can be performed, but it creates working at height risks and requires additional operating room in congested areas
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting platform function is extracted from the external environment and integrated into the vehicle body itself. The floor of the vehicle body is made movable to form the lifting platform, eliminating the need for separate external lifting equipment and thereby removing the associated safety risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle body floor serves multiple functions: it acts as both the transport surface for goods during transit and as the lifting platform for loading/unloading operations. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate external lifting platforms.
2Ease of operation
If an external lifting platform is provided outside the vehicle body, then loading and unloading can be performed, but it requires additional operating room in commonly congested areas
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting platform function is extracted from the external environment and integrated into the vehicle body itself. The floor of the vehicle body is made movable to form the lifting platform, eliminating the need for separate external lifting equipment and thereby removing the associated safety risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle body floor serves multiple functions: it acts as both the transport surface for goods during transit and as the lifting platform for loading/unloading operations. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate external lifting platforms.
3Area of stationary object
If a lifting platform is contained in the vehicle body and moves vertically, then space efficiency is improved, but level access from platform to pavement cannot be provided
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle body floor is made dynamically movable between a raised position (for transport) and a lowered position (for loading/unloading). This dynamic adjustment allows the floor to achieve level access with the pavement while maintaining space efficiency when raised.
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical position parameter of the floor is changed between two states: raised during transport to maintain compact dimensions, and lowered during loading/unloading to provide level access with the pavement surface.
4Ease of operation
If external lifting platforms and associated equipment are provided, then loading and unloading can be performed, but they are a source of undesirable noise in an urban environment
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting platform function is extracted from the external environment and integrated into the vehicle body itself. The floor of the vehicle body is made movable to form the lifting platform, eliminating the need for separate external lifting equipment and thereby removing the associated safety risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle body floor serves multiple functions: it acts as both the transport surface for goods during transit and as the lifting platform for loading/unloading operations. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate external lifting platforms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides safe, quiet, and space-efficient loading and unloading capabilities, allowing for direct access from conventional loading docks to footpaths without extending equipment outside the vehicle, reducing operational hazards and noise in urban environments.
Implementation Method 1
a lifting mechanism which is operable to move at least a portion of the floor adjacent to the opening in the side wall vertically between a lowered position and a raised position
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A vehicle body (10) having a floor (12), a front wall (14), a rear wall (16) and two side walls (18, 20) extending between the front wall and the rear wall, the floor, front, rear and side walls enclosing a load compartment (22), there being an opening provided in each of the rear wall and side wall, the openings providing access to the load compartment, and a lifting mechanism (30) which is operable to move at least a portion of the floor adjacent to the opening in the side wall vertically between a lowered position in which the moved floor is generally level with a lowermost edge of the opening in the side wall, and a raised position in which the moved floor is generally level with a lowermost edge of the opening in the rear wall.