NL1042479B1

NL1042479B1 - Motorcycle loading system comprising a load carrying chariot moving along a curved ramp which can be moved itself along a circular trajectory

Info

Publication number: NL1042479B1
Application number: NL1042479A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Mihai Iliuta Mr
Original assignee: Mihai Iliuta Mr
Priority date: 2017-07-25
Filing date: 2017-07-25
Publication date: 2019-02-18

Abstract

System for loading or unloading a motorcycle (1) to a higher or lower level (2), comprising at least one ramp (5,5a,5b) having a smoothly, preferably mainly circular curved shape and a support frame (6). At least one ramp (5) is arranged to cooperate with a coupling module (7) which is arranged to be connected to the motorcycle Driving means (8) are provided for moving the coupling module, including the connected motorcycle, along the ramp. The support frame and the ramp are arranged so that the ramp can be locked to the frame during the motion of the coupling module while, after being unlocked, the ramp can be moved following a smooth, preferably mainly circular trajectory.

Description

Title: Motorcycle loading system comprising a load carrying chariot moving along a curved ramp which can be moved itself along a circular trajectory

DESCRIPTION

The invention refers to a loading/unloading system for motorcycles etc. to be used for loading/unloading a motorcycle to and from e.g. a transport vehicle.

Such systems are known as such from the following publications .

In US patent 3,726,423 there is described a ramp that is powered by a winch. The item to be loaded progresses on the ramp until it flips down, by gravity. The fact that it flips down is dangerous and if the shock absorbers are worn out then the momentum of 500 kg flipping down can cause a lot of damage. Also in the picture above, the height of the vehicle is very low - you can see that the wheels have almost bottomed out. Moreover the system has many latches and pins that need to be operated in the right sequence for the system to operate properly.

In US patent 3,843,001 there is a similar system designed along the same lines, having a straight platform that can tip over another straight platform. Again, a dangerous flipping moment when the payload flips down by gravity. Also, in this case, the loading height is very low. Page 2 of this patent illustrates how complicated the device is.

In US patent 4,932,829 there is yet another straight ramp system and a straight loading floor whereby a rolling car riage can load a motorcycle. The system is intended to avoid the same tipping moment, but it has become very complicated, having many moving parts that need to be operated.

In US patent application US 2002/0051703 Al published on May 2, 2002, there is a ramp system where a chariot carrying a motorcycle can be pulled on a straight ramp to be deposited on the flat loading area of a truck. On page 5 of this application, there is shown a loading sequence of said bike into said truck. Again, the height of the truck has been drawn very low. In reality, if this was a modern truck with a loading height of 1 meter, and a modern motorcycle with a low clearance, the ramp would have to be 5 meters long in order for the motorcycle not to scrape its belly on the edge of the loading area.

The present invention aims to provide a loading system arranged for loading motorcycles etc. at a considerable height without needing long ramps and without the "tipping moment" problem encountered in previous art loading system.

According to the present invention, a (i.e. at least one) smoothly curved ramp is provided to enable the motorcycle, supported by the ramp, to be loaded/unloaded with in a fluent motion. Preferably, the ramp has a mainly circular shape, enabling a lean and attractive construction, in which the ramp is supported by a support frame which is arranged to guide the ramp (including the motorcycle) to follow said smooth, preferably circular trajectory, thus preventing any tipping moment area in the motion trajectory.

The ramp and floor can be telescopic or can be held in place by rollers to follow the said circular trajectory. It then folds into itself without the need of storing the ramp part separately.

There is no "tipping moment" and the ramp length can be very short by a factor of 5 to 1 compared to straight ramps.

Improvement over previous art

If the drawings in the previous art would have been drawn to scale, it would become apparent that a very long ramp would be needed. It would be impossible to store such a ramp in the vehicle unless it folds. But even if it would fold, it would become very complex, and the user would need a lot of space behind the vehicle to load the bike.

It is advantageous to have a much smaller ramp that slides on rollers in a circular trajectory, the ramp itself being of circular form. The bike can be loaded very close to the vehicle and the ramp folds into itself while it loads the bike.

Figure la illustrates a prior art configuration which suffers from the "tipping moment" problem;

Figures lb-c illustrate a first embodiment of the configuration according to the invention;

Figure Id illustrates a second embodiment of the configuration according to the invention;

Figure le illustrates a third embodiment of the configuration according to the invention.

Legend referring to the below description and the attached figures: 1 Motorcycle 2 Level/platform 3 Straight ramp (prior art) 4 Tipping moment area 5 Curved ramp 6 Support frame 7 Front wheel chariot 8 Pulling strap or cable 9 Winch

In the preferred embodiment, a support frame has rollers or sliders that permit the curved ramp to follow its circular trajectory. A chariot can slide on the curved ramp so that one part of the chariot is on the ground, and the other one slidably attached to the curved ramp.

In the frame there is a winch. There can be two winches, one on the frame, and on the ramp, to split the lifting motions between just loading the bike on the curved ram, and moving the curved ramp along the rollers. The winch operates a cable or strap that pulls first the bike on to the ramp, and then the bike and the ramp on the frame.

The frame has a built-in winch and friction brake. The brake engages the curved ramp. Therefore, when the brake is engaged, only the motorcycle can slide up the curved ramp (not shown here).

There are roller sets arranged to suit the circular trajectory of the curved ramp. The curved ramp (not shown here) follows these rollers in a circular trajectory. A second winch can be used on the ramp itself too.

Loading sequence: (a) bike is winched on to circular frame. Now the ramp brake is activated, so when the winch pulls, it is forced to pull the bike up the circular ramp. (b) frame and bike are pulled on to the frame. With the brake now released, the winch pulls both the circular ramp and the bike on to the frame.

The simplicity of the loading sequence compared to previous art, and the compactness of the system will be appreciated. The system needs very little space, has no tipping moment, and folds on to itself thus without the need of storing external ramps.

The frame can also be circular, and the ramp can then slide along it like in the previous loading sequence. Also, in this embodiment a winch is placed at the extremity of the system, and not inside it like in the preferred embodiment. It is a circular telescoping system where each circular component has rollers at one of its extremities so that they can slide past each other under load.

The concept can also be implemented using two circular ramps that are hinged to each other or detachable. This is a cheaper way to manufacture them, however they do not tel escope or slide. One has to remove the hinge pin in order to remove the back ramp and store it somewhere.

Pointing to the figure now, figure la illustrates a prior art configuration which suffers from the "tipping moment" problem. A motorcycle 1, to be loaded to a higher level 2, using a prior art straight ramp 3, encounters a "tipping moment area" 4 which only can be prevented by using a long ramp 2.

Figures lb-c illustrate a first embodiment of the configuration according to the invention, comprising a curved ramp 5 which is supported by a bearing frame 6 which is arranged, by a configuration of slider and/or roller bearings, to guide the curved ramp 5 along a smooth, preferably circular trajectory. To load the motorcycle 1 to a higher level 2, its front wheel is connected to a chariot 7 which is arranged to move along the top side of the ramp 5. The ramp 5 is locked to its frame 6 and the chariot 7 is pulled, by means of a pulling cable or strap 8 and an electric or manual winch 9, along the ramp 5, causing the motorcycle 1 to move over the tramp 5. When the front wheel of the motorcycle 5 has reached the (upper) end of the tramp 5, the tramp 5 is released (unlocked) from the support frame 6, causing the tramp 5 (including the chariot 7 and the motorcycle 1 to move over the frame 7 until also the rear wheel of the motorcycle 1 has reached the level 2, e.g. the platform of a truck.

Figure Id illustrates a second embodiment of the support frame 7 and the location of the winch 9.

Figure le illustrates a third, cheaper embodiment of the configuration according to the invention. In this embodiment two ramps 5a and 5b are used. Ramp 5a is mounted on a frame 6 which rests on the (platform of) level 2. Ramp 5b can be detachably connected to ramp 5a, thus forming a smoothly curved trajectory for the motorcycle 1 to be pulled and/or pushed (e.g. manually) up and forward.

The invention could be summarized in next points: 1. System for loading or unloading a motorcycle (1) to a higher or lower level (2), comprising at least one ramp (5,5a,5b) having a smoothly, preferably mainly circular curved shape and a support frame (6). 2. System according to point 1, wherein at least one ramp (5) is arranged to cooperate with a coupling module (7) which is arranged to be connected to the motorcycle, as well as driving means (8) for moving the coupling module, including the connected motorcycle, along the ramp. 3. System according to point 2, wherein the support frame and said ramp are arranged so that the ramp can be locked to the frame during the motion of the coupling module and, after being unlocked, can be moved following a smooth, preferably mainly circular trajectory. 4. Circular trajectory loading system that uses a circular loading ramp that can slide in a circular trajectory upon an obstacle such as the loading bed of a vehicle, being guided by rollers or sliders attached to a frame that is placed on top of the said vehicle. 5. Combination fixed frame and slidable circular ramp whereby a frame has rollers arranged in such a way that a circular ramp, guided by these rollers, can be moved in a circular trajectory with respect to the fixed frame, so that it ends up on top of the frame with the rollers. 6. Combination fixed circular frame with rollers at the extremity and movable circular ramp with rollers at its extremity, arranged so that the two components can slide in a circular trajectory with respect to each other, like a drawer system in a cabinet, but circular. 7. Motorcycle loading system whereby a load carrying chariot can slide along the circular ramp and that the back of the chariot can also slide along the ground while the front is still slidably attached to the curved ramp. 8. Fixed frame for a circular ramp loading system that is comprised of metal beams arranged in a rectangular form, with riser plates or riser beams upon which there are rollers that are placed in order to follow a circular loading trajectory for the ramp. 9. Movable circular motorcycle loading ramp with rollers at its extremity. 10. Combination of hinged circular ramps to form an arch to be followed by a winch powered load carrying chariot that can slide on the said circular ramp combination but also on the ground.

Claims

1. Systeem voor het laden of lossen van een motorfiets (1) naar een hoger of lager niveau (2), omvattende ten minste één rijplaat (5,5a, 5b) die een vloeiend verlopende, bij voorkeur in hoofdzaak cirkelvormig gekromde vorm bezit .A system for loading or unloading a motorcycle (1) to a higher or lower level (2), comprising at least one road plate (5,5a, 5b) which has a smoothly running, preferably substantially circularly curved shape.

2. Systeem volgens conclusie 1, waarbij ten minste één rijplaat (5) is ingericht om samen te werken met een koppelmodule (7) die is ingericht om met de motorfiets verbonden te worden, alsmede aandrijfmiddelen (8) voor het langs of over de rijplaat verplaatsen van de koppelmodule inclusief de daarmee verbonden motorfiets.A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one road plate (5) is adapted to cooperate with a coupling module (7) which is adapted to be connected to the motorcycle, as well as drive means (8) for passing along or over the road plate moving the coupling module including the associated motorcycle.

3. Systeem volgens conclusie 2, tevens omvattende een on-dersteunings- en/of geleidingsframe voor de rijplaat, hierna ondersteuningsframe (6) genoemd, waarbij het on-dersteuningsframe en de rijplaat zodanig ingericht zijn dat tijdens verplaatsing van de koppelmodule langs of over de rijplaat, de rijplaat zelf ten opzichte van het ondersteuningsframe is of kan worden vergrendeld, terwijl de rijplaat na ontgrendeld te zijn, langs een vloeiende, bij voorkeur in hoofdzaak cirkelvormige weg wordt of kan worden verplaatst.3. System as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a support and / or guide frame for the road plate, hereinafter referred to as support frame (6), wherein the support frame and the road plate are arranged such that during displacement of the coupling module along or over the road plate, the road plate itself is or can be locked with respect to the supporting frame, while the road plate, after being unlocked, is or can be moved along a smooth, preferably substantially circular path.