US 11,951,051 B2
Lifting system and vehicle including a lifting system
Wonhee M. Kim, Royal Oak, MI (US); and Paul W. Alexander, Ypsilanti, MI (US)
Assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on May 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/743,559.
Prior Publication US 2023/0363961 A1, Nov. 16, 2023
Int. Cl. A61G 3/06 (2006.01)
CPC A61G 3/062 (2013.01) [A61G 3/067 (2016.11)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle comprising:
a lifting system comprising:
a top plate;
a bottom plate;
N pairs of hinged plates, wherein the N pairs of hinged plates are connected by 2N pairs of hinges to N sides of the top plate and the bottom plate, where N is an integer greater than 2;
a bladder arranged between the top plate and the bottom plate and between inner edges of the N pairs of hinged plates; and
first and second track systems including:
a first wheel;
a second wheel;
a horizontal member connecting the first wheel to the second wheel;
a motor driving at least one of the first wheel and the second wheel; and
an endless belt connected around the first wheel and the second wheel,
wherein the first and second track systems extend the lifting system outwardly from a floor surface of the vehicle; and
a ramp configured to hold the lifting system on the first and second track systems as the first and second track systems extend the lifting system from the vehicle.