US 12,410,021 B2
Deployable truck ramp with bladders
Paul W. Alexander, Ypsilanti, MI (US); Wonhee Michael Kim, Royal Oak, MI (US); Craig A. Kollar, Sterling Heights, MI (US); Joseph M. Polewarczyk, Lake Orion, MI (US); Bhavesh Shah, Troy, MI (US); and Rafael Gabriel Casalduc, Detroit, MI (US)
Assigned to GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed by GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US)
Filed on Feb. 7, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/165,474.
Prior Publication US 2024/0262641 A1, Aug. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. B65G 69/28 (2006.01); B60P 1/43 (2006.01); B62D 33/027 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 69/28 (2013.01) [B60P 1/43 (2013.01); B62D 33/0273 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cargo loading system for a vehicle, the cargo loading system comprising:
a compressor having an inlet and an outlet, the compressor for pressurizing a fluid; and
a deployable ramp comprising:
at least one rigid element having a surface for supporting a load; and
at least one bladder defining a chamber fluidly connected to the outlet of the compressor and adapted to receive the fluid from the compressor, the at least one bladder attached to the at least one rigid element, the at least one bladder is movable to a collapsed state where the chamber has a first volume, the at least one bladder is further movable to an expanded state where the chamber has a second volume and contains a pressurized fluid for supporting the at least one rigid element in response to the at least one bladder receiving the fluid from the compressor, with the second volume being higher than the first volume, wherein the inlet of the compressor is adapted to fluidly connect to the chamber of the at least one bladder and configured to draw fluid from the at least one bladder, and wherein the at least one bladder comprises:
a first wall portion;
a second wall portion facing the first wall portion; and
a plurality of tethers attaching the first and second wall portions to one another.