US 12,116,065 B2
Deployable storage system for vehicles
Marcus Niemela, Houghton, MI (US); Cal G. Niemela, Chassel, MI (US); and Michael R. Jackson, Hancock, MI (US)
Assigned to The Kingstar Company, Chassell, MI (US)
Filed by NB4 Brand L.L.C., Chassell, MI (US)
Filed on Jul. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/361,500.
Application 18/361,500 is a division of application No. 16/849,376, filed on Apr. 15, 2020, granted, now 11,713,089.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/915,969, filed on Oct. 16, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/834,443, filed on Apr. 16, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0373579 A1, Nov. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. B60P 1/44 (2006.01); A01K 1/00 (2006.01); A01K 5/02 (2006.01); B62D 63/08 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 63/08 (2013.01) [A01K 1/0035 (2013.01); A01K 5/02 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A deployable supply elevator system for a transport vehicle, said elevator system comprising:
a powered winch configured for coupling to an upper portion of the vehicle;
a supply handling platform;
a flexible cable coupled between said winch and said supply handling platform, wherein said flexible cable is extendable and retractable by said winch to move said supply handling platform along a vertical travel path alongside an upright surface of the vehicle; and
a deployment assist mechanism configured to urge said supply handling platform upwardly away from the upper portion of the vehicle when said winch extends said cable, such that said supply handling platform is vertically lowerable relative to an upright surface of the vehicle as said winch pays out said cable;
wherein said supply handling platform is pivotable about a horizontal axis from a first orientation in which said supply handling platform traverses a vertical travel path to a second orientation rotated at least about 90 degrees to the first orientation, when said supply handling platform is raised above an upper region of the upright surface of the vehicle; and
wherein said powered winch is operable to retract said flexible cable to (i) raise said supply handling platform from a lower region of the upright surface to the upper region of the upright surface, and (ii) pivot said supply handling platform about the horizontal axis and onto the upper portion of the vehicle for stowage of said supply handling platform.