A cargo lift system and method for a pickup truck or similar vehicle. The apparatus fits within the cargo box of a pickup truck and can be deployed to positions above and below the cargo bed. The system includes a set of movement synchronizers configured to synchronize movement of the lifting and lowering structures to prevent binding and racking during operation, thus allowing the construction of the apparatus to be more compact and lighter in weight.

The present invention concerns a gripper for gripping, moving, orienting, and depositing a pallet. The gripper includes a gripping means for gripping the pallet at the longitudinal side members of a pallet. The gripper is suitable for being hinged to an automated manipulator moving along a support structure, thus making it possible to move, orient, and deposit a pallet in a loading position on the support structure or in an unloading position, for example, on the ground.

A pickup truck tailgate lift apparatus attachable with no body modification, to create a powered lift function utilizing the tailgate as a load platform. Two side assemblies, which extend a lift mechanism beyond the rear bumper, are mounted over the existing tailgate pivot and upper cable anchor pin so that the tailgate may be opened and closed with respect to the side assemblies in the same manner that it is opened and closed with respect to the cargo box. The vehicle tailgate is attached to an electric drive plate assembly so that the tailgate, and a load place on the tailgate, is raised or lowered as the drive plate assembly is raised and lowered. In one embodiment, an electric motor is placed on each side to drive a treaded rod to move a drive plate up or down.

The present invention concerns a gripper for gripping, moving, orienting, and depositing a pallet. The gripper includes a gripping means for gripping the pallet at the longitudinal side members of a pallet. The gripper is suitable for being hinged to an automated manipulator moving along a support structure, thus making it possible to move, orient, and deposit a pallet in a loading position on the support structure or in an unloading position, for example, on the ground.

The present invention concerns a device for locking/unlocking a pallet on a support structure in a predefined position, including activation means for activating and deactivating the locking of the pallet. The activation means includes studs that are movable and retractable, mounted sliding in side members on each lateral side of the pallet, the studs being capable of engaging in housings provided in the support structure; drive members mounted in the side members of the pallet to move the studs between a retracted position corresponding to unlocking and a laterally protruding position on the side members corresponding to locking; and removable actuation means suitable for being disposed on or in the pallet, in a position in which they mechanically engage with the drive members in order to control the movement of the studs.

A pickup truck tailgate lift apparatus attachable with no body modification, to create a powered lift function utilizing the tailgate as a load platform. Two side assemblies, which extend a lift mechanism beyond the rear bumper, are mounted over the existing tailgate pivot and upper cable anchor pin so that the tailgate may be opened and closed with respect to the side assemblies in the same manner that it is opened and closed with respect to the cargo box. The vehicle tailgate is attached to an electric drive plate assembly so that the tailgate, and a load place on the tailgate, is raised or lowered as the drive plate assembly is raised and lowered. In one embodiment, an electric motor is placed on each side to drive a treaded rod to move a drive plate up or down.

A lift system that is attachable to a vehicle, such as a car, truck, van, and the like, for lifting and carrying heavy items, such as a motorcycle utilizing a platform connected to a lifting mechanism that is connected to the vehicle, The lifting mechanism has a pair of lift arm housings that are connected to the vehicle, a pair of lift arms connected to the platform that rises up and down within their respective lift arm housing, and an electric motor to raise and lower the lift arms. The platform can be removed from the lift arms and stored away or used as a tabletop by. Wheels may be provided to easily maneuver the platform on the ground. Elongated posts can be attached to the platform to function as braces to secure the item to the platform. The elongated posts can also be used as legs for the tabletop.

A bale loading trailer has a bale supporting frame mounted on wheels. A fork assembly is pivotally mounted beside a front end of the frame configured to engage a bale when in a lowered position, and to disengage the bale when in a raised position such that the bale moves onto the front end of the bale supporting frame. A hydraulic cylinder moves the fork assembly between positions. A hydraulic motor driven conveyor chain assembly extends along the bale supporting frame, and loaded bales rest on, and move along the frame in concert with, the conveyor chain. A valve circuit connects the hydraulic cylinder and the hydraulic motor drive such that as the fork assembly moves from the raised position to the lowered position, hydraulic fluid flows from the hydraulic cylinder through the hydraulic motor drive and causes the conveyor chain assembly to move a bale length rearward.

One variation may include a truck body having one or more cargo pod lift systems around the perimeter of a truck's center aisle which may be lifted or lowered to load/unload one or more cargo pods and a method for doing the same.

A doffing apparatus can be configured to couple to an automatically guided vehicle (AGV). The doffing apparatus can comprise at least one elongate arm, each elongate arm having a proximal end, a distal end, and a length, and at least one driver, each driver being configured to move along a respective elongate arm to move a bobbin toward the distal end of the elongate arm. The doffing apparatus can further comprise at least one alignment device. The doffing apparatus can further comprise a processor, wherein the processor is configured to: receive feedback from the at least one alignment device, provide a control signal to cause the AGV to align the elongate arm with a receptacle at a loader, and move the driver a select distance along the length of the elongate arm.