On both sides under a floor of an electric vehicle, side members are provided, each in a closed cross sectional shape. Collars and the like are provided in the side members. On a lower side of a lower wall of each of the side members, cross members which are fixed by using the collars or the like are provided. Between the side members on both sides, a main battery is provided and supported by the cross members. In the vicinity of a lower side of a doorway of the electric vehicle, a cutout part is formed such that a height of a portion of an upper wall of the side member is relatively lowered. On an upper surface of the cutout part, a reinforcing member is provided. A ramp passes through a space on an upper side of the cutout part.

A ramp apparatus for a vehicle includes a ramp retractable in the vehicle and drawable to an outside of the vehicle, a moving body movable in a drawing direction and a retracting direction together with the ramp, a support arm rotatably coupled with the ramp at a first rotatable coupling point and rotatably coupled with the moving body at a second rotatable coupling point, and a tension spring interposed between the ramp and the moving body. The ramp is arranged in a lifted-up position in which the ramp faces a door opening of the vehicle from a drawn position. The tension spring rotationally urges the first rotatable coupling point positioning above the tension spring in the drawn position of the ramp about the second rotatable coupling point and exerts an urging force on the ramp, the urging force moving the ramp from the drawn position toward the lifted-up position.

A motor vehicle includes a ramp, a sliding door that when open allows the ramp to be deployed from the vehicle, and an anti-rattle device to prevent or reduce rattling of the ramp against the door or other components of the vehicle when the ramp is in a stowed position. The anti-rattle device includes an arm pivotable relative to the door and a roller rotatably coupled to the arm, spaced apart from the door, and configured to contact the ramp.

A ramp assembly for a passenger using a wheelchair to enter or exit a motorized vehicle. The ramp assembly includes a rail assembly having a track with a first portion extending longitudinally along the rail and a second portion inclined with the first portion. A ramp is operatively connected to the rail assembly. The ramp includes a first body and a second body that articulates with respect to the first body, wherein the ramp moves along the rail assembly and includes a storage position and a deployed position. A first roller is operatively connected to the first body and a second roller is operatively connected to the second body. The first body and the second body of the ramp are generally planar in the storage position and the first body is inclined with respect to the second body in the deployed position.

A ramp assembly for use to accommodate a wheel-chaired passenger to enter or exit a motorized vehicle includes a ramp body having a length defined along a longitudinal direction, a first side rail pivotably coupled to the ramp body, a second side rail pivotably coupled to the ramp body, and a hinge plate pivotably coupled to the ramp body. The ramp assembly further includes a first arm and a second arm coupled to a bottom surface of the ramp body. The first side rail and second side rail are pivotably moved between a folded position in which the first and second side rails pivot inwardly and a raised position in which the side rails are oriented perpendicular to the ramp body. The first arm operably pivots the first side rail between its folded and raised position, and the second arm operably pivots the second side rail between its folded and raised position.

A vehicular boarding assistance device includes: a slope main body provided in a body of a vehicle so as to project and retract and configured to form a slope by being bridged between the body and a ground surface in a state of projecting from the body; a slope drive source configured to drive the slope main body so as to project and retract; a seat drive source configured to drive at least one of a plurality of seats installed on a floor of the vehicle; and a control unit configured to drive and control the slope drive source such that the slope main body projects and drive and control the seat drive source such that an occupying region of a boarding assistance target moving on the slope and moving to the floor is secured on the floor.

A vehicle including: a pair of suspension towers, each of which houses, in an upright state, a suspension unit configured to provide suspension to a front wheel; a power unit compartment that is provided between the pair of suspension towers, and that houses at least a drive unit configured to drive the front wheels; at least one of a high voltage component or a low voltage component, configuring a sub unit disposed at a vehicle upper side of the suspension towers; and a driving seat that is disposed in a vehicle cabin at the vehicle upper side of the power unit compartment, and that is provided such that feet of a driver are positioned further toward a vehicle lower side than upper ends of the suspension towers and such that a head of the driver is positioned further toward the vehicle upper side than the sub unit.

An object handling device handles a first object and a second object. A lower support beam, a first side frame and a second side frame define a lower object holding channel for supporting the first object. A first upper support beam and a second upper support beam define an upper object holding channel. An object lift vertically lifts the first object from the lower object holding channel to the upper object holding channel. A beam lift pivots the lower support beam and the first object. A lower hoist positions a second object within the lower object holding channel. A first telescoping support beam and a second telescoping support beam define an angled object displacement channel. An upper hoist links with the first object for displacing the first object along the angled object displacement channel.

An emergency egress system for a multi-passenger vehicle such as a school bus (10) includes a housing (30) that operatively supports a ramp (34) in movable connection therewith. Opening an emergency exit door (18) of the bus causes a housing door (24) to open and the ramp to move outwardly from a retracted position toward an extended position. Opening the emergency exit door also causes the suspension of the bus to be automatically lowered to place the emergency exit opening (16) closer to the ground (166).

A truck having a tiltable platform or other cargo bed and its methods of use. In some embodiments, the rear suspension of the truck may be lowerable to lower the platform or bed while it undergoes tilting. In other embodiments the rear suspension need not be lowerable and the platform or bed may remain at constant height before, during and after tilting. An integrated hinge and inflatable air bags may be used to move the platform or bed between a horizontal position and a tilted position. One or more loading ramps are deployable to facilitate loading of different types of cargo or vehicles. The platform or bed may be equipped with holes in which pulleys for multiple angles can be placed. Shrouded air bags may be used to prevent unwanted movement or rattling of ramps or other structures.