A transporter includes a frame supported on wheels, a cab mounted on a front portion of the frame, and a bed mounted on the rear portion of the frame. The bed includes deck plates and supports mounting the deck plates on the frame. At least a rear end portion of the bed is raiseable and lowerable relative to the frame. The bed is sufficiently lightweight that the transporter has a hauling capacity of at least 10,000 lbs. and a fully loaded gross vehicle weight of no more than 26,000 lbs. At least portions of the bed may be made from high strength steel (HSS) such as ASTM A1011/1011M steel having a grade of 80 or higher. A ramp, which may also be made of HSS, may be attachable to the rear of the bed and may have longitudinally extending supports and slats that may be arranged in a herringbone pattern.

This disclosure relates to an autonomous vehicle configurable for transportation of either passengers, cargo, or both. The various aspects of this disclosure, which include moveable seat assemblies, a door arrangement, and storage bins, among other things, provide the vehicle with increased functionality and versatility, leading to more efficient vehicle use.

A mobile automobile service and charging Center 50 with a trailer opening to intake multiple vehicles simultaneously by using multiple walls extending to the exterior used to lift and transverse automobiles to the interior for service. Interior mechanisms are hydraulic, magnetic, and air pressure operated to further lift and modify the position of the vehicle in service. The interior includes multiple electric charging stations, an interactive maintenance display center, multiple automated sensing devices used to detect car type and diagnose malfunctions, internal/external part delivery portals, lounge, a restroom, conference room, and mechanic sanitation areas. In all configurations the mobile automobile service and charging Center is a powered double decker, solar power supplemented mobile trailer. When dispatched for diagnostic and maintenance the Center will externally to the trailer or internally lift automobiles to an appropriate height based on the best ergonomic position for the mechanic and transverse the vehicles in to the mobile Center based on sensor feedback and mechanic biometrics. The Center provides multiple options for service from below or above the automobile, with floors that lower and a roof that will open to allow for above automobile servicing. Telescopic and piston driven support chairs and platforms are internally deployed to allow mechanics an efficient ergonomic seating, standing, or lying position to provide service without discomfort. Contained within the mobile service center are sensors designed to diagnose, track automobile location and service history, track tools and to display technologies to facilitate high efficiency automobile service; such as alternator replacements, oil changes, battery charging, hose replacements, spark plug replacements and other diagnostic, service, and charging services. All data gathered by the interactive service Center is logged and analyzed by intelligent predicting software to provide customers with the best performance and service data for each Automobile that enters and exits the Center.

An assembly for assisting in lifting a tailgate includes an elongated housing extending along a predetermined length, a spring anchored at one end at a first end of the housing, and a connector having a first end affixed to the opposite end of the spring and extending through the housing. In one embodiment, at least three rollers are provided for engaging the connector. The rollers may be arranged in a variety of configurations to maintain the connector and spring in a generally centered location within the housing. In another embodiment, at least two vertically aligned guides are provided. A vehicle for integrating the foregoing assemblies is also provided.

A vehicle door assembly includes, among other things, a ramp pivotable back-and-forth between a stowed position and a deployed position. The vehicle door assembly further includes a door slidable back-and-forth between a closed position and an open position. The door and the ramp are configured to slide together when the ramp is in the stowed position. The door is configured to slide relative to the ramp when the ramp is in the deployed position.

A system for a vehicle includes a rear gate assembly of the vehicle that includes a closure panel operable to pivot vehicle-downward from a closed position to an open position. The system also includes a support feature coupled to the closure panel and operable to move relative to the closure panel between a retracted position and a deployed position. In the open position of the closure panel, the position of the support feature in the deployed position is further vehicle-downward than the position of the support feature in the retracted position. The system also includes a sensing system of the vehicle that detects a living being proximate to the rear gate assembly. The system further includes a controller that authenticates an identity and determines a position of the living being based on data received from the sensing system and prompts movement of the support feature from the retracted position to the deployed position based on the authenticated identity and determined position of the living being.

A waste removal system with a trailer for the storage of materials such as waste or rubble, wherein the trailer has a front wall, a rear wall, and plurality of side walls with an extended slope on at least one of the walls to increase the volume capacity therein. The trailer may additionally contain a slanted access door or ramp which alternatively raises and lowers, allowing for ease of ingress and egress of the trailer volume. The waste removal system may additionally include a transport vehicle with a grappler mounted at a distal end of a boom, wherein the grappler grasps waste and deposits the waste into the previously-mentioned trailer for transport to and from a desired location.

The invention relates to an electronic device for controlling an access ramp to a door of a vehicle, the ramp being able to move from a retracted configuration to a deployed configuration. The electronic device includes: a detection module configured to detect, via at least one sensor, at least one element of interest located in an area near the door, each sensor being able to be connected to the detection module; a command module configured to command the passage of the ramp from one configuration to the other configuration as a function of the detection of an element of interest.

The pickup truck tailgate is a replacement tailgate for a pickup truck. The main body or field of the tailgate is made of a metal mesh which allows for smooth air flow through the bed of the truck. The tailgate is also provided with a removable inner section that slides outward. When the tailgate is in a down position, this section may be slide outward to allow for a longer bed area or raised upward when the tailgate is in the vertical position.

The Folding Tailgate Ramp System (FTRS) is a rotating, retractable Tailgate Ramp which makes accessing an elevated bed of a vehicle, by smaller wheeled objects a possibility. The TRS has a wide base in the Ramp Casing, and a wide rotating and collapsible body in the Tailgate Ramp, and together they bridge the gap between the surface and the elevated Tailgate or bed of a vehicle. The TRS is a true collapsible ramp that is almost as wide as a Tailgate but is compact, can be electrically powered, and have sturdy interlocking joints which close flat. The FTRS is comprised of a Four Planked, Tailgate Ramp and a Three Planked, Tailgate Ramp. The Four Planked, Tailgate Ramp has four Planks and is designed to accommodate taller vehicles such as pickup, while the Three Planked, Tailgate Ramp, has three Planks and is designed to accommodate lower vehicles such as minivans.