Assist Lift

Abstract

The lift assembly eliminates the need for unsightly items such as step ladders, stools etc. in the personal kitchen area. It provides safe, easy access to upper areas that are difficult to reach. The lift assembly has a step that extends automatically by a convenient and simple toe tap to the cabinet kick panel located at the bottom of all standard kitchen cabinets. Upon extension, the step raises to a height of up to ten inches. Once a person has stepped off the step a load sensor first triggers the automatic lowering of the step and then urges the front movable section of the telescoping frame to retract back under the cabinet where it is out of sight and ready for use again. No unsightly ladders, no tripping over step stools.

1 . A lift assembly for extending the upward reach of a person comprising:
 a non-movable section of a telescoping frame located in the unused space under a kitchen cabinet,   a movable section of the telescoping frame movably coupled to the non-movable section between an extended position and a retracted position wherein the non-movable section is located outside the unused space under the kitchen cabinet when in the extended position and is located under the kitchen cabinet when in the retracted position;   a gear rack attached to the non-movable section of the telescoping frame;   a gear coupled to the movable section and positioned to engage the gear rack;   a motor coupled to the gear to urge the movable section to its extended position or its retracted position;   a step having a rear edge facing the back of the kitchen cabinet and a front edge facing away from the back of the kitchen cabinet;   a first pair of support legs for supporting the rear edge of the step and a second pair of support legs for supporting the front edge of the step; and   step height controlling means located between the step and the movable section for raising the step to its elevated position or retracting the step to lying flat within the interior of the movable section.   
     
     
         2 . The lift assembly of  claim 1  wherein the non-movable section is substantially square or rectangular and has a two side walls and a back wall. 
     
     
         3 . The lift assembly of  claim 2  wherein the movable section is substantially square or rectangular and has a two side walls, a back wall and a front wall. 
     
     
         4 . The lift assembly of  claim 3  wherein the non-movable section of the telescoping frame is attached to the kitchen cabinet side walls below the bottom of the kitchen cabinet. 
     
     
         5 . The lift assembly of  claim 3  wherein the gear rack is attached to a side wall of the movable section. 
     
     
         6 . The lift assembly of  claim 5  wherein the gear rack is attached to a side wall of the non-movable section of the telescoping frame; and
 the gear coupled to the movable section and positioned to engage the gear rack is attached to a side wall of the movable section. 
 
     
     
         7 . The lift assembly of  claim 6  wherein the first pair of support legs are pivotally connected to the step at one end and to an acme screw actuator at the other end, and the second pair of support legs are pivotally connected to the step at the other end and to another acme screw actuator at the other end. 
     
     
         8 . The lift assembly of  claim 7  wherein the two acme screw actuators are urged to rotate is one direction to raise the step and in the opposite direction to lower the step. 
     
     
         9 . The lift assembly of  claim 8  wherein the two acme screw actuators are connected to a common gear to rotate at the same speed. 
     
     
         10 . The lift assembly of  claim 9  wherein a motor is coupled to the common gear to drive the two acme screw actuators at the same speed. 
     
     
         11 . The lift assembly of  claim 3  wherein the movable section is supported by rollers on which the movable section rolls as it moves between an extended position and a retracted position. 
     
     
         12 . The lift assembly of  claim 11  wherein a module control is coupled to a switch coupled to the front wall of the movable section which, when the front wall is kicked, initiates operation of the motor to move the movable section to its extended position and then initiates operation of the two acme screws to raise the step. 
     
     
         13 . The lift assembly of  claim 12  wherein the module control which is coupled to a load sensor that senses a load on the step, initiates operation of the two acme screws to lower the step and then initiates operation of the motor to move the movable section to its retracted position. 
     
     
         14 . The lift assembly of  claim 12  wherein the front wall of the movable section can be coupled to a false front that matches the surrounding cabinetry wood species or material. 
     
     
         15 . The lift assembly of  claim 13  wherein the step can be raised to a height of between four inches and ten inches. 
     
     
         16 . The lift assembly of  claim 15  wherein the non-movable section has a width of 22 inches, a depth of 18 inches and a depth of 3.5 inches.