Translucent elevating platform

Abstract

The present invention includes a partially or completely translucent elevating platform with at least three walls. At least one panel, knee space, and/or door is composed of clear or transparent or translucent materials. In one embodiment, the panel is a clear panel that is centered on a wall of the elevating platform. These aspects of the present invention provide for advantages in visibility and safety for the operator of the elevating platform.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An elevating platform comprising:
 at least three walls and a floor;   at least one panel, at least one knee space, and/or at least one door;   wherein the elevating platform includes an inside of the elevating platform and an outside of the elevating platform formed by the at least three walls;   wherein the at least one panel, the at least one knee space, and/or the at least one door are constructed from a translucent material; and   wherein the at least three walls and the floor are opaque.   
     
     
         2 . The elevating platform of  claim 1 , further comprising the at least one panel, wherein the at least one panel is formed in an outwardly bulbous shape. 
     
     
         3 . The elevating platform of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one panel is convex toward the outside of the platform. 
     
     
         4 . The elevating platform of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one panel includes at least one formed shape, wherein the at least one formed shape is convex toward the outside of the elevating platform. 
     
     
         5 . The elevating platform of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one formed shape is attached to the elevating platform by chemical, physical, or mechanical means. 
     
     
         6 . The elevating platform of  claim 1 , wherein the translucent material has a light transmission of between about 30% and 70%. 
     
     
         7 . The elevating platform of  claim 1 , wherein the translucent material is formed of an unreinforced thermoplastic, a reinforced thermoplastic, an unreinforced thermoset, and/or a reinforced thermoset. 
     
     
         8 . The elevating platform of  claim 1 , wherein the translucent material is formed of acrylic modified resin, polycarbonate, acrylic, nylon, and/or polypropylene. 
     
     
         9 . The elevating platform of  claim 1 , wherein faces of the at least three walls are tapered such that a width is wider at a top of each of the at least three walls than a width at a bottom of each of the at least three walls. 
     
     
         10 . The elevating platform of  claim 1 , wherein the tops of the at least three walls include an outwardly extending rim, wherein the outwardly extending rim is not connected to any components other than the at least three walls. 
     
     
         11 . The elevating platform of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one doorway. 
     
     
         12 . The elevating platform of  claim 11 , further comprising the at least one door, wherein the at least one doorway is a U-shaped cutout in one of the at least three walls, and wherein the at least one door fits in the at least one doorway. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one panel is constructed from a translucent material, wherein the at least one panel makes up at least one section of at least one wall of the at least three walls, and wherein a remainder of the at least one wall is opaque. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a second translucent component, wherein the at least one panel is attached to a first wall of the at least three walls, and wherein the second translucent component is attached to a second wall of the at least three walls. 
     
     
         14 . The elevating platform of  claim 13 , wherein the second wall is adjacent to the first wall. 
     
     
         15 . The elevating platform of  claim 13 , wherein the second wall is opposite the first wall. 
     
     
         16 . The elevating platform of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one panel is constructed with an outwardly bulbous shape, and wherein the second translucent component is flat or is constructed with the outwardly bulbous shape. 
     
     
         17 . The elevating platform of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one panel is horizontally centered on the at least one wall. 
     
     
         19 . The elevating platform of  claim 1 , wherein the at least three walls, the at least one door, and/or the floor further include a clear gel coat. 
     
     
         20 . The elevating platform of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one door is constructed from the translucent material. 
     
     
         21 . The elevating platform of  claim 1 , wherein the at least three walls, the at least one door, and/or the floor are opaque. 
     
     
         22 . An elevating platform comprising:
 at least one wall and a floor; and   at least one translucent component;   wherein the elevating platform includes an inside of the elevating platform and an outside of the elevating platform formed by the at least one wall;   wherein the at least one translucent component is constructed from a translucent material; and   wherein the at least one wall and the floor include at least one opaque section.   
     
     
         23 . The elevating platform of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one translucent component includes at least one panel, wherein the at least one panel is formed in an outwardly bulbous shape. 
     
     
         24 . The elevating platform of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one panel is convex toward the outside of the platform. 
     
     
         25 . The elevating platform of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one panel includes at least one formed shape, wherein the at least one formed shape is convex toward the outside of the elevating platform. 
     
     
         26 . The elevating platform of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one formed shape is attached to the elevating platform by chemical, physical, or mechanical means. 
     
     
         27 . The elevating platform of  claim 22 , wherein the translucent material has a light transmission of between about 30% and 70%. 
     
     
         28 . The elevating platform of  claim 22 , wherein the translucent material is formed of an unreinforced thermoplastic, a reinforced thermoplastic, an unreinforced thermoset, and/or a reinforced thermoset. 
     
     
         29 . The elevating platform of  claim 22 , wherein the translucent material is formed of acrylic modified resin, polycarbonate, acrylic, nylon, and/or polypropylene. 
     
     
         30 . The elevating platform of  claim 22 , wherein a face of the at least one wall is tapered such that a width is wider at a top of the at least one wall than a width at a bottom of the at least one wall. 
     
     
         31 . The elevating platform of  claim 22 , wherein the top of the at least one wall includes an outwardly extending rim, wherein the outwardly extending rim is not connected to any components other than the at least one wall. 
     
     
         32 . The elevating platform of  claim 22 , further comprising at least one doorway. 
     
     
         33 . The elevating platform of  claim 32 , further comprising at least one door, wherein the at least one doorway is a U-shaped cutout in one of the at least one wall, and wherein the at least one door fits in the at least one doorway. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one translucent component includes at least one panel, wherein the at least one panel makes up at least one section of at least one of the at least one wall, and wherein a remainder of the at least one of the at least one wall is opaque. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising a second translucent component, wherein the at least one panel is attached to a first wall of the at least one wall, and wherein the second translucent component is attached to a second wall of the at least one wall. 
     
     
         36 . The elevating platform of  claim 35 , wherein the second wall is adjacent to the first wall. 
     
     
         37 . The elevating platform of  claim 35 , wherein the second wall is opposite the first wall. 
     
     
         38 . The elevating platform of  claim 35 , wherein the at least one panel is constructed with an outwardly bulbous shape, and wherein the second translucent component is flat or constructed with the outwardly bulbous shape. 
     
     
         39 . The elevating platform of  claim 34 , wherein the at least one panel is horizontally centered on the at least one of the at least one wall. 
     
     
         40 . The elevating platform of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one wall, at least one door of the elevating platform, and/or the floor further include a clear gel coat. 
     
     
         41 . The elevating platform of  claim 40 , wherein the at least one door is constructed from the translucent material. 
     
     
         42 . The elevating platform of  claim 40 , wherein the at least one wall, the at least one door, and/or the floor are opaque. 
     
     
         43 . An elevating platform comprising:
 walls and a floor; and   at least one translucent component and at least one door;   wherein the elevating platform includes an inside of the elevating platform and an outside of the elevating platform formed by the walls; and   wherein the at least one translucent component is constructed from a translucent material.   
     
     
         44 . The elevating platform of  claim 43 , wherein the at least one translucent component includes at least one panel, wherein the at least one panel is formed in an outwardly bulbous shape. 
     
     
         45 . The elevating platform of  claim 44 , wherein the at least one panel is convex toward the outside of the platform. 
     
     
         46 . The elevating platform of  claim 44 , wherein the at least one panel includes at least one formed shape, wherein the at least one formed shape is convex toward the outside of the elevating platform. 
     
     
         47 . The elevating platform of  claim 46 , wherein the at least one formed shape is attached to the elevating platform by chemical, physical, or mechanical means. 
     
     
         48 . The elevating platform of  claim 43 , wherein the translucent material has a light transmission of between about 30% and 70%. 
     
     
         49 . The elevating platform of  claim 43 , wherein the translucent material is formed of an unreinforced thermoplastic, a reinforced thermoplastic, an unreinforced thermoset, and/or a reinforced thermoset. 
     
     
         50 . The elevating platform of  claim 43 , wherein the translucent material is formed of acrylic modified resin, polycarbonate, acrylic, nylon, and/or polypropylene. 
     
     
         51 . The elevating platform of  claim 43 , wherein faces of the walls are tapered such that a width is wider at a top of each of the walls than a width at a bottom of each of the walls. 
     
     
         52 . The elevating platform of  claim 43 , wherein the tops of the walls include an outwardly extending rim, wherein the outwardly extending rim is not connected to any components other than the walls. 
     
     
         53 . The elevating platform of  claim 43 , further comprising at least one doorway. 
     
     
         54 . The elevating platform of  claim 53 , wherein the at least one doorway is a U-shaped cutout in one of the walls, and wherein the at least one door fits in the at least one doorway. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the at least one translucent component includes at least one panel, wherein the at least one panel makes up at least one section of at least one wall of the walls, and wherein a remainder of the at least one wall is opaque. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 55 , further comprising a second translucent component, wherein the at least one panel is attached to a first wall of the walls, and wherein the second translucent component is attached to a second wall of the walls. 
     
     
         57 . The elevating platform of  claim 56 , wherein the second wall is adjacent to the first wall. 
     
     
         58 . The elevating platform of  claim 56 , wherein the second wall is opposite the first wall. 
     
     
         59 . The elevating platform of  claim 56 , wherein the at least one panel is constructed with an outwardly bulbous shape, and wherein the second translucent component is flat or constructed with the outwardly bulbous shape. 
     
     
         60 . The elevating platform of  claim 55 , wherein the at least one panel is horizontally centered on the at least one wall. 
     
     
         61 . The elevating platform of  claim 43 , wherein the walls, the at least one, and/or a floor of the elevating platform further include a clear gel coat. 
     
     
         62 . The elevating platform of  claim 43 , wherein the at least one door is constructed from the translucent material. 
     
     
         63 . The elevating platform of  claim 61 , wherein the walls, the at least one door, and/or the floor are opaque.