GM has filed a patent application for a new hoist system that mounts to a vehicle’s roof rails. The new GM patent application has been assigned patent application number US 11,872923 B1 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and was published on January 16th, 2024. The patent application was originally filed on August 16th, 2022, and lists two Michigan-based engineers as the inventors, including Patrick Minjeur and Owen Rauch.
The patent application describes a hoist system that includes a support rail mounted to the roof of a vehicle, plus a winch arm that is mounted directly to the support rail. This winch arm can be stored in a recess inside the support rail, or swing out into a secondary position away from the support rail. The system also includes a winch motor that is mounted to the support rail, with a cable spool and a winch cable. A hoist attachment extends from the end of the winch arm, and appears to be capable of lifting objects up and down.
As the patent states, some items are too heavy or cumbersome to be lifted by an individual, which can prove to be particularly problematic when loading into and out of something like a pickup truck bed. Vans sometimes include a lift system to aid in loading and loading, such as with a lift gate that lifts items into and out of the cargo area. However, lift gates tend to be large and heavy, not to mention highly cumbersome to deploy.
Additionally, there are other vehicles out there that may be used primarily for moving large, heavy objects – such as SUVs. This system enables an SUV with a roof rail system to potentially lift heavy and cumbersome objects into and out of a cargo area.
In related news, GM recently filed a patent for foldable pickup truck bed ramps that provide a high degree of weight-bearing capacity without the need for a thicker, more-robust structural profile.
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Comments
I think even JC Whitney knows this a stupid idea…..on several levels.
LOL, better get those faulty roof panel welds fixed first before you start hang stuff on them. The fix last week was sealant which does nothing to strengthen the weld integrity. Furthermore we have also been reading about how the Colorado/Canyon roof panels are so weak that the car wash blow dryers are denting them!
Back in the day when cars and trucks had roof gutters you could clamp things there, but no more.
The roof would crush as soon as a heavy load was pulled toward the truck bed. The back window glass would be the only support, and would shatter once the load hit a certain level. NO THANK YOU!
I am pretty sure they will reinforce the roof strength if they do it.
Hey, those guys got a big company bonus for filing that patent. You guys are spoil-sports!
“Some items are too heavy or cumbersome to be lifted by an individual”
… including sometimes the individual themselves in an aging obese population.
Would be great for disabled people that use wheelchairs. Could be used for lifting people in the car along with wheelchair. Plus heavy items disabled people cant lift when going shopping that live alone.
Wheelchair hoist…. love it. Maybe my son will buy a truck to haul his hand controlled raceway. Quickest and fastest hand controlled Mustang in the world unofficially. Cars called “Handfull”.