Server ramp
A moveable ramp and method of moving cargo using a moveable ramp. The moveable ramp includes a ramp structure comprising a plurality of planar portions including a lower inclined portion, an upper inclined portion, a first horizontal portion extending between the lower inclined portion and the upper inclined portion and a second horizontal portion extending from an upper end of the upper inclined portion wherein the horizontal portions act as landing zones for a delivery tug moving the cargo onto and off of the ramp. The ramp also includes a locking mechanism at the top end to secure the ramp to a pallet, for sample. The ramp may further include automatic struts such as gas struts.
1 . A moveable ramp, comprising:
a ramp structure comprising a plurality of planar portions comprising:
a lower inclined portion;
an upper inclined portion;
a first horizontal portion extending between the lower inclined portion and the upper inclined portion; and
a second horizontal portion extending from an upper end of the upper inclined portion, wherein the first horizontal portion and the second horizontal portion are spaced apart by a distance equal to the distance between front and rear wheels of a tug configured to be used with the ramp; and
a locking mechanism at a top end of the ramp configured to secure the ramp to a pallet.
2 . The moveable ramp of claim 1 wherein the locking mechanism comprises a latch configured to engage a pallet rail.
3 . The moveable ramp of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of springs.
4 . The moveable ramp of claim 3 wherein the springs comprise gas springs.
5 . The moveable ramp of claim 1 , further comprising at plurality of wheels attached to a bottom of the ramp.
6 . The moveable ramp of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of gas springs located between each wheel and the bottom of the ramp.
7 . The moveable ramp of claim 1 further comprising a ground portion, the ramp portion further comprising a ground portion extending from a lower end of the lower inclined portion and configured to touch the floor.
8 . The moveable ramp of claim 7 wherein the ground portion is generally horizontally oriented.
9 . A method of loading or unloading a cargo onto or from a stepped up delivery location, the method comprising:
positioning a ramp adjacent to the pallet, the ramp comprising:
a ramp structure comprising a plurality of planar portions comprising
a lower inclined portion;
an upper inclined portion;
a first horizontal portion extending between the lower inclined portion and the upper inclined portion; and
a second horizontal portion extending from an upper end of the upper inclined portion; and
a locking mechanism at a top end of the ramp configured to secure the ramp to an elevated delivery location;
locking the ramp to the pallet using the locking mechanism;
moving a wheeled delivery tug having a first wheel and a second wheel up the ramp until the first wheel is located on the first horizontal portion of the ramp and the second wheel is located on the second horizontal portion of the ramp; and
automatically leveling the ramp with gas struts attached to the ramp after positioning the ramp, wherein automatically leveling the ramp comprises a user walking on the ramp or a tug moving onto the ramp.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the first wheel comprises a rear wheel of a tug and the second wheel comprises a front wheel of a tug, wherein moving the wheeled delivery tug comprises backing the wheeled delivery tug up the ramp.
11 . A method of loading or unloading a cargo onto or from a stepped up delivery location, the method comprising:
positioning a ramp adjacent to the pallet, the ramp comprising:
a ramp structure comprising a plurality of planar portions comprising
a lower inclined portion;
an upper inclined portion;
a first horizontal portion extending between the lower inclined portion and the upper inclined portion; and
a second horizontal portion extending from an upper end of the upper inclined portion; and
a locking mechanism at a top end of the ramp configured to secure the ramp to an elevated delivery location;
locking the ramp to the pallet using the locking mechanism;
moving a wheeled delivery tug having a first wheel and a second wheel up the ramp until the first wheel is located on the first horizontal portion of the ramp and the second wheel is located on the second horizontal portion of the ramp, wherein loading or unloading a cargo onto or from the elevated delivery location comprises unloading a cargo from a pallet, further comprising:
connecting the cargo to the tug and then moving the tug off of the ramp with the attached cargo.
12 . A method of loading or unloading a cargo onto or from a stepped up delivery location, the method comprising:
positioning a ramp adjacent to the pallet, the ramp comprising:
a ramp structure comprising a plurality of planar portions comprising
a lower inclined portion;
an upper inclined portion;
a first horizontal portion extending between the lower inclined portion and the upper inclined portion; and
a second horizontal portion extending from an upper end of the upper inclined portion; and
a locking mechanism at a top end of the ramp configured to secure the ramp to an elevated delivery location;
locking the ramp to the pallet using the locking mechanism;
moving a wheeled delivery tug having a first wheel and a second wheel up the ramp until the first wheel is located on the first horizontal portion of the ramp and the second wheel is located on the second horizontal portion of the ramp, wherein loading or unloading a cargo onto or from the elevated delivery location comprises loading a cargo onto a pallet, wherein moving the wheeled delivery tug onto the ramp comprises moving the wheeled delivery tug with an attached cargo onto the ramp until the cargo is in position on the pallet, further comprising:
detaching the cargo from the wheeled delivery tug onto the pallet.
13 . The method of claim 9 wherein the cargo comprises a wheeled server rack.
14 . A moveable ramp, comprising:
a ramp structure comprising a plurality of planar portions comprising:
a lower inclined portion;
an upper inclined portion;
a first horizontal portion extending between the lower inclined portion and the upper inclined portion;
a second horizontal portion extending from an upper end of the upper inclined portion wherein the first horizontal portion and the second horizontal portion are spaced apart by a distance equal to the distance between front and rear wheels of a tug configured to be used with the ramp; and
a ground portion extending from a lower end of the lower inclined portion, the ground portion configured to abut a floor when the ramp is in position for use;
a locking mechanism at a top end of the ramp configured to secure the ramp to a pallet;
a plurality of springs; and
a plurality of wheels.
15 . The movable ramp structure of claim 14 wherein the plurality of springs comprises gas springs.
16 . The movable ramp structure of claim 15 wherein the gas springs are configured to lower the ramp such that the ground portion abuts the floor when the ramp is in position for use and to raise the ramp such that the ground portion does not abut the floor when the ramp is moved.
17 . The movable ramp structure of claim 14 wherein the ground portion is horizontal.