Bed support mechanism for a bed lift

1 . A bed lift comprising:

a guide rail;

a first carriage assembly coupled to the guide rail, the first carriage assembly being configured to be coupled to a lower bed;

a second carriage assembly coupled to the guide rail above the first carriage assembly, the second carriage assembly being configured to be coupled to an upper bed, the first carriage assembly and the second carriage assembly being movable between a lowered position where the first carriage assembly and the second carriage assembly are spaced apart and a raised position where the first carriage assembly and the second carriage assembly are positioned adjacent each other;

a catch mechanism coupled to the guide rail or the second carriage assembly, the catch mechanism being configured to hold the second carriage assembly in the raised position; and

a release mechanism coupled to the guide rail or the first carriage assembly, the release mechanism being movable between a first position where the release mechanism prevents the catch mechanism from holding the second carriage assembly in the raised position and a second position where the release mechanism does not prevent the catch mechanism from holding the second carriage assembly in the raised position;

wherein either (i) the catch mechanism is vertically fixed relative to the guide rail and the release mechanism is vertically movable with the first carriage assembly, or (ii) the release mechanism is vertically fixed relative to the guide rail and the catch mechanism is vertically movable with the second carriage assembly.

2 . The bed lift of claim 1 wherein the catch mechanism is configured to rotate between a first position where the catch mechanism holds the second carriage assembly in the raised position and a second position where the catch mechanism does not hold the second carriage assembly in the raised position.

3 . The bed lift of claim 1

wherein the catch mechanism includes a biasing component;

wherein the catch mechanism is movable between a first position where the catch mechanism holds the second carriage assembly in the raised position and a second position where the catch mechanism does not hold the second carriage assembly in the raised position; and

wherein the biasing component biases the catch mechanism towards the first position.

4 . The bed lift of claim 1 wherein the catch mechanism rotates forward to hold the second carriage assembly in the raised position and rotates backward to allow the second carriage assembly to move from the raised position to the lowered position.

5 . The bed lift of claim 4 wherein the release mechanism pushes the catch mechanism backward when the release mechanism is in the first position.

6 . The bed lift of claim 1 wherein the release mechanism rotates between the first position and the second position.

7 . The bed lift of claim 1 wherein the first carriage assembly and the second carriage assembly are movable between a double bunk configuration where the first carriage assembly and the second carriage assembly are in the lowered position, a single bunk configuration where the first carriage assembly is in the lowered position and the second carriage assembly is in the raised position, and a stowed configuration where the first carriage assembly and the second carriage assembly are in the raised position.

8 . A bed support mechanism comprising:

a catch mechanism configured to be coupled to one of a guide rail or a carriage assembly of a bed lift, the catch mechanism being configured to hold a bed in a raised position; and

a release mechanism configured to be coupled to the other one of the guide rail or the carriage assembly, the release mechanism being movable between a first position where the release mechanism prevents the catch mechanism from holding the bed in the raised position and a second position where the release mechanism does not prevent the catch mechanism from holding the bed in the raised position;

wherein the catch mechanism is configured to rotate between a first position where the catch mechanism holds the bed in the raised position and a second position where the catch mechanism does not hold the bed in the raised position.

9 . The bed support mechanism of claim 8

wherein the catch mechanism includes a biasing component;

wherein the catch mechanism is movable between a first position where the catch mechanism holds the bed in the raised position and a second position where the catch mechanism does not hold the bed in the raised position; and

wherein the biasing component biases the catch mechanism towards the first position.

10 . The bed support mechanism of claim 8

wherein the catch mechanism is configured to be coupled to one of the guide rail or the carriage assembly of a bed lift including a lower bed and an upper bed; and

wherein the catch mechanism is configured to hold the upper bed in a raised position.

11 . A method comprising:

moving a lower bed and an upper bed to a raised position with a bed lift, the upper bed being positioned above the lower bed, the bed lift including:

a catch mechanism configured to hold the upper bed in the raised position; and

a release mechanism movable between a first position where the release mechanism prevents the catch mechanism from holding the upper bed in the raised position and a second position where the release mechanism does not prevent the catch mechanism from holding the upper bed in the raised position; and

moving the lower bed from the raised position to a lowered position with the release mechanism in the second position and the catch mechanism holding the upper bed in the raised position;

wherein the catch mechanism is vertically fixed as it holds the upper bed in the raised position and the release mechanism is vertically movable relative to the catch mechanism as the lower bed moves from the raised position to the lowered position.

12 . The method of claim 11 comprising:

moving the release mechanism from the first position to the second position;

moving the lower bed from the lowered position to the raised position; and

moving the lower bed and the upper bed from the raised position to the lowered position.

13 . A vehicle comprising:

a lower bed;

an upper bed positioned above the lower bed, the lower bed and the upper bed being movable between a lowered position where the lower bed and the upper bed are spaced apart and a raised position where the lower bed and the upper bed are stowed;

a catch mechanism configured to hold the upper bed in the raised position; and

a release mechanism movable between a first position where the release mechanism prevents the catch mechanism from holding the upper bed in the raised position and a second position where the release mechanism does not prevent the catch mechanism from holding the upper bed in the raised position;

wherein the release mechanism is vertically movable relative to the catch mechanism as the lower bed moves from the raised position to the lowered position.

14 . The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the catch mechanism includes a biasing component that biases the catch mechanism towards a position where the catch mechanism holds the upper bed in the raised position.

15 . The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the catch mechanism is configured to rotate between a first position where the catch mechanism holds the upper bed in the raised position and a second position where the catch mechanism does not hold the upper bed in the raised position.

16 . The vehicle of claim 13

wherein the catch mechanism includes a biasing component;

wherein the catch mechanism is movable between a first position where the catch mechanism holds the upper bed in the raised position and a second position where the catch mechanism does not hold the upper bed in the raised position; and

wherein the biasing component biases the catch mechanism towards the first position.

17 . The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the release mechanism moves with the lower bed between the lowered position and the raised position.

18 . The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the lower bed and the upper bed are movable between a double bunk configuration where the lower bed and the upper bed are in the lowered position, a single bunk configuration where the lower bed is in the lowered position and the upper bed is in the raised position, and a stowed configuration where the lower bed and the upper bed are in the raised position.

19 . The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the vehicle is a recreational vehicle.

20 . The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the lower bed and the upper bed are positioned adjacent to a ceiling of the vehicle in the raised position.