US Patent 8246008 Lifting system

System for lifting and lowering a load, such as a vehicle, with at least one lifting mechanism such as a lifting column, a boom lift, a scissor lift and a loading platform. The lifting mechanism includes a carrier which can be moved up and downward for bearing the load and a drive which acts on the carrier. The drive herein includes at least one electrical power source and an electric motor to be energized at least during ascending of the carrier, and the electric motor forms a generator to be connected to the power source at least during even an unloaded descending movement of the carrier for the purpose of gene rating electrical energy to the power source.