AU2006243582B2

AU2006243582B2 - Adjustable sheet material carry device

Info

Publication number: AU2006243582B2
Application number: AU2006243582A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Deric Cannon
Original assignee: Ciricon Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Ciricon Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2005-12-23
Filing date: 2006-11-28
Publication date: 2008-02-21
Anticipated expiration: 2026-11-28
Also published as: AU2006243582A1

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT ADJUSTABLE SHEET MATERIAL CARRY DEVICE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: SADJUSTABLE SHEET MATERIAL CARRY DEVICE 0 O The Adjustable Sheet Material Carry Device (ASMCD) has been designed to make the manual transportation of large building sheet materials easier and safer. In it's basic form it is a handle that has a vertical shaft protruding downwards, there is a carry cradle on the end of the shaft for O sheet material to sit on. The handle is designed to fit in the users hand and all components have 4 rounded edges to minimise sheet damage. One or more ASMCD's can be utilised to carry sheet 00 material depending on material dimensions. Enhancements to the basic ASMCD allow the carry handle to rotate on the horizontal axis, the vertical shaft height adjustable and the carry cradle to pivot on the vertical axis. When all the components of the ASMCD are assembled the ASMCD becomes single entity.

CNI

00 t Background: Currently there are no personal carrying systems for large sheet materials. Sheet material is generally carried by reversing the hand and holding the edge of the sheet. Carrying the sheet O material in this way requires the shoulder joint, and arm to be twisted to their maximum rotation.

O The high of the material when being carried in this fashion may block the visibility of the person O carrying the material and a taller person may have to stoop whilst walking through doorways and Sother areas where high restrictions are present. The ASMCD is designed to enable a person to carry large sheet material in a manner that minimises stress on the body.

The user would adjust the length of the carry handle to give the good ground clearance and vision over the board. As the user carries the sheet material the handle and the carry cradle are able to move to keep the sheet material stable as the sheet material is carried passed obstacles. When two people are carrying a single sheet (one at each end) the carry cradle will compensate for any difference in the height of the people carrying the sheet material whilst the sheet material is at the best height for each person.

Refering to Figure 1, The refinement of the ASMCD are to have two axis of rotation. Axis allows free rotation of the carry handle about the horizontal carrying plane. This allows the user to freely adjust their hand orientation relative to the material being carried. Axis allows limited rotation of the carry cradle relative to extension shaft This allows the carrying platform of the carry cradle to sit flush against the base of the sheet material when carrying sheet material over varying terrain, for example, when the material is being carried up or down a flight of stairs.

The shaft is height adjustable so that the operator can adjust the ASMCD to a preferred length.

This function allows the following: a. The length of the ASMCD can be adjusted according to each individual's preference. This feature aims to allow the carrier to transport material whilst in an upright, position, with limited crouching or bending required.

b. A sheet can be carried at varying heights relative to the ground. For example, the lower edge of the sheet can be raised during traverse over rugged terrain to avoid sheet damage, or the sheet can be lowered to allow visibility or clear line of site over the top edge of the sheet.

c. A sheet can be carried low to the ground when passing under overhead obstructions, avoiding the need to crouch or bend ones knees.

d. Compensates for a variance in height of the people carrying a particular sheet to allow the sheet to be carried at a suitable angle relative to the ground.

O2 0 The handgrip of the ASMCD is contoured to give good weight distribution across the palm of the hand.

The principal function of the carrying cradle is to perform like a hook or clamp handle to hold sheet material when carried over various terrain. The interfacing pad/s of the carry cradle are constructed of a deformable/compressible, high friction material to provide compression and prevent slippage, and limit scuffing.

00 To ensure the sheet material is held satisfactorily, the carry cradle can be manufactured or configured to various dimensions and in this context, is not limited in design or functionality. The following configurations describe possible carry cradle assembly configurations: In one form of the invention, the carrying platform of a solid type carry cradle is angled up/acutely, away from the shaft, to hold sheet material against the carry cradle inner face to prevent slippage and allow transfer of load towards the shaft axis. (Refer to Figure 1, Detail 1 item In another form of the invention, the carry cradle incorporates a simple counterweighted pivoting or rotating clamp (Refer to Figure 1, Detail 2 item 6) that is actuated by the applied load of the sheet material upon lifting, to actively clamp upon the outer face of the sheet material. The function of this clamp is not limited to a counterweight action and could also perform a similar function using spring loading, to open or release automatically when the lifting/carry load is removed.

The carry handle and extension shaft assembly are designed for plastic injection manufacture although other suitable materials like aluminium or composites can be assumed.

The carry handle to extension shaft assembly and extension shaft assembly to carry cradle fastening is by force click/press fit axial pins/links. Once assembled, all parts of the ASMCD are locked together so that no parts can be removed or lost under normal use. These pins/links may be removed for servicing purposes or even moulded over to function as an integral, link.

Claims

1. A sheet material carry assist device comprising a grip handle that is rotatably attached to the end of the extendable shaft in a manner to allow it to rotate about its longitudinal axis; at the opposite end of the extendable shaft a sheet material carry cradle is attached in a manner that allows limited rotation of the cradle in a direction 00 normal to the longitudinal axis of the shaft; the said cradle including means to hold V and or grip sheet material.

2 The sheet material .arry assist device of claim 1 wherein the grip handle is attached to an extendable shaft through an axial link to allow for rotation of the handle (refer IN fig. 1 Axis A).

3. The sheet material carry assist device of claim 1 wherein the extendable shaft can be Sadjusted to allow extension or retraction of the overall length of the device.

4 The sheet material crry assist device of craim 1 wherein the carry cradle is a solid moulded fixed acute elbow with a slip resistant padded contact surface. The sheet material carry assist device of claim 4 wherein the carry cradle comprises a counterweighted pivoting or rotating clamp that is actuated by the applied load of the sheet material upon lifting, to actively clamp upon the outer face of the sheet material