AU2015238829A1 - Drive Means for Stabilisers - Google Patents

Abstract

A corner stabiliser 10,10,100 has fitted to it a drive means 25 having a body 12 having brackets 14 for connecting it to the underside of a caravan 16. The body 12 is of 5 channel section and supports a leadscrew 18 which projects from both ends of the body. At one end, the leadscrew operably connects to a motor 26 via one or more gear sets 24,46. Fig. 3 4-4 2-4 2-'z

Description

1 TITLE OF INVENTION Drive Means for Stabilisers TECHNICAL FIELD This invention concerns corner steadies, also called stabilisers, for caravans and trailers 5 and drive systems for activating them. BACKGROUND The following references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the following prior art discussion does not 0 relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part. Commonly, parked caravans and trailers can suffer instability as weight shifts within the caravan. Additionally, a caravan may be parked on uneven ground. Corner 5 steadies or stabilisers, or fold out legs, are used to stabilise the caravan when it is parked. One form of corner steady or stabiliser includes a jack which is manually cranked to raise or lower a leg toward or away from the ground. Operation of these requires a person to crawl or crouch beside the caravan and to manually crank the screw drive which raises or lowers the stabiliser leg. 20 While it is possible to reduce the effort by utilising specifically manufactured electrical or hydraulic jacks, the caravan user may be reluctant to introduce such devices because these are an expensive option. Therefore, there has not been any widespread adoption of powered stabilisers. An object of the present invention is to ameliorate the aforementioned disadvantages of :5 the prior art or to at least provide a useful alternative thereto.

2 SUMMARY OF INVENTION According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a corner stabiliser including a drive system for winding the corner stabiliser, the corner stabiliser comprising a body mountable to the underside of a caravan or trailer to be stabilised, a 5 stabilising leg connected to the body, an arm connected at one end to the leg and at the opposite end to a leadscrew drive, a motor mounted at one end of the body for driving the leadscrew and a coupling connected to the opposite end of the screw and situated outside the housing in order to be operable by a drive means. The stabilising leg is preferably pivotally connected to the body. Thus the leg pivots 0 between a stowed position alongside the body and a working position inclined to the body. The opposite end of the leg is preferably connected to a nut of the leadscrew drive. The leadscrew drive may be located partially or wholly inside the body. The coupling may be connected to the opposite end of the screw situated outside the housing in order to be 5 operable by the drive means in the form of manual rotation. The power for the motor may be supplied from the caravan's electrical circuit or tow vehicle. The motor may deliver torque to the screw through a reduction gearbox. The gear box preferably comprises a planetary gear arrangement. The motor itself may be turned on and off in forward and reverse by one or more switches. The switch may be O remotely controllable and may respond to a remote control carried by an operator. The preferred form of steady is compact for ground clearance when not operational. Accordingly, the steady may be pivotable to shift between an inactive position in which the leg lies substantially parallel to the chassis, and another operational position in which the leg is moved out of a plane lying parallel to the chassis towards the ground. 5 The steady may be in the form of a scissor stand or telescopic extension to extend the leg downwardly. Preferably, the leg folds to lie parallel to the body when not in use. However, the leg may permanently remain substantially vertical or otherwise pointed 3 towards the ground at an angle. The leg may be telescopic relative to the sleeve or may otherwise be retractable. In a preferred form, the motor is at one end of the body and the coupling is at the opposite end. There can therefore be provided sufficient space to apply a torque 5 wrench to the coupling in the unlikely event of motor failure or where power is not available. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a drive system for adjusting the length of a stabiliser leg, the leg having an upper part attached to the underside of the caravan or trailer and a lower part with a foot extending telescopically 0 from the upper part, the system including a motor supported by the upper part, a right angle drive inside the upper part, a leadscrew extending from the right angle drive toward the lower part and a coupling attached to the right angle drive for allowing access to the drive for manual rotation in the event of power and/or motor failure. The leadscrew preferably extends from the right angle drive toward a nut driven by the 5 leadscrew that is linked to the lower part. In one embodiment the motor is supported between the ends of the upper part so that the coupling extends from the upper part. In another embodiment the upper part is attached to the underside of the caravan or trailer by a bracket with a pivot axis allowing the leg to tilt and the input drive for the 20 motor is on the pivot axis. If a caravan owner wishes to add a stabiliser to all four corners, a full kit of parts may be provided consisting of four electric motors, four drive shafts, four couplings, a wiring box with leads to all four motors and to a source of current plus a radio receiver and a portable transmitter for sending commands to the receiver. .5 If a kit for a single stabiliser is instead required, the kit consists of one leg assembly with an added electric motor, a wiring box containing a radio receiver and a portable 4 transmitter. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a drive means for a corner stabiliser for a vehicle, such a caravan or trailer, comprising: an electric motor, preferably a DC motor, adapted to be powered by an electrical 5 power source of the vehicle; a gear set, preferably a planetary gear set, to increase the torque applied by the motor to a driven spindle to enable it to extend or retract a leg of the stabiliser to respectively meet the ground under the vehicle or fit compactly under the vehicle for transport or storage; 0 the spindle operably connectable, optionally via bevel gears to translate the axis of rotation from the rotational axis of the spindle, to a drive shaft within the stabiliser, wherein: the gear set is coaxially aligned with the spindle; 5 the drive means is adapted to be fixed, by clamp or fastener or weld means, optionally by retrofitting, to the stabiliser, optionally on a stabiliser mounting or pivoting bracket or on another static portion of the stabiliser. Advantageous Effects of Invention 1. The drive system can be retrofitted to existing corner steadies/stabilisers and 20 jacks. 2. The system reserves the manual access to the drive in the event of power failure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 5 The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a corner steady of the C-jack type having an extending stabilising leg; 5 Figure la is a schematic view of a remote control device according to one embodiment; Figure 2 is a side view of a retractable jack with a drive system attached to an upper part of the jack; Figure 3 is a side view of a retractable jack similar to that shown in Fig. 2 with the drive system operating at a pivot axis of an upper part of the jack; 0 Figure 4 is a diagrammatic enlargement of a right angle drive indicated in Figures 2 and 3; Figure 5 is perspective view of a drive means according one or more embodiments shown in Figs. 2 and 3; Figures 6a - 6b are side views of a preferred embodiment; 5 Figures 6c is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in Figs. 6a - 6b; and Figure 7 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the 0 features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention. Referring firstly to Figure 1, the corner steady 10 contains a C-type jack intended for retro-fitting. Such steadies are commercially available and obtainable from a variety of 6 manufacturers. Body 12 has brackets 14 for connecting it to the underside of caravan 16. Body 12 is of channel section and supports a stabiliser leg drive shaft. This may be in any suitable for translating rotational motion into linear movement, such as a rack and pinion or other 5 mechanical device. Preferably, the drive shaft is in the form of leadscrew 18 which projects from both ends of the body. The free end of the screw carries a hexagon bush 20 secured to the leadscrew by a pin (not shown). At the opposite end the leadscrew has a second hexagon bush 22 which separates the body from the gearbox 24 of DC electric motor 26. 0 The motor is supplied with current through flex 28 which connects with the caravan circuit. The motor is directed by remote control 30. Stabiliser leg 32 swings about body pivot 34 in response to leadscrew 18 acting on bridge 36. The operator can in the event of a power or motor failure attach a wrench to either bush 20 or 22. 5 Referring now to Figures 2 and 4, like features will generally be described with reference to like reference numerals. A retractable jack 10a has an upper sleeve 40 and a telescoping lower leg 42. Latch 44 allows sleeve 40 to rotate on axis L between an upright working position as shown and a stowed position substantially parallel to the caravan underside 16. 0 A box 46 houses the bevel gears 48 which connect the leadscrew 18 of the jack to the output shaft 50 of gearbox 24. Hexagon bushes 20a,22a are pinned to shaft 50 in the positions shown on either side of the box 26. Motor 26 is supported by a strut 52 extending from a brace or a ring 54 clamped to the upper sleeve 40. The brace may square or rectangular to mounted a square or 5 rectangular sectioned upper sleeve 40. The ring 54 is adapted to attach to an upper sleeve of round cross-sectional shape.

7 In Figure 3, a jack sleeve 40 is shown that does not have a gearbox like the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Instead, a right angle drive is housed at the top of the upper sleeve 40. This requires the leadscrew to be longer because axis "L" passes through a bracket head 56 of the upper sleeve 40. The sleeve 40 rotates about the L axis when the 5 latch 44 is retracted. A fixed bracket 58 holds a tie 52 as it supports the motor 26. Hexagon bushes 20 and 22 are pinned to the motor shaft 50 s in Figure 2 and remain accessible to the operator. The motor 26 is governed by a remote control as in Figure 1. Turning to Fig. 1 a, there is shown a remote control device 60 for use in accordance with the invention and 0 applicable to each of the embodiments of the invention. The remote control 60 is a hand-held device adapted to control the operation of 1 to 4 stabilisers 10,1 Oa, 100,1 00a, multiples of stabilisers forming a set of stabilisers. The remote 60 includes a simple CPU and software to govern the retraction and extension of the lower leg 42 by controlling the actuation and rotation of the motor 26 to drive a keyed spindle and any 5 associated gearbox 46, whereby the rotation about the drive shaft axis of the motor 26 translates to corresponding rotation of the leadscrew 18. The remote 60 is wirelessly connected to an actuation receiver associated with the motor 26 to actively govern wind-down, wind-up movements and to also permit a default static setting in a stable position for the stabilisers 10,1Oa, 100,100a. 20 The remote 60 includes control buttons to enable an operator to select all stabilisers (refer to ALL button) in a set to permit unitary operation of all stabilisers in the set, for example, where the vehicle to be stabilised is on flat and solid ground. The buttons 62,64 may be used respectively to raise or lower the stabilisers 10,1Oa, 100,100a. Alternatively, for example on uneven ground or ground with varying softness, the 5 stabilisers may be governed by separate controls in zones 1 - 4 on the facia of the remote 60. Each stabiliser in the set may be controlled individually by use of the dedicated up and down buttons 66, 68, respectively.

8 Buttons A and B may be used to control other operations. For example, the device 60 is programmed to permit the user to arm the system controlled by the device 60 by responding to a specific sequence of instructions. By activating A followed by B in sequence, the system is armed or fixed in the static position to stop inadvertent actuation 5 of the stabilisers. A light fitting may be associated with the system; Actuator B may be programmed as a toggle switch to operate the light. In Fig. 5 there is shown the drive means 25 for use in the embodiments shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The drive means 25 comprises a motor 26 capable of drawing about 5 - 10 Amps, preferably about 7 Amps. Operably associated with the motor 26 is a gearbox having 0 planetary gears to increase the ratio of drive to a drive shaft (spindle 51 and in situ associated drive shaft 50) to ensure high torque is transmitted to the spindle 51, and hence the leadscrew 18. The drive means 25 is retrofittable to an existing stabilise. The struts straddle the motor 26 and gearbox 24 combination ad are pivotable at a remote end about an axis in line with an axial bolt 23. Similarly, at the spindle 51 end of the 5 drive means 25, the struts terminate at ends joined by a second axial bolt 53 that is used to pivotally support the brace 54,54a that straddles in situ the upper sleeve 40. Through the spindle 51 and drive shaft 50 engagement to the leadscrew 18, whether by bevel gears 48 or another gearing arrangement, the drive means 25 is used to drive the leadscrew 18 or fix it in position in the static mode. 20 In Figs. 6a - 6c a stabiliser 100 is shown having a range R of assumable positions through a 90 from a substantially horizontal position shown in Fig. 6a in which the stabiliser is in a transport position in which the leg 40,42 is aligned with the underside or chassis of a vehicle 16 to which is may be attached, and a substantially vertical position shown in Fig 6b. The motor casing 126 of the drive means 125 is welded to the 25 exterior surface 141 of the leg 40 so that the drive means 125 is aligned in parallel axis with the leg 40. The drive means 125 has planetary gears 124 that coaxially cooperate with bevel gears in housing 146 to drive internal bevel gears (not shown) in the upper end of the leg 40. The upper end 45 of the leg 4 is pivotably mounted to a channel 9 shaped bracket 156 and has fixed thereto, e.g. by welding, an engagement wheel 157 that is also found in Figs. 2 and 3 (see wheel 57). The wheel 57,157 has a plurality of peripheral apertures (see Figs. 6c and 7) that cooperate with a spring loaded pin 158 extending through an aperture 159 in the body bracket 156 to releasably lock the leg 40 5 into a range of different positions through the arc range R. Therefore, the drive axis D is arranged to be aligned parallel to the leg axis Z whilst lying in different planes as best shown in Fig. 6c. The telescopically movable lower leg 42 is attached to a foot 49 that is pivotable about an axial bolt 49a (see Fig. 1) that is I turn received in recesses 43 in the leg's 42 retracted 0 position. By the operation of the drive means 125, the lower leg 42 is moved up and down as the leadscrew 18 is rotated. In Fig. 7 there is shown another embodiment in which the drive means 25 is fixedly mounted to the bracket 56 by welding the gear box 46a to an exterior wall 56a. The gear box 46a comprises a set of bevel gears that cooperate with bevel gears 48 in the gear 5 box 46 to translate the rotation of the drive means spindle 51 into rotation of the leadscrew 18 about its axis. By this means, the leg 42 may be extended as shown at 42b or retracted. The illustrations, photographs and drawings, if any, form part of the disclosure of this specification as does the description, illustrations, photographs and drawings of any 20 associated provisional or parent specification or of any priority document, if any, all of which are imported hereinto as part of the record hereof. In the present specification, terms such as "apparatus", "means", "device" and "member" may refer to singular or plural items and are terms intended to refer to a set of properties, functions or characteristics performed by one or more items or components 25 having one or more parts. It is envisaged that where an "apparatus", "means", "device" or "member" or similar term is described as being a unitary object, then a functionally equivalent object having multiple components is considered to fall within the scope of 10 the term, and similarly, where an "apparatus", "assembly", "means", "device" or "member" is described as having multiple components, a functionally equivalent but unitary object is also considered to fall within the scope of the term, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. 5 Orientational terms used in the specification and claims such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper and lower are to be interpreted as relational and are based on the premise that the component, item, article, apparatus, device or instrument will usually be considered in a particular orientation, typically with the body 12 uppermost. Finally, it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions 0 may be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements or parts without departing from the spirit and ambit of the invention.

Claims (20)

1. A drive system for winding a corner stabiliser, the corner stabiliser comprising a body mountable to the underside of a caravan or trailer to be stabilised, a stabilising leg connected to the body, an arm connected at one end to the leg and 5 at the opposite end to a leadscrew drive, , the drive system comprising a motor mounted at one end of the body for driving the leadscrew and a coupling connected to the opposite end of the screw and situated outside the housing in order to be operable by the drive means.

2. The drive system of Claim 1, wherein the stabilising leg is pivotally connected to 0 the body such that the leg pivots between a stowed position alongside the body and a working position inclined to the body.

3. The drive system of Claim 1 or 2, wherein the opposite end of the leg is connected to a nut of the leadscrew drive, the leadscrew drive being located partially or wholly inside the body, the coupling being connected to the opposite 5 end of the leadscrew and situated outside the housing

4. The drive system of Claim 3, wherein the drive means is operable by manual rotation of the coupling.

5. The drive system of any one of Claims 1 - 3, wherein the power for the motor is supplied from a caravan's or tow vehicle's electrical circuit. 0

6. The drive system of any one of Claims 1 - 3 and 5, wherein the motor may deliver torque to the screw through a reduction gearbox.

7. The drive system of Claim 6, wherein the gear box comprises a planetary gear arrangement.

8. The drive system of Claim 1 or 7, wherein the motor itself may be turned on and 5 off in forward and reverse by one or more switches, the switch being remotely controllable and responsive to a remote control adapted to be carried by an operator.

9. The drive system of any one of Claims 1 - 8, wherein the stabiliser is compact for ground clearance when not operational, the stabiliser being pivotable to shift 12 between an inactive position in which the leg lies substantially parallel to a vehicle chassis, and another operational position in which the leg is movable out of a plane lying parallel to the chassis towards the ground.

10. A drive system for adjusting the length of a stabiliser leg, the leg having an upper 5 part attached to the underside of a caravan or trailer and a lower part with a foot extending telescopically from the upper part, the system including a motor supported by the upper part, a right angle drive inside the upper part, a leadscrew extending from the right angle drive toward the lower part and a coupling attached to the right angle drive for allowing access to the drive for manual 0 rotation in the event of power and/or motor failure.

11. A drive system for adjusting the length of a stabiliser leg, wherein the upper part is attached to the underside of the caravan or trailer by a bracket with a pivot axis allowing the leg to tilt and the input drive for the motor is on the pivot axis.

12. A drive means for a corner stabiliser for a vehicle comprising: 5 an electric motor; a gear set to increase the torque applied by the motor to a driven spindle to enable it to extend or retract a leg of the stabiliser to respectively meet the ground under the vehicle or fit compactly under the vehicle for transport or storage; .0 the spindle operably connectable to a drive shaft within the stabiliser, wherein: the gear set is coaxially aligned with the spindle; the drive means is adapted to be fixed, by clamp or fastener or weld means, to the stabiliser. 5

13. The drive means of Claim 12, wherein the vehicle is a caravan or trailer.

14. The drive means of Claim 12 or 13, wherein the motor is a direct current (DC) motor.

15. The drive means of Claim 12 or 13, wherein the motor is powered by a DC power source. 13

16. The drive means of any one of Claims 12 to 15, wherein the motor is powered by an electrical power source of the vehicle.

17. The drive means of any one of Claims 12 to 16, wherein the gear set is a planetary gear set. 5

18. The drive means of any one of Claims 12 to 17, wherein the drive means further includes bevel gears to translate the axis of rotation from the rotational axis of the spindle to the axis of rotation of a stabiliser drive shaft to extend or retract the stabiliser leg.

19. The drive means of any one of Claims 12 to 17, wherein the drive means is 0 adapted to be retrofitted to the stabiliser leg or the vehicle.

20. The drive means of Claim 19, wherein the drive means is specifically shaped and configured to be compactly mounted on a stabiliser mounting or pivoting bracket or on another static portion of the stabiliser.