EP2676774B1

EP2676774B1 - Supporting and lifting device for motorcycles

Info

Publication number: EP2676774B1
Application number: EP12172795.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Salvatore Favara
Original assignee: F & C SNC Di Favara Salvatore E C
Current assignee: F & C SNC Di Favara Salvatore E C
Priority date: 2012-06-20
Filing date: 2012-06-20
Publication date: 2015-08-05
Anticipated expiration: 2032-06-20
Also published as: EP2676774A1

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a supporting and lifting device for motorcycles.
As is known, lifting stands represent dispensable fittings to perform works on modern motorcycles, which are usually devoid of a central stand, or in which, even if such a central stand exists, it is not adapted to provide the required stability and strength characteristics to perform works in a safety condition.
In each case, as a work must be carried on the motorcycle front portion, it is necessary to use a from wheel lifting stand.
Prior fitting stands conventionally comprise a fork device the arms of which engage the end portion of the motorcycle rear fork or the end portions of the motorcycle front forks.
Usually, the motorcycle must be arranged on the rear stand and then on the front one.
For the front stand at least two types of attachments are known, that is a pin system including pins for engaging in holes formed in the motorcycle forks at the bottom of their stems, or a rubber support system to be arranged under to brake caliper.
Further lifting or raising stands are moreover known, with an under-sleeve bearing system, adapted to raise the front portion of the motorcycle, while leaving the motorcycle fork stems free, as it is necessary to perform working operations thereon. Such a stand is disclosed in US 7204475 .
For arranging the motorcycle on the stands two persons are required, a first person, optionally straddling the motorcycle, for supporting the latter, and a second person for applying the rear stand to the rear motorcycle fork, and to raise, by a swinging movement, the motorcycle rear wheel.
Thus, after having stabilized the motorcycle on the rear stand, it is possible to apply the front stand to also raise the motorcycle front wheel.
Said stands may be used on a lifting or raising bridge assembly, to operate easily on the bottom motorcycle parts.
The above mentioned prior motorcycle lifting or raising stands have the drawback that they cannot be used by a single operator.
On the other hand, both from a professional and a personal use standpoint, the need has been felt of having a lifting or raising stand device adapted to be used by a single person, without auxiliary operators or apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to provide such a supporting and lifting device to be used with motorcycles, and requiring a single operator for working on the motorcycle in a fully safe and non fatiguing manner.
Within the scope of the above mentioned aim, a main object of the present invention is to provide such a lifting device which is adapted to be used both as a motorcycle lifting stand and a motorcycle support, in any environments and conditions, in a motorcycle shop, in a garage and also adapted for transporting the motorcycle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a lifting device or stand which is very simple construction wise and may be fully manual operated, without the need of including motor means for driving it.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a lifting device which may be made by using easily available elements and materials and which, moreover, is very competitive from a mere economic standpoint.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a lifting device which, owing to its specifically designed structural features, is very reliable and safe in operation.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a supporting and lifting device for motorcycles, characterized in that said device comprises a device base supporting a swinging element including an open-L contoured plate.
Said swinging element is pivoted to said base and includes two operating positions: a motorcycle wheel receiving position and a motorcycle wheel locking position.
An abutment casing is removably coupled to the base, at a front position and axially arranged with respect to the swinging element.
The abutment casing is so designed as to encompass at least partially a motorcycle wheel portion, while laterally supporting said wheel.
Said lifting device comprises moreover a lever lifting mechanism, for lifting the motorcycle wheel, as the swinging element is in its locking position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following disclosure of a preferred, though not exclusive, embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated, by way of an indicative, but not limitative, example, in the accompanying drawings, where:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the motorcycle supporting and lifting device according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is an perspective exploded view of the inventive supporting and lifting device;
Figure 3 is a side elevation view showing a first operating step for engaging a motorcycle front wheel in the device;
Figure 4 is a view similar to figure 3, showing a further operating step for locking the motorcycle front wheel;
Figure 5 is a view similar to figure 4, showing a further operating step for lifting the motorcycle front wheel;
Figure 6 is a view similar to figure 5, showing the motorcycle without its front wheel, in a locked condition;
Figure 7 is a front view, on an enlarged scale, showing in a detailed manner the safety locking means in a position therein the driving system is freely operated;
and
Figure 8 is a view similar to figure 7 showing the safety locking means in a locking position thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the number references of the above mentioned figures, the motorcycle supporting and lifting device according to the present invention, which has been generally indicated by the reference number 1, comprises a base 2, supporting a swinging element 3 comprising a L open contoured plate.
The swinging element 3 is pivoted to the base 2 and is adapted to assume two operating positions, that is a receiving or engaging position and a locking position.
An abutment casing 4 is removably associated to the base 2, at a front position, and axially aligned with the swinging element 3.
As shown, the abutment casing 4 has a U-shape and is designed for receiving a portion of the wheel 101 of a motorcycle 100 so as to laterally support it.
The device 1 comprises moreover a lever lifting or raising mechanism, comprising, in this embodiment, a pair of lifting or raising arms 5 each having a bottom end portion pivoted to said base 2 at respective anchoring elements 6, and a top end portion including attachment means 7, designed for engaging a bottom end portion of the stems of a motorcycle 100 fork.
The lifting mechanism comprises a lifting or raising tubular element 8, having a U-shape, and pivoted to lateral supporting elements 9 clamped to said base 2.
The free end portions of the lifting tubular element 8 are in turn pivoted to respective end portions of a pair of levers 10, in turn pivoted, at their opposite ends, to the lifting arms 5.
According to the invention, the lifting mechanism defines two operating positions, that is a lowered operating position and a raised operating position (shown in figure 1).
The attachment means 7 comprise a sleeve element 11 welded to each top end portion of the arms 5 and adapted to receive therein a slidable small arm 12, which may be locked by a locking butterfly knob 13.
Said sliding arm 12 supports an interexchangeable pawl 14, adapted to engage in a bottom cavity formed at the bottom end portions of the motorcycle fork stems 102.
Different sizes of pawls 14 may be screwed on in suitable threaded holes formed on the base 2, thereby they will be immediately available.
The device 1 further comprises safety locking means, generally indicated by the reference number 15, for safely locking the lifting device in its raised position.
Said safety locking means 15 have a locking position, shown in figure 8, in which they do not allow the lifting tubular element 8 to be displaced from the lifting position, and an unlatching position, shown in figure 7, thereat the lifting tubular element 8 may be raised, to bring the lifting mechanism to a lowered position.
As shown, the safety locking means comprise a movable pin or peg 16, which may be driven against a urging spring 17 on a support 18 rigid with the base 2.
In the locking position, shown in figure 8, the urging spring 17 will maintain said peg 16 in an interference position with the tubular element 8 movement.
In order to allow the tubular element 8 to be moved, the peg 16 may be driven to a non-interference position, as shown in figure 7.
The supporting and lifting device according to the present invention operates as follows.
At a starting step, shown in figure 3, the device is arranged at a rest position, ready for receiving the front wheel of a motorcycle 100.
In such a condition or position, the swinging element 3 is arranged at a receiving position and the lifting or raising mechanism is arranged at a lowering position.
An operator, optionally bridging on the motorcycle, engages the front wheel 101 in the swinging element and, by slightly pushing it, will cause the wheel to be frontward displaced, thereby rotatively driving the swinging element 3, which will assume its locking position, shown in figure 4.
In this position, the motorcycle wheel 101 abuts with the abutment carter 4 and is supported laterally thereby.
The swinging element 3 is raised at the rear, thereby locking the wheel 101 preventing it from performing an undesired backward movement.
At this time, the motorcycle will be arranged in a stable condition and the operator may release his gripping or, if he is bridging the motorcycle, may leave the motorcycle and continue his working operations.
Preferably, in this step, the operator will apply a rear stand 200 for raising and stabilizing the motorcycle rear part.
In such a position, the operator will engage the raising or lifting mechanism attachment means 7 in the bottom end portions of the motorcycle fork stems 102.
In this connection it should be pointed out that said attachment means may be adjusted depending on the fork size, by causing the small arms 12 to slide and, if necessary, by replacing the pawls 14.
Then, it is possible to operate the raising or lifting mechanism, by lowering the tubular element 8 and consequently raising the arms 5 and the front portion of the motorcycle 100, as shown in figure 5.
Figure 6 shows the subject device in an operating position thereof, with the motorcycle without the front wheel 101 and supported at the rear by the rear stand 200.
It should be self evident that, in this position, the abutment carter 4 may be removed for facilitating the wheel disassembling operations.
It has been found that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects.
In fact, the invention has provided a supporting and lifting device allowing a single operator to stabilize and raise a motorcycle, without an intervention of another person and without the need of using other fittings or apparatus.
The supporting and lifting device according to the present invention may be mounted on a raising or lifting bridge or crane, by merely clamping it to the platform thereof by standard clamping screws, thereby allowing the overall motorcycle to be raised in a very safe manner and with a maximum stability.
Moreover, the inventive supporting and lifting device may be easily transported, since the motorcycle will be locked by the swinging element preventing any vibrations from being generated, while providing a smooth transport.
The device may be used on motorcycles having different characteristics and different diameter wheels.
In practicing the invention, the used materials, as well as the contingent size, may be any depending on requirements.

Claims

A motorcycle supporting and lifting device (1), comprising a base (2), supporting a swinging element (3) consisting of a open-L shaped plate, said swinging element being pivoted to said base and having two operating positions, a motorcycle wheel receiving position and a motorcycle wheel locking position, an abutment casing (4), characterized in that the abutement casing is removably associated with said base, at a front position and axially aligned with said swinging element, said abutment casing being so contoured as to encompass at least partially a portion of the motorcycle wheel thereby supporting laterally said motorcycle wheel, said device comprising moreover a lifting lever (10) device adapted to raise said motorcycle wheel, as the swinging element is arranged in its locking position.
A supporting and lifting device, according to claim 1, characterized in that said raising mechanism comprises a pair of raising arms, each having a bottom end portion, pivoted to said base at respective anchoring elements, and a top end portion, including attachment means adapted to engage a bottom end portion of a motorcycle fork stem.
A supporting and lifting device, according to claim 2, characterized in that said raising mechanism comprises a raising element, of a U shape and pivoted to side supporting elements clamped to said base, said raising element free end portions being pivoted to the end portion of a pair of operating levers, in turn pivoted, at their opposite end portions, to the raising arms, said raising mechanism having two operating positions, a lowered operating position and a raised operating position.
A supporting and lifting device, according to claim 2, characterized in that said attachment means comprise a sleeve element welded to each top end portion of said arms and designed for receiving a slidable arm therein, which may be locked by a butterfly locking knob, said sliding arm supporting an interexchangeable operating pawl, so contoured as to engage a bottom cavity formed at the bottom end portions of the motorcycle fork stems.
A supporting and lifting device, according to claim 4, characterized in that said base comprises a base recess for engaging therein one or more different size operating pawls.
A supporting and lifting device, according to claim 1, characterized in that that said device further comprises safety locking means adapted to safely lock the raising mechanism at its raised position.
A supporting and lifting device, according to claims 3 and 6, characterized in that said safety locking means have a locking position, thereat they prevent the raising element from being displaced from its raised position, and an unlatching position, thereat said raising element may be raised, to drive the raising mechanism to a lowered position.
A supporting and lifting device, according to claim 7, characterized in that said safety locking means comprise a peg, movable against an urging spring, on a support rigid with said base, at a locking position said urging spring holding said peg at an interference position interfering with the movement of the raising element, said peg being adapted to be displaced to a non interfering position so as to allow the raising element to be moved.