GB2094732A - Levelling system for vehicles, particularly caravans and the like - Google Patents

Levelling system for vehicles, particularly caravans and the like Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2094732A
GB2094732A GB8206310A GB8206310A GB2094732A GB 2094732 A GB2094732 A GB 2094732A GB 8206310 A GB8206310 A GB 8206310A GB 8206310 A GB8206310 A GB 8206310A GB 2094732 A GB2094732 A GB 2094732A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
levelling
support legs
levelling system
sensor means
height
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB8206310A
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
RIV SKF Officine di Villar Perosa SpA
RIV Officine di Villar Perosa SpA
Original Assignee
RIV SKF Officine di Villar Perosa SpA
RIV Officine di Villar Perosa SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by RIV SKF Officine di Villar Perosa SpA, RIV Officine di Villar Perosa SpA filed Critical RIV SKF Officine di Villar Perosa SpA
Publication of GB2094732A publication Critical patent/GB2094732A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60S—SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60S9/00—Ground-engaging vehicle fittings for supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring the vehicle, wholly or in part, e.g. built-in jacks
    • B60S9/02—Ground-engaging vehicle fittings for supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring the vehicle, wholly or in part, e.g. built-in jacks for only lifting or supporting
    • B60S9/04—Ground-engaging vehicle fittings for supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring the vehicle, wholly or in part, e.g. built-in jacks for only lifting or supporting mechanically
    • B60S9/06—Ground-engaging vehicle fittings for supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring the vehicle, wholly or in part, e.g. built-in jacks for only lifting or supporting mechanically of screw-and-nut type
    • B60S9/08—Ground-engaging vehicle fittings for supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring the vehicle, wholly or in part, e.g. built-in jacks for only lifting or supporting mechanically of screw-and-nut type the screw axis being substantially vertical

Abstract

A vehicle having support legs 4 which are adjustable in height and usable during stops is provided with a levelling system comprising actuator means (7) for effecting a change in the height of the support legs independently of each other, level sensor means (5) arranged to give an output signal indicative of the inclination of the vehicle floor relative to a notional horizontal plane, and electronic control means (6) for receiving the output signal from the level sensor means and operating the actuator means (7) to achieve levelling of the vehicle floor with respect to the notional horizontal plane. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Levelling system for vehicles, particularly caravans and the like The present invention relates to vehicles, particularly caravans and the like, provided with support legs which are adjustable in height and usable during stops.
In vehicles of this type, it is necessary to adjust the height of the support legs upon stopping, so as to ensure that the base plane of the vehicle is horizontal whatever the conformation of the ground. This adjustement is usually carried out manually, possibly with the aid of a level.
The object of this invention is to provide a levelling system for vehicles of the type specificed above which allows the automatic levelling of the vehicle floor in a simple and rapid manner.
The main characteristic of the levelling system according to the invention lies in the face that it includes actuator means for effecting a change in the height of the support legs independently of each other, level sensor means arranged to give an output signal indicative of the inclination of the vehicle floor relative to a notional horizontal plane, and electronic control means arranged to receive the output signal from the level sensor means and operate the actuator means to achieve levelling of the vehicle floor relative to the notional horizontal plane.
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a caravan; Figure 2 is a block schematic diagram of the levelling system according to the invention; Figure 3 illustrates the principle of operation of the levelling system according to the present invention, and Figures 4 and 5 illustrate particular components usable in the levelling system according to the invention.
In Figure 1, a caravan, generally indicated 1, is provided with two wheels 2 and four support legs 3 (only two of which are shown in Figure 1) with each of which is associated a pantograph device 4.
As shown schematically in Figure 2, the levelling system according to the present invention includes sensor means 5 arranged to give an output signal indicative of the inclination of the floor of the caravan 1 relative to a notional horizontal plane. The signal given by the sensor means 5 is transmitted to electronic control means 6 which consequently operate the actuators 7 associated with the respective pantograph devices 4, to achieve levelling of the vehicle floor.
The appended drawings relate to a practical embodiment of the system according to the present invention, in which the caravan is provided with four support legs 3.
Figure 3 illustrates schematially, and in plan, the floor of the caravan 1. The sensor means 5, suitably fixed to the floor, are arranged to indicate the inclination of the floor in relation to two notional straight lines A, B (indicated by broken lines in Figure 3) which intersect each other and lie in a common horizontal plane.
When the sensor means indicate an inclination of the floor of the caravan in relation to the straight line A and/or the straight line B, the electronic control means 6 operate the actuator means 7 until the floor of the caravan is brought into a position parallel with the notional horizontal plane.
It is clear that the levelling system according to the present invention can be applied to vehicles having any type of support legs which are adjustable in height. For example, in the drawings a caravan has been shown in which the support legs 3 are provided with pantograph devices 4. However, the devices for adjusting the height of the support legs could be of any known type.
The actuator means 7 which effect the change in height of the support legs 3 are preferably constituted by electromechanical linear actuators of known type.
These actuators comprise an electric motor and a lead screw system driven by the electric motor through a reduction gear.
In Figure 5, which illustrates one of these actuators schematically, the electric motor is indicated by 8, the lead screw system is indicated by 9, and the casing containing the reduction gear between the output shaft of the motor 8 and the lead screw system 9 is indicated by 10.
The sensor means 5 are constituted, for example, by mercury switches of the type indicated by 11 in Figure 4. This switch comprises a bulb 12 containing a drop of mercury 13 and two pairs of contacts 14 located at the ends of the bulb 12.
When the bulb 12 is not horizontal, the drop 13 moves under gravity to close one of the two contacts 14 while, if the bulb 12 is horizontal,the drop of mercury 13 stays in the central position illustrated and both the contacts 14 are open.
In the case described wih reference to Figure 3, two switches 11 of the type illustrated in Figure 4 may be used located, for example, along the lines A and B respectively.
The levelling system according to the present invention allows the user to level the vehicle simply, rapidly, and effortlessly. Should it rain, the user may stay inside the vehicle and actuate the levelling system from inside. Naturally, while the principle of the invention remains the same, the details of construction for forms of embodiment may be varied widely from that described and illustrated purely by way of example, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
1. Levelling system for vehicles, particularly caravans and the like, having support legs which are adjustable in height and usable during stops, characterised in that the levelling system includes actuator means for effecting a change in the height of the support legs independently of each other, level sensor means arranged to give an output signal
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Levelling system for vehicles, particularly caravans and the like The present invention relates to vehicles, particularly caravans and the like, provided with support legs which are adjustable in height and usable during stops. In vehicles of this type, it is necessary to adjust the height of the support legs upon stopping, so as to ensure that the base plane of the vehicle is horizontal whatever the conformation of the ground. This adjustement is usually carried out manually, possibly with the aid of a level. The object of this invention is to provide a levelling system for vehicles of the type specificed above which allows the automatic levelling of the vehicle floor in a simple and rapid manner. The main characteristic of the levelling system according to the invention lies in the face that it includes actuator means for effecting a change in the height of the support legs independently of each other, level sensor means arranged to give an output signal indicative of the inclination of the vehicle floor relative to a notional horizontal plane, and electronic control means arranged to receive the output signal from the level sensor means and operate the actuator means to achieve levelling of the vehicle floor relative to the notional horizontal plane. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a caravan; Figure 2 is a block schematic diagram of the levelling system according to the invention; Figure 3 illustrates the principle of operation of the levelling system according to the present invention, and Figures 4 and 5 illustrate particular components usable in the levelling system according to the invention. In Figure 1, a caravan, generally indicated 1, is provided with two wheels 2 and four support legs 3 (only two of which are shown in Figure 1) with each of which is associated a pantograph device 4. As shown schematically in Figure 2, the levelling system according to the present invention includes sensor means 5 arranged to give an output signal indicative of the inclination of the floor of the caravan 1 relative to a notional horizontal plane. The signal given by the sensor means 5 is transmitted to electronic control means 6 which consequently operate the actuators 7 associated with the respective pantograph devices 4, to achieve levelling of the vehicle floor. The appended drawings relate to a practical embodiment of the system according to the present invention, in which the caravan is provided with four support legs 3. Figure 3 illustrates schematially, and in plan, the floor of the caravan 1. The sensor means 5, suitably fixed to the floor, are arranged to indicate the inclination of the floor in relation to two notional straight lines A, B (indicated by broken lines in Figure 3) which intersect each other and lie in a common horizontal plane. When the sensor means indicate an inclination of the floor of the caravan in relation to the straight line A and/or the straight line B, the electronic control means 6 operate the actuator means 7 until the floor of the caravan is brought into a position parallel with the notional horizontal plane. It is clear that the levelling system according to the present invention can be applied to vehicles having any type of support legs which are adjustable in height. For example, in the drawings a caravan has been shown in which the support legs 3 are provided with pantograph devices 4. However, the devices for adjusting the height of the support legs could be of any known type. The actuator means 7 which effect the change in height of the support legs 3 are preferably constituted by electromechanical linear actuators of known type. These actuators comprise an electric motor and a lead screw system driven by the electric motor through a reduction gear. In Figure 5, which illustrates one of these actuators schematically, the electric motor is indicated by 8, the lead screw system is indicated by 9, and the casing containing the reduction gear between the output shaft of the motor 8 and the lead screw system 9 is indicated by 10. The sensor means 5 are constituted, for example, by mercury switches of the type indicated by 11 in Figure 4. This switch comprises a bulb 12 containing a drop of mercury 13 and two pairs of contacts 14 located at the ends of the bulb 12. When the bulb 12 is not horizontal, the drop 13 moves under gravity to close one of the two contacts 14 while, if the bulb 12 is horizontal,the drop of mercury 13 stays in the central position illustrated and both the contacts 14 are open. In the case described wih reference to Figure 3, two switches 11 of the type illustrated in Figure 4 may be used located, for example, along the lines A and B respectively. The levelling system according to the present invention allows the user to level the vehicle simply, rapidly, and effortlessly. Should it rain, the user may stay inside the vehicle and actuate the levelling system from inside. Naturally, while the principle of the invention remains the same, the details of construction for forms of embodiment may be varied widely from that described and illustrated purely by way of example, without departing from the scope of the present invention. CLAIMS
1. Levelling system for vehicles, particularly caravans and the like, having support legs which are adjustable in height and usable during stops, characterised in that the levelling system includes actuator means for effecting a change in the height of the support legs independently of each other, level sensor means arranged to give an output signal indicative of the inclination of the vehicle floor relative to a notional horizontal plane, and electronic control means arranged to receive the output signal from the level sensor means and operate the actuator means to achieve levelling of the vehicle floor relative to the notional horizontal plane.
2. Levelling system according to Claim 1, characterised in that the actuator means are constituted by linear actuators each comprising an electric motor, a lead screw system, and possibly a reduction gear between the electric motor and the lead screw system.
3. Levelling system according to Claim 1, characterised in that the sensor means are constituted by mercury switches.
4. Levelling system according to Claim 1, characterised in that the sensor means are arranged to indicate the inclination of the vehicle floor in relation to two straight lines (A, B) which intersect each other and lie in a notional horizontal plane, and in that the vehicle is provided with four support legs.
5. Levelling system according to Claims 3 and 4, characterised in that the sensor means are constituted by two mercury switches arranged parallel to the two straight lines (A, B) respectively.
6. Levelling system for vehicles substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB8206310A 1981-03-13 1982-03-04 Levelling system for vehicles, particularly caravans and the like Withdrawn GB2094732A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT67352/81A IT1154035B (en) 1981-03-13 1981-03-13 LEVELER SYSTEM FOR VEHICLES PARTICULARLY FOR CARAVANS AND SIMILAR

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2094732A true GB2094732A (en) 1982-09-22

Family

ID=11301677

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB8206310A Withdrawn GB2094732A (en) 1981-03-13 1982-03-04 Levelling system for vehicles, particularly caravans and the like

Country Status (4)

Country Link
DE (1) DE3208813A1 (en)
FR (1) FR2501603A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2094732A (en)
IT (1) IT1154035B (en)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0122118A2 (en) * 1983-04-11 1984-10-17 Jonathan Vivian Stafford-Mills Apparatus for automatically levelling a base
GB2159479A (en) * 1984-05-31 1985-12-04 Salop Tool & Fixtures Ltd Caravan or trailer stabilizing & levelling systems
US5188379A (en) * 1990-10-19 1993-02-23 Applied Mechanis, Inc. Automatic leveling system for recreational vehicles
NL1011181C2 (en) * 1999-02-01 2000-08-03 Letec Level Technology B V System and method for bringing a chassis into a determined position of a vehicle, such as a caravan, substantially in the middle supported by one or more axles.
GB2402662A (en) * 2003-06-14 2004-12-15 Mark Worbey Automatic levelling system for a caravan or camper van
GB2417014A (en) * 2004-08-10 2006-02-15 David Andre Keast Motorised levelling system for trailer caravans
WO2007023347A1 (en) * 2005-08-22 2007-03-01 Ares Engineering S.R.L. Vehicle lifting and/or stabilising device, relative system and process
WO2012174788A1 (en) * 2011-06-22 2012-12-27 长沙中联重工科技发展股份有限公司 Method and system for extending and leveling stabilizers of construction vehicle
WO2018037224A1 (en) * 2016-08-23 2018-03-01 The Ace Supply Company Ltd A levelling system for a mobile object

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4316517A1 (en) * 1993-05-18 1994-11-24 Dirk Ohlendorf Caravan with legs
CN103558870A (en) * 2013-11-18 2014-02-05 西华大学 System and method for eliminating virtual legs of electrical vehicle platform of four-point supporting machine

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3680836A (en) * 1970-10-07 1972-08-01 Joseph A Amelotte Automatic orientation system

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0122118A2 (en) * 1983-04-11 1984-10-17 Jonathan Vivian Stafford-Mills Apparatus for automatically levelling a base
EP0122118A3 (en) * 1983-04-11 1986-02-05 Jonathan Vivian Stafford-Mills Apparatus for automatically levelling a base
GB2159479A (en) * 1984-05-31 1985-12-04 Salop Tool & Fixtures Ltd Caravan or trailer stabilizing & levelling systems
US5188379A (en) * 1990-10-19 1993-02-23 Applied Mechanis, Inc. Automatic leveling system for recreational vehicles
NL1011181C2 (en) * 1999-02-01 2000-08-03 Letec Level Technology B V System and method for bringing a chassis into a determined position of a vehicle, such as a caravan, substantially in the middle supported by one or more axles.
EP1026057A1 (en) * 1999-02-01 2000-08-09 Letec (Level Technology) B.V. System and method for levelling vehicles, such as caravans
GB2402662A (en) * 2003-06-14 2004-12-15 Mark Worbey Automatic levelling system for a caravan or camper van
GB2417014A (en) * 2004-08-10 2006-02-15 David Andre Keast Motorised levelling system for trailer caravans
WO2007023347A1 (en) * 2005-08-22 2007-03-01 Ares Engineering S.R.L. Vehicle lifting and/or stabilising device, relative system and process
WO2012174788A1 (en) * 2011-06-22 2012-12-27 长沙中联重工科技发展股份有限公司 Method and system for extending and leveling stabilizers of construction vehicle
WO2018037224A1 (en) * 2016-08-23 2018-03-01 The Ace Supply Company Ltd A levelling system for a mobile object
GB2553285A (en) * 2016-08-23 2018-03-07 The Ace Supply Company Ltd A levelling system for a mobile object

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT1154035B (en) 1987-01-21
FR2501603A1 (en) 1982-09-17
IT8167352A0 (en) 1981-03-13
DE3208813A1 (en) 1982-09-30

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Legal Events

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)