WO2008142469A1

WO2008142469A1 - Lifting device for vehicles

Info

Publication number: WO2008142469A1
Application number: PCT/IB2007/001329
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dino Sodini
Original assignee: Cmo Di Sodini Dino & C. S.N.C.
Priority date: 2007-05-23
Filing date: 2007-05-23
Publication date: 2008-11-27
Also published as: EP2152622A1; CN101687619A

Abstract

A lifting device (1) for lifting laterally a car (30) inclining it on an edge to assist the access from below of the car (30) for maintenance purposes, having a sliding base frame (2), a column (3) connected substantially perpendicularly to said base frame (2); a carriage (23) sliding along said column (3), having a lifting member (12) protruding laterally from the column (3); an hydraulic cylinder (18) having an axis parallel to the column (3) and a first end connected to the column (3) or to the base frame (2) and a second end connected to an idle pulley (21) that operatively is dragged along said axis of the hydraulic cylinder (18); a hydro-pneumatic pump for feeding the hydraulic cylinder (18); a transmission chain (22) engaged on the idle pulley (21), having a first end connected to the column (3) or to the base frame (2) and a second end connected to the carriage (23).

Description

TITLE LIFTING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES

DESCRIPTION

Field of the invention The present invention relates to a device for lifting a car inclining it on two wheels so that an operator can have easy access to the lower part of the body, in particular, for maintenance purposes.

Description of the technical problem Among the known devices for lifting laterally a car, a known type provides a mobile base frame, for example having wheels, on which a substantially vertical column is mounted. From the column a cantilever element, which can move vertically along the column same, protrudes for engaging a car. The cantilever element can comprise a bracket, for example fork-shaped.

In EP1602618 Al a lifting device of this type is described, where the vertical movement of. the cantilever element is obtained by the rotation of a worm screw engaged on a nut screw integral to a carriage sliding within the column. The cantilever element protrudes from the carriage and engages the car at one side, so that the rotation of the screw raises vertically the carriage and then the cantilever element, lifting the vehicle on one side.

FR1506537 describes a lifting device whose operation is similar to that above described, with the difference that the carriage moves vertically sliding out of the column. These devices have the drawback that for moving the carriage they use a nut-screw system where the screw, which must have the same length of the stroke of the carriage between a lower and an upper abutment, causes a high cost since it must provide mechanical and physical features to resisting to the wear caused by a repeated operation with very high loads.

Furthermore, there is the drawback that lifting devices of prior art cannot be used in places saturated of gas that can burn, for example a spray painting furnace, without the risk of fires.

Summary of the invention

It is then a feature of the present invention to provide a lifting device that is wear resistant even in case of repeated operation with very high loads.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide a lifting device that has low maintenance costs.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide a lifting device that has reduced production costs. A further feature of the present invention is to provide a lifting device that is used also in places saturated with inflammable gas to ensure a - total safety against the risk of fires.

It is, yet, a feature of the invention to provide a lifting device that is safe enough in case of failure of the lifting/lowering system.

These and other objects are achieved by a lifting device according to the invention, for inclining a car on a side to assist the access from below to the car lower body for maintenance purposes, said lifting device having:

- a base frame that extends in a plane parallel to a ground surface;

- a column connected substantially perpendicular to said base frame, in a fastening point; - a carriage sliding along said column, said carriage having a lifting member protruding laterally from said column and adapted to engage with said car;

- means for moving said carriage along said column; characterised in that said means for moving comprises: - an hydraulic cylinder having an axis parallel to said column, said cylinder having a first end connected to said column or to said base frame in a point of connection and a second end connected to a idle pulley, said idle pulley being dragged along said axis by said cylinder;

- means for feeding said hydraulic cylinder;

- a flexible tie-member engaged on said idle pulley, having a first end connected to said column or to said base frame and a second end connected to said carriage, said flexible tie-member turning in a U- like way about said idle pulley.

This way, the flexible tie-member allows an amplification of the stroke of the hydraulic cylinder, transmitting to the carriage a stroke longer than the stroke of the cylinder.

According to another aspect of the present invention the above described objects are achieved by a lifting device for inclining a car on a side to assist the access from below of the car for maintenance purposes, said lifting device having:

- a base frame that extends in a plane parallel to a ground surface;

- a column connected substantially perpendicular to said base frame, in a fastening point;

- a carriage sliding along said column, said carriage having a lifting member protruding laterally from said column and adapted to engage with said car;

- means for moving said carriage along said column; characterised in that said means for moving said carriage along said column comprises an hydraulic cylinder associated with a hydro-pneumatic pump, said pump sending a pressurized liquid in a circuit including said hydraulic cylinder, said pump being operated by compressed air as input .

Advantageously, said flexible tie-member is selected from the group comprised of:

- a transmission chain;

- a flexible cable; - a transmission belt.

In particular, said first end of said cylinder is connected to said column near said fastening point.

Advantageously, said hydraulic cylinder is arranged within said column. Advantageously, said means for feeding said hydraulic cylinder comprises a hydro-pneumatic pump, said pump sending a pressurized liquid in a circuit including said hydraulic cylinder, said pump being operated by compressed air as input. This way, by avoiding the use of an electric motor for operating the pump of the fluid, there is no risk of making sparks that could trigger a fire in an inflammable gas saturated environment, for example in a painting furnace. Advantageously, said hydro-pneumatic pump is mounted on said base frame, near a fluid inlet for said hydraulic cylinder.

Advantageously, said column comprises at least one transversal through hole, adapted to allow the introduction of a locking bolt, said locking bolt being adapted to avoid operatively an unintentional descent of said carriage along said column.

In particular, said at least one hole is configured as a plurality of equidistant holes along said column to block the carriage at a desired height.

Advantageously, said lifting device comprises a cantilever lifting element adapted to push the car from below, said lifting member being selected from the group comprised of: - a substantially U-shaped structure, forming a fork, in particular, engageable with a wheel of the car;

- an arm-like structure having a free end with a section engageable with the body of the car.

Brief description of the drawings. The invention will be made clearer with the following description of some exemplary embodiments, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- Figure 1 shows a possible application of a lifting device according to the invention, lifting a side of a car by a lifting member that engages from below a wheel of the car;

- Figure 2 shows a perspective view of such a lifting device; - Figures 3 and 4 show a cross sectional view of such a lifting device, where a carriage sliding along a column is respectively in a upper end and in a lower end;

- Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a possible exemplary embodiment of a carriage sliding along the column according to the invention;

- Figure 6 shows an U-shaped lifting member, for lifting a car by raising a wheel;

- Figure 7 shows an alternative lifting member capable of lifting the car through the lower body.

Description of preferred exemplary embodiments In the following description an example will be illustrated of a lifting device 1 according to the invention, for lifting laterally a car 30 inclining it at an edge to assist the access from below of the car 30 for maintenance purposes. In figure 1 the car 30 is shown raised at an edge by the action of a lifting member 10, Which has the shape of a bracket and is raised along a column 3 by an hydraulic cylinder not shown in figure 1, fed by an hydro-pneumatic pump 6 capable of delivering pressurized oil to the hydraulic cylinder by a tube 8.

The hydro-pneumatic pump comprises an impeller not shown charged at an a inlet by compressed air 7, adapted to operate the pump 6 without using electric motors or other possible sources of electric sparks.

Column 3 is connected to a base frame 2 that extends substantially in a horizontal plane and comprises two side support arms 4, adapted to enter, in use, under the car before lifting it, ending with respective wheels 5. Such arms, as shown in figure 2, are connected to each other by cross members 15 and 16, and column 3 is connected to cross member 16. In figure 2 lifting member 10, which is shown in figure 1, is not shown. Lifting member 10 is adapted to be mounted on a corresponding lifting element 12 integral to a carriage 23 sliding along column 3 and, as shown in the exemplary embodiment of figure 2, it is arranged in column 3. Obviously, alternatively, the hydraulic piston can be mounted outside of column 3.

Along column 3 a plurality of transversal through holes 17 is provided, in particular equidistant to each other, whose function is to allow the introduction of a safety bolt adapted to avoid an unintentional descent of carriage 23. Hydro-pneumatic pump 6 can be mounted in a containing basin 14 adapted to collect possible oil leakage .

In figures 3 and 4, such a lifting device 1 a cross sectional view is shown made according to a longitudinal plane. In the column the hydraulic cylinder 18 is shown, which in figure 3 is at the maximum length at the extreme upper position of carriage 23, sliding in column 3. Instead, in figure 4, the cylinder is shown at the minimum length corresponding to the extreme lower position of carriage 23. At the free end 20 of cylinder 18 an idle pulley 21 is mounted, and on this pulley a chain 22 engages that has a first end 19 connected to column 3 and a second end 20 connected to carriage 23. Lifting element 12 is integrally connected to carriage 23 and protrudes as a cantilever laterally from the column in which a groove is obtained 13 that allows the longitudinal movement of the lifting member same. In figures 3 and 4 the base frame 2 is also shown, having two arms 4 and wheels 5. Furthermore, hydro-pneumatic pump 6 is also shown connected at the outlet to the delivery inlet of hydraulic cylinder 18 by a duct 8 and receiving at the inlet a compressed air coming from duct 7.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a carriage 23 sliding along the column of the lifting device according to the invention.

Carriage 23 comprises a front plate 36 and two side plates 37 and 38 connected to each other so that it has a U-shaped cross section for leaving among them a space for sliding about the hydraulic cylinder, not shown in the figure. Carriage 23 has an external size such that it is contained in the cross section of column 3, shown in the previous figures. Lifting element 12 is welded to front plate 36 and has a recess 24 for housing a lifting member, for example one of those shown in figures 6 and 7. Carriage 23 has four idle wheels 25 to permit its free sliding in column 3. Furthermore, it has a foot 26 that has the function of aligning carriage 23 in column 3.

Figure 6 shows a possible exemplary embodiment of lifting member 10 obtained with a U-folded tube 31 having two straight portions 35 forming a fork adapted to be located under the wheel of the car to lift. In a central portion thereof, this lifting member is connected to a support 33, adapted to be mounted on the lifting element 12 of figure 5. The present exemplary embodiment comprises also a reinforcement 32 between the straight portions 35.

Similarly, figure 7 shows another lifting member 40, having the shape of an arm with at one end a support 33 and at the other end a V-section adapted to support a part under the body of the vehicle for lifting it laterally without engaging the wheels.

Hydro-pneumatic pump 6 allows to put lifting device 1 also in a oven or a painting chamber, since, by not using an electric motor for delivering pressurized oil in cylinder 18, but a hydro-pneumatic pump 6 operated by compressed air, the risk is avoided of forming electric sparks in the electric motor, which could trigger a fire if in the working environment inflammable gas is present.

Furthermore, since the lifting carriage 23 is associated to piston 18, flexible tie-member 22 and pulley 21, the advantage derives that the device can be easily manufactured in a not expensive way since, if the lifting step were made bu a nut screw, the screw should have precise finishing surface and mechanical resistance, which would increase the costs. The stroke of the piston, furthermore, can be low.

The foregoing description of a specific embodiment will so fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt for various applications such an embodiment without further research and without parting from the invention, and it is therefore to be understood that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the specific embodiment. The means and the materials to realise the different functions described herein could have a different nature without, for this reason, departing from the field of the invention. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Claims

1. A lifting device for inclining a car on a side to assist the access from below of the car for maintenance purposes, said lifting device having: - a base frame that extends in a plane parallel to a ground surface;

- means for moving said carriage along said column; characterised in that said means for moving comprises: - an hydraulic cylinder having an axis parallel to said column, said cylinder having a first end connected to said column or to said base frame in a point of connection and a second end connected to an idle pulley, said idle pulley being dragged along said axis by said cylinder;

- means for feeding said hydraulic cylinder;

- a flexible tie-member engaging with said idle pulley, having a first end connected to said column or to said base frame and a second end connected to said carriage, said flexible tie-member turning in a U-like way about said idle pulley.

2. A lifting device for inclining a car on a side to assist the access from below of the car for maintenance purposes, said lifting device having: - a base frame that extends in a plane parallel to a ground surface;

- means for moving said carriage along said column; characterised in that said means for moving said carriage along said column comprises an hydraulic cylinder associated with a hydro-pneumatic pump, said pump sending a pressurized liquid in a circuit including said hydraulic cylinder, said pump being operated as input by compressed air.

3. A lifting device, according to claim 2, wherein said flexible tie-member is selected from the group comprised of: - a transmission chain;

- a flexible cable;

- a transmission belt.

4. A lifting device, according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first end of said cylinder is connected to said column near said fastening point.

5. A lifting device, according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said hydraulic cylinder is arranged within said column.

6. A lifting device, according to claim 1, wherein said means for feeding said hydraulic cylinder comprises a hydro-pneumatic pump, said pump sending a pressurized liquid in a circuit including said hydraulic cylinder, said pump being operated by compressed air as input.

7. A lifting device, according to claim 2 or 6, wherein said hydro-pneumatic pump is mounted on said base frame, near a fluid inlet for said hydraulic cylinder.

8. A lifting device, according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said column comprises at least one transversal through hole, adapted to allow the introduction of a locking bolt, said locking bolt being adapted to avoid operatively the unintentional descent of said carriage along said column.

9. A lifting device, according to claim 8, wherein said at least one hole is configured as a plurality of equidistant holes along said column to block the carriage at a desired height.

10. A lifting device, according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said lifting device comprises a cantilever lifting element adapted to push the car from below, said lifting element having a lifting member, selected from the group comprised of:

- a substantially U-shaped structure, forming a fork, in particular, engageable with a wheel of the car;