The present invention relates to a scissors lift comprising a bottom frame, a top frame and a scissors mechanism arranged between said bottom frame and said top frame to displace said bottom frame and said top frame relative to each other by transfer of an actuation force. The scissors mechanism comprises a central hollow scissors arm delimited between opposite scissors arm surfaces, wherein said central hollow scissors arm has a bottom pivotal connection connecting it to said bottom frame and a top pivotal connection connecting it to said top frame. Further, the mechanism comprises two passive scissors arms being pivotally connected to said bottom frame and pivotally connected to said top frame. Each of said two passive scissors arms are pivotally connected to said central hollow scissors arm on said opposite scissors arm surfaces of said central hollow scissors arm. Further, the scissors lift comprises a motor providing said actuation force, said motor located between said opposite scissors arm surfaces of said central hollow scissors arm. Thereby, the motor may be protected and at least partially enclosed by the scissors lift and even by the central hollow scissors arm, allowing a safer and/or more easily maintained scissors lift.

The present invention relates to a scissors lift comprising a bottom frame, a top frame and a scissors mechanism arranged between said bottom frame and said top frame to displace said bottom frame and said top frame relative to each other by transfer of an actuation force. The scissors mechanism comprises a central hollow scissors arm delimited between opposite scissors arm surfaces, wherein said central hollow scissors arm has a bottom pivotal connection connecting it to said bottom frame and a top pivotal connection connecting it to said top frame. Further, the mechanism comprises two passive scissors arms being pivotally connected to said bottom frame and pivotally connected to said top frame. Each of said two passive scissors arms are pivotally connected to said central hollow scissors arm on said opposite scissors arm surfaces of said central hollow scissors arm. Further, the scissors lift comprises a motor providing said actuation force, said motor located between said opposite scissors arm surfaces of said central hollow scissors arm. Thereby, the motor may be protected and at least partially enclosed by the scissors lift and even by the central hollow scissors arm, allowing a safer and/or more easily maintained scissors lift.

According to one embodiment, there is taught herein a family of “branched” variants of the traditional scissor mechanism, in which each stage is formed from more than two arms, joined at their midpoints by a branched rivet. In one embodiment arms in adjacent stages are joined at their endpoints with joints that allow for rotation in a single plane. Each resulting mechanism has one degree of freedom in its motion. It deploys from a compact, collapsed state to an extended state. One embodiment is a grasping member that is mechanically coupled to a scissor mechanism so that when scissor mechanism is collapsed the grasping member is open. Then, when the scissor mechanism is extended the grasping member becomes closed.

According to one embodiment, there is taught herein a family of “branched” variants of the traditional scissor mechanism, in which each stage is formed from more than two arms, joined at their midpoints by a branched rivet. In one embodiment arms in adjacent stages are joined at their endpoints with joints that allow for rotation in a single plane. Each resulting mechanism has one degree of freedom in its motion. It deploys from a compact, collapsed state to an extended state. One embodiment is a grasping member that is mechanically coupled to a scissor mechanism so that when scissor mechanism is collapsed the grasping member is open. Then, when the scissor mechanism is extended the grasping member becomes closed.

An extendable arm includes first and second rigid members forming a cross unit. Each rigid member includes one end portion including one of end coupling shafts, the other end portion including the other end coupling shaft, and a middle portion including a middle coupling shaft. The one end portion of each rigid member includes a bottom-side outer side surface that surface-contacts a base surface when the extendable arm in an extended state is placed thereon. The other end portion of each rigid member includes a top-side outer side surface extending parallel to the bottom-side outer side surface of each rigid member. The middle portion of each rigid member includes a middle strip region passing through a middle coupling shaft and perpendicular to the bottom-side outer side surface and the top-side outer side surface.

An extendable arm includes first and second rigid members forming a cross unit. Each rigid member includes one end portion including one of end coupling shafts, the other end portion including the other end coupling shaft, and a middle portion including a middle coupling shaft. The one end portion of each rigid member includes a bottom-side outer side surface that surface-contacts a base surface when the extendable arm in an extended state is placed thereon. The other end portion of each rigid member includes a top-side outer side surface extending parallel to the bottom-side outer side surface of each rigid member. The middle portion of each rigid member includes a middle strip region passing through a middle coupling shaft and perpendicular to the bottom-side outer side surface and the top-side outer side surface.

A device for lifting and stabilizing loads which can be stabilized via two crossing, pivotably articulated telescopic struts that are interconnected in a synchronized manner so as to counter undesirable length variations as a result of forces acting in the cross-beam longitudinal direction, wherein connection of the telescopic struts is established via five traction parts, wherein one first traction part in the internal tube of each telescopic strut is mounted at both ends via a respective inner disk and outer disk, where a second traction part is mounted on two rotatable disks horizontally between the telescopic struts, where disks of the respective first and second traction parts each situated on one side are kinetically interconnected to transmit rotational movements between both disks, and where one further traction part is fastened in external tube, the further form-fitting traction part being kinetically connected to the inner disk of the first traction part.

A device for lifting and stabilizing loads which can be stabilized via two crossing, pivotably articulated telescopic struts that are interconnected in a synchronized manner so as to counter undesirable length variations as a result of forces acting in the cross-beam longitudinal direction, wherein connection of the telescopic struts is established via five traction parts, wherein one first traction part in the internal tube of each telescopic strut is mounted at both ends via a respective inner disk and outer disk, where a second traction part is mounted on two rotatable disks horizontally between the telescopic struts, where disks of the respective first and second traction parts each situated on one side are kinetically interconnected to transmit rotational movements between both disks, and where one further traction part is fastened in external tube, the further form-fitting traction part being kinetically connected to the inner disk of the first traction part.

An expandable car jack includes a vehicle lifting assembly with an upper lifting member, a lower lifting member mechanically coupled to the upper lifting member, and a lifting mechanism capable of moving the upper lifting member to a plurality of raised height positions. A base is coupled to the vehicle lifting assembly and includes a first base support member, a second base support member, and a base support coupler that is operable to selectively couple the first base support member to the second base support member in at least a first coupling position and a second coupling position. The base support coupler selectively mechanically maintains a parallel alignment and a perpendicular alignment of the first base support member and the second base support member when the base support coupler is in the first coupling position, allows the first base support member and the second base support member to freely move between the parallel alignment and the perpendicular alignment when the base support coupler is in the second coupling position, and remains mechanically coupled to at least the first base support member in the first and second coupling positions so that the first base support member cannot move with respect to the second base support member without a mechanical alteration to the base support coupler prior to moving either the first base support member or the second base support member.

A sensor interface module for an inspection robot includes a scissor lift for varied radial positioning of, and a universal sensor mount for mounting, a selected one of a plurality of different sensors. A visual inspection module for the robot includes an inspection unit for simultaneously visually inspecting a first surface facing a first direction and a spaced, second surface facing an opposing, second direction toward the first surface. The inspection unit includes a first visual sensor and a second visual sensor, each visual sensor facing in a direction different than the first and second directions. A first reflector reflects an image of the first surface to the first visual sensor, and a second reflector reflects an image of the second surface to the second visual sensor. A robot system may include the sensor interface module and the inspection unit.