Vehicle lift

Abstract

There is provided a vehicle lift which includes, under the support plate (1) of the vehicle a lifting/lowering mechanism (101) having at least two pairs of levers articulated to one another in an intermediate section, which constitute the two forks, moved by at least one fluid-dynamic actuator (9). The fluid-dynamic actuator (9) acts on an articulated system (10), which supports at least one first roller (20) and at least one second roller (21) arranged on respective axes. The two rollers (20, 21), in the initial step of lifting/opening the fork, are kinematically coupled with two corresponding inclined surfaces.

Claims

1. A vehicle lift including a vehicle support plane (1), a base plate (50), and a lifting/lowering mechanism (101) disposed between said vehicle support plane and said base plate, said lifting/lowering mechanism comprising: two pair of levers (2,3) each arranged laterally supporting said vehicle support plane, the levers (2,3) of each pair being articulated to one another scissor like in an intermediate section (4) defining parallel inner levers (2,2) and parallel outer levers (3,3), the inner levers of each pair each having a first end hingedly connected said vehicle support plane and each having a second end adapted to slide longitudinally on said base plate, the outer levers of each pair each having a first end adapted to slide longitudinally on an underside of said vehicle support plane and each having a second end hingedly connected to said base plate; an articulated system (10) interconnecting the inner levers of the two pair of levers and including a rocker arm (11) comprising two lateral side wall elements (12) each hingedly connected at an intermediate axis (14) to a respective inner lever of said tow pair of levers, a first roller (20) rotatably supported on an axle pin (22) interconnecting said lateral side wall elements at a first end of said rocker arm, a second roller (21) rotatably supported on an axle pin (23) interconnecting said lateral side wall elements at a second end of said rocker arm, in a collapsed condition of said vehicle lift said first roller (20) engaging for rotation thereon a first inclined plane (30) and said second roller (21) engaging for rotation thereon a second inclined plane (31), said first and second inclined planes being upwardly converging; and a fluid-dynamic actuator (9) articulated at a first end to a member interconnecting the second ends of the outer levers of the two pair of levers and operatively connected at a second end to said axle pin at the first end of said rocker arm of said articulated system, whereby upon commencement of lifting and opening the vehicle lift, the fluid-dynamic actuator (9) acts on the articulated system (10) imparting a thrust to the axle pin at the first end of the rocker arm (11) causing the first roller (20) to move upwardly on the respective inclined plane (30) and as a result of the rocker action of the rocker arm (11) an upward movement is imparted to the intermediate axis (14) connecting the rocker arm (11) to the inner levers of the two pair of levers (2,3) resulting in upward movement of the inner levers and commencement of lifting and opening of the vehicle lift and simultaneously the second roller (21) is moved upwardly on the second inclined plane (31).

2. The vehicle lift as defined in claim 1, wherein said articulated system further includes a pair of connecting rods (13) extending from the first end of said rocker arm (11), each connecting rod articulated at a first end to a respective side wall element at the axle pin of the first end of the rocker arm, a second end of each connecting rod having an elongated slot (16) engaged with a pin (15) extending from a respective connected lever of the inner levers of the two pair of levers (2,3).

3. The vehicle lift as defined in claim 1, wherein said axle pin (22) supporting said first roller (20) at the first end of said rocker arm is rotatably supported in a longitudinal slot (16) formed in each lateral side wall element (12) of said rocker arm, whereby upon commencement of lifting and opening the vehicle lift, said axle pin (22) at the first end of said rocker arm travels a short stroke within the longitudinal slots in the lateral said wall elements of said rocker arm during contact of said first roller (20) with said first inclined plane (30).

4. The vehicle lift as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second inclined planes have convergent identical inclinations.

5. The vehicle lift as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second inclined planes have convergent different inclinations.

6. The vehicle lift as defined in claim 1, wherein said upwardly converging first and second inclined planes are formed on opposing surfaces of a single block (42).

7. The vehicle lift as defined in claim 1, wherein said upwardly converging first and second inclined planes are formed on opposing surfaces of two separate and oppositely positioned blocks (43,44).

Description

(1) Further advantages and characteristics of the finding will become clearer from the description of a possible embodiment thereof, given only as a non-limiting example, with the help of the attached tables of drawings, where:

(2) FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of the lift according to the finding, in open condition;

(3) FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 represent section views of the lift according to FIG. 1, in completely closed condition; FIG. 2 is a plan view sectioned according to the line II-II of FIG. 4, whereas FIGS. 3 and 4 are elevated views, respectively sectioned according to the lines III-III and IV-IV of FIG. 2;

(4) FIG. 5 represents a perspective view of the articulated system, in completely closed condition of the lift, with the position of the rollers on the respective inclined surfaces;

(5) FIGS. 6 and 7 represent the operation of the articulated rocker arm/pair of connecting rods group and the position of the rollers with respect to the respective surfaces, during the initial lifting steps;

(6) FIGS. 8 and 9 represent the operation of the articulated rocker arm/pair of connecting rods group and the position of the rollers with respect to the respective surfaces, during the steps after the initial lifting ones.

(7) FIG. 10 represents a detailed view of a variant of FIG. 1.

(8) In FIGS. 1-3 it is possible to see a vehicle lift according to the finding, indicated with reference numeral 100, where the lifting/lowering movement of the upper support plane 1 is obtained by a moving group 101, which comprises, at each of the two longitudinal sides of said support plane 1, two pairs of levers 2 and 3, articulated to each other at an intermediate section 4; the two parallel levers 2, arranged most internally, are equipped at the lower end with wheels 5 able to slide at the ground level, along a trajectory concordant with the longitudinal axis of the plane 1 and the upper end hinged with a first pin 6 below the plane 1, whereas the two levers 3, arranged most externally, have the lower end hinged with the second pin 7 to the base 50, resting on the ground and the upper end equipped with wheels 8, able to slide below the plane 1.

(9) The entire lifting mechanism is actuated by a fluid-dynamic actuator, wholly indicated with reference numeral 9, which has the lower end articulated on a cross member 3.1, which connects the two outermost levers 3, whereas the upper end acts on an articulated system, wholly indicated with reference numeral 10, to give a synchronous movement to the two lateral scissors.

(10) The articulated system 10, which connects to the two innermost levers 2, consists of a rocker arm, wholly indicated with reference numeral 11 and two connecting rods 13, where each of the two side walls 12 of the rocker arm 11 is hinged on a corresponding intermediate axis 14, whereas the connecting rods 13 are held by two projecting pins 15, on which the corresponding slits 16 slide, which are formed on said corresponding connecting rods 13.

(11) Moreover, the rocker arm 11 supports, at the two opposite ends, at least two rollers 20 and 21, which, in the first lifting step (opening of the fork) of the lift, move in kinematic contact with at least two corresponding inclined surfaces 30 and 31, formed on two opposite portions 40 and 41 of a single block 42, or made on two opposite portions 40 and 41 of two or more separate blocks 43 and 44.

(12) In particular, as can be seen in FIG. 3, the portions of the two surfaces 30 and 31, which are in kinematic contact with the corresponding rollers 20 and 21, are inclined a mutually convergent manner (in the illustrated example, upwards) and have the same or different inclination to each other and a shape suitable for optimising the thrust of the fluid-dynamic actuator 9.

(13) Constructively, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 5, the opposite rollers 20 and 21 are hinged on the pins 22 and 23 and the front pin 22 has a dual function: that of articulating the rocker arm 11/connecting rod 13 pair and that of fastening the upper part of the fluid-dynamic actuator 9, which transmits the force to the articulated system 10.

(14) Operatively, as can be seen in the sequence of FIG. 6 and thereafter, with the constructive solution according to the finding, in the initial lifting step, it is foreseen for the two opposite rollers 20 and 21, supported by the rocker arm 11, which angularly rotates on the intermediate axis 14 when, through the effect of the thrust of the fluid-dynamic actuator 9, said rocker arm gradually lifts in combination with the opening of the fork, which move, in the first fraction of stroke, both in contact with the respective inclined surfaces 30 and 31 (FIG. 7); thereafter, only the second roller 21 (FIG. 8) remains in contact and, thereafter again, the roller 21 also completely moves away from the corresponding surface 31 (FIG. 9) and the lift continues the upward stroke.

(15) In practice, laboratory tests and practical garage tests have confirmed that, through the effect of the balancing of the opposing forces that act at the contact point of the rollers 20 and 21 on the corresponding blocks 42 or 43 and 44, the thrust force, or pickup, required of the actuator 9 in the initial upward step is substantially less than the initial thrust force required of the actuator mounted on normal lifts.

(16) In a second embodiment, as can be seen in the details A-B of FIG. 6, when the lift is totally closed (horizontal axis) the roller 21 is slightly distanced (K) from the corresponding surface 31 so that, in the initial lifting step, only the front roller 20 rests on the relative surface 30 and, only thereafter, the aforementioned second roller 21 also goes back to rest; thereafter, in the upward step, the roller 21 also moves away from the respective surface 31.

(17) The finding also foresees, as can be seen in FIG. 5 and in the detail of FIG. 6, that the front pin 22, hinged to the two side walls 12 of the rocker arm 11, is engaged inside two grooves 24, which allows the aforementioned pin 22, in the initial operating step, to travel a short stroke inside the grooves 24, during the contact of the roller 20 with the inclined surface 30.

(18) Constructively, the fluid-dynamic actuator 9 is made up of a plurality of jacks 9.1, screwed to a single supply block 9.2, which acts as hinging means of the entire group 9 to the cross member 3.1.

(19) In practice, a further embodiment operating according to the ways described above, foresees that the two inclined surfaces 30 and 31 are applied below the plane 1.

(20) Similarly, another embodiment, again operating according to the ways described above foresees that the two inclined surfaces 30 and 31 are applied on the levers 2 and 3 of the fork mechanism.

(21) Again in practice, the articulated system 10 and the inclined surfaces 30 and 31, can be applied, as well as to vehicle lifts with single and double fork, also to lifts with lifting/lowering mechanism consisting of at least two pairs of articulated levers, for any use and with a support device consisting of a single platform, two platforms, multiple platforms or with different forms of load supports.

(22) Moreover, the rollers 20 and 21 can be replaced with sliding blocks which move in contact with the corresponding shaped surfaces 30 and 31.

(23) The present finding can undergo modifications and variants and its technical details can be replaced with other technically equivalent elements; moreover, the materials and sizes can be various, according to requirements, provided that it is encompassed by the inventive concept defined by the following claims.