VEHICLE WITH INTEGRAL TIRE JACKS

• US 20160009256A1
• Filed: 09/21/2015
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: King Fahd University Of Petroleum And Minerals
• Original Assignee: King Fahd University Of Petroleum And Minerals
• Inventors: DONDURUR, MEHMET, SAHIN, AHMET Z.
• Application Number:
  US14/860,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20160009256A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 9/12 of telescopic type

Abstract

The vehicle with integral tire jacks is an automatic built-in system for lifting a vehicle in the event of a flat tire when the tire requires replacement. The system includes four jacks installed under the vehicle near each wheel. An air compressor activated and controlled by an internal control panel will provide pressure to the jacks, the control panel being provided with knobs and buttons enabling the control of a desired jack. Each jack is adapted for being integrally mounted beneath the automobile, adjacent at least one wheel thereof. The jack includes a housing and a piston extendable from the housing. The piston has opposed upper and lower ends and a foot attached to the lower end thereof.

Claims

1. A pneumatic jack system adapted for mounting on an automobile, comprising:

at least one pneumatic jack adapted for being integrally mounted beneath an automobile adjacent at least one wheel thereof, the at least one pneumatic jack having a housing and a piston extendable from the housing, the piston having opposed upper and lower ends and a foot attached to the lower end thereof, the housing having at least one first recess and at least one second recess defined in an inner surface thereof, the at least one first recess and the at least one second recess being diametrically opposed with respect to one another;

a pneumatic pump adapted for mounting beneath the automobile for providing compressed air;

at least one hose line connected between the pneumatic pump and the at least one pneumatic jack;

a control system having means for controlling the pneumatic pump to provide pneumatic fluid to the at least one pneumatic jack via the at least one hose line, so that the piston of the at least one pneumatic jack is extendable from beneath the automobile upon receiving compressed air from the pneumatic pump for a distance sufficient to engage a ground surface and raise the at least one wheel adjacent the at least one pneumatic jack above the ground surface; and

first and second stop members mounted to the upper end of the piston, each of the first and second stop members being spring-biased and respectively alignable with the at least one first recess and the at least one second recess defined in the inner surface of the housing, so that when the piston is in an extended state, each of the first and second stop members resiliently and releasably engages the at least one first recess and the at least one second recess, respectively, to releasably maintain the piston in the extended state with respect to the housing.

2. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one jack comprises a plurality of jacks adapted for associating one of the jacks with each wheel of the automobile, and wherein the at least one hose line includes one hose line coupled between each one of the plurality of jacks and the pump.

3. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one jack comprises four jacks, each one of the four jacks being adapted for mounting adjacent a corresponding wheel of the automobile.

4. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 1, wherein said control system further comprises a plurality of condition sensors for determining safety criteria upon actuation of the system.

5. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 4, wherein the condition sensors comprise sensors for sensing engine, transmission, and brake actuations.

6. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 5, wherein said control system comprises a control panel having indicators coupled to said condition sensors for displaying an indication of conditions sensed by said condition sensors.

7. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 6, wherein said control panel has means for activating the system and means for providing an indication that the automobile is safe to be lifted, said control panel further including instruction indicia printed thereon.

8. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first recess comprises a vertically-extending linear array of first recesses, and the at least one second recess comprises a vertically-extending linear array of second recesses.

9. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a mount secured to the upper end of the piston; and

first and second springs, the first and second springs being secured to and extending between the mount and a respective one of said stop members.

10. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 9, further comprising:

first and second wires having opposed upper and lower ends, the lower ends being respectively secured to the first and second stop members; and

a handle, the upper ends of the first and second wires being respectively secured to the handle.

11. A pneumatic jack system adapted for mounting on an automobile, comprising:

at least one pneumatic jack adapted for being integrally mounted beneath an automobile adjacent at least one wheel thereof, the at least one pneumatic jack having a housing and a piston extendable from the housing, the piston having opposed upper and lower ends and a foot attached to the lower end, the housing having upper and lower portions telescopically joined to one another with the lower portion telescoping from the upper portion;

a pneumatic pump adapted for mounting beneath the automobile for providing compressed air;

at least one hose line connected between the pneumatic pump and the at least one pneumatic jack;

a control system having means for controlling the pneumatic pump to provide pneumatic fluid to the at least one pneumatic jack via the at least one hose line, the piston of the at least one pneumatic jack being extendable from beneath the automobile upon receiving compressed air from the pneumatic pump for a distance sufficient to engage a ground surface and raise the at least one wheel adjacent the at least one pneumatic jack above the ground surface;

a first set of spring-biased stop members mounted adjacent an upper end of the lower portion of the housing, so that when the lower portion is an extended state with respect to the upper portion of the housing, the first set of stop members resiliently engages a lower annular wall of the upper portion to releasably maintain the lower portion in the extended state with respect to the upper portion of the housing; and

a second set of spring-biased stop members mounted adjacent the upper end of the piston, so that when the piston is in an extended state with respect to the lower portion of the housing, the second set of stop members resiliently engages a lower annular wall of the lower portion to releasably maintain the piston in the extended state with respect to the lower portion of the housing.

12. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one jack comprises a plurality of jacks adapted for associating one of the jacks with each wheel of the automobile, and wherein the at least one hose line includes one hose line coupled between each one of the plurality of jacks and the pump.

13. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 11, wherein said control system further comprises a plurality of condition sensors for determining safety criteria upon actuation of the system.

14. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 13, wherein said condition sensors comprise sensors for sensing engine, transmission, and brake actuations.

15. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 14, wherein said control system comprises a control panel having indicators coupled to said condition sensors for displaying an indication of conditions sensed by said condition sensors.

16. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 15, wherein said control panel has means for activating the system and means for providing an indication that the automobile is safe to be lifted, said control panel further including instruction indicia printed thereon.

17. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 11, wherein a first set of recesses is defined in the lower portion of the housing adjacent the upper end thereof for releasably receiving the first set of stop members therein, and a second set of recesses is defined in the piston adjacent the upper end thereof for releasably receiving the second set of stop members therein.

18. A pneumatic jack system adapted for mounting on an automobile, comprising:

at least one pneumatic jack adapted for being integrally mounted beneath an automobile adjacent at least one wheel thereof, the at least one pneumatic jack having a housing and a piston extendable from the housing, the piston having opposed upper and lower ends and a foot attached to the lower end thereof;

at least one support bar having opposed fixed and free ends, the fixed end being pivotally mounted to the housing of the at least one pneumatic jack, so that when the piston extends from the housing, the at least one support bar pivots to extend between the housing and the foot, providing vertical support for the housing;

a pneumatic pump adapted for mounting beneath the automobile for providing compressed air;

at least one hose line connected between the pneumatic pump and the at least one pneumatic jack;

a control system having means for controlling the pneumatic pump to provide pneumatic fluid to the at least one pneumatic jack via the at least one hose line, the piston of the at least one pneumatic jack being extendable from beneath the automobile upon receiving compressed air from the pneumatic pump for a distance sufficient to engage the ground and raise the wheel adjacent the jack above the ground;

at least one first spring-biased stop member mounted to the housing adjacent the fixed end of the at least one support bar, so that when the at least one support bar extends between the housing and the foot, the at least one first stop member releasably prevents pivoting of the at least one support bar; and

at least one second spring-biased stop member mounted adjacent the upper end of the piston, so that when the piston is in an extended state with respect to the housing, the at least one second stop member resiliently engages a lower annular wall of the housing to releasably maintain the piston in the extended state with respect thereto.

19. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 18, wherein at least one first recess is defined in the housing adjacent the fixed end of the at least one support bar for releasably receiving the at least one first stop member therein, and at least one second recess is defined in the piston adjacent the upper end thereof for releasably receiving the at least one second stop member therein.

20. The pneumatic jack system according to claim 18, wherein said control system further comprises a plurality of condition sensors for determining safety criteria upon actuation of the system.