Tire Jack and Trolley

• US 20170066286A1
• Filed: 09/07/2016
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anna Rucchetto
• Original Assignee: Anna Rucchetto
• Inventors: Rucchetto, Anna
• Granted Patent: US 10,226,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 29/001 comprising lifting or aligning means B60B29/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 29/002 provided with a dolly
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 29/003 Wrenches, e.g. of the ratchet type B60B29/001 takes precedence; wrenches per se B25B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 30/02 engaging the tyre, e.g. the tyre being mounted on the wheel rim
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 30/10 characterised by being provided on a dolly
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2202/031 Wheels, tires
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49492 Land wheel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49902 by manipulating aligning means

Abstract

In one embodiment, there is provided an apparatus for retaining and moving an automobile tire, and which includes a pair of tire engagement roller assemblies and a lever actuator assembly coupled to the roller assemblies. The roller assembly includes a movable base frame and a tire engaging roller rotatably coupled to the base frame, and the lever actuator assembly includes a lever arm, a link arm pivotally coupled to the lever arm along a length thereof, and a retention bar for selectively holding the lever and link arms in a fixed position relative to each other. Longitudinal end portions of the lever and link arms are rotatably coupled to associated said roller assemblies. Rotational movement of the lever arm towards a generally upright position effects inward movement of the roller assemblies towards each other to mount the tire disposed therebetween.

Claims

1. An apparatus for retaining and moving an automobile tire having forward and rearward end portions and generally circular interior and exterior lateral surfaces, the apparatus comprising a pair of tire engagement roller assemblies for mounting the tire thereon and a lever actuator assembly coupled to the roller assemblies for effecting relative movement thereof towards a mounting arrangement, wherein:

each said roller assembly comprises a movable base frame and a tire engaging roller rotatably coupled to the base frame along a generally horizontal rotational axis, the roller comprising first and second axial ends and an outer peripheral surface longitudinally extending between the first and second axial ends for at least partially contacting the tire, wherein the base frame is for positioning on the ground for slidable movement thereon, and wherein the respective rollers of the roller assemblies are oriented generally parallel to each other to define an inward space therebetween, and

the lever actuator assembly comprises a lever arm, a link arm pivotally coupled to the lever arm, and a retention bar for selectively holding the lever arm and the link arm in the mounting arrangement, wherein the lever arm comprises first and second longitudinal lever end portions, and the link arm comprises first and second longitudinal link end portions, each said first lever and link end portions being pivotally coupled to an associated one of the roller assemblies proximal to the first axial end of the respective roller for pivoting movement along a pivoting axis oriented generally parallel to the horizontal rotational axis, and the second link end portion being pivotally coupled to the lever arm at a linking location between the first and second lever end portions,

wherein the respective base frames of the roller assemblies are movable on the ground to position the respective rollers proximal to or to contact an associated one of the forward and rearward end portions of the tire, whereby the first axial ends of the rollers are proximal to the exterior lateral surface, and the tire is located in the inward space interposed between the rollers, wherein pivoting movement of the lever arm about the second lever end portion towards a generally upright orientation effects the slidable movement of one or both of the base frames inwardly towards each other to thereby mount the tire on the respective rollers in the mounting arrangement.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is for retaining and moving the tire from the ground, wherein the pivoting movement of the lever arm about the second lever end portion towards the generally upright orientation effects the slidable movement of one or both of the base frames inwardly towards each other to thereby wedgingly displace the tire located in the inward space upwardly from the ground onto the respective rollers.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base frame comprises a transverse frame bar and a pair of lateral frame bars each extending from an associated axial end portion of the transverse frame bar in a substantially normal orientation thereto towards the inward space, the base frame further comprising a pair of generally upwardly extending roller retention brackets coupled to an associated one of the lateral frame bars for rotatably mounting the tire engaging roller therebetween.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the tire engaging roller defines an axially open roller pin receiving bore in general alignment with the rotational axis, and each said roller retention bracket defines a roller pin receiving aperture, the tire engagement roller assembly further comprising a roller pin received through the bore and the aperture, wherein the roller pin comprises a mating end portion positioned to extend further laterally outwardly from one said bracket located proximal to the first axial end of the roller, and the first lever and link end portions each define a mating end receiving opening, the mating end portion being received through the mating end receiving opening, whereby one said bracket located proximal to the first axial end is interposed between the first axial end and the first lever or link end portion.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tire engagement roller assembly further comprises a plurality of casters secured to the base frame for effecting the slidable movement thereof on the ground, and wherein the tire engaging roller comprises a pair of axially disposed tire stop radial flanges each extending outwardly from the outer peripheral surface to impede lateral movement of the automobile tire off the roller.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the retention bar is pivotally coupled to the lever arm between the linking location and the first lever end portion, and the lever actuator assembly further comprises a locking bolt coupled to the link arm between the first and second link end portions, the retention bar defining along a length an elongated slot for slidably receiving the locking bolt therethrough, wherein the locking bolt is operable to selectively hold the retention bar at a locking position along the elongated slot, thereby locking the link arm and the lever arm in the mounting arrangement.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a height ratio of a total height of the tire engagement roller assembly to a diameter of the tire is between about 0.05 and about 0.4, and wherein the tire engaging roller has a length between about 15 cm and about 60 cm, and the outer peripheral surface of the roller comprises a rubber material or lining for frictional engagement with a tread area of the tire, wherein in the mounting arrangement, the tire is rotatable on the rollers with counter rotation of the rollers.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lever arm has a length between about 50 cm and about 120 cm, a length ratio between a length of the link arm and the length of the lever arm being between about 0.3 and about 0.7, and the linking location is spaced from a longitudinal end of the lever arm proximal to the first lever end portion between about 20 cm and about 50 cm.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lever arm comprises a foldable lever arm having first and second foldable sections rotatably coupled to each other in an end-to-end orientation, the first and second foldable sections being positioned to respectively form the first and second lever end portions, and the lever actuator assembly further comprises a generally horizontal handle coupled to the second foldable section to extend laterally outwardly therefrom.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the respective tire engaging rollers of the tire engagement roller assemblies each comprise a selectively inflatable tire engaging roller operable to selectively inflate, thereby increasing a diameter of the roller to effect general vertical movement of the automobile tire in the mounting arrangement, and wherein one or both said tire engagement roller assemblies further comprise a roller actuator for selectively rotating the roller, thereby effecting relative rotation and alignment of the tire for attachment to an automobile.

23. A process for attaching an automobile tire to an automobile, the automobile having a wheel hub provided with a lateral wheel contact surface and a plurality of wheel studs extending laterally outwardly from the surface, and the tire having forward and rearward end portions and generally circular interior and exterior lateral surfaces, wherein the tire defines a plurality of wheel stud holes for receiving the associated wheel studs therethrough, and wherein the process comprises:

providing the apparatus as defined in claim 1 and the tire on the ground;

moving the respective base frames of the roller assemblies on the ground to position the respective rollers proximal to or to contact an associated one of the forward and rearward end portions of the tire, whereby the first axial ends of the rollers are proximal to the exterior lateral surface, and the tire is located in the inward space between the rollers;

pivoting the lever arm about the second lever end portion towards the generally upright orientation to effect the slidable movement of one or both of the base frames inwardly towards each other, thereby wedgingly displacing the tire located in the inward space upwardly from the ground onto the respective rollers;

moving the apparatus and the tire mounted on the rollers adjacent to the automobile and proximal to the wheel hub, and rotating the tire on the rollers to align the wheel stud holes of the tire with the wheel studs of the automobile; and

further moving the apparatus and the tire mounted on the rollers to receive the wheel studs through the wheel stud holes, and to at least partially contact the interior lateral surface of the tire with the wheel contact surface of the wheel hub, and threadably engaging lug nuts to the wheel studs to thereby secure the tire to the automobile.

11. An apparatus for retaining and moving an automobile tire having forward and rearward end portions and generally circular interior and exterior lateral surfaces, the apparatus comprising a pair of tire engagement roller assemblies for mounting the tire thereon and an actuator assembly coupled to the roller assemblies for effecting relative movement thereof towards a mounting arrangement, wherein:

each said roller assembly comprises a movable base frame and a tire engaging roller rotatably coupled to the base frame along a generally horizontal rotational axis, the roller comprising first and second axial ends and an outer peripheral surface longitudinally extending between the first and second axial ends for at least partially contacting the tire, wherein the base frame is for positioning on the ground for slidable movement thereon, and wherein the respective rollers of the roller assemblies are oriented generally parallel to each other to define an inward space therebetween,

wherein the respective base frames of the roller assemblies are movable on the ground to position the respective rollers proximal to or to contact an associated one of the forward and rearward end portions of the tire, whereby the first axial ends of the rollers are proximal to the exterior lateral surface, and the tire is located in the inward space interposed between the rollers, wherein the actuator assembly is operable to effect the slidable movement of one or both of the base frames inwardly towards each other to thereby mount the tire on the respective rollers in the mounting arrangement.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the base frame comprises a transverse frame bar and a pair of lateral frame bars each extending from an associated axial end portion of the transverse frame bar in a substantially normal orientation thereto towards the inward space, the base frame further comprising a pair of generally upwardly extending roller retention brackets coupled to an associated one of the lateral frame bars for rotatably mounting the tire engaging roller therebetween.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the tire engagement roller assembly further comprises a plurality of casters secured to the base frame for effecting the slidable movement thereof on the ground, and wherein the tire engaging roller comprises a pair of axially disposed tire stop radial flanges each extending outwardly from the outer peripheral surface to impede lateral movement of the automobile tire off the roller.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a height ratio of a total height of the tire engagement roller assembly to a diameter of the tire is between about 0.05 and about 0.4, and wherein the tire engaging roller has a length between about 15 cm and about 60 cm, and the outer peripheral surface of the roller comprises a rubber material or lining for frictional engagement with a tread area of the tire, wherein in the mounting arrangement, the tire is rotatable on the rollers with counter rotation of the rollers.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the respective tire engaging rollers of the tire engagement roller assemblies each comprise a selectively inflatable tire engaging roller operable to selectively inflate, thereby increasing a diameter of the roller to effect general vertical movement of the automobile tire in the mounting arrangement, and wherein one or both said tire engagement roller assemblies further comprise a roller actuator for selectively rotating the roller, thereby effecting relative rotation and alignment of the tire for attachment to an automobile.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the actuator assembly is a lever actuator assembly comprising a lever arm and a link arm pivotally coupled to the lever arm, wherein the lever arm comprises first and second longitudinal lever end portions, and the link arm comprises first and second longitudinal link end portions, each said first lever and link end portions being pivotally coupled to an associated one of the roller assemblies proximal to the first axial end of the respective roller for pivoting movement along a pivoting axis oriented generally parallel to the horizontal rotational axis, and the second link end portion being pivotally coupled to the lever arm at a linking location between the first and second lever end portions,

wherein pivoting movement of the lever arm about the second lever end portion towards a generally upright orientation effects the slidable movement of one or both of the base frames inwardly towards each other to thereby mount the tire on the respective rollers in the mounting arrangement.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is for retaining and moving the tire from the ground, wherein the pivoting movement of the lever arm about the second lever end portion towards the generally upright orientation effects the slidable movement of one or both of the base frames inwardly towards each other to thereby wedgingly displace the tire located in the inward space upwardly from the ground onto the respective rollers.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the tire engaging roller defines an axially open roller pin receiving bore in general alignment with the rotational axis, and each said roller retention bracket defines a roller pin receiving aperture, the tire engagement roller assembly further comprising a roller pin received through the bore and the aperture, wherein the roller pin comprises a mating end portion positioned to extend further laterally outwardly from one said bracket located proximal to the first axial end of the roller, and the first lever and link end portions each define a mating end receiving opening, the mating end portion being received through the mating end receiving opening, whereby one said bracket located proximal to the first axial end is interposed between the first axial end and the first lever or link end portion.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the lever arm has a length between about 50 cm and about 120 cm, a length ratio between a length of the link arm and the length of the lever arm being between about 0.3 and about 0.7, and the linking location is spaced from a longitudinal end of the lever arm proximal to the first lever end portion between about 20 cm and about 50 cm.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the lever arm comprises a foldable lever arm having first and second foldable sections rotatably coupled to each other in an end-to-end orientation, the first and second foldable sections being positioned to respectively form the first and second lever end portions, and the lever actuator assembly further comprises a generally horizontal handle coupled to the second foldable section to extend laterally outwardly therefrom.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the lever actuator assembly further comprises a retention bar for selectively holding the lever arm and the link arm in the mounting arrangement, the retention bar being removably or movably coupled to the lever arm between the linking location and the first lever end portion, and the link arm between the first and second link end portions.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the retention bar is pivotally coupled to the lever arm, and the lever actuator assembly further comprises a locking bolt coupled to the link arm, the retention bar defining along a length an elongated slot for slidably receiving the locking bolt therethrough, wherein the locking bolt is operable to selectively hold the retention bar at a locking position along the elongated slot, thereby locking the link arm and the lever arm in the mounting arrangement.