Cordless wheel lifts

• US 9,566,826 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Industrial U.S., Inc. (Ingersoll Rand, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Company (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Yaschur, Jefferey Clifford
• Primary Examiner(s): Hail, Joseph J
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALL JR, TYRONE VINCENT
• Application Number:
  US14/634,459
• Publication Number:
  US 20160251205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: B66F 7/246 Wheel supporting trolleys

Abstract

In at least one illustrative embodiment, a lift may comprise a support frame, a pair of lift arms pivotally coupled to the support frame and configured to support a motor vehicle tire, and a powertrain including a motor and a pair of pull rods, each of the pull rods being coupled between the motor and one of the pair of lift arms. The powertrain is operable to move the pair of lift arms between a first position, in which the second end of each of the lift arms is positioned a first distance above the support frame, and a second position, in which the second end of each of the lift arms is positioned a second distance above the support frame, the second distance being greater than the first distance.

Claims

1. A lift comprising:

a support frame;

a pair of lift arms, each of the lift arms including a first end pivotally coupled to the support frame and a second end opposite the first end, the second ends of the pair of lift arms being configured to engage a motor vehicle tire such that the pair of lift arms cooperatively support the tire; and

a powertrain including a motor and a pair of pull rods, each of the pull rods being coupled between the motor and one of the pair of lift arms, a means for relative movement of the motor with the support frame in a vertical direction and restrained from movement relative to the support frame in horizontal directions;

wherein the powertrain is operable to move the pair of lift arms between a first position, in which the second end of each of the lift arms is positioned a first distance above the support frame, and a second position, in which the second end of each of the lift arms is positioned a second distance above the support frame, the second distance being greater than the first distance.

2. The lift of claim 1, wherein the powertrain further comprises a pair of output shafts, each of the pair of output shafts being coupled between the motor and one of the pair of pull rods.

3. The lift of claim 2, wherein:

the motor includes a rotor shaft; and

the powertrain further includes a gear reduction mechanism coupled between the rotor shaft and the pair of output shafts.

4. The lift of claim 3, wherein the gear reduction mechanism is configured to prevent undesired movement of the pair of lift arms when the motor vehicle tire is supported on the pair of lift arms.

5. The lift of claim 2, wherein:

each of the pair of pull rods includes external threads;

each of the pair of output shafts includes internal threads that engage the external threads of one of the pair of pull rods; and

the pair of output shafts are configured to transmit rotational power from the motor to the pair of pull rods to cause the pair of pull rods to move inwardly and outwardly relative to the pair of output shafts to move the pair of lift arms between the first and second positions.

6. The lift of claim 1, further comprising a housing supported by the support frame, wherein the motor is positioned within the housing, a first portion of each of the pull rods is covered by the housing, and a second portion of each of the pull rods extends outside of the housing between the housing and one of the pair of lift arms.

7. The lift of claim 6, wherein the housing is formed to include a cutout sized to receive a power source, the power source being configured to supply power to the motor when the power source is received in the cutout.

8. The lift of claim 7, wherein the power source comprises a cordless power tool battery.

9. The lift of claim 7, wherein:

the housing is formed to include a pair of storage trays; and

the cutout sized to receive the power source is positioned between the pair of storage trays.

10. The lift of claim 6, further comprising a switch coupled to the housing, the switch being configured to control operation of the motor.

11. The lift of claim 10, wherein the switch comprises a pedal positioned beneath the housing.

12. A lift comprising:

a support frame including a pedestal;

a pair of lift arms, each of the lift arms including a first end pivotally coupled to the support frame and a second end opposite the first end, the second ends of the pair of lift arms being configured to engage a motor vehicle tire such that the pair of lift arms cooperatively support the tire;

a powertrain supported on the pedestal and operable to move the pair of lift arms between a first position, in which the second end of each of the lift arms is positioned a first distance above the support frame, and a second position, in which the second end of each of the lift arms is positioned a second distance above the support frame, the second distance being greater than the first distance; and

a means for relative movement of the powertrain to the pedestal in a vertical direction when the pair of lift arms moves between the first and second positions.

13. The lift of claim 12, wherein the pedestal extends in the vertical direction to define an axis and is shaped to constrain the powertrain against rotation about the axis.

14. The lift of claim 12, wherein the powertrain is restrained from movement relative to the pedestal in a first horizontal direction when the pair of lift arms move between the first and second positions.

15. The lift of claim 14, wherein the powertrain comprises a pair of pull rods, each of the pull rods being coupled to one of the pair of lift arms such that movement of the pair of pull rods relative to the housing along a second horizontal direction causes the pair of lift arms to move between the first and second positions, the second horizontal direction being perpendicular to the first horizontal direction.

16. The lift of claim 12, further comprising a housing supported on the support frame, the housing including a central body and a pair of housing arms coupled to the central body and extending outwardly therefrom in opposite directions.

17. The lift of claim 16, wherein:

the central body defines an interior space;

each of the housing arms is formed to include a bore extending therethrough to open into the interior space; and

the powertrain comprises a pair of pull rods, each of the pull rods being coupled to one of the pair of lift arms and extending through one of the bores formed in the housing arms.

18. The lift of claim 16, wherein:

each housing arm is formed to include a channel that defines a storage tray; and

the central body is formed to include a cutout sized to receive a cordless power tool battery.

19. The lift of claim 16, further comprising a switch coupled to the central body, the switch being configured to control operation of the powertrain.

20. The lift of claim 19, wherein the switch comprises a pedal positioned beneath the central body.