Patent Application
20080056867
Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and detailed description to indicate like elements.
As shown in the Figures for purposes of illustration, the present invention is concerned with a server lift, generally designated in the accompanying drawings by the reference number 10. The server lift 10 is designed to facilitate the process of lifting, lowering, and mounting rack-mounted equipment such as computer servers, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), phone switching equipment, KBM switches, and the like.
An embodiment of the server lift 10 is shown in
The base unit 12 is preferably substantially rectangular in shape. However, the base 12 may be formed in some other shape without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is only necessary that the base unit 12 provide sufficient support for the server lift 10 that it may operate as a lifting device. In general, the base unit 12 lies substantially parallel to a ground surface. However, the server lift 10 may have a base unit 12 that does not lie substantially parallel to a ground surface. For example, the base unit 12 may slope up or down allowing wheels of different sizes to be placed at the front and the back of the server lift 10.
The bottom surface 14 of the base unit 12 is dimensioned to couple four wheels 16(a), 16(b), 16(c) and 16(d) thereto. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the wheels 16(a), 16(b), 16(c) and 16(d) are caster wheels. The caster wheels will allow the server lift 10 to move in any direction in the X-Y plane.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the front caster wheels 16(a) and 16(b) can be locked to prevent their rotation about the vertical axis with caster pins 18 (
Base unit 12 houses a stabilizer system 54 (
While the embodiment in the Figures show a pair of stabilizing legs 60, it should be noted there may be more than two stabilizing legs 60 and the stabilizing legs 60 may be formed in different configurations with varying sizes and locations. It should also be noted that the stabilizing legs 60 could be deployed by different means. For example, instead of two pedals to raise and lower the stabilizing legs, one or more levers may be used to raise and lower the stabilizing legs. Alternatively, buttons could be added to control panel 50 that cause an electric motor to raise and lower them. Another possibility is that stabilizing legs 60 be automatically raised and lowered by a computer device when they are needed. Finally, it should be noted that an alternative embodiment of server lift 10 may not have stabilizing system 54.
The vertical beam 22 is coupled to base unit 12. The vertical beam 22 having a channel which runs a length of the vertical beam 22 to form a substantially “U” shape housing. In the interior section of the “U” shape housing of the vertical beam 22 is a telescoping beam 28. A plurality of cam followers 26 are coupled to an inner rear surface 24 of the vertical beam 22.
The telescoping beam 28 is dimensioned to fit inside the “U” shape housing of the vertical beam 22. The telescoping beam 28 is coupled to the vertical beam 22 by means of a plurality of ridges 32 and the corresponding cam followers 26. As shown in
A pulley slide 38 is coupled to telescoping beam 28 by means of a group of plurality of ridges 36 and cam followers 40. The inner surface 34 of the telescoping beam 28 has a plurality of ridges 36 that run vertically along a length of telescoping beam 28. The vertical ridges 36 are couple to the plurality of cam followers 40 that are coupled to the outer surface 42 of the pulley slide 38. The cam followers 40 allow the pulley slide 38 to slide up and down telescoping beam 28.
The combination of the plurality of ridges 32 and corresponding cam followers 26 that couple the vertical beam 22 to telescoping beam 28 and the plurality of ridges 36 and cam followers 40 that couple the telescoping beam 28 to the pulley slid 38 prevent those structures from rotating inside the vertical beam 22. This will lessen the torsional stress that may be applied on the vertical beam 22. Because the combination of ridges and cam followers prevent rotation, they add to the stability of the server lift 10, as well as to the controllability and safety of the server lift 10. It should be noted, however, that an alternative embodiment of the server lift 10 could be developed with a different design of ridges and cam followers. For example, a different number of ridges and cam followers could be used. Any structure that can be housed inside the vertical beam 22 and that prevents rotation of the telescoping beam 28 and the pulley slide 38 would be suitable for the server lift 10.
The pulley slide 38 is coupled to a horizontal surface 46. The horizontal surface 46 is substantially rectangular in shape (though other shapes could be used) and is preferably constructed from a rigid material such as steel. The horizontal surface 46 has a sliding surface 48 that can be slid out of the horizontal surface 46 to the left or to the right of the horizontal surface and away from a side of server lift 10. The sliding surface 48 allows a user to easily navigate the server lift 10 relatively close to a server cabinet and then extend the sliding surface 48 proximate to the server cabinet 10. Without the sliding surface 48, a user would have to negotiate the entire server lift proximate the server cabinet which may be very difficult as server lifts are relatively large and bulky and difficult to maneuver. Additionally, as the sliding surface 46 projects from the side of the server lift 10, its position can be seen by a user operating the server lift 10. This allows the user to more easily move the server lift 10 to line up the sliding surface 48 with the server cabinet shelf. A locking handle 49 is coupled to the horizontal surface 46. The locking handle 49 allows a user to lock the sliding surface 48 into place thereby minimizing the risk that the sliding surface 48 would change its position while the server lift 10 is being used.
The server lift 10 uses a pulley system 44 to raise and lower the horizontal surface 46. The pulley system 44 is coupled to an electric motor 20, vertical beam 22, telescoping beam 28, and pulley slide 38. The pulley system 44 is centrally coupled to the vertical beam 22. This prevents torque and bending of the pulley system 44 when in use. In raising the horizontal surface 46, the electric motor 20 exerts force on the pulley system 44 which pulls the pulley slide 38 upwards along telescoping beam 28. As the pulley slide 38 gets higher, the telescoping beam 28 can extend from the vertical beam 22 allowing the horizontal surface 46 to be raised above the vertical beam 22 (
The electric motor 20 (
The server lift 10 is controlled through a control panel 50 (
The elevation controls 52 are generally toggle switches. By holding the toggle switch in one direction, the horizontal surface 46 will accelerate in that direction. Once the toggle switch is released, the horizontal surface 46 will stop. A single tab on the toggle switch will move the horizontal surface 46 incrementally in a respective direction. Thus, the elevation controls 52 allow for provide precise control and rapid movement of the horizontal surface 46.
Handles 62 are coupled to the vertical beam 22. The handles 62 allow a user to maneuver the server lift 10. It should be noted that additional handles could be located elsewhere on server lift 10 or, in fact, fewer handles could be located on server lift 10 without substantially changing the invention. The handles 62 allow a user to push, pull, or turn the server lift 10 in a desired direction.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
