Lifting assembly

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6484364
  • Patent Number
    6,484,364
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, April 18, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, November 26, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
A lifting assembly for a chassis having structural members wherein the lifting assembly comprises a first lift handle sub-assembly and a second lift handle sub-assembly. Each lift handle sub-assembly includes a first lifting bracket slidably mounted to a first chassis structural member and a second lifting bracket slidably mounted to a second chassis structural member positioned from the first lifting bracket. A lift handle is attached at each end thereof to one end of the first and second lifting brackets. Attached to a second end of the first and second lifting brackets is a lower stop bar sliding within the chassis structural-members. Attached to the chassis structural members in the path of movement of the lower stop bar is a slide stop bar that establishes the limit of movement of the lift handle to a gripping position.
Description




TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION




This invention. relates to a lifting assembly and, more particularly, a low-profile lifting assembly retractable within a chassis structure.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Presently available commercial and military handle lifting assemblies are large and bulky and not suitable for use in an environment that requires a small footprint and retractable within a chassis structure. In addition, existing lifting assemblies are unnecessarily complex and expensive to manufacture and many designs expose a user to hand injury. In addition, available lifting assemblies are not designed for comfortable use with non-slip grip features.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention comprises a lifting assembly having first and second lift handles, each retractably mounted within structural members of a chassis to distribute weight to the chassis structure. Each lift handle comprises a first lifting bracket slidably mounted within and to a chassis structural member and a second lifting bracket also slidably mounted within and to a chassis structural member in a position displaced from the first lifting bracket. Attached to one end of the first and second lifting brackets is a lifting bar, wherein the lifting bar is attached on each end thereof to one end of the first and second lifting brackets. A lower stop bar is attached at each end thereof to a second end of the first and second lifting brackets, the lower stop bar is slidable within the structural members with movement of the first and second lifting brackets. Attached to the chassis structural members is a slide stop bar. The slide stop bar is positioned in the path of movement of the lower stop bar to limit displacement thereof and thereby establish a gripping position for the lifting bar.




Further in accordance with the present invention, the first and second lifting brackets, the lower stop bar and the slide stop bar are mounted within the chassis to maintain EMI/RFI integrity for utilization of the chassis to support radio equipment.




Further in accordance with the present invention, the lifting assembly provides the technical advantage of distributing weight along chassis structural members, hereby minimizing concentration of lifting forces.




Further, the lifting assembly provides the advantage of a low profile, simplicity in structural members, and assembly into a chassis.




Other technical advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, description, and claims.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.





FIG. 1

is an isometric drawing illustrating a chassis for radio equipment with the lifting assembly of the present invention installed on opposite sides of the chassis with one of the two lift handles shown extended into a lifting position;





FIG. 2

is an isometric drawing of the chassis of

FIG. 1

rotated 180° and illustrating one of the lifting bars of the lifting assembly of the present invention in a stowed position;





FIG. 3

is an isometric drawing illustrating the chassis of

FIG. 1

rotated 180° with the top, each end and sides of the chassis removed to illustrate details of the lifting assembly of the present invention;





FIG. 4

is an isometric drawing illustrating the chassis of

FIG. 1

with the top, each end and the sides removed to further illustrate the chassis structure with the lifting assembly mounted thereto;





FIG. 5

is a side view of the chassis of

FIG. 4

illustrating the assembly of elements of one of the lift handles of the lifting assembly of the present invention;





FIG. 6

is an isometric drawing illustrating one of the two lift handles of the lifting assembly of

FIG. 5

; and





FIG. 7

is a side view of the chassis of

FIG. 5

illustrating the interaction of one of the lift handles with a slide stop bar attached to chassis structural members.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




Referring to the FIGURES, there is illustrated a chassis


10


for supporting radio equipment or other electronic or non-electronic hardware. That chassis


10


is retractably mounted on a slide assembly


12


attached to a side panel


14


of the chassis. The top and each end cover of the chassis


10


have been removed for clarity in describing the lifting assembly of the present invention.




As illustrated, the lifting assembly includes a first lift handle


16


, shown in an extended lifting position, and a second lift handle


18


shown retracted into a storage position. The chassis


10


includes vertical structural members


20


,


22


,


24


and


26


, top horizontal structural members


28


,


30


,


32


and


34


, along with bottom structural members


36


,


38


,


40


and


42


all assembled into the chassis


10


.




As illustrated in FIG.


1


and

FIGS. 3-7

, attached to vertical structural members


22


and


24


is a slide stop bar


44


and attached to vertical structural members


20


and


26


is a slide stop bar


46


.




As best illustrated in

FIGS. 4

,


5


,


6


and


7


, the lift handle


16


and the lift handle


18


are coupled to a first lifting bracket


48


and a second lifting bracket


50


. Attached to one end of the first lifting bracket


48


and to one end of the second lifting bracket


50


is the lifting handle


16


or


18


. The lift handle


16


and the lift handle


18


are sleeved with silicone rubber for an improved gripping surface and to minimize slippage in the hands of a user of the assembly.




Attached to a second end of the first lifting bracket


48


and the second lifting bracket


50


is a lower stop bar


54


.




As best illustrated in

FIGS. 4 and 5

, the first lifting bracket


48


and the second lifting bracket


50


are slidably mounted to vertical structural members behind the cover


14


as illustrated in FIG.


1


. As such, the first lifting bracket


48


and the second lifting bracket


50


are fully captive within the chassis frame. Also, as best illustrated in

FIGS. 1

,


2


,


3


,


4


,


5


and


7


, the lower lift bar


54


moves from a stowed position to a lifting position. When in a lifting position, the lower stop bar


54


contacts the slide stop bar


44


or


46


along the length thereof. This lengthwise contact distributes the weight of the chassis


10


when carried by the lift handles


16


and


18


.




As illustrated and described, the various parts of the lift handle


16


and the lift handle


18


are the same, allowing simplicity and cost-effective manufacture. Because the first lifting bracket


48


and the second lifting bracket


50


are confined within the chassis structure, EMI/RFI integrity is maintained. With both lift handles


16


and


18


in a retracted or stowed position, there is substantially no protrusion outside the chassis envelope, thereby enabling the chassis to fit within a smaller confinement. In addition, since the first lifting bracket


48


and the second lifting bracket


50


are slidably mounted to vertical structural members, the weight of the chassis, when lifted, is placed along the strongest structural members on each side of the chassis


10


.




Although the invention and the advantages thereof have been described in detail for a preferred embodiment, it should be understand that various changes, substitutions and alterations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.



Claims
  • 1. A lift assembly retractably mounted within a chassis, comprising:a chassis having first and second structural members; a first lifting bracket slidably mounted to the first structural member; a second lifting bracket slidably mounted to the second structural member; a lift handle attached to the first and second lifting brackets; a lower stop bar attached to the first and second lifting brackets, the lower stop bar slidable within the chassis along with the first lifting bracket and the second lifting bracket, and a slide stop bar attached to the first and second structural members in a path of movement of the lower stop bar to limit movement thereof and thereby limit movement of the lift handle to a gripping position outside the chassis.
  • 2. The lift handle as in claim 1, further comprising:a coating covering the lift handle to improve the gripping surface thereof.
  • 3. A lifting assembly comprising first and second lift handle sub-assemblies, each retractably mounted on opposite sides of and within a chassis, each lift handle sub-assembly comprising:first and second chassis structural members; a first lifting bracket slidably mounted to the first structural member; a second lifting bracket slidably mounted to the second structural member; a lift handle attached to the first and second lifting brackets; a lower stop bar attached to the first and second lifting brackets, the lower stop bar slidable within the chassis along with the first lifting bracket and the second lifting bracket; and a slide stop bar attached to the first and second structural members in a path of movement of the lower stop bar to limit movement thereof and thereby limit movement of the lift handle to a gripping position outside the chassis.
  • 4. The lifting assembly as in claim 3, wherein each lift handle sub-assembly further comprises:a coating covering the lift handle to improve the gripping surface thereof.
  • 5. A lift assembly retractably mounted within a chassis, comprising:a chassis having a first structural member, a second structural member, a third structural member, and a fourth structural member; a first lifting bracket slidably mounted to the first structural member; a second lifting bracket slidably mounted to the second structural member; a first lift handle attached to the first and second lifting brackets; a first lower stop bar attached to the first and second lifting brackets, the first lower stop bar slidable within the chassis along with the first lifting bracket and the second lifting bracket; a first slide stop bar attached to the first and second structural members in the path of movement of the first lower stop bar to limit movement thereof and thereby limit movement of the first lift handle to a gripping position outside the chassis; a third lifting bracket slidably mounted to the third structural member; a fourth lifting bracket slidably mounted to the fourth structural member; a second lift handle attached to the third and fourth lifting brackets; a second lower stop bar attached to the third and fourth lifting brackets, the second lower stop bar slidable within the chassis along with the third lifting bracket and the fourth lifting bracket; and a second slide stop bar attached to the third and fourth structural members in a path of movement of the second lower stop bar to limit movement thereof and thereby limit movement of the second lift handle to a gripping position outside the chassis.
  • 6. The lifting assembly as in claim 5 wherein the chassis further comprises a first recess for accepting the first lift handle when in a retracted position and a second recess for accepting the second lift handle when in a retracted position.
  • 7. The lifting assembly as in claim 5 wherein the first lifting bracket, the second lifting bracket, the third lifting bracket, and the fourth lifting bracket are confined within the chassis, thereby maintaining EMI/RFI integrity.
  • 8. A lifting assembly comprising first and second lift handle sub-assemblies, each retractably mounted on opposite sides of and within a chassis, each lift handle sub-assembly comprising:first and second chassis structural members; a first lifting bracket slidably mounted to the first chassis structural member within the chassis; a second lifting bracket slidably mounted to the second chassis structural member within the chassis; a lift handle attached to the first and second lifting brackets; a lower stop bar attached to the first and second lifting brackets, the lower stop bar slidable within the chassis along with the first lifting bracket and the second lifting bracket; and a slide stop bar attached to the first and second chassis structural members along one side of the chassis and in a path of movement of the lower stop bar to engage the lower stop bar to distribute the weight of the chassis along the slide stop bar and to limit movement of the lower stop bar and thereby limit movement of the lift handle to a gripping position outside of the chassis.
  • 9. The lifting assembly as in claim 8 wherein the chassis comprises a first recess for accepting the first lift handle when in a retracted position and a second recess for accepting the second lift handle when in a retracted position.
  • 10. The lifting assembly as in claim 8 wherein the first lifting bracket and the second lifting bracket of each lift handle sub-assembly are confined within the chassis, thereby maintaining EMI/RFI integrity.
  • 11. A lift assembly retractably mounted in a chassis to chassis structural members, comprising:a first lifting bracket slidably mounted within the chassis to a first chassis structural member; a second lifting bracket slidably mounted within the chassis to a second chassis structural member; a lift handle attached to the first and second lifting brackets; a lower stop bar attached to the first and second lifting brackets, the lower stop bar slidable within the chassis along with the first lifting bracket and the second lifting bracket; a slide stop bar mounted within the chassis and attached to the chassis structural members in a path of movement of the lower stop bar to engage the lower stop bar and limit movement thereof and thereby limit movement of the lift handle to a gripping position outside the chassis structural members; and a side panel attached to the first chassis structural member and the second chassis structural member to enclose the first lifting bracket, the second lifting bracket, the lower stop bar and the slide stop bar within the chassis.
  • 12. The lifting assembly as in claim 11 wherein the chassis further comprises a recess for accepting the lift handle when in a retracted position.
  • 13. The lifting assembly as in claim 11 wherein the first lifting bracket, the second lifting bracket, the lower stop bar, and the slide stop bar are confined within the chassis, thereby maintaining EMI/RFI integrity.
RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Serial No. 60/198,408, filed Apr. 19, 2000, entitled Lifting Assembly.

US Referenced Citations (14)
Number Name Date Kind
2453835 Donkin Nov 1948 A
3167808 Lindenberg et al. Feb 1965 A
3988802 Bruni et al. Nov 1976 A
4374188 Campbell et al. Feb 1983 A
4727620 Gummelt Mar 1988 A
4895231 Yamaguchi et al. Jan 1990 A
4970625 Belanger et al. Nov 1990 A
5011198 Gruenberg et al. Apr 1991 A
5075926 Jeong Dec 1991 A
5131708 Denzin Jul 1992 A
5279443 Koda et al. Jan 1994 A
5317795 Bolton et al. Jun 1994 A
5845978 Jung Dec 1998 A
5961194 Shaw Oct 1999 A
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number Date Country
649 054 Apr 1985 CH
87 09 739.7 Aug 1988 DE
0 869 071 Oct 1998 EP
Provisional Applications (1)
Number Date Country
60/198408 Apr 2000 US