The invention relates to a lifting device for lifting and lowering vehicles or loads and to a lifting platform consisting of such lifting devices.
WO 2020/230079 A1 discloses a two-column lifting platform, which is constructed from two lifting devices lying opposite each other. These lifting devices comprise a base body on which a support is guided so as to be moveable up and down. Each support receives an articulated arm via a first joint, which articulated arm comprises a further joint at its free end. A retaining tube is pivotably provided on this joint and receives a support arm in each end portion in an extendable manner. The lifting columns are oriented at an angle deviating from 90° to the direction of travel of a vehicle when it is moved in between the two lifting columns.
DE 10 2018 105 573 A1 also discloses a two-column lifting platform. This two-column lifting platform comprises two lifting columns arranged opposite each other, in which a support is moveable up and down in the vertical direction along a lifting axis. A short support arm with a load receptacle is articulated to the support and a long support arm with a load receptacle is articulated to the support. The long support arm comprises a joint and an extendable support arm portion.
DE 20 2013 102 803 U1 also discloses a two-column lifting platform. This lifting platform comprises two lifting devices opposite each other. The lifting columns are fixed to the ground. A support is moveable up and down in a vertical direction. The support comprises a housing portion, to the outer ends of which support arms are attached in an articulated manner. These support arms can be telescopic and accommodate load-bearing elements at their outer ends.
A lifting platform is known from DE 10 2015 113 253 A1 in which two lifting devices are provided which are assigned to each other in pairs. The lifting devices are rotated with respect to the receiving space as seen in the direction of entry of a vehicle. A plate-like load receptacle is provided on each support and has a drive-on region, a supporting region and a drive-off region. The vehicle is positioned with its wheels on the various supporting regions in order to then lift and lower the vehicle.
The object of the invention is to propose a lifting device and a lifting platform for lifting and lowering vehicles or loads which has a simple structure and a high degree of flexibility in use.
This object is solved by a lifting device which has a support which is moveable up and down, which is guided by a base body and comprises a guide which is fixedly connected to the support and which accommodates at least one support arm which is mounted so that it can be extended at least on one side in the horizontal direction by the guide. This arrangement enables an increased load-bearing capacity due to the fixed arrangement of the guide on the support. Furthermore, the design of the guide on the support with the at least one horizontally extendable support arm has the advantage that this lifting device can also be easily adapted to vehicles with a large wheelbase.
According to a preferred embodiment of the lifting device, the at least one support arm is mounted in the guide, and the guide has at least one hollow profile body in which the at least one support arm is guided. This enables a structurally simple design, which at the same time has a high load-bearing capacity.
A preferred embodiment of the lifting device provides that the at least one support arm and the at least one hollow profile body have geometries which are matched to one another that form an anti-rotation means. Preferably, the hollow profile body and the support arm are polygonal or oval or have an asymmetrical cross-section. In this way, an anti-rotation means can be formed in a simple manner. Preferably, the hollow profile body and the profile of the support arms are rectangular.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the at least one support arm is secured in position for guidance by a releasable connecting element. For example, a plug-in bolt or a latching element can be provided. This enables easy adjustment and adaptation of the extended or retracted position of the at least one support arm for guiding. This allows different load points to be adjusted in a simple manner.
Advantageously, the guide accommodates two support arms arranged adjacent to each other, which are provided separately from each other in each case in a hollow profile body of the guide and are preferably accommodated by two hollow body profiles lying in one plane. In this way, a space-saving arrangement can be created, which furthermore enables the design of a large working region between two opposing lifting devices forming a lifting platform.
According to an alternative embodiment, the guide has a single hollow profile body in which two support arms are mounted so as to be extendable, in particular extendable in opposite directions, the support arms being mounted in a line one behind the other or in a manner engaging in one another or in parallel next to each other in the hollow profile body.
In particular, the support arms are mounted in the guide so that they can be extended in opposite directions to each other. This allows the lifting device to be individually adapted to the axle spacing of the particular vehicle to be lifted.
According to a first embodiment, the support arms are extendable synchronously. This allows evenly distributed load conditions to act on the support arms, so that a tilting moment acting on the support and thus on the base body is reduced or eliminated. Alternatively, the support arms on the guide can be extendable independently of each other. This has the advantage that, for example, in the case of vehicles whose load distribution over the respective axles is different, an asymmetrical arrangement of the load-bearing elements in relation to the support or base body is made possible, in order to reduce or avoid any tilting moments that may occur.
The length of each hollow profile body of the guide is preferably the same, and preferably their end portions are aligned with each other. This allows the support arms to be arranged in a first position relative to each other, so that there is a small distance between the various end portions of the support arms, in order to then engage with a wheel, for example, by means of the load receptacle. The support arms can then protrude from the guide on both sides. In a second position, the support arms can be extended in the opposite direction to take up a maximum distance between the various end portions, at which load-bearing means are preferably provided.
According to a further preferred embodiment, a drive is provided on the guide which controls an extension movement of the at least one support arm. This enables, for example, a controlled or automated adjustment of the position of the at least one support arm in relation to the support of the lifting device by means of a control system of the lifting device. For example, axle distances of vehicles can be stored in the control system so that when a specific vehicle is called up, the support arms can be automatically transferred to their position of use.
A further preferred design of the lifting device provides that the support arms can be extended individually by the drive. This means that an individual extension movement of each support arm can be controlled for guidance. Alternatively, one of the two support arms can be controlled by the drive and the other support arm can be positively controlled by a gear or a coupling mechanism.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the lifting device, at least one load-bearing means is provided or can be coupled to at least one support arm, in particular to the extendable end portion of the support arm or arms. In the case of a fixed connection of the load-bearing means, such as in the case of a welded connection, the lifting device is designed for a specific application. Alternatively, however, various types of load-bearing means can be attached, screwed or otherwise fastened to the support arm. For example, connectors can be provided which form a connection between the support arm and the load-bearing means. According to one embodiment, the connectors can be permanently provided on the support arm or fixed by detachable connecting means. The load-bearing means can then be coupled to the connectors. In a further embodiment, the connector can be connected to the load-bearing means or a plurality of connectors can be connected to the one load-bearing means, so that the load-bearing means can be attached to the support arm with the connectors. This enables a quick and easy conversion of the lifting device to different applications.
The load-bearing means can be provided, for example, in the form of a wheel fork. This wheel fork can be flat or can be driven over. This means that the lifting device can be freely accessible to the underbody of the vehicle. This is particularly advantageous for vehicles with an electric motor drive, as the batteries, which are positioned in the underbody between the front and rear axles, are freely accessible. In particular, if the battery needs to be changed, free accessibility is provided. The same applies to the design of the load-bearing means as a wheel-gripping element or as a so-called shelf, i.e. a wheel contact surface. Furthermore, the load-bearing means can be provided as a pivotable support arm, which can be attached to the support arm that is extendably arranged in the guide. This additional support arm portion can also be telescopic. Furthermore, a running rail can alternatively be coupled to the two opposite end portions of the support arms, so that this lifting device can also be converted to a running rail lifting platform.
Another alternative embodiment of the load-bearing means provides that said means has a support arm portion which is L-shaped and which is oriented in the horizontal plane relative to the support arm. According to a first embodiment, a portion of the L-shaped support arm portion may form the support arm itself. Furthermore, it may be provided that a leg of the L-shaped support arm portion is extendably received in the support arm. The other leg of the support arm portion may be fixed or telescopic. The L-shaped design of the support arm portion again provides good accessibility to the underbody of a vehicle.
Furthermore, the guide arranged on the support for receiving the at least one support arm is preferably oriented parallel to a direction of entry or exit of a vehicle into or from a working space. A working space is delimited in width by two lifting devices which are assigned to each other and are opposite each other. The length of the working space is determined by the end portions of the support arms extended in opposite directions and accommodated by the guide.
A further preferred embodiment of the lifting device provides that the base body and the support are formed as a lifting column. Thus, for example, two lifting columns opposite each other can form a lifting platform. These lifting columns may be permanently mounted on the ground. Alternatively, these lifting columns can also be moveable. In particular, in the latter case, a mobile wheel-gripping lifting platform can be created in which a plurality of lifting columns opposite each other in pairs can be combined depending on the number of axles of the vehicle to be lifted. Furthermore, the base body and the support can alternatively be designed as a lifting ram. Such lifting rams may be recessed in the ground. Furthermore, alternatively, the base body and the support may be in the form of a scissor arrangement, such as a double scissor, which in particular may also be recessed in the ground.
The object underlying the invention is further solved by a lifting platform for lifting vehicles or loads, in which two lifting devices arranged opposite each other in pairs or a plurality of lifting devices arranged opposite each other in pairs are provided according to one of the above embodiments and can be actuated by a common control. This provides a high degree of flexibility in the application.
The invention and other advantageous embodiments and refinements thereof are described and explained in more detail below with reference to the examples shown in the drawings. The features to be taken from the description and the drawings can be used individually or in any combination in accordance with the invention. The drawings show:
The lifting device 12 comprises a base body 14, which in this embodiment is designed as a lifting column. The base body 14 is, for example, permanently connected to a foot plate 16, which is fixedly connected to a substrate surface. Alternatively, instead of the foot plate 16, a chassis can also be provided so that this lifting device 12 is mobile and can be moved to the desired installation location.
The base body 14 accommodates a support 17, which is provided so as to be moveable up and down along a stroke axis 15. A guide 19 is provided on the support 17 and is fixed to the support 17. This guide 19 can be formed in one part with the support 17. In this case, for example, a plug-in connection with a weld may be provided. Alternatively, the guide 19 can be detachably fixed to the support 17 via fastening elements. The guide 19 is arranged without pivoting movement in relation to the support 17.
The guide 19 comprises a first and a second hollow profile body 21, 22. These hollow profile bodies 21, 22 are provided adjacent to each other and in a horizontal plane. Preferably, the hollow profile bodies 21, 22 have the same length. Their end portions 23, 24 are preferably aligned with each other.
Preferably, each hollow profile body 21, 22 is rectangular in cross-section. Support arms 26, 27 are guided one in each of the hollow profile bodies 21, 22 so that said support arms can be extended or pulled out. This support arm 26, 27 is preferably also designed as hollow profile bodies 21, 22. The outer contour of each support arm 26, 27 preferably corresponds to an inner cross-section of the hollow profile body 21, 22. This can provide an anti-rotation means.
A sliding element, for example in the form of a plastic surface, or a guide element for reducing friction can be provided in the hollow profile body 21, 22 on at least two opposite side wall portions.
The support arms 26, 27 are shown in a maximally extended position in the exemplary embodiment according to
A drive device 30 is provided on the base body 14 or the lifting column. This drive device can be electrohydraulic, hydraulic or mechanical. Preferably, the drive device 30, such as a hydraulic unit, is provided behind a cover 31 and preferably drives a lifting cylinder. The lifting cylinder 20 moves the support 17 up and down. The drive unit 30 is monitored and actuated by a control unit 33. For example, the control 33 can be operated via a display 34. It is also possible to operate the control 33 wirelessly via a remote control.
Furthermore, an accumulator, which is not shown in more detail, is provided on the base body 14 or the lifting column. Alternatively, in the case of a fixed connection of the lifting device 12, a cable-connected power supply can also be provided.
In the embodiment shown in
The lifting devices 12 shown in
The support arms 26, 27 are preferably extendable or retractable independently of each other in their respective hollow profile bodies 21, 22. An extended position of the support arm 26, 27 or also a retracted position of the support arms 26, 27 in relation to the hollow profile body 21, 22 can preferably be secured by a releasable connecting element 36, such as a locking pin or the like. According to a first embodiment, the support arms 26, 27 are provided to be extendable or distendable manually and independently in the guide 19. In a retracted position of the support arms 26, 27, the opposite end portions 28, 29 may protrude on both sides with respect to the guide 19. This is shown for example in
The support arms 26, 27 shown in
Furthermore, markings or a hole grid can be provided on the support arms 26, 27 in order to set a position relative to the guide 19 in a predetermined grid dimension. This can facilitate the conversion to different vehicles that have different wheelbases.
Furthermore, a running or support roller can preferably be provided at each end of the support arm 26, 27 and facing the ground. This can facilitate adjustment of the support arm 26, 27 or extension of the support arm 26, 27 relative to the guide 19 when it is lowered to the ground or substrate surface.
In the lowered state of the support 17, the joint 42 preferably rests on the ground. In this case, the joint 42 can be unlocked in order to adjust the swivel position of the support arm portion 41. The length of a telescopic support arm portion 41 can also be adjustable. When the support 17 is lifted, the joint 42 is locked immediately after the housing 12 is lifted off the ground, so that the support arm portion 41 is secured against turning relative to the support arm 26, 27.
The load-bearing means 45 shown in
Furthermore, the lifting device 12 as shown in
These load-bearing means 45 can be suspended and positioned on the support arm 26, 27 or fixed with a detachable connecting element 36.
The above embodiments of the lifting devices 12 show that, starting from a basic module of the lifting device 12 according to
The guide 19 is fixed to the support 17 of the lifting device 12. All the embodiments described above with regard to the connection of the guide 19 to the support 17 also apply to the present embodiment according to
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2020 135 143.7 | Dec 2020 | DE | national |