Patent Application
20230174180
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The disclosure relates to securing devices and more particularly pertains to a new securing device for securing a motorcycle to a lift platform. The device includes a first clamp which is fixed to the lift platform. The device includes a locking unit that is mounted to the platform and a second clamp that is disposed on the locking unit. The second clamp is urged toward the first clamp when the locking unit is actuated into a locking condition to compress a front tire of a motorcycle between the first clamp and the second clamp.
The prior art relates to securing devices including a variety of lift devices for lifting a two wheeled vehicle for service. The prior art discloses a wheel clamp device that includes a platform upon which a front tire of a motorcycle can be positioned and a pair of arms which each compresses against the front tire to secure the motorcycle on in an upright orientation. The prior art discloses an ornamental design of a wheel clamping device that includes a pair of L-shaped clamps and a hand crank for urging the L-shaped clamps toward each other to secure a wheel of a vehicle.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a first clamp which is fixedly mounted to a lift platform. A locking unit is attached to the lift platform and the locking unit is spaced from the first clamp on the lift platform. The locking unit is actuatable in a first condition having the locking unit travelling toward the first clamp. Conversely, the locking unit is actuatable in a second condition has the locking unit travelling away from the first clamp. A second clamp is coupled to the locking unit. The second clamp moves toward the first clamp when the locking unit is actuated into the first condition to compress a front tire of a motorcycle between the first clamp and the second clamp to secure the motorcycle on the lift platform.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The outer surface 24 has a plurality of intersecting sides 32 such that the first clamp 12 has a rectangular shape. Additionally, the plurality of intersecting sides 32 includes a bottom side 34, a first lateral side 36 and a second lateral side 38. The bottom side 34 rests on the lift platform 14 having the first portion 28 angling upwardly from the lift platform 14. In this way each of the first portion 28 and the second portion 30 can rest against a sidewall 40 of the front tire 16. The outer surface 24 has a pair of lips 42 each extending laterally away from a respective one of the first lateral side 36 and the second lateral side 38. Each of the lips 42 is aligned with the bottom side 34 such that each of the lips 42 rests on the lift platform 14. Furthermore, each of the lips 42 has a plurality of fastener holes 44 to receive a fastener for securing the first clamp 12 to the lift platform 14.
A locking unit 46 is attached to the lift platform 14 and the locking unit 46 is spaced from the first clamp 12 on the lift platform 14. The locking unit 46 is actuatable in a first condition having the locking unit 46 travelling toward the first clamp 12. Conversely, the locking unit 46 is actuatable in a second condition having the locking unit 46 travelling away from the first clamp 12. The locking unit 46 comprises a stand 48 that has a base 50 and a member 52 angling upwardly from the base 50. The base 50 rests on the lift platform 14 having the member 52 being vertically oriented on the lift platform 14. The member 52 has a distal end 54 with respect to the base 50.
The member 52 has an aperture 56 extending through the member 52 and the aperture 56 is positioned adjacent to the distal end 54. The aperture 56 extends along an axis that is oriented perpendicular to an axis extending between the distal end 54 and the base 50. The aperture 56 has a bounding surface 58 and the bounding surface 58 is threaded. Additionally, the base 50 has a plurality of holes 60 extending through the base 50 which can each receive a respective fastener for securing the base 50 to the lift platform 14.
The locking unit 46 includes a screw 62 that has a primary end 64, a secondary end 66 and an outside surface 68 extending between the primary end 64 and the secondary end 66. The screw 62 extends through the aperture 56 has the outside surface 68 threadably engaging the bounding surface 58 of the aperture 56. The base 50 is oriented such that the secondary end 66 of the screw 62 is directed toward the first clamp 12. The locking unit 46 includes a drive unit 70 which has an input 72 and an output 74. The output 74 is coupled to the primary end 64 of the screw 62 and the output 74 is in mechanical communication with the input 72. The drive unit 70 may comprise a gear drive or other type of type of mechanical drive which includes a housing, a input and an output.
The locking unit 46 includes a motor 76 that is coupled to the input 72 of the drive unit 70. The output 74 is rotated in a first direction when the motor 76 is actuated into a first condition such that the screw 62 travels through the aperture 56 toward the first clamp 12. Conversely, the output 74 is rotated in a second direction when the motor 76 is actuated into a second condition such that the screw 62 travels through the aperture 56 away from the first clamp 12. The motor 76 may comprise an electric motor or other type of bi-directional motor.
The locking unit 46 includes a control 78 that is electrically coupled to the motor 76, and the control 78 has a first button 80 and a second button 82. The motor 76 is actuated into the first condition when the first button 80 is depressed, and the motor 76 is actuated into the second condition when the second button 82 is depressed. The control 78 includes a conductor 84 that is electrically coupled between the control 78 and the motor 76 thereby facilitating the control 78 to be remotely positioned with respect to the motor 76. The locking unit 46 includes a power cord 86 that is electrically coupled to and extends away from the motor 76. The power cord 86 has a distal end 88 with respect to the motor 76 and a male plug 90 is electrically coupled to the distal end 88 of the power cord 86 which can be plugged into a power source 92 comprising a female electrical outlet.
A second clamp 94 is provided and the second clamp 94 is coupled to the locking unit 46. The second clamp 94 moves toward the first clamp 12 when the locking unit 46 is actuated into the first condition. In this way the front tire 16 of the motorcycle 18 is compressed between the first clamp 12 and the second clamp 94 to secure the motorcycle 18 on the lift platform 14. Conversely, the second clamp 94 moves away from the first clamp 12 when the locking unit 46 is actuated into the second condition. In this way the second clamp 94 disengages the front tire 16 of the motorcycle 18 thereby facilitating the front tire 16 to roll freely on the lift platform 14.
The second clamp 94 has a first end 96, a second end 98 and an outer surface 100 extending between the first end 96 and the second end 98 of the second clamp 94. The second clamp 94 has a bend 102 defining a first portion 104 forming an angle with a second portion 106. Furthermore, the bend 102 on the second clamp 94 is centrally positioned between the first end 96 and the second end 98 of the second clamp 94. The first portion 104 of the second clamp 94 is associated with the first end 96 of the second clamp 94 and the second portion 106 of the second clamp 94 is associated with the second end 98 of the second clamp 94. The outer surface 100 of the second clamp 94 has a plurality of intersecting sides 108 such that the second clamp 94 has a rectangular shape, and the plurality of intersecting sides 108 includes a first lateral side 110 and a second lateral side 112.
A receiver 114 is provided and the receiver 114 is coupled to the first lateral side 110 of the outer surface 100 of the second clamp 94. The receiver 114 is centrally positioned between the bend 102 on the second clamp 94 and the first end 96 of the second clamp 94. Additionally, the receiver 114 has a distal end 116 with respect to the first lateral side 110 of the outer surface 100 of the second clamp 94. The distal end 116 of the receiver 114 is open and the distal end 116 of the receiver 114 insertably receives the secondary end 66 of the screw 62. Moreover, the receiver 114 rotatably engages the secondary end 66 such that the screw 62 is rotatable in the receiver 114.
In use, the motorcycle 18 is driven onto the lift platform 14 until the front tire 16 is positioned between the first clamp 12 and the second clamp 94. The first button 80 on the control 78 is depressed to compress the front tire 16 between the first clamp 12 and the second clamp 94. In this way the motorcycle 18 is secured in an upright position on the lift platform 14. The second button 82 is depressed to release the front tire 16 from the first clamp 12 and the second clamp 94. In this way the motorcycle 18 can be driven off of the lift platform 14.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
