Patent Application
20090267036
Heavy objects, such as aircraft monuments comprising galleys, lavatories or other types of objects, often need to be moved from one location to another location. Some of the prior art systems and/or methods for moving heavy objects utilize carts, dollies, modified hand trucks, and/or hand-carried using suction cups. However, this may be difficult, costly, timely, inefficient, experience ergonomic issues, and/or have one or more other types of problems.
A device and/or method is needed to decrease one or more problems associated with one or more of the existing devices and/or methods for moving objects.
In one aspect of the disclosure, a support unit for moving an object is provided. The support unit includes: an elongated member having an upper end and a lower end; at least one suction device attached to the elongated member between the upper end and the lower end for attaching to an object; a lifting mechanism attached to the elongated member for raising and lowering the elongated member, the at least one suction device, and an object attached to the at least one suction device; and a rotating member for moving the elongated member, the at least one suction device, and the object attached to the at least one suction device.
In another aspect of the disclosure, a method is provided of moving an object. In one step, at least one support unit is provided comprising an elongated member, at least one suction device attached to the elongated member, a lifting mechanism, and a rotating member. In another step, the at least one suction device is attached to the object at a departure location. In an additional step, the lifting mechanism is raised at the departure location to lift the object attached to the at least one suction device. In still another step, the lifted object attached to the at least one suction device is moved from the departure location to a destination location. In another step, the lifting mechanism is lowered at the destination location to lower the object attached to the at least one suction device.
In still another aspect of the disclosure, a system for moving an object includes a plurality of support units. Each support unit comprises: an elongated member having an upper end and a lower end; at least one attachment device for attaching to an object, wherein the at least one attachment device is attached to the elongated member between the upper end and the lower end; a rotating member for moving the elongated member, the at least one attachment device, and a raised object attached to the at least one attachment device; and a lifting mechanism attached between the elongated member and the rotating member for raising and lowering the elongated member, the at least one attachment device, and a raised object attached to the at least one attachment device.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the disclosure will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the disclosure. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the disclosure, since the scope of the disclosure is best defined by the appended claims.
Each support unit 10 may include an elongated member 14, a plurality of suction devices 16a and 16b, a lifting mechanism 18, and a rotating member 20. It is preferable that two or more suction devices 16a and 16b be utilized. However, in other embodiments, one or more of the support units 10 may include any number, size, type, and/or configuration of elongated members 14, suction devices 16a and 16b, lifting mechanisms 18, and/or rotating members 20.
Each elongated member 14 may include an upper end 22 and a lower end 24. The upper end 22 of the elongated member 14 may be adapted to be disposed against a surface 23 of the object 12 in order to help support the object 12. The suction devices 16a and 16b may be coupled through swivel devices 19a and 19b to one side 25 of the elongated member 14 between the upper end 22 and the lower end 24. The swivel devices 19a and 19b may allow the suction devices 16a and 16b to swivel relative to the elongated member 14 to properly orient the suction devices 16a and 16b against the object 12.
The suction devices 16a and 16b may be slide-ably connected to the elongated member 14 to allow the suction devices 16a and 16b to be moved relative to and along the elongated member 14. Each suction device 16a and 16b may be adapted to be locked and unlocked from their positions against the elongated member 14 using one or more locking devices 29. In such manner, the position of the suction devices 16a and 16b may be changed relative to the elongated member 14 in order to align the suction devices 16a and 16b with the appropriate surface(s) of the object 12. The suction devices 16a and 16b of each support unit 10 may be adapted to be attached to various sides 13, 15, and 17 of the object 12 using vacuum suction. In other embodiments, varying non-suction types of attachment devices may be utilized in order to attach the support units 10 to varying surfaces of the object 12. Each suction device 16a and 16b may be attached to a level device 19 for leveling the object 12.
Each lifting mechanism 18 may be attached between the lower end 24 of the elongated member 14 and the rotating member 20. The lifting mechanism 18 may be adapted to raise and lower the elongated member 14 and/or an object 12 attached to the suction devices 16a and 16b. The lifting mechanism 18 may comprise a jacking member 18a comprising one or more of a gear drive 18b, a jack screw 18c, a crank 18d, and/or another type of lifting mechanism as known in the art for raising and lowering the elongated member 14. The lifting mechanism 18 may be adapted to jack up and/or jack down the attached elongated member 14 along direction 27 by a user applying manual labor to the lifting mechanism 18 without using a battery, electricity, and/or another power source. For instance, a user may manually rotate the crank 18d in order to lift and/or lower the elongated member 14 along direction 27 relative to the jack screw 18c using the gear drive 18b. In such manner, by rotating the crank 18d, the position of the elongated member 14, the attached suction devices 16a and 16b, and the object 12 attached to the suction devices 16a and 16b may be raised or lowered. The rotating member 20 may comprise one or more wheels attached to the lifting mechanism 18 near and/or at the lower end 24 of the elongated member 14. The rotating member 20 may be adapted to rotate to move the support unit 10 and a raised object 12 attached to the suction devices 16a and 16b from one position to another position in order to change the location of the object 12 relative to a surface 21 such as the ground or another type of surface.
Each support unit 10 may include: an elongated member 14 having an upper end 22 and a lower end 24; at least one suction device 16a and/or 16b coupled through swivels 19a and 19b to one side 17 of the elongated member 14 between the upper end 22 and the lower end 24; a lifting mechanism 18 coupled to the elongated member 14 comprising a jacking member 18a including one or more of a gear drive 18b, a jack screw 18c, a crank 18d, and/or another type of lifting mechanism; and at least one rotating member 20 comprising one or more wheels. The lifting mechanism 18 may be attached between the elongated member 14 and the rotating member 20. In other embodiments, each support unit 10 may comprise any of the embodiments disclosed herein. In still other embodiments, each support unit 10 may include any number, size, type, and/or configuration of elongated members 14, suction devices 16a and 16b, lifting mechanisms 18, and/or rotating members 20.
In another step 34 of the method of
In an additional step 38 of the method of
In still another step 40 of the method of
In yet another step 43 of the method of
In an additional step 44 of the method of
One or more embodiments of the disclosure may reduce one or more problems of one or more of the prior art systems and/or methods for moving objects by making it easier to move an object, making it less costly to move an object, making it quicker to move an object, making it more efficient to move an object, reducing injury as a result of moving an object, and/or reducing one or more other types of problems.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth in the following claims.
