Patent Application
20120217216
1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to load management devices for lifting heavy objects into trucks. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mobile vehicle loading rack including a variety of electronics integrated therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Load management systems are numerous and well known in the prior art. Bridge cranes are useful in loading and unloading material in warehouses and manufacturing facilities, and have been in common use for many years. Most bridge cranes are fixed to a pier and foundation system to provide structural support for the loads they manage. Mobile cranes are often of the Gantry type, e.g. having a beam down the center of two A-frames mounted on castor wheels. This allows a load to be lifted, and the crane and load moved to another location. In some cases, cranes have been mounted on flatbed trucks to provide further utility. A typical boom crane may be mobile when mounted on a truck. However, when mounted on a truck with an open top rear cargo area, such as a typical pickup truck, both boom and Gantry cranes occupy a substantial portion of the truck bed and significantly limit usage of the bed for other purposes.
Further, when cranes are adapted for use in a pickup truck, safety is an important issue. Items loaded on the back of pickup trucks are often heavy and awkward, and not uncommonly must be loaded from an incline. Thus, injury and lost productivity may be expected when a load is hoisted from uneven ground, and when the load may move unpredictably or uncontrollably. Further, when cranes are employed to assist in moving a load, the movement of the crane apparatus itself may become dangerous and the crane apparatus may strike unsuspecting workers. Vehicle position when lifting heavy loads is important in maintaining safe lifting practices. A vehicle parked on a hill facing upwards or downwards may tip; and a vehicle on a less-than-horizontal surface may roll—often with devastating consequences.
Various mobile loading racks have been devised for lifting heavy objects into trucks. These loading rack systems suffer from a variety of shortcomings including the use of complex mechanical parts which are costly, heavy, fragile, and not user friendly, the lack of safety systems to prevent over-tilt and other such dangers, and complex and difficult installation processes. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,974,037 issued to Haney on Dec. 13, 2005 describes a rackmount assembly for supporting a computer enclosure in a rack system having vertical aperture column flanges. The rack-mount assembly includes an elongated mount adapter having mounting flanges at each end. Each mounting flange includes an alignment protrusion that is configured to fit in a corresponding aperture in one of the column flanges of the rack system. The elongated mount adapter comprises, for example, a slide mechanism or a rack rail. This rack-mount assembly includes complex mechanical parts that are heavy, costly and not at all user-friendly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,891 issued to Olms published on Dec. 22, 1998 describes a motorized rack system for loading and unloading long items such as ladders. It includes a static rack for holding one end of a ladder and a pivoting and extendible rack. The extendible ladder rack assembly includes a base member mounted to the roof of a vehicle, an elongated pivoting member, and a slide able ladder carriage member. The system also includes a mechanism for positioning the extendible ladder rack assembly in a first locked down position of the ladder rack, a second tilted position, and a third tilted/extended position for loading and unloading a ladder. A cable is coupled to one end of the pivoting member and a cable-spooling mechanism plays out and reels in the cable for positioning the motorized ladder rack. The motorized rack system fails to provide a tilt sensor to detect when the system is beginning to tilt thereby failing to ensure safety and security.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,666 issued to Vieira published on Oct. 1, 1996 describes a removable rack system with the ability to carry elongated loads and is easily and simply installed and removed without the use of special tools or other equipment. The rack system includes a rear rack having a hitch tongue, which is releasable and connected to a conventional hitch receiver of the truck. A center post extends upward from the hitch tongue and supports a cross member at its upper end. The cross member may be of such a height that it can be used in conjunction with a removable front rack located near the cab of the truck. The front rack can support elongated loads that extend above the cab of the truck. However, this rack system includes complex flanges fitted with nuts and bolts resulting in difficulty of installation.
Hence there is a need for a simple, user-friendly, light weight and economical mobile loading rack system. Further, there is a need for a mobile loading rack system including a tilt sensor for added safety and security. Finally, there is a need for a mobile loading rack system which would be easily installed and could be designed to US military specifications.
To minimize the limitations found in the prior art, and to minimize other limitations that will be apparent upon reading of the specifications, the present invention provides a vehicle mounted loading rack system. The vehicle mounted loading rack system comprises a vertical support structure, wherein a portion of the structure contacts and rests upon a vehicle, a horizontal member affixed to the vertical support structure, a trolley disposed substantially in the same plane as the horizontal member, the trolley being reversibly extendable from the horizontal member, and a hoist motor mounted on a relatively rearward portion of the trolley. The vehicle mounted loading rack system further comprises a trolley drive means for reversibly extending the trolley relative to the horizontal member, and an electrical controller adapted for monitoring and controlling the movement, usage and safety of the vehicle mounted loading rack system. The electrical controller is controlled by way of a control pendant to provide visual and audible feedback to a rack operator regarding the operating state and/or errors of the vehicle mounted loading rack system.
It is a first objective of the present invention to provide a vehicle mounted loading rack system with improved usability, versatility and flexibility.
It is a second objective of the present invention to provide a vehicle mounted loading rack system with the ability to more safely and effectively hoist a load vertically and engage a trolley to move the load horizontally into the bed of a vehicle.
It is a third objective of the present invention to provide a vehicle mounted loading rack system with an electrical controller adapted for monitoring and controlling the movement, usage and safety of the vehicle mounted loading rack system.
It is a fourth objective of the present invention to provide a vehicle mounted loading rack system with an overtilt detection means comprising a microcontroller, a tilt sensor, a real time clock circuit, and at least one external serial flash integrated circuit (IC) to ensure safe system operation and to avoid injury.
It is a fifth objective of the present invention to provide a vehicle mounted loading rack system with a control pendant to provide visual and audible feedback to a rack operator regarding the operating state and/or errors of the vehicle mounted loading rack system.
These and other advantages and features of the present invention are described with specificity so as to make the present invention understandable to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Elements in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale in order to enhance their clarity and improve understanding of these various elements and embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, elements that are known to be common and well understood to those in the industry are not depicted in order to provide a clear view of the various embodiments of the invention; thus the drawings are generalized in form in the interest of clarity and conciseness.
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will become more readily appreciated and better understood by referencing the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In the following discussion that addresses a number of embodiments and applications of the present invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
The trolley drive means may comprise: a motor 34 mounted on the trolley 22, and a driveshaft operably coupled to the motor. The motor 34 may rotatably drive the driveshaft. The trolley drive means further includes a pair of pinion wheels fixed upon either end of the driveshaft. The pinion wheels may registerably engage the twin rails 40. The rotation of the pinion wheels drives the trolley 22.
The trolley drive means may comprise a belt drive system. The motor 34 may be mounted on the trolley 22 and rotatably drive a driveshaft operably coupled to the motor, a pulley wheel fixed upon either end of the drive shaft, a first and a second belt idler affixed to the trolley 22, a belt anchored to the horizontal member 26 in a relatively forward and a relatively rearward location. The anchored belt engages the first belt idler, a portion of pulley wheel and the second belt idler and a front and a rear load wheel affixed to the trolley 22 which are freely rotatable. The pulley wheel engages the belt and the rotational motion of the pulley wheel drives the trolley 22.
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The electrical controller 55 further comprises a real time clock 65 that may be powered by a coin cell lithium battery. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the real time clock 65 comprises a Philips PCA8565. The voltage of the lithium battery may be electrically connected to a one of a plurality of microcontroller analog to digital converter inputs, the microcontroller 58 may be programmed to monitor and log the lithium battery voltage. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the vehicle battery voltage is electrically connected to a one of a plurality of microcontroller analog to digital converter inputs the microcontroller 58 being programmed with a predetermined vehicle battery voltage threshold value, if the value is lower, a indicator light in the control pendant 54 is activated to warn the operator, if the value is lower than a second lower threshold then operation of the rack system 10 is disabled to prevent over discharge of the vehicle battery 51.
The electrical controller 55 further comprises at least one external serial flash integrated circuit (IC) 64. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the serial flash integrated circuit (IC) 64 comprises a Silicon Storage Technology SST25VF016B. The at least one external serial flash integrated circuit (IC) 64 may be adapted for storing the datalogs of the vehicle mounted loading rack system 10. The electrical controller 55 further comprises at least one controller area network (CAN) interface integrated circuit 63 that is designed to translate incoming and outgoing controller area network (CAN) protocol data to the microcontroller 58. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention controller area network (CAN) interface integrated circuit 63 comprises a Texas Instruments SN65HVD230.
The electrical controller 55 may include a serial computer interface 66. This interface 66 may be used to download datalogs, for initial factory calibration and testing, for factory service, for diagnostics, and the like. The serial interface 66 may be easily adapted to connect to a computer with a USB port. This serial interface 66 may also be used to communicate to the controller via a radio frequency (RF) interface. This RF interface may be Bluetooth, Zigbee, 900 MHz or other radio frequency interface. The vehicle mounted loading rack system 10 further comprises at least one gross vehicle weight (GVW) sensor for determining the load that may be safely placed on the vehicle.
The vehicle mounted loading rack system 10 further comprises a trolley location control means 34b for controlling the position of the trolley (not shown). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the trolley location control means 34b is comprised of at least one shaft encoder. The output of the trolley location control means 34b is electrically connected to the microcontroller 58. The microcontroller 58 can interpret the output of the trolley (not shown) and calculate the position of the trolley (not shown) and thereby protect the trolley (not shown) from traveling too far in either direction, if the position reaches the predetermined limits, current flowing to the trolley motor 34 is disconnected or stopped.
The vehicle mounted loading rack system 10 may further comprise a safety sensing means. The safety sensing means comprises: a pressure actuated tape switch 56 mounted on the outer aspect of the trolley (not shown) and electrically connected to the electrical controller 55, wherein if the tape switch is actuated, current flowing through the trolley drive means is disconnected or stopped.
The electrical controller 55 further comprises at least one alarm circuit 68 that is designed to generate an audible alarm when the trolley (not shown) moves. The electrical controller 55 further comprises a plurality of input switches. The plurality of input switches includes a plurality of tape switch inputs 56 and a plurality of limit switches. The limit switches disable either forward or reverse movement of the trolley (not shown) preventing mechanical and or electrical damage by the trolley traveling too far in either direction.
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The electrical controller 55 further comprises at least one input signal conditioning circuitry adapted to provide the voltage required by the microcontroller 58 and to protect the controller from high voltage transients. The electrical controller 55 further comprises at least one input signal conditioning circuitry adapted to protect microcontroller input/output connections to reduce noise and switch bounce, and to protect the microcontroller 58 from high voltage transients.
A load can be safely loaded utilizing a vehicle mounted loading rack system 10 having a support structure 20 in the following manner: Initially the load to be loaded is identified. A vehicle mounted loading rack system 10 having a support structure 20 is provided. A portion of the support structure 20 makes contact with and rests upon a vehicle. A horizontal member 26 affixed to the support structure 20 is provided. A trolley 22 disposed substantially in the same plane as the horizontal member 26 reversibly extendable from the horizontal member 26 is provided. The hoist motor 24 mounted on a relatively rearward portion of the trolley 22 is provided. A trolley drive means for reversibly extending the trolley 22 relative to the horizontal member 26 is provided. An electrical controller with a control pendant adapted for monitoring and controlling the movement, usage and safety of the vehicle mounted loading rack system 10 is provided. A DC motor controlling means provides forward and reverse trolley movement, and up and down movement of the hoist motor 24 and an emergency stop. The trolley 22 is extended from the vehicle mounted loading rack system 10 and the load is attached. Then the hoist motor 24 is actuated. The hoist motor 24 is sufficient to raise the load above the level of the truck where the load is to be positioned. The trolley motor 34 is actuated in a frontward direction. The trolley 22 with hoisted load is moved horizontally toward the front of the truck. The trolley motor 34 is stopped when a desired horizontal position is reached. Finally, the hoist motor 24 is actuated to lower the load into the desired position.
Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to certain embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of the specification. In particular, with regard to the various functions performed by the above-described components, the terms (including any reference to a “means”) used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified function of the described component (e.g., that is functionally equivalent) even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed component which performs the functions in the herein exemplary embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one embodiment, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments as may be desired or advantageous for any given or particular application.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is intended that the scope of the present invention not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims appended hereto.
