Patent Application
20190047833
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The disclosure and prior art relates to jacking devices and more particularly pertains to a new jacking device for lifting a vehicle.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising an air bag that is selectively inflated. A first plate is coupled to the air bag. The first plate is positioned on a support surface such that the first plate is positioned beneath a vehicle. A second plate is coupled to the air bag and the second plate abuts the vehicle when the air bag is inflated. In this way the air bag lifts the vehicle for servicing the vehicle. A pump is coupled to the first plate and the pump is in fluid communication with an interior of the air bag. The pump inflates the air bag when the pump is turned on. The second plate is urged away from the first plate when the air bag is inflated to lift the vehicle.
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 first plate 22 has a first surface 28, a second surface 30 and a perimeter edge 32 extending therebetween. The first surface 28 is positioned on the support surface 24. The bottom edge 16 of the air bag 12 is bonded to the second surface 30 of the first plate 22. Moreover, the bottom edge 16 forms a fluid impermeable seal with the second surface 30. The bottom edge 16 is coextensive with the perimeter edge 32 of the first plate 22 and the first plate 22 is comprised of a rigid material, such as steel or the like.
A second plate 34 is coupled to the air bag 12 and the second plate 34 abuts a bottom side of the vehicle 26 when the air bag 12 is inflated. In this way the air bag 12 lifts the vehicle 26 for servicing when the air bag 12 is inflated. The second plate 34 has a primary surface 36, a secondary surface 38 and a perimeter edge 40 extending therebetween. The top edge 14 of the air bag 12 is bonded to the secondary surface 38 such that the top edge 14 forms a fluid impermeable seal with the secondary surface 38. The top edge 14 is coextensive with the perimeter edge 32 of the second plate 34 and the second plate 34 is comprised of a rigid material, such as steel or the like. The bond between the air bag 12 and each of the first 22 and second 34 plates may be accomplished through any conventional mechanical and chemical means.
The primary surface 36 has a plurality of grooves 42 to frictionally engage the vehicle 26. In this way the grooves 42 inhibit the vehicle 26 from sliding on the primary surface 36. Each of the grooves 42 extends between opposite sides of the perimeter edge 40 of the second plate 34. Moreover, the grooves 42 are spaced apart from each other and are distributed along the primary surface 36.
A pump 44 is coupled to the first plate 22 and the pump 44 is in fluid communication with an interior of the air bag 12. The pump 44 inflates the air bag 12 when the pump 44 is turned on. The second plate 34 is urged away from the first plate 22 when the air bag 12 is inflated. In this way the second plate 34 lifts the vehicle 26. The pump 44 may be an electric air pump or the like. The pump 44 may be positioned on the second surface 30 of the first plate 22. Additionally, the pump 44 may extend through the outer wall 18 of the air bag 12 to access the pump 44. The pump 44 may have an operational output ranging between approximately 50.0 psi and 100.0 psi. Additionally, the air bag 12 may have a pressure rating that is equal to or greater than the operational output of the pump 44.
A button 46 is coupled to the pump 44 and the button 46 is selectively manipulated. The button 46 is electrically coupled to the pump 44 to turn the pump 44 on and off. A vent 48 is coupled to the outer wall 18 of the air bag 12 and the vent 48 is selectively manipulated. The vent 48 is in fluid communication with the interior of the air bag 12 to pass air outwardly from the air bag 12. The vent 48 deflates the air bag 12 when the vent 48 is opened. The vent 48 may be an air valve or the like.
A power supply 50 is electrically coupled to the pump 44. The power supply 50 comprises a power cord 52 extending away from the first plate 22. The power cord 52 has a negative line 54 and a positive line 56. Each of the negative line 54 and the positive line 56 has a distal end 58 with respect to the pump 44.
A first connector 60 is electrically coupled to the distal end 58 of the negative line 54. The first connector 60 is selectively electrically coupled to a negative battery terminal 62. A second connector 64 is electrically coupled to the distal end 58 of the positive line 56. The second connector 64 is selectively electrically coupled to a positive battery terminal 66. Each of the first 60 and second 64 connectors may be spade terminals or the like. Alternatively, the power cord 52 may have a cigarette adapter for plugging into a cigarette lighter in the vehicle 26. The power cord 52 may have a length of at least 10.0 feet thereby facilitating the power cord 52 to reach between a rear tire of the vehicle 12 and a battery of the vehicle 12.
In use, the first plate 22 is positioned on the ground such that the second plate 34 is aligned with a selected spot on the bottom of the vehicle 26. Generally speaking, the second plate 34 will be aligned with an approved jacking point on the bottom of the vehicle 26. Each of the negative 54 and positive 56 lines is electrically coupled to the associated negative 62 and positive 66 battery terminals. The button 46 is manipulated and the pump 44 inflates the air bag 12. Thus, the second plate 34 is urged upwardly from the first plate 22 until the second plate 34 lifts the vehicle 26 from the ground. In this way a tire on the vehicle 26 may be changed and other service actions may be performed. The vent 48 is manipulated to deflate the air bag 12 and subsequently lower the vehicle 26 to the ground.
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.
