Patent Application
20150328767
Snowmobile stands exist for lifting a snowmobile off of the ground to service a track of the snowmobile or store the snowmobile for extended periods of time. Existing stands are typically too big or too inconvenient to use in a confined space. For example, existing stands are extremely difficult to use in a snowmobile trailer or when snowmobiles are parked end to end. Moreover, existing stands may interfere with a snow flap and cause damage to the snow flap, and a damaged snow flap can result in inadequate cooling of snowmobiles.
Accordingly there remains a need in the art for improved snowmobile stands that are compact, easy to use, and do not damage a snowmobile.
This summary is provided to introduce simplified concepts of snowmobiles stands, which are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for use in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Snowmobile stands according to this disclosure are configured to lift a track off of a surface to service a track and/or prevent paddles of the track from being damaged when parked. The snowmobile stands enable a user to lift a track of a snowmobile in confined spaces.
In one example, a snowmobile stand includes a support member including a first side support and a second side support. The first and second side supports are spaced a distance apart to receive at least a rear portion of a snowmobile between the first and second side supports. A lifting member is disposed between and coupled to the first and second side supports. The lifting member includes a coupling member selectively movable between a latched position and an unlatched position. The coupling member is movable to the unlatched position for positioning under the received rear portion of the snowmobile between a track of the snowmobile and the received rear portion of the snowmobile, and is movable to the latched position to lift the received rear portion of the snowmobile.
In another example, a snowmobile stand includes a support member including a first side support separated a distance from a second side support. Each of the first and second side supports has symmetrically facing surfaces that face each other. The symmetrically facing surfaces are separated by the distance and arranged to receive at least a rear portion of a snowmobile between the symmetrically facing surfaces. When the lever mechanism is actuated, the lever mechanism causes at least the rear portion of the snowmobile to be raised a distance from the bottom of the support member, between the symmetrically facing surfaces of the first and second side supports.
In another example, a snowmobile lifting system includes a support member having a top opposite a bottom, and including a lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism includes a lever coupled to the support member by at least one pivot. The lifting mechanism further includes a gripping portion coupled to a first end of the lever, and a lifting member to engage at least a portion of a snowmobile. The lever is pivotable about the pivot, responsive to a displacement of the gripping portion from a first position where the gripping portion is arranged on a first side of the support member to a second position where the gripping portion is arranged on a second side of the support member opposite the first side. And, the lifting member raises at least a portion of the snowmobile a distance from the bottom of the support member when the gripping portion is displaced from the first position to the second position.
The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items.
This disclosure is directed to snowmobile stands and systems that lift a received rear portion of a snowmobile in confined spaces to service and/or prevent damage of a track of the snowmobile when the snowmobile is parked. For example, the snowmobile stands may include a support member including first and second side supports arranged to receive at least a portion of a snowmobile between the first and second side supports. The support member may include a lifting member disposed between the first and second side supports, and arranged to raise a received rear portion (e.g., a bumper, a frame, a track tunnel, and/or a track) of a snowmobile a distance from a bottom of the support member. In some examples, the lifting may lift the track completely off the ground floor, trailer, or other supporting surface. For example, the lifting member may include a coupling member selectively movable between a latched position and an unlatched position. The coupling member may be movable to the unlatched position for positioning under the received rear portion of the snowmobile between a track of the snowmobile and the received rear portion of the snowmobile and movable to the latched position in preparation to lift the received rear portion of the snowmobile.
The snowmobile stands may include first and second side supports having symmetrically facing surfaces separated by a distance and arranged to receive at least a rear portion of a snowmobile between the symmetrically facing surfaces. For example, the first and second side supports may each have a surface arranged along an inside portion of the first and second side supports that are similar in size, shape, and face each other along the inside portions of the first and second side supports. The first and second side supports may have first and second pivots pivotably coupled on the symmetrically facing surfaces. A lever mechanism may be pivotably coupled to the first and second pivots and arranged to raise the rear portion of the snowmobile between the symmetrically facing surfaces of the first and second side supports.
The snowmobile stands may include a lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism may include the lever coupled to the support member by at least one of the pivots, a gripping portion coupled to a first end of the lever, and a lifting member coupled to a second end of the lever. The lever may be pivotable about the pivot, responsive to a displacement of the gripping portion, and responsive to the displacement of the gripping portion from a first position to a second position, the lever may cause the lifting member to be raised a distance from the bottom of the support member.
These and other aspects of the snowmobile stands will be discussed below with reference to the figures.
The support member 102 may include first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2). Each of the first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2) may have a symmetrically facing surface 110. The first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2) may be separated by a distance 112 to receive at least a rear portion of a snowmobile. For example, the symmetrically facing surfaces 110 of the first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2) may be separated by a distance 112 of at least about 12 inches up to about 32 inches to receive at least a rear portion of a snowmobile between the symmetrically facing surfaces 110. In another example, the first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2) may be separated by a distance 112 of at about 22 inches.
The snowmobile stand 100 may include first and second pivots 114(1) and 114(2). The first pivot 114(1) may be pivotably coupled on the symmetrically facing surface 110 of the first side support 108(1) at the top 104 of the support member 102, and the second pivot 114(2) may be pivotably coupled on the symmetrically facing surface 110 of the second side support 108(2) at the top 104 of the support member 102.
The snowmobile stand 100 may include a lever mechanism 116 pivotably coupled to the first and second pivots 114(1) and 114(2) pivotably coupled on the symmetrically facing surfaces 110 of the first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2). The lever mechanism 116 may include a gripping portion 118 arranged opposite the first and second pivots 114(1) and 114(2) pivotably coupled in the first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2). When actuated, the lever mechanism 116 may cause at least a rear portion of the snowmobile to be raised a distance from the bottom 106 of the support member 102, between the symmetrically facing surfaces 110 of the first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2).
The snowmobile stand 100 may include a lifting member 120 disposed between and coupled to the first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2) to engage at least a portion of a snowmobile. For example, the coupling member 122 may removeably couple under the received rear portion of the snowmobile between a track of the snowmobile and the received rear portion of the snowmobile to raise the received rear portion of the snowmobile a distance from the bottom 106 of the support member 102, between the symmetrically facing surfaces 110 of the first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2). The coupling member 122 may be coupled to an end of the lever mechanism 116 opposite the gripping portion 118. In one example, the lifting member 120 may include a coupling member 122 disposed between the symmetrically facing surfaces 110 of the first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2). The coupling member 122 may include a guard 124. For example, the guard 124 may completely or partially cover the coupling member 122 and may comprise a protective material to prevent damaging graphics of a snowmobile. For example, the guard 124 may comprise a plastic tube covering the coupling member, an adhesive liner covering the coupling member, a foam pad covering the coupling member, etc. to keep from damaging the snowmobile. The coupling member 122 may be movable from a released position to a latch position in preparation to lift the received rear portion of the snowmobile. A linkage 126 may couple the coupling member 122 to the lever mechanism 116. The linkage 126 may comprise one or more flexible cables, rigid links, chains, belts, etc. In one example, the linkage 126 may comprise ⅛ inch steel cables, each about 11.5 inches long from the lever mechanism 116 to the coupling member 122. The lever mechanism 116 may couple the lifting member 120 to the first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2) and cause the coupling member 122 to lift the received rear portion of the snowmobile.
The first and second guides 128(1) and 128(2) may be arranged in-line 130 with the first and second pivots 114(1) and 114(2). For example, axles of the first and second guides 128(1) and 128(2) may be arranged vertically with axles of the first and second pivots 114(1) and 114(2). In one example, the first and second guides 128(1) and 128(2) may be spaced a distance of at least about 2 inches to at most about 8 inches from the first and second pivots 114(1) and 114(2), respectively. In another example, the first and second guides 128(1) and 128(2) may be spaced a distance about 5.5 inches from the first and second pivots 114(1) and 114(2), respectively. While
The first and second guides 128(1) and 1282) may guide the coupling member 122 to lift the received rear portion of the snowmobile in a substantially vertical motion. For example, the first and second guides 128(1) and 128(2) may guide the coupling member 122 to lift the received rear portion of the snowmobile a distance from the bottom 106 of the support member 102 substantially straight up, between the symmetrically facing surfaces 110 of the first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2). Because the coupling member 122 lifts the received rear portion of the snowmobile in a substantially vertical motion, the snowmobile stand 100 enables a user to lift the snowmobile in confined spaces (e.g., in a snowmobile trailer). For example, because the snowmobile is lifted straight up a user can operate the snowmobile stand 100 between the rear portion of the snowmobile and a wall (e.g., a wall of a snowmobile trailer, a wall of a garage, or a wall of a shop).
The snowmobile stand may stay in the raised position due to an over center position of the lever mechanism in the raised position (described in more detail with reference to
The lever mechanism 116 may pivot about the first and second pivots 114(1) and 114(2) responsive to a displacement 204 of the gripping portion 118 from the first position 202(1) where the gripping portion 118 is arranged in front of the support member 102 to the second position 202(2) where the gripping portion 118 is arranged behind the support member 102. The displacement 204 of the gripping portion 118 from the first position 202(1) to the second position 202(2) may cause the lifting member 120 to be raised a distance 206 from the bottom 106 of the support member 102. For example, the displacement 204 of the gripping portion 118 from the first position 202(1) to the second position 202(2) may cause the lifting member 120 to be raised the distance 206 substantially straight up, between the symmetrically facing surfaces 110 of the first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2). While
While
The lever mechanism 116 may include first and second protruding members 214(1) and 214(2) arranged at ends of the lever mechanism 116 opposite the gripping portion 118 of the lever mechanism 116. The raised distance 206 may be adjusted by adjusting a length of the protruding members 214(1) and 214(2). Each of the first and second protruding members 214(1) and 214(2) may have a free end 216 opposite a fixed end 218. Each free end 216 may be arranged a distance 220 away from the first and second pivots 114(1) and 114(2) pivotably coupled to the first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2). While
The lever mechanism 116 may have a length 316 of about 14.0 inches to provide at least in part the five to one mechanical advantage for lifting the snowmobile in one easy motion. For example, the length 316 of the lever mechanism 116, and the distance 220 each of the free ends 216 of the first and second protruding members 214(1) and 214(2) are away from the first and second pivots 114(1) and 114(2) may together provide the five to one mechanical advantage for lifting the snowmobile in one easy motion. Because the lever mechanism 116 has the length 316 of about 14.0 inches, this enables a user to lift a track of a snowmobile in confined spaces. For example, because of the compact arrangement of the lever mechanism 116 pivotably coupled to the top 104 of the support member 102, a user sandwiched between a wall and the rear portion of the snowmobile can easily displace the gripping portion 118 from the first position 202(1) to the second position 202(2) to lift the track 310 of the snowmobile 302 straight up. However, in other examples, the length of lever 116 may be more or less than 14.0 inches and may achieve a mechanical advantage more or less than five to one.
The snowmobile stand 100 may have a height 318 of about 42.0 inches and a length 320 of about 20.0 inches. The first and second pivots 114(1) and 114(2) may be arranged proximate to a middle of the length 320 of the bottom 106 of the support member 102. For example, the first and second pivots 114(1) and 114(2) may be arranged at about 9.0 inches in towards the middle of the support member 102. Moreover, the first and second guides 128(1) and 128(2) may be fixed to the first and second side supports 108(1) and 108(2) at about 85% of the height 318 of the snowmobile stand 100. For example, the first and second guides 128(1) and 128(2) may be arranged at about 36.0 inches above the bottom 106 of the support member 102. The snowmobile 302 may include a shield 322 to prevent debris (e.g., snow, ice, and/or racing studs mounted in the track) from being thrown out away from the track 310 of the snowmobile 302. The compact height 318 and length 320 may provide for positioning the snowmobile stand 100 behind the snowmobile 302 in a confined space. For example, the snowmobile stand 100 may be positioned between a wall of a snowmobile trailer and the rear of the snowmobile parked in the snowmobile trailer to lift the track 310 of the snowmobile 302. The snowmobile stand 100 may be formed of metal, plastic, composite, or combination of metal (e.g., Aluminum, steel, etc.,), plastic and/or composite. In one example, the snowmobile stand 100 may be formed of Aluminum tubing. The snowmobile stand 100 may be formed of round tubing, rectangular tubing, oval tubing, etc.
In another example, a user may connect the ends 406 of the coupling member 122 to a portion of the linkage 126. For example, a user may connect the end 406 of the coupling member 122 to an end of a flexible cable, an end of a rigid link, an end of a chain, an end of a belt, etc. to lift the received rear portion 306 of the snowmobile 302. The ends 406 of the coupling member 122 may connect to a portion of the linkage via a hook, a clasp, a cap, a strap, etc. In one example, an eye bolt and/or a j-bolt may be fastened to the end 406 of the coupling member 122 and arranged to connect to an end loop in a flexible cable. In another example, the ends 406 of the coupling member 122 may be bolts and hooks arranged to be adjustable to fit a variety of lift heights and connect to a portion of the linkage. While
Although the invention has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing the invention. For example, while embodiments are described having certain shapes, sizes, and configurations, these shapes, sizes, and configurations are merely illustrative.
