Cart lift table

Abstract

A device is disclosed that includes a body member, a locking mechanism attached to the body member, and a plurality of guard members attached to the body member. One of the plurality of guard members is attached to the body member with offset bars or panels. The device also includes a sensor configured to detect the height of the device and programmed to produce alerts. Additionally, the device comprises a side panel with a U-shape attached to the body member. This device provides enhanced safety and security features, allowing for improved monitoring and control of the device's height and position.

Description

[0001] Cart Lift Table

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to a lift table, and more specifically to a table which includes a unique structure designed to raise or lower objects contained within the table for ease in handling.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A table which includes a unique structure designed to raise or lower objects contained within the table for ease in handling is in demand.

[0006] Various types of tables, both wheeled and slidable, have been designed for use in factories and other manufacturing facilities for the transportation and handling of small objects and parts.

[0007] During fabrication, many parts may require attention or operations at two or more workstations before completion. At these stations, operators may not encounter difficulties when lifting most small workpieces from a table, cart, or container that is substantially full. However, during the process of emptying the table or cart, workers may often strain and may need to physically extend their backs and arms to reach parts located on a lower level of the cart or table or container.

[0008] Such movement of bending, extending, and straining can oftentimes cause serious back injuries. Solutions aimed at remedying this problem include the development of various kinds of material -handling devices and systems, including manually and air- operated lift tables, stands, and the like. However, conventional devices and systems feature inefficient structures or mechanisms for addressing the identified problems. Thus, there is a need to develop an improved device and system to solve the problem. The present invention is intended to solve the problems associated with conventional devices and methods and provide improvements on these devices.

[0009] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention discloses a device configured to elevate a cart to an ergonomic height for unloading purposes. Additionally, the invention provides a table device 100 that can be combined with a pump, a transformer, a controller, a plurality of switches, and an electric / hydraulic scissor lift to form an electric / hydraulic scissor lift table system.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the device 100 comprises a body member 10, a locking mechanism 40, a plurality of guard members 20, and a side panel with a U-shape 30.

[0012] The guard member 20 may include a first guard plate 20a and a second guard plate 20b, each comprising one or more links in the form of rods or bars of various shapes. The guard plates 20a, 20b may be arranged in parallel and can be affixed to the body member 10 via offset bars or panels 50.

[0013] The side panel with a U-shape 30 can be connected to one other side edges of the body member 10.

[0014] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. l is a top view of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a front view of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 5 is a side view of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 6 is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention with a cart and a scissor lift. DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

[0020] All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0021] As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art that the present disclosure has broad utility and application. As should be understood, any embodiment may incorporate only one or a plurality of the abovedisclosed aspects of the disclosure and may further incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed features. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified as being “preferred” is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0022] Accordingly, while embodiments are described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present disclosure, and are made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection be defined by reading into any claim limitation found herein and / or issuing here from that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.

[0023] Thus, for example, any sequence(s) and / or temporal order of steps of various processes or methods that are described herein are illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, it should be understood that, although steps of various processes or methods may be shown and described as being in a sequence or temporal order, the steps of any such processes or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence or order, absent an indication otherwise. Indeed, the steps in such processes or methods generally may be carried out in various different sequences and orders while still falling within the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of patent protection is to be defined by the issued claim(s) rather than the description set forth herein.

[0024] Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which an ordinary artisan would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term used herein — as understood by the ordinary artisan based on the contextual use of such term — differs in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by the ordinary artisan should prevail.

[0025] Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, “a” and “an” each generally denotes “at least one,” but does not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. When used herein to join a list of items, “or” denotes “at least one of the items,” but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Finally, when used herein to join a list of items, “and” denotes “all of the items of the list.”

[0026] The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While many embodiments of the disclosure may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosure. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosure is defined by the claims found herein and / or issuing here from. The present disclosure contains headers. It should be understood that these headers are used as references and are not to be construed as limiting upon the subjected matter disclosed under the header.

[0027] The present invention provides a device 100 that raises a cart 70 to an ergonomic height for unloading. The invention further provides a table device 100 that can be combined with a pump, a transformer, a controller, a plurality of switches and electric / hydraulic scissor lift 80 to form an electric / hydraulic scissor lift table system.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a device 100 that can be connected to a control box to control the movement of the device (table).

[0029] The device 100 of the present invention can be made from metal or any other suitable materials.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the device 100 of the present invention comprises a body member 10, a locking mechanism 40, a plurality of guard members 20, and a side panel with a U-shape 30.

[0031] The locking mechanism 40 can be any locks known in the art and in some embodiments it may include a spring-loaded locking pin or lever that protrudes from the base attached to the body member 10. When the cart is loaded properly, the lock will engage with a Safety Switch 60, activating a Ready light on the control box to signal the user that the cart can be raised or lowered. If the lock is released, the light will turn off, and the lift will be not operate. The guard member 20, as shown in FIG. 2, may include a first guard plate 20a and a second guard plate 20b which may include one or more links which can be rods or bars in various shapes. The first guard plate 20a and the second guard plate 20b may be arranged in parallel. In some embodiments, the guard plates 20a, 20b can be attached to the body member 10 with offset bars or panels 50.

[0032] The side panel with a U-shape 30 can be attached to one other side edges of the body member 10. The U-shape can be a cutout of the panel 30 with the opening area facing outwards from the table device 10 connected to the side panel 30.

[0033] In some embodiment, the device 100 of the present invention may further include a sensor 90 preferably on the bottom of the device 100, as shown in FIG. 4, that is configured to detect the height of the device 100 and programmed to produce alerts if necessary. In some embodiments, this sensor 90 can be combined with levers or other mechanical stoppers to limit the movement of the table 100 for safety. In one embodiment, the present invention can be installed as follows: The user can choose a desired area for a lift. Using the provided anchor template, the user can install the anchor per manufacturer specifications. The user will remove and discard the banding material, then use the provided straps to remove the lift table from the pallet and place it on the floor. Next, the user will connect the power unit to the correct power source. Keeping the straps in place, the user will then raise the unit to the desired height to see the anchor holes. The user will use the straps to lift the unit and lower it onto the anchors. The user will raise the unit and block per blocking instructions, then remove the straps and install the nuts on the anchors and torque per manufacturer specifications.

[0034] In use, the present invention can be operated as follows: The user must first check the load weight to ensure that the total weight does not exceed the maximum rated capacity. The user should also ensure that the load is evenly distributed on the cart 70 surface to the best of the user’s ability.

[0035] Loading the cart onto the table:

[0036] The tab should fall between the side rail and the tabletop. The user will roll the cart forward until the foot brake is inserted into the table cutout, then engage the foot brake and slide the lock fully closed.

[0037] Raising the table:

[0038] Before raising, the user must ensure that all others are well clear of the cart / table 70. The user will then recheck the position of the load on the cart 70. The user will rotate the switch to raise the cart / table 70 to a convenient working height while continuously monitoring the condition of the load. As the cart / table 70 is raised, if the load appears to be shifting, the user must stop the raising process, lower the cart / table 70, and adjust the load.

[0039] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising: a body member, a locking mechanism attached to the body member, a plurality of guard members attached to the body member, and a side panel with a u-shape attached to the body member.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guard member includes a first guard plate and a second guard plate3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first guard plate and the second guard plate include one or more links.

4. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first guard plate and the second guard plate is arranged in parallel.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the guard plates can be attached to the body member with offset bars or panels.

6. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the side panel with a u-shape is attached to a side edge of the body member.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the U-shape of the side panel can be a cutout of the panel with the opening area facing outwards from the table connected to the side panel.

8. The device as claimed in claim 6, further incudes a sensor configured to detect the height of the device and programmed to produce alerts.

9. A system comprising: a body member; a locking mechanism attached to the body member; a first guard plate and a second guard plate attached to the body member, wherein the first guard plate and the second guard plate include one or more links; and a side panel with a u-shape attached to the body member.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first guard plate and the second guard plate is arranged in parallel.11 . The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein, the guard plates can be attached to the body member with offset bars or panels.

12. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the side panel with a u-shape is attached to a side edge of the body member.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the U-shape of the side panel is a cutout of the panel with the opening area facing outwards from the table connected to the side panel.

14. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the device further includes a sensor configured to detect the height of the device and programmed to produce alerts.

15. A system comprising: a body member, a locking mechanism attached to the body member, a plurality of guard members attached to the body member, wherein one of the plurality of guard members is attached to the body member with offset bars or panels; a sensor configured to detect the height of the device and programmed to produce alerts; and a side panel with a u-shape attached to the body member.

16. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the guard member includes a first guard plate and a second guard plate17. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first guard plate and the second guard plate include one or more links.

18. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first guard plate and the second guard plate are arranged in parallel.

19. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the side panel with a u-shape is attached to a side edge of the body member.

20. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the U-shape of the side panel can be a cutout of the panel with the opening area facing outwards from the table connected to the side panel.

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