Battery-Powered Service Jack With External Handle Controls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle service jacks, such as manually operated and pneumatic jacks, are cumbersome, require manual effort, occupy excessive space, and pose tripping hazards due to air-lines, lacking a compact, portable, and safe battery-operated solution.
Innovation Solution
A compact, portable, rechargeable, battery-operated electro-hydraulic or electro-mechanical service jack with a frame, lift arm, handle, and hydraulic or motor-driven mechanism, featuring a battery and control switch accessible outside the vehicle, eliminating the need for manual operation and air-lines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manually operated service jack is used, then physical force is required to raise vehicle, but operation becomes labor-intensive and cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical lifting system with an electric motor-driven lifting mechanism. The motor is connected to the lift arm through a drive mechanism, eliminating the need for manual cranking or handle operation while providing automated, effortless vehicle elevation.
Solution Approach 2:
The service jack incorporates an onboard battery power source that enables the lifting mechanism to operate autonomously without external power supply. The battery-powered motor self-activates the lifting function, making the device self-sufficient and eliminating dependency on manual effort or external electrical outlets.
2Ease of operation
If pneumatic service jack is used, then less physical force is required, but air-lines create tripping hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the air-line component from the system by replacing the pneumatic power transmission method with an electric motor directly powered by an onboard battery. This removal of external air-lines eliminates the tripping hazard while maintaining the benefit of reduced physical effort through motorized operation.
3Power
If battery-operated jack with large motor is used, then sufficient torque is provided, but jack becomes oversized and occupies excessive floor space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a compact, integrated design where the battery, motor, and lifting mechanism are nested within a confined structural framework. The lift arm and support structure are arranged to maximize space utilization, allowing the jack to maintain sufficient lifting torque while occupying minimal floor space and achieving a portable form factor.
4Reliability
If battery and control switch are accessible outside vehicle, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the battery and control switch on the handle assembly, which extends outward from the lifting mechanism. This spatial arrangement in a different dimension (external handle position vs. internal vehicle position) allows the operator to control the jack from a safe, accessible location outside the vehicle, improving safety without significantly complicating the overall device structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a safe, convenient, and efficient lifting mechanism that reduces manual effort and eliminates tripping hazards, allowing easy maneuverability and access to the control switch without venturing under the vehicle.
Implementation Method 1
an electro-hydraulic pump disposed proximate the frame, the electro-hydraulic pump in electrical communication with the battery; and a hydraulic cylinder connected to the lift arm and being in hydraulic communication with the electro-hydraulic pump, wherein, when the control switch is activated, the battery powers the electro-hydraulic pump, the powered electro-hydraulic pump thereby charging the hydraulic cylinder to cause the lift arm to raise or lower the saddle
Implementation Method 2
a battery disposed proximate the distal end of the handle
Data Source
AI summary
A floor service jack includes a battery and a control panel provided at a distal end of a handle of the jack for electro-mechanically or hydraulically controlling a lift arm to raise and lower a vehicle for servicing without exposure to an undercarriage of the vehicle to replace the battery or to operate the control panel.