Composite Jack Stand Load Spreader for Unbalanced Heavy Loads

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional heavy-duty jack stands are cumbersome and pose a risk of personal injury due to their weight, requiring multiple persons to lift and position them, and often require expensive machinery for safe handling, while also struggling to support loads evenly, leading to potential fractures under unbalanced loads.

Innovation Solution

A lightweight heavy-duty jack stand with a load spreader made from composite materials and metal components, featuring a wide base for stability, distributed engagement formations, and a handle, capable of supporting loads up to 400 tonnes, utilizing pultrusion-processed composite materials with aligned fibers for enhanced compressive strength and a monitoring system with load sensors and alarms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional heavy-duty jack stands are made from metal parts to sustain heavy loads, then the load-bearing capacity is improved, but the weight of the jack stand increases making it cumbersome to move

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveload-bearing capacityVSAvoidweight of jack stand
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The jack stand uses composite materials (such as carbon fiber reinforced polymers or other high-strength-to-weight-ratio materials) to construct the main body structure. This allows the stand to maintain high load-bearing capacity (supporting heavy loads) while significantly reducing the overall weight compared to traditional all-metal constructions, making it easier to move and position manually.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Stability of the object's composition

If the base is made wider to distribute weight and provide stability, then the stability is improved, but the footprint area increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestabilityVSAvoidfootprint area
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The base incorporates localized reinforcement and strategic weight distribution features rather than uniformly increasing the entire base area. This includes concentrated support points, internal structural reinforcements in critical areas, and optimized material distribution that provides enhanced stability and load distribution while minimizing the overall footprint area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 jack stand is significantly lighter than conventional stands, safer to handle, and capable of supporting higher loads without fracturing, while the monitoring system ensures safe operation and efficient load management, reducing the risk of injury and improving productivity.

Implementation Method 1

The post and/or parts of the load spreader may include composite material. The composite material may include polymeric resin material and high strength fibres.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectComposite materials: Composite Materials

Implementation Method 2

The fibre material may include glass fibre, carbon fibre, and aramid (Kevlar) fibre or other like high tensile composite re-inforcing fibre material.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiber reinforcement:

Implementation Method 3

The composite material may be formed via a pultrusion process.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPultrusion:

Implementation Method 4

The reinforcing fibres may be separately wound around the post to improve compressive strength.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiber winding reinforcement:

Data Source

PatentEP3830018B1A heavy-duty jack stand
Publication Date: 2023.07.12 STAND TECH PTY LTD
  • EP3830018B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP3830018B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2d
  • EP3830018B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a jack stand. The jack stand includes a base and a post for extending from the base. A top is provided for topping the post and engaging with a load. The top includes a load spreader for spreading the weight of the load to the post. Advantageously, the spreader spreads the weight of the load to the post thereby resulting in a more heavy duty jack-stand, rated for significantly higher loads, than prior jack stands which instead can fracture under heavy unbalanced loads locally travelling along one side when the loading is not evenly spread.