Floor Jack Saddle Extension Assembly for Off-Center Load Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional floor jacks with extensions for vehicles with higher ground clearance suffer from instability under off-center loading conditions due to tilting, deflection, and slippage, and the extensions are often too large for storage.
Innovation Solution
A saddle and removable extension assembly for a floor jack with a storage assembly, featuring a flange and extension saddle, secured by extension and saddle fasteners through off-center bores, and a height adjustment mechanism, allowing secure attachment and storage of the extension.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If an extension is added to increase lift height for vehicles with higher ground clearance, then the lift height capability is improved, but the stability under off-center loading deteriorates due to tilting and deflection
Solution Approach 1:
The extension is designed as a separate removable component that can be attached to or removed from the saddle, allowing the system to be segmented into different configurations based on the vehicle's ground clearance requirements. This segmentation enables the extension to be used only when needed while maintaining a compact storage configuration when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The extension includes pre-formed off-center bores that are precisely positioned and angled to receive fasteners. This preliminary preparation of the bore locations and orientations ensures that when the extension is assembled with the saddle and mounting bracket, the fasteners automatically engage at the correct positions to provide optimal stability and resistance against off-center loading forces.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the extension is securely fastened to withstand off-center loading, then the stability is improved, but the complexity of the assembly increases due to multiple fasteners and bores
Solution Approach 1:
The extension assembly integrates multiple functions into a unified structure: the off-center bores are formed directly in the extension component, the fasteners serve both to attach the extension to the saddle and to secure the saddle to the mounting bracket, and the overall assembly creates a combined saddle-extension-bracket unit that acts as a single stable structure under load.
Solution Approach 2:
The fasteners act as intermediary elements that transfer and distribute the off-center loading forces across the extension, saddle, and mounting bracket. By positioning the fastener engagement points off-center, the design uses these intermediaries to create stabilizing moment arms that actively counteract the tilting and deflection forces rather than simply resisting them.
3Reliability
If the extension is designed for secure attachment, then the reliability is improved, but the storage space requirement increases making it obtrusive
Solution Approach 1:
The extension assembly transitions between two dynamic states: a compact stored configuration where the extension is removed or collapsed to minimize storage space, and an extended operational configuration where the extension is attached to provide the necessary lift height. This dynamic reconfigurability allows the system to maintain high attachment reliability when needed while minimizing storage volume when the extension is not required.
Data Source
AI summary
A saddle and removable extension for a floor jack having a storage assembly is disclosed. A saddle and extension assembly of the floor jack includes a jack saddle fastened to a mounting bracket of a lifting arm and an extension having a flange and an extension saddle. To withstand off-center loading conditions when the floor jack is in an upper extended position, at least one extension fastener is operable to engage with at least one extension bore by fastening the extension to the jack saddle and the mounting bracket of the lifting arm. A storage assembly is provided on a body of the floor jack to house the extension during storage or transport.