Integrated Jack Stand with Dual Ratchet Locking Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard floor jacks are unstable and prone to failure when used as sole support for vehicles, especially in unibody designs where fewer reinforced contact points are available, leading to safety concerns and the need for additional support structures like jack stands.
Innovation Solution
A support assembly comprising a low-profile jack stand with a dual ratchet system and spring-loaded wheels, allowing it to be securely positioned and locked in place under vehicles, compatible with various jack types, including scissor and floor jacks, to provide stable support at limited contact points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a standard floor jack is used as sole support for the vehicle, then the jack is movable and can be repositioned easily, but the vehicle becomes unstable and unsafe to work underneath
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the floor jack and jack stand into a single integrated support assembly. The jack stand is positioned within the frame structure of the floor jack, allowing both devices to occupy the same space and work together. This merging resolves the contradiction by providing the stability of a jack stand while maintaining the repositionability of a floor jack, as the entire assembly can be moved to different locations on the vehicle frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The jack stand is nested within the frame structure of the floor jack, with the jack stand's support platform and locking mechanism integrated into the jack's existing structure. This nesting allows the jack stand to provide stable support while being contained within the smaller footprint of the floor jack, enabling both stability and ease of repositioning.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a jack stand is placed at a different location than the jack to accommodate unibody design limitations, then the jack stand can be positioned on compatible contact points, but a higher jacking elevation is required or the jack stand must be placed at an unsuitable location
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated support assembly serves multiple functions: it can jack up the vehicle at the designated reinforced contact point while simultaneously providing stable support at the same location. This multi-functionality allows the assembly to adapt to unibody designs by using the existing reinforced contact points for both jacking and support, eliminating the need to place the jack stand at a different, potentially unsuitable location.
3Reliability
If a jack stand with individual support structure is used, then the jack stand is stable, but it cannot support the vehicle at the same location as the jack on unibody designs with limited contact points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the jack stand and floor jack into a single integrated assembly where both devices share the same base structure and contact point with the vehicle frame. This allows the stable support function of the jack stand to be combined with the location flexibility of the floor jack, enabling both to operate at the same reinforced contact point on unibody vehicles without requiring separate placement locations.
Data Source
AI summary
A support assembly includes a frame, a first ratchet, a second ratchet, a lift structure, a bridge member, and a saddle. Each of the first and second ratchets includes a linear rack attached to first and second side members of the frame, and a slide structure slideably mounted with one of the side members. Each slide structure includes a pawl that successively engages with teeth in the linear rack as the lift structure of the support assembly is extended upwardly and as the slide structure slides along the linear rack. The support assembly may be a jack stand that is co-located with a vehicle jack. A head of the vehicle jack pushes against a bottom surface of the bridge member of the jack stand to cause the lift structure to extend upwardly and the ratchet systems to engage in a locked position to hold a vehicle in a raised position.