Mobile Lift Column Cable Suspension Bracket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile lift systems for vehicles suffer from tripping hazards and equipment damage due to cables connecting lift columns, and the cost of upgrading to wireless communication systems is prohibitive, necessitating a solution that elevates cables to prevent hazards while maintaining mobility.
Innovation Solution
The use of hangers and brackets mounted on mobile lift columns to suspend cables above the ground, providing friction to keep them in place and allowing for synchronized operation between columns, which can be moved to different locations with the cables remaining suspended.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cables are used to connect lifting columns for coordinated operation, then synchronization between columns is improved, but tripping hazards and equipment damage risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by moving the cables from the horizontal plane (floor level) to the vertical plane (suspended above ground). Brackets mounted on each lifting column hold the cables at elevated positions, transforming the cable arrangement from a ground-level hazard into an airborne connection that maintains synchronization while eliminating tripping risks and vehicle damage concerns.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If wireless communication is used to eliminate cable hazards, then safety is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by removing the harmful aspect (cables on the floor) while retaining the essential function (cable connectivity). Instead of eliminating cables entirely through expensive wireless systems, the solution extracts cables from the hazardous ground level and suspends them vertically, maintaining the wired connection's reliability while eliminating the safety hazards.
3Adaptability or versatility
If mobile lift columns are used to increase mobility, then repositioning capability is improved, but cable management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by designing brackets that serve dual purposes: they provide structural support for the lifting mechanism and simultaneously serve as cable suspension points. This integration means that as the lift columns are repositioned for mobility, the cables are automatically repositioned with them, eliminating the need for separate cable management operations.
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
This solution eliminates tripping hazards and equipment interference while maintaining the mobility of lift systems, allowing for efficient and safe vehicle lifting operations across multiple locations without the need for costly wireless upgrades.
Implementation Method 1
The use of hangers and brackets mounted on mobile lift columns to suspend cables above the ground, providing friction to keep them in place
Data Source
AI summary
A cable can be suspended from a mobile lift column. A bracket may be used and include one or more hangers on which the cables extending between the individual mobile lift columns may be suspended. In this way, the cables are elevated from the floor and work surface and no longer present a tripping hazard for personnel in the work area nor an obstacle over which equipment must roll during the servicing of the vehicle. Advantageously, the brackets may be individually mounted to each lift column as original equipment when the column is purchased or as a retrofit improvement to existing lift columns.