Lifting Device with Segmented Columns for Vehicle Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lifting devices for vehicles, such as column lifting platforms, hinder accessibility for maintenance and assembly due to obstructive drive rails and column placement, making it difficult to access the underbody and requiring lengthy ramps for driving on and off.
Innovation Solution
A lifting device with a vertical lifting column and a load receiver featuring a drive-on, support, and drive-off region, where the holding arm is positioned outside the support region, allowing for easy vehicle positioning and enhanced accessibility, with a low drive-on height achieved through a planar design and optional stiffening elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous drive rails are used to support the lifting platform, then the platform can lift and lower vehicles, but accessibility to the underbody and wheels is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting platform is divided into multiple independent lifting columns instead of using continuous drive rails. Each column can be independently positioned and controlled, allowing vehicles to be lifted at multiple points without requiring obstructive continuous rails, thereby improving accessibility to the underbody and wheels while maintaining lifting capability
Solution Approach 2:
The drive rails are completely removed from the system. Instead of using continuous drive rails to support and move the platform, the invention extracts this function and replaces it with discrete lifting columns that provide support and lifting capability without the obstructive continuous structure, enabling unrestricted access to vehicle components
2Reliability
If lifting columns are positioned in the region of vehicle wheels, then the platform can support the vehicle, but work on wheels and mudguards becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting columns are designed to be movable and adjustable in position rather than fixed. This allows the columns to be dynamically repositioned to optimal locations that do not interfere with wheel and mudguard access, while still providing necessary support points for vehicle lifting and stabilization
3Stability of the object's composition
If drive rails with notable drive-on height are used, then the platform can be structurally stable, but long drive-on ramps are necessary
Solution Approach 1:
The platform structure is segmented into discrete columns rather than requiring continuous elevated drive rails. This segmentation allows vehicles to drive onto the platform at lower heights and be lifted by individual columns, eliminating the need for long ramps while maintaining structural stability through the distributed column support system
4Strength
If crossmembers support the drive rails, then the platform can bear loads, but access to work space under the vehicle is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The crossmembers and continuous drive rail structure are extracted and removed from the system. Load bearing capability is achieved instead through discrete lifting columns that provide structural support without creating continuous obstructive structures, thereby opening up the work space under the vehicle for unrestricted access
Data Source
AI summary
A lifting device, in particular for lifting and lowering loads, vehicles or similar, having a vertical lifting column, having a support arranged on the lifting column, which is guided by a guide on the lifting column and is able to be driven vertically along the lifting column, having a drive device for lifting and lowering the support and a load receiver arranged on the support, wherein the load receiver is able to be driven over and has a drive-on region, a support region and a drive-off region which are arranged in a row along a mutual axis in the drive-over direction and the load receiver has a holding arm outside of the support region and outside of the drive-over direction of the drive-on region or drive-off region.