Low Height Scissors Lift Base Inversion

Solution Overview

Problem

Current scissors lift vehicles require users to climb multiple steps to access the elevated work platform, posing safety and labor concerns, and their increased height limits access to narrow areas due to the mounting of components under the lift assembly.

Innovation Solution

A scissors lift vehicle design featuring a carriage with independently steerable wheels and a base positioned low to the ground, allowing the scissors stack assembly to pivot and slide, reducing the overall height and enabling direct access to the platform without intermediate steps, and a method for assembling this configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the scissors lift assembly is mounted on top of the carriage with components mounted under the assembly, then the lift mechanism can be supported and powered, but the height of the work platform is greatly elevated above the floor surface requiring multiple ladder steps for access

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworker access to platformVSAvoidplatform height above floor

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional mounting arrangement by positioning the base below the carriage instead of above it. The scissors stack assembly extends upward from this low-positioned base, allowing the work platform to be accessed at a height closer to the floor level while maintaining structural support through the inverted configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent repositions the base and hydraulic components from the vertical dimension (above the carriage) to the horizontal dimension (below the carriage between the wheels). This dimensional change allows the work platform to be accessed at a reduced height while distributing components across the horizontal space between the wheels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If the base is positioned higher above the travel surface, then components can be mounted more easily, but the overall height of the vehicle increases limiting access to narrow areas

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent mountingVSAvoidvehicle height

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional mounting arrangement by positioning the base below the carriage instead of above it. The scissors stack assembly extends upward from this low-positioned base, allowing the work platform to be accessed at a height closer to the floor level while maintaining structural support through the inverted configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Ease of operation

If multiple ladder steps are attached to the carriage and platform for user access, then users can reach the elevated work platform, but the access becomes dangerous and laborious

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplatform accessibilityVSAvoidaccess danger and labor

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional mounting arrangement by positioning the base below the carriage instead of above it. The scissors stack assembly extends upward from this low-positioned base, allowing the work platform to be accessed at a height closer to the floor level while maintaining structural support through the inverted configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP3099626B1Method and system for a low height lift device

Publication Date: 2020.03.25 XTREME MANUFACTURING LLC

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AI summary

A method and system for a scissors lift vehicle are provided. The scissors lift vehicle includes a carriage including a plurality of independently steerable wheels configured to engage a travel surface, the wheels including an axis of rotation and a circular profile having a radius R, the wheels spaced apart in a fore/aft direction and in a right/left direction. The scissors lift vehicle also includes a base coupled to the carriage between the wheels spaced apart in the right/left direction within a profile of the wheels and a scissors stack assembly including a plurality of scissors linkages extendable from a retracted position, where the scissors linkages are approximately horizontally configured to an extended position, where the scissors linkages are approximately orthogonally configured with respect to each other, the scissors stack assembly pivotally coupled to the base through a first pair of scissors linkages, the scissors stack assembly slidably coupled to the base through a second pair of scissors linkages.