Movable Vehicle Support Posts for Lift Storage and Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle lift systems face challenges in accommodating both storage and working on vehicles, as four-post lifts obstruct access for maintenance due to their width, while two-post lifts are unsuitable for long-term storage due to suspension damage concerns.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle support assembly that includes a pair of carriage assemblies with movable arms, which can be positioned to support vehicles on a runway lift, allowing the posts to move between a vertical operating position and a horizontal storage position, enabling both elevated working and safe storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a four-post vehicle lift is used, then the vehicle can be supported on its tires in a normal operating position for storage, but the runways significantly obstruct access to portions of the vehicle where work needs to be performed
Solution Approach 1:
The posts are made movable between a vertical operating position and a horizontal storage position. During vehicle maintenance, posts are in vertical position to provide access. During storage, posts are moved to horizontal position to clear the workspace while still supporting the vehicle through the arm carriages.
Solution Approach 2:
The posts transition from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation, changing the spatial dimension in which they occupy space. This allows the posts to clear the workspace area horizontally while maintaining vertical support capability when needed.
2Ease of operation
If a two-post vehicle lift is used, then the complete underside of the vehicle is exposed for working on the vehicle, but the suspension components are unsprung which can cause damage to the vehicle if left in this condition for a period of time
Solution Approach 1:
The arm carriages are designed to be movable along the posts, allowing them to be positioned at different heights. During maintenance, arms are lowered to provide access. During storage, arms are raised to support the vehicle weight on the suspension components, preventing damage while maintaining the two-post configuration benefits.
3Ease of operation
If posts are positioned vertically to support vehicles, then maintenance access is improved, but storage space and safety are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The posts are designed to dynamically change position between vertical and horizontal orientations. This allows the same structure to serve different functions: vertical position for maintenance access and horizontal position for storage safety and workspace clearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The support function is segmented between the posts and the arm carriages. The posts provide the structural framework while the arm carriages provide the actual vehicle support. This segmentation allows independent movement and positioning of each component to optimize for different operational modes.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle support assembly mountable to a runway vehicle lift having a frame with a plurality of vertically oriented spaced apart support, a rack having a plurality of portions, wherein each portion is movably coupled to a different vertically oriented support, a runway vehicle support supported on the rack, a lift actuator coupled to the rack to move the rack and the runway vehicle support up and down. The vehicle support assembly comprising: a pair of carriage assemblies, each carriage assembly having an arm carriage and a two movable arms, each arm having a first end coupled to the arm carriage and a second end configured to engage an undercarriage of a vehicle; and a pair of posts wherein each post supports a carriage assembly, each post being movably coupled to the runway vehicle lift with a mount to move the post to and from a first position wherein the post is arranged vertically with the arms extended to support the vehicle above the runway vehicle support and a second storage position wherein the post is displaced from the first position.