WO2002036478A1

WO2002036478A1 - Device to be used when lifting a vehicle, and a method for lifting a vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2002036478A1
Application number: PCT/SE2001/002385
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johan ÅKESON
Original assignee: Scania CV AB
Current assignee: Scania CV AB
Priority date: 2000-11-01
Filing date: 2001-10-31
Publication date: 2002-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 2003-05-01
Also published as: DE10196852T1; SE0003994D0; DE10196852B4; AU2002211182A1; BR0114878B1; BR0114878A; SE0003994L; SE521962C2

Abstract

The present invention relates to an element (10) for use in lifting a vehicle by means of a jack, and a method for lifting a vehicle. The vehicle incorporates at least one wheel shaft with two wheels. The element (10) incorporates a first portion (11) which forms an upper side of the element and which is designed to accommodate a shaft portion of said wheel shaft in the vicinity of one of said wheels. The element (10) also incorporates a second portion (12) which forms an underside of the element and which is designed to accommodate an upper portion of a lifting device of said jack.

Description

Device to be used when lifting a vehicle, and a method for lifting a vehicle

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION, AND STATE OF THE ART

The present invention relates to an element for use in lifting a vehicle by means of a jack according to the preamble to patent claim 1. The invention relates also to a method for lifting a vehicle according to the preamble to patent claim 12.

Modern trucks, buses and similar heavy-duty vehicles are lower than previously. In particular, many such vehicles are provided with front wheel shafts which are situated at a lower height than previously. Such wheel shafts often have a central portion situated at a lower height than the end portions where the wheel shaft is connected to the wheels. Immediately before the end portion, such wheel shafts have a sloping shaft portion which extends downwards towards the central portion.

A tyre puncture on such a vehicle will result in the central portion of the wheel shaft being very close to or actually touching the ground. This makes it difficult to place a jack under the wheel shaft. The jacking points are situated on the central portion of the wheel shaft because it is difficult to apply a lifting device to a sloping surface. To be able to lift the vehicle, the driver therefore has to find his/her own solutions, e.g. possibly by running the wheel that has the punctured tyre up onto a sidewalk edge, a stone, a block of wood or the like. It may nevertheless be difficult to find such temporary solutions in an acute situation, e.g. on a motorway.

US-A-5 379 987 refers to an arrangement for a jack. That arrangement incorporates two L-shaped parts which are connected together so that two limbs are parallel with one another but point in opposite directions. The upper of the two limbs is placed on the lifting device of the jack and the lower of the two limbs is placed under the object which is to be lifted. The point of contact of the jack can thus be lowered. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to propose a technical solution for lifting of vehicles, particularly vehicles with a wheel shaft situated relatively low.

This object is achieved with the element indicated in the introduction which incorporates the characteristics indicated in patent claim 1.

Providing an element which, in accordance with the features in patent claim 1, is designed to accommodate a shaft portion of the wheel shaft in the vicinity of said wheel makes it possible to place the jack under the wheel shaft and to apply a lifting force to the wheel shaft. As the wheel shaft is connected to the centre of the wheel, there will be in the vicinity of the wheel sufficient space for such placing of the jack and the element according to the invention. It is thus possible to use the element for ensuring that even low modern heavy-duty vehicles can be lifted, e.g. when a tyre has punctured. It is advantageous that the element be designed to be arranged on the upper portion of the lifting device in such a way that it extends upwards from the lifting device.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the first portion has a contact surface which consists of at least part of the upper side and which is designed to be applied to said shaft portion from below. Said shaft portion has an extent which slopes with respect to a horizontal plane during normal use of the vehicle. At the same time, said first portion may with advantage have a slope at a first angle with respect to a plane which is substantially perpendicular to a lifting force exerted by the lifting device of the jack. With such a sloping first portion it is possible to fit the element to the slope of said shaft portion and thus effect reliable engagement between the element and the shaft portion. Advantageously, the contact surface on the first portion slopes at said first angle with respect to said plane and more particularly with respect to the underside of the element.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the first portion incorporates gripping portions which are designed to prevent the element from moving sideways in a direction substantially perpendicular to said wheel shaft. Such gripping portions may with advantage each be situated on their respective side of the contact surface so that the first portion has a channel-like concave shape. With such a shape, the shaft portion will extend in the channel-like concave shape, with the gripping portions each extending upwards on their respective side of the shaft portion.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the second portion incorporates a recess in which the lifting device of the jack is insertable. Such a recess can be used to ensure that the element sits safely on the lifting device.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the element incorporates a third portion which is designed to bear against the vehicle and prevent sideways movement of the element in a direction substantially parallel with the shaft portion. Such a third portion may be used to prevent the element from sliding obliquely upwards on the shaft portion. The third portion may extend outwards sideways and be designed to bear against a wheel bearing on said wheel.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the element is cast in one piece and preferably be made of some metal, e.g aluminium.

The object is also achieved with the method indicated in the introduction which incorporates the stages defined in the characterising part of patent claim 12.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be explained in more detail on the basis of various embodiments taken as examples and with reference to the attached drawings. Fig. 1 depicts schematically a view from above of part of a wheel shaft of a vehicle. Fig. 2 depicts a perspective view of an element according to the invention.

Fig. 3 depicts another perspective view of the element in Fig. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 depicts part of a wheel shaft 1 of a schematically indicated vehicle 2. In the embodiment depicted, the wheel shaft 1 is a front axle. The wheel shaft 1 is connected to two wheels 3, one of which is depicted in Fig. 1. The wheels 3 are rotatable about a rotation axis x. The wheel 3 depicted has no tyre and its rim 3 is touching the ground 4, which indicates that the tyre of the wheel 3 is punctured. The wheel shaft 1 and the rotation axis x are sloping because of the puncture.

The wheel shaft 1 comprises a central portion 5 and two sloping shaft portions 6 which extend from the central portion 5 and one of which is depicted in Fig. 1. The wheel shaft 1 also comprises two fastening portions 7, each of which extends from a respective sloping shaft portion 6 and is connected to a respective wheel 3. One such fastening portion 7 is depicted in Fig. 1. The central portion 5 extends substantially parallel with the rotation axis x. Each of the sloping shaft portions 6 extends upwards from the central portion 5 to the respective fastening portion 7 at an angle α with respect to the rotation axis x and the longitudinal direction of the central portion 5.

In accordance with the state of the art, the central portion 5 incorporates jacking points where the lifting device of a jack can be applied. On the occasion of a puncture, however, as indicated in Fig.1 the central portion 5 will be very close to the ground 4, thereby often making it impossible to insert a jack under the central portion 5.

Fig. 1 shows a jack 8 placed under the sloping shaft portion 6. The jack 8 incorporates a lifting device 9 which can be moved substantially vertically upwards to lift the vehicle. According to the invention, to make such lifting possible, an element 10 is arranged between the sloping shaft portion 6 and the lifting device 9 of the jack 8.

The element 10 is depicted in more detail in Figs. 2 and 3. The element 10 incorporates an upper first portion 11 which forms an upper side of the element 10 and which is designed to accommodate the shaft portion 6. The element 10 also incorporates a lower second portion 12 which forms an underside of the element 10 and which is designed to accommodate an upper portion of the lifting device 9. The element 10 further incorporates a third portion 13 which is, designed to bear against the vehicle and more specifically against a wheel bearing 14 of the relevant wheel 3. The third portion extends sideways outwards with respect to the upper first portion 11 and the lower second portion 12. When viewed from above, the element 10 has a substantially rectangular shape and the third portion 13 extends outwards from one side of the rectangular shape.

The element 10 is designed to be arranged on the upper portion of the lifting device 9 in such a way that the element 10 extends upwards from the lifting device 9. As shown in Fig. 3, the second portion 12 incorporates a substantially circular cylindrical recess 15 in which the substantially circular cylindrical upper portion of the lifting device 9 is insertable. In the embodiment depicted, the lifting device 9 is arranged non-rigidly in the recess 15, but it is possible to have the lifting device 9 inserted in the recess 15 with a tighter fit so that the element 10 does not fall off the lifting device 9.

The first portion 11 incorporates a contact surface 16 which consists of part of the upper side 11 and which is designed to be applied to the shaft portion 6 from below. The contact surface 16 slopes with respect to a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the substantially vertical lifting force exerted by the lifting device 9 of the jack 8. The contact surface 16 also slopes with respect to the underside of the element 10. The angle of inclination of the contact surface 16 with respect to said plane and to the underside is substantially the same as the angle α.

The first portion 11 also incorporates two gripping portions 17 designed to prevent the element 10 from moving sideways in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the wheel shaft 1 and to the rotation axis x. Each of the gripping portions 17 is arranged on its respective side of the contact surface 16. The first portion 11 thus has a channel-like concave shape into which the shaft portion 6 can be introduced. The gripping portions 17 may be arranged at such a distance from one another that there is play between the gripping portions 17 and the respective side surfaces of the shaft portion 6. It is also possible to arrange the gripping portions 17 at such a distance from one another that this play is substantially nil, i.e. with such a fit that the element 10 can be fastened to the shaft portion 6.

The element 10 is cast as a single piece of metal, preferably aluminium or an aluminium alloy. For casting technology reasons the element 10 has a number of recesses 19 positioned in such a way that there is substantially equal metal thickness throughout the element 10.

In the event of a puncture, the jack 8 is placed under the shaft portion 6 which is adjacent to the punctured wheel 3. Thereafter the element 10 is placed between the shaft portion 6 and the upper portion of the lifting device 9. The element is held in this position manually while the jack 8 is activated so that the lifting device 9 moves upwards. When the lifting device 9 engages with the element 10 and the latter in its turn grips the shaft portion 6, the operator can release the element 10 and operate the jack 8 to lift the wheel shaft 1 and the vehicle 2. The third portion 13 in contact with and bearing against the wheel bearing 14 will prevent the element 10 from sliding along the shaft portion 6 towards the wheel 3.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment depicted but may be varied and modified within the scopes of the ensuing patent claims.

Claims

Patent claims

1. An element (10) for use in lifting a vehicle (2) by means of a jack (8), whereby the vehicle incorporates at least one wheel shaft (1) with two wheels (3), characterised in that the element (10) incorporates an upper first portion (11), which forms an upper side of the element and is designed to accommodate a shaft portion (6) of said wheel shaft (1) in the vicinity of one of said wheels (3), and a lower second portion (12) which forms an underside of the element and is designed to accommodate an upper portion of a lifting device (9) of said jack (8).

2. An element according to claim 1, characterised in that the element (10) is designed to be arranged on the upper portion of the lifting device (9) in such as way that it extends upwards from the lifting device.

3. An element according to either of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the first portion (11) incorporates a contact surface (16) which comprises at least part of the upper side and which is designed to be applied to said shaft portion (6) from below.

4. An element according to any one of the foregoing claims, whereby said shaft portion (6) has an extent which slopes with respect to a horizontal plane during normal use of the vehicle, characterised in that said first portion (11) slopes at a first angle (α) with respect to a plane which is substantially perpendicular to a lifting force exerted by a lifting device (9) of the jack (8).

5. An element according to claims 3 and 4, characterised in that the contact surface (16) slopes at said first angle (α) with respect to the underside.

6. An element according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the first portion (11) incorporates gripping portions (17) which are designed to prevent the element (10) from moving sideways in a direction substantially perpendicular to said wheel shaft (1).

7. An element according to claims 5 and 6, characterised in that each of said gripping portions (17) is arranged on its respective side of the contact surface (16) in such a way that the first portion (11) has a channel-like concave shape.

8. An element according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the second portion (12) incorporates a recess (15) in which the lifting device (9) of the jack (8) is insertable.

9. An element according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the element (10) incorporates a third portion (13) which is designed to bear against the vehicle (2) and prevent sideways movement of the element (10) in a direction substantially parallel with said wheel shaft (1).

10. An element according to claim 9. characterised in that the third portion (13) extends outwards sideways and is designed to bear against a wheel bearing (14) of said wheel (3).

11. An element according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the element (10) is cast in one piece.

12. A method for lifting a vehicle by means of a jack, whereby the vehicle incorporates at least one wheel shaft with two wheels, characterised by the following stages: - provision of an element which incorporates a first portion arranged on an upper side of the element, and a second portion arranged on an underside of the element, placing the jack under said wheel shaft in the vicinity of one of said wheels, placing the element between said wheel shaft and an upper portion of a lifting device of said jack, and driving the lifting device of the jack upwards in such a way that the first portion accommodates said wheel shaft in the vicinity of one of said wheels and the second portion accommodates said upper portion of the lifting device.