CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Applicant claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of Italian Application No. 102018000008382 filed on Sep. 6, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to lifting equipment for the reparation of post-collision, damaged or under maintenance vehicles.

Description of the Related Art

As is well known, among the various types of lifting equipment used in body shops to allow the lifting of vehicles, so-called single-platform scissor lifts or similar are commonly used. This lifting assembly comprises, at the two sides of the vehicle support plane, a lifting/lowering scissor mechanism consisting of two pairs of levers reciprocally articulated at an intermediate section thereof and where the lever of each of the two pairs, more specifically the more external one, has its lower end hinged on the base plate, resting on the ground, and the upper end slidable below the supporting plane for lifting the vehicle, in a longitudinal direction, while on the opposite side, the two other levers, i.e. those placed more internally, have their lower end slidable on the aforementioned base plate and their upper end hinged under the aforementioned upper resting plane for lifting the vehicle.

The two pairs of levers that make up the two scissors are moved by at least one fluid-dynamic actuator having one end articulated on the crosspiece that connects the two lower ends of the two outer levers and the other end articulated, through an intermediate bracket, to the two upper arms of the two levers placed more internally.

The state of the art provides for the use of various types of lifters in body shops, which are mainly the following:

double-scissor lifters with movable platforms, called free-wheeled lifters because they lift the vehicle supported by the underbody/underchassis, so that the wheels of the vehicle itself are not resting on the lifter. These lifters are used to lift vehicles to perform interventions on the mechanical parts of the vehicle, which is supported by the underbody/underchassis by means of rubber pads supported directly by the movable platforms of the lifter and placed below the structure of the vehicle at the points indicated by the vehicle manufacturer. The drawbacks of these lifters, when they are used in body shop operations, are due to the fact that the movable platforms, protruding in width from the shape of the vehicle, occupy the lower side parts of the structure of the vehicle itself, thus they do not allow the operator to work on the devices of the vehicle located in these areas; moreover it is not possible to support the vehicle on the lifter by the wheels, since the lifter is not equipped with structures suitable for supporting the wheels, so that the operator, in order to be able to carry out certain assembly operations of the parts of the vehicle body that require the vehicle to be aligned, is forced to completely lower the lifter with the wheels of the vehicle in contact with the floor, because only in this way the vehicle is aligned such that its structure is not subjected to any bending of the frame or of the body;

lifters with two platforms with various types of scissor lifting devices or with jacks recessed into the floor. These lifters have movable platforms structured so as to allow the vehicle to rise with the wheels on the platforms, being able to free the wheels of the vehicle by means of a further lifting device integrated in the movable platforms for this purpose. These types of lifters are not normally used in body shops, because they have considerable overall dimensions and only allow access to the lower parts of the vehicle in a limited central area; in this way it is very difficult for the operator to approach the external and lower/side parts of the vehicle to carry out bodywork operations;

lifters with devices to support the vehicle by the wheels. These lifters have a single movable platform with a single lifting device and are particularly used for the repair of parts of the vehicle body, in which the devices for support by the wheels of the vehicle are applied to the movable platform, whereby the vehicle remains aligned, preventing the vehicle structure from being subjected to any bending of the frame or body. On the other hand, the vehicle lifted by the wheels does not allow the disassembly or assembly of some parts of the vehicle, especially those placed near the wheels, such as bumpers, mudguards, plastic body parts: operations for which it is sometimes necessary to remove the wheels;

lifters with a device for lifting the vehicle by the underbody/underchassis using supports, such as arms, with rubber pads, and in this way the wheels of the vehicle are not supported by the structure of the lifter itself. These lifters have a single moving platform, with a single lifting device, and are particularly used for the repair of parts of the vehicle body, in which the support devices for supporting the rubber pads are applied to the movable platform; the pads must be positioned at the points envisaged by the manufacturer; the lifting of the vehicle supported by the rubber pads allows the wheels to be left free, as in the case of double-scissor lifters with movable platforms, so-called free-wheel lifters; said rubber pads occupy a reduced part in the lower side parts of the vehicle but have the drawback that, when operations must be carried out which require no bending in the vehicle structure, it is necessary to completely lower the lifter with the vehicle wheels on the floor, thus forcing the operator to work in uncomfortable and tiring positions;

lifters with a vehicle support device by means of small benches for carrying out body-straightening operations on post-collision vehicles. These lifters, which are very widespread, are used to carry out small repairs on parts of the vehicle bodywork; they are widely used for small repairs because their reduced dimensions make them more compact and smaller compared to large benches, on which it is not economically convenient to carry out small repairs which currently constitute the majority of repairs that are carried out on post-collision vehicles; these small repairs are minor and therefore also the equipment for the reparation must be suited to needs and be quick to use, multifunctional and small in size. The latest generation small benches are of the low thickness type, so that the bottom of the vehicle is arranged above, so as to allow the vehicle to pass over the lifter during the positioning step on the lifter itself. Said small benches can be equipped with supports for lifting by the wheels, or supports for lifting by the underbody/underchassis fitted with a pad, depending on the type of intervention that must be carried out on the vehicle; the costs of these two pieces of equipment are disadvantageous, because they must both be comprised in the lifter equipment n order to be able to carry out all types of interventions and the operator must choose which device to use and how to use it; when the operator has decided which device to use, he must install it on the platform of the lifter, and when he has chosen to work for example with the supports for lifting by the wheels to carry out the task, if in the subsequent operation the wheels of the vehicle must be free, he is in fact forced to remove (if the weight requires it, also with the help of a second operator), the supports for lifting by the wheels, to install in their stead the supports for lifting by the underbody/underchassis with pads, in order to be able to lift the vehicle with free wheels; the time required to carry out these operations require a great effort by the operator. In short, the small benches, being of reduced dimensions and load capacity, have a use limited to small cars and are not suitable for lifting medium-sized vehicles, i.e. commercial vehicles, vans, SUVs, pick-ups and others;

lifters with a vehicle resting device by means of large benches for carrying out body-straightening operations on post-collision vehicles. These lifters consist of a frame, which has considerable dimensions with length and width lower, equal to or greater than the same vehicles to be repaired; these benches can be placed on the floor, or fixed on the upper part of the structure of a lifter that allows the bench itself to be raised at different heights and on which the clamps and the supports necessary to fix the vehicle to the bench are mounted in order to allow the use of pulling arms, devices adapted to tension and straighten the body and/or chassis of the post-collision vehicle. Obviously the large size of the bench does not prevent lifting also small or medium-sized vehicles, such as commercial vehicles, vans, SUVs, pick-ups and others. These large benches are divided into two constructive types, the first being a structure with dimensions in length and width equal to or greater than the vehicle to be repaired, while a second type has a central steel structure, to which the supports for lifting by the wheels are fixed but in which connection platforms are predisposed between the same supports for lifting by the wheels, so that during the vehicle positioning step on the lifter the same can slide above with the wheels; on both types of large benches drive-on ramps are provided, since the upper part of the bench has a height with respect to the floor that does not allow driving over it without these devices. As indicated above, the large benches allow lifting and repairing small and also medium-sized vehicles such as commercial vehicles, vans, SUVs, pick-ups and others, but the operation thereon is difficult, uncomfortable and tiring for the operator, requiring large amounts of time due to the need to handle many heavy parts of the equipment such as the drive-on ramps, in addition to the side connection parts between the supports for lifting by the wheels for driving over the bench, which at the end of the operations must then be disassembled to be able to intervene on the lower side parts of the vehicle to be repaired; when the wheels must be removed, the large benches are equipped with jacks that are placed between the bench and the vehicle or trestles that are placed on the ground and under the lower part of the vehicle so as to allow, by lowering the lift, the distancing of the wheels from the top of the bench in order to perform operations. In some cases, the large bench is equipped with a central lifter to obtain the distancing of the vehicle wheels from the resting plane, with a considerable increase in the overall costs of the equipment. For all these reasons the large benches and their equipment are of high cost, they do not reduce the time and effort required for the operator to carry out the operations, and ultimately, considering that the actual repairs are small compared to major repairs that are very rare because they are uneconomical. For this reason, the large benches are no longer convenient, due to the ever-increasing costs of vehicle parts. It should also be considered that even for small repairs on medium-sized vehicles such as commercial vehicles, vans, SUVs, and pick-ups, small lifters and the relative benches cannot be used, because they do not have the ability to lift vehicles of this size and weight, thus in order to carry out such repairs it is necessary to use the large benches, with additional costs and effort for the operator.

As an example of the lifts described above, the following patent documents are cited: WO2018046487, EP1468755, DE 29514547 and WO 93/15855.

The patent document WP2018046487 (in the name of the same applicant) describes vehicle pulling and anchoring equipment applied to a support for lifting by the Wheels.

The patent document EP1468755 describes a support for lifting by the wheels which allows freeing the wheel from the same support by means of an opening device. When the wheel is released, the car is fixed to the platform of the lifter/bench through a traditional system, which is independent of the support for lifting by the wheels, which comprises the clamp with the respective support for fixing to the platform, to keep the vehicle anchored when pulling arms are used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention differs from the known types of devices in that it is possible to use the same supports for lifting the vehicle which have the possibility of performing the function of supporting the vehicle in a first manner by the underbody/underchassis of the vehicle itself, in combination with the elements for support by the underbody/underchassis, which are interposed between the vehicle and the support for lifting, in a second manner supporting the vehicle by the wheels. For this reason, the lifting support according to the invention, having a dual function, is called support for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis.

The object of the present invention is to provide a lifter fitted with equipment for repairing post-collision, damaged or under maintenance vehicles, which is free from the drawbacks manifested by the products of the known type.

Specifically, the object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that improves the profitability of bodywork operations, which facilitates and makes the work of car body repairers more comfortable and at the same time allows performing operations comfortably and safely on small or medium-size vehicles such as cars, commercial vehicles, vans, SUVs, pick-ups and others, making it possible to pass from lifting the vehicle by the wheels to lifting the same with free wheels quickly and effortlessly, using the same lifting supports that can be moved along the upper platform/framework of the lifter, arranging the elements for support by the underbody/underchassis which are interposed between the lifting support and the lower part of the vehicle at the lifting points indicated by the vehicle manufacturer.

A further and noteworthy advantage of the invention in economic terms is the fact of providing equipment adapted to carry out all operations, whether small, medium or large, using a single lifter instead of various lifters envisaged for the specific operation, it is understood that the equipment according to the invention allows all operations to be carried out on a single lifter instead of using large benches, small benches and lifters without benches to carry out the same operations, including body repair and the maintenance of cars and medium-sized vehicles such as commercial vehicles, vans, SUVs, pick-ups and others.

In particular, the novelty consists in the application of equipment to the structure of lifters or benches that makes it possible, without the use of a plurality of devices, to lift the vehicle by the wheels or by the underbody, or by the underchassis, depending on the type of vehicle, or the type of work that must be done, in order to make the lifting operations of the vehicle in the various combinations quick and effortless, allowing the vehicle to be serviced and, if necessary, repair the body with the use of known fixing clamps and known pulling arms.

The new equipment according to the present invention provides for the use of a lifter, equipped with an upper platform or an upper framework of the bench, hereinafter referred to as the upper platform/framework, to which are removably/movably applied the supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis, such that the vehicle can be lifted and lowered both with the wheels supported, and with the vehicle supported by the underbody/underchassis and with the wheels free, using various shapes of the elements for support by the underbody/underchassis in combination.

The supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis are applied in a removable and movable way to the upper platform/framework of the lifter or of the bench and can be moved along the sides of the structure of the upper platform/framework itself.

The supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis can support the vehicle directly by the wheels or the same in combination with various shapes of elements of support by the underbody/underchassis that can be high or low, and can support the vehicle by the underbody/underchassis with the wheels of the vehicle free. The low elements for support by the underbody/underchassis are mainly suitable for lifting cars, while the high elements are mainly suitable for lifting commercial vehicles, SUVs, pick-ups or others.

Said supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis can be fixed to the upper platform/framework quickly by means of the specially provided fixing devices. In this way equipment can be applied to the supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis to carry out the straightening operations of the body of the vehicle by means of a pulling/pushing arm and anchoring clamps. In summary, the equipment of the present invention allows obtaining the following advantages:practicality of having equipment that can be easily and quickly transformed to lift the vehicle by the wheels, or with free wheels;convenience of having the same supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis to lift the vehicle both by the wheels and with the wheels free;less effort for the operator when passing from the arrangement of lifting to the use with supports for lifting by the wheels or by the underbody/underchassis with the wheels free, since in the actual work steps of bodywork repairs, and also for those future ones, it is necessary to pass within the same repair from lifting with free wheels (for example for the assembly of the parts under the wheel when it is necessary to remove the wheels), to the successive steps when the vehicle must be supported by the wheels in order to avoid the bending of the body or chassis of the vehicle, which occurs due to the weight of the mechanical parts, engine, gearbox, etc., when the vehicle is lifted on the points of the body with the wheels free.practicality of work because when using a lowered type of lifter, which has minimum dimensions in height, on which the supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis are installed which in turn are of a low profile, for the minimum overall height when the lifter is lowered to the ground, cars or other vehicles can drive over the lifter without the use of drive-on ramps and connecting platforms to slide the vehicle over the lifter, as is the case on large benches, where to drive over the lifter with medium-sized vehicles, SUVs, pick-ups and others drive-on ramps and connecting platforms must be used;practicality and ease of use, since the supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis can be moved along the sides of the structure of the upper platform/framework by a single operator, using the handle-shaped tube specially provided on the structure of the support for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis;safe use because the combination of the supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis with the low or high elements for support by the underbody/underchassis ensure vehicle stability also in the presence of vehicles with non-coplanar underbody/underchassis support points;practicality and convenience of having the possibility of using supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis in combination with elements for support by the underbody/underchassis in various combinations such as, by way of example, two supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis to lift a pair of vehicle wheels and two elements for support by the underbody/underchassis to support the vehicle by the underbody/imderchassis with the corresponding vehicle wheels free;simplicity and precision of parallelism adjustment of supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis thanks to the presence of a setting device applied on each support for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis which allows obtaining a horizontal plane parallel to the resting surface of the lifter, necessary when repairs are to be carried out on medium-sized and weight commercial vehicles, SUVs, and pick-ups, which require a large upper platform/framework and correct adjustment and parallelism.

Technically, the lifter for body shops, designed for the reparation of post-collision, damaged or under maintenance vehicles, has a resting base on the ground, two pairs of levers of which one pair is hinged to the other pair, forming a pantograph structure, at least one hydraulic jack, an upper platform/framework on the long parallel sides of which four supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis are normally applied (in vehicles with six wheels a corresponding number of lifting supports will be provided). Said supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis are used to lift the vehicle by its own wheels or by the underbody/underchassis depending on the operational needs of having some or all of the vehicle wheels free.

The lifting of the vehicle with free wheels is obtained by means of elements for support by the underbody/underchassis, which are positioned on the same number of supports for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis and are provided with an intermediate body wherein a thread is formed in which a pin is screwed to obtain the desired height and on the upper part of which a device is provided fitted above with a layer of slip-proof material, preferably rubber, to support the vehicle by the underbody/underchassis; said elements for support by the underbody/underchassis are each positioned on a support for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis by means of one or more devices applied to the lower part of the intermediate body and provided with a thickness of slip-proof material, preferably rubber.

The elements for support by the underbody/underchassis can be made in various constructive forms: high, low. One constructive form envisages two or more legs, each equipped with one or more points positioned on the support for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis, making it possible to obtain a solid and secure support for the vehicle.

In a further constructive version the length of one or more legs can be varied by means of a settable device. In this way, when the transverse dimensions of the vehicle are reduced (vehicles with a narrow frame), the setting of the leg length allows obtaining a solid and safe placement even on different planes.

The support for lifting by the wheels and by the underbody/underchassis is designed to support, if necessary, an element to which pulling and anchoring equipment is fixed.

