RETENTION SYSTEM FOR SPRING-LOADED LIFT

A method of compressing a spring-loaded lift is disclosed. The method may include providing a coupling having a first locking element, a second locking element, and a fastener, wherein a first end of the fastener is configured to engage with the first locking element, and wherein a second end of the fastener is configured to engage with the second locking element. The method may include engaging the first locking element with a first frame of a spring-loaded lift, engaging the second locking element to a second frame of the spring-loaded lift, engaging the first end of the fastener with the first locking element, engaging the second end of the fastener with the second locking element, and actuating the fastener thereby moving the first and second frames of the spring-loaded lift closer to one another.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a retention system for a spring-loaded lift.

BACKGROUND

Spring-loaded lifts are typically transported or shipped in their expanded or most de-compressed configuration due to the strength of the incorporated spring. That is, to ensure the spring constant, or performance of the spring, is not impacted (e.g., through unnecessary compression or wear), spring-loaded lifts tend to be transported or shipped such that the spring is in a fully extended configuration. In addition, transporting or shipping spring-loaded lifts in a fully expanded configuration is typically done to reduce risk of injury to personnel, as if the spring was compressed (e.g., using bars or ratchet straps), operators or individuals handling the devices could be injured upon quick or sudden release of the spring.

In view of how large and cumbersome spring-loaded lifts can be to ship or transport, and the potential risk of operator injury, a need exists for an improved spring-loaded lift retention system. Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to this and other considerations.

SUMMARY

A method of compressing a spring-loaded lift is disclosed. The method may include providing a coupling having a first locking element, a second locking element, and a fastener, wherein a first end of the fastener is configured to engage with the first locking element, and

wherein a second end of the fastener is configured to engage with the second locking element. The method may include engaging the first locking element with a first frame of a spring-loaded lift. The method may include engaging the second locking element to a second frame of the spring-loaded lift. The method may include engaging the first end of the fastener with the first locking element. The method may include engaging the second end of the fastener with the second locking element. The method may include actuating the fastener thereby moving the first and second frames of the spring-loaded lift closer to one another.

A method of compressing a spring-loaded lift is disclosed. The method may include removably engaging a first bracket with a first frame of a spring-loaded lift. The method may include removably engaging a second bracket with a second frame of the spring-loaded lift. The method may include engaging a first locking element of a coupling with the first bracket. The method may include engaging a second locking element of the coupling with the second bracket. The method may include engaging a first end of a fastener of the coupling with the first locking element. The method may include engaging a second end of the fastener of the coupling with the second locking element. The method may include actuating the fastener of the coupling thereby moving the first and second frames of the spring-loaded lift closer to one another.

A spring-loaded lift is disclosed. The spring-loaded lift may include a first frame having a first receptacle, a second frame having a second receptacle, and a coupling having a first locking element, a second locking element, and a fastener. The first locking element may be configured to engage with the first frame via the first receptacle. The second locking element may be configured to engage with the second frame via the second receptacle. A first end of the fastener may be configured to engage with the first locking element. A second end of the fastener may be configured to engage with the second locking element. Actuating the fastener may thereby move the first and second frames of the spring-loaded lift closer to one another.

A retention system for spring-loaded lift is enclosed. The system may include a U-boat utility cart having a platform. The system may include a spring-loaded lift having a bottom frame configured to removably engage with the platform, a first frame having a first receptacle, and a second frame having a second receptacle. The system may include a coupling having a first locking element, a second locking element, and a fastener. The first locking element may be configured to engage with the first frame via the first receptacle. The second locking element may be configured to engage with the second frame via the second receptacle. A first end of the fastener may be configured to engage with the first locking element. A second end of the fastener may be configured to engage with the second locking element. Actuating the fastener may thereby move the first and second frames of the spring-loaded lift closer to one another.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is also to be understood that the mention of one or more method steps does not preclude the presence of additional method steps or intervening method steps between those steps expressly identified.

Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology, examples of which are illustrated inFIGS.1,2,3,4, and5A-5C, and disclosed herein. Wherever convenient, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG.1depicts an embodiment of a system10used for retention of a spring-loaded lift14. In some embodiments, the system10may include a U-boat utility cart12having a platform12a. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that system10may include any type of utility cart or truck configured for carrying and/or transporting goods, such as in a warehouse.

In some embodiments, system10may include a spring-loaded lift14that may include a spring14a, a bottom frame14b, and a top surface14c. Spring-loaded lift14may be configured such that as items (e.g., boxes of goods, products, etc.) are placed on the top surface14c, the spring14amay be compressed and the top surface14cmay be incrementally moved downward under the weight of the items. As the items are removed from the top surface14c, the spring14amay be incrementally released or de-compressed, such that the top surface14cmoves upward as the weight of the items is reduced.FIG.1illustrates spring-loaded lift14in its expanded or de-compressed configuration, having decompressed height H1, whileFIG.2illustrates spring-loaded lift14in its compressed configuration, having compressed height H2. Compressed height H2is always less than decompressed height H1and, as discussed further below, H2may be approximately 6 to 10 inches shorter than H1.

In some embodiments, the spring-loaded lift14may be configured to removably engage with or attach to the U-boat utility cart12(or other type of cart) via, for example, the bottom frame14bof the spring-loaded lift14. Attaching the spring-loaded lift14to the U-boat utility cart12may provide a benefit of more easily being able to move, load, and unload items, such as in a warehouse or other facility.

FIGS.3and4illustrate additional components that may be included in system10. In some embodiments, system10may include a coupling102that itself may include a first locking element104, a second locking element106, and a fastener108. As discussed herein, the coupling102may be a type of mechanism, such as a turnbuckle, configured to aid in incrementally compressing, and thus reducing the overall volume of, the spring-loaded lift14, such as during transport or shipment.

In some embodiments, the first locking element104, e.g., a hook, may be configured to engage with a first frame16of the spring-loaded lift14. In some embodiments, the first locking element104may be directly attached to the first frame16, such as via a receptacle (e.g., a hole or other receiving mechanism) of the first frame16, and/or a chain link welded to the first frame16or passed through the receptacle. In some embodiments, the first locking element104may instead be configured to removably engage with a first bracket110that may itself be configured to removably engage with the first frame16. As particularly shown inFIG.5B, first bracket110may be configured in any shape or size necessary to removably engage with the first frame16of the spring-loaded lift14and the first locking element104. For example, the first bracket110may have a hook-like shape such that the first bracket110may be hooked around the first frame16(and/or engaged with the first frame16via a fastener, such as a screw, nut, bolt, etc. or hooked through the receptacle). The first bracket110may further have an opening110a(e.g., a hole) configured to receive the first locking element104.

In some embodiments, the second locking element106, e.g., a hook, may be configured to engage with a second frame18of the spring-loaded lift14. In some embodiments, the second locking element106may be directly attached to the second frame18, such as via a receptacle (e.g., a hole or other receiving mechanism) of the second frame18, and/or a chain link welded to the second frame18. In some embodiments, the second locking element106may instead be configured to removably engage with a second bracket112that may itself be configured to removably engage with the second frame18. As particularly shown inFIG.5B, second bracket112may be configured in any shape or size necessary to removably engage with the second frame18of the spring-loaded lift14and the second locking element106. For example, the second bracket112may have a hook-like shape such that the second bracket112may be hooked around the second frame18(and/or engaged with the second frame18via a fastener, such as a screw, nut, bolt, etc.). The second bracket112may further have an opening112a(e.g., a hole) configured to receive the second locking element106.

The means by which the locking elements104,106and/or the brackets110,112engage with their respective parts of the frame16,18can be any of the examples and can be the same or different type or any combination thereof. For example, the first locking element104can removable engage directly to the first frame16while the second locking element106engages with the second bracket112via the opening112aand the second bracket112engages with the second frame18.

In some embodiments, as particularly shown inFIGS.3,4, and5A, the fastener108may include a first end108aand a second end108bthat each may include a respective threaded female connector108c,108dconfigured to receive a respective threaded male connector104a,106aof the first and second locking elements104,106. In this way, the coupling102may be configured such that the first and second locking elements104,106may respectively rotatably engage with the first and second ends108a,108bof the fastener108.

In some embodiments, the respective threaded male connector104aof the first locking element104may include a right-hand thread (or left-hand thread), while the respective threaded male connector106aof the second locking element106may include a left-hand thread (or right-hand thread). In some embodiments, the coupling102may be configured like a turnbuckle.

In some embodiments, actuating the fastener108, such as by rotating the fastener108in a first direction (e.g., clockwise) with a turning rod20(FIGS.3and5C), may move the first and second frames16,18of the spring-loaded lift14closer to one another (e.g., between approximately 6 to 10 inches), and may incrementally compress the spring14a(e.g., by approximately 6 to 10 inches). These actions of moving the first and second frames16,18, and compressing the spring14a, may be configured to occur gradually or incrementally. In some embodiments, de-actuating the fastener108, such as by rotating the fastener108in a second direction (e.g., counterclockwise), may move the first and second frames16,18away from one another, and may incrementally release the spring14a. These incremental movements and adjustments provide a safety benefit of being able to compress and de-compress the spring without a sudden expansion of the spring14a. This allows for the decreasing and increasing of the volume of the overall spring-loaded lift14, without a risk of injuring a person who may be operating the lift or working nearby. For example, if the spring14ade-compresses too quickly it can result in the upper surface14cof the spring-loaded lift14rising quickly or suddenly and impacting an unaware user. Other systems that allow for the incremental release of the spring14aare also contemplated by the invention.

It should be understood that the coupling102may be configured for placement at a variety of positions on the spring-loaded lift14. For example, the coupling102may be configured to removably engage with the spring-loaded lift14at the center of and/or to one side of the first and second frames16,18.

It is further understood that in one example, it is the incremental movements of the fastener108that provide a safety and efficiency benefit. It is the incremental compression of the spring14athat typically allows for a magnification of force to allow a single user to compress the spring14awithout loading/pre-loading the top surface14cor frames16,18to act against the spring force. It is the incremental de-compression of the spring14athat adds the safety feature and the ability to adjust the height of top surface14cso the spring is not released suddenly.

In some embodiments, system10may be configured such that coupling102(e.g., one or more of first locking element104, second locking element106, fastener108), first and second brackets110,112, and/or turning rod20may be configured to removably engage with U-boat utility cart12and/or spring-loaded lift14, for example, during transport and/or storage. For example, coupling102, first and second brackets110,112, and/or turning rod20may be configured such that upon de-compressing spring14aand/or spring-loaded lift14a(e.g., after transporting or shipping spring-loaded lift14a), coupling102, first and second brackets110,112, and/or turning rod20may affix to a side of or underneath U-boat utility cart12and/or spring-loaded lift14for storage. As part of this storage configuration, at least one of the first locking element104, the second locking element106, and the fastener108of the coupling102can be stored together or as separate elements. A benefit of this feature is that coupling102, first and second brackets110,112, and/or turning rod20need not be discarded after a single use, but may instead be reused for compressing and de-compressing spring14a, and thus modifying the overall volume of spring-loaded lift14.