Abstract:
The present invention is a lifting device that is useful for loading heavy and bulky objects into a motor vehicle, such as a van or sport utility vehicle. The device comprises a weight support structure having a weight transfer foot that is adapted to removably attach to a roof section of a motor vehicle, such as the rain gutters commonly provided on vans and sport utility vehicles. A hook structure is fixedly attached to the weight transfer foot, by methods common in the industry, such as welding. When the weight transfer foot is attached to the roof section of a motor vehicle the hook structure hangs down below the roof and is available for supporting the heavy object. Chains or cables attached to the heavy object may then be removably attached to the hook structure, allowing the heavy object to be levered up and into the vehicle.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/266,502 filed Mar. 12, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,048, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of support devices for use with motor vehicles. More specifically, the present invention relates to a support hook device that is adapted to attach to a motor vehicle&#39;s exterior and to assist a person with loading and unloading of heavy articles into the motor vehicle.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0003]    It has long been known that the loading and unloading of heavy articles into and out of motor vehicle is a dangerous task. This is primarily due to the unbalanced stance a person must use when lifting heavy or bulky objects. When holding a heavy object in one&#39;s arms, a great stress or strain is placed upon the back, especially the lower back. Frequently this results in injury to the lower back.  
           [0004]    Also, older or weaker individuals are at a decided disadvantage in loading and unloading heavy objects from motor vehicles. Often, they are unable to accomplish the task without the assistance of another individual. However, convenient helpers are not always available. These individuals then will usually attempt to load or unload the heavy article.  
           [0005]    One solution to this problem has been to attach complex and expensive lift devices to the motor vehicle. This option, while attractive to commercial business, is not always feasible to the ordinary individual. Therefore there is a need for inexpensive, easy to use devices that are operable by individuals.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that allows users to easily and efficiently hoist large and heavy objects into a motor vehicle, such as a van.  
           [0007]    It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for loading objects into motor vehicles comprising a weight transfer foot that is adapted to removably attach to a roof section of a motor vehicle and a hook structure fixedly attached to the weight transfer foot, wherein when the weight transfer foot is attached to the roof section of a motor vehicle the hook structure hangs down below the roof and is available for supporting a heavy object.  
           [0008]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device as describe above that has a weight transfer foot that is adapted to fit within rain gutters of the roof section of the van.  
           [0009]    Further objects of the present invention are disclosed and described below in the drawings and the description of the preferred embodiments. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its structure and its operation together with the additional object and advantages thereof will best be understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is yet another embodiment of the weight support according to the present invention having three weight transfer foot structures to further spread any load supported by the device;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is an illustration of a side view of a load supporting structure, according to the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of an alternate embodiment of a load supporting structure, according to the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 shows a side view of an alternate form of lever contemplated by the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a top view of the proximate end of the alternate form of lever illustrated in FIG. 4;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the weight support according to the present invention having a cross-bar that extends between a pair of weight transfer feet and a perpendicular support that extends from a third weight transfer foot to a middle section of the cross-bar;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 shows a positioning locking mechanism according to the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 shows a front view of an alternate embodiment of the lifting subunit;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 shows a side view of the alternate embodiment of the lifting subunit. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]    The present invention is a device  1  that is useful for loading heavy and bulky objects into a motor vehicle, such as a van or sport utility vehicle.  
         [0021]    The present invention is a device  1  for loading objects into motor vehicles. In one embodiment, the device  1  comprises a weight support structure  10  having a weight transfer foot  12  that is adapted to removably attach to a roof section of a motor vehicle, such as the rain gutters commonly provided on vans and sport utility vehicles. More specifically, it is preferred that the weight transfer foot  12  further comprises a rod  18  that is adapted to fit with rain gutters of the roof section of motor vehicle. The rod  18  reduces the pressure (force divided by area) on the roof by spreading the force caused by the weight of the object to be distributed along a significant portion of the roof. This, then, allows heavier objects to be loaded into the motor vehicle. Additionally, it is preferred that the rod  18  that comprises the weight transfer foot  12  should have a slight arcuate shape that is concave down when the device is used on the motor vehicle. This arcuate shape, coupled with the inherent flexibility of the materials from which the rod  18  is manufactured, provides the weight support structure  10  with a slight cushioning resiliency, similar to a leaf spring.  
         [0022]    Finally, in an embodiment of the weight supporting structure  10 , there is at least two, but preferably three, weight transfer feet  12 . These feet  12  are attached to a support bar  13 , preferably with one foot  12  at each end of the support bar  13 . If the at least third foot  10  is attached, it, or they, should be attached symmetrically between the two end feet  12 , e.g., a third foot  12  would be attached to a middle portion  15  of the support bar  13 . A hook structure  14  is also, as described above for attachment to a weight transfer foot  12 , attached to the middle of the support bar  13 . The hook structure  14  necessarily for support and stability is located underneath and parallel to the gutter bars and has a groove on each end thereof.  
         [0023]    As shown in the figures, in an alternate embodiment, there is a position locking mechanism attached to the third foot  12  that comprises a middle piece outer housing  63  through which the support bar  13  extends. The outer housing  63  is slightly larger than the cross section of the support bar  13  and a gib  67 , or locking tang, may be placed between the inner surface of the outer housing  63  and the support bar  13  in a position above the support bar  13 . There is a locking screw  64  that is threadingly received by an aperture  65  in the top of the outer housing  63  and when screwed into the outer housing  63  presses onto the gib thereby locking the position of the outer housing  63  relative to the support bar  13 . Finally, at opposite ends of the outer housing  63  may be locking set screws  66 , or gib retaining screws, that are received by complementary apertures and are used to more securely lock, or set, the position of the outer housing  63 .  
         [0024]    Also, according to the present invention, the device for loading objects into motor vehicles may also comprise a pair of weight transfer structures  10  that are adapted to removably attach to opposite sides of a roof section of a motor vehicle. A load positioning bar  26 , or cross-bar, removably attaches to and extends, within the interior of the motor vehicle, between the pair of weight support structures  10 . Further, there is a weight lifting structure  28  attached to the load positioning bar  26  and is adapted to incrementally lift and position heavy objects into the motor vehicle.  
         [0025]    In one embodiment, the weight lifting structure  28  of the above embodiment has a wheeled positioning section  30  that includes at least one roller  32 , or wheels, preferably two, which are capable of traveling along a top side  34  of the load positioning bar  26 . Rotatingly attached to the at least two rollers  32  are two side portions  36  that extend below the load positioning bar  26  and are connected to a lifting subunit  38 . It is envisioned that a worm type gearing system could work with the positioning section  30  and also be included into the weight transfer structure  10 . The worm type gearing system would be attached to the load positioning bar  26 . Rotation of the worm gear would work to move the weight lifting structure  28  from one side of the motor vehicle to another.  
         [0026]    The lifting subunit  38  further has a solid bar  40  that attaches to the two side portions  36  of the weight lifting structure  28 , a load securing chain  16  that is adapted to be removably attached to one end of the solid bar  40 , such as by threading a chain receiving structure  44  through one of the links of the load securing chain  16 , and a lever  46  that is pivotally attached by a fulcrum chain  42  to an opposite end of the solid bar  40  and is adapted to incrementally lift segments of the load securing chain  16 , and thereby a heavy object that is secured to the load securing chain  16 . The load lifting chain  16  preferably has at least four lateral links. In use, when raising a heavy object, the second lateral link is used; when lowering a heavy object, the fourth lateral link is used. The lever  46  may be either a straight lever or slightly bent, depending upon the user and/or loading constraints. Further, the lifting subunit  38  may have a slidingly movable dovetail type structure  45  that is useful in positioning the lifting subunit  38  perpendicular to the entire unit.  
         [0027]    Thus, when an object is secured to by the load securing chain  16 , the load securing chain  16  is extended and removably attached to the weight lifting structure  28 . A proximate end  48  of the lever  46  is inserted into a link in the load securing chain  16  (or the link is received by grooved or slots that sized to fit the links and forms a slightly oversized pocket) that is between the weight lifting structure  28  and the heavy object. Downward force is applied to a distal end  50  of the lever  46 , thereby levering the proximate end  48  upward. The load securing chain  16  is then removed from the weight lifting structure  28 , slack in the load securing chain  16  between the proximate end  48  of the lever  46  and the weight lifting structure  28  is removed, and the load securing chain  16  is reattached to the weight lifting structure  28 . This process is repeated until the heavy object is at a sufficient height to be conveniently moved into the motor vehicle.  
         [0028]    Another embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 3, heavy objects may be lifted into a motor vehicle by attaching a pair of movable collars  52  onto the cross-bar  26 . One of the pair of movable collars  52  adjustably attaches to the lever  46  by the fulcrum chain  42 . The remaining collar of the pair of movable collars  52  removably receives the load securing chain  16 .  
         [0029]    In another embodiment of the lever  46 , the lever  46  may be made from two pieces, a handle piece  47 , and a lifting piece  49 . The lifting piece  49  is attached to the handle piece  47  with an angle between the two pieces. This angle allows for more comfortable use of the lever. Further, the lifting piece  49  is adjustingly attached to the fulcrum chain  42  by a fulcrum collar  53 . Thus, the pivot point of a fulcrum embodied by the present device is adjustable.  
         [0030]    Thus, when the lifting piece  49  engages the load securing chain  16 , the handle piece  47  is at a more horizontal position and is therefore easier to push down and lift heavy objects. Additionally, the lifting piece  49  has a substantially U-shaped engaging structure  51 , as illustrated in FIG. 5. Thus, the U-shape of the engaging structure  51  is adapted to securely, and removably, engage a link in the load securing chain  16 .  
         [0031]    In yet another embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 7, there may be a perpendicular support  56  that substantially perpendicularly extends from a third weight support structure  10  that is receive, or attached, to a rear end of the motor vehicle, to a middle portion  58  of the cross-bar  26 . This perpendicular support  56  may be used either as a weight support, or, alternately, as another direction from which heavy objects may be loaded into the motor vehicle. When using the perpendicular support  56  as a loading means, the weight lifting structure  28  should be moveable attached to the perpendicular support  56 , instead of the cross-bar  26 .  
         [0032]    In an alternate embodiment of the weight support structure  10  adapted for use with the above embodiment, the weight support structure  10  may have a single roller  32  that rollingly attaches to one end of the two side structures  36 . The other end of the two side structures  36  is pivotally attached to a hook  60 , preferably J-shaped.  
         [0033]    While these descriptions directly describe the above embodiments, it is understood that those skilled in the art may conceive modifications and/or variations to the specific embodiments shown and described herein. Any such modifications or variations that fall within the purview of this description are intended to be included therein as well. It is understood that the description herein is intended to be illustrative only and is not intended to be limitative. Rather, the scope of the invention described herein is limited only by the claims appended hereto.