Abstract:
An electronic jack for lifting heavy objects, such as a portion of a vehicle is described. The electronic jack has an outer casing that houses a motor, a hydraulic system, and a hydraulic lift unit that is activated by the hydraulic system. The motor is preferred to be a twelve volt electric motor and can be electronically connected to a vehicle through a cigarette lighter adapter.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention concerns that of a new and improved electronic jack for lifting heavy objects, such as a portion of a vehicle. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,688 filed by Torres et al., discloses a series of hydraulic jack units which are mounted on the frame of a vehicle. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,040 filed by Mejias et al., discloses a vehicle lift system for lifting a corner of a vehicle by remote control. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,641 filed by Martin et al., discloses a vehicle mounted tire changing system which comprises a hydraulic jack system connected to a vehicle. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,094 filed by Valdespino et al., discloses a leveling and support system for recreational vehicles which operates on a plurality of telescoping air cylinders. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,940 filed by Guzman et al., discloses a pneumatic jack system for a motor vehicle comprising a pneumatic jack with a bracket for mounting the pneumatic jack to a suspension assembly of the motor vehicle between two wheels. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention concerns that of a new and improved electronic jack for lifting heavy objects, such as a portion of a vehicle. The electronic jack has an outer casing that houses a motor, a hydraulic system, and a hydraulic lift unit that is activated by the hydraulic system. The motor is preferred to be a twelve volt electric motor and can be electronically connected to a vehicle through a cigarette lighter adapter. 
   There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of an electronic jack that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the electronic jack that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
   In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the electronic jack in detail, it is to be understood that the electronic jack is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The electronic jack is capable of other embodiments and being practiced and carried out in various ways. 
   Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
   As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present electronic jack. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
   It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electronic jack which has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic jack which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic jack which is of durable and reliable construction. 
   It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an electronic jack which is economically affordable and available for relevant market segment of the purchasing public. 
   Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when considered with the attached drawings and appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the electronic jack as it would appear in use. 
       FIG. 2  shows a side cutaway view of the preferred embodiment of the electronic jack as it would appear in use. 
       FIG. 3  shows a side cutaway view of the preferred embodiment of the electronic jack as it would appear in use. 
       FIG. 4  shows a top view of various working components located within the outer casing of the preferred embodiment of the electronic jack. 
       FIG. 5  shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of the electronic jack as it would appear in use. 
       FIG. 6  shows a side cutaway view of the alternative embodiment of the electronic jack as it would appear in use. 
       FIG. 7A  shows a perspective view of various components utilized with the preferred embodiment of the electronic jack. 
       FIG. 7B  shows a perspective view of the hydraulic pump and its associated components that are associated with the electronic jack. 
       FIG. 7C  shows a perspective view of the hydraulic car jack actuator. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the electronic jack  2  as it would appear in use, while  FIG. 2  shows a side cutaway view of the preferred embodiment of the electronic jack  2  as it would appear in use. Furthermore,  FIG. 3  shows a side cutaway view of the preferred embodiment of the electronic jack  2  as it would appear in use, while  FIG. 4  shows a top view of various working components located within the base  4  of the preferred embodiment of the electronic jack  2 . 
   The electronic jack  2  comprises a base  4  with two ends comprising a front end and a rear end. The jack  2  has four wheels comprising a left front wheel  5 , a right front wheel  6 , a left rear wheel  7 , and a right rear wheel  8 . The base  4  is rectangularly-shaped. 
   Base  4  has an internal motor  10  located within the base  4 . Motor is preferably an electric motor and is preferably a twelve volt electric motor. Power cord  42  has two ends, a first end and a second end, with the first end of the power cord  42  being attached to the motor  10 . The second end of the power cord  42  has a cigarette lighter adapter  44  which allows the jack  2  to draw power from vehicle electronics merely by connecting the adapter  44  into an adapter slot within the vehicle. A control switch  46  is attached to the power cord  42  in between the adapter  44  and the first end of the power cord  42 . 
   Motor  10  is connected to a plurality of reduction gears  14  that are located within a reduction gear unit  12 . The reduction gear unit  12  is subsequently coupled to a offsetted shaft  40 , which is coupled to a first arm  16 . The first arm  16  is coupled to a second arm  18 . 
   Hydraulic pressure container  22  is located within the base  4 . Within the hydraulic pressure container  22  is located a piston  20 , with the piston  20  being coupled to the second arm  18 . The cross-sectional shape of the piston  20  matches almost exactly the cross-sectional shape of the internal dimensions of the hydraulic pressure container  22 . Any gaps are filled in by seals  71 . 
   Hydraulic fluid container  24  is located within the base, with the container  24  comprising a volume of hydraulic fluid  26 . The fluid container  24  is a two compartment container comprising a first compartment  25  and a second compartment  27 . Prior to using the present invention, the fluid  24  is located in both compartments  25  and  27 . The compartments  25  and  27  are completely separated from one another except for a pressure relief solenoid valve  28  that is located in between the compartments. Although usually closed, this valve  28  can be opened once the jack  2  is no longer in use, thereby allowing the hydraulic pressure within both compartments  25  and  27  to stabilize. The valve  28  is electronically connected to the motor  10  via at least one wire  30 . 
   A pressure hose  23  is present that has two ends, a first end and a second end. The first end of the pressure hose  23  is connected to the hydraulic fluid container  22  via a one-way valve  31 , while the second end of the pressure hose  23  is connected to the first compartment  25 . The one-way valve  31  allows hydraulic fluid  26  to travel from the hydraulic pressure container  22  to the first compartment  25 , but not vice versa. 
   A short feeder tube  73  has two ends, a first end and a second end, with the first end of the feeder tube  73  being connected to the second compartment  27  and the second end of the feeder tube  73  being connected to the hydraulic pressure container  22 . The feeder tube  73  allows hydraulic fluid  24  to be drawn from the second compartment  27  when the second compartment  27  is in use so that the hydraulic fluid can be pumped into the first compartment  25 . 
   A hydraulic lift unit  38  is also located within the base  4 . Hydraulic lift unit  38  is contiguous with the first compartment  25  and is capable of lifting a platform  39  once pressure within the first compartment  25  is raised through operation of the jack  2 . The platform  39  pokes through a hole  77  that is located on the base  4 , with the platform designed to rise straight up to a needed height. 
   When the preferred embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 1-4  and  7 , is needed for operation, an individual can first connect the cigarette lighter adapter  44  to a vehicle for power and then can activate the control switch  46 . Next, the base  4  needs to be mounted under a portion of a vehicle that needs to be lifted up so that the platform  39  is directly under this vehicle portion. 
   Once the motor  10  commences working, it causes the piston  20  to move back and forth within the hydraulic pressure container. This movement draws hydraulic fluid  24  from the second compartment  27  through the feeder tube  73  and subsequently forces this hydraulic fluid  24  through the one-way valve  31 , through the pressure hose  23 , and into the first compartment  25 . Once the hydraulic pressure within the first compartment  25  is high enough, it will cause the hydraulic lift unit  38  to lift a small distance. 
   Repeated movings of the piston back and forth will continually build up the pressure in the first compartment  25 , causing the hydraulic lift unit  38  to continually push the platform  39  higher and higher. Once the platform  39  has lifted the vehicle portion to a desired height, the motor  10  can be stopped, causing the platform  39  to remain at the particular desired height. 
   Once the desired work is done on the vehicle, the pressure relief solenoid valve  28  can be activated by the control switch  46 . As long as this is done in a careful and controlled manner, the extra pressure within the first compartment  25  will quickly equalize with the pressure in the second compartment  27 , causing the hydraulic lift unit  38  to slowly disengaged and the platform  39  to slowly lower down to its default position. Then, the jack  2  could be removed. 
     FIG. 5  shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of the electronic jack  2  as it would appear in use, while  FIG. 6  shows a side cutaway view of the alternative embodiment of the electronic jack  2  as it would appear in use. In this embodiment, the hydraulic lift unit  62  is diagonally positioned instead of vertically positioned, as in the preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4  and  7 . 
   The hydraulic lift unit  62  in the alternative embodiment of the electronic jack  2  is connected to a primary arm  32 , which has two ends, a first end and a second end. The hydraulic lift unit  62  includes a secondary arm  34  which has two ends, a first end and a second end. The second end of the secondary arm  34  is attached to the primary arm  32  about halfway between the first end and the second end of the primary arm  32 . 
   The first end of the primary arm  32  is pivotally attached to the base  4  while the second end of the primary arm  32  has platform  36  pivotally attached to it. Platform  36 , although pivotally attached, can move only a little bit, perhaps five to ten degrees, to accommodate various small movements. As the hydraulic life unit  62  in the alternative embodiment of the electronic jack  2  pushes higher and higher, the primary arm  32  is pushed upward diagonally. 
     FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of various components utilized with the preferred embodiment of the electronic jack. Of special note are a representation of a planetary gear  72  and a planetary gear support  70 , which are utilized in conjunction with the plurality of reduction gears  14 . Furthermore, the hydraulic fluid container  24  is shown in conjunction with an electric check valve  78  and some hydraulic lines  80 , which are meant to be representative of the various hydraulic lines used with the present invention. Finally, the hydraulic lift unit  38  is shown as it would appear in an extended position.