Abstract:
A device for lifting an item such as an article of furniture to gain access underneath for performing a variety of tasks. The device comprises a horizontal actuating beam attached via a hinge member to one or more horizontal support beams that are affixed to the object frame. The horizontal actuating beam is also connected to the one or more horizontal support beams by one or more biasing members. The horizontal actuating beam includes a pivoting axle at one end that is attached to the one or more horizontal support beams and a wheel at the other end that presses downward on a surface and acts as a support point when the front of the object is raised up off of the surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a Non-Provisional of U.S. Application 60/455,639, filed Mar. 18, 2003, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a lifting apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for assisting a user in lifting heavy articles such as furniture.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    There are a number of situations, both in the home and at work, where a person must gain access to the underside of a heavy article. In the home, for example, a person must often lift a couch, sofa, or other piece of large and/or heavy furniture in order to retrieve items that have fallen beneath the article or to vacuum or clean the region underneath the article. In the case of a large couch or sofa, this can pose a number of safety and health issues. Some articles may weigh well over 100 pounds and may be so large and cumbersome that they are difficult to manipulate. As a result, it can be very difficult for a single person to lift or move the article. This is especially true when the person is elderly, possesses a physical ailment, or otherwise has difficulty in lifting heavy objects. Furthermore, even for people who can lift articles such as couches and sofas with little difficulty, the person will still have a difficult time cleaning or reaching underneath the article while simultaneously keeping the article lifted or tilted. Additionally, this action can create severe safety issues, such as the object falling on the individual as the person attempts to simultaneously work underneath the article and keep the article suspended or tilted.  
           [0004]    In the workplace or an industrial setting, similar issues can also arise. For example, custodial personnel often have to lift or tilt office furniture in order to clean in hard-to-reach areas. Certain types of machinery may also need to be lifted and/or tilted in various circumstances in order to work underneath the article. In each of these circumstances, substantial safety issues can arise if a single individual is required to both lift and/or tilt the object and simultaneously perform actions underneath the object.  
           [0005]    For all these reasons, it would be advantageous to develop a mechanism that permits a user to quickly and easily lift and/or tilt a large bulky and heavy object such that the person can easily and safely perform actions, such as cleaning, underneath the object.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The present invention comprises a device for lifting heavy articles, such as sofas and other types of furniture. The device of the present invention provides a system for conveniently lifting an edge of the base of a heavy article, thereby affording access to the area of the floor beneath the article and allowing tasks, such as cleaning, of the area underneath the article. The present invention is preferably adapted to lift one edge of the article in order to provide access to the underside thereof. The present invention may be permanently installed on the underside of the article, while also being hidden from view when not in use. The device of the present invention may also include one or more wheels to permit the attached article to be rolled and moved to a different position with little difficulty. The device of the present invention is easy to use, comprises a relatively few amount of moving parts, and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article-lifting device constructed according to the present invention;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a front end view of the article-lifting device of FIG. 1;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a top view of the article-lifting device of FIG. 1; and  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a front end view of the article-lifting device of FIG. 1 when in the collapsed position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]    A device constructed according to the present invention is shown generally at  10  in FIGS. 1-4, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, for lifting a heavy article, shown at  12  in FIG. 1, such as a piece of furniture. The device  10  comprises a primary member  14  operatively connected to one or more outer telescoping members  17 , which are connected to one or more inner telescoping members  16 . Each inner telescoping member  16  is coupled to a corresponding outer telescoping member  17  by a set screw  18  or similar fastener. The use of the set screw  18  permits the effective length of the inner telescoping member  16  and the outer telescoping member  17  to be adjusted in order for the device  10  to attach to articles  12  of different shapes and sizes.  
         [0012]    In one embodiment of the invention, the primary member  14  is operatively connected to each outer telescoping member  17  by one or more biasing members  20 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each biasing member  20  comprises a gas spring. In one embodiment, the gas springs are capable of applying up to about 400 lbs. of force on a surface. In another embodiment, two gas springs can be used to each apply about 375 lbs. of force, totaling about 750 lbs. of force on a surface. However, gas springs having various capacities can be used. Furthermore, other types of biasing members, including coil springs, hydraulic systems or various types of pneumatic systems, could also be used depending upon the particular system and manufacturing requirements. Each biasing member  20  is coupled to the primary member  14  at a lower joint  22 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lower joint  22  comprises a 10 millimeter ball joint, although joints of other types and sizes may also be used. Also in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the location at which the biasing members  20  are coupled to the primary member  14  can be adjusted to fit one of a plurality of height adjustment slots  24 . The different height adjustment slots  24  permit the user to adjust the ultimate height to which one end of the object  12  is raised during use of the device  10 .  
         [0013]    In one embodiment of the invention, the end of each biasing member  20  opposite the lower joint is operatively connected to the outer telescoping member  17  via one or more weight adjustment brackets  26 . Each biasing member  20  is coupled to the respective weight adjustment bracket  26  at an upper joint  28 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper joint  28  comprises a 10 millimeter ball joint, although joints of other types and sizes could also be used. Like the lower joints  22 , the upper joints  28  can be moved to multiple positions  30 , in this case to redistribute the weight of the object  12  upon the device  10 .  
         [0014]    In one embodiment of the invention, each of the inner telescoping members  16  is coupled to the primary member  14  via a secondary member  46  and a hinge member  47 . The secondary member  46  serves to fix the distance between each of the respective outer telescoping members  17 . The hinge member  47  permits both the inner telescoping members  16  and the outer telescoping members  17  to rotate relative to the primary member  14 .  
         [0015]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the front end of the device  10  includes a primary front frame mounting bracket  36  on each of the outer telescoping members  17 . Preferably, the primary front frame mounting bracket  36  is directly coupled to each outer telescoping member  17  and is used as a bracket for use with wood-framed objects. A secondary front frame mounting bracket  38  can also be attached to each primary front frame mounting bracket  36  and can be primarily used for mounting the device to metal or steel-framed objects. Both the primary front frame mounting brackets  36  and the secondary front frame mounting brackets  38  are used to abut against the frame of the object  12 . In the case of steel-framed objects, the frame fits between the primary front frame mounting brackets  36  and the secondary front frame mounting brackets  38  and is attached to the secondary front frame mounting brackets  38  via screws or other fastening devices. In the case of wood-framed objects, the frame rests within the cavity formed by the primary front frame mounting brackets  36 .  
         [0016]    At the rear end of the device  10 , a primary rear frame mounting bracket  48  is preferably coupled to each of the inner telescoping members  16 . A secondary rear frame mounting bracket  50  is coupled to each primary rear frame mounting bracket  48 . Preferably, the primary rear frame mounting bracket  48  is used to secure the device  10  to a wood frame, and the secondary rear frame mounting bracket  50  is used to secure the device  10  to a steel-framed object or a metal-framed object. In the case of steel-framed objects, the frame fits between the primary rear frame mounting brackets  48  and the secondary rear frame mounting brackets  50  and is attached to the secondary rear frame mounting brackets  50  via screws or other fastening devices. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the secondary rear frame mounting brackets  50 , in addition to the secondary front frame mounting brackets  38 , can be fastened to the steel frame using screws that are adjustable by standard alien keys, although other types of fasteners are possible. In the case of wood-framed objects, the frame rests within the cavity formed by the primary rear frame mounting brackets  48 . The combination of the primary and secondary front frame mounting brackets  36  and  38  and the primary and secondary rear frame mounting brackets  48  and  50  serves to pin the device against the inside of the frame of the object  12 .  
         [0017]    In one embodiment of the invention, the primary member  14  can also include a wheel assembly  42  affixed to one end thereof. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the wheel assembly  42  comprises a caster wheel, which aids the device  10  in moving back and forth as the object  12  is raised and lowered.  
         [0018]    The operation of the device  10  is generally as follows. When the inner and outer telescoping beams  16  and  17  are affixed to the frame of the object  12  via the respective brackets, and the object  12  is resting firmly on the ground, the inner and outer telescoping members  16  and  17  are substantially co-planer with the primary member  14 . When the user desires to lift a portion of the object  12  off of the ground, the user simply lifts the front portion of the object  12  adjacent the front end of the device  10 . This lifting actuates the biasing members  14 , which provide an added force in the same direction as the lifting. This causes the inner and outer telescoping members  16  and  17  to rotate relative to the primary member  14  via the hinge member  47 . As a result of this action, the user is able to quickly and easily tilt the device  10  and the object  12  with relatively little effort as the biasing members  20  rotate relative to the primary member  14 . The biasing members  20  also serve to keep the device  10  and the object  12  in the tilted or suspended position without assistance from the user. When in the fully tilted position, the user is capable of working underneath the object  12 , performing tasks such as vacuuming, sweeping, retrieving articles, etc.  
         [0019]    When the user has completed the activities below the object  12 , the user simply applies a downward force on the front end of the object  12 . Although the user is required to overcome the forces of the biasing members  14 , the user is aided by gravity when applying the downward force, resulting in relatively little effort to place the object  12  firmly on the ground once again as the inner and outer telescoping member  16  and  17  rotate via the hinge member  47 .  
         [0020]    The device of the present invention includes a number of substantial benefits for individual users in the home or at work. The device of the present invention includes a relatively low number of parts and is inexpensive to manufacture. Furthermore, the device of the present invention can be adjusted to fit articles of many different sizes and shapes and can be permanently affixed to the underside of the article to be manipulated. Additionally, the device of the present invention is usually completely hidden from view when the article is firmly on the ground, eliminating storage issues and also resulting in general aesthetic benefits. The device is simple to use and can be used by people of different ages, sizes and strengths.  
         [0021]    It should be understood that the above description of the invention and the specific examples and embodiments, while indicating the preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by demonstration and not limitation. For example, it is possible that only one inner and outer telescoping member  16  and  17  can be used with the device  10 . More than two inner and outer telescoping members  16  and  17  could also be used. Furthermore, it is possible that no inner and outer telescoping members are to be used at all, instead using one or more article support members that do not have adjustable lengths. Likewise, it is possible for a device of the present invention to not include weight adjustment slots, height adjustment slots, or any mechanism for adjusting the maximum height and/or weight capacity of the device. Additionally, the front and rear brackets could be modified in many ways known to those skilled in the art. Biasing members of different types, sizes and capacities can also be used. Furthermore, different types of fasteners can be used in a variety of locations. Many changes and modifications within the scope of the present invention may therefore be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the invention includes all such inventions and modifications.