Abstract:
A motor vehicle component support and method that includes reciprocating horizontal members that maintain the vehicle component in balance as the support is adjusted according to the component size. With the reciprocating action, the adjustments to one horizontal member are identically and automatically performed on the other horizontal member. In addition, the apparatus includes cushions capable of pivoting to better accommodate components of irregular geometries.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority to provisional U.S. patent application entitled, RETRACTABLE SUPPORT APPARATUS AND METHOD, filed Mar. 29, 2005, having application Ser. No. 60/665,880, now pending, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for servicing a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to vehicle component supports. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   For all motor vehicles requiring service, a mechanic may lower or raise a vehicle component from a vehicle housing to or from a servicing level. Due to the weight and size of vehicle components and of the confined space that exists under a vehicle, devices have been introduced in the past to assist mechanics with the task of removing and installing these components. Typical vehicle components requiring the assistance of such devices include fuel tanks, engines, and transmissions. 
   Furthermore, it is common knowledge that after a certain amount of usage of commercial and recreational vehicles, certain of these automotive components wear down or breakdown and need repair or replacement. Because of the weight, size and shape of such components, and the confined space in which a mechanic must ordinarily work, handling of such components, when being removed or installed is time-consuming, strenuous and dangerous unless a properly designed mechanical device is employed. 
   A conventional mechanical device such as a saddle adapter or fuel tank adapter, is generally unsatisfactory for this purpose because of its failure to provide adequate support with the resulting danger that the removed component may topple from the device and injure the mechanic. In particular, with fuel tanks, there is the added danger that fuel may spill out of the tank and cause a fire or an explosion. In addition, use of conventional saddle adapter may be objectionable because it requires laborious and time-consuming efforts of the mechanic and usually requires assistance by another mechanic in removing or installing the automotive component being repaired. The additional effort and assistance are necessary because conventional saddle adapters do not provide a means to safely and securely balance the particular vehicle component during servicing or when it is returned to its original position. Further, conventional saddle adapters have four legs for retaining a particular vehicle component. Adjustments may be made at a variety of locations of the leg to accommodate a variety of sizes. However, as each location is adjusted, a dangerous and precarious situation of imbalance can be created if the adjustments are even slightly incorrect. Accordingly, use of these prior-art adapters is costly due to the relatively high cost of labor. 
   This potential danger may be addressed by having another mechanic assist in adjusting a corresponding location at the same time. However, danger still exists with issues of timing, miscommunication and human error which may nevertheless result in toppling of the vehicle component and injury to the mechanic. This also results in greater cost in that the more people that are required to assist, the greater the labor cost. 
   Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus that is safe to use in the handling of vehicle components and lowers costs. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in one aspect an apparatus is provided that in some embodiments there is a vehicle component support apparatus that includes a base that can be mounted on another surface; at least two guide tubes coupled to the base; at least two perforated tubes received in the at least two guide tubes; a sprocket that interacts with the at least two perforated tubes to allow reciprocal movement of the at least two perforated tubes; and a pad assembly to support a vehicle component and coupled to the at least two perforated tubes. 
   In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, there is a method of securing a vehicle component, including positioning the vehicle component on a support apparatus having at least two guide tubes that receive at least two perforated tubes therein, wherein the at least two perforated tubes are coupled to a plurality of pad assemblies; and adjusting the at least two perforated tubes reciprocally by moving one of the perforated tubes so that a sprocket interacts with the other perforated tube thereby correctly positioning the pad assemblies to support the vehicle component. 
   In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is a system for supporting a vehicle component, that includes: a means for supporting that can be mounted on another surface; at least two means for guiding coupled to the means for supporting; at least two perforated means for moving a pad assembly that supports the vehicle component, wherein the at least two perforated means for moving are received in the means for guiding; and a means for reciprocal movement that interacts with the at least two perforated means to move them reciprocally. 
   There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
   In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention 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 invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description 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 invention. 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. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a support apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a detail view of a sprocket assembly at the center of the support apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a pad assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the support apparatus mounted on a transmission jack in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Two support frames placed in parallel and connected to each other by a synchronizing sprocket, are presented whereby when one frame is moved in one direction, the other frame reciprocates and moves in the opposite and equal direction. The amount of the displacement of one frame is equivalent to that of the other frame. 
   An embodiment of a support apparatus  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The support apparatus  10  includes a base weldment  12  that is used to mount the support apparatus  10  to other devices, such as a work bench or a jack. The base weldment  12  also contains two stirrups  14  located on opposing ends of the base weldment  12  that are angled away from the base weldment  12 . The stirrups  14  contain slots  16  through which a restraining strap (not shown) may be inserted to further secure a vehicle component being supported. The restraining strap may be inserted into one of the stirrup  14 , then placed over the vehicle component and inserted into the other stirrup  14  to secure the vehicle component. 
   The base weldment  12  can be secured to other surfaces, such as a transmission jack or a work bench through mounting slots  18 . Although there are four mounting slots  18  at each corner of the base weldment  12  illustrated, as one skilled in the art will appreciate, any number of mounting slots  18  may be used and in any configuration as needed by a user. 
   The support apparatus  10  includes two parallel guide tubes  20 . The guide tubes  20  extend in opposing directions and have a first end  22 . The first end  22  mounts to the base weldment  12  through welding or any such permanent means. In addition, guide tubes  20  are hollow tubes and may include perforations therein. The guide tubes  20  have a second end  24  that is not mounted to the base weldment  12 . A person skilled in the art would recognize that the second end  24  can be mounted on the base weldment  12  if desired. The guide tubes  20  contain an opening  26 , through which a hitch pin  25  or other secure means may be inserted. 
   The support apparatus  10  further includes two perforated tubes  28  that are received and displaceable within the guide tubes  20 . The perforated tube  28  has a first end  30  and a second end  32 . The perforated tube  28  may be longer than the guide tube  20  and is inserted into guide tube  20 , such that the perforated tube  28  rests axially within the guide tube  20  and extends beyond the guide tube  20 . The first end  30  of the perforated tube  28  may lay on the base weldment  12  and may have a stop bolt  36  attached thereto that prevents the perforated tube  28  from slipping out of the guide tube  20 . The stop bolt  36  is mounted preferably at the last perforation on the tube  28  and can abut against a side wall of the guide tube  20  when the perforated tube  28  is fully extended. 
   The perforated tube  28  may slide axially within the guide tube  20  and contain numerous openings or perforations  34 . These perforations  34  allow for a variety of lengths of the support apparatus  10  by extending or shortening the perforated tube  28 . Also, the hitch pin  25  secures the perforated tube to the guide tube at any one of the perforations  34  on the perforated tube  28 . Thus, once the desired length of the support apparatus  10  is achieved, the hitch pin  25  is inserted at the appropriate perforation, and temporarily fixes the perforated tube to the guide tube at the desired length. The perforations  34  are shown equally spaced but may be of any desired spacing. Although,  FIG. 1  illustrates a square tube with perforations on all four sides, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that any manner of tube, including circular shaped tube, may be used that allows for a variety of attachments at various lengths as embodied in this invention. 
   The perforated tube  28  connects orthogonally to cross tubes  38 . Cross tubes  38  may or may not be hollow or contain perforations. The cross tube  38  at each end connects to a pad assembly  48  via a vertical guide tube  68 , which is further discussed in  FIG. 3 . 
     FIG. 2  is a perspective detail view of the center of the support apparatus  10  with the base weldment  12  and a sprocket assembly  46 . This figure illustrates one embodiment in which the guide tubes  20  are coupled to each other via the sprocket assembly  46 . The distance between the guide tubes  20  may be defined by the sprocket assembly  46 . A sprocket  60  includes sprocket teeth  62 , which are constructed and arranged to fit perforations  34  of the perforated tube  28 . The spacing between the teeth  62  corresponds to the distance between the perforations  34 . Guide tubes  20  further include an opening  64  at the first end  22  to allow for the sprocket teeth  62  to engage the perforations  34  of the perforated tube  28 . 
   The support apparatus  10  couples the guide tubes  20  to each other through the use of a metallic bar  50  that may be welded at each end to the first end  22  of the tubes or by other secured means. The bar  50  includes an opening  56  at its center to receive a sprocket shaft  58  (partially shown) that itself is received in the sprocket  60 . The sprocket shaft  58  may have at one end threads for threading into the base weldment  12  so that it does not rotate when the sprocket  60  is rotated during use. Below the bar  50  is the sprocket assembly  46  which is the reciprocating means for the support apparatus  10 . The perforated tube  28  has the stop bolt  36  that prevents the perforated tube from being accidentally removed from the support apparatus  10 . 
   The support apparatus  10  functions to accommodate a variety of dimensions of vehicle components in the following manner. As the perforated tube  28  is extended or retracted from a center of the support apparatus  10  represented by the base weldment  12 , the sprocket teeth  62  engages the perforations  34  of the perforated tubes  28 , respectively. When perforated tube  28  is pulled outwardly away (extended) from the base weldment  12 , the sprocket  60  turns in a clockwise manner. This clockwise motion acts to displace the other perforated tube in an equal and opposite direction. 
   When the user wishes to shorten the support apparatus  10 , the user may push the perforated tube  28  inwardly toward the base weldment  12  and the sprocket  60  then turns in a counter-clockwise manner. This motion serves to also translate the other perforated tube  28  inwardly and equally towards the base weldment  12 , and thereby shortening the length of the support apparatus  10 . Thus, the sprocket  60  allows for the reciprocating action of the support apparatus  10 . This reciprocating action allows for more precise adjustments of the various pieces of the support apparatus so that the vehicle component can be better supported than conventional support devices. 
   It should also be noted that the direction of rotation of the sprocket described here may move in opposite directions. It can be recognized by a person skilled in the art that the clockwise rotation may be in other embodiments counter clockwise and that the counter clockwise rotation be clockwise. Additionally, the user can also move other parts of the support apparatus  10  to have the reciprocating effect and is not required to move only the perforated tube  28 . 
     FIG. 3  is a detailed view of one of the pad assembly  48  with a pad  86  attached to a pad bracket  84 . The pad  86  is used to cushion and brace the vehicle component. The pad bracket  84  contains at least two positioning holes  88  that may be used to attach the pad assembly  48  to a vertical perforated tube  76 . A hitch pin  92  may be used to attach the pad assembly  48  to the vertical perforated tube  76  via positioning holes  88  to one of the perforations  82  on the vertical perforated tube  76 . Depending on which of the positioning holes is selected, the pad assembly  48  may pivot at an angle to the horizontal to better accommodate the vehicle component. The vertical tube  76  can be received in a vertical guide tube  68 , which is connected to the cross tube  38 . 
   These vertical guide tubes  68  are similar in nature and structure as the guide tubes  20  and can include at least one hole  74  to receive the hitch pin  92  to adjust the height of the vertical perforated tube  76 . The vertical perforated tube  76  is similar in nature and manner as the perforated tube  28 . This vertical perforated tube  76  may slide axially within the vertical guide tube  68 . The vertical perforated tube  76  permits a variety of heights for the support apparatus  10  through the raising or lowering of the vertical perforated tube  76 . The hitch pin  92  can be used to secure the height of the vertical perforated tube as desired by the user. 
   As there are four pad assembly  48 , it will be appreciated that there are then four vertical guide tubes  68 , one at each respective corner of the support apparatus  10  marked at 90° angles from each other. However, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that there may be additional pad assembly  48 , pad bracket  84 , cross tubes  38 , hitch pin  92 , vertical perforated tube  76 , vertical guide tube  68  and their corresponding holes (components), and their respective placement as needed that properly balances the vehicle component. 
     FIG. 4  illustrates the ability to mount the support apparatus  10  onto another surface, such as a transmission jack  96 . The support apparatus  10  is shown here with the base weldment  12 , the guide tubes  20 , the cross tubes  38 . In addition, the figure shows the four vertical guide tubes  68 , the vertical perforated tubes  76 , and the pad assembly  48 . The support apparatus  10  mounts by way of the base weldment  12  and the mounting slots  18  to the transmission jack  96  at a transmission jack cradle  110 . A typical transmission jack  96  includes a cradle crank  98  that adjusts the tilt on the cradle  110  that maintains the support apparatus  10 . In addition, the transmission jack  96  contains a vertical column  100  that couples with four horizontal legs  102 . Each leg  102  contains a swivel caster  104  with wheels  106  for moving the transmission jack  96  to a desired location. Finally, the transmission jack contains a handle  108  used to operate the transmission jack  96 . As one skilled in the art will readily appreciate, any type of mounting surface or jack may be used in conjunction with the support apparatus  10 . 
   Generally, the support apparatus  10  may accommodate a vehicle component having length dimensions of between 24 and 38 inches. Thus, the perforated tubes  28  may be extended or shortened cumulatively for lengths in the above listed ranges. The support apparatus  10  may accommodate vehicle component heights of between 7 and 11 inches. Thus, the vertical perforated tubes  76  may be extended or shortened in this range. The pad  86  may be fashioned of any polymeric material, such a cross-link polyethylene foam. The support apparatus  10  footprint may either be 22 by 38 inches or 16 by 44 inches, depending on which of the positioning holes  88  is chosen. These dimensions are listed as guides and examples only and as any one skilled in the art will readily appreciate, the components of the support apparatus  10  may be designed to accommodate a variety of sizes and shapes of vehicle components. 
   This type of equal, but opposite displacement offered by the support apparatus  10  allows an automotive mechanic to properly balance a vehicle component of various sizes, especially when the size of the component is misjudged by the mechanic. For example, if the fuel tank is shorter than the mechanic presumed, then the mechanic would have to shorten the length of the support apparatus  10  and could push in perforated tube  28  towards the center and expect the other frame to also move in towards the center of the apparatus. This reciprocating action ensures that the fuel tank or the vehicle component is properly supported at times. Once the correct length of the support apparatus is established, the mechanic can look the support apparatus at the length via the hitch pin  25 . 
   In contrast, if the mechanic finds that the fuel tank is larger than expected, the mechanic may pull perforated tube  28  and displace the other perforated tube  28  to lengthen the support apparatus  10  and better support the vehicle component. Thus, the mechanic no longer needs to adjust various adjustment points independently of the other and can make the adjustments more uniformly than before. This results in considerable time savings and lead to a much safer workplace environment. 
   The guide tubes and perforated tube can be made from hollow tubing with perforations that allow for length adjustments, such as TELESPAR® (from Unistrut, in Michigan) tubing. TELESPAR® tubes are square tubes with perforations or holes on all four sides that permit a variety of mounting possibilities. The abundance of perforations allow for numerous sizing capabilities with easy mounting, such as with simple nuts and bolts. An important feature of the TELESPAR® tubing is its ability to telescope to a variety of lengths. 
   Although, the support apparatus  10  finds particular application in the automotive industry to support vehicle components, it will be readily appreciated by one skilled in the art that the presently claimed invention may have broader application and in a variety of other industries. Thus, the presently claimed invention or a modification thereof may be used to support nearly any object, particularly an object requiring proper balance. 
   The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.