Patent Publication Number: US-7216524-B1

Title: Vehicle repair apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Provisional Application for Patent 60/464,262 of Apr. 21, 2003, with the same title, “Vehicle Repair Apparatus” which is hereby incorporated by reference. Applicants claim priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. Par. 119(e)(i). 

   STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
   Not applicable 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to the repair of damage to a vehicle body after a collision. 
   2. Background Information 
   The collision repair industry is very large. Skilled auto body collision repair is a relatively skilled trade, and skilled people are in demand. While collision repair equipment is available, there is always room for improvement. 
   As will be seen from the subsequent description, the preferred embodiments of the present invention overcomes these and other shortcomings of existing vehicle body repair equipment. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention in the preferred embodiment is a vehicle body repair apparatus comprising a platform with cross member retainers, unibody clamps, at least one pulling assembly, at least one movable cross member, a scissors lift, and a lifting assembly. 
   The pulling assembly comprises a pulling actuator with a ball end and a socket block. An alternate pulling assembly comprises alternate cylinder end attachments. 
   The lifting assembly comprises an actuator that sits in an actuator retainer that has offset ears, said actuator being mounted to a framed cross member in such a manner that the longitudinal axis of the actuator is at an angle with respect to the platform, so that a toggle action exists that enables the scissors lift to raise the platform from a minimal height position from a floor surface. 
   The lifting assembly further comprises a lifting arm with a rotating trigger, that serves as a locking mechanism to secure the scissors lift in position, without an operator having to manually insert pins, chains, or other safety locking means to secure the scissors lift in position. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle repair apparatus, prior to elevation. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the vehicle repair apparatus elevated, with various accessories in place. 
       FIGS. 3 through 6  illustrate various accessory details. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a scissor lift. 
       FIGS. 8 ,  9 ,  9 A, and  9 B illustrate lifting assembly details. 
       FIGS. 10 through 17  illustrate operation of a safety lock and trigger. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle repair apparatus  1  comprises a platform  2  with cross member retainers  5   a  (Ref. also  FIGS. 4 and 5 ), unibody clamps  3  (Ref. also  FIG. 3 ), at least one pulling assembly  4 , at least one cross member  5  (Ref. also  4  and  6 ), a scissors lift  6 , and a lifting assembly  7 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  4 A, and  5 , a pulling assembly  4  comprises a tension member  41  with a hook  48 ; a chain retainer  42  with a chain retainer slot  50 ; an actuator  43  with a ball end  43   a ; a socket block  44 ; ball retainer screws  45 ; a body  46  further a stabilizing chain retaining slot  51 , a body chain retainer slot  52 , and drift pin retaining apertures  55 ; drift pins  47 , and a lateral restraint  49 . 
   The body  46  is installed on the platform  2  with drift pins  47  dropped through the drift pin retraining appertures  55  and between the bars  54 . With the drift pins  47  in place, the body  46  can be slid along bars  54  of the platform  2 . For direct pulling of vehicle body parts (not shown), the body  46  of the pulling assembly  4  will stay in place. For angled pulls, the lateral restraint  49  fitted into said slots  51  and  52  serves to keep the body  46  in place. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lateral restraint  49  is a steel chain. 
   In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the actuator  43  is a fluid power actuator. With the tension member  41  attached to the body  46  via said slot  52 ; the hook  48  attached both to the tension member  41  and a vehicle part (not shown) to be pulled from a vehicle; the tension member  41  engaged in the chain retainer slot  50  of the chain retainer  42  attached to the actuator  43 ; and the ball end  43   a  of the actuator  43  seated in the socket block  44  which is seated in the body  46 ; actuating the actuator  43  puts tension on the tension member  41 , resulting in a pulling force on the vehicle part. The ball end  43   a  plus the freedom of movement of the body  46  along the platform  2  adds considerable simplicity and ease of operation to the operation of a pulling assembly  4 . 
   In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the socket block  44  as well as the ball end  43   a  are of steel while the ball retainer screws  45  are a softer material, such as brass. 
   The cross member  5  is retained as a part of the platform  2  by means of the platform retainers  5   a . This permits the cross member  5  be removable as required and easily installable as required elsewhere on the platform  2 , as indicated by locations of the cross member retainers  5   a  in  FIG. 1 . 
   An alternate pulling assembly,  4   a  comprises an alternate tension member  41   a  with the hook  48 ; drift pins  47 ; the lateral restraint  57 ; an alternate actuator  43   b  comprising hook ends  43   c ; an alternate body  46   a  further comprising the stabilizing chain retaining slot  51 , an anchor pin  56   a , a body pin  57 , and the drift pin retaining apertures  55 ; a post puller  58  comprising a pin engagement means  59 , a lock pivot pin  59   c , a pin lock  59   b , a cylinder pin  56   b , and locating projections  58   c ; and a chain retainer plate  58   a  comprising an aperture  58   b  and a chain retaining aperture  50   b.    
   The alternate body  46   a  is installed on the frame  2  with drift pins  47  dropped through the drift pin retaining apertures  55  and between the bars  54 . With the drift pins  47  in place, the alternate body  46   a  can be slid along bars  54  of the platform  2 . For direct pulling of vehicle body parts (not shown), the alternate body  46   a  of the alternate pulling assembly  4   a  will stay in place. For angled pulls, the lateral restraint  49  fitted into said slots  51  and  53  serves to keep the alternate body  46   a  in place. 
   In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the alternate actuator  43   b  is a fluid power actuator. 
   The alternate actuator  43   b  attached to the alternate body  46   a  by means of the first hook ends  43   c  of the the alternate actuator  43   b  hooked around the body pin  56   a  of the alternate body  46   a.    
   The alternate actuator  43   b  is attached to the cylinder pin  56   b  of the post puller  58  by engagement of the second hook end  43   c  of the alternate actuator  43   b.    
   The alternate tension member  41   a  is attached to the chain retainer plate  58   a  by insertion of said tension member  41   a  into the chain retaining aperture  50   b  of the chain retainer plate  58   a . The retainer plate  58   a  is located in a desired on the post puller  58  adjacent to a locating projection  58   c  and then is held in position by a wedging (i.e. “camming”) action against the post puller  58  by the force from the alternate tension member  41   a.    
   The pin engagement means  59  of the post puller  58  engages the body pin  57  of the alternate body  46   a . The post puller  58  is locked in place to the body pin  57  by means of the pin lock  59   b  that rotates into a locking position around the lock pin  59   c.    
   As the alternate actuator  43   b  is extended, the post puller  58  is forced outward, placing the tension member  41   a  in tension, pulling a part (not shown) off of a vehicle (not shown) on the platform  2  of the vehicle repair apparatus  1 . 
   The vehicle repair apparatus  1  lies flat on the floor, as indicated in  FIG. 1 . No foundation is required other than a level floor of sufficient capacity to carry the load of said apparatus  1  and a vehicle driven or moved onto the said apparatus  1 . 
   Detachable ramps  8  facilitate moving a vehicle onto said apparatus  1 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ,  9 A, and  9 B, the lifting assembly  7  comprises an actuator retainer  71 , an actuator  72 , an offset mounting cross member  73 , a frame cross member  74 , an actuator pivot rod  75 , a locking arm  76 , with a heel  76   a , a cam  76   b , and a catch  79 , a locking arm pivot rod  77 , a trigger  78  with a nose  78   a , and a trigger pivot pin  80 . 
   The actuator  72  is seated in the actuator retainer  71 . The actuator  72  as well as the locking arm  76  are pivotly connected to the frame cross member  74  by means of the locking arm pivot rod  77 . 
   The actuator retainer  71  comprises a lock plate  81 . 
   The actuator retainer  71  with the lock plate  81  is pivotly connected to the offset cross mounting member  73 , The offset cross mounting member  73  is affixed to the proximate arms  64  of the scissors lift  6  while the frame cross member  74  is affixed to the distal arms  62  of the scissors lift  6 . 
   The proximate arms  64  and the distal arms  62  rotate with respect to each other with a metal shaft  65  connecting said arms  64  to  62 . 
   Said arms  64  comprise metal rollers  63  which engage the platform  2 . 
   Said arms  62  comprise rollers  61  which roll along a floor surface and attachment means  66  which attach the platform  2  to the scissors lift  6 . 
   The vehicle repair apparatus  1  rests on a garage floor surface as opposed to existing repair apparatuses that require below floor surface installation. This is an advantage of the present invention. 
   The platform  2  is attached to, and rests on, the scissors lift  2  and is raised and lowered by the scissors lift  2 . 
   With said apparatus  1  flat, at rest, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the mounting of the actuator retainer  71 , with the offset ears  75   a , to the frame cross member  74 , in such a manner that the longitudinal axis of the actuator  72 , which is seated in the actuator retainer  71 , is at an angle with respect to the platform  2 , a toggle action exists enables the actuator  72  to raise the platform. If the actuator  72 &#39;s longitudinal axis was in line with the platform  2 , the scissors lift  6  could not raise the platform  2  from the at rest position. 
   Having a minimal height of the platform  2  with respect to a floor avoids installing portions of a vehicle repair apparatus below a floor level, as compared to many service station and garage ramps that typically involve installing a lift cylinder below a garage floor level. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 8 ,  10 ,  10 A,  11 ,  12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16   j , and  17 , the locking arm  76  freely pivots about the locking arm pivot rod  77 . The trigger  78  rotates with respect to the locking arm  76 , about the trigger pivot pin  80 . 
   The lock plate  81  comprises clearances  81   a . Each clearance  81   a  comprises a locking arm clearance  81   c  and a trigger clearance  81   b.    
   The catch  79 , attached to the locking arm  76 , restricts the rotation of the trigger  78 . 
     FIG. 10  shows the locking arm  76  held in place, by gravity, in one of the locking arm clearances  81   b , serving as a mechanical lock, locking the scissors lift  6  in a given position. The trigger  78  is shown in a proper orientation with respect to the locking arm  76 , but as an exploded view for clarity. Refer also to  FIG. 10A . 
   To raise the scissors lift  6 , an operator extends the actuator  72 , and the locking arm  76 , moving in a forward direction as indicated in the  FIG. 11 , is dragged along the lock plate  81 . The cam  76   b , by engaging the lock plate  81 , causes the locking arm  76  to climb out of the locking arm clearance  81   c.    
   As the locking arm  76  moves forward, as indicated by the arrow in  FIG. 12 , the nose  78   a  of the trigger  78  falls into the trigger clearance  81   a , rotating in the direction indicated by the smaller arrow. 
   An operator can continue to raise the scissors lift  6 , or the operator can lower the scissors lift by retracting the actuator  72 . 
     FIG. 13  shows the actuator  72  in retraction, with the lifting arm  76  moving in reverse, as indicated by the directional arrow, with the trigger  78  rotating in the direction indicated by the smaller arrow, lifting the heel  76   a  of the lifting arm  76  above the plate  81  so that the heel  76   a  does not engage the plate  81 . 
     FIG. 14  shows the actuator  72  retracting further, with the trigger  78  rotated counter clockwise until stopped by the catch  79 . 
   With the trigger  78  rotated counter clockwise until stopped by the catch  79 , the trigger  78  holds the heel  76   a  of the lifting arm  76  above the plate  81  so that the heel  76   a  does not engage the plate  81  while the actuator  72  continues retracting. 
   If a desired position is below the position indicated in  FIG. 14 , an operator merely keeps retracting the actuator  72  until the lifting arm  76  is below a desired clearance  81 A then extends the actuator  72  until the lifting arm  76  falls into a desired clearance  81 A. Then the operator releases pressure extending the actuator  72  and the weight of the scissors lift  6  acts to hold the lifting arm  76  jammed against the plate  81 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
   If a desired position is above the position indicated in  FIG. 14 , the operator merely extends the actuator  72  as indicated in  FIGS. 15 , and  16 , and the lifting arm  76  falls into each successive clearance  81 A. When a desired clearance  81 A is reached, the operator merely stops extending the actuator  72 , and the lifting arm falls into place, as indicated in  FIG. 17 . 
   In operation a vehicle, not shown, can be pulled or driven onto the movable ramps  8  and onto the platform  2 . Movable ramps  8  can be positioned at either end of the platform  2  to accommodate any work flow direction for moving vehicles onto and off the platform  2 . The tires of the vehicle can rest on the bars  54 . Once the vehicle is on the platform  2 , the platform  2  can be raised from a nearly flat orientation of the platform  2  shown in  FIG. 1  to a plurality of raised positions such as the raised position shown in  FIG. 2 . Generally the platform  2  is just a few inches high when in the flat position as shown in  FIG. 1 , which allows the platform  2  to be used to park a vehicle even when it does not need to be lifted. The longitudinal axis  82  of the actuator  72  is at an angle with respect to the platform  2 , so that a toggle action exists that enables the scissors lift to raise the platform  2  from a minimal height flat position from a floor surface. In the minimal height position of the lift apparatus, no portion of the apparatus has a height greater than the platform upper surface  2   a , see  FIG. 1 . The tops of bars  54  form the substantially planar platform upper surface  2   a  that the vehicle sits on and doubles as the surface where the pulling assembly  4  and vehicle hold downs such as unibody clamps  3  are attached. The platform  2  can be raised to a working height by lift assembly  7 , typically a maximum travel of the lift assembly  7  might raise the platform  2  to an ergonomic work height in the range of 48–54 inches. Once raised to a lift position as shown in  FIG. 2 , the vehicle can be inspected. As shown in  FIG. 12 , as the actuator  72  lifts the platform  2 , the heel  76   a  can drop into each successive opening  81   a , providing an automatic mechanical height lock. When a desired height is reached deactivating the actuator  72  allows the weight of the vehicle and platform  2  to come to rest on the heel  76   a  in the opening  81   a . This automatically, mechanically locks the vehicle at a desired height without an operator having to manually insert a safety lock and without the need for an additional step and without the need of expensive or complicated power locks. 
   As shown in  FIG. 6 , cross member  5  can be slid out of the cross member retainer  5   a  to provide access under the raised vehicle. Once raised pulling assembly  4 , unibody clamp  3  and chain lateral restraint  49  can be positioned on the platform  2 . Though only a single chain lateral restraint  49  is shown it will be understood that a number of chain lateral restraints  49  of any length can be used as needed on the platform  2 . The pulling assembly body  46  fits over the bars  54  and drift pins  47  can be placed through apertures  55  and the drift pins  47  pass through spaces between the bars  54 . The drift pins  47  mount the body  46  to the bars  54  but can allow for the body to slide somewhat along the length of bars  54  to allow for positioning of the body  46 . A chain lateral restraint  49  can be used to hold the body  46  in place by slipping a link of chain lateral restraint  49  through slots  51  and  53  as shown in  FIG. 5 , however in many applications the chain lateral restraint  49  may not be needed. The chain lateral restraint  49  would typically not be needed, for example, when the body  46  or pull direction is perpendicular to the bars  54 . The body  46  can be positioned for a pull in the corner of the platform  2  or where the body  46  would be sitting on top of one of the cross member retainer  5   a . The bars  54  in the platform  2  and those in the movable cross members  5  form a track around the vehicle and platform  2  such that said pulling assembly  4  can be positioned at any point, with infinite possible adjustment, on the perimeter surrounding said platform  2 .  FIG. 5  shows  3  of the possible points where the body  46  could be located. In addition to being positioned at any point on the bars  54  around the platform  2 , the pulling assembly  4  can be positioned at a variety of angles relative to the bars  54 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , depending on which aperture  55  the drift pin  47  is dropped through and depending on which space between bars  54  the drift pin  47  passes through. As can be seen a plurality of aperture patterns and bar  54  arrangements are possible. 
   In addition to being positioned at any location and angle around the platform  2 , the pulling assembly  4  can include a post puller  58  that includes a variety of height adjustments  58   c  such that the hook  48  can be applied to any position and pulled at any angle in the volume of space above and around platform  2 . In order to pull, the vehicle must be held in place. Unibody clamps  3  can grasp the unibody weld seam present along the rocker panel of most vehicles. The unibody clamps  3  can include bolt tightened jaws and slotted height adjustment as well as slots and apertures to accept drift pins  47  and chain lateral retainers  49  as needed. 
   The vehicle can also be held by chain lateral restraints  49 . Links of chain lateral restraint  49  can be placed in one or more slots  53  and the chain lateral restraint  49  wrapped around a portion of the vehicle. The chain lateral restraint  49  would typically be placed on the platform  2  opposite a pull applied by pull assembly  4 . Though movable, cross member  5  can support either pulling assembly  4  or chain lateral restraint  49  when installed. Though shown with a single pull assembly  4  it will be understood that several pull assemblies  4  could be used at once. 
   Once work is completed on a vehicle the platform  2  can be lowered under the control of lift assembly  7 . 
   Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. 
   It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims in the formal application and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given. 
   Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. 
   It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims in the formal application and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.