Patent Publication Number: US-11655129-B2

Title: Lifting platform

Description:
The invention relates to a lifting platform for lifting vehicles. 
     DE 36 05 650 C2 discloses a mobile hydraulic lifting platform for lifting vehicles in overhead. This movable lifting platform includes a base assembly which rests stationary when lifting vehicles. When not in operation, this lifting platform can be moved, by means of a chassis, into a further operating or storage position. The base assembly of the lifting platform includes two base assembly halves, as well as a middle part, wherein the two base assembly haves are fixedly connected with one another and arranged to one another via the middle part. Each base assembly half comprises a drive, by means of which a parallelogram guiding device of the base assembly half is moveable up and down. This parallelogram guiding device includes a load arm and a guiding arm so that a carrier arranged on the free end region remains horizontally oriented in the raising and lowering of the parallelogram guiding device. The carrier provided on the parallelogram guiding device receives two support arms pivotably arranged on the carrier. These support arms can be pivoted out of a non-use position, in which the support arms are oppositely oriented and are positioned parallel to the parallelogram guiding device, into a use position, in order to lift up a vehicle entered between the base assembly halves and the lifting platform. 
     Each base assembly half is fastened to the middle part, which is configured in the form of a protective tube. The middle part comprises a flange portion on the respective end, which portion is screwed to a lateral surface of the housing of the base assembly half. 
     Due to dimensional tolerances, an orientation of the support arms differing from one another in an operating position inside the working space, in which the vehicle is lifted up, can be the case after the assembly. A readjustment or setting via the connecting point between the base assembly half and the middle part is difficult and only possible to a limited extent. 
     The object underlying the invention is to provide a lifting platform in which the support arms are orientable to one another in a simple way. 
     This object is achieved by a lifting platform, in which an angle of inclination between the support arm and the lifting device is adjustable. The support arms opposite one another can thereby be oriented pivotably to one another, for example, in a common horizontal. The support arms opposite one another can also be oriented such that these are located slightly above the horizontal with their free ends so that, when receiving a load, the support arms are located near to the horizontal or in the horizontal, for example. By altering the angle of inclination between the support arm and the lifting device, an individual adapting of the at least one support arm of each base assembly half can occur, so that the support arm(s) arranged on a right lifting device is or are adjustable independently of the support arm(s) provided on a left lifting device. 
     It is preferably provided that an adjustment device is provided between the carrier and the lifting device or between the support arm and the carrier in order to adjust the angle of inclination between the support arm and the lifting device. An individual orientation of the at least one support arm can thereby be made possible, in particular when positioning the carrier with the at least one support arm in an operating position. The operational safety can be increased through the orientation of the support arms, in particular in a common horizontal. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the lifting platform, it is provided that, by means of the adjustment device, the carrier is adjustable, for the orientation of the support arms, in the inclination to the pivot axis of the pivot bolt and/or to the bearing axis of the bearing bolt, or to both. The pivot axis and the bearing axis on the one lifting device are oriented parallel to one another. This pivot and bearing axes of the one lifting device preferably align with the pivot and bearing axes of the opposite parallelogram guiding device. The adjustment of inclination of the carrier occurs to the effect that the carrier is rotatable or tiltable about its longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axis of the carrier extends orthogonally to the pivot axis of the pivot bolt and the bearing axis of the bearing bolt. Through the inclination of the carrier, a free end of the support arm, which end is pivoted into the working space, can be alterable in the height with respect to the floor, whereby an orientation of the support arms assigned to each other, in particular in a common horizontal, is made possible. 
     The adjustment device preferably includes a compensation plate with a borehole, which is placeable on an end of the pivot bolt or of the bearing bolt and is fastenable on or in the carrier. By means of this compensation plate, the carrier can be arrangeable in a zero point position, that is orthogonally to the parallelogram guiding device, or in a position rotated or tilted to the pivot axis or to the bearing axis. In this rotated or tilted position, a few angular degrees are already sufficient in order to effect an orientation of the support arms. 
     The carrier of the moveable lifting platform advantageously comprises at least two lateral walls spaced parallel to one another, which in each case comprise a perforation for the pivot bolts and the bearing bolts. In place of the perforation, a centering receptacle is provided in one of the two lateral walls, in which receptacle the compensation plate, which plate receives the pivot bolts or bearing bolts, can be inserted, and is supported in the lateral wall. The carrier, with respect to the positioning of the pivot bolt or bearing bolt in the one lateral wall of the carrier thereby remains at the same height to the pivot or bearing axis, and the opposite lateral wall of the carrier can take a greater or lesser distance relative to the pivot or bearing axis. This rotational or tilting movement of the carrier effects the adjustment of the free end of the carrier in the height to the floor or to the opposite carrier. Preferably, taking the greater or smaller distance to the pivot or bearing axis is provided on an outer side of the carrier, that is the side which lies remote to a longitudinal center axis of the lifting platform. 
     Moreover, it is preferably provided that the centering receptacle in the lateral wall is configured V-shaped or trough-shaped, narrows in a load direction and that the compensation plate comprises a complementary external contour, so that said contour rests form-fittingly in the centering receptacle. It is thereby ensured, in a loading of the lifting platform, that the force to be received, which force is introduced into the carrier via the support arms and is diverted from the carrier via the bolts in the parallelogram guide, can be securely introduced, by the compensation plate, into the lateral wall via the centering receptacle. 
     A further preferred configuration of the lifting platform provides that a retaining device is provided for fixation of the compensation plate in the centering receptacle, which device is detachably provided on a lateral wall, in particular on an external side of the lateral wall. A good accessibility and a simple mounting and unmounting of the retaining device, as well as a simple exchanging of a compensation plate are thereby made possible in order to set different angles of inclination. 
     Preferably, the retaining device is configured as a retaining plate, which includes at least one detachable fastening element, by means of which the retaining plate is fastenable with the lateral wall. Preferably, at least one retaining element is provided, through which the compensation plate is detachably fixated to the retaining plate. Moreover, a fixation element is preferably provided, through which the retaining plate is detachably fixable to the pivot bolt or bearing bolt. Preferably, the at least one fastening element, retaining element and fixation element engage on the retaining plate of the at least one fastening element. All components are thereby secured to one another. 
     Moreover, it is preferably provided that the retaining plate completely covers the centering receptacle in the lateral wall in the mounted position. A substantially closed lateral wall of the carrier can thereby be achieved, whereby a risk of injury is diminished. 
     Advantageously, multiple compensation plates are provided for one adjustment device, which plates deviate from one another in the distance between a reference surface provided on the compensation plate and a longitudinal center axis of the borehole. An alteration in the angle of inclination of the carrier to the pivot axis or bearing axis can thereby be adjusted. Preferably, markings or information are provided on the compensation plates, in order to signal to the user the respective distance which is adjustable using this compensation plate. 
     A further preferred embodiment of the lifting platform provides that the pivot bolt and the bearing bolt are rotatably received, by means of a radial bearing, about a stationary pivot and bearing axis, to the load arm and guiding arm. It is thereby made possible that the carrier is rotated about its longitudinal axis only by means of the adjustment device, that means that this carrier can be altered, clockwise and counterclockwise, to the longitudinal center axis of the lifting platform, in its position. 
     A preferred embodiment of the lifting platform provides that a base assembly, stationary in the lifting of vehicles, is provided, which assembly includes two base assembly halves, which are fixedly arranged to one another, via at least one preferably detachable connecting point, with a middle part. 
     Moreover, it is provided, in an advantageous configuration of the lifting platform, that a lifting device, in particular a parallelogram guiding device or a scissoring guide device, is arranged on each base assembly half, which device preferably includes a load arm and a guiding arm which, by means of at least one drive arranged on or in the at least one base assembly half, are transferrable out of a starting position arranged on the floor into an operating position, and which receives a carrier respectively in an end region of the lifting device, in particular of the parallelogram guiding device or the scissoring guide device, which carrier is mounted pivotably to the support arm via a pivot bolt and is mounted pivotably to the guiding arm via a bearing bolt, and each carrier receives at least one support arm pivotably arranged thereon, so that the support arms opposite one another are pivotable in a working space formed at least between the lifting devices, in particular parallelogram guiding devices or between the scissoring guide devices. 
     The lifting platform is configured in particular as a moveable lifting platform, so that this platform is positionable at the respective use site. 
    
    
     
       The invention, as well as further advantageous embodiments and further developments of the same are described in further detail and explained in the following based on the examples illustrated in the drawings. The features to be taken from the description and the drawings can be applied according to the invention individually or multiply in any combination. Shown are in: 
         FIG.  1    a perspective view of the lifting platform according to the invention, 
         FIG.  2    a schematic front view onto the lifting platform according to  FIG.  1   , 
         FIG.  3    a schematic partial section along the line III-III in  FIG.  1   , 
         FIG.  4    a schematic view onto a mounting position of the adjustment device according to  FIG.  3   , 
         FIG.  5    a schematic side view onto an adjustment device on the carrier, 
         FIGS.  6   a  to  6   c    perspective views onto compensation plates of the adjustment device, different from one another, according to  FIG.  4    and 
         FIG.  7    a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the lifting platform to  FIG.  1   . 
     
    
    
       FIG.  1    shows a perspective view of a lifting platform  11  according to the invention. This lifting platform  11  includes a base assembly  12  which includes two base assembly halves  14  and a middle part  15  arranged therebetween. Through the middle part  15 , the base assembly halves  14  are preferably distanced and oriented parallel to one another. By means of the base assembly halves  14  and the middle part  15 , a U-shaped base assembly  12  is formed. The open region constitutes an entry region in a working space  50  for a vehicle, which enters for so long until this vehicle is positioned near the middle part  12 . The entry direction is illustrated according to arrow  17  in the perspective view of the lifting platform  11  in  FIG.  1   . The entry direction lies in the region of a longitudinal center axis  18  of the lifting platform  11 . The longitudinal center axis  18  extends parallel between the two base assembly halves  14  and is arranged centrally thereto. The working space  50  extends at least between the two base assembly halves  14 . 
     Each base assembly half  14  includes a housing  21 , inside of which a schematically illustrated drive  22  is provided. Moreover, each base assembly half  14  receives a lifting device  24  which is configured, in this exemplary embodiment, as a parallelogram guiding device. Alternatively, the lifting device  24  can be configured as a scissoring guide device, in particular half-scissor, full scissor or double scissor. The at least one drive  22  lifts and lowers the lifting device  24 . This lifting device  24  includes a load arm  25 , which is pivotable about a first pivot axis  26 . Moreover, the lifting device  24  includes a guiding arm  27 , which is pivotable about a second pivot axis  28 , which axis is distanced to the first pivot axis  26 . Both pivot axes  26 ,  28  are mounted on the housing. 
     The lifting device  24  comprises a carrier  31  on an end region remote to the housing  21 , which carrier remains oriented horizontally through the lifting device  24  during the raising and lowering of the lifting device  24 . In  FIG.  1   , the lifting devices  24  are provided in an operating position  32 . Such an operating position  32  can correspond to an overhead height. In a non-operating position, the lifting devices  24  are positioned oriented near the floor or resting upon the floor. 
     Each carrier  31  receives at least one support arm  34 . Preferably, two support arms  34  are respectively provided on the carrier  31 . These support arms  34  are pivotably mounted about in each case one pivot axis  35 ,  36 . The support arms  34  can be configured to have the same length. Alternatively, the rear support arm facing towards the entry region can be configured longer than the in particular front support arm  34  facing towards the middle part  15 . The support arms  34  are preferably configured as telescoping support arms. 
     The lifting platform  11  is preferably configured as a moveable lifting platform  11 . Each base assembly half  14  preferably comprises a running roller  38  at an end remote to the middle part  15 , which roller is part of a chassis. Moreover, a drawbar not illustrated in further detail can be fastenable, in a middle region, to the middle part  15 , so that after lifting the middle part, the lifting platform  11  bis supported on an impeller of the drawbar and the two running rollers  38 . The lifting platform  11  is thereby mobile and can be moveable to the respective use site. After the removal of the drawbar, this lifting platform  11  is stationary and rests on the floor. 
     Alternatively to the lifting platform  11  illustrated in  FIG.  1   , this platform can also be configured as a stationary lifting platform  11 . In this case, the running rollers  38  can be dispensed with. In a stationary lifting platform  11 , it can also be provided that this platform consists of the two base assembly halves  14  oriented towards one another. A middle part  15  can be provided or also be dispensed with. 
     A controller  41  is provided for the actuation of the lifting platform  11  out of a non-operating position into an operating position  32 , which controller is for example arranged on one of the two base assembly halves  14 . This controller  41  can output a control signal to the respective drive(s)  22 . The drive  22  can be a hydraulic cylinder which is electrically actuatable. Preferably, a drive  22  is provided in each housing  21  of the base assembly half  14 . The controller  41  includes monitoring sensors to for the synchronization of the lifting and lowering movement of the respective lifting device  24 . Control lines can, on the one hand, be guided into the directly assigned base assembly half  14  by the controller  41 . On the other hand, control lines can be guided inside the middle part  15  to the opposite base assembly half  14 . 
       FIG.  2    illustrates a schematic front view onto the lifting platform  11  according to  FIG.  1   , in the operating position  32 . The force acting on the support arms  34  is symbolized through the force F 1 , which force acts in a vehicle lifted in the operating position  32 . To increase the operational safety, it is required that the at least two support arms  34  opposite one another are oriented nearly or in a common horizontal. A skewed positioning of the vehicle in the operating position  32  can thereby be prevented. 
     Due to dimensional tolerances of the first and second base assembly half  14 , the case can arise that the support arm(s)  34  of the first base assembly half  14  and/or the support arm(s)  34  of the second base assembly half  14  are not oriented towards one another and/or lie outside of the horizontal. Here, the free ends of the support arms can be oriented above or below the horizontal. 
     At least one adjustment device  51  is provided on each base assembly half  14 , through which device the inclination of the least one support arm  34  of the lifting device  24  is adjustable. Preferably, an angle of 90° is provided between the at least one support arm  34  and the lifting device  24 . Insofar as the lifting device  24  is oriented in an elevated position outside of the vertical, however, the setting of the inclination of the at least one support arm  34  is required, so that this arm, in turn, is oriented in the horizontal. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the adjustment device  51  is provided between the carrier  31  and the lifting device  24 . The adjustment device  51  is preferably provided on an external side of the carrier  31 . This device can also be provided on an internal side of the carrier  31 . 
       FIG.  3    illustrates a schematic sectional view along the Line III-III in  FIG.  1   . This schematic partial section extends through an upper end region of the lifting device  24 , as well as a part of the carrier  31 . 
     A bearing bush  52  is provided in the upper end region of the load arm  25 , which bush receives a radial bearing  53 , through which a pivot bolt  54  is pivotably mounted about a pivot axis  55 , with respect to the load arm  25 . The carrier  31  comprises at least a first lateral wall  56  and a second lateral wall  57 , which are preferably distanced parallel to one another. The first lateral wall  56  forms an external side of the carrier  31 . The second lateral wall  57  forms an internal side of the carrier  31 . A support arm bracket  58  is provided on this second lateral wall  57 , which bracket pivotably receives the support arm  34  about a bearing axis  35 ,  36 . The two lateral walls  56 ,  57  are kept at a distance to one another by means of a head plate  61 . 
     The carrier  31  is connected with the guiding arm  27 , remote to the pivot bolt  54 , by means of a bearing bolt  63 . The guiding arm  27  is thereby pivotably mounted about the one bearing axis  64  of the bearing bolt  63 . By means of receiving of the carrier  31 , via the pivot bolt  54  and bearing bolt  63 , the carrier  31  can be oriented horizontally during the lifting and lowering of the lifting device  24 . 
     The adjustment device  51  acts, according to the preferred embodiment, between the pivot bolt  54  and the carrier  31 . Alternatively, the adjustment device  51  can also be provided on the bearing bolt  63 . Likewise, the adjustment device  51  can be provided on the pivot bolt  54 , as well as on the bearing bolt  53 . The structure of the adjustment device remains the same in the alternative embodiments. 
     The adjustment device  51  includes a compensation plate  66  which is positioned in a centering receptacle  67  in the lateral wall  56 . This is illustrated in  FIG.  4    in a side view. The centering receptacle  67  in the lateral wall  56  has a V- or trough-shaped contour  71  which tapers in a force direction according to Force F 1 . The centering receptacle  67  can be configured in a trapezoidal. A lower lateral edge  72  of the trapezoidal centering receptacle  67  is shorter than the opposite or upper lateral edge  73 . The compensation plate  66  preferably has a complementary external contour. In a load acting on the support arms  34 , the V- or trough-shaped region of the centering receptacle  67  is supported on the complementary region of the compensation plate  66 , which region in turn transfers the force onto the pivot bolt  55 . 
     The compensation plate  66  includes a borehole  75 , into which an end of the pivot bolt  54  engages, insofar as compensation plate  66  is positioned in the centering receptacle  67 . 
     The pivot bolt  54  comprises at least one borehole  77  on its end face. The compensation plate  66  likewise comprises at least one borehole  78 . Outside of the compensation plate  76 , at least one further borehole  79  is provided in the lateral wall  56 . 
       FIG.  3    shows a retaining device  81  of the adjustment device  51  in a sectional view, which device in represented in an enlarged side view in  FIG.  5   . This retaining device  81  is configured as a retaining plate, which is fixedly connected with the lateral wall  56  by means of at least one detachable fastening element  82 , in particular a screw, in that the at least one fastening element  82  engages into the borehole  79 . Moreover, it is preferably provided that at least one detachable retaining element  83 , in particular a screw, is provided for fixation of the compensation plate  66  to the retaining device  81 , which screw engages into the at least one borehole  78 . Advantageously, at least one detachable fixation element  84 , in particular a screw, is provided, which engages into at least one borehole  77  of the pivot bolt  55 . It is thereby made possible that the adjustment device  51  allows for a firm connection between the carrier  31  and the lifting device  24 . 
     The adjustment device  51  illustrated in the  FIGS.  3  to  5    allows for adjusting the carrier  31 , to the lifting device  24 , in a zero point position. The lateral walls  56 ,  57  are oriented perpendicular to the pivot axis  55 . The pivot bolt  54  and bearing bolt  63  are respectively mounted in a perforation  62  in the lateral wall  56 ,  57 , insofar as no adjustment device  51  is provided. The borehole  75  in the compensation plate  66  is arranged inside the compensation plate  66  in such a manner that the distance X according to  FIG.  3    can be assumed. The distance X corresponds to a distance which is defined by the reference surface  86  of the compensation plate  66  and a longitudinal axis  87  of the borehole  75 , as can be taken from  FIG.  6     a.    
     Insofar as the support arm  34  now inclines in direction onto the floor and lies below the horizontal, in the use of a compensation plate  66  for a zero position, the compensation plate  66  can be exchanged according to  FIG.  4   a    and be employed by means of a compensation plate  66  according to  FIG.  6   b   . In this compensation plate  66 , a distance A is provided between the reference surface  86  and the longitudinal axis  87  of the borehole  75 , which is smaller in distance than the distance X. The carrier  31  is thereby pivoted in a direction according to arrow N, wherein the lateral wall  57 , to the pivot bolt  54 , forms a kind of rotary bearing, in order to effect the pivoting movement of the carrier  31  to the pivot bolt  55 . 
     The exchange of the compensation plate  66  occurs to the effect that the fastening elements  82 , retaining elements  83  and fixation elements  84  provided on the retaining device  81  are detached, as well as the retaining plate being removed. Subsequent thereto, the compensation plate  66  is taken out of the centering receptacle  67  and the desired new compensation plate  66 , in turn, is placed upon the pivot bolt  54  and inserted into the centering receptacle  67 . The retaining device  81  is, in turn, affixed with the at least one fastening element  82 , retaining element  83  and fixation element  84 . The new orientation of the support arm  34  is fixed. 
     Insofar as the end of the support arm  34  lies above a horizontal, originating from the adjustment device  51 , with a zero position, it is necessary to lower the free end of the support arm  34 . In such a case, a compensation plate  66  can be used according to  FIG.  6   c   , in which the distance B between the reference surface  86  and the longitudinal axis  86  of the borehole  75  is greater than the distance X. Thereafter, the carrier  31  is inclined in the direction of arrow O and the free end of the support arm  34  is lowered. 
     The adjustment device  51  is preferably provided with multiple compensation plates  66 , which have different distances between the reference surface  86  and the longitudinal axis  87 , in order to make an individual adjusting and adapting of the support arms  34  possible. 
     The compensation plates  66  can comprise markings  90 , through which these plates can be differentiated from one another. For example, these can be indentations, as these are illustrated in  FIGS.  6   b  and  6   c   . Likewise, numbers or other symbols can be applied. Colored markings are also possible. 
       FIG.  7    illustrates an alternative configuration of the lifting platform  11  with respect to  FIG.  1   . This lifting platform  11  is different to the embodiment in  FIG.  1    with respect to the configuration of the lifting device  24 . In  FIG.  1   , the lifting device  24  is configured as a parallelogram guiding device. In the embodiment in  FIG.  7   , the lifting device  24  is configured as a half scissor. This half scissor comprises a strut  95  which, on the one hand, is pivotably mounted on the load arm  25  and, on the other hand, is pivotably mounted on the housing  21  of the base assembly half  14 . The carrier  31  is guided oriented horizontally in this half scissor through the load arm  25  and the guiding arm  27 . An opposite end of the load arm  25  and of the guiding arm  27  is pivotably mounted in a moveable carriage  96 . This moveable carriage  96  is illustrated in a dashed-line manner. This moveable carriage  96  is guided horizontally movably through the housing  21  of the base assembly half  14 .