Patent Publication Number: US-8529181-B1

Title: Wallboard support system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable to this application. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable to this application. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to wallboard lifts and more specifically it relates to a wallboard support system for effectively supporting a wallboard such as but not limited to drywall. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field. 
     Conventional wallboard lifts have been in use for years. Conventional wallboard lifts are comprised of a support unit with a pair of opposing outriggers that are slidably received by channels within the support unit. The opposing outriggers are extended outwardly when they are to support a wallboard such as but not limited to drywall. 
     One problem with conventional wallboard lifts is that there is limited space between the outriggers and the channels within the support unit thereby creating undue friction from rust and dirt. In addition, any damage to the support unit (e.g. dent, bending, etc.) can make it difficult to retract or extend the outriggers from the support unit. Finally, conventional wallboard lifts have a significant surface contact area between the outriggers and the support unit thereby increasing the resistance when extending or retracting the outriggers. 
     Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved wallboard support system for effectively supporting a wallboard such as drywall. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A system for effectively supporting a wallboard such as drywall. The invention generally relates to a drywall lifts which includes a support base, a telescoping unit extending from the support base and a cradle attached to an upper portion of the telescoping unit to support a wallboard. The cradle is comprised of a support unit having a pair of channels that receive a corresponding pair of outriggers that slidably extend from opposing ends of the support unit. A first guide within a first channel of the support unit guides a first outrigger outwardly and slightly upwardly. A second guide within a second channel of the support unit guides a second outrigger outwardly and slightly upwardly mirroring the first outrigger. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that 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 or to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of 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 the description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an upper perspective view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded upper perspective view of the cradle support. 
         FIG. 3  is a side cutaway view of the cradle with the outriggers retracted within the support unit. 
         FIG. 4   a  is a side cutaway view of the cradle with the outriggers partially extended from the support unit. 
         FIG. 4   b  is a side cutaway view of the cradle with the outriggers fully extended from the support unit. 
         FIG. 4   c  is a magnified side cutaway view of the cradle with the outriggers fully extended from the support unit illustrating the second guide. 
         FIG. 5  is a top cutaway view of the cradle with the outriggers retracted within the support unit. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the present invention with the outriggers fully extended and supporting a wallboard. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A. Overview 
     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views,  FIGS. 1 through 6  illustrate a wallboard support system  10 , which comprises a support base  20 , a telescoping unit  30  extending from the support base  20  and a cradle  40  attached to an upper portion  34  of the telescoping unit  30  to support a wallboard  12 . The cradle  40  is comprised of a support unit  50  having a pair of channels that receive a corresponding pair of outriggers  70 ,  76  that slidably extend from opposing ends of the support unit  50 . A first guide  60  within a first channel  51  of the support unit  50  guides a first outrigger  70  outwardly and slightly upwardly. A second guide  66  within a second channel  53  of the support unit  50  guides a second outrigger  76  outwardly and slightly upwardly mirroring the first outrigger  70 . 
     B. Support Base 
       FIGS. 1 and 6  of the drawings illustrate an exemplary support base  20  that provides support to the present invention during operation. The support base  20  preferably has a relatively broad cross section to increase the stability of the present invention during use. Various configurations may be utilized for the support base  20  including but not limited to an I-shaped base as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . To provide increased mobility for the present invention, one or more wheels  22  are preferably connected to the support base  20  to allow for rolling of the present invention on a floor surface. 
     C. Telescoping Unit 
     The telescoping unit  30  provided with the present invention may be comprised of any type of structure that extends upwardly and downwardly to support the cradle  40  along with a wallboard  12 . The telescoping unit  30  extends upwardly from the support base  20  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 6  of the drawings. 
     The telescoping unit  30  is preferably comprised of a lower portion  32  attached to the support base  20  and an upper portion  34  that movably extends from the lower portion  32  by a lifting/lowering mechanism  36 . The lifting/lowering mechanism  36  may be comprised of a manual or powered system to cause the upper portion  34  to lift and lower with respect to the lower portion  32 . The upper portion  34  of the telescoping unit  30  is preferably concentric with respect to the lower portion  32  and is preferably vertically orientated. 
     D. Cradle 
     The cradle  40  is attached to an upper portion  34  of the telescoping unit  30  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 6  of the drawings. The cradle  40  is formed to support a conventional wallboard  12  (e.g. sheetrock, plywood, paneling, etc.). 
     The cradle  40  is preferably comprised of a support unit  50 , a first outrigger  70  slidably extending from a first end of the support unit  50  and a second outrigger  76  slidably extending from a second end of the support unit  50 . The outriggers  70 ,  76  are comprised of elongated structures that support the opposing distal portions of the wallboard  12  when positioned on the cradle  40 . The first outrigger  70  and the second outrigger  76  substantially mirror one another when fully extended from the support unit  50  and when both are retracted into the support unit  50 . 
     The support unit  50  is comprised of an elongated structure as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6  of the drawings. The support unit  50  is preferably comprised of a straight structure as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 6  of the drawings. The support unit  50  is comprised of a tubular structure that slidably receives the outriggers  70 ,  76  that extend outwardly from the opposing open ends of the support unit  50 . The support unit  50  is preferably comprised of a rectangular cross section tubular structure, however, various other types of structures may be alternatively used. A divider  56  extending along a substantially central portion of the support unit  50  to form a first channel  51  and a second channel  53  that slidably receive the outriggers  70 ,  76  respectively. The first channel  51  is preferably substantially parallel with respect to the second channel  53  as best illustrated in  FIG. 5  of the drawings. 
     The support unit  50  is preferably comprised of a first side  52  having a U-shaped cross sectional shape and a second side  54  having a U-shaped cross sectional shape as illustrated in  FIG. 2  of the drawings. The divider  56  is preferably positioned between the first side  52  and the second side  54  as further illustrated in  FIG. 2  of the drawings. 
     The divider  56  is preferably welded between the first side  52  and the second side  54  forming a tubular structure with the first channel  51  and the second channel  53  on opposing sides of the divider  56 . The divider  56  preferably includes an extended portion on both distal ends that a latch  58  is respectively attached to for selectively locking the outriggers  70 ,  76  in a desired location (e.g. retracted, partially extended, fully extended). 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4   a  and  4   b  of the drawings, a first guide  60  is attached within the first channel  51  of the support unit  50  near the first end of the support unit  50 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4   a  and  4   b  of the drawings, a second guide  66  is attached within the second channel  53  of the support unit  50  near the second end of the support unit  50  opposite of the first guide  60 . The first outrigger  70  slidably extends within the first guide  60  and the first channel  51 , and the second outrigger  76  slidably extends within the second guide  66  and the second channel  53  as best illustrated in  FIGS. 4   a  through  4   c  of the drawings. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 3 through 4   c  of the drawings, the first guide  60  and the second guide  66  are angled upwardly to assist in guiding the outriggers  70 ,  76  outwardly and upwardly from the respective opposing open ends of the support end. The first guide  60  directs the first outrigger  70  to extend outwardly and upwardly and the second guide  66  directs the second outrigger  76  to extend outwardly and upwardly as illustrated in  FIGS. 4   a  through  4   c  of the drawings. The upward guidance of the outriggers  70 ,  76  ensures that the distal ends of the outriggers  70 ,  76  are elevated above the body of the support unit  50  to ensure that the wallboard  12  remains substantially flat for installation on a ceiling or other structure. 
     The first guide  60  and the second guide  66  preferably include a first lip  62  and a second lip  68  respectively extending upwardly from a respective upper inner portion that provides a desired angular alignment for the first guide  60  and the second guide  66 . During fabrication of the support unit  50 , the guides  60 ,  68  are preferably aligned with respect to an upper ceiling of their respective side  52 ,  54  by positioning the respective lip  62 ,  68  adjacent to the same along with the outer body portion of the guides  60 ,  68  positioned adjacent the upper ceiling of the respective side  52 ,  54  as best illustrated in  FIGS. 4   a  through  4   c  of the drawings. The guides  60 ,  68  may be attached to the respective sides  52 ,  54  via various conventional attachment methods including but not limited to welding and fasteners. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2  through the first outrigger  70  and the second outrigger  76  are upwardly curved to assist with ensuring that the distal ends of the outriggers  70 ,  76  when extended are at a desirable height to support the distal portions of the wallboard  12 . The outriggers  70 ,  76  preferably have a consistent curvature through the entire length of the outriggers  70 ,  76 , however, varying curvatures may be utilized. The combination of the curvature of the outriggers  70 ,  76  and the upward angle of the guides  60 ,  68  ensures that the distal ends of the outriggers  70 ,  76  are properly positioned when fully extended and that the inner ends of the outriggers  70 ,  76  are not engaging the inner surface of the support unit  50  as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 through 4   c  of the drawings. The reduced surface contact between the outriggers  70 ,  76  and the support unit  50  decreases the frictional engagement of the same and ensures that any damage to the support unit  50  does not interfere with the operation of the outriggers  70 ,  76  by providing a space between the same. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6  of the drawings, the first outrigger  70  preferably includes a first support  74  extending upwardly from a distal portion thereof and the second outrigger  76  includes a second support  78  extending upwardly from a distal portion thereof. The first support  74  and the second support  78  are formed to engage a lower surface of a wallboard  12  to be supported upon the cradle  40  as illustrated in  FIG. 6  of the drawings. The first support  74  and the second support  78  preferably include a covering comprised of a resilient material such as rubber or the like to frictionally engage the wallboard  12 . 
     A first latch  58  is preferably attached to the support unit  50  and selectively engages the first outrigger  70  to secure the first outrigger  70  in an extended position or retracted position. A second latch  58  is also preferably attached to the support unit  50  and selectively engages the second outrigger  76  to secure the second outrigger  76  in an extended position or retracted position. The latches  58   58  preferably engage locking apertures  71  within the outriggers  70 ,  76  to secure the outriggers  70 ,  76  in a desired extended position as shown in  FIGS. 3 through 4   c  of the drawings. The latches  58   58  are preferably spring loaded as best illustrated in  FIG. 5  of the drawings. 
     The preferably cradle  40  includes a first cross member  42  and a second cross member  44  that extend substantially transverse with respect to the first outrigger  70  and the second outrigger  76  as best illustrated in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. The first cross member  42  and the second cross member  44  are preferably substantially parallel with respect to one another and include a resilient covering at their respective ends to assist in frictionally engaging the bottom of the wallboard  12  being supported upon the same. The cross members  42 ,  44  support a middle portion of the wallboard  12  as illustrated in  FIG. 6  of the drawings. 
     E. Operation of Preferred Embodiment 
     In use, the user lowers the cradle  40  by adjusting the lifting/lowering mechanism  36  to a level where they can position the wallboard  12  on the cradle  40 . The user further pulls the outriggers  70 ,  76  out from the support unit  50  to a fully extended position as illustrated in  FIG. 6  of the drawings. A wallboard  12  is positioned on the cradle  40  with the distal portions thereof supported by the outriggers  70 ,  76 . The user then lifts the cradle  40  to a desired elevation near where the wallboard  12  will be secured to (e.g. a ceiling). The wallboard  12  is then secured to the ceiling and the cradle  40  is lowered to position a second wallboard  12  upon the same to repeat the process. When the user is finished using the present invention, the latch  58  is released for each of the outriggers  70 ,  76  and the outriggers  70 ,  76  are retracted into the support unit  50  for storage and transportation. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar to or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described above. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the extent allowed by applicable law and regulations. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Any headings utilized within the description are for convenience only and have no legal or limiting effect.