Patent Abstract:
A method and apparatus for moving a load. The apparatus is a floor jack that capable of reaching the load in a minimum amount of pumping by the operator. The lift reaches the load in a shorter amount of time so that the load can be moved quicker.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a floor jack. More particularly, a quick lift floor jack that can rise from a starting position to a load position in a short amount of time. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Floor jacks are used to lift heavy objects or a load from one position to another position using hydraulic circuitry. Hydraulic fluid is moved from a fluid reservoir into an inner chamber of a cylinder rod that is connected with a load bearing surface. The load bearing surface is the surface that contacts the load to be lifted or moved by the floor jack. The hydraulic fluid is moved through various channels by the manual pumping of a pump by an operator. The fluid fills the cylinder rod and displaces it axially until the load is reached. Then the operator continues the pumping until the load is raised to the desired level. Once the desired load movement is completed, the hydraulic fluid is returned to the fluid reservoir through the channels for the next operation. 
     In conventional floor jacks the load bearing surface rises from a starting position at the same speed regardless of whether the jack has a load or not. The operator must wait until the load, such as a car, is lifted at the slow speed, to the desired height until he can work on it. The wait time and the pumping effort can waste time and be costly to small garage operators. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a floor jack that can reach the desired load quickly so as to decrease the wait time of the operator. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, a hydraulic jack that can include an oil reservoir that can store a hydraulic fluid therein, an inner chamber axially that can be disposed within the oil reservoir, a piston rod axially disposed within the inner chamber, a piston rod chamber can be provided in the piston rod, a pump assembly that can have a pump piston that can reciprocate therein and a pumping chamber that can receive hydraulic fluid from the oil reservoir, wherein the pumping chamber&#39;s volume can be between about ¼ to ¾ of the piston rod chamber&#39;s volume, and a sequence valve that can be press fitted into the hydraulic channel, held in place by a plug, can include a spherical ball having a hydraulic interacting surface and regulates fluid flow from the pumping chamber to the piston rod chamber and the inner chamber. The hydraulic jack can further include hydraulic channels for fluid communication within the jack, a first inlet check valve that can allow fluid to flow in one direction between the oil reservoir and the pumping chamber, a first outlet check valve that can allow fluid to flow in one direction between the pumping chamber and the hydraulic channels, a second outlet check valve that can allow fluid to flow in one direction between the hydraulic channels and the piston rod chamber, a second inlet that can allow fluid to move from the hydraulic channels to a second chamber, a release valve that can allow fluid to return from the piston rod chamber to the oil reservoir, a sealing member that can provide a sealing relationship between the piston rod and an inner chamber wall, and a relief valve that can relieve pressure of the jack at a predetermine pressure. The fluid can act on a surface of the sealing member to move the piston rod axially. The pump piston can be moved reciprocally by a handle that can be attached thereto. The pumping chamber&#39;s volume can be between about ⅓ to ½ of the piston rod chamber&#39;s volume. The release valve can have a slot therein for fluid to travel and can be threaded into the hydraulic jack. The piston rod can have a connector that can be coupled to a load bearing surface. 
     In another embodiment, a method of moving a load is provided and can include pumping a pump piston with a handle, drawing fluid from an oil reservoir to a pumping chamber by a vacuum created by the pumping, moving the fluid from the pumping chamber to a piston rod chamber by additional pumping of the pump piston, extending a piston rod to contact a load with the fluid in the piston rod chamber, and extending the piston further to move the load by increasing the amount of fluid acting on the piston rod when needed by setting a sequence valve that can be pressed fitted and can have a spherical ball to open at a predetermined pressure so that fluid is supplied to an inner chamber of the piston rod to move the piston rod. The fluid may be hydraulic fluid and increasing the amount of fluid can occur when the piston rod reaches a load and requires additional fluid to move the load. The volume of the pumping chamber can be between about ¼ to ¾ of the volume of the piston rod chamber. Additionally, the volume of the pumping chamber can be between about ⅓ to ½ of the volume of the piston rod chamber. 
     In still another embodiment of the invention, a hydraulic floor jack can include a means for storing a hydraulic fluid, a means for moving fluid into and out of a pumping chamber, a means for channeling fluid from the pumping chamber to a piston rod chamber, a means for lifting a load, wherein the means for lifting contains the piston rod chamber, a means for increasing fluid that can act on the means for lifting when the means for lifting requires additional fluid to move a load, wherein the means for increasing fluid is pressed-fitted into the jack and has a spherical ball, and a means for returning fluid allows fluid to move from the piston rod chamber to the oil reservoir. The means for increasing fluid can be retained by a plug and the means for returning fluid can have a slot for allowing fluid to travel therein. The volume of pumping chamber can be between about ¼ to ¾ the volume of the piston rod chamber. Additionally, the volume pumping chamber can be between about ⅓ to ½ the volume of the piston rod chamber. The jack can further include a means for relief for relieving pressure in the jack at a predetermined pressure. The means for lifting a load can be connected to a load bearing surface. The floor jack can further include a means for sealing positioned between the means for lifting and an inner chamber wall so that fluid can act on the means for sealing and move the means for lifting. 
     In a further embodiment, a hydraulic jack can include an oil reservoir that can store a hydraulic fluid therein, an inner chamber that can be axially disposed within the oil reservoir, a piston rod that can be axially disposed within the inner chamber, a piston rod chamber can be provided in the piston rod, a pump assembly having a pump piston that can reciprocate therein and a pumping chamber that can receive hydraulic fluid from the oil reservoir, wherein the pumping chamber&#39;s volume can between about ¼ to ¾ of the piston rod chamber&#39;s volume, a sequence valve that can be press fitted into the hydraulic channel, held in place by a plug, can include a spherical ball having a hydraulic interacting surface and can regulate fluid flow from the pumping chamber to the piston rod chamber and the inner chamber, hydraulic channels for fluid communication within the jack, a first inlet check valve that can allow fluid to flow in one direction between the oil reservoir and the pumping chamber, a first outlet check valve that can allow fluid to flow in one direction between the pumping chamber and the hydraulic channels, a second outlet check valve that can allow fluid to flow in one direction between the hydraulic channels and the piston rod chamber, a second inlet that can allow fluid to move from the hydraulic channels to a second chamber, a release valve that can allow fluid to return from the piston rod chamber to the oil reservoir, a sealing member that can provide a sealing relationship between the piston rod and an inner chamber wall, and a relief valve that can relieve pressure of the jack at a predetermine pressure. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features 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 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, 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 front view of an embodiment of a floor jack. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view A—A of an embodiment of the floor jack. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view B—B of hydraulic channel assembly of the floor jack. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The embodiments of the present invention are for a quick lift jack that is capable of contacting and lifting a load with a minimum amount of pumping. 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of a floor jack  100 . The floor jack has a cylinder  110  that provides a housing for hydraulic fluid that is contained therein. At a first end of the cylinder  110  is a connector  112 . The connector  112  can be attached to various devices, such as a load bearing surface. The load bearing surface is the surface of the floor jack  100  that will contact a load. The load is anything that needs to be moved by the jack. Movement of the load can be in any direction that an operator desires. Some examples of a load are a vehicle that needs its tire changed or a heavy object that needs to be moved because it is trapping a person. A base  114  is provided at the second end of the cylinder  110 . The base  114  contains therein most of the hydraulic channels that are needed to move the hydraulic fluid throughout the floor jack  100 . A pumping channel housing  118  is provided with a pumping chamber (not shown) and a pump piston  120 . The pumping action of the pump piston  120  moves fluid from an oil reservoir  210  (FIG. 2) and extends a piston rod  214  (FIG. 2 ). A release valve  116  is used to allow the fluid to move back into the oil reservoir and is further discussed below. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view A—A of an embodiment of the floor jack  100 . The floor jack  100  has the cylinder  110  and an inner chamber housing  242 . The oil reservoir  210  has hydraulic fluid therein and is formed by the cylinder  110  and the inner chamber housing  242 . At an end of the reservoir  210 , there is a filter  218  that filters out any contaminants that may be in the hydraulic fluid and prevents the contaminants from clogging up the hydraulic system. The filter  218  can be made from stainless steel or other materials. The hydraulic fluid can be any fluid including oil, water, automatic transmission fluid, lubricants and other fluids that can be moved from one place to another in the floor jack  100 . The oil reservoir  210  is filled with hydraulic fluid by removing a plug  252 , which provides access to the oil reservoir. 
     An inner chamber  212  is formed by the inner chamber housing  242  and has a piston rod  214  therein. Between the outer surface of piston rod  214  and inner surface of the inner chamber housing  242  and in sealing contact are a U-cup  248  and a bearing  250 . The U-cup  248  and the bearing  250  divide the inner chamber  212  into a first chamber  254  and a second chamber  256 . The second chamber  256  receives fluid from the oil reservoir through a channel and a check valve (not shown). The piston rod  214  has a piston rod chamber  216  formed therein to receive hydraulic fluid from the oil reservoir  210 . When the piston rod chamber  216  receives hydraulic fluid, it moves the piston rod  214  axially from a resting position to an extended position. As the piston rod  214  is extend, a vacuum is created in the second chamber  256  and draws fluid from the oil reservoir  210 . The piston rod  214  at one end has the connector  112  that can connect to the load bearing surface or any other type of device that requires movement under hydraulic power. 
     The filter  218  is fluidly connected to a first end of a first channel  226  at its first end. At the second end, the first channel  226  is connected to a first inlet check valve  228 . The first inlet check valve  228  allows the hydraulic fluid to flow in one direction, that is from the first channel  226  to a pumping chamber  230  that is formed in a pumping chamber housing  232 . The pump chamber  230  stores hydraulic fluid that will eventually be transferred to the piston rod chamber  216 . The pumping chamber housing  232  also has the pump piston  120  provided therein. The pump piston  120  can be connected to a handle (not shown), which an operator can use to move the pump piston  120  reciprocally in the pumping chamber housing  232 . The reciprocating movement, on the upstroke, of the pump piston  120  creates a vacuum and draws the hydraulic fluid from the oil reservoir  210  through the filter  218  and the first channel  226 , into the pumping chamber  230  and will be transferred to the piston rod chamber  216  via channels discussed below. On the down stroke, the pump piston  120  drives the fluid into a first outlet  236 , which then travels to a second outlet  244 . The first and second outlets  236 ,  244  have a ball check valve therein that allows fluid to flow in one direction. 
     The release valve  116 , located near the same end of the piston rod chamber  216  as the second outlet  244 , allows the fluid to flow back from the piston rod chamber to the oil reservoir  210  via a second channel  246 . The release valve  116  can be threaded in place and holds a ball in a closed position of a first ball screw assembly  240 . The first ball screw assembly can also be a check valve. The ball in the closed position prevents fluid from flowing from the piston rod chamber  216  into a slot (not shown) in the release valve  116 . The slot is constructed within the release valve  116  so that hydraulic fluid can flow from the first ball screw assembly  240  to the second channel  246 . Once the operator is ready for the piston rod  214  to return to its starting position, the operator can turn the release valve  116  in one direction, which allows the ball of the first ball screw assembly  240  to move due to the fluid pressure from the piston rod chamber  216 . Thus, fluid from the piston rod chamber  216  can return to the oil reservoir  210  for later use. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view B—B of hydraulic channel assembly  300  of the floor jack  100 . Hydraulic fluid is driven by the reciprocating action of the pump piston  120  from the pumping chamber  230  to the first outlet  236 , which is shown with its ball check valve. At this point, the hydraulic fluid can travel to a relief valve  320  via a third channel  310  or to the second outlet  244  via a fourth channel  312  to a fifth channel  314  and finally to a sixth channel  316  that is connected with the second outlet  244 . The relief valve  320  can include a spring  322  that biases a ball guide  326  that keeps a ball of a second ball screw assembly  324  in a closed position. The second ball screw assembly  324  can also be a check valve. The relief valve  320  is constructed and designed to open and relieve the pressure from pumping chamber  230  when there is excessive pressure exerted on it during lifting of the load. The relief valve  320  is adjustable so that the pressure limit, in which relief is required, can be set by the operator so that the jack  100  does not exceed its load limit. 
     Under normal use, the fluid travels in the direction of the relief valve  320  will stop at the relief valve and the remainder of the fluid will travel to the fourth channel  312 . As the fluid travels in the fourth channel  312 , it will hit a plug  318 . The fluid is then forced down into the fifth channel  314 , and can travel to the sixth channel  316 . The fluid is stopped from further traveling down the fifth channel  314  because of a check valve assembly  324  that has a ball biased in the closed position. Additionally, a sequence valve  326  prevents the fluid from traveling down a seventh channel  328 . Plug  318  prevents the fluid from further traveling in one direction of the sixth channel  316  and the fluid then travels to the second outlet  244  and then to the piston rod chamber  216 . 
     The sequence valve  326  is press-fitted by the plug  318  into the seventh channel  328  and has a spherical ball  330  at one end. The spherical ball  330  is seated on a ball guide  332  that is biased by a spring (not shown). The spherical ball  330  prevents fluid from entering an eight channel  334 , which can fluidly communicate with the a second inlet  336  that feeds fluid to the inner chamber  212 . The sequence valve  326  will open when additional fluid is need by the piston rod  214  for additional extended movement; for example, when the piston rod  214  hits a load and needs more fluid pressure to lift the load. At this point, fluid will enter the first outlet  236  and will push the ball  330  of the sequence valve  326  to allow fluid to the flow into the eight channel  334  and to the second inlet  336 . When fluid enters the inner chamber  212  from the second inlet  336 , it will enter the second chamber  256  portion of the inner chamber  212  and acts on the U-cup  248  (FIG. 2) to further move the piston rod  214 . The fluid acting on the U-cup  248  is acting in concert with the fluid in the piston rod chamber  216  so that the piston rod  214  can further extend and move the load. 
     In operation, the operator uses the handle to move the pump piston  120  and the upstroke creates a vacuum to draw hydraulic fluid from the oil reservoir  210 . The fluid travels from the oil reservoir  210  through the filter  218 , to the first channel  226 , through the first inlet check valve  228  and to the pumping chamber  230 . The pumping chamber&#39;s  230  volume is less than the volume of the piston rod chamber  216 . The pumping chamber&#39;s  230  volume can be any volume so long as the volume does not equal the volume of the piston rod chamber  216 . The volume of the pumping chamber  230  can range from ¼ to ¾ and from ⅓ to ½ of the volume of the piston rod chamber  216 . Because the volume of the pumping chamber  230  is less than the volume of the piston rod chamber  216 , it will take more than one stroke of the pump in order for the piston rod  214  to fully extend. This will decrease the likelihood of damaging the load bearing surface of the floor jack  100  that can occur with a more rapid approach to a load, such as when the volumes of the pumping chamber  230  and the piston rod chamber  216  are equal. This also helps to decrease the likelihood that the jack  100  will tip over when it is being pumped without a load. 
     On the down stroke of the pumping by the operator, the pump piston  120  pushes the fluids from the pumping chamber  230  and into the first outlet  236 . From the first outlet  236 , the fluid travels in the fourth channel  312  to the fifth channel  314 , then to the sixth channel  316  and the second outlet  244 . The fluid from the second outlet  244  fills the piston rod chamber  216  with each pump. When the piston rod chamber  216  is filled, it begins to extend the piston rod  214  with its load bearing surface in order to reach the load. As the piston rod  214  extends, it creates a vacuum in the second chamber  256  and draws fluid into it. 
     Once the load bearing surface reaches the load, additional pumping of the pump piston  120  will move the piston rod  214 , but it will also force the fluid through the sequence valve  326 , then to the eight channel  334  and the second inlet  336 . The fluid from the second inlet  336  will further fill the second chamber  256  of the inner chamber  212 , thereby pushing against the U-cup  248  and further moving the piston rod  214 . The operator continues pumping until the load is moved to its desired position or until the piston rod  214  reaches its full extension. 
     In order to return the piston rod  214  to its starting position, the fluid must be moved from the piston rod chamber  216  and the second chamber  256  of the inner chamber  212 . The operator can unscrew the release valve  116 , so that the ball of the first ball screw assembly  240  can move and allow the fluid from the piston rod chamber  216  to move to the oil reservoir  210  via the slot in the release valve  116  and the second channel  246 . 
     The fluid from the second chamber  256  can move back through the second inlet  336  and into the eighth channel  334 . The fluid under pressure can move through the ball of the second ball screw assembly  324  and into the sixth channel  316 . The sixth channel  316  connects with the second outlet  244  so that the fluid can move into the piston rod chamber  216  and back into the oil reservoir  210 , as previously described. Once the oil returns to the oil reservoir  210 , fluid is again available for the next use. 
     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 spirits 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.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1