The current application is a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application and claims a priority to a U.S. provisional application serial number 62/365,117 filed on July 21, 2016.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the automobile industry. More specifically, the present invention introduces an apparatus that is used to engage, disengage, or move an automobile part.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A majority of off -road automobiles have removable doors. The method of removing the doors can vary from one off-road automobile to another. The time required to remove a door and the difficulty in the process of removing a door discourages many users from removing the doors frequently.

In many automobiles with removable doors, the door needs to be unhinged from the body of the automobile and safely lowered to the ground. To do so, the user requires the tools or the strength to manually unhinge the door from the automobile. If the user lacks the necessary tools or the strength, additional help might be required to remove and lower the door. Thus, the process can be time consuming and stressful to the user.

For longevity, the removed doors need to be safely stored after being removed. In most instances, the user needs to designate a special area for storing the removed doors. Therefore, a method or apparatus that can remove the doors and safely store the doors is clearly needed. The objective of the present invention is to address the aforementioned issues. In particular, the present invention introduces a device that is used to conveniently remove or mount a door to an automobile with removable doors. The effective design of the present invention also allows the removable door to be moved from one place to another without lifting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an illustration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of the structural body.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the lifting jack.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the first attachment pin and the second attachment pin.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of the retention strap being connected to the mast tower;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the connection between the first attachment pin and a hinge bracket of the pair of hinge brackets.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of the structural body, wherein a secondary upper support arm and a secondary lower support arm is used.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

The present invention introduces an apparatus that can be used for engaging, disengaging, and moving a removable part of an automobile. More specifically, the present invention is a device that is used for removing, attaching, moving, and storing a removable door from an automobile. Preferably, the present invention is to be used with removable doors of an off -road automobile. Even though the present invention is intended to be used with a removable door, the design of the present invention can be modified to be used with other automobile components such as an engine.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 6, the present invention comprises a structural body 1, a lifting jack 7, a base assembly 9, a retention strap 15, a first attachment pin 16, a second attachment pin 17, and a pair of hinge brackets 23. The structural body 1 is used for holding the removable doors. More specifically, the structural body 1 is designed to equally distribute the weight of the removable door throughout the frame of the present invention. The lifting jack 7 is used for lifting the removable door from the designated hinge and for positioning the removable door into the hinge when the removable door is being reattached. The base assembly 9, which can vary in different embodiments of the present invention, allows the present invention to be mobile. Moreover, the base assembly 9 functions as a stand for the structural body 1 so that the removable door remains elevated from the ground. The retention strap 15 is used to secure the removable door against the present invention. In other words, the retention strap 15 prevents the removable door from swinging when being removed or reattached. The first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17 function as the contact points between the present invention and the removable door. More specifically, the structural body 1 establishes a connection with the removable door at the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17. The pair of hinge brackets 23 is used to connect the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17 to the removable door. In doing so, both the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17 are removably attached to a corresponding hinge bracket from the pair of hinge brackets 23.

As described earlier, the structural body 1 is used for holding and distributing the weight of the removable door. As seen in FIG. 2, the structural body 1 comprises a mast tower 2, an upper support arm 3, and a lower support arm 4. The shape and the size of the upper support arm 3 and the lower support arm 4 can vary from one embodiment to another. The upper support arm 3 is used to establish a connection at a topmost hinge of a removable door. On the other hand, the lower support arm 4 is used to establish a connection at a bottom hinge of a removable door. To do so, the upper support arm 3 and the lower support arm 4 are terminally connected to the mast tower 2 such that the upper support arm 3 is positioned adjacent the lower support arm 4. As seen in FIG. 7, in another embodiment, the present invention can comprise a secondary upper support arm 26 and a secondary lower support arm 27 that are terminally connected to the mast tower 2 opposite to the upper support arm 3 and the lower support arm 4.

To hold the weight of the removable door, the upper support arm 3 and the lower support arm 4 each comprise a connector beam 5 and a tension strut 6. The connector beam 5 is terminally and perpendicularly connected to the mast tower 2. The arrangement between the connector beam 5 and the tension strut 6 can vary in different embodiments of the present invention to distribute the weight equally among the upper support arm 3 and the lower support arm 4. However, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tension strut 6 is terminally and angularly connected to the connector beam 5. More specifically, the tension strut 6 is connected to connector beam 5 at an acute angle such that a right angle is created between the mast tower 2 and the connector beam

5, and such that the tension strut 6 and the connector beam 5 form a triangle with the mast tower 2 for structural support.

As shown in FIG. 4, for the first attachment pin 16 to function as a contact point between the removable door and the present invention, the first attachment pin 16 is terminally connected to the upper support arm 3 opposite to the mast tower 2. Likewise, the second attachment pin 17 is terminally connected to the lower support arm 4 opposite to the mast tower 2. When the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17 establish a connection with the removable door the retention strap 15 prevents the removable door from moving. To do so, the retention strap 15 is connected to the mast tower 2 opposite the upper support arm 3 and the lower support arm 4 as seen in FIG. 5.

The first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17 can vary in different embodiments of the present invention. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17 each comprise a threaded portion 18, a sealing ring 19, and an engaging portion 20, as can be seen in FIG.

6. The sealing ring 19 is positioned in between the engaging portion 20 and the threaded portion 18 so that the sealing ring 19 separates the threaded portion 18 and the engaging portion 20. When the present invention is in use, the engaging portion 20 of the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17 establish a connection with the removable door. On the other hand, the threaded portion 18 or the first attachment pin 16 ensures that the first attachment pin 16 is appropriately attached to the upper support arm 3. Likewise, the threaded portion 18 of the second attachment pin 17 ensures that the second attachment pin 17 of appropriately attached to the lower support arm 4.

The assembly consisting of the upper support arm 3, the lower support arm 4, the first attachment pin 16, and the second attachment pin 17 is raised and lowered with the use of the lifting jack 7 shown in FIG. 3. To do so, the structural body 1 is removably attached to the lifting jack 7 opposite the base assembly 9. The attachment between the structural body 1 and the lifting jack 7 can vary from one embodiment to another.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the structural body 1 is removably attached to the lifting jack 7. To do so, the lifting jack 7 further comprises a receiving tube 8 which can receive the mast tower 2. Therefore, when attaching the structural body 1, the mast tower 2 is removably positioned into the receiving tube 8. More specifically, the mast tower 2 is removably positioned into the receiving tube 8 such that the mast tower 2 is mechanically engaged with the lifting jack 7. Even though the lifting jack 7 is a foot-operated lifting jack in the preferred embodiment, the lifting jack 7 can vary in different embodiments of the present invention.

The base assembly 9 provides stability to the present invention. To do so, the lifting jack 7 is connected to the base assembly 9. Thus, the weight of the structural body 1 that is attached to the lifting jack 7, and the weight of the removable door mounted to the structural body 1 is distributed at the base assembly 9. The base assembly 9 also allows the user to move the removable door from one place to another. The present invention further comprises a fastening mechanism 22 that is used to connect the lifting jack 7 to the base assembly 9. More specifically, the lifting jack 7 is removably attached to the base assembly 9 with the fastening mechanism 22.

The overall size and shape of the base assembly 9 can vary in different embodiments of the present invention. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the base assembly 9 comprises a first arm 10 and a second arm 11. The first arm 10 and the second arm 11 each comprise a proximal end 12, an arm body 13, and a distal end 14. The arm body 13, which can vary in length in different embodiments, extends from the proximal end 12 to the distal end 14. The first arm 10 and the second arm 11 are arranged so that the base assembly 9 has an overall T-shape. In other words, the first arm 10 is perpendicularly connected to the second arm 11 at the distal end 14 of the first arm 10. The connection is such that the distal end 14 of the first arm 10 is equidistant from the proximal end 12 and the distal end 14 of the second arm 11.

To provide the user with the added convenience of moving the removable door, the present invention further comprises a plurality of wheels 21 that is connected to the base assembly 9 opposite to the lifting jack 7. The number of wheels used in the plurality of wheels 21 can vary according to the base assembly 9.

As mentioned earlier, the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17 are used to establish a connection with the removable door. To aid with the process, the present invention further comprises the pair of hinge brackets 23. As shown in FIG. 6, each of the hinge brackets comprise a pin-receiving hole 28, a hinge body 24 and a pair of bolt-receiving holes 25 that traverse through the hinge body 24. The hinge body 24 is specifically designed to receive the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17. When the present invention is in use, the first attachment pin 16 is secured within the pin-receiving hole 28 of one hinge bracket of the pair of hinge brackets 23. Likewise, the second attachment pin 17 is also secured within the pin-receiving hole 28 of one hinge bracket of the pair of hinge brackets 23. To secure the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17, the pin-receiving hole 28 perpendicularly traverses through the hinge body 24 in between the pair of bolt-receiving holes 25. A pair of bolts that is positioned through the pair of bolt-receiving holes 25 secures the removable door, the engaging portion 20 of the first attachment pin 16, and the hinge body 24. Another pair of bolts secures the removable door, the engaging portion 20 of the second attachment pin 17, and the hinge body 24.

When the present invention is used to detach the removable door from the automobile, the following process flow is generally followed. Initially, the bolts that fasten the removable door to the automobile are removed. More specifically, the bolts at an upper hinge and the bolts at a lower hinge are removed. When the bolts are removed, the pair of hinge brackets 23 are mounted onto the upper hinge and the lower hinge. In doing so, the pair of bolt-receiving holes 25 of each of the pair of hinge brackets 23 are aligned with the bolt-receiving holes of the upper hinge and the lower hinge. Next, the removed bolts are inserted into the bolt-receiving holes 25 of the pair of hinge brackets 23 so that the pair of hinge brackets 23 are attached to the automobile. When the pair of hinge brackets 23 are fastened, the structural body 1 is positioned so that the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17 is adjacent each of the pair of hinge brackets 23. More specifically, the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17 are each aligned with the pin-receiving hole 28 of one of the pair of hinge brackets 23. After aligning the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17, the engaging portion 20 of the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17 is controlled so that the so that the engaging portion 20 of the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17 is positioned within the pin -receiving hole 28. Next, the lifting jack 7 is operated so that the first attachment pin 16 is secured in the pin -receiving hole 28 of one of the pair of hinge brackets 23 and the removable door. Simultaneously, the second attachment pin 17 is secured in the pin-receiving hole 28 of one of the pair of hinge brackets 23 and the removable door. When appropriately aligned, the sealing ring 19 of the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17 will be in contact with the hinge body 24 of each of the pair of hinge brackets 23. Thus, a secure connection is established in between the structural body 1 and the removable door. To prevent the removable door from pivoting at the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17, the retention strap 15 is extended and fastened to the removable door. The retention strap 15 can be fastened at the handle of the removable door or the removable door window frame. When secured, the user can move the removable door with the use of the plurality of wheels 21. When reattaching the removable door, the process is reversed at the first attachment pin 16 and the second attachment pin 17.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred

embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.