The present invention relates to a vehicle support assembly, and in particular a device for supporting a vehicle in an elevated position over a vehicle pit or ramp.

During the maintenance repair and repair of vehicles, it is often necessary to provide access to the underside of the vehicle, to permit inspection or repair. To achieve this it is usual to place the vehicle over an inspection pit, with the mechanic standing within the pit to access the underside of the vehicle located over the pit. Alternatively, it is known to use an inspection ramp to elevate a vehicle above ground level.

Frequently, maintenance and repair tasks require the vehicle to be supported such that one or more of the wheels is out of contact with the ground, and therefore able to be freely rotated or removed. A known system for lifting vehicles positioned over a repair pit includes a bottle jack or similar lifting device, which is supported by cross beam spanning the pit. The vehicle is lifted by the jack to an elevated position, and supported by the extended jack while any maintenance work is performed. However, it is acknowledged that supporting a vehicle in this manner while it is worked on is unsafe, as bottle jacks do not provide a sufficient degree of support for a vehicle to enable them used while a vehicle is worked on for a prolonged period of time, and are prone to toppling when supported in this way.

An alternative system uses hydraulic rams mounted on a cross beam spanning a pit. This type of pit mounted jack typically comprises a pair of hydraulic jacks, which are able to safely support a vehicle an elevated position. However, due the hydraulic rams and control systems required, such systems are expensive. In addition, in order to provide a sufficient lifting height, the distance, of travel of the hydraulic rams is such that the rams extend downwards into the pit below the cross beam, when in the retracted state. As such, the rams provide a significant obstruction within the pit which restricts the movement of a maintenance engineer while working on a vehicle. It is therefore desirable to provide an improved vehicle support assembly which addresses the above described problems and/or which offers improvements generally.

According to the present invention there is provided a vehicle support assembly as described in the accompanying claims. According to the present invention there is also provided a method for supporting a vehicle to enable maintenance or repair work, as described in the accompanying claims.

In an embodiment of the invention there is provided a vehicle support assembly for supporting a vehicle lifted to an elevated position by a lifting device. The support assembly comprises a support beam configured to be mounted across a vehicle pit or a vehicle lift; at least one mechanical strut mounted to the support beam and extendable from a retracted position to an extended support position, the at least one mechanical strut configured to engage the underside of a vehicle lifted to an elevated position by a lifting device; and a locking arrangement for locking the mechanical strut in the extended position. The at least one mechanical strut is configured only to support and not to lift the weight of a vehicle, and to maintain said vehicle in the elevated position when the lifting device is removed when locked in the extended position.

The support assembly is thereby able to securely support a vehicle on the mechanical support struts during the required maintenance or repair task, rather than the vehicle being supported on the jack. The struts are passive supports, and are not used to lift the vehicle, and therefore comprise minimal parts, and do not require a drive mechanism. In addition, the support assembly is configured for use with a vehicle jack, such as a bottle jack, with are relatively inexpensive. As such, the support assembly significantly reduces cost as compared to systems of the prior art which utilise expensive hydraulic rams to lift and support vehicles. Preferably the mechanical support strut is a telescopic strut extendable from a collapsed position to the extended support position. The telescopic mechanical support strut may comprise a first body section and a second body section which is slidably mounted within the first body section. Preferably the mechanical support strut also includes a third body section which is slidable within the second body section.

The telescopic arrangement of the mechanical support strut enables it to collapse to a retracted position without extending below the base of the support beam. This ensures that sufficient space is maintained beneath the mechanical support strut for a maintenance engineer to manoeuver unobstructed.

The locking arrangement may comprise a locking pin, and at least one aperture formed in a wall of at least one of the first and second body portions. The at least one aperture is configured to receive the locking pin to prevent movement of the second body portion relative to the first body portion. Preferably at least one aperture is formed in both the first body portion and the second body portion, which align to receive the pin. Preferably one of the first and second body portions comprises a plurality of apertures, which define a plurality of locking positions, enabling the second body portion to be locked at a plurality of extended positions relative to the first body section.

The pin and aperture locking arrangement provides a secure means of locking the telescopic strut in position, while minimises the number of parts, reducing cost and simplifying manufacture.

The locking arrangement may further comprise a second locking pin, and at least one second aperture formed in a wall of at least one of the second body portions and the third body portion. The second aperture is configured to receive the second locking pin, to prevent movement of the third body portion relative to the second body portion. Preferably one of the second and third body portions comprises a plurality of apertures, which define a plurality of locking positions, enabling the third body portion to be locked at a plurality of extended positions relative to the second body section.

The vehicle support assembly preferably comprises at least two mechanical support struts, which are spaced apart along the length of the support beam. Two struts provide improved balanced support for the vehicle when holding the vehicle in the elevated position. The mechanical support struts may be moveably mounted to the support beam, such that they are movable between a plurality of support positions along the length of the support beam. This enables the struts to moved into position to align with corresponding lifting points on the underside of the vehicle.

Preferably the support beam comprises a cavity. The struts may be mounted in slidable shoes, which are configured to slide within the cavity of the beam. In addition, the beam may comprise a slot formed in its upper surface, configured to allow the mechanical support struts to extend therethrough, while retaining the slidable shoes within the beam. The slot may also be configured to allow the jack to extend out of the beam. The slot further provides additional lateral support for the struts, to prevent lateral movement while the vehicle is supported.

The support beam may be configured to be mounted transversely across a vehicle inspection pit or a support ramp. Preferably, the beam is connected at its ends to a pair of rails, which are configured to be mounted to the walls of a vehicle inspection pit, or to the wheel tracks of a vehicle ramp. The rails allow the support beam to slide along the length of the vehicle inspection pit or ramp, perpendicular to the length of the support beam. Sliding movement of the support beam along the length of the pit allows the mechanical support struts to be moved to support positions along the length of the vehicle corresponding to the vehicle mounting points. The combination of the slidable mounting of the struts to the support beam, and the extendability of the struts, together with the slidable mounting of the support beam provides the support assembly with adjustable movement in three planes. This provides maximise flexibility and enables the support assembly to be configured to co-operate with a wide range of vehicle types and sizes.

The vehicle jack may be integrally mounted within the support beam. The support beam may be configured to be slidably received the jack within the cavity, such that the jack is maintained in an upright position. This allows the jack to be moved transversely, as well as longitudinally along the pit with the support beam to a suitable jacking position on the underside of a vehicle, and prevents the jack from toppling while lifting and lowering the vehicle.

In another embodiment in the invention there is provided a method for supporting a vehicle to enable maintenance or repair work. The method comprises mounting the vehicle support assembly described above to a vehicle inspection pit or ramp. A vehicle jack is mounted on the support beam. The vehicle is then positioned over the pit or on to the ramp, and lifted using the vehicle jack. When the vehicle has been raised to an elevated position by the vehicle jack, the at least one mechanical support strut is extended to the support position to engage and support the vehicle. The vehicle jack is retracted, such that the vehicle is supported only by the at least one mechanical support strut. The vehicle jack may be integrally mounted to the support beam, or may be removably mounted with the method comprising the additional step of mounting the vehicle jack on the support beam prior to lifting the vehicle.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to the following illustrative figures in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a vehicle support assembly according to an embodiment of the invention, mounted across a vehicle inspection pit; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a load bearing strut of the arrangement of Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1, a vehicle support assembly 1 is provided for supporting a vehicle in an elevated position over a vehicle inspection pit 10, or vehicle ramp. The following description refers to the invention as used with a vehicle inspection pit 10, but it will be appreciated that it is also suitable for use with a vehicle ramp or similar support structure such as a vehicle lift. The vehicle inspection pit 10 is a standard vehicle pit, as commonly formed in the floors of garage workshops. The pit 10 comprises side walls 12 and a base (not shown), which are configured to enable a vehicle maintenance worker to stand beneath a vehicle positioned over the pit 10, to allow them to perform maintenance or repair tasks on the vehicle. The depth of the pit 10 is selected to enable a maintenance worker to access the underside of a vehicle when the vehicle is resting on the ground surrounding the pit 10.

However, for certain tasks it is desirable for the vehicle to be raised to a elevated position above the floor, for example when it is required to remove or rotate the vehicle wheels. A vehicle jack 5, which may for example be a bottle jack, is therefore provided to lift the vehicle, and is supported over the pit 10 by the vehicle support 1 assembly.

The vehicle support assembly 1 comprises a support beam 2 which is mounted transversely across the pit 10. The support beam 2 is configured to receive and support the vehicle jack 5. The support beam 2 supports the jack 5 in a suspended position over the pit 10 to enable the jack 5 to lift a vehicle positioned over the pit. The support beam 2 is mounted across the pit 10 such that when a vehicle is position over the pit 10, sufficient clearance is provided between the jack 5 and the underside of the vehicle to prevent the jack 5 from contacting the underside of the vehicle in a retracted state.

The jack 5 is integral with in the support beam. Specifically, the support beam 2 comprises a base 6, side walls 8, end walls 10, and an upper surface 12, which define a cavity 15 within the support beam 2. The cavity 15 is configured to receive the jack 5, and to enable it to slide within the support beam 2 along the length of the beam 2. A slot 11 is provided in the upper surface 12 of the support beam 2 to enable the jack 5 to project upwards from the beam 2.

The support beam 2 is mounted to the side walls 8 of the pit 10 by rails 16. The rails 16 extend along the length of the pit 10 and support the ends of the support beam 2.

Alternatively, support beam 2 may be mounted to the end walls of the pit 10 and extend along the length of the pit 10. The support beam 2 may be slidably mounted to the rails 16 by rollers, or any other suitable slidable mounting, to enable the support beam 2 to slide relative to the rails 16. This slidable mounting enables the support beam 2 to be moved along the length of the pit 10 to multiple support positions. A locking arrangement (not shown) may be provided to fix the support beam 2 at the required support position along the length of the pit 10.

A pair of load bearing mechanical support struts 4 are mounted to the support beam 2. The mechanical support struts 4 extend upwardly from the support beam, and are connected at their base to support shoes 18. The shoes 18 support the struts 4 within the support beam 2, and are sized to provide a close sliding fit with the support beam2 to allow the struts 4 to be moved along the beam 2 while also mainting the struts 4 in a vertical orientation. Each shoe 18 comprises a box section which surrounds the base of the mechanical support strut 4. As can be seen in Figure 2, the shoes 18 are configured to fit closely within the cavity of the support beam 2, to maintain the mechanical support struts 4 in an upright position, and prevent rattle or tilting of the mechanical support struts 4 in use. The shoes 18 are slidable within the cavity 15, to enable the mechanical support struts 4 to be moved to multiple support positions along the length of the support beam 2.

The mechanical support struts 4 extend upwardly from the shoes 18 and through the slot 1 1 of the support beam 2. Mounting heads 40 are connected to the distal end of each mechanical support strut 4, which are configured to cooperate with a corresponding mounting point connected to the underside of a vehicle. The mounting heads 40 may be removable, and interchangeable, to enable a mounting head 40 to be selected according to the configuration of the mounting point with which it is to engage.

The mechanical support struts 4 are telescopic, and are extendable between a collapsed state, in which they have a lower height than the jack 5, to an extended support position in which they are configured to engage the underside of a vehicle. Each mechanical support strut 4 comprises a first body portion 20, second body portion 22 and third body portion 24. Each of the body portions 20, 22 and 24 are formed from hollow sections of steel tubing. The first body portion 20 is connected at its base to the shoe 18. The second body portion 22 is slidably received within the first body portion 20.

The third body portion 24 is similarly slidably received within the second body portion 22. The base of the second body portion 22 may comprise a stop member (not shown), which prevents the base of the body portion 22 from sliding past the upper edge of the first body portion 20, and hence the second body portion 22 becoming removed from the first body portion 20. The base of the third body portion 24 may also comprise a stop member which prevents the base of the third body portion from sliding past and out of the upper edge of the second body portion 22. As such, the third body portion 24 may be slid upwards relative to the second and first body portions, until the stop of the third body portion 24 engages with the second body portion 22 and begins to pull the second body portion 22 upwards. The second and third body portions 22, 24 may be slid further upwards until the stop of the second body portion 22 engages with the first body portion 20. At this point, the mechanical support strut 4 is fully extended.

A locking arrangement is provided for locking the mechanical support strut 4 in any one of multiple extended positions. The locking arrangement comprises a first locking pin 28, second locking pin 29, apertures 30 formed in the second body section 22, and apertures 32 formed in the third body section 24. Sliding of the third body section 24 out of the second body section 2 exposes the apertures 32. The first pin 28 is configured to be received within the apertures 32. When inserted into one of the apertures 32, the pin 28 to engages with the upper edge 35 of the second body section 22, thereby preventing the third body section 24 from returning back in to the second body section 22 past the selected aperture 32. Similarly, as the second body section 22 is slid out of the first body section 20, apertures 30 are exposed. The second pin 29 is configured to be received by the apertures 30, and insertion of the pin 28 in to a selected one of the apertures 30 prevents the second body section 22 from sliding back in to the first body section 20 passed the selected apertures 30, due to engagement of the pin 29 with the upper edge 37 of the lower body section 20. Alternatively, the first body section 20 may be provided with an aperture which may be aligned with an aperture 30 of the second body section 22, with the pin being inserted through both the aperture of the first body section 20, and the selected aperture 30 of the second body section 22 to prevent relative movement between the first and second body sections 20, 22. Likewise, the first pin 28 may be inserted through an aperture 30 in the second body section 22 which is aligned with an aperture 32 of the third body section 32, to prevent relative movement between the second and third body sections 22, 24.

In use, a vehicle is positioned over the pit 10, and the support beam 2 is slid along the rails 12 to a desired support position along the length of the underside of the vehicle. The mechanical support struts 4 are initially in the retracted position, and are slid laterally along the length of the beam 2 to the required support positions corresponding to mounting points on the underside of the vehicle. The jack 5, is mounted on the support beam 2 between the mechanical support struts 4. The jack 5 is extended to engage the underside of the vehicle and lift the vehicle to an elevated position. Once the desired elevation of the vehicle has been achieved, the mechanical support struts 4 are extended from the retracted position to a desired support position determined by the required elevation of the vehicle. The pins 28, 29 are then inserted into the required apertures 20, 32 to lock the mechanical support struts 4 in the required support position. Once the struts 4 have been locked in the required support position, the jack 5 is retracted such that the weight of the vehicle is gradually transferred from the jack 5 to the mechanical support struts 4, until the weight of the vehicle is fully supported by the mechanical support struts 4 only.

The mechanical support struts 4 fully and securely support the vehicle while a maintenance or repair task is performed. Once the maintenance or repair task has been completed, the jack 5 is re-extended until the weight of the vehicle is once again supported by the jack 5 and removed from the mechanical support struts 4. With the weight of the vehicle supported by the jack 5, the pins 28, 29 of the mechanical support struts are removed, and the mechanical support struts 4 returned to the retracted position. The jack 5 is then subsequently retracted to return the vehicle to its original position in which it is fully supported on the floor surrounding the pit 10.

In an alternative embodiment shown in Figure, the vehicle support assembly 100 includes a pair of load bearing mechanical support struts 104 mounted to the support beam 102. The mechanical support struts 104 are connected at their base to support shoes 118, which slidingly support the struts 104 within the support beam 102.

Each support strut 104 comprises a first body portion 120 and second body portion 122. The first body portion 120 is fixed to the shoe 18. The second body portion 22 is slidably received within the first body portion 20. The struts 104 extend upwardly from the shoes 118 through a first slot 111 in upper surface 112 of the support beam 102. A second slot 140 is formed in the base 106 of the support beam 102 having a width at least equal to the width of the second body portion 122. An aperture 142 is formed in the base of each shoe 18, sized to slidingly receive the second body portion 122 and aligned with the second slot 142 such that the second body portion is able to slide downwards through the shoe 118 and through the base 106 of the support beam 102.

The support beam 102 may be a box section beam having slots 111 and 142 formed in its upper and lower surfaces respectively. Alternatively, the support beam 102 may be formed from a pair of I-section beams, spaced apart such that the gap between the beams defines the slots 1 11 and 142.

The second body section 122 comprises a series of locking apertures 150 along its length configured to receive a locking pin 128. When inserted in the locking apertures 150, the locking pin engages a flange 154 on the first body portion 120 to lock the second body portion 122 in position relative to the first body portion 120. This enables the second body portion 122 to be locked in any one of multiple support positions by varying the selected locking aperturelSO to selectively vary the height of the second body portion 122 relative to the support beam 102. Alternatively, corresponding locking apertures may be provided in the first body portion 120, with the locking pins 128 being inserted through the aligned apertures of the first 120 and second 122 body portions to lock the second body portion 122 in position.

To lock the support strut 104 in the lowermost stowed position, the locking pin 128 is inserted in the uppermost locking aperturel50. To raise the second body portion to the support position, it is lifted to the required height and the locking pin 128 inserted in the locking aperture closest to the flange 154. The locking pin 128 prevents the second body portion 122 from sliding downwards within the first body portion 120. In the stowed position, the lower end of the second body portion 122 extends through the base 106 of the support beam 102 and into the pit 110.

In the support position the lower end of the second body portion 122 is raised away from the pit 110, with the length of the second body portion 122 preferably being selected such that in the extended support position, the lower end of the second body portion 122 does not extend below the base 106 of the support beam 102. As the pit 110 is only accessed by a maintenance worker when the support struts 104 are in the support position, workers within the pit are not obstructed by the struts 104. In a further advantage, the two-part support strut construction reduces the number of moving parts, thereby simplifying the structure and reducing cost while also reducing relative movement or rattle between parts, thereby providing a stable support strut arrangement. Again this arrangement obviates the requirement for lifting rams to lift and support the vehicle during maintenance, with the jack 105 being used to lift the vehicle, and subsequently being removed with the vehicle being supported by the support struts 104, thereby providing a significantly cheaper means of lifting and supporting a vehicle in an elevated position during maintenance.

It will be appreciated that in further embodiments various modifications to the specific arrangements described above and shown in the drawings may be made. For example, while the support assembly is described for use with an inspection pit, in an alternative embodiment, the support beam may be mounted across a vehicle inspection ramp, rather than an inspection pit. In this alternative embodiment, the rails are mounted to the spaced ramp ways, and may be raised and elevated in conjunction with the ramp ways. Furthermore, the support assembly may include only a single mechanical support strut 4, or more than 2 mechanical support struts 4, and each mechanical support strut 4 may include only two body portions, or more than three body portions to provide a telescopic arrangement having a lower retracted profile. Moreover, while the struts 4 are described as being telescopic, they may be extendable by any suitable means, and for example may be threaded shafts which are extendable by rotation. In addition, while the lifting device is described as being a bottle jack 5, it may be any lifting device suitable for use with the support assembly of the invention. In addition, more than one support assembly 1 may be associated with a vehicle pit 10, to provide additional support for a vehicle.