0 1 -06- Z0Q7

TITLE OF THE INVENTION: An arrangement serving as a support or a stay

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates in general to an arrangement serving int. al. as a support or a stay.

The arrangement is to utilise in any event two, telescopically coordinated, concentrically oriented, portions, which will be designated in the subsequent description an outer tube portion and an inner tube portion.

Said two tube portions may then be fixedly related or fixedly locked to one another in order, as said support or stay, to be able to fixedly to support and carry an object.

Said tube portions may also be adjustable in relation to one another, in order as said support or stay, and in a partly protracted position to be able to fixedly support and carry an object after an adapted length adjustment.

Alternatively, the tube portions may be displaceably related to one another in order, as a jack function, to be able to support and raise an object by the utilisation of a lever mechanism disclosed to this end and active between the tube portions.

The invention is intended to have a suitable practical application in such situations where there is a need to be able to utilise one and the same or a plurality of similar arrangements as a fixed support or stay so as to support an object, such as a longitudinally extensible support or stay which, in one such extended position, fixedly connects the inner tube portion with the outer tube portions to one another and which as a jack function, where the tube portions in a position extensible in the longitudinal direction can, with the aid of the lever mechanism, press the inner tube portion upwards so as to support and lift or raise the object.

One or more of said possibilities is required as regards recovering buses, lorries and the like when these rest on a ground area on the side or on the roof.

BACKGROUND ART

Methods, arrangements and constructions, related to the above disclosed technical field and with a function and a nature which satisfy the set requirements are previously known in a plurality of different embodiments.

As one example of the state of the art and the technical field to which the present invention relates may be mentioned an arrangement, serving int. al. as a support or a stay, under the utilisation of in any event two, telescopically coordinated, concentrically oriented, tube portions, said tube portions can be fixedly related to one another, via a pin allocated through the tube portions and extending through coordinated holes.

Arrangements of the associated type are to be found in trestle arrangements for boat hulls, support trestles for vehicles and the like.

Other arrangements are also known where concentrically oriented tube portions are to be displaceably related to one another in order, as a jack, with a supporting force to be able to support and raise or lower an object by means of a lever mechanism or the like provided therefore.

Examples of this technology are simple jacks in order to support and lift vehicles of different types.

It is also previously known with the aid of a lever arrangement to successively and stepwise be able to raise an object.

An application associated with the present invention shows in Fig. 1 where an arrangement utilised, and serving as a support or a stay, is extensible and is marketed by Res-Q-Jack, Inc. and presented more closely under www.Res-Q-Jack.com.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM

Taking into account the circumstance that the technical considerations which a person skilled in the art must do in order to be able to offer a solution to one or more set technical problems is on the one hand initially a necessary insight into the measures and/or the sequence of measures which are to be adopted and on the other hand a necessary choice of the means required it is likely, in view hereof, that the subsequent technical problems will be relevant in the evolution of the subject matter of the present invention.

Taking into account the state of the art, as described above, it is probably likely therefore to be seen as a technical problem to be able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to offer an arrangement, which can come into use as a support or a stay and under the utilisation of in any event two, telescopically coordinated, concentrically oriented, tube portions, whereat said tube portions are to be able to be fixedly related to or fixedly locked to one another, in order as said fixed support or stay to be able fixedly to support an object or create such preconditions that the same construction, with its concentrically oriented tube portions be able to be displaceably related to one another in order, as a jack function, to be able to support and/or raise an object, by means of a lever mechanism or lever arrangement disclosed herefor active between the two tube portions.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause a resilient means, on the one hand to be fixed to the one tube portion and on the other hand to be fixed to the other tube portion and where said tube portions are to be able to be fixedly related to one another with the aid of a means (pin) locking a relative movement, in order to be able to accommodate a compressive force generated by the resilient means in a fully collapsed or compressed state, so that on release of said locking means and a release of said pin the inner tube portion or section is brought into a displacement movement

relative to the outer tube portion or section until such time as its free upper end portion abuts and supports against the object.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause the resilient means to be formed as a gas spring, with the one end portion of the gas spring cooperating with an end portion of the outer tube portion facing away from the inner tube portion, while its other end portion cooperates with an end portion of the inner tube portion facing away from the outer tube portion.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause a release of said locking means to permit the resilient means to be capable, with a released force, of displacing the inner tube portion relative to the outer tube portion.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause the free end of the inner tube portion to be adapted to cooperate with a support plate, adapted to be able to support against said object.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause the lever mechanism or arrangement to consist of a retainer unit fixed to the upper end portion of the outer tube portion, where said retainer unit is to be able to support a simple and functionally reliable locking mechanism, acting against the inner tube portion.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to activate a locking function associated with the retainer

unit, where a locking yoke is to be able to cooperate with a gear rack coordinated with and belonging to the inner tube section or tube portion.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause a "U"-shaped stirrup to cooperate with the retainer unit, over which a separate felling lever, such as a lever, may rest as a pivotal point for a two-armed lever arrangement, where the one end of the lever facing towards said inner tube portion is adapted to cooperate with a cog in a gear rack while the other end of the lever is caused to be displaced downwards by manual force, the inner tube portion being raised and in such a raised position permitting the locking mechanism to more or less assume a locking position for the inner tube section or tube portion.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause said resilient means to be adapted to permit displacement of the inner tube portion upwards through the outer tube portion and towards abutment of the uppermost end portion of the inner tube portion against the object and that the tube portion stays in this position, whereafter the lever arrangement can be activated in order successively to permit displacement of the inner tube portion out of the outer tube portion.

SOLUTION In such instance, the present invention takes as its point of departure the prior art technology disclosed by way of introduction where an arrangement, serving int. al. as a support or a stay, under the utilisation of in any event two, telescopically coordinated, concentrically oriented tube portion, whereat said tube portions can be fixedly related or fixedly locked to one another in order as said support or stay to be able to support an object or can be displaceably related to one another in order as a jack function to be able to support and raise an object through a lever arrangement disclosed herefor.

In order to be able to solve one or more of the above-disclosed technical problems, the present invention more specifically discloses that the prior art technology is to be supplemented by disclosing the presence of a resilient means, which on the one hand is secured to the one tube portion and on the other hand is secured to the other tube portion, that said tube portions are fixedly related to one another in a combined state with the aid of a means locking a relative movement, such as a pin, in order to be able to accommodate a compressive force generated by the resilient means, that on release of said locking means or pin the inner tube portion is brought to a displacement movement relative to the outer tube portion.

The resilient means is on the one hand secured to the one tube portion and on the other hand secured to the other tube portion, whereat said tube portions are fixedly locked in relation to one another with the aid of a means locking a relative movement, or pin, in order to be able to absorb a compressive force generated by the resilient means, that on release of said locking means or a removal of said pin the inner tube portion is brought into a displacement movement outwards relative to the outer tube portion.

As preferred embodiments, falling within the scope of the basic concept of the present invention, it is moreover disclosed that the resilient means is formed as a gas spring, with an end portion cooperating with the one end portion of the gas spring with the outer tube portion facing away from the inner tube portion, while the other end portion of the gas spring cooperating with the end portion of the inner tube portion facing away from the outer tube portion.

On a release of said locking means the resilient means is permitted with a force to displace the inner tube portion relative to the outer tube portion.

The free end of the inner tube portion is adapted to cooperate with a support plate adapted to be able to support against said object.

It is further disclosed that the lever arrangement is to consist of a retainer unit, secured to the upper end portion of the outer tube portion, where said retainer unit supports a locking mechanism, active against the inner tube portion and a separate felling lever.

The locking cooperation of the retainer unit utilises a gear rack coordinated with and associated to the inner tube section.

A "U"-shaped stirrup cooperates with the retainer unit over which a separate felling lever, such as lever, can rest as a pivotal point for a two-armed lever system, where the one end of the lever facing towards said inner tube portion is adapted to cooperate with a cog in a gear rack, while the other end of the lever is caused to be displaced downwards by a manual force, the inner tube portion being raised and in such a raised position permitting the locking mechanism to assume a locking position for the inner tube portion.

Said resilient means is adapted to automatically be able to displace the inner tube portion upwards through the outer tube portion and against an urging abutment of the uppermost end portion of the inner tube portion against the object and that the tube portion can be locked in this position, whereafter the lever arrangement can be activated in order successively to displace the inner tube portion out of the outer tube portion.

ADVANTAGES Those advantages which may principally be deemed to be characteristic of the present invention and the special significative characterising features disclosed thereby are that there have hereby been created the preconditions in order for an arrangement int. al. serving as a support or stay, under the utilisation of in any event two, telescopically coordinated, concentrically oriented, tube portions, whereat said tube portions can be fixedly locked relative to one another in order as said support or stay to be able to support an object or can be displaceably related to one another in

order as a jack function to be able to support and raise an object through a lever arrangement disclosed herefor.

In particular the present invention discloses that a resilient means in the form of a gas spring is on the one hand to be secured to the one tube portion and on the other hand to be secured to the other tube portion, that said tube portions are fixedly locked relative to one another in a fully retracted position with the aid of a means locking a relative movement in the form of a pin, to be able to absorb a compressive force generated by the resilient means, in order on a release of said locking means to permit the inner tube portion to a displacement movement relative to the outer tube portion up towards the object.

That which may principally be deemed to be characteristic of the present invention is disclosed in the characterising clause of appended Claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

One currently proposed embodiment, displaying the significative characterising features associated with the present invention, will now be described in greater detail hereinbelow for purposes of exemplification, with reference to the accompanying Drawing, where:

Fig. 1 illustrates in three sequences how a prior art arrangement can lift an object in the form of a private car; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of an arrangement, in accordance with the present invention, with a retainer unit in an operative position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, according to Fig. 2, of the arrangement in cross section;

Fig. 4 is a view, on a larger scale, of the retainer unit in side elevation; and

Fig. 5 shows an application of the arrangement as a jack function with the present arrangement under the utilisation of a lever arrangement with a separate felling lever, illustrated as a crowbar.

DESCRIPTION OF CURRENTLY PROPOSED EMBODIMENT

By way of introduction it should be emphasised that, in the following description of one currently proposed embodiment, which displays the significative characterising features associated with the present invention and which has been clarified by means of the figures shown in the accompanying Drawings, we have selected terms and a special terminology with a view in such instance principally to clarifying the inventive concept.

It should however in this context be observed that expression selected here should not be seen as restrictive exclusively to the terms utilised here and selected but it should be understood that every such selected term is to be interpreted so that it in addition encompasses all technical equivalents which function in the same or substantially the same manner in order in such instance to be able to attain the same or substantially the same intention and/or technical effect.

Fig. 1 now illustrates in three different sequences how the utilisation of a prior art arrangement "A" with a jack function is to lift and tilt a vehicle in the form of a private car.

With reference to accompanying Drawings 2 to 5, there are thus shown schematically and in detail not only the basic preconditions for the present invention but also moreover the significative properties associated with the present invention have been given concrete form through the now proposed embodiment described in greater detail hereinbelow.

Thus, Figs. 2 and 3 show in side elevation and in cross section, one, arrangement 1 servable int. al. as a support or stay.

The arrangement 1 is illustrated here under the utilisation of in any event two, telescopically coordinated, concentrically oriented, tube portions 2, 3 where the invention could very well be produced from more than two such tube portions.

The two tube portions 2 and 3 can be extended with an additional tube portion, intended concentrically to permit surrounding the outer tube portion 2 and is secured by a pin to the outer tube portion.

Said tube portions 2, 3 are to be able to be fixedly locking related to one another in order as said support or stay to be able to support a fixed object (4).

The tube portions 2, 3 can however be displaceably related to one another, in order with a jack function to be able to support and raise an object (4) by a lever arrangement 5 disclosed herefor with a separate felling lever 8.

A spring means 6 disclosed according to the present invention is on one hand 6a to be secured to the one tube portion 2 and on the other hand 6b to be secured to the other tube portion 3.

Said tube portions 2, 3 are then to be fixedly lockingly related to one another with the aid of a means 9, locking a relative movement, in order within the tube portions and in a fully retracted position (not shown) to be able to absorb a compressive force "F" generated by the resilient means 6 which, on release of said locking means 9 is to bring the inner tube portion 3 to a displacement movement relative to the outer tube portion 2.

The resilient means 6 may be formed as a gas spring 6' with the one end portion 6a of the gas spring cooperating with the end portion of the outer tube portion 2 facing away from the inner tube portion 3, while its other end portion 6b cooperating with the inner tube portion's end portion facing away from the outer tube portion 2.

On a release of said locking means 9 in the form of a pin the resilient means 6 is allowed with a force to permit displacement in an outward direction of the inner tube portion 3 relative to the outer tube portion 2.

The free end 3a of the inner tube portion is adapted to cooperate with a support plate (not shown) adapted to be able to support against said object (4), such as in the form of a vehicle 4.

The lever arrangement 5, according to Fig. 3 or 4, consists of a retainer unit 51, fixed to the upper end portion 2a of the outer tube portion 2, where said retainer unit 51 supports a locking mechanism 52, active against the inner tube portion 3.

The locking cooperation of the retainer unit 51 takes place against a gear rack 31 coordinated with and associated with the inner tube portion 3.

A "U"-shaped stirrup 53 cooperates with the retainer unit 51, over which a separate felling lever 8 in Fig. 5 such as a lever can rest as a pivotal point for a two-armed lever system. The one end 8a of the lever 8 facing towards said inner tube portion is adapted to cooperate with a cog 31b in a gear rack 31 while the other end 8b of the lever is brought to be displaced downwards by a manual force, in which event the inner tube portion 3 is raised and in such a raised position permits the locking mechanism 52 to assume a locking position for the inner tube portion 3 against the cog 31a.

Said resilient means 6 is adapted automatically to permit displacement of the inner tube portion 3 upwards through the outer tube portion 2 and towards an abutment of the uppermost end portion 4a of the inner tube portion against the object (4) and that the tube portion 3 can be locked in this position, whereafter the lever arrangement 5 is activated in order successively to displace the inner tube portion 3 out of the outer tube section.

Thus in a fully united position for the tube sections 2, 3 these are locked by a spring- biased pin 9.

The tube sections 2, 3 are adjusted against the object 4 and the pin 9 is removed, whereupon the tube section 3 is displaced upwards by the gas spring 6 to an abutment against the object 4.

The inner tube section 3 can now further be raised by causing the felling lever 8 to raise the tube section 3 successively via a raising action of the tube section 3 via the cogs in the gear rack 31.

The invention is naturally not restricted to the above embodiment disclosed by way of example but can undergo modifications without departing from the scope of the inventive concept illustrated in the appended Claims.

In particular it should be borne in mind that each illustrated unit and/or circuit can be combined with each other illustrated unit and/or circuit within the framework in order to be able to achieve the desired technical function.