JP2003081583A - Swing arm for vehicle maintenance lift - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a swing arm smoothly sliding when a vehicle receiving bed is positioned at a vehicular lift point, and being prevented from sliding at the time of lifting up. SOLUTION: Recessed portions 9, 9 are respectively formed on a tip end bottom surface of a lift arm 1a and a base end upper surface of a slide arm 1b. Elastic elements 10, 10 and low frictional sliding members 11, 11 are buried in the recessed forming portions 9, 9. The low frictional sliding members 11, 11 are attached so as to be pressed in the recessed portions 9, 9 in a state that surfaces of the low frictional sliding member 11, 11 are projected out from the recessed portions 9, 9 under load conditions, and so as to be automatically returned at positions outside of the recessed portions 9, 9 under no-load conditions. On an base end bottom surface of the slide arm 1a, a low frictional sliding member 11a is attached in a state that a surface of the low frictional sliding member 11a is exposed from the level of the lower end surface.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is provided in a vehicle maintenance lift, and can be vertically moved and horizontally rotated at an arbitrary height.
The present invention relates to a telescopic swing arm configured such that a slide arm having a vehicle pedestal at its tip is fitted into a tubular lift arm so as to be pulled out / retractable.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a vehicle maintenance lift, the vehicle pedestal provided at the tip of the swing arm must be quickly and accurately aligned with the lift point of the vehicle. Smooth expansion and contraction operations are required. Therefore, in the telescopic swing arm, it is easy to improve the operability by subjecting the sliding surface to low friction treatment or simply interposing a roller, but it is strictly prohibited to cause deviation during lift-up. Therefore, the operability of the slide arm at times other than alignment is negative. Therefore, it is difficult to achieve both functions that are in conflict with each other. Therefore, when the roller is simply attached or a low friction treatment is performed, it is worried that there is no mechanism for preventing the displacement of the slide arm.

[0003]

It is troublesome to operate the slide-arm misalignment prevention mechanism immediately before lift-up or immediately after lift-down, and it cannot be affirmed if the operation is not forgotten. In addition, if a separate mechanism for preventing the displacement of the slide arm is required, the price of the entire device will be affected and it may be an obstacle. Therefore, the present invention is a swing arm that can be operated smoothly during alignment, and that the function of preventing displacement of the slide arm automatically operates during lift-up, and reliability can be ensured even if the displacement prevention mechanism is omitted. For the purpose of providing.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the swing arm of the present invention has recesses formed on the bottom end surface of the lift arm and the base end upper surface of the slide arm, and the recess forming portion has A low-friction sliding member having a surface protruding outside the recess is pushed into the recess so as to be automatically recoverable, and friction force reducing means is provided on the bottom surface of the base end of the slide arm, and the tip of the lift arm. The bottom surface and the top surface of the base end of the slide arm are formed with a through hole penetrating the recess or the plate surface, respectively, and the ball plunger is fitted into the recess or the hole with only the ball headed out from the level of each forming surface. At the same time, the frictional force reducing means is provided on the lower surface of the base end of the slide arm. In those swing arms, it is desirable that a low friction member on the bottom end surface of the lift arm and a top surface of the base end of the slide arm or around the protruding portion of the ball be subjected to high friction, and the friction force reducing means is a low friction sliding member. It is realized by mounting the surface of the so as to be exposed from the level of the lower end surface.

[0005]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A swing arm of a vehicle maintenance lift according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a cross section of the swing arm 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the swing arm 1 is attached to a base end portion of a carriage 3 which moves up and down along a column 2.2. It is horizontally rotatably assembled at an arbitrary height via a bracket 4.4 and a pin 5.5, and is provided with a vehicle pedestal 6.6 at its tip. The swing arm 1 includes a cylindrical lift arm 1a and a slide arm 1b slidably fitted in the lift arm 1a.
It is configured to be expandable and contractible with, and a slight gap is allowed between the lift arm 1a and the slide arm 1b, and a hill portion 7 formed on the upper surface of the base end portion of the slide arm 1b and a lift. The locking member 8 attached to the inner surface of the upper end of the arm 1a prevents the arm 1a from falling off.

Recesses 9.9 are formed in the elevated portion 7 corresponding to the upper surface of the base end of the slide arm 1b and the inner bottom surface of the tip of the lift arm 1a.
9 is an elastic body 10.10 embedded in each recess 9.9.
A low-friction sliding member 11.11 whose surface is projected to the outside of the recess 9.9 through is mounted in the recess 9.9 so that it can be pushed and automatically returned. Further, as a frictional force reducing means, it is attached to the lower surface of the base end of the slide arm 1b such that the surface of the low friction sliding member 11a is always exposed from the level of the lower end surface. Furthermore, the lift arm 1a
Around the protruding portion of the low-friction sliding member 11.11 on the bottom surface of the tip end of the slide arm 1b and on the upper surface of the base end of the slide arm 1b, high friction treatment such as knurling with a high anti-slip effect is applied.

Swing arm 1 formed in this way
When the vehicle cradle 6 is aligned without load being applied, that is, when the vehicle cradle 6 is not loaded (hereinafter referred to as “no load”), as shown in FIG. 1a and the slide arm 1b are low friction sliding members 11.11a on the upper and lower surfaces of the base end of the slide arm 1b.
The lift arm 1a comes into contact with the low friction sliding member 11 on the inner surface of the lift arm 1a, and when the vehicle load is applied to the vehicle pedestal 6, the elastic body 10.
10 is compressed and the low friction sliding member 11.11 is pushed into the recess 9 so that the slide arm 1b becomes the lift arm 1a.
The high-friction treated surface comes into contact with. As a result, the slide arm 1b hardly generates sliding frictional resistance with the lift arm 1a when there is no load, so that the force required for its expansion and contraction operation is small, and it can be smoothly pulled out / pushed in. On the contrary, a large frictional resistance is generated between the lift arm and the lift arm, and the positional deviation prevention state is maintained.

Here, an operation example of the swing arm 1 shown in the above embodiment will be described. First, the carriage 3 is lowered to the lowermost position, the vehicle M is loaded between the columns 2.2, the swing arm 1 is rotated, and the slide arm 1b is moved.
The vehicle cradle 6 is aligned with the lift point of the vehicle M by expanding and contracting. In this alignment operation, low sliding resistance allows quick and accurate alignment,
Good workability. After that, the carriage 3 is raised to lift up the vehicle M. At this time, slide arm 1
In b, the load of the vehicle M is applied to the vehicle pedestal 6 as described above, the elastic body 9.9 is compressed, and the low friction sliding member 11.1
Since 1 is pushed into the concave portion 7.7, the portion that has been in contact with the low friction sliding member 11.11 until then contacts the high friction treated surface around the low friction sliding member 11.11. Moreover, since the lower surface of the base end of the slide arm 1b is lifted and the low-friction sliding member 11a is separated from the lift arm 1a, a large frictional resistance is generated between them and the slide arm 1b is less likely to be displaced. .

When the work is completed, the carriage 3 is lowered, and when the vehicle cradle 6 is separated from the vehicle M, no load is applied. Therefore, the expansion action of the elastic body 9.9 causes the low friction sliding member 1 to move.
1.11 is pushed out of the recess 7.7 and automatically returns to the position outside the recess 7.7, so that the slide arm 1b can be slid with a light force.

If the configuration of the above embodiment is adopted, the force for sliding the swing arm 1 in the alignment operation can be reduced, and the vehicle pedestal 6 can be smoothly aligned with the lift point, especially for trucks. A swing arm having a large capacity has a large weight and requires a lot of labor and time to approach the lift point. However, if the above-mentioned configuration is adopted, the labor can be remarkably reduced and efficiency can be improved. Moreover, when the vehicle is lifted up, the load of the vehicle is applied, and a stable support function is exhibited due to high frictional resistance.

In the above embodiment, the frictional force is reduced by the low friction sliding member, but a commercially available ball plunger can be effectively used to provide the same function. Therefore, next, an embodiment of the present invention using a ball plunger,
This will be described with reference to FIG. 4 showing the base end of the slide arm 1b. On the bottom surface of the distal end of the lift arm 1a and the top surface of the proximal end of the slide arm 1b, there are formed holes 12.12 with female threads penetrating the plate surface.
2.12 is fitted with a ball plunger 13.13 in a state in which the balls 13a. 13a at the tip thereof are squeezed out from the level of the formation surface of each hole 12.12. Further, a low friction sliding member 11a (a ball plunger can be substituted) as a frictional force reducing means is attached to the lower surface of the base end of the slide arm, as in the above-described embodiment.

Swing arm 1 constructed in this way
Is the ball 1 of the ball plunger 13 when there is no load.
Since 3a is in the cue-out state, the slide arm 1b and the lift arm 1a are the same as the ball plunger 13a of the ball plunger 13 fitted to the base end upper surface of the slide arm 1b and the tip end bottom surface of the lift arm. The ball and the slide arm are in contact with each other through the low friction sliding member 11a attached to the lower surface of the base end (a in FIG. 4).
Therefore, the sliding resistance between the lift arm 1a and the slide arm 1b that can be placed during alignment is extremely low.

However, when loaded, the ball 1 of the ball plunger 13 fitted on the upper surface of the base end of the slide arm 1b.
3a and the ball of the ball plunger fitted to the bottom surface of the tip of the lift arm are both pushed in, and the lower surface of the base end of the slide arm 1b is raised, so that the lift arm 1a and the slide arm 1b slide between each other. The resistance is large, and it is less likely to cause positional deviation in combination with the force applied by the weight of the vehicle. Also in this embodiment, the portion where they contact each other under load, that is, the area around the head of the ball is subjected to a high friction treatment, a stable supporting function can be exerted due to a high friction resistance, and the ball plunger is fitted. The portion for doing this may be a recess other than the punched hole.

The structure of the swing arm according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the material, shape and size of the lift arm and the slide arm,
A spring is used instead of the rotation preventing mechanism of the lift arm and the elastic body, or the elastic force of the low-friction sliding member itself is used without using the elastic body or the spring without departing from the gist of the present invention. You can change the design appropriately within the range,
In order to increase the certainty of the positional deviation prevention, a slide arm slide suppressing device (not shown) may be additionally provided so that a double positional deviation prevention function works.

In the case where the function of preventing the positional displacement is doubled, it is desirable to adopt a slide restraining device for the slide arm which can be used as a handle.
It can be said that the present invention also has the merit that the normal maintenance state can always be maintained by efficiently using the low friction sliding member and the ball plunger as an inexpensive consumable item.

[0016]

According to the inventions of claims 1 and 2, during the alignment operation in which the vehicle load is not applied to the vehicle cradle,
Even if the lift arm has a low sliding resistance and a large capacity such as for a truck, the swing arm can be smoothly operated, and the cradle can be easily brought close to the lift point. Then, when the load of the vehicle is applied to the vehicle cradle, the slide arm is brought into the position shift preventing state, which is effective in preventing the position shift at the time of lift-up. In particular, according to the third aspect of the invention, the reliability of the position shift prevention function is dramatically improved by performing the high friction treatment. Further, according to the invention of claim 4, the smoothness at the time of alignment is further improved. Furthermore, the parts used for the implementation of the present invention are inexpensive, and even if they are worn, it is easy to replace worn parts, so that they can always be kept in the best condition, and the effect of keeping manufacturing costs and running costs low cannot be overlooked. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a swing arm according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional explanatory view showing a state of the swing arm according to the present invention when there is no load.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory sectional view showing a state of the swing arm according to the present invention when loaded.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a modification example.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of a vehicle maintenance lift.

[Explanation of symbols]

1-Swing arm, 1a-Lift arm, 1b-
・ Sliding arm, 2 ・ ・ Post, 3 ・ ・ Carriage, 4
..Brackets, 5 ..., Pins, 6 ... Vehicle cradle, 7 ...
・ Elevated part, 8 ・ ・ Locking member, 9 ・ ・ Recess, 10 ・ ・ Elastic body, 11, 11a ・ ・ Low friction sliding member, 12 ・ ・ Drilling hole, 13 ・ ・ Ball plunger, 13a ・ ・ Ball, M
..Vehicles.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A slide arm, which is provided so as to be vertically movable and horizontally rotatable at an arbitrary height, and has a vehicle pedestal at its tip, is fitted in a tubular lift arm so as to be pulled out / retractable. In the telescopic swing arm,
A recess is formed in each of the bottom end surface of the lift arm and the top surface of the base end of the slide arm, and a low friction sliding member having a surface protruding outside the recess is pushed into the recess forming portion and is automatically restored. A swing arm for a vehicle maintenance lift, which is mounted so as to be possible and is provided with a frictional force reducing means on a lower surface of a base end of the slide arm. 2. A slide arm having a vehicle pedestal at the tip, which is provided so as to be vertically movable and horizontally rotatable at an arbitrary height, and is fitted in a cylindrical lift arm so that it can be pulled out / retracted. In the telescopic swing arm,
Formed on the bottom surface of the tip of the lift arm and on the top surface of the base end of the slide arm are a through hole penetrating a recess or a plate surface, respectively.
A ball plunger is fitted into these recesses or holes so that only the balls are squeezed out from the level of each forming surface, and a frictional force reducing means is provided on the lower surface of the base end of the slide arm. Swing arm. 3. The vehicle maintenance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the periphery of the protruding portion of the low-friction member or the portion of the ball plunger where the ball is squeezed out on the bottom end surface of the lift arm and the base end upper surface of the slide arm is subjected to high friction treatment. Swing arm for lift. 4. The swing arm for a vehicle maintenance lift according to claim 1, wherein the frictional force reducing means is realized by mounting the low frictional sliding member with its surface exposed.