Apparatus for supporting automotive tires

This application is a division of Ser. No. 09/271,115 filed Mar. 17, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus for handling vehicle wheels and more particularly to an apparatus for supporting vehicle wheels that have been temporarily removed from a vehicle disposed on a lift or hoist.

2. Description of the Related Art

Automotive maintenance and repair is often made more convenient by lifting the automobile on a hydraulic or electric lift or hoist, thereby providing easy access to the vehicle's undercarriage. This access nay be enhanced by temporarily removing the vehicle's wheels. Also, some automotive maintenance (i.e., tire rotation or brake maintenance) requires removal of the wheels. However, the tire/wheel assemblies tend to be very heavy. A single tire/wheel assembly can weigh 40-45 pounds for a car, and 65-70 pounds for a truck.

When a wheel is temporarily removed from a vehicle elevated on a hoist, the individual removing that wheel must temporarily dispose of it in some way. Typically, the individual bends over and places the wheel on the floor. Later, the individual must similarly bend to lift the wheel off the floor for reinstallation on the vehicle. Individuals engaged in this type of repeated lifting procedure may sustain pain and/or injuries due to back strain, muscle strain and the like. To avoid possible injury, individuals removing such tires have sometimes been known to carry the tire out of the work area to a table or other surface on which the tire can be placed temporarily without requiring the individual to bend over. Such transportation of the tire away from the work area results in wasted time and effort. Also, carrying the heavy tire/wheel assembly speeds worker fatigue.

Various devices have been proposed to assist individuals in handling tire/wheel assemblies when mounting and removing them from vehicles disposed on hoists. These devices include various types of lifts, carts and dollies for lifting and handling the tires. Although they may help workers to remove and support tires from a vehicle elevated on a lift, these devices can cause problems of their own, such as cluttering up the work space and being quite expensive to purchase and maintain. Also, these lifts, carts and dollies may be complicated to use.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a principal object and advantage of the present invention to overcome some or all of these limitations and to provide an improved tire support apparatus that is inexpensive, is easily accessible within the work space, is small and will remain out of the way, and will not require workers to bend over to temporarily dispose of a vehicle tire.

In accordance with one embodiment, the present invention provides a tire support apparatus having a front plate mounted onto a vertical support of a vehicle hoist. A support bracket attached to the front plate holds a support arm. Once a vehicle has been elevated on the hoist, a worker removes a tire/wheel assembly, carries it to the tire support apparatus, and hangs the tire on the support arm. Thus, the worker does not have to bend over to temporarily dispose of the tire and the tire hangs out of the way until the worker is ready to reinstall it onto the vehicle. Since the tire support apparatus fits onto the vertical support of the hoist, it does not clutter up the garage work space. Also, the elegantly simple design of the apparatus allows for inexpensive manufacture and easy use.

In accordance with another embodiment, the present invention provides a tire support apparatus having a pair of mount plates pulled toward each other by fasteners operating between the plates. The pair of mount plates is used to secure the tire support apparatus to an automotive hoist. The plates are disposed on opposing surfaces of a hoist member and the bolts operating between the plates pull the plates towards each other to, in effect, squeeze the hoist member and secure the apparatus thereon. A pivot pin extends between the mount plates and a support arm is pivotable about the pivot pin and has a hanger extending therefrom. In a variation of this embodiment, the support arm is pivotable between open and closed positions. The closed position corresponds to a condition in which the support arm is pushed out of the way and the open position corresponds to the condition in which the support arm extends from the hoist and can receive a tire on its hanger. Optionally, a spring and ball detent mechanism is installed into the support arm and holes corresponding to the open and closed positions are drilled into the second mount plate. In this manner, the spring and ball detent mechanism releasably secures the support arm in the open and closed positions.

In accordance with another embodiment, the present invention provides a tire support apparatus with a hanger tool disposed on a mount body. The mount body is disposed on an automotive hoist so that the mount body is at about the same height as a tire of a vehicle elevated on the hoist. Thus, a worker removing the tire from the vehicle on the hoist can temporarily hang the tire on the hanger tool without bending significantly at the waist.

In accordance with another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for temporary disposal of an automotive tire/wheel assembly including the steps of elevating a vehicle on the hoist; removing a tire/wheel assembly from the vehicle; and placing the wheel on a support arm installed on the hoist.

In accordance with another embodiment, the present invention provides an automotive hoist having means for supporting a tire/wheel assembly and means for mounting the supporting means to the hoist.

For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the invention have been described herein above. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment(s) disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a perspective view illustrating one embodiment of a tire support apparatus having features and advantages in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2

is an exploded view of the tire support apparatus of

FIG. 1

;

FIG. 3

is a bottom view of a portion of the tire support apparatus of

FIG. 1

showing the support bracket, detent mechanism and the swivel movement of the support arm;

FIG. 4

is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of a tire support bracket having features and advantages in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5

is a perspective view showing an electric lift and the devices of

FIGS. 1 and 4

disposed on the lift;

FIG. 6

is a close up cutaway view of the lift of

FIG. 5

showing the devices of

FIGS. 1 and 4

in more detail;

FIG. 7

is a side view of another embodiment of a support bracket having features and advantages in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 8

is a perspective view of another embodiment of a tire support apparatus having features and advantages in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The tire support apparatus of the present invention can be combined with a conventional electric or hydraulic lift or other suitable lift or hoist which supports a vehicle in an elevated position, as is conventional practice when servicing various components of a vehicle.

FIGS. 1-3

,

5

and

6

illustrate an embodiment of a tire support apparatus

20

having features of the present invention.

FIGS. 5 and 6

show the tire support apparatus

20

installed on a vertical support member

24

of an electric lift

22

. Referring to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, a mount body

28

is provided comprising a set of L-brackets

32

,

34

, a front plate

38

, and a support bracket

40

which are secured onto the vertical member

24

of the lift

22

(see FIGS.

5

and

6

). Side and back L-brackets,

32

,

34

grasp the lift member

24

. Fasteners

36

such as bolts and nuts secure the L-brackets

32

,

34

tightly together around the hoist member

24

. The front plate

38

is fastened to the L-brackets

32

,

34

. The support bracket

40

is disposed on the front plate

38

, has top and bottom members

42

,

44

, and a pivot pin or bolt

46

extending between the top and bottom members

42

,

44

.

A support body

48

comprising a support arm

50

and a hanger pin or spindle

54

is held by the mount body

28

. The support arm

50

is disposed between the top and bottom members

42

,

44

of the support bracket

40

. The pivot pin

46

extends through the support arm

50

near a first end

56

of the arm

50

, allowing the arm

50

to pivot about the pivot pin

46

. The hanger pin or spindle

54

is about 3-10 inches long and extends from a second end

58

of the support arm

50

in a direction slightly upward from a horizontal plane. The pin or spindle

54

is preferably coned or rounded at its distal end

60

to facilitate easy insertion through a mount hole of a tire/wheel assembly, although this feature is not central to practicing the invention.

FIG. 3

shows the swivel action of the support arm

50

about the substantially vertical pivot pin

46

. Dark lines depict the support arm

50

disposed in what is referred to as a closed position; shadow lines show the support arm

50

disposed in what is referred to as an open position. A detent mechanism

62

is optionally provided to retain the support arm in either the open or closed positions. The detent mechanism

62

includes a spring

64

and ball

66

, as shown in

FIG. 2

, disposed within a cavity formed in the support arm

50

. Holes

70

,

72

are formed in the bottom member

44

of the support bracket

40

in positions corresponding to the open and closed positions, respectively, of the support arm

50

. The holes

70

,

72

are sized so that the ball

66

cannot pass completely therethrough. As the support arm

50

is swiveled about the pivot pin

46

, the spring

64

is compressed, pushing the ball

66

against the bottom member

44

of the support bracket

40

. When the ball

66

and spring

64

reach a hole, the spring

64

forces the ball

66

partially into the hole. The resulting resistance discourages further swiveling of the support arm

50

. This resistance can be overcome by application of moderate lateral force.

The tire support apparatus

20

is preferably mounted on the vertical support member

24

of a lift or hoist

22

at a height roughly corresponding to the height of a vehicle wheel's mounting holes when the vehicle is elevated on the hoist

22

. Typically, a vehicle disposed on a lift or hoist

22

is elevated to about chest high or above relative to a worker. Thus, it is anticipated that the preferred height will be about chest high to the average worker. However, worker heights vary and workers have individual preferences as to how high the vehicle is lifted. Some may prefer the vehicle to be about chest high or lower; however, some may prefer the vehicle to be lifted completely overhead. Thus, it is anticipated that the preferred mounting height will be between about three feet to seven feet above the floor. Since it is anticipated that the typical worker will raise the vehicle to about chest high, the most likely range of preferred installation height is between about four to five and one half feet from the floor.

To use the tire support apparatus

20

, a vehicle is first elevated into place by the hoist

22

. A worker then pivots the support arm

50

of the tire support apparatus

20

to the open position. A tire/wheel assembly is removed from the vehicle and held in the worker's arms. The worker steps over to the tire support apparatus

20

and guides a mounting hole of the tire/wheel assembly over the hanger pin

54

of the tire support apparatus

20

. The worker then releases the tire/wheel assembly, letting it hang. When the maintenance or repair work on the vehicle is complete, the worker grasps the tire/wheel assembly and pulls it clear of the hanger pin

54

. After reinstalling the wheel onto the vehicle, the worker pushes the support arm

50

to the closed position. Thus, the tire support apparatus

20

is conveniently accessible when in use but does not get in the way when not in use. Also, back strain is avoided because the worker does not have to bend over while holding a heavy tire; time is saved because the worker does not have to walk far to dispose of the tire on a table; and workplace clutter is avoided because the device is out of the way when not in use.

Although the above discussed embodiment is a preferred embodiment of this invention, it is a prototype intended to test the concept of having a tire support disposed on an automotive hoist. It is anticipated that other models and embodiments will be developed using this concept of temporarily storing a tire on a support extending from a hoist. Other such embodiments are discussed below.

The L-brackets

32

,

34

, front plate

38

and support bracket

40

of the embodiment described above and illustrated in

FIGS. 1-3

collectively function as a hanger support apparatus or mount body

28

for supporting the support arm

50

and spindle or pin

54

or another type of support body

48

when the tire/wheel assembly is rested thereon. The mount body

28

also secures the support body

48

in its place relative to the hoist

22

. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a number of constructions may be used for this mount body

28

, some of which are discussed below as other embodiments of the invention. Such embodiments of the mount body may involve multiple-piece construction, single-piece construction or may comprise other means, such as a weld or bolts, for securing a support body to the hoist

22

. Similarly, alternative embodiments of the hanger body or support body are discussed below.

FIG. 4

is a perspective view of another embodiment of a tire support bracket

120

having features of the present invention. The tire support bracket

120

is preferably mounted on a horizontal support member or lift arm

26

of an electric or hydraulic hoist

22

, as shown in

FIGS. 5 and 6

. The tire support bracket

120

comprises a mount body

128

having top and bottom mount plates

130

,

132

which, when installed on a hoist

22

, are disposed on opposite sides of the horizontal lift arm

26

. Bolts

136

operate between the top and bottom mount plates

130

,

132

to pull the plates together about the lift arm

26

. A pivot pin or bolt

146

is disposed between the plates

130

,

132

and a support arm

150

is disposed thereon. The support arm

150

swivels or pivots in a substantially horizontal plane about the substantially vertical pivot pin or bolt

146

. A spacer

156

on the pivot pin

148

may be provided, as needed, to accommodate the difference in thickness between the lift arm

26

and the tire support arm

150

. The proximal end

152

of the support arm has a hanger pin or spindle

154

disposed thereon. A detent mechanism is preferably provided to releasably hold the support arm

150

in either an open or closed position. In use, this embodiment operates in a manner similar to the tire support apparatus

20

shown in FIG.

1

and discussed above. However, the mount body

128

of this tire support bracket

120

enables it to be mounted differently than the above embodiment.

For illustrative purposes, both a tire support apparatus

20

and a tire support bracket

120

are depicted in

FIGS. 5 and 6

disposed on a single hoist

22

. These Figures are intended to show possible positions of these embodiments on the hoist

22

, but are not meant to imply that both embodiments must be disposed together, as shown. In practice, such embodiments of the present invention may be disposed on the vertical member

24

of the hoist

22

only, on the horizontal member

26

only, on both, or combined in any useful manner.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a number of further embodiments having features of the present invention can be created using the same principle as the above-described embodiments. For instance,

FIG. 7

illustrates another embodiment of a support bracket

240

having features of the present invention. The support bracket

240

comprises left and right members. A pivot pin or bolt

246

extends generally horizontally between the members. A support arm

250

is disposed on the support bracket

240

, has a hanger pin or spindle

254

extending therefrom, and pivots within a substantially vertical plane about the pivot pin

246

. The closed position of the support arm

250

, shown in dark lines, is generally vertical; the open position is generally horizontal. A support rod

256

is preferably disposed on the support bracket

240

so that the support arm

250

rests upon the support rod

256

when in an open position. The support rod

256

prevents the support arm

250

from pivoting below a horizontal plane or other predetermined position. A clip

260

accepts the support arm

250

and releasably holds it in the vertical closed position.

The spindle or pin

54

,

154

,

254

extending from the support arm

50

,

150

,

250

of the tire support apparatus

20

,

120

or support bracket

240

can be of various lengths, depending on the number of tire/wheel assemblies intended to be hung thereon. An embodiment intended to hold a single tire/wheel assembly will have a hanger pin

54

,

154

,

254

of about 3 to 5 inches in length. However, a pin

54

,

154

,

254

intended to hold two or more such wheels may be about 10 inches or more in length. Preferably, a hole (not shown) is drilled into the support arm

50

,

150

,

250

into which the pin

54

,

154

,

254

is inserted. A weld preferably secures the pin

54

,

154

,

254

in place, although the hole and pin

54

,

154

,

254

may be threaded to facilitate a threaded connection. Alternatively, the pin

54

,

154

,

254

can be secured to the end of the support arm

50

,

150

,

250

by a weld alone. The pin

54

,

154

,

254

may also be retractable within the support arm

50

,

150

,

250

if desired.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the support arm

50

,

150

,

250

and pin

54

,

154

,

254

may be formed of a single piece of material. As shown in

FIG. 8

, an embodiment of a hanger arm

354

having features of the present invention is shaped such that a first end

356

communicates with the support bracket

340

and a second end

358

is sized and adapted to fit through a mount hole of the vehicle wheel.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the spindle or pin

54

provides a support body to hang or rest a tire/wheel assembly thereon. Various other methods and types of hangers and support bodies may be suitably employed, such as, for example, a spike, hook, clasp, bolt, peg, dowel, bar or an arcuate member adapted to fit the inside rim of the tire/wheel assembly.

A number of other structures may be used to employ the principle of supporting the tire/wheel assembly. For instance, in one embodiment having features of the present invention, the support body

48

may comprise an arcuate cradle (not shown) extending from the mount body

28

of the tire support apparatus

20

. The cradle is adapted to receive a tire therein and enables a worker to rest the tire in the cradle. Yet another embodiment of a tire support may include a plurality of arms extending from the tire support apparatus, which arms are adapted to cradle a tire/wheel assembly therein.

In a still further embodiment, an arm extending from the hoist

22

holds a cradle just below a still-installed tire of a vehicle disposed on the hoist. The cradle is adapted to receive and hold a tire therein. When the tire is removed from the vehicle, it rests in the cradle without having to be lifted into place. The cradle and arm are then swung, telescoped or otherwise pushed out of the way to enable maintenance of the vehicle. To reinstall the tire, the cradle is brought into a position so that the tire is reinstallable onto the vehicle without having to be lifted into place.

A tire support apparatus

20

for use on a vertical hoist member

24

can also be adapted to be adjustable in height, if desired. To accomplish this, the tire support apparatus

20

of

FIG. 1

is adjusted so that the L-brackets

32

,

34

do not fit tightly about the support member

24

. The tire support apparatus

20

may then be moved vertically by any suitable means, such as a chain, wire, rope, gears, pulleys or by hand, and held in place by set screws, bolts, brackets or pins disposed in the front plate

38

of the tire support apparatus

20

.

FIG. 8

shows yet another embodiment having features of the present invention. A tire support apparatus

320

of adjustable height is provided for use on a vertical hoist member

24

. A bar

330

is welded or otherwise secured on the hoist member

24

in a generally vertical orientation. The bar

330

has generally horizontal holes

332

extending therethrough. A support bracket

340

is slidably disposed on the vertical bar

330

. Holes

342

are formed in the bracket

340

, through which a lock pin

344

can be inserted. The lock pin

344

extends through both the bracket hole

342

and a bar hole

332

to hold the bracket

340

in place on the bar

330

. A support arm or hanger

354

is held by the support bracket

340

.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, in addition to a pivot pin, alternative means may enable a support arm to swivel between the open and closed positions. Such optional structures include, for example, a hinge, bearing, swivel or axle.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a number of methods may be used to secure a tire support apparatus

20

to a hoist

22

. For example, the tire support bracket

120

of

FIG. 4

is secured to a horizontal hoist member

26

by bolts pulling opposing plates

130

,

132

together. A variation of this method can be used to secure a tire support apparatus

20

to a vertical hoist member

24

. Also, holes may be drilled through the vertical

24

or horizontal

26

hoist members to facilitate securing a mount body, such as a support bracket, directly to the hoist

22

by screws or bolts.

In another embodiment having features of the present invention, the tire support apparatus

20

of

FIG. 1

may be altered so that the front plate

38

is welded or otherwise secured onto a hoist member. The support bracket

40

remains bolted or welded onto the front plate

38

. The support arm

50

is pivotably disposed in the support bracket

40

in a manner as discussed above. Similarly, in yet another embodiment having features of the present invention, the support bracket

40

may be welded or bolted directly to a hoist member without employing a front plate

38

. Also, rather than having separate top and bottom members, the support bracket

40

can alternatively be constructed of a single piece. In still further embodiments having features of the present invention, the support arm may be welded directly to a hoist member or secured by a mount body such as a bracket, plate or hinge welded to the hoist member. Also, a support body can be welded directly to the hoist

22

.

The apparatus described in the above embodiments are preferably constructed of aluminum. However, other suitably strong metals, such as steel or even high tensile plastics, may be appropriate.

Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow.