Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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HEIGHT EXTENDER FOR CONTROL ARM SKATE
[0001] Continue to [0002].
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to control arm skates and more
particularly to accessories
and improvements for control arm skates including extenders for the operative
height of control
arm skates.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A control arm skate is described in United States
Provisional Patent Application,
Serial No. 61/519,528 filed May 24, 2011 and in a related United States
Utility Application Serial
No. 13/479,996, filed May 24, 2012, claiming priority to the Provisional.
[0004] A control arm skate is thus used, as an example, in
supporting a component of a
vehicle above a reference or sliding surface and in facilitating the movement
or sliding of a vehicle
over the surface. In use, a vehicle is lifted then lowered onto at least one
control arm skate, with
a portion of the vehicle, such as a control arm or other suspension component,
supported onto
the skate. The vehicle can then be transported or slid across the reference
surface, the skate
sliding thereon while supporting the vehicle.
[0005] It will be recognized that the skate has a lower sliding
surface and an upper face
preferably configured compatibly to receive a vehicle component such as a
control arm.
[0006] Since the skate is of predetermined thickness, the
operative height of the
supported vehicle portion or part above the surface reference on which the
skate sits is
essentially determined by the operative thickness of the skate between the
surface on one
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hand and a lower part of the supported portion of the vehicle. The distance or
height so
determined may not be high enough as desired.
[0007] It is thus one objective of this invention to provide an accessory
or improvement
for a control arm skate where the height of a vehicle component it supports
above a surface is
not limited by the operative thickness of the skate as described above.
[0008] More particularly, where a skate is to be used to support a vehicle
above a
surface, it is desired to operably dispose a skate under another suspension
part or component
than the control arm. Variations in vehicles, types, status, damage or the
like can require
support of the vehicle by engagement of a part thereof other than a suspension
control arm. It
might thus be desired to support, for example, a vehicle by supporting an axle
or frame
member on a skate. However, such a member, relative to the vehicle, may be
higher or above
the lowest portion of a control arm component. In such a case, the skate
disposed under an
axle or frame, for example, may be of such insufficient operative thickness to
adequately
support the vehicle the desired distance above the reference surface.
[0009] Accordingly, it is another objective of the invention to provide
apparatus for
combination with a skate to provide support of a vehicle component above that
provided by
the operative thickness of an unmodified skate.
[0010] As well, a further objective of the invention has been to provide
methods and
apparatus enabling a skate to support a vehicle component at varied, selected
distances above
a reference or sliding surface.
[0011] Finally, it is noted that a control arm skate preferably has an
upper surface
configured to receive a particular compatible vehicle component such as a
control arm. It is
desirable to provide an apparatus for a skate to present an upper surface for
receiving a control
arm and alternate apparatus for a skate for receiving another component, in
supporting
relation, of different configuration than a control arm, with both offering a
variation of
operative heights.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] A preferred embodiment of the invention thus contemplates a height
extender
for operative combination with a control arm skate which has an upper face
configured to
receive a control arm, and wherein the extender has a lower face configured
compatibly with
the control arm upper face, and wherein the extender has an upper face surface
configured for
compatible operative engagement with a control arm, above the upper surface of
the skate.
Alternatively, the invention contemplates a modified height extender as here
described,
excepting its upper face is configured to operatively and compatibly receive
an axle, frame or
vehicle component other than a control arm, but with a lower face as noted
above.
[0013] The invention also contemplates methods for supporting vehicle
components
above the upper face of a control arm skate and at a variety of different
heights above a
reference or sliding surface over which a supported vehicle is to be slid. A
plurality of height
extenders can be stacked on the skate to provide different support heights
above the reference
surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the control arm skate to which the
height
extenders of the invention will be applied;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the control arm skate of FIG. 1, and
[0016] FIG. 3 is a top isometric view of the control arm skate of FIGS. 1
and 2.
[0017] FIG. 4 is an illustrative side view of the invention including a
control arm skate
and a height extender in combination, with the height extender configured to
support a control
arm;
[0018] FIG. 5 is an illustrative side view of the invention including a
control arm skate
and a height extender in combination, with the height extender configured to
support an axle;
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[0019] FIG. 6 is an illustrative view of the bottom of the height
extender of FIG. 4;
[0020] FIG. 7 is an illustrative view of the top of the height extender
of FIG.4;
[0021] FIG. 8 is an illustration of two height extenders of FIG.4 stacked
on a skate;
[0022] FIG. 9 is an illustrative view of a height extender of FIG. 5 for
an axle or frame
component as in FIG. 5 stacked onto a height extender of FIG. 4, and above a
skate;
[0023] FIG. 10 is an illustration of the disassembled components of FIG.
9 in exploded
orientation; and
[0024] FIG. 11 is an illustration of a disassembled skate and two
extenders of FIG. 4 and
an extender of FIG. 5, stackable one on the other.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] Turning to the Figures, a control arm skate used in connection
with height
extenders of the invention is shown in detail in FIGS. 1-3. That skate is
further shown with the
height extenders of the invention hereafter described with reference to FIGS.
4-11.
[0026] The skate 10 is shown in FIGS 1-3 may be used alone where the
desired height of
the supported vehicle component above a reference, support or sliding surface
is sufficiently
produced by the thickness of the skate 10 between its lower surface 14 and its
upper surfaces
30, 32 and 44 as further described.
[0027] For purposes of this application skate 10 is of the same
configuration for use with
all alternate height extenders described herein.
[0028] The preferred skate includes a monolithic main body or block 10 of
preferably
synthetic material such as plastic having a preferably relatively low co-
efficient of friction (as
compared to wood, for example) to facilitate sliding over a support surface
such as asphalt,
concrete, aluminum, steel, other plastic or the like as may be found, for
example, on a roadway,
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transport vehicle, repair or storage facility or the like. Preferably recycled
polypropylene is used.
[0029] Other materials could be used, such as virgin plastic,
wood, compressed wood,
and/or mixtures of various materials though without certain of the advantages
noted herein.
However, the suggested material will not absorb oils and is not subject to
splintering and
deterioration as is wood.
[0030] Block 10 has a lower surface 14, two ends 12 and 16 and
two sides 18, 20.
Preferably the block 10 may be about 18 inches long and about 6 inches wide
and 6 inches tall.
[0031] A through-hole 22 accommodates a handle 24 such as a
flexible wire attached to
block 10 for handling, carrying or moving block 10 manually. Wire 24 is not
intended for pulling
block 10 when it bears weight of a vehicle.
[0032] Ends 12, 16 of block 10 are inclined, meaning tapered,
radiused or rounded,
respectively at 28, 29 from the ends 12, 16 respectively, to bottom or lower
surface 14 providing
a sled-like or runner configuration to facilitate sliding of block surface 14
across or along a support
surface. Due to both inclined ends, the block 10 is unidirectional in function
and a vehicle on
which it rests can be moved or slid in opposite directions.
[0033] The material of block 10 is selected such that the block
has a crush resistance
sufficient to withstand the vehicle weight applied to it when supporting the
lower surface of a
damaged or disabled part like an axle, control arm, joint, wheel assembly or
the like.
[0034] Block 10 has an upper surface or face, as shown, of
multiple configurations. These
configurations are selected to receive the known shapes of standard automotive
parts and also
to receive misshapen parts resulting from a wreck, collision, part collapse or
failure or the like.
The figures illustrate but several of the upper surface configurations and
shapes of block 10.
Neither the block size nor the configurations are limited, and can be of any
suitable size or shapes.
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[0035] In particular, the upper surface or face of one embodiment of block
10 is shown
in FIGS. 1 and 3. There are two relatively flat surfaces 30, 32 lying in
essentially the same plane
but spaced apart. A transverse channel 34 extends across the width of body 10
between
surfaces 30, 32. Channel 34 is defined on one side by vertical surface 36. The
other side of
channel 34 comprises multiple surfaces 38, 40 and 42. Surfaces 38, 42 are
inclined toward end
12 of block 10, while surface 40 is in a plane parallel to surface 36. Channel
34 has a flat
bottom surface 44.
[0036] A circular recess 46 of any suitable diameter and depth is defined
in surface 44
and block 10.
[0037] The particular configuration of the upper face of block 10 is
suitable to receive
the lower surface of a damaged or disabled vehicle, such as a ball joint,
axle, control arm, wheel
assembly or other vehicle part, and to be held by such parts when the vehicle
is supported on
the block 10 and is moved so as to slide block 10 along a supporting surface.
The upper face
configurations engaging a vehicle cause block 10 to slide when the vehicle is
pulled; it cannot
slide off the block 10.
[0038] In use, with skate alone, a damaged vehicle is lifted or jacked up
a distance to
accommodate placement of block 10 under a component of the vehicle. The
vehicle is lowered
onto the block 10, that block receiving one or more vehicle parts.
[0039] Thereafter, the vehicle is slid, winched or pulled across a
supporting surface,
such as a roadway, then up onto a supporting surface, such as a surface of a
rescue vehicle bed.
As the vehicle is pulled, block 10, facilitated by its composition, by
inclined ends 28 or 29
(whichever leads) and surface 14, slides along, pulled by the engagement of a
vehicle part on
one or more of the surfaces of the upper face of block 10.
[0040] Thus, in a typical vehicle disablement situation, a tow is called
for. An operator
arrives to tow the vehicle with a tow truck equipped with the proper lift and
tow device or what
is known in the industry as a flatbed / rollback / tilt tray / carrier or a
trailer attached to a
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towing vehicle. The flatbed has become the vehicle of choice in recent years
because of its
versatility, but it does have its limitations. When the flatbed operator
arrives on the scene of this
type of disablement he or she needs to be able to load the vehicle onto the
flatbed, transport it
to a place of repair or temporary storage and unload without further damage to
the disabled
vehicle or to the flatbed upper surface. Many flatbeds are fabricated from
aluminum or other
material that is easily damaged by sliding thereon of broken, jagged parts on
the wrecked
/disabled vehicle if some means of protection is not provided during loading
and unloading.
[0041] The disabled vehicle is raised to a height sufficient for
the block 10 to be placed
under the lower surface of the lowest part, usually the control arm, ball
joint or axle then the
vehicle lowered onto the invention. As the vehicle is lowered onto block 10,
the height of block
preferably returns the vehicle to approximately the same height as before
disablement. The
vehicle can now be drawn onto the flatbed's upper surface using the standard
winch and wire
rope assembly provided.
[0042] The width of block 10 is sufficient to support broken or
defective parts of the
automobile during the loading and unloading process without tipping to either
side. The length
of block 10 provides support while traversing uneven surfaces encountered in
the loading and
unloading process. The height of block 10 provides sufficient clearance in
some cases between
the damaged and undamaged parts of the disabled vehicle to assure ease of
loading and
unloading without further damage. The channel 34 and other upper face
configurations of block
10 accept, support and help maintain the damaged parts in the desired position
as a single unit
during the loading and unloading process. The combination of the upper surface
configurations
accommodate not only the known shape of standard automotive parts but many
inconceivable
shapes after wrecks and disablement. The inclined areas 28, 29 are provided to
enable the
damaged vehicle to be moved to and from the transport vehicle, by providing a
lifting action
when encountering a minor obstruction such as the blunt end of the transport
vehicle apparatus.
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[0043] Typically, only one block 10 is used, for example, under the left or
right front or
rear wheel area of a vehicle. Two blocks 10 or more could be used to support
other vehicle
portions. Otherwise, non-disabled wheels and tires support other vehicle
portions when the
vehicle, supported in part by at least one block 10, is moved.
[0044] Turning now to FIGS. 4-8, there is depicted a height extender 60
according to this
invention, and for use with a skate or block 10 as described above. Extender
60 comprises a
block of material similar to that of the skate 10. Extender 60 has lower
surfaces 62, 64 and a
depending projection 66 having a lower surface 68. It will be appreciated that
both extenders
60 of FIG. 4 and extender 60A of FIG. 5 have similar bottom configurations
with surfaces 62, 64,
68 even though the top face configurations of extenders 60, 60A are varied as
described below.
[0045] With further attention to FIG. 6, depending projection 66, of both
extenders 60,
60A, has a flat surface 70 extending thereacross from side-to-side of the
extender, and
opposite, truncated surfaces 72, 74 and 76. These surfaces conform to and are
aligned with
and compatible with the configurations of surfaces 38, 40 and 42 (FIG. 3) of
skate 10 when
extenders 60, 60A are placed on skate 10.
[0046] It will be appreciated the bottom structure shown in FIG. 6 is the
same for
extender 60 of FIG. 4 and for extender 60A of FIG. 5; while the upper portions
of extender 60
(FIG. 8) are the same as the upper portions of skate 10 (FIG. 3).
[0047] With reference to FIG. 4, extender 60 has an upper configuration
including flat,
parallel surfaces 80, 82, separated by a channel 84 across extender 60.
Channel 84 has a floor
surface 86, parallel to surfaces 80, 82. Moreover, channel 84 is defined by a
flat transverse wall
88, and opposite truncated walls 90, 92 and 94 similar to walls 38, 40 and 42
(FIG. 3) of skate
10. In other words, the upper face configuration of extender 60 is preferably
like that of the
upper face of skate 10 (FIGS. 1-3).
[0048] Also, any extender 60, 60A may be, but not necessarily, shorter than
the skate 10
as illustrated by ends 96, 98, and is preferably, but not necessarily as wide
as skate 10.
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[0049] When operably combined with a skate 10, surface 64 of extender 60
lies along and
in contact with surface 32 of skate 10; surface 62 of extender 60 lies along
and in contact with
surface 30 of skate 10 and depending projection 66 of extender 60 lies within
channel 34 of skate
10.
[0050] With reference to FIG. 5, extender 60A is the same as the extender
60 of FIG. 4
with the exception of its upper face configuration comprising flat surfaces
80a, 82a and a semi-
cylindrical transverse trough or channel 100 extending across extender 60A. In
this, it will be
appreciated that channel 100 is particularly configured to receive a
cylindrical axle or another
frame component of a vehicle.
[0051] Like or similar parts of extenders 60, 60A are identified by
identical numbers or
numbers with an "a" suffix as clearly marked on the figures and as described
herein.
[0052] It will be appreciated that extenders 60, 60A can be used with a
skate 10 in a
variety of ways for a plurality of desired results. For example, an extender
60 or 60A can be
oriented on a skate 10 to support a vehicle component above skate 10 and
higher, relative to a
reference surface on which skate 10 sits, than if no extender was used. Thus
extender 60 can be
used to raise a vehicle component such as a control arm higher than skate 10
alone. Likewise,
extender 60A can raise an axle or frame component of a vehicle higher than a
skate 10 alone.
[0053] Also, a plurality of extenders 60 can be serially or sequentially
stacked, one above
another, on top of a skate 10, where increased lift heights are desired. An
extender 60A may be
stacked on skate 10, on top of an extender 60, or on top of a sequential stack
of extenders 60
where additional heights are needed. As an example of the stacking variations
contemplated
herein, FIG. 8 illustrates a height extender 60 stacked on a skate 10 and an
extender 60 stacked
on extender 60 where the two extenders 60, 60 support a control arm component
on skate 10
above a sliding surface (not shown).
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[0054] FIG. 9 illustrates a height extender 60 stacked on a skate
10, but with a height
extender 60A stacked on extender 60 to support an axle or vehicle frame
component higher
above skate 10 than if extender 60A was stacked directly on skate 10.
[0055] Continue to [0056].
[0056] FIG. 11 illustrates a configuration of an extender 60A
stacked on two extenders 60
and on skate 10 for raising an axle or vehicle frame component yet higher than
that of
configuration of FIGS. 9-10.
[0057] It will be appreciated that other stack configurations can
be performed within the
scope of the invention. For example only, and without limitation, an extender
60 can be stacked
on two extenders 60 on a skate 10, for example.
[0058] And finally, it will be appreciated that the extenders 60,
60A have bottoms with
surfaces configured to cooperate with the top of a skate 10, or the top of an
extender 60 in such
a way as to prevent backward, forward or lateral movement. These cooperating
surfaces serve
to lock or abut when the components are stacked together so once stacked,
these motions
imparted to the skate do not misalign or cause separation of skate and
extender or between one
extender and another extender stacked therein.
[0059] In this regard, note surfaces 62, 64, 68, 70, 72, 74 and
76 on the lower portions of
extenders 60, 60A and their cooperation with surfaces 30, 32, 44, 36, 38,
40,42 of the respective
upper surfaces of skate 10 (FIGS. 1 and 3).
[0060] In particular, the respective surfaces of the lower
portions of the height extenders
60, 60A abut or lie adjacent to the upper surfaces of the height extenders 60
or skate 10 as
follows:
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surface 70 cooperates with surface 36
surface 62 cooperates with surface 30
surface 64 cooperates with surface 32
surface 76 cooperates with surface 42
surface 74 cooperates with surface 40
surface 72 cooperates with surface 38
surface 68 cooperates with surface 44
with depending projection 66 disposed within and cooperating with channel 34.
[0061] In addition, a variety of other extenders, differing in
their upper face
configurations to support other configurations or forms of vehicle components
as needed, can
be used in accordance with this invention.
[0062] This invention thus contemplates a unique accessory and
improvement for
vehicle skates, or a combination of skate and accessory for varied vehicle
movement
circumstances and methods of vehicle movement and support for sliding in a
variety of
combinations.
