Rotational positional monitoring of vehicle lifts
AssigneeVehicle Service Group, LLC
InventorsGerry D. Lauderbaugh, Austin Deuerling, Bryan Taylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle lift includes a hydraulic cylinder having a component that rotates as the cylinder lengthens and shortens. A sensor measures the rotation or rotational position of the rotating component, and the sensor's output is used by a controller to control the vehicle lift. In some embodiments, the vehicle lift includes a scissor or parallelogram mechanism, while others are column lifts. In some embodiments, the controller uses the sensor's output to manage the limits of travel of the vehicle lift, and in others, the controller uses it to coordinate lift operations with other lifts.
Claims13
A vehicle lift system, comprising:
- a support member that supports at least part of a vehicle;
- a fluid-filled cylinder configured to raise and lower the support member, the fluid-filled cylinder comprising
- a piston;
- a rotating element that rotates in response to a camming relationship between the piston and the rotating element as the fluid-filled cylinder expands or contracts through at least part of its stroke;
- and
- a sensor that detects a rotational position of the rotating element;
- and
- a controller in communication with the sensor to receive a signal indicative of the rotational position and responsively controlling the height of the support member.
(canceled)
A method for controlling a vehicle lift system, the vehicle lift system comprising a first hydraulic actuator that has a cylinder, a piston, and a rotating component that rotates as the first hydraulic actuator extends or retracts, the method comprising the steps of:
- actuating the piston such that a component of the piston interacts with and rotates the rotating component via a camming action;
- measuring a rotational position of the rotating component at a plurality of points of time to obtain a plurality of results;
- and
- controlling raising and lowering of a vehicle by the vehicle lift system as a function of the plurality of results of the measuring step.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.