Overhead lift units, systems, and methods for mounting and transporting an overhead lift unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11039969-B2
Application number	US-201816043835-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2018
Priority date	Jul 31, 2017
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

An overhead lift unit includes a carriage, a first wheel assembly, a second wheel assembly, and an actuator. The first wheel assembly includes a first wheel coupled to the carriage through a first support arm. The second wheel assembly includes a second wheel coupled to the carriage through a second support arm. The actuator is coupled to the second wheel assembly and is configured to shift the second wheel assembly in a lateral direction relative to the first wheel assembly between an expanded position and a retracted position. Lift systems including the overhead lift unit and methods of transporting the overhead lift unit to and from an overhead rail are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An overhead lift unit comprising:
a carriage;
a first wheel assembly comprising a first wheel coupled to the carriage with a first support arm;
a second wheel assembly comprising a second wheel coupled to the carriage with a second support arm, wherein the first wheel assembly is staggered with the second wheel assembly along a longitudinal direction; and
a guide assembly comprising a bearing member and a guide member along which the bearing member is slidable, the guide assembly coupled to the second wheel assembly, wherein the guide assembly is configured to shift the second wheel assembly in a lateral direction relative to the first wheel assembly between an expanded position and a retracted position.

2. The overhead lift unit of claim 1 , wherein the first wheel assembly is fixed relative to the carriage.

3. The overhead lift unit of claim 1 , wherein when in the retracted position, at least a portion of the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are aligned in the lateral direction.

4. The overhead lift unit of claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism configured to lock the second wheel assembly in the expanded position.

5. The overhead lift unit of claim 4 , wherein the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are configured to support the overhead lift unit within an overhead rail, and the locking mechanism is actuated when the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are supporting at least a weight of the overhead lift unit within the overhead rail.

6. The overhead lift unit of claim 1 , further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the actuator, wherein the controller executes logic to cause the actuator to shift the second wheel assembly between the expanded position and the retracted position.

7. The overhead lift unit of claim 6 , further comprising a user input device communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the controller causes the actuator to shift the second wheel assembly between the expanded position and the retracted position based on an input received from the user input device.

8. A lift system comprising:
an overhead rail comprising a carriage support channel comprising a first support flange and a second support flange, the first support flange separated from the second support flange by an opening in the overhead rail; and
an overhead lift unit comprising:
a carriage;
a first wheel assembly configured to extend through the opening of the overhead rail and to ride along the carriage support channel, the first wheel assembly comprising a first wheel coupled to the carriage with a first support arm;
a second wheel assembly configured to extend through the opening of the overhead rail and to ride along the carriage support channel, the second wheel assembly comprising a second wheel coupled to the carriage with a second support arm; and
an actuator coupled to the second wheel assembly, wherein the actuator is configured to shift the second wheel assembly in a lateral direction relative to the first wheel assembly between an expanded position in which the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are coupled with the overhead rail, and a retracted position in which the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are configured to pass through the opening in the overhead rail.

9. The lift system of claim 8 , wherein the first wheel assembly is configured to ride along the first support flange and the second wheel assembly is configured to ride along the second support flange when the one of the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are within the overhead rail and the second wheel assembly is in the expanded position.

10. The lift system of claim 8 , wherein the first wheel assembly comprises a first outer surface and the second wheel assembly comprises a second outer surface, wherein when in the retracted position, the first outer surface of the first wheel assembly and the second outer surface of the second wheel assembly are separated by a distance less than a width of the opening between the first support flange and the second support flange.

11. The lift system of claim 8 , wherein the first wheel assembly is fixed relative to the carriage.

12. The lift system of claim 8 , wherein the first wheel assembly of the carriage is staggered with the second wheel assembly along a longitudinal direction and the retracted position is characterized by at least a portion of the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly being aligned in the lateral direction.

13. The lift system of claim 8 , wherein the overhead lift unit further comprises a locking mechanism configured to lock the second wheel assembly in the expanded position.

14. The lift system of claim 13 , wherein:
wherein the first wheel assembly is configured to ride along the first support flange and the second wheel assembly is configured to ride along the second support flange when the one of the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are within the overhead rail and in the expanded position; and
the locking mechanism locks the second wheel assembly in the expanded position when the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are supporting a weight of at least the overhead lift unit on the first support flange and the second support flange of the overhead rail.

15. The lift system of claim 8 , further comprising a controller communicatively coupled to the actuator of the overhead lift unit, wherein the controller executes logic to cause the actuator to shift the second wheel assembly between the expanded position and the retracted position.

16. The lift system of claim 15 , further comprising a user input device communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the controller causes the actuator of the overhead lift unit to shift the second wheel assembly between the expanded position and the retracted position based on an input received from the user input device.

17. A method of transporting an overhead lift unit to and from an overhead rail, the method comprising one of attaching the overhead lift unit to the overhead rail and detaching the overhead lift unit from the overhead rail wherein:
the overhead rail defines a carriage support channel comprising a first support flange and a second support flange, the first support flange separated from the second support flange to define an opening in the overhead rail;
the overhead lift unit comprises a carriage comprising:
a first wheel assembly comprising a first wheel coupled to the carriage through a first support arm;
a second wheel assembly comprising a second wheel coupled to the carriage through a second support arm; and
an actuator coupled to the second wheel assembly;

attaching the overhead lift unit to the overhead rail comprises:
extending the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly through the opening of the overhead rail;
shifting the second wheel assembly from a retracted position to an expanded position with the actuator, wherein a lateral distance from an outer surface of the first wheel assembly to an outer surface of the second wheel assembly is increased; and
supporting a weight of the overhead lift unit on the carriage support channel with the first wheel of the first wheel assembly and the second wheel of the second wheel assembly; and

detaching the overhead lift unit from the overhead rail comprises:
shifting the second wheel assembly from the expanded position to the retracted position, wherein the lateral distance from the outer surface of the first wheel assembl

Assignees

• Liko Res & Dev Ab

Inventors

• Olsson Karin
• Johansson Daniel
• Enström Katharina

Classifications

• A61G7/1015

  Cables, chains or cords · CPC title

• B66C2700/015

  Arrangements which are easily displaceable or dismountable · CPC title

• B66C9/02

  for underhung trolleys or cranes · CPC title

• A61G7/1042 Primary

  Rail systems (walking aids with suspension devices A61H3/008) · CPC title

• B66C11/06

  running on monorails (overhead railway systems B61B) · CPC title