Maneuverable ergonomic trailer stands

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12017491-B2
Application number	US-202318167386-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2023
Priority date	Apr 6, 2018
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

Maneuverable ergonomic trailer stands are disclosed. An example portable trailer stand includes: a frame having an upper ledge, a post, and a lower subframe, the lower subframe connected to the upper ledge via the post; an extendible leg coupled to the post independent of the lower subframe, the upper ledge being vertically movable based on movement of the extendible leg relative to the upper ledge, the post, and the lower subframe of the frame; and a wheel connected to the frame via the lower subframe such that the wheel is to move with the upper ledge as the upper ledge is vertically moved.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A portable trailer stand, comprising;
a frame having an upper ledge, a post, and a lower subframe, the lower subframe connected to the upper ledge via the post;
an extendible leg coupled to the post independent of the lower subframe, the upper ledge being vertically movable based on movement of the extendible leg relative to the upper ledge, the post, and the lower subframe of the frame; and
a wheel connected to the frame via the lower subframe such that the wheel is to move with the upper ledge as the upper ledge is vertically moved, the wheel positioned closer to a middle of an elongate length of the lower subframe than the wheel is to the extendible leg.

2. The portable trailer stand of claim 1 , further including a foot connected to a base of the extendible leg, the foot to selectively move a first distance from the upper ledge and a second distance from the upper ledge, the first distance being closer to the upper ledge than a lowermost point on the wheel, the second distance being farther from the upper ledge than the lowermost point on the wheel.

3. The portable trailer stand of claim 1 , wherein the wheel is to remain at a substantially fixed distance from the upper ledge as the upper ledge moves, the lower subframe selectively mountable to the post at different heights to selectively adjust the substantially fixed distance between the wheel and the upper ledge.

4. The portable trailer stand of claim 1 , wherein the wheel is a first wheel, the upper ledge being elongate in a longitudinal direction along a vertical plane, the portable trailer stand further including:
a second wheel connected to the frame; and
a third wheel connected to the frame, the first wheel positioned on a first side of the vertical plane, the second and third wheels positioned on a second side of the vertical plane opposite the first side, the second wheel spaced apart from the third wheel in a direction extending parallel to the vertical plane.

5. The portable trailer stand of claim 4 , wherein the first wheel is positioned between (i) a first line extending perpendicular to the vertical plane and passing through the second wheel and (ii) a second line extending perpendicular to the vertical plane and passing through the third wheel, the first wheel is positioned equidistant from the first and second lines.

6. The portable trailer stand of claim 4 , wherein the first and second wheels are spaced substantially a same distance from the vertical plane.

7. The portable trailer stand of claim 4 , further including:
a first handle attached to the frame; and
a second handle attached to the frame, the second handle spaced apart from the first handle in a direction extending parallel to the vertical plane, the first and second handles offset relative to the upper ledge, both the first and second handles positioned on a same side of the vertical plane.

8. The portable trailer stand of claim 1 , further including:
a handle attached to the frame, the handle extending higher than the upper ledge at a first location horizontally offset relative to the upper ledge; and
a finger guard attached to the frame adjacent the handle, the finger guard extending higher than the upper ledge at a second location horizontally offset relative to the upper ledge, the first location being offset farther from the upper ledge than the second location.

9. The portable trailer stand of claim 8 , wherein the handle is a first handle and the finger guard is a first finger guard, the portable trailer stand further including:
a second handle attached to the frame, the second handle spaced apart from the first handle in a direction along a longitudinal length of the upper ledge; and
a second finger guard attached to the frame adjacent the second handle, the first and second handles and the first and second fingers guards offset on a same side of the upper ledge.

10. The portable trailer stand of claim 1 , wherein the upper ledge is to selectively engage and disengage an underside of a trailer parked on a driveway, the portable trailer stand further including a sensor system to indicate when the upper ledge is in engagement with the underside of the trailer.

11. The portable trailer stand of claim 10 , wherein the sensor system includes:
a visual indicator carried by the frame, the visual indicator moveable between a retracted position and an extended position; and
a trigger to move from a first position to a second position in response to the upper ledge engaging the underside of the trailer, the visual indicator to be in the retracted position when the trigger is in the first position, the visual indicator to move to the extended position in response to the trigger moving to the second position.

12. The portable trailer stand of claim 11 , wherein the visual indicator is more visually prominent when in the extended position than when in the retracted position.

13. The portable trailer stand of claim 10 , wherein the sensor system includes a switch having a trigger extending above the upper ledge, the switch to generate an output signal in response to the trigger engaging the underside of the trailer, the output signal indicative of the upper ledge being in engagement with the underside of the trailer.

14. A portable trailer stand for stabilizing a trailer parked on a driveway, the portable trailer stand comprising:
a frame having an upper ledge, a post, and a lower subframe, the upper ledge being vertically movable to selectively engage and disengage an underside of the trailer, the lower subframe being elongate and connected to the upper ledge via the post;
a leg being vertically movable within the post relative to the upper ledge, the post, and the lower subframe of the frame; and
three wheels connected to the frame via the lower subframe, the three wheels positioned closer to a midpoint of the subframe than the leg is to the midpoint of the subframe, the three wheels to support substantially an entire combined weight of the portable trailer stand when the upper ledge is disengaged from the underside of the trailer, the leg is positioned spaced apart from the driveway, and the three wheels are resting upon the driveway, the three wheels including a first wheel having a first lowermost point, a second wheel having a second lowermost point, and a third wheel having a third lowermost point, the first lowermost point and the second lowermost point defining a line, and the third lowermost point being horizontally spaced apart from the line.

15. The portable trailer stand of claim 14 , wherein the three wheels remain at a substantially fixed distance from the upper ledge regardless of vertical movement of the upper ledge and regardless of extension of the leg.

16. A portable trailer stand, comprising;
an upper ledge having an elongate length extending between first and second ends of the upper ledge;
a first leg to selectively extend and retract relative to a first post attached to the upper ledge, the first leg closer to the first end of the upper ledge than the first leg is to the second end of the upper ledge;
a second leg to selectively extend and retract relative to a second post attached to the upper ledge, the second leg closer to the second end of the upper ledge than the second leg is to the first end of the upper ledge;
a subframe coupled to the upper ledge via the first and second posts and independent of the first and second legs, the subframe closer to bottoms of the first and second legs than the upper ledge is to the bottoms of the first and second legs; and
a wheel attached to the subframe at a poi

Assignees

• Rite Hite Holding Corp
• Dibiase Joe

Inventors

• Wiegel Aaron J
• Olson Andy
• Waugaman Charles
• Swift David
• Grant Donald
• Wernecke Garret
• Oates James
• Dondlinger Jason
• Dibiase Joe
• Korman Joe
• Paruch Lucas I
• Snyder Ronald P
• Duesing Tony

Classifications

• B66F3/10

  with telescopic sleeves · CPC title

• B66F3/20

  actuated through multiple or change-speed gearings · CPC title

• F16M11/42

  with arrangement for propelling the support {stands on wheels} · CPC title

• B60B33/063 Primary

  by linear movement parallel to swivel axis · CPC title

• B60S9/02

  for only lifting or supporting · CPC title