Panel hoist

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9321615-B2
Application number	US-201314022942-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2013
Priority date	Apr 2, 2013
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

A panel hoist and components of various kits including components of a panel hoist are described herein. A panel hoist can be used to hold any of a variety of panels, such as a door attachable to a semi-tractor trailer, and to maneuver the panel for putting into a position for mounting the panel to a panel mounting point or for removing a panel disconnected from a panel mounting point. Various types of suction cups and supplemental panel holders can be used to hold the panel while the panel is moved or prepared for movement. A panel hoist can allow a single person to maneuver panels in various ways instead of having to rely on multiple people to maneuver the panel. Maneuvering the panel can include raising, lowering, or rotating the panel. Various panel hoist components can be configured as a kit.

First claim

We claim:

1. A panel hoist comprising:
a base;
a hoist arm connected to the base;
a jack configured to raise and lower the hoist arm;
a panel holder;
a rotator configured to rotate the panel holder,
wherein the length of the rotator is adjustable,
wherein the rotator comprises a shaft including a first shaft segment and a second shaft segment,
wherein the first shaft segment includes a first end and a second end,
wherein the first end of the first shaft segment includes a first threaded portion,
wherein the second shaft segment includes a first end and a second end,
wherein the first end of the second shaft segment includes a second threaded portion configured to engage the first threaded portion of the first shaft segment,
wherein the second end of the second shaft segment is configured for connection to the second rotatable joint;

a first rotatable joint that connects the hoist arm to the panel holder, and
a second rotatable joint that connects the rotator to the panel holder.

2. The panel hoist of claim 1 , wherein the jack comprises a hydraulic jack or an air over hydraulic jack.

3. The panel hoist of claim 1 , further comprising:
a swivel ball joint,
wherein the first shaft segment is configured to slide through and spin on the swivel ball joint, and
wherein a length of the rotator decreases by rotating a portion of the first shaft segment further into the second shaft segment and increases by rotating the portion of the first shaft segment out of the second shaft segment.

4. The panel hoist of claim 1 ,
wherein the first threaded portion is within an interior portion of the first end of the first shaft segment, and
wherein the second threaded portion is on an exterior portion of the first end of the second shaft segment.

5. The panel hoist of claim 1 ,
wherein the first threaded portion is on an exterior portion of the first end of the first shaft segment, and
wherein the second threaded portion is within an interior portion of the first end of the second shaft segment.

6. The panel hoist of claim 1 ,
wherein the second shaft segment comprises a first segment portion including the first end, a second segment portion including the second end, and an offset portion between the first segment portion and the second segment portion,
wherein a longitudinal axis of the offset portion is not parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first segment portion, and
wherein the longitudinal axis of the offset portion is not parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second segment portion.

7. The panel hoist of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of suction cups connected to the panel holder; and
a plurality of air ejectors,
wherein each air ejector is configured to provide a vacuum in proximity to a respective suction cup of the plurality of suction cups.

8. The panel hoist of claim 1 ,
wherein the panel holder comprises a body and a plurality of arms extending from the body, and
wherein a respective suction cup and a respective air ejector are connected at a distal end, relative to the body, of each arm.

9. The panel hoist of claim 8 , wherein each arm of the plurality of arms comprises a telescoping arm.

10. The panel hoist of claim 1 ,
wherein the panel holder comprises a body and a plurality of arms extending from the body, and
wherein a respective manual suction cup is connected at a distal end, relative to the body, of each arm.

11. The panel hoist of claim 1 , further comprising:
a secondary panel holder connected to the panel holder.

12. The panel hoist of claim 11 ,
wherein the secondary panel holder comprises a first strap, a second strap, a first ratchet tensioner, and a second ratchet tensioner,
wherein the first ratchet tensioner and the second ratchet tensioner are attached to the panel holder,
wherein a first portion of the first strap is attachable to the first ratchet tensioner and a second portion of the first strap includes a first hook configured for contacting a panel,
wherein a first portion of the second strap is attachable to the second ratchet tensioner and a second portion of the second strap includes a second hook configured for contacting the panel,
wherein the first ratchet tensioner is operable to increase tension on the first strap, and
wherein the second ratchet tensioner is operable to increase tension on the second strap.

13. The panel hoist of claim 1 , further comprising:
an air delivery system including a connector adapted for connection to an air supply line, and including at least one air delivery line adapted for supplying compressed air to an air ejector,
wherein the air ejector is adapted for providing a vacuum in proximity to a suction cup connected to the panel holder.

14. The panel hoist of claim 1 , further comprising:
a hydraulic lift comprising the base and the hoist arm of the panel holder.

15. The panel hoist of claim 1 ,
wherein the panel holder comprises a branch body and a multi-position branch bracket removably attachable to the branch body,
wherein the multi-position branch bracket includes attachment holes for attaching multiple branches to the multi-position branch bracket, and
wherein each branch of the multiple branches includes a suction cup proximate to a distal end of the branch relative to the multi-position branch bracket.

16. The panel hoist of claim 15 ,
wherein a first branch of the multiple branches is removably attached to the multi-position branch bracket at a first position by a first fastener within a first attachment hole and a second fastener within a second attachment hole,
wherein the first branch can be removably attached to the multi-position branch bracket at a second position by the first fastener within the first attachment hole and the second fastener within a third attachment hole, and
wherein the first branch is configured to pivot about the first fastener during movement of the first branch from the first position to the second position.

17. The panel hoist of claim 16 , further comprising:
a branch bracket removably attachable at a first end of the branch body,
wherein at least one suction cup is attached to the branch bracket, and
wherein the multi-position branch bracket is removably attachable to a second end of the branch body opposite the first end of the branch body.

18. The panel hoist of claim 15 ,
wherein the multi-position branch bracket comprises a first branch attachment portion, a second branch attachment portion, and one or more branch attachment portion separators positioned between the first branch attachment portion and the second branch attachment portion, and
wherein portions of each branch of the multiple branches can be positioned between the first branch attachment portion and the second branch attachment portion.

19. The panel hoist of claim 18 , wherein first branch attachment portion comprises a first semi-circled shaped steel plate and the second branch attachment portion comprise a second semi-circled shaped steel plate.

20. A kit comprising:
a panel holder;
a rotator configured to rotate the panel holder, wherein the length of the rotator is adjustable;
a first rotatable joint adapted to be connected to the panel holder and to a hoist arm of a hydraulic lift,
a second rotatable joint adapted to connect the rotator to the panel holder; and
a plurality of suction cups adapted for connection to the panel holder;
a secondary panel holder connected to the panel holder,
wherein the secondary panel holder comprises a

Assignees

• Snap On Tools Corp

Inventors

• Shaw Greg W
• Kreiner William

Classifications

• E04F21/1811

  with hand-driven crank systems, e.g. rope, cable or chain winding or rack-and-pinion mechanisms (E04F21/1816, E04F21/1822 and E04F21/1827 take precedence) · CPC title

• B66C1/0243

  Separate cups · CPC title

• E04F21/1872

  using suction-cups · CPC title

• E04F21/1816

  fluid pressure-operated (E04F21/1822 and E04F21/1827 take precedence) · CPC title

• B66C23/48 Primary

  Manually-movable jib cranes for use in workshops · CPC title