Vehicle Service Group, LLC

Gregory Buccola

Gerry Lauderbaugh

Robert Elliott

Steven H Taylor

Jason T Stewart

Darian Smith

Austin Deuerling

John E Uhl

Doug Brown

Ron Schneider

Doug Spiller

Larry Kendall

Chuck Luhn

Jonathan J Westbrook

Jonathan Ross

Kevin S Katerberg

Brad Gee

Robert William Elliott

An apparatus and method of use for supporting a fuel unit, the apparatus including: a frame including an attachment portion and a coupling portion, the attachment portion being configured to engage the fuel unit to thereby prevent lateral movement of the fuel unit relative to the frame, the coupling portion being configured to engage a lift table to thereby prevent lateral movement of the frame relative to the lift table; and a plurality of legs rotatably secured to the frame, each leg of the plurality of legs being configured to transition between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, wherein the extended configuration is configured to allow a foot of a respective leg to contact a floor, wherein the retracted configuration is configured to prevent the foot of the respective leg from contacting the floor.

Detachable support structure for use with mobile lift table

A lift table includes a base member, an air powered hydraulic powerpack assembly mounted to the base member, a tabletop, a lift assembly capable of actuated the tabletop relative to the base member, a handle extending upward from the base member, and an air supply docking station. The lift assembly includes a hydraulic cylinder assembly actuated by the air powered hydraulic powerpack. The handle includes a top portion of the handle elevated above the air-powered hydraulic powerpack. The air supply docking station is fixed to the top portion of the handle and is in fluid communication with the air-powered hydraulic powerpack assembly.

Mobile lift table

An automation system uses cameras and sensors to identify a set of vehicle wheels within a lift area, then virtualizes the position and orientation of the vehicle relative to the lift posts. Lift arms extending from the lift posts are moved to a first position that places a profile camera near the predicted position of lift points, and image analysis is used to positively identify the lift points. The lift arms are then moved to a second position that places an adapter camera below the identified lift points, and image analysis is used to confirm safe positioning below the lift point. Captured images and feedback from image analysis are used to improve and refine the system's ability to identify wheels, profile view lift points, and plan view lift points. The system may be integrated with lift arms allowing for automated rotation, extension, and elevation of lift adapters.

Intelligent vehicle lift network with distributed sensors

Conventional vehicle lifts typically operate at a standard speed that is statically configured for the system, which may result in vehicles that are below the weight rating for the lift being raised at the standard speed while the lift motor is capable of safely raising at greater speeds. A set of lift controls may be configured to determine the load on the motor by a vehicle of an unknown weight during operation at a standard lift speed and use such information to determine a potential speed that the motor may raise the vehicle at while staying within safe operational levels for the motor. One or more of a magnitude of electrical power drawn, a pressure generated by a hydraulic lifting, or a sensed vehicle weight may be used to provide an indication of load on the motor and/or a higher potential speed.

Load-sensing vehicle lift

An automation system uses cameras () and sensors () to identify a set of vehicle wheels within a lift area (), then virtualizes the position and orientation of the vehicle relative to the lift posts (). Lift arms () extending from the lift posts are moved to a first position that places a profile camera near the predicted position of lift points, and image analysis is used to positively identify the lift points. The lift arms are then moved to a second position that places an adapter camera below the identified lift points, and image analysis is used to confirm safe positioning below the lift point. Captured images and feedback from image analysis are used to improve and refine the system's ability to identify wheels, profile view lift points, and plan view lift points. The system may be integrated with lift arms allowing for automated rotation, extension, and elevation of lift adapters.

A set of lift controls may be configured to determine the load on the motor () by a vehicle of an unknown weight during operation at a standard lift speed and use such information to determine a potential speed that the motor may raise the vehicle at while staying within safe operational levels for the motor. One or more of a magnitude of electrical power drawn, a pressure generating by a hydraulic lifting, or a sensed vehicle weight may be used to provide an indication of load on the motor and/or a higher potential speed.

A method of use for supporting a fuel unit. The method includes attaching a support structure having a plurality of legs on a tabletop assembly of a mobile lift table and positioning the support structure under an elevated vehicle having a fuel unit. The method includes removing the fuel unit from the elevated vehicle such that the support structure operatively supports the fuel unit. The method includes moving the fuel unit away from the elevated vehicle and actuating the plurality of legs from a retracted position to an extended downward position. The method further includes lowering the tabletop assembly which carries the support structure with the fuel unit such that the plurality of legs engages a floor. The method further includes detaching and removing the support structure from the tabletop assembly such that the tabletop assembly is no longer supporting the support structure of the fuel unit.

Method of receiving, transporting, and storing a fuel unit using a mobile lift table

A mobile lift column () is configured to automatically position itself with respect to a vehicle () to be lifted. A proximity and object sensor is used to identify a location of a vehicle and navigate obstructions while advancing to the vehicle. The column includes a set of automatically driven Mecanum wheels () that can be variably controlled to provide precise movement in any direction without rotating the column. A camera () positioned on the column identifies a wheel of the vehicle, and an alignment beam is projected onto the wheel to verify centering on the wheel. Once positioned, the column may operate one of several lift members, including a pair of removable fork adapters (), to extend underneath the vehicle and contact the vehicle lifting points. With at least two columns properly positioned, each mobile column can simultaneously raise its lift member(s) to lift the vehicle to a desired height.

Automated mobile vehicle lift column

An assistance system uses cameras and sensors to identify a set of vehicle wheels within a lift area, then virtualizes the position and orientation of the vehicle relative to one or more lift posts. The system also determines a center of gravity for the vehicle and uses that center of gravity and other information associated with the vehicle to determine a position within the lift area at which the vehicle should be positioned. The system may also provide guidance to aid in positioning the vehicle at or near that position. Such guidance may be provided as one or more visual or audio indicators or via a software interface. The system may be integrated with lift arms allowing for automated rotation, extension, and elevation of lift adapters once the vehicle is positioned, and it may use distributed processing to locate relevant objects in captured images used in this calculation.

Intelligent vehicle lift with center of gravity sensor

An automatic wheel changer robot has a includes a drive assembly, a torque gun, a sensor assembly, and a controller. The drive assembly has a mobile base and two wheel-clamping assemblies, each configured to engage a wheel. The controller generates a set of instructions based, at least in part, on information obtained from the sensor assembly. The drive assembly uses the set of instructions to cooperatively remove respective wheels from respective hubs on a vehicle and/or attach respective wheels to respective hubs on a vehicle. The device may have lidar sensors and Mecanum wheels that the controller is programmed to use to move between respective hubs and wheel storage locations install wheels, replace wheels, rotate tires, and perform similar operations.

Automatic wheel changer robot

A concrete pit for housing the below-floor part of a vehicle lift that is at least partially below floor level is constructed of precast concrete pieces. In one embodiment, a trench is dug slightly bigger than the pit that will be installed, and a precast concrete base slab is placed in the hole. Features around the perimeter of the base slab mate with corresponding features around the bottom of a precast concrete hollow rectangle, which is placed on top of the base slab. Additional precast concrete hollow rectangles may be placed on top. A vehicle lift is placed within the concrete pit and in some embodiments fixed thereto using holes, protrusions, or other features built into the concrete pit. In some embodiments, plumbing, wiring conduit, and other passageways are cast into the pieces of the concrete pit to minimize manual installation work that needs to be done in the pit.

Precast concrete pit

A pit for containing a vehicle lifting apparatus is constructed from a plurality of precast concrete pieces and assembled in a trench. Conduit, plumbing, heating elements, and the like are cast into the pieces to facilitate safe construction/assembly of the pit. A lift apparatus is assembled or positioned in and at least partly attached to the pit. One or more mounting features are cast into and/or attached to the pit wall to help fix the lifting apparatus relative to the pit and/or to help fix the pit relative to a surrounding building.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, IN, United States of America

Gerry Lauderbaugh