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US-20260125249-A1 - Foldable Hardtop Lift and Storage Cart

US20260125249A1US 20260125249 A1US20260125249 A1US 20260125249A1US-20260125249-A1

Abstract

The current invention is a new design for a foldable hardtop frame lifter and holding cart. It has a wheeled base attached to a lifting embodiment. The base has a plurality of wheels in the preferred embodiment. The device also has a lifting and lowering mechanism which is attached to base and to the lifting embodiment. In one embodiment, the lifting embodiment is a set of adjustable brackets. In other embodiment, the lifting embodiment is a frame with a plurality of clamps that clamp on the sides of the hardtop.

Inventors

  • Brian Goldwitz

Assignees

  • Brian Goldwitz

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20250716

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A device comprising: a base and a lifting mechanism attached to said base where the base has a plurality of support bars connected by a support cross bar with a support pole extending from a support bar with a lift bracket which is attached to a lift means where the lift means moves the lift bracket up and down the support pole.
  2. 2 . (canceled)
  3. 3 . A device according to claim 1 further comprising: where the base has a plurality of wheels.
  4. 4 . A device according to claim 1 further comprising: where the lift means can be one or more of a crank and pulley system, an electronic motor or hydraulic system.
  5. 5 . A device according to claim 1 further comprising: where the support pole has a top and the lift means is positioned on the top of the support pole.
  6. 6 . A device according to claim 1 further comprising: where a support bar extends up from the lift bracket to a hardtop bracket where the support bar is positioned above the base parallel with the support cross bar.
  7. 7 . A device according to claim 1 further comprising: being foldable where the lift bracket is lowered on the support pole where the hardtop bracket pivots on the support bar where an angled control bar releases its connection from the hardtop bracket as the hardtop bracket is repositioned and pivoted to where it is almost parallel with the support bar.
  8. 8 . A device according to claim 6 further comprising: where the lift bracket has a front bracket attached to a back bracket by a plurality of parallel bracket connection bars with two front bars that extends out from the sides of where the front bracket with two back bars extends out from the back of the back bracket.
  9. 9 . (canceled)
  10. 10 . A device according to claim 21 further comprising: having a plurality of clamps at the ends of the lift support bars.
  11. 11 . A device according to claim 21 further comprising: being foldable where the lift bracket is lowered on the support pole where the hardtop bracket pivots on the support bar where an angled control bar releases its connection from the hardtop bracket as the hardtop bracket is repositioned and pivoted to where it is almost parallel with the support bar.
  12. 12 . A device according to claim 1 further comprising: having an extending control bar.
  13. 13 . A device according to claim 21 further comprising: where the central bar has a telescoping slider.
  14. 14 . A device according to claim 13 further comprising: where pins can be used to secure and fix the length of the central bar.
  15. 15 . A device according to claim 21 further comprising: having an angled control bar attached from the front of the support bar to the central bar.
  16. 16 . A device according to claim 21 further comprising: where a locking pin holds the angled control bar in its position on the support bar using openings in a faceplate and held in place using a tension bracket.
  17. 17 . A device according to claim 1 further comprising: where a support bar extends up from the lift bracket where an angled base connects angled brackets to the support bar and to an angled control bar.
  18. 18 . A device according to claim 17 further comprising: where the angle support bars extend forward from the angled base with angled securing bars attached to the forward ends of the angle support bars, the angled securing bars extend downward at an angle away from the angle support bars and then extend straight out angled slightly upward, whereas at the end of the angled securing bars is an angled support shelf.
  19. 19 . A device according to claim 1 further comprising: where a straight bar base is attached to the support bar and an angled control bar where the straight bar brackets have two movable straight bars which are attached to the top of the straight bar base, the straight bars are attached to and can pivot sideways on straight bar pivots, the straight bar pivots are positioned in the top back corners of the straight bar base.
  20. 20 . A device according to claim 1 further comprising: having a handling bar extending from each side of the support pole.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The technology discussed below relates a hardtop lift and more particularly making it as a cart and foldable. RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the priority date of Provisional Application 63/717,775 filed on Nov. 7, 2024. BACKGROUND Many people who enjoy outdoor activities own sport utility vehicles (SUVs) with hardtops that can be removed in order to give occupants more pleasure while riding in the vehicle. The hardtops, need to be carefully removed, and once removed, need to be stored in appropriate fashion in order to prevent damage to them. As such hardtops are relatively bulky and heavy, such lifting and storage is not an easy task. Laying the hardtops on a ground surface is not satisfactory as that can cause damage to the hardtop, especially to its finish. Therefore, some devices are available for storing the hardtops, but such devices do not offer any purpose beyond this singular purpose and are not otherwise of particular utility when not serving in their intended purpose and are they themselves relatively large and bulky. What is needed is a device that is designed to easily and effectively lift and hold a vehicle hardtop or hard top that is removed from the vehicle so as to prevent the hardtop or hard top from becoming damaged or removing the hard top for an open feeling. Such devices must be able to easily move about the ground level when the hardtops or hard top are being held by the devices. Such a device must have substantial utility beyond the task of holding and moving vehicle hardtops or hard top about so that the device is multipurpose in its functioning. Such a device must provide support for a variety of articles as defined by the users'needs and also be relatively small and compact when not in use for ease of storage or transport of the device. There is still room for improvement in the art. SUMMARY The current invention is a new device to lift and removed hardtops and can be used to hold removed hardtops from a jeep or SUV in a new and novel way. The current invention is a new design for a foldable hardtop frame lifter and holding cart. It has a wheeled base attached to a lifting embodiment. The base has a plurality of wheels in the preferred embodiment. The device also has a lifting and lowering mechanism which is attached to base and to the lifting embodiment. In one embodiment, the lifting embodiment is a set of adjustable brackets. In other embodiment, the lifting embodiment is a frame with a plurality of clamps that clamp on the sides of the hardtop. In another embodiment, the lifting embodiment is an angled bracket. In another embodiment, the lifting embodiment is a straight bracket. These are improvements over the current art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES FIG. 1 is a display of one embodiment of a hardtop lifter with extendable bars. FIG. 2 shows the embodiment under FIG. 2 with the holding bars being lowered. FIG. 3 shows a side view of the hardtop lifter. FIG. 4 shows the holding bars positioned at an angle. FIG. 5 shows the holding bars positioned perpendicularly. FIG. 6 shows the hardtop lifter in a folded position. FIG. 7 shows a top view of the hardtop lifter. FIG. 8 shows the holding brackets. FIG. 9 shows folded holding brackets. FIG. 10 shows the hardtop lifter being used to lift a hardtop. FIG. 11 shows a hardtop being stored on the hardtop lifter. FIG. 12 shows the hardtop lifter with the lifting brackets being folded. FIG. 13 shows a folded view of the hardtop lifter FIG. 14 shows a folded view of another embodiment of the hardtop lifter. FIG. 15 shows a side view with the lifting mechanism folded. FIG. 16 shows another view of the lifting mechanism. FIG. 17 shows the hardtop lifter with the “H” brackets extended. FIG. 18 shows the hardtop lifter with the “H” brackets angled. FIG. 19 shows the hardtop lifter with the “H” brackets with clamps. FIGS. 20A and 20B shows other embodiments of the hardtop lifter with the “H” brackets. FIG. 21A shows another view of the hardtop lifter with the “H” brackets extended. FIG. 21B shows another view of the hardtop lifter with the “H” brackets extended in a folded position. FIG. 21C shows the hardtop lifter embodiment in a folded position. FIG. 22 shows a view of extender bar extended. FIG. 23 shows the extender bar in its locked position. FIG. 24 shows the “H” bracket folded down. FIGS. 25A, 25B and 25C shows the bars of the “H: bracket FIGS. 26A, 26B and 26C show close ups of the locking pin and compression bracket. FIG. 27 shows the “H: bracket with clamps connected to the bars. FIGS. 28A and 28B shows the base plate and base plate bar. FIGS. 29A and 29B shows the lifter plate. FIG. 30 shows upward view of the hardtop lifter. FIG. 31 shows a base plate embodiment. FIG. 32 shows the lifter turning plate. FIG. 33 shows the “H” bracket lifting being used with clamps. FIG. 34 shows the hardtop lifter with angled brackets. FIG. 35 shows a different view of the hardtop lifter with angled brackets. FIG. 36 s