Portable car ramp
This portable car ramp has two structural components coupled longitudinally together, while allowing limited relative vertical movement when each's bottom edge rest on a medium surface. The first component has an elevated wheel run while the second component has an inclined wheel run. When coupled together, the component wheel runs are longitudinally aligned, meeting at a corner, so that a vehicle wheel can roll up the inclined run, over the corner, and onto the elevated run, and vice-versa. Friction pads fixed to the second component bottom edge increase resistance against ramp sliding along the medium surface, particularly with the wheel supported on the inclined wheel run. The first component has no bottom edge friction pads so that car ramp sliding along the medium surface is possible, such as should the wheel be rolled against a stop on the elevated wheel run.
1. A portable car ramp, comprising the combination of
first and second separate structural components each having thereon respective generally planar bottom edges suited to be supported on a substantially flat medium surface, and
said first component having an elevated wheel run extended generally parallel to but elevated above said bottom edge thereof, and
said second component having an inclined wheel run generally elevated above said bottom edge thereof but extended between opposite lower and higher ends respectively that are even generally with its bottom edge and with the first component elevated wheel run;
cooperating pin and groove formations angled generally normal to the bottom edges of the respective components operable with limited clearances therebetween to telescope and to interlock the components together against movement in the direction of the elevated wheel run, while allowing relative component shifting in the direction normal to the bottom edges,
whereby with the elevated end of the inclined wheel run component disposed adjacent the elevated wheel run component, a vehicle wheel can roll up or down the inclined wheel run and onto or off the elevated wheel run, and wheel weight is carried only on the structural component that the wheel is on; and
a unitary friction pad having
a first portion secured to the inclined wheel run component proximate the bottom edge thereof intended to lie against the medium surface, and
a second portion extended several inches away from and aligned with the inclined wheel run and suited also to lie against the medium surface,
whereby wheel weight on the second portion of the friction pad and on inclined wheel run component compresses said friction pad against the medium surface to resist ramp sliding along the medium surface, while wheel weight on the elevated wheel run component provides no compression of the friction pad which then is ineffective in resisting ramp sliding along the medium surface.
2. A portable car ramp according to claim 1 , further wherein said cooperating formations are conical socket and pin formations on the respective components disposed along longitudinal axes extending generally perpendicular to the bottom edges, said conical socket and pin formations being oriented so that component assembly can occur by relative component movement advancing the inclined wheel run component upwardly from the underside of the elevated wheel run component whereupon binding between the formations first occurs when said inclined wheel run component bottom edge is elevated slightly past or above the elevated wheel run component bottom edge, thereby allowing easy component assembly and disassembly while precluding attempted component disassembly when in use with the wheel weight yet on the elevated wheel run component.
3. A portable car ramp according to claim 2 , further having a stop upstanding from the elevated wheel run at the end thereof opposite from the inclined wheel run component, effective for limiting wheel rotation on the elevated wheel run in the direction away from the inclined wheel run component.