Gizmo Lift - The Lifting Pallet

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Back injury is the top cause of a “job related disability.” More than one million back injuries are sustained in the workplace every year. Back pain accounts for more than 200 million lost work days per year. It is acknowledged that the best way to prevent this type is to use some form of mechanical aid.

The Gizmo Lift is this type of aid. The gizmo lift is a bulk pallet that has a mechanical lifting platform to bring the loading/unloading height up to the waist of most people.

The primary benefit is its ergonomic convenience to the store employee and the customer.

Most goods are shipped on pallets to a point of sale location where they are broken down and stocked (Except for warehouse sellers – Where the Gizmo Lift makes even more sense).

If the items are heavy, the store may choose to sell them directly off of a floor pallet. Some examples would be: water softener salt, case lots of water or soda, watermelons, dog food, fertilizer bags, bird seed, mulch etc. Lifting a 50lb bag from 5” off the floor is a strain for most people.

The Gizmo Lift can be easily loaded by placing it next to the supply pallet on a fork lift or high lift pallet jack. The goods transfer takes place at the same height. As each level of goods is loaded, the supply pallet is raised and the Gizmo Lift platform is lowered. No back-breaking bending is required.

At this point, the loaded Gizmo Lift becomes the sales tray or table for customers to pick from at the ideal height. As a store associate sees the product being sold off, the associate can apply a hand crank or rechargeable driver to a corner screws on the Gizmo Lift and raise the platform, thereby, exposing the next level of product to the customer. This would also work great with trays of fresh fruit. No need for constant restocking and/or shuffling of old product to the top.

Manufacturers can also use the Gizmo Lift to dispense parts at ergonomic height to an assembly station.

The Gizmo Lift is eco-friendly being constructed of recyclable plywood and steel. The strong Baltic Birch plywood can be clear coated to show the beauty of the wood or stained or painted in the store colors with logos. Manufacturing requires only conventional processes of sawing, routing, welding and painting. Quantity estimates put the price at around $1200.00.

Optional locking casters allow the pallet to be rolled around. With the platform lowered, a loaded Gizmo Lift can be transported by a pallet jack or forklift. The Gizmo Lift can carry a load of 1500 pounds. The lifting platform is connected to lead screws at the four corners. The acme threaded screws are connected at the bottom with a roller chain to so that when any one screw is turned, the corners will lift in unison.

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  • ABOUT THE ENTRANT

  • Name:
    Leo Honetschlager
  • Type of entry:
    individual
  • Profession:
    Engineer/Designer
  • Number of times previously entering contest:
    1
  • Leo is inspired by:
    Problem Solving Challenges
  • Software used for this entry:
    SolidWorks
  • Patent status:
    none