Pallet truck with pressed fork structure
AssigneeUnicarriers Americas Corporation
InventorsMark Rusche, Ryan Giovannini, Mark McGee, Ryan Ickes, Steve Williams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pallet truck has a pressed and non-welded fork structure. The fork structure includes an elongate body portion and an outboard end portion integrally formed with the body portion. The body portion has a top wall and opposing sidewalls integrally formed with the top wall. The outboard end portion projects from the body portion and includes a tip sidewall defining a tip region for guiding entry of a fork assembly beneath a pallet.
Claims16
A pallet truck comprising:
- a lift assembly;
- a fork assembly having a fork structure extending generally laterally from the lift assembly, the fork structure including:
- an elongate body portion having:
- a top wall;
- opposing sidewalls integrally formed with the top wall;
- and
- bottom walls integrally formed with and extending inwardly from respective ones of the opposing sidewalls;
- and
- an outboard end portion integrally formed with the body portion and projecting therefrom, the outboard end portion including a tip sidewall defining a tip region for guiding entry of the fork assembly beneath a pallet;
- and
- a linkage system having a push bar operably coupled to a load roller assembly at the outboard end portion of the fork structure, the load roller assembly having a wheel fork that is pivotably coupled to the outboard end portion via a pivot feature that is received within an opening of the tip sidewalk;
- wherein the top wall, the opposing sidewalls, and the bottom walls of the body portion form an interior channel having a “C”-shaped cross section configured to receive the push bar.
A method for manufacturing a fork structure for use with a pallet truck, the method comprising:
- cutting a sheet of material to form a first region, a second region, and a seam between the first and second regions;
- bending or pressing the first region to form a body portion of the fork structure, the body portion having:
- a top wall;
- opposing sidewalls that are integral with the top wall;
- and
- bottom walls that are integral with and extend from respective ones of the opposing sidewalls;
- and
- pressing the second region, including a portion of the top wall that extends beyond the body portion, to form a tip region that is integral with the body portion.
A pallet truck comprising:
- a lift assembly;
- a fork assembly having a fork structure extending generally laterally from the lift assembly, the fork structure including:
- an elongate body portion having:
- a top wall;
- and
- opposing sidewalls integrally formed with the top wall;
- wherein a portion of the top wall extends outboard of the opposing sidewalls;
- an outboard end portion integrally formed with the body portion and projecting therefrom, the outboard end portion including:
- a tip sidewall defining a tip region for guiding entry of the fork assembly beneath a pallet;
- wherein the portion of the top wall terminates into the tip sidewall;
- and
- wherein the tip sidewall extends generally downwardly from the portion of the top wall and defines a cavity therewith;
- a load roller assembly at the outboard end portion of the fork structure, the load roller assembly having a wheel fork that is pivotably coupled to the outboard end portion via a pivot feature that is received within an opening of the tip sidewall;
- and
- a guide member received into the cavity, the guide member having a convex surface configured to reduce resistance between the outboard end portion of the fork structure and objects on a floor surface over which the load roller assembly is lifted during use.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.