Lift assist for an electrically driven hitch on an robotic vehicle
AssigneeAmos Power, Inc.
InventorsThomas Cedric Boe, Zachary Kooistra, Forrest Beeler, Louis Macuch, Broc Ducharme, Kyle Laurence Boe, Isiah Brandt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spring is combined between the chassis and the pair of links arms. An electric actuator is combined between the chassis and the pair of links arms for compressing the spring with the assistance of gravity on a downward stroke of the electric actuator while lowering the pair of link arms, and wherein the pair of link arms are raised by an outward stroke of both the electric actuator and the spring.
Claims21
A hitch assembly combinable to a chassis of a vehicle for selectively receiving an implement, the hitch assembly comprising:
- a pair of link arms combined to the chassis for selectively receiving the implement;
- a center link combined to the chassis and spaced vertically from the pair of link arms for selectively receiving the implement, wherein the pair of link arms and the center link form attachment points for the implement;
- a spring combined between the chassis and the pair of links arms;
- and
- an electric actuator combined between the chassis and the pair of links arms for compressing the spring with the assistance of gravity on a downward stroke of the electric actuator while lowering the pair of link arms to store potential energy in the spring and match the lifting power of an outward stroke of the electric actuator when the pair of link arms are raised by the electric actuator and the spring.
A robotic vehicle comprising:
- a chassis;
- a battery unit combined to the chassis for supply a DC voltage source;
- and
- a hitch assembly combinable to the chassis for selectively receiving an implement, wherein the hitch assembly comprises:
- a pair of link arms combined to the chassis for selectively receiving the implement;
- a center link combined to the chassis and spaced vertically from the pair of link arms for selectively receiving the implement, wherein the pair of link arms and the center link form attachment points for the implement;
- a spring combined between the chassis and the pair of links arms;
- and
- an electric actuator combined between the chassis and the pair of links arms for compressing the spring with the assistance of gravity on a downward stroke of the electric actuator while lowering the pair of link arms to store potential energy in the spring and match the lifting power of an outward stroke of the electric actuator when the pair of link arms are raised by the electric actuator and the spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.