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US 11,745,778 B2Granted
Load wheel designs for pallet entry
AssigneeHyster-Yale Group, Inc.
InventorAndrew White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A load wheel assembly for an elongate fork of a forked material-handling vehicle with a chassis employs a non-motorized forward load wheel, a non-motorized rear load wheel, and a non-motorized torque-coupling assembly connected between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel for coupling torque between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel to overcome obstacles on a surface, such as a floor.
Claims41
A forked material-handling vehicle comprising:
- a chassis, and
- an elongate fork including a load wheel assembly, wherein the fork has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the fork is directly or indirectly attached to the chassis, and wherein the load wheel assembly is connected to the fork closer to the distal end than to the proximal end, the load wheel assembly comprising:
- a non-motorized forward load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor;
- a non-motorized rear load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor;
- and
- a non-motorized torque-coupling assembly connected between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel for coupling torque between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel, wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises a force-applying coupling assembly configured to elastically couple torque between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel.
3 more elements
A forked material-handling vehicle comprising:
- a chassis, and
- an elongate fork including a load wheel assembly, wherein the fork has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the fork is directly or indirectly attached to the chassis, and wherein the load wheel assembly is connected to the fork closer to the distal end than to the proximal end, the load wheel assembly comprising:
- a non-motorized forward load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor;
- a non-motorized rear load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor;
- and
- a non-motorized torque-coupling assembly connected between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel for coupling torque between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel, wherein the forward load wheel has a forward wheel radius, wherein the rear load wheel has a rear wheel radius, wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises an idler wheel having an idler wheel diameter, and wherein the idler wheel diameter is smaller than or equal to the forward wheel radius and the rear wheel radius.
3 more elements
A forked material-handling vehicle comprising:
- a chassis, and
- an elongate fork including a load wheel assembly, wherein the fork has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the fork is directly or indirectly attached to the chassis, and wherein the load wheel assembly is connected to the fork closer to the distal end than to the proximal end, the load wheel assembly comprising:
- a non-motorized forward load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor;
- a non-motorized rear load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor;
- and
- a non-motorized torque-coupling assembly connected between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel for coupling torque between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel, wherein the forward load wheel has a forward wheel height above the ground, wherein the rear load wheel has a rear wheel height above the ground, wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises an idler wheel having an idler wheel height above the ground, and wherein the idler wheel height is within 5% of the greater of the forward wheel height and the rear height.
3 more elements
A forked material-handling vehicle comprising:
- a chassis, and
- an elongate fork including a load wheel assembly, wherein the fork has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the fork is directly or indirectly attached to the chassis, and wherein the load wheel assembly is connected to the fork closer to the distal end than to the proximal end, the load wheel assembly comprising:
- a non-motorized forward load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor;
- a non-motorized rear load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor;
- and
- a non-motorized torque-coupling assembly connected between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel for coupling torque between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel, further including at least one of first and second wheel carriers, wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises a resilient force-applying coupling assembly that is connected directly or indirectly to the first wheel carrier or the second wheel carrier.
3 more elements
A forked material-handling vehicle comprising:
- a chassis, and
- an elongate fork including a load wheel assembly, wherein the fork has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the fork is directly or indirectly attached to the chassis, and wherein the load wheel assembly is connected to the fork closer to the distal end than to the proximal end, the load wheel assembly comprising:
- a non-motorized forward load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor;
- a non-motorized rear load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor;
- and
- a non-motorized torque-coupling assembly connected between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel for coupling torque between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel, wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises a resilient force-applying coupling means configured to elastically couple torque between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel.
3 more elements
A pallet truck, comprising:
- a steer wheel;
- a chassis operatively connected to the steer wheel;
- and
- substantially parallel first and second forks operatively connected to and extending from the chassis and configured to hold a load for conveyance by the pallet truck as the pallet truck moves, wherein the first fork comprises a first elongate body, a first load wheel assembly, and a first fork tip, wherein the second fork comprises a second elongate body, a second load wheel assembly, and a second fork tip, wherein the first load wheel assembly comprises a first non-motorized forward load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor, a first non-motorized rear load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor, and a first non-motorized torque-coupling means connected between the first forward load wheel and the first rear load wheel, and wherein the second load wheel assembly comprises a second non-motorized forward load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor, a second non-motorized rear load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor, and a second non-motorized torque-coupling means connected between the second forward load wheel and the second rear load wheel, wherein the first or second torque-coupling means comprises a force-applying coupling assembly configured to elastically couple torque between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel.
1 more element
A forked material-handling vehicle comprising:
- a chassis, and
- an elongate fork, and a load wheel assembly, wherein the fork has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the fork is directly or indirectly attached to the chassis, and wherein the load wheel assembly is connected to the fork closer to the distal end than to the proximal end, the load wheel assembly comprising:
- a non-motorized forward load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor;
- a non-motorized rear load wheel configured to directly roll on a floor;
- and
- a torque-coupling means for coupling torque between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel, wherein the torque-coupling means comprises a force-applying coupling assembly configured to elastically couple torque between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel.
3 more elements
A forked material-handling vehicle comprising:
- a chassis, and
- an elongate fork including a load wheel assembly, wherein the fork has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the fork is directly or indirectly attached to the chassis, and wherein the load wheel assembly is connected to the fork closer to the distal end than to the proximal end, the load wheel assembly comprising:
- a non-motorized forward load wheel;
- a non-motorized rear load wheel;
- and
- a non-motorized torque-coupling assembly connected between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel for coupling torque between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel, wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises an idler wheel, wherein the idler wheel has direct contact with the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel, wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises a resilient force-applying coupling assembly configured to elastically urge the idler wheel into contact with the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.