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US 11,827,501 B2Granted
Forklift
AssigneePalfinger AG
InventorsEric O'Keeffe, Patrick Keenan, Matthias Kalin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A forklift includes a cabin and a seat for use by a driver arranged in the cabin. The cabin has a lateral opening to enter and exit the cabin, and the seat is mounted rotatably relative to the cabin. There is a safety bracket for preventing the driver from involuntarily exiting the cabin through the lateral opening, and for providing lateral impact protection. The safety bracket is mechanically connected to the seat to be rotatable together with the seat.
Claims20
A forklift comprising:
- a cabin having a lateral opening through which to enter and exit the cabin;
- a seat for use by a driver arranged in the cabin, wherein the seat is mounted rotatably relative to the cabin;
- and
- a safety bracket for preventing the driver from involuntarily exiting the cabin through the lateral opening and for providing lateral impact protection,
- wherein the safety bracket is mechanically connected to the seat to be rotatable together with the seat,
- wherein the seat and safety bracket are jointly rotatable with respect to a substantially vertical axis such that the seat is rotatable between a first position in which the safety bracket is positioned so as to facilitate entry to and exit from the seat in the cabin, and a second position in which the seat is oriented substantially in a forward driving position and the safety bracket is positioned so as to prevent the driver from involuntarily exiting the cabin through the lateral opening,
- wherein the cabin comprises a roof structure located substantially above the seat, and
- wherein the safety bracket extends to a height greater than one third and less than two thirds of the distance between a sitting surface of the seat and a bottom surface of the roof structure.
5 more elements
A forklift comprising:
- a cabin having a lateral opening through which to enter and exit the cabin;
- a seat for use by a driver arranged in the cabin, wherein the seat is mounted rotatably relative to the cabin;
- and
- a safety bracket for preventing the driver from involuntarily exiting the cabin through the lateral opening and for providing lateral impact protection,
- wherein the safety bracket is mechanically connected to the seat to be rotatable together with the seat,
- wherein the seat and safety bracket are jointly rotatable with respect to a substantially vertical axis such that the seat is rotatable between a first position in which the safety bracket is positioned so as to facilitate entry to and exit from the seat in the cabin, and a second position in which the seat is oriented substantially in a forward driving position and the safety bracket is positioned so as to prevent the driver from involuntarily exiting the cabin through the lateral opening,
- wherein the cabin comprises a roof structure located substantially above the seat, and
- wherein the safety bracket extends at least from a sitting surface of the seat to a height substantially halfway of the distance between the sitting surface of the seat and a bottom surface of the roof structure.
5 more elements
A forklift comprising:
- a cabin having a lateral opening through which to enter and exit the cabin;
- a seat for use by a driver arranged in the cabin, wherein the seat is mounted rotatably relative to the cabin;
- and
- a safety bracket for preventing the driver from involuntarily exiting the cabin through the lateral opening and for providing lateral impact protection,
- wherein the safety bracket is mechanically connected to the seat to be rotatable together with the seat,
- wherein the seat and safety bracket are jointly rotatable with respect to a substantially vertical axis such that the seat is rotatable between a first position in which the safety bracket is positioned so as to facilitate entry to and exit from the seat in the cabin, and a second position in which the seat is oriented substantially in a forward driving position and the safety bracket is positioned so as to prevent the driver from involuntarily exiting the cabin through the lateral opening,
- wherein the cabin comprises a floor with a first floor surface having a first width at the lateral opening of the cabin and a smaller second width inside the cabin at a distance from the lateral opening, and
- wherein starting from the lateral opening, the width of the floor tapers towards the second width inside of the cabin.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.