Back to results
US 7,740,259 B2Granted
Movable step for a materials handling vehicle
AssigneeCrown Equipment Corporation
InventorsJames V. Kraimer, Jay G. Pollack, Markus Graf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A materials handling vehicle is provided comprising a frame including an operator compartment having at least one entrance and a floorboard. The vehicle further comprises at least one step capable of being positioned across the entrance a spaced distance from the floorboard such that an operator may stand on the step when the step is positioned across the entrance to gain access to an elevated storage location.
Claims18
A materials handling vehicle comprising:
- a frame comprising an operator compartment having at least one entrance and a floorboard;
- and
- at least one step capable of being positioned across said entrance a spaced distance from said floorboard such that an operator may stand on said step when said step is positioned across said entrance to gain access to an elevated storage location, wherein said step is movable between a deployed position where said step is positioned across said entrance and a stowed position where said step is positioned in a location so as not to block said entrance into and exit from said operator compartment, said step being in a down position when deployed and an up position when stowed;
- a biasing element for assisting an operator in moving said step from the down position to the up position;
- at least one hinge mechanism coupled to said at least one step to allow said step to pivot between the deployed and stowed positions;
- and
- wherein said operator compartment further comprises first and second substantially vertical and opposing walls, and further comprising a stop coupled to said first wall, said step being pivotably coupled at a first end to said second wall, and a second end of said step engaging said stop when said step is moved to the down position.
4 more elements
A materials handling vehicle comprising:
- a frame comprising an operator compartment having at least one entrance and a floorboard;
- and
- at least one step capable of being positioned across said entrance a spaced distance from said floorboard such that an operator may stand on said step when said step is positioned across said entrance to gain access to an elevated storage location, wherein said step is movable between a deployed position where said step is positioned across said entrance and a stowed position where said step is positioned in a location so as not to block said entrance into and exit from said operator compartment and said step slides between the deployed and stowed positions.
A materials handling vehicle comprising:
- a frame comprising an operator compartment having at least one entrance and a floorboard;
- a drive wheel coupled to said frame;
- a motor coupled to said drive wheel for effecting rotation of said drive wheel;
- a controller for controlling the operation of said motor;
- at least one step associated with said frame capable of being moved between a deployed position to allow an operator to stand on said step and gain access to an elevated storage location and a stowed position where said step is stored in an out-of-the-way location;
- and
- at least one sensor associated with said step, said sensor generating a signal to said controller when said step is in a travel state, said controller providing a drive signal to said motor only when a travel state signal is being generated by said sensor, wherein said step is in said travel state when said step is in said stowed position.
4 more elements
A materials handling vehicle comprising:
- a frame comprising an operator compartment having at least one entrance and a floorboard;
- a drive wheel coupled to said frame;
- a motor coupled to said drive wheel for effecting rotation of said drive wheel;
- a controller for controlling the operation of said motor;
- at least one step associated with said frame capable of being moved between a deployed position to allow an operator to stand on said step and gain access to an elevated storage location and a stowed position where said step is stored in an out-of-the-way location;
- and
- at least one sensor associated with said step, said sensor generating a signal to said controller when said step is in a travel state, said controller providing a drive signal to said motor only when a travel state signal is being generated by said sensor, wherein said step is in said travel state when said step is in said deployed position and not in use by an operator applying a predefined force and said step is not in said travel state when said step is in said deployed position and is in use by an operator applying a predefined force.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.