Dolly train with improved operability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10315714-B2
Application number	US-201715455750-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2017
Priority date	Mar 10, 2017
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A dolly, a dolly towing system and a method of operating a dolly towing system. The dolly includes a wheeled platform with a coupled electric generator and an automated safety interlock assembly. The interlock assembly includes one or more sensors configured to wirelessly detect whether the dolly and tow motor are safely joined to one another. A controller can be powered by a battery or related onboard source of electric current while the dolly or system are stationary, as well as by the generator when the dolly or system are moving. Signals indicative of the joining that are acquired from the sensors can be received and processed by the controller such that suitable circuitry can convey the processed signal in such a way that the signal provides an audible or visual notice of an operational status of the dolly or system to an operator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dolly comprising:
a wheeled platform;
an electric generator coupled to the wheeled platform such that rotational movement of at least one wheel of the wheeled platform operates the generator;
a mechanical linkage disposed on the platform for selective coupling to a tow motor; and
an automated safety interlock assembly comprising:
at least one sensor configured to wirelessly ascertain a connectivity status of the dolly to at least one of a tow motor and another dolly;
a controller in signal communication with the sensor;
a power source cooperative with at least one of the controller and the sensor to provide electrical power thereto; and
circuitry responsive to the controller to provide notorious indicia of an operational status of the dolly.

2. The dolly of claim 1 , wherein the notorious indicia comprises at least one of an audible indicia and a visual indicia of the operational status.

3. The dolly of claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises at least one battery.

4. The dolly of claim 3 , wherein the battery is in electrical communication with the generator such that operation of the generator recharges the battery.

5. The dolly of claim 1 , wherein the dolly comprises a plurality of dollies coupled to one another such that only one dolly comprises the interlock assembly disposed thereon.

6. The dolly of claim 1 , wherein the dolly comprises a plurality of dollies coupled to one another such that each of the plurality of the dollies comprises the interlock assembly disposed thereon.

7. The dolly of claim 1 , wherein the dolly comprises a plurality of dollies coupled to one another such that only one dolly comprises the controller and power source of the interlock assembly disposed thereon, while at least one dolly has the sensor disposed thereon.

8. The dolly of claim 1 , further comprising a limit switch cooperative with the automated safety interlock assembly such that the limit switch provides further notorious indicia of the operational status of the dolly.

9. The dolly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an ultrasonic detector, audio detector, infrared detector, microwave detector, camera and lidar detector.

10. A dolly towing system comprising:
a tow motor comprising a wheeled platform and a source of motive power;
at least one dolly selectively coupled to the tow motor, the dolly defining a wheel platform;
an electric generator coupled to the wheeled platform such that rotational movement of at least one wheel of the wheeled platform operates the generator; and
an automated safety interlock assembly comprising:
at least one sensor configured to wirelessly ascertain a connectivity status of the dolly to the tow motor;
a controller in signal communication with the at least one sensor;
a power source cooperative with at least one of the controller and the at least one sensor to provide electrical power thereto; and
circuitry responsive to the controller to provide notorious indicia of an operational status of the dolly.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein at least the controller and the power source is situated on the dolly.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the dolly forms part of a dolly train comprising a plurality of dollies.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the sensor is disposed on one of the dollies within the train while the controller and the power source are disposed on another of the dollies within the train.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the sensor is disposed on one of the dollies within the train while the controller and the power source are disposed on the same dolly within the train.

15. A method of operating a dolly towing system, the method comprising:
arranging at least one dolly to comprise:
a wheeled platform;
an electric generator coupled to the wheeled platform such that rotational movement of at least one wheel of the wheeled platform operates the generator; and
an automated safety interlock assembly comprising:
at least one sensor configured to wirelessly ascertain a connectivity status of the dolly to a tow motor;
a controller in signal communication with the at least one sensor;
a power source cooperative with at least one of the controller and the at least one sensor to provide electrical power thereto; and
circuitry responsive to the controller; and

joining the tow motor to the dolly such that the interlock assembly provides notorious indicia of an operational status of the system to an operator thereof.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the circuitry further comprises at least one wireless portion thereof in which to convey to at least one alarm disposed on the tow motor a signal corresponding to the notorious indicia.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the notorious indicia is provided to the operator prior to movement of the joined dolly and tow motor.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the notorious indicia continues to be provided to the operator after movement of the joined dolly and tow motor.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the system comprises a plurality of joined dollies each of which have a sensor and a portion of the circuitry disposed thereon but only one of which has the controller and power source disposed thereon.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising moving the system under motive power from the tow motor such that electric power needed to operate the interlock assembly is provided by the generator.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Epperson Adam M

Classifications

• B62D63/08

  Component parts or accessories · CPC title

• B60Q5/005

  automatically actuated · CPC title

• B62D53/00 Primary

  Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains (traction couplings other than fifth wheel coupling B60D {; tracked vehicles comprising at least two articulated parts B62D55/0655}) · CPC title

• H04W84/18

  Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks · CPC title

• B62D53/005

  Combinations with at least three axles and comprising two or more articulated parts (articulated buses B62D47/025) · CPC title