Traction device and traction method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11203239-B2
Application number	US-201816486654-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2018
Priority date	Feb 17, 2017
Publication date	Dec 21, 2021
Grant date	Dec 21, 2021

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a traction device and a traction method. The traction device includes: a support chassis; a swing arm, one end of the swing arm is rotatably connected to the support chassis by a rotating shaft such that the swing arm can be switched in a retracted state and a deployed state, wherein the swing arm in the deployed state is adapted to drive the wheel of the vehicle to rotate and tow the vehicle; a driving mechanism, connected to the swing arm, wherein the driving mechanism is capable of driving the swing arm to horizontally rotate around the rotating shaft to switch the swing arm between the retracted state and the deployed state; and a rolling assembly, disposed on a side of the support chassis and being capable of preventing the wheel from contacting with the side of the support chassis when the vehicle is towed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A traction device for towing a vehicle, the traction device comprising:
a support chassis;
a swing arm, wherein one end of the swing arm is rotatably connected to the support chassis by means of a rotating shaft such that the other end of the swing arm can move close to or away from the support chassis, when the other end of the swing arm moves away from the support chassis, the swing arm is in a deployed state, and when the other end of the swing arm moves close to the support chassis, the swing arm is in a retracted state, wherein when in the deployed state, the swing arm is adapted to contact with a circumferential surface of a wheel of the vehicle so as to drive the wheel of the vehicle to rotate and tow the vehicle;
a driving mechanism, connected to the swing arm, wherein the driving mechanism is capable of driving the swing arm to horizontally rotate around the rotating shaft so as to switch the swing arm between the retracted state and the deployed state; and
a rolling assembly, disposed on a side of the support chassis and being capable of preventing the wheel from contacting with the side of the support chassis when the vehicle is towed,
wherein the side of the support chassis is provided with a deployment limit portion, and the deployment limit portion is disposed on a moving path of the swing arm for defining a position of the swing arm in the deployed state.

2. The traction device according to claim 1 , wherein the rolling assembly comprises a stationary shaft disposed on the support chassis and a roller pivotally connected to the stationary shaft.

3. The traction device according to claim 1 , wherein the swing arm comprises a front swing arm and a rear swing arm, wherein the wheel of the vehicle to be towed is located between the front swing arm and the rear swing arm in the deployed state, and the rear swing arm is adapted to drive the wheel of the vehicle to rotate.

4. The traction device according to claim 3 , wherein the driving mechanism is adapted to drive the front swing arm and the rear swing arm to rotate in one of the following manners:
driving the front swing arm and the rear swing arm to rotate synchronously; and
driving the front swing arm or the rear swing arm to rotate independently.

5. The traction device according to claim 1 , wherein the driving mechanism is a telescopic mechanism for driving the swing arm to horizontally rotate by its own telescopic movement.

6. The traction device according to claim 5 , wherein the telescopic mechanism is a hydraulic cylinder or an electric push rod.

7. The traction device according to claim 1 , wherein the side of the support chassis is provided with a retraction limit portion, and when the swing arm is in the retracted state, the retraction limit portion is located between the swing arm and the support chassis to space the swing arm and the support chassis apart from each other.

8. The traction device according to claim 7 , wherein the retraction limit portion comprises a receiving groove for matching with an outer surface contour of the swing arm.

9. The traction device according to claim 1 , wherein the deployment limit portion comprises a wedge-shaped groove, and the swing arm is provided with a wedge-shaped piece for matching with the wedge-shaped groove.

10. The traction device according to claim 1 , wherein the swing arm comprises an arm and a rotating member sleeved on the arm in an axial direction of the arm, wherein the rotating member is capable of rotating around an axis of the arm, and the rotating member can be rotated by the rotation of the wheel.

11. The traction device according to claim 10 , wherein the rotating member is a bearing or a nylon sleeve.

12. The traction device according to claim 1 , wherein a front end of the support chassis is provided with a traction portion.

13. The traction device according to claim 1 , wherein a rear end of the support chassis is provided with a travelling roller assembly.

14. A traction method by use of the traction device, wherein the traction device comprises:
a support chassis;
a swing arm, wherein one end of the swing arm is rotatably connected to the support chassis by means of a rotating shaft such that the other end of the swing arm can move close to or away from the support chassis, when the other end of the swing arm moves away from the support chassis, the swing arm is in a deployed state, and when the other end of the swing arm moves close to the support chassis, the swing arm is in a retracted state, wherein when in the deployed state, the swing arm is adapted to contact with a circumferential surface of a wheel of the vehicle so as to drive the wheel of the vehicle to rotate and tow the vehicle;
a driving mechanism, connected to the swing arm, wherein the driving mechanism is capable of driving the swing arm to horizontally rotate around the rotating shaft so as to switch the swing arm between the retracted state and the deployed state; and
a rolling assembly, disposed on a side of the support chassis and being capable of preventing the wheel from contacting with the side of the support chassis when the vehicle is towed
wherein the method comprises steps of:
parking the vehicle to be towed to a predetermined area;
moving the support chassis into a space below the vehicle;
actuating the driving mechanism to adjust the swing arm to the deployed state such that the swing arm contacts with the wheel of the vehicle;
dragging the traction device, wherein the swing arm drives the wheel to rotate so as to tow the vehicle to a predetermined position;
actuating the driving mechanism to adjust the swing arm to the retracted state;
moving the traction device out of the space below the vehicle and moving the traction device to the predetermined area to tow the next vehicle.

15. The traction method according to claim 14 , wherein the rolling assembly comprises a stationary shaft disposed on the support chassis and a roller pivotally connected to the stationary shaft.

16. The traction method according to claim 14 , wherein the swing arm comprises a front swing arm and a rear swing arm, wherein the wheel of the vehicle to be towed is located between the front swing arm and the rear swing arm in the deployed state, and the rear swing arm is adapted to drive the wheel of the vehicle to rotate.

17. The traction method according to claim 16 , wherein the driving mechanism is adapted to drive the front swing arm and the rear swing arm to rotate in one of the following manners:
driving the front swing arm and the rear swing arm to rotate synchronously; and
driving the front swing arm or the rear swing arm to rotate independently.

18. The traction method according to claim 14 , wherein the driving mechanism is a telescopic mechanism for driving the swing arm to horizontally rotate by its own telescopic movement.

19. The traction method according to claim 14 , wherein the side of the support chassis is provided with a retraction limit portion, and when the swing arm is in the retracted state, the retraction limit portion is located between the swing arm and the support chassis to space the swing arm and the support chassis apart from each other.

20. A traction device for towing a vehicle, the traction device comprising:
a support chassis;
a swing arm, wherein one end of the swing arm is rotatably connected to the support chassis by means of a rotating shaft such that the other end of the swing arm can move close to or away from the support chassis, when the other end

Assignees

• Nuctech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sun Shangmin
• Li Hongqi
• He Yuan
• Song Quanwei
• Wang Qiangqiang
• Yu Weifeng

Classifications

• B60D1/24 Primary

  characterised by arrangements for particular functions · CPC title

• B60D1/42 Primary

  for being adjustable · CPC title

• B60S13/00 Primary

  Vehicle-manoeuvring devices separate from the vehicle (vehicle lifting {, e.g. liftable turntables} or pushing devices B66F; {workshop equipment B25H}) · CPC title

• B60D1/52

  removably mounted · CPC title