Load wheel designs for pallet entry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745778-B2
Application number	US-201916656854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2019
Priority date	Oct 18, 2019
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

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.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. 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.

2. The forked material-handling vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises a torque-coupling means for coupling torque between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel.

3. The forked material-handling vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises an idler wheel.

4. The forked material-handling vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the idler wheel comprises a polymer, polyurethane, or a metal.

5. The forked material-handling vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the torque-coupling assembly includes an idler wheel having an idler wheel surface, and wherein the idler wheel surface has direct contact with a forward load wheel surface of the forward load wheel and a rear load wheel surface of the rear load wheel.

6. The forked material-handling vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the torque-coupling assembly is positioned above the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel.

7. 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.

8. The forked material-handling vehicle of claim 1 , 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 shorter than or equal to the greater of the forward wheel height and the rear wheel height.

9. 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.

10. The forked material-handling vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises a resilient force-applying coupling assembly configured to elastically couple torque between the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel.

11. The forked material-handling vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises a resilient force-applying coupling assembly that comprises one or more of a torsion spring, a tension spring, a leaf spring, a spring plate, and a spring-loaded clip.

12. The forked material-handling vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises an idler wheel, wherein the forward load wheel has a forward axle assembly, wherein the rear wheel has a rear axle assembly, wherein the idler wheel has an idler axle, wherein the torque-coupling assembly is indirectly connected to the idler axle, and wherein the torque-coupling assembly at least partly directly or indirectly surrounds the forward axle assembly or the rear axle assembly.

13. 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.

14. The forked material-handling vehicle of claim 1 , further including at least one of first and second wheel carriers, wherein the first wheel carrier or the second wheel carrier has a forward pocket and a rear pocket positioned higher than the respective forward load wheel and the rear load wheel, wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises an idler wheel having an idler axle, wherein the torque-coupling assembly extends from the forward pocket to the rear pocket and arcs over at least a portion of the idler axle to resiliently force the idler axle toward the forward load wheel and the rear load wheel.

15. The forked material-handling vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises a resilient force-applying coupling assembly, wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises an idler wheel having an idler axle that comprises an idler slot, and wherein a portion of the resilient force-applying coupling assembly passes through the idler slot.

16. The forked material-handling vehicle of claim 1 , further including a wheel carrier, wherein the torque-coupling assembly comprises a resilient force-applying coupling assembly that compr

Assignees

• Hyster Yale Group Inc

Inventors

• White Andrew

Classifications

• B62B3/0618 Primary

  using fluid lifting mechanisms · CPC title

• B62B3/0625

  using rigid mechanical lifting mechanisms, e.g. levers, cams or gears · CPC title

• B62B3/0637

  using flexible mechanical lifting mechanisms, e.g. ropes or chains · CPC title

• B65G7/04

  Rollers · CPC title

• B66F9/22

  Hydraulic devices or systems · CPC title