Drive unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12005947-B2
Application number	US-202017117456-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2020
Priority date	Jan 10, 2020
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

A drive unit includes a support frame, a drive wheel and a prime mover. The support frame is disposed to be pivotable about a pivot axis. The drive wheel is supported by the support frame. The prime mover is supported by the support frame. The prime mover drives the drive wheel. The support frame and at least one member form a pivot unit. The at least one member pivots together with the support frame. The pivot unit has a center of gravity disposed on the opposite side of the pivot axis with respect to the drive wheel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drive unit configured to be attached to a carrier that has a steering axle member and a support shaft member, the drive unit comprising:
a support frame disposed to be pivotable about a pivot axis;
a drive wheel supported by the support frame;
a prime mover supported by the support frame, the prime mover configured to drive the drive wheel; and
a coupling member by which the drive unit can be attached to the carrier, the coupling member being configured to detachably fit around both the steering axle member and the support shaft member of the carrier with the pivot axis being provided by the coupling member,
wherein a pivot unit, comprised by the support frame and at least one member other than the drive wheel, pivots relative to the pivot axis, and wherein the drive wheel and a center of gravity of the pivot unit are disposed on the same side of the pivot axis with the center of gravity of the pivot unit being farther from the pivot axis than the drive wheel is.

2. The drive unit according to claim 1 , wherein the prime mover and the drive wheel are disposed on the same side of the pivot axis with the prime mover being farther from the pivot axis than the drive wheel is.

3. The drive unit according to claim 1 , further comprising a battery and an inverter each supported by the support frame, wherein the battery and the inverter are each disposed on the same side of the pivot axis as the drive wheel is, with the battery and the inverter each being farther from the pivot axis than the drive wheel is.

4. The drive unit according to claim 3 , wherein the battery and the inverter each have a center of gravity disposed farther from the pivot axis than a center of gravity of the prime mover is.

5. The drive unit according to claim 1 , further comprising a power transmission mechanism configured to transmit power from the prime mover to the drive wheel, the power transmission mechanism supported by the support frame,
wherein the power transmission mechanism is disposed on the same side of the pivot axis as the drive wheel is, with the power transmission mechanism being farther from the pivot axis than the drive wheel is.

6. The drive unit according to claim 1 , further comprising a weight supported by the support frame, wherein the weight is disposed on the same side of the pivot axis as the drive wheel is, with the weight being farther from the pivot axis than the drive wheel is.

7. The drive unit according to claim 6 , wherein the weight has a center of gravity disposed farther from the pivot axis than a center of gravity of the prime mover is.

Assignees

• Exedy Corp

Inventors

• Katsura Hitoshi
• Kitamura Taichi
• Baba Chika

Classifications

• B62B3/0612

  power operated · CPC title

• B62D51/04

  the driver walking · CPC title

• B62B3/001

  Steering devices · CPC title

• B62B3/0618

  using fluid lifting mechanisms · CPC title

• B62B3/06

  for simply clearing the load from the ground (masted lift trucks B66F) · CPC title