초록 ▼

A powered hand truck for assisting in the movement of objects. The powered hand truck includes an electric motor, a power source, a programable motor controller, and a transaxle, which are adaptable to existing hand trucks, or may be integrated into a new powered hand truck. The transaxle includes

A powered hand truck for assisting in the movement of objects. The powered hand truck includes an electric motor, a power source, a programable motor controller, and a transaxle, which are adaptable to existing hand trucks, or may be integrated into a new powered hand truck. The transaxle includes a differential allowing easy maneuvering of the hand truck. Power is provided by replaceable/rechargeable batteries. The motor controller controls the motor to provide consistent speed independent of load weight or incline, and further provides regenerative braking. The motor controller also includes diagnostics communicated through a display mounted to the hand truck.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A powering assembly for converting a manual hand truck to a motor driven hand truck, the assembly comprising: an electric motor; a transaxle driven by the electric motor and having differentially connected right and left axles; right and left wheels attached to the right and left axles

I claim: 1. A powering assembly for converting a manual hand truck to a motor driven hand truck, the assembly comprising: an electric motor; a transaxle driven by the electric motor and having differentially connected right and left axles; right and left wheels attached to the right and left axles respectively; a right locking hub connected between the right axle and the right wheel and a left locking hub connected between the left axle and the left wheel, each locking hub having a first hub position and a second hub position, wherein in the first hub position each locking hub disengages the respective wheel from the respective axle, and in the second hub position each locking hub engages the respective wheel with the respective axle; a motor controller electrically connected to the motor; a power source electrically connected to the motor controller; and said powering assembly fits substantially within an outer frame width of the hand truck. 2. The powering assembly of claim 1, wherein: the axles include wheel grooves, and wherein the wheels include fixing pins for engaging the wheel grooves to attach the wheels to the axles so that they are axially fixed with respect to the axles. 3. The powering assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer frame width is between approximately ten inches and approximately eighteen inches. 4. The powering assembly of claim 3, wherein the outer frame width is approximately twelve inches. 5. The powering assembly of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises two twelve volt batteries. 6. The powering assembly of claim 1, wherein the motor is between approximately one quarter and approximately one half horse power. 7. The powering assembly of claim 6, wherein the motor is between approximately one quarter and approximately one third horse power. 8. The powering assembly of claim 7, wherein the motor is approximately one quarter horse power. 9. The powering assembly of claim 8, wherein the transaxle and motor may be removed from the hand truck by releasing four fasteners. 10. The powering assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the powering assembly resides outside a wheel radius of the wheels, and the powering assembly further including side plates defining a protective profile for the powering assembly. 11. The powering assembly of claim 10, further including slides attached to the side plates to facilitate sliding the hand truck over obstacles. 12. The powering assembly of claim 11, wherein the slides are fabricated from polytetrafluoroethene (PTFE). 13. The powering assembly of claim 1, wherein the hand truck includes handles, and wherein the powering assembly includes a speed control attached to the handles, and a power on/off indicator residing proximal to the speed control. 14. The powering assembly of claim 1, further including a hi/low speed switch for selecting a high speed mode or a low speed mode. 15. The powering assembly of claim 14, wherein the high speed is approximately four miles per hour and the low speed is approximately two miles per hour. 16. The powering assembly of claim 1, wherein the hand truck is a convertible hand truck having a two wheel mode and a platform mode, and a low speed is automatically selected when the hand truck is in the two wheel mode. 17. A powered hand truck comprising: a hand truck having a frame defining an outer frame width; a handle connected to the frame for guiding the hand truck; an electric motor; differentially connected right and left axles driven by the electric motor; right and left wheels attached to the right and left axles respectively; a motor controller electrically connected to the motor; a speed control connected to the handle and communicating wirelessly with the motor controller; and a power source electrically connected to the motor controller, wherein said electric motor resides substantially within the outer frame width. 18. A powered hand truck comprising: a frame defining an outer frame width; a nose end of said frame for carrying material in a two wheel hand truck mode, wherein the nose end is proximal to a floor surface when the hand truck is used in the two wheel mode; a handle end of said frame opposite said nose end; an electric motor fixedly attached to said frame proximal to said nose end; a right axle and a left axle differentially connected and driven by the electric motor; right and left hand truck wheels attached to the right and left axles respectively and residing proximal to said nose end; a convertible frame residing parallel to the frame when the hand truck is in the two wheel mode, and configurable to reside substantially perpendicular to the frame and connected to the frame proximal to the handle end of the frame, when the hand truck is in a platform mode; right and left caster wheels attached to the convertible frame for use in the platform mode; a power source electrically connected to the electric motor, and a wireless speed control attached to the convertible frame opposite the caster wheels, wherein said motor, and power source reside substantially within the outer frame width. 19. The powering assembly of claim 18, wherein the hand truck wheels are connected to the axles so that the hand truck wheels may be set to rotate freely on the axles and may be fixed to the axles so that the hand truck wheels do not rotate with respect to the axles.