IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0581619
(2009-10-19)
|
등록번호 |
US-8282111
(2012-10-09)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Hailston, Bruce L.
- Richard, Andrew P.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Varnum, Riddering, Schmidt & Howlett LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
10 인용 특허 :
23 |
초록
▼
A cart may include a frame, a plurality of wheels carried by the frame, a platform movably carried by the frame, and a lift assembly. The lift assembly may be carried at least in part by the frame and operably associated with the platform to move the platform relative to the frame. The lift assembly
A cart may include a frame, a plurality of wheels carried by the frame, a platform movably carried by the frame, and a lift assembly. The lift assembly may be carried at least in part by the frame and operably associated with the platform to move the platform relative to the frame. The lift assembly may include at least one hydraulic actuator having a piston rod movable under hydraulic pressure to move the platform relative to the frame.
대표청구항
▼
1. A cart, comprising: a frame;a plurality of wheels carried by the frame;a pallet support platform movably carried by the frame;a lift actuator carried at least in part by the frame and operably associated with the platform to move the platform up and down relative to the frame; said platform inclu
1. A cart, comprising: a frame;a plurality of wheels carried by the frame;a pallet support platform movably carried by the frame;a lift actuator carried at least in part by the frame and operably associated with the platform to move the platform up and down relative to the frame; said platform including one or more pallet retention features adapted to be engaged by a pallet disposed on the platform to limit relative sliding movement of the pallet;a guide assembly including guide members carried by the frame and guided members carried by the platform for movement relative to the guide members, the guided members being rotatably movable relative to the guide members to reduce the tendency for the guided members to bind against the guide members during movement of the platform relative to the frame;a linkage interconnecting the frame and the platform to distribute the force provided on the platform by the lift actuator to at least two spaced apart locations on the platform; andthe linkage further includes first and second link sets with each link set having upper links connected to the platform and lower links connected to the frame, the upper links and lower links being connected together at a pivot, and the linkage also includes a center link interconnecting the first and second link sets. 2. The cart of claim 1 wherein the guided members are carried on a pivot that is fixed against rotation relative to the platform. 3. The cart of claim 1 which also includes a return assist feature operably associated with the platform to lower the platform. 4. The cart of claim 3 wherein the return assist feature produces a force on the platform opposing the force on the platform provided by the lift actuator, and the force produced by the return assist feature increases as the platform is driven to a raised position by the lift actuator to facilitate returning the platform to a lowered position when it is not driven by the lift actuator. 5. The cart of claim 4 wherein the return assist feature includes at least one pneumatic cylinder, hydraulic cylinder or spring. 6. The cart of claim 1 which also includes said lift actuator being electrically driven. 7. The cart of claim 6 wherein the electrically driven lift actuator is powered by a battery carried by the frame. 8. The cart of claim 7 wherein the lift actuator may be manually operated to permit use without electrical power. 9. The cart of claim 1 in which said lift actuator is a hydraulic actuator, said cart including a flow limiter that limits the flow rate of hydraulic fluid out of the hydraulic actuator to limit the speed at which the platform moves toward its lowered position. 10. The cart of claim 1 which also includes an operator control module releasably coupled to the frame to permit the control module to be used with different frames and platforms. 11. The cart of claim 10 wherein said lift actuator is a hydraulic actuator, and the control module includes an upright and one or more handles, a hydraulic pump, a battery to electrically drive the pump, and conduits permitting supply from and return to the pump of hydraulic fluid, and which also includes one or more conduits permitting supply to and return from the hydraulic actuator of hydraulic fluid and when the control module is connected to the frame, the pump conduits are releasably connected to the actuator conduits. 12. The cart of claim 1 which also includes a brake mechanism having a brake member carried by at least one wheel, and a driven member adapted to engage the brake member. 13. The cart of claim 12 which also includes a hub upon which a wheel is carried, and wherein the brake member includes a disc fixed to the hub and the actuated member includes brake calipers disposed adjacent to the disc to selectively frictionally engage the disc when actuated. 14. The cart of claim 1 which also includes a lift assembly carried at least in part by the frame and operably associated with the platform to move the platform relative to the frame; andan operator control module releasably coupled to the frame and including one or more handles and a portion of the lift assembly. 15. The cart of claim 14 wherein the lift assembly includes a drive member carried by the operator control module and an actuator driven by the drive member and coupled to the frame and platform to move the platform relative to the frame. 16. The cart of claim 15 wherein the drive member is electrically driven and the operator control module also carries a battery connected to the drive member. 17. The cart of claim 15 wherein the drive member is a hydraulic pump and the operator control module also includes suitable conduits connected to the hydraulic pump and adapted to be releasably coupled to conduits associated with the actuator when the operator control module is coupled to the frame. 18. The cart of claim 1, combined with a pallet having downwardly depending side legs having an inside width therebetween, said frame and said platform having approximately the same width from side to side, said width being slightly narrower than said inside width between said pallet legs. 19. The cart of claim 18 comprising: said frame including a platform support having sides defining the width of said frame;said sides deviating inwardly for a portion of the distance along the length of said sides;said plurality of wheels including a pair of forward wheels, a pair of middle wheels, and a pair of rear swivel mounted wheels carried by the frame;said pair of middle wheels being larger in diameter than said pairs of front and rear wheels, and being located in said inward deviations in said platform sides, whereby said middle wheels are located generally within the width of said frame in order to keep said cart compact from side to side;said front and rear wheels being smaller in diameter than said middle wheels, whereby they are located generally below said frame, between said platform sides;said front and rear wheels also being positioned such that said front wheels are elevated above the ground when said middle and rear wheels engage the ground, allowing the cart to be pivoted on said middle wheels and said rear swivel wheels for convenient mobility. 20. The cart of claim 19 comprising: said frame being formed of side support members and platform support members secured thereto and extending outwardly therefrom to define the width of said frame, and to provide an open framework platform support;said platform being an open framework platform, defined by side frame members joined by cross members, leaving openings in said platform;said platform openings providing said one or more pallet retention features adapted to be engaged by a pallet disposed on the platform to limit relative sliding movement of the pallet. 21. The cart of claim 1 comprising: said frame including a platform support having sides defining the width of said frame;said sides deviating inwardly for a portion of the distance along the length of said sides;said plurality of wheels including a pair of forward wheels, a pair of middle wheels, and a pair of rear swivel mounted wheels carried by the frame;said pair of middle wheels being larger in diameter than said pairs of front and rear wheels, and being located in said inward deviations in said platform sides, whereby said middle wheels are located generally within the width of said frame in order to keep said cart compact from side to side;said front and rear wheels being smaller in diameter than said middle wheels, whereby they are located generally below said frame, between said platform sides;said front and rear wheels also being positioned such that said front wheels are elevated above the ground when said middle and rear wheels engage the ground, allowing the cart to be pivoted on said middle wheels and said rear swivel wheels for convenient mobility. 22. A cart, comprising: a frame formed of side support members and platform support members secured thereto and extending outwardly therefrom to provide frame sides which define the width of said frame from side to side, and to provide an open framework platform support;said platform support members deviating inwardly for a portion of the distance along the length of said frame sides;a pair of forward wheels, a pair of middle wheels, and a pair of rear swivel mounted wheels carried by said frame;said pair of middle wheels being larger in diameter than said pairs of front and rear wheels, and being located in said inward deviations in said platform sides, whereby said middle wheels are located generally within the width of said frame in order to keep said cart compact from side to side;said front and rear wheels being smaller in diameter than said middle wheels, whereby they are located generally below said frame, between said platform sides;said front and rear wheels also being positioned such that said front wheels are elevated above the ground when said middle and rear wheels engage the ground, allowing the cart to be pivoted on said middle wheels and said rear swivel wheels for convenient mobility;an open framework platform movably carried by the frame;said open framework platform being defined by side frame members joined by cross members, leaving openings in said platform;a lift actuator carried at least in part by the frame and operably associated with the platform to move the platform up and down relative to the frame. 23. The cart of claim 22 which also includes a guide assembly including guide members carried by the frame and guided members carried by the platform for movement relative to the guide members, the guided members being rotatably movable relative to the guide members to reduce the tendency for the guided members to bind against the guide members during movement of the platform relative to the frame. 24. The cart of claim 23 wherein a linkage that interconnects the frame and the platform to distribute the force provided on the platform by the lift actuator to at least two spaced apart locations on the platform. 25. The cart of claim 24 wherein the linkage includes first and second link sets with each link set having upper links connected to the platform and lower links connected to the frame, the upper links and lower links being connected together at a pivot, and the linkage also includes a center link interconnecting the first and second link sets. 26. A cart, comprising: a frame formed of side support members and platform support members secured thereto and extending outwardly therefrom to define the width of said frame, and to provide an open framework platform support;a plurality of wheels carried by said frame;an open framework platform movably carried by the frame;said open framework platform being defined by side frame members joined by cross members, leaving openings in said platform;a lift actuator carried at least in part by the frame and operably associated with the platform to move the platform up and down relative to the frame;said platform openings providing one or more pallet retention features adapted to be engaged by a pallet disposed on the platform to limit relative sliding movement of the pallet;a guide assembly including guide members carried by the frame and guided members carried by the platform for movement relative to the guide members, the guided members being rotatably movable relative to the guide members to reduce the tendency for the guided members to bind against the guide members during movement of the platform relative to the frame;a linkage interconnecting the frame and the platform to distribute the force provided on the platform by the lift actuator to at least two spaced apart locations on the platform; andthe linkage includes first and second link sets with each link set having upper links connected to the platform and lower links connected to the frame, the upper links and lower links being connected together at a pivot, and the linkage also includes a center link interconnecting the first and second link sets. 27. A cart and pallet combination, said pallet having downwardly depending side legs having an inside width therebetween, said cart comprising: a frame;a plurality of wheels carried by the frame;an open framework platform movably carried by the frame;said open framework platform being defined by side frame members joined by cross members, leaving openings in said platform;a lift assembly carried at least in part by said frame and operably associated with said platform to move the platform relative to the frame, the lift assembly including at least one actuator movable to move the platform upwardly and downwardly relative to said frame;said frame and said platform having approximately the same width from side to side, said width being slightly narrower than said inside width between said pallet legs;a guide assembly including guide members carried by the frame and guided members carried by the platform for movement relative to the guide members, the guided members being rotatably movable relative to the guide members to reduce the tendency for the guided members to bind against the guide members during movement of the platform relative to the frame;a linkage interconnected to the frame and the platform to distribute the force provided on the platform by the lift actuator to at least two spaced apart locations on the platform; andthe linkage includes first and second link sets with each link set having upper links connected to the platform and lower links connected to the frame, the upper links and lower links being connected together at a pivot, and linkage also includes a center link interconnecting the first and second link sets.
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