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;the platform includi

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;the platform including, in combination with a pallet supported on said platform, pallet interlocking features configured so that pallet retention features disposed on the platform are adapted to be engaged by a pallet having pallet protrusion features disposed on the pallet and/or so that pallet reception features disposed on the pallet are adapted to be engaged by a platform having protrusion features disposed on the platform so as to limit relative sliding movement of the pallet;the pallet comprises legs which maintain a product carrying surface of the pallet off of the floor or ground;the platform is slid beneath the product carrying surface of the pallet, with the platform in a lowered position and disposed between pallet legs;the platform is capable of being raised by applied forces until the platform engages and lifts the pallet off the ground; andwith the platform in a raised position, the cart can then be moved along the floor or ground so as to appropriately locate the pallet. 2. A cart in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that said interlocking features comprise: platform protrusions extending upwardly from an upward surface of the platform;apertures or recesses existing within a surface of the pallet, with the pallet protrusions extending into the apertures or recesses. 3. A cart in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the interlocking features comprise: a series of recesses or apertures formed as the upper surface of the platform;the pallet includes a top portion having a lower surface with a series of pallet protrusions mounted to the lower surface, so that when the pallet is mounted to the platform, the pallet protrusions will be received within the apertures or recesses and the top portion of the platform. 4. A cart in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the upper surface of the platform is substantially covered, without any substantial openings extending completely through the surfaces of the platform. 5. A cart in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the pallet includes an inverted U-shape having depending legs for offering stability. 6. The cart of claim 1 which also includes a return assist feature operably associated with the platform to lower the platform. 7. The cart of claim 6 wherein the return assist feature produces a force on the platform opposing the force on the platform provided by a lift actuator, and the force produced by the return assist feature facilitates returning the platform to a lowered position when it is not driven by the lift actuator. 8. The cart of claim 7 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. 9. 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. 10. 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. 11. 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. 12. 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. 13. 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. 14. A cart, comprising: 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;the platform including, in combination with a pallet supported on said platform, pallet interlocking features configured so that pallet retention features disposed on the platform are adapted to be engaged by a pallet having pallet protrusion features disposed on the pallet and/or so that pallet reception features disposed on the pallet are adapted to be engaged by a platform having protrusion features disposed on the platform so as 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. 15. A cart, comprising: a frame;a plurality of wheels carried by the frame;a pallet to 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;the platform including, in combination with a pallet supported on the platform, pallet interlocking features configured so that pallet retention features disposed on the platform are adapted to be engaged by a pallet having pallet protrusion features disposed on the pallet and/or so that pallet reception features disposed on the pallet are adapted to be engaged by a platform having protrusion features disposed on a platform so as to limit relative sliding movement of the pallet;the pallet having downwardly appending 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;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. 16. A cart in accordance with claim 15, characterized in that: the linkage distributes the forces 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 with the linkage further comprising a center link interconnecting the first and second link sets. 17. 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;the platform including, in combination with a pallet supported on said platform, pallet interlocking features configured so that pallet retention features disposed on the platform are adaptably engaged by a pallet having pallet protrusion features disposed on the pallet and/or so that pallet reception features disposed on the pallet are adapted to be engaged by a platform having protrusion features disposed on the platform so as to limit relative sliding movement of the pallet; andsaid pallet interlocking features are further configured so that said pallet retention features and/or the pallet protrusion features are located inboard of an outer edge of the platform and/or extend transversely across an interface of the platform and pallet. 18. A cart in accordance with claim 17, characterized in that said interlocking features comprise: platform protrusions extending upwardly from an upward surface of the platform; andapertures or recesses existing within a surface of the pallet, with the pallet protrusions extending into the apertures or recesses. 19. A cart in accordance with claim 17, characterized in that the upper surface of the platform is substantially covered, without any substantial openings extending completely through the surfaces of the platform. 20. A cart in accordance with claim 17, characterized in that the pallet includes an inverted U-shape having depending legs for offering stability. 21. 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;the frame comprising a platform support having sides defining the width of the frame;the plurality of wheels including at least a pair of forward wheels and a pair of rear swivel mounted wheels carried by the frame;the plurality of wheels being located within the width of the frame;the platform further comprising pallet interlocking features adapted to engage a pallet having legs which maintain a product carrying surface off of the floor or ground; andthe pallet support platform and the plurality of wheels are sized and configured so that the plurality of wheels are always maintained within inner dimensions of pallet legs during maneuvering of the cart.