Drive unit for propelling a cart forward-and-backward and side-to-side
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
A61G-007/05
출원번호
US-0144805
(2013-12-31)
등록번호
US-8950522
(2015-02-10)
발명자
/ 주소
Lenkman, Thomas E.
출원인 / 주소
Lenkman, Thomas E.
대리인 / 주소
Fishel, Grace J.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
11
초록▼
A drive unit for propelling a cart in a forward or reverse direction or from side-to-side. The drive unit has a top plate affixed to a bottom frame of the cart. A pivot plate carrying a drive wheel carriage is pivoted from the plate. The drive wheel carriage includes a yoke in which a drive wheel is
A drive unit for propelling a cart in a forward or reverse direction or from side-to-side. The drive unit has a top plate affixed to a bottom frame of the cart. A pivot plate carrying a drive wheel carriage is pivoted from the plate. The drive wheel carriage includes a yoke in which a drive wheel is mounted. The drive wheel carriage is rockably and rotatably suspended from the pivot plate with the drive wheel biased out of contact with a supporting surface by a spring and biased into contact with the supporting surface with an inflatable air bag. The drive wheel may propel the cart forward when the drive wheel is aligned with the cart's longitudinal axis and from side-to-side when the drive wheel is aligned with the cart's transverse axis.
대표청구항▼
1. A drive unit for a cart having a lower frame mounted on swivel wheels and a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, said drive unit having a fixed top plate for attachment to the lower frame of the cart, said fixed top plate having a first pivot hole for a pivot pin;a pivot plate having a second
1. A drive unit for a cart having a lower frame mounted on swivel wheels and a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, said drive unit having a fixed top plate for attachment to the lower frame of the cart, said fixed top plate having a first pivot hole for a pivot pin;a pivot plate having a second pivot hole for the pivot pin and suspended from the fixed top plate by the pivot pin, said pivot plate further having a downwardly extending attachment plate with a hole;a drive wheel carriage having a yoke carried by the pivot plate and in which a reversible motor and at least one drive wheel are mounted,said yoke mounted on an arm with a downwardly extending flange with an outwardly extending pin, said pin passing through the hole in the attachment plate for rockably and rotatably suspending the yoke on the pivot plate by the pin,said yoke resiliently biased against the pivot plate by a spring such that the at least one drive wheel is out of contact with the supporting surface and selectively biased by an inflatable air bag for forcing the drive wheel into contact with the supporting surface against the resisting force of the spring,whereby the drive unit may propel a cart forward and reverse when the at least one drive wheel is aligned with the cart's longitudinal axis and forced into contact with supporting surface by the air bag and from side-to-side when the at least one drive wheel is aligned with the cart's transverse axis and forced into contact with the supporting surface. 2. The drive unit of claim 1 further comprising a linear actuator for rotating the pivot plate on the pivot pin, a first end of the linear actuator mounted to the fixed top plate and a second end of the linear actuator mounted to the pivot plate, said linear actuator rotating the pivot plate through at least a 90° angle to align the at least one drive wheel along either of the cart's longitudinal and transverse axes. 3. The drive unit of claim 2 wherein a stop is provided in the top fixed plate and the pivot plate to secure the drive wheel alignment with cart's longitudinal or transverse axis when the drive wheel is forced into contact with the supporting surface. 4. The drive unit of claim 3 wherein the stop comprises first and second apertures and a detent, said detent centered on the second pivot hole in the pivot plate and the first and second apertures centered about the first pivot hole in the fixed top plate, said first aperture receiving the detent when the pivot plate is rotated such that the at least one drive wheel is aligned with the cart's longitudinal axis and said second aperture receiving the detent when the pivot plate is rotated such that the at least one drive wheel is aligned with the cart's transverse axis. 5. A drive unit for a cart having a lower frame mounted on swivel wheels and a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, said drive unit having a fixed top plate for attachment to the lower frame of the cart, said fixed top plate having a first pivot hole for a pivot pin;a pivot plate having a second pivot hole for the pivot pin and suspended from the fixed top plate by the pivot pin, said pivot plate further having a downwardly extending attachment plate with a hole;a drive wheel carriage having a yoke carried by the pivot plate and in which a reversible motor and a first drive wheel is mounted with second and third drive wheels pivoted to the first drive wheel, said first drive wheel connected to the reversible motor,said yoke mounted on an arm with a downwardly extending flange with an outwardly extending pin, said pin passing through the hole in the attachment plate for rockably and rotatably suspending the yoke on the pivot plate by the pin,said yoke resiliently biased against the pivot plate by a spring such that the first drive wheel is out of contact with the supporting surface and selectively biased by an inflatable air bag for forcing the drive wheel into contact with the supporting surface against the resisting force of the spring, each of said second and third drive wheels resiliently biased against the pivot plate by second and third springs, respectively, such that said second and third drive wheels are out of contact with the supporting surface and each of said second and third drive wheels selectively biased by second and third air bags, respectively, for forcing said second and third drive wheels into contact with the supporting surface against the resisting force of the second and third springs, said first air bag inflated independently of the second and third air bags, a linear actuator for rotating the pivot plate on the pivot pin, a first end of the linear actuator mounted to the fixed top plate and a second end of the linear actuator mounted to the pivot plate, said linear actuator rotating the pivot plate through at least a 90° angle to align the at least one drive wheel along either of the cart's longitudinal and transverse axes,whereby the drive unit may propel a cart forward and reverse when the first drive wheel is aligned with the cart's longitudinal axis and forced into contact with supporting surface by the first air bag and from side-to-side when the first drive wheel is aligned with the cart's transverse axis and first, second and third drive wheels are forced into contact with the supporting surface by the first, second and third air bags. 6. The drive unit of claim 5 wherein the first hole to accommodates the rocking movement pivot plate. 7. The drive unit of claim 5 wherein a stop is provided in the top fixed plate centered on the first pivot hole and in the pivot plate centered on the second pivot hole to secure the first drive wheel's alignment with the cart's longitudinal or transverse axis when the first drive wheel is forced into contact with the supporting surface. 8. The drive unit of claim 7 wherein the pivot plate is biased such that it hangs canted on the pivot pin in the first pivot hole with the stop disengaged when the first drive wheel is out of contact with the supporting surface. 9. The drive unit of claim 5 wherein the fixed top plate has an arc shaped cut-out centered on the first pivot hole, said pivot plate having at least one upstanding tab in registry with the cut-out;each tab having a roller adapted to roll on the surface of the pivot plate adjacent the cut-out. 10. The drive unit of claim 1 wherein the yoke has a center yoke section with a first axle on which the first drive wheel is mounted, said first section is flanked by second and third yoke sections with second and third axles on which the second and third drive wheels are mounted, said second and third yoke sections pivoted to the first yoke section, each of said yoke sections having separate air bags and springs for biasing the yoke sections in and out of contact with the support surface.
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