Patent Application
20230202545
Not Applicable
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The disclosure relates to hand truck assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new hand truck assembly for maneuvering loads in tight spaces. The present invention discloses a hand truck assembly comprising a selectively elevatable the tray, wherein the tray comprises an endless belt, and two independently operable drive wheels allowing rotation about an axis for maneuvering the hand truck assembly in tight spaces
The prior art relates to hand truck assemblies. Prior art hand truck assemblies may comprise hand truck assemblies wherein a tray is slidable relative to siderails of the hand truck assembly by means of electrically powered actuators. What is lacking in the prior art is a hand truck assembly wherein the tray in not engaged to the siderails, but still can be selectively elevated by an electrically powered actuator. Additionally lacking in the prior art is a hand truck assembly wherein the tray comprises an endless belt. Still further lacking in the prior art is a hand truck assembly comprising two independently operable drive wheels allowing rotation about an axis for maneuvering the hand truck assembly in tight spaces.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a first housing, which is engaged to a frame and which defines an interior space. A handle is engaged to the frame and extends upwardly from proximate to a rear of the frame. A lift module is engaged to and is electively extensible from the first housing. A tray is operationally engaged to the lift module and extends from a front of the frame. The tray is configured for positioning of a load, while the lift module is configured to selectively elevate the tray and the load. A pair of drive wheels, which are positioned singly on opposed facets of the first housing, is rotationally engaged to the first housing. A pair of drive motors is engaged to the first housing and positioned in the interior space. Each drive motor is operationally engaged to a respective drive wheel. The drive motors and the drive wheels are configured to motivate the powered hand truck assembly and the load across a surface and to effect 360° turns about a midpoint of an axis of rotation of the drive wheels.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The tray 24 comprises an endless belt 28, which is positioned around a pair of pulleys 30, and a pair of belt motors 32. Each belt motor 32 is reversible and is operationally engaged to a respective pulley 30 so that the endless belt 28 is selectively rotatable by the belt motors 32. The endless belt 28 is configured to transfer the load from a surface to the tray 24 and from the tray 24 to a target location.
A plurality of ridges 34 is engaged to and extends from the endless belt 28. The ridges 34 are configured to frictionally engage the load to facilitate transfer of the load from the surface to the tray 24 and from the tray 24 to the target location.
The powered hand truck assembly 10 also may comprise a pair of arms 36, each of which is pivotally engaged to a respective opposed side 102 of the tray 24. The arm 36 comprises a plurality of nested sections 104 so that a terminus 42 of the arm 36 is selectively extensible past a load that is positioned proximate to a forward edge 38 of the tray 24. Each of a pair of hooks 40 is engaged to the terminus 42 of a respective arm 36. Each of a pair of actuators 44 is operationally engaged to a respective arm 36 so that the respective arm 36 is selectively actuatable by the actuator 36 to extend the respective arm 36 to position an associated hook 40 past the load, pivotable so that the respective arm 36 abuts an associated side of the load, and retractable such that the associated hook 40 engages the load. The pair of arms 36 thus is configured to pull the load onto the tray 24. The present invention also anticipates the pair of arms 36 being used to facilitate off-loading of the load from the tray 24.
The powered hand truck assembly 10 also may comprise a ramp 46, which is engaged to and extends transversely from the forward edge 38 of the tray 24 toward the surface. The ramp 46 is configured to facilitate transfer of the load to and from the tray 24.
A pair of drive wheels 48, which are positioned singly on opposed facets 104 of the first housing 12, is rotationally engaged to the first housing 12. A pair of drive motors 50 is engaged to the first housing 12 and positioned in the interior space 16. Each drive motor 50 is operationally engaged to a respective drive wheel 48. The drive motors 50 and the drive wheels 48 are configured to motivate the powered hand truck assembly 10 and the load across a surface and to effect 360° turns about a midpoint 52 of an axis of rotation 54 of the drive wheels 48.
The lift module 22 may comprise a second housing 56, which defines an internal space 58 and is positioned above the first housing 12. A pair of L-brackets 60 is engaged to and extends from the second housing 56. The L-brackets 60 are tubular. A first section 62 of each L-bracket 60 extends past a forward facet 64 of the first housing 12. A second section 66 of each L-bracket 60 extends toward the surface. The tray 24 is engaged to and extends from the second sections 66 distal from the first sections 62.
A ball screw 68 and a mast 70 are engaged to and extends vertically from the first housing 12 and through the second housing 56. A ball nut 72 is rotationally engaged to the second housing 56, is positioned in the internal space 58, and is operationally engaged to the ball screw 68. A ball motor 74 is engaged to second housing 56, is positioned in the internal space 58, and is operationally engaged to the ball nut 72. The ball motor 74 is reversible so that rotation of the ball nut 72 upon selective actuation of the ball motor 74 raises and lowers the tray 24 and the load.
The present invention also anticipates the lift module 22 comprising other lifting means, such as, but not limited to, hydraulic cylinders, racks and pinions, and the like.
The powered hand truck assembly 10 also may comprise a cogwheel 76, which is rotationally engaged to the first housing 12. The ball screw 68 and the mast 70 are engaged to and extend vertically from the cogwheel 76. A worm gear 78 is engaged to the first housing 12 and is gearedly engaged to the cogwheel 76, as shown in
A platform 82 is engaged to the frame 14 and extends substantially perpendicularly to a rear facet 84 of the first housing 12. The platform 82 is configured to be stepped upon by a user so that a mass of the user counterbalances the load upon the tray 24. A pair of castors 86 is engaged to the platform 82 distal from the frame 14.
The powered hand truck assembly 10 also may comprise a sensor 88, which is engaged to the pair of arms 36 and is configured to detect contact of the load with the pair of arms 36. A pedal switch 90 is engaged to the platform 82 and is operationally engaged to the sensor 88. The pedal switch 90 is configured to be depressed to actuate the sensor 88.
A battery 92 is engaged to the first housing 12 and is positioned in the interior space 16. The battery 92 is operationally engaged to the pair of belt motors 32, the pair of actuators 44, the sensor 88, the pair of drive motors 50, the ball motor 74, and the worm motor 80. The present invention anticipates the battery 92 being one or both of rechargeable and removable.
Coiled wiring 94 extends between the first housing 12 and the second housing 56 to wiredly engage the battery 92 to the pair of belt motors 32, the pair of actuators 44, and the ball motor 74. The coiled wiring 94 is configured to uncoil as the tray 24 is elevated by the lift module 22.
A controller 96 is engaged to the handle 18 and is operationally engaged to the battery 92, the pair of belt motors 32, the pair of actuators 44, the sensor 88, the pair of drive motors 50, the ball motor 74, and the worm motor 80. The controller 96 may comprise a pair of joysticks 98 and a plurality of switches 100. Each joystick 98 is communicatively engaged with a respective drive motor 50. Each switch 100 is communicatively engaged to a respective one of the pair of belt motors 32, the pair of actuators 44, the sensor 88, the ball motor 74, and the worm motor 80.
In use, a user stands upon the platform 82 and uses the joysticks 98 to selectively actuate the drive motors 50 to position the ramp 46 adjacent to a load, as shown in
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
