Personnel lift vehicle

• US 10,214,402 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Big Lift LLC
• Original Assignee: Big Lift LLC
• Inventors: Wu, Lili, Bao, Nengwen, Xu, Linjie, Ma, Qichen
• Primary Examiner(s): Chavchavadze, Colleen M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bradford, Candace L
• Application Number:
  US13/707,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20130153336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,273 Days
• Field of Search: 182148, 182 694
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 11/04 for movable platforms or cabins, e.g. on vehicles, permitting workmen to place themselves in any desired position for carrying out required operations Working platforms on fork-lift trucks B66F9/127; vehicle aspects of service vehicles B60P3/14; platforms for cleaning windows A47L3/02; devices for rescuing persons from buildings A62B1/02; liftable or lowerable platforms for use on ladders E06C7/16; maintenance travellers for bridges E01D19/10; scaffolds on an extensible sub-structure E04G1/22

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to personnel lift vehicles that include a carriage, a telescoping lift and a load carrying frame. The telescoping lift is connected to a rear portion of the carriage and the load carrying frame is connected to and extends forward from the telescoping lift. The load carrying frame includes a bottom portion that provides an operator platform that is disposed at a central portion of the carriage between a front portion and the rear portion of the carriage. The configuration of the disclosed personnel lift vehicle provides an integral solution for counterweight requirements for the carriage while reducing the overall driving space required for the vehicle.

Claims

1. A personnel lift vehicle comprising:

a carriage, a telescoping lift and a load carrying frame;

the carriage further comprising a front portion and a rear portion;

the telescoping lift being connected to and located at the rear portion of the carriage;

the load carrying frame being connected to and forward of the telescoping lift;

the load carrying frame further comprising a bottom portion that provides an operator platform that is disposed forward of the telescoping lift and located at a central portion of the carriage between the front and rear portions, with the operator platform further comprising an entry to and exit from at least one lateral side thereof;

at least one operator vehicle control located forward of the telescoping lift;

a load carrying platform being connected to and extending forward from the load carrying frame at a height above the operator platform;

the front portion of the carriage having a single front wheel centered laterally relative to the carriage and being rotatably connected to the front portion, and the rear portion of the carriage having at least two wheels rotatably connected thereto;

the front portion of the carriage being forward of the operator platform and including an electric drive motor forward of a battery that powers the electric drive motor, wherein the electric drive motor drives the carriage by rotating the single front wheel forward and backward, and wherein an electric steering motor is forward of the battery and is connected to and directionally steers the single front wheel to steer the carriage; and

wherein inherent counterweighting is provided by having the electric drive motor, electric steering motor and battery located at the front portion and the telescoping lift located at the rear portion, with the operator platform disposed therebetween.

2. The personnel lift vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the telescoping lift includes a gantry frame structure.

3. The personnel lift vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the rear portion of the carriage is equipped with a gantry frame fastening spindle to which the gantry frame structure is connected.

4. The personnel lift vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the gantry frame structure further comprises a nested inner gantry frame, middle gantry frame and outer gantry frame, with the inner gantry frame being capable of sliding up and down vertically along the middle gantry frame, and the middle gantry frame being capable of sliding up and down vertically along the outer gantry frame.

5. The personnel lift vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the load carrying platform further comprises a plurality of lateral braces and a plurality of longitudinal braces.

6. The personnel lift vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the load carrying frame comprises a front vertical portion, a bottom horizontal portion, a rear vertical portion and a top horizontal portion, with the front vertical portion being connected and perpendicular to the bottom horizontal portion, the bottom horizontal portion being connected and perpendicular to the rear vertical portion, and the rear vertical portion being connected and perpendicular to the top horizontal portion.

7. The personnel lift vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the load carrying platform is constructed as an integral part of the load carrying frame.

8. The personnel lift vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a guard structure that is connected to the load carrying frame.

9. The personnel lift vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the guard structure includes at least two guards that are pivotally connected to the load carrying frame.

10. The personnel lift vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the at least two guards are pivotally movable within separate respective vertical planes between at least a first position permitting entry to and exit from the operator platform, and a second position blocking entry to or exit from the operator platform.

11. The personnel lift vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the guard structure further comprises a pivotal upper guard having a first position permitting entry to and exit from a lateral side of the operator platform, and a second position blocking entry to or exit from the operator platform and having a control box that includes the at least one operator vehicle control, wherein the control box is directly connected to and pivots with the pivotal upper guard.

12. The personnel lift vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the at least one operator vehicle control includes one or more of a steering wheel, a sync Down button, a horn, a coulomb meter, an Up button, a Down button, an emergency stop button, an accelerator and a key switch.

13. A personnel lift vehicle comprising:

a carriage, a telescoping lift and a load carrying frame;

the carriage further comprising a front portion having a single front wheel centered laterally relative to the carriage and being rotatably connected to the front portion, and having an electric drive motor forward of a battery, wherein the electric drive motor is connected to and drives the carriage by rotating forward and backward the single front wheel, and wherein an electric steering motor is forward of the battery and is connected to and directionally steers the single front wheel to steer the carriage;

the carriage further comprising a rear portion having at least two wheels rotatably connected thereto, and having the telescoping lift connected to and located at the rear portion;

the load carrying frame being connected to and extending forward from the telescoping lift, wherein the load carrying frame includes an operator platform that is disposed forward of the telescoping lift and located at a central portion of the carriage between the front and rear portions of the carriage;

a load carrying platform being connected to and extending forward from the load carrying frame at a height above the operator platform;

a guard structure that includes at least two guards that are pivotally connected to the load carrying frame on separate vertically spaced apart horizontal axes, wherein the at least two guards are pivotally movable between at least a first raised position permitting entry to and exit from a lateral side of the operator platform, and a second lowered position blocking entry to or exit from the operator platform; and

wherein at least one of the at least two guards that are pivotally connected to the load carrying frame has a control box that is directly connected to and pivots with the at least one pivotally connected guard and wherein the control box includes at least one operator vehicle control.

14. The personnel lift vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the at least two guards are vertically spaced apart and connected to the same side of the load carrying frame.

15. The personnel lift vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the at least two guards are connected by a linkage, such that pivoting one of the guards causes pivoting of another of the guards.

16. A personnel lift vehicle comprising:

a carriage, a telescoping lift and a load carrying frame;

the carriage further comprising a front portion having a single front wheel centered laterally relative to the carriage and being rotatably connected thereto;

a battery, an electric drive motor and an electric steering motor located at the front portion, with the electric drive motor and electric steering motor located forward of the battery, wherein the electric drive motor drives the carriage by rotating the single front wheel forward and backward and the electric steering motor directionally steers the single front wheel to steer the carriage;

the carriage further comprising a rear portion to which at least two rear wheels are rotatably connected;

the telescoping lift being connected to and located at the rear portion;

the load carrying frame being connected to and forward of the telescoping lift and having an operator platform that is disposed forward of the telescoping lift and located at a central portion of the carriage between the front and rear portions of the carriage, with the operator platform further comprising an entry to and exit from at least one lateral side thereof;

a load carrying platform being connected to and extending forward from the load carrying frame at a height above the operator platform; and

wherein inherent counterweighting is provided by having the electric drive motor, electric steering motor, and battery located at the front portion and the telescoping lift located at the rear portion, with the operator platform disposed therebetween.