Pedals and floor mat configuration for an industrial vehicle

• US 20060226675A1
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyster-Yale Group Inc.
• Original Assignee: NMHG Oregon, LLC
• Inventors: Dunn, Colin F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,300,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/24 for particular purposes or particular vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/247 to support passengers in a half-standing position
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/04 of floor mats or carpets
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 17/003 for fork-lift trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07518 Fuel or oil tank arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07545 Overhead guards
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0759 Details of operating station, e.g. seats, levers, operator platforms, cabin suspension

Abstract

A presence detection system may include a pedal assembly that is located underneath a vehicle floor. The pedal assembly in one embodiment is recessed within the underside of a floor mat to eliminate trip hazards on the vehicle floor. Other embodiments may include a textured upper mat surface that provides traction, indicates the location of the recessed presence pedal and provide run-off for liquid spills.

Claims

1. A presence detection system, comprising:

a detection device located on the floor of a vehicle that detects the presence of an operator in the vehicle when the operator depresses an actuator, and upon detection of the operator enabling vehicle operations that are disabled when the presence of the operator is not detected in the vehicle by the detection device,

the detection device maintaining a position below or flush with a top surface of the floor while moving between a raised and lowered position.

2. The presence detection system according to claim 1 including a floor mat that extends over the actuator and includes at least one cavity in a bottom side for allowing the actuator to move between the raised position and the lowered position.

3. The presence detection system according to claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises a pedal that maintains a substantially horizontal alignment parallel with the vehicle floor while moving between the raised and lowered positions.

4. The presence detection system according to claim 3 including a sensor and proximity element, the sensor detecting the proximity element when the pedal is depressed and generating an enable signal for enabling the vehicle operations.

5. The presence detection system according to claim 4 wherein the proximity element and/or sensor are adjustable to vary a distance between the proximity element and the sensor when the pedal is depressed.

6. The presence detection system according to claim 3 including an adjustable stop that varies how far the pedal can be moved downward when in a fully lowered position.

7. The presence detection system according to claim 2 including ribs that extend downward from a bottom side of the floor mat suspending the floor mat above the vehicle floor and further including non-ribbed areas on the bottom side of the floor mat that form the cavity that contains the actuator.

8. The presence detection system according to claim 7 wherein a top side of the floor mat includes a presence area that identifies the location of the cavity on the bottom side of the floor mat and that when depressed by the operator, moves the actuator into the lowered position.

9. The presence detection system according to claim 8 wherein the floor mat includes two operator presence areas, each located in positions where feet of the operator would normally be located when operating the vehicle.

10. The presence detection system according to claim 2 wherein a top side of the floor mat has a domed shape and channels that direct liquid out towards a perimeter of the floor mat.

11. A method for detecting the presence of an operator in a vehicle, comprising:

locating an actuator device on or near a floor of a vehicle for generating a presence signal when moved between a raised position and a lowered position by a vehicle operator;

using the presence signal to enable vehicle operations that require the operator to be located in the vehicle; and

arranging the actuator device on the vehicle floor so the actuator device does not extend above a top surface of the vehicle floor.

12. The method according to claim 11 including:

using a floor mat as the top surface of the vehicle floor;

suspending the floor mat above the vehicle floor; and

including at least one cavity on a bottom side of the floor mat that fits over the actuator device.

13. The method according to claim 12 including using ribs on a bottom side of the floor mat to suspend the floor mat above the vehicle floor and using at least one non-ribbed area on the bottom side of the floor mat to form a cavity that contains the actuator device.

14. The method according to claim 13 including providing an area on a top side of the floor mat that identifies where the cavity is located on the bottom side of the floor mat.

15. The method according to claim 12 sizing the ribs to create a domed top surface on the floor mat.

17. The method according to claim 11 including:

using a sensor underneath the vehicle floor to generate the presence signal;

using a proximity element to notify the sensor when the actuator device is in the lowered position; and

adjusting a distance between the sensor and the proximity element when the actuator device is in the lowered position.

16. The method according to claim 111 including:

attaching a foot pedal to the actuator device;

maintaining the foot pedal in a substantially horizontal position parallel with the vehicle floor while the foot pedal moves between the raised and lowered positions.

18. A system for monitoring the presence of an operator in a lift truck, comprising:

a lift truck floor that is used for supporting an operator while the operator operates the lift truck; and

a pedal assembly attached to the lift truck floor that enables one or more lift truck operations when the operator moves the pedal assembly between a raised position and a lowered position, the pedal assembly maintaining a position either flush or below a top surface of the lift truck floor in both the raised and lowered position.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein the top surface of the lift truck floor includes a floor mat that is suspended above the pedal assembly.

20. The system according to claim 19 including:

ribs on a bottom side of the floor mat that suspend the floor mat over the pedal assembly; and

a non-ribbed area on the bottom side of the floor mat that contains a top pedal plate of the pedal assembly.

21. The system according to claim 20 wherein the top surface of the floor mat has a domed shape and raised presence areas aligned above the non-ribbed areas on the bottom side of the floor mat.