Safety device for use when driver leaves a seat of an industrial vehicle

• US 5,109,945 A
• Filed: 02/04/1991
• Issued: 05/05/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Yale Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Yale Company Limited
• Inventors: Koga, Toshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): DAYOAN, DARRELL G
• Application Number:
  US07/649,199
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 180/272, 180/273, 414/674
• US Class Current: 180/273
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/04 responsive to presence or absence of the driver, e.g. to weight or lack thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/20 Means for actuating or controlling masts, platforms, or forks power take-off from vehicle transmissions, combined with vehicle propulsion systems B60K

Abstract

In an industrial vehicle, a driver must leave his seat and manipulate a hydraulic lever for loading, while keeping the vehicle at a stopped position without stopping the engine.

The safety device includes a seat switch which detects the seating or absence of the driver, a lever switch which detects the forward, neutral or reverse position of the shift lever, and a control which de-energizes the power source of the solenoid valve when the seat switch detects the absence of the diver and re-inputs the power source of the solenoid valve only when the lever switch detects the neutral position.

Claims

1. A safety device for an industrial vehicle comprising:

a shift lever;

a seat switch for detecting seating or non-seating of a driver;

a lever switch for detecting forward, neutral or reverse position of the shift lever;

a solenoid valve used for switching flow of a hydraulic medium for forward and reverse movement of the industrial vehicle; and

a controlling means for de-energizing a power source of the solenoid valve when the seat switch detects non-seating of the driver and for re-inputting the power source of the solenoid valve only when a) the lever switch detects a neutral position of the shift lever and b) the seat switch detects the driver is seated while an engine of the industrial vehicle is running.

2. A safety device for an industrial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said controlling means comprises:

a first means for de-energizing the power source of the solenoid valve, which is connected to the seat switch; and

, a second means for re-inputting the power source of the solenoid valve, which is connected to the lever switch and is connected to the first means in parallel.

3. A safety device for an industrial vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said first means comprises a delay circuit for delaying transmission of the seating signal by a delay time to prevent erroneous signals from said seat switch when travelling on a rough surface.

4. A safety device for an industrial vehicle according to claim 2 wherein said second means includes a reset signal circuit.

5. A safety device for an industrial vehicle, for use when a driver leaves a driver'"'"'s seat while an engine of the industrial vehicle is running, said safety device comprising:

a shift lever switching forward and reverse movement of the industrial vehicle;

a solenoid valve operated by the shift lever, used for switching flow of a hydraulic medium for forward and reverse movement of the industrial vehicle;

a power source for the solenoid valve;

a spring means for reverting the solenoid valve to a neutral position when the power source is disconnected from the solenoid valve;

a seat switch for detecting whether a driver of the industrial vehicle is seated;

a lever switch detecting forward, neutral or reverse position of the shift lever; and

a controlling means for de-energizing the power source of the solenoid valve when the seat switch detects the driver is not seated and for re-inputting the power source of the solenoid valve only when a) the lever switch detects the neutral position of the shift lever and b) the seat switch detects the driver is seated.