Battery-powered industrial vehicle

• US 6,189,636 B1
• Filed: 02/03/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Kikukawa, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US09/244,325
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.5, 180/65.6, 180/65.7, 180/65.8, 180/68.5
• US Class Current: 180/68.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07531 Battery compartments
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/271 Lids or covers for the racks or secondary casings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

A battery-powered forklift includes a body frame, which includes a battery box. The forklift includes a seat for a driver and a floor board located below the seat for supporting the feet of the driver. The battery box is located below the floor board. The floor board covers part of the battery box.

Claims

1. An industrial vehicle driven by a battery, the industrial vehicle comprising:

a body frame having a battery box;

a seat for a driver; and

a floor for supporting the driver'"'"'s feet, wherein the floor is below the seat, the battery box is below the floor, and the floor covers part of the battery box;

wherein the battery box has a narrow portion which is narrower than the body frame, the narrow portion of the battery box being located at the front of the battery box, and the battery box includes a rear portion having substantially the same width as the width of the body frame.

9. The industrial vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising a hood covering a rear portion of the box, wherein the floor covers a front portion of the box.

10. The industrial vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the hood and the floor are movable to open the box.

11. The industrial vehicle according to claim 9, wherein an upper surface of the hood is higher than an upper surface of the floor, and the seat is located on the upper surface of the hood.

12. The industrial vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the hood has a corner with a large-radius curved surface.

2. An industrial vehicle driven by a battery, the industrial vehicle comprising:

a body frame having a battery box;

a seat for a driver; and

a floor for supporting the driver'"'"'s feet, wherein the floor is below the seat, the battery box is below the floor, and the floor covers part of the battery box;

wherein the battery box has a narrow portion which is narrower than the body frame and the body frame has a step adjacent to a side of the narrow portion below the floor.

3. The industrial vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the floor covers the narrow portion.

4. The industrial vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the body frame has a step adjacent each side of the narrow portion, and each step is located below the floor.

5. The industrial vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the battery box is symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane that includes the longitudinal axis of the body frame.

6. The industrial vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the narrow portion of the battery box is located at the front of the battery box and the battery box includes a rear portion having substantially the same width as the width of the body frame.

7. The industrial vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the battery box is narrower than the body frame, the battery box is located closer to one side of the body frame, and the step, which is below the floor, is located between the opposite side of the body frame and the battery box.

8. The industrial vehicle according to claim 2 further comprising front and rear wheels, wherein the battery box is located between the front wheels and the rear wheels.

13. A forklift driven by a battery, the forklift comprising:

a body frame having a battery box, wherein the battery box has an opening that faces upward;

a hood covering a rear portion of the opening;

a seat for a driver, the seat being on the hood;

a floor board for supporting the feet of a driver, the floor board being located below the seat, wherein the battery box is located below the floor board, and the floor board covers a front portion of the opening.

14. The forklift according to claim 13, wherein a rear portion of the battery box has substantially the same width as the width of the body frame, a front portion of the battery box is narrower than the body frame, the body frame has a step located on each side of the front portion, and each step is lower than the floor board.

15. The forklift according to claim 14, wherein the battery box is symmetrical with respect to a vertical plane that includes the longitudinal axis of the body frame.

16. The forklift according to claim 13, further comprising front wheels and rear wheels wherein the battery box is located between the front wheels and the rear wheels.

17. The forklift according to claim 13, wherein the hood is supported by the body frame so that the hood can open and close the battery box, and the floor board is readily detachable from the body frame.

18. The forklift according to claim 13, wherein the hood has a corner with a large-radius curved surface.