Industrial truck with safety device

• US 6,536,552 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Linde Material Handling GmbH (Superlift Holding SARL)
• Original Assignee: Linde AG (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Gotz, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US09/870,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20020017416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 180/287, 180/272, 180/271
• US Class Current: 180/287
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 17/003 for fork-lift trucks
• 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

An industrial truck includes a lifting apparatus, in particular a lifting mast, and a driver'"'"'s workplace. To provide an industrial truck in which injuries caused by the operator touching the lifting apparatus can be effectively prevented, a safety device is provided which is effectively connected with a drive device of the lifting apparatus and/or of an actuator device of the lifting apparatus. In one advantageous embodiment, the safety device is effectively connected with a sensor device, whereby depending on the signal of the sensor device, the drive device of the lifting apparatus can receive a signal and/or the actuator device of the lifting apparatus can be enabled. The sensor device is located on a steering device, such as a steering wheel, and detects contact with the steering wheel by the driver'"'"'s one hand.

Claims

1. An industrial truck, comprising:

a lifting apparatus having a drive device;

an actuator device for controlling movement of the lifting apparatus;

a driver'"'"'s workplace; and

a safety device connected with at least one of the drive device of the lifting apparatus and the actuator device,

wherein the safety device comprises;

a first sensor device located on a steering device and configured to detect a hand of an operator; and

a second sensor device connected to the actuator device configured to detect operation of the actuator device,

such that the lifting apparatus is operational only when the first sensor device detects the presence of one of an operator'"'"'s hands and the second sensor device detects operation of the actuator device to ensure that an operator is not touching the lifting apparatus.

2. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive device of the lifting apparatus is configured to receive a signal fro the first sensor device, the actuator device of the lifting apparatus is enabled as a function of the signal from the first sensor device.

3. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 2, wherein the safety device includes an electronic control device connected with at least one of the first sensor device, the second sensor device, the actuator device, and the drive device of the lifting apparatus, such that the signal of the actuator device is enabled and/or the drive device is actuated depending on the signal from at least one of to the first sensor device and the second sensor device.

4. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 3, wherein the steering device is a steering wheel and the signal of the actuator device is enabled in an operating situation when the first sensor device indicates contact with the steering wheel by the operator'"'"'s hand.

5. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 2, wherein the actuator device is a joystick.

6. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator device is a joystick.

7. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 6, wherein the safety device includes an electronic control device connected with at least one of the first sensor device, the actuator device, the second sensor device, and the drive device of the lifting apparatus, such that the signal of the actuator device is enabled and/or the drive device is actuated depending on the signal from at least one of the first sensor device and the second sensor device.

8. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 7, wherein the signal of the actuator device is enabled in an operating situation when the first sensor device indicates contact with the steering wheel by one hand of the driver.

9. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, wherein the industrial truck is a driver-controlled fork-lift truck with a driver'"'"'s workplace that faces the lifting apparatus.

10. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifting apparatus comprises a lifting mast.

11. The industrial truck as claimed in claim 1, wherein the steering device is a steering wheel.

12. An industrial truck, comprising:

a driver'"'"'s seat;

a steering wheel;

a lifting apparatus having a holding device;

a drive device connected to the lifting apparatus and configured to raise and lower the holding device;

an electronic control device connected to the drive device;

an actuator device connected to the electronic control device to cause movement of the holding device;

a first sensor device located on the steering wheel and connected to the electronic control device, the first sensor configured to detect the presence of a hand of an operator and to send a signal to the control device indicating the presence or absence of an operator'"'"'s hand; and

a second sensor device connected to the actuator device and the electronic control device, the second sensor device configured to detect operation of the actuator device and send a signal to the control device indicating operation of the actuator device,

wherein the holding device is moveable only when the control unit receives a signal from the first sensor device detecting the presence of one of the operator'"'"'s hands and a signal from the second sensor device indicating operation of the actuator device to ensure that the operator is not touching the lifting apparatus.