Frame for a battery-operated industrial truck

• US 6,637,807 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Linde Material Handling GmbH (Superlift Holding SARL)
• Original Assignee: Linde AG (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Götz, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, KIRAN B
• Application Number:
  US10/245,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20030070860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 296/183, 296/185, 296/186, 296/203.01, 296/204, 296/205, 296/209, 296/37.14, 296/187, 280/304.1, 280/DIG.5, 280/43.12, 180/68.5, 180/312, 180/907, 180/6.48, 180/282, 180/333, 180/65.1, 187/231
• US Class Current: 296/203.01
• 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: B60K 2001/0461 from the side
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/44 Industrial trucks or floor conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0617 for tractors or off-the-road vehicles protective devices for drivers in case of overturning of tractors B60R21/131
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0754 Battery removal arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A frame for a battery-operated industrial truck includes a forward frame segment, a middle frame segment, and a rear frame segment. The middle frame segment is designed to hold a battery block and is provided with a frame top opening and a frame side opening through which the battery block can be inserted in the frame and removed again. To make it possible to easily replace the battery block using different battery replacement systems, the invention teaches that the frame side opening is connected without interruption to a frame bottom opening of the middle frame segment. To increase stability, the middle frame segment has at least one deflection-proof and torsion-proof longitudinal beam that connects the forward frame segment with the rear frame segment, and is preferably realized in the form of a hollow profile.

Claims

1. A frame for a battery-operated industrial truck, comprising:

a forward frame segment;

a middle frame segment; and

a rear frame segment,

wherein the middle frame segment is configured to hold a battery block and includes a frame top opening and a frame side opening through which the battery block is insertable into and removable from the frame, and

wherein the frame side opening is connected without interruption to a frame bottom opening of the middle frame segment.

2. The frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein the middle frame segment includes at least one deflection-proof and torsion-proof longitudinal beam that connects the forward frame segment with the rear frame segment.

3. The frame as claimed in claim 2, wherein the longitudinal beam has a hollow profile.

4. The frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein the longitudinal beam includes two pieces of sheet metal that are connected to each other to form the hollow profile, and wherein one of the pieces of sheet metal forms the sidewall of the middle frame segment.

5. The frame as claimed in claim 4, wherein the frame is connected with a driver protection roof which is a load-bearing component of the frame.

6. The frame as claimed in claim 1, including a door pivotable around a substantially vertical axis to open and close the door.

7. The frame as claimed in claim 6, wherein the door is configured to be locked in a right-angle open position.

8. The frame as claimed in claim 1, including a roller device configured to carry the battery block and insertable in the vicinity of the frame bottom opening.

9. The frame as claimed in claim 2, including a door pivotable around a substantially vertical axis to open and close the door.

10. The frame as claimed in claim 3, including a door pivotable around a substantially vertical axis to open and close the door.

11. The frame as claimed in claim 4, including a door pivotable around a substantially vertical axis to open and close the door.

12. The frame as claimed in claim 5, including a door pivotable around a substantially vertical axis to open and close the door.

13. The frame as claimed in claim 2, including a roller device configured to carry the battery block and insertable in the vicinity of the frame bottom opening.

14. The frame as claimed in claim 3, including a roller device configured to carry the battery block and insertable in the vicinity of the frame bottom opening.

15. The frame as claimed in claim 4, including a roller device configured to carry the battery block and insertable in the vicinity of the frame bottom opening.

16. The frame as claimed in claim 5, including a roller device configured to carry the battery block and insertable in the vicinity of the frame bottom opening.

17. The frame as claimed in claim 6, including a roller device configured to carry the battery block and insertable in the vicinity of the frame bottom opening.

18. The frame as claimed in claim 7, including a roller device configured to carry the battery block and insertable in the vicinity of the frame bottom opening.