Control system for a pallet truck
First Claim
1. An improved pallet truck having a deadman brake that activates upon release of the operator controls, and a coast system for selectively overriding the deadman brake to allow the vehicle to coast, the improvement comprising a selector for selecting between a constant pressure-controlled coast function, a time controlled coast function, and a distance controlled coast function.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control system for controlling motion of a pallet truck vehicle includes three modes of operation for controlling coasting of the vehicle. In a first, constant pressure mode, the vehicle coasts for as long as an activation button is depressed. In a second, time controlled mode, the vehicle coasts for a predetermined period of time. In the third, distance controlled mode, the vehicle coasts for a predetermined distance. Each of these functions can be activated from a remote location using a remote activation device.
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Citations
21 Claims
- 1. An improved pallet truck having a deadman brake that activates upon release of the operator controls, and a coast system for selectively overriding the deadman brake to allow the vehicle to coast, the improvement comprising a selector for selecting between a constant pressure-controlled coast function, a time controlled coast function, and a distance controlled coast function.
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6. A pallet truck comprising:
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a steerable wheel; a brake coupled to said wheel; a steering arm coupled to said wheel for steering said wheel, the steering arm being movable through an arc including a driving arc interposed between a generally vertical braking position and a generally horizontal braking position; a deadman mechanism coupled to said steering arm for moving said steering arm into at least one of said generally vertical braking position and said generally horizontal braking position to brake said truck when said steering arm is released; a vehicle control system receiving control signals from said steering arm and providing control signals to said brake; a coast device coupled to said steering arm for locking said steering arm within said driving arc, said coast device preventing movement of said steering arm from activating the deadman mechanism when the steering arm is released; a selector for selecting between a time control coast function, a distance control coast function, and a constant pressure coast function; and a remote control for activating said coast device, the remote control providing a coast signal to the vehicle control system to activate the selected one of the time control coast function, the distance control coast function and the constant pressure coast function. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A pallet truck comprising:
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a steerable wheel; a brake coupled to said steerable wheel; a steering arm coupled to said wheel for steering said wheel, the steering arm being movable through an arc including a driving arc interposed between a generally vertical braking position and a generally horizontal braking position; a deadman mechanism coupled to said steering arm for moving said steering arm into at least one of said generally vertical braking position to brake said truck when said handle is released; a vehicle control system receiving control signals from said steering arm and providing control signals to said brake; a coast device coupled to said steering arm for locking said steering arm within said driving arc, said coast device preventing movement of said steering arm from activating the deadman mechanism when the steering arm is released; a selector for selecting between a time control coast function, a distance control coast function and a constant pressure coast function; and at least one coast actuation control for activating the coast device and providing a signal to the vehicle control system to activate the selected one of the distance control coast function, the time control coast function, and the constant pressure coast function. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification