Movable platform and actuating attachment

• US 10,124,927 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Logistics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Innovative Logistics, Inc.
• Inventors: Bradley, Mark, Hopkins, Stonie, Maldonado, Jefferson, Hutchens, Doug, Wade, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Hageman, Mark C
• Application Number:
  US15/799,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20180118409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 280 46, 280 43, 280 4322, 280 4324, 280 4314
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/002 characterised by a rectangular shape, involving sidewalls or racks
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/003 forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/42 Arrangements or applications of rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00273 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00781 for moving on a surface, e.g. wheels, pads B65D2519/00825 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00786 for lifting, e.g. hooks, loops
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/12 specially adapted for transport associated with vehicles, see the relevant subclasses of B60 - B64
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/129 Transporter frames for containers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/302 where the computing system component is a software system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3684 for test design, e.g. generating new test cases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3692 for test results analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a movable platform (MP) for moving freight during cross-dock operations. The MP comprises a mechanical actuation assembly used to deploy a plurality of roller assemblies used for moving the MP. Also disclosed is an actuating attachment used to deploy the mechanical actuation assembly of the MP. The actuating attachment can be attached to a conveyance vehicle, such as a forklift, or built in to an automated guided vehicle.

Claims

1. A movable platform comprising:

a frame;

a drawbar,

wherein at least a portion of the drawbar is located internal to the frame;

a connection plate coupled to the drawbar,

wherein the connection plate extends in a direction perpendicular to a first central longitudinal axis of the drawbar;

a plurality of ramp guide assemblies coupled to the connection plate,

wherein each ramp guide assembly has a second central longitudinal axis extending in the same direction as the first central longitudinal axis;

wherein each ramp guide assembly comprises;

a plurality of ramp guides; and

a plurality of ramp connectors, with each ramp guide coupled to at least one ramp connector; and

a plurality of roller assemblies;

wherein each roller assembly comprises;

a roller axel; and

a plurality of rollers,

wherein each roller is independently rotatably coupled to the roller axel,

wherein, if a force is exerted on the drawbar in the direction of the first central longitudinal axis, the plurality of ramp guides exert a direct force on the roller axels in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the first central longitudinal axis,

wherein the bottom surface of at least one ramp guide comprises a first flat surface and an angled ramp surface.

2. The movable platform according to claim 1, wherein the frame comprises:

a plurality of longitudinal beams extending in the direction in the direction of the first central longitudinal axis,

wherein each roller assembly is located within a longitudinal beam.

3. The movable platform according to claim 2,

wherein each ramp guide has a flat lubricated upper surface,

wherein each flat lubricated upper surface of each ramp guide contacts an inner surface of the longitudinal beam when the force is exerted on the drawbar.

4. The movable platform according to claim 2,

wherein the plurality of longitudinal beams comprises at least one obround channel extending across a width of the movable platform, and

wherein at least one roller axel is located within the at least one obround channel.

5. The movable platform according to claim 4, wherein the at least one roller axel is vertically movable within the at least one obround channel.

6. The movable platform according to claim 4,

wherein a diameter of the at least one roller axel is less than or equal to a diameter of a semicircle forming an end of the at least one obround channel.

7. The movable platform according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of longitudinal beams comprises a rectangular channel extending across a width of the movable platform, wherein the connection plate is located in the rectangular channel.

8. The movable platform according to claim 7, wherein a width of the connection plate is equal to or less than a width of the rectangular channel.

9. The movable platform according to claim 7, wherein a length of the rectangular channel limits movement of the connection plate from a first position to a second position when the force is exerted on the drawbar.

10. The movable platform according to claim 7, wherein a thickness of the connection plate is less than a thickness of the rectangular channel.

11. The movable platform according to claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of each ramp guide comprises:

a first flat surface;

a second flat surface; and

an angled ramp surface connecting the first flat surface to the second flat surface.

12. The movable platform according to claim 11, wherein a thickness of each ramp guide at the first flat surface is less than a thickness of the ramp guide at the second flat surface.

13. The movable platform according to claim 12, wherein the angled ramp surface is angled 4-6°

from a plane of the second flat surface.

14. The movable platform according to claim 12,

wherein the roller axel is located below the first flat surface before the force is exerted on the drawbar, and

wherein the roller axel is located below and in contact with the second flat surface after the force is exerted on the drawbar.

15. The movable platform according to claim 1,

wherein a first end of the drawbar terminates in an attachment point, and

wherein the force exerted on the drawbar is applied using the attachment point.

16. The movable platform according to claim 15,

wherein the attachment point is located exterior to the frame.

17. The movable platform according to claim 15, wherein the attachment point is a vertical hook or a lunette eye.

18. The movable platform according to claim 15, further comprising:

a plurality of fixed roller assemblies located at an end of the movable platform.

19. The movable platform according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the frame is covered by plywood decking.

20. The movable platform according to claim 1, wherein the force exerted on the draw bar is applied by an actuating attachment comprising:

an assembly frame;

a hydraulic power unit;

a hydraulically actuated hook coupled to the assembly frame,

wherein the hydraulically actuated hook is movable between a first extended position and a second contracted position,

wherein the hydraulically actuated hook is configured to engage an attachment point and exert the force on the drawbar as the hydraulically actuated hook moves from the first extend position to the second contracted position,

wherein a first end of the drawbar terminates in the attachment point; and

at least two hooks on the assembly frame configured to engage a second set of attachment points on the frame of the movable platform.

21. The movable platform according to claim 20, wherein the actuating attachment further comprises:

at least one hydraulic caster assembly coupled to the assembly frame,

wherein movement of a caster of the hydraulic caster assembly to a position below the assembly frame causes an end of the movable platform to be lifted.

22. The movable platform according to claim 20, wherein the actuating attachment further comprises:

a plurality of forklift slots for receiving tines of a conveyance vehicle; and

a tine locking mechanism for securing the tines within the plurality of forklift slots.

23. The movable platform according to claim 22, wherein the conveyance vehicle is configured to move the movable platform after the roller assemblies have moved to the fourth position.

24. The movable platform according to claim 22,

wherein the assembly frame is divided into a conveyance vehicle section and a movable platform section rotatably coupled by a vertical pivot joint,

wherein the forklift slots are located on the conveyance vehicle section, and

wherein the hydraulically actuated hook is located on the movable platform section.

25. The movable platform according to claim according to claim 20,

wherein the movable platform further comprises:

a first quick mate (QM) connector coupled to the frame adjacent the drawbar;

a wiring conduit within the frame electrically coupled to the first QM connector at a first end and to a distribution board at a second end; and

a mobile platform collision avoidance (MPCA) sensing system coupled to the distribution board, the MPCA sensing system comprising;

a video camera; and

a plurality of proximity sensors,

wherein the video camera and the plurality of proximity sensors are coupled to the distribution board.

26. The movable platform according to claim 25, wherein the actuating attachment further comprises:

a second QM connector coupled to the assembly frame adjacent the drawbar,

wherein the second QM connector is configured to mate with the first QM connector when the hydraulically actuated hook is in the second contracted position.

27. The movable platform according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of proximity sensors and the video camera are supplied power when the first QM connector mates with the second QM connector.

28. The movable platform according to claim 25, wherein the MPCA sensing system further comprises:

at least one light and at least one speaker coupled to the assembly frame,

wherein an output from the at least one light or at least one speaker is based on a distance to an object determined from sensor data collected from the video camera or the plurality of proximity sensors.

29. The movable platform according to claim 20, wherein the actuating attachment further comprises:

an actuating attachment video camera coupled to the actuating attachment,

wherein a real-time video feed from the actuating attachment video camera is provided to a tablet attached to a conveyance vehicle.