Battery-powered forklift

• US 9,162,858 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Nishiyama, Kouji, Kurihara, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Mansen, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kruer, Stefan
• Application Number:
  US13/698,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20140238780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 187/222, 182/68.5, 414/629, 414/631, 414/345, 414/396, 414/401, 180/68.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/04 Arrangement of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0754 Battery removal arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07545 Overhead guards
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07572 Propulsion arrangements

Abstract

To facilitate loading-unloading operation of a battery even when a large-sized battery is mounted, in a battery-powered forklift which is driven with power of a battery mounted on a vehicle body including a fork which is arranged at a front part of the vehicle body, a counter weight which is arranged at a rear part of the vehicle body, and a top plate which is supported at a position to cover an area above a driver seat via a pair of rear stays 44 extended upward from both sides of the rear part of the vehicle body, post members arranged in a raised manner at both sides of the counter weight guide movement of the battery along the front-rear direction of the vehicle body between the post members.

Claims

1. A battery-powered forklift, comprising:

a vehicle body, which body has a front end and a rear end;

a battery mounted on the vehicle body;

a fork arranged at the front end of the vehicle body; and

a counterweight arranged at a rear part of the vehicle body and mounted on the vehicle body,

wherein the counterweight comprises post members, the post members protruding upwardly from the counterweight and arranged at both left and right sides of the counterweight as seen from the rear end of the vehicle body, wherein the post members guide movement of the battery when the battery is moved from the rear part to the rear end of the vehicle body along a front-rear direction of the vehicle body.

2. The battery-powered forklift according to claim 1, wherein the post members are formed by casting integrally with the counter weight.

3. The battery-powered forklift according to claim 1,

wherein the counter weight comprises an abutting portion which restricts the movement of the battery to a rear side of the vehicle body when the battery is mounted on the vehicle body.

4. The battery-powered forklift according to claim 1, wherein the post members comprise surfaces facing the front end of the vehicle body, which surfaces are located anteriorly of a surface of the battery that faces the rear end when the battery is mounted on the vehicle body.