A ground cow carrier

Abstract

The application provides a ground cart, which comprises a vehicle head and a fork, the fork comprises a fork body and at least two supporting devices, the supporting device comprises a supporting wheel and a driving mechanism, the driving mechanism is connected with the supporting wheel to drive the supporting wheel to move, the movement of the supporting wheel under the driving of the driving mechanism comprises a first position and a second position, when the supporting wheel is located at the first position, the supporting wheel extends downward from the fork body to support the fork body, when the supporting wheel is located at the second position, the supporting wheel is located in the fork body, and the supporting wheels of the at least two supporting devices are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the fork. The ground cart of the application realizes the carrying of goods matched with the H-shaped goods shelf by switching the supporting wheel of the supporting device between the first position and the second position, so that the fork has the obstacle-crossing ability and can be inserted into the goods shelf with a sill and a limited height of the bottom insertion part without interference.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pallet trucks, and particularly to a pallet jack transporter. Background Technology

[0002] A pallet truck is a small, convenient, flexible, high-capacity, sturdy, and durable tool for handling goods. Commonly known as a "pallet jack," it can not only transport goods but also lift and lower them, making it a great helper for handling tasks in warehousing, logistics, construction sites, and other similar environments.

[0003] The existing pallet jack structure can only be matched with racks without bottom sills (such as E-shaped racks), and it is difficult to meet the handling needs of racks with bottom sills (such as H-shaped racks), which greatly limits its applicable occasions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One objective of this invention is to provide a pallet jack that can meet the handling needs of shelves with sills (such as A-frame shelves), making the product applicable to a wider range of situations and realizing the automated handling of goods that match A-frame shelves.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] One technical solution of the present invention proposes a pallet jack transporter, including a front end and forks. The forks are connected to the front end and extend to one side relative to the front end. The forks include a fork body and at least two support devices. Each support device includes a support wheel and a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is connected to the support wheel to drive the support wheel to move. The movement of the support wheel under the drive mechanism includes a first position and a second position. When the support wheel is in the first position, it extends downward from the fork body to abut against the ground to support the fork body. When the support wheel is in the second position, it is located within the fork body. The support wheels of the at least two support devices are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the forks.

[0007] In one technical solution of the present invention, the fork body includes a base and a cargo plate, the cargo plate is located on the upper side of the base, a receiving space is formed between the cargo plate and the base, the drive mechanism is located in the receiving space, the base is provided with an opening, and the support wheel can pass through the opening to enter or leave the receiving space.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the pallet jack transporter further includes:

[0009] A lifting mechanism is located between the base and the cargo plate, and is connected to both the base and the cargo plate, for driving the cargo plate to move vertically relative to the base.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the lifting mechanism includes:

[0011] At least two guide assemblies for guiding the vertical movement of the cargo pallet, wherein there is a gap between two of the guide assemblies along the extension direction of the forks;

[0012] A drive assembly is used to drive the cargo plate to move vertically.

[0013] At least two of the support wheels are arranged at intervals along the extending direction between the two guide components, and the drive mechanism and the drive components are located between adjacent support wheels.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the drive mechanisms of the two support devices are spaced apart, and the drive assembly is located between the two drive mechanisms.

[0015] In one technical solution of the present invention, the base is provided with at least two openings, the openings are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the support wheels, the two guide components are respectively arranged at positions outside the adjacent openings, and the driving mechanism and the driving components are located at positions between the adjacent openings.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the driving mechanism includes:

[0017] Mounting bracket, which is rotatably connected to the fork body, is capable of driving the support wheel to swing so as to be received in the receiving space, and / or driving the support wheel to swing out from the receiving space so as to extend downward out of the fork body;

[0018] A linear drive unit, the output end of which is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket, is used to drive the mounting bracket to swing.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the support device further includes a position sensing element, which is configured to detect whether the support wheel has moved to a preset position;

[0020] The positioning sensing element includes an upper limit sensor, a lower limit sensor, and a sensing plate. The sensing plate is disposed on the mounting bracket to sense the upper limit sensor and the lower limit sensor.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, the two support devices include a first support device and a second support device. The first support device is located between the second support device and the tail end of the fork body. The axial length of the support wheel of the first support device is greater than the axial length of the support wheel of the second support device.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, the lifting mechanism further includes:

[0023] A lifting section is connected to the cargo platform and to the guide assembly. A drive assembly is located below the lifting section to drive the lifting section to move up and down. The guide assembly is configured to move up and down synchronously with the lifting section, having an extended position and a folded position. The guide assembly includes at least one linkage frame, which includes:

[0024] Two support frames are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction. The first support frame is connected to the cargo plate, and the second support frame is connected to the base.

[0025] A telescopic frame is disposed between two support frames. The telescopic frame includes four connecting rods connected in a parallelogram structure. One end of one diagonal of the parallelogram structure is rotatably connected to the first support frame, and the other end of the diagonal is rotatably connected to the second support frame.

[0026] In one technical solution of the present invention, each of the guide components includes two linkage frames, and the two linkage frames are arranged opposite to each other in the width direction of the lifting part;

[0027] Among them, a first gear and a second gear are provided between the two linkage frames, and the first gear and the second gear are configured to rotate along the hinge point between the parallelogram structure and the second support frame.

[0028] In one technical solution of the present invention, the driving component includes a lifting motor, a lead screw, and a movable part. The lifting motor is connected to the lead screw to drive the lead screw to rotate. The movable part is sleeved on the lead screw to drive the movable part to reciprocate along the length direction of the lead screw.

[0029] A support rod is hinged to the lifting part, and the support rod is connected to the movable part. The connection position between the support rod and the movable part is at a distance from the hinge position between the lifting part and the support rod. The support rod swings relative to the lifting part under the drive of the movable part, causing the lifting part to rise or fall.

[0030] In one embodiment of the present invention, the lifting mechanism further includes a lifting sensor for detecting the position and height of the cargo platform.

[0031] In one embodiment of the present invention, the forks are configured as two parallel to each other.

[0032] In one embodiment of the present invention, the pallet jack transporter further includes:

[0033] A traveling mechanism is located at the front of the vehicle and extends beyond the bottom surface of the front of the vehicle;

[0034] The navigation module is located at the front of the vehicle;

[0035] The controller is electrically connected to the support device, the walking mechanism, and the navigation module, respectively. The controller controls the operation of the support device and the walking mechanism through the detection information of the navigation module.

[0036] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0037] The pallet jack transporter of this application enables the forks to overcome obstacles and insert into racks with sills and limited bottom insertion height without interference by setting the support wheels of the support device to switch between a first position and a second position, thereby achieving the transport of goods that match racks such as those with a U-shaped bottom.

[0038] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary and do not limit the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0039] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from a detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a shelf according to an embodiment of the prior art.

[0041] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a ground ox transporter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 3 This is another three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the earth ox transporter according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 4 This is the present invention. Figure 3 The exploded view of the earthmoving device shown.

[0044] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a support device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a lifting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 7This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the lifting mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 8 This is the present invention. Figure 6 An enlarged schematic diagram of part A.

[0048] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the lifting mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating the use of a pallet jack transporter according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] The annotations in the attached figures are explained as follows:

[0051] 1. Shelving; 10. Top panel; 11. Footrest; 12. Sill;

[0052] 2. Locomotive;

[0053] 3. Fork body; 30. Base; 31. Cargo plate; 32. Opening;

[0054] 4. Traveling mechanism; 40. Steering wheel; 41. Casters;

[0055] 5. Support device; 51. First support device; 52. Second support device; 53. Support wheel; 54. Drive mechanism; 541. Mounting bracket; 542. Linear drive component; 55. Fixed seat; 56. Drive component mounting seat; 57. Upper limit sensor; 58. Lower limit sensor; 59. Sensing plate;

[0056] 6. Lifting mechanism; 60. Lifting section; 61. Drive assembly; 611. Lifting motor; 612. Lead screw; 613. Moving part; 614. Support rod; 615. Reducer; 62. Guide assembly; 621. First support frame; 622. Second support frame; 623. Telescopic frame; 623-1. First connecting rod; 623-2. Second connecting rod; 623-3. Third connecting rod; 623-4. Fourth connecting rod; 623- a. First hinge point; 623-b. Second hinge point; 623-c. Third hinge point; 623-d. Fourth hinge point; 623-e. Fifth hinge point; 623-f. Sixth hinge point; 624. First gear; 625. Second gear; 626. First crossbeam; 627. Second crossbeam; 628. Third crossbeam; 629. Fourth crossbeam; 631. First lifting sensor; 632. Second lifting sensor;

[0057] 7. Navigation module;

[0058] 8. Controller;

[0059] 90. Safety edge; 91. Emergency stop button; 92. Cooling fan; 93. Voice broadcaster. Detailed Implementation

[0060] Although the invention can be readily embodied in various forms, only some specific embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings and will be described in detail in this specification. It is understood that this specification should be regarded as an exemplary illustration of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to what is described herein.

[0061] Therefore, a feature pointed out in this specification is used to describe one feature of one embodiment of the invention, and does not imply that every embodiment of the invention must have the described feature. Furthermore, it should be noted that this specification describes many features. Although certain features may be combined to illustrate possible system designs, these features may also be used in other combinations not explicitly stated. Therefore, unless otherwise stated, the described combinations are not intended to be limiting.

[0062] In the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, the directional indications (such as up, down, inside, outside, left, right, front, back, etc.) used to explain the structure and movement of the various components of the invention are relative rather than absolute. These descriptions are appropriate when these components are in the positions shown in the drawings. If the descriptions of the positions of these components change, these directional indications also change accordingly.

[0063] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that the description of the invention will be more complete and fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The drawings are merely illustrative of the invention and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts, and therefore repeated descriptions of them will be omitted.

[0064] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0065] like Figure 1The diagram illustrates a typical H-shaped shelving unit 1 commonly used in this field. It includes a top plate 10 and at least three foot piers 11 connected below the top plate 10. Each foot pier 11 has a rectangular parallelepiped structure. A sill 12, perpendicularly connected to each foot pier 11, is provided between adjacent foot piers 11. The sill 12 is located at least at the upper and lower edges of the top plate 10, thus forming a H-shaped shelving unit with sills 12 at the bottom of both the entrance and exit. This provides better stability and durability compared to E-shaped (also known as a three-tiered bottom) shelving units without sill support. Existing pallet jacks have fixed-height wheel assemblies on their forks. The forks have a certain length and weight to support the goods, and these wheel assemblies function to support the fork body and assist it in moving along the ground. However, because the H-shaped shelving unit has a sill at the entrance, the wheel assemblies on the existing pallet jacks are interfered with, preventing the forks from smoothly inserting into and withdrawing from the bottom of the shelving unit. Furthermore, the height of the open section at the bottom of the shelving unit for fork insertion is limited, making it unsuitable for use. Existing handling equipment that can be used with H-shaped racks is limited to hand-pushed forklifts or manual forklifts, resulting in low operating efficiency, high labor intensity, and high labor costs.

[0066] Based on this, the present invention proposes a pallet jack that can meet the requirements of using H-shaped shelves, so as to realize the automated handling of goods that match the H-shaped shelves.

[0067] Please see Figures 2 to 5 An embodiment of the present invention provides a pallet jack transporter, including a front end 2 and a fork 3 connected to the front end 2. The fork 3 extends to one side relative to the front end 2. The fork includes a fork body and at least two support devices 5. The support device 5 includes a support wheel 53 and a drive mechanism 54. The drive mechanism 54 is connected to the support wheel 53 to drive the support wheel 53 to move. The movement of the support wheel 53 under the drive of the drive mechanism 54 includes a first position and a second position. When the support wheel is in the first position, the support wheel 53 extends downward from the fork body to abut against the ground to support the fork body. When the support wheel 53 is in the second position, the support wheel 53 is located inside the fork body. The support wheels 53 of at least two support devices 5 are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the fork.

[0068] In this embodiment, the pallet jack transporter can also be called an automated guided transport device, a transport robot, a transport AGV, or an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV). It has a walking mechanism that uses forks to transfer target goods through turning and walking in any direction. During this process, the forks have a certain length and weight to carry the goods. The support wheels 53 of the two support devices 5, in the first position, can rest against the ground and roll synchronously with the transporter to support the moving forks 3, ensuring stable movement. When the forks encounter obstacles while entering or exiting the bottom of goods or the shelf, the support wheels 53 of the two support devices 5 move to the second position. In this second position, the support wheels 53 are located within the fork body, meaning they are suspended off the ground, giving the forks the ability to overcome obstacles and thus allowing them to be inserted into the sill-shaped shelf without interference. The switching between the first and second positions of the support wheel 53 is achieved by the drive mechanism 54. For example, when the pallet jack moves closer to the shelf, the drive mechanism 54 is extended, lowering the support wheel 53 to the ground. When the forks move to the shelf entrance and need to be inserted under the shelf, the drive mechanism 54 is retracted, raising the support wheel 53 above the ground, allowing the forks to smoothly cross the threshold and insert into the bottom of the shelf. The at least two support devices 5 are arranged with their support wheels spaced apart along the fork's extension direction. This allows the support wheel 53 of the support device 5 that first encounters an obstacle to retract, while the support wheels of the other support device 5 remain flush with the ground, preventing instability caused by obstacle crossing. In the second position, the distance between the fork body and the ground is greater than the height of the target shelf threshold, ensuring smooth insertion of the fork body into the target shelf.

[0069] For example, please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The support device 5 includes a first support device 51 and a second support device 52. The first support device 51 is located between the second support device 52 and the tail end of the fork body. The tail end of the fork body refers to the end of the fork body away from the front end 2, which enters the rack first when the fork 3 retracts into the bottom of the rack. Conversely, the head end of the fork body refers to the end of the fork body closer to the front end of the rack. The first support device 51 provides primary support for the fork body, while the second support device 52 provides secondary support to prevent instability due to excessive fork length.

[0070] For example, when the pallet jack moves towards the shelf, the support wheel 53 of the first support device 51 extends relative to the fork body and abuts against the ground, while the support wheel of the second support device 52 retracts into the fork body. The support wheel of the first support device 51 rolls along the ground, providing support and assisting the movement of the fork body. When the fork body moves to the shelf entrance and needs to be inserted under the shelf, the support wheel of the first support device 51 retracts into the fork body, while the support wheel of the second support device 52 extends relative to the fork body and abuts against the ground. The first support device 51 crosses the sill, allowing the fork body to smoothly insert into the shelf. When the fork body moves to the second support device 52 and approaches the sill, the second support device 52 retracts into the fork body, while the support wheel of the first support device 51 extends relative to the fork body and abuts against the ground. The second support device 52 crosses the sill, allowing the fork body to insert further into the shelf. Afterward, the first support device 51 remains extended until the fork body reaches the end position. The cooperation of the first support device 51 and the second support device 52 ensures the smooth insertion of the fork body into the rack while maintaining good stability of the fork body. Specifically, during the process of removing the fork body from the rack after it has been transported to the designated location, the movement sequence of the support wheels of the first support device 51 and the second support device 52 is the reverse of the above process.

[0071] It should be noted that the cooperation between the first support device 51 and the second support device 52 is not limited to the above description. In the initial state (the state where the forks are unloaded and moving towards the target shelf), the support wheels of the first support device 51 and the second support device 52 can both rest on the ground. For example, when the pallet jack moves towards the shelf, the support wheels of the first support device 51 and the second support device 52 extend relative to the fork body and abut against the ground, providing support and assisting in the movement of the fork body. When the fork body moves to the shelf entrance and needs to be inserted under the shelf, the support wheel of the first support device 51 retracts into the fork body, allowing the first support device 51 to cross the sill and smoothly insert the fork body into the shelf. At this time, the support wheel of the second support device 52 remains abutting against the ground. After the first support device 51 crosses the sill, it extends again relative to the fork body to abut against the ground, providing support for the fork body. When the second support device 52 moves to the shelf entrance, the support wheel of the second support device 52 retracts into the fork body, allowing the second support device 52 to cross the sill and further insert the fork body into the shelf. At this time, the support wheel of the first support device 51 remains abutting against the ground, thus ensuring the smooth insertion of the fork body into the shelf while maintaining good stability of the fork body.

[0072] The support wheel 53 can be a drive wheel with driving power or a wheel without driving power. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support wheel 53 is a driven wheel that does not have its own power device to move along the ground, and moves together with the vehicle head when the traveling mechanism drives the vehicle head to move. It can support the forks and assist the forks to move to the target position at the same time, without the need to add an additional drive mechanism 54, thus simplifying the fork structure.

[0073] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The fork body includes a base 30 and a cargo plate 31. The cargo plate 31 is located on the upper side of the base 30, and a receiving space is formed between the cargo plate 31 and the base 30. The drive mechanism 54 is located in the receiving space. An opening 32 is provided on the base 30, and the support wheel 53 can pass through the opening 32 to enter or leave the receiving space.

[0074] Specifically, the base 30 and the cargo plate 31 are arranged opposite to each other, and the two enclose the receiving space. The drive mechanism 54 of the support device 5 is integrated therein. When the drive mechanism 54 is in the extended state, the position of the support wheel 53 is lowered and extends out of the opening 32 to abut against the ground. When the drive mechanism 54 is in the retracted state, the position of the support wheel 53 is raised and retracts into the receiving space from the opening 32.

[0075] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 4 The pallet jack transporter also includes a lifting mechanism, which is located between the base 30 and the cargo plate 31 and is connected to the base 30 and the cargo plate 31 respectively, for driving the cargo plate 30 to move vertically relative to the base 31.

[0076] Specifically, the lifting mechanism 6 is also located within the aforementioned accommodating space. The loading plate 31 is used to contact the shelf. The lifting mechanism drives the lifting movement of the loading plate 30 to lift the shelf, thereby transferring it from its current position to a target position. By configuring the loading plate 31 to move up and down relative to the base 30, this invention effectively prevents the forks from being suspended above the ground when lifting heavy objects, thus avoiding instability. During the transfer of the shelf, the base 30 and the support device 5 support the loading plate 31, thereby increasing the load-bearing limit of the forks.

[0077] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 6The lifting mechanism 6 includes at least two guide components 62 and a drive component 61. The guide components 62 are used to guide the vertical movement of the cargo plate 31, and there is a gap between the two guide components 62 along the extension direction of the forks. The drive component 61 is used to drive the cargo plate 31 to move vertically. At least two support wheels 53 are arranged at a distance along the extension direction between the two guide components 62, and the drive mechanism 54 and the drive component 61 are located between adjacent support wheels 53.

[0078] Specifically, the loading pallet 31 moves vertically up and down under the drive of the drive device 61. At least two guide components 62 are distributed at both ends of the accommodating space along the length of the forks 3. When the drive device 61 drives the loading pallet 31 to move up and down, these components restrict the displacement of the loading pallet 31 along the length of the forks 3 and allow the loading pallet 31 to move vertically. Two support wheels 53 are arranged at intervals between the two guide components 62 along the extension direction of the forks 3, and the drive mechanism 54 and the drive components 61 are located between adjacent support wheels 53. This results in a compact spatial arrangement and high integration of components, reducing space occupancy and allowing for a reduction in the overall size of the forks, at least in the vertical direction, thus better matching racks with sills.

[0079] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 4 The drive mechanisms 54 of the two support devices 5 are spaced apart, and the drive assembly 61 is located between the two drive mechanisms 54, which makes better use of the limited space inside the forks and further improves the degree of integration.

[0080] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 4 The base 30 has at least two openings 32, each corresponding to a support wheel 53. Two guide components 62 are positioned outside the adjacent openings 32. The drive mechanism 54 and the drive component 61 are located between the adjacent openings 32. By optimizing the spatial arrangement of each component, high integration is achieved without interfering with their operation. This improves space utilization while reducing size, allowing for better matching of racks with limited forklift entry heights.

[0081] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 5The drive mechanism 54 includes a mounting bracket 541 and a linear drive member 542. The mounting bracket 541 is rotatably connected to the fork body. The mounting bracket 541 can swing the support wheel 53 to be received in the receiving space, and / or drive the support wheel 53 to swing out from the receiving space to extend downward out of the fork body. The output end of the linear drive member 542 is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket 541 and is used to drive the mounting bracket 541 to swing.

[0082] In this embodiment, a fixed seat 55 is provided in the accommodating space of the fork body. The mounting bracket 541 is rotatably connected to the fixed seat 55 via a pin. The support wheel 53 is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket 541. The output end of the linear drive 542 is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket 541 via a pin, and the other end is fixedly connected to the drive mounting seat 56 provided in the accommodating space. The reciprocating telescopic movement of the linear drive 542 within a certain stroke range can drive the mounting bracket 541 to swing along its pin to be accommodated in the accommodating space, or to extend from the accommodating space to protrude downward from the fork body, thereby driving the support wheel 53 to lower or raise its position.

[0083] For example, when the linear drive 542 retracts, the mounting bracket 541 swings upward and is housed within the receiving space, thereby causing the support wheel 53 to lift off the ground and suspend itself. When the linear drive 542 extends, the mounting bracket 541 swings downward and extends out of the receiving space, protruding downward from the fork body, thereby causing the support wheel 53 to descend and extend out of the fork body to rest against the ground.

[0084] The present invention does not have any special limitation on the linear drive component 542, and can use a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder or an electric linear drive component. Preferably, the linear drive component 542 is an electric push rod, which is arranged along the length direction of the fork body.

[0085] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 5 The support device 5 further includes a position sensing element, which is configured to detect whether the support wheel 53 has moved to a preset position;

[0086] The positioning sensing element includes an upper limit sensor 57, a lower limit sensor 58, and a sensing plate 59. The sensing plate 59 is disposed on the mounting bracket 541 to sense the upper limit sensor 57 and the lower limit sensor 58.

[0087] In this embodiment, a sensor mounting base is provided inside the fork body near the fixed seat 55. The upper limit sensor 57 and the lower limit sensor 58 are disposed on the sensor mounting base and are distributed vertically at intervals. The sensing plate 59 is disposed on the mounting frame 541 and swings synchronously with the mounting frame 541. When the mounting frame 541 moves downward and the sensing plate 59 approaches the sensing area of ​​the lower limit sensor 58, the lower limit signal is triggered, indicating that the support wheel 53 has reached the lowest position and the linear drive 542 stops driving. When the mounting frame 541 moves upward and the sensing plate 59 approaches the sensing area of ​​the upper limit sensor 57, the upper limit signal is triggered, indicating that the support wheel 53 has reached the highest position and the linear drive 542 stops driving.

[0088] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 5 The outer diameters of the support wheels of the first support device 51 and the second support device 52 are the same, and the axial length of the support wheel of the first support device 51 is greater than that of the support wheel of the second support device 52. This makes the contact area between the support wheel of the first support device 51 and the ground larger than that between the support wheel of the second support device 52 and the ground. Since the first support device 51 is located near the tail end of the fork body, the tail end of the fork body has greater gravity due to its distance from the front end 2. The first support device 51 can provide more stable support for the tail end of the fork body.

[0089] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 6 The lifting mechanism 6 further includes a lifting section 60, which is connected to the cargo plate 31 and connected to the guide assembly 62. The drive assembly 61 is located below the lifting section 60 to drive the lifting section 60 to rise and fall. The guide assembly 62 is configured to rise and fall synchronously with the lifting section 60, having an extended position and a folded position. The guide assembly 62 includes at least one linkage frame, which includes two support frames and a telescopic frame 623 disposed between the two support frames. The two support frames are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction. The two support frames include a first support frame 621 and a second support frame 622. The first support frame 621 is connected to the cargo plate 31, and the second support frame 622 is connected to the base 30. The telescopic frame 623 includes four connecting rods connected in a parallelogram structure. One end of one diagonal of the parallelogram structure is rotatably connected to the first support frame 621, and the other end of the diagonal is rotatably connected to the second support frame 622.

[0090] Specifically, the lifting section 60 is a rigid, plate-like structure that can be connected to the lower surface of the cargo plate 31 by any suitable means, such as fasteners, welding, fusion, or adhesives. The drive assembly 61 drives the lifting section 60 to move up and down, thereby raising and lowering the cargo plate 31 relative to the base 30. The drive assembly 61 can be a cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, or other mechanically driven push rod. The first support frame 621 in the linkage frame is connected to the lower surface of the cargo plate 31, and the second support frame 622 in the lower frame is connected to the base 30. When the lifting section 60 drives the cargo plate 31 to move up and down, the guide 62 is driven by the lifting section 60 to move up and down between the highest extended position and the lowest folded position. That is, the guide assembly 62 has an extended state and a retracted state, providing support and lifting guidance for the cargo plate 31.

[0091] like Figure 8 As shown, the telescopic frame 623 includes a first link 623-1, a second link 623-2, a third link 623-3, and a fourth link 623-4. One end of the first link 623-1 is rotatably connected to the first support frame 621 via a pin, and the other end is hinged to the second link 623-2 via a pin. The other end of the second link 623-2 is rotatably connected to the second support frame 622 via a pin. Similarly, one end of the third link 623-3 is rotatably connected to the first support frame 621 via a pin, and the other end is hinged to the fourth link 623-4 via a pin. The other end of the fourth link 623-4 is rotatably connected to the second support frame 622 via a pin. This forms a deformable tower with a parallelogram structure. When the telescopic frame 623 is fully retracted or folded, the cargo plate 31 is located at the lowest point on the base 30, i.e., the cargo plate 31 is connected to the base 30, and the fork body is in the initial position before cargo lifting. Figure 7 When the telescopic frame 623 is fully extended, the cargo platform 31 is at its highest lifting position. Figure 6 At this point, the loading platform 31 lifts the shelf off the ground, enabling it to be transferred to the target location.

[0092] In some embodiments, the ends of the first link 623-1 and the third link 623-3 connected to the first support frame 621 are rotatably connected to the first support frame 621 via the same pin, and the ends of the second link 623-2 and the fourth link 623-4 connected to the second support frame 622 are rotatably connected to the second support frame 622 via the same pin, that is, the telescopic frame 623 includes 4 hinge points.

[0093] In other implementations, such as Figure 6 and Figure 8As shown, the ends of the first link 623-1 and the third link 623-3 connected to the first support frame 621 are each rotatably connected to the first support frame 621 via independent pins. The ends of the second link 623-2 and the fourth link 623-4 connected to the second support frame 622 are each rotatably connected to the second support frame 622 via independent pins. That is, the telescopic frame 623 has the following characteristics: Figure 7 The first hinge point 623-a, the second hinge point 623-b, the third hinge point 623-c, the fourth hinge point 623-d, the fifth hinge point 623-e, and the sixth hinge point 623-f are shown, wherein the second hinge point 623-b and the fifth hinge point 623-e are located on the same diagonal.

[0094] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 6 Each of the guide components 62 includes two linkage frames, which are arranged opposite to each other in the width direction of the lifting section 60;

[0095] Among them, a first gear 624 and a second gear 625 are provided between the two linkage frames for meshing connection. The first gear 624 and the second gear 625 are configured to rotate along the hinge point between the parallelogram structure and the second support frame 622.

[0096] Specifically, two linkage frames are arranged parallel to each other on both sides of the lifting part 60. The two ends of the first gear 624 and the second gear 625 are respectively connected to two oppositely arranged second support frames 622. When the linkage frames extend or retract, the first gear 624 and the second gear 625 move synchronously, which on the one hand assists the extension and retraction of the telescopic frame 623, and on the other hand plays a limiting and fixing role, improving the stability of the telescopic frame 623 and enhancing the strength of the fork body.

[0097] In some embodiments, the two ends of the first gear 624 are respectively fixedly connected to the hinge shaft between the second connecting rod 623-2 and the second support frame 622, and the two ends of the second gear 625 are respectively fixedly connected to the hinge shaft between the fourth connecting rod 623-4 and the second support frame 622. Specifically, the two ends of the first gear 624 are respectively fixedly connected to the hinge shaft of the first hinge point 623-a of the two linkage frames, and the two ends of the second gear 625 are respectively fixedly connected to the hinge shaft of the fourth hinge point 623-d of the two linkage frames. When the telescopic frame 623 extends or retracts, it drives the first gear 624 and the second gear 625 to rotate.

[0098] In other embodiments, the first gear 624 and the second gear 625 are rotatably connected to the second support frame 622 and the telescopic frame 623 via a gear shaft. For details, please refer to... Figure 6 and Figure 8The second link 623-2 and the second support frame 622 are rotatably connected through the gear shaft of the first gear 624, and the fourth link 623-4 and the second support frame 622 are rotatably connected through the gear shaft of the second gear 625, thereby realizing the synchronous movement of the telescopic frame 623 with the first gear 624 and the second gear 625.

[0099] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 6 The guide assembly 62 further includes several crossbeams, the two ends of which are connected to other hinge points of the two linkage frames to further enhance the stability of the guide assembly 62. Specifically, it includes a first crossbeam 626, a second crossbeam 627, a third crossbeam 628, and a fourth crossbeam 629. The two ends of the first crossbeam 626 are respectively connected to the second hinge points 623-b of the two linkage frames. The two ends of the second crossbeam 627 are respectively connected to the third hinge points 623-c of the two linkage frames. The two ends of the third crossbeam 628 are respectively connected to the sixth hinge points 623-f of the two linkage frames. The two ends of the fourth crossbeam 629 are respectively connected to the fifth hinge points 623-e of the two linkage frames.

[0100] In one technical solution of the present invention, the lifting part 60 is connected to the second crossbeam 627 and the third crossbeam 628 of the guide assembly 62 so as to drive the guide assembly 62 to extend and retract synchronously while it is lifting and lowering.

[0101] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 9 The drive assembly 61 includes a lifting motor 611, a lead screw 612, and a movable part 613. The lifting motor 611 is connected to the lead screw 612 to drive the lead screw 612 to rotate. The movable part 613 is sleeved on the lead screw 612 to drive the movable part 613 to reciprocate along the length direction of the lead screw 612.

[0102] A support rod 614 is hinged to the lifting part 60. The support rod 614 is connected to the movable part 613. The connection position of the support rod 614 and the movable part 613 is at a distance from the hinge position of the lifting part 60 and the support rod 614. The support rod 614 swings relative to the lifting part 60 under the drive of the movable part 613, causing the lifting part 60 to rise or fall.

[0103] In this embodiment, the lifting motor 611 drives the lead screw 612 to rotate, thereby causing the movable part 613 to reciprocate linearly along the lead screw 612. One end of the support rod 614 is rotatably connected to the movable part 613, and the other end is rotatably connected to the lifting part 60. The reciprocating linear motion of the movable part 613 causes the connection position between the support rod 614 and the movable part 613 to move closer to or further away from the hinge position between the lifting part 60 and the support rod 614, thereby causing the support rod 614 to drive the lifting part 60 to rise or fall. When the lifting part 60 rises, it causes the guide assembly 62 to extend; when the lifting part 60 falls, it causes the guide assembly 62 to fold. In this embodiment, the driving direction of the drive assembly 61 is perpendicular to the lifting direction of the lifting part 60. Compared to related technologies where the driving direction of the hydraulic cylinder and the lifting direction of the lifting mechanism are in a straight line (both are vertical), this effectively reduces the space occupied by the lifting mechanism in the vertical direction, facilitating a compact and lightweight design of the lifting mechanism. The telescopic frame 623 can be used to limit the displacement of the fork body along the movement direction of the movable part 613, and allow the fork body to move along the lifting direction. That is, it prevents the lifting part 60 from simply following the support rod 614 to translate along the extension direction of the lead screw 612 when the support rod 614 swings, without producing vertical lifting movement.

[0104] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 9 The drive assembly 61 also includes a reducer 615 connected between the lifting motor 611 and the lead screw 612. The reducer 615 can provide different torques and high and low speeds, providing sufficient power to the drive assembly 61.

[0105] The lifting motor 611 and the reducer 615 are fixedly connected to the base 31 via the drive mounting seat 616, the lead screw 612 is fixedly connected to the base 31 via two spaced bearing seats 617, and the movable part 613 is located between the two bearing seats 617.

[0106] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 The lifting mechanism 6 also includes a lifting sensor for detecting the position and height of the cargo plate 31.

[0107] In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 6 includes at least a first lifting sensor 631 and a second lifting sensor 632. The first lifting sensor 631 is mounted on the base 30 and detects whether the lifting mechanism 6 has descended to a preset position by sensing the second hinge point 623-b of the telescopic frame 623. The second lifting sensor 632 is mounted on the second support frame 622 and detects whether the lifting mechanism 6 has risen to a preset position by sensing the fifth hinge point 623-e of the telescopic frame 623. The lifting mechanism 6 controls the lifting part 60 to rise according to the detection results. Specifically, when the lifting mechanism 6 drives the cargo plate 31 to move upward relative to the base 30, when the fifth hinge point 623-e of the telescopic frame 623 reaches the sensing area of ​​the second lifting sensor 632, the upper limit signal is triggered, indicating that the cargo plate 31 has reached the highest position and the drive assembly 61 stops driving; when the lifting mechanism 6 drives the cargo plate 31 to move downward relative to the base 30, when the second hinge point 623-b of the telescopic frame 623 reaches the sensing area of ​​the first lifting sensor 631, the lower limit signal is triggered, indicating that the cargo plate 31 has reached the lowest position and the drive assembly 61 stops driving.

[0108] In one technical solution of the present invention, the forks 3 are configured as two parallel ones, that is, two parallel strip-shaped forks 3 with a gap in the middle. Each fork 3 is provided with a lifting mechanism 6 and at least two support devices 5. The forks 3 also have spikes at their tail ends to facilitate insertion into the shelf. Of course, the specific structural form, quantity, and placement of the forks 3 are not limited to the above method, and users can flexibly configure them according to actual conditions.

[0109] In one technical solution of the present invention, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The pallet jack transporter also includes a walking mechanism 4, a navigation module 7, and a controller 8. The walking mechanism 4, the navigation module 7, and the controller 8 are all located at the front of the vehicle 2. The controller 8 is electrically connected to the navigation module 7, the walking mechanism 4, the support device 5, and the lifting mechanism 6, respectively. The controller 8 controls the operation of the front of the vehicle 2, the support device 5, and the lifting mechanism 6 through the detection information of the navigation module 7.

[0110] In this embodiment, the traveling mechanism 4 is installed inside the lower part of the vehicle head 2, extending out of the bottom surface of the vehicle head 2 and abutting against the ground to drive the vehicle head 2 to move. The traveling mechanism 4 includes at least one steering wheel 40 and at least one caster wheel 41, which enable the movement of the vehicle head. The steering wheel 40 can be driven by a DC motor, AC induction motor, servo DC motor, etc., to rotate 360° horizontally. It works in conjunction with the caster wheel 41 to enable the transporter to turn and move in any direction. It can be a vertically driven steering wheel or a horizontally driven steering wheel, and is equipped with a drive motor, steering motor, reducer, and other mechanical structures.

[0111] In this embodiment, the navigation module 7 can be a lidar. The lidar is installed on the top of the vehicle. When the pallet jack is moving, the lidar measures the distance and angle of objects such as walls and pillars in the environment by emitting and reflecting laser beams. Then, it calculates its own position information through geometric calculations, thereby performing position navigation.

[0112] The controller 8 includes a circuit board and control components (such as buttons, gear levers, touch screens, etc.). The circuit board is electrically connected to the control components and the traveling mechanism 4, support device 5, and lifting mechanism 6, respectively. The operator inputs control information to the circuit board through the control components. After receiving the control information, the circuit board sends instructions to the traveling mechanism 4, support device 5, and lifting mechanism 6 to control the operation of the corresponding mechanisms. Here, the controller 8 can be located at the front of the vehicle or form an independent controller (such as a remote control), without specific limitations.

[0113] Based on the above-described specific embodiments, the pallet jack transporter also includes a human-machine interface device, which is located at the front of the vehicle 2 and is used to display and set the operating parameters of the pallet jack transporter. In this embodiment, the controller can automatically control the vehicle's operation through feedback signals, or the vehicle's operation can be manually controlled through the human-machine interface device.

[0114] Based on the above specific embodiments, the pallet jack transporter can be equipped with various safety devices, such as a safety edge 90 around the vehicle body to prevent collision damage; an emergency stop button 91 at the front of the vehicle to brake and stop in case of an emergency; a cooling fan 92 at the front of the vehicle to prevent the front of the vehicle from overheating; and a voice broadcaster 93 at the front of the vehicle to broadcast the operating status in real time.

[0115] The following reference Figure 10 Describe the specific usage process of the above-mentioned groundhog transporter example.

[0116] In the initial state, the first support device 51 extends out of the fork body and rests against the ground, working together with the traveling mechanism 4 of the vehicle head;

[0117] When the fork body is about to be inserted into the shelf, the first support device 51 retracts into the receiving space of the fork body, while the second support device 52 extends relative to the fork body and abuts against the ground.

[0118] When the fork body moves to the second support device 52 and approaches the sill, the second support device 52 retracts into the receiving space of the fork body, while the first support device 51 extends relative to the fork body and abuts against the ground.

[0119] The second support device 52 crosses the sill to allow the fork body to be inserted further into the shelf, and then the first support device 51 remains extended until the fork body moves to the preset end position.

[0120] The lifting mechanism 6 lifts the loading platform 31, making the shelf suspended off the ground. After the shelf is moved from its current position to the target position, the loading platform 31 is lowered under the drive of the lifting mechanism 6, and the shelf is placed in the target position.

[0121] Although this application has been described with reference to several typical embodiments, it should be understood that the terminology used is descriptive and exemplary, and not restrictive. Because this application can be embodied in many forms without departing from the spirit or essence of the embodiments, it should be understood that the above embodiments are not limited to any of the foregoing details, but should be interpreted broadly within the spirit and scope defined by the appended claims. Therefore, all variations and modifications falling within the scope of the claims or their equivalents should be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pallet jack transporter, comprising a cab and forks, the forks being connected to the cab and extending to one side relative to the cab, characterized in that, The fork includes a fork body and at least two support devices. Each support device includes a support wheel and a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is connected to the support wheel to drive the support wheel to move. The movement of the support wheel under the drive mechanism includes a first position and a second position. When the support wheel is in the first position, it extends downward from the fork body to abut against the ground to support the fork body. When the support wheel is in the second position, it is located inside the fork body. The support wheels of the at least two support devices are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the fork. The fork body includes a base and a cargo plate. The cargo plate is located on the upper side of the base, and a receiving space is formed between the cargo plate and the base. The drive mechanism is located in the receiving space. An opening is provided on the base, and the support wheel can pass through the opening to enter or leave the receiving space. The drive mechanism is mounted on the base; A lifting mechanism is located between the base and the cargo plate, and is connected to the base and the cargo plate respectively, for driving the cargo plate to move vertically relative to the base; The lifting mechanism includes: At least two guide assemblies for guiding the vertical movement of the cargo pallet, wherein there is a gap between two of the guide assemblies along the extension direction of the forks; A drive assembly is used to drive the cargo plate to move vertically. Wherein, at least two of the support wheels are arranged at intervals along the extending direction at positions between the two guide components, and the drive mechanism and the drive components are located at positions between adjacent support wheels; The lifting mechanism further includes a lifting section, which is connected to the cargo plate and the guide assembly; The drive assembly includes a lifting motor, a lead screw, and a movable part. The lifting motor is connected to the lead screw to drive the lead screw to rotate. The movable part is sleeved on the lead screw to drive the movable part to reciprocate along the length of the lead screw. A support rod is hinged to the lifting part, and the support rod is connected to the movable part. The connection position between the support rod and the movable part is at a distance from the hinge position between the lifting part and the support rod. The support rod swings relative to the lifting part under the drive of the movable part, causing the lifting part to rise or fall.

2. The pallet jack transporter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanisms of the two support devices are spaced apart, and the drive assembly is located between the two drive mechanisms.

3. The pallet jack transporter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base has at least two openings, each corresponding to a support wheel. The two guide components are located outside the adjacent openings, and the drive mechanism and the drive components are located between the adjacent openings.

4. The pallet jack transporter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism includes: Mounting bracket, which is rotatably connected to the fork body, is capable of driving the support wheel to swing so as to be received in the receiving space, and / or driving the support wheel to swing out from the receiving space so as to extend downward out of the fork body; A linear drive unit, the output end of which is rotatably connected to the mounting bracket, is used to drive the mounting bracket to swing.

5. The pallet jack transporter according to claim 4, characterized in that, The support device also includes a position sensing element, which is configured to detect whether the support wheel has moved to a preset position; The positioning sensing element includes an upper limit sensor, a lower limit sensor, and a sensing plate. The sensing plate is disposed on the mounting bracket to sense the upper limit sensor and the lower limit sensor.

6. The pallet jack transporter according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The two support devices include a first support device and a second support device. The first support device is located between the second support device and the tail end of the fork body. The axial length of the support wheel of the first support device is greater than the axial length of the support wheel of the second support device.

7. The pallet jack transporter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive assembly is located below the lifting section to drive the lifting section to move up and down. The guide assembly is configured to move up and down synchronously with the lifting section, having an extended position and a folded position. The guide assembly includes at least one linkage frame, the linkage frame including: Two support frames are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction. The first support frame is connected to the cargo plate, and the second support frame is connected to the base. A telescopic frame is disposed between two support frames. The telescopic frame includes four connecting rods connected in a parallelogram structure. One end of one diagonal of the parallelogram structure is rotatably connected to the first support frame, and the other end of the diagonal is rotatably connected to the second support frame.

8. The pallet jack transporter according to claim 7, characterized in that, Each of the guide components includes two linkage frames, which are arranged opposite to each other in the width direction of the lifting section; Among them, a first gear and a second gear are provided between the two linkage frames, and the first gear and the second gear are configured to rotate along the hinge point between the parallelogram structure and the second support frame.

9. The pallet jack transporter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism also includes a lifting sensor for detecting the position and height of the cargo platform.

10. The pallet jack transporter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The forks are configured as two parallel ones.

11. The pallet jack transporter according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The earthmoving device also includes: A traveling mechanism is located at the front of the vehicle and extends beyond the bottom surface of the front of the vehicle; The navigation module is located at the front of the vehicle; The controller is electrically connected to the support device, the walking mechanism, and the navigation module, respectively. The controller controls the operation of the support device and the walking mechanism through the detection information of the navigation module.

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