Steering wheel adjusting mechanism and fork truck

Abstract

This utility model relates to the technical field of forklift steering wheel adjustment, and specifically discloses a steering wheel adjustment mechanism and a forklift. The steering wheel adjustment mechanism includes a steering wheel assembly and an adjustment component. The steering wheel assembly includes a housing, a mounting bracket, and a steering wheel body. The adjustment component includes a locking member and a drive shaft located inside the housing. The mounting bracket is located inside the housing. The steering wheel body is connected to the mounting bracket via a first sliding joint. The locking member can be inserted into the first sliding joint to lock the steering wheel body or pulled out from the first sliding joint to unlock the steering wheel body. The drive shaft is connected to the locking member via a converter. The converter can convert the movement of the drive shaft along a first direction into the movement of the locking member along a second direction, realizing the insertion or removal of the locking member. Since the movement direction of the drive shaft does not need to be consistent with the locking and unlocking directions, it is convenient to arrange the drive shaft and place it near an easily accessible area for more convenient operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of forklift steering wheel adjustment, and specifically to a steering wheel adjustment mechanism and a forklift. Background Technology

[0002] Forklifts are common material handling vehicles, mainly used for short-distance transport of goods or materials. To adapt to various usage scenarios, forklifts usually need to be able to make precise adjustments to their direction of travel, such as turning and going straight. These actions are all controlled by the forklift's steering wheel. However, drivers of different heights have different requirements for the spatial position of the steering wheel. As a result, steering wheels with adjustable height and fore-aft position have been developed to meet the needs of different drivers.

[0003] In existing technologies, steering wheels are mostly adjusted by the cooperation of sliders and guide rails, and the position is locked or unlocked by locking bolts. However, each adjustment requires repeatedly tightening or loosening the locking bolts, which is quite troublesome. Moreover, the position can usually only be adjusted in one direction at a time, and multiple adjustments are required to adjust the steering wheel to the correct position, resulting in low adjustment efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0004] This utility model addresses the aforementioned problems and aims to provide a steering wheel adjustment mechanism and forklift. By translating the drive shaft, the locking component can be rotated, thereby locking or unlocking the steering wheel body. The steering wheel body is easy to adjust, and the operating end of the drive shaft can extend out of the outer shell and be located directly below the steering wheel body for easy operation.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a steering wheel adjustment mechanism, comprising:

[0006] A steering wheel assembly includes a housing, a mounting bracket, and a steering wheel body. The mounting bracket is fixed inside the housing, and the steering wheel body is located at the top of the housing, connected to the mounting bracket via a first sliding joint, and can slide on the mounting bracket.

[0007] The adjustment assembly includes a locking member and a drive shaft located within the housing. The locking member is located on one side of the mounting bracket and can be inserted into the first sliding joint to lock the steering wheel body. The drive shaft is arranged along a first direction on one side of the locking member, and one end of the drive shaft is configured as an operating end. The operating end can extend out of the outer side of the housing and is located directly below the steering wheel body.

[0008] A connecting member is provided between the drive shaft and the locking member. When an external force is applied to the operating end, the drive shaft can translate along the first direction and drive the locking member to move along the second direction through the connecting member, so as to disengage the locking member from the first sliding part.

[0009] According to the above-described steering wheel adjustment mechanism, the drive shaft has a locking position and an unlocking position distributed along a first direction. When the drive shaft is in the locking position, the locking member can be inserted into the first sliding part. When the drive shaft is in the unlocking position, the locking member disengages from the first sliding part.

[0010] According to the steering wheel adjustment mechanism described above, the adjustment assembly further includes a support plate and a locking spring. The end of the drive shaft away from the operating end is designated as a movable end. The movable end passes through the support plate, and the locking spring is sleeved on the movable end.

[0011] One end of the locking spring abuts against the support plate, and the other end of the locking spring abuts against the protrusion on the outer side of the movable end, so that the drive shaft is kept in the locked position.

[0012] According to the above-described steering wheel adjustment mechanism, the adapter includes a first rotating shaft and a connecting block. The first rotating shaft is rotatably arranged in the housing along the vertical direction. The middle part of the connecting block is fixedly connected to the first rotating shaft, and the two ends of the connecting block are respectively connected to the locking member and the drive shaft.

[0013] According to the steering wheel adjustment mechanism described above, the connecting block is generally L-shaped, and the connecting block includes a first connecting arm and a second connecting arm that are perpendicular to each other. One end of the first connecting arm is hinged to the locking member through a second rotating shaft, and one end of the second connecting arm is hinged to the drive shaft through a third rotating shaft.

[0014] According to the steering wheel adjustment mechanism described above, a first waist hole is provided on the end of the first connecting arm near the locking member, which is arranged along its length direction; the upper end of the second rotating shaft is movably inserted into the first waist hole; a second waist hole is provided on the end of the second connecting arm near the drive shaft, which is arranged along its length direction; and the upper end of the third rotating shaft is movably inserted into the second waist hole.

[0015] According to the steering wheel adjustment mechanism described above, the mounting bracket is provided with a guide rail arranged along a first direction, the first sliding part is a slider, and the steering wheel body is slidably connected to the guide rail through a plurality of sliders;

[0016] The first direction is set as a horizontal tilt direction.

[0017] According to the steering wheel adjustment mechanism described above, the locking component includes a locking plate, locking pins, and a connecting rod. The slider is provided with a locking hole, and a plurality of locking pins are spaced apart on the top of the locking plate. One or more locking pins can be inserted into the corresponding locking hole to lock the slider. One end of the connecting rod is connected to the middle of the locking plate, and the other end of the connecting rod is connected to the adapter.

[0018] According to the steering wheel adjustment mechanism described above, the locking hole is arranged perpendicular to the drive shaft.

[0019] A forklift, comprising:

[0020] The cockpit, which includes an operating area;

[0021] As described above, the steering wheel adjustment mechanism is located inside the cockpit, and both the steering wheel body and the operating end are located within the operating area.

[0022] This utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0023] 1. The steering wheel body can be unlocked or locked by linear drive of the drive shaft. The structure is simple and easy to operate.

[0024] 2. The translational movement of the drive shaft in the first direction can be converted into the movement of the locking component in the second direction by the adapter. That is, the arrangement direction of the drive shaft can be offset from the locking direction, which makes it easier to arrange the operating end of the drive shaft in the operating area. Compared with locking from the side, it is closer to the operator and easier to operate.

[0025] 3. The locking spring can keep the drive shaft in the locked position, which can ensure that the steering wheel is locked under normal circumstances, and prevent the steering wheel body from moving randomly, which would cause poor driving stability of the forklift.

[0026] 4. The steering wheel body can be slidably connected to the guide rail arranged along the first direction through multiple sliders. The first direction is set as a horizontal tilt direction. During the process of the steering wheel sliding along the guide rail, not only the front and back position can be adjusted, but also the up and down position can be adjusted. It can realize the simultaneous adjustment of two directions and improve the adjustment efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall appearance of the embodiment;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall internal structure of the embodiment;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the adapter structure in an embodiment;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the locking pin and slider assembly in an embodiment.

[0031] In the picture:

[0032] 100. Steering wheel assembly; 110. Housing; 120. Mounting bracket; 121. Guide rail; 130. Steering wheel body; 131. Slider; 131a. Locking hole;

[0033] 200. Adjustment component; 210. Locking element; 211. Locking plate; 212. Locking pin; 213. Connecting rod; 220. Drive shaft; 221. Operating end; 230. Adapter; 231. First rotating shaft; 232. Connecting block; 232a. First connecting arm; 232b. Second connecting arm; 232c. Second rotating shaft; 232d. Third rotating shaft; 232e. First waist hole; 232f. Second waist hole; 240. Support plate; 250. Locking spring. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The following are specific embodiments of the present invention, which are described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0035] like Figure 1-4 As shown, a steering wheel adjustment mechanism includes a steering wheel assembly 100 and an adjustment component 200. The steering wheel assembly 100 includes a housing 110, a mounting bracket 120, and a steering wheel body 130. The steering wheel body 130 is connected to the mounting bracket 120 via a first sliding joint and can slide on the mounting bracket 120. The adjustment component 200 includes a locking member 210 and a drive shaft 220. The locking member 210 can be inserted into the first sliding joint to lock the steering wheel body 130. The drive shaft 220... The first direction is arranged on one side of the locking member 210, and a connector 230 is provided between the drive shaft 220 and the locking member 210. The drive shaft 220 can move along the first direction, and the locking member 210 can be driven to move along the second direction through the connector 230, so that it can be disengaged from the first sliding part. Compared with bolt locking and unlocking, its operation is more convenient. Since the movement direction of the drive shaft 220 does not need to be consistent with the locking and unlocking directions, it is easy to arrange the drive shaft 220 and place it close to the area that is easy to operate, making the operation more convenient.

[0036] The mounting bracket 120 is fixed inside the housing 110, while the steering wheel body 130 is located on the top of the housing 110. It is used to control the overall direction of travel of the forklift. When the steering wheel body 130 slides on the mounting bracket 120, the position between the steering wheel body 130 and the driver can be adjusted to meet the needs of different drivers.

[0037] Furthermore, the mounting bracket 120 is provided with a guide rail 121 arranged along the first direction, and the first sliding part is provided as a slider 131. The steering wheel body 130 is slidably connected to the guide rail 121 through multiple sliders 131. That is, the arrangement direction of the guide rail 121 is consistent with the arrangement direction of the drive shaft 220. In this embodiment, the first direction is set as the horizontal tilt direction. Specifically, in the forklift, the first direction is the forklift's front and rear tilt direction. When the steering wheel body 130 moves along the first direction, its movement can be decomposed into two directions: one is the front and rear direction, which can adjust the front and rear distance between the steering wheel body 130 and the driver's seat; the other is the height direction, which can adjust the height of the steering wheel body 130. Both directions can be adjusted simultaneously, improving delivery efficiency.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first direction is an upward tilt from left to right, that is, when the steering wheel body 130 moves toward the direction closer to the driver's seat, the steering wheel body 130 rises simultaneously, and when the steering wheel body 130 moves toward the direction away from the driver's seat, the steering wheel body 130 falls simultaneously, which is in line with ergonomics.

[0039] Specifically, both the locking member 210 and the drive shaft 220 are located inside the housing 110. The locking member 210 is located on one side of the mounting bracket 120, and the housing 110 provides support for it. However, in order to facilitate the operation of the drive shaft 220, one end of the drive shaft 220 is set as the operating end 221. When the steering wheel body 130 is in the locked state, the operating end 221 extends out of the outer side of the housing 110 and is located directly below the steering wheel body 130. As we know, the steering wheel is usually located directly in front of the driver's seat for easy operation by the driver. Therefore, the operating end 221 of the drive shaft 220 is also located directly in front of the driver's seat. The driver can drive the drive shaft 220 with his hands or feet without leaving the driver's seat, which is convenient.

[0040] Furthermore, when an external force is applied to the operating end 221, such as when it is stepped on, the drive shaft 220 can be driven to translate along the first direction. The drive shaft 220 drives the adapter 230 to rotate, and through the adapter 230 drives the locking member 210 to translate along the second direction, thereby realizing the disengagement of the locking member 210 from the first sliding part. The direction of the driving force is changed through the adapter 230.

[0041] Furthermore, the drive shaft 220 has a locking position and an unlocking position distributed along the first direction. When the drive shaft 220 is in the locking position, the locking member 210 can be inserted into the first sliding part, that is, into the slider 131, to lock the steering wheel body 130. The drive shaft 220 can move from the locking position to the unlocking position. When the drive shaft 220 is in the unlocking position, the locking member 210 disengages from the first sliding part, that is, from the slider 131, to unlock the steering wheel body 130. At this time, the steering wheel body 130 can be adjusted. Under normal conditions, the drive shaft 220 is in the locking position, which can prevent the steering wheel body 130 from moving and adjusting at will, so as to avoid affecting its normal use.

[0042] Furthermore, to keep the drive shaft 220 in the locked position under normal conditions, the adjustment assembly 200 also includes a support plate 240 and a locking spring 250. The end of the drive shaft 220 away from the operating end 221 is designated as the movable end, which passes through the support plate 240. The locking spring 250 is sleeved on the movable end. The support plate 240 provides movable support for the drive shaft 220 to ensure that its direction of movement does not deviate. One end of the locking spring 250 abuts against the support plate 240, and the other end of the locking spring 250 abuts against the protrusion on the outer side of the movable end. The locking spring 250 provides an elastic force acting on the drive shaft 220, causing the drive shaft 220 to move away from the support plate 240, ultimately keeping the drive shaft 220 in the locked position.

[0043] Of course, when the drive shaft 220 moves from the locked position to the unlocked position, the drive shaft 220 will compress the locking spring 250. After the external force is released, the compressed locking spring 250 will provide an elastic force on the drive shaft 220, causing the drive shaft 220 to perform a reset action and return to the locked position.

[0044] Specifically, the adapter 230 includes a first rotating shaft 231 and a connecting block 232. The first rotating shaft 231 is rotatably arranged in the housing 110 in the vertical direction. The middle part of the connecting block 232 is fixedly connected to the first rotating shaft 231. The two ends of the connecting block 232 are respectively connected to the locking member 210 and the drive shaft 220. When the drive shaft 220 moves in the first direction, it can drive the connecting block 232 to rotate around the first rotating shaft 231. The rotation of the connecting block 232 can be converted into the translational movement of the locking member 210 in the second direction, thereby inserting the locking member 210 into or pulling it out of the slider 131.

[0045] Furthermore, the connecting block 232 is generally L-shaped and includes a first connecting arm 232a and a second connecting arm 232b that are perpendicular to each other. One end of the first connecting arm 232a is hinged to the locking member 210 through a second rotating shaft 232c, and one end of the second connecting arm 232b is hinged to the drive shaft 220 through a third rotating shaft 232d. A first waist hole 232e is provided on the end of the first connecting arm 232a near the locking member 210, which is arranged along its length. The upper end of the second rotating shaft 232c is movably inserted into the first waist hole 232e. When the connecting block 232 rotates, it can move in two directions, one along the length of the first connecting arm 232a and the other perpendicular to the length of the first connecting arm 232a, i.e., the second direction. This allows the locking member 210 to translate along the second direction, thereby realizing the insertion and removal of the locking member 210.

[0046] Similarly, a second waist hole 232f is provided on one end of the second connecting arm 232b near the drive shaft 220, which is arranged along its length. The upper end of the third rotating shaft 232d is movably inserted into the second waist hole 232f. When the drive shaft 220 translates along the first direction, the third rotating shaft 232d can both drive the connecting block 232 to rotate and translate within the second waist hole 232f, thus satisfying the driving conditions.

[0047] Of course, in order to facilitate the installation of the second rotating shaft 232c and the third rotating shaft 232d, flat grooves are provided on the corresponding mounting parts of the drive shaft 220 and the locking member 210.

[0048] Furthermore, the angle between the first connecting arm 232a and the locking member 210 is greater than 0°, preferably 90°, and the angle between the second connecting arm 232b and the drive shaft 220 is greater than 0°, preferably 90°. Only when there is an angle between them can they drive each other to rotate.

[0049] Of course, in addition to the above implementation methods, the adapter 230 can also use a structure in which cams abut against each other to achieve its rotational transmission.

[0050] Furthermore, the locking component 210 includes a locking plate 211, locking pins 212, and a connecting rod 213. A locking hole 131a is provided on the slider 131. Multiple locking pins 212 are spaced apart on the top of the locking plate 211. One end of the connecting rod 213 is connected to the middle of the locking plate 211, and the other end is connected to the adapter 230. When the drive shaft 220 drives the adapter 230 to rotate, the adapter 230 can drive the connecting rod 213 to move. The connecting rod 213 can then synchronously drive the multiple locking pins 212 to move through the locking plate 211, thereby achieving synchronous locking or unlocking of the multiple locking pins 212. Specifically, in this embodiment... One or more locking pins 212 can be inserted into the corresponding locking holes 131a to lock the slider 131. The initial state is that multiple locking holes 131a and multiple locking pins 212 correspond one-to-one. However, as the position of the steering wheel body 130 is adjusted, multiple sliders 131 will also move together. Therefore, some locking holes 131a and some locking pins 212 will be exposed separately. That is, some locking holes 131a cannot correspond to locking pins 212, and some locking pins 212 can no longer be inserted into locking holes 131a. However, as long as one locking pin 212 and one locking hole 131a can maintain the insertion position, the locking can be achieved.

[0051] Furthermore, the locking hole 131a is arranged perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the drive shaft 220, and the insertion direction of the locking pin 212 is also in that direction. This allows for a perpendicular arrangement of the driving direction and the insertion direction, which is beneficial for arranging the drive shaft 220 along the front-rear direction of the forklift and makes it easier to operate the drive shaft 220.

[0052] A forklift includes a cab and the aforementioned steering wheel adjustment mechanism, the steering wheel adjustment mechanism being located within the cab.

[0053] Specifically, an operating area is provided in the cockpit. This operating area is usually located directly in front of the driver's seat, that is, within the reach of the driver's hands and feet while sitting in the driver's seat. In this embodiment, both the steering wheel body 130 and the operating end 221 are located in this operating area, which makes it convenient for the driver to adjust the steering wheel body 130 while sitting in the driver's seat.

[0054] In this embodiment, a steering wheel adjustment mechanism and a forklift are disclosed. The steering wheel adjustment mechanism includes a steering wheel assembly 100 and an adjustment assembly 200. The steering wheel assembly 100 includes a housing 110, a mounting bracket 120, and a steering wheel body 130. The adjustment assembly 200 includes a locking member 210 and a drive shaft 220 located within the housing 110. The mounting bracket 120 is located within the housing 110. The steering wheel body 130 is connected to the mounting bracket 120 via a first sliding joint. The locking member 210 can be inserted into the first sliding joint to... The steering wheel body 130 is locked or pulled out from the first sliding part to unlock the steering wheel body 130. The drive shaft 220 is connected to the locking member 210 through the adapter 230. The adapter 230 can convert the movement of the drive shaft 220 in the first direction into the movement of the locking member 210 in the second direction, so as to realize the insertion or removal of the locking member 210. Since the movement direction of the drive shaft 220 does not need to be consistent with the locking and unlocking directions, it is convenient to arrange the drive shaft 220 and put it close to the area that is easy to operate, making the operation more convenient.

[0055] The technical solution of this utility model has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. The described embodiments are used to help understand the concept of this utility model. The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative examples of the spirit of this utility model. Those skilled in the art to which this utility model pertains can make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to replace them, but without departing from the spirit of this utility model or exceeding the scope defined by the appended claims.

[0056] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in this utility model embodiment are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly.

[0057] Furthermore, in this utility model, the use of terms such as "first," "second," and "a" is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0058] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixing" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0059] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of this utility model can be combined with each other, but only if they are based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

Claims

1. A steering wheel adjustment mechanism, characterized by, include: A steering wheel assembly includes a housing, a mounting bracket, and a steering wheel body. The mounting bracket is fixed inside the housing, and the steering wheel body is located at the top of the housing, connected to the mounting bracket via a first sliding joint, and can slide on the mounting bracket. The adjustment assembly includes a locking member and a drive shaft located within the housing. The locking member is located on one side of the mounting bracket and can be inserted into the first sliding joint to lock the steering wheel body. The drive shaft is arranged along a first direction on one side of the locking member, and one end of the drive shaft is configured as an operating end. The operating end can extend out of the outer side of the housing and is located directly below the steering wheel body. A connecting member is provided between the drive shaft and the locking member. When an external force is applied to the operating end, the drive shaft can move in a first direction and drive the locking member to move in a second direction through the connecting member, so as to disengage the locking member from the first sliding part.

2. A steering wheel adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein The drive shaft has a locking position and an unlocking position distributed along a first direction. When the drive shaft is in the locking position, the locking member can be inserted into the first sliding part. When the drive shaft is in the unlocking position, the locking member disengages from the first sliding part.

3. A steering wheel adjustment mechanism according to claim 2, wherein The adjustment assembly also includes a support plate and a locking spring. The end of the drive shaft away from the operating end is designated as a movable end. The movable end passes through the support plate, and the locking spring is sleeved on the movable end. One end of the locking spring abuts against the support plate, and the other end of the locking spring abuts against the protrusion on the outer side of the movable end, so that the drive shaft is kept in the locked position.

4. A steering wheel adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein The adapter includes a first rotating shaft and a connecting block. The first rotating shaft is rotatably arranged in the housing in a vertical direction. The middle part of the connecting block is fixedly connected to the first rotating shaft, and the two ends of the connecting block are respectively connected to the locking member and the drive shaft.

5. A steering wheel adjustment mechanism according to claim 4, wherein The connecting block is generally L-shaped and includes a first connecting arm and a second connecting arm that are perpendicular to each other. One end of the first connecting arm is hinged to the locking member through a second pivot, and one end of the second connecting arm is hinged to the drive shaft through a third pivot.

6. A steering wheel adjustment mechanism according to claim 5, wherein The first connecting arm has a first waist hole arranged along its length at one end near the locking member, the upper end of the second rotating shaft is movably inserted into the first waist hole, the second connecting arm has a second waist hole arranged along its length at one end near the drive shaft, and the upper end of the third rotating shaft is movably inserted into the second waist hole.

7. A steering wheel adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein The mounting bracket is provided with a guide rail arranged along a first direction, the first sliding part is a slider, and the steering wheel body is slidably connected to the guide rail through multiple sliders; The first direction is set as a horizontal tilt direction.

8. A steering wheel adjustment mechanism according to claim 7, wherein The locking component includes a locking plate, locking pins, and a connecting rod. The slider has a locking hole, and a plurality of locking pins are spaced apart on the top of the locking plate. One or more locking pins can be inserted into the corresponding locking hole to lock the slider. One end of the connecting rod is connected to the middle of the locking plate, and the other end of the connecting rod is connected to the adapter.

9. A steering wheel adjustment mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that, The locking hole is arranged perpendicular to the drive shaft.

10. A forklift, characterized in that, include: The cockpit, which includes an operating area; The steering wheel adjustment mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the steering wheel adjustment assembly is located in the cockpit, and both the steering wheel body and the operating end are located within the operating area.

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