Fork arm assembly of a fork truck and fork truck
By designing multiple guide wheels and floating support wheels in the forklift arm assembly, the problem of the difficulty for forklifts to climb over obstacles has been solved, and a smooth and stable obstacle-crossing process has been achieved.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- VISNO CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-26
AI Technical Summary
Forklift forks have difficulty climbing over obstacles, especially when moving over uneven surfaces or pallet bottoms, where the support wheels can easily get obstructed, leading to instability in the handling process.
The fork arm assembly is designed to include multiple guide wheels and support wheels. The guide wheels are arranged at intervals along the length of the fork arm, with the height from the ground increasing sequentially. The support wheels are floating. The guide wheels contact the obstacle first and lift the fork arm, reducing the climbing difficulty for the support wheels. The wheel frame mechanism optimizes space utilization.
It improves the stability and smoothness of forklifts climbing obstacles, reduces the difficulty of support wheels climbing obstacles, and ensures the stability and efficiency of the entire obstacle-crossing process.
Smart Images
Figure CN224411307U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of material handling equipment, and in particular, to a forklift arm assembly and a forklift. Background Technology
[0002] Forklifts, as an important piece of logistics handling equipment, primarily function to load, unload, and transport goods through their adjustable forklift mechanisms. The forklifts are typically equipped with support wheels, which bear the load and facilitate movement, ensuring the stability of the equipment during handling.
[0003] However, in real-world operating environments, support wheels encounter various obstacles, such as uneven road surfaces with localized bumps or the bottom plate of a pallet. The height and size of these obstacles can both hinder the support wheels' movement. Therefore, the need to improve the forklift's ability to overcome obstacles has always existed. Utility Model Content
[0004] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a forklift arm assembly and a forklift, which aims to improve the forklift's ability to climb over obstacles.
[0005] This disclosure provides a forklift arm assembly including a forklift arm, at least one support wheel, and a plurality of first guide wheels. The forklift arm is supported on the ground by at least one support wheel. The plurality of first guide wheels are rotatably mounted on the forklift arm, spaced apart along the length of the forklift arm and located in front of at least one support wheel, with each first guide wheel not overlapping each support wheel along the length of the forklift arm. When the forklift arm is supported on the ground by at least one support wheel, the plurality of first guide wheels are suspended in the air, and the ground clearance of the plurality of first guide wheels increases sequentially along the direction approaching the front end of the forklift arm.
[0006] As the forklift moves forward, the first guide wheel at the foremost position contacts the obstacle first. Due to its higher ground clearance, this first guide wheel can easily climb over the obstacle. After clearing the obstacle, this first guide wheel supports and lifts the fork arm, thereby increasing the ground clearance of the remaining first guide wheels. This reduces the height that the remaining first guide wheels need to traverse to climb the obstacle. As multiple first guide wheels sequentially complete their obstacle-crossing actions, the first guide wheel adjacent to at least one support wheel will take over the support of the fork arm. At this point, at least one support wheel does not need to bear weight, thus reducing the difficulty for it to climb the obstacle. The fork arm assembly provided by this invention not only reduces the difficulty for the support wheels to climb obstacles but also ensures a smooth and stable obstacle-crossing process.
[0007] In one possible implementation, the fork arm assembly further includes a plurality of second guide wheels rotatably mounted on the fork arm. The plurality of second guide wheels are spaced apart along the length direction of the fork arm and located behind at least one support wheel. Each second guide wheel does not overlap with each support wheel in the length direction of the fork arm. When the fork arm is supported on the ground by at least one support wheel, the plurality of second guide wheels are suspended in the air, and the height of the plurality of second guide wheels from the ground increases sequentially along the direction approaching the rear end of the fork arm.
[0008] As the forklift moves backward, the second guide wheel at the rearmost end contacts the obstacle first. Due to its higher ground clearance, this first guide wheel can easily climb over the obstacle. After the second guide wheel completes the obstacle crossing, it supports and lifts the fork arm, thereby increasing the ground clearance of the remaining second guide wheels. This reduces the height that the remaining second guide wheels need to traverse to climb the obstacle. As multiple second guide wheels sequentially complete the obstacle crossing action, the second guide wheel adjacent to at least one support wheel will take over the support of the fork arm. At this time, at least one support wheel does not need to bear weight, thus reducing the difficulty for it to climb the obstacle. The fork arm assembly provided by this utility model not only reduces the difficulty for the support wheels to climb obstacles but also ensures a smooth and stable obstacle crossing process.
[0009] In one possible implementation, the fork arm assembly also includes a wheel carrier mechanism, on which at least one support wheel is mounted, such that at least one support wheel is floatable relative to the fork arm.
[0010] During the process of climbing over obstacles, at least one support wheel can be raised, so that at least one support wheel can overcome smaller obstacles to complete the obstacle-climbing action, thereby reducing the difficulty of climbing over obstacles.
[0011] In one possible implementation, the wheel frame mechanism is pivotally mounted on the fork arm about a first axis, and the rotation axis of the second guide wheel adjacent to at least one support wheel among a plurality of second guide wheels coincides with the first axis.
[0012] When installing the wheel frame mechanism and the fork arm, the axes of their rotation coincide, which reduces space occupation and makes the overall structure of the fork arm assembly more compact.
[0013] In one possible implementation, the axles of multiple first guide wheels are located on the same horizontal plane. When the fork arm is supported on the ground by at least one support wheel, the wheel diameters of the multiple first guide wheels decrease sequentially along the direction approaching the front end of the fork arm. The wheel diameter of each support wheel is greater than the wheel diameters of each first guide wheel and each second guide wheel.
[0014] According to the forklift assembly provided by this utility model, by setting the relative positions of the rotating shafts of multiple first guide wheels and the wheel diameters of the multiple first guide wheels, the ground clearance of the multiple first guide wheels can be sequentially increased along the direction approaching the front end of the forklift. Furthermore, when the forklift is performing handling operations, the height of the forklift increases, and each support wheel can float relative to the forklift, allowing it to be adjusted to a position in contact with the ground to support the forklift. By setting the wheel diameter of at least one support wheel to be larger, its support effect on the forklift can be enhanced.
[0015] In one possible implementation, when the fork arm is supported on the ground by at least one support wheel, the axis of rotation of the second guide wheel adjacent to the at least one support wheel is lower than the axis of rotation of the first guide wheel and the axis of rotation of any of the other second guide wheels.
[0016] When the second guide wheel, adjacent to at least one support wheel, is installed on the fork arm, a portion of the space above the axle of the second guide wheel will be occupied by it. Furthermore, since the rotation axis of the second guide wheel coincides with that of the wheel frame mechanism, the rotating components of the wheel frame mechanism will also occupy a portion of the space above the axle of the second guide wheel. According to the fork arm assembly provided by this invention, by setting the axle of the second guide wheel adjacent to at least one support wheel relatively low, the second guide wheel and the rotating components of the wheel frame mechanism will occupy less space above the axle, allowing the upper space to be used for installing other components. Therefore, this implementation method is beneficial for the space utilization of the fork arm.
[0017] In one possible implementation, a plurality of first guide wheels and a plurality of second guide wheels are arranged symmetrically with respect to at least one support wheel, and the ground clearance of each first guide wheel is equal to the ground clearance of the corresponding second guide wheel; the ground clearance difference between any two adjacent first guide wheels is δ1, and the ground clearance difference between any two adjacent second guide wheels is δ2, and δ1 and δ2 are equal.
[0018] According to the forklift assembly provided by this utility model, multiple first guide wheels and multiple second guide wheels are symmetrically arranged. Each first guide wheel has a corresponding second guide wheel on the other side of at least one support wheel, and both have equal ground clearance. Therefore, whether the forklift is moving forward or backward, the obstacle-crossing process of the multiple first guide wheels and multiple second guide wheels is the same. Furthermore, the difference in ground clearance between any two adjacent first guide wheels is equal, and the difference in ground clearance between any two adjacent second guide wheels is also equal. Therefore, the height that the multiple first guide wheels and two second guide wheels need to traverse over obstacles is relatively uniform, which enables the forklift to cross obstacles smoothly and steadily.
[0019] In one possible implementation, the plurality of first guide wheels include a first guide wheel and a second guide wheel in sequence along the direction approaching the front end of the fork arm, and the plurality of second guide wheels include a first guide wheel and a second guide wheel in sequence along the direction approaching the rear end of the fork arm. When the fork arm is supported on the ground by at least one support wheel, the ground clearance of the first guide wheel ranges from 8mm to 12mm, the ground clearance of the second guide wheel ranges from 18mm to 22mm, the ground clearance of the first guide wheel ranges from 8mm to 12mm, and the ground clearance of the second guide wheel ranges from 18mm to 22mm.
[0020] In one possible implementation, at least one support wheel includes two support wheels, and the wheel frame mechanism includes a first wheel frame and a second wheel frame. The two support wheels are rotatably mounted on the first wheel frame. One end of the second wheel frame is pivotally connected to the fork arm about a first axis, and the other end of the second wheel frame is pivotally connected to the first wheel frame about a second axis located at the middle of the first wheel frame in the length direction of the fork arm.
[0021] The connection between the first and second wheel frames forms a compound hinge mechanism, enabling the two support wheels to float independently up and down. Specifically, when one of the support wheels encounters an obstacle, the first wheel frame deflects around the second axis, driving the support wheel to float upward to overcome the obstacle. Subsequently, the second wheel frame is driven upward by the first wheel frame, causing the other support wheel to float upward as well, thus ensuring that the other support wheel can also complete the obstacle-crossing action.
[0022] On the other hand, this utility model embodiment also provides a forklift, which includes the fork arm assembly described above. Attached Figure Description
[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly described below.
[0024] It should be understood that the following figures only illustrate certain embodiments of this disclosure and should not be construed as limiting the scope.
[0025] It should also be understood that the same or similar reference numerals are used in the accompanying drawings to denote the same or similar elements.
[0026] It should also be understood that the accompanying drawings are only schematic, and the dimensions and scales of the elements in the drawings are not necessarily precise.
[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a forklift and pallet according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a portion of the fork arm assembly.
[0029] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a portion of the fork arm assembly.
[0030] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a portion of the fork arm assembly.
[0031] Figure 5A and Figure 5B yes Figure 1 A bottom view of a portion of the fork arm assembly.
[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the process of inserting the fork arm assembly into the pallet.
[0033] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a forklift and a pallet. Detailed Implementation
[0034] The embodiments of this disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that there are many ways to implement this disclosure, and it should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The embodiments set forth herein are only for a more thorough and clear understanding of this disclosure.
[0035] <Example Forklift>
[0036] refer to Figure 1 This utility model provides a forklift 100, which includes a fork arm assembly 10 and a main body 20. The fork arm assembly 10 is connected to the main body 20, and the main body 20 loads, unloads, and transports goods by controlling the lifting and lowering of the fork arm assembly 10. It is understood that the type of forklift can be a manual forklift, an electric forklift, an AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle) forklift, etc., and this utility model does not impose any particular limitation on this.
[0037] <Example Fork Arm Component>
[0038] refer to Figure 1 The forklift 100 is used to move goods on the carrier 200. For example, the carrier 200 can be a pallet 200. During the handling operation, the fork arm assembly 10 needs to be inserted into the bottom of the pallet 200, and after the handling operation is completed, the fork arm assembly 10 needs to be removed from the bottom of the pallet 200.
[0039] Continue to refer to Figure 1The pallet 200 includes a bottom plate 2001, a top plate 2002, and fork holes 2003 formed between the two. Fork holes 2003 are provided on all four sides of the pallet 200, allowing the fork arm assembly 10 to be inserted into the fork holes 2003 from four directions. When the fork arm assembly 10 is inserted into or withdrawn from the fork holes 2003, it needs to climb over the bottom plate 2001. If the bottom plate 2001 is too high, it will hinder the insertion and withdrawal of the fork arm assembly 10 relative to the fork holes 2003.
[0040] To improve the ability of the forklift assembly 10 to climb obstacles, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 This disclosure provides a fork arm assembly 10. The fork arm assembly 10 includes a fork arm 11, at least one support wheel 12, and a plurality of first guide wheels 13. The fork arm 11 is supported on the ground by at least one support wheel 12. The plurality of first guide wheels 13 are rotatably mounted on the fork arm 11, spaced apart along the length direction of the fork arm 11 and located in front of at least one support wheel 12, and each first guide wheel 13 does not overlap with each support wheel 12 in the length direction of the fork arm 11. When the fork arm 11 is supported on the ground by at least one support wheel 12, the plurality of first guide wheels 13 are suspended in the air, and the height of the plurality of first guide wheels 13 from the ground increases sequentially along the direction approaching the front end of the fork arm 11.
[0041] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In a non-limiting example, the plurality of first guide wheels 13 include two first guide wheels 131 and 132, which are arranged sequentially towards the front end of the fork arm 11. The axes of rotation of the two first guide wheels 131 and 132 are located on the same horizontal plane. When the fork arm 11 is supported on the ground by at least one support wheel 12, the wheel diameters of the two first guide wheels 131 and 132 decrease sequentially towards the front end of the fork arm 11. The ground clearance of the first guide wheel 131 is D1, and the ground clearance of the first guide wheel 132 is D2. <D2。
[0042] Combination Figure 6 As the forklift 100 moves forward, the first guide wheel 132 contacts the obstacle before the first guide wheel 131. Due to its higher ground clearance, the first guide wheel 132 can easily climb over the obstacle. After completing the obstacle-climbing action, the first guide wheel 132 supports and lifts the fork arm 11, thereby increasing the ground clearance of the first guide wheel 131. This reduces the height that the first guide wheel 131 needs to traverse to climb the obstacle. As multiple first guide wheels 13 complete the obstacle-climbing action, the first guide wheel 131 adjacent to at least one support wheel 12 will take over the support of the fork arm 11. At this time, at least one support wheel 12 does not need to bear weight, thus reducing the difficulty of climbing the obstacle. According to the fork arm assembly 10 provided by this utility model, not only can the difficulty of the support wheel 12 climbing over obstacles be reduced, but the entire obstacle-climbing process can also be ensured to be smooth and stable.
[0043] It should be noted that the ground clearance of the first guide wheel 13 refers to the minimum distance between the wheel surface of the first guide wheel 13 and the ground, and the ground clearance of the second guide wheel 14 mentioned below refers to the minimum distance between the wheel surface of the second guide wheel 14 and the ground.
[0044] It is understood that the obstacle can be the bottom plate 2001 of the pallet 200, a local protrusion on the road surface during the transportation of the fork arm assembly 10, or other objects that hinder the movement of the fork arm assembly 10.
[0045] It is understood that in this utility model, directional descriptions such as "up," "down," "front," and "rear" are relative rather than absolute. These directional descriptions apply when the elements in this utility model are in the placement posture and position shown in the figures. It should be noted that in the figures of this disclosure, arrows X+ and X- are used to indicate the front end and rear end of the fork arm 11, that is, the opposite sides in the length direction of the fork arm 11; arrows Z+ and Z- are used to indicate the upper and lower sides of the fork arm assembly 10, that is, the opposite sides in the height direction.
[0046] refer to Figure 2 The fork arm assembly 10 also includes a plurality of second guide wheels 14 rotatably mounted on the fork arm 11. The plurality of second guide wheels 14 are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the fork arm 11 and are located behind at least one support wheel 12. Each second guide wheel 14 and each support wheel 12 do not overlap with each other in the length direction of the fork arm 11. When the fork arm 11 is supported on the ground by at least one support wheel 12, the plurality of second guide wheels 14 are suspended in the air, and the height of the plurality of second guide wheels 14 from the ground increases sequentially in the direction approaching the rear end of the fork arm.
[0047] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In a non-limiting example, the plurality of second guide wheels 14 include second guide wheels 141 and 142, which are arranged sequentially along a direction approaching the rear end of the fork arm 11. The ground clearance of the second guide wheel 141 is D1', and the ground clearance of the second guide wheel 142 is D2'. <D2'。
[0048] Combination Figure 6When the forklift 100 moves backward, the second guide wheel 142 contacts the obstacle before the second guide wheel 141. Due to its higher ground clearance, the second guide wheel 142 can climb over the obstacle more easily. After completing the obstacle-climbing action, the second guide wheel 142 supports and lifts the fork arm 11, thereby increasing the ground clearance of the second guide wheel 141. This reduces the height that the second guide wheel 141 needs to traverse to climb the obstacle. As multiple second guide wheels 141 complete the obstacle-climbing action, the second guide wheel 141 adjacent to at least one support wheel 12 will take over the support of the fork arm 11. At this time, at least one support wheel 12 does not need to bear weight, thus reducing the difficulty of climbing the obstacle. According to the fork arm assembly 10 provided by this utility model, not only can the difficulty of the support wheel 12 climbing over obstacles be reduced, but the entire obstacle-climbing process can also be ensured to be smooth and stable.
[0049] refer to Figure 5A and Figure 5B The fork arm assembly 10 also includes a wheel frame mechanism 15, on which at least one support wheel 12 is mounted, allowing the at least one support wheel 12 to float relative to the fork arm 11. During obstacle climbing, at least one support wheel 12 can be raised, enabling it to overcome smaller obstacles and thus reducing the difficulty of obstacle climbing.
[0050] It should be noted that the quantity description of "at least one" in "at least one support wheel 12" above refers to the absolute number of support wheels 12, not a selective designation. This statement does not indicate that only a portion of the multiple support wheels 12 are selected for operation, but rather refers to the overall quantity of support wheels 12. For example, the description "at least one support wheel 12 is floatable relative to the fork arm 11" means that all support wheels 12 are capable of floating, not just a portion of them.
[0051] Continue to refer to Figure 5A and Figure 5B The wheel frame mechanism 15 is pivotally mounted on the fork arm 11 about a first axis AA. The rotation axis BB of the second guide wheel 14 (i.e., the second guide wheel 141) adjacent to at least one support wheel 12 among the plurality of second guide wheels 14 coincides with the first axis AA. When the wheel frame mechanism 15 and the fork arm 11 are installed, their rotation axes coincide, thus reducing space occupation and making the overall structure of the fork arm assembly 10 more compact.
[0052] Combination Figure 4When the fork arm 11 is supported on the ground by at least one support wheel 12, the axis of rotation of the second guide wheel 14 adjacent to the at least one support wheel 12 is lower than the axis of rotation of the first guide wheel 13 and any of the other second guide wheels 14. When the second guide wheel 14 (i.e., the second guide wheel 141) adjacent to the at least one support wheel 12 is installed on the fork arm 11, a portion of the space above the axis of rotation of the second guide wheel 141 will be occupied by the second guide wheel 141. Furthermore, since the axis of rotation of the second guide wheel 141 coincides with that of the wheel frame mechanism 15, the rotating component of the wheel frame mechanism 15 will also occupy a portion of the space above the axis of rotation of the second guide wheel 141. According to the fork arm assembly 10 provided by this invention, by setting the axis of rotation of the second guide wheel 141 adjacent to the at least one support wheel 12 lower, the second guide wheel 141 and the rotating component of the wheel frame mechanism 15 will occupy less space above the axis of rotation, allowing the upper space to be used for installing other components. Therefore, this implementation method is beneficial to the space utilization of the fork arm 11.
[0053] It is understood that since the axis of rotation of the second guide wheel 141 coincides with the axis of rotation of the wheel frame mechanism 15, the height of the axis of rotation of the second guide wheel 141 is set relatively low. However, this invention does not impose any particular limitation on the height of the axes of rotation of the remaining second guide wheels 14. As an example, when the number of multiple second guide wheels 14 is greater than or equal to 3, the axes of rotation of the remaining second guide wheels 14, excluding the second guide wheel 141, can be located in the same plane. In other embodiments, the axes of rotation of the remaining second guide wheels 14, excluding the second guide wheel 141, can also be located in the same plane as the axes of rotation of the multiple first guide wheels 13.
[0054] refer to Figures 2 to 4 The diameter of each support wheel 12 is larger than the diameter of each first guide wheel 13 and each second guide wheel 14. (Combined) Figure 7 When the forklift 100 is performing a handling operation, each support wheel 12 can float relative to the fork arm 11, allowing it to be adjusted to a position in contact with the ground to support the fork arm 11. By setting the wheel diameter of at least one support wheel 12 to be larger, its support effect on the fork arm 11 can be enhanced.
[0055] It is understood that this utility model does not impose any particular limitations on the number or diameter of the support wheels 12. In a non-limiting example, refer to... Figure 5A and Figure 5B At least one support wheel 12 includes two support wheels 12, and each support wheel 12 has the same wheel diameter.
[0056] refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4Multiple first guide wheels 13 and multiple second guide wheels 14 are symmetrically arranged relative to at least one support wheel 12, wherein the ground clearance of each first guide wheel 13 is equal to the ground clearance of the corresponding second guide wheel 14; the ground clearance difference between any two adjacent first guide wheels 13 is δ1, and the ground clearance difference between any two adjacent second guide wheels 14 is δ2, and δ1 and δ2 are equal.
[0057] According to the fork arm assembly 10 provided by this utility model, a plurality of first guide wheels 13 and a plurality of second guide wheels 14 are symmetrically arranged. Each first guide wheel 13 has a corresponding second guide wheel 14 on the other side of at least one support wheel, and the two have equal ground clearance. Therefore, whether the forklift 100 is moving forward or backward, the obstacle-crossing process of the plurality of first guide wheels 13 and the plurality of second guide wheels 14 is the same. Furthermore, the difference in ground clearance between any two adjacent first guide wheels 13 is equal, and the difference in ground clearance between any two adjacent second guide wheels 14 is also equal. Therefore, the height that the plurality of first guide wheels 13 and the two second guide wheels 14 need to cross over obstacles is relatively average, which enables the obstacle-crossing process of the forklift 100 to be smooth and stable.
[0058] It can be understood that the multiple first guide wheels 13 and multiple second guide wheels 14 are arranged symmetrically with respect to at least one support wheel 12. That is, the distance from the axis of rotation of each first guide wheel 13 to at least one support wheel 12 is equal to the distance from the axis of rotation of the corresponding second guide wheel 14 to at least one support wheel 12, and the ground clearance of each first guide wheel 13 is also equal to the ground clearance of the corresponding second guide wheel 14.
[0059] As an example, see reference Figure 3 and Figure 4 The plurality of first guide wheels 13 include a first first guide wheel 131 and a second first guide wheel 132 sequentially along the direction approaching the front end of the fork arm 11, and the plurality of second guide wheels 14 include a first second guide wheel 141 and a second second guide wheel 142 sequentially along the direction approaching the rear end of the fork arm 11. Assuming a reference plane P, the length direction of the fork arm 11 is perpendicular to the reference plane P, and at least one support wheel 12 is symmetrical with respect to the reference plane P. Figure 4 (The reference plane P is shown as a line segment).
[0060] When the fork arm 11 is supported on the ground by at least one support wheel 12, the distance from the pivot of the first guide wheel 131 to the reference plane P is L1, and the distance from the pivot of the first guide wheel 141 to the reference plane P is L1', where L1 and L1' are equal; the distance from the pivot of the second guide wheel 132 to the reference plane P is L2, and the distance from the pivot of the second guide wheel 142 to the reference plane P is L2', where L2 and L2' are equal. When the fork arm 11 is supported on the ground by at least one support wheel 12, the height of the first guide wheel 131 from the ground is D1, and the height of the first guide wheel 141 from the ground is D1', where D1 and D1' are equal; the height of the second guide wheel 132 from the ground is D2, and the height of the second guide wheel 142 from the ground is D2', where D2 and D2' are equal.
[0061] In a non-limiting example, the ground clearance D1 of the first guide wheel 131 ranges from 8mm to 12mm, the ground clearance D2 of the second guide wheel 132 ranges from 18mm to 22mm, the ground clearance D1' of the first guide wheel 141 ranges from 8mm to 12mm, and the ground clearance D2' of the second guide wheel 142 ranges from 18mm to 22mm.
[0062] refer to Figure 5A and Figure 5B The wheel frame mechanism 15 includes a first wheel frame 151 and a second wheel frame 152. Two support wheels 12 are rotatably mounted on the first wheel frame 151. One end of the second wheel frame 152 is pivotally connected to the fork arm 11 about a first axis AA, and the other end of the second wheel frame 152 is pivotally connected to the first wheel frame 151 about a second axis CC. The second axis CC is located at the middle of the first wheel frame 151 in the length direction of the fork arm 11.
[0063] The connection between the first wheel frame 151 and the second wheel frame 152 constitutes a composite hinge mechanism, enabling the two support wheels 12 to float independently up and down. Specifically, combined with Figure 6 When the support wheel 121 near the front end of the fork arm 11 encounters an obstacle, the first wheel frame 151 deflects around the second axis CC, driving the support wheel 121 to float upward to overcome the obstacle. Subsequently, the second wheel frame 152 is driven by the first wheel frame 151 to float upward, causing the other support wheel 122 to float upward, thereby ensuring that the other support wheel 122 can also complete the obstacle-crossing action.
[0064] It should be noted that the upward floating of the support wheel 12 means that the support wheel 12 rotates around the second axis CC in a direction closer to Z+.
[0065] The fork arm assembly 10 provided by this utility model has been illustrated above. The following description, in conjunction with... Figure 6The operation process of inserting the fork arm assembly 10 into the fork hole 2003 is described. It should be noted that... Figure 6 The sub-diagram numbers, such as (a) and (b), will correspond to the sequence numbers of the work processes described below.
[0066] When the fork arm assembly 10 is inserted into the fork hole 2003 and encounters the base plate 2001 (hereinafter referred to as the obstacle), the operating procedure of the fork arm assembly 10 is as follows:
[0067] (a) When the fork arm 11 is in the lower limit position, the fork arm 11 is supported on the ground by at least one support wheel 12, and the first guide wheel 132 located at the front end of the fork arm 11 first contacts the obstacle.
[0068] (b) As the forklift 100 continues to travel, the first guide wheel 132 climbs over the obstacle, and after the first guide wheel 132 climbs over the obstacle, the front end of the fork arm 11 is raised, thereby increasing the ground clearance of the first guide wheel 131.
[0069] (c) As the forklift 100 continues to move, the first guide wheel 131 climbs over the obstacle. After the first guide wheel 131 has completely crossed the obstacle, the weight of the fork arm 11 is transferred to the first guide wheel 131. At this time, the load-bearing function of the support wheel 12 is released, and it is in a relaxed, unloaded state, preparing for the subsequent obstacle crossing action.
[0070] (d) As the forklift 100 continues to move, the support wheel 121 near the front end of the fork arm 11 encounters an obstacle. The first wheel frame 151 deflects upward, driving the support wheel 121 to float upward to overcome the obstacle.
[0071] (e) As the support wheel 121 near the front end of the fork arm 11 completes the obstacle crossing action, the second wheel frame 152 is driven by the first wheel frame 151 to float upward, which in turn drives the other support wheel 122 to float upward to cross the obstacle. At this time, the weight of the fork arm 11 is transferred to the support wheels 121 and 122.
[0072] (f) As the forklift 100 continues to move, the support wheel 121 near the front end of the fork arm 11 falls off the upper surface of the obstacle;
[0073] (g) Immediately following, another support wheel 122 also falls from the upper surface of the obstacle. At this time, the second guide wheel 141 is on the obstacle, and the weight of the fork arm 11 is transferred to the second guide wheel 141;
[0074] (h) As the forklift 100 continues to move, the second guide wheel 142 finally completes its descent. At this point, at least one support wheel 12, multiple first guide wheels 13, and multiple second guide wheels 14 have all successfully completed the obstacle crossing maneuver.
[0075] It should be noted that in the current example, tray 200 has three obstacles. Figure 6(a) to Figure 6 (h) illustrates the process of the forklift assembly 10 climbing over the first obstacle. As the forklift 100 continues to move, the process of climbing over subsequent obstacles will repeat the above process. After the forklift assembly 10 has climbed over all obstacles, the forklift assembly 10 will finally be fully inserted into the fork hole 2003.
[0076] It is understandable that when the fork arm assembly 10 needs to exit the fork hole 2003, the operation process is the reverse of the insertion process described above. Specifically, the forklift 100 travels in the opposite direction to the insertion process, and the obstacle-crossing sequence of at least one support wheel 12, multiple first guide wheels 13, and multiple second guide wheels 14 is also reversed accordingly. Since its working principle is symmetrical to the insertion process, it will not be repeated here.
[0077] It should be understood that the term "comprising" and its variations as used in this disclosure are open-ended, meaning "including but not limited to". The term "according to" means "at least in part according to". The term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" means "at least another embodiment".
[0078] It should be understood that although terms such as "first" or "second" may be used in this disclosure to describe various elements (such as the first guide wheel and the second guide wheel), these elements are not defined by these terms, which are only used to distinguish one element from another.
[0079] The scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments. Any variations or substitutions that can be conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. A forklift arm assembly, characterized in that, The fork arm assembly includes: Fork arm; At least one support wheel, the fork arm being supported on the ground by the at least one support wheel; and A plurality of first guide wheels are rotatably mounted on the fork arm, spaced apart along the length of the fork arm and located in front of the at least one support wheel, wherein each first guide wheel and each support wheel do not overlap in the length of the fork arm; wherein... When the fork arm is supported on the ground by the at least one support wheel, the plurality of first guide wheels are suspended in the air, and the ground clearance of the plurality of first guide wheels increases sequentially along the direction approaching the front end of the fork arm.
2. The fork arm assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a plurality of second guide wheels rotatably mounted on the fork arm, the plurality of second guide wheels being arranged at intervals along the length direction of the fork arm and located behind the at least one support wheel, each second guide wheel and each support wheel not overlapping each other in the length direction of the fork arm, wherein when the fork arm is supported on the ground by the at least one support wheel, the plurality of second guide wheels are suspended in the air, and the height of the plurality of second guide wheels from the ground increases sequentially in the direction approaching the rear end of the fork arm.
3. The fork arm assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a wheel frame mechanism, on which at least one support wheel is mounted, such that the at least one support wheel is floatable relative to the fork arm.
4. The fork arm assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The wheel frame mechanism is pivotally mounted on the fork arm about a first axis, and the rotation axis of the second guide wheel adjacent to the at least one support wheel among the plurality of second guide wheels coincides with the first axis.
5. The fork arm assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The axles of the plurality of first guide wheels are located on the same horizontal plane. When the fork arm is supported on the ground by the at least one support wheel, the wheel diameters of the plurality of first guide wheels decrease sequentially along the direction approaching the front end of the fork arm; the wheel diameter of each support wheel is greater than the wheel diameters of each first guide wheel and each second guide wheel.
6. The fork arm assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the fork arm is supported on the ground by the at least one support wheel, the axis of rotation of the second guide wheel adjacent to the at least one support wheel is lower than the axis of rotation of the first guide wheel and the axis of rotation of any other second guide wheel.
7. The fork arm assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The plurality of first guide wheels and the plurality of second guide wheels are arranged symmetrically with respect to the at least one support wheel, wherein the ground clearance of each first guide wheel is equal to the ground clearance of the corresponding second guide wheel; the ground clearance difference between any two adjacent first guide wheels is δ1, and the ground clearance difference between any two adjacent second guide wheels is δ2, and δ1 and δ2 are equal.
8. The fork arm assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The plurality of first guide wheels include a first guide wheel and a second guide wheel in sequence along the direction approaching the front end of the fork arm, and the plurality of second guide wheels include a first guide wheel and a second guide wheel in sequence along the direction approaching the rear end of the fork arm. When the fork arm is supported on the ground by the at least one support wheel, the ground clearance of the first guide wheel ranges from 8mm to 12mm, the ground clearance of the second guide wheel ranges from 18mm to 22mm, the ground clearance of the first guide wheel ranges from 8mm to 12mm, and the ground clearance of the second guide wheel ranges from 18mm to 22mm.
9. The fork arm assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The at least one support wheel includes two support wheels, and the wheel frame mechanism includes a first wheel frame and a second wheel frame. The two support wheels are rotatably mounted on the first wheel frame. One end of the second wheel frame is pivotally connected to the fork arm about a first axis, and the other end of the second wheel frame is pivotally connected to the first wheel frame about a second axis located at the middle of the first wheel frame in the length direction of the fork arm.
10. A forklift, characterized in that, The fork arm assembly includes any one of claims 1 to 9.