A light-duty unmanned forklift

Abstract

This utility model relates to the field of unmanned logistics equipment technology, specifically a light-duty unmanned forklift, including a modularly detachable frame and outrigger assembly. A drive wheel assembly is located on the outer side of the frame, and a fork carriage assembly is mounted on the outrigger assembly and driven vertically by a lifting module. The drive wheel assembly adopts an isosceles triangle layout of servo wheels and double-sided swivel wheels. The swivel wheel support plate is C-shaped to reduce footprint and adapt to narrow passages. The guide rail plate of the outrigger assembly and the roller bearings of the fork carriage assembly form a guiding fit. The lifting module ensures precise lifting through lead screw and pulley transmission. The forklift is equipped with obstacle avoidance radar, lidar, and a forklift shell. Load-bearing wheels are located at the ends of the outriggers. The overall design balances stability, smooth lifting, adaptability, and safety, making it suitable for efficient handling of light goods in narrow passages.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of unmanned logistics equipment technology, and in particular to a light-load unmanned forklift. Background Technology

[0002] As smart warehousing evolves towards high density and lean manufacturing, light-duty automated forklifts, as core material handling equipment, face critical technological challenges in terms of narrow-aisle maneuverability, stability, fork lifting accuracy, and scenario adaptability. Existing technologies for light-duty automated forklifts generally suffer from two major shortcomings: First, they struggle to balance narrow-aisle adaptability with stable movement. Traditional wheel layouts are either too bulky to pass through narrow passages or poorly designed support points lead to vehicle swaying and reduced positioning accuracy. Second, fork lifting is prone to wobbling, lacks versatility, and is cumbersome to assemble. Existing fork lifting mechanisms are often decentralized with simple guiding structures, making it easy for goods to sway during lifting. Furthermore, the outrigger components are fixed to the frame, preventing flexible adjustments based on cargo volume, resulting in poor adaptability and high maintenance costs. In addition, some forklifts lack comprehensive safety features, posing a higher risk of collisions in complex warehousing environments, failing to meet the efficient, flexible, and safe operational requirements of modern smart logistics.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a lightweight unmanned forklift that is compact in structure, stable in movement, precise in lifting, and highly adaptable to address the pain points of existing technologies. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this utility model is to overcome the problems of the prior art and provide a light-load unmanned forklift to solve the technical problems of existing light-load unmanned forklifts, such as difficulty in balancing narrow passage and stable walking, fork lifting and swaying, insufficient versatility and ease of assembly, and lack of operational safety. It achieves efficient passage in narrow passages, stable and precise lifting of goods, and improves the adaptability of the mechanism and operational safety.

[0005] The above objectives are achieved through the following technical solutions: A light-duty unmanned forklift includes a frame and outrigger assemblies that are detachably connected front and rear. A fork carriage assembly is mounted on the outrigger assembly, and the fork carriage assembly is driven to vertically lift relative to the outrigger assembly via a lifting module. A drive wheel assembly is provided on the outer side of the frame, in contact with the ground. Load-bearing wheels are provided at the ends of the frame outriggers of the outrigger assembly. The drive wheel assembly includes a servo wheel mounted on a servo wheel support plate of the frame, and swivel wheels symmetrically mounted on a C-shaped swivel wheel support plate of the frame. Two swivel wheels are located on either side of the servo wheel, and the rubber-coated wheels of the swivel wheels and the servo wheels are all horizontal to the bottom surface of the load-bearing wheels. The rubber-coated wheels and the bottom surfaces of the two swivel wheels form an isosceles triangle. Roller bearings are provided on the outer side of the roller upright plate of the fork carriage assembly, and guide rails of the outrigger assembly have guide rail grooves adapted to the roller bearings.

[0006] Furthermore, the guide rail groove is a U-shaped groove, the groove width is adapted to the outer diameter of the roller bearing, and a limiting block is provided at the top of the guide rail groove.

[0007] Furthermore, the limiting block is made of polyurethane and is used to limit the upward stroke of the roller bearing to prevent it from dislodging from the guide rail groove.

[0008] Furthermore, the lifting module includes an upper lead screw connecting seat, a lower lead screw connecting seat, and a vertically arranged lead screw. The top end of the lead screw passes through the upper lead screw connecting seat and is sleeved onto a first pulley. The first pulley is connected to a second pulley via a belt. The second pulley is sleeved onto a motor shaft. The motor is fixedly connected to the upper lead screw connecting seat.

[0009] Furthermore, the slider of the lifting module is T-shaped and is adapted to be connected to the slider through hole of the slider connecting seat on the back of the fork back plate, and the slider is threaded to match the lead screw.

[0010] Furthermore, obstacle avoidance radar is provided on the outrigger assembly and the universal wheel mounting position of the frame, a line laser radar is provided on the top of the frame, and a forklift housing is provided on the outer side of the frame.

[0011] Furthermore, the connection surfaces of the frame and the support leg assembly are both flat and can be detachably connected by screws. The support leg assembly can be replaced according to the length of the frame support legs to adapt to different cargo volumes.

[0012] Furthermore, the base angle of the isosceles triangle formed by the rubber-coated wheel and the bottom surfaces of the two omnidirectional wheels is 0°–30°.

[0013] Furthermore, the two forks of the fork carriage assembly are connected to the fork slots on the fork back plate by interference fit or screw locking.

[0014] Furthermore, the caster wheel is a shock-absorbing caster wheel, and each of the frame support legs has two movably connected support wheels in its support wheel bracket, and the support wheel bracket has a movable cavity for the support wheels to rotate.

[0015] The present invention provides a light-load unmanned forklift that adapts to narrow passages through isosceles triangular wheel sets and C-shaped support plates, achieves smooth lifting through double-sided guide rails and multiple rollers, adapts to cargo volume through modular design, and ensures operational safety through dual limit switches and radar detection, thus guaranteeing efficient transfer of light-load cargo. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a first-view structural diagram of a lightweight unmanned forklift according to the present invention; Figure 2This is a second-view structural diagram of a lightweight unmanned forklift according to the present invention; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of a light-duty unmanned forklift according to the present invention. Figure 4 This is a first-view assembly diagram of a light-duty unmanned forklift according to the present invention; Figure 5 This is a second-view assembly diagram of a light-load unmanned forklift according to the present invention.

[0017] Illustration markings: 1-Chassis, 101-Steering wheel support plate, 102-Wheel caster support plate, 103-Steering wheel mounting hole, 104-Steering wheel mounting position, 105-Wheel caster mounting position; 2-Outrigger assembly, 201-Chassis outrigger, 202-Outrigger connecting base plate, 203-Outrigger connecting side plate, 204-Guide rail plate, 205-Guide rail groove, 206-Back plate, 207-Back plate slot, 208-Limit block, 209-Load-bearing wheel, 210-Load-bearing wheel support, 211-Moving cavity; 3-Fork carriage assembly, 301-Fork, 302-Fork back plate, 303-Fork insert 304 - Roller upright plate; 305 - Roller bearing; 306 - Slider connecting seat; 307 - Slider through hole; 4 - Lifting module; 401 - Slider; 402 - Upper lead screw connecting seat; 403 - Lower lead screw connecting seat; 404 - Lead screw; 405 - First pulley; 406 - Belt; 407 - Second pulley; 408 - Motor; 5 - Drive wheel assembly; 501 - Servo wheel; 502 - Universal wheel; 503 - Drive motor; 504 - Slewing bearing; 505 - Rubber-coated wheel; 506 - Steering motor; 6 - Obstacle avoidance radar; 7 - LiDAR; 8 - Forklift housing. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. The described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] like Figures 1-3 As shown, this solution provides a light-duty unmanned forklift, including a frame 1, outrigger assembly 2, fork carriage assembly 3, lifting module 4, drive wheel assembly 5, obstacle avoidance radar 6, line lidar 7, and forklift housing 8. The components work together to achieve walking, lifting, and safety protection functions. The whole adopts a modular design to adapt to light-duty operation requirements.

[0020] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, in this embodiment, the frame 1 is the main support structure of the forklift, integrally formed from high-strength aluminum alloy, balancing lightweight and rigidity. The outer side of the frame 1 is provided with a servo wheel support plate 101 and a universal wheel support plate 102, arranged parallel vertically to ensure flatness after wheel assembly installation. The servo wheel support plate 101 has an outwardly protruding servo wheel mounting position 104 at its center to accommodate the drive motor 503 of the servo wheel 501. It has a servo wheel mounting hole 103, the diameter of which matches the output shaft of the drive motor 503, ensuring no shaking after the drive motor 503 is installed. The universal wheel support plate 102 is C-shaped, with its opening facing the forklift housing 8. Its symmetrically arranged universal wheel mounting positions 105 partially surround the servo wheel mounting position 104, both avoiding the structure of the servo wheel 501 and ensuring the symmetry of the universal wheel 502 installation, thus reducing the lateral footprint of the frame 1.

[0021] like Figure 2 As shown in the illustration, the outrigger assembly 2 in this example is modularly connected to the frame 1, including a pair of symmetrically arranged frame outriggers 201. The frame outriggers 201 are made of aluminum alloy square tubing, and their length can be flexibly selected according to the volume of the cargo. A outrigger connecting base plate 202 is welded and fixed between the two frame outriggers 201 to support the lifting module 4 and distribute the load. Outrigger connecting side plates 203 are symmetrically welded to the outer sides of the two frame outriggers 201. The outrigger connecting side plates 203 are perpendicular to the frame outriggers 201, forming lateral support and improving overall rigidity.

[0022] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the outrigger assembly 2 also includes a vertically arranged back plate 206, the bottom of which has a back plate slot 207 adapted to the frame outrigger 201, and the frame outrigger 201 is initially positioned by plugging and connecting; the outrigger connecting base plate 202, the outrigger connecting side plate 203 and the guide rail plate 204 are all fixedly connected to the back plate 206 on the same side by welding or screws, forming a stable L-shaped structure, effectively distributing the load and adapting to the compact space layout of the forklift.

[0023] The support leg connecting side plate 203 is symmetrically fixed with a guide rail plate 204, which has a U-shaped guide rail groove 205 extending in the vertical direction. The groove width is precisely matched with the outer diameter of the roller bearing 305 to ensure guiding accuracy. A polyurethane limiting block 208 is fixed to the top of the guide rail groove 205 by screws to limit the upward stroke of the roller bearing 305 and prevent it from falling out of the guide rail groove 205.

[0024] Each of the frame support legs 201 is welded and fixed to the end of a load-bearing wheel support 210. The load-bearing wheel support 210 has a movable cavity 211 inside, which houses two load-bearing wheels 209. The load-bearing wheels 209 are movably connected to the load-bearing wheel support 210 through pins. Dust covers are provided at both ends of the pins to improve service life. The two load-bearing wheels 209 are arranged side by side and are kept horizontal with the bottom surfaces of the caster wheel 502 and the rubber-coated wheel 505 to form a multi-point stable support.

[0025] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the fork carriage assembly 3 in this embodiment is used to carry goods and includes a pair of forks 301 and a fork back plate 302. The forks 301 are made of aluminum alloy in one piece, and the surface is anodized, making them wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant. The length can be adjusted according to the size of the goods. The two forks 301 are connected and fixed by fork slots 303 at the bottom of the fork back plate 302, ensuring that the forks 301 are installed firmly. The forks 301 of the corresponding length can be replaced according to the size of the goods to adapt to the transportation of goods of different specifications.

[0026] The back of the fork back plate 302 is vertically and symmetrically welded with roller uprights 304, which are perpendicular to the fork back plate 302. Each roller upright 304 has at least two roller bearings 305 movably mounted on its outer side via pins. The roller bearings 305 are evenly distributed along the longitudinal direction of the roller upright 304 and extend into the guide rail groove 205, forming a double-sided multi-point guiding fit with a low coefficient of friction, ensuring smooth lifting and lowering of the fork carriage assembly 3 without jamming.

[0027] The back of the fork back plate 302 is fixed with a slider connecting seat 306 by welding or screws. The seat has a T-shaped slider through hole 307 inside, which is matched with the T-shaped slider 401 of the lifting module 4 to ensure that the slider 401 moves synchronously with the fork back plate 302, the force is even, and the lifting is not skewed.

[0028] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the lifting module 4 is the power source for lifting the forks, fixed on the outrigger connecting base plate 202, and includes an upper lead screw connecting seat 402, a lower lead screw connecting seat 403, a lead screw 404, a slider 401, a pulley assembly, and a motor 408. Both the upper lead screw connecting seat 402 and the lower lead screw connecting seat 403 are made of cast iron and are fixed to the back plate 206 and the outrigger connecting base plate 202 respectively by screws. They are coaxially arranged to ensure smooth rotation of the lead screw 404.

[0029] The lead screw 404 is vertically positioned and movably mounted between the upper and lower lead screw connecting seats via bearings, ensuring high transmission efficiency and positioning accuracy. The slider 401 is a T-shaped nut seat that is threadedly matched with the lead screw 404. When the lead screw 404 rotates, it drives the slider 401 to rise and fall vertically along the lead screw 404. The top end of the lead screw 404 passes through the upper lead screw connecting seat 402 and is connected to the first pulley 405 via a key. The first pulley 405 is connected to the second pulley 407 via a polyurethane synchronous belt 406, ensuring precise transmission without slippage. The second pulley 407 is connected to the shaft of the motor 408 via a key. The motor 408 is fixed to the upper lead screw connecting seat 402 via a motor bracket, achieving closed-loop position control and ensuring precise and controllable lifting height.

[0030] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the drive wheel assembly 5 is the core of the forklift's movement, including a servo wheel 501 and two casters 502. The casters 502 are shock-absorbing casters, fixed to the bottom surface of the caster mounting position 105 with screws, and remain horizontal with the bottom surface of the rubber-coated wheel 505 after installation. The servo wheel 501 includes a rubber-coated wheel 505, a drive motor 503, a slewing bearing 504, and a steering motor 506. The rubber-coated wheel 505 is made of polyurethane, which is wear-resistant and non-slip. The drive motor 503 can drive the rubber-coated wheel 505 to achieve speed adjustment. The steering motor 506 is a stepper motor that drives the slewing bearing 504 through a steering gear to achieve 360° continuous steering with high steering accuracy.

[0031] The rubber-coated wheel 505 and the two swivel wheels 502 form an isosceles triangle with a base angle of 0°–30°. This structure ensures support stability while minimizing the lateral width of the frame 1, making it suitable for narrow-track operations. The slewing bearing 504 is fixed to the servo wheel mounting position 104 with screws to ensure the coaxiality of the servo wheel 501 after installation.

[0032] To enhance operational safety, obstacle avoidance radars 6 are mounted on the middle of the outrigger assembly 2 and on the outer sides of the two omnidirectional wheel mounting positions 105 via brackets. These obstacle avoidance radars 6 are laser radars, facing forward and to the sides of the forklift to ensure no blind spots. A linear laser radar 7 is installed on the top of the frame 1 for real-time ranging, working in conjunction with the obstacle avoidance radars 6 to detect road conditions. When an obstacle is detected, a signal is sent to the control system to control the forklift to decelerate, steer, or stop. A forklift shell 8, made of ABS engineering plastic, is located on the outer side of the frame 1, encasing the frame 1 and part of the outrigger assembly 2 to prevent dust and debris from entering the internal components and to protect the electrical wiring.

[0033] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, in this embodiment, the connecting surfaces of the frame 1 and the outrigger assembly 2 are milled flat to form a smooth contact surface. They are detachably connected by screws, fitting tightly without any loose gaps. This modular design allows the outrigger assembly 2 to be replaced as a whole with the length of the frame outrigger 201, adapting to light goods of different volumes, and is convenient for disassembly and maintenance.

[0034] The assembly process of a light-duty unmanned forklift provided in this embodiment includes: Frame and drive wheel assembly assembly: Drive motor 503 of servo wheel 501 is passed through servo wheel mounting hole 103 and fixed to servo wheel mounting position 104 by slewing bearing 504; shock-absorbing caster 502 is fixed to caster mounting position 105, ensuring that rubber-coated wheel 505 and caster 502 bottom surface are horizontal; Outrigger assembly: The frame outrigger 201 is inserted into the back plate slot 207 of the back plate 206 and welded to fix it; the outrigger connecting base plate 202 and the outrigger connecting side plate 203 are welded to the bottom and the outside of the frame outrigger 201, respectively; the guide rail plate 204 and the limiting block 208 are fixed to the outrigger connecting side plate 203; the load-bearing wheel 209 is installed on the load-bearing wheel support 210 through the pin shaft; Fork carriage assembly assembly: Forks 301 are inserted into fork slots 303 of fork back plate 302 and locked; roller bearings 305 are installed on roller upright plate 304, and then roller upright plate 304 is welded to fork back plate 302. Lifting module assembly: The upper and lower lead screw connecting seats are fixed to the support leg assembly 2, and the lead screw 404 and slider 401 are installed; the slider 401 and slider connecting seat 306 are sleeved and fixed; the motor 408, pulley and synchronous belt 406 are installed, and the roller bearing 305 is embedded in the guide rail groove 205. Modular docking and auxiliary installation: Fix the frame 1 and the outrigger assembly 2 with screws; install the obstacle avoidance radar 6, the line laser radar 7 and the forklift shell 8 to complete the overall assembly.

[0035] The working principle of a light-load unmanned forklift provided in this embodiment is as follows: Walking operation status: Motor 503 drives rubber-coated wheel 505 to rotate and provide driving force; steering motor 506 realizes forklift steering through slewing bearing 504; swivel wheel 502 and load-bearing wheel 209 follow the support; obstacle avoidance radar 6 and line lidar 7 detect road conditions in real time to ensure collision-free passage through narrow passages. Lifting operation: The motor 408 starts and drives the lead screw 404 to rotate through the pulley assembly. The slider 401 rises and falls along the lead screw 404, driving the fork carriage assembly 3 to move synchronously. The roller bearing 305 rolls and guides the fork in the guide rail groove 205. When the roller bearing 305 contacts the limit block 208, the motor 408 stops running, realizing the lifting limit. During the lowering stroke, the motor 408 reverses and the forks 301 descend to the initial position, completing the picking, placing and stacking of goods.

[0036] The light-duty unmanned forklift in this embodiment is suitable for handling light goods. It has a compact overall structure, is suitable for narrow aisle operations, has stable lifting, precise positioning, and is easy to assemble. It can effectively meet the light-duty handling needs of modern intelligent warehousing.

[0037] The above description is only for illustrating the embodiments of this utility model and is not intended to limit this utility model. For those skilled in the art, any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this utility model should be included within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A light-duty unmanned forklift, characterized in that, The vehicle includes a frame (1) and a support leg assembly (2) that are detachably connected at the front and rear. The support leg assembly (2) is equipped with a fork carriage assembly (3), which is driven by a lifting module (4) to achieve vertical lifting relative to the support leg assembly (2). The outer side of the frame (1) is provided with a drive wheel assembly (5) that contacts the ground, and the frame support leg (201) of the support leg assembly (2) is provided with a load-bearing wheel (209) at the end; the drive wheel assembly (5) includes a servo wheel (501) provided on the servo wheel support plate (101) of the frame (1) and a universal wheel (502) symmetrically provided on the C-shaped universal wheel support plate (102) of the frame (1). The two universal wheels (502) are located on both sides of the servo wheel (501), and the bottom surfaces of the universal wheel (502), the rubber-coated wheel (505) of the servo wheel (501) and the load-bearing wheel (209) are all horizontal. The rubber-coated wheel (505) and the bottom surfaces of the two universal wheels (502) form an isosceles triangle; The fork carriage assembly (3) has a roller bearing (305) on the outside of the roller stand plate (304), and the support leg assembly (2) has a guide rail groove (205) adapted to the roller bearing (305) on the guide rail plate (204).

2. The light-duty unmanned forklift according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide rail groove (205) is a U-shaped groove, and the groove width is adapted to the outer diameter of the roller bearing (305). A limiting block (208) is provided at the top of the guide rail groove (205).

3. The light-duty unmanned forklift according to claim 2, characterized in that, The limiting block (208) is used to limit the upward stroke of the roller bearing (305) to prevent it from disengaging from the guide rail groove (205).

4. The light-duty unmanned forklift according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting module (4) includes an upper lead screw connector (402), a lower lead screw connector (403), and a vertically arranged lead screw (404). The top end of the lead screw (404) passes through the upper lead screw connector (402) and is sleeved with a first pulley (405). The first pulley (405) is connected to a second pulley (407) via a belt (406). The second pulley (407) is sleeved with the shaft of a motor (408). The motor (408) is fixedly connected to the upper lead screw connector (402).

5. A light-duty unmanned forklift according to claim 4, characterized in that, The slider (401) of the lifting module (4) is T-shaped and is adapted to be connected to the slider through hole (307) of the slider connecting seat (306) on the back of the fork back plate (302). The slider (401) is threadedly matched with the lead screw (404).

6. A light-duty unmanned forklift according to claim 1, characterized in that, Obstacle avoidance radar (6) is provided on the outrigger assembly (2) and the universal wheel mounting position (105) of the frame (1), a line laser radar (7) is provided on the top of the frame (1), and a forklift shell (8) is provided on the outer side of the frame (1).

7. A light-duty unmanned forklift according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connection surfaces of the frame (1) and the support leg assembly (2) are both flat and can be detachably connected by screws. The support leg assembly (2) can be replaced according to the length of the frame support leg (201) to adapt to different cargo volumes.

8. A light-duty unmanned forklift according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base angle of the isosceles triangle formed by the bottom surfaces of the rubber-coated wheel (505) and the two universal wheels (502) is 0°–30°.

9. A light-duty unmanned forklift according to claim 5, characterized in that, The two forks (301) of the fork carriage assembly (3) are inserted into the fork slots (303) of the fork back plate (302) and fixed by interference fit or screw locking.

10. A light-duty unmanned forklift according to claim 1, characterized in that, The caster wheel (502) is a shock-absorbing caster wheel. Each frame support leg (201) has two movably connected support wheels (209) in the support wheel bearing bracket (210). The support wheel bearing bracket (210) has a movable cavity (211) for the support wheels (209) to rotate.

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