Electronic lever for industrial vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electronic lever for industrial vehicles, and more specifically, to an electronic lever for industrial vehicles that is easy to maintain by changing the operating method of the lever used in industrial vehicles such as forklifts from the conventional hydraulic type to an electronic type. An electronic lever for an industrial vehicle according to the present invention comprises: a body fixed to an industrial vehicle and having an internal space formed therein; a push bar having a lower portion center hinged to the upper portion of the body via a hinge axis so as to be rotatable in the forward and backward directions, and having a front pressing plate and a rear pressing plate respectively provided on the front and rear of the lower surface; an operating lever formed in a shape that a user can grip with their hand so as to rotate the push bar forward or backward by an external force of the user, and connected to the upper portion of the push bar; a front shaft and a rear shaft, each supported to be able to move up and down in opposite directions according to the rotational direction of the push bar, with their upper portions in contact with the front pressing plate and the rear pressing plate of the push bar; and an elastic spring that elastically presses the front shaft and the rear shaft respectively upward within the body so that the push bar is positioned in a neutral position by elastic force when no external force is applied to the operating lever. and includes an electronic sensor unit that detects the vertical movement of the front shaft or rear shaft according to the rotational direction of the push bar and generates a forward, neutral, or reverse signal.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic lever for industrial vehicles, and more specifically, to an electronic lever for industrial vehicles that is easy to maintain by changing the operating method of the lever used in industrial vehicles such as forklifts from the conventional hydraulic type to an electronic type. Background Technology

[0002] The operation of industrial vehicles such as forklifts is typically performed by operating the FNR control lever.

[0003] In other words, the operator can select one of the FNR states—forward, reverse, or neutral—by operating the FNR control lever.

[0004] As prior art, Korean Published Patent Application No. 10-2023-0069277 (published May 19, 2023) proposed a 'FNR control device for construction machinery and method thereof'.

[0005] The FNR control device of a construction machine according to the prior art described above is an FNR control device of a construction machine that transmits the driving force of an engine to a wheel, and comprises: a driving pump driven by the engine and discharges operating hydraulic pressure in either a first direction or a second direction; a direction change valve that controls the discharge direction of the driving pump; a driving motor whose rotational direction is determined according to the discharge direction of the driving pump; an FNR operation lever that outputs an FNR operation signal for selecting the driving direction of the construction machine as one of a forward direction, a reverse direction, or a neutral direction; and a control unit that controls the direction change valve using the driving speed of the construction machine, the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal of the construction machine, and the FNR operation signal.

[0006] However, the aforementioned conventional technology had disadvantages such as a high risk of leakage due to the hydraulic lever operation method, a complex control method, and difficulty in maintenance. The problem to be solved

[0007] The present invention was devised to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and the objective of the present invention is to provide an electronic lever for industrial vehicles that changes the operating method of a lever used in industrial vehicles such as forklifts from the existing hydraulic type to an electronic type. means of solving the problem

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the electronic lever for an industrial vehicle according to the present invention comprises: a body fixed to an industrial vehicle and having an internal space formed therein; a push bar having a lower central portion hinged to the upper portion of the body via a hinge axis so as to be rotatable in the forward and backward directions, and having a front pressing plate and a rear pressing plate provided on the front and rear of the lower surface, respectively; an operating lever formed in a shape that a user can grip with their hand so as to rotate the push bar forward or backward by an external force from the user, and connected to the upper portion of the push bar; a front shaft and a rear shaft, each supported to be able to move up and down in opposite directions according to the rotational direction of the push bar, with their upper portions in contact with the front pressing plate and the rear pressing plate of the push bar, respectively; and an elastic spring that elastically presses the front shaft and the rear shaft upward, respectively, inside the body so as to position the push bar in a neutral position by elastic force when no external force is applied to the operating lever. and includes an electronic sensor unit that detects the vertical movement of the front shaft or rear shaft according to the rotational direction of the push bar and generates a forward, neutral, or reverse signal.

[0009] Herein, the electronic sensor unit comprises: a magnetic body having magnetic force; a magnet holder that connects the magnetic body to the front shaft or rear shaft within the body so that the magnetic body moves up and down integrally with the front shaft or rear shaft; a substrate installed inside the body and equipped with a Hall sensor that detects the up and down movement of the magnetic body, and which generates a forward, neutral, or backward signal according to the position of the magnetic body detected by the Hall sensor; and a harness connected to the substrate to transmit the signal generated by the substrate.

[0010] Herein, the front shaft or rear shaft is characterized by having a holder insertion groove formed on its outer surface that is recessed inward to a certain depth, and the magnet holder is a shaft coupling member that is open at one end in a C shape, opens by an external force and returns by an elastic force, is pressed into the holder insertion groove, and is snap-fitted to the front shaft or rear shaft; and a magnetic body fixing member that extends to one side of the shaft coupling member and fixes the magnetic body so that the magnetic body is positioned facing the Hall sensor.

[0011] Here, the front shaft and the rear shaft are provided with contact tips at their upper portions that contact the front and rear pressing plates of the push bar, wherein the contact tips are formed in a shape that is narrower at the top and wider at the bottom, such that the cross-sectional size decreases as it extends upward.

[0012] Here, the front shaft and the rear shaft are characterized by having contact tips formed in different shapes to deliver different stimuli to a user gripping the operating lever according to the rotational direction of the push bar.

[0013] Here, the body is characterized by having a shaft passage formed vertically through the upper surface in a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the front shaft and the rear shaft, respectively, and the front shaft and the rear shaft are provided with a stopper protruding outwardly on the outer circumference of a position corresponding to the maximum rising position inside the body, having a shape that can catch on the shaft passage, so as to limit the maximum rising position. Effects of the invention

[0014] With the above configuration, the electronic lever for industrial vehicles according to the present invention does not use hydraulics, thus eliminating the risk of leakage, and has the advantages of a simple control method and easy maintenance.

[0015] In addition, the electronic lever for industrial vehicles according to the present invention has the advantage of improving safety by enabling accurate operation according to the user's intention, while reducing manufacturing costs by simplifying the structure and reducing the number of parts. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0016] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic lever for an industrial vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a combined perspective view of an electronic lever for an industrial vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a body according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a push bar according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 5a and 5b are perspective views of a front shaft and a rear shaft according to one embodiment and another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the main part of an electronic sensor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the usage state of an electronic lever for an industrial vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0017] Hereinafter, an electronic lever for an industrial vehicle according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings.

[0018] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic lever for an industrial vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of an electronic lever for an industrial vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a body according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a push bar according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b are perspective views of a front shaft and a rear shaft according to an embodiment and another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a main part of an electronic sensor unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the usage state of an electronic lever for an industrial vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, an electronic lever for an industrial vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a body (10), a push bar (20), an operating lever (30), a sealing member (40), a front shaft (50), a rear shaft (60), an elastic spring (70), and an electronic sensor part (80).

[0020] The above body (10) is fixed to an industrial vehicle that requires the operation of a lever, such as a forklift, and is configured to have a space formed inside for other components to be built in or accommodated.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, the body (10) is provided with a hinge connector (11) for hinge connecting the hinge shaft (21) of the push bar (20) at the center of the upper part as shown in FIG. 3, and a shaft passage hole (12) is formed on the upper surface, each having a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the front shaft (50) and the rear shaft (60), and a shaft guide (13) is provided inside to communicate with the shaft passage hole (12) to guide the vertical movement of the front shaft (50) and the rear shaft (60), and a harness passage hole (14) may be formed at the center of the lower surface for connecting and passing a harness (85).

[0022] The above push bar (20) is configured such that the center of the lower part is hinged to the upper part of the body by a hinge shaft (21) so as to be rotatable in the forward and backward directions, and a front pressing plate (23) and a rear pressing plate (24) are provided on the front and rear of the lower surface, respectively.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present invention, the push bar (20) is preferably positioned such that the hinge shaft (21) is positioned lower than the position of the front pressing plate (23) and the rear pressing plate (24) for smooth forward and backward rotation as shown in FIG. 4, and a lever coupling hole (22) is formed in the center of the upper surface for coupling an operating lever (30), and the front pressing plate (23) and the rear pressing plate (24) are preferably detachably installed on the lower surface of the push bar (20) so that they can be replaced when wear occurs due to continuous contact with the front shaft (50) and the rear shaft (60).

[0024] The above operating lever (30) is formed in a shape that can be grasped by a user's hand so that the push bar (20) can be rotated forward or backward by the user's external force, and is configured to be connected to a lever coupling hole (22) formed at the top of the push bar (20).

[0025] In one embodiment of the present invention, the operating lever (30) is configured in the shape of a cylindrical straight bar to facilitate manufacturing, but a bent portion may be formed in the middle to facilitate user operation, and any shape that can be gripped by the user's hand is possible.

[0026] The above sealing member (40) is coupled in a manner such that it is inserted downward through the operating lever (30), with the upper part wrapping around the operating lever (30) and the lower part wrapping around the upper part of the body (10), and the push bar (20) is positioned in the internal space so as to prevent foreign substances from entering between the push bar (20) and the body (10).

[0027] The above sealing member (40) may be made of a flexible material that changes shape, and may be composed of a corrugated tube having a shape that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom for smooth shape change.

[0028] The front shaft (50) and rear shaft (60) are each supported so as to be able to move up and down on the upper part of the body (10) at positions corresponding to the front pressing plate (23) and rear pressing plate (24) of the push bar (20), and their upper ends are in contact with the front pressing plate (23) and rear pressing plate (24) of the push bar (20) and are configured to move up and down in opposite directions according to the rotational direction of the push bar (20).

[0029] In one embodiment of the present invention, a holder insertion groove (51) is formed on the outer surface of the front shaft (50) and is recessed inward to a certain depth, so that a shaft coupling member (821) of a magnet holder (82) to be described later is coupled thereto.

[0030] In addition, the upper portions of the front shaft (50) and rear shaft (60) are provided with contact tips (53, 54) that contact the front pressing plate (23) and rear pressing plate (24) of the push bar (20).

[0031] It is preferable that the contact tips (53, 54) be detachably installed on the upper portions of the front shaft (50) and rear shaft (60) so that they can be replaced when wear occurs due to continuous contact with the front pressing plate (23) and rear pressing plate (24).

[0032] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, the contact tips (53, 54) are formed in a shape that is narrower at the top and wider at the bottom so that the cross-sectional size becomes smaller towards the top, as shown in FIG. 5a, so that smooth yet accurate force transmission to the front shaft (50) and the rear shaft (60) is possible, and thus the contact area with the front pressing plate (23) and the rear pressing plate (24) is reduced.

[0033] Meanwhile, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the contact tips (53, 54) may be formed with different shapes to deliver different stimuli to a user holding the operating lever (30) according to the rotational direction of the push bar (20) as shown in FIG. 5b. To this end, one of the contact tips (52, 62) (52) may be formed in a dome shape to make point contact, and the other one (62) may be formed with a flat tip in a straight shape to make line contact.

[0034] The elastic spring (70) is configured to elastically press the front shaft (50) and the rear shaft (60) upward, respectively, inside the body (10).

[0035] When no external force is applied to the operating lever (30) due to the configuration of the elastic spring (70) as described above, the push bar (20) can be positioned in a neutral position by the elastic force as shown in Fig. 7 (b).

[0036] In order for the push bar (20) to be accurately positioned in a neutral position even when the elastic forces of the pair of elastic springs (70) are different and the front shaft (50) and rear shaft (60) are organically combined with the elastic spring (70), the front shaft (50) and rear shaft (60) may be provided with a stopper (not shown) protruding outwardly and having a shape that can be caught in the shaft passage hole (12) on the outer surface of the position corresponding to the maximum rising position inside the body (10) so that the maximum rising position is limited.

[0037] The electronic sensor unit (80) is configured to detect the vertical movement of the front shaft (50) or rear shaft (60) according to the rotational direction of the push bar (20) and generate a forward, neutral, or reverse signal.

[0038] In one embodiment of the present invention, the electronic sensor unit (80) includes a magnetic body (81), a magnet holder (82), a substrate (83), a cover (84), and a harness (85).

[0039] The above magnetic body (81) may be composed of a permanent magnet with a magnetic force configuration.

[0040] The magnet holder (82) is configured to connect the magnetic body (81) to the front shaft (50) or rear shaft (60) inside the body (10) so that the magnetic body (81) moves up and down integrally with the front shaft (50) or rear shaft (60).

[0041] In one embodiment of the present invention, the magnet holder (82) is composed of a combination of a shaft coupling member (821) and a magnetic body fixing member (822) as shown in FIG. 6.

[0042] The shaft coupling member (821) is a C-shaped member with one side open, which opens due to external force and returns to its original position due to elastic force. It is pressed into a holder insertion groove (51) formed on the front shaft (50) and is configured to be snap-fitted to the front shaft (50).

[0043] The magnetic body fixing member (822) is configured to fix the magnetic body (81) so that it extends to one side of the shaft coupling member (821) and is positioned so that the magnetic body (81) is positioned facing the Hall sensor (831) provided on the substrate (83).

[0044] The above substrate (83) is installed inside the body (10) and is equipped with a Hall sensor (831) that detects the vertical movement of the magnetic body (810), and is configured to generate a forward, neutral, or backward signal depending on the position of the magnetic body (81) detected by the Hall sensor (831).

[0045] Since the technology of detecting a change in the position of a magnetic body (810) using the above Hall sensor (831) is a known technology, a detailed description thereof is omitted below.

[0046] The above cover (84) is configured to fix the above substrate (83) to the body (10).

[0047] By configuring the above cover (84) to be detachably attached to the body (10), internal inspection of the body (10) is facilitated, and installation and maintenance of the above substrate (83) are also facilitated.

[0048] The above harness (85) is configured to be connected to the substrate (83) and transmit a signal generated from the substrate (83).

[0049] The above harness (85) can be fixed to the body (10) while maintaining waterproofing using a PG connector (not shown in the drawing), etc.

[0050] With the above configuration, the electronic lever for industrial vehicles according to the present invention does not use hydraulic pressure, thus eliminating the risk of leakage, has a simple control method, and facilitates maintenance.

[0051] The electronic lever for industrial vehicles described above and illustrated in the drawings is merely one embodiment for implementing the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the technical scope of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is determined solely by the matters described in the following claims, and embodiments that are improved and modified without departing from the gist of the present invention shall be deemed to fall within the scope of protection of the present invention insofar as they are obvious to those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs. Explanation of the symbols

[0052] 10 bodies 20 push bar 30 control lever 40 airtight member 50 front shaft 60 rear shaft 70 elastic springs 80 Electronic sensor section 81 Magnetic material 82 Magnet Holder 83 board 84 covers 85 harness

Claims

Claim 1 A body fixed to an industrial vehicle and having an internal space formed therein; a push bar having a lower central portion hinged to the upper portion of the body via a hinge axis so as to be rotatable in the forward and backward directions, and equipped with a front pressing plate and a rear pressing plate on the front and rear of the lower surface, respectively; an operating lever formed in a shape that a user can grip with their hand to rotate the push bar forward or backward by an external force from the user, and connected to the upper portion of the push bar; a front shaft and a rear shaft, each supported to be able to move up and down toward the upper portion of the body at positions corresponding to the front pressing plate and the rear pressing plate of the push bar, with their upper portions in contact with the front pressing plate and the rear pressing plate of the push bar, and moving up and down in opposite directions according to the rotational direction of the push bar; and an elastic spring that elastically presses the front shaft and the rear shaft, respectively, upward within the body so that the push bar is positioned in a neutral position by elastic force when no external force is applied to the operating lever. The electronic lever for industrial vehicles is characterized by comprising: an electronic sensor unit that detects the vertical movement of the front shaft or rear shaft according to the rotational direction of the push bar and generates a forward, neutral, or reverse signal; wherein the electronic sensor unit comprises: a magnetic body having magnetic force; a magnet holder that connects the magnetic body to the front shaft or rear shaft inside the body so that the magnetic body moves vertically in conjunction with the front shaft or rear shaft; a substrate installed inside the body and equipped with a Hall sensor that detects the vertical movement of the magnetic body and generates a forward, neutral, or reverse signal according to the position of the magnetic body detected by the Hall sensor; and a harness connected to the substrate to transmit the signal generated by the substrate. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 An electronic lever for an industrial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the front shaft or rear shaft has a holder insertion groove formed on its outer surface that is recessed inward to a certain depth, and the magnet holder is a shaft coupling member that is open at one end in a C shape, opens by an external force and returns by an elastic force, is pressed into the holder insertion groove, and is snap-fitted to the front shaft or rear shaft; and a magnetic body fixing member that extends to one side of the shaft coupling member and fixes the magnetic body so that the magnetic body is positioned facing the Hall sensor. Claim 4 A body fixed to an industrial vehicle and having an internal space formed therein; a push bar having a lower central portion hinged to the upper portion of the body via a hinge axis so as to be rotatable in the forward and backward directions, and equipped with a front pressing plate and a rear pressing plate on the front and rear of the lower surface, respectively; an operating lever formed in a shape that a user can grip with their hand to rotate the push bar forward or backward by an external force from the user, and connected to the upper portion of the push bar; a front shaft and a rear shaft, each supported to be able to move up and down toward the upper portion of the body at positions corresponding to the front pressing plate and the rear pressing plate of the push bar, with their upper portions in contact with the front pressing plate and the rear pressing plate of the push bar, and moving up and down in opposite directions according to the rotational direction of the push bar; and an elastic spring that elastically presses the front shaft and the rear shaft, respectively, upward within the body so that the push bar is positioned in a neutral position by elastic force when no external force is applied to the operating lever. The electronic lever for industrial vehicles comprises: an electronic sensor unit that detects the vertical movement of the front shaft or rear shaft according to the rotational direction of the push bar and generates a forward, neutral, or reverse signal; wherein the front shaft and rear shaft are provided with a contact tip at the upper end that contacts the front pressing plate and rear pressing plate of the push bar, and the contact tip is formed in a shape that is narrower at the top and wider at the bottom so that the cross-sectional size becomes smaller towards the top. Claim 5 An electronic lever for industrial vehicles according to claim 4, wherein the contact tips of the front shaft and the rear shaft are each formed in different shapes to transmit different stimuli to a user gripping the operating lever according to the rotational direction of the push bar. Claim 6 An electronic lever for an industrial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the body has shaft passage holes formed vertically through each other on its upper surface in a shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the front shaft and the rear shaft, and the front shaft and the rear shaft are provided with stoppers protruding outwardly on the outer circumference of a position corresponding to the maximum rise position inside the body, having a shape capable of engaging with the shaft passage holes so as to limit the maximum rise position.

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