Integrated battery into pulling bar handle with multiple attachments

Abstract

Pallet jacks, warehouse carts, hotel luggage carts, or other manual means of moving loads are some of the most essential tools found in warehouses, hospitals, hotels, etc. Those tools are very helpful but due to the heavy loads and physical power needed to push / pull them, they regularly cause injuries to the operators and workers such as back trauma, shoulder strains, etc. The present invention introduces a battery integrated handle device to assist the workers and operators in moving the load by using motorized wheels to reduce the physical effort from the operator side without sacrificing the loading space or increasing the equipment size as the sleek battery design contained within the handle thin frame. The battery integrated pulling bar handle has a universal mounting bracket that can be attached to multiple attachments such as a pallet jack, a warehouse cart, etc.

Description

[0001] INTEGRATED BATTERY INTO PULLING BAR HANDLE WITH MULTIPLE ATTACHMENTS

[0002] BACKGROUND

[0003] Pallet jacks, or other manual means of moving loads, are some of the most essential tools found in warehouses and are used for transporting small loads for short distances. Trolleys with wheels, carts, hospital beds, food delivery carts, and hotel luggage carts are among many applications that require a worker to push or pull a heavy load manually. Due to the heavy loads and physical power needed to push / pull them, it regularly causes injuries to the workers and operators such as back trauma, shoulder strains, and the like. Having frequent injuries causes disturbances for both the business owners and the operators. Injured operators tend to leave and ask for medical fee payments and reimbursements, and the workflow will be highly affected. On the other hand, battery powered equipment tends to have bulky batteries that take up a significant amount of space which reduces the available space for loading or requires a bigger space for the equipment. Batteries are normally mounted on awkward areas where lifting / swapping becomes another reason for injuries.

[0004] In view of the same, devices, systems, and methods for facilitating the prolonged use of slim integrated power assisted tools would be well received in the marketplace.

[0005] BRIEF SUMMARY

[0006] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated pulling bar handle to assist the operators and workers in moving a load by using motorized wheels to reduce the physical effort from the operator side. With a space-saving integrated design, the battery integrated pulling bar handle provides a starting torque when the operator starts pushing / pulling the load. The battery integrated pulling bar handles have a universal mounting bracket that can be attached to multiple attachments such as a pallet jack, warehouse cart, food delivery cart, hotel luggage cart, hospital medical cart, hospital bed, etc.

[0007] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, comprising a frame configured to house a swappable battery pack, a handle to push / pull and control the battery integrated handle device, a swappable battery pack contained inside the frame and configured to provide power to a motorized wheel, and a power control unit configured to control the power supplied to at least one motor. The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, configured to connect to a universal attachment base that is configured to attach to mobile transport apparatus.

[0008] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, further comprising a universal attachment base configured to couple to the battery integrated handle device, and a dampening pivot hub coupled to the universal attachment base and configured to steer a mobile transport apparatus coupled to the universal attachment base.

[0009] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein the at least one motor is configured to power a powered wheel coupled to the universal attachment base.

[0010] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein the pulling bar handle device is configured to provide assisted power to a user using the swappable battery pack contained withing the frame.

[0011] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, further comprising one or more buttons or levers configured to control the operation and direction of the at least one motor by sending and receiving signals to and from the power control unit.

[0012] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, further comprising one or more sensors configured to measure operator force on the handle and to activate the at least one motor to drive the powered wheel.

[0013] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein the battery pack comprises a release handle to facilitate disconnecting the battery pack from the frame and to carry the battery pack to a charging station.

[0014] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, further comprising a battery meter configured to show a state of charge of the battery pack.

[0015] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, further comprising a battery meter configured to show remaining battery time.

[0016] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein the universal attachment base is configured to be attached to a pallet jack, wherein the dampening pivot hub includes a motor lift that helps in lifting the pallet jack when the universal attachment base is attached thereto. The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein the universal attachment base is configured to be attached to a cart such as a warehouse cart.

[0017] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein the cart includes a motorized platform using string to move one or more shelves up and down by using power from the battery pack.

[0018] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein the universal attachment base is configured to be attached to a hotel luggage cart.

[0019] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein the universal attachment base is configured to be attached to a food delivery cart.

[0020] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein the universal attachment base is configured to be attached to a hospital bed.

[0021] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein the universal attachment base is attached to a hospital medical cart.

[0022] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein a size of the powered wheel can be changed based on the attachments connected to the battery integrated handle device.

[0023] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, further comprising a gear box configured to provide different gear ratios to the powered wheel.

[0024] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein the at least one motor and the powered wheel are combined as a hub motor to reduce a size of the battery integrated handle device.

[0025] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein torque of the at least one motor can be set from the battery integrated handle device or via an application in communication therewith to determine a power level and to calculate run time.

[0026] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein the battery integrated handle device can use a high power for starting torque to move a load of mobile transport apparatus coupled to the battery integrated handle device and subsequently reduce power and torque to have a longer running time.

[0027] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, wherein the battery integrated handle device is configured to communicate with an application using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or other communication modes contained inside the power control unit or other components of the battery integrated handle device.

[0028] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, comprising a frame configured to house a swappable slim battery pack and to link other parts of the device, a handle to push / pull and control the battery integrated handle device an integrated battery pack contained inside the frame and configured to provide power to a motorized wheel, a power control unit configured to control the power supplied to at least one motor, a universal attachment base to connect the power assisted module to different mobile attachments, and a dampening pivot hub configured to steer the equipment, wherein at least one motor is configured to drive the motorized wheel, wherein the motorized wheel can drive the battery integrated handle device with its mobile attachment, and wherein the frame, the handle, the battery pack, and the power control unit are configured as one piece that can be swapped when the battery pack is fully discharged with one with a charged battery pack and connected to the other parts through a connector located in the dampening pivot hub to provide assisted power.

[0029] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, further comprising a second battery pack located inside the frame to provide extra power to increase run time of the battery integrated handle device, wherein said second battery pack can be charged from the swappable battery or from a charger connected through a swappable battery connector in the pulling bar handle.

[0030] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle device, comprising a frame configured to house a swappable slim battery pack, a handle to push / pull and control the battery integrated handle device, an integrated swappable battery pack contained inside the frame and configured to provide power to a motorized wheel, a power control unit configured to control the power supplied to at least one motor, a universal attachment base configured to connect to a mobile transport apparatus, a dampening pivot hub to steer the mobile transport apparatus, wherein the at least one motor is configured to drive one or more powered wheels, and wherein the one or more powered wheels are configured to provide assisted power to a user to drive the battery integrated handle device with its mobile transport apparatus. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The disclosed embodiments and other features, advantages, and disclosures contained herein, and the matter of attaining them, will become apparent and the present disclosure will be better understood by reference to the following description of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates a prospective and explosive view of a battery integrated pulling bar handle, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 2 illustrates a prospective view of a battery integrated pulling bar handle with a warehouse cart attachment, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a battery integrated pulling bar handle with a warehouse cart attachment and a motorized shelf platform, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 4 illustrates a prospective view of a battery integrated pulling bar handle with a pallet jack attachment, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of a battery integrated pulling bar handle with a hotel luggage cart attachment, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of a battery integrated pulling bar handle with a food delivery cart attachment, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] FIG. 7 illustrates a side view of a battery integrated pulling bar handle with a hospital bed attachment, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of a battery integrated pulling bar handle with a hospital medical cart attachment, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] FIG. 9 illustrates a prospective view of a battery integrated pulling bar handle with a swappable top part, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] FIG. 10 illustrates a prospective view of a battery integrated pulling bar handle with a second battery inside the frame, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] As such, an overview of the features, functions and / or configurations of the components depicted in the various figures will now be presented. Tt should be appreciated that not all of the features of the components of the figures are necessarily described and some of these non-discussed features (as well as discussed features) are inherent from the figures themselves. Other non-discussed features may be inherent in component geometry and / or configuration. Furthermore, wherever feasible and convenient, like reference numerals are used in the figures and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The figures are in a simplified form and not to precise scale.

[0043] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of this disclosure is thereby intended.

[0045] Pallet jacks, warehouse carts, food delivery carts, hotel luggage carts, and other load moving equipment are widely used in many applications such as warehouses, manufacturing facilities, hotels, hospitals, retail stores, etc. The larger the load the harder for the operators and workers to handle. Some new technologies use bulky batteries that take up a significant space making the equipment bigger and harder to store while the others sacrifice the loading space to install the bulky batteries which are normally mounted on awkward areas where lifting / swapping becomes another reason for injuries. These technologies are not feasible in all situations as they typically involve a high cost and bigger space. On the other hand, manual operated tools like pallet jacks require physical strength by the operators as they are not easy to maneuver, especially with heavy loads. These difficulties can cause injuries and lead the operators to resign and ask for medical fee payments and reimbursements.

[0046] The present disclosure includes disclosure of a battery integrated handle 100 comprising a frame 101, a handle 102 for the operator to pull / push, and a slim seamless battery pack 103 integrated inside the bar handle 102 to provide power to a motor 107. A power control unit 104 is used to control the power supplied to the motor 107, and a universal attachment base 105 is used to connect the power assisted module to different attachments such as cart or pallet jack. A dampening pivot hub 106 can be used to rotate the equipment, and a high torque low rpm motor 107 that gets the power from the battery pack 103 through the control unit 104 to drive the powered wheel(s) 108 can also be used, whereby one or more wheels 108 drive the battery integrated handle device 100, such as shown in Fig. 1.

[0047] The battery integrated handle device 100 provides the power to assist the operator and workers in reducing the physical effort needed to handle / transfer the load without sacrificing the loading space or increasing the equipment size as the sleek battery 103 is contained within the thin frame 101. The operator or worker pushes / pulls the handle 102 while the battery pack 103 provides power to the motorized / powered wheels 108 to assist the operator in moving the load. Once a battery pack 103 is fully discharged, the operator can easily swap the discharged battery 103 with a charged one to resume the operation without waiting for the battery 103 to charge. In addition, the battery 103 slim swappable design enables the operators to easily disconnect the battery 103 from the equipment (device 100) without the need to disconnect or connect any cables. Furthermore, due to the battery’s 103 small size and light weight, the operators can easily carry it around while the current products in the market might need an extra equipment to carry the battery during the swapping process. The battery 103 integrated handle device 100 has all of its components integrated in the same housing making it a compact seamless design without having external cables for power or control.

[0048] In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, handle 102 can also include buttons / levers 102a, indicators 102b, or other control means to control the operation and direction of the motor 107 by sending a signal to the power control unit 104. In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the handle 102 also includes a few sensors, such as piezo electronic sensor 102c, that measures the operator and worker force on the handle 102 and activates the motor 107 to drive the wheel(s) 108.

[0049] In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, battery pack 103 may include a release handle 109 that helps the operator disconnect the battery pack 103 from the frame 101 and carry the battery 103 to the charging station. In addition, battery pack 103 may also include a battery meter 110 that shows the battery 103 state of charge and or the remaining battery time to help the operators plan their time, such as shown in Fig. 1.

[0050] In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the universal attachment base 105 can have multiple attachments for different tools without compromising an extra space for the batteries 103 since the battery 103 already contained within the handle frame 101. One of these attachments can be a warehouse cart 200 such as shown in Fig. 2. The battery integrated handle device 100 provides power to assist the operators and workers to push / pull the warehouse cart 200 in such an embodiment.

[0051] In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the universal attachment base 105 might be attached to a pallet jack 300 while the dampening pivot hub 106 includes a motor lift 106a that helps in lifting the pallet jack 300, such as shown in Fig. 4. The battery integrated handle device 100 provides power assist to the operators and workers to push / pull the pallet jack 300. Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7, and Fig. 8 show other embodiments of the present disclosure where the battery integrated pulling bar handle 100 are connected to different attachments through the universal attachment base 105. Fig. 5 shows a battery integrated handle device 100 connected to a hotel luggage cart 400 to help the workers push / pull the cart 400. Similarly, the battery integrated handle device 100 can be connected to a food delivery cart 500 through the universal attachment base 105 as shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 7 shows a battery integrated handle device 100 connected to a hospital bed 600, and Fig. 8 shows a battery integrated handle device 100 connected to a hospital medical cart 700.

[0052] In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery integrated handle device 100 can have a gear box 111 configured to provide different gear ratios to the wheels 108. Also, the one or more wheels 108 can have different sizes (for example, relatively bigger wheels 108a) to accommodate different attachments requirements to fit each attachment to its optimum wheel diameters as well as the optimum number of wheels 108, such as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4. Having the right diameter wheels 108 reduces the power needed to drive the battery integrated handle device 100 with the attachment.

[0053] In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, motor 107 and wheel 108 are combined as a hub motor to reduce the battery integrated handle device 100 size, such as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4.

[0054] In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the swapping part of the battery integrated handle device 800 is not including the battery pack 803 only. But the swapping part of the battery integrated handle device 800 includes a frame 801, a handle 802, a thin integrated battery pack 803 within the frame 801, and a power control unit 804, such as shown in Fig. 9. These parts can be swapped as one piece and connected to the other parts by the connector 807 in a dampening pivot hub 806 while the battery integrated handle device 800 is connected to multiple attachments through the universal attachment base as described in the previous embodiments. The worker can simply swap the upper part of the handle device 100 with a new one.

[0055] In at least another embodiment of the present disclosure, a second battery 112 can be integrated inside the frame 101, whereby second battery 112 can provide extra power to increase the starting torque as well as the run time of the handle device 100, such as shown in Fig. 10. It can also provide power when the swappable battery 103 is detached for charging. The swappable battery 103 connectors can be used to charge the second battery 112 from the swappable battery 103 or an external charger, as may be desired. Also, in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, motor torque can be set from the handle 102 or via an application (an “app”) to determine the power level and calculate run time. The battery integrated handle device 100 can communicate with an app using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or other communication modes. In addition, the battery integrated handle device 100 can use a high power for the starting torque to move the load. Then, it can reduce power and torque to have longer run time.

[0056] In at least another embodiment of the present enclosure, the battery integrated handle device 100 with cart attachment 300 may also include a motorized platform 201 using string or wire 203 to move one or more shelves 202 up and down as shown in Fig. 3. The battery 103 can provide the power to the motorized shelf / shelves 202 which reduces the effort needed from the worker and operator side, especially for the upper shelves 202 where the operator’s risk of injuries highly increases.

[0057] While various embodiments of devices and systems and methods for using the same have been described in considerable detail herein, the embodiments are merely offered as non-limiting examples of the disclosure described herein. It will therefore be understood that various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting with respect to the content thereof.

[0058] Furthermore, in describing representative embodiments, the present disclosure may have presented a method and / or a process as a particular sequence of steps. However, to the extent that the method or process does not rely on the particular order of steps set forth therein, the method or process should not be limited to the particular sequence of steps described, as other sequences of steps may be possible. Therefore, the particular order of the steps disclosed herein should not be construed as limitations of the present disclosure. In addition, disclosure directed to a method and / or process should not be limited to the performance of their steps in the order written. Such sequences may be varied and still remain within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A battery integrated handle device, comprising: a frame configured to house a swappable battery pack; a handle to push / pull and control the battery integrated handle device; a swappable battery pack contained inside the frame and configured to provide power to a motorized wheel; and a power control unit configured to control the power supplied to at least one motor.

2. The battery integrated handle device of claim 1, configured to connect to a universal attachment base that is configured to attach to mobile transport apparatus.

3. The battery integrated handle device of claim 1, further comprising: a universal attachment base configured to couple to the battery integrated handle device; and a dampening pivot hub coupled to the universal attachment base and configured to steer a mobile transport apparatus coupled to the universal attachment base.

4. The battery integrated handle device of claim 3, wherein the at least one motor is configured to power a powered wheel coupled to the universal attachment base.

5. The battery integrated handle device of claim 1, wherein the pulling bar handle device is configured to provide assisted power to a user using the swappable battery pack contained withing the frame.

6. The battery integrated handle device of claim 1, further comprising: one or more buttons or levers configured to control the operation and direction of the at least one motor by sending and receiving signals to and from the power control unit.

7. The battery integrated handle device of claim 4, further comprising: one or more sensors configured to measure operator force on the handle and to activate the at least one motor to drive the powered wheel.

8. The battery integrated handle device of claim 1, wherein the battery pack comprises a release handle to facilitate disconnecting the battery pack from the frame and to carry the battery pack to a charging station.

9. The battery integrated handle device of claim 1 , further comprising: a battery meter configured to show a state of charge of the battery pack.

10. The battery integrated handle device of claim 1, further comprising: a battery meter configured to show remaining battery time.

11. The battery integrated handle device of claim 3, wherein the universal attachment base is configured to be attached to a pallet jack, wherein the dampening pivot hub includes a motor lift that helps in lifting the pallet jack when the universal attachment base is attached thereto.

12. The battery integrated handle device of claim 1, wherein: the universal attachment base is configured to be attached to a cart such as a warehouse cart.

13. The battery integrated handle device of claim 12, wherein: the cart includes a motorized platform using string to move one or more shelves up and down by using power from the battery pack.

14. The battery integrated handle device of claim 2, wherein: the universal attachment base is configured to be attached to a hotel luggage cart.

15. The battery integrated handle device of claim 2, wherein: the universal attachment base is configured to be attached to a food delivery cart.

16. The battery integrated handle device of claim 2, wherein: the universal attachment base is configured to be attached to a hospital bed.

17. The battery integrated handle device of claim 2, wherein: the universal attachment base is attached to a hospital medical cart.

18. The battery integrated handle device of claim 4, wherein a size of the powered wheel can be changed based on the attachments connected to the battery integrated handle device.

19. The battery integrated handle device of claim 4, further comprising: a gear box configured to provide different gear ratios to the powered wheel.

20. The battery integrated handle device of claim 4, wherein: the at least one motor and the powered wheel are combined as a hub motor to reduce a size of the battery integrated handle device.

21. The battery integrated handle device of claim 4, wherein torque of the at least one motor can be set from the battery integrated handle device or via an application in communication therewith to determine a power level and to calculate run time.

22. The battery integrated handle device of claim 2, wherein the battery integrated handle device can use a high power for starting torque to move a load of mobile transportapparatus coupled to the battery integrated handle device and subsequently reduce power and torque to have a longer running time.

23. The battery integrated handle device of claim 1, wherein the battery integrated handle device is configured to communicate with an application using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or other communication modes contained inside the power control unit or other components of the battery integrated handle device.

24. A battery integrated handle device, comprising: a frame configured to house a swappable slim battery pack and to link other parts of the device; a handle to push / pull and control the battery integrated handle device; an integrated battery pack contained inside the frame and configured to provide power to a motorized wheel; a power control unit configured to control the power supplied to at least one motor; a universal attachment base to connect the power assisted module to different mobile attachments; and a dampening pivot hub configured to steer the equipment; wherein at least one motor is configured to drive the motorized wheel; wherein the motorized wheel can drive the battery integrated handle device with its mobile attachment; and wherein the frame, the handle, the battery pack, and the power control unit are configured as one piece that can be swapped when the battery pack is fully discharged with one with a charged battery pack and connected to the other parts through a connector located in the dampening pivot hub to provide assisted power.

25. The battery integrated handle device of claim 24, further comprising: a second battery pack located inside the frame to provide extra power to increase run time of the battery integrated handle device, wherein said second battery pack can be charged from the swappable battery or from a charger connected through a swappable battery connector in the pulling bar handle.

26. A battery integrated handle device, comprising: a frame configured to house a swappable slim battery pack; a handle to push / pull and control the battery integrated handle device;an integrated swappable battery pack contained inside the frame and configured to provide power to a motorized wheel; a power control unit configured to control the power supplied to at least one motor; a universal attachment base configured to connect to a mobile transport apparatus; a dampening pivot hub to steer the mobile transport apparatus; wherein the at least one motor is configured to drive one or more powered wheels; and wherein the one or more powered wheels are configured to provide assisted power to a user to drive the battery integrated handle device with its mobile transport apparatus.

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