Forklift Wheel Arm Height Reduction via Intermediate Lever
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing industrial trucks are unable to handle special pallets with lower entry heights without risking the linkage hitting the roadway or the pallet due to their fixed wheel arm height, which is designed for standardized Euro pallets.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an intermediate lever in the lever arrangement allows the linkage to move horizontally during lifting and lowering, reducing the overall height of the wheel arms and preventing linkage interference, enabling the handling of special pallets with lower entry heights by adjusting the bearing points and using a U-shaped cross-section design for the intermediate lever.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the wheel arm height is reduced to handle special pallets with lower entry height, then the ability to handle special pallets is improved, but the linkage may bump into the roadway or the pallet held on the wheel arms during lifting and lowering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the linkage movable relative to the wheel arm through a pivoting connection. Instead of a fixed rigid connection, the linkage can pivot at its connection point to the wheel arm, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position during lifting and lowering operations. This dynamic adjustment prevents the linkage from bumping into the roadway or pallet while maintaining the reduced wheel arm height needed for handling special pallets with lower entry height.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the wheel arm height is reduced to less than 50mm in the fully lowered position, then the handling of special pallets with reduced entry height is enabled, but the standard design for Euro pallets is no longer sufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the lifting mechanism into separate functional components: a first lever arrangement for basic lifting and a second lever arrangement with intermediate lever for enhanced control. The linkage is segmented into multiple parts that can pivot independently, allowing each segment to perform its specific function while contributing to the overall reduced wheel arm height achievement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate lever as a mediator between the first and second lever arrangements. This intermediate lever acts as a bridge that translates movements from the first lever to the second lever, enabling precise control of the linkage position. The intermediary element allows the system to achieve the complex motion required for reduced wheel arm height without creating an overly complicated direct mechanical connection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design allows for a wheel arm height of less than 50mm in the fully lowered position, enabling safe and easy handling of special pallets with reduced entry heights compared to Euro pallets, such as those made of paper or cardboard.
Implementation Method 1
a first lever (15) which is pivotally mounted with a first bearing point (16) on the drive part (2) and is pivotally mounted with a second bearing point (17) on the load part (4)
Implementation Method 2
a second lever (20) which is pivoted with a bearing point (21) on the load part (4) and is coupled with a coupling point (22) to the linkage (10)
Implementation Method 3
the lever arrangement (11) comprises an intermediate lever (25) which is connected to a coupling point (26) of the first lever (15) and to a further coupling point (27) of the second lever (20)
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a forklift truck (1), in particular a pallet truck, with a drive part (2) and a load part (4) that can be lifted relative to the drive part (2), wherein the load part (4) has at least one wheel arm (5) which is provided with at least one load roller (6), wherein a linkage (10) operatively connected to the load roller (6) and a lever arrangement (11) actuating the linkage (10) are provided for lifting the wheel arm (5).The object of providing such a forklift truck which is improved with regard to the kinematics of the linkage and enables a space-saving design of the wheel arms with a low wheel arm height in the lowered position of the load part for handling special pallets with a low entry height is solved according to the invention by the lever arrangement (11) comprising a first lever (15) which is pivotably mounted with a first bearing point (16) on the drive part (2) and pivotably mounted with a second bearing point (17) on the load part (4), a second lever (20) which is pivotably mounted with a bearing point (21) on the load part (4) and is coupled to the linkage (10) with a coupling point (22), and an intermediate lever (25) which is connected with a coupling point (26) of the first lever (15) and a further coupling point (27) of the second lever (20).