Pendulum Frame Industrial Truck for Uneven Terrain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial trucks face difficulties navigating inclines, declines, and speed bumps due to the drive wheel becoming airborne, which prevents continuous operation, especially when loaded or unloaded.
Innovation Solution
The industrial truck features a pendulum frame articulated on a horizontal axis, allowing the drive wheel and support wheels to compensate for gradients and uneven surfaces, combined with a lifting mechanism and force-generating device to ensure traction and stability, enabling navigation of obstacles and flexible maneuverability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the drive wheel is positioned on a rigid chassis, then the structure is simple and stable, but the truck cannot overcome inclines, declines, or speed bumps as the drive wheel becomes airborne
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the rear portion of the chassis movable through a pendulum mechanism. The pendulum frame can pivot relative to the main chassis, allowing the drive wheel to maintain contact with the ground on uneven surfaces. This dynamic adaptation enables continuous operation on inclines, declines, and speed bumps while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the pendulum frame is used to compensate for gradients, then the truck can navigate uneven surfaces, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the chassis into a main fixed portion and a movable pendulum frame portion. This segmentation allows the pendulum frame to independently pivot and adapt to terrain variations while the main chassis remains stable. The segmentation enables terrain adaptability without requiring the entire chassis to be complex and movable.
3Ease of operation
If the drive wheel is centered on the chassis, then the structure is simple, but the truck lacks maneuverability for tight turning circles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric wheel arrangement where the drive wheel is positioned on the movable pendulum frame rather than being centered on the fixed chassis. This asymmetric positioning, combined with the pendulum's ability to pivot, enables tight turning circles and improved maneuverability while maintaining relatively simple structural elements.
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
Enables the industrial truck to effortlessly navigate inclines, declines, and speed bumps both when loaded and unloaded, maintaining continuous operation and improving maneuverability through enhanced traction and stability.
Implementation Method 1
The industrial truck also includes a pendulum frame, which is articulated on the chassis by means of a horizontal pendulum axle
Implementation Method 2
The force-generating device preferably comprises a torsion spring with a first and a second leg
Implementation Method 3
a spring deflection limiter, which limits a spring deflection of one of the two legs
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an industrial truck, comprising at least one first support wheel (31), at least one second support wheel (32), at least one drive wheel (4), a chassis (2; 11) and a pendulum frame (10), which is articulated to the chassis (2) by means of a horizontal pendulum shaft (30), wherein the first support wheel (31) is arranged on the chassis (2) and wherein the second support wheel (32) and the drive wheel (4) are arranged on the pendulum frame (10).