NL1021072C2 - Transport vehicle, e.g. hand cart, has wheels mounted on pair of supports rotatable around common axle - Google Patents

Abstract

The vehicle has at least two sets of wheels arranged in a pair, each set comprising two or more wheels (8) mounted on the cart frame at a distance from a common axle (4).

Description

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Transport vehicle.

The present invention relates to a transport vehicle provided with a frame, means for receiving a load or for coupling it to the frame, a pair of wheel sets attached to the frame and a control device for controlling the vehicle.

Such transport vehicles, in which it is essential to consider non-self-propelled vehicles such as, for example, carts, shopping trolleys and prams, are known in many specific embodiments. All these vehicles are easy to push and control over a relatively flat surface. However, problems quickly arise at 15 thresholds, curbs and other steep transitions. In the case of, for example, a curb edge, the usual solution is to go off in the forward direction and go up in the backward direction. Parts of the frame will hereby regularly touch the higher part and thereby get stuck to a greater or lesser extent. In the case of a vehicle with a single axle, such as, for example, a hand truck, the control over the vehicle is even less and can forcefully reach the lower level. In all cases, a large part of the weight of the vehicle plus that of the load carried with it will have to be pulled up and / or collected by the person moving the vehicle.

The invention has for its object to provide a transport vehicle in which these problems are obviated and wherein it is possible to be able to take such steep transitions, both in the forward and in the rearward direction, without additional physical effort being required for this.

Accordingly, according to the invention, it is provided that at least one pair of wheel sets is provided, wherein each of the wheel sets is provided with two or more wheels and the wheels are arranged at a distance from a common pivot point. Preferably, it is furthermore provided here for the wheels of each wheel set to be mounted on a common bearing member, the wheels of each wheel set being evenly distributed along a circumference of the circle and the bearing member being rotatable about the common pivot point.

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With these measures, wherein preferably three wheels are arranged per bearing member, it is achieved that with a height difference in floor, road surface or other surface, that transition can be taken in a manner in which one or more of the wheels always remain in contact with the driving surface. .

According to a further elaboration, it is at least provided here that the bearing members of each of the wheel sets can be braked, whereby it is possible to make the movement run more smoothly over a height difference. This can be done separately for each support member, however, tests have shown that the results with support brakes simultaneously braked are equally good. To achieve this, it is first of all provided that the supporting members of each pair of wheel sets are fixedly mounted on a common axle, the common axle being rotatably arranged in the frame of the vehicle and wherein braking or locking means are provided. which directly or indirectly engage on the common axis and which can be controlled such that the common axis can be fixed in a desired position.

In this way it is possible to completely control a downward movement. In order to enable a upward movement also to proceed smoothly, according to a further elaboration, drive means are provided for driving the common axle on which the bearing members for the wheel sets are mounted. In principle it is equally possible to drive the carriers of the wheel sets separately. However, it has been found that with a common drive every possible increase is easy to come up, while with a separate drive of the supporting members much more control problems arise.

The combination of the braking means with the driving means, whereby adjustment of the support members and hence of the wheels and also the contact of the successive wheels with the support surface can be chosen as desired, ensure that virtually every transition, down or up easily and can be taken quickly. For example, when taking a sidewalk edge, the load becomes a burden. first - - - wheel taken over by a successive wheel that is or will be placed in a position corresponding to the lower or higher level, after which the vehicle can be pushed on further without any effort. After such a transition has passed, the load can again be taken over by the first wheel or the succeeding wheel can be brought into the original position of the first wheel.

In this way, with three wheels on each support member, it is also possible without difficulty to go up or down stairs, wherein it is possible to stop at any desired moment without extra effort for the person moving the vehicle.

According to a further elaboration, it is further provided for this purpose that the braking means and the driving means can be controlled with one control member, such that in the case of non-driven driving means the braking or blocking means is arranged such that the braking or blocking means be in engagement with the common shaft on which the support members are mounted or on a drive shaft which engages on the common shaft 5 and that when the drive means are driven the braking means are first brought out of engagement before the driving member is actually driven. When the drive is interrupted, the braking or blocking means immediately engage again on the common shaft or a drive shaft.

Preferably, it is provided that the drive means comprise an electric motor as drive member, which via a delay unit with a gear wheel or a chain or belt engages a complementary wheel on the common shaft. Since it concerns a vehicle to be propelled with manpower, it is important to keep the weight as low as possible and an electric motor is therefore the most suitable drive member. By working with a delay unit, a relatively small electric motor can also suffice. Moreover, the displacements made with the aid of the drive member are relatively limited, so that even a small battery can suffice. This would possibly be different if a staircase had to be ascended or descended frequently. In that case, the movement options can be considerably expanded with an easy to replace and / or quick to charge battery.

The control member is preferably designed as a rotary member to which a mechanical transmission is coupled for controlling the brake or blocking means, for example a transmission with a cable, and a mechanical or electrical transmission for controlling the drive member. It is preferable to opt for a turning member which from a rest position can both be left-left. To be rotated clockwise, since in both directions the braking means can be mechanically brought out of engagement with a drive shaft or the common shaft and it is also possible to electrically and / or mechanically drive the drive member in opposite directions and the speed of the drive.

The transport vehicle according to the invention is initially intended to be used as, for example, a push cart, shopping trolley, pram, walker, in combination with a wheelchair and comparable other applications. For some of these applications the two wheel sets can suffice and for the other applications one or more further supports will suffice. This latter provision can be realized, for example, by providing at least one support part which is connected at one end to the frame and provided with at least one support point or wheel at the opposite end. In all these applications it is important that the total weight of the vehicle is kept as low as possible in order to be able to push and steer it with the greatest possible ease.

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The frame of the vehicle therefore essentially consists of two frame parts with one or more transverse connections, wherein two separate handles are provided or in one handle over the entire width of the frame or a part thereof. The frame parts are then provided with, for example, a plate fixedly or releasably connected thereto and / or with fixing or coupling means for fixing or coupling containers or holders to the vehicle. A transport vehicle to be used for many applications is hereby obtained.

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Preferably, it is furthermore provided here that the frame or frame parts consist of hingedly connected parts which can be fixed in one or more positions relative to each other. This makes it possible to fold the transport vehicle completely, so that it can easily be transported in, for example, a passenger car.

The invention also further comprises embodiments with two pairs of wheel sets or one pair of wheel sets and a separate wheel set, each arranged on its own axle, the axes running parallel and spaced apart. These embodiments have the same possibilities with regard to the rise and fall of elevations, displacement of the center of gravity and raising and lowering of the loading surface of the vehicle. These embodiments are particularly suitable for heavier loads since no person is needed at all to keep the vehicle in a stable state.

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In the latter embodiments, a drive for the wheels can be provided, whereby a drive on the axle engages one or more of the wheels of one or more of the wheel sets via gear wheel transmissions. This is of course also possible in the embodiments with one axle with one pair of wheelsets.

Furthermore, further braking means can be provided which directly engage one or more of the wheels, with which the movement of the vehicle can be braked and / or function as a parking brake. A special embodiment thereof is formed by friction means, with which it is only prevented that the vehicle can run away on slightly sloping surfaces. These friction means 35 are always in engagement with a drive shaft, a wheel axle or the wheel itself. Such a provision is also suitable for use with one axle with one pair of wheelsets.

The two-axle embodiments with two pairs of wheel sets or one pair of wheel sets and a separate wheel set can further be provided with steering means with which the vehicle can be steered in a desired direction. These steering means engage on a shaft with the wheel sets arranged thereon or on the individual wheel sets.

Finally, the possibility can be mentioned of making a particularly effective all-terrain vehicle with the above-mentioned further characteristics. Such an off-road vehicle has the advantages of a caterpillar vehicle, but not the disadvantages such as, for example, high fuel consumption, noise, low speed, damage to the road surface and difficult access. . The invention is further elucidated hereinbelow on the basis of the example given in the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 schematically shows a view of a part of the frame of the vehicle with the wheel sets and the driving member;

Fig. 2 schematically shows a view of a support member

go with a wheel set; Figure 3 shows a schematic side view of the vehicle; Fig. 4 schematically shows a view of an operating member; Fig. 5 schematically shows a cross section of first switching means; Fig. 6 schematically shows a cross-section of second switching means; . N ': f; s is. . Fig. 7 schematically shows a cross-section of a mechanical transmission of the control means; Figure 8 shows a schematic view of the braking means; Fig. 9 schematically shows a detail of the braking means; Fig. 10 schematically shows a first embodiment of the transport vehicle; Fig. 11 schematically shows a second embodiment of the transport vehicle, and Fig. 12 schematically shows a third embodiment of the transport vehicle.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a frame 1 of the vehicle with frame parts 2,3 in which a shaft 4 is mounted.

Supporting members 5,6 are attached to the ends of the shaft 4, each of which is provided with a number of shafts 7 with wheels 8 mounted thereon. The support members 5, 6 are attached to the shaft 4 with fastening means 9, 10, which are, for example, fastening means comprising a key 20 and a key way.

Drive housing, deceleration transmission and the braking or blocking means are arranged in the housing 11, respectively. The driver is preferably an electric motor. The battery required for this can also be accommodated in housing 11 or can be accommodated in its own housing in order to be able to exchange it easily.

In Fig. 2, the support member 5 with wheels 8 is shown in side view. The supporting member 5 is provided with three wheels 8, since in practice this appears to be the most favorable number of wheels in order to be able to effect a smooth transition in combination with the largest possible height to be bridged. It is important here that there is sufficient space between the wheels 8 to be able to realize the necessary freewheel. To this end, the support member 5 is provided with receding parts 12 between successive wheels 8. The most advantageous construction with regard to the free space between the wheels and also the required amount of material would be a star construction. If, due to the weight, the support member is made of plastic, due to the required strength, the construction will have to be made more in the form as shown.

10

In the schematic side view according to Fig. 3, the transport vehicle is shown with the support member 6 with wheels 8, the frame 1, wherein further frame parts 13, 14 are attached to the frame parts 2,3 via pivot points 15. A handle 16 is provided between the ends of the frame parts 13,14, which handle is used to propel the vehicle and where the control means are also engaged. The hingeable frame parts 13, 14 offer a number of advantages, inter alia it is possible to adjust the handle to the correct height for each person, a correct adjustment of height and weight distribution can be realized and the vehicle can be collapsed and thus easily stored or taken along. turn into.

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With regard to weight distribution and adjustment of the center of gravity for a loaded vehicle, it is noted that this can be done to a large extent if not entirely by adjusting the support members 5,6 and thus the position of the bearing wheels 8 relative to the center of gravity. of the vehicle. The vehicle always rests on one side 8 on each side, wherein these are held in the adjusted position with the braking or locking means without any problem. By placing two wheels 8 on the ground on each side 35 in the correct position, a loaded vehicle can easily remain standing on the ground without any further support.

In Fig. 4 the frame parts 2,3 or 13,14 are shown with handle 16. The handle is rotatably arranged in the ends of the frame parts 2,3 or 13,14 or is rotatable about a fixed tube or rod arranged therein. The rotatable handle 16 is in contact with first and second switches 17 and 18, respectively, and is connected to a cable 19. The first switch 17 is a double switch with which the connections of the electric motor to the battery can be polarized so that the common shaft 4 is driven in the opposite direction.

The second switch 18 is intended to interrupt the voltage applied to the driver during a period from before to after the terminals on the driver are reversed with the switches 18. This prevents the battery from being shorted during the reverse polarity. See also Fig. 5.6.

The handle 16 is further provided with a mounting point 20 for cable 19. In the shown example, the cable 19 consists of an inner cable 21 and a fixedly mounted outer cable 22 with a mounting point 23. The cable 19 is at least intended for operating the brake -25 resources. See also fig.7.

In the schematic cross-section according to Fig. 5, the handle 16 is shown which is provided on the side of switch 17 with a ring 24 which has a different outer diameter over at least parts 25, 26 of the circumference. For operating the switch button 29, the switch 17 has a lever 27 which is provided with a running wheel 28 at the end. The handle 16 is in the position of rest in the position shown. When driving the drive member, the handle is rotated forwards or backwards according to the direction in which the bearing members 5, 6 and the wheels 8, respectively, are to be rotated. It will be clear that when the handle 16 is rotated counterclockwise in the drawing with the part 26 of the ring 24 and by means of lever 27 the switching button or switching buttons 29 are operated and the connections of the drive member are reversed.

At the transition from the lever 27 from the ring part 25 to ring part 26 or vice versa, the switch 18 ensures that the voltage is interrupted. Figure 6 shows that the handle 16 at the level of the switch 18 is provided with a cam 30 with which the switching button 31 of the switch 18 can be pressed. The width of cam 30 must be sufficiently large to be able to bridge the entire transition from ring part 25 to ring part 26 or vice versa.

- In Fig. 7, the connection is shown in cross-section from -k-abe-1 - 19 to the fixing point 20 remote from the axis of rotation of the handle 16. The position shown is the rest position, the axis of rotation being of the handle 16 and the attachment points 20, 23 are aligned. With the same rotation to the left or to the right, the inner cable 21 is therefore pulled equally.

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Fig. 8 schematically shows the operation of the braking means and the control of the drive member. The braking means consist of a brake block 32 which is intended to engage on a brake disc 33. The brake disc 33 is mounted on a drive shaft 34 and not on the shaft 4 on which the support members 5, 6 are mounted, since there much greater force must be braked than on a drive shaft prior to the delay transmission.

Nevertheless, the resulting final play on the wheels 8 remains minimal.

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The brake pad 32 is mounted on a brake arm 35 which is attached at one end to a pivot 36 mounted on the frame 1. The other end is connected with a spring 37 with a fixed point 38 on the frame 1. The rest position of the brake means is therefore such that the brake pad 32 is pulled against the brake disc 33 with sufficient force so that the position of the support members 5,6 and hence of the wheels 8 is fixed.

For operating the braking means, an eccentric 40 is provided on a pivot 39 which is operated with cable 19, 21, 22. Connected to the eccentric 40 are two control arms 41, 42, which respectively engage the brake arm 35 and a control member 15 of the drive member. With an electric motor as a drive member, the control member will for instance consist of a variable sliding resistance under spring pressure.

When the handle 16 is operated, the inner cable 21 is pulled on and the arms 41, 42 are moved out through the eccentric 40. The length of the arm 42 is chosen such that it does not directly engage the control member, so that first the brake pad 32 is removed from the brake disc 33 before the drive member is energized. When the handle 16 returns to the rest position under the action of the spring 37, the arm 42 is first released from the control member before the brake pad 32 comes back into engagement with the brake disc 33.

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Instead of operating the control member with arm 42, it is equally possible to incorporate variable resistors with one or more drag contacts into the handle 16. The operation of the brake arm 35 could possibly be carried out with a solenoid 35, which, however, is not preferred since this will require much of the capacity of the battery.

Fig. 9 shows a cross section of the brake pad 32 and the brake disc 33. It can clearly be seen that the brake disc 33 is provided with a V-shaped brake surface 43 and the brake pad 32 with a corresponding V-shaped outside. A large effective braking surface is hereby obtained while at the same time the brake block is clamped by the shape. This provides a more than sufficient braking effect to be able to lock the wheels in every possible position, even with a full load on the transport vehicle.

Fig. 10 shows a simple embodiment of the transport vehicle according to the invention in the form of a hand cart. A plate 45 is attached to the frame 1, and in particular to the frame parts 2,3, which plate is intended to be slid under an object, whereafter it can be mounted on and transported. With the usual sack trolley this is done by tilting the frame 20. In the transport vehicle according to the invention, however, this can also be done by rotating the supporting members 5,6 with the wheels 8 to a position where the plate 45 comes to rest on the ground.

This will be the position where two consecutive wheels 8 rest on the ground simultaneously.

With the usual loaded trolley, the center of gravity is displaced relative to the wheels by tilting the frame. In the present transport vehicle, the center of gravity can be moved by turning the supporting members 5,6 with the wheels 8. As a result, the frame parts 2,3 can be held much better in a corner which is pleasant for the person behind the trolley. Moving the center of gravity is an important feature of all embodiments and is certainly not limited to the illustrated trolley embodiment. It will also be clear that by rotating the carrying members 5, 6 with wheels 8, any unevenness can be taken smoothly and smoothly.

In a special embodiment of the trolley, the plate 45 is replaced by a set of carrying arms which are designed in such a way that a wheelchair can be taken up with it. The carrying arms and wheelchair can be connected to each other with or without a fixed connection. The advantage is that with the combination with the hand cart all the usual problems of wheelchair use are eliminated.

The embodiment according to Fig. 11 is provided with support frame part or support frame parts 46 which are preferably hingedly connected to a frame part or the frame parts 2.3 of the frame 1. The support frame parts 46 are provided with fastening means 48,49 for being able to place a container 52 on the support frame parts. These fastening means can for instance consist of suitable hooks and support parts. Such a container is, for example, a crate or a folding crate, the latter having the advantage that, when not being used, it can easily be stowed away in folded condition or can be carried in an automobile.

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A second set of fastening means 50,51 is arranged one level higher for receiving a second container 53. With a normal height of the frame and not too high containers, it is possible to attach three containers to the transport vehicle. The fastening means are preferably arranged in such a way that the containers come out staggered with respect to each other, whereby the greatest possible accessibility of the containers can be achieved with an inclined position of the containers. This makes it possible to already sort the groceries into the desired groups when shopping.

The support frame parts 46 are provided with a swivel wheel 47. However, it is also possible to provide a support point instead of a wheel and to adjust the center of gravity relative to the wheels 8 in such a way that the support point is released from the ground with light pressure. can be brought.

Finally, Fig. 12 shows an embodiment in which a child's seat or cradle 54 is arranged on the frame, as is diagrammatically indicated. With such an embodiment that can also be used in the home, it is particularly useful to mark one of the wheels 8 intended specifically for indoors. For outside use, it is sufficient to use two wheels, at least as long as no stairs have to be taken, so that one wheel can be left on the vehicle for indoor use.

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It will be clear that the last three embodiments can always be realized with the same basic part and a number of extension accessories.

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Claims (24)

1. Transport vehicle provided with a frame, means for receiving a load or for coupling it to the frame, wheel sets attached to the frame and a control device for driving the vehicle, characterized in that in at least one pair wheel sets is provided, wherein each of the wheel sets is provided with two or more wheels and wherein the wheels are arranged at a distance from a common pivot point. 2. Transport vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the wheels of each wheel set are arranged on a common bearing member, wherein the wheels of each wheel set are evenly distributed along a circumference of the circle and the bearing member is rotatable about the common pivot point. 3. Transport vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that a support member consists essentially of a plate on which an axle is arranged for each of the wheels. 4. Transport vehicle as claimed in claims 2-3, characterized in that the carrying members of each pair of wheel sets are fixedly mounted on a common axle, the common axle being rotatably arranged in the frame of the vehicle. 5. Transport vehicle as claimed in claims 2-4, characterized in that drive means are provided for driving the common axle on which the bearing members for the wheel sets are mounted. Transport vehicle as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the drive means comprise an electric motor as drive member, which via a delay unit with a 1 Γ; -17- engages a sprocket or a chain or belt on a complementary wheel on the common shaft. 7. Transport vehicle as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that control means are provided for the drive member, which comprise at least one reversing circuit. 8. Transport vehicle as claimed in claims 5-7, characterized in that braking or locking means are provided which engage on a drive shaft or on the common axle and which can be steered such that the common axle can be fixed in a desired position. 9. Transport vehicle as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that brake means are provided consisting of a profiled brake block and a complementary contact surface therefor on the drive shaft or common axle. 10. Transport vehicle as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the brake block is mounted on an arm, one end of which is connected to the frame via a fixed pivot point and the opposite end is connected to the frame by means of spring means. Transport vehicle as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that means are provided for expanding the arm against the action of the spring means with the brake block mounted thereon. Transport vehicle as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the means for expanding the arm against the action of the spring means with the brake block mounted thereon are coupled to the control means for the drive member. 35 13. Transport vehicle as claimed in claims 7-11, characterized in that the control means comprise a first mechanical transfer from a rotary member to a transfer member, the transfer member passing on the control via a second and third transfer to the arm respectively with the brake block mounted thereon and a control member of the drive member. 14. Transport vehicle according to claim 13, characterized in that the first transmission is a cable transmission, the transmission member is an eccentric member and the second and third transmission are arms connected to the eccentric member. 15. Transport vehicle as claimed in claims 12-14, characterized in that the second and third transmission are designed in such a way that the second and third transmission when driving the transmission member engage on the arm with the brake block and the control member mounted thereon respectively from the driver-2 0. 16. Transport vehicle as claimed in claims 13-15, characterized in that the turning member is formed by a control handle which is rotatably mounted on the frame, wherein the turning member has an eccentric attachment point for the first transmission and wherein further switching means are provided for controlling invert the driver. 17. Transport vehicle according to claim 16, characterized in that second switching means are provided with which the voltage applied to the drive member is interrupted during the switching of the first switching means. 35 18. Transport vehicle as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the control means comprise a turning member to which means are coupled for electrically controlling the control of the drive member and wherein a mechanical transmission is provided for operating the braking or blocking means. 19. Transport vehicle according to claims 1-18, characterized in that the frame consists essentially of two frame parts with one or more cross connections and wherein the frame is provided with at least one handle. Transport vehicle according to claim 19, characterized in that the frame consists of at least two parts pivotable with respect to each other. 15 Transport vehicle according to claims 19-20, characterized in that the handle or the handles are on a bracket. is arranged, wherein the bracket is connected to the frame. 20 22. Transport vehicle according to claims 19-21, characterized in that the frame is provided with at least one support frame part which is pivotally connected to the frame at one end and is provided with at least one support point or wheel at the opposite end. Transport vehicle according to claims 19-22, characterized in that the frame is provided with at least one bearing surface. 30 24. Transport vehicle as claimed in claims 19-23, characterized in that the frame and / or one or more support frame parts are provided with fixing or coupling means for fixing or coupling containers or holders to the vehicle. i: "· 'l (