The present invention provides a tow bar assembly, which may be retrofitted to a dolly while maintaining convenient space saving properties of permanently fitted tow bars. The novel tow bar assembly includes a tow bar, a shaft and a biasing member, such as a spring, biasing the tow bar towards an upright orientation about an axis of revolution. The shaft has a first end and a second end, which opposes the first end. The shaft connects the tow bar to the dolly from the ends so as to provide rotation of the tow bar in respect to the dolly about the axis of revolution. The shaft features an inner cavity, which extends along the axis of revolution. The biasing member is arranged into the cavity of the shaft and rotationally secured thereto. The shaft also features a first end plug at the first end of the shaft for enclosing the biasing member to the cavity. The first end plug rotationally locks the biasing member to the dolly.

A passenger trailer apparatus for towing a passenger behind a mobility scooter is provided. The mobility scooter has a tow bar or hitch. The passenger trailer apparatus comprises a trailer frame and an axle mounted to and through the trailer frame. A tire is rotatably, releasably mounted to each end of the axle. The platform has a top surface and a bottom surface with the bottom surface of the platform mounted to the trailer frame. A chair assembly is mounted to the top surface of the platform with the chair assembly sized and shaped for receiving a passenger. A receiver bar having a first end and a second end is provided. The first end of the receiver bar is connected to the platform and the second end of the receiver bar capable of being releasably connected to the tow bar or hitch of the mobility scooter. The passenger trailer apparatus provides secure, reliable performance, quick assembly and breakdown, and easy transport and storage.

This disclosure relates to systems and methods of towing, hitching, and connecting devices. In particular, this disclosure relates to tow devices, hitches, and connections for towing item containers behind vehicles, both autonomous and manually guided.

A vehicle is structured for exerting a force on a dolly to move the dolly along a ground surface includes a locking pin mechanism having a locking pin, and a dolly tongue receptacle coupled to the locking pin mechanism so as to be movable with respect to the locking pin mechanism to a first position and a second position. A switch is coupled to the dolly tongue receptacle and structured to be operated by movement of the dolly tongue receptacle from the first position to the second position. The locking pin mechanism is structured to extend the locking pin into an opening formed in the portion of the dolly tongue responsive to operation of the switch.

A vehicle tow device for wheeled containers preferably includes a hitch insert, an upright member, at least one support member and at least two retention members. The hitch insert preferably includes a U-shaped cross. The upright member preferably includes a U-shaped cross section and a horizontal flange extending from a top thereof. The hitch insert is attached to the upright member. Each support member includes a top flange and a side flange. Each support member is pivotally engaged with the horizontal flange. Each retention member includes a first retention flange and a second retention flange. Preferably, a bottom of the second retention flange is bent upward, substantially perpendicular to itself to form a non-pivot flange. A top of the second retention flange is bent to an acute angle to form a retention flange. The second retention flange is attached to a side flange of the support member.

Some embodiments include a utility cart. In some embodiments, the utility cart includes an insulated cold storage compartment; a dry storage compartment, the dry storage compartment configured to retract-ably extend horizontally; a base and front and rear wheels connected to the base.

An auto guide vehicle (20) that conveys a cart (10), wherein the auto guide vehicle (20) is provided with: a fluid pressure cylinder (22) that is able to be extended and retracted vertically, and that applies an upward pressing force to the floor surface of the cart (10); a fluid pressure supply device (70) that supplies a fluid to the fluid pressure cylinder (22); pressure regulating means (50) that regulates the fluid pressure of the fluid supplied from the fluid pressure supply device (70) to the fluid pressure cylinder (22); a control board (40) that outputs a fluid pressure command value to the pressure regulating means (50); and a pressure sensor (100) that detects the fluid pressure of the fluid supplied to the fluid pressure cylinder (22); wherein the control board (40) computes derivatives of the fluid pressure detected by the pressure sensor (100), estimates a timing at which the cart begins to leave the ground based on a pattern of the computed derivatives, and computes the command value by multiplying a coefficient less than one by the fluid pressure detected by the pressure sensor (100) at the estimated timing.

A trailer to vehicle laterally stable hitching mechanism wherein an attaching plate of the trailer vertically and laterally self-aligns into a receiving plate of the vehicle establishing the trailer as an operational extension of the vehicle.

A vehicle engagement structure for towing transport devices is disclosed, wherein a carrier is configured with respectively an engagement towage mechanism and a drive mechanism; more specifically, the engagement towage mechanism includes an external spiral transmission component and an internal spiral transmission component, the internal spiral transmission component is further mutually in spiral engagement with a spiral rod, and the top end of the spiral rod is sequentially installed with an up-and-down pedestal, a rotation seat, an engagement base and an engagement end applied to connect to a transport device; in addition, the drive mechanism is configured to control the up-and-down pedestal to vertically ascend or descend on the spiral rod, thereby facilitating the engagement end to adapt to the height of the transport device or topographic fluctuations and variations during movement.

The carriage is coupled to the traveling device including a driving wheel and is towed and moved by the traveling device. The carriage includes: a traveling wheel provided in a bottom portion of the carriage; an accommodating part for accommodating the traveling device; and a passage which is provided on a side surface of the carriage and through which light emitted from a detector passes, the detector being provided in the traveling device to detect an obstacle around the traveling device.