A method, a palletizing sleeve, and a hand truck are provided for preparing a plurality of shipments of goods and transporting each shipment to one of a plurality of delivery destinations. The method includes determining the goods for the shipment, virtually building an optimized stacking configuration of those goods, physically building the stack based on the optimized configuration, transporting the shipment to a pre-determined delivery destination, and unloading the shipment at the delivery destination. The palletizing sleeve includes a base and a vertical wall that cooperate to support and stabilize a stack of goods that make up a portion of the shipment. Standoffs on the sleeve base provide openings to accept forks from the hand truck so that the hand truck can engage the sleeve from underneath the base. A fork height adjustment system selectively adjusts the fork height relative to the bottom of the hand truck.

A method, a palletizing sleeve, and a hand truck are provided for preparing a plurality of shipments of goods and transporting each shipment to one of a plurality of delivery destinations. The method includes determining the goods for the shipment, virtually building an optimized stacking configuration of those goods, physically building the stack based on the optimized configuration, transporting the shipment to a pre-determined delivery destination, and unloading the shipment at the delivery destination. The palletizing sleeve includes a base and a vertical wall that cooperate to support and stabilize a stack of goods that make up a portion of the shipment. Standoffs on the sleeve base provide openings to accept forks from the hand truck so that the hand truck can engage the sleeve from underneath the base. A fork height adjustment system selectively adjusts the fork height relative to the bottom of the hand truck.

A method of operating a payload-carrying vehicle having two laterally disposed wheels positioned along a central axis is described. The method includes measuring a force applied by a user to the hand truck, where the measured force comprising a direction and a magnitude, and providing torque to each wheel to cause each wheel to rotate in a respective direction as a function of the measured magnitude and direction. The amount of torque provided to each wheel in response to the force from the user is such that the magnitude of measured force applied by the user is not greater than a predetermined threshold value.

Devices, apparatus, systems and methods for providing a usable hand truck with a tiltable electrical fan, power strip for powering electrical equipment, a storage compartment/tray for supplies and a moveable electrical LED (light emitting diodes) light source. The moveable light can rotate up and down, and be able to pivot to a left direction and to a right direction. The power strip can include a rechargeable battery supply with USB ports and outlets to allow the fan and light source to be connected. The power strip can include a power cord to plug in the power strip to an electrical outlet.

The hand dolly with unloading mechanism comprises a hand dolly and an unloading mechanism. The hand dolly may be a manually-operated handcart that may be operable to move a payload. A base plate of the hand dolly may be pushed under the payload and the hand dolly may be tilted away from the payload such that a frame of the hand dolly and the base plate support the weight of the payload. The hand dolly may be pushed to move the payload, taking advantage of reduced friction offered by a pair of wheels on the hand dolly. The unloading mechanism may be a hand-operated mechanism for pushing the bottom of the payload off of the base plate.

A method of operating a payload-carrying vehicle having two laterally disposed wheels positioned along a central axis is described. The method includes measuring a force applied by a user to the hand truck, where the measured force comprising a direction and a magnitude, and providing torque to each wheel to cause each wheel to rotate in a respective direction as a function of the measured magnitude and direction. The amount of torque provided to each wheel in response to the force from the user is such that the magnitude of measured force applied by the user is not greater than a predetermined threshold value.

The present invention is directed to pivot and linkage systems and devices for assisted cargo unloading of a standard hand truck.