INDUSTRIAL TRUCK AND DRIVE WHEEL BEARING DEVICE FOR INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS

Abstract

An industrial truck include a chassis with bearing points, two drive wheel arrangements each having a drive wheel, a guide arrangement for each drive wheel arrangement, and a hydraulic piston-cylinder unit for each drive wheel arrangement. The guide arrangement includes at least two connecting rods each having a first end and a second end, a coupler having a first side, a second side, and coupler bearing points, and a guide direction component which extends approximately perpendicular to a plane of the chassis. Each connecting rod is arranged so that the first end is on a chassis bearing point and the second end is on a coupler bearing point. Each piston-cylinder unit is connected on a piston side to the chassis and on a cylinder side to a drive wheel arrangement or vice versa. A cylinder volume of each piston-cylinder unit is hydraulically connected to each another.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. An industrial truck comprising: a chassis which defines a chassis plane which extends approximately parallel to an underlying surface in an operating position of the industrial truck, the chassis comprising chassis bearing points arranged thereon; at least two drive wheel arrangements, each of which comprise at least one drive wheel; at least one guide arrangement for each of the at least two drive wheel arrangements which is configured to provide a guide path along which each of the at least two drive wheel arrangements are displaceable, the at least one guide arrangement comprising, at least two connecting rods each of which comprise a first end and a second end, a coupler comprising a first side, a second side, and coupler bearing points arranged thereon, and a guide direction component which extends approximately perpendicular to the chassis plane, wherein, each of the at least two connecting rods are arranged so that the first end is arranged on one of the chassis bearing points and the second end is arranged on one of the coupler bearing points and to extend away from the first side; and a piston-cylinder unit which is configured to act hydraulically for each of the at least two drive wheel arrangements, each piston-cylinder unit comprising, a piston side, a cylinder side, and a first cylinder volume, wherein, each piston-cylinder unit is connected on the piston side to the chassis and on the cylinder side to the one of the at least two drive wheel arrangements or is connected on the piston side to one of the at least two drive wheel arrangements and on the cylinder side to the chassis, and the at least one first cylinder volume of each piston-cylinder unit is hydraulically connected to one another.

17. The industrial truck as recited in claim 16, wherein each piston-cylinder unit is arranged so that an action direction of the respective piston-cylinder unit extends approximately perpendicular to the chassis plane.

18. The industrial truck as recited in claim 16, wherein at least one piston-cylinder unit is designed as a single-action piston-cylinder unit.

19. The industrial truck as recited claim 16, wherein at least one piston-cylinder unit comprises a second cylinder volume.

20. The industrial truck as recited in claim 19, wherein, at least two piston-cylinder units each comprise a respective second cylinder volume, and the second cylinder volumes are hydraulically connected to one another.

21. The industrial truck as recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one guide arrangement is designed so that at least a part of at least one of a driving force, a braking force, and a steering force is/are introduced via the at least one guide arrangement into the chassis.

22. The industrial truck as recited in claim 16, wherein each of the at least two drive wheel arrangements are connected to the second side of the coupler to provide the guide path.

23. The industrial truck as recited in claim 16, wherein at least two of the chassis bearing points and at least two of the coupler bearing points are each arranged on a straight line which extends approximately perpendicular to the chassis plane.

24. The industrial truck as recited in claim 16, wherein each of the at least two connecting rods are always arranged parallel to one another.

25. The industrial truck as recited in claim 16, wherein each of the at least two drive wheel arrangements further comprises a rotational drive motor which is coupled to the respective at least one drive wheel.

26. The industrial truck as recited in claim 25, wherein the rotational drive motor is arranged so as to be displaceable with the respective drive wheel arrangement along the guide path.

27. An industrial truck comprising: a chassis which defines a chassis plane which extends approximately parallel to an underlying surface in an operating position of the industrial truck, the chassis comprising chassis bearing points arranged thereon; at least two drive wheel arrangements, each of which comprise at least one drive wheel; at least one guide arrangement for each of the at least two drive wheel arrangements which is configured to provide a linear guide along which the at least two drive wheel arrangements are each displaceable, the at least one guide arrangement comprising at least one guide element; and a piston-cylinder unit which is configured to act hydraulically for each of the at least two drive wheel arrangements, each piston-cylinder unit comprising, a piston side, a cylinder side, and a first cylinder volume, wherein, each piston-cylinder unit is connected on the piston side to the chassis and on the cylinder side to the one of the at least two drive wheel arrangements or is connected on the piston side to one of the at least two drive wheel arrangements and on the cylinder side to the chassis, and the at least one first cylinder volume of each piston-cylinder unit is hydraulically connected to one another.

28. The industrial truck as recited in claim 27, wherein each piston-cylinder unit is arranged so that an action direction of the respective piston-cylinder unit extends approximately perpendicular to the chassis plane.

29. The industrial truck as recited in claim 27, wherein at least one piston-cylinder unit is designed as a single-action piston-cylinder unit.

30. The industrial truck as recited in claim 27, wherein the at least one guide arrangement is designed so that at least a part of at least one of a driving force, a braking force, and a steering force is/are introduced via the at least one guide arrangement into the chassis.

31. The industrial truck as recited in claim 27, wherein the at least one guide element is connected at two chassis bearing points to the chassis in a guide direction.

32. The industrial truck as recited in claim 31, wherein the two chassis bearing points comprise a first bearing point which is designed as a fixed bearing and a second chassis bearing point which is designed as a floating bearing.

33. The industrial truck as recited in claim 27, wherein each of the at least two drive wheel arrangements further comprises a rotational drive motor which is coupled to the respective at least one drive wheel.

34. The industrial truck as recited in claim 33, wherein the rotational drive motor is arranged so as to be displaceable with the respective drive wheel arrangement along the linear path.

35. A drive wheel bearing device for an industrial truck, the drive wheel bearing device comprising: a support structure comprising a first fastening region which is formed substantially in a plane, and a separate second fastening region which is arranged substantially perpendicular to the plane, the separate second fastening region comprising means for fastening the support structure to the chassis; a wheel suspension structure which extends substantially perpendicular to the plane and which is rotatably mounted in relation to the support structure; at least one drive wheel connected to the wheel suspension structure, the at least one drive wheel comprising a main axis of rotation which is substantially parallel to the plane; and at least one drive motor configured to at least one of drive and pivot the at least one drive wheel in relation to the support structure.

Description

[0025] The invention will be explained further hereafter on the basis of the appended, solely schematic drawings. In the schematic figures:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows an industrial truck according to the invention without add-ons in a perspective illustration;

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a driving situation of the industrial truck from FIG. 1;

[0028] FIG. 3a shows a first embodiment of the industrial truck having a linear guide arrangement in a schematic sketch;

[0029] FIGS. 3b and 3c each show the two drive wheel arrangements from FIG. 3a in different driving situations in a schematic sketch;

[0030] FIGS. 3d, 3e, 3f each show a side view of a drive wheel arrangement having a linear guide arrangement in different positions;

[0031] FIG. 4a shows a second embodiment of the industrial truck having a curved guide arrangement in a schematic sketch;

[0032] FIGS. 4b and 4c each show the two drive wheel arrangements from FIG. 4a in different driving situations in a schematic sketch; and

[0033] FIGS. 4d, 4e, 4f each show a side view of the drive wheel arrangement having an expanded curved guide arrangement in different positions.

[0034] The industrial truck according to the invention, which is identified with 100 in each of the figures, comprises a chassis 1, which defines a plane E extending approximately parallel to an underlying surface. As is recognizable in FIG. 1 in particular, a load pickup unit (not shown) can be arranged in the region of the chassis 1 in which the chassis has two leg structures 1a, 1b. Two non-driven load wheels 2 are provided in this region. Two drive wheel arrangements 3 are provided on the chassis 1 spaced apart from the load wheels 2 with respect to a longitudinal travel direction L. Each drive wheel arrangement 3 comprises a drive wheel 4, which is rotationally drivable by means of an in particular electrically or hydraulically driven rotational drive motor 5.

[0035] The drive wheel 4 and the drive wheel motor 5 are combined to form an assembly 6, which is mounted on the chassis 1 by means of a guide arrangement 10, 20 acting approximately perpendicularly to the plane E. The assembly 6 can be designed as a drive wheel bearing device 8, which has a support structure 80, which has a first fastening region 81 formed substantially parallel to the plane E and a separate second fastening region 82 arranged substantially perpendicular to the plane E. A wheel suspension structure 83 extending substantially perpendicular to the plane E and rotatably mounted in relation to the support structure 80 is arranged on the first fastening region 81. At least the one drive wheel 4 having a main axis of rotation 41 arranged substantially parallel to the plane E and at least one drive motor 5, 40 for the drive, in particular for a rotation about a main axis of rotation 41, and/or for the pivot of the drive wheel 4 in relation to the support structure 80 about an axis arranged perpendicular to the plane E is arranged on the wheel suspension structure 83. For example, the drive motor 5 is used for steering and the drive motor 40 is used for driving the industrial truck 100. The second fastening region 82 in particular has means 84 for fastening the support structure 80 on a chassis 1.

[0036] The entire assembly 6 is attached to the chassis 1 via the guide arrangement 10, 20 so it is displaceable in each case substantially perpendicular to the plane E, which is recognizable, for example, in FIG. 2. In this case, the drive wheel 4 shown on the left in FIG. 2 is extended farther in relation to the chassis than the drive wheel 4 shown on the right in FIG. 2. A hydraulic piston-cylinder unit 30, which is connected at one end 34b to the chassis 1 and at the other end 34a to the drive wheel arrangement 3 or the support structure 80, is provided for each assembly 6 for absorbing a weight force and/or for supporting the drive wheel arrangement 3 in relation to the chassis 1.

[0037] In a first embodiment according to the invention, the guide arrangement 10, as shown in FIGS. 3a to 3f, is configured as a linear guide arrangement, comprising a guide element 11, which is attached at two bearing points 12, 13 to the chassis 1. The bearing point 12 is designed as a fixed bearing, the bearing point 13 is designed as a floating bearing, to avoid a static overdetermination.

[0038] The guide element 11 is designed in the present case as a component of a rail system, in which a sliding element is provided, which is arranged on the drive wheel arrangement 3 and is linearly displaceable on the guide element 11 designed as a rail. In this case, the entire drive wheel arrangement 3 or assembly 6, comprising the drive wheel 4 and the rotational drive motor 5, is mounted so it is displaceable along the rail 11 in the direction A, in particular vertically displaceable, which is shown in particular in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3d, 3e, and 3f.

[0039] The two piston-cylinder units 30 shown by way of example in FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c for supporting the drive wheel arrangement 3 in relation to the chassis 1 each comprise a first cylinder volume 31, which are hydraulically connected to one another via a first line 33a, which acts at least essentially without a throttle. A hydraulic medium can thus be pressed from the first cylinder volume 31 of the one piston-cylinder unit 30 into the first cylinder volume 31 of the other piston-cylinder unit 30 depending on the existing irregularity.

[0040] In a second embodiment according to the invention, the guide arrangement 20, which is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 4a to 4f, is designed as a curved guide arrangement. This curved guide arrangement 20 essentially comprises a coupler 21 pivotably mounted on the assembly 6 and also multiple connecting elements or connecting rods 22, which connect the coupler 21 to the chassis 1 and are also pivotably mounted.

[0041] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4a, 4b, and 4c, a total of two connecting elements 22 are provided in each case per drive wheel arrangement 3, namely a first connecting rod 22a and a second connecting rod 22b. In the expanded or modified embodiment shown in FIGS. 4d, 4e, and 4f, a total of three connecting elements 22 are provided per drive wheel arrangement 3, namely a first connecting rod 22a, a second connecting rod 22b, and a third connecting rod 22c. Depending on the embodiment, the connecting rods 22a, 22b, 22c are each mounted with a first connecting rod end 23a on a respective first bearing point S1, S2, S3 so they are pivotable about an axis of rotation parallel to one another on the chassis 1 and with an opposing second connecting rod end 23b on a respective second bearing point S4, S5, S6 so they are pivotable about axes of rotation parallel to one another on a first side 21a of a coupler 21. The coupler 21 is connected to a support structure 80 having the assembly 6 on a second side 21b of the coupler 21 opposite to the first side 21a.

[0042] Two of the first bearing points, namely bearing points S1 and S2, are located on a straight line G1, the optional additional third first bearing point S3 is arranged offset in relation to the straight line G1, which is shown in particular in FIGS. 4d, 4e, 4f. Two of the second bearing points, namely bearing points S4 and S5, are also located on a straight line G2, the optional additional third second bearing point S6 is arranged offset in relation to the straight line G2. The two straight lines G1 and G2 extend approximately perpendicular to the plane E and parallel to one another.

[0043] The assembly 6 is thus mounted along a guide path B, which comprises a movement component X perpendicular to the plane E and a movement component Y parallel to the plane E. The coupler 21 and the connecting rods 22a, 22b, 22c thus form the main component of the curved guide arrangement 20.

[0044] The two piston-cylinder units 30 shown by way of example in FIGS. 4a, 4b, and 4c each comprise, in addition to the first cylinder volume 31, which are hydraulically connected to one another via a first line 33a, additionally a second cylinder volume 32, which are hydraulically connected to one another via a second line 33b. The lines 33a, 33b can be substantially throttle-free or can also be provided with preferably adjustable throttles. A hydraulic medium can thus be pressed, depending on the irregularity present, from the first cylinder volume 31 of a first piston-cylinder units 30 into the first cylinder volume 31 of a second piston-cylinder unit 30 and from the second cylinder volume 32 of the second piston-cylinder units 30 into the second cylinder volume 32 of the first piston-cylinder units 30, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 2, 4b, and 4c. Particularly reliable operation of the hydraulic system is thus enabled, for example, the hydraulic pressure can be distributed uniformly onto both hydraulic lines.

[0045] The functionality of the vehicle 100 according to the invention will now be explained further for each of the above-mentioned embodiments on the basis of FIGS. 3a and 3b, and also 4a and 4b.

[0046] If the drive wheel 4 shown on the left in the viewing direction according to FIG. 3a is displaced upward by an underlying surface irregularity, for example, the reduction of the first cylinder volume 31 of the left piston-cylinder unit 30 linked thereto thus has the result that hydraulic medium is pressed via the first line 33a at least essentially without a throttle into the first cylinder volume 31 of the piston-cylinder unit 30 shown on the right in FIG. 3a and the assembly 6 having the drive wheel 4 shown on the right is thus displaced downward. Of course, this procedure only takes place when the drive wheel 4 shown on the left in FIG. 3a) is loaded more strongly than the drive wheel 4 shown on the right. A reversed movement sequence with reversed load conditions is shown accordingly in FIG. 3b.

[0047] If the drive wheel 4 shown on the left in the viewing direction according to FIG. 4a is displaced upward by an underlying surface irregularity, for example, the reduction of the first cylinder volume 31 and enlargement of the second cylinder volume 32 linked thereto of the piston-cylinder unit 30 illustrated on the left has the result that a hydraulic medium is pressed via the first hydraulic line 33a into the first cylinder volume 31 of the piston-cylinder unit 30 shown on the right in FIG. 4a) and a hydraulic medium is pressed from the second cylinder volume 32 in the piston-cylinder unit 30 shown on the right into the second cylinder volume 32 of the piston-cylinder unit 30 shown on the left via the second line 33b and thus the assembly 6 having the drive wheel 4 shown on the right is displaced downward. Of course, this procedure only takes place when the drive wheel 4 shown on the left in FIG. 4a) is loaded more strongly than the drive wheel 4 shown on the right. A reversed movement sequence with reversed load conditions is shown accordingly in FIG. 4b).

[0048] It should be clear that the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described. In particular the configuration of the industrial truck and the type of the chassis can certainly be modifiedwithout changing the core concept of the invention. It is also to be noted once again that the figures, in particular the schematic sketches, solely illustrate the relationship schematically to visualize the invention. Thus, for example, neither size ratios nor axial alignments of the individual wheels illustrated in the schematic sketches correspond to reality.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0049] 100 industrial truck [0050] 1 chassis, running gear, frame, undercarriage [0051] 1a leg structure [0052] 1b leg structure [0053] 2 load wheels [0054] 3 drive wheel arrangement [0055] 4 drive wheel [0056] 5 rotational drive motor [0057] 6 assembly [0058] 8 drive wheel bearing device [0059] 10 guide arrangement, linear guide arrangement [0060] 11 guide element [0061] 12 bearing point [0062] 13 bearing point [0063] 20 guide arrangement, guide path arrangement [0064] 21 coupler [0065] 21a first side [0066] 21b second side [0067] 22 connecting element, connecting rod [0068] 22a connecting rod [0069] 22b connecting rod [0070] 22c connecting rod [0071] 23a first connecting rod end [0072] 23b second connecting rod end [0073] 30 piston-cylinder unit [0074] 31 first cylinder volume [0075] 32 second cylinder volume [0076] 33a first line [0077] 33b second line [0078] 33c third line [0079] 34a piston side [0080] 34b cylinder side [0081] 40 drive motor [0082] 41 main axis of rotation [0083] 80 support structure [0084] 81 first fastening structure [0085] 82 second fastening structure [0086] 83 wheel suspension structure [0087] 84 means for fastening [0088] A linear guide [0089] B guide path [0090] E plane [0091] G1 straight line [0092] G2 straight line [0093] K action direction of piston-cylinder unit [0094] L longitudinal travel direction [0095] S1 first bearing point [0096] S2 second bearing point [0097] S3 third bearing point [0098] S4 fourth bearing point [0099] S5 fifth bearing point [0100] S6 sixth bearing point [0101] X guide direction component [0102] Y guide direction component