Abstract
An industrial truck with a multi-part vehicle frame comprises a base portion comprising a front wall, a back wall disposed opposite the front wall, and at least one side wall connecting the front wall with the back wall. The front wall, the back wall and the at least one side wall defining a battery compartment. A front portion is configured to couple with the front wall of the base portion and a rear portion is configured to connect with the back wall of the base portion, wherein the base portion is cast as a single component.
Claims
1. An industrial truck with a multi-part vehicle frame, the multi-part vehicle frame comprising: a base portion comprising, a front wall, a back wall disposed opposite the front wall, and at least one side wall connecting the front wall with the back wall, wherein the front wall, the back wall and the at least one side wall define a battery compartment; a front portion configured to couple with the front wall of the base portion; and a rear portion configured to couple to the back wall of the base portion, wherein the base portion is cast as a single component.
2. The industrial truck according to claim 1, wherein the base portion defines at least one upper opening and at least one lateral opening configured to receive a battery, the battery being configured to be installed into and removed from the base portion laterally or from above.
3. The industrial truck according to claim 1, wherein the base portion comprises a floor with battery contact surfaces and a bottom opening.
4. The industrial truck according to claim 1, wherein the rear portion further comprises a counterweight.
5. The industrial truck according to claim 1, wherein the base portion further comprises at least two bearing means each configured to attach to a tilting cylinder.
6. The industrial truck according to claim 1, wherein the front portion comprises wheel motor receivers configured to mount a front wheel axle.
7. The industrial truck according to claim 1, wherein the front portion comprises a bearing means configured to mount a mast.
8. The industrial truck according to claim 1, wherein the front wall of the base portion comprises a bearing means configured to mount a mast, wherein the bearing means is formed as a single component with the base portion.
9. The industrial truck according to claim 8, wherein the bearing means comprises two protruding support arms, and wherein each of the two protruding support arms define bearing openings configured to mount the mast on an end facing away from the front wall.
10. The industrial truck according to claim 9, wherein each of the two protruding support arms are substantially triangular in shape and configured to protrude perpendicularly from the front wall and extend parallel to each other in a direction of the front portion.
11. The industrial truck according to claim 1, further comprising a side portion configured to couple to at least one of the front portion and the base portion, wherein the side portion is formed as a separate component from the front portion, the base portion, and the rear portion.
12. The industrial truck according to claim 11, wherein the side portion is configured to detachably couple to at least one of the front portion and the base portion.
13. The industrial truck according to claim 12, wherein the side portion is disposed on the side wall of the base portion, wherein the side portion and the side wall of the base portion define a receiving area configured to receive vehicle components.
14. A group of industrial trucks according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the group of industrial trucks each comprise a same front portion and different base portions.
15. The group of industrial trucks according to claim 14, wherein the different base portions of the at least two of the group of industrial trucks comprise different lengths that are configured to receive batteries of different sizes.
16. The group of industrial trucks according to claim 14, wherein the different base portions of the at least two of the group of industrial trucks comprise different lengths that are configured to receive batteries of different capacities.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The invention is explained below using several exemplary embodiments. The figures show the following:
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a front element, a base element, and a rear element of a vehicle frame of an industrial truck;
[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a top plan view of the base element of the vehicle frame from FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the base element of the vehicle frame from FIG. 1 receiving a battery;
[0023] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a base element of the vehicle frame with a bearing means configured to mount a mast;
[0024] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the base element from FIG. 4;
[0025] FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded view of the vehicle frame from FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 7 illustrates an exploded view of the front element, base element, and side element from FIG. 6;
[0027] FIG. 8 illustrates an exploded view of the front element, base element and side element from FIG. 6;
[0028] FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the front element, the base element, and the rear element in an assembled state as well as the side element;
[0029] FIG. 10 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the front element, the base element, the rear element, and the side element in an assembled state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0030] FIG. 1 shows the individual elements of the multiple-part vehicle frame for an industrial truck according to the invention. The vehicle frame 10 comprises a front element 20, a base element 30 as well as a rear element 40.
[0031] The front element 20 has as bearing means for a vehicle mast two bearing openings 26, which can be brought to engage with the bottom end of the mast. The front element 20 also has wheel motor receivers 22 for mounting a front wheel axle.
[0032] The base element 30 comprises a front wall 31, a back wall 32 lying opposite the front wall 31 as well as a side wall 33, which interconnects the front wall 31 and the back wall 32. A battery compartment 34 is formed by the front wall 31, the back wall 32 as well as the side wall 33. The floor of the base element 30 has an opening 36 as well as a narrow border surrounding the opening 36. The narrow border has battery contact surfaces 37. The base element 30 is also open towards the top in order to enable the removal and installation of a battery upwards and also has a lateral opening 35 in order to enable the removal and installation of the battery to this side. Two bearing means 39, each of which serves to attach one tilting cylinder 24, are provided on the front wall 31 of the base element 30.
[0033] Still referring to FIG. 1, the rear element 40 mainly consists of a counterweight with a wheel recess 42, which serves to receive a rear wheel. A drive motor of the rear wheel can also be accommodated in the wheel recess 42.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 1, the base element 30 can be connected with connection holes 38.1 (FIG. 7) provided in the back side of the front element 20 via connection holes 38.2 in its front wall 31. The connection holes 38.2 provided on the back wall 32 of the base element serve to connect with the rear element 40 via the connection holes 38.3. When the vehicle frame is in the assembled state, the tilting cylinders 24 protrude into the front element 20 through openings provided in the back side of the front element, as can be seen in FIG. 8.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 8, the mast of the industrial truck is hereby connected with a bottom end with the bearing openings 26 of the front element 20 and with a mast area lying above this with the tilting cylinders 24. The mast is thus rotatably mounted on the front element 20 via the bearing openings 26 and can be tilted forwards and backwards via a movement of the tilting cylinder 24.
[0036] The reaction forces occurring during the operation of the industrial truck are mainly directed into the base element 30 due to the design of the vehicle frame 10. The base element 30 is produced as a one-piece cast part and is thus particularly suitable for receiving these reaction forces. Despite its U-shaped design and the plurality of openings, the base element 30 is thus rigid enough to sufficiently stabilize the industrial truck.
[0037] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the base element 30 has on its front wall 31 two bearing means 39, which, as mentioned, serve to attach the tilting cylinders 24 (FIGS. 1, 4, 6-10). These bearing means 39 are produced together with the base element 30 as a one-piece cast part. The bearing means 39 comprise bearing bars each with an opening for connecting with the tilting cylinders 24 (FIGS. 1, 4, 6-10). A particularly high stability of the industrial truck is achieved through the attachment of the tilting cylinders 24 (FIGS. 1, 4, 6-10) on the bearing means 39 directly to the base element 30. The reaction forces occurring through the tilting of the mast are directed directly into the base element 30 via the tilting cylinders 24 (FIGS. 1, 4, 6-10). The floor of the base element 30 has a large opening 36, which makes it possible to lift from below a battery 60 (FIG. 3) arranged in the receiving area of the base element 30 and then to remove it laterally or upwards out of the base element 30. The battery 60 (FIG. 3) can consequently be removed and installed for example in a simple manner by a forklift or a lift truck. In the installed state, the battery 60 (FIG. 3) is mounted on battery contact surfaces 37, which are raised with respect to a border of the floor of the base element 30.
[0038] FIG. 3 shows how a battery 60 is installed in or respectively removed from the battery compartment 34 of the base element 30.
[0039] FIGS. 4 and 5 show a base element 30 in a second embodiment. This base element 30 comprises two support arms 28, which are designed on the front wall 31 (FIG. 4) of the base element 30, as bearing means for mounting the mast. The support arms 28 each have a bearing opening 29 (FIG. 4) for mounting the bottom end of a mast. The support arms 28 are produced together with the complete base element 30 as a one-piece cast part. A mounting of the mast thus takes place via the bearing openings 29 (FIG. 4) of the support arms 28 as well as via the tilting cylinders 24 (FIG. 4) and the bearing means 39 directly on the base element 30. In contrast to a mounting of the mast on the front element 20 (FIGS. 1, 6-10), a particularly high stability of the industrial truck thus results. In this design, a front element 20 (FIGS. 1, 6-10) to be connected with the front wall 31 (FIG. 4) of the base element 30 is freed for the most part from the reaction forces occurring during the operation of the industrial truck. Apart from the support arms 28, the base element 30 from FIGS. 4 and 5 is the same as the base element 30 from the rest of the figures. In particular, the base element 30 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is connectable with the front element 20 (FIGS. 1, 6-10) and the rear element 40 (FIGS. 1, 6, 9, 10). The base element 30 hereby also has connection holes 38.2 (FIG. 5).
[0040] FIGS. 6 to 9 show the base element 30 together with a side element 50. The side element 50 is connectable with connection holes 27.1 (FIG. 6) of the front element 20 via connection holes 27.2 (FIGS. 6-7) and with the base element 30 via connection holes 27.3 (FIG. 7) of the base element 30. Referring to FIG. 7, when connected with the base element 30, the side element 50 is arranged on the side wall 33 of the base element 30 such that a receiving area 52 is formed. This receiving area 52 present between the side wall 33 of the base element 30 and the side element 50 serves to accommodate various vehicle components. As can be seen in FIG. 8, this can be a hydraulic tank 54, for example.
[0041] Referring to FIG. 1, the back wall 32 of the base element 30 protrudes slightly over the side wall 33. Adjacent to an outside of the side wall 33 lying opposite the battery compartment 34, a bar 53 is arranged, which is also connected with the part of the back wall 32 of the base element 30 protruding over the side wall 33. For one, this increases the stability. Referring of FIG. 8, the bar 53 can also serve as a rest for the hydraulic tank 54. The hydraulic tank 54 is adjusted for the shape of the lower area of the side element 50 so that the receiving area 52 in the assembled state of the side element 50 is mainly completely filled up by the hydraulic tank 54.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 8, the side element 50 also has a mounting plate 56, which serves to receive further vehicle components 58. These vehicle components can be in particular power and/or control components. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, the side wall 33 of the base element 30 is designed low such that the vehicle components 58 (FIG. 8) mounted on the mounting plate 56 (FIG. 8) above and beyond the side wall 33 can be connected with a battery located in the battery compartment 34 (FIGS. 1 and 3).
[0043] FIG. 9 shows the base element 30 together with the front element 20 and the rear element 40 in an assembled state. The side element 50 can hereby also be attached to the base element 30 or respectively the front element 20. The tilting cylinders 24 may protrude through openings in the front element 20 are easy to see. As shown, a vehicle mast with the bearing openings 26 of the front element 20 as well as with the tilting cylinders 24 fastened on the base element 30 is attached. Reaction forces occurring while the vehicle is operating are partially directed into the base element 30 via the front element 20.
[0044] FIG. 10 shows the base element 30 together with the front element 20, the rear element 40 as well as the side element 50 in an assembled state. The tilting cylinders 24 may protrude through openings in the front element 20. A vehicle mast with the bearing openings 29 of the support arms 28 of the base element 30 as well as with the tilting cylinders 24 also fastened on the base element 30 is attached. This design is particularly stable since the vehicle mast is connected directly with the base element 30 produced as a cast part. Reaction forces occurring while the vehicle is operating are thus mainly directed directly (i.e., bypassing the front element 20) into the base element 30.
PARTS LIST FOR FIGS. 1-10
[0045] 10 Vehicle frame [0046] 20 Front portion [0047] 22 Wheel motor receivers [0048] 24 Tilting cylinder [0049] 26 Bearing openings [0050] 27.1 Connection hole [0051] 27.2 Connection hole [0052] 27.3 Connection hole [0053] 28 Support arms [0054] 29 Bearing opening [0055] 30, 30 Base portion [0056] 31 Front wall [0057] 32 Back wall [0058] 33 Side wall [0059] 34 Battery compartment [0060] 35 Opening [0061] 36 Opening [0062] 37 Battery contact surface [0063] 38.1 Connection hole [0064] 38.2 Connection hole [0065] 38.3 Connection hole [0066] 39 Bearing means [0067] 40 Rear portion [0068] 42 Wheel recess [0069] 50 Side portion [0070] 52 Receiving area [0071] 53 Bar [0072] 54 Hydraulic tank [0073] 56 Mounting plate [0074] 58 Vehicle component [0075] 60 Battery
