Smart dolly

Abstract

A smart dolly includes a running mechanism and a body, the running mechanism comprises an equipment box and a rear axle housing, the equipment box is disposed on the rear axle housing, a battery, electric motor and control computer are provided in the equipment box, the battery and the electric motor are both electrically connected to the control computer, the equipment box has a charging plug thereon, the charging plug is electrically connected to the battery, the rear axle housing is provided with a differential clutch and an axle therein, the differential clutch and the axle form a transmission, the differential clutch is driven by the electric motor, the electric motor is provided with an electromagnetic braking device and a heat dissipation fan, and the external ends of the axle are connected to wheels; the body comprises an upper, middle and lower support rods.

Claims

1. A smart dolly, comprising: (a) a running mechanism comprising (i) a battery, (ii) a rear axle housing having a differential clutch and an axle therein, wherein the differential clutch and the axle form a transmission, and (iii) an equipment box disposed on the rear axle housing, the equipment box having (A) a charging plug thereon and (B) an electric motor and a control computer therein, (iv) wherein the battery and the electric motor are both electrically connected to the control computer, and the charging plug is electrically connected to the battery, (v) wherein the differential clutch is driven by the electric motor, (vi) wherein the electric motor includes an electromagnetic braking device and a heat dissipation fan, and (vii) wherein external ends of the rear axle are connected to wheels; and (b) a body comprising (i) a tray, fixed above the equipment box; (ii) an upper support rod, a middle support rod, and a lower support rod, (A) wherein the tail end of the upper support rod is fixedly connected to the equipment box; (B) wherein a head end of the upper support rod is provided with a handle, a battery switch, a driving and reversing speed regulation device, a brake switch, and a power display, (C) wherein the battery switch, the driving and reversing speed regulation device, the brake switch, and the power display are all electrically connected to the control computer; (D) wherein the upper support rod is further provided with a frame hook and a latch bar; (E) wherein a tail end of the lower support rod is in rotatable connection with the rear axle housing; (F) wherein the lower support rod is provided with a sleeve thereon, a bottom of the sleeve is connected to an omni-directional caster, and a side of the sleeve is provided with a latch pin; and (G) wherein, two ends of the middle support rod are in pivot connection with the upper support rod and the sleeve, respectively.

2. The smart dolly of claim 1, wherein the handle is a bull's horn-shaped handle.

3. The smart dolly of claim 2, wherein the bull's horn-shaped handle further includes at least one of non-slip treads or sponge cushioning grips.

4. The smart dolly of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is slideable along the lower support rod.

5. The smart dolly of claim 4, wherein the pivot connection between the middle support rod and both the upper support rod and sleeve allows the smart dolly to collapse and be maintained in the collapsed position by engaging the latch pin with the latch bar.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a front view of one example smart dolly;

(2) FIG. 2 is a top view of the smart dolly of FIG. 1;

(3) FIG. 3 is a 3-D view of the smart dolly of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a partial structure of the running mechanism of the smart dolly of FIGS. 1-3; and

(5) FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of portion A from FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) With reference to FIGS. 1 through 5, the smart dolly 1 comprises a running mechanism and a body. The running mechanism comprises an equipment box 11 and a rear axle housing 12. The equipment box 11 is disposed on the rear axle housing 12; a battery 111, an electric motor 13 and a control computer 113 are provided in the equipment box 11. The battery and the electric motor 13 are both electrically connected to the control computer. The equipment box 11 is further provided with a charging plug 14 thereon, the charging plug 14 is electrically connected to the battery. The rear axle housing 12 includes a differential clutch 15 and an axle 16 therein, such that the differential clutch 15 and the axle 16 form a transmission. The differential clutch 15 is driven by the electric motor 13. The electric motor 13 includes an electromagnetic braking device 17 and a heat dissipation fan 18. The external ends of the axle 16 are connected to wheels 19. The body comprises an upper support rod 21, a middle support rod 22, and a lower support rod 23; the tail end of the upper support rod 21 is fixedly connected to the equipment box 11. A tray 24 is fixed above the equipment box 11. The head end of the upper support rod 21 is provided with: a handle 211, a battery switch 214, a driving and reversing speed regulation device 216, a brake switch 218, and a power display 220. The battery switch 214, driving and reversing speed regulation device 216, brake switch 218, and the power display 22 are all electrically connected to the control computer.

(7) The upper support rod 21 is further provided with a frame hook 212 and a latch bar 213.

(8) The tail end of the lower support rod 23 is in rotatable connection with the rear axle housing 12 and the lower support rod 23 is also provided with a slide-able sleeve 25 thereon. The bottom of the sleeve 25 is connected to an omni-directional caster 26. The side of the sleeve 25 is provided with a latch pin 251 for engagement by the latch bar 213. The two ends of the middle support rod 22 are pivotably connected 29 to the upper support rod 21 and the sleeve 25, respectively.

(9) The smart dolly is driven by the electric motor 13, intelligently controlled by the control computer, to control the forward and backward movements, as well as the speed of forward and backward movements of the smart dolly through a driving and reversing speed regulation device, and can control stopping of the smart dolly using the brake switch, which can save labor and reduce work intensity.

(10) The remaining power of the battery can be seen in real-time through the power display 220, and when the remaining power is insufficient, the battery can be recharged through the charging plug, leading to convenient and simple use.

(11) Since the sleeve 25 may slide along the lower support rod 23, and two ends of the middle support rod 22 are, respectively, pivotably connected 29 to the upper support rod 21 and the sleeve 25, the upper support rod 21 and the lower support rod 23 may be collapsed when the sleeve 25 slides to the tail end of the lower support rod 23, to take up a smaller space.

(12) In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the head end 30 of the upper support rod 21 is further provided with a limit switch (not shown). The limit switch is electrically connected to the control computer, and when the limit switch hits a person, the control computer controls the smart dolly to run in a reversed direction for 100 mm and then stop, which can ensure the safety of a user.

(13) In the present embodiment, the upper support rod 21 is further provided with a loudspeaker (not shown) and a loudspeaker switch (not shown), the loudspeaker is electrically connected to the loudspeaker switch, and the loudspeaker switch is electrically connected to the control computer. The loudspeaker can be used to alert a person in front of the smart dolly and ensure the safety of the person in the front.

(14) As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the handle 211 is a bull's horn-shaped handle. The selection of a bull's horn-shaped handle enables an operator to have a better grip and to use less effort in pushing and pulling, and moreover, non-slip treads or sponge cushioning grips may be provided on the surface of the bull's horn-shaped handle 211, which can prevent slipping or protect the user's hands.

(15) Finally, the tail end of the lower support rod 23 is rotatably connected to the rear axle housing 12 by means of a bearing (not shown).