EP0960850B1 - Industrial truck, in particular fork-lift truck with frontal seat - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an industrial truck, in particular a front seat forklift according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

An industrial truck of the type mentioned has become known from DE 196 50 338. The driver's seat can be swiveled around an axis of rotation that runs far to the front in the footwell. Such a measure is intended to ensure that the driver ergonomically assumes a more favorable position when reversing. This measure is further improved by the further feature that the brake pedal is pivotably mounted about the pedal rod in order also to obtain an adaptation to the driving situation. However, the known arrangement has some disadvantages. When the seat is turned, the driver automatically comes into an unfavorable position Position to the steering wheel. He is restricted in his freedom of movement. Overall, ergonomically unfavorable steering can occur. When the seat is pivoted, the brake pedal to the seat also comes into an unfavorable position for the driver, which can also lead to safety problems. From the above-mentioned document it is also known to alternatively provide two pedal arrangements which are actuated depending on the angular position of the driver's seat. However, this leads to a disability in the foot area.

From DE 297 23 095, which corresponds to the closest prior art, it has also become known to arrange the driver seat, steering wheel and foot pedal arrangement on a truck on a common axis that extends approximately vertically in front of the driver seat. In this way, the relative position of these parts to one another is maintained regardless of the angle of the driver's seat. However, the known arrangement is not to be used for front seat stackers for reasons of space. The axis severely constricts the footwell. In addition, the individual units cannot be adjusted relative to one another.

The invention has for its object to provide an industrial truck, in particular front seat forklift, in which on the one hand the driver's seat, pedal arrangement and steering wheel can be optimally adjusted with respect to the individual driver, on the other hand these units maintain their position relative to one another when the driver's seat is adjusted.

This object is achieved by the features of patent claim 1.

In the industrial truck according to the invention, the units, namely the driver's seat, pedal arrangement and bearings for the steering shaft, can be moved or adjusted separately. The driver's seat can be rotated or pivoted about an axis of rotation within the seat contour, but off-center to the center of gravity or center of gravity, and the pedal arrangement and steering bearing can be moved along curved curves, the curves being arranged in such a way that the movable units are each approximately within a limited angular range are aligned with each other.

The construction according to the invention has the advantage that the seat, pedal arrangement and steering are at approximately the same distance for the driver in every pivotable position. This means that the driver can always adopt the same posture regardless of the position of the units. Another advantage, however, is that the units can be adjusted independently compared to previously known systems and can thus be adapted to the size of the driver.

For short backward trips, only the seat needs to be turned alone or, if necessary, together with the pedal arrangement. For longer journeys, the steering wheel is also pivoted for ergonomic and health reasons.

In the construction according to the invention, according to one embodiment of the invention, a synchronous switching of the units is provided, which brings about that when the driver's seat is pivoted, the two other units are also pivoted synchronously. Independently of this, each unit can, as mentioned, be set individually.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the individual units have traversing or adjusting drives, which are preferably formed by electric motors, which can drive a pinion via a gear, which interacts with an arcuate toothing or the like. According to a further embodiment of the invention, the drives are preferably designed to be self-locking, so that locking in the individual positions assumed is not necessary, as is described, for example, in DE 195 12 284. It is understood that the drives can also act hydraulically, mechanically or in another way.

The invention has the further advantage that the pivoting of the steering wheel unit provides an optimal entry and exit option. In order to ensure absolutely free entry and exit, the pedal arrangement can be pivoted in addition to the steering wheel. Furthermore, the seat can also be swiveled about 15 ° towards the exit in order to leave or climb on the device without any problems. This provides a driver's seat suitable for the disabled.

The units are pivoted along predetermined curves. However, it is advantageous if all three units have a common pivot point, so that the units have the predetermined relationship to one another in any angular position.

Fig. 1

zeigt die Seitenansicht eines Sitzes für ein Flurförderzeug nach der Erfindung.

Fig. 2

zeigt die Draufsicht auf den unteren Bereich des Sitzes nach Fig. 1.

Fig. 3

zeigt teilweise im Schnitt die Seitenansicht eines Flurförderzeugs nach der Erfindung im Bereich des vorderen Endes des Antriebsteils.

Fig. 4

zeigt eine Draufsicht auf das Fahrzeug nach Fig. 3 bei durchsichtiger bzw. abgenommener Bodenplatte.

Fig. 5

zeigt die Seitenansicht des Fahrzeugs nach Fig. 3 im vorderen oberen Bereich.

Fig. 6

zeigt die Ansicht der Führung der Konstruktion nach Fig. 5 in Richtung Pfeil 6.

Fig. 7

zeigt die Draufsicht auf das Fahrzeug nach Fig. 5.

Fign. 8 bis 10

zeigen verschiedene Draufsichten auf einen Frontsitzstapler in unterschiedlichen Positionen der verstellbaren Einheiten.

An embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to drawings.

Fig. 1

shows the side view of a seat for an industrial truck according to the invention.

Fig. 2

shows the top view of the lower region of the seat of FIG. 1st

Fig. 3

shows partially in section the side view of an industrial truck according to the invention in the region of the front end of the drive part.

Fig. 4

shows a plan view of the vehicle of FIG. 3 with a transparent or removed base plate.

Fig. 5

shows the side view of the vehicle of FIG. 3 in the front upper region.

Fig. 6

shows the view of the guide of the construction of FIG. 5 in the direction of arrow 6.

Fig. 7

shows the top view of the vehicle according to FIG. 5.

FIGS. 8 to 10

show different top views of a front seat stacker in different positions of the adjustable units.

An overall representation of an industrial truck is not to be found in FIGS. 1 to 7. For example, an industrial truck can be provided, as is known in principle, for example, from DE 196 50 338. It is a so-called front seat forklift. The driver's seat, as shown at 10 in FIG. 1 and indicated in FIG. 2, is, however, arranged somewhat off-center, namely somewhat more towards the entrance on the left-hand side. The driver's seat has a seat part 12 and a backrest 14, which is shown in two different positions in FIG. 1. In Fig. 2 the seat part is shown transparent or taken away to make the underlying structure visible. A so-called joystick 16, with which essential functions of the industrial truck are activated, is arranged on the frame of the driver's seat 10, as seen on the right in the direction of travel. The joystick is attached to the frame of the driving seat via a holder 18, specifically on the front right side of the seat part 12.

A sheet metal plate 20 is screwed onto the base (battery box) for the driver's seat 10. A somewhat thicker plate 22 made of plastic is attached to the plate 20. It has a sector shape, as can be seen from FIG. 2. A gusset section protrudes the area of the seat part forward from when the seat is in the neutral position shown in FIG. 2. In the rear area of the arcuate edge, the plate 22 has a lower arcuate recess 24. A sheet metal plate 26, which is fixedly connected to the frame of the seat part 12, is pivotably mounted about an axis of rotation 28, which is arranged in the region of the right front corner of the seat part 12. On the plate 26 sits an arcuate angle plate 30 which engages in the recess 24 for guidance and stability purposes and prevents the seat from tipping over. Finally, a toothed segment 32 is connected to the plate 26 and engages with a pinion 34 which can be driven by a motor gear unit 36. The motor is an electric motor and the motor gear unit 36 is self-locking. By driving the motor gear unit 36, the seat 20 can thus be pivoted through an angle that is predetermined by the toothed segment 32.

In the top of the sector-shaped plate 22, an arcuate elongate recess 38 is formed, into which a pin 40 of the plate 26 protrudes. It limits the pivoting movement of the seat 10. Moreover, the sector-shaped plate 22 forms the support and bearing surface for the seat plate 26 in every pivoting position of the seat. The swivel range is approximately 45 °. In Figures 1 and 2, a possible pivoting only between a straight position and an angular position to the right in Fig. 2 of approximately 45 ° is shown. However, it is also conceivable to choose the arrangement so that the seat 10 by a certain angular amount is pivoted from 15 ° to the left, for example, to make it easier for the driver to get in and out.

FIGS. 3 and 4 indicate the industrial truck with the seat, the battery box 42, the footwell 44 in the cabin, the base plate 46 in the footwell and the front with the metal sheets 48 and 50, and a wheel 52. The seat 10 is constructed in this way , as described in Figures 1 and 2.

In the footwell 44 there is a pedal arrangement 54 consisting of an accelerator pedal 56 and a brake pedal 58. The pedals 56, 58 are attached to a holder 60, which can be moved along two curved tracks 62, 66. The cam track 66 has an arcuate slot 68 through which a pin of the holder 60 extends. The cam track 66 is fastened to an upper leg 70 of an angle plate 72 (FIG. 4) which is attached to a wall 74 which delimits the battery box 42 to the left and the footwell 44 to the rear. A toothed segment 76 is also attached to the holder and engages with a pinion of a motor and transmission unit 78 which cannot be recognized and which moves the holder 60 and thus the pedals on an arc. It goes without saying that corresponding slots must be formed in the base plate 46 in order to ensure the movability. These slots can be "closed" with the help of brushes to prevent dirt from entering.

5 shows a steering wheel 80 of the industrial truck, not shown in detail, the shaft 82 of which is rotatably mounted in a column 84. In the column 84 there is a transmission element for transmitting the angle and the angular velocity from the steering wheel to the steering device for the wheels to be steered, as is known per se. The column is connected via a suitable holder 86 to a guide part 88, which is shown in FIG. 6 only from the rear. The guide part 88 acts together with a guide having two rails 90, 92, which are connected to one another by suitable webs 94 and are kept at a distance. As is apparent from FIG. 7, the rails 90, 92 are arc-shaped and fastened to the wall section 50. A motor gear unit 96 is arranged on the upper side of the guide part 88 and cooperates with a toothed segment 98 (FIGS. 6 and 7) which is arranged and fastened above the upper guide rail 90 at a distance from the latter. When the motor gear unit 96 is actuated, the steering wheel 80 is therefore moved along an arcuate curve which is predetermined by the guide rails 90, 92 or the toothed segment 98. 7 shows two different positions of the steering wheel 80.

The curves formed by the toothed segment 32 in FIG. 2 for the adjustment of the seat 10, the guide sections 62, 66 for the pedal arrangement 54 and the guide rails 90, 92 have a common center point which coincides with the axis of rotation 28. If the units described are pivoted together, the assignment of the units to one another remains constant, which means that the driver can reach the pedal arrangement and the steering wheel with the same posture in a constant manner regardless of the angular position of the seat 10. The motor gear units for the movable units, namely seat 10, steering wheel 80 and pedal arrangement 54, are actuated via a suitable control device, not shown, which ensures a synchronous adjustment of these units. However, it is also possible to actuate each of the motor gear units separately in order to initially set the relative position of these units to one another or, if necessary, to correct them later. It is also conceivable to operate only one or two units for certain functions, for example to bring the steering and the pedal arrangement into a 45 ° position while the seat remains in the neutral position. To make it easier to get in and out, the steering and pedals can be swiveled into a position swiveled away from the entrance. To improve entry and exit, the seat can also be swiveled in the direction of entry and exit.

FIGS. 8 to 10 show a top view of a front seat stacker. Since such a device is generally known, the basic parts will no longer be explained in detail. The units described above are shown here together on the stacker, in different positions. The units are provided with the same reference numerals as those according to FIGS. 1 to 7.

Fig. 8 shows the arrangement of the seat 12, steering wheel 80 and pedal assembly 54 for forward travel. Fig. 9 shows the arrangement of the seat 10, steering wheel 80 and pedal assembly 54 for reversing. Fig. 10 shows the arrangement of seat 10, steering wheel 80 and pedal assembly 54 for getting in and out.

Claims (8)

1. Floor conveyor truck, particularly front seat forklift truck, with a driver seat (10) which is swingable around an at least partially vertical axis of revolution (28), an arrangement (54) of at least two pedals (66, 58) for the setting of driving speed and for the actuation of a brake appliance, respectively, and a steering wheel (80), the shaft (82) of which is rotatably mounted in a bearing (84) attached on the body of the vehicle (50), characterised by the following features:

   the driver seat (10) is swingably mounted around an eccentric axis of revolution (28) running inside of the seat contour

   the pedal arrangement (54) is locomotive along an arcuate curve (62, 66), and

   the bearing (84) for the steering axle (82) is locomotive along an arcuate curve (90, 92)

   the curves (62, 66, 90, 92) being arranged such that the locomotive units are adjustable into a direction approximately towards each other within a limited angle range.
2. Floor conveyor truck according to claim 1, characterised in that the axis of revolution (28) is disposed in the vicinity of that comer of the seat (12) which is opposite to the side of entry.
3. Floor conveyor truck according to claim 1 or 2, characterised by a locomotion drive (36, 78, 96) for the seat (12) and/or the pedal arrangement (54) and/or the bearing (84).
4. Floor conveyor truck according to claim 3, characterised in that the locomotion drives are electric motors, which co-operate via a pinion with an arcuate toothing on the bottom side of the seat (12) and/or a toothing on the pedal arrangement (54) below the base plate (46) of the foot space (44) and/or a toothing on the rear side of the front plate (48, 50).
5. Floor conveyor truck according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the locomotion drives and the control systems for them, respectively, are coupled for the purpose of synchronous adjustment of the units.
6. Floor conveyor truck according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the locomotion drives (36, 78, 96) are self-locking.
7. Floor conveyor truck according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that seat (10), pedal arrangement (54) and steering wheel (80) are individually adjustable.
8. Floor conveyor truck according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the arcuate curves along which seat (10), pedal arrangement (54) and steering wheel (80) are locomotive, do have an approximately common centre point (28).