Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05G—CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY
  • G05G1/00—Controlling members, e.g. knobs or handles; Assemblies or arrangements thereof; Indicating position of controlling members
  • G05G1/58—Rests or guides for relevant parts of the operator's body
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
  • B66F—HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD
  • B66F9/00—Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes
  • B66F9/06—Devices for lifting or lowering bulky or heavy goods for loading or unloading purposes movable, with their loads, on wheels or the like, e.g. fork-lift trucks
  • B66F9/075—Constructional features or details
  • B66F9/20—Means for actuating or controlling masts, platforms, or forks
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05G—CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY
  • G05G1/00—Controlling members, e.g. knobs or handles; Assemblies or arrangements thereof; Indicating position of controlling members
  • G05G1/04—Controlling members for hand actuation by pivoting movement, e.g. levers
  • G05G1/06—Details of their grip parts

Definitions

• the present relates to a manual operating device for working vehicles.
• the device comprises an operating part which is movable in one direction and adapted, when used, to be held by the user's hand, the direction of motion when used essentially coinciding with the user's forearm.
• an object of the present invention is to provide an operating device for working vehicles which wholly, or at least partly, obviates these drawbacks of the prior art constructions.
• the invention relates to a manual operating device for working vehicles comprising an operating part which is movable in one direction and which is intended, when in use, to be held by the user's hand.
• the inventive device is characterised in that it further comprises a stationary support and reference part arranged adjacent to the movable part and, at a side of the same, facing perpendicular to the direction of motion of the movable part.
• Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an operating device according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
• Fig. 2 is a perspective view, obliquely from above and from the side, of the operating device in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 is a side view of the operating device in Fig. 1. Description of Preferred Embodiments
• the operating device comprises a movable part 1 and a stationary part 2.
• the movable part is movable in one direction, which preferably essentially coincides with the direction of the user's forearm in operation.
• the movable part can be moved forwards and backwards, and preferably springs or the like are provided to strive to return the movable part to a normal position, which, for example, is in the centre of the space of motion.
• the direction of motion is illustrated by arrow R in Fig. 3.
• the movable part can advantageously be designed as a lever, in which case the motion will be arcuate.
• the stationary part is arranged adjacent to the movable part, and beside the same in such manner that the motion of the movable part is not impeded. Consequently, the stationary part extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction of motion of the movable part. In this way, the user's hand, when in operation placed on the movable part, will at least to a certain extent be in contact with the stationary part. As a result, a continuous reference to the motion of the movable part is obtained. Moreover, the user can easily move his hand between the movable part and the stationary part and, in this way, easily move his hand to the stationary part when the truck is to be driven or the like. This drastically reduces the risk of unintentionally performing motions by means of the operating device.
• the movable part 1 has an upper part which is designed for the user's hand, when operating, to be able to rest on the same.
• the upper part is preferably ergo- nomically designed and rounded for comfortable use. Since there are no projecting parts of the operating device, also the risk of getting stuck with one's clothes or the like is reduced.
• the upper part preferably has an extent which is essentially the same as an intended user's palm. The upper part thus is the size of a clenched fist and is comfortable to hold and grasp.
• the movable part may also comprise additional operating means arranged so as to be reached by the user's fingers when his hand is placed on the movable part.
• additional operating means arranged so as to be reached by the user's fingers when his hand is placed on the movable part.
• an operating means 3 preferably of a tiltable type
• this operating means can be operated, for example, by one or all of the user's index finger, middle finger and ring finger.
• an operating means 4 also preferably of a tiltable type, can be arranged on a side of the movable part which is not directed towards the direction of motion and which is directed away from the stationary part. This operating means can thus be operated by the user's thumb.
• the movable and the stationary part are similarly designed and are essentially the same size.
• the operating means constitutes an aesthetically and ergonomically attractive unit.
• Both the stationary and the movable part can be made of, for example, plasticised polyurethane which is foamed over a steel core.
• the operating device is suited mainly for electric actuation by an electronic control system.
• the device is suited for operating the fork of a truck.
• the displacement of the movable part can suitably be used to control the raising and lowering of the fork.
• the front operating means can be used for frame displace- ment inwards and outwards, or fork rotation clockwise and anticlockwise.
• the thumb control arranged on the side can be used for e.g. tilting downwards or upwards, or lateral displacement to the left or to the right. In this way, a logical coupling between the operating motions and the actual fork motions is obtained, which results in quick understanding and learning for the users.
• a simple and efficient operating tool is provided, which offers support to the user's hand when required and besides a reference point in operation.
• the invention has been described with regard to the operation of the fork of a truck. However, it will appreciated that it can also be used in many other types of working vehicles, such as wheel-mounted loaders, hoisting cranes, tractors etc.
• the design of the stationary and the movable part can be modified, and other types of additional means can be used instead of tiltable switches, such as dis- placeable switches, pressable buttons and the like.
• tiltable switches such as dis- placeable switches, pressable buttons and the like.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Control Devices (AREA)
• Harvester Elements (AREA)
• Lifting Devices For Agricultural Implements (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

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ID=20415323

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (6)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 1999
  • 1999-04-23 SE SE9901457A patent/SE520647C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2000
  • 2000-04-20 AT AT00928058T patent/ATE269834T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-04-20 WO PCT/SE2000/000771 patent/WO2000064801A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 2000-04-20 EP EP00928058A patent/EP1210287B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-04-20 AU AU46346/00A patent/AU4634600A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-04-20 DE DE60011786T patent/DE60011786T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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