GB2556335A - Anti-crush kick-belt - Google Patents

Anti-crush kick-belt Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2556335A
GB2556335A GB1615866.9A GB201615866A GB2556335A GB 2556335 A GB2556335 A GB 2556335A GB 201615866 A GB201615866 A GB 201615866A GB 2556335 A GB2556335 A GB 2556335A
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United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
vehicle
switch
belt
switches
crush
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB1615866.9A
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GB201615866D0 (en
Inventor
Stephen Weston Walter
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Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
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Priority to GB1615866.9A priority Critical patent/GB2556335A/en
Publication of GB201615866D0 publication Critical patent/GB201615866D0/en
Publication of GB2556335A publication Critical patent/GB2556335A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/02—Details
    • H01H13/26—Snap-action arrangements depending upon deformation of elastic members
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
    • B60L3/00—Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60L—PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
    • B60L3/00—Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption
    • B60L3/0007—Measures or means for preventing or attenuating collisions
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/02—Details
    • H01H13/04—Cases; Covers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H9/00—Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
    • H01H9/02—Bases, casings, or covers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H3/00—Mechanisms for operating contacts
    • H01H2003/007—Mechanisms for operating contacts the contacts being actuated by deformation of a flexible housing

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Switches Operated By Changes In Physical Conditions (AREA)

Abstract

A plurality of stop switches may be located on a webbing belt or strap 5 or other conventional means through a slot Fig 1, 4 in the housing. Each switch has a resilient or pliable housing Fig 1, 1 which may be made from an elastomeric material. A series or array of switches may be electrically connected via wiring through channels Fig 1, 3. The belt and associated switches may be retrofitted to a pedestrian pallet truck and interlinked to the tiller arm emergency stop circuit. The belt may be located around the lower edges of the vehicle. If the truck contacts an obstacle such as the drivers foot then the switch housing deforms and stops the vehicle. Removal of the obstruction allows the switch to return to its original state. The device is intended to prevent or reduce accidents involving pedestrians and users of new and existing lift trucks

Description

(71) Applicant(s):
Walter Stephen Weston
The Manse, 346 Walmersley Road, BURY, Lancashire, BL9 6QF, United Kingdom (72) Inventor(s):
Walter Stephen Weston (51) INT CL:
B60L 3/00 (2006.01) H01H 9/02 (2006.01) H01H 73/04(2006.01) (56) Documents Cited:
EP 0937612 A2 DE 102012110733 A
JP 2002147415 A KR 101036938 B (58) Field of Search:
INT CL B60L, H01H, H02B Other: WPI, EPODOC, INTERNET (74) Agent and/or Address for Service:
Walter Stephen Weston
The Manse, 346 Walmersley Road, BURY, Lancashire, BL9 6QF, United Kingdom (54) Title of the Invention: Anti-crush kick-belt
Abstract Title: Deformable emergency stop switch housing assembly for lift truck (57) A plurality of stop switches may be located on a webbing belt or strap 5 or other conventional means through a slot Fig 1,4 in the housing. Each switch has a resilient or pliable housing Fig 1, 1 which may be made from an elastomeric material. A series or array of switches may be electrically connected via wiring through channels Fig 1, 3. The belt and associated switches may be retrofitted to a pedestrian pallet truck and interlinked to the tiller arm emergency stop circuit. The belt may be located around the lower edges of the vehicle. If the truck contacts an obstacle such as the driver’s foot then the switch housing deforms and stops the vehicle. Removal of the obstruction allows the switch to return to its original state. The device is intended to prevent or reduce accidents involving pedestrians and users of new and existing lift trucks
Drawing 2
Figure GB2556335A_D0001
1/2
Figure GB2556335A_D0002
Anti-Crush Kick-Belt: Drawing 1
2/2
Anti-Crush Kick-Belt: Drawing 2
Figure GB2556335A_D0003
Anti-Crush Kick-Belt
The invention relates to a multiplicity of individual, interconnected housings that house pressure activated switches of known design, that can be slidably mounted onto a flexible support structure, for example, a belt, to form a safety switch device for fitting to pedestrian operated powered trucks, such as Pallet Trucks, Stacker Trucks, etc., which when fitted and connected to the truck’s electrical system, can be configured to stop the truck, should the Anti-Crush Kick-Belt, be activated, Eg: by pressure from an operator’s foot.
A key feature of the invention is that it utilises a multiplicity of slidably mounted individual switches, placed adjacent to each other, with variable spacing’s sufficient to allow the belt to flex and form around complex contours or tight radii of the vehicle or item it is being fitted to.
Powered Pedestrian Trucks are commonly in use in large numbers throughout the world to carry goods and components, usually, but not exclusively, within factory, retail and commercial environments. They are typically powered by electric motors and/or engines of known design and controlled via steering Tiller Arms of known design, or even remote control.
Whilst being widely used and essential materials handling equipment, in many sizes, capacities, shapes and styles, they can be difficult to control particularly in restricted spaces and present a safety hazard to both operators and the immediate environment, including goods, infrastructure and other personnel, especially from crash damage and crush injuries, respectively. This danger is a recognised fact and in many countries, it is a legal requirement for the Tiller Arms on which the vehicle’s controls are mounted, to incorporate and Anti-Crush Button safety circuit, which when activated will stop the truck immediately.
However, the Tiller Arm Anti-Crush Button is only designed to protect the operators, when said operators drive the truck towards themselves, forcing the Tiller Arm AntiCrush Button into themselves. When this happens, it is typical for the Tiller Arm AntiCrush Button to activate a switch to electronically, stop the motor and/or, activate a brake. In many instances, the truck’s electronic control system will also be programmed to activate the drive motor in the opposite direction to the direction of travel when activated, for a brief moment, in order to create a space between the operator and the truck, before activating the brake and stopping the truck.
However, current Tiller Arm Anti-Crush Button’s typically only cover an area of approximately, 150millimeters square, or less, and are positioned at the outer end, (furthest from the truck), of the Tiller Arm. Tiller Arm’s are typically designed to rotate at the base via a coupling of known design, through a horizontal arc of approximately 180° to induce steering from left to right and pivot in a vertical arc of approximately 90° from vertical when not in use, to horizontal, so as to adjust to the height and/or position of the Tiller Arm for the comfort of the operator.
On many occasions, due to manoeuvring constraints, the operator operates the Tiller Arm controls, without the Tiller Arm Anti Crush Button being positioned in the correct position to protect the operator. There are many documented cases of injuries to operators, 3rd party personnel and/or damage to goods or infrastructure, in circumstances such as these. Furthermore, whilst the truck is being driven in any other direction other than with the Tiller Arm being directed towards the operator and the truck being driven towards the operator, the Tiller Arm Anti-Crush Button is redundant and there are many documented cases of injuries to operators, 3rd party personnel and/or damage to goods or infrastructure, in circumstances such as these.
In order to counter the above-mentioned limitations of the Tiller Arm Anti Crush Button, several solutions have been developed previously to increase the area of impact detection of the vehicle. These include, but are not limited to the following four examples:
1) . Anti Crush Kick Plates, similar to those produced by Weston Handling Consultancy Ltd. These are a moveable plate around the base of a vehicle, that can move if pressure is applied and trip a switch to electrically apply a brake and stop the vehicle.
2) . Anti Crush Kick Pads, similar to those produced by Weston Handling Consultancy Ltd. These are elastomeric pads fitted around the base of a vehicle, that can move if pressure is applied and trip a switch to electrically apply a brake and stop the vehicle.
3) . Anti Crush Kick Bladders, similar to those produced by J. Fuhr GmbH, called “Active Footguard” (Aktive FuBschutzleiste). These are inflated elastomeric bladders fitted around the base of a vehicle, which can be compressed if pressure is applied, converting the increase in internal pneumatic pressure to an electrical signal that electrically applies a brake and stops the vehicle.
4) . Inertia Monitoring Systems, similar to those produced by Davis Derby Ltd. These are inertial systems that detect rapid changes in speed of a vehicle and when doing so, can generate an electrical signal that electrically applies a brake and stops the vehicle.
The present invention is devised to be easily retrofittable to a vehicle as described above, in-situ at the place the vehicle is used, simply by forming it around the vehicle, securing it in place and connecting it electrically to the Tiller Arm Anti Crush Button. Whereas the Anti-Crush Kick Plates, (ACKPIate), have to be fabricated to the correct size and shape to fit an individual vehicle and the said vehicle modified to accept and carry the ACKPIate and have separate, pressure activated switches fitted to it, to detect movement of the plate caused by an impact.
Similarly, the Anti-Crush Kick-Pad, (ACKPad), formed from an elastic material that houses one or more pressure activated switches, has to be manufactured to fit the said vehicle it is to be mounted on and is also limited to the shapes of the vehicles it can fit, because elastic profiles will deform when bent below a certain radius, to the extent that they will trigger the pressure activated switches housed in the elastic material profiles, at the point of bending and therefore cannot function as required when this limitation is reached.
Anti Crush Kick Bladders being inflatable bladders, require ancillary equipment in order to function, which includes an air compressor to inflate them and an air pressure monitoring system to detect changes in pressure inside the bladder, which can be caused for example, by pressure placed on the outside of the bladder in an impact. Also as the bladder is elastic and inflated, there are limitations to the extent of the minimum radii the bladder can be formed around.
Inertia Monitoring Systems detect rapid changes in the speed of the vehicle, but it is argued that they may not for example, detect a slow speed accident, such as an operator’s foot becoming trapped between their vehicle and a solid object, whilst carrying out slow speed close manoeuvres.
Therefore, there are several significant differences and advantages the present invention has over the existing impact detection systems mentioned above, including:
• A multiplicity of individual pressure activated switches; each linked into the Tiller Arm Anti Crush Button electrical circuit, with each one independently able to activate the Tiller Arm Anti Crush Button electrical circuit, should it be closed,
Eg. By an impact.
• Ease of assembly of the system to a multiplicity of desired lengths to accommodate the many different sizes and shapes of vehicles they can be fitted to, because a multiplicity of the individual interconnected pressure activated switches can quickly be slidably mounted along the supporting structure.
• The Anti-Crush Kick-Belt can fit a wider range of vehicle shapes and more acutely angled profiles than the other, above mentioned impact detection systems, as the spacing’s between individual pressure activated switches can be adjusted to allow greater flexibility of the support structure.
• No pre-fabrication of the Anti Crush Kick Belt is necessary, as it can be assembled at site, allowing the fitter to position the individual, interconnected pressure activated switch housings, to the optimum position.
• The switch housings can be mounted separately, without the need for a supporting structure and for example, affixed to the vehicle individually with adhesive, but still connected electronically, enabling complex shapes to be protected, or the utilisation of fewer switch housings, placed at strategic points on the vehicle such as corners.
• The switch housings can be manufactured in a range of shapes and sizes to accommodate one or more switches of differing designs, and from a wide range of materials, particularly, but not limited to elastic polymers.
Therefore, the present invention seeks to mitigate the risk of injury to operators and 3rd party personnel and/or damage to infrastructure or goods by powered trucks as described above, by affixing it to the structure of the vehicle, by fixings of known design, in the area of the vehicle that the operator operates in and then connecting it electrically to the existing Tiller Arm Anti Crush Button’s electrical circuit in such manner as it becomes an extension of the Tiller Arm Anti Crush Button electrical circuit, thus significantly increasing the area of detection of an impact the vehicle may have with an object or person and allowing the Tiller Arm Anti Crush Button’s electrical circuit to be activated to stop the vehicle should the Anti-Crush Kick-Belt be activated by an impact, even when the Tiller Arm Anti Crush Button has not been activated.
A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings:
Drawing 1 shows a representation of one of the individual, interconnected pressure activated switch housings, 1, that make up the Anti-Crush Kick-Belt. An aperture, 4, allows for the passage of a belt, rope, cable, bar, or similar support structure, through the aperture, thus slidably mounting the switch housing to the belt or similar support structure, whilst allowing the switch housing to slide along the belt or similar support structure, thus allowing the switch housing to be placed in the desired position on the belt, or similar support structure.
A second aperture, 2, acts as a housing for one or more pressure activated switches.
A channel, 3, acts as a duct for housing the connecting wires that connect a multiplicity of individual, interconnected pressure activated switch housings.
Drawing 2 shows a multiplicity of individual, interconnected pressure activated switch housings, 1, mounted on a flexible belt, 5, of known design, positioned in a manner that will allow the belt to flex and thus form around any solid object it is placed against.

Claims (7)

Claims
1. A switch assembly that comprises a multiplicity of individual housings that each house pressure activated switches, which can be fixedly mounted to a powered vehicle or machine, with the pressure activated switches interconnected with each other so as to form a circuit that can be connected to the electrical circuit of the powered vehicle or machine, in such a manner that when any of the said pressure activated switches are activated, individually or collectively, through pressure, the vehicle is caused to stop or modify its movement.
2. A switch assembly as described in claim 1, in which a multiplicity of individual housings that house pressure activated switches are attached to a belt or other support structure.
3. A switch assembly as described in claim 1, in which the housings that house a pressure activated switch, include an aperture to allow a support structure to pass through the said aperture.
4. A switch assembly as described in claim 1, in which the housings include an aperture to allow the placement of a pressure activated switch.
5. A switch assembly as described in claim 1, in which the housed pressure activated switches are interconnected with each other and the vehicle or machine’s electrical circuit.
6. A switch assembly as described in claim 1, in which the housings include an aperture to allow the placement of a pressure activated switch.
7. A switch assembly as described in claim 1, in which the housings include a duct for housing connecting wires.
Intellectual
Property
Office
Application No: GB1615866.9 Examiner: Gareth Jones
GB1615866.9A 2016-09-17 2016-09-17 Anti-crush kick-belt Withdrawn GB2556335A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1615866.9A GB2556335A (en) 2016-09-17 2016-09-17 Anti-crush kick-belt

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1615866.9A GB2556335A (en) 2016-09-17 2016-09-17 Anti-crush kick-belt

Publications (2)

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GB2556335A true GB2556335A (en) 2018-05-30

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Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0937612A2 (en) * 1998-02-24 1999-08-25 Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho A collision discriminating apparatus for vehicles using detecting means in the front bumper
JP2002147415A (en) * 2000-11-07 2002-05-22 Energy Corporation Kk Method for attaching article to columnar object
KR101036938B1 (en) * 2011-02-14 2011-05-25 나병철 Bracket for installation of box
DE102012110733A1 (en) * 2012-11-09 2014-05-15 Continental Automotive Gmbh Method for controlling supply of current and/or fuel in motor vehicle, involves interconnecting elastically deformable cavity with pressure sensor, such that sensor detects impact signal and controls supply of current and/or fuel

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0937612A2 (en) * 1998-02-24 1999-08-25 Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho A collision discriminating apparatus for vehicles using detecting means in the front bumper
JP2002147415A (en) * 2000-11-07 2002-05-22 Energy Corporation Kk Method for attaching article to columnar object
KR101036938B1 (en) * 2011-02-14 2011-05-25 나병철 Bracket for installation of box
DE102012110733A1 (en) * 2012-11-09 2014-05-15 Continental Automotive Gmbh Method for controlling supply of current and/or fuel in motor vehicle, involves interconnecting elastically deformable cavity with pressure sensor, such that sensor detects impact signal and controls supply of current and/or fuel

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)