Powered hand truck

{
  "publication_number": "US8186931B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Powered hand truck",
  "abstract": "The powered hand truck has a chassis supported at one end by a single axle with two independently operable drive wheels. A prime mover is provided generally medially on the chassis, driving the drive wheels and powering the forklift mechanism. There is no operator console housing for the powered hand truck, as it is intended to be remotely controlled. A transmitter provides for specific and precise control of each drive wheel independently of the other, by using two drive wheel control switches. The powered hand truck has a caster wheel actuation strut housing over the caster wheel end of the chassis. A storage rack and dolly may be installed upon a suitable transport vehicle for transporting the powered hand truck. The hand truck forks engage the storage rack dolly, with the dolly translating along the rack to allow the truck to be deployed from, or loaded onto, the transport vehicle.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A powered hand truck, comprising: a rigid, unitary chassis having a drive axle end and a caster wheel end opposite the drive axle end; a single axle extending laterally across the drive axle end of the chassis, the axle having a first end and a second end opposite the first end; first and second drive wheels disposed upon the first end and second end of the axle, respectively; a first drive wheel motor and a second drive wheel motor disposed at the first and second drive wheels, respectively; a forklift support column extending upwardly from the drive axle end of the chassis, the forklift support column having an upper end and a base; upper forklift actuating arms pivotally extending from the upper end of the forklift support column, the upper arms having distal ends; lower forklift actuating arms pivotally extending from the forklift support column parallel to the upper forklift actuating arms, the lower arms having distal ends; a forklift mast pivotally secured to the distal ends of the upper and lower forklift actuating arms, the forklift mast being parallel to the forklift support column, the forklift mast having an upper end and a lower end; a fork attachment arm disposed laterally across the lower end of the forklift mast; a pair of laterally spaced apart fork tines extending from the fork attachment arm; a forklift actuating cylinder extending between the lower forklift actuating arms and the upper end of the forklift mast; a prime mover disposed generally medially upon the chassis, the prime mover selectively communicating with the first and second drive wheel motors and the forklift actuating cylinder; and a control system selectively controlling the prime mover, the first and second drive wheels, and the forklift actuating cylinder.",
    "2. The powered hand truck according to claim 1, wherein the control system further comprises: a receiver disposed upon the chassis, the receiver controllably communicating with the control system; and a transmitter remotely located from the receiver and selectively communicating therewith.",
    "3. The powered hand truck according to claim 1, further including: an axle attachment bracket assembly depending from the base of the forklift support column; a longitudinally disposed axle pivot bolt extending medially through the axle and axle attachment bracket assembly, the pivot bolt pivotally securing the axle to the base of the forklift support column and defining a longitudinal pivot axis for the axle; and a single axle control hydraulic strut disposed between the axle attachment bracket assembly and the axle, the axle control hydraulic strut selectively controlling motion of the axle about the longitudinal pivot axis thereof.",
    "4. The powered hand truck according to claim 1, further including: a hydraulic pump driven by the prime mover; and a first hydraulic motor and a second hydraulic motor disposed at the first and second drive wheels, respectively, the motors selectively communicating with the hydraulic pump.",
    "5. The powered hand truck according to claim 1, wherein the forklift support column is pivotally mounted upon the chassis.",
    "6. The powered hand truck according to claim 1, further including: a caster wheel actuation strut housing disposed above the caster wheel end of the chassis; a caster wheel actuation strut disposed within the housing and extending telescopically therefrom, the strut having a fixed upper attachment end and a caster wheel attachment end opposite the upper attachment end; and at least one caster wheel extending from the caster wheel attachment end of the strut.",
    "7. The powered hand truck according to claim 1, further including: a forklift mast extension telescopically disposed within the forklift mast; and a powered forklift mast extension winch disposed at the upper end of the forklift mast, the winch being connected to the forklift mast extension, the winch being powered by the prime mover.",
    "8. The powered hand truck according to claim 7, wherein the forklift mast extension has an upper end, the powered hand truck further comprising; a generally horizontal crossmember immovably affixed to the upper end of the forklift mast extension, the crossmember having mutually opposed first and second ends; first and second crossmember extensions pivotally secured respectively to the first and second ends of the crossmember; and first and second latches disposed respectively upon the first and second ends of the crossmember, the latches supporting the crossmember extensions in substantial alignment with the crossmember when the latches are engaged with the crossmember extensions.",
    "9. A powered hand truck, comprising: a chassis having a drive axle end and a caster wheel end opposite the drive axle end; a single axle extending laterally across the drive axle end of the chassis, the axle having a first end and a second end opposite the first end; first and second drive wheels disposed upon the first end and second end of the axle, respectively; a first drive wheel motor and a second drive wheel motor disposed at the first and second drive wheels, respectively; a forklift support column extending upwardly from the drive axle end of the chassis, the forklift support column having an upper end and a base; a forklift actuating linkage extending from the forklift support column; a forklift mast disposed upon the forklift actuating linkage, the forklift mast being parallel to the forklift support column, the forklift mast having an upper end and a lower end; a fork attachment arm disposed laterally across the lower end of the forklift mast; a pair of laterally spaced apart fork tines extending from the fork attachment arm; a forklift actuating cylinder disposed between the forklift support column and the forklift mast; a prime mover disposed generally medially upon the chassis, the prime mover selectively communicating with the first and second drive wheel motors and the forklift actuating cylinder; a control system selectively controlling the prime mover, first and second drive wheels, and forklift actuating cylinder; a receiver disposed upon the chassis, the receiver controllably communicating with the control system; and a transmitter remotely located from the receiver and selectively communicating therewith.",
    "10. The powered hand truck according to claim 9, wherein the forklift actuating linkage comprises: upper forklift actuating arms pivotally extending from the upper end of the forklift support column, the upper arms having distal ends; and lower forklift actuating arms pivotally extending from the forklift support column parallel to the upper forklift actuating arms, the lower arms having distal ends, the forklift mast being pivotally secured to the distal ends of the upper and lower forklift actuating arms, the forklift actuating cylinder extending between the lower forklift actuating arms and the upper end of the forklift mast.",
    "11. The powered hand truck according to claim 9, further including: an axle attachment bracket assembly depending from the base of the forklift support column; a longitudinally disposed axle pivot bolt extending medially through the axle and axle attachment bracket assembly, the pivot bolt pivotally securing the axle to the base of the forklift support column and defining a longitudinal pivot axis for the axle; and a single axle control hydraulic strut disposed between the axle attachment bracket assembly and the axle, the axle control hydraulic strut selectively controlling motion of the axle about the longitudinal pivot axis thereof, the receiver selectively communicating with the axle control hydraulic strut through the control system.",
    "12. The powered hand truck according to claim 9, further including: a hydraulic pump driven by the prime mover; and a first hydraulic motor and a second hydraulic motor disposed at the first and second drive wheels, respectively, the motors selectively communicating with the hydraulic pump, the receiver selectively communicating with the first and second hydraulic motors through the control system.",
    "13. The powered hand truck according to claim 9, wherein the forklift support column is pivotally mounted upon the chassis.",
    "14. The powered hand truck according to claim 9, further including: a caster wheel actuation strut housing disposed above the caster wheel end of the chassis; a caster wheel actuation strut disposed within the housing and extending telescopically therefrom, the strut having a fixed upper attachment end and a caster wheel attachment end opposite the upper attachment end; and at least one caster wheel extending from the caster wheel attachment end of the strut.",
    "15. The powered hand truck according to claim 9, further including: a forklift mast extension telescopically disposed within the forklift mast; and a powered forklift mast extension winch disposed at the upper end of the forklift mast, the winch being connected to the forklift mast extension, the winch being powered by the prime mover, the receiver selectively communicating with the winch through the control system.",
    "16. The powered hand truck according to claim 15, wherein the forklift mast extension further having an upper end, the powered hand truck further comprising: a generally horizontal crossmember immovably affixed to the upper end of the forklift mast extension, the crossmember having mutually opposed first and second ends; first and second crossmember extensions pivotally secured respectively to the first and second ends of the crossmember; and first and second latches disposed respectively upon the first and second ends of the crossmember, the latches supporting the crossmember extensions in substantial alignment with the crossmember when the latches are engaged with the crossmember extensions."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/285,244, filed on Sep. 30, 2008, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,704,035, which is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/822,844 filed on Jul. 10, 2007, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,597,522 on Oct. 6, 2009, which claimed the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/838,138, filed on Aug. 17, 2006.\n\n1. Field of the Invention\n\nThe present invention relates generally to small, portable, powered lifting and transport devices. More particularly, the present invention comprises a powered hand truck having a self-contained prime mover on board, which powers a hydraulic system for driving the wheels and lifting mechanism of the device.\n\n2. Description of the Related Art\n\nA number of powered devices comprising a wide array of different configurations have been developed in the past for the powered lifting and carriage of large, bulky articles. The conventional forklift in its various configurations is a well-known example of such. However, such forklift type vehicles are not suitable for use in the operating environment of the present invention due to their relatively bulky configuration, wheel configuration, etc.\n\nVarious other specialized powered machines for lifting various heavy and/or bulky articles have also been developed in the past. An example of such is found in Japanese Patent No. 2-133,232, published on May 22, 1990.",
  "cpc": [
    "B62D 51/04",
    "B66F 9/065",
    "Y10S 414/122",
    "Y10S 414/13"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B66F 9/06"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Steven Borntrager",
    "James Borntrager"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2010-03-10",
  "publication_date": "2012-05-29",
  "grant_date": "2012-05-29",
  "priority_date": "2006-08-17",
  "application_number": "US-65948410-A",
  "family_id": "42337082",
  "cited_by_count": 14,
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}