367results about "Hand levers" patented technology

Electrical steering assist systems reduce the operator applied steering effort necessary to operate material handling vehicles. A steer drive unit including a motor is coupled to a steerable wheel for providing steering assist. The amount of steering assist provided by the steer drive unit is determined by a controller that receives input from one or more input sensing devices. The input sensing device(s) may include force sensors that detect an operator applied turning force. The input sensing device(s) may also detect the movement of one steering component relative to another. Further, the input sensing device(s) may include operator activated controls such as a joystick, potentiometer, switches and voice initiated commands. Input sensing device(s) may additionally be provided to detect operational parameters such as the load on the material handling vehicle, vehicle speed, or environmental conditions such as travel path obstruction detection, homing and proximity sensing.

In one embodiment of the invention, a steering system for mobile medical equipment is disclosed including left and right steerable wheel assemblies including left and right steerable wheels, left and right parallelogram linkages coupled to the left and right steerable wheel assemblies, a steering function generator coupled to the left and right parallelogram linkages, and a steering tiller coupled to the steering function generator. The left and right parallelogram linkages transfer differing left and right wheel angles to the left and right steerable wheel assemblies respectively. The steering function generator generates the left wheel angle (LWA) of the left steerable wheel and the right wheel angle (RWA) of the right steerable wheel. The steering tiller receives an input steering angle to generate the left wheel angle and the right wheel angle to control the direction of the mobile medical equipment around flooring.

A steering system is provided for a work machine. The steering system may include at least one hand-operated work implement control device and a steering mechanism configured to control a direction of travel of the work machine. The system may also include a first steering device operatively coupled to the steering mechanism and configured to control at least one component of the steering mechanism based on operator input. The system may further include a second steering device mounted on the work implement control device. The second steering device may be configured to be selectively operatively coupled to the steering mechanism to thereby control a direction of travel of the work machine based on lateral movement of the second steering device relative to the work implement control device.

Electrical steering assist systems reduce the operator applied steering effort necessary to operate material handling vehicles. A steer drive unit including a motor is coupled to a steerable wheel for providing steering assist. The amount of steering assist provided by the steer drive unit is determined by a controller that receives input from one or more input sensing devices. The input sensing device(s) may include force sensors that detect an operator applied turning force. The input sensing device(s) may also detect the movement of one steering component relative to another. Further, the input sensing device(s) may include operator activated controls such as a joystick, potentiometer, switches and voice initiated commands. Input sensing device(s) may additionally be provided to detect operational parameters such as the load on the material handling vehicle, vehicle speed, or environmental conditions such as travel path obstruction detection, homing and proximity sensing.

An apparatus, system and method to control the operability of a motorized vehicle such as an industrial pallet truck. The apparatus includes a coast control system, a steer arm, and an actuation cylinder attached to the steer arm that maintains the steer arm in an operator selectable position where the coast control system is activated.

A three wheeled vehicle that has an improved dual front wheel steering system that allows the vehicle to be maneuvered by a combination of arm and leg steering movements coupled with front end leaning that shifts the center of mass of the vehicle down and toward the inside wheel. This transfer of mass counteracts a conventional cornering vehicle's tendency to fling its mass to the outside wheel and lift the inner wheel off the ground as well as changing the angle of the line of force exerted through the tires, and enhancing the vehicles's grip on the ground. The vehicle has a reduced amount of sliding and potential of flipping when turning sharply. The steering system is compatible with traditional ACKERMAN steering geometry wherein the inner wheel turns in a smaller diameter circle than the outer wheel.

A steering system applied to motor vehicles comprising a body (10) arranged on the dashboard (200) of the vehicle, wherein the internal portion of the body (10) has a guide rail (1121) that guides the upward and downward movement of a trigger (112) pushed by a counter spring (1122) when the driver pushes or pulls the control portion (101) of the steering wheel (100) for braking or accelerating, respectively, wherein a first electronic sensor (401) is arranged on the upper portion of said trigger (112), and a second electronic sensor (402) is arranged on the upper portion of the guide rail (1121), wherein said sensors (401) and (402) are interconnected with the acceleration system of the vehicle, and a steering wheel (100) arranged in the internal portion of the body (10), wherein said steering wheel (100) has a bearing in the lower portion of an axle (111) which is interconnected with the steering shaft (300) or an electronic control unit (500), and has a control portion (101) arranged on the front and a pressing area on the rear in order to move a trigger (112) of the accelerator.

A system for controlling the acceleration, deceleration, braking, travel speed, and power assisted steering of a pallet truck, comprising setting a steering system and a traction system performance as a function of a position and rate of change of position of a control arm in a vertical axis and a horizontal axis of rotation.

A motorized pallet truck includes an angular indicator on the steering arm mechanism providing an internal controller with an angular position of the steering arm or tiller. The controller applies a brake when the tiller is in either of a substantially vertical or substantially horizontal position, limits the speed of the truck for a predetermined rotational movement from the vertical position, and allows full speed of the vehicle when the tiller arm is pulled into a predefined fast driving arc.

A three wheeled vehicle that has an improved dual front wheel integrated steering and suspension system that allows the vehicle to be maneuvered by a combination of arm and leg steering movements coupled with front end leaning that shifts the center of mass of the vehicle down and toward the inside wheel. This transfer of mass counteracts a conventional cornering vehicle's tendency to fling its mass to the outside wheel and lift the inner wheel off the ground as well as changing the angle of the line of force exerted through the tires, and enhancing the vehicles's grip on the ground. The vehicle has a reduced amount of sliding and potential of flipping when turning sharply. The steering system is compatible with traditional ACKERMAN steering geometry wherein the inner wheel turns in a smaller diameter circle than the outer wheel.

A joystick controller is disclosed for controlling movement of a boom lift platform, the controller having actuators or the like that provide one or more forms of tactile feedback that are intuitively interpreted and adjusted by the user of the joystick motion control, the joystick being neutrally-biased to effect a null movement when the joystick is positioned in a neutral position, but also being adapted with at least one form of tactile feedback by which the joystick controller conveys information about the boom lift's operation to the joystick operator, such as through resistive force or through vibrations or the like.

An industrial truck having a steering assembly used to steer the industrial truck about a steering axis when a pivotally attached tiller is swung around the truck by an operator. The steering axis is tilted towards the forks of the truck an angle between 2 and 5 degrees from vertical. By tilting the pivot axis, the distal end of the tiller is tilted toward the forks of the truck when rotated to a fully turned position. This improves the maneuverability of the truck near obstacles and allows longer tillers and larger / more comfortable handles to be used without increasing interference with obstacles near the back of the truck.

A system for controlling the acceleration, deceleration, braking, travel speed, and power assisted steering of a pallet truck, comprising setting a steering system and a traction system performance as a function of a position and rate of change of position of a control arm in a vertical axis and a horizontal axis of rotation.

The invention relates to an automobile-line-control-system-based control lever device integrating steering, braking and speed change. The steering, speed change and braking of an automobile can be controlled simultaneously by a control lever. The conventional complex control mechanism on the automobile can be replaced by the control lever device, a comfortable driving space is provided for drivers, and the automobile is easy to drive and control. According to the control lever device, a cross shaft 6 and a longitudinal shaft 8 which are orthogonalized are arranged in a box body 1; two straight plates are arranged on the cross shaft 6; small cross grooves 4 are formed in small holes of the straight plates; a torsional spring 18 and an angular transducer 5 are arranged at the outer end of the cross shaft 6; a rectangular through groove is formed on the longitudinal shaft 8; and an angular transducer 3, a coupler 14, a speed reducer 15 and a road feel motor 2 are arranged at the outer end of the longitudinal shaft; a control lever sliding sleeve 11 can slide along a control lever 9 in a vertical direction and is locked by a locking nut 10; a button is arranged on the top of the control lever sliding sleeve 11, and two buttons are arranged on the lateral surface of the control lever sliding sleeve 11; and the control lever 9 and the control lever sliding sleeve 11 have a hollow structure.

A creep steering control system for a utility vehicle is operable from a rearward-facing position. The creep steering control system includes a pivotable actuator alongside a rearward-facing seat that provides electronic output based on the position of the actuator. A linkage is provided between the pivotable actuator and steering wheel behind the seat.

A system for use by a physically impaired driver for controlling a vehicle includes an actuator assembly operably coupled to the pedals and an actuator assembly coupled to the steering shaft. The actuator assemblies include electrical motors operable to depress the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal and to rotate the steering shaft. A joystick controller is mounted to the vehicle and is operable in a fore-aft direction to control braking and acceleration, and can be tilted side-to-side to control vehicle steering. The steering control feature utilizes three sensors to determine a commanded steering and three drive motors to convert that command into a desired steering.

A user input device in accordance with one features of the present invention includes one or more joysticks, movable by a user in an operator compartment of a power machine. The joysticks control direction of movement of the power machine, as well as travel speed.

A prone cart for carrying a patient has a frame, a pair of independently powered and suspended drive wheels located centrally off the frame and an articuable body support having relatively moveable tray, chest support, abdominal support and leg support sections connected end to end for carrying a patient prone between a lowered position where the patient lies in a horizontal orientation to a raised position where the patient's head and chest are elevated with respect to the patient's abdomen and legs. Linkage mechanisms move the sections between the raised and lowered positions. A pair of independently suspended drive wheels mounted centrally of the frame is controllable so that each may each rotate independently in clockwise or counterclockwise sense so that the cart may be maneuvered in confined spaces with a zero turning radius.

A steering mechanism includes a handle with a tiller arm coupled to the handle via a flexible joint allowing relative movement of the handle about the tiller arm. A handle centering mechanism forming part of the steering mechanism includes a first end fixedly secured to the handle and a second end extending into a channel of the tiller arm. The second end compresses bumpers disposed on opposing sides of the second end. The bumpers urge the handle toward a neutral position wherein when a force is applied to move the handle away from a home position relative to the tiller arm, one of the compressed bumpers of the pair of compressed bumpers is further compressed. When the force is removed, the handle is returned to the home position by action of the pair of compressed bumpers. Preferably, the steering mechanism includes a torque sensing arrangement having a sensor and a magnet. The sensor produces a signal based on movement of the handle relative to the tiller arm by sensing changes in the magnet field of the magnet proportional to the torque exerted on the handle regardless of the angle of the tiller arm.

A handle-adjusting device for adjusting position of a handle relative to a vehicle frame includes a valve cylinder with a valve rod, and a control rod that is formed with a pressing face and a release face. When the control rod is operated to align the pressing face with an upper end of the valve rod, the valve rod is disposed at a retracted position so as to enable rotation of the handle relative to the vehicle frame. When the control rod is operated to align the release face with the upper end of the valve rod, the valve rod is disposed at the extended position so as to prevent rotation of the handle relative to the vehicle frame.