CN215487593U - Ergonomic joystick for a material handling vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The ergonomic joystick includes an actuator that can be operated by an operator without removing the hand from the joystick to control functions of the material handling vehicle such as: tilting the mast, lifting the mast and/or mast sections, side-shifting the mast, positioning two forks attached to the mast, independently moving either fork, sounding a horn, controlling forward, neutral, and reverse gear conditions for the vehicle, and actuating a communication system.

Description

Ergonomic joystick for a material handling vehicle

Technical Field

The field of the present disclosure relates generally to joysticks and, in particular, to ergonomically designed joysticks for controlling functions for a vehicle, such as a lift truck.

Background

Material handling vehicles typically use multiple input devices to control various functions of the material handling vehicle. For example, control levers are commonly used to control mast tilt and lift functions as well as sideshift, fork positioning, and adjusting the relative position of one fork with respect to another. Such a control lever may be disposed on or near the dashboard of the vehicle, or may comprise a small control lever integrated into the driver's seat.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

According to one aspect of the present application, an ergonomic stick for use with an operator of a material handling vehicle, the material handling vehicle including a mast, a carriage attached to the mast, and a fork attached to the carriage, the ergonomic stick comprising: an arbor sized and shaped to be held by an operator's hand, the arbor being in a generally vertical default position about which the arbor is tiltable, wherein the joystick is configured in such a manner that tilting of the arbor by the operator causes movement of the material handling vehicle; the joystick having a proximal side generally facing the operator and a distal side generally facing away from the operator, the joystick including a plurality of thumb-operable actuators on the proximal side and a plurality of finger-operable actuators on the distal side; wherein the thumb-operable actuator and the finger-operable actuator comprise actuators for controlling one or more of raising and lowering the mast or carriage or both, tilting the mast, laterally displacing the carriage, and positioning the forks relative to the carriage.

Optionally, the actuator for controlling one or more of raising and lowering the mast or carriage or both, tilting the mast, laterally displacing the carriage and positioning the forks relative to the carriage is a thumb-operable actuator.

Optionally, the thumb-operable actuator and the finger-operable actuator further comprise an actuator controlling a horn.

Optionally, the actuator controlling the horn is a finger operable actuator.

Optionally, the thumb-operable actuator and the finger-operable actuator further comprise an actuator that selects one of a forward, neutral, and reverse operating condition for the material handling vehicle.

Optionally, the actuator selecting one of the forward, neutral and reverse operating conditions is a finger operable actuator.

Optionally, the thumb-operable actuator and the finger-operable actuator further comprise an actuator that activates the communication system.

Optionally, the actuator activating the communication system is a finger operable actuator.

Optionally, the material handling vehicle is a forklift.

Optionally, the number of thumb-operable actuators is four.

Optionally, the number of finger-operable actuators is three.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is an isometric view illustrating an ergonomic joystick for a material handling vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the ergonomic joystick for the material handling vehicle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a left side view of the ergonomic lever for the material handling vehicle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an example material handling vehicle that may be used with the ergonomic joystick for the material handling vehicle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of another example material handling vehicle that may be used with the ergonomic joystick for the material handling vehicle of FIG. 1.

Detailed Description

Example embodiments are described below with reference to the drawings. Unless otherwise explicitly indicated in the drawings, the dimensions, positions, etc. of the components, features, elements, etc. and any distances between them are not necessarily to scale and may be disproportionated and/or exaggerated for clarity.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes … …," "including … …," "including … …," "having," "with," and "having," when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. Unless otherwise specified, a range of values, where stated, includes the upper and lower limits of the range and any subranges therebetween. Unless otherwise specified, terms such as "first," "second," and the like are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, one element may be termed a "first element," and similarly, another element may be termed a "second element," or vice versa. The section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described.

Unless otherwise specified, the terms "about," "approximately," "generally/approximately," and the like, mean that quantities, sizes, formulations, parameters, and other quantities and characteristics are not and need not be exact, but may be approximate and/or larger or smaller as desired, reflecting tolerances, conversion factors, rounding off, measurement error and the like, and other factors known to those of skill in the art.

Spatially relative terms, such as "right," "left," "below," "beneath," "lower," "above," and "upper," may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element or feature as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the object in the figures is turned over, elements described as "below" or "beneath" other elements or features would then be oriented "above" the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term "below … …" can, for example, encompass both an orientation of "above … …" and "below … …". Objects may be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

All connections and all operational connections may be direct or indirect unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, all connections and all operational connections may be rigid or non-rigid unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Thus, the same or similar reference numbers may be described with reference to other figures even if they are neither mentioned nor described in the corresponding figures. In addition, even elements not denoted by reference numerals can be described with reference to other drawings.

Many different forms and embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit and teachings of the present disclosure, and therefore the present disclosure should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view illustrating an example ergonomic joystick 5 and input device arrangement for operating functions of a materials handling vehicle. The various input devices on the joystick 5 are arranged to facilitate operation of each input device without requiring the operator to remove his or her hands from the joystick 5. Preferably, the input devices 10, 15, 20 and 25 are sized and positioned so that an operator can activate each input device with the thumb of the hand grasping the joystick 5.

Referring to fig. 3, further input devices 30, 35 and 40 may also be activated by the thumb or finger of the operator without releasing the joystick 5. For example, input device 30 is positioned such that it can be activated by the thumb of the operator, while input devices 35 and 40 are positioned such that they can be activated by the fingers of the operator.

For the example joystick 5, one arrangement is for use with a material handling vehicle 100 having a mast 170. The input device 10 includes a rocker switch that sends a signal to a vehicle controller (not shown) that causes the left-hand fork 176 to move toward the left of the carriage 174 in response to the left side of the rocker switch 10 being pressed, and causes the left-hand fork 176 to move toward the right of the carriage 174 in response to the right side of the rocker switch 10 being pressed. The input device 15 includes a rocker switch that sends a signal to a vehicle controller (not shown) that causes the right hand fork 176 to move toward the left of the carriage 174 in response to the left side of the rocker switch 15 being pressed, and causes the right hand fork 176 to move toward the right of the carriage 174 in response to the right side of the rocker switch 15 being pressed.

The input device 20 includes a roller that controls the positioning of the two forks 176. Both forks 176 move toward the right of the carriage 174 in response to the operator rolling the roller 20 in one direction, and both forks 176 move toward the left of the carriage in response to the operator rolling the roller 20 in the opposite direction.

The input device 25 includes rollers that control the positioning of the carriage 174. The carriage 174 moves to the right in response to the operator rolling the roller 25 in one direction, and the carriage 174 moves to the left in response to the operator rolling the roller 25 in the opposite direction.

In response to the operator pushing the joystick 5 forward, the carriage 174 and/or gantry 170 move upward. The carriage 174 and/or gantry 170 move downward in response to the operator pulling the joystick 5 rearward. In other embodiments, these operations may be reversed.

In response to the operator pushing the joystick 5 to one side, the mast 170 is tilted forward. In response to the operator pushing the joystick 5 to the other side, the gantry 170 tilts back towards the cart 100. In other embodiments, these operations may be reversed.

In other embodiments, the tilting of the gantry can be controlled by pushing the joystick 5 forward and pulling the joystick 5 backward, and the lifting of the carriage and/or gantry can be controlled by pushing the joystick 5 from one side to the other.

In other embodiments, for a transport cart equipped with an arm rest instead of a gantry, the lifting function of the carriage and/or gantry may be replaced by the lifting function of the arm rest. Similarly, for a transport cart equipped with a boom instead of a gantry, the tilt function of the gantry may be replaced by the telescopic function of the boom.

Referring to fig. 3, the input device 30 includes a horn button that sounds a horn of the vehicle in response to being pressed. The input device 35 comprises a three-position switch with a detent, wherein the middle position sends a signal to the vehicle control to place the gearbox in neutral, the upper position sends a signal to the vehicle control to place the gearbox in forward gear, and the lower position sends a signal to the vehicle control to place the gearbox in reverse gear. The input device 40 includes a switch that activates the communication system in response to being pressed by an operator.

Small knot

The terms and descriptions used above are set forth by way of illustration and example only and are not intended as limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations, enhancements, and modifications to the concepts described herein are possible without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. For example, the skilled person will understand that the subject matter of any statement or paragraph may be combined with the subject matter of some or all of the other statements or paragraphs, unless such combinations are mutually exclusive. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims, the claims presented in the continuation of the patent application and equivalents of the foregoing claims.

Claims (11)

1. An ergonomic stick for use by an operator of a material handling vehicle, the material handling vehicle including a mast, a carriage attached to the mast, and a fork attached to the carriage, the ergonomic stick comprising:

an arbor sized and shaped to be held by an operator's hand, the arbor being in a generally vertical default position about which the arbor is tiltable, wherein the joystick is configured in such a manner that tilting of the arbor by the operator causes movement of the material handling vehicle;

the joystick having a proximal side generally facing the operator and a distal side generally facing away from the operator, the joystick including a plurality of thumb-operable actuators on the proximal side and a plurality of finger-operable actuators on the distal side;

wherein the thumb-operable actuator and the finger-operable actuator comprise actuators for controlling one or more of raising and lowering the mast or carriage or both, tilting the mast, laterally displacing the carriage, and positioning the forks relative to the carriage.

2. The ergonomic joystick of claim 1 wherein said actuators for controlling one or more of raising and lowering the mast or carriage or both, tilting the mast, laterally displacing the carriage, and positioning the forks relative to the carriage are thumb-operable actuators.

3. The ergonomic joystick of claim 1 or 2 wherein said thumb-operable actuator and said finger-operable actuator further comprise an actuator controlling a horn.

4. The ergonomic joystick of claim 3 wherein said actuator controlling the horn is a finger operable actuator.

5. The ergonomic joystick of claim 1 or 2 wherein said thumb and finger operable actuators further comprise an actuator to select one of a forward, neutral, and reverse gear condition for the material handling vehicle.

6. The ergonomic joystick of claim 5 wherein said actuator to select one of a forward, neutral and reverse operating condition is a finger operable actuator.

7. The ergonomic joystick of claim 1 or 2 wherein said thumb-operable actuator and said finger-operable actuator further comprise an actuator that activates a communication system.

8. The ergonomic joystick of claim 7 wherein said actuator activating the communication system is a finger operable actuator.

9. The ergonomic joystick of claim 1 or 2 wherein said material handling vehicle is a forklift.

10. The ergonomic joystick of claim 1 or 2 wherein said thumb-operable actuators are four in number.

11. An ergonomic joystick according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the number of finger operable actuators is three.

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