With Driven Axle, Mounting Two Or More Wheels, Swingable About Axis Of Pivot, And Motor Mounted To Swing Therewith Patents (Class 180/264)
  • Patent number: 10967914
    Abstract: To provide an arrangement structure of electrical apparatuses in an electric automobile which can realize space savings of a space housing a plurality of electrical apparatuses. An arrangement structure of electrical apparatuses in an electric automobile includes: a vehicle body having a driver cabin and a housing space provided forward of the driver cabin; a plurality of electrical apparatuses (junction board, charger, voltage converter, battery heater) housed in the housing space; and a frame body retaining the plurality of electrical apparatuses to overlap vertically, in which a specific electrical apparatus positioned more downwards than a predetermined position among the plurality of electrical apparatus is arranged more downwards as having a shorter length in the front/rear direction of the vehicle body, or as having a shorter length in the width direction of the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomomi Sasaki, Takanori Suzuki, Kotaro Ishino, Yuki Kitamura
  • Patent number: 8967303
    Abstract: A displaceable system is provided including at least one set of at least two wheels arranged in pairs for movement in a plane, the set being disposed on at least one wheel axle parallel to the plane. A single electric drive motor, a differential having variable torque distribution, and an electric servomotor are provided on the wheel axle for both wheels of a set. The electrical servomotor acts on the differential such that the torque generated by the single electric drive motor is distributed within the wheel axle individually to the wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Tomas Smetana, Raphael Fischer, Bernd Gombert
  • Patent number: 8813890
    Abstract: A self-loading tricycle transporter directed to 10-50 ton load ranges having a three-point tricycle type configuration providing superior suspension in terms of natural load contact on any type of surface condition. The tricycle transporter includes a fluid lifting suspension at each of three points. One point utilizes an on-center rotation fluid suspension axle assembly working in conjunction with solid elastomer tires at each end axle beam at the rear that attaches to the underside of the tricycle transporter platform with heavy fluid cylinder at each end. Accordingly, the three suspension points have the capability of being able to lift and lower to accommodate self-loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Intelliport Corporation
    Inventor: Melvin Dean Terry
  • Publication number: 20130341113
    Abstract: A three-wheeled motorized vehicle with a reverse trike or tadpole configuration is described. The vehicle includes a rear frame coupled to a single rear wheel and a front frame that is operatively coupled to a pair of front wheels mounted on opposite sides of the front frame. The rear frame is pivotably coupled to the front frame by a first coupling located along a top portion of the front frame and a second coupling located along a bottom portion of the front frame. The first coupling is located forward of the second coupling to provide a negative rake angle. Handlebars affixed to the front frame pivot the front frame, an engine mounted therein, and the front wheels about the first and second couplings. The location of the first and second couplings also causes the rear frame to lean out of a vertical plane when the front frame is pivoted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventor: Craig Mullin
  • Publication number: 20110094815
    Abstract: A stack axle assembly as used in a cask transporter or an horizontal storage module (HSM) gantry transporter. The stack axle assemblies include a slew gear; an upper bearing; a lower bearing; a vertical cylinder retained by the slew gear, upper bearing and lower bearing; an independent driver wheel and idler wheel revolving on a common shaft/trunnion assembly attached to the bottom of the vertical cylinder; a frame assembly formed on top of the vertical cylinder, the frame assembly including one or more drive motors connecting an upper drive assembly downwardly to a driven assembly mounted between the idler wheel and driver wheel; and a slew driver motor to drive the slew gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventor: Melvin Dean Terry
  • Patent number: 7789175
    Abstract: A wheel assembly for a small-scale machine includes a pair of opposing, individually-driven wheels, associated motors and possibly one or more gear assemblies. The motors receive separate drive signals from a control electronics subsystem of the wheel assembly. The motors can be connected to the wheels via the gear assemblies. Because the wheels are separately driven, driving the two wheel assemblies at similar or different speeds drives the wheel assembly over straight or curved paths. An orientation assembly allows the orientation of the wheels to the machine to be controllably altered. A height adjusting assembly allows the distance between the wheels and a point on the machine where the wheel assembly is attached to be adjusted. The rotational axis that the wheel assembly rotates about when re-oriented need not pass through either wheel of the wheel assembly. The wheels can be driven by control signals generated by on-board control electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Cycogs, LLC
    Inventors: Wayland E. Tobey, Peter D. Davis
  • Publication number: 20100126790
    Abstract: A transporter having a plurality of track-axle assemblies. The track axle assemblies have independent suspension, self-loading, and on-center axle rotation capability. Each of the track axle assemblies include a cylinder housing and hydraulic piston and first and second track units connected on opposing sides of the axle frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Inventor: Melvin Dean Terry
  • Patent number: 7690470
    Abstract: A hydrostatic transaxle comprises: a motor casing; at least one hydraulic motor disposed in the motor casing; at least one output shaft disposed in the motor casing so as to be driven by the at least one hydraulic motor; and a pair of steerable wheel support units attached onto respective opposite ends of the motor casing. Each of the steerable wheel support units includes an axle, a steerable casing, a wheel, and a steering arm. In each of the steerable wheel support units, the axle is drivingly connected to the at least one output shaft, the steerable casing is substantially horizontally rotatable relative to the motor casing, the wheel is attached on an outer end of the axle outside of the steerable casing, and the steering arm is rotatably integrally provided on the steerable casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Iwaki, Norihiro Ishii, Fumitoshi Ishino
  • Patent number: 7669684
    Abstract: A steering drive for a steeled wheel of an industrial truck, particularly a rear wheel of a three-wheeled industrial truck, comprising a steering bolster supporting the rear wheel which is supported to be pivotable about a vertical steering axle inside the flame of the industrial truck, a steeling motor coaxial with the steering axle, a bearing assembly between the flame of the industrial truck and the bolster, and a steering transmission between the steering motor and bolster, wherein the steering transmission has a single-stage or multi-stage stepped planetary mechanism or planetary coupler mechanism which is coaxial with the steering axle and the bearing assembly for the bolster is arranged within the steering transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Jungheinrich Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Andreas Rogg
  • Publication number: 20090272594
    Abstract: The driven front wheel drive assembly includes a drive assembly with a drive frame. The drive frame has a vertical plate that pivots about a steering axis. A gear case with a plate portion and a skirt is clamped to the vertical plate to form a sealed gear case. A helical pinion gear is on a driven motor shaft. A compound gear with a helical gear is in mesh with the helical pinion gear. A first drive pinion gear fixed to the helical pinion gear is in mesh with the first spur gear. A second spur gear is fixed to the drive axle shaft and in mesh with first drive pinion gear. All of the gears are in the gear case rotate about parallel axes. The helical pinion gear and the first drive pinion gear have small pitch diameters to increase torque. The driven axle drives a wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventor: Allen Bussinger
  • Publication number: 20080111327
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a transport device for a load. The transport device includes at least one device configured to alter the orientation of the load relative to at least a portion of the transport device. At least one sensor is adapted to detect if at least one of the following occurs: the portion of the load becomes substantially non-planar and the portion of the load becomes substantially non-level. Electrical components are in communication with the sensor and are adapted to adjust the at least one device such that the portion of the load maintains at least one of the substantial planarity and the substantial levelness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: Rhodes Design and Development Corporation
    Inventors: James Rhodes, Matthew Priddy, Aidan J. Bradley, Jeff Anderson, Gabriel T. Manville, Kevin T. Parent, Frank K. Weigand
  • Patent number: 7137470
    Abstract: A drive device for an industrial truck includes a pivoted bolster rotatable around a vertical axis (V), two drive wheels (4, 5) mounted on the pivoted bolster and a device located axially between the drive wheels (4, 5) to generate a differential action between the drive wheels (4, 5). A vertically oriented motor (6) can be provided above the drive wheels (4, 5) and a mechanical differential (7) can be coupled with the motor (6) and the drive wheels (4, 5). Alternatively, each drive wheel (4 or 5) can be coupled with its own motor (8 or 9). Alternatively still, a double rotor electric motor (10) having two rotors (10c, 10d) and a common stator (10b) can be located between the drive wheels (4 or 5) and coupled with a neighboring drive wheel (4 or 5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernhard Götz
  • Patent number: 6540039
    Abstract: A wheel base or mobile platform providing omnidirectional motion and control. At least two offset wheel assemblies are coupled to a platform that supports a load. Each offset wheel assembly has two wheels that share a common axis and a mechanical link that is pivotally coupled to a pivot point on the rigid platform and supports the two wheels in such a manner that the common axis is displaced from the pivot point. The common axis of the wheels is free to rotate about an axis parallel to the planes of rotation of the wheels. The platform may be turned in any direction specified by a user from any instantaneous configuration or velocity in accordance with a method uniquely specifying a torque to be applied to each of the wheels while each of the wheels is in rolling motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Haoyong Yu, Steven Dubowsky
  • Publication number: 20020157891
    Abstract: A utility vehicle is provided with a bogey beam on which are mounted the steering axle at the forward end of the bogey beam and the middle axle on the rearward end of the bogey beam. A rear drive axle is supported by the frame of the utility vehicle. The bogey beam is connected to the frame by a pivot assembly defining a transverse pivot axis about which the bogey beam can oscillate. The weight transferred to the bogey beam is proportionately distributed between the front steering axle and middle axle. As a result, the steering characteristics of the steering axle are not impaired by the imposition of a load in the load bed of the utility vehicle, as the middle axle cannot be loaded sufficiently to overpower the front steering axle. The middle axle is rotatably driven by the rear drive axle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2001
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventor: Joseph C. Hurlburt
  • Patent number: 5967348
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for turning a pair of wheels in a crane (1) moving on rubber-tired wheels or the like. The crane comprises an electric motor (28) with gearing (16), the electric motor functioning as traversing gear. When the wheels of the crane are turned, the locking device (15) prevents the wheels from turning is released, the crane is driven by the desired angle, and the locking device (15) preventing the wheels from turning is locked. Only one of the wheels (4a) in the pair of wheels is affected by the traversing gear of the crane, the other wheel (4b) being allowed to rotate freely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: KCI Konecranes International Corporation
    Inventor: Olavi Jussila
  • Patent number: 5775455
    Abstract: A steering device for an amusement car including a drive wheel mounted off-center on a wheel shaft to provide a rotation force for quick and automatic recovery of the steering device to steer the car away from an obstacle that is encountered during use. The drive wheel being mounted to the wheel shaft in an area bounded by a distance equal to the radius of the drive wheel and a distance equal to the diameter of the drive wheel, both measured from the center of the wheel shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Inventor: In Hee Cho
  • Patent number: 5735416
    Abstract: The invention relates to a traversing gear arrangement for a crane moving on rubber-tired wheels or the like. The crane having an electric motor functioning as the traversing gear and including gearing and wheels arranged in pairs. The wheels in each of the pairs of wheels are connected to each other by a hollow pipe shaft such that one of the wheels is a drive wheel, while the other is a free wheel. The traversing gear connected to the drive wheel is mounted inside the pipe shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: KCI Konecranes International Corporation
    Inventor: Olavi Jussila
  • Patent number: 5472062
    Abstract: A hydraulic drive system of a steerable wheel of a dump truck facilitates the attaching and detaching of a hydraulic motor and allows for a large hydraulic motor to be used. In the drive system, a wheel axle is rotatably supported within a receptacle seat supported on a yoke. The steerable wheel is rotatably mounted on the outer periphery of the receptacle seat. The steerable wheel and one end of the wheel axle are connected via a speed reducer. A motor casing 33 of a hydraulic motor is connected by bolts to the receptacle seat at an end of the seat remote from the steerable wheel so that the hydraulic motor can be attached to and detached from the receptacle seat by tightening and loosening the bolts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
    Inventors: Takao Nagai, Yukio Sugano, Nobuki Hasegawa, Masaki Mori, Yoichi Kinosita
  • Patent number: 5379842
    Abstract: A multi-wheeled transport vehicle which is capable of crossing uneven terrain without torquing the load, including modular wheel units permitting a low profile and means to equalize the load between the individual wheel units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1995
    Inventor: Mel Terry
  • Patent number: 5199524
    Abstract: An automated guided vehicle for carrying and moving heavy loads providing the vehicle with a gross weight of more than about 100 tons includes a vehicle platform or deck for carrying the loads and wheel assemblies at either end of the platform for both steering and driving the vehicle along a predetermined path. Each of the wheel assemblies includes a differential gear assembly and a drive arrangement therefor for driving the wheels, and each wheel assembly includes a drive arrangement for rotating the wheel assembly to steer the vehicle. Suspension arrangements are disclosed for supporting the vehicle against the imposition of undesirable forces on the wheel assemblies during loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Mentor AGVS, Inc.
    Inventor: Milan E. Ivancic
  • Patent number: 5083625
    Abstract: A powdered maneuverable cart with a cart frame including a top load bearing portion and a bottom portion interconnected having hydraulic cylinders for raising the top portion in relation to the bottom portion. Situated above the cart frame top portion is a generally horizontal load bearing portion having head and feet ends with means included for allowing the head and feet ends to be raised and lowered independently in relation to the cart frame top portion. The cart frame bottom portion includes four swivel wheels mounted at each of the four corners of the bottom portion for allowing rolling and turning movements of the cart. Situated between the four swivel wheels, and generally in the central area of the cart frame bottom portion, is a drive wheel carriage having two opposing drive wheels. The rotational rate and direction of each drive wheel may be controlled independently for steering the cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1992
    Inventor: Joel N. Bleicher
  • Patent number: 4425979
    Abstract: A motor vehicle is disclosed having a main frame with rear wheels in substantially fixed alignment supporting the main frame, a steerable frame provided at the forward end of the main frame including front wheels in fixed alignment with the steerable frame and a motor mounted on the steerable frame. The front wheels are separated from each other a distance smaller than the separation of the rear wheels. A pivot connects the steerable frame to the main frame, the lower end of the axis of the pivot being in front of the upper end of the axis such that any angular displacement of the steerable frame with respect to the main frame causes a lateral displacement of the ground-engaging portion of the front wheels. Exhaust gases are directed from the motor to the rear of the main frame through a pivotal connection between a manifold and tail pipe, the pivotal connection being in axial alignment with the steering axis of the steerable frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1984
    Assignee: Young Motor Corporation
    Inventor: William C. Young
  • Patent number: 4368795
    Abstract: A safety automobile is reduced in width compared to conventional vehicles and tapers forwardly to nearly a point to minimize head-on collision danger and provide lateral deflection of the vehicle to left or right on striking an obstruction. A dual power system is provided for maximum economy. A rear wheel electric drive is used for short range in-town operation and a front wheel internal combustion engine drive is employed for long range travel. The two drives are independent and can be employed simultaneously in heavy weather or in off-road situations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1983
    Inventor: Hubert Tidwell
  • Patent number: 4171028
    Abstract: A tractor having two power units supported on respective frame portions which are pivotably connected in tandem, each power unit operatively connected to its respective fore or after axle which respectively mounts four or six wheels. The frame portions supporting the power units are joined between the fore and aft axles by vertical and horizontal solid steel pivotable shafts so as to be pivotable within limits about both a vertical axis and a horizontal axis aligned with the longitudinal axis of the tractor. Hydraulic piston and cylinder units extending from one power unit to the other on either side of the vertical pivotable shaft provide steering from controls located in a cabin suspended by an inverted "U" structure included in the frame of the after power unit. Both power units are provided with large capacity fuel tanks which extend transversely above each set of wheels and have a configuration whereby they function as fenders or mudguards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1979
    Inventor: Cornelis van der Lely