GB2381513A

GB2381513A - Driver's station of an industrial truck

Info

Publication number: GB2381513A
Application number: GB0126289A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dawson Sellar
Original assignee: Lansing Linde Ltd
Current assignee: Linde Material Handling UK Ltd
Priority date: 2001-11-01
Filing date: 2001-11-01
Publication date: 2003-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 2021-11-01
Also published as: GB0126289D0; GB2381513B; DE10250141A1

Abstract

A driver's station of an industrial truck has a mast or a first mast (5) of a lifting frame arranged in the region of the driver's station. The mast or the first mast (5) has attached to it a document holder (7) that can be pivoted about at least one at least substantially horizontal axis. In an embodiment, at least one at least substantially vertical guide rail (8) is provided, in which the document holder (7) is guided in the region of the upper edge of its flat surface. At least one radius lever (9) is preferably provided, which is supported at a point fixed relative to the mast or the first mast (5), on the one hand, and on the document holder (7), on the other hand.

Description

Driver's station of an industrial truck The invention relates to a driver's station of an industrial truck, in which a mast or a first mast of a lifting frame is arranged in the region of the driver's station.

Industrial trucks that have a lifting-frame mast arranged in the region of the driver's station are often materials-handling devices, e. g. high-lift trucks or reach fork trucks. Here, the driver's station has a standing surface or a driver's seat, which the driver occupies during the operation of the industrial truck. The driver's station includes operating elements and indication devices for vanous functions of the industrial truck.

Owing to the space-saving design of industrial trucks of the generic type, the masts of the lifting frame are so close to the driver's station that at least one mast is within reach of the hand of the driver at the driver's station.

During the operation of the industrial truck, the driver often requires written documents, from which he can read off tasks and on which he can make his own notes. Given the restricted space available In the area of the driver's station, however, the driver often has difficulty in keeping his written documents easily accessible and safe and in laying them out for work in such a way that they do not at the same time hinder him in operating the industrial truck.

An object of the invention is therefore to make available a driver's station of an industrial truck in which, by simple means, documents can be made available and worked upon conveniently According to the invention there is provided a driver's station of an industrial truck, in which a mast or a first mast of a lifting frame is arranged in the region of the driver's station, wherein the mast or the first mast has attached to it a document holder that can be pivoted about at least one at least substantially horizontal axis. Written documents can be placed on the document holder, enabling them to be read by the driver at the driver's station. In the lower position, the document holder forms a writing surface, allowing written work to be done on the documents on the document holder as well. Owing to the attachment of the document holder to the mast or the first mast of the lifting frame, the document holder does not take up valuable installation space in

the area of the operating elements of the industrial truck, yet is fully within the view and within the reach of the driver.

The invention can be used to particular advantage if the driver's station has a driver's seat. The driver's seat clearly predetermines the orientation of the driver on the driver's station and allows work to be performed on written documents while in a sitting position.

If the driver's seat IS aligned transversely to a main direction of travel of the industrial truck, the driver's seat can be arranged particularly close to the mast or the first mast of the lifting frame. A hinged document holder attached to the mast or the first mast can be used to particular advantage in this case.

This gives an arrangement in which the document holder is arranged obliquely in front of the dnver sitting on the driver's seat The document holder can thus be viewed and reached In an ergonomically advantageous manner.

This advantageous arrangement is obtained particularly if the document holder is arranged on the side of the first mast facing a second mast of the lifting frame.

A particularly space-saving arrangement is obtained if the document holder has at least one flat surface, which is at least approximately vertical when the document holder is retracted. The flat surface serves as a deposition surface and support for documents and other papers. A clamping device can be provided on the flat surface to prevent the papers from falling off the flat surface, even when the latter is in the vertical position.

The flat surface of the document holder rests at least approximately against the mast when the document holder is retracted. In this position, the document holder does not require any significant installation space and does not represent any kind of hindrance to the driver, especially when entenng and leaving the driver's station.

According to an expedient refinement of the invention, at least one at least substantially vertical guide rail IS provided, in which the document holder is guided in

the region of the upper edge of its flat surface. During pivoting of the document holder, the upper edge of the flat surface thus does not move away from the mast.

At least one radius lever may furthermore be provided, which is supported at a point fixed relative to the mast or the first mast, on the one hand, and on the document holder, on the other hand. The radius lever ensures that the lower edge of the flat surface moves away from the mast when the upper edge of the flat surface is moved downwards.

The result is that-starting from a position of the document holder with the flat surface at least substantially vertical-the upper edge of the flat surface moves at least substantially vertically downwards and the lower edge of the flat surface moves at least substantially horizontally in the direction of the dnver as the document holder is pivoted. During this process, the flat surface undergoes a downward translational motion with a pivoting motion superimposed on it.

According to an expedient development of the invention, at least one electric or electronic indication device is attached to the document holder. This indication device can be formed by conventional signal lamps and pointer-type instruments, for example, but also by computer screens in a very wide variety of embodiments.

It is likewise possible for at least one electric or electronic operating element to be attached to the document holder. The operating element can be formed by conventional switching elements or by a computer keypad, If such an operating element, in particular a computer keypad, is arranged on the abovementioned flat surface, or the flat surface is formed by a computer keypad, the operating element can be moved from a storage position in the vicinity of the mast into a working position, in which the driver can access the operating element in an ergonomically favourable manner.

The invention also provides an industrial truck having a driver's station as defined above.

Further advantages and details of the invention are explained in greater detail with reference to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in the schematic figures, in which :

Figure 1 shows a driver's station with document holders according to the invention in perspective view, Figure 2 shows a driver's station with a document holder in the extended position, and Figure 3 shows a driver's station with a document holder in the retracted position.

Figure 1 shows the driver's station of an industrial truck according to the invention. The driver 1 is sitting in a normal position on a driver's seat (not Illustrated).

The right hand of the dnver 1 is resting upon electrical operating levers 4 for the functions of the lifting apparatus of the industrial truck, for the left hand an arm rest 2 is provided, on which further operating elements can be located.

A lifting frame of the industrial truck has a first mast 5, which is on the right in front of the driver 1 in the arrangement illustrated. A second mast (not illustrated) of the lifting frame is situated on the right behind the driver 1 Two document holders 7 are attached to the first mast 5 by means of a base 6. Each of the document holders 7 is formed essentially by a flat surface and is used, for example, as a copyholder and writing tablet. In addition, the lower document holder 7 comprises a compartment 3 for keeping documents, e. g. an operating manual of the industrial truck. The document holders 7 can each be pivoted backwards and forwards between a retracted position, in which the flat surfaces rest against the mast 5, and a working position, in which the flat surfaces are located in front of the driver in the manner of desks. The document holders are Illustrated in an intermediate position between the working position and the retracted position.

In Figure 2, a driver's station is illustrated with a document holder 7 In the extended position, i. e. in its working position. The arrangement for fixing the document holder 7 to the mast 5 is illustrated schematically, comprising a vertical guide rail 8, connected rigidly to the mast 5, and a radius lever 9. The radius lever 9 is supported at the lower end of the guide rail 8 and In the central area of the document holder 7 by means of joints 10,11. At its upper end, the document holder 7 has a bearing 12, which can be displaced vertically along the guide rail 8. In the working position illustrated, the document holder 7 IS situated in the manner of an oblique desktop in

front of the driver 1. From this position, the document holder 7 can be swung back in the direction of the mast 5, the bearing 12 moving vertically upwards and the radius lever 9 being rotated anticlockwise about the joint 10. The document holder 7 can also be fixed in intermediate positions by means of a clamping device (not shown).

Figure 3 shows a driver's station with a document holder 7 in a completely retracted position. In this position, the document holder 7 is arranged parallel to the mast 5 and imposes virtually no restriction on the freedom of motion of the driver 1, especially when he is getting in and out.

Claims

Claims: 1. Driver's station of an industrial truck, in which a mast or a first mast of a lifting frame is arranged in the region of the driver's station, wherein the mast or the first mast has attached to it a document holder that can be pivoted about at least one at least substantially horizontal axis.
2. Driver's station according to Claim 1, wherein the driver's station comprises a driver's seat.
3. Driver's station according to Claim 2, wherein the driver's seat is aligned transversely to a main direction of travel of the industrial truck.
4. Driver's station according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein the document holder is arranged obliquely in front of the driver sitting on the driver's seat.
5. Driver's station according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the document holder is arranged on the side of the first mast facing a second mast of the lifting frame.
6. Driver's station according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the document holder has at least one flat surface, which is at least substantially vertical when the document holder is retracted.
7. Driver's station according to Claim 6, wherein the flat surface of the document holder rests at least substantially against the mast or the first mast when the document holder is retracted.

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8. Driver's station according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein at least one at least substantially vertical guide rail is provided, in which the document holder is guided in the region of the upper edge of its flat surface.
9. Driver's station according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein at least one radius lever is provided, which is supported at a point fixed relative to the mast or the first mast, on the one hand, and on the document holder, on the other hand.
10. Driver's station according to any one of Claims 6 to 9, wherein starting from a position of the document holder with the flat surface at least substantially vertical, the upper edge of the flat surface moves at least substantially vertically downwards and the lower edge of the flat surface moves at least substantially horizontally in the direction of the driver as the document holder is pivoted.
11. Driver's station according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein at least one electric or electronic indication device is attached to the document holder.
12. Driver's station according to any one of Claims 1 to 11, wherein at least one electric or electronic operating element is attached to the document holder.
13. An industrial truck having a driver's station as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.
14. Driver's station of an industrial truck substantially as hereinbefore described with reference

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to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
15. An industrial truck having a driver's station as claimed in Claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.