Patent ID: 11904919
Assignee: nan
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 14:
15. A daughter cart ejector method for aiding in ejecting a daughter cart of the wheels-on ground-type from a mother cart, where the daughter cart has a daughter cart frame supported by casters attached to the daughter cart frame and configured for rolling engagement with an underlying surface during transport of the daughter cart on the underlying surface, the mother cart has a frame defining a transport direction and supported by wheels attached to the mother cart frame for rolling engagement with the underlying surface, and the mother cart also has a coupling system that is attached to the mother cart frame and adapted and oriented for operatively guiding the daughter cart in a loading direction that is substantially transverse to the transport direction into towable engagement in a towing position with the mother cart, the daughter cart ejector method comprising:
operatively attaching a daughter cart ejector element to the mother cart frame for movement of the ejector element between an extended position whereat the ejector element operatively bears against the daughter cart frame in a manner urging the daughter cart to move away from the mother cart in an unloading direction that is substantially opposite from the loading direction, and a retracted position of the ejector element whereat the ejector element does not urge the daughter cart to move away from the mother cart in the coupling system in the unloading direction;
moving the daughter cart ejector element from its retracted to its extended position to urge the daughter cart out of the towing position with respect to the mother cart; operatively connecting an ejector element actuator between the mother cart frame and the ejector element, the ejector element actuator being configured for receiving a commence-eject signal and selectively moving the ejector element between the retracted and extended positions of the ejector element in response to the commence-eject signal;
operatively attaching to the mother cart and the ejector element actuator, a control arrangement including a daughter cart initiate-eject input element configured for receiving an initiate-eject input indicating a desire to initiate ejection of the daughter cart from the mother cart, the control arrangement being configured for generating the commence-eject signal to the ejector actuator in response to the initiate-eject input, for causing the ejector element actuator to move the ejector element from the retracted toward the extended positions of the ejector element; and
initiating movement of the daughter cart ejector element from its retracted to its extended position with respect to the mother cart by actuating the initiate-eject input element; wherein:
the coupling system includes a locking pin arrangement operatively attached to the mother cart and including a locking pin and a locking pin position selector, the locking pin being selectively movable between a fully engaged position and a fully disengaged position and adapted for engaging and locking the daughter cart in the towing position when in the fully engaged position of the locking pin while the daughter cart is positioned in the towing position, the locking pin position selector being operatively connected by the locking pin arrangement to the locking pin and selectively movable between pin-engaged and pin-disengaged positions thereof for positioning the locking pin in its fully engaged position when the locking pin position selector is located in its pin-engaged position and for positioning the locking pin in its fully disengaged position when the locking pin position selector is located in its pin-disengaged position;
the control arrangement is further configured for determining that the locking pin has been fully disengaged from the daughter cart and for delaying communication of the commence-eject signal to the ejector element actuator, and thereby precluding the ejector element from commencing movement from its retracted toward its extended positions, until full disengagement of the locking pin from the daughter cart has been determined;
the method further includes, determining that the locking pin has been fully disengaged from the daughter cart and delaying communication of the commence-eject signal to the ejector element actuator, to thereby preclude the ejector element from commencing movement from its retracted toward its extended positions until full disengagement of the locking pin from the daughter cart has been determined;
the control arrangement includes a controller and a locking pin position sensor, the locking pin position sensor being operatively coupled between the locking pin and the controller and configured for providing a locking pin position signal to the controller indicative of a present position of the locking pin, the controller being configured for receiving the initiate-eject input, the locking pin position signal, and for generating the commence-eject signal;
the controller being operatively connected between the locking pin position sensor and the ejector element actuator;
the controller being configured for receiving the locking pin position signal from the locking pin position sensor, determining if the locking pin is fully disengaged, and if and only if the locking pin is fully disengaged generating and sending the commence-eject signal to the ejector element actuator; and
the method further includes, receiving the locking pin position signal from the locking pin position sensor at the controller, determining if the locking pin is fully disengaged, and if and only if the locking pin is fully disengaged, generating and sending the commence-eject signal to the ejector element actuator.