Patent ID: 8011677
Filing Date: 2011-09-06
Classification: B62B

Abstract:
1. A pallet jack, comprising: a left tine and a right tine, of substantially similar length, wherein the left and right tines are substantially planar and substantially parallel to each other; a lifting mechanism configured to lift the left and right tines; a pallet jack body attached to a rear-most portion of each of the left and right tines, the pallet jack body including wherein the lifting mechanism is attached to the substantially horizontal portion of the pallet jack body along a centerline of the pallet jack; a vertical lifting handle coupled to the lifting mechanism, the vertical lifting handle having a loop-shaped handle disposed at a top thereof and extending in a plane substantially parallel to the substantially vertical backing portion, the vertical lifting handle being movable in a plane orthogonal to said plane parallel to the substantially vertical backing portion to actuate said lifting mechanism; two loop-shaped side handles respectively attached to upper left and right sides of said substantially vertical backing portion, each loop-shaped side handle extending in a plane substantially parallel to the plane in which the vertical lifting handle is movable, each loop-shaped side handle extending rearward of said substantially vertical backing portion in a direction toward said vertical lifting handle but not so far as to intersect the plane in which the vertical lifting loop-shaped handle extends; a substantially horizontal handle bar connector coupled to said two loop-shaped side handles at a position above a top of the vertical lifting loop-shaped handle; a left front wheel located and rotationally attached to a front-most portion of the left tine; a right front wheel located and rotationally attached to a front-most portion of the right tine; a left rear wheel located along a centerline of the left tine; and a right rear wheel located along a centerline of the right tine, wherein each of the left and right rear wheels is configured to independently rotate in a substantially vertical plane about its respective center, and further wherein each of the left and right rear wheels is configured to independently rotate in a substantially horizontal plane, wherein each of the left rear wheel and the right rear wheel is non-cylindrical and has an aspect ratio between about 5 and about 18, with a height of between about 5 inches to about 7 inches, and a width of between about 0.5 inch and 1.5 inches, wherein each of the left front wheel and the right front wheel is non-cylindrical and has an aspect ratio between about 4 and about 14, with a height of between about 7 inches to about 9 inches, and a width of between about 0.5 inch and 1.5 inches, and wherein the respective aspect ratios of the front wheels and rear wheels enable the pallet jack to have an improved ability to navigate both substantially non-smooth exterior surfaces and surfaces that include gravel, holes, cracks and differences in height.