Cascade Corporation

Pat S McKernan

Gregory A Nagle

David W Petronek

Andrea Dal Dosso

D Clark Jordan

Christopher M Walthers

Glenn Steven Prentice

Brent G Running

Tamara S Dib

Greg A Nagle

Clark D Jordan

A load alignment aid with range finding sensors positioned diagonally on a mounting platform to calculate range, vertical alignment, and horizontal alignment. Each sensor measures a distance (d) from the mounting platform to the load. Where d() does not equal d() and d() does not equal d(), a misalignment due to tilt or chassis misalignment is detected. The aid further includes a display which may show a graphic representation of the approach to a load and an alert for misalignment notification.

Load alignment aid

Attachment assemblies for industrial material handling equipment are shown and disclosed. In some embodiments, the attachment assembly includes a carriage assembly having a carriage, wherein the carriage is mountable to industrial material handling equipment. The attachment assembly additionally includes a frame assembly connected to the carriage. The attachment assembly further includes a faceplate assembly fixedly attached to the frame assembly. The faceplate assembly is configured to receive one or more support members for supporting a load. The faceplate assembly includes one or more load cells configured to measure horizontal and vertical forces applied to the one or more support members.

Attachments for industrial material handling equipment

A side shift limiting attachment for a material handing vehicle alerts the vehicles operator and restricts side shifting, lifting, tilting and/or rotation of the attachment when the side shift displacement is approaching or has reached a limit for a lift height.

Side-shift limiter

Methods and systems for wirelessly transmitting power and/or data.

Wireless power transfer and communications for industrial equipment

A fluid power control system for load handling mobile equipment includes a pair of hydraulic actuators for moving respective cooperating load-engaging members selectively toward or away from each other, or in a common direction, at respective asynchronous speeds to selectively attain either synchronous or asynchronous respective positions of the actuators. The actuators have sensors enabling a controller to monitor their respective movements and correct unintended differences in the actuators' respective movements, such as unintended differences in relative intended positions, speeds, or rates of change of speeds. Respective hydraulic valves responsive to the controller separately and nonsimultaneously decrease respective flows through the respective actuators to more accurately and rapidly correct differences from the intended relative movements of the actuators.

Fluid power control system for mobile load handling equipment

Systems and methods and systems for wirelessly transmitting power between an industrial vehicle and an attachment.

Devices and methods for inductive power transfer and power control for industrial equipment

Improvements are disclosed for a load-clamping system with variable clamping force control by which a wide variety of dissimilar loads of different types, geometric configurations and/or other parameters can be accurately clamped at respective variable optimal clamping force settings. An operator terminal cooperates with a controller to translate one or more possible load parameters into a form easily discernible visually by a clamp operator and preferably easily comparable by the clamp operator, from his visual observation, to each particular load which he is about to engage, so that the clamp operator can interactively guide the controller in its selection of an optimal clamping force setting for each particular load.

Interactive clamp force control system for load handling clamps

A control system is provided for a load-handling clamp mountable on a vehicle, the clamp having a pair of opposed load-engagement clamping surfaces capable of clamping opposite sides of different types and configurations of loads. At least one of the clamping surfaces is closeable toward the other clamping surface along a direction which extends substantially laterally across a direction of forward approach of the clamp toward the load. The control system is capable of generating a variable signal indicating a desired forward, vertical and/or lateral pre-engagement position of the clamp from which the clamping surfaces can correctly engage the load.

Clamping surface positioning system for mobile load-handling clamps

Improvements are disclosed for a load-clamping system with variable clamping force control by which a wide variety of different load types in a wide variety of different load geometric configurations can be accurately clamped at respective variable optimal clamping force settings dependent on each load's respective load type and geometric configuration in combination. An operator display and input terminal cooperates with a controller to translate assortments of possible load variables into a form easily discernible visually by a clamp operator and preferably easily comparable by the operator, from his visual observation, to each particular load which he is about to engage, so that the operator can interactively guide the controller in its selection of an optimal clamping force setting for each particular load.

A control system for a load-handling clamp includes first and second load-engaging surfaces for selectively gripping and releasing a load disposed between said surfaces. At least one of said surfaces is selectively movable toward the other by a hydraulic actuator. At least one fluid valve assembly variably regulates a maximum hydraulic clamping pressure capable of causing the actuator to move one of the surfaces toward the other in a load clamping movement. Preferably, a load geometry sensor produces an electrical effect that varies as a function of the geometric profile of the load. A data receiver preferably also obtains load identification information related to at least one characteristic of the load, other than the load's geometry. A controller, in response to the data receiver and load geometry sensor, operates to control the valve assembly's regulation of the maximum hydraulic clamping pressure. In order to prepare for the load clamping movement, the controller is preferably also capable of enabling the actuator to move one of said surfaces toward the other in an initial clamp closing movement at a maximum hydraulic closing pressure greater than the maximum hydraulic clamping pressure. Thereafter the controller enables the load clamping movement at a pressure level substantially no greater than the maximum hydraulic clamping pressure.

Growing community of inventors

Portland, OR, United States of America

Pat S McKernan