The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 22, 1991
Filed:
Mar. 06, 1989
Joseph G Kasper, Golden Valley, MN (US);
Tennant Company, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Abstract
A machine configuration which permits readily maneuvering a vehicle away from a wall or line of objects that the vehicle has been traveling close to, or closely following the walls around an inside corner. The vehicle has a frame carrying two rear drive wheels and one or more front caster wheels. The drive wheels are individually driven by separate motors. The drive wheels are inset from the sides of the machine so that turning maneuvers can be made adjacent a wall without the wheels contacting the wall. The rear frame or structure of the machine is disposed within an envelope defined such that turning maneuvers adjacent a wall unit will not bring the rear structure into contact with the wall. With the steering geometry and frame construction set up in this manner, the vehicle can be turned away from the wall by operating the drive motors at differential rates, and no part of the vehicle will touch the wall. The vehicle can also follow closely along an inside corner of two walls.