DRIVING ASSIST UNIT OF TRUCK
A driving assist unit of a truck for assisting a driving force applied to the truck by a worker includes a unit body connected to the truck, the unit body being turnable with respect to the truck, an operation portion provided on the unit body, the operation portion being configured to input a driving force to the truck through the unit body by being pressed by the worker, and a driving wheel provided on the unit body, the driving wheel being rotatable in a longitudinal direction of the unit body, an assist force according to the operation of the operation portion being applied to the driving wheel.
1 . A driving assist unit of a truck, configured to assist a driving force applied to the truck by a worker, comprising:
a unit body connected to the truck, the unit body being turnable with respect to the truck;
an operation portion provided on the unit body, the operation portion being configured to input driving force to the truck through the unit body by being pressed by the worker; and
a driving wheel provided on the unit body, the driving wheel being rotatable in a longitudinal direction of the unit body, an assist force according to the operation of the operation portion being applied to the driving wheel.
2 . The driving assist unit of the truck according to claim 1 , comprising:
a torque detection portion configured to detect a driving torque inputted from the operation portion;
an electric motor configured to apply an assist force according to the driving torque detected by the torque detection portion to the driving wheel; and
a controller configured to control the electric motor in accordance with the driving torque detected by the torque detection portion.
3 . The driving assist unit of the truck according to claim 2 , wherein
the torque detection portion includes a pair of torque detection portions, the torque detection portions detecting a driving torque inputted into each of right and left two spots of the unit body;
the driving wheel includes a pair of driving wheels, the driving wheels are spaced from each other on right and left of the unit body;
the electric motor includes a pair of electric motors, the electric motors applying an assist force independently to each of the driving wheels; and
the controller controls each of the right and left electric motors in accordance with each of the driving torques detected by the right and left torque detection portions.
4 . The driving assist unit of the truck according to claim 3 , wherein
the driving wheels are juxtaposed on right and left by sandwiching a turning center of the unit body; and
the electric motors are provided outside of the driving wheels.
5 . The driving assist unit of the truck according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an auxiliary wheel provided away from the driving wheel in a longitudinal direction, the auxiliary wheel being rotatable only in the same direction as that of the driving wheel and not grounded in a state connected to the truck.