Restraint system for walkie/rider pallet truck

1. A walkie/rider pallet truck comprising:

a power unit;

a set of forks associated with said power unit;

a platform associated with said power unit and defining a location upon which an operator may stand; and

a restraint system comprising a pivotable restraint structure, said restraint structure being movable to one of a walkie position, a rider-driving position and a quick-exit position, wherein the quick-exit position is located generally vertically above the walkie and rider-driving positions.

2. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 1 , wherein said restraint structure is positioned within an angular range of from about 0 degrees to about 25 degrees from vertical and extending upward and away from said platform when in said quick-exit position.

3. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 1 , wherein said restraint structure is positioned within an angular range of from about 0 degrees to about 25 degrees from vertical and extending upward and toward said platform when in said quick-exit position.

4. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 1 , wherein said restraint structure is in a stowed position when located in said walkie position and an outwardly, extended position when in said rider-driving position.

5. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 4 , wherein said restraint structure comprises a generally U-shaped structure, which is adapted to extend along opposing sides of an operator when the operator is standing on said platform and said restraint structure is in said rider-driving position.

6. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 1 , wherein said restraint system further comprises a mechanism for releasably locking said restraint structure in said rider-driving position.

7. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 6 , wherein said locking mechanism comprises a pivotable lever having an engagement member capable of releasably engaging a stop member forming part of said restraint structure.

8. A walkie/rider pallet truck comprising:

a power unit comprising a drive/braking system;

a set of forks associated with said power unit;

a platform associated with said power unit and defining a location upon which an operator may stand;

a controller to control the operation of said drive/braking system;

a restraint system comprising a pivotable restraint structure, said restraint structure being movable to a quick-exit position; and

sensor apparatus to sense when said restraint structure is in said quick-exit position and generating a corresponding quick-exit position signal to said controller, said controller generating a brake command signal to said drive/braking system in response to receiving said quick-exit position signal from said sensor apparatus.

9. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 8 , wherein said restraint structure is also capable of being moved to a walkie position or a rider-driving position.

10. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 9 , wherein said sensor apparatus further senses when said restraint structure is in said walkie position or said rider-driving position, said sensor apparatus generating a walkie position signal to said controller when said restraint structure is in said walkie position and generating a rider-driving position signal to said controller when said restraint structure is in said rider-driving position, said controller controlling said drive/braking system to a speed falling within a range from zero to a first maximum speed in response to receiving said walkie position signal and controlling said drive/braking system to a speed falling within a range from zero to a second maximum speed in response to receiving said rider-driving position signal, said second maximum speed being greater than said first maximum speed.

11. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 10 , wherein said sensor apparatus is further capable of sensing when said restraint structure is positioned between said walkie position and said rider-driving position, said sensor apparatus generating an intermediate position signal to said controller when said restraint structure is located between said walkie position and said rider-driving position, said controller generating a braking command signal to said drive/braking system so as to allow said truck to slow down and stop if said truck is in motion and in response to receiving said intermediate position signal, and generating a no-drive command signal to said drive/braking system if said truck is stopped and in response to receiving said intermediate position signal.

12. A walkie/rider pallet truck comprising:

a power unit comprising a drive/braking system;

a set of forks associated with said power unit;

a platform associated with said power unit and defining a location upon which an operator may stand;

a controller for controlling the operation of said drive/braking system;

a restraint system comprising a pivotable restraint structure, said restraint structure being movable to one of a walkie position, a rider-driving position and a quick-exit position; and

sensor apparatus to sense when said restraint structure is in said quick-exit position and to generate a quick-exit position signal to said controller.

13. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 12 , wherein said restraint structure is positioned within an angular range of from about 0 degrees to about 25 degrees from vertical and extending upward when in said quick-exit position.

14. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 13 , wherein said controller generates a brake command signal to said drive/braking system in response to receiving said quick-exit position signal from said sensor apparatus.

15. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 14 , wherein said sensor apparatus further senses when said restraint structure is in said walkie position or said rider-driving position, said sensor apparatus generating a walkie position signal to said controller when said restraint structure is in said walkie position and a rider-driving position signal to said controller when said restraint structure is in said rider-driving position, said controller controlling said drive/braking system to a speed falling within a range from zero to a first maximum speed in response to receiving said walkie position signal and controlling said drive/braking system to speed falling within a range from zero to a second maximum speed in response to receiving said rider-driving position signal, said second maximum speed being greater than said first maximum speed.

16. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 15 , wherein said sensor apparatus is further capable of sensing when said restraint structure is positioned between said walkie position and said rider-driving position, said sensor apparatus generating an intermediate position signal to said controller when said restraint structure is located between said walkie position and said rider-driving position, said controller generating a brake command signal to said drive/braking system so as to allow said truck to slow down and stop if said truck is in motion and in response to receiving said intermediate position signal and generating a no-drive signal to said drive/braking system if said truck is stopped and in response to receiving said intermediate position signal.

17. A walkie/rider pallet truck comprising:

a power unit;

a set of forks associated with said power unit;

a platform associated with said power unit and defining a location upon which an operator may stand; and

a restraint system comprising first and second pivotable members, each of which is movable to one of a walkie position, a rider-driving position and a quick-exit position, wherein the quick-exit position is located generally vertically above the walkie and rider-driving positions.

18. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 17 , wherein said first pivotable member is capable of being separately moved to the quick-exit position where it is positioned within an angular range of from about 0 degrees to about 25 degrees from vertical and extends generally upward.

19. The walkie/rider pallet truck as set out in claim 17 , wherein said first and second pivotable members comprise first and second L-shaped pivotable members.

20. A walkie/rider pallet truck comprising:

a power unit;

a set of forks associated with said power unit;

a platform associated with said power unit and defining a location upon which an operator may stand; and

a restraint system comprising first and second pivotable members, each of which is separately movable about a substantially vertical axis between a stowed position and a rider-driving position and further separately movable about a substantially horizontal axis between the rider-driving position and a quick-exit position.