Control elements for materials handling vehicles

Abstract

A plurality of control elements extend from the base portion of a control module in a materials handling vehicle. The control elements are located adjacent to one another, wherein at least one of the control elements includes mounting structure that permits the control element to be selectively mounted to the base portion in at least first and second positions. The first position defines a first distance between the control element and an immediately adjacent control element and the second position defines a second distance between the control element and the immediately adjacent control element, the second distance being greater than the first.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control module for controlling at least one function of a materials handling vehicle comprising:
 a base portion; and   a plurality of control elements extending from the base portion and located laterally adjacent to one another, at least one of the control elements including mounting structure that permits the control element to be selectively mounted to the base portion in at least first and second positions, the first position defining a first lateral distance between the control element and an immediately adjacent control element and the second position defining a second lateral distance between the control element and the immediately adjacent control element, the second lateral distance being greater than the first lateral distance.   
     
     
         2 . The control module of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one of the control elements further comprises a body portion having a bottom surface; and   the mounting structure of the at least one of the control elements comprises a mounting hole that extends from the bottom surface into the body portion and is offset from a center point of the bottom surface.   
     
     
         3 . The control module of  claim 2 , wherein the body portion of the at least one of the control elements further comprises a central portion and a shoulder portion extending from a side of the central portion. 
     
     
         4 . The control module of  claim 3 , wherein the mounting hole of the at least one of the control elements is at least partially located in the shoulder portion. 
     
     
         5 . The control module of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one of the control elements further comprises an additional mounting hole extending from the bottom surface into the body portion, the two mounting holes being spaced apart from one another on the bottom surface of the body portion. 
     
     
         6 . The control module of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one of the control elements is mountable in at least four positions by mounting the at least one control element in the respective mounting holes and by mounting the at least one control element with the shoulder portion facing opposite directions. 
     
     
         7 . The control module of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of control elements comprises at least three control elements. 
     
     
         8 . The control module of  claim 1 , wherein actuation of the control elements by an operator controls a respective function of the materials handling vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The control module of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of control elements control load handling assembly functions of the vehicle including at least one of: fork raise/lower, fork sideshift, fork tilt, and fork extend. 
     
     
         10 . The control module of  claim 1 , further comprising locking structure that can be locked/unlocked by the operator to lock/unlock the control elements in place on the vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The control module of  claim 1 , wherein a mounting stem of the at least one of the control elements is movable with respect to the base portion to effect movement of the at least one of the control elements between the first and second positions. 
     
     
         12 . A control element for controlling at least one function of a materials handling vehicle comprising:
 a body portion having a bottom surface; and   mounting structure comprising first and second mounting holes extending into the body portion from the bottom surface, the mounting holes being spaced apart from one another on the bottom surface for selectively receiving a mounting stem of the vehicle to mount the control element in the vehicle, wherein the control element is mountable in at least two positions including: a first position wherein the mounting stem is received in the first mounting hole; and a second position wherein the mounting stem is received in the second mounting hole.   
     
     
         13 . The control element of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second mounting holes are both offset from a center point of the bottom surface of the body portion. 
     
     
         14 . The control element of  claim 12 , wherein the body portion further includes a central portion and a shoulder portion extending from a side of the central portion, and at least one of the first and second mounting holes is at least partially located in the shoulder portion. 
     
     
         15 . The control element of  claim 14 , wherein the control element is mountable in at least four positions by mounting the control element in the respective first and second mounting holes and by mounting the control element with the shoulder portion facing opposite directions. 
     
     
         16 . A control module for controlling at least one function of a materials handling vehicle comprising:
 a base portion; and   a plurality of control elements extending from the base portion and located adjacent to one another, a first one of the control elements including a shoulder portion extending from a side of a central portion and further including mounting structure that permits the control element to be mounted to the base portion in a first position wherein the shoulder portion faces a first direction, and a second one of the control elements including a shoulder portion extending from a side of a central portion and further including mounting structure that permits the control element to be mounted to the base portion in a second position wherein the shoulder portion faces a second direction different than the first direction, the first position defining a first distance between the first one of the control elements and an immediately adjacent control element and the second position defining a second distance between the second one of the control elements and the immediately adjacent control element, the second distance being greater than the first distance.   
     
     
         17 . The control module of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the first one of the control elements further comprises a body portion having a bottom surface;   the mounting structure of the first one of the control elements comprises a mounting hole that extends from the bottom surface into the body portion and is offset from a center point of the bottom surface; and   the mounting hole of the first one of the control elements is at least partially located in the shoulder portion.   
     
     
         18 . The control module of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the first one of the control elements further comprises an additional mounting hole extending from the bottom surface into the body portion, the two mounting holes being spaced apart from one another on the bottom surface of the body portion; and   the first one of the control elements is mountable in at least four positions by mounting the first one control element in the respective mounting holes and by mounting the at least one control element with the shoulder portion facing opposite directions.   
     
     
         19 . The control module of  claim 16 , further comprising locking structure that can be locked/unlocked by the operator to lock/unlock the control elements in place on the vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . The control module of  claim 16 , wherein a mounting stem of the first one of the control elements is movable with respect to the base portion to effect movement of the first one of the control elements between the first and second positions.