GB2287649A

GB2287649A - Seat or support device for fork-lift truck operators

Info

Publication number: GB2287649A
Application number: GB9505818A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Manfred Ahlburg; Heinz-Peter Kuesters
Original assignee: Dr Ing HCF Porsche AG
Current assignee: Dr Ing HCF Porsche AG
Priority date: 1994-03-23
Filing date: 1995-03-22
Publication date: 1995-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 2015-03-22
Also published as: DE4409917C2; DE4409917A1; IT1275917B1; GB2287649B; JPH07266951A; FR2717750A1; ITMI950509A1; GB9505818D0; ITMI950509A0

Description

1 Support Device 2287649 This invention relates to a support device for

the operator of a fork- lift truck.

When fork-lift trucks are used the vehicle is frequently vacated, and sometimes the operator is changed. A conventional seat with a wide degree of adaptability is regarded as unnecessary, or cannot be fitted at all in view of the narrow width of the vehicle. As a result, seats in fork-lift trucks of conventional design comprise fixed seating surfaces which are optimally adapted for only one size of operator. For further operators of different size ergonomic use of the seat is not possible or is possible only to an inadequate extent, which can result in damage to the spinal column caused by bad posture.

An object of the invention is to provide a support device on a fork-lift truck which will avoid these drawbacks and will position the body of the operator in such a way as to ensure an upright posture while avoiding damage to the spinal column. In addition, the support device must allow unrestricted access to the operating devices for operation only while standing and 2 must be adaptable to users of different sizes in a very simple manner.

The invention provides a support device as claimed in Claim 1.

The following is essentially achieved by the invention: relief of the legs from as much of the weight of the body as possible; a secure holding of the pelvis and thus of the body laterally and in the longitudinal direction; an upright body posture; extended operation of a dead man's handle with a relaxed body (leg) posture; unrestricted changing between standing and supported posture.

The horizontal support surface is used for receiving the weight of the body by way of the posterior. Furthermore, the pelvic ridge is received in a secure manner by way of the vertical support surface. In addition, lateral holding can be provided in the region of the hip-bones. The preconditions for a secure, non-tiring and physiologically harmless fixing of the operator's body in the minimum space are met by the said support surfaces in an advantageous manner.

At the same time, the said support device affords the maximum freedom of movement for the legs and the k 3 upper body of the user, which increases the operating safety since the operator can see past the load being picked up.

The design of the upholstery should be hard in the region of the posterior and the pelvic ridge and softer in the region of the front of the seat and the muscles. In order to improve the positioning of the posterior, the horizontal support face has a transversely extending hollow. In order to receive the pelvic ridge, the vertical support face is rounded in a concave manner to provide a free space behind the operator, thus additionally providing a certain lateral hold for the body.

The two support faces are Jointly adjustable in an inclined plane by way of a positioning device. In this way, a substantially equal degree of support is achieved ergonomically with all users of the truck, irrespective of their physical size. The half-extended leg position has the effect that the dead man's handle is actuated by the inherent weight of the leg. It is not necessary to exert additional force for actuation. This leg position requires that the horizontal support surface should terminate immediately in front of the posterior support.

In addition, a softly upholstered inclined support for the muscles of the thigh is possible for the sake of 4 increased comfort.

The support device is moved upwards and to the rear in the inclined plane in such a way that a substantially equal bending angle is formed in each case between the thigh and the pelvis/spinal column, this angle not being affected by physical size of the operator. Because of the different pelvis dimensions of operators of different sizes, an additional change in the distance between the posterior support and the pelvic-ridge support in the horizontal direction may be necessary, which is made possible by a horizontal support face in two parts and the support face at the front having the capability of movement.

In order for the support device to be continuously adjustable in a simple manner, the device is provided with a linear guide which permits a precise adjustment of the support surfaces to the particular circumstances. Ideally, the distance of the posterior support from the pelvic-ridge support is changed at the same time as the vertical adjustment of the seat, in that the posterior support and the back-rest are moved in inclined planes at slightly different inclinations. An additional fine adjustment of the distance is desirable. This must be closely limited in extent, in order to prevent erroneous adjustments by the operator.

p In this way the entire horizontal adjustment range between the 5 percentile for women and the 95 percentil for men should not exceed about 40 mm, the scope for fine adjustment amounting to about 10 mm.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a small operator and a large operator resting on the support device; Fig. 2 is a side view of the support device of Fig. 1 with the smaller operator, Fig. 3 is a side view of the support device of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the support device of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a view of the support device as seen in the direction of arrow A of Fig. 3.

The support device 1 for a fork-lift truck 2 comprises two support surfaces 3 and 4 which are arranged substantially at right angles to each other and are upholstered in a defined manner, as shown in greater detail in Figs. 3 to 5 in particular. The surfaces 3 6 and 4 are mounted in the truck body 6, for example by means of a frame 5.

One horizontal support surface 4 is adapted to support the posterior 7 and the other vertical support surface 3 to support the pelvic ridge 8 of an operator 9, 10, respectively.

For a better positioning of the posterior 7 the horizontal support surface 4 is provided with a transversely extending hollow 11 in the seating surface. In order to support the pelvic ridge 8 laterally the vertical support surface 3 has a concave shape 3a in the transverse direction and is arranged at an angle P with respect to the support surface 4 with a free space therebehind.

In order to position the parts of the body such as the posterior 7 and the pelvic ridge 8 with more precision, the support surfaces 4 and 5 for these parts are made relatively hard, whereas the support surface in the region of the front edge 4b for the muscles is made softer.

As shown in particular in Figs. 1 and 2, the support device 1 should provide an optimum support for both a smaller person 9 and a larger person 10. For this purpose, the device 1 can be displaced continuously c 1 7 along a linear guide 12 in an inclined plane X-X in a positioning device. The inclined angle a and al for large and small operators 10, 9, respectively, is substantially equal. In addition, the horizontal support surface 4 can also be in two parts. In that case, the front support part 4a either is displaceable horizontally on its own in the plane Z-Z or, linked to the lifting movement, is automatically adjusted horizontally with respect to the back-rest and, where appropriate, additionally has the capability of horizontal fine adjustment.

The positioning device comprises adjusting members 14 which are provided for example on the frame 5 of the support device 1 and which cooperate with positioning guides 15 on the truck body 6, it being possible for slots to be used as the guides and rollers or the like as the adjusting members. Similar effects can also be achieved by multiple-joint drives such as for example parallel linkages.

8

Claims

Claims:

1. A support device for the operator of a fork-lift truck comprising two upholstered support surfaces arranged substantially at right angles to each other, wherein the first support surface is substantially horizontally orientated and is adapted to support the posterior, the second support surface is substantially vertically orientated and is adapted to support a pelvic ridge of the operator, the support surfaces are jointly adjustable in a positioning device along an inclined plane and the first support surface is additionally adjustable to a limited extent in a substantially horizontal plane on a frame.

A support device according to Claim 1, wherein substantially vertical adjustment of the second support surface along the inclined plane and of the first support surface along the plane allows a linked substantially horizontal adjustment of the first support surface.

A support device according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the first support surface has a transversely extending hollow for positioning the posterior.

9 4. A support device according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the first and second support surfaces have harder upholstery in the region of the posterior and the pelvic ridge than in the region of the front edge of the first support surface for muscles of an operator.

5. A support device according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein lateral support upholstery is provided extending between the support surfaces in the region of the hip-bones of the operator, and the second support surface has a concave rounded portion in the transverse direction.

6. A support device according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the support device is held in a frame and is arranged so as to be continuously adjustable by means of an inclined linear guide of the frame in a truck body.

7. A support device according to Claim 6, wherein adjusting members engaging in guides of the truck body are provided on the frame of the support device for the inclined linear guide.

8. A support device according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the first support surface is constructed in two parts and a front part thereof is displaceable substantially horizontally with respect to a stationary rear support surface in such a way that the distance of the posterior support from the pelvic-ridge support can be increased or reduced.

9. A support device according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein an additional support surface is provided for supporting the thigh muscles of an operator.

10. A support device according to Claim 9, wherein the additional support surface is securely connected to the first support surface.

11. A support device according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the back-rest has a concave shape in the transverse direction in the region of the spinal column at an angle with respect to the first support surface, with a free space therebehind.

12.- A support device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.