AU2010101471A4 - An improved pallet transportation vehicle - Google Patents

Description

INNOVATION PATENT APPLICATION AN IMPROVED PALLET TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 This invention relates to commercial vehicles in particular but not exclusively to a single goods pallet transportation vehicle. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Fork-lifting apparatus and forklifts are known prior art. In most cases forklifts are used to 0 move pallets of goods in warehouses or in the confines of a closed commercial space. Where pallets of goods need to be transported over a distance between destinations, such pallets are normally loaded by the forklift vehicle onto the payload area of a light commercial vehicle such as a utility or pick-up truck. There are also known examples where a forklift is transported at the rear of the vehicle 15 to facilitate loading and unloading of goods pallets however this means that the carrying capacity of the vehicle is reduced by having to transport the forklift itself. There is a need for the transportation of a limited number of pallets especially single pallets of goods efficiently and quickly between destinations wherein the pallet can be unloaded using a single vehicle only without assistance of additional machinery such as a separate forklift. - 1 - There is also need where delivery of goods which are fragile by nature such as white goods, for example, fridges and freezers to be delivered easily and safely from the back of a truck or utility vehicle without having the facility of a separate forklift. Some prior art examples which appear to solve some of the problems but not all of those 5 of the present invention include that disclosed by WO1994/006711 which describes a trailer designed to be towed behind a prime mover vehicle wherein loads are transported from site to site over even or rough terrain. The main embodiment is that of a trailer which is towed behind a four wheel drive vehicle and comprises a forklift apparatus disposed between a U shaped chassis. The essential feature of this invention is that it is 0 a trailer which is towed behind a vehicle and is not a self-propelled vehicle. Another example is that disclosed by WO1 996/001749 which also describes a compact trailer having a hydraulic forklift. Again this is a trailer to be towed behind an auto mobile or small prime mover. In both these examples, the tynes of the forklift apparatus actually support the pallet. 15 The inherent disadvantage is as a consequence of applying a substantial or heavy load on the forklift apparatus directly through the tynes as the goods are transported can lead to failure of the hydraulic or pneumatic mechanism of the forklift itself over time. -2- OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved goods pallet transportation vehicle which seeks to ameliorate or substantially overcome the problems and disadvantages of the prior art. 5 STATEMENT OF INVENTION In one aspect the invention resides in a goods pallet transportation vehicle including in combination, a specially adapted chassis having a plurality of road wheels; at least one of the wheels 0 used to drive and/or steer the vehicle; the chassis comprised of a first portion and a second portion; the first portion supporting an operator's cabin from which the vehicle is steered and operated; the second portion comprising a pair of opposed chassis arm sections; 15 each of the arm sections associated with at least one road wheel; forklift apparatus positioned between opposing arm sections adapted to lift a goods pallet from the ground; -3 a retractable floor deployable between the arm sections from a stored position to a load carrying position wherein, a pallet of goods can be loaded off the ground by the forklift apparatus and the floor deployed to bear the weight of the pallet and goods, and wherein unloading is completed 5 by a substantially reverse procedure wherein the pallet and goods are re-lifted to allow the retraction of the floor before being lowered to the ground. In preference, the pallet transportation vehicle has four road wheels wherein two front wheels are used to drive and steer the vehicle and two rear wheels support each side arm section of the rear portion of the chassis. 0 Suitably, the forklift apparatus is operable from the operator's cabin associated with the front portion of the chassis. Preferably, the vehicle is a front wheel drive vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine, electric motor or hybrid power plant. Preferably, the forklift apparatus is hydraulically operated and can be controlled by the 15 operator from the cabin of the vehicle. Preferably, the floor is a flexible floor deployable from a stored substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal load bearing position by moving through an arcuate path defined by opposed curved guide rails. -4- Preferably the deployment of the floor is by pneumatic means but can also be by hydraulic or by electro-mechanical means. Preferably, the forklift apparatus is mounted on a frame between the chassis arm sections which allows the forklift apparatus to pivot and move in one or more directions. 5 Preferably the tynes of the forklift apparatus are configured to engage with standardised pallet sizes, however, may be interchangeable with other types of devices to accommodate special lifting and transportation applications. In a preferred example, the invention is embodied by the front portion of a light commercial front wheel drive vehicle, such as a utility or pick-up truck, specially adapted 0 or modified to incorporate the second chassis portion, retractable floor mechanism and forklift apparatus as herein described. In an alternative example, the pallet transportation vehicle can be a purpose built vehicle having the essential features as herein before described. 15 -5- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the invention be better understood and put into practical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein; Figure 1 shows several views of a preferred embodiment of the vehicle subject of the 5 invention, and Figure 2 shows detail of the rear portion of the chassis of the invention of Figure 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring now to Figure 1 there is shown as Figure 1(a) a side elevation of the preferred 0 improved goods pallet transportation vehicle 10 according to the invention. In this view the front or first portion 12 of the vehicle comprises a cab section from which the vehicle is operated. The second or rear portion 14 of the chassis comprises of a pair of chassis arms, 14a, 14b wherein disposed in between is a forklift apparatus 16. The deployable floor (not shown) is in the retractable stored position prior to being extended via the 15 curved guide rails 24 to carry the load. In Figure 1(a) the forklift apparatus is shown in a position wherein the goods 18 are being loaded from the ground 20. Figure 1(b) shows a rear elevation of the view of -6- Figure 1(a) wherein the separate chassis arms 14a, 14b and the rear wheels 28,30 bearing the weight of the load carried by the external floor 22. The front pair of wheels 32, 34 need to steer and drive the vehicle are shown. 5 There is a gate 36 which can be closed behind the load which can also provide further structural integrity to the chassis arms, 14 a, 14b. Referring now to Figure 2 there is shown a detailed view of the rear portion of the chassis of the preferred embodiment of Figure 1. In this view there is shown the load 18 0 in the raised or loaded position wherein the forklift apparatus 16 has lifted the pallet 38 off the ground and the load bearing floor 22 has been deployed into the substantially horizontal position. The rear gate 36 is then closed to also provide a closure member as well as providing 15 extra stiffening to the rear chassis assembly as a whole. It is envisaged that the rear chassis and gate may also be panelled in order to provide further protection to the goods held within. -7- ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION The advantages of the present invention include the ability to be able to deliver a pallet of goods to a destination where there is no other machinery or persons required to assist in the unloading of the pallet. This negates any workplace health and safety hazards 5 which could otherwise be encountered. Deliveries of fragile goods such as fridges, freezers or washing machines should also be made easier. Other goods such as bags of sand or compost can also easily be packed onto a pallet and delivered and dropped off to sites without extraneous machinery required for loading and unloading the goods. Further advantages of the invention include that due to the mobility of the vehicle itself, 0 the pallet can be placed anywhere on delivery. The nature of the invention also allows anybody to make a purchase of any goods which will fit on a standard ISO pallet and have it delivered and dropped off in a very short time frame using only a single vehicle (as opposed to also having a forklift). As the vehicle is fitted with a road going suspension preferably a rear air suspension system, goods of an extremely fragile 15 nature can also be transported. The use of an independent rear air suspension which also controls ride height can be raised or lowered to accommodate uneven terrain. As there is a floor to carry the pallet, load sharing between the rear wheels through the -8separate chassis arms minimises or eliminates damage to the goods during transportation. The retractable floor and tail gate is preferably pneumatically operated from inside the operator's cabin. The load is supported by a heavy duty floor which is deployable from a 5 substantially vertical or rolled up stored position to a substantially horizontal weight bearing position. When the floor is retracted to the stored position there can also be a window or cut-out viewing section in the floor to allow the operator a clear view of the pallet during the loading and unloading process. 0 VARIATIONS It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth. 15 In the specification the terms "comprising" and "containing" shall be understood to have a broad meaning similar to the term "including" and will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of -9any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. This definition also applies to variations on the terms "comprising" and "containing" such as "comprise", "comprises", "contain" and "contains". - 10-

Claims (12)

1. A goods pallet transportation vehicle including in combination, a specially adapted chassis having a plurality of road wheels; at least one of the wheels used to drive and/or steer the vehicle; 5 the chassis comprised of a first portion and a second portion; the first portion supporting an operator's cabin from which the vehicle is steered and operated; the second portion comprising a pair of opposed chassis arm sections; each of the arm sections associated with at least one road wheel; 0 forklift apparatus positioned between opposing arm sections adapted to lift a goods pallet from the ground; a retractable floor deployable between the arm sections from a stored position to a load carrying position wherein, a pallet of goods can be loaded off the ground by the forklift apparatus and the floor 15 deployed to bear the weight of the pallet and goods, and wherein unloading is completed by a substantially reverse procedure wherein the pallet and goods are re-lifted to allow the retraction of the floor before being lowered to the ground. - 11 -

2. The invention of Claim 1 wherein the pallet transportation vehicle has front road wheels used to drive and steer the vehicle and rear wheels to support each of the opposed arm sections of the chassis.

3. The invention of Claim 1 wherein the forklift apparatus is operable from the operator's 5 cabin.

4. The invention of Claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a front wheel drive vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine, electric motor or hybrid power plant.

5. The invention of Claim 1 wherein the forklift apparatus is hydraulically operated.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein the retractable floor is a flexible floor deployable from 0 a stored substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal load bearing position by moving through an arcuate path defined by opposed curved guide rails.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein the retractable floor is a flexible floor deployable from a stored rolled-up position to a substantially horizontal load bearing position by moving through an arcuate path defined by opposed curved guide rails. 15

8. The invention of Claim 1 wherein the deployment of the floor is by pneumatic means or hydraulic or by electro-mechanical means. - 12-

9. The invention of Claim 1 where the forklift apparatus is mounted on a frame between the chassis arm sections which allows the forklift apparatus to pivot and move in one or more directions.

10. The invention of Claim 1 wherein tynes of the forklift apparatus are configured to 5 engage with standardised pallet sizes, but are also interchangeable with other types of devices to accommodate special lifting and transportation applications.

11. The invention of Claim 1 wherein the front portion of the chassis and operators' cabin comprises the front section of a light commercial front wheel drive vehicle, such as a utility or pick-up truck, specially adapted or modified to incorporate the second chassis 0 portion, retractable floor mechanism and forklift apparatus as herein defined and described.

12. The invention of Claim 1 wherein the pallet transportation vehicle is a purpose built vehicle having the essential features as herein defined and described. 15 -13-