DE29620358U1 - Transport vehicle, in particular trucks or trailers, with a loading area and with at least one ramp - Google Patents

Description

Description:

Transport vehicle , in particular truck or trailer, with a loading area and at least one loading ramp

The present invention relates to a transport vehicle, in particular a truck or trailer, with a loading area and with at least one loading ramp, wherein the loading ramp can be pivoted about a horizontal axis between a rest position in which the transport vehicle can be moved and an operational position in which a drivable connection is formed between the ground surface and the loading area.

Transport vehicles of the type mentioned are widely used and are therefore well known. A common design of a relevant transport vehicle is characterized by two separate ramps, which are hinged to the left and right at the rear end of the loading area. When the transport vehicle is to be moved, the ramps are in an almost vertical position, in which they are locked by suitable means relative to the rest of the transport vehicle. If the transport vehicle is to be loaded or unloaded and this loading or unloading is to take place via the ramp, the locking mechanism of the ramps must be released and then the two ramps must be swiveled downwards until the free end of the ramps rests on the ground. The disadvantage of this design of the transport vehicle is that

It is particularly important that the ramps are
of the transport vehicle and thus cause considerable driving resistance due to air friction.

A second, widely known design of a transport vehicle is characterized by the fact that two loading ramps are carried as loose parts in or on the vehicle. During the transport vehicle's movement, the loading ramps are placed in suitable holders on the side or bottom of the vehicle; when the loading ramps
They must be moved manually into their operating position. Especially with large
Transport vehicles also have the corresponding loading ramps
a large weight, which makes handling difficult and poses a risk of accidents for the operating personnel
elevated.

The task therefore arises to develop a transport vehicle
of the type mentioned above, in which the disadvantages listed above are avoided and in which, in particular, the ramp or ramps do not appear to be disturbing in any way when not in use in the rest position and in which, at the same time, the
When required, loading ramps can be moved into their operational position with little effort and safely.

This problem is solved according to the invention by
a transport vehicle of the type mentioned above, which is characterized by

- that the ramp has the spatial shape of a wedge,

- that the loading area has a loading area end area that slopes downwards in accordance with the wedge shape of the loading ramp
is trained,

- that the loading area end area and the loading ramp in their rest position form a flat,
add to the area flush with the rest of the loading area

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- that the loading ramp in its operating position forms a surface that is flush with the sloping downwards end area of the loading area, with the pivot axis running along the outer lower end of the loading area end area.

In the transport vehicle according to the invention, the loading ramp advantageously forms an integral part of the loading area in its rest position, so that no additional air resistance has to be overcome during travel. To transfer the loading ramp into its operational position, it only has to be pivoted about its pivot axis until it rests on the ground surface. One half of the connection from the ground surface to the loading area and vice versa is formed by the diagonally downward loading area end area, so that only a small length behind the transport vehicle is required to pivot the loading ramp into its operational position. This means that the transport vehicle can also be used in confined spaces, and the dimensions and mass of the ramp remain small.

Preferably, the ramp has the shape of a right-angled triangle when viewed from the side, with the right angle of the triangle being at the top when the ramp is in the resting position. This shape makes the construction and thus the manufacture of the ramp simple and cost-effective, since no complicated geometric shapes need to be manufactured.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the pivot axis runs at a height below the level of the loading area, which corresponds to half the height of the loading area above the ground surface, and that in the rest position and in the operating position of the loading ramp, the pivot axis is essentially

The vertically running narrow side of the loading ramp has a height that is also half the height of the loading area above the ground. This design of the transport vehicle offers the particular advantage that the surface of the loading ramp, which is at the top in its rest position, lies completely on the ground surface when the loading ramp is in use. This means that the loading ramp is also insensitive to heavy loads when loading and unloading the transport vehicle.

It is also planned that the loading ramp extends over the entire width of the loading area. In this way, the construction of the loading ramp and thus of the transport vehicle as a whole is relatively simple.

An alternative design of the transport vehicle provides that the loading ramp only extends over a part of the width of the loading area.

A further design of the transport vehicle is characterized in that the loading ramp is divided into two or more separately pivotable partial loading ramps arranged next to one another. This has the particular advantage that adaptation to different loading and unloading requirements is easily possible.

In order to facilitate the operation of the transport vehicle, in particular the pivoting of the loading ramp or ramps, it is provided that the loading ramp is weight-relieved by means of at least one spring arrangement, which is preferably a gas pressure spring arrangement. In this way, it is advantageously achieved that a single operator can pivot each loading ramp between its rest position and operating position without any special effort.

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·- St r

To increase the safety of the transport vehicle both during movement and during loading and unloading, the loading ramp can be releasably locked in its rest position and/or in its operating position relative to the rest of the transport vehicle. Known locking devices that are familiar to the expert can be used for the releasable locking.

A further development of the transport vehicle according to the invention is characterized in that a side wall, if present on the transport vehicle, is designed in the form of one or two pivoting wing doors on the ramp-side edge of the loading area. In this way, pivoting of the loading ramp or ramps is possible without being hindered by the side wall, since the side wall can be pivoted away from the movement area of the loading ramp during pivoting of the loading ramp. In this way, the transport vehicle can also be used for transporting bulk goods when the loading ramp is in the rest position and the wing doors are closed, which increases the possible uses of the transport vehicle according to the invention.

In order to be able to load and unload the transport vehicle safely using the loading ramp, even with heavy loads, it is finally suggested that pivoting or extendable parking supports are installed under the end of the loading area. Such parking supports are particularly useful when the transport vehicle is designed as a trailer with a single or tandem axle roughly in the middle of the vehicle. When designed as a trailer, there is of course also at least one support in the area of the drawbar.

An embodiment of the invention is explained below using a drawing. The figures of the drawing show:

Figure 1 shows a transport vehicle, designed as a trailer, in a perspective view, with the loading ramp in the operating position, and

Figure 2 shows the rear end area of the transport vehicle from Figure 1 in a side view in an enlarged representation, with the loading ramp in the rest position .

As shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, the transport vehicle 1 shown here is designed as a trailer with a tandem axle. For the purpose of accommodating loads to be transported, the vehicle 1 has a loading area 10 which is rectangular in plan view and is surrounded by side walls 12. A chassis with wheels 13 is mounted under the loading area 10; a drawbar 14 extends to the front, i.e. to the left in the drawing, with which the transport vehicle 1 can be coupled to a towing vehicle. On the drawbar 14 there is a drawbar support 15, which enables the transport vehicle 1 to be supported when it is not coupled to a towing vehicle, in order to maintain an essentially horizontal position of the loading area 10.

As Figure 1 further shows, the rear, i.e. right end area 11 of the loading area 10 is designed to run diagonally downwards. In the extension of this loading area end area 11 running diagonally backwards and downwards there is a loading ramp 2 in the operational position of the transport vehicle 1 according to Figure 1. The loading ramp 2 can be pivoted about a horizontal pivot axis 24 which runs along the rear edge of the loading area end area 11.

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As the drawing further shows, the loading ramp 2 has the spatial shape of a wedge, whereby in the operating position of the loading ramp 2 shown in Figure 1, one of its flat sides, here the lower surface 22, rests on the surface of the earth. The surface 21 of the loading ramp 2 pointing upwards here is flush with the loading area end area 11 and together with it forms a drivable connection from the surface of the earth to the loading area 10.

For the purpose of additional positional security of the transport vehicle 1, parking supports 16 mounted below the end area of the loading area 11 can be folded out or extended if required, which then rest with their lower end on the ground surface like the drawbar support 15.

The side walls 12 mentioned above, which surround the loading area 10, are designed as wing doors 12' in the rear area of the transport vehicle 1, i.e. in the area of the loading ramp 2, in order to be able to remove them, if necessary, from the movement area of the loading ramp 2 and of the loads and/or loading vehicles possibly moved over them.

Since the edge pointing to the rear, i.e. to the right in the drawing, is subjected to particularly high loads when driving on the loading ramp 2, this is provided with a reinforcement 26, preferably made of a steel profile. In addition, the surface 21 of the loading ramp 2 pointing upwards in the position shown in use can be designed with a friction-increasing structure in order to enable driving on even in wet conditions without the drive wheels of a loading vehicle driving on the loading ramp 2 slipping.

The swivel axis 24 of the loading ramp 2 was already mentioned above. When the loading ramp 2 is no longer needed for loading or unloading the transport vehicle 1, it can be brought into a rest position by swiveling it upwards and forwards around its swivel axis 24. In this rest position of the loading ramp 2, its surface 21, which is still pointing upwards in Figure 1, rests on the loading area end area 11 which runs diagonally downwards. The surface 22 of the loading ramp 2, which is still pointing downwards in Figure 1, then points upwards in the rest position and is flush with the loading area 10. In this way, the transport vehicle 1 has a flat and uninterrupted loading area over its entire length.

Figure 2 shows the state of the loading ramp 2 in its rest position in an enlarged view, whereby only the rear end area of the transport vehicle 1 is shown. On the left edge of Figure 2, a part of the flat area of the loading area 10 can still be seen, to which the loading area end area 11, which runs diagonally downwards, is connected to on the right. Below this loading area end area 11, one of the parking supports 16 can be seen in its unfolded position, in which it rests with its lower end on the ground surface 3.

The loading ramp 2 is shown in Figure 2 in its rest position, in which it is pivoted onto the loading area end area 11, which runs diagonally downwards. The pivoting range of the loading ramp 2 is shown by the pivot arrow 29. In the rest position of the loading ramp 2 shown, its surface 21 rests on the loading area end area 11; the surface 22 of the loading ramp 2 is flush with the flat area of the loading area 10.

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In addition, a gas pressure spring 25 is shown in Figure 2, which serves to relieve the weight of the loading ramp 2 when it is pivoted about the pivot axis 24.

Dotted lines show several intermediate positions of the ramp 2 during its pivoting around the pivot axis 24, as well as its operational position, in which it rests with its surface 22 on the earth's surface 3. The respective state of the gas pressure spring 25 can also be seen from the dotted representations. It is clear here that the gas pressure spring 25 initially supports the lifting of the ramp 2 from its rest position; after exceeding a certain pivoting range, in which the gas pressure spring's longitudinal axis pivots over the pivot axis 24, the gas pressure spring 24 brakes the ramp 2 as it moves downwards, so that the weight of the ramp 2 is at least largely balanced by the gas pressure spring 25. This means that the ramp 2 can be pivoted by a single operator without applying particularly large actuating forces.

In the embodiment shown, the horizontal length of the loading ramp 2 is approximately 20% of the total horizontal length of the loading area 10 including the loading area end area 11, so that the presence of the loading ramp 2 on the transport vehicle 1 does not result in any significant loss of loading area length. In addition, when the loading ramp 2 is in the rest position, the entire loading area length is again available without restriction.

Claims (10)

• · · ■· 1 &Lgr; Protection claims: 1. Transport vehicle (1), in particular a truck or trailer, with a loading area (10) and with at least one loading ramp (2), the loading ramp (2) being pivotable about a horizontal axis (24) between a rest position in which a movement of the transport vehicle (1) is possible and an operating position in which a drivable connection between the earth's surface (3) and the loading area (10) is formed, characterized, - that the ramp (2) has the spatial shape of a wedge, - that the loading area (10) is designed with a loading area end area (11) that runs diagonally downwards in accordance with the wedge shape of the loading ramp (2), - that the loading area end area (11) and the loading ramp (2) in their rest position form a flat surface that is flush with the rest of the loading area (10) and - that the loading ramp (2) in its operating position forms a surface aligned with the loading area end area (11) which runs diagonally downwards, the pivot axis (24) running along the outer lower end of the loading area end area (11). 2. Transport vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the loading ramp (2) has the shape of a right-angled triangle in side view, wherein In the resting position of the access ramp (2) the right angle of the triangle is at the top. 3. Transport vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pivot axis (24) runs at a height below the level of the loading area (10) which corresponds to half the height of the loading area (10) above the ground surface (3), and that the ramp narrow side (23) which runs essentially vertically in the rest position and in the operating position of the loading ramp (2) has a height which also corresponds to half the height of the loading area (10) above the ground surface (3). 4. Transport vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the loading ramp (2) extends over the entire width of the loading area (10) . 5. Transport vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the loading ramp 2) extends only over a part of the width of the loading area (10). 6. Transport vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the loading ramp (2) is divided into two or more separately pivotable partial loading ramps (20) arranged next to one another. 7. Transport vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the loading ramp (2) is weight-relieved by means of at least one spring arrangement (25), preferably a gas pressure spring arrangement. 8. Transport vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the loading ramp (2) can be releasably locked in its rest position and/or in its operating position relative to the rest of the transport vehicle (1). 9. Transport vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a side wall (12) optionally present on the transport vehicle (1) is designed on the ramp-side edge of the loading area (10, 11) in the form of one or two pivoting wing doors {12'). 10. Transport vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that pivotable or extendable parking supports (16) are mounted under the loading area end area (11).