EP1460027B1

EP1460027B1 - Multifunctional trolley with high mobility

Info

Publication number: EP1460027B1
Application number: EP03425176A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Antonio Postal; Ivano Antolini
Original assignee: Azienda Gestione Edifici Comunali
Current assignee: Azienda Gestione Edifici Comunali
Priority date: 2003-03-19
Filing date: 2003-03-19
Publication date: 2008-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 2023-03-19
Also published as: ATE385994T1; DE60319062T2; EP1460027A1; DE60319062D1

Abstract

A multipurpose highly mobile trolley (10) comprising a flat-bed (12) equipped with a driving position (12a) and appropriate means of movement of the trolley; it also comprises a first device (13) for raising-lowering of the load (11) and presenting a platform (20) equipped with devices (21, 22) for movement of the load in two directions substantially at right angles to the vertical movement direction of the platform (20). <IMAGE>

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention concerns a device forming a multipurpose highly mobile trolley.
More specifically, this invention refers to a device forming a multipurpose trolley equipped with mechanisms designed to move loads, with a structure such that it can be used for the movement of objects within tight spaces such as for example the movement of crates inside storage warehouses, in particular in closed premises.
This invention can be mainly applied in the mechanical industry with reference to the construction of machines for the movement of loads in general.

BACKGROUND ART

It is known that a fork-lift truck is equipped with a support frame for a lifting device usually consisting of forks or platforms, sliding on respective guides, which can be moved by a mechanism that can be activated by any appropriate source of motion.
The frame presents fixed wheels and/or casters so that the lifting device and its load can be moved easily, while the mechanism that moves the forks comprises a force reducer in order to exert minimal motive action and achieve the lifting of even very heavy loads.
The base of the frame is usually fairly wide so as to contain the projection of the centre of gravity of the load being carried in order to prevent the risk of the load overturning and to distribute the weight uniformly, making the lifting device well balanced.
One disadvantage is represented by the fact that the forks or the platform translate in a single direction, requiring an adaptation to the lifting device that must be continuously positioned in a location appropriate for the pick-up or the off-loading of the transported load.
Since the lifting device often has to be used in warehouses or storage areas in which space optimisation is a primary constraint, its movements are often limited thus increasing the time taken to transfer the loads
Another disadvantage is represented by the fact that a lifting device is not designed according to the configuration of the warehouse and in particular of the rows of shelving in between which it has to operate, meaning that it has to perform numerous manuevers which also require an expert operator.
Document EP-A-986997 describes a trolley movable on wheels having a platform mounted on the supporting frame the trolley and which can selectively be raised or lowered along a vertical direction.
Said platform is constituted by two superimposed plates. The upper plate can be displaced longitudinally so as to increase the length of the platform and to allow the movement of a wheelchair placed on the platform. However, the load (wheelchair) cannot be displaced by the device itself, i.e. the device has no means for automatically displacing the load in a longitudinal direction.
Moreover, the platform of the trolley may be displaced transversally only for the purpose of aligning the platform 12 to the access site of the wheelchair and does not comprise any displacing means capable of transferring a load from the platform to, e.g. a rack placed aside of the platform or vice versa.
Document DE-A-10154415 also describes a trolley movable on wheels having a platform mounted on the supporting frame the trolley and which can selectively be raised or lowered along a vertical direction.
The trolley according to DE-A-10154415 has an intermediate platform carrying a ball articulation upon which a structure including two separate adjacent platforms is placed. The movement of the structure takes place through the action of two separate hydraulic cylinders which allow the structure to be moved about the pivot constituted by the ball joint. However, a transversal horizontal movement is not possibly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to provide a multipurpose highly mobile trolley which is able to eliminate or significantly resolve the disadvantages described above.
The present invention also aims to provide a trolley that can be used in any storage area fitted with parallel rows of shelving and with the shelves at different heights from the ground.
This is achieved by means of a device forming a multipurpose highly mobile trolley with the features described in the main claim.
The dependent claims describe advantageous embodiments of the invention.
The multipurpose highly mobile trolley according to the invention comprises a flat-bed, equipped with a driving position and appropriate means of translation, a first raising-lowering device presenting a platform equipped with two devices for movement in directions substantially at right angles to the direction of vertical movement of the platform.
According to the invention, the movement devices consist of a second device for movement in a longitudinal direction with respect to the platform and a third device for movement in a transverse direction again with respect to the platform.
The second movement device advantageously consists of power-driven belts designed to accept the load and to move it in the required direction.
The third movement device advantageously consists of power-driven bars which slide to the right or the left in specific guides integral with the platform.
According to a form of embodiment of the invention, the first raising-lowering device consists of a reticular frame comprising connecting rods activated by linear actuators connected to a oil-hydraulic circuit integral with the flat-bed.
The trolley is advantageously self-propelled, being equipped with a system for the temporary clamping of the wheels which can be activated during loading, raising, unloading and lowering to ensure evident conditions of safety thanks to the stability achieved.
According to an advantageous form of embodiment of the invention, the temporary clamping system comprises stabilisers consisting of linear actuators controlled by specific solenoid valves connected to the oil-hydraulic circuit on the flat-bed.
According to another form of embodiment the trolley is equipped with a source of electrical energy, consisting of a battery, designed to move the trolley and to activate the raising-lowering, loading and unloading devices.
The wheels of the flat-bed can be casters, with electrohydraulic activation in order to allow not only maneuvering simplicity and negligible physical effort but also the possibility of causing the lifting device to move in a transverse direction with respect to the normal direction of travel.
The trolley can easily be moved and positioned close to the object to be lifted: positioning this object near a longitudinal edge of the platform, the power-driven belts pull the load to a central position on the platform, above the sliding bars.
The trolley then moves to the position in which the load must be deposited; at this point the temporary clamping system is activated and the platform is raised to the height of the shelf on which the object being transported must be placed.
The unloading device then intervenes; by means of the sliding bars, it moves the load transversally to the right or the left over the shelf and deposits the load on it.
When the above-mentioned operations have been completed, the multipurpose trolley is ready to transport the next load.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the invention will become evident on reading the following description of one embodiment of the invention, given as a non-binding example, with the help of the enclosed drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows an elevated side view of a multipurpose trolley according to the invention;
figure 2 shows a plan view of figure 1;
figure 3 shows a side view of a trolley as it is lifting the load; and
figure 4 is an elevated front view, on a reduced scale, of a trolley in a warehouse setting.

DESCRIPTION OF A FORM OF EMBODIMENT

In the figures, the reference number 10 indicates in general a device forming a highly mobile trolley designed to move an object or load 11 within the setting of the location of this load in appropriate storage premises.
With reference first of all to figure 1, it can be noted that the trolley 10 comprises a flat-bed 12 equipped with a driving position 12a and designed to support a first raising-lowering device 13.
The flat-bed 12 is fitted with wheels 14 advantageously revolving and mobile, guided by the operator, by means of an electrohydraulic drive 15.
The flat-bed 12 comprises a base on which the first raising-lowering device 13 is hinged, together with an upright plate 16 designed to support the driving position 12a and an electrohydraulic pump 17, receiving energy from appropriate storage batteries (not shown in the drawings), as sources of energy for the entire lifting device 10.
The flat-bed 12 consists of metal sections which can be reinforced by ribbing in the parts most subject to mechanical stress.
The first raising-lowering device 13 comprises a reticular frame consisting of connecting rods 18 hinged to each other and kinematically connected to linear actuators 19.
These actuators can be hydraulically controlled and connected to a circuit positioned on the flat-bed 12.
The connecting rods 18 are designed to support a platform 20 on which the load 11 is positioned.
As can be seen in figure 2, the platform 20 comprises a second movement device 21 and a third movement device 22.
The second movement device 21 consists of a power-driven unit 23, positioned close to a longitudinal edge of the platform 20, comprising an electric motor 24 with a shaft 25 which supports driving pulleys 26 designed to drive belts 27 exposed on the surface of the platform 20.
The belts 27 extend longitudinally along a good part of the length of the platform 20 and are supported by idle disks 28 uniformly positioned on the surface of the platform 20.
The third movement device 22 comprises an electric motor 29 and a reduction gear 30 with a shaft 31 which, by means of any appropriate mechanism, for example a toothed wheel and rack pair, is designed to move cross-bars 32 which slide inside the respective guides 33 in which they are housed.
The third movement device 22 is equipped with mechanisms designed to move it to a concealed position below the surface of the platform 20.
The electric motor 29 ensures rotation of the shaft 31 in both directions to allow the bars 32 to protrude from either side of the platform 20.
The multipurpose trolley 10 can comprise a temporary clamping system (not shown in the drawings) which can consist of vertical-axis linear actuator stabilisers with rods which, when extended, come into contact with the ground and increase the stability of the trolley.
During the transport of objects 11, the trolley 10 presents the first raising-lowering device 13 in the rest position, with the reticular structure consisting of connecting rods 18 folded over the flat-bed 12.
In these conditions, the surface of the platform 20 presents the belts 27 of the second movement device 21 projecting for the infeed of the load 11 in the direction indicated by the arrow A in figure 1 from a loading position to a central position in which the load 11 is actively supported on the platform 20, while the bars 32 of the third movement device 22 are in the withdrawn position.
Once the load is positioned on the platform 20, the trolley 10 is moved, for example to a predetermined position for the off-loading of the object 11.
With reference to figures 3 and 4, when the trolley 10 reaches the position envisaged for the off-loading of the object 11, the first raising-lowering device 13 is activated. Thanks to the exit of the rods of the linear actuators 19, the connecting rods 18 are spread apart, leading to the raising of the platform 20.
At the same time, the third unloading device 22 is raised above the surface of the platform 20 so that the bars 32 raise the object 11 ready for off-loading from the trolley 10.
As can be seen in figure 4, with the trolley 10 temporarily blocked in position close to a row of shelving 34, the platform 20 is raised until it is adjacent to the shelves 35 in the row of shelving 34.
In this position of the multipurpose trolley 10, third movement device 22 is activated and, by the sliding of the bars 32 in the guides 33, deposits the load 11 on one of the shelves 35.
The possibility of moving the load 11 in three directions, together with the maneuverability of the flat-bed equipped with steering casters, permits a highly versatile use of the trolley 10 allowing the exploitation of storage areas in terms of space saving between adjacent rows of shelving 34.
The invention is described above with reference to a preferred embodiment, which refers specifically to the movement and storage of coffins inside a closed cemetery type structure.
It is nevertheless clear that the invention is susceptible to numerous variations, within the framework of technical equivalents, and can easily be used for the movement and storage of loads of any kind, in particular in industrial type structures in which it is necessary or advisable to economise in terms of space between adjacent rows of shelving. It is also clear that the semi-automatic device described and illustrated above can easily be integrated with devices designed to allow completely automated movement without manual intervention. On the other hand, simplified and completely manual embodiments are also envisaged.

Claims

A trolley (10) comprising a flat-bed or frame (12) equipped with a driving position (12a) and appropriate means of movement such as wheels (14), further comprising a platform (20) placed over said flat-bed (12) and a first device (13) for raising and lowering a load (11)placed upon said platform (20), said first device (13) acting along a vertical (Y) direction, characterised in that said platform (20) comprises a second device (21) capable of displacing said load (11) along a horizontal direction (X) that is parallel to the advancing direction of said trolley (10) thereby transferring said load (11) from said platform (20) to another location, and in that it further comprises a third device (22) capable of displacing said load (11) along a horizontal direction (Z) that is perpendicular to the advancing direction of said trolley (10) thereby transferring said load (11) from said platform (20) to another location or vice versa.
A trolley (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that said second device (21) consists of power-driven belts (27) upon which said load (11) is placed.
A trolley (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said third device (22) consists of rack bars (32) sliding in appropriate guides (33) integral with the platform (20) and operated by an electric motor.
A trolley (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said first device (13) consists of a reticular frame comprising connecting rods (18) which can be activated by linear actuators (19) connected to an oil-hydraulic circuit integral with the flat-bed (12).
A trolley (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises an electromagnetic positive safety system for the temporary clamping of the wheels (14), which is not enabled during movement of the trolley.
A trolley (10) according to claim 5, characterised in that it comprises stabilisers consisting of linear actuators controlled by solenoid valves connected to the oil-hydraulic circuit on the platform (12), in order to increase the stability of the trolley during the loading and unloading operations.
A trolley (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a source of electric energy, consisting of a storage battery, designed to move the trolley and to operate the load movement devices (13, 21, 22), as well as to power the oil-hydraulic systems.
A trolley (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the wheels (14) are the revolving type and can be activated electro-hydraulically.
A trolley (10) according to any one of claims 3 to 8, characterised in that said guides (33) are located in a concealed position beneath the load-supporting surface of said power-driven belts (27), and in that said said third device (22) is equipped with mechanisms designed to move upwards said rack bars (32) in order to raise said load (11) and then to displace it along said horizontal direction (Z) that is perpendicular to the advancing direction of said trolley (10).