JP6970442B2 - Transport trolley coupling device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a connecting device for connecting a plurality of transport carts.

The connecting member for connecting a plurality of transport trolleys disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a connecting member for connecting a plurality of transport trolleys having a push rod insertion hole at a corner of a trolley body having a base mounted on a frame. It is composed of a plate and a plurality of projecting members projecting downward from the lower surface of the plate and inserted into the insertion hole, and a plurality of the projecting members are arranged adjacent to each other. An insertion hole for the push rod is projected downward from the plate between the projecting members (claim 1).

Japanese Patent No. 5255362

In the above-mentioned prior art, the connecting member projects a plurality of projecting members downward from the plate, and by inserting the plurality of projecting members into the insertion holes of the transport trolley, a plurality of transport trolleys can be easily installed. Although it can be connected, the insertion hole into which the protruding member is inserted is closed from above, so that the push rod cannot be inserted, and the plate to which the protruding member is attached is placed on the flat upper surface of the transport trolley. Since it exists as a protrusion, it will be caught in the loading / unloading of the article on the upper surface of the transport trolley.

An object of the present invention is to provide a connecting device for a transport trolley capable of solving such a problem of the prior art.
In the present invention, the two transport trolleys can be connected by inserting both fitting portions of the connecting metal fittings into the insertion holes of the adjacent corner members from below and fitting them to the support column fixing member. The purpose is to provide the device.

Specific means for solving the problem in the present invention are as follows.
First, an insertion hole 6 into which the lower end of the support column 5 can be inserted is formed in the corner member 4 at the corner of the rectangular underframe 3 in a plan view, and a support column fixing member 7 for stopping the lower end of the support column 5 at the lower portion. A transport trolley 1 is configured by inserting the above, and a plurality of the transport trolleys 1 are arranged to connect the adjacent corner members 4 with the connecting metal fittings 11.
The connecting metal fitting 11 has a rising portion 13 inserted from below into an insertion hole 6 at both ends of a metal fitting main body portion 12 that crosses below the two corner members 4 to be connected, and a strut fixing member 7 at the upper portion of the rising portion 13. It is characterized by having a fitting portion 14 to be fitted from above.

Second, the strut fixing member 7 is inserted from an outer corner portion outside the underframe 3 of each corner member 4 to an inner corner portion inside the underframe 3, and both fitting portions 14 of the connecting metal fitting 11 are inserted. It is characterized in that it has a space in the hole 6 to be fitted to the support column fixing member 7 at a position close to the outer corner portion from the center of the insertion hole 6.
Thirdly, each insertion hole 6 of the adjacent corner member 4 is formed with an escape groove 16 having a groove bottom away from the center of the insertion hole 6 from the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 6 and close to each other. The distance between the two rising portions 13 of the connecting metal fitting 11 is substantially equal to the distance between the two relief grooves 16, and the fitting portion 14 of the connecting metal fitting 11 can be inserted between the groove bottom of the relief groove 16 and the support column fixing member 7. It is characterized by being formed in.

Fourth, the connecting metal fitting 11 is characterized in that the rising portion 13 is formed of a strip plate, and the fitting portion 14 is formed by bending the end portion of the strip plate into a substantially U shape.
Fifth, in the connecting metal fitting 11, the metal fitting main body portion 12 is formed in the center of the round bar material, both ends of the metal fitting main body portion 12 are bent upward to form the rising portion 13, and the upper portion of the rising portion 13 is formed. It is characterized in that the fitting portion 14 is formed by bending into a substantially U shape.

According to the present invention, by inserting both fitting portions of the connecting metal fitting into the insertion hole of the adjacent corner member from below and fitting the fitting portion to the support column fixing member, the insertion hole is not blocked from above and the transport trolley is provided. Two transport carts can be connected without protruding to the upper surface.
That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the connecting metal fitting 11 has a rising portion 13 inserted from below into the insertion hole 6 at both ends of the metal fitting main body portion 12 that crosses below the two corner members 4 to be connected, and the rising portion 13 thereof. Since the upper portion of the portion 13 has a fitting portion 14 that fits into the support column fixing member 7 from above, the rising portion 13 and the fitting portion 14 are inserted from below the two adjacent corner members 4, and the insertion hole 6 is inserted. The metal fitting main body 12 does not protrude from the upper surface of the transport trolley 1, and the fitting portion 14 is fitted to the support column fixing member 7 from above to connect the two transport trolleys 1. be able to.

In the invention according to claim 2, the support column fixing member 7 is inserted from the outer corner portion of each corner member 4 to the inner corner portion, and both fitting portions 14 of the connecting metal fitting 11 are inserted from the center of the insertion hole 6 in the insertion hole 6. Since there is a space for being fitted to the support column fixing member 7 at a position close to the outer corner portion, it is possible to prevent the two connected transport trolleys 1 from separating from each other.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the clearance groove 16 is formed in each insertion hole 6 of the corner member 4, and the distance between the rising portions 13 of the connecting metal fitting 11 is substantially equal to the distance between the two relief grooves 16. The fitting portion 14 can be inserted between the bottom of the relief groove 16 and the strut stop member 7 to the upper side of the strut stop member 7, and the fitting portion 14 can be fitted to the strut stop member 7.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the connecting metal fitting 11, the rising portion 13 is formed of a strip plate, and the fitting portion 14 is formed by bending the end portion of the strip plate into a substantially U shape. 11 can be manufactured easily and inexpensively.
In the invention according to claim 5, in the connecting metal fitting 11, the metal fitting main body portion 12 is formed in the center of the round bar material, and both ends of the metal fitting main body portion 12 are bent upward to form the rising portion 13, and the rising portion 13 is formed. Since the fitting portion 14 is formed by bending the upper portion of the above into a substantially U-shape, the connecting metal fitting 11 can be manufactured easily and inexpensively.

It is a top view which shows the embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the main part. It is a front explanatory view of the main part. It is a perspective view of a connecting metal fitting. It is a four-view view of the connecting metal fitting, (A) is a plan view, (B) is a rear view, (C) is a bottom view, and (D) is a side view. It is a top view of the state which two transport trolleys are connected. It is a front view of the state which two transport trolleys are connected. It is a top view of the state which four transport trolleys are connected. It is a four-sided view showing a modification of the connecting metal fitting, (E) is a plan view, (F) is a front view, (G) is a bottom view, and (H) is a side view.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In FIGS. It has a total of 6 wheels 9 attached to both ends of each attachment body 27, and makes it possible to erect a support column 5 serving as a handle or a partition bar at four corners of the underframe 3.

The underframe 3 is formed by connecting two parallel vertical members 22 and two parallel horizontal members 23 with four corner members 4 to form a rectangular shape (rectangular shape) in a plan view. At least two vertical crosspieces 26 whose ends are connected to the horizontal crosspiece 23 are provided between the vertical members 22, and the top plate 30 is fixed to the upper surfaces of the vertical member 22, the horizontal member 23, and the vertical crosspiece 26.
On the lower surfaces of the vertical member 22, the horizontal member 23, and the vertical crosspiece 26, three parallel mounting bodies 27 are erected between the two horizontal members 23.

Since the transport trolley 1 has a rectangular shape that is long in the transport movement direction, a member that is long in the longitudinal direction is referred to as a vertical member, a member that is long in the longitudinal direction is referred to as a vertical member, a member that is orthogonal to the vertical member is defined as a lateral direction, and a member that is long in the lateral direction. It is called a horizontal member. However, in the underframe 3, the vertical and horizontal members may be reversed, the vertical member 22 may be referred to as a horizontal member, and the horizontal member 23 may be referred to as a vertical member.
In FIG. 7, the wheel 9 is a caster wheel, and the yoke 9b is rotatably supported around the vertical axis on the seat plate 9a having a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, and the tire 9c is rotatably supported around the horizontal axis on the yoke 9b. doing. As the wheel 9, a one-way rotating wheel without a vertical axis may be used.

Each mounting body 27 is formed of a pair of symmetrically shaped parallel mold members 27A, is fixed to the lower surface of the underframe 3, and receives the side edges of the seat plate 9a of the wheel 9 from below.
The top plate 30 has a notch 30a formed at a position corresponding to the six wheels 9, and when the transport trolleys 1 are stacked vertically, the six wheels 9 of the upper transport trolley 1 are on the lower side. It enters the six notches 30a of the transport trolley 1 and is placed on the mounting body 27.

In FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7, the vertical member 22, the horizontal member 23 and the vertical crosspiece 26 are formed in a square pipe shape with an aluminum alloy or the like, and the corner member 4 is also extruded with an aluminum alloy.
The corner member 4 is a tubular tubular portion 4A having a vertically penetrating insertion hole 6 formed therein, a pair of vertical connecting pieces 4B connected by sandwiching the vertical member 22, and a pair of horizontal connecting pieces connected by sandwiching the horizontal member 23. The 4C and the pair of parallel engaging ribs 4D are formed long over the upper and lower ends.

The tubular portion 4A of the corner member 4 forms an insertion hole 6 on the inner circumference into which the lower end of the support column 5 can be inserted, and has an escape groove 16 that communicates with the insertion hole 6 and has a groove bottom concentric with the insertion hole 6. It is formed at two facing locations, and a support support member 7 for stopping the lower end of the support column 5 is inserted in the lower portion.
Since the tubular portion 4A does not need to receive the support column 5 over the entire inner circumference of the insertion hole 6, a relief groove 16 is formed to reduce the material and weight, and the vertical connecting piece 4B and the horizontal connecting portion 4B are connected to the outer peripheral portion. The strength is improved by forming the piece 4C and the engaging rib 4D.

Although the support column fixing member 7 is formed of bolts, it may be a pin, a square bar, or the like, and extends from an outer corner portion outside the underframe 3 of each corner member 4 to an inner corner portion inside the underframe 3. The strut fixing members 7 of the adjacent corner members 4 are inserted and inclined by 45 degrees with respect to the vertical and horizontal directions, and the two are arranged in a right-angled V shape.
The strut fixing member 7 passes through the center of the insertion hole 6 in a plan view, the center in the longitudinal direction thereof is the farthest from the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 6, and the escape groove 16 of the insertion hole 6 faces the distant portion. Is formed, and the maximum space in the insertion hole 6 is formed between the groove bottom of the relief groove 16 and the support column fixing member 7.

The pair of engaging ribs 4D are located in the vicinity of the inner pieces of the vertical connecting piece 4B and the horizontal connecting piece 4C, that is, at the inner corner portion inside the underframe 3 of the corner member 4, and the protruding height thereof is low, so that the support columns are stopped. It is substantially equal to the height of the nut 36 screwed into the member 7.
The bolt-made strut fixing member 7 is screwed into the nut 36 which is prevented from rotating around the engaging rib 4D while being inserted into the through hole at the lower part of the tubular portion 4A. The strut stop member 7 may penetrate the lower part of the strut 5, but may be a member in which the lower end of the strut 5 is placed to prevent the strut stop member 7 from coming off downward.

A cushioning material 34 made of a cushioning material such as rubber or resin is attached to the outer surface 2 of the tubular portion 4A forming the outer peripheral surface of the underframe 3. When two transport carts 1 are connected side by side, the cushioning materials 34 of both come into contact with each other.
The two transport trolleys 1 are connected vertically and horizontally as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, two units are connected side by side, or a total of four units are connected vertically and horizontally as shown in FIG. Therefore, in any of the connections, the adjacent corner members 4 are connected to each other by one connecting metal fitting 11.

The connecting metal fitting 11 has a metal fitting main body portion 12 that crosses below the two corner members 4 to be connected, a rising portion 13 that rises upward from both ends of the metal fitting main body portion 12, and a hook shape at the upper portion of the rising portion 13. It has a fitting portion 14.
That is, the connecting metal fitting 11 is formed by cutting out an iron plate to form a strip-shaped plate and bending it, and bends at a right angle from the end portion of the metal fitting main body portion 12 to form a strip-shaped rising portion 13, and the fitting portion 14 Is bent in a substantially U-shape at the end of the strip of the rising portion 13, and the lower portion of the fitting portion 14 forms a surface parallel to the upper portion of the rising portion 13.

The upper portion of the fitting portion 14 has an arc shape, and is substantially fitted and fitted to the support column fixing member 7 without creating a large gap. The outer shape of the fitting portion 14 is sized so that it can be inserted into the space having the maximum width between the bottom of the relief groove 16 and the support column fixing member 7 in the insertion hole 6 of the corner member 4 described above.
Further, the distance between the two rising portions 13 of the connecting metal fitting 11 is substantially equal to the distance between the relief grooves 16 of the both corner members 4, and the distance between the two fitting portions 14 is the distance between the relief grooves 16 of the both corner members 4 and the support column fixing member 7. The two fitting portions 14 can be inserted up and down when corresponding to the maximum width space, which is substantially equal to the space between them and is shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG.

However, if the inner diameter of the insertion hole 6 of the corner member 4 is increased, or if the strut fixing member 7 is made thinner and the fitting portion 14 is made smaller, the inner circumference of the insertion hole 6 is not required to form the relief groove 16. It is possible to insert the fitting portion 14 up and down in the space between the surface and the support column fixing member 7.
The height of the connecting metal fitting 11 from the upper surface of the metal fitting body 12 to the lower end of the fitting portion 14 is slightly higher than the height from the lower end of the corner member 4 to the upper surface of the strut fixing member 7. With the upper surface of the portion 12 in contact with the lower end of the corner member 4, the lower end of the fitting portion 14 can move horizontally on the upper surface of the support column fixing member 7.

The both fitting portions 14 are inserted to a position above the support column fixing member 7 shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3 corresponding to the space as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, and are inserted outward of the underframe 3. When the two strut fixing members 7 are horizontally moved, the two strut fixing members 7 are arranged in a V shape. (Indicated by a solid line in FIGS. 1 to 3).

The distance between the fitting portions 14 in the connecting metal fitting 11 is the distance between the insertion spaces in the insertion holes 6, and at the same time, the support member 7 is located in the insertion hole 6 at a position close to the outer corner from the center of the insertion hole 6. It is also an interval that can be fitted.
In the connecting operation by the connecting metal fitting 11, the two transport trolleys 1 are arranged vertically or side by side to form a state in which the two corner members 4 are adjacent to each other with the mating surface of the transport trolley 1 interposed therebetween. The member 4 is connected by the connecting metal fitting 11.

The metal fitting main body 12 of the connecting metal fitting 11 is arranged so as to cross below the two corner members 4 to be connected, the rising portions 13 on both sides of the metal fitting main body 12 are inserted into the insertion hole 6 from below, and the fitting portion 14 is inserted. It passes between the insertion hole 6 and the support column fixing member 7 and is lifted to the upper part of the support column fixing member 7. The metal fitting main body portion 12 is horizontally moved so that the rising portion 13 abuts on the support column fixing member 7. When the rising portion 13 comes into contact with the strut fixing member 7, the fitting portion 14 moves directly above the strut fixing member 7. Therefore, if the fitting portion 14 is lowered as it is, it will be fitted to the strut fixing member 7.

When disconnecting the two transport trolleys 1, put a hand under the two corner members 4, lift the metal fitting main body 12 of the connecting metal fitting 11, and contact the lower end of the corner member 4 to fit. The portion 14 rises above the support column fixing member 7, and in that state, the connecting metal fitting 11 is horizontally moved until the rising portion 13 abuts on the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 6 or the groove bottom of the escape groove 16. When the connecting metal fitting 11 is horizontally moved, the fitting portion 14 faces the space between the insertion hole 6 and the support column fixing member 7, and the fitting portion 14 can be lowered.

In the connecting metal fitting 11, when both fitting portions 14 are fitted to both strut fixing members 7 to connect the two transport carts 1 and the two transport carts 1 receive a force in a direction away from each other, the two strut Since the stop member 7 is arranged in a V shape, a force is generated for the fitting portion 14 to approach the outer corner portion of the corner member 4, which acts to strengthen the connection.
When two transport trolleys 1 are connected by the connecting metal fitting 11 and one transport trolley 1 passes through a groove, a step, or the like, a relative vertical movement occurs in the adjacent corner member 4, and one of the support support members 7 May detach downward from the fitting portion 14. However, since it is extremely rare for the corner member 4 to move horizontally in the state of being moved downward, the support member 7 and the fitting portion 14 are prevented from being separated in the horizontal direction, and the connecting metal fitting 11 is unintentionally released from the connection. Can be prevented.

When two transport carts 1 are connected by the connecting metal fitting 11, the lower part of the support column 5 is not inserted and arranged in the insertion hole 6 of the corner member 4, but the support column 5 can be inserted, and the support column 5 is formed by a pipe. Then, the support column 5 is placed on the support column fixing member 7 on the outside of the fitting portion 14.
FIG. 9 shows a modified example of the connecting metal fitting 11, in which the connecting metal fitting 11 is formed of a round bar material, a metal fitting main body portion 12 is formed in the center of the round bar material, and both ends of the metal fitting main body portion 12 are formed. The rising portion 13 is formed by bending upward, and the upper portion of the rising portion 13 is bent into a substantially U shape to form the fitting portion 14.

Since both ends of the fitting portion 14 of the connecting metal fitting 11 of the modified example are round in a plan view, it is easy to pass between the insertion hole 6 and the support column fixing member 7.
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the shape, configuration, combination, and the like of the members can be changed.
For example, a strut fixing member 7 is inserted under the corner member 4 so as to be parallel to the mating surface of the two corner members 4 to be connected, and both fitting portions 14 of the connecting metal fitting 11 are formed in parallel. After inserting the space between the insertion hole 6 and the support column fixing member 7 through both fitting portions 14, the connecting metal fitting 11 is moved in the direction orthogonal to the mating surface of the corner member 4, and both fitting portions 14 are moved. It may be configured to fit into the strut stop member 7.

The connecting metal fitting 11 is made of metal, but it can also be made of reinforced plastic.

1 Transport trolley 3 Underframe 4 Corner member 4A Cylindrical part 4B Vertical connection piece 4C Horizontal connection piece 4D Engagement rib 5 Support 6 Insertion hole 7 Support support member 9 Wheel 11 Connection metal fitting 12 Metal fitting body 13 Standing part 14 Fitting part 16 Escape groove

Claims (5)

An insertion hole (6) into which the lower end of the support column (5) can be inserted is formed in the corner member (4) at the corner of the rectangular underframe (3) in a plan view, and the lower end of the support column (5) is stopped at the lower end. A transport trolley (1) is formed by inserting a support support member (7) for the purpose, and a plurality of the transport trolleys (1) are arranged to connect adjacent corner members (4) with a connecting metal fitting (11). It ’s a dolly connecting device,
The connecting metal fitting (11) includes a rising portion (13) inserted from below into an insertion hole (6) at both ends of a metal fitting main body portion (12) that crosses below the two corner members (4) to be connected. A connecting device for a transport trolley, characterized in that it has a fitting portion (14) that is fitted from above to a support column fixing member (7) at an upper portion of a rising portion (13). The strut fixing member (7) is inserted from an outer corner portion on the outer side of the underframe (3) of each corner member (4) to an inner corner portion on the inner side of the underframe (3), and both of the connecting metal fittings (11). 1. The connecting device for the carrier described in. Each insertion hole (6) of the adjacent corner member (4) has an escape groove (16) having a groove bottom away from the center of the insertion hole (6) from the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole (6) and close to each other. ) Is formed, the distance between the two rising portions (13) of the connecting metal fitting (11) is substantially equal to the distance between the two relief grooves (16), and the fitting portion (14) of the connecting metal fitting (11) is a relief. The connecting device for a carrier according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the groove bottom of the groove (16) and the support column fixing member (7) are formed so as to be insertable. The connecting metal fitting (11) is characterized in that the rising portion (13) is formed of a strip plate, and the fitting portion (14) is formed by bending the end portion of the strip plate into a substantially U shape. The connecting device for a carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3. In the connecting metal fitting (11), a metal fitting main body portion (12) is formed in the center of a round bar material, and both ends of the metal fitting main body portion (12) are bent upward to form a rising portion (13), and the rising portion is formed. The connecting device for a carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the upper portion of (13) is bent into a substantially U-shape to form a fitting portion (14).

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