NL1013100C2 - Article transport / storage facility and article that is transported with the facility. - Google Patents

Description

Article transport / storage facility and article that is transported with the facility.

The present invention relates to an article transport / storage device for transporting or storing industrial products such as electrical appliances, parts thereof, construction materials, furniture or other types of articles, as well as to the articles transported by this apparatus.

As this type of article transport / storage device, often a device comprises a pallet on which an article can be placed, four carriers with! 10, four corners of the pallet are connected, in a vertically upright position with respect to an article loading surface thereof and coupling members for coupling and securing adjacent carriers to each other. To transport an article with this type of article transport / storage device, the article is accommodated in a space surrounded by the four carriers and placed on the pallet, and the article is transported together with the article transport / storage device. When storing an article housed in an article transport / storage device in a warehouse or the like, a variety of article transport / storage devices can be stacked on top of each other in order to use a space in the warehouse efficiently.

The size of the article to be transported and stored with this type of article transport and storage device varies from large to small, but the conventional types of article transport / storage devices have a fixed spatial capacity for accommodating an article. Therefore, a fixed-size article can be transported and stored with an article transport / storage device with a size suitable for the size of that article, however, an article that is larger in size than that cannot be transported in the article transport / storage device. neither moved nor stored. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to transport or store an article that is much smaller than what can be accommodated in the article transport / storage device, the transport efficiency is quite low and a space in a warehouse is used inefficiently, which is not desirable.

An object of the present invention is to provide an article transport / storage device with which articles can be transported or stored efficiently and also to provide an article that can be transported efficiently with this article transport / storage device.

The article transport / storage device according to the present invention comprises a pallet on which the article to be transported or stored is placed, for example four carriers which are detachably connected to a surface of the pallet on which the article is placed (article loading surface). These carriers are almost vertical to the item loading surface of the pallet. A coupling unit couples all adjacent carriers together so that the space (distance) between each pair of adjacent carriers can be adjusted. When transporting or storing an item, a pallet with a suitable size with respect to the size of the item is selected, the space between the carriers being set in accordance with the size of the pallet. The carriers are then secured to the pallet and the article to be transported or stored is placed on the article loading surface of the pallet. An article of a different size can thus be transported or stored by means of the article transport / storage device with a dimension suitable for that article.

The coupling unit comprises two connections (first and second) and two coupling members (first and second). When the carriers are connected to the pallet, the two coupling members cross each other, one end of the first coupling member being rotatably connected to the first connection of a carrier (first) of the two adjacent carriers and the other end being rotatably connected to the second connection of the other carrier (second) of the two adjacent carriers and one end of the second coupling member is rotatably connected to the second connection of the first carrier of the two adjacent carriers and the other end is rotatably connected to the first connection of the second carrier of the two adjacent carriers. As a result, the space between the carriers can easily be adjusted by pulling the carriers apart or by moving those carriers towards each other.

The coupling unit can comprise three connections (first, second and third) and two coupling members (first and second). When the carriers are connected to the pallet, the two coupling members cross each other, the connections from the top to the bottom of the carrier are arranged in order as first, third and second. One end of the first coupling member is rotatably connected to the first connection of a carrier (first) of the two adjacent carriers and the other end is rotatably connected to the third connection of the other carrier (second) of the two adjacent carriers. One end of the second coupling member is rotatably connected to the second connection of the first carrier of the two adjacent carriers and the other end is rotatably connected to the first connection of the second carrier of the two adjacent carriers. While the third connection of the first carrier is connected to a first connection of the fourth carrier by means of a coupling member and the third connection of the second carrier is connected to a first connection of a third carrier by means of a coupling member. As a result, the space between the carriers can easily be adjusted by pulling the carriers apart or by pushing those carriers towards each other.

Moreover, the space between adjacent carriers and the space between carriers that do not adjoin each other can be set to different, so that the size of the pallet need not be square.

Other objects and features of this invention will be better understood from the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of an item transport / storage device according to the present invention, i,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a situation in which the article transport / storage device of figure 1 is assembled and a variety thereof are stacked on top of each other,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the first connection of FIG. 1 and a coupling member connected thereto,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a situation in which the second connection 25 and the carrier of figure 1 are separated from each other,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a situation in which the carrier of figure 1 is folded,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a situation in which a variety of pallets from FIG. 1 are stacked on top of each other; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an article transport / storage device, different from that of FIG. 1,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a situation in which the carrier of Fig. 7 has been folded, '1013100

FIG. 9 is a perspective view in which a support unit is connected to or disconnected from a pallet,

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another situation in which the carrier unit is connected to or disconnected from the pallet; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an example of a situation where an article is loaded on the pallet,

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a situation in which the item transport / storage devices are stacked on top of each other,

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a situation in which the upper and lower connections are coupled by means of a fixation element.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another example of a fixation element,

FIG. . 15 is a perspective view of a situation in which other connections are coupled to each other by means of the fixation element of FIG. 14, FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another example of a fixation element,

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a situation in which connections are coupled to each other by means of the fixation element of FIG. 16,

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of yet another example of the connection fixation element,

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a situation in which attachments are coupled to each other by means of the fixation element of FIG. 18,

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an example in which a ceiling plate is placed on the connection fixation element, FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a situation where an article is placed on the ceiling plate,

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of another example of a ceiling plate,

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a situation in which an article is placed on the ceiling plate of FIG. 22,

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of yet another example of ceiling plate,

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a situation in which the support units .4 f \ λ η λ r \ λ 5 are accommodated in the ceiling plate of figure 24,

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a situation where a support unit is covered with a box,

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a situation in which the support unit 5 is covered with stretch film,

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a situation in which the support unit is covered with a protective net,

FIG. 29 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 28, FIG. 30 is a perspective view of another example of a: 10 protection net,

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of an article transport / storage device, in which a protective arm is provided,

FIG. 32 is a perspective view of an example in which the cover is formed by means of two sleeves, FIG. 33 is a perspective view of an example in which the cover is a box,

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of a situation in which the carrier unit is folded,

FIG. 35 is a perspective view of a folded carrier unit, FIG. 36 is a perspective view of a situation in which the carrier of FIG. 1 is detached from the first and second connections,

FIG. 37 is a perspective view of a cover in a folded state FIG. 38 is a perspective view of a situation where the cover is used to cover an article, FIG. 39 is a perspective view of a situation in which the carrier unit is connected to or detached from the pallet,

FIG. 40 is a perspective view of a situation in which the carrier unit is connected to or detached from the pallet,

FIG. 41 is a perspective view of an example in which an article is covered with two sleeves,

FIG. 42 is a perspective view of an example of an item transport / storage device,

FIG. 43 is a perspective view of a situation where the 4-item 6 item transport / storage device of Figure 42 is assembled and a variety thereof stacked on top of each other,

FIG. 44 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an article transport / storage device that differs from that of FIGS. 42, FIG. 45 is a perspective view of a situation in which the carrier unit is connected to or detached from the pallet,

FIG. 46 is a perspective view of an example of a burg organ,

FIG. 47 is a perspective view of another example of a bridge member, FIG. 48 is a perspective view of a situation where the bridge member of FIG. 47 is connected to an upper portion of the carrier,

FIG. 49 is a perspective view of a situation in which an item transport / storage device is piled on another item transport / storage device, FIG. 50 is a perspective view of a state in which an engaging portion of a leg portion engages the bridge member,

FIG. 51 shows a perspective view of a situation in which the engaging portion is engaged on the bridge member,

FIG. 52 is a perspective view of the leg portion and the bridge member, FIG. 53A and 53B are cross-sections of a stop unit,

FIG. 54A and 54B are cross-sections of another stop unit,

FIG. 55 is a perspective view of a situation in which the bridge member is to be accommodated in the pallet,

FIG. 56 is a perspective view of a situation in which the bridge member is accommodated in the pallet,

FIG. 57 is a perspective view of an example of the item transport / storage device,

FIG. 58 is a perspective view of a situation in which the item transport / storage device of FIG. 57 is assembled and a variety thereof are stacked on top of each other,

FIG. 59 is a perspective view of a situation in which the pallets of FIG. 57 are stacked on top of each other,

FIG. 60A and 60B are explanatory views that make clear which 1013100 i

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7 problems occur if the pallet is not provided with a step,

FIG. 61 is a perspective view of a single pallet,

FIG. 62A and 62B are explanatory views of a situation in which an article is loaded on the pallet by means of a robot gripper, FIG. 63 is a perspective view of a situation where an article has been loaded onto the pallet by means of a robot gripper,

FIG. 64 is a perspective view of a situation where an article has been loaded onto a pallet with the help of a robot grab,

FIG. 65 is a perspective view of another example of a pallet, FIG. 66 is a perspective view of yet another example of a pallet,

FIG. 67 is a perspective view of a situation in which a carrying unit is accommodated on the pallet of FIG. 66,

FIG. 68 is a perspective view of yet another example of a pallet,

FIG. 69 is a partially enlarged view of the pallet of Figure 68,

FIG. 70 is a perspective view of an example of the item transport / storage device,

FIG. 71 is a perspective view of a situation where the item transport / storage device of FIG. 70 is assembled and a variety thereof stacked on top of each other,

FIG. 72 is a perspective view of a situation in which the pallets of Figure 1 are stacked on top of each other and stored,

FIG. 73 is a perspective view of a situation in which the carrying unit is accommodated in the stacked pallets,

FIG. 74 is a partially enlarged view of the pallet of FIG. 73,

FIG. 75 is a perspective view of an example of another pallet, FIG. 76 is a perspective view of a situation in which the pallets of FIG. 75 are stacked on top of each other, FIG. 77 is a perspective view of yet another example of the pallet,

FIG. 78 is a perspective view of a situation in which several pallets of FIG. 77 are stacked on top of each other,

FIG. 79 is a perspective view of yet another example of the pallet, 1013100 8

FIG. 80 is a perspective view of an example of the pallet, whose support plate for the support units can be releasably connected to the base body of the support unit,

FIG. 81 is a perspective view of another example of a pallet 5 to which the support plate for the support unit can be detachably connected to the base body of the support unit,

FIG. 82 is a perspective view of a situation in which pallets according to another embodiment are stacked on top of each other,

FIG. 83 is an explanatory view of a situation in which the pallets and items 10 are loaded in a truck,

FIG. 84 is a perspective view of a situation in which a variety of pallets of Figure 82 are stacked on top of each other in two blocks,

FIG. .85 is a perspective view of an example in which the carrying unit is accommodated in the pallet, FIG. 86 is a perspective view of a situation where the support unit is housed in the leg portion of FIG. 85,

FIG. 87 is a perspective view of a situation in which a leg portion of a copier engages through continuous bores in the pallet,

FIG. 88 is a perspective view of a pallet provided with positioning pins and screw holes,

FIG. 89 is a perspective view of a situation in which an article, being a copier, is placed on the pallet of FIG. 88,

FIG. 90 is a perspective view of an example in which the positioning pin is fixedly attached to a locating member, FIG. 91 is a perspective view of an example in which a nut is attached to the locator,

FIG. 92 is a perspective view of an example in which a bolt is attached to the locator,

FIG. 93 is a perspective view of an example in which positioning pins are provided on the locator,

FIG. 94 is a perspective view of a situation where the locator! i from Figure 93 is attached to the pallet,

FIG. 95 is a view of a situation in which a copier, indicated by dotted lines, dotted lines, is connected to the pallet of FIG. 88,

FIG. 96 is a perspective view of an example in which a base member is connected to the base body of the pallet such that its position can be adjusted, FIG. 97 is a partially enlarged view of the pallet of Figure 96,

FIG. 98 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the relatively large copier and the pallet,

FIG. 99 is a perspective view showing the relationship between a relatively small copier and the pallet, FIG. 100 is a perspective view of an example in which a cover is provided near the rear of the copier,

FIG. 101 is a perspective view of a situation where the cover of Figure 10Q is opened,

FIG. 102 is a perspective view of a machine plate on a conveyor belt and a bottom plate of a copy machine,

FIG. 103 is a perspective view of a situation where the bottom plate is placed on the machine plate,

FIG. 104 is a perspective view of a copier and a paper tray, and FIG. 105 is a perspective view of a situation where the copier of FIG. 104 and the paper tray are stacked on top of each other.

A detailed description is now given of embodiments of the present invention with reference to the relevant drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an example of an article transport / storage device according to the present invention. The article transport / storage device shown in this figure comprises a pallet 2 on which an article 1, for example a copying machine, is placed. The pallet 2 shown in Figure 1 comprises a cover plate 3, which comprises a rectangular flat plate and two leg portions 4, each comprising a square bar fixedly fixed to a bottom surface of the cover plate, opposite to an article loading surface 5 thereof. The pallet 5 is made of a material with a high bending stiffness, such as a metal such as steel, wood or a hard plastic. The cover plate 3 and the leg portions 4 can be welded or can be connected to each other by means of an adhesive, or they can be connected to each other by means of screws 10. Any pallet with a shape other than square can also be used.

The article 1 placed on the pallet 2 is movably and releasably attached to the pallet 2 by means of a nut and a bolt, not shown. Furthermore, in the example from figure 1, the article 1 on the pallet 2 is covered with a cover 31 to protect the article 1, but this cover 31 can also be omitted.

The cover 31 covers at least a portion of the article 1 on the pallet 2 and acts as a protective cover for the cover of the article 1, for example for someone bumping into the article 1, and also to prevent unwanted materials whether dust can deposit on article 1. The cover 31 shown in Figure 1 comprises, for example, a flexible cover 33 made of a plastic sheet or a film made of a material such as polyethylene, and enveloping the article 1 on the pallet 2. On the cover 31 there is information M regarding the article 1 shown. For example, as in the example shown in Figure 1, "R" stands for a manufacturer of the article 1, "FT5" stands for a product name of the article 1 and its comments indicating that it is important that article 1 does not get wet from the rain, namely a warning sign (not shown herein) displayed on the cover 31. The information may be written directly on the cover 31, or a sheet 20 on which the information is printed or written may be attached to the cover 31.

The article transport / storage device shown in figure 1 comprises four carriers 6 which are detachably connected to the article loading surface 5 near the four corners of the pallet 2, each in a substantially vertical state relative to the article loading surface 5. Starting from a square pallet 2, the carriers 6 are releasably connected in an erected position near the corners of the square. The carrier 6 is made of a material such as metal, plastic or wood, but in the example shown in the figure the carrier 6 is made of a hollow metal pipe as shown in figures 3 and 4. Near the four corners of the article loading surface 5 of the cover plate 3 is provided with protrusions 7, and a lower part of each carrier 6 engages with each of the protrusions 7. As described above, each of the carriers 6 in this example can be attached to the pallet 2 manually and simply releasably. .

Furthermore, the article transport / storage device in this example comprises first and second imsmn 11 connections 8, 9 which are each connected to the respective carrier 6 in a longitudinal direction thereof and first and second coupling members 14, 15 each for coupling two adjacent carriers 6 which are side by side from each other. Each of the first and second coupling members 14, 15 couples two adjacent carriers 6 to 5, each of the first to fourth edges 10, 11, 12, 13 of the pallet, intersecting each other at a right angle. As is understood from figure 2, when the four carriers 6 are connected to the pallet 2, the second connection 9 is under the first connection 8 and the coupling members 14, 15 also intersect in the state in which four carriers are connected to the pallet 2. be connected.

The first and second connections 8, 9 comprise, as shown in figures 3 and 4, a tubular body made of a material such as metal, a synthetic plastic or rubber, and the carriers 6 are received in central bores 27, 127, respectively. Two tongue portions 16, 18 protrude from each of the connections 8, 9 and the edge portions of the first and second coupling members 14, 15 are rotatably connected to the respective tongue portions 16, 18 by means of the respective pins 17, 19. The first and second coupling members 14, 15 are made of a material with a high rigidity such as wood, a hard plastic or metal in a thin plate form.

If it is necessary to identify the carriers 6 described above, as shown in Figure 1, this is done by naming the first carrier 6A, the second carrier 6B, the third carrier 6C and the fourth carrier 6D. Similarly, the first and the second connections 8, 9 are respectively connected to the carriers 6A to | 6D identified as 8A, 9A, 8B, 9B, 8C, 9C, 8D, 9D, respectively. Furthermore, the first and the second coupling members which connect the first and second carriers 6A and 6B, the second and third carriers 6B and 6C, the third and fourth carriers 6C and 6D, the fourth and the first carriers 6D and 6A coupling each other, designated 14A and 15A, 14B and 15B, 14C and 15C, and 14D and 15D. These reference numbers are also used in other embodiments.

The first and second coupling members 14, 15 are rotatably connected to the connections as described below.

As is understood from Figures 1 and 2, the first coupling member 14A, which is arranged between the first and the second carriers 6A and 6B, which are connected to the pallet 2 at a first edge 10 thereof and placed side by side, has a edge which is rotatably connected in a longitudinal direction via a pin to the first connection 8A connected to the first carrier 6A and at the same time has another edge thereof rotatably connected in a longitudinal direction via a pin to the second connection 9B connected to the second carrier 6B. Furthermore, the second coupling member 15A provided between the first and the second carrier 6A and 6B has an edge thereof rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction via a pin to the first connection 8B, connected to the second carrier 6B and simultaneously has the other edge thereof rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction via a pin to the connection 9 A, connected to the first carrier 6 A.

The first coupling member 14B provided between the second carrier 6B and the third carrier 6C, connected to the pallet 2 at a second edge 11 thereof, near first edge 10 and placed side by side has an edge thereof rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction via a pin having the first connection 8B, connected to a second carrier 6B and simultaneously having another edge thereof rotatably connected in a longitudinal direction 15 via a pin to the second connection 9C, connected to the third carrier 6C. The second coupling member 15B provided between the second and third carriers 6B and 6C has an edge thereof rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction via a pin to the first connection 8C, connected to the third carrier 6C and simultaneously has the other edge thereof in the longitudinal direction rotatably connected via a pin with a second connection 9B connected to the second carrier 6B.

Furthermore, the first coupling member 14C provided between the third and fourth carrier 6C, 6D connected to the pallet 2 on a third edge 12 thereof near the second edge 11 and located side by side, an edge thereof rotatably connected in a longitudinal direction 25 via a pin with the first connection 8C, connected to the third carrier 6C and simultaneously having the other edge thereof rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction via a pin with the second connection 9D, connected to the fourth carrier 6D. The second coupling member 15C provided between the third and fourth! carriers has one edge thereof rotatably connected in a longitudinal direction via a pin to the first connection 8D, connected to the carrier 6D and at the same time has the other edge thereof rotatably connected longitudinally via a pin to the second connection 9C, connected to the third carrier 6C.

Similarly, the first coupling member 14D provided between the fourth and the first carriers 6D and 6A connected to the pallet 2 on a fourth edge 14 thereof near the third edge 12 and an edge side by side thereof rotatably connected in longitudinal direction via a pin to the first connection 8D, connected to the fourth carrier 6D and simultaneously having the other edge thereof rotatably connected in a longitudinal direction via a pin to the second connection 9A, connected to the first carrier 6A . The second coupling member 15D provided between the fourth and the first carriers 6D and 6A has an edge thereof rotatably connected via a pin to the first connection 8A, connected to the first connection 6A and simultaneously has the other edge thereof rotatably connected longitudinally via 10 a pin with the second connection 9D connected to the fourth carrier 6D.

As described above, in the article transport / storage device as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, each of the first coupling members 14 has an edge thereof rotatably connected longitudinally to the first connection 8 connected to the carrier 6 of two adjacent carriers which are located side by side on each of the edges 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the pallet 2 and simultaneously has the other edge thereof rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction to the second connection 9 connected to the other carrier 6 of the two connected carriers located side by side on each edge of the pallet. On the other hand, each of the second coupling members 15 has an edge thereof rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to the first connection 8, connected to the other (latter) carrier 6 and at the same time has the other edge thereof rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to the second connection 9 connected to the first (first-mentioned) carrier 6. Each carrier 6 thus functions to support the first and second coupling members 14, 15.

Furthermore, at least one of the second connections 8, 9 coupled to the first and second coupling members, respectively, is movably joined to the respective carrier 6, so that the connections can move in the longitudinal direction thereof. In an example shown in the figures, each of the connections 9 is located in a lower part of each carrier 6, and is fixedly attached to each carrier 6, as shown in Figure 4, by means of a screw or by means of a weld. . On the other hand, each of the first connections 8 is slidably connected to each carrier 6 in the longitudinal direction. The first connection 8 can be fixedly mounted on the carrier 6, the second connection slidably engaging the carrier 6, or both the first and the second connections 8, 9 can slidably engage the carrier 6.

The pallet 2 shown in Figure 1 is made such that the different dimensions correspond to the dimensions of the article to be transported. If the item 1 is to be transported, a pallet 2 is selected with a size suitable for the size of the item 1. Subsequently, the item 1 is placed on the item loading surface 5 of the pallet 2, the item 1 is fixed with a bolt or such, fixedly arranged and if necessary, the article 1 is covered with a covering 31. The distances D1 and D2 between the protrusions 7 vary according to the size of the selected pallet 2 and the distance between the carriers 6 can, before it reaches the pallet 2 are attached, set freely, as will be described below, so that the distances correspond to the distances D1 and D2.

Namely, if the carriers 6 are pre-connected to the pallet 2, the carriers 6A and 6B and the other two connected carriers 6C and 6D are pulled in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 1, the carriers move further apart. The first connections 15 slide downwards along each carrier 6 and the space between the first and the second carrier 6A, 6B and the space between the first and the fourth 6A, 6D becomes larger. The first and fourth carriers 6A, 6D and second and third carriers 6B, 6C move in a direction indicated by the arrow B, so that the carriers are positioned further apart and the spaces between the carriers also become larger.

In contrast, each of the first connections 8 moves upwards along the respective carrier 8 as the carriers 6 in the direction opposite to that indicated! with the arrows A and B, so that the space between two adjacent carriers 6 becomes smaller. In the example from Figure 1, the distances between | two adjacent carriers on the four edges 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the pallet 2 to the same extent, so that the distances between them are adjusted in a dependent manner.

As described above, the spaces between any two adjacent | carriers set in accordance with the spaces D1, D2 between the protrusions 7 j of the selected pallet 2 and then the lower parts of the carriers j are engaged on the protrusions 7 of the pallet 2, on which the article 1 is placed. The four |

Carriers 6 can be releasably connected to four corners of the pallet 2 by connecting to J

to engage on a central recess of each of the second connections 9 which are connected to a lower portion of each carrier 6 with each protrusion 7 and furthermore the carriers 6 can be releasably connected to the pallet 2 as described with reference to figure 7.

As described above, with two pallets 2 of different dimensions, with dimensions D1, D2 between the protrusions 7, the carriers 6 can be connected to each of the pallets 2 by adjusting the distance between two adjacent carriers.

The first and second coupling members 14, 15 do not have to be connected to each other, but in the example shown in the figure, the first and second coupling members 14, 15 forming a coupling are connected to each other by means of a hinge pin 21, so that each of the coupling members can rotate freely. Therefore, adjusting the distance between the carriers 6 can be smoothly performed by smoothly manipulating the first and second coupling members 14, 15. This also applies to the embodiments described below.

The work for adjusting the distance between two adjacent carriers can also be performed by having the first and second connections 8 and 9 slidably engage the respective carrier 6 in the longitudinal direction. However, as one of the first and second connections 8, 9, for example the second connection 9 is connected to the carrier 6 and the other connection 8 is slidably joined to the carrier 6, as in the example from figure 1, then the first and second coupling members 14, 15 can be moved smoothly and the work for adjusting the space between the carriers can be easily carried out.

By joining the carriers 6 with the pallet 2, an article transport / storage device 30 is assembled as shown in figure 2. The article 1 (not from figure 2) is accommodated on the article loading surface 5 within a housing area surrounded by the four carriers 6 as well as by the coupling members 14, 15. In this condition it is possible to lift the article transport / storage device 30 and the article 1 and to transport the article 1 by for instance inserting a fork of a forklift truck under the pallet 2 and the lifting fork. Moreover, it is also possible to place the article transport / storage device 30 with the article 1 loaded therein in a truck, 30 a vessel or a train and to transport it with it. Furthermore, the article 1 accommodated in the article transport / storage device can be stored in a warehouse or similar facility. As described above, during transport and storage, the article 1 is surrounded by the first and second coupling members 14, 15 so that 1 131 or 16 the article 1 is protected.

On the other hand, the pallet 2 comprises a coupling part to which an upper part of another article transport / storage device can be detachably connected, at the rear of the article loading surface 5, in the shown example in figure 1 the coupling part comprises four mounting recesses 22 near the four leg parts 4 of the pallet 2.

With the above-described configuration, it is possible to place a variety of item transport / storage devices on top of each other, as shown in Figure 2, with an item placed therein (not shown). Namely, by placing the caps 23 with a sharp point on an upper part of the carriers 6 of the article transport / storage device as shown in figure 1, the article transport / storage device 30 is placed in a warehouse, for example. Subsequently, another article transport / storage device 30A with the same configuration as the article transport / storage device 30 can be placed on the article transport / storage device 30 by lifting the article transport / storage device 30A for example with a fork-lift truck. The caps 23 (see figure 1) that are placed on the! upper portion of the four carriers 6 of the lower article transport / storage device 30 engage the mounting recesses 22 (see Figure 1), which are formed in the upper article transport / storage device 30A. Thus, a variety of item transport / storage devices 30, 30A can be placed on top of each other and stacked on top of each other, so that the items 1 can be stored using the space in a warehouse efficiently. Furthermore, a variety of article transport / storage devices can be stacked on top of each other and transported together.

The cap 23 which is placed on an upper part of each carrier 6 should make it easier to engage the carrier 6 on the mounting recess 22.

However, the end of the carriers 6 can also engage the mounting recess 22 without using the cap 23 described above. However, by tapping the ends of the carrier 6, engagement with the mounting recess 22 is facilitated.

If the item transport / storage device is not used, the first and second coupling members 14, 15 are folded and the entire unit can be folded into a compact shape, as shown in Figure 5. This can be achieved by the four

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17 to remove carriers 6 from the pallet 2 and to move the carriers 6 towards each other. In this way the item transport / storage device can be accommodated in an extremely small space. As described above, the carriers 6 and coupling members 14, 15 form a carrier unit 32 which can be folded and unfolded freely.

On the other hand, a variety of pallets 2 from which the carriers 6 have been removed can be stacked on top of each other as shown in figure 6. By causing the protrusions 7 formed on the article loading surface 5 of the pallet 2 to engage the mounting recesses 22 (see figure 1) of the pallet 2 above, the pallets 10 can be correctly positioned and stacked on top of each other. As described above, the carriers 32 and the pallets 2 can be used repeatedly, thereby reducing the need to dispose of an item transport / storage device made of, for example, corrugated sheet based on conventional technology.

As described above, in the article transport / storage device of figures 1 to 6, substantially regardless of the size of the article 1 to be transported or stored, a pallet 2 with a size suitable for the size of the article 1 | are selected and by adjusting the space between the carriers 6 in accordance with the distances D1 and D2 the article 1 can be easily transported and stored.

The article transport / storage device according to the embodiment shown in figures 7 to 10 also has the pallet 2 on which the article 1 such as a copying machine (see figures 9 and 10) and first to fourth carriers 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D (see Figure 7) connected to four corners of the pallet 2, each in the substantially vertical state 25 with respect to the article loading surface 5 of the pallet 2. In particular with square pallets 2, the carriers 6 are provided near the four corners of the pallet 2, each in an established state. Also in this case, a lower portion of each carrier 6 may be releasably connected to the pallet 2 as described above with reference to Figure 1, but in the example of Figure 7, mounting recesses 24 are provided near the four corners of the article loading surface 5 of the pallet 2, and by directly inserting the lower portions of the carriers 6 or the caps 25 engaging the lower portion thereof into the mounting recesses 24, the carriers can easily be manually connected and detached from the pallet 2. In addition, 1 01 a 1. 18, three leg portions 4, 4, 4A are connected to the bottom surface of the cover plate 3 at the pallet 2 of Figure 7. The other configuration of the pallet 2 is not essentially different from that of pallet 2 of Figure 1.

In the example shown in Figure 7, in addition to the first and second connections 8, 9, a third connection 26 is also connected to each of the carriers 6. The reference numerals 26A, 26B, 26C and 26D are used to indicate the third connections 26 .

As described above, the item transport / storage device of Figure 7 has the first to third connections 8, 9, 26 connected to each of the first to fourth carriers 6A to 6D in the longitudinal direction thereof. Moreover, the article transport / storage device, like that of figure 1, comprises the first and the second coupling members 14, 15 for coupling the two adjacent carriers; first and second carriers 6A and 6B, second and third carriers 6B and 6C, third and fourth carriers 6C and 6D and fourth and first carriers 6D and 6A, which are located side by side on four edges 10 to 13 of the pallet 2.

When the four carriers 6 are connected to the pallet 2, the second and third connections 9, 26 are below the first connection 8 and at the same time the second connection 9 is below the third connection 26, furthermore the first and second coupling members 14 cross, 15 each other.

Each of the first and second coupling members 14, 15 has an edge thereof rotatably coupled in the longitudinal direction via a pin to each connection, in the same manner as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

When the first through fourth carriers 6A through 6D are connected to the pallet 2, the first and second coupling members 14A, 15A provided between the first and second carriers 6A and 6B are placed side by side on the first edge 10 of the pallet 2, an edge thereof rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to the first connections 8A, 8B, connected to the first and second carriers 6A, 6B and simultaneously the other edges thereof are rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to the second connections 9B, 9A, respectively connected to the second and first carriers 6B, 6A.

Similarly, the first and second coupling members 14B, 15B provided between the second and third carriers 6B, 6C which are placed side by side on the second edge 11, adjacent the first edge 10 of the pallet 2, have an edge thereof rotatably coupled in the longitudinal direction to the first connections 8B, 8C, 19 connected to the second and third carriers 6B, 6C and simultaneously have the other edges thereof rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction to the third connections 26C, 26B, connected to the third and second carriers 6C, 6B.

The first and second coupling members 14C, 15C provided between the third and fourth carriers 6C and 6D which are placed side by side on the third edge 12, near the second edge 11 of the pallet 2, have an edge thereof rotatable in the longitudinal direction connected to the first connections 8C, 8D, respectively connected to the third and fourth carriers 6C, 6D and simultaneously having the other end thereof rotatably connected longitudinally to the connections 9D, 9C, 10 respectively connected to the fourth and third carriers 6D and 6C.

The first and second coupling members 14D, 15D, provided between the fourth and first carriers 6D, 6A, placed side by side on the fourth edge 13 near the third edge 12 of the pallet 2, have an edge thereof rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction to the first connections 8D, 8A, respectively connected to the fourth and first carriers 6D, 6A and simultaneously having the other edge thereof rotatably connected longitudinally to the third connections 26A, 26D, respectively connected to the first and fourth carriers 6A, 6D .

As described above, a connection is connected to each edge portion of the first and second coupling members 14, 15 but at least the second and third connections 9, 26 of the first to third connections 8, 9, 26 are coupled to the first and second Couplers 14, 15 are joined to respective carrier 6 so that the connections can move in the longitudinal direction thereof. In the example shown in the figure, the first connections 8 are fixed near the upper part of each support 6, fixed to the support 6 by means of a screw or a pressure connection or welding, and the second and third connections 9, 26 engage displaceably on the carrier 6, so that the connections can move in the longitudinal direction thereof. The first connections 8 can also be slidably connected to the first carrier 6 so that the connection can move in the longitudinal direction thereof.

When transporting an article with the article transport / storage device from figure 7, a pallet 2 is selected with a dimension that matches the dimension of the article. Subsequently an article 1 is placed on the pallet 2, as shown in figure 9 or in figure 10, the article 1 is releasably fixed on the pallet 2 and the article .10131 on 20 is further covered with a cover 31, depending on the need. On the other hand, the distance between the carriers 6 before it is attached to the pallet 2 is set in accordance with the distances D1, D2 between the mounting recesses of the selected pallet 2.

To adjust the distance, the first and second carriers 6A, 6B provided on the first edge 10 and the third and fourth carriers 6C, 6D provided on the third edge 12 opposite the first edge 10 are pulled in the direction which is indicated by A in Figure 7 or in the opposite direction. The second connections 9 connected to these carriers slide up and down along each carrier 6. Therefore, the distance 10 between the first and the second carriers 6A, 6B and the distance between the third and the fourth carrier 6C, 6D change equally . In this example, the distance between the first carrier 6B and the third carrier 6C and the distance between the fourth carrier 6D and the first carrier 6A changes. not if only the distance between the carriers 6A and 6B and between the carriers 6C and 6D is set.

If the distances are to be adjusted, the second and third carriers 6B, 6C and the fourth and first carriers 6D, 6A are pushed in the direction indicated by the arrow B in figure 7 or in the opposite direction. With this operation, the connections 26 engaging the carriers move up or down along each of the carriers and the distance between the second and third carriers 6B, 6C and between the fourth and first carriers 6D, 6A changes to the same extent . As described above, in the article transport / storage device in this example, the distance between the two adjacent carriers which are side by side on an edge of the pallet 2 and a distance between the two adjacent carriers which are side by side on an edge opposite this edge is set in a dependent manner, so that the distance varies equally, and also the distances between two pairs of adjacent carriers that are side by side or are set at positions opposite the aforementioned pairs of adjacent carriers so that the distance varies equally . In this way the distance between two adjacent carriers can be set more freely compared to what was shown in Figure 1.

As described above, through the pallets 2 with distances D1, D2 between the mounting recesses 24 in which the carriers 6 are to be placed with an adjustable distance to each other, carriers 6 with the distances between them can be connected to one of the pallet 2.

1 0131 n 21

As described above, an article placed on the article loading surface S of the pallet 2 can be easily transported completely as in the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, the pallet 2 comprises a coupling part, comprising four mounting recesses 22 formed on a rear surface opposite to the article loading surface 5, into which the upper parts of four carriers of another article transport / storage device can be inserted. Therefore, just as shown in Figure 2, a variety of assembled item transport / storage devices can be stacked on top of each other and the items can be stored in a small space (see Figure 12).

Moreover, by pulling the carriers 6 from the pallet 2, as shown in Figure 7, the carriers 6 and the first and second connecting members 14, 15 can be folded compactly as shown in Figure 8, and at the same time the pallets can be stacked on top of each other . As described above, the four carriers 6 and connecting members 14, 15 are coupled via the connections 8, 9, 26 to the carriers of a carrier unit 32A which can be easily folded when the carriers are removed from the pallet 2.

Figure 9 shows a situation in which the article 1 is placed on the pallet 2, the article 1 is releasably connected to the pallet 2 and is covered with a cover 31, then the carrying unit 32A, from Figure 7, is placed on the pallet 2 from above in order to secure the carrier 6 to the pallet 2 or to lift the carrying unit 32A to remove the carriers from the pallet 2, also the article transport / storage device shown in figures 1 to 6 can be used in this way .

If the method described above is used, it is necessary to move the support units 32, 32A up or down and this is somewhat complicated. On the other hand, Fig. 10 shows a situation in which the third connection 26 of the support unit 32A of Fig. 7 is pushed upwards, the first and second coupling members 14B, 14B and the first and second coupling members 14D, 15D which are opposite each other are raised, the other first and second coupling members 14A and 15A, 14C and 15C are respectively folded with the carrying unit 32A connected to or disconnected from the pallet 2. With this method it is not necessary to move the carrying unit 32A up or down and therefore it can work can be carried out in a simple manner and, furthermore, the carrier 22 carriers 6 are separated from the article 1 by a large distance when the carrier unit 32A is moved in the horizontal direction so that the carrier unit 32A can be connected to or removed from the pallet 2 without the first and second coupling members 14, 15 or the carriers 6 touch the article 1 and damage the article 5 therein.

Figure 11 shows a method of use in which first the carriers 6 are connected to the pallet 2, the carrier unit 32A is placed on the pallet 2 and then the article is placed on that pallet 2. The first and second coupling members 14A, 15A shown here have lower edges rotatably connected in their longitudinal direction to the second connection 9B, 9A and also the pins 21 can be freely connected to or coupled thereto.

When the carrying unit 32A of Figure 11 is placed on the pallet 2, all first and second coupling members 14, 15 are coupled via a pin to the respective connections, while the article 1 has not yet been placed on the pallet 2. Subsequently, the pins 21, which couple the coupling members 14A, 15A, opposite the article 1 on the outside of the pallet 2, are moved with the other ends thereof in the longitudinal direction, namely the lower edges removed from the second connections 9B, 9A . The pins connecting the lower edges of the coupling members to the connections are separated to remove the coupling members from the connections. In this operation, the first and second coupling members 14A, 15A are rotated in the condition as indicated with the dotted line in Figure 11 about an edge thereof in the longitudinal direction, namely around the upper edge thereof, and the coupling members 14A, 15A hang down as indicated by a solid line in the figure. The first carrier 6A and the second carrier 6B are thus separated from each other so that the article 1 can be moved on the pallet through the space between the carriers 6A, 6B and subsequently placed on the pallet 2, as indicated by the dotted line in Figure 11. Subsequently, the coupling members 14A, 15A are rotated as shown by means of a dotted line in Figure 11 and coupled to each other by means of the pin 21 and the other edge thereof in the longitudinal direction is coupled to the second connections 9B and 9A with a pin.

With the method described above, the article 1 can be loaded onto the pallet 2 and removed from it without lifting the carrying unit 32A.

In the example shown in Figure 11, the other edges of the first and second coupling members 14A, 15A are detachably connected to the second connections 9B, 9A, respectively, but one edge thereof can be detachably connected in the longitudinal direction with the respective first compounds 8A, 8B. Furthermore, the other edges of the first and second coupling members 14A, 15A and the other edges 5 thereof can be detachably connected in the longitudinal direction to the connections 8A, 8B, 9B and 9A. Furthermore, when a pair of first and second coupling members are constructed as described above, the article 1 can be placed on top of the pallet 2 and removed therefrom. To describe the two coupling members provided between the two adjacent carriers placed side by side as a pair of coupling members, the carrier unit 32A has four pairs of coupling members and of the coupling members the first coupling members 14A, 15A, 14B, 15B, 14C, 15C and 14D, 15D at least a pair of coupling members with an edge thereof releasably connected longitudinally to the respective connections and | at the same time, they have the other edge of the longitudinal direction releasably connected to the respective connections. This configuration can be applied as well as the article transport / storage device with the carrier unit 32 of figure 1.

The bridge members 34 are connected to the upper portions of the first carrier 6A and fourth carrier 6D as well as to the upper portions of the second carrier 6B and third carrier 6C of the support unit 32A as shown in Figure 11. These bridge members 34 prevent the carriers from moving again even if the upper part of the carriers are connected to each other and a force is exerted on the carriers 6 in the horizontal direction, the bridge members are used according to necessity. If the distance between two adjacent carriers is adjusted or the carrier unit 32A is folded As described above, the bridge members 34 are removed from the carriers 6.

The structure of the pallet 2 from Figure 11 is somewhat different from that of the pallet from Figure 7, but the difference is not substantial. The pallet of figure 11 also comprises two leg portions 4 with a cover plate 3 attached thereto and the article is placed on the article loading surface 5 thereof. Furthermore, an engaging portion 39 is formed with a slot with an inverted V-shape in a lower side face of each leg portion 4, as shown in Figure 11, and this engaging portion 39 engages the bridge member 34 of the article transport / storage device which adheres to the bottom. Figure 12 shows this situation. As described above, in the example from Figs. 11 and 12, the engagement portion 39 has a coupling portion to which an upper portion of an article transport / storage device located below can be releasably coupled.

Even though the second and third connections 9, 26 of the article transport / storage device of Figure 7 can slide freely along the carriers 6 to which the respective connections are connected, the connections 9, 26 can be connected to the carriers by means of a screw or the like after the carrying unit 32A has been placed on the pallet 2. This also applies to the first connection 8 of figure 1. With this feature, the bending stiffness of the support unit 32, 32A which is joined to the pallet 2 can be improved and the article 1 can be firmly supported.

However, in the case where the item transport / storage devices are stacked on top of each other. and the article transport / storage device is transported by a truck or other vehicle, external vibrations are supplied to the article transport / storage device, but it has been clarified as a result of an experiment that the second and third connections 9, 26 are slidable with respect to of each carrier 6, are not connected to the carrier and the second and third connections 9, 26 are connected and coupled to each other, the vibrations on the article transport / storage device can be efficiently absorbed and vibrations on the lower article transport / storage device are not delivered to the article transport / storage device located above it and the stability of the stacked article transport / storage devices as a whole can be improved.

From this point of view, in the embodiment from Figures 13 to 15, the distances between the carriers of the carrier unit 32A from Figure 7 are set and then, after the carrier unit 32A has been placed on the pallet 2, the fixing members 35 are releasably connected to the second and third connections 9 and 26 connected to each carrier, for example with a screw. The connecting applicator 35 is made of a material with a high flexural rigidity such as a metal or a hard plastic.

As described above, if the distance between the second and third connections 9, 26 is kept constant and the connections are not fixed to the connections 6, even if the vibrations during transport or an earthquake are applied to the article transport / storage devices delivered, the vibrations λ n 1 Q 1 Π Π 25 absorbed. Particularly if the item transport / storage devices are stacked on top of each other, the vibrations of the upper item transport / storage device can be efficiently suppressed with the improved stability. Moreover, the weight of an article loaded in the article transport / storage device at the top can be greater than an article in the article transport / storage device at the bottom. Therefore, a worker can efficiently stack the item transport / storage devices onto each other without paying special attention to the weight of the items.

If the first connection 8 of Figure 7 is slidably connected to the carrier 6 so that the connection can move in the longitudinal direction thereof, even if the first connection 8 and the second or third connection 9, 26 or all first to third connections 8, 9, 26 are connected and coupled to the connection applicator 35, the effect described above is achieved. In the article transport / storage device of figure 1, the same effect described above can be achieved if the second connection 9 is slidably joined to the carriers 6, so that the connection 15 can move freely in the longitudinal direction, even if the first connection 8 and the second connection 9 are fixed and coupled to each other with the connection applicator 35. With the article transport / storage device from Giguur 1, the same effect described above can be obtained if the second connection 9 is slidably joined to the carrier 6, so that the connection can move freely in the longitudinal direction, even if the first connection 8 and the second connection 9 are fixed and coupled to each other with the aid of a connecting applicator 35. When the support units 32, 32A are folded it is only necessary to remove the connecting applicator 35 from the connections .

As described above, the connection applicator 35 can be used to releasably secure and connect at least two connections, which can move in the longitudinal direction thereof, to a support 6 in the state in which the support 6 is connected to the pallet 2 .

The connection mounting member 35 of Figure 13 is made of a flat plate, while those of Figures 14 and 15 are made of a material with an L-shaped cross-section. All of these connection applicators can perform the original function since the flexural rigidity of the connection applicator 35 of Figure 15 is higher against twisting than that of the other connection applicators so that the effect of absorbing the vibrations of the article transport / storage device can be further improved. By making it possible to use a connection applicator 35 of the same shape for the coupling connections connected to four carriers 6, regardless of the type of the connection applicator used, a cost reduction can be obtained. Since the connecting applicator 35 of Figure 13 comprises a flat plate, the connections on the carriers 6 can be coupled to each other by means of the connecting applicator according to the same embodiment, but if tongue portions 18, 18A are provided for coupling the connecting members 14, In excellent shape on each connection, so that if the L-shaped connection applicator 35 of FIGS. 14 or 15 is used, it is necessary to make general parts to adjust the positions or a number thereof in the connection applicator 35 of the screw holes, as well as a relationship between these factors and the positions of the tongue portions 18 ,. 18A. As described above, it becomes possible to reduce costs by constructing the connection applicator 35 so that all of a variety of connection applicators 35, each for releasably securing connections, are connected to each of the four carriers 6.

As shown in Figs. 16 and 17, by forming an engagement area 20 with a] -shaped cross-section in the connection applicator 35 with a recess 37 therein and also by engaging the engagement portion 36 with one of the connections 9 and the carrier 6 by penetrating the recess 37, the connection applicator 35 is held on the carrier 6 even when a screw 38 is removed, which makes it possible to prevent the connection applicator from being lost.

In the examples from Figs. 18 and 19, the connection applicator 35 can be held on the carrier 6 even if the screw 38 has been removed by engaging a recess 40 formed in the engagement portion 36 of the connection applicator 35.

As described above, the loss of the connection applicator 35 is prevented, and also the problem that the connection applicator 35 can be prevented from functioning of other parts, by joining the connection applicator 35 with the carrier 6, 1013100 27 so that the connection applicator 35 is not detached from the carrier 6.

Incidentally, as described above, the article transport / storage devices can be stacked on top of each other and transported or stored in that condition, but a single article transport / storage device with an article loaded therein can also be transported and stored. In this case, the space above the item transport / storage device is not utilized.

In the embodiments from figures 20 to 25, the article transport / storage device comprises a ceiling plate, which is detachably placed on the carriers 6 thereof. Such a ceiling plate can be used in any of the embodiments described above.

Each of the ceiling plates shown in Figs. 20 to 25 comprises an engaging member 42 that engages the bridge member 34 connected to an upper portion of the support 6 adjacent the side face thereof, and a ceiling plate 41 is placed on the four supports 6 by means of of the bridge members 34. Alternatively, the ceiling plate 41 can be placed directly on the carriers 6. Furthermore, it is preferable to use a hook element which is not shown for positioning the ceiling plate 41 relative to the carrier 6 and securing the ceiling plate 41 relative to the carrier 6.

Figure 20 shows a situation in which the ceiling plate 41 is placed on the support unit 32A. Figure 21, on the other hand, shows a situation in which an article 43 such as packages are placed on the ceiling plate 41. The top surface of this ceiling plate is a flat surface and the article 43 can be stably placed on this surface so that the space above the article transport / storage device can be utilized efficiently.

The ceiling plate 41 of figure 22 comprises a means to prevent an article from falling that includes an upright edge 44 near its edges and if the article 34 is placed on this ceiling plate 41 like piece goods on, as shown in figure 23, by the upright edge 44 prevent the article 43 from falling off its upper surface. The falling off of an article can also be prevented by forming a unit which comprises a recess near the center of the ceiling plate 41 and wherein this article is accommodated in that recess. As described above, if the ceiling plate 41 is provided with an element which prevents the article from falling off, even if the article transport / storage device vibrates, it is possible to prevent the article 43 placed on the ceiling plate 41 from the top surface. 28 thereof falls off or comes out of the upper surface, which makes it possible to keep an article 43 on the ceiling plate 41 in a stable state.

As described above, the first and second coupling members 14, 15 include an example of a coupling member for coupling the carriers 6, 5 together as described above, and the ceiling plate 41 shown in Figures 24 and 25 comprises a number of receiving recesses 45, each for accommodating the carriers 6, disconnected from the pallet 2 and the coupling unit or coupling members 14, 15 comprise the coupling unit. The carrying unit 32A can be accommodated in the receiving recess 45, as shown in Figure 25. For example, it is possible to remove the carrying unit 32A from the pallet 2 to stack the pallets on top of each other and to return the pallets to their original position, as a number of article transport / storage devices, each with an article loaded therein, are moved from one location to another, the article 1 is removed from each of the article transport / storage devices and then the article transport / storage devices 15 are returned to the original location. In this step, as shown in Fig. 25, an article transport / storage device is left intact, with folded support elements placed in the receiving recesses 45 formed in the ceiling plate 41 and the first connection 8 thereof is hooked on an edge of the receiving recess, in order to support the carrying unit 32A. With this configuration 20, a number of support units 32A can be transported efficiently.

Incidentally, as will be understood from figure 12, when the article 1 is loaded in the article transport / storage device, the first and second coupling members 14, 15 are situated between two adjacent carriers 6, but there are large openings between the carrier 6 and the coupling members 14, 15. So if, for example, the article transport / storage device with the article 1 loaded therein and other load on a | load floor of a truck have been placed or are otherwise transported, the | other cargo against article 1, which is located on the article transport / storage facility! I collide through the openings. j

To prevent this, the article transport / storage device shown in Figs. 26 to 31 comprises a protection unit for shielding at least a portion of the openings between the two carriers side by side. This protection unit can be used in any of the embodiments described above.

j

'101310 0 I

29

In the example of Figure 26, the protection unit comprises, for example, a sleeve or a box 46 provided with an opening in a lower portion thereof made of a material such as a plastic such as polyethylene, paper or corrugated sheet, and this box 46 covers the article transport / storage device with the article 1 placed therein from the top. With this configuration, all openings between the carriers are shielded from the outside, which prevents the problem that the article 1 placed on the article transport / storage device comes into contact with cargo outside the article transport / storage device.

In the example shown in Figure 27, the protection unit is made of a stretch film 47 with a self-adhesive layer. This stretch film 47 is wrapped around the carrier 6 which is connected to the article transport / storage device and it sticks to the carrier 6 because of the self-adhesive layer. As described above, a portion of the total gap between the carriers can be blocked by means of stretch film 47.

In the example from Figs. 28 and 29, the protection unit comprises a protective net 48, the protective net 48 is connected from outside to the carriers 6 of the article transport / storage device, a variety of hooks 49 are provided on the protective net 47, for example. hooked into fixation recesses formed on the coupling members 15, whereby the protective net 48 is secured to the article transport / storage device. Also because of this property, a portion of the gap between the carriers is blocked in order to prevent charge from entering the space between the carriers.

In the example of Fig. 30, the protection unit comprises a protective net 50 with also a piece of net on the upper part and this protective net covers carriers of the support units that have been placed on the pallet 2 from the outside, so that the article 1 placed thereon to protect.

Moreover, the protection unit of Fig. 31 comprises a variety of protection arms 51. The protection arm 51 is rotatably connected to a hinge pin 52 on the coupling members 14, 15. In order to describe the operation of the protection arm, these are designated by the reference numeral 51A of the protection arms 51. if not used, it is stacked on storage coupler 14 as indicated by a dotted line in Figure 31. When this support unit 32A is placed on pallet 2, the protective arm 51A stored therein is moved 1013100 to a position of use , indicated by a solid line, by rotating the arm 51A around the hinge pin 52 as indicated by the arrow C. Then, one end of this protection arm 51 is coupled to one end of the following protection arm 51, which has been moved to a position in which it can be used with a coupling pin 53 or a locking unit such as a bolt or a nut. Other guard arms 51 are similarly moved to the respective positions of use. The protective arms 51 are thus placed between the carriers 6 and they prevent other cargo from ending up in the article transport / storage device in which the article 1 is accommodated.

As shown in figures 1 or 7, also by protecting the article 1 that is loaded in the article transport / storage device, the article 1 can be protected during transport. Figure 1 shows a flexible cover 33 in which the article is encased as a cover 31 for covering at least a portion of the article 1, but the cover 31 may be formed from at least two sleeves each enclosing the article 1. Figure 32 shows an example in which the cover 31 is made of two sleeves 33, 33A. If the article 1 is encased in two sleeves, even if a quantity of foreign material or dust is deposited on the outer sleeve 33A due to static electricity, during transportation or storage of the article 1 together with the article transport / storage device, the foreign materials may or dust can be removed by removing the outer cover 33A when the item 1 is delivered to the user, so that the product can be delivered to the user with a good appearance.

Instead of a flexible cover, a cover can also be used for covering at least a part of the article placed on the pallet 2, which, if necessary, provides an information display concerning the article 1, for example the cover 31A with a shape set for the shape of the product as shown in Figure 33. The cover 31A is made of a material such as a plastic or corrugated sheet, and also the information M regarding the article 1 is displayed on this cover. The cover 31A can be used several times, which makes it possible to suppress the production of waste. If the cover 31A can be folded, the user can efficiently take back the folded cover 31A after the product has been delivered to the user.

As described above, for article transport / storage devices, 1013 tons form 31

As described above, the carrier 6, detachably connected to the pallet 2 and the coupling members 14, 15, each for coupling two adjacent carriers that are side by side foldable when taken from the pallet and in this state the carrier unit can are stored in a small space or can be easily transported. Upon folding this carrier unit, the user holds the carriers 6 in the hand as shown in Figure 34, and moves the carriers 6 closer together and folds the carrier unit as shown in Figure 35. However, as a space L between the carrier 6 and the If the coupling members 14, 15 are too small, the fingers of the hand holding the carrier 6 can become trapped in this space.

In order to prevent this, in the article transport / storage device shown in Figs. 34 and 35, the carriers, connections and coupling members are joined together such that when the carrying unit 32A is folded, a space L of 15 mm or more, preferably 20 mm or more arises between the carrier 6 and the coupling members 14, 15, rotatably connected via the connection 8 to the carrier 6. More precisely, the space L can best get the above-described value by providing the tongue portion 18A with each connection 8 longer to make. By making the space L larger, it is possible to prevent the user's fingers from getting stuck in the space.

The above-described configuration can be used as such with the article transport / storage device from Figures I to 6. In the support unit 32A from Figures 34 and 35, a recessed portion is formed on the upper surface of the first connection 8 connected to each carrier 6 and an engagement (not shown) provided on a protrusion formed on a rear surface of the bridge member 34 of Fig. 11 releasably engages this recessed portion. As described above, the support unit 32A of Figs. 34 and 35 is slightly different than the support unit 32A of Fig. 7, but the basic configuration is the same.

As will be understood from the above, all article transport / storage devices described above comprise a pallet 2 with an article 1 placed thereon, a variety of carriers 6, releasably coupled to the pallet 2, so that the carriers place the article 1 on the pallet 2 and a coupling unit for coupling two adjacent carriers together so that the distance between the two adjacent carriers can be set freely.

To be more precise, the article transport / storage device comprises a pallet 2 with 10 13 100 32 the article 1 placed thereon, four carriers 6, detachably connected to the article loading surface 5 of the pallet 2, each in the substantially erected position relative to the article. article loading surface, and a coupling unit for coupling two adjacent carriers together so that a space can be set between the two adjacent carriers. In the example shown in Figures 1 to 6, the first and second coupling members 14, 15 and first and second connections 8, 9 form the coupling unit, and in the example of Figure 7 and further, the first and second coupling members 14, 15 and the first and third connections 8, 9, 26 the coupling unit.

In the coupling unit from the example shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the distance between two adjacent carriers that are located side by side is adjusted depending on each other so that the distance between two adjacent carriers on all edges of the pallet is equalized. changed. With this configuration, an item with a different size can be transported or stored with the item transport / storage device with a size suitable for that item.

In the coupling unit of Figure 7 and further, the distance between two adjacent carriers is set in interdependence, so that the distance between two adjacent carriers that are side by side on an edge and the distance between two adjacent carriers that are side by side on an edge opposite the first edge, changes to the same extent. In the coupling unit, the distance between two adjacent carriers is set so that the distance between two adjacent carriers that are side by side on an edge opposite the aforementioned edge is changed equally. The degree of freedom for adjusting the distance between the two adjacent carriers therefore increases.

Furthermore, each of the above-described article transport / storage devices the pallet 2 comprises a coupling part with an upper part of another article transport / storage device releasably connected thereto in the opposite side of the article loading surface 5, so that a variety of article transport / storage devices can easily be superimposed on each other are stacked.

Moreover, it is advantageous for each of the above-mentioned article transport / storage devices that each carrier 6 and the connections 8, 9 or 8, 9, 26 are joined together with the carrier 6 independently of each other. For example, in the case of the item transport / storage device of Figure 1, as described above, .1013100

J

33 by attaching the second connection 9 to the carrier 6 by means of a removable screw 20 (see Figure 4) and by removing that screw 20, each carrier 6 is separated from the first and second connections 8, 9.

If with the configuration as described above one of the parts of the article transport / storage device, for example one of the carriers 6 is damaged and the carrier 6 has to be replaced by a new one, the carrier can easily be removed from the carriers and by a new ones are replaced. Even if the item transport / storage device is to be disposed of, each carrier and connection is separately separated from each other and can be disposed of immediately. It is therefore particularly desirable that the first and second coupling members 14, 15 can be separated from each connection and, moreover, that the coupling members 14,

15 themselves can be separated from each other. I

Different configurations according to the present invention can be further modified by changing or improving each component and can be used for the transport or storage of, in addition to the above described copier, various types of industrial products such as electrical products for the home, cars, parts thereof such as an engine, an automatic distribution machine, a printer, a fax machine, furniture, construction materials and essentially all types of industrial products.

A detailed description is now given of the cover 31 which covers the article 1 placed on the pallet 2 of the article transport / storage device of figure 1. This cover 31 serves as a protective cover for covering at least a portion of the article in order to protect the article 1, for example if something collides with the article 1, as well as to prevent foreign materials or dust from depositing on that article . The cover 31 of figure 1 comprises, for example, a flexible cover 33 made of a plastic sheet or film made of a material such as polyethylene and enveloping the article 1 on the pallet 2.

Fig. 37 shows a cover 31 that is not used, when using this cover 31, it is opened as shown in Fig. 38 and the article 1 is placed therein through the opening located at the bottom of the cover in order to remove the article 1 cover as shown in figure 1.

As shown in Figures 1, 37, 38, the cover 31 includes a label relating to the article 1 thereon. For example, as shown in the example from the 34 figures, "R" indicates the name of the manufacturer of the article 1 and "FT5" indicates a product name of the article 1 and a note such as an indication of the need to prevent the article gets wet due to rain, namely a warning sign or the like is displayed. The label can be written directly on the cover 31 or printed, but a sheet with a label written on it or printed can also be stuck on the cover 31.

As described above, the article 1 can be protected with the cover 31, additional information regarding the article can be displayed on the cover 31, so that no special information display means is needed, which makes it possible to cover the costs of the reduce item transport / storage facility.

Fig. 39 shows a situation in which, after the article 1 placed on the pallet 2 is covered with a cover 31, the carrying unit 32A is lowered from above

moved and connected to the pallet 2 or the carrying unit 32 is lifted and removed from the pallet 2. Figure 40 shows a situation in which the carrying unit 32A is folded and moved away in the horizontal direction, and then the carrying unit 32A is connected to or removed from the pallet 2. In the example of Figures 39 and 40, as in the case of Figure 1, provided with four protrusions 7 on the pallet 2, with the lower parts of the carriers 6 engaging thereon and subsequently being attached to the pallet 2. The operation of connecting the carrying unit 32A to or releasing the carrying unit 32A from the pallet 2 has been described above so that this description is omitted here.

In the examples described above, the cover 31 for covering the article 31 comprises a flexible sleeve for packaging the article 1 therein, and a number of covers is one, but the cover 31 may also comprise two or more covers each the article 1, figure 41 shows an example in which the cover 31 comprises two sleeves 33, 33A. If the article 1 is covered with two sleeves as shown in the figure, even if foreign materials or dust are set off due to static electricity from the outer surface of the outer sleeve 33A, the foreign materials or dust can be easily removed by remove the outer cover 33A so that the product can be delivered to the user with a good appearance and without dust or foreign material deposited thereon.

A coupling plate (bridge member) 34 with an inverted V-shaped cross-section is detachably connected to the carrier 6 of Figure 41, wherein the bottom surface 135 of the leg portion 4 of the pallet 2 has an inverted V-shaped shape, complementary to the inverted V-shaped shape described above (also the pallet shown in Figs. 39 and 40 has this configuration), and when the item transport / storage devices are stacked on top of each other, the inverted V-shaped bottom of the leg portion 4 of the article transport / storage device located near the top engages the coupling plate 34 of the article transport / storage device located below.

With the configuration as shown in Figure 1, since the carrier 6 is a slender member, when the carrier 6 is connected to the pallet 2, acts as an external force on an upper portion of the carrier 6, the upper portion of the carrier 6 fluctuates which makes the carrying unit connected to the pallet 2 unstable. Moreover, it is difficult to always maintain a constant distance between the upper part of two adjacent carriers and the space can become larger or smaller than the aforementioned space. As the mounting recess (Figure 1) of the pallet 2 of the article transport / storage device located in the upper side are engaged by the caps 23 connected to upper edge portions of the carriers 6 of the article transport / storage device located below, in order to To place the article transport / storage device on the article transport / storage device 30 in a lower part, it is necessary to have the mounting recesses 22 engage on the caps 23, whereby the space between the upper parts of the carriers 6 is set simultaneously and the work becomes very complicated. This is also true in the case that the cap 23 is not provided on the ends of the carriers 6 and directly engages the mounting recesses 22.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the article transport / storage device of figure 1, as shown in figure 42, is provided with a restriction element 234 for keeping the space between the carriers regular by coupling the upper parts of the carriers 6. The restriction element 234 comprises two bridge sections 235, 235A each made of metal, hard plastic, wood or the like. Each of the bridge members 235, 235A is in the form of a thin rod or narrow plate and mounting recesses 236 are provided near both ends thereof in the longitudinal direction. A distance between two mounting recesses of the bridge members 235, 235A is equal to the distance D2 between the projections 7, 7 of the pallet 2.

As described above with reference to Figure 1, when the support unit 32 is connected to the pallet 2 by engaging the lower portion of the four carriers 6 with the protrusions 7 of the pallet 2, the application recesses 236 of one of the bridge members 235 engaged with the caps 23 near the upper parts of the first and fourth carriers 6A and 6D, respectively. If the cap 23 is not provided, the mounting recesses 236 are engaged directly with the upper portions of the carriers 6A, 6D. Similarly, the mounting recesses 236 of the other bridge member 235A are engaged with the caps 23 near the upper portions of the second and third carriers 6B and 6C. Thus, the upper portions of the carriers 6A, 6D and 6B, 6C are placed integrally coupled together side by side. Thus, the distance between the upper portions of the carriers is substantially equal to D2 between the protrusions 7 so that the upper portions of the carriers 6 are stabilized.

If another article transport / storage device 30 is placed on the article transport / storage device 30A, as shown in figure 43, the mounting recesses 22 of the upper article transport / storage device can easily be engaged with the caps 23 provided on the carriers 6 of the lower article transport / storage device or with the carriers 6 themselves. Moreover, the upper portions of the bridge members 235, 235A are stabilized so that the stability of the article transport / storage device 30A placed on the article transport / storage device 30 is improved. |

The distance between the carriers 6A, 6B and between the carriers 6C and 6D can be adjusted at the distance D1 between the protrusions 7 of the pallet 2 by engaging the mounting recesses 236 of the two bridge members 235B, 235C with the caps 23 placed on the upper portions of the carriers 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D or directly with the carriers 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D. A space between the upper portions of two carriers can also be maintained at a proper length by using at least one of the four bridge members 235, 235A, 235B, 235C, of Figure 42, whereby the purpose of the restriction element 234 is achieved. Furthermore, a square restriction element can be made of two or more, for example all, four bridge members in an integrated form.

By removing the bridge members from the carriers 6, the support element 32 1013100 37 can easily be folded as shown in Figure 5. The restriction element 234 can thus be freely connected to and disconnected from the carriers 6.

As described above, in the state in which a variety of carriers, more specifically two carriers 6 as in the case of Figures 42 and 43, are connected to the pallet 2, the restriction element 234 limits the distance between the two carriers through the upper portions of at least two carriers.

Moreover, the article transport / storage device according to the embodiment shown in figures 44 and 45 comprises a pallet 2 with an article 1 placed thereon, and first to fourth carriers 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D, detachably connected to the article loading surface 5 of the pallet 2, each in a substantially erected state relative to that article loading surface 5. That is, if a square is considered above the pallet 2, the carriers 6 are provided each in the erected state near the four corners of that square. Also in this form the lower parts of the carriers 6 can be releasably connected to the pallet 2 in the manner as described above with respect to figure 1, but in the example from figure 44 the mounting recesses 24 are provided near the four corners of the article loading surface 5 of the pallet 2 and the carriers 6 are connected to the pallet 2 by inserting the lower parts of the carrier 6 into the engaging cavities 24 or the caps 25 provided on the lower portions of the carriers or into the mounting recesses 24 respectively. With the pallet shown in Figure 44, three legs 4, 4, 4A are connected to the bottom surface of the cover plate 3. The other configuration of the pallet 2 is the same as the pallet 2 of Figure 1.

In the example from Figure 44, in addition to the first and second connections 8, 9, a third connection 26 is connected to each of the carriers 6. The third connections 26 are indicated by the reference numerals 26A, 26B, 26C and 26D.

As described above, the article transport / storage device as shown in Fig. 44 has the first to third connection 8, 9 and 26 connected to each of the first to fourth carriers 6 respectively along its longitudinal direction and moreover, as well as the article transport / storage device from Figure 1, the first and second coupling members 14, 15 each for coupling the first and second carriers 6A and 6B, have second and third carriers 6B and 6C, third and fourth carriers 6C and 6D, and fourth and first carriers 6D and 6A respectively provide side by side on the edges 10 to 13 of the pallet 2 when the carriers 6 are connected to the pallet 2.

13 and 13 1 and 38

When the four carriers 6 are connected to the pallet 2, the second and third connections 9, 26 are below the first connection 8 and at the same time the second connection 9 is below the third connection 26 and also in the state in which the first to are connected to the pallet 2 with fourth carriers 6A to 6D, the first and second coupling members 14, 15 intersect.

When an item is transported with the item transport / storage device of Figure 44, wherein the pallet 2 has a size selected for the size of that item 1 placed on the pallet 2 as shown in Figure 45 and the item is releasably connected to the pallet 2, or is covered with the cover 31 as required. On the other hand, the distances between two adjacent carriers on the four edges are set so that the distances correspond to the distances D1 and D2 between the mounting recesses 24.

As described above, an article placed on the article loading surface of the pallet 2 can be transported in the same manner as in the embodiments described above. The pallet 2 of Fig. 44 also comprises a coupling part with four mounting recesses 22 with which the upper parts of four carriers of another article transport / storage device are releasably connected and with this coupling area, assembled article transport / storage devices can be stacked on top of each other in order to place articles in a 20 small space.

Figure 45 shows a situation in which the carrier unit 32A of Figure 44 is placed on top of the pallet 2 or the carrier 32A is lifted to remove it from the pallet 2. The operations necessary for attaching the carrying unit 32A to or releasing the carrying unit 32A from the pallet 2 have already been described.

The article transport / storage device shown in figures 44 and 45 also comprises a limiting element 234 (see figure 45) for limiting the distance between two carriers, by coupling the upper parts of at least two carriers together.

The restriction element 234 shown in these figures is no different from that of Figure 42. The restriction element of Figure 45 also comprises two bridge members 235, 235A with engagement recesses 236 formed therein near two edges thereof in the longitudinal direction and after the four carriers 6 are connected to the pallet 2, the bridge members 235, 235A are engaged with the upper parts of the carriers 6A, 6D and these 6B, 6C. In the example shown in Figs. 44 and 45, the engagement recesses 236 of the bridge members 235, 235A are directly engaged with the upper portions of the carriers 6, but as shown in Fig. 42, a configuration is also possible in which caps the upper ends of the carriers 6 are set and the engagement openings are engaged with these caps. Furthermore, the restriction element 234 of figure 45 can be adjusted, as shown by means of the bridge members 235B, 235C with the dotted lines as described in figure 42.

As described above, the article transport / storage device shown in Figs. 44 and 45 is also stabilized due to the fact that the upper parts of the carriers 6 are connected to the pallet 2 with the restriction element 234 and can be kept in a regular form between two adjacent carriers. Therefore, if an article transport / storage device is placed on another article transport / storage device, the carriers of the lower article transport / storage device can correctly engage the engagement recesses 22 of the upper article transport / storage device.

A basic configuration of a carrier unit 32B provided with the carriers 6 and coupling members 14, 15 in the article transport / storage device of figure 46 does not differ from those of figure 44. The carrier unit 32B of figure 46 differs from that of figure 44 only in that the first connection 8 is connected to each of the carriers with an application recess 37 provided in an upper part of the connection 8 and lower parts of the carriers are engaged with the protrusions 7 provided near the four corners of the pallet 2. Also the pallet 2 of figure 46, the two cover plates 3 are connected to the leg portions 4, an article, not shown here, being placed on the article loading surface 5 thereof, and the article is releasably connected to the pallet 2 as needed.

The restriction element 234A of Figure 46 limits the distance between two adjacent carriers by coupling the upper parts of two carriers together and this restriction element 234A comprises two bridge members 235D, 235E provided with two engagement pins 238, fixedly arranged at the two respective ends in the longitudinal direction. When the bridge members 235D, 235E are connected to the carriers, the engagement pins 238 are engaged with the mounting recesses 237 in upper portions of the two carriers. Thus, the same effect as of the restriction element 234 of any of the embodiments described above can be achieved.

1013100 40

The carrier unit 32B of the article transport / storage device of figure 47 does not differ from that of figure 46, and also the pallet 2 is no different than that of figure 26 apart from the fact that an engagement portion 239 formed with an inverted V-shape extends is formed over the entire length of the leg portion in the longitudinal direction thereof.

The restriction element 234B of Figure 47 also limits the distance between two adjacent carriers by coupling the upper ends of those two carriers, in the state in which the four carriers 6 are connected to the pallet 2, and also the restriction element 234B shown in Figure 2 has bridge members 235F, 235G. The restriction member 234B discussed so far does not differ from the restriction members 234, 234A described above.

The difference between the restriction element 234B of Figure 47 and the other is that the cross of each of the bridge members 235F, 23G is triangular with one of the points pointing up. The engagement pins 238 are provided in the projecting shape 15 adjacent two ends thereof in the longitudinal direction and the bridge members 235F, 235G

are releasably connected to the carriers 6, as shown in Figure 48, by engaging the engagement pins 238 in the mounting recesses 237 formed in the first connection 8 in an upper portion of the carrier 6 connected to the pallet 2.

Here, when another article transport / storage device 30A is placed on the article transport / storage device 30 of Fig. 48, the inverted V-shaped engagement portions 239 formed in a bottom surface of the pallet 2 of the upper article transport / storage device 30A are engaged with a conductive portion 240 formed with inverted V-shaped surfaces of the bridge members 235F, 235G of the lower article transport / storage device 30 and when the article transport / storage device 30 is pushed in the direction indicated by the arrow C in the figure in this state , the article transport / storage device 30A can be automatically positioned relative to the lower article transport / storage device and placed at a specific position of the article transport / storage device 30. The situation is shown in Figure 49. Also the situations before and after the engaging portion 239 is engaged by the conductive portion 240 are shown in Figures 50 and 51.

As is understood from Figures 50 and 51, when the engaging portion 239 of the pallet 2 is engaged with the conductive portion formed by the 13100 41 bridge portions 235F, 235G, even if the positions of the upper and lower positions relative to each other If the engaging portion 239 is only slightly engaged with the conductive portion 240, the engaging portion 239 is automatically engaged with the conductive portion 240 because of the weight of the upper article transport / storage device, so that the upper and lower article transport / storage devices are automatically and properly can be positioned in relation to each other.

As described above, placing an article transport / storage device on another article transport / storage device 10 can be easily carried out by using the bridge members 235F, 235G as a guide rail, by the engaging portion 239 of the pallet 2 of the upper article transport / storage device 30A on the sliding the conductive portion 240 thereof and loading the item transport / storage device 30A onto the lower article transport / storage device 30. Moreover, the upper article transport / storage device 30A can then be correctly positioned on the lower article transport / storage device 30, to be precise in a lateral direction of the bridge members 235F, 235G, which enhances safety.

Incidentally, if the engaging portion 239 can slide in the longitudinal direction of the bridge members 235F, 235G when the article transport / storage device is being transported or stored, there is the possibility that the upper article transport / storage device 30A is in the longitudinal direction of the bridge member 235F, 235G of the lower article transport / storage device 30A is moved.

To remedy this problem, as shown in Figs. 50, 51 and 52, in which a portion of the leg portion 4 is shown, a suitable number of recessed portions 241 are formed on the bridge members 235F, 235G, while engaging portions 242 are formed to the engaging portion 239 of the leg portion 4. Figure 53A shows a condition just before the engaging portion 239 engages the conductive portion 240. As shown in Fig. 53B, the engaging portion 239 engages the conductive portion 240 and the upper article transport / storage device. 30A is correctly positioned on the lower article transport / storage device 30, the engaging portions 242 provided in the engaging portion 239 of the leg portion 4, with the recessed portions 241 formed on the bridge members 235F, 235G. With this configuration, the pallet 2 slides 1013100 _____ 42

of the upper article transport / storage device 30A not in the longitudinal direction of the bridge members 235F, 235G of the lower article transport / storage device 30, so that the upper article transport / storage device 30A is prevented from

moved relative to the lower article transport / storage device 30.

As described above, the recessed portions 241 and engagement protrusions 242 form a stop unit for engaging the engagement portion 239 of the pallet 2 with the bridge members 235F, 235G, but different types other than those described above can also be used as the stop unit. For example, the configuration in which the engaging portions are provided in the bridge portions 235F, 235G and the recessed portions for engaging the engaging protrusions is provided in the engaging portions 239 of the leg portion 4.

Also, the configuration as shown in Figs. 54A and 54B is possible, in which the engagement pinholes 245 are formed in the engagement portion 239 of the leg portion 4, engagement pins 243 are received in the bridge members 235F, 235G and the engagement pins 243 are urged upwardly by a spring 244. The engaging portion 239 formed in the leg portion 4 of the upper item transport / storage device engages the conductive portion formed by the bridge members 235F, 235G of the lower article transport / storage device, but if the upper article transport / storage device 20 does not positioned just above the lower article transport / storage device, as shown in Fig. 54A, the spring 244 is depressed by the engaging portion, and the engaging pins 243 come to lie in the slots. If the upper article transport / storage device is correctly positioned above the lower article transport / storage device, as shown in Fig. 54B, the engagement pins 243 engage the engagement recesses 245 and the engagement pins 243 move into those engagement recesses 244 due to the pressure of the spring 243 to obtain engagement between the engagement pins 243 and the engagement holes 245. It is thus possible to prevent the upper article transport / storage device from moving relative to the lower article transport / storage device.

As described above, the restriction element 234 of the article transport / storage device shown in Figs. 47 to 54 includes bridge members 235F, 235G extending between a variety (in the example in Figs. 1 n 131 and 43 i two) carriers 6 for coupling the upper portions of the carriers 6 and the bridge members 235F, 235G have a conductive portion with which the engaging portion 23 of the pallet 2 of another article transport / storage device 30A is placed thereon in a longitudinal direction of the bridge members 235F, 235G.

In the example shown in Figs. 47 to 54, the engaging portion 239 and conductive portion 240 each have an inverted V-shaped cross-section, but the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration and as long as the engaging portion 239 of the pallet 2 and one of the conductive portions 240 of the bridge members 235F, 235G having a convex shape and the other conductive portion 10 having a shape that makes it possible to glide on the convex shape described above, the purpose of a close engagement can become achieved.

The article transport / storage device shown in Figs. 47 to 54 comprises a stop unit for blocking, if another article transport / storage device located above takes a specific position relative to the lower article transport / storage device, the engaging portion 239 of the pallet 2 of the upper article transport / storage device 30A is positioned relative to the bridge members 235F, 235G, each with a conductive portion 240 and, with this configuration, the upper article transport / storage device 30A in a correct manner and not movably.

The configuration described above can not only be used with an article transport / storage device with a carrying unit 34B according to the embodiment of figures 46 and 47, but also with the article transport / storage device provided with the carrying units 34, 34A shown in figures 42 t / m 45.

The bridge members 235, 235A, 235B, 235C, 235D, 235E, 235F, 235G of the restriction elements 234, 234A, 234B described above are releasably connected to the carriers 6 and if the bridge members are removed from the carriers 6, the support unit can be folded as described above, but if the bridge members are removed from the carriers 6 and the removed bridge members, pallet 2 with the carrying unit removed therefrom and the folded carrier unit are transported, the bridge members can impede the execution of the work.

To remedy this problem, it is desirable that, as shown in the example in Figs. 55 and 56, form a hollow portion SS in the leg portion 4 of the pallet 4 for accommodating the bridge members 235F, 235G removed from 1 013 1Ω n_

44 I

the carriers 6 in the hollow portion SS. If the bridge members are accommodated in the leg portion 4, shown in Fig. 56, the bridge members accommodated in the hollow portion SS are transported together with the pallet 2, to prevent the bridge members from getting out of the hollow portion SS. 5 a stop member 246 for the bridge members formed by bending the leg portion 4 near an opening of the hollow portion of the leg portion.

The other bridge members 235 and 235A to 235E can also be accommodated in the pallet 2 in a similar manner as in the example from Figs. 55 and 56.

If the pallet 2 is provided with a lower portion for unblocking Restriction elements that have been removed from the carriers 6 as described above, it is possible to prevent the restriction element from disrupting the easy transport thereof, and moreover a certain number (two in the example shown in the figures) restriction elements are accommodated in a pallet 2 and this also provides for the advantage that the number of restriction elements per unit can be strictly controlled.

As is understood from the above description, each of the article transport / storage devices shown in Figs. 42 to 56 comprises the pallet 2 with an article 1 placed thereon, a variety of carriers 6 detachably connected to the pallet 2 so that the carriers carry the article 1 placed on the pallet 2, a coupling unit for coupling two adjacent carriers 6 together so that the space between two adjacent carriers can be adjusted and a limiting element for it, in the condition in which the variety of carriers is attached to the pallet, limiting the distance between two adjacent carriers by coupling the upper part of the carriers 6 together.

More specifically, the article transport / storage device comprises the pallet 2 with the article 1 placed thereon, four carriers detachably connected to the pallet 2, each in the substantially erected position relative to the article loading surface 5 of the pallet 2, a coupling unit for coupling two adjacent carriers together so that the space between two adjacent carriers can be adjusted side by side and a restriction element for limiting the space between the two in the condition in which the four carriers are connected to the pallet 2 adjacent carriers by linking the

1013 1 G C

45 upper parts of the carrier 6. In the example shown in figures 42 and 43, the first and second coupling members 14, 15 and first and second connections 8, 9 form a coupling unit, and in the example shown in figures 44 to 56 the first and second coupling members 14, 15 and the first to third connections 8, 9, 26 form the coupling unit.

The coupling unit shown in Figs. 42 and 43 adjusts the space between two adjacent carriers so that all distances between two adjacent carriers in each pair change equally. With this configuration it is possible to transport and store articles of different dimensions, by choosing the article transport / storage device with a size suitable for the article to be transported or stored.

The coupling unit shown in Figs. 44 to 56 adjusts the space between two adjacent carriers in such a way that the distance between two adjacent carriers located side by side on an edge of the pallet 2 and the distance between two adjacent carriers which are located side by side on another opposite edge of the pallet 2, change equally and simultaneously so that two adjacent carriers on one edge of the pallet and the space between two adjacent carriers on another edge adjacent to the aforementioned edge of change the pallet to the same extent. The coupling unit adjusts the space between two adjacent carriers in such a way that all space between two adjacent carriers located side by side on an edge of the pallet 2, that between another pair of two adjacent carriers side by side another edge is opposite the aforementioned edge of the pallet 2 and also that between another pair of two adjacent carriers which are located side by side on yet another edge adjacent to the first edge of the pallet 2 change to the same extent.

In each of the embodiments described above, the carriers 6 are releasably connected to the pallet 2 and a coupling unit for coupling two adjacent carriers that are side by side with respect to each other form the carrier units 32, 32A which are each foldable as the carriers have been removed from the pallet 2 and as a result the carrier unit, if removed from the pallet 2, can be stored in a small space and can be transported easily.

Also in each of the article transport / storage devices described above, the pallet 2 comprises a coupling member (engaging portion 239 of the leg portion 4 in the example shown in Figs. 47). to 56) provided on the side opposite the article loading surface 5 thereof, to which an upper part of another article transport / storage device is releasably connected, so that a variety of article transport / storage devices can be stacked on top of each other.

Moreover, with the article transport / storage devices described above, it is advantageous to detachably connect the connections 8, 9 or connections 8, 9, 26 to each carrier 6. For example, in the case of the article transport / storage device shown in Fig. 42, the second connection 9 fixedly attached to the carrier 6 with a removable screw and the first and second connections 8, 9 can be separated from each carrier 6 as shown in figure 32 by removing that screw.

With the above-described configuration, even if a part of the article transport / storage device, for example one of the carriers 6, is damaged and needs to be replaced, the carrier 6 can easily be replaced by a new carrier 6 of the pallet 2 to remove. Even if the article transport / storage device is discarded, the carriers and connections can easily be detached from each other and thrown away. Therefore, it is particularly desirable that the first and second coupling members 14, 15 can be separated from the connections 20 and that the coupling members 14,15 can furthermore be separated from each other.

Fig. 57 shows a perspective view of another example of an article transport / storage device according to the present invention. The article transport / storage device shown in this figure has in principle the same configuration as the article transport / storage device of figure 1, but this article transport / storage device 25 comprises a variety (two in the figure) of base members 300, each connected to each leg portion 4 in the condition wherein the base member is stretched over the two leg portions 4 of the pallet 2 and two reinforcing members 3A are respectively connected to the two leg portions 4, and an upper surface of the base member 300 functions as the article loading surface 5. Herein, the cover 31 is not shown.

The pallet 2 is made of a metal plate such as a steel plate, but materials with a high bending stiffness such as wood or hard plastics can also be used to make the pallet. The base member 300 and the 1013100 47 reinforcement member 3A may be secured to the leg portions 4 by welding or gluing, but may also be secured thereto by means of a screw or other suitable material that is not shown herein, so that the components can easily be removed can be met. Moreover, as will be described later, one or more basic members may be fixed to the basic body of the pallet 2 comprising the leg portions 4 in a manner that their mutual position is adjustable. A pallet with a rectangular and flat plate with a suitable number of leg portions fixed to it or a pallet with a different shape can also be used. A pallet with shapes other than square can also be used.

! Furthermore, the article transport / storage device comprises a variety of carriers, more specifically four carriers in the case shown in of Figure 57 and, as shown in Figure 58, in the state in which the carriers are detachably connected to the pallet 2 near four corners thereof each substantially in the erected position relative to the article loading surface of the pallet 2. Starting from a square above the pallet 2, the four carriers 6 are connected to the four corners of the pallet 2 in the erected position.

Also with the article transport / storage devices of figure 57 the pallets 2 can be stacked on top of each other and stored in that state, as shown in figure 59. In this step it is possible to stack the pallets correctly on top of each other by the protrusions formed on the allowing pallet 2 to engage with the engagement recesses 22 (see Figure 57) of the upper pallet. As described above, the support unit 32 and the pallet 2 can be used repeatedly and the discarded parts can be removed or reduced after transport as well as in the case of an article transport / storage device made of corrugated sheet or the like.

Incidentally, the article 1, such as a copying machine that is transported with an article transport / storage device, is generally loaded onto or removed from the article loading surface 5 of the pallet 2 with the aid of a forklift or robot gripper or the like which is located in a company. Figures 60A and 60B each show a situation in which the article 1, including a copying machine, is held by a gripper 33 of a robot gripper device, the gripper is lowered, and the article 1 is loaded onto the article loading surface 5 of the pallet 2. In the case 1 to 13 shown in the figures, the legs of the copier in this case are still above the surface of the pallet 2 when the gripper 3 touches the upper surface of the pallet 2. Therefore, if the gripper is forcibly removed in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure, the article 1 falls on the upper surface of the pallet 2, which can give a blow to the article 1.

Fig. 61 is a perspective view showing a single pallet 2 of Fig. 57, with which the above-mentioned problem does not occur. The pallet 2 comprises two leg portions 4 and base members 300 fixedly attached thereto, and an upper surface of the base member 300 functions as the item loading surface 5. With this configuration, a depression H is formed between the item loading surface 5 of the pallet 2 and at least a portion of the pallet other than the article loading surface thereof, upper surfaces 335 of the two leg portions 4 are formed between the two base members 300 of the example of the figure. The height of the lowering H is greater than the thickness of the gripper 33 of the robot gripper device (see figure 62) or of the fork of the fork-lift truck. With this configuration, when the pallet 2 is placed in the horizontal position and the article 1 is placed on the article loading surface of the pallet 2, a space G is formed in which the gripper holding the article holding member or a part of the device loading the article and such as a robot gripper device or a fork lift truck, in particular the gripper 333 or the fork thereof, are inserted into the formed upper surface 335 of the leg portions 4 as a part of the pallet 2 and the article 1 above it. The height of the reduction H is made such that space G as mentioned above can be formed.

As shown in Fig. 62A, if a bottom surface of the article with a pair of grippers 333 of a robot gripping device installed in a factory is held and the article 1 is placed on the article loading surface 5 of the pallet 2 by lowering the article 1, the gripper 333 is moved in the space G between the article 1 and the upper surface 335 of the leg portions 4, in the state in which the legs 334 of the article 1 are placed on the article loading surface 5. Thus, if the gripper 333 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure, the gripper 33 can be pulled out of the space G without giving a large blow to the article 1. By the gripper 333 in the reverse order In order to use it, the gripper 333 can be inserted into the space G in order to move the article 1 10131 η n 49 upwardly from the article loading surface 5 of the pallet 2, without this giving a large impact to the article 1. Figures 63 and 64 are perspective views showing a situation in which the article 1 is loaded on or removed from the pallet 2 as described above. The item 1 can also be placed on the pallet 2 and removed from it with a forklift.

Figures 65 to 69 show examples of a pallet 2 each having a configuration other than that of pallet 2 shown in Figures 57 to 61, but the basic configuration thereof is not different from that of the pallet 2 of Figure 57 Namely, in the case of the pallet 2 shown in Figures 65 to 69, the lower portions of the carriers 6 of the carrier units 32, 32A engage with the protrusions 7 provided thereon to form an article transport / storage device and the item transport / storage device is used in the same way as described above. Also in the case of the pallet 2 shown in Figs. 65 to 69, after the carrying units 32, 32A have been removed from the pallet 2, the pallets 2 are stacked on top of each other, with the projections 7 provided on the engage the lower pallet 2 with the engagement recesses 22 provided on the upper pallet 2, thus positioning the pallets relative to each other.

In the example of Figure 65, the pallet 2 comprises a pair of leg portions 4, a flat board 336, fixedly connected to the leg portions 4, a pair of base members 300, 20 connected to the upper surface of the flat board 336, and an upper surface of the base member 300 plays the role of the article loading surface 5. Also in the example from figure 66, the upper surfaces of a pair of base members 300, fixedly connected to a pair of leg portions 4, include the article loading surface 5 on which an article can be placed, and a base member 337 between the two article loading surfaces of the base members 300 is lower than the article loading surface 5. Also in the examples described above, a reduction H is formed between the article loading surface 5 and at least a portion of the pallet, other than that article loading surface (an upper surface of the shelf 336A between the two base members 300 in Figure 65 and these base members 337 in Figure 66 are formed. The height of the reduction H is chosen such that when the pallet 2 is placed in its horizontal position and an article 1 is placed on the article loading surface 5 thereof, a space is created in which an article holding member of the article loading and removing device can be inserted, is being formed. Thus, completely the same effects and actions as those of the pallets 2 shown in Figs. 61 to 64 are achieved.

Also in the case where an entire upper surface of the pallet 2 is covered with a shelf 336, as shown in Fig. 65, by protruding from the base member 300, it is possible to provide a space in which a gripper or fork can be inserted between the article placed on the article loading surface 5 and an upper surface of the shelf 336A, thus, the problems described with reference to Figure 6A do not occur.

In the pallet 2 of Fig. 66, the folded support units 32, 32A 10 can be accommodated in the part of the pallet 2, as described above, namely in a basic organ part 337. The height of the reduction H is chosen such that, in the condition wherein the pallet 2 of Figure 66 is placed horizontally, when the folded carrier unit 32A is accommodated in a horizontal position in the base member portion 337 between the two article loading surfaces of the base members 300 as shown in Figure 67, the height h1 of the carrier unit 32A from the horizontal surface is lower than the height h2 of the article loading surface 5 of the same horizontal surface. In this configuration, for example, if the article transport / storage device is stored in a warehouse or is returned after an article 1 has been delivered to the user, the carrier unit 32A and the pallet 2 are separated from each other, the article transport / storage device can be conveniently arranged are stored or returned by accommodating the folded carrier unit 32A on the base member portion 337. Moreover, even if a number of the pallets 2 are stacked on top of each other as shown in Fig. 59, the pallets are not disturbed by the carrying unit 32A housed therein. As described above, managing the pallet 2 and the carrying unit 32A becomes simpler if the carrying unit 32A is accommodated in the pallet 2 and the carrying unit 32A is also prevented from being lost.

Figures 66 and 67 each show the support unit 32A which is also shown in Figure 8, but also the support unit 32 of Figure 5 can be accommodated in the basic organ portion 337, completely as described above. 66 and 67, the coupling member of the support unit 32A is not shown.

The pallet 2 shown in Figs. 68 and 69 also comprises two leg sections 4, a pair of base members 330 which are stretched over the two leg sections and reinforcing members 3A, fixedly connected to the two leg sections and a lowering H is formed between the article loading surface 5, comprising an upper surface of the base member 300 and at least a portion of the pallet 2, other than the article loading surface 5, namely the upper surface 335 of the leg portion, and the height of the depression H is chosen according to the reduction H shown in figures 61 to 65 or in figures 66 and 67.

The pallet 2 shown in Figs. 68 and 69 differs in the following points from the pallet 2 described above. Assuming that a portion of the pallet 2 other than the base member 300 is called the base body 338 of the pallet 2, the item loading surface is formed in the base member 300 which is connected to the base body 338 of the pallet so that the item loading surface 5 relative to the base body 338 of the pallet 2 can be positioned. In this example, elongated recesses 339 are formed which extend in the longitudinal direction in the upper walls of the leg portions 4 and, as becomes clear from Figure 69, bolts 341 are formed in continuous recesses in the four leg portions of the hose portion 340 of each base member 300 is inserted so that the bolts can move in the longitudinal direction of the recesses 339 with nuts 342 placed on those bolts 341. A head portion 341A of each bolt 341 is located on the inside of the leg portion 4, and the width of the head portion 341A is larger than that of the recess 339.

When each of the nuts 342 is loosened, the base member 300 can be moved relative to the base body 338 of the pallet, in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 68. After the base member 300 is placed in a desired position for example, in the position indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 68, the base member 300 can be secured to the base body 338 of the pallet in that position. With this configuration, the position of the base member 300 relative to the base body 338 of the pallet can be adjusted according to the size of the article that is placed on the article loading surface 5, and articles of different dimensions can be efficiently loaded onto the item loading surface 5.

In order to easily and precisely determine the position of the base member 300, a mark MM indicating the position may be formed on the leg portion 4, or a label on which the mark MM is imprinted may be affixed to the leg portion 4 within 52.

A detailed description is given below with reference to Figs. 70 to 86 for other examples, in which the folded carrying units 32, 32A can be joined together with the pallet 2.

Figures 70 to 72 show views of each of the configurations as shown in Figures 57 to 59. However, a recess 433 is formed herein near the leg portions 4 and two base members 300, near the central portion of the pallet. 2. When the pallets 2 as described above are stacked on top of each other, as shown in Fig. 72, a continuous space S is formed on the inside 10 of the pallets as a result of the recess 433.

Even though Fig. 73, like Fig. 72, shows a situation in which a variety of pallets 2 without the support units 32, 32A are stacked on top of each other, the Fig. Shows a case in which the support units 32A are removed from the pallet 2 and are accommodated in the space S which is on the inside of the variety of pallets 2. In Figure 73, the circumference of the space S formed by the recess 433 of the variety of pallets 2 is indicated by a dotted line and the bearing units 32A can be accommodated in the space S in him established position.

As was written above, when the load units 32A are accommodated in the space S, the space occupied by these individual components is effectively reduced, in contrast to the case where a large number of load units 32A and a large amount of pallets 2 are transported separately or saved. In Figs. 70 to 72, as described above, in addition to the configuration shown in Figs. 57 to 59, if the variety of pallets 2 are stacked together without the support units 32, 32A, the recess 433 is formed in the pallets 2, so that the space S with the folded support units 32, 32A stored therein is divided and formed. This configuration is called the first configuration.

If a large number of pallets 2 are stacked on top of each other, as shown in Figs. 72 and 73, and if each of the pallets 2 is moved and moved in the horizontal direction, the space S cannot be guaranteed and the folded supporting elements 32A can cannot be accommodated in the space S in their erected position.

1013100 53

Therefore, when the pallets 2 are stacked on top of each other, as shown in Figs. 72 and 73, the pallets are correctly positioned relative to each other by projecting the protrusions 7 provided on the pallets 2 with the engagement recesses 22 in the top of the pallet. allow the pallets 2 to be correctly positioned and stacked in the vertical direction, in order to prevent the pallets stacked on top of each other from shifting in the horizontal direction. The protrusions 7 and engagement recesses 22 provide an example of a positioning unit for positioning the pallets stacked on top of each other.

The height of each protrusion 7 provided on the pallet 2 is greater than the height 10 of the article loading surface 5, as shown with the mark C in Figure 74. Thus, if the pallets 2 are stacked on top of each other, the protrusions 7 can engage firmly in the respective engagement recesses 22 on the upper pallets 2, so that the pallets 2 can be positioned correctly.

As described above, the article transport / storage device in this embodiment comprises, in addition to the first configuration, a positioning unit for positioning pallets if a variety of pallets are stacked on top of each other without the carrying units 32, 23A. Therefore, the space S for accommodating the folded support units 32, 32A within the stacked pallets 2 can be ensured. This configuration is referred to as the second configuration.

Even though the figures after Figure 74 show a pallet 2 with a configuration that differs from the pallet in the examples shown in Figures 70 to 74, the basic configuration does not differ from what is shown in Figures 70 to 74. An article transport / storage device is configured such that the lower part of the carriers 6 of the support units 32, 32A detachably engages the protrusions 7 provided on the pallets 2, as shown in the figures after figure 75, and the article transport / storage device becomes used in exactly the same way as described above. In the case of the pallets 2 shown in the figures after figure 75, after the carrying units 32, 32A are removed from the pallets 2, the pallets are stacked on top of each other and the protrusions 7 provided on the underside of the pallets 2 engage to the engagement recesses 22 formed on the upper surface of the pallet 2 to position these pallets 2.

The pallets 2 shown in Figs. 75 and 76 are secured by securing a pair of leg portions 4 with a unit of the base member 300, a variety of recesses 433 formed in the base member 300 and the upper surface of the base member 300 forms an article loading surface 5. The other configuration of the pallet does not differ from the pallet 2 shown in Figs. 73 and 74. If the variety of pallets 2 are stacked on top of each other without the support units, as shown in Fig. 76, a variety becomes to spaces S formed as a result of a variety of recesses 433, and the support units 32A can be accommodated in any of these spaces in which the units are inserted.

Because the large recess 433 is formed in the pallets 2 of Fig. 73, if the carrying units 32A are accommodated therein, the carrying units 32A can fall over or the carrying units can move back and forth and make a noise during transport. In contrast, since the pallets 2 shown in Figs. 75 and 76 are provided with recesses 433 which are all small in size, the support units 32A can be accommodated therein and held in an erect position, and the noise can be prevented. The support units 32A are kept separate from the environment by the recesses, so that the support units 32A are placed in their erected position or substantially erected position relative to the floor or ground of the pallets 2.

As described above, the article transport / storage device using the pallets 2 as shown in Figs. 75 and 76 in addition to the first and second configurations, includes the recesses 433 each formed with a dimension such that the support units 32, 32A can be inserted and held in an erected position. This configuration is indicated by a third configuration.

In the example shown in Figs. 75 and 76, the device is designed such that, when the variety of pallets 2 are stacked on top of each other, the recesses 433 are aligned with each other. Thus, in this configuration, the spaces S, each in a suitable form for accommodating the support units 32A that can be placed therein, can be divided and formed and the support units k32A can be held in its raised position.

Even though the pallet 2 shown in Figures 77 and 78 does not deviate from those shown in Figures 75 and 76, apart from the fact that a number of recesses 433 are larger than those shown in Figures 75 and 76, the recesses 433 are shown in figures 77 and 78 1 0 13 1 fi! 55, the carrier units can hold 32 A more firmly.

As described above, the article transport / storage devices using pallets 2 is shown in Figs. 75 to 78, the configuration added to the first to the third configurations, wherein each position of the recesses 433 in the pallets 2, areas of the recess, in the form of the recesses, are selected such that if a variety of pallets 2 can be stacked on top of each other without the support units 32, 32A, the recesses 433 of the pallets 2 correspond. This configuration will be indicated by the fourth configuration.

The pallet 2 shown in Figs. 75 to 78 includes the recesses 433 for accommodating the support units 32A in the article loading surface 5. Therefore, if an article 1 is placed on the article loading surface 5 for use of the pallet 2 such as With reference to Figs. 70 to 72, a portion of the lower part of the article 1 is inserted into the recess 433 so that it can tilt article 1. For example, if the item 1 is a copier as shown in Figure 70 and if the copier is placed on the item loading surface 5, as shown in Figures 75 through 78, the legs (rubber legs) on the bottom side of the copier can the recesses 433 protrude and get into it even though it has been carefully placed.

Thus, the pallet 2 of Figure 79 includes recesses 433 for accommodating therein folded support units formed in a support unit support plate 434, which is located between a pair of base members 300, tensioned over a pair of leg portions 4 with a space therebetween and fixedly connected thereto and which edge portions are fixedly connected to the leg portions 4. The bearing unit support plate 434 is arranged below the article loading surface 5. The other configuration does not differ from the pallet as described above. The pallet 2 from figure 79, the pallets 2 are also stacked on top of each other and support units are accommodated in the spaces separated and formed by the recesses 433.

If the article transport / storage device as shown in figures 70 to 72 is designed with the pallets 2 of figure 79 and an article 1 is placed on each of the article loading surfaces 5 of the pallets 2, the article 1 does not come into contact with the bearing unit support plate 434. Therefore, a portion of the bottom portion of the article 1 will never protrude into the recess 433.

As described above, the article transport / storage device provided with the pallets 2 of figure 79 has the configuration other than the first to the fourth configuration in which the recesses 433 are formed, in a part other than the article loading surface 5 of the pallet 2. This configuration will be the fifth configuration | are called.

The support unit support plate 434 can be connected to the leg section 4 by welding or the like so that the plate cannot be separated therefrom, but the support unit support plate 434 can also be releasably attached to the leg sections 4. If the pallet section other than the support unit support plate 434 it base body 435 of the pallet, the carrier unit support plate 434 is releasably connected to the base body 435 of the pallet, as shown in Figs. 80 and 81. As shown in Fig. 80, the support unit support plate 434 can be detachably connected to the base body 435 of the pallet by means of, for example, screws 438 or bolts. The support unit support plate 434 can also be releasably connected to the base body 435 of the pallet by means of the engaging elements 436 on the support unit support plate 434, and engagement recesses 437 on the upper walls of the leg portions 4 of the base body 435 as shown in Figure 81 and on top of each other engaging these elements 436 and recesses 437.

As described above, the article transport / storage device provided with the pallets 2 shown in Figs. 80 and 81 has the configuration otherwise the first through the fifth configurations, wherein the recesses 433 are formed in the bearing unit support plate 434 detachably coupled to the base body 25 435 from the pallet. This configuration will be referred to as the sixth configuration.

In the sixth configuration, the costs can be reduced compared to the case of the carrier unit support plates 434 provided on the pallet 2 because the carrier unit support plate 434 can only be attached to pallet 2 if necessary. For example, in the case where articles are loaded on a variety of article transport / storage devices, the articles are transported from one plate to another location and are delivered there, then the carrier units are removed from the pallet of each of the article transport / storage devices, the pallets are stacked on top of each other, the 1 013 1 C 0 57 folded supporting elements are accommodated in the spaces inside the pallet, and the article transport / storage devices are returned to the original location after all these steps, there is a method for attaching support unit support plates 434 only on the pallets of one of the article transport / storage devices, wherein when the pallets and support units are returned, the pallets are placed on the support unit support plates 434 on top of the other pallets and the support units in the recesses 433 are accommodated in the support unit support plates 434 . Thus, as the variety of pallets and carrier units can be sent back, all pallets and carrier units can be simply enveloped and returned to the original location only by using a carrier unit support plate 434.

By way of example, as is clearly understood from Figures 73, 76 and 78, the support units 32A are inserted into the recesses 433 of these pallets 2 and make contact with the floor surface of the bottom portions thereof. When a large number of pallets 2 are stacked on top of each other and lifted in that condition by a forklift or the like, the support units 32A remain on the floor surface. As described above, it is impossible or extremely difficult to lift the pallets 2 together with the carrying units 32A.

Therefore, the pallets 2 of Fig. 82 are designed such that the bearing units 32A in the recesses 433 are engaged on the edges of the recesses 433 or are hung therein. The pallet 2 of Figure 82, like that of Figures 70 and 72, comprises a pair of leg portions 4, base members 300 connected to those portions and two parts of reinforced members 3A comprising plate members connected to the leg portions 4, the recesses 433 being formed on each of the reinforced members 3A. A part of the folded units 32A and inserted into the recesses 433, in this example a first connection 8 and four connections near an edge of the longitudinal direction of the bearing units 32A is designed larger than the area of the recess 433.

With the above-described configuration, when each of the carrier units 32A are inserted into the recesses 433, the first four connections 8 of the carrier units 32A are suspended on the edge of the recesses 433 so that the carrier units 32A are kept in a state in which they hang on the inside of the variety of pallets 2. Therefore, when the pallets 2 stacked on top of each other are lifted, the support units 32A are lifted together with the pallets, so that the pallets 2 and the support units 32A can be easily transported.

As described above, the article transport / storage device provided with the pallets 2 of figure 82 has a configuration other than the first to sixth configuration in which a part of the folded carrying units 32, 32A is larger than the recess 433 so that this larger part of the support unit can rest on the edge of the recess 433. This configuration is called the seventh configuration.

Incidentally, as shown in Figure 82, when a large number of pallets 2 are stacked on top of each other and the entire stack of pallets are lifted or transported, a manipulator such as the fork 439 of a forklift truck is inserted under the lower pallet as shown with the arrow in Fig. 82, and the pallets 2 are lifted by lifting the forks 439. However, if the ends of the bearing units 32A that are inserted into the recesses 433 of the pallets 2 protrude into a space between the two leg portions 4 from the lower pallet 2, the fork 439 touches the ends of the carrier units 32A so that it cannot be inserted.

Therefore, it is desirable to accommodate the carrier units within the pallets 2 so that the ends of the carrier units 32A do not protrude below the lower pallet 2.

However, if the length of the carrier units 32A or a number of pallets 2 to be stacked on top of each other is fixed, so that the ends of the carrier units 32A

| do not protrude from the bottom pallet 2 or below the second or third pallet from the bottom j, the efficiency of accommodating the carrying units 32A in the pallets 2 will be reduced.

In that case, the article transport / storage device comprising pallets 2 from figure 82 has a configuration other than the first to seventh configuration in which an end of the carrying units 32 or 32A, i.e. a part of the four first connections 8 in figure 82 is larger than the recess 433, so that the larger portion of the carrier unit can engage the edge of the recess 433 formed in the pallet 2 in the static state of the variety of pallets 2 stacked on top of each other and, assuming that N is an integer greater than 2, T is the thickness of a pallet, and L is the total length of a support unit 32, 32A, the values of T and L are chosen such that (N1) xT = L. This configuration is indicated by the eighth configuration.

vl 013 1 0 0 v 59

If eight pallets 2 are stacked on top of each other, as in the example from Figure 82, N equals 8, and therefore N -1 is 7, then the value 7 x T is obtained by multiplying this value by the thickness T of the pallets 2 similar to the L in the longitudinal direction of the carrier unit 32A. By choosing the length of the carrier unit in this way, the ends of the accommodated carrier units 32A will not protrude below the lower pallet 2, and the carrier unit 32A will extend to the second pallet 2 from the bottom. The efficiency for accommodating the pallets 32A can be maximized in this way and the fork 439 can be placed under the lower pallet 2.

In the example from Figure 82, it is laborious for the worker to determine each time how many layers are to be stacked on top of each other, even though the same effect can be achieved by inserting the support units 32A into the recesses 433 when the pallets 2 are stacked.

In that case, the article transport / storage device provided with the pallets 2 of figure 82 comprises a number of recesses 433 formed in the pallets 2, the number being chosen equal to the value N described above with regard to the eighth configuration. Eight recesses 433 are formed in each pallet 2 in this example as shown in the example of Figure 82. Thus, the work worker stacks the pallets 2 on top of each other according to the number of recesses 433 formed in the pallets 2 and as the carrying units 32A are inserted into the recesses 433 and the stacking of the pallets 2 as well as the accommodation of the carrying units 32A automatically satisfies the relationship (N - 1) x T = L. In this case, since the same number of carrying units 32A as the number of stacking pallets 2 are accommodated in the pallets 2, the pallets 2 and the carrying units 32A can be easily managed, which is advantageous.

A variety of pallets 2 or stacked item transport / storage devices as shown in Figure 71 can be stacked in a transport device such as a truck or container for transport. In this case, as shown in Figure 83, the stacked pallets or assembled item transport / storage devices are accommodated in a container or truck, in particular in an item accommodating space R, if there is a large space in an upper portion of the item accommodating space R , the article transport efficiency is lowered. On the other hand if the total height of the stacked pallets or the total, 101310 0 i!

60 I

height of the assembled item transport / storage devices is equal to the height of the input and output of the item accommodating space R, the working efficiency for loading the pallets or item transport / storage devices into and unloading the pallets and the item transport / storage devices from the space R becomes lower. This is also true if the pallets or article transport / storage devices are loaded in or out of a container.

It is therefore advantageous in the article transport / storage devices according to the eighth or ninth configuration as described above, assuming that N is an integer greater than 1, choosing the values of N and T such that the value of 10 nx N x T is not is more than the value obtained by subtracting 3 cm from the height H1 of the entry and exit of the article accommodating space R in the transport device and is not less than the value obtained by subtracting 10 cm from the height H1 of this input and output. This configuration is called the tenth configuration. The height of the entrance of the truck or a container, namely the height H1 of the entrance of the floor of the article accommodating space R is determined according to industrial standards, assuming that the height is no more than a value obtained by 3 cm subtracting from the height H1 of the entrance of the door E and not less than the value obtained by subtracting 10 cm from the height H1 of the entrance of the door is the maximum height, the value of nx becomes NT the maximum value.

For example, if the pallets 2 are stacked on, as shown in Figure 82, the total height is substantially NxT, and if the stacked pallets 2 are accommodated in a cargo hold of a truck, the value NxT must be chosen equal to the maximum height. In the case where a variety of pallets 25 as shown in Fig. 82 are stacked on top of each other as shown in Fig. 84 and (assuming the pallets form one) are further piled up to form two steps as shown in Fig. 84 to accommodate all pallets in to accommodate the truck. The total height of the pallets 2 is 2 x N x T (n = 2), and this value corresponds to the stated maximum height.

Thus, when a variety of pallets are stacked on top of each other in order to be accommodated in a truck and brought in through the entrance E, a space larger than 3 cm and smaller than 10 cm is maintained between the upper pallet 2 and an upper part of the entrance E, so that the pallets can easily be loaded into the cargo hold R for 1 or 13 1. This also applies to the unloading of the pallets from the space R. In addition, this creates a small space G above the pallets 2 which are accommodated in the loading space R, so that the pallets are placed efficiently. This also applies if the pallets 2 are placed in a container.

What has been described above can also be applied in the case where an item transport / storage device 30, or a variety of item transport / storage devices 30, 30A are stacked on top of each other and placed in a truck or container. In particular, in an article transport / storage device of one of the configurations, one to ten, if the 10 carrying units 32, 32A are placed on the pallet 2 to form the article transport / storage device, assuming that the total height of the pallet 2 and the support units 32, 32A are H and n is an integer greater than 1, a value chosen for H so that the value of Η xn is smaller than the value obtained by subtracting 3 cm from the height H1 of the article entry E is of the loading floor R of the conveyor and is at the same time greater than the value obtained by subtracting 10 cm from the height H1 of the entrance E. Assuming that this configuration is called the eleventh configuration, the eleventh configuration, an article transport / storage device (n = 1) or stacked article transport / storage devices in a variety of steps (n ^ 1) loaded in and out of the truck or container, the work can be done easily orders and moreover the loading space can be used effectively, which promotes the efficiency of the transport of the articles.

Even if the pallets 2 are stacked on, for example as shown in figure 82 or 84 and are loaded in or out of a truck or container, it is advantageous to construct the pallet in such a way that the above-mentioned result is achieved. In particular in the article transport / storage device with the first through the eleventh configuration, assuming that the thickness of a pallet is T and m is an integer greater than 2, a value of T is chosen so that it is smaller than the value obtained by subtracting 3 cm from the height H1 of the entrance E of the loading floor R in the transport device and greater than the value obtained by subtracting 10 cm from the height H1 of the item entry E This configuration will be called the twelfth configuration, also with the twelfth configuration the stacked pallets can be efficiently loaded in and out of the space R and this space R

1 013 1 η n 62 can be used efficiently.

Incidentally, if the pallets 2 are stacked on top of each other as for example in Figure 84 and the pallets are divided into two groups, each group being transported depending on a different location, a fork is placed under the eighth pallet from above 5, where the ends of the carrying unit 32A is not present (this is indicated by the reference number 2A in Figure 84) and eight pallets 2 are lifted with the fork. However, if the pallet 2 A with the supporting units 34A contained therein cannot be visually checked from the outside of the pallets 2, the working efficiency is reduced. Therefore, in the pallets 2 are shown in Figures 82; 10 and 84 the recesses 433 formed in the side where the fork is inserted, namely in a position closer to the edge area than the central position when the pallet is viewed from above. With this configuration, a worker can check the pallet 2A without the ends of the carrying units 32A present thereon by visually checking the pallets 2 stacked on top of each other, and can efficiently perform its work by placing the fork under the pallet 2A.

As described above, in each of the twelve configurations, it is desirable to provide a recess near a position closer to an edge of the pallet 2, rather than near a central portion thereof. This configuration is referred to as thirteenth configuration.

In the examples shown in Figures 73 to 84, the carrier unit is accommodated within the pallets stacked on top of each other, but the carrier unit can also be accommodated in each individual pallet 2. Figures 85 and 86 show an example of this and the pallet 2 shown in these figures has in addition to the parts of the pallet shown in figures 70 to 73, a hollow third leg portion 444A which each function as a receiving portion for a support unit, and the leg portions 444A are fixed to a bottom surface of the reinforcing member 3 A confirmed. The carrying unit 32A removed from the pallet 2 is inserted into the third leg as indicated by the arrow in Figure 85, and can be accommodated therein as shown in Figure 86.

As described above, the third leg portion 444A functions as a portion 30 for accommodating a support unit.

The article transport / storage device provided with a pallet as shown in figures 85 and 86 has the configuration which is provided in a part for accommodating the carrying units 32, 32A in the pallet 2 of the article transport / storage device with one of the configurations shown in Figs. 70 to 77. This configuration will be referred to as the fourteenth configuration, the item transport / storage device of Fig. 85 has the fourteenth configuration with a portion for accommodating a carrying unit therein. This configuration is called the fifteenth configuration.

With the fourteenth and fifteenth configuration, even if the number of pallets is small or even one, the carrier units 32, 32A can easily be accommodated in pallet 2. Moreover, with the configuration in which a carrier unit can be accommodated in a pallet, the carrier unit can be easily managed in the pallet during transport and storage thereof.

Various embodiments of the article transport / storage device according to the present invention have been described above, wherein an article is placed on a pallet 2 of one of the article transport / storage devices described above and are transported or stored together if an article does not stand properly on the pallet. unrelated, it is impossible to transport Article 1 in a stable condition.

Therefore, the article transport / storage device described with reference to Figures 1 to 86 is provided with at least one positioning unit for positioning the article placed on pallet 2 or a securing unit for removably securing the article to the pallet 2. This is fixed with it. 20 means placing the article relative to the pallet 2, if the pallet 2 is placed horizontally and the article 1 is placed thereon, the article does not shift relative to the pallet in the horizontal direction, but that the article is positioned and secured to the pallet 2 so that the article 1 can be removed from the pallet by lifting, and attaching the article 1 to the pallet 2 means that the article placed on the pallet 2 is secured to the pallet 2 so that the article is not can move in the horizontal direction nor in the vertical direction. A detailed description of the positioning unit and locking unit follows below.

Fig. 87 shows an example of a positioning unit and the positioning unit in this example comprises four engagement portions, each comprising a continuous recess 533 formed in the base member 300 of the pallet 2. On the other hand, the article, for example a copying machine, is provided with four leg portions 543, each of which is in contact with the floor surface when the copier is placed on the floor surface. When the article 1 is placed on the 1013 100 64 article loading surface 5 of the pallet 2, the leg portions 543 engage with the four continuous recesses 533 formed in the pallet 2. As a result, the article 1 is correctly positioned relative to the pallet 2 and does not substantially shift relative to that pallet during transport or storage thereof. Also, the configuration is possible in which the engagement portions each comprise a slot formed in the continuous recesses 533 and the article 1 is positioned relative to the pallet 2 by engaging the leg portions of the article 1 with the engagement portions or in which the engagement portions projections of the article 1 other than the leg portions 543 engage the leg portions of the pallet 2.

The configuration in which the article 1 can be positioned relative to the pallet 2 by engaging the leg portions of the article 1 on the engagement portions of the pallet 2 is particularly efficient if, for example, the article is being transported by a user and a old item used by the user is returned to the seller. For example, if a copy machine is transported with an item transport / storage device to a user, the copy machine is loaded from the item transport / storage device and an old copy machine used by the user is placed on the pallet 2 by the user, the old copy machine can be be placed relative to the pallet 2 by engaging the leg portions of the old copier on the engaging portions of the pallet 2.

The positioning unit shown in Figs. 88 and 89 comprises a variety of positioning pins 544 protruding from the base member 300 of the pallet 2 and a bottom portion of the article 1 placed on the pallet 2 includes recesses 545 formed in a bottom plate 534 of the copy machine shown in Fig. 25 and engaging the positioning pins and with this construction the article 1 can be correctly positioned relative to the pallet 2.

A variety of screw holes are formed in the base member 300 of the pallet 2 shown in Figures 88 and 89, and a variety of recesses 545A are formed in a bottom portion of the article 1 that is placed on pallet 2, in this case in the bottom plate 534. When the article 1 is placed on the pallet 2, the recesses 545A are correctly positioned with respect to the screw holes 546, so that the bolts 547 can be inserted into the recesses 545A and the bolts 547 are fixed in the screw holes 546. By to tighten the bolts 547

1 0 13 1 C C

65, as described above, the article 1 is secured to the pallet 2. The article 1 can be detached from the pallet 2 by removing the bolts 547. As described above, the screw holes 546 and the bolts 547 form a fixing unit for removably attaching an article 1 to the pallet 2, 5 and by providing this securing unit can, if the article 1 is loaded on the article transport / storage device and is transported together with the article transport / storage device, even if the article transport / storage device vibrates or collides, the article 1 can be fixed with respect to the pallet 2.

If the article, such as, for example, the copier, comprises a paper drawer, the paper drawer is pulled out of the copier to release the recesses 545A, as shown in Fig. 89, and the bolts 547 are inserted through the open recesses 545A. .

Instead of providing the positioning pins 544 as shown in Figs. 88 and 89, a configuration is possible in which 4 screw holes equal to the screw holes 545 are formed in the pallet, the article 1 being positioned relative to the pallet 2 I by bolts inserting into the four screw holes and fixing the article 1 to the pallet, however, if the article 1 is placed on the pallet 2, it is necessary to insert a number of bolts into the screw holes and the work is therefore complicated and difficult. On the other hand, as is the case in Figs. 88 and 89, if the article 1 is positioned relative to the positioning pins 544 and the article 1 is attached to the pallet 2 by inserting bolts into the screw holes 546, the number of required bolts 547 can be can be reduced and the work for installing the bolts can be simplified. As described above, the work for securing the article is simplified as a positioning unit for positioning article 1 placed on the pallet 2 on the pallet 2 and a securing unit is provided for removably securing the article 1 that is placed is on the pallet 2 to the pallet 2, the work for attaching the article 1 to the pallet 2 can be simplified.

In the example shown in Figs. 88 and 89, two positioning pins 544 and two bolts 547 are provided for fixing. However, if the number of bolts 547 is less than the number of positioning pins 544 and, for example, three positioning pins 544 and a bolt 547 are used, the work of fixing the article 1 and removing the article 1 from the article 1 can be done. pallet 2 can be further simplified. In this configuration the number of places for positioning the article 1 on the pallet 2 with the positioning unit is smaller than the number of places for fixing the article 1 on the pallet 2 with a fixing unit.

A configuration is possible in which many screw holes 546 are formed in the pallet 2 and some screw holes 546 are selected depending on the weight of the article 1. If, for example, the article 1 is very heavy, the article is securely fastened to the pallet 2 by to insert bolts into all screw holes 546 and if the article 1 is light, the article 1 is fixed to the pallet 2 by inserting bolts into only a few recesses 546. Moreover, a configuration is possible in which screw holes 546 with different dimensions are provided, and as a heavy item! to be transported, the article is fixed to the pallet 2 by inserting large bolts only into the screw holes 546 with a large diameter. With this configuration, the article 1 can be secured to the pallet 2 with a suitable fixing force and the work for removing a lightweight article 1 from the pallet 2 can be simplified.

In the example shown in Figs. 88 and 99, the positioning pins 544 are directly connected to the base member 300 of the pallet 2. On the other hand, in the example of Fig. 90, a pair of positioning pins 544 forming the positioning unit described above are secured to the locating members 549 and the locating members 549 are secured to the base member 300 of the pallet 2 by means of screws 550. The locating pins 544A engage in the same manner as the locating units 544 shown in Fig. 89 in the recesses 545 of the article 1 to fit the article 1 positioning relative to the pallet 2.

As described above, the positioning unit comprises positioning pins | 544A for positioning the article 1 that is placed on the pallet 2 and the positioning pins 544A are fixed to the positioning members 549 on the pallet 2. In this configuration, the positioning pins 544A are fixed via the positioning members 549 to the pallet 2 and as a When a large external force is exerted on the article transport / storage device or the article 1, a large voltage is generated in the positioning pins 544 as well as in the positioning members 549, but no voltage is generated in the pallet 2. This property makes it possible, even if the locator 549 is damaged and / or even becomes permanently deformed, the pallet 2 itself is damaged or permanently deformed. Because energy is absorbed by the deformation of the locating members 549, a permanent deformation of the pallet 2 can be prevented. If the pallet 2 itself is damaged and permanently deformed and if the pallet 2 is discarded, economic loss occurs, but if the locator 549 is used, even if the locator 549 is damaged or permanently formed and replaced with a new one, the economic loss is kept to a minimum, because the placing member 549 is considerably smaller than the pallet 2 and can be manufactured with less cost.

In the article transport / storage device of Fig. 91, the fixation element comprises a fixation element which comprises a nut 551 and a bolt 554 which is screwed into the nut 551 and also a nut 551 is fixed to the locating member 549A. A continuous recess is formed in a portion of the locating member 549A corresponding to a central recess of the nut 551, and a recess not shown herein is also formed in the base member 300 of the pallet 2, and a recess 545A which is formed in the article 1 that is placed on the pallet 2 is positioned correctly with respect to the recess formed in the pallet 2. In this state, the locator 549A makes contact with the base member 300 from the bottom (see Figure 94) in order to leave the central recess of the nut 551 in register with the recess in the pallet 2, as well as with the recess 545A of the article 1, and a bolt is inserted through these recesses with the nut 551 mounted thereon, and the bolt 545 is locked.

The configuration of Figure 92 possible with a fixation element comprising a bolt 552 tightly secured to the locator 549A, the bolt is inserted into a recess of the pallet 2 as well as into the recess 545A of the article aligned therewith and the nut 553 is placed and tightened with the bolt.

As described above, the securing unit in the article transport / storage device shown in Figs. 91 and 92 comprises a fixation element for securing the article 1 that is placed on the pallet 2 to the pallet 2, namely the nut 551 or bolt 552 and the fixation element is attached to the locator 549A placed on the pallet 2. Therefore, just as in the example of Fig. 90, a strong external force is exerted on the article 1 / transport device on the article 1. , not the pallet 2 but the locator 549A damaged or permanently deformed, and this property minimizes the economic loss due to the described incident.

Further, the configuration as shown in Figs. 93 and 94 is possible, in which a variety of positioning pins 549B are provided, each in an excellent shape on the locator 549A, and the pins 549B engage on the recess 555 for positioning formed on the base 300 when the locator 549 is touched on the base 300 from the bottom. Although not shown in the figures, the pins for positioning can each be provided in a protruding shape in the pallet 2, and the positioning can be obtained by engaging the pins in the recesses for positioning formed on the locator 549A for positioning the locator 549A. As described above, the positioning member 549 can be easily positioned relative to the pallet by providing a positioning unit for positioning the positioning member 549A relative to the pallet 2.

The configuration is applicable in which the bolt 552 is used, as shown in Figure 92, and is further applicable to the locator 549 of Figure 90.

If the locating members 549, 549A are movably connected to the pallet 2, the relative positions of the positioning pins 544A, the nut 551 and the bolt 552 relative to the pallet 2 can be adjusted and different articles 1 with recesses 545 and 545A can be inserted different positions are positioned with respect to the pallet 2. For example, as shown in Figure 90, a number of screw holes are formed in the base member 300, suitable screw holes 556 are selected in accordance with the location of the recesses 545 of the article 1 (see Figure 89), and screws are inserted into the screw holes 556 to secure the locator 549 to the pallet 2. Also, the locator 549 of Figs. 91 through 94 can be secured to the pallet 2 by selecting the appropriate securing positions.

Fig. 95 is a perspective view in dotted line showing the article 1 placed on a pallet 2 of Fig. 88, and when the article 1 is placed on the pallet 2, the positioning pins 544 and ii 1013100 69 are generally located screw holes 546 are located below the article 1 so that a worker cannot visually inspect the pins or recesses and loading the article is complicated.

In order to solve this problem, a mark M1 can be provided as a reference for placing the article 1 on the pallet 2 on the pallet 2, whereby the placing thereof on the pallet can be easily carried out. For example, if a solid line and a mark M1 is drawn with a dotted line in accordance with the size of the item 1 to be transported on the base member 300 of the pallet 2 as shown in Fig. 95, the item 1 is aligned with the mark M1 corresponding to the size of the article 1.

Figure 95 shows a situation in which an edge of the article is aligned with respect to the mark drawn with the solid line. The article 1 can hereby be simply and correctly placed on the pallet 2, wherein the positioning pins 544 automatically engage on the recesses 545 of the article 1 and also the screw holes of the pallet 2 are automatically correctly positioned with respect to the recesses 545A

15 of the Article 1.

Furthermore, instead of placing the mark M1 directly on the pallet 2, the mark can be placed on a mark member 557 such as a plate, a sheet, or a film and the mark member 557 can be attached to the pallet 2, for example by stick the pallet 2 as shown in figure 95.

If the article 1 is loaded onto the pallet 2 not by hand but automatically, for example by means of a robot, it is possible that the mark M1 is detected by means of a sensor, which is not shown in the figure and that the robot acts according to the detailed information in order to place the item 1 correctly on the pallet 2.

The characteristics of the mark M1 can be applied to all of the configurations described above.

The base member 300 of the pallet 2 can be secured to a certain portion of the two leg portions 4, but if the base member 300 is movably connected to the leg portion 4, the article 1 which can have different dimensions can be placed on the base member 300.

Figures 96 and 97 show examples of this configuration, and the basic configuration of the pallet 2 shown in these figures does not differ from the pallet 2 of Figure 57, other than the ones at the following points.

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Assuming herein that a portion of the pallet other than the base member 300 of the pallet 2 shown in Figs. 96 and 97 is the base body 538 of the pallet 2, the pallet 2 comprises a base body 538 and the base member 300 is movably attached to the base body 538 of the pallet. In this example, the recesses 539 extend in the longitudinal direction unless formed in upper walls of the leg portions 4, and as is clearly shown in Figure 97, bolts 541 are inserted through the continuous recesses formed near four positions in a flank portion of each of the base members 539 so that the bolts can move in the longitudinal direction of the recesses 539, and a nut 542 can be placed on each bolt 541. A head portion of each bolt 541 is positioned on the inside of the leg portions 4, and the width of the head portion 541A is larger than the size of the recess 539.

When each nut 543 is loosened, the base member 300 can be moved relative to the base body 538 of the pallet in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 96. After the base member 300 has been moved to a desired position, e.g. in a position indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 96, the base member 300 can be secured to the base body 538! of the pallet in that position by tightening the nuts.

With this configuration, the position of the base member 300 relative to the base body 538 of the pallet can be adjusted according to the size of the article that is going to be placed on the article loading surface, whereby articles of different sizes can be efficiently loaded onto the article loading surface 5.

Furthermore, the mark M2 indicating the position may be formed, for example, near a leg portion so that the position of the base member 300 can be determined simply and accurately. In the example shown in the figure, the mark M2 is drawn with a dotted line, a dot line and a solid line are formed near the leg portions, and if the size of the article 1 is large, the base member 300 is positioned using, for example, the closed line and is attached to the 30 leg. If the size of the article 1 is small, the base member 300 can be positioned using the dotted line. Also in the case, as shown in Fig. 95, the mark M2 is formed on a mark member, and the mark member may be mounted on the pallet 2.

101310η 71

As described above, the base member 300 can be easily positioned relative to the base body 538 of the pallet by using the mark M2 as a reference if the base member 300 is adaptably attached to the base body 538 of the pallet is attached to the base body 538 of the pallet.

It is also possible with the configuration with adjustable base member 300 and mark M2 to be applied to any of the configurations described above.

A description was given above of a number of examples of a positioning unit and a securing unit for an article transport / storage device according to the present invention, the positioning unit positions the article relative to the pallet 2 using a positioning unit of the article such as a leg portion 534 , recesses 545 provided in the article 1. Likewise, the securing unit fixes the article 1 to the pallet 2 in cooperation with the securing unit of the article such as the recesses 545A provided in the article 1. In particular, the article being transported with each of the article transport / storage devices described above comprises at least either one of the positioning units of the article for positioning that article 1 relative to the pallet 2 in cooperation with the positioning unit described above and a fixing unit of the article for the fixed mounting of the item 1 relative to the pallet 2 in conjunction with the securing unit described above.

The article 1 of Figure 87 comprises the positioning unit of the article, as described above, the leg portion 543 in a lower portion of the article that can engage with the engagement portion (through-going recesses 533 in Figure 87) consisting of the positioning unit provided on the pallet 2. Originally, the leg portions 543 were provided with industrial products such as a copier and by using the leg portions 543 as article positioning units, necessity to provide a specific article positioning unit for determining the position of the article relative to the pallet 2, which is advantageous in connection with reducing costs.

30 If the item 1 is an electrical device such as a copier, a printer, a fax machine, a television, a washing machine, a refrigerator or the like, if a space between the leg portions is chosen to be a standard distance in at least two different industrial products, provides the advantage that 1013100 72 different types of industrial products can be placed on a type of pallet and can be transported in the same position.

Figures 98 and 99 show a specific example of this configuration. Here, for ease of description, it is assumed that the article 1 comprises a copier 5, as shown in Figure 98, which is larger than that of Figure 99, and that the two copiers are of a different type. Four legs 543 are provided near the bottom plates of the respective copiers. The distances L and W between the adjacent legs of the large copier of Figure 98 are equal to the distances L1 and W1 between the adjacent leg portions of the small copier of Figure 99 (L = L1 and W = W1). The distances L and W between the two adjacent leg portions of the copier and the distances L1 and W1 between the two adjacent leg portions of the other copier are respectively equal to each other. Because of this construction, both types of copying machine can be placed on the same pallet 2 with a suitable distance between the two continuous savings and can be transported in this condition under stable conditions. It is therefore not necessary to provide the pallet with a space between the continuous recesses 533 that are suitable for the type of industrial product, which entails cost reduction of the pallets and furthermore it becomes possible to reduce the production costs of the industrial products themselves such as copiers Reduce.

In the copy machine of Figure 100, as well as in the copy machine of Figure 89, recesses 545A are formed in the bottom plate of the base body of the copy machine and the article 1 comprising the copy machine is secured to the pallet 2 by bolts 547 in the recesses 545 and also in the screw holes (not from figure 100) formed in the pallet 2. The recesses 545A show an example of a fastening unit of an article. In the example of Figure 89, the recesses 545A are formed near the front of the copier, a paper tray (not shown) is pulled out of the copier as described above, and a space at the front of the copier allows access to the copier. to place bolts 547 in the recesses 545A and thus the bolts can simply be inserted into the screw holes 546. However, the recesses 545A of Figure 100 are located within the base body of the copier, so that it is impossible to insert the hands therein from the front of the copier to insert the bolts into the recesses 545A and these bolts. into the screw holes. By removing the cover 65 near the rear of the copier, the bolts 547 can be screwed into the screw holes 545A, but it is very difficult to have to remove the cover 65 each time.

To solve this problem, an aperture 66 is formed in the outer cover 65 of the copier in the example of Figs. 100 and 101 with a cover 67 connected to this aperture 66 so that the cover 67 can be opened and closed, and the recesses 545A which form the fastening unit of the article are located on the inside of the cover 67. The cover 65 is generally kept closed as shown in Fig. 100 and the opening 66 is then closed. When the copier is attached to the pallet 2, the cover 67 is removed from the base body of the copier as shown in Fig. 101 and the opening 66 is opened. Thus, the recess 545A is placed close to the opening 66, the bolt 567 can be inserted through the recess 545 and screwed into the screw holes in the pallet 2. When this work is done, the cover is replaced and the opening 66 closed. The bolt 547 can be removed again in the same way. This configuration can also be applied to items other than copiers.

As described above, in the example from Figs. 100 and 101, the recesses 545A are an example of a securing unit of an article that lie within the basic body of the article and lie within the cover 67 and are connected to the opening 66 of the basic body. of the article so that the cover can be opened or closed as needed. With this configuration, the recesses 545A can be easily accessed by opening the cover 65. However, as will be understood from the above description, the recesses 545 and recesses 545A shown in Figs. 89, 91, 92, 100, 101 form a positioning unit of an article and a fixing unit of an article, but the recesses 545 and 545A are formed in an article mainly for positioning or fixing that article on the pallet. Conversely, if the recesses are used for an application other than securing the article 1 to the pallet 2 such as the recesses 545 and 545A are used for the recesses 545 and 545A, the production costs can be reduced.

Figs. 102 and 103 are exploded views each showing a situation where a copying machine is being fabricated and in this situation a tool plate 559 is placed on a conveyor belt 558 in a production line and two positioning pins 60 are provided that each protrude from the tool plate 559. A bottom plate 534 is placed on the tool plate 559 and the pins 60 of the tool plate 559 engage with the positioning recesses 68 formed in the bottom plate 534, thus positioning the bottom plate 534 relative to tool plate 559. The other components of the copier are attached to the base plate 534.

As described above, the positioning holes used in the manufacture of a copier are the recesses 545 for positioning or recesses 545A for fixing as shown in Figs. 89, 91, 92, 100, 101.

Thus, it is necessary to provide recesses that are mainly used for positioning and fixed mounting for the article 1 on the pallet 2, which makes it possible to reduce the production costs of the pallet. Figs. 104 and 105 each show an article 1 which includes a copier and a paper tray connected to a lower portion thereof during use, and screw holes 62 are formed in this paper tray 61, while mounting holes 63

are formed in the copier. If the copier and the paper tray each have the I

have the above configuration and are used by the user, the copier and the paper tray can be stacked on top of each other as shown in Fig. 104 and fixed by means of the screws 64 which are mounted in the mounting recesses 63 are screwed and also the screws 64 are screwed into the screw holes 62 to secure the copier and the paper tray together.

When the article 1 comprising a copier as described above is placed with respect to the pallet 2, the fixing recesses 63 described above are used as the recesses 545 shown, for example in Fig. 89 and the positioning pins 544 engage in the engagement recesses 63. If the article comprising the copier as shown in Figure 104 is attached to the pallet 2, the engagement recesses 63 are used as the recesses 545A as shown, for example, in Figure 89, the bolts 547 are inserted into the engagement recesses 63 and into the screw holes 546 of the pallet 2 to fix the article relative to the pallet. Through the screws 64 from 1013100

J

i i | 75 to use figure 105 as the bolts 547 for securing the copier to the pallet 2, the usage efficiency of the screws can be increased. If it is necessary to increase the fixing strength when securing the article 1 comprising a copying machine to the pallet 2, the screws 64, fixing recesses 63 and screw holes 62 with the screws 64 inserted therein are made with a larger diameter so that the required strength for securely applying the article 1 to the pallet 2 can be achieved.

As described above, if the positioning unit of the article comprises a recess 63 which is used for different purposes other than fixing the article to the pallet 2 and the securing unit of the article comprises a recess 63 which is used for different purposes other than then the fixation of the article relative to the pallet 2, it results in the production costs of the article decreasing. This configuration can be applied to all configurations, and in particular to those relating to the cover 67 shown in Figs. 100 and 100.

Various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the article transport / storage device or the article being transported with the article transport / storage device can be constructed by combining the different combinations described above as needed. The present invention can also be applied to substantially all types of article transport / storage devices for different products other than the products described above, such as cars, parts thereof such as an engine, furniture, and construction material.

According to the invention, the space between two adjacent carriers can be adjusted, so that articles of all dimensions can be transported efficiently.

According to the invention, the freedom to adjust the space between the two adjacent carriers can be improved.

With the present invention, an article can easily be loaded onto the pallet and removed from it by removing the first and second coupling members from the couplings.

With the present invention, it is possible to prevent the item transport / storage device from vibrating too strongly even if vibrations are supplied to the item transport / storage device from outside.

1013100 76 j

With the present invention, the cost of the connecting fasteners can be reduced.

With the present invention, the loss of connection applicators can be prevented.

With the present invention, the space above the article transport / storage device can be utilized efficiently.

With the present invention, it is possible to prevent an article from falling on a ceiling plate.

With the present invention, the carriers of which have been removed from the pallet, they can be accommodated in a compact form.

The present invention can prevent material from outside touching an article on the pallet.

With. The present invention allows a variety of item transport / storage devices to be stacked on top of each other.

With the present invention, parts of the article transport / storage devices can easily be replaced with new or discarded.

With the present invention, the carrier unit can be removed from the pallet and stored or transported in a compact form.

The present invention can prevent the fingers of a worker from getting stuck when folding the carrying unit.

With the present invention, the space between two adjacent carriers can be adjusted, and an article of any size can be efficiently transported and stored. Moreover, an article on a pallet can be protected with a cover and information regarding that article is displayed on the cover, so that a special number for the display is not required.

With the present invention, the freedom to adjust the space between two carriers can be improved.

With the present invention, the carriers, when removed from the pallet 30, can be folded into a compact shape and stored in that state.

With the present invention, the article can be protected with a simple cover.

With the present invention, a variety of 1013100 article transport / storage devices can be stacked on top of each other and charged or carried in this state.

With the present invention, a space between two adjacent carriers can be set, so that an article can be transported and stored efficiently regardless of its size. In addition, in the state in which the carriers are attached to the pallet, a space between two adjacent carriers can be limited by coupling the upper ends of those carriers, so that the carriers are stabilized and, moreover, another article transport / storage device can be simply mounted on the article transport / storage device. can be left.

With the present invention, an item transport / storage device can easily be loaded onto another article transport / storage device.

With the invention, the displacement of an upper article transport / storage device relative to a lower article transport / storage device can be prevented.

With the present invention, the carriers can be easily folded by removing the restriction element from the carriers. In the present invention, the restriction element after being removed from the carrier does not impede the work of the worker, and the restriction element can be carried with the pallet while the carriers are removed therefrom.

In the present invention, an article of any size can be efficiently stored or transported since the space between two adjacent carriers can be adjusted. Moreover, an article can be carefully loaded onto and off the pallet with an article holding portion of an article loading / unloading device without the article having to endure large shocks.

With the present invention, the folded carrier unit can be accommodated in the pallet and if the item transport / storage device is not used, the pallet and carrier unit can be stored or transported in a compact form.

With the present invention a carrying unit can be accommodated in the pallet, moreover the pallets can be stacked on top of each other and transported in this state.

With the present invention, an article of various dimensions can be efficiently loaded onto the article loading surface.

1013100 78

With the present invention it is possible to construct an article transport / storage device in which the distance between adjacent carriers can be easily adjusted.

With the present invention, the carrier unit can be stored in an upright state in such a way that this problem can be prevented from falling over during transport of the pallet.

With the present invention, a space with a specific size can be defined within the stacked pallets and the support unit can be accommodated in this space.

With the present invention, the problem that when an article is loaded on the article loading surface of the pallet foam can be avoided.

With the present invention, a support unit housing plate can only be connected to a pallet, of which only a recess is required through which the support unit can be inserted, whereby a cost as well as a weight reduction of the pallet can be realized.

With the present invention, when the stacked pallets are lifted, the carriers stored in the pallets are also lifted and the pallets can easily be transported.

With the present invention, in the state in which the ends of the carrier unit are not on a pallet in the bottom layer of the stacked pallets, and the pallet can be easily transported with a load handling device or the like and further carrier unit can be accommodated efficiently within the stacked pallets.

With the present invention, pallets provided with a number of recesses can be stacked on top of each other in order to optimize the number of stacked pallets as described above.

With the present invention, the pallets as described above can be stacked on top of each other and efficiently placed in a loading space and, moreover, the loading space can thereby be utilized efficiently.

With the present invention, the article transport / storage device can be efficiently loaded into or from an article loading space and furthermore, the space in the loading space can be utilized efficiently.

Λ 0 13 1 0 0 79

With the present invention, the condition of the carrier unit housed within the stacked pallets can be visually checked from outside the stacked pallets.

With the present invention, even if there is only one pallet, the support units can be accommodated in the pallet.

The present invention can be provided with a part for accommodating the carrying unit in a leg part of the pallet.

With the present invention, an article of any size can be efficiently stored and transported because the space between two adjacent carriers can be adjusted. Moreover, an article placed on the pallet can be positioned and secured relative to the pallet, so that the article can further be transported and stored in a stable state. Moreover, the operations for securing the article to the pallet are simple.

With the present invention, damage or permanent deformations of the pallet itself, which can occur as a result of large external forces acting on the article transport / storage device or on the article, can be prevented, thereby minimizing economic loss.

With the present invention, different types of articles can be positioned or secured relative to the pallet with the same shape.

With the present invention, an article can be placed on the pallet in the correct position.

With the present invention, articles of different dimensions can be loaded on a pallet of the same size in that a base member with an article placed thereon can be positioned relative to the base body of the pallet.

With the present invention, the base member can be easily and correctly connected to the pallet.

With the present invention, the leg portions of an article also play the role of a positioning unit of that article, so that it is possible to prevent the structure of an article from becoming too complicated.

With the present invention, different types of industrial products can be loaded on a normal pallet and transported with it.

With the present invention, an article can be secured to the pallet 1013100 80 by manually using the article's securing unit.

The present invention can prevent the manufacture of an article from becoming too complicated.

Even though the invention has been described with respect to a particular embodiment because of a complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims are not limited thereto but are to be regarded as all modifications and alternative constructions that may occur and are obvious to a person skilled in the art and that reasonably fall within the basic concept shown.

101310η

Claims (33)

An article transport / storage device comprising: a pallet for placing an article thereon, a variety of carriers detachably connected to said pallet so that they surround the article, and a coupling unit for coupling two adjacent carriers together so that the space between the two adjacent carriers can be adjusted, the coupling unit being constructed to adjust the space between two adjacent carriers dependent, so that the space between all two adjacent carriers changes to the same extent. 2. Article transport / storage device comprising: a pallet for placing an article thereon, four upright carriers detachably connected to an article loading surface of said pallet in erected condition, and a coupling unit for coupling two adjacent carriers together so that the space between two adjacent carriers can be adjusted, the coupling unit being constructed to adjust the space between two adjacent carriers so that the space between all two adjacent carriers changes to the same extent. 3. Article transport / storage device comprising: a pallet for placing an article thereon, first to fourth carriers detachably connected to an article loading surface of the pallet in its erected state, first to third connections connected to each of the first t / m the fourth carriers in the respective longitudinal direction, and first and second coupling members for coupling the two adjacent first and second carriers, second and third carriers, third and fourth carriers, and fourth and first carriers, respectively, to each other, that four carriers are connected to the pallet, the second and third connections are below the first connection and at the same time the second 1013100 connection is below the third connection, even if those first to fourth carriers are connected to the pallet, the crosses first and second coupling members braked each other in the longitudinal direction of the first and second coupling members 5 provided the two adjacent first and second carriers are rotatably connected to the first connections connected to the first and second carriers, respectively, and are simultaneously rotatably connected to the second connections to the second and first carriers rotatably in the longitudinal direction, 10 edges in the longitudinal direction of the first and second coupling members provided between the two adjacent second and third carriers are rotatably connected to the first connections connected to the first and second carriers respectively and are rotatably connected to the other edges thereof in the longitudinal direction with the third connections respectively connected to the third and second carriers, edges in the longitudinal direction of the first and second coupling members provided between the two adjacent third and fourth carriers are rotatably connected to the first connections connected to respectively the third and fourth carriers and simultaneously with the other edges thereof are rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction to the second connections respectively connected to the fourth and third carriers, edges in the longitudinal direction of the first and second coupling members provided between the two adjacent fourth and first carriers are rotatably connected to the first connections connected to the fourth and first carriers, respectively, and simultaneously to the other edges thereof are rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction to the third connections, respectively connected to the first and fourth carriers, and further from said first through third connections at least the second and third connections are connected to the respective carriers, so that the connections can move in the longitudinal direction. Article transport / storage device according to claim 3, wherein, assuming that the first and second coupling members provided between two adjacent 1013100 carriers form a pair of coupling members, at least one end in the longitudinal direction of the first and second coupling member, which at least forming a pair of coupling members of four pairs of coupling members releasably connected to the connection. 5. Article transport / storage direction according to one of claims 3 to 4, comprising a connecting mounting device for releasably fixed mounting and coupling of at least two connections which can move in the longitudinal direction from a carrier to the carrier in a condition in which said carriers are attached to said pallet 10. 6. Article transport / storage device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the connecting applicators, for releasably fixed mounting and coupling of a variety of connections connected to four carriers, have the same shape. An article transport / storage device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the connecting applicators are joined together with the carriers, so that the members cannot be separated from the carriers. 20 Article transport / storage direction according to one of claims 1 to 7, comprising a ceiling plate which is detachably placed on those carriers. 9. Article transport / storage device according to claim 8, wherein said ceiling plate comprises a unit that prevents an article placed thereon from falling off. 10. Article transport / storage direction according to claim 8 or 9, wherein a receiving recess for accommodating the carriers disconnected from the pallet and the coupling units for the carriers or the coupling members, each comprising the coupling unit and being formed in the ceiling plate. Article transport / storage direction according to one of claims 1 to 10 1013100, comprising a protection unit for shielding at least a part of the space between two adjacent carriers. An article transport / storage device according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the pallet comprises a coupling part for an upper part of another article transport / storage device detachably coupled thereto, on a side opposite to the article loading surface thereof. Article transport / storage direction according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein each of the carriers and a connection connected thereto are combined separately from it. An article transport / storage device according to any one of claims 3 to 13, wherein the carriers detachably connected to the pallet and the coupling member connecting two adjacent carriers to each other form a carrier unit that is foldable when said carriers are detached from the pallet. 15. Article transport / storage direction as claimed in claim 14, wherein the carrier unit is folded, the carrier, the connection and the coupling member are assembled such that a space of 15 mm or more is formed between the carrier and the coupling member which is rotatable via the connection to the carrier is linked. 16. Article transport / storage device comprising: a pallet for placing an article thereon, a variety of carriers that are detachably connected to that pallet so that the carriers surround the article, and a coupling unit for coupling two adjacent carriers together so that the space between the two adjacent carriers can be set, and a covering provided with information concerning the article covering at least a part of that article. 17. Article transport / storage device comprising: 1013100 a pallet for placing an article thereon, four carriers detachably connected to four corners of said pallet, each in an erected state on an article loading surface of that pallet, a coupling unit for coupling two adjacent carriers so that the space between two adjacent carriers can be adjusted along each edge of the pallet, and a cover provided with information about the article covering at least a portion of the article. 18. Article transport / storage direction according to one of claims 16 or 17, wherein the coupling unit is designed to adjust the space between two adjacent carriers depending on such that all spaces between two adjacent carriers along the four edges of the pallet change to the same extent. 19. Article transport / storage device according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the coupling unit is constructed to adjust the space between two adjacent carriers so that the space between two adjacent carriers along an edge and that along an opposite edge change to the same extent, and also so that the space between two adjacent carriers on the other edge and that another edge opposite that other edge still changes to the same extent. 20. Article transport / storage device according to one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the carriers are detachably connected to the pallet and the coupling unit that connects two adjacent carriers to each other to form a foldable carrier unit when they are detached from the pallet. 21. Article transport / storage direction comprising: a pallet for placing an article thereon, a cover provided with information about the article covering at least a part of the article, 1013100 four carriers detachably connected to four corners of the pallet, each in a substantially erected state relative to an article loading surface of said pallet, first and second connections connected to each of the carriers in the longitudinal direction thereof, and first and second coupling members for coupling two adjacent carriers on each edge of the pallet, wherein, when those four carriers are connected to the pallet, the second connection is below the first connection and the first and second coupling members intersect, each of said first coupling members having an edge rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction to that first connection, connected to one of two adjacent carriers on each edge of the pallet and simultaneously has the other edge rotatably connected in its longitudinal direction to the other of the two adjacent carriers on each edge of the pallet, and each of those two coupling members has an edge thereof rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to said first connection , connected to the other carrier and the other edge thereof rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction to the second connection connected to the other carrier, and at least one of those first and second connections is joined to the respective carrier so that the connection in the longitudinal direction can be moved. 22. Article transport / storage direction comprising: a pallet for placing an article thereon, a cover provided with information regarding the article which at least partially covers the article, first to fourth carriers detachably connected to four corners of the pallet each in a substantially erected state with respect to an article loading surface of said pallet, first to third connections connected to each of said first to fourth carriers in the longitudinal direction thereof and, first and second coupling members for coupling said first and second carriers, second and third carriers, third and fourth carriers, fourth and first carriers, being 1013100 respectively side by side on each edge of the pallet, wherein in a state where the four carriers are connected to the pallet, the first and third connections are below the first connection and at the same time the second connection is under the third connection, 5 also in the state in which the first to fourth carriers are connected to the pallet, the first second coupling members cross each other, the first coupling member provided between the first and second carriers, side by side on a first edge of the pallet has an edge thereof rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction to the first connection, connected to the first carrier and simultaneously has the other edge thereof rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction to the second connection, connected to the second carrier, the second coupling member provided between the first and second carriers has an edge thereof rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to the first connection, connected to the second carrier and at the same time has the other edge thereof rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to the second connection, connected to the first carrier, said first coupling member provided between the second and third carriers, side by side on a first ran d of the pallet adjacent to the first edge of the pallet has one edge thereof rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to the first connection, connected to the second carrier and at the same time has the other edge thereof rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to the third connection, connected to the third carrier, that second coupling member provided between the second and third carriers has an edge thereof rotatably connected in the longitudinal direction to the first connection, connected to the third carrier and simultaneously has the other edge thereof in the longitudinal direction rotatably connected to the third connection, connected to said second carrier, said first coupling member provided between said third and fourth carriers, connected side by side on a third edge adjacent to the second edge of the pallet, has an edge thereof in longitudinal direction rotatably connected to the first connection, connected to that third support and having a tile at the same time its other edge is connected in longitudinal direction to the second connection, connected to said fourth 1013100 carrier, said second coupling member provided between said third and fourth carriers has an edge thereof rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to the first connection connected to that fourth carrier and at the same time has its other edge 5 rotatably connected longitudinally to the second connection, connected to said third carrier, said first coupling member provided between said fourth and first carriers, side by side on a fourth edge adjacent to the third edge of the pallet, has one edge thereof rotatably connected to said first connection, connected to said fourth carrier and simultaneously has the other edge thereof rotatably connected longitudinally to said third connection, connected to said first carrier, provided with said second coupling member between that fourth and first carrier has an edge thereof in the longitudinally rotatably connected to said first connection, connected to said first carrier and simultaneously having its other edge 15 rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to said third connection, connected to said fourth carrier, and at least said second and third connections of said first carrier up to and including third connections are connected to the respective carriers, so that the connections can move in the longitudinal direction thereof. 20 Article transport / storage device according to one of claims 16 to 22, wherein said cover comprises a flexible cover that surrounds the article. An article transport / storage direction according to any one of claims 16 to 22, wherein the cover comprises at least two flexible sleeves, each enclosing the article. 25. Article transport / storage device according to one of claims 16 to 24, wherein the pallet comprises a coupling part for an upper part of another article transport / storage device, which can be detachably connected thereto, in a side opposite the article loading surface thereof. An article transport / storage device comprising: 1013100 a pallet for placing an article thereon, a variety of carriers detachably connected to the pallet so that those carriers surround the article placed on the pallet, a coupling unit for coupling together two adjacent carriers so that the space between the two carriers can be adjusted, and a restriction element for limiting the space between two adjacent carriers by coupling at least upper portions of the two | adjacent carriers in a state in which the variety of carriers is connected to the pallet, the coupling unit being constructed to allow the space between two adjacent carriers to be adjusted so that the spaces between two adjacent carriers on all edges of the pallet in the pallet be changed equally. 27. Article transport / storage device comprising: a pallet for placing an article thereon, four carriers detachably connected to the pallet, each in a substantially erected position relative to the article loading surface of the pallet, and a limiting element for limiting of the distance between the two adjacent carriers, by coupling at least upper portions of the two carriers, in a state in which the four carriers are connected to the pallet, the coupling unit being constructed to depend on the space between two adjacent carriers. can fit so that the spaces between two adjacent carriers 25 on all edges of the pallet are changed to the same extent. 28. Article transport / storage device comprising: pallet for placing an article thereon, first to fourth carriers which are detachably connected to an article loading surface of the pallet, each in a substantially erected state, first to third connections connected to each of the first to fourth carriers in the respective longitudinal directions, first and second coupling members for coupling said first and second jj 1013100 carriers, second and third carriers, third and fourth carriers, and fourth and first carriers each side by side they are located, and a restraining element for limiting the space between two adjacent carriers by coupling at least the upper portions of the two carriers in a state in which the four carriers are connected to the pallet, with those four carriers being connected to the pallet are connected, the second and third connections are under the first connection and at the same time the second connection o is located below the third connection and the first and second coupling members 10 cross each other, which first and second coupling members are provided between the first and second carriers which are located side by side and have an edge thereof rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to the first connections, respectively with the first and second carriers, respectively, and simultaneously have the other thereof rotatable in the longitudinal direction and connected to the first connection, respectively, to the second and first carriers, which provide first and second coupling members between the first and second carriers adjoining they are respectively one of the edges thereof rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to the first connections, respectively connected to the first and third carriers and simultaneously have the other edges thereof rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to the third connections, respectively k connected to the third and second carriers, which first and second coupling members, provided between those third and fourth carriers that are located side by side, have an edge thereof rotatably connected in longitudinal direction to the first connections, respectively connected to said third and fourth carriers and at the same time have the other edges thereof rotatably connected longitudinally to the second connection, respectively connected to the fourth and third carriers, which have first and second coupling members provided between the fourth and first carriers 30 which are situated side by side one edge thereof rotatably connected longitudinally to the first connections, respectively connected to the fourth and first carriers, and at the same time have the other edges thereof rotatably connected longitudinally to the third connections, respectively 1013100j connected to said first and fourth carriers and I at least one of those first The second connections are joined to the respective carriers so that those connections can be moved in the longitudinal direction. 5 An article transport / storage device according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein the restriction element comprises a bridge member extending over a variety of carriers and upper coupling portions of the carriers, and wherein the bridge member comprises a guide portion, an engagement portion of said carrier 10 pallet or another article transport / storage device that is placed thereon and slidably engages thereon longitudinally. An article transport / storage device according to claim 29, wherein the lateral crotch portion of one of the engaging portion of the pallet and the guide portion 15 of the bridge member has a protruding shape and a lateral crotch portion of the other of the two of the two aforementioned has a slot-shaped shape suitable for relatively and slidably engage on the above projecting portion. Article transport / storage device according to one of claims 29 or 30, 20, comprising: a stop unit with which the engagement part of the pallet can hook onto the bridge member with the guide part, if the other article transport / storage direction is in a certain position relative to the other item transport / storage facility below. 25 An article transport / storage device according to any one of claims 26 to 31, wherein the restriction element is releasably connected to the carrier. An article transport / storage device according to claim 32, wherein the pallet comprises a receiving section for receiving the restriction element when it is removed from the carrier. 1013100