Add-on module for material handling trolley
TECHNICAL FIELD
5 The invention relates to a mounted module at tool holder for a material handling trolley for cleaning purposes, particularly the kind used for cleaning hotels and similar establishments.
BACKGROUND ART 0
Conventional material handling trolleys are normally equipped with several tool holders for cleaning tools, such as cleaning cloths, mop stands and mops, cleaning bucket, waste container etc. This kind of material handling trolley often has an open framework that is composed of bars, flat-bars, tubes 5 or rectangular holed profiles of metal. The main part of the space of the material handling trolley is normally occupied by one or more containers for waste and also containers for cleaning fluids, cleaning cloths etc. The different tool holders are normally fastened to the sides of the trolley in the tubes or holed profiles of the framework of the trolley. 0
A special kind of material handling trolley is used when cleaning hotels. Hotel business demands an extensive handling of dirty linen and cleaned textiles at the same time as a large number of consumer goods such as soap, shampoo etc. are to be distributed. A material handling trolley for hotel use is normally 5 equipped with a large number of storage spaces for consumer goods and also large containers or storage sacks for clean and dirty linen respectively, and is then equipped with considerably fewer suitable attachment points for traditional tool holders than conventional material handling trolleys. Furthermore - since most hotels are still equipped with broadloom carpets, 0 there is no need for dry, moist or wet mopping of larger floor areas - the material handling trolleys for hotels lack racks and holders for large mop stands and mops.
A problem during hotel cleaning is that a more complete supplementing cleaning equipment usually is not brought with the available material handling trolley for hotels, but is whenever applicable transported on separate cleaning trolleys. The existence of these separate cleaning trolleys along with the already available material handling trolleys for hotels, brings about obvious handling problems for a cleaning staff already working under stress.
A problem with the by way of introduction mentioned, conventional material handling trolleys is further that the open design of the framework offers a limited number of suitable attachment points for specific tool holders of different kinds. A material handling trolley is delivered with a predetermined number of tool holders, the placing of which mainly is determined by the placing possibilities offered by the framework.
A known way to solve the above-mentioned problem is to supply the available material handling trolley with one or more mounted modules equipped with a number of tool holders for cleaning tools such as cleaning cloths, mops and consumer goods. Such a solution is disclosed in, for example, the European patent document EP-0 281 536 A2. This document describes a mounted module with wheels composed of a rectangular frame of tube profiles, where tool holders of different kinds are attached to the rectangular frame. Similar solutions are disclosed in the American patent document US-4 504 073 and the British patent document GB-2 189 198 A.
However, the material handling trolleys available at the market today, differ considerably among themselves regarding dimensions and available attachment points for mounted modules. A problem with the earlier known mounted modules with their rectangular frames is that these mounted modules must be specially designed to fit a certain, predetermined kind of material handling trolley. The rectangular frame of the mounted modules known is further generally attached to the material handling trolley with the aid of at least two laterally displaced coupling devices, the relative placement
of which must coincide with available attachment points on the material handling trolley.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The applicant has identified a need for a more flexible mounted module for tool holders, which is applicable on a large number of conventional material handling trolleys and material handling trolleys for use at hotels. According to the invention a mounted module for tool holders at material handling trolley for cleaning purposes is then offered, comprising a number of tool holders for cleaning tools such as cleaning cloths, mops, consumer goods, which mounted module is arranged to be attached to any of the sides of the material handling trolley with the help of coupling devices. The invention is particularly characterised in that said frame consists of a simple, essentially vertically extending bar. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the mounted module comprises a frame equipped with a number of predefined attachment points for attaching tool holders directly or indirectly. The attachment points are preferably consisting of open slots in the frame.
Further, in an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the frame comprises at least one essentially horizontally extending holding arm, which includes fastening devices for attachment to the attachment points in the frame. The fastening devices 17 preferably comprise hook-shaped protrusions arranged for engaging the attachment points of the frame.
Hence the invention enables a large number of already existing material handling trolleys to easily be supplemented with one or more mounted modules, which are equipped with a selection of tool holders according to the intended task. The mounted modules can further easily be specially adapted by additional mounting of more tool holders in desired configuration.
The other qualities and distinctive features of the invention will be described in more detail in the subsequent description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The invention will be described in more detail below referring to the following drawings in which:
Fig 1 shows a schematic side view of a material handling trolley equipped with a mounted module with tool holder according to the invention;
Fig 2 shows a frame for a mounted module according to the invention, and
Fig 3 shows a holding arm for tool holders, which is equipped with fastening devices with hook-shaped protrusions.
MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
In fig.1 the reference number 1 denotes a mounted module according to the invention, which is attached to a material handling trolley 2. The mounted module 1 as well as the material handling trolley 2 are drawn simplified in the figure. The material handling trolley 2 is of the general kind used for cleaning hotels, and is consequently equipped with a number of smaller storage spaces 3 for among other things consumer goods, and several larger storage spaces 4 for clean and dirty linens respectively, usually bedclothes etc. The material handling trolley 2, which suitably is a material handling trolley already available at the cleaning place, is furthermore in a conventional manner built on a framework 5 composed of tube profiles 6, and also equipped with wheels 7 and manoeuvring handles 8.
Even if the material handling trolley 2 shown is intended for use at hotels, it shall be noted that the mounted module 1 according to the invention advantageously is mountable on a large number of the existing models of material handling trolleys to obtain a flexible and expandable module system. The mounted module 1 comprises several tool holders 9 for cleaning tools 10 such as containers for cleaning cloths, mop stands, mops and consumer goods. In the figure a handle of a mop stand is shown as an example of cleaning tools.
The mounted module 1 is attached to the material handling trolley 2 with the help of one or more coupling devices 11 , which are schematically drawn in the figure. In the example shown, the mounted module is attached to one of the short sides 12 of the material handling trolley 2, but it shall be noted that it also can be attached to any of the long sides 13 of the material handling trolley 2.
In fig. 2 is shown a preferred embodiment of the frame 14 of the mounted module 1 where the frame 14 consists of a single, centrally located bar 21. The bar 21 has a vertical extension and consists of a rectangular holed profile in the example shown. It is however realised that the bar 21 can have another cross-sectional shape, such as for example a circular cross-sectional shape. The frame 14 is further equipped with a number of predefined attachment points 15, in the shape of open slots in the frame 14, for direct or indirect attachment of tool holders 9. With direct attachment, attachment to the frame 14 itself is intended - as shown at the bottom of the frame 14 - while indirect attachment means that the tool holders 9 are attached to holding arms 16. The holding arms 16 are essentially horizontally arranged, and equipped with fastening devices 17 for attachment to the attachment points 15 of the frame 14.
The horizontal holding arms 16 can easily be attached to different levels of the frame 14 according to the shape, size and design of the tool holder 9. In
the example shown, the coupling device 11 is shaped as a downwards open U-profile, which on one side is equipped with a locking screw 18. The locking screw 18 is here intended to lock the mounted module 1 to the framework 5.
Fig. 3 shows a holding arm 16 seen from the side and drawn at an enlarged scale. The holding arm 16 is equipped with fastening devices 17 which comprises hook-shaped protrusions 19 for engaging the attachment points 15 of the frame 14.
The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and shown in the drawings, but can be varied freely within the scope of the following patent claims. For example oblique holding arms 16 (not shown) may be attached to the frame 14 of the mounted module 1.