WO2011086309A1

WO2011086309A1 - Adjustable transporting platform

Info

Publication number: WO2011086309A1
Application number: PCT/FR2011/050028
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eric Bonamy
Original assignee: Eric Bonamy
Priority date: 2010-01-15
Filing date: 2011-01-07
Publication date: 2011-07-21
Also published as: FR2955301A1; FR2955301B1

Abstract

The invention relates to an adjustable transporting platform (1) comprising a substantially planar metal frame (10) and vertical members (11) that are connected to the frame (10) at angles to the latter. The vertical members (11) are metal corner pieces (111) and are connected to the frame (10) by a system (102, 110) for fitting said corner pieces by sliding them into the plane of the frame (10).

Description

Modular transport platform.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a modular transport platform used to store parcels and easily transport them in freight vehicles, including trucks.

PRIOR ART

In the transport of goods, a difficulty is to optimize the filling of a transport vehicle with packages on pallets of different lengths, widths and heights on which it is impossible to stack other packages. This impossibility can come from the shape of the load of the pallet below as well as the fragility of this load. The available height of a heavy truck is often greater than 2600 mm, but it is exceptional that a pallet with its load has this height.

On the other hand, the width and useful length for loading trucks and trailers are standardized with multiples slightly greater than 800 and 1200 mm. For example the useful width of a truck is often 2450 to 2500 mm (3 x 800 mm or 2 x 1200 mm) and the useful length of a semi-trailer is between 13200 and 13600 mm.

To optimize the height filling of a truck or trailer, fixed devices are sometimes used in trucks that load pallets on two levels. But these devices are only suitable for trucks called vans (with fixed walls hard), are tedious to implement and few trucks are equipped.

It also uses platforms with a frame and drop sides or removable amounts via vertical joints. So, the loading can be optimized because such platforms can be stacked without damaging the load. These removable sides and uprights make it possible to optimize the empty transport of the platform and make it possible to have several sets of uprights and side rails to adapt the useful height if necessary. However, the boards or uprights used generally have the disadvantage of being made with tubes which besides the fact that they occupy a significant volume, significantly change the outer dimensions of the platform, the latter no longer responding to the standards seen above, thus to the optimization of the filling of goods transport vehicles, or the useful dimensions of the platform, the latter no longer meeting the standards of cartons and other objects in order to optimize the filling of containers. Pallets 1200 mm long by 800, 1000 or 1200 mm wide.

As for the wooden crates, metal or plastic, they often have the same dimensional disadvantage that pallets with side panels or uprights described above, must also be loaded from above and offer only one available height. The pallet extensions reduce the internal dimensions thereof. In addition, the crates occupy the same volume as full empty.

Metal platforms are also used with metal angles welded to the corners of a frame. The packages can thus be placed on the frame by inserting between the wings of the angles. The useful dimensions of loading are those of the size of the platform less the thickness of the wings of the angles. These platforms respond to the need to optimize the loading of the pallet and the vehicle, but do not allow an optimized vacuum transport, or the choice of heights of uprights or sidewalls. WO 02/49877 shows a system for arranging the interior of a transport vehicle. The system is composed of arches abutting each other forming a kind of tunnel inside the vehicle. Each arch has two lateral uprights and a plate connecting the uprights between them. The tray is at an intermediate height relative to the total height of the loading volume. The packages can be loaded on the one hand between the amounts of the arches, and on the other hand on the trays of the arches. This solution has the disadvantage of significantly reducing the useful width of the vehicle for packages from the bottom between the uprights, so does not optimize the floor area with standard pallets.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a platform for the transport of objects, in particular short objects, more or less high, which is adapted to the superposition of said platforms with one another, without harming the integrity of the objects which they contain, and while optimizing by standard internal and external dimensions both the filling rate of the platform and the number of platforms in the vehicles that transport them.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

With these objectives in view, the object of the invention is a modular transport platform comprising a substantially flat and integral metal frame, amounts related to the frame at angles of the latter, characterized in that the amounts are metal angles and are linked to the frame by a sliding fit system in the plane of the frame.

The amounts are used to create media for another platform to be stored on the platform. It is thus possible to optimize the use of the available height in the truck. The removability of the amounts reduces the size of the platform when no package is stored on it. It also allows to load the platform by the side without being bothered by the amounts. Moreover, by inserting the amounts in a direction of the plane of the frame, the amounts are pressed against the packages already loaded. It is not necessary to provide space for the passage of the uprights mounting, as would be the case for insertion in a direction perpendicular to the frame, and the amounts can be located at the outermost level of the platform. More particularly, the frame can be the standard dimensions of a pallet, while the position of the uprights is chosen so that the inside of the wings angle brackets delimit the standard size of a pallet. Thus, a frame of an identical platform can be stored between the amounts, for empty transport, as well as a standard pallet, loaded or not.

According to a constructive arrangement, the fitting system comprises a hollow tube of rectangular section on the frame and a slide of complementary section on the upright, the slide being able to slide in the hollow tube. These elements can be made from products of very common use, especially metalwork.

According to an improvement, the slider comprises an entry guide. The establishment of the amount is facilitated, even if the end of the hollow tube is hidden at the sight of the operator by packages loaded on the platform.

More particularly, the inlet guide is a circular flange disposed at the end of the slide in a diagonal plane. If the flange is off-center with respect to the hollow tube when the slide is introduced, it slides on the walls of the hollow tube towards the centered position.

According to another constructive arrangement, the hollow tube is fixed on a plate, the upright comprising a boss bearing on the plate when the slide is fitted into the hollow tube. The boss makes it possible to compensate the thickness of the wall of the hollow tube and to create a support for the amount on the plate. The boss is for example formed by a metal plate welded under the slider.

According to a particular arrangement, the platform has a foot at each corner of the frame. The frame is thus raised and allows the passage of the forks of a handling machine under the frame. As the feet are at each corner, the forks can be introduced on different sides of the platform, in the spaces between the feet.

In particular, the amount comprises a support plate and a centering element protruding from the plate, intended to receive the foot of another platform, the foot being hollow and rectangular or square section. The plate at the end of the upright makes it possible to support the foot of the upper platform. The centering element and the hollow form of the foot cooperate together to guide the upper platform during its implementation, and also prevent relative sliding of the superimposed platforms.

According to a constructive arrangement, the centering element is a triangular flange oriented along a diagonal of the upright. The flange is thus located in a plane parallel to that passing through the end of the wings of the angle. It thus fits into the larger dimension of the foot and is thus locked in pivoting. The inclined edges of the flange guide the foot to the centered position, in all directions of the plan .

In particular, the support plate and the foot are wider than the upright. Thus the hollow tube can be linked to the foot over part of its length to ensure a good connection.

Preferably, the projecting angle of the angle is oriented outwards. This optimizes the size of the platform relative to the loading capacity.

According to an improvement, the amounts comprise lights for receiving connecting elements between the amounts.

According to another improvement, the frame comprises at least one indexing device and a notch, the indexing device comprising a retractable needle and projecting downwards so as to be housed in the notch of an adjacent frame when two frames are superimposed. Thus, the needle cooperates with the notch to prevent sliding of the frames on one another when they are superimposed. The fact that the needle is retractable prevents the needle from being used to support the platform when it is placed on the ground.

The invention also relates to a system of two platforms as described above, the system comprising two bars s' inserting in respective fitting systems of the one and the other platforms to connect them. This gives a large area loading system for bulky objects. Systems of this type can be superimposed in the same way as platforms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention will be better understood and other features and advantages will appear on reading the description which follows, the description referring to the appended drawings among which: Figure 1 is a front view of a stack of two platforms according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a partial perspective view of an angle of the platform according to the invention in the assembly phase;

Figure 3 is a partial perspective view of a foot and an amount of two platforms in superposition phase platforms;

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the platform of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a side view of the frame of the platform alone;

Figure 6 is a bottom view of a system of two assembled platforms;

- Figure 7 is a front view of a platform according to a variant of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A platform 1 according to the invention, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, comprises a frame 10 and four removable metal uprights 11. The frame 10 is of rectangular shape and the uprights 11 are placed at the four corners of the frame 10, perpendicular to the general plane of the frame 10. It will be considered that this general plane of the frame 10 is horizontal in the remainder of the description, since this corresponds to common use of the platform 1.

The frame 10 is formed by the assembly of conventional elements of metal construction, in particular steel. It comprises four feet 101 of cubic shape arranged at the corners of the frame 10 and interconnected by four hollow tubes 102 of square section disposed at the periphery of the frame 10. Rectangular section tubes would also be suitable. The ends of the hollow tubes 102 at an angle are open and such that the hollow tubes 102 are contiguous at an edge 1020, as seen in particular in Figure 2. Each foot 101 is formed by a square section tube of vertical orientation and closed by a plate 103 at its upper end. The hollow tubes 102 are supported on this plate 103 and fixed for example by welding.

The frame 10 further comprises two crosspieces 104 extending parallel to the short sides of the frame 10 and disposed between the two hollow tubes 102 of the long sides. A barrier 105 reinforces the frame 10 between the crosspieces 104. A plate 106 covers the upper surface of the frame 10 to form a loading surface of the platform 1. A ring 107 is formed between each leg 101 and one of the crosspieces 104. and is intended to receive a fork of a handling machine.

On two of these rings, arranged diagonally, indexing devices 108 are fixed. Each indexing device 108 is composed of a retractable needle 800 mounted vertically sliding and held down by a spring 1081. When the plate -form is placed on the ground, the needle 1080 is retracted against the spring 1081. When the platforms are stacked on top of each other, each needle 1080 comes to be placed in a corresponding notch 109 in the upper face the bottom frame, preventing the platforms from sliding relative to each other.

Each upright 11 is formed by a horizontal slider 110 and a vertical angle 111. The slide 110 is a square tube of smaller section than that of the hollow tubes 102, so as to be able to slide in said hollow tubes 102. The slider 110 is welded between the wings of the bracket 111, in the lower part thereof, in the direction of one of the wings. The slider 110 has at its end a disk-shaped flange 112 acting as an input guide. The flange 112 is introduced and welded in the slider 110 diagonally so that a half of the disc protrudes at the end of the slider 110. A plate 114 having substantially the thickness of the wall of the hollow tube 102, possibly increased by clearance between the slider 110 and the hollow tube 102, is reported under the slider 110 at the angle 111 to form a boss.

The post 11 further comprises a centering element 116 and a support plate 115. The support plate 115 has an isosceles rectangular triangular shape. The centering element 116 also has an isosceles triangular flange shape. The support plate 115 is horizontal and two-sided along the wings of the bracket 111, while the centering element 116 is vertical and protrudes upwardly along the hypotenuse of the support plate 115.

The platform 1 further comprises a bar 13 housed in one of the hollow tubes 102 of a small side of the frame 10. It comprises a holding system in position, not shown, formed for example by an elastically mounted nipple protruding into a hole emerging from the hollow tube 102.

When using the platform 1, packages are loaded on the sheet. The packages can be stored up to the limit of the overall width of the frame 10.

The uprights 11 are then put in place at each angle by introducing the sliders in the hollow tubes 102 in the direction of the arrow Fl until the inside of the flanges of the upright 11 is within the limit of the bulk of the frame 10. The boss 114 abuts against the plate 103 and tends to press the slide 110 against the upper wall of the hollow tube 102, which catches the operating clearances of the slider 110 in the hollow tube 102. The uprights 11 then protrude outside the bounds of frame 10 of a value corresponding to the thickness of the wings. If all the uprights 11 are identical, each hollow tube 102 receives one of the slides 110, the latter being oriented a quarter turn relative to the slider 110 of the adjacent angle.

The platform 1 thus loaded can receive a platform ls of the same type on the end of the uprights 11. The feet 101 of the upper platform ls, which are hollow below, penetrate the centering elements 116 which are housed diagonally in the foot 101. The inclined edges of the centering element 116 allow to refocus the upper frame 10s during the phase of removal of the platform ls. The feet 101 are then supported on the support plates 115. The assembly is obtained easily and the relative position of the two platforms 1, ls is maintained during transport of the assembly.

In another use of the platform, the bars 13 of each platform are partially extracted out of the hollow tubes 102 and protrude halfway out of the limits of the frame 10. Two platforms ld, lg are assembled along a long side by introducing at each end of said long side the bars 13 in one of the hollow tubes 102 of the adjacent frame 10, as shown in Figure 6. The uprights 11 can be mounted at the four corners of the assembly thus formed.

In a variant shown in Figure 7, the platform further comprises a holding system in position of the uprights 11 'on the frame 10'. For this, the slider 110 'is provided for example with a pin, not shown, mounted resiliently projecting into a through hole 1021 of the hollow tube 102. The unlocking is obtained by pressing the protruding nipple to release of the opening hole 1021.

Moreover, the amounts 11 'are pierced with lights 118 for fixing on various equipment such as for example panels to form belts or a link bar 14, as shown, by means of studs inserted into the slots 118.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just been described by way of example. The interlocking system is described with square sections, but other sections such as rectangular, oval or cross sections, for example, may be suitable provided that they prevent rotation of the slider in the tube.

Claims

1. Modular transport platform comprising a frame (10) substantially flat and integral, the uprights (11) connected to the frame (10) at angles thereof, characterized in that the uprights (11) are metal angles (111) and are connected to the frame (10) by a fitting system (102, 110) by sliding in the plane of the frame (10).

2. Platform according to claim 1, wherein the fitting system comprises a hollow tube

(102) of rectangular section on the frame (10) and a slider (110) of complementary section on the upright (11), the slide (110) being slidable in the hollow tube (102).

The platform of claim 2, wherein the slider (110) includes an entry guide (112).

4. Platform according to claim 3, wherein the inlet guide is a flange (112) circular disposed at the end of the slide (110) in a diagonal plane.

Platform according to claim 2, wherein the hollow tube (102) is fixed on a plate

(103), the upright (11) having a boss (114) bearing on the plate (103) when the slide (110) is fitted into the hollow tube (102).

6. Platform according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a foot (101) at each corner of the frame (10).

Platform according to claim 1, wherein the post (11) comprises a support plate (115) and a centering element (116) projecting from the support plate (115) for receiving the foot (101). from another platform (ls), the foot (101) being hollow and of rectangular or square section.

8. Platform according to claim 7, wherein the centering element (116) is a triangular flange oriented along a diagonal of the upright (11).

9. Platform according to claim 7, wherein the support plate (115) and the foot (101) are wider than the upright (11).

10. Platform according to claim 1, wherein the salient angle of the angle (111) is oriented outwards.

11. Platform according to claim 1, wherein the uprights (11) comprise slots (118) for receiving connecting elements (14) between the uprights (11).

12. Platform according to claim 1, wherein the frame (10) comprises at least one indexing device (108) and a notch (109), the indexing device (108) comprising a retractable needle (1080) and making projecting downwardly into the notch (109) of an adjacent frame when two frames are superimposed.

13. System of two platforms (ld, lg) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two bars (13) s' inserting in fitting systems (102) respectively of the one and the other of platforms (ld, lg) to link them together.