Follow-up camera mounting mechanism for forklift

Abstract

The invention discloses a follow-up camera mounting mechanism for a forklift, which comprises a guide rail, a sliding block seat, a camera fixing plate assembly, a camera bracket, a camera and a supporting plate, and is characterized in that the sliding block seat is detachably and fixedly connected to a fork arm carrier of the forklift through a sliding block seat mounting plate; the guide rail penetrates through the notch in the sliding block base and can slide up and down in the sliding block base in the vertical direction. A plurality of stepped holes are formed in the guide rail at equal intervals in the vertical direction, the camera is detachably and fixedly connected to the stepped hole located in the bottom of the guide rail through a camera fixing plate assembly, a limiting screw is arranged in the stepped hole located in the top of the guide rail, and the camera is covered with a camera support and fixedly connected with the camera fixing plate assembly through the camera support; the supporting plate is fixedly connected to an outer door frame of the forklift, extends to the position below the camera fixing plate assembly and is arranged to be capable of preventing the camera fixing plate assembly from continuing to descend. The camera is simple in structure, convenient to assemble, longer in service life, wider in visual field range and higher in working safety.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of forklifts, in particular to a follow-up camera mounting mechanism for a forklift. BACKGROUND

[0002] Forklifts, as the most commonly used cargo handling tools in daily production processes, play an indispensable role. They are widely used in warehouse storage, manufacturing and logistics scenarios in various industries, and have become an important part of modern transportation systems. The design of forklifts enables them to efficiently load, unload, transport and stack goods, greatly improving the efficiency of material handling. With the continuous development of forklift technology and the continuous expansion of application scenarios, its importance will become increasingly prominent.

[0003] When a forklift driver is driving a forklift to work, the visual range around the forklift is crucial. However, in some special working conditions, there are limitations in observing only by the naked eye, and some visual blind spots can also cause safety accidents, seriously affecting life and property safety. At present, some existing forklifts are equipped with cameras at the bottom of the forks or fork carriers to solve this problem, achieving real-time monitoring of the lifting and lowering state of the goods. However, some special working conditions require the goods to be lifted to a certain height before normal driving and transportation, and the position of the traditional camera is often blocked by the goods, so the visual range it can display does not reach the ideal state, and there are still visual blind spots and accident risks. SUMMARY

[0004] The purpose of the present application is to overcome the problems of the prior art that the camera installed on the forklift is easily blocked, the camera is difficult to lift to complete monitoring at different heights, and the camera is easily damaged by knocking with the ground when it falls with the forks. The present application provides a follow-up camera mounting mechanism for a forklift, which has a simple structure, is easy to assemble, has a longer service life, a wider visual range, and higher safety in operation.

[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application provides a follow-up camera mounting mechanism for a forklift, which comprises a guide rail, a sliding block seat, a camera fixing plate assembly, a camera bracket, a camera and a supporting plate. The sliding block seat is detachably fixed to the fork carrier of the forklift through a sliding block seat mounting plate, and the guide rail passes through the slot on the sliding block seat and is arranged to be able to slide up and down in the vertical direction within the sliding block seat. A plurality of stepped holes are arranged equidistantly in the vertical direction on the guide rail, the camera is detachably fixed to the stepped hole at the bottom of the guide rail through the camera fixing plate assembly, a limiting screw is arranged in the stepped hole at the top of the guide rail, the camera bracket is arranged on the outer cover of the camera and is fixed to the camera fixing plate assembly through the camera bracket, and the supporting plate is fixed to the outer door frame of the forklift and extends below the camera fixing plate assembly and is arranged to be able to block the camera fixing plate assembly from continuing to drop.

[0006] Preferably, the groove on the slider seat is one or more of the following: dovetail groove, Y-shaped groove, and T-shaped groove.

[0007] Preferably, the slider mounting plate is provided with multiple stepped holes for detachable installation of the slider.

[0008] Preferably, the slider mounting plate is also provided with a plurality of first oblong holes.

[0009] Preferably, the camera bracket has multiple limiting blocks inside for constraining the camera.

[0010] Preferably, the support plate is an L-shaped plate, and the vertical section of the L-shaped plate that connects to the outer gantry has multiple second waist-shaped holes, and the horizontal section of the L-shaped plate extends to the bottom of the camera fixing plate assembly.

[0011] Preferably, the inner side of the corner of the L-shaped plate is provided with reinforcing ribs.

[0012] Preferably, the camera mounting plate assembly includes a reverse L-shaped plate, the vertical section of which is detachably fixed to a stepped hole at the bottom of the guide rail, and the horizontal section of which extends horizontally toward the support plate.

[0013] Preferably, an inverted L-shaped plate is provided on the outer side of the corner of the reverse L-shaped plate. The horizontal section of the inverted L-shaped plate is welded and fixed to the outer side of the vertical section of the reverse L-shaped plate. The vertical section of the inverted L-shaped plate extends vertically downward and has multiple mounting holes for mounting camera brackets.

[0014] Preferably, the detachable connection method is a bolt thread connection.

[0015] The above technical solution allows for the detachable mounting of the slider seat to the forklift's fork carriage via a slider seat mounting plate. A guide rail passes through a slot on the slider seat and can slide vertically up and down within it. Multiple stepped holes are equidistantly spaced vertically on the guide rail. The camera is detachably mounted to the stepped hole at the bottom of the guide rail via a camera mounting plate assembly, while a limiting screw is installed in the stepped hole at the top of the guide rail. Thus, when the fork carriage rises, it simultaneously raises the slider seat mounting plate and the slider seat. As long as the slider seat's height has not exceeded the maximum travel of the guide rail and the limiting screw, the camera remains stationary. When the slider seat reaches a certain height, its top surface contacts the limiting screw fixed to the guide rail. At this point, as the fork carriage continues to rise, the slider seat moves the limiting screw upwards, causing the camera to follow suit. Simultaneously, a camera bracket is mounted on the camera's exterior and fixed to the camera mounting plate assembly. This camera bracket effectively protects the camera from impact damage and extends its service life. The pallet is fixed to the outer mast of the forklift and extends below the camera mounting plate assembly. When the fork carriage begins to descend, the guide rail, already lowered below the forks in the lifting position, ensures that the bottom of the camera mounting plate assembly contacts the top surface of the pallet before the forks land. At this point, the camera has already descended to its initial position before the forks lifted. Therefore, the pallet effectively limits the camera's descent, preventing damage upon landing. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting mechanism for a forklift follow-up camera according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a front view of a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a side view of a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a top view of a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the guide rail structure in a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a front view of the guide rail in a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a top view of the guide rail in a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of the slider seat in a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 This is a front view of the slider seat in a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 This is a top view of the slider seat in a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the camera mounting plate assembly in a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 This is a front view of the camera mounting plate assembly in a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the camera bracket in a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the slider mounting plate in a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 15 This is a cross-sectional view of the slider mounting plate in a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the tray in the forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the usage state of a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism at the fork landing position according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 18 This is a side view of the forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism in the fork landing position according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the usage state of a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism in the fork lifting position according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 20 This is a side view of the forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism in the fork lifting position according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures 1-Guide rail, 2-Slider seat, 3-Camera mounting plate assembly, 4-Camera bracket, 5-Camera, 6-Slider seat mounting plate, 7-Panel, 61-Step hole, 62-First waist-shaped hole, 41-Limit block, 71-Second waist-shaped hole, 72-Reinforcing rib, 31-Reverse L-shaped plate, 32-Inverted L-shaped plate. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0019] In this invention, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "inner," and "outer" in the terminology represent the orientation of the term in its normal use or are common terms understood by those skilled in the art, and should not be regarded as limitations on the term.

[0020] See Figures 1 to 4 This invention provides a forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism, which includes a guide rail 1, a slider seat 2, a camera mounting plate assembly 3, a camera bracket 4, a camera 5, and a support plate 7. The slider seat 2 is detachably fixed to the forklift's fork carriage via a slider seat mounting plate 6. The guide rail 1 passes through the slider seat 2 (see...). Figures 8 to 10 The slot on the guide rail 1 is designed to allow it to slide vertically up and down within the slider seat 2; Figures 5 to 7 Multiple stepped holes are equidistantly arranged along the vertical direction on the upper edge. The camera 5 is detachably fixed to the stepped hole at the bottom of the guide rail 1 through the camera mounting plate assembly 3. A limit screw 8 is provided in the stepped hole at the top of the guide rail 1. The camera 5 is covered with a camera bracket 4 and fixed to the camera mounting plate assembly 3 through the camera bracket 4. The support plate 7 is fixed to the outer mast of the forklift and extends to the bottom of the camera mounting plate assembly 3 and is configured to prevent the camera mounting plate assembly 3 from continuing to descend.

[0021] Specifically, in this embodiment, to achieve precise guidance of the guide rail 1 and reliable locking between the guide rail 1 and the slider seat 2, it is preferable that the groove on the slider seat 2 is one or more of the following: dovetail groove, Y-shaped groove, and T-shaped groove. The dovetail groove has an isosceles trapezoidal cross-section with symmetrical inclined surfaces on both sides, forming a "self-locking" structure. When subjected to an overturning moment, the normal force on the inclined surface generates a huge frictional force, effectively resisting overturning and providing extremely high stability. If ball bearings are added to the guide rail 1 to achieve upward and downward movement, a slider seat 2 with a Y-shaped groove can be used. The Y-shaped groove has a "V"-shaped cross-section, which is actually a type of V-shaped groove. Its V-shaped surface can simultaneously withstand radial (vertically downward) and axial (lateral) loads, achieving balanced performance. The ball bearings roll in the V-shaped groove, achieving both the guiding and centering advantages of the V-shape and transforming sliding friction into rolling friction, thus achieving high-precision, high-speed, and low-friction motion. In addition, the T-slot has an inverted "T" shaped cross-section. The main purpose of the T-slot is for installation and locking. By using T-bolts and nuts, the slider seat 2 can be firmly locked to the base or mounting platform, preventing movement in any direction. The T-slot is usually used in conjunction with the two types of guide slots mentioned above, one for guiding and the other for locking.

[0022] In this embodiment, such as Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, in order to achieve the mounting and fixing of the slider seat 2 on the slider seat mounting plate 6 using a single structure, it is preferable to provide multiple stepped holes 61 on the slider seat mounting plate 6 for detachable mounting of the slider seat 2. The larger sections of the stepped holes 61 are "countersunk holes" to accommodate the shoulders of bolt heads, nuts, or screws; the smaller sections are "through holes" to allow bolt shanks or shafts to pass through smoothly. When the fastener (such as a bolt) is tightened, its head will press firmly against the stepped surface of the countersunk hole, and this stepped surface acts as an axial stop, precisely limiting the position of the connected parts in the axial direction (i.e., the bolt direction). At the same time, in a compact assembly, the bolt head on one part may collide with another part. Countersunk the bolt head into the stepped hole 61 can avoid this spatial interference and ensure the feasibility of assembly.

[0023] In this embodiment, to provide a limited, adjustable movement space for the slider seat 2 on the slider seat mounting plate 6, thereby allowing for minor movements between the two in case of assembly errors or usage needs, the slider seat mounting plate 6 is preferably also provided with a plurality of first oblong holes 62. Since the shape of the oblong holes is similar to a rectangle with a semicircle at each end, it provides additional space in its length direction, allowing the bolts to move within this range. Thus, when the bolts mounting the slider seat 2 are not completely tightened, they can slide freely along the long axis of the oblong holes, and then be tightened after finding the correct position. This method greatly reduces the machining accuracy requirements and assembly difficulty of the parts, improves production efficiency, and reduces costs.

[0024] In this embodiment, the camera bracket 4 (see...) Figure 13 The camera bracket 4 houses the camera 5. If it only has a single, slightly larger mounting hole, the camera might wobble inside, creating uncontrollable gaps. Therefore, it is preferable to have multiple limiting blocks 41 inside the camera bracket 4 to constrain the camera 5. This way, multiple limiting blocks 41 contact the camera 5 housing from different directions, eliminating translational freedom in all directions and ensuring the camera accurately returns to the same position each time it is installed. Simultaneously, the multiple limiting blocks 41 together form a "wrap-around" support structure, evenly distributing the fastening force over a larger contact area of ​​the camera 5 housing, significantly reducing local pressure and effectively preventing damage to the camera 5 housing, thus improving the reliability and durability of the device. Furthermore, even under strong vibrations, this multi-point hard contact prevents the camera 5 from gradually loosening or shifting, ensuring image stability and avoiding problems such as loose connections leading to detached wires. Additionally, the multiple limiting blocks 41 can also form a guide opening, automatically guiding the camera 5 into the correct position during installation, making the installation process smoother and more intuitive, and reducing installation difficulty.

[0025] In this embodiment, similarly, to compensate for manufacturing and installation errors and facilitate later maintenance and readjustment, preferably, the tray 7 (see...) Figure 16 The L-shaped plate has multiple second waist-shaped holes 71 on the vertical section that connects to the outer frame, and the horizontal section of the L-shaped plate extends to the bottom of the camera fixing plate assembly 3.

[0026] Furthermore, to enhance the mechanical strength of the L-shaped plate and prevent deformation, cracking, or breakage after prolonged and repeated use, it is preferable to provide reinforcing ribs 72 on the inner side of the corners of the L-shaped plate. In this way, the reinforcing ribs 72 can prevent fatigue cracking at the corners due to repeated stress, greatly extending the service life of the L-shaped plate.

[0027] See Figure 11 and Figure 12 In this embodiment, the preferred camera mounting plate assembly 3 includes a reverse L-shaped plate 31. The vertical section of the reverse L-shaped plate 31 is detachably fixed to a stepped hole at the bottom of the guide rail 1, and the horizontal section of the reverse L-shaped plate 31 extends horizontally toward the support plate 7. In this way, the support plate 7 provides support from below and mainly bears pressure, while the reverse L-shaped plate 31 is suspended and fixed from above and mainly bears tensile stress. Together, they form a stable system with closed force flow.

[0028] Furthermore, since the camera bracket 4 is the component that directly fixes the camera 5, it must be provided with a rock-solid mounting platform to ensure the shooting effect of the camera 5. Therefore, it is preferable to provide an inverted L-shaped plate 32 on the outer corner of the inverted L-shaped plate 31. The horizontal section of the inverted L-shaped plate 32 is welded and fixed to the outer side of the vertical section of the inverted L-shaped plate 31. The vertical section of the inverted L-shaped plate 32 extends vertically downward and has multiple mounting holes for mounting the camera bracket 4.

[0029] Furthermore, the aforementioned detachable connection method can be any common connection structure in the art that enables quick installation and disassembly. However, from the perspective of ease of operation, maintenance, and replacement, a bolt-threaded connection is preferred. Tightening the bolts generates a significant preload, firmly clamping the parts together. This strong friction effectively resists vibration and impact, preventing loosening. Simultaneously, the bolts (especially high-strength bolts) and their threads can withstand substantial tensile and shear forces, ensuring the strength and reliability of the connection. Once properly tightened, the bolted connection exhibits near-zero clearance, forming a rigid whole, which is crucial for the installation of the camera 5, which requires high positioning accuracy.

[0030] In summary, this invention detachably fixes the slider seat 2 to the forklift fork carriage via the slider seat mounting plate 6. The guide rail 1 passes through the slot on the slider seat 2 and can slide vertically up and down within the slider seat 2. Multiple stepped holes are equidistantly arranged vertically on the guide rail 1. The camera 5 is detachably fixed to the stepped hole at the bottom of the guide rail 1 via the camera fixing plate assembly 3, while a limiting screw 8 is installed in the stepped hole at the top of the guide rail 1. Thus, as... Figure 19 and Figure 20 As shown, when the fork carriage rises, it drives the slide block mounting plate 6 and slide block 2 to rise simultaneously. When the height of slide block 2 has not yet exceeded the maximum stroke of guide rail 1 and limit screw 8, camera 5 remains stationary. However, when slide block 2 reaches a certain height, its top surface contacts the limit screw 8 fixed to guide rail 1. At this point, as the fork carriage continues to rise, slide block 2 drives the limit screw 8 to continue moving upwards, thereby causing camera 5 to follow suit and move upwards. When the fork carriage is not rising (see...),... Figure 17 and Figure 18Camera 5 is positioned above the upper surface of the forks. If cargo is scooped from this position, the camera's forward view will be completely obstructed, posing a safety hazard. However, when the fork carriage is raised to a certain height, camera 5 is positioned below the forks, with an unobstructed view. The height difference between camera 5 and its initial position is the distance between the limiting screw 8 on guide rail 1 and the slider seat 2. When a higher field of view is required to adapt to different scenarios, the length of guide rail 1 can be adjusted. Simultaneously, a camera bracket 4 is installed outside camera 5 and is fixed to camera mounting plate assembly 3. This effectively protects camera 5 from impact damage and extends its service life. The pallet 7 is fixed to the outer mast of the forklift and extends below camera mounting plate assembly 3. When the fork carriage begins to descend, guide rail 1, already lowered below the forks in the raised position, will contact the top surface of camera mounting plate assembly 3 before the forks land. At this point, camera 5 has already descended to its initial position before the forks were raised. As can be seen, the support plate 7 can effectively limit the fall of the camera 5 and prevent the camera 5 from being damaged when it lands.

[0031] Therefore, the follow-up camera mounting mechanism effectively improves the situation where goods obstruct the camera during forklift handling, enhancing work safety and reducing the risk of goods damage. When handling goods with special structures, the goods need to be raised to a certain height before normal movement can proceed. In this case, the follow-up camera mounting mechanism allows the driver to observe the forward view at different height positions, and monitoring at different height positions can be achieved by changing the guide rail length and the position of the limit screw. When the forks are raised, the follow-up camera mounting mechanism can fall accordingly; when the forks are lowered, the follow-up camera mounting mechanism always falls to the same position, effectively preventing the camera from being damaged by contact with the ground.

[0032] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. Within the scope of the inventive concept, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention, including combinations of various specific technical features in any suitable manner. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the present invention will not describe the various possible combinations separately. However, these simple modifications and combinations should also be considered as the content disclosed in the present invention and are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A mounting mechanism for a forklift-mounted follow-up camera, characterized in that, The forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism includes a guide rail (1), a slider seat (2), a camera mounting plate assembly (3), a camera bracket (4), a camera (5), and a support plate (7). The slider seat (2) is detachably fixed to the forklift fork carriage via a slider seat mounting plate (6). The guide rail (1) passes through a slot on the slider seat (2) and is configured to slide vertically up and down within the slider seat (2). The guide rail (1) has multiple stepped holes equidistantly spaced vertically. The camera (5) transmits images through the camera. The head fixing plate assembly (3) is detachably fixed to the stepped hole at the bottom of the guide rail (1). A limiting screw (8) is provided in the stepped hole at the top of the guide rail (1). The camera (5) is covered by the camera bracket (4) and fixed to the camera fixing plate assembly (3) through the camera bracket (4). The support plate (7) is fixed to the outer mast of the forklift and extends to the bottom of the camera fixing plate assembly (3) and is configured to prevent the camera fixing plate assembly (3) from continuing to descend.

2. The forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The groove on the slider seat (2) is one or more of the following: dovetail groove, Y-shaped groove, and T-shaped groove.

3. The forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slider mounting plate (6) is provided with a plurality of stepped holes (61) for detachably mounting the slider (2).

4. The forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The slider mounting plate (6) is also provided with a plurality of first waist-shaped holes (62).

5. The forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The camera bracket (4) has multiple limiting blocks (41) inside for constraining the camera (5).

6. The forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tray (7) is an L-shaped plate. The vertical section of the L-shaped plate connected to the outer gantry has multiple second waist-shaped holes (71). The horizontal section of the L-shaped plate extends to the bottom of the camera fixing plate assembly (3).

7. The forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The L-shaped plate has a reinforcing rib (72) on the inner side of the corner.

8. The forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that, The camera mounting plate assembly (3) includes a reverse L-shaped plate (31), the vertical section of which is detachably fixed to the stepped hole at the bottom of the guide rail (1), and the horizontal section of which extends horizontally toward the support plate (7).

9. The forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that, An inverted L-shaped plate (32) is provided on the outer side of the corner of the inverted L-shaped plate (31). The horizontal section of the inverted L-shaped plate (32) is welded and fixed to the outer side of the vertical section of the inverted L-shaped plate (31). The vertical section of the inverted L-shaped plate (32) extends vertically downward and has multiple mounting holes for mounting the camera bracket (4).

10. The forklift follow-up camera mounting mechanism according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The detachable connection method is through bolt thread connection.

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