Tank trucks and their tank containers

Abstract

The present invention provides a tank transport vehicle and its tank container. The tank container is equipped with a top door opening and closing device. The top door opening and closing device includes a sliding unit and a power unit. The sliding unit includes a guide rail and a sliding member. The sliding member can slide along the guide rail. The sliding members on the two guide rails are respectively fixed to the two sides of the top door, causing the top door to slide along the guide rails. The driving member of the power unit is fixedly connected to the top door. The driving member can perform linear reciprocating motion along the extension direction of the guide rails to cause the top door to slide along the guide rails, thereby opening or closing the material opening. The driving member can slide the top door horizontally to open and close the material opening. The sliding members on both sides of the top door slide synchronously along the guide rails, which can ensure the stability of the top door during movement and prevent the top door from tilting during opening and closing. In addition, the top door slides horizontally to open and close the material opening, and does not occupy vertical space, thereby enabling the tank container to open and close the material opening smoothly even in height-restricted environments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of transport vehicles, and in particular to a tank transport vehicle and a tank container thereof. Background Art

[0002] In traditional tank containers, the top door is opened and closed by pulling a wire rope. Specifically, a wire rope is attached to each side of the top door. One end of the wire rope is connected to the shafts at the front and rear ends of the top door, and the other end is wrapped around a rotating shaft at the bottom of the tank container. When the shaft rotates, the wire rope pulls the top door, causing it to rotate vertically, thereby opening and closing the top door.

[0003] The steel wire ropes in this opening and closing structure are often stretched and broken during use, causing the steel wire ropes in front and behind the top door to become out of sync, causing the top door to tilt during opening and closing. In addition, the top door of a traditional tank container flips in the vertical direction during opening and closing, requiring a certain height space, resulting in the material port being unable to open and close normally in a height-restricted environment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to solve the problem that the top door of the tank container in the prior art is prone to tilt when opening and closing, and cannot be opened and closed normally in an environment with limited height.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a tank box, comprising a frame and a tank body supported by the frame, a material port is opened on the top of the tank body, and a top door is provided at the material port of the tank body to open or close the material port; a top door opening and closing device is provided on the tank box, and the top door opening and closing device includes a sliding unit and a power unit, and the sliding unit includes a pair of oppositely arranged guide rails and a sliding member adapted to the guide rails; the two guide rails are both spanned on the two top beams of the frame and are respectively arranged on both sides of the material port; the sliding member can slide along the guide rails, and the sliding members on the two guide rails are respectively fixed on both sides of the top door, so that the top door slides along the guide rails; the power unit includes a driving member, which is fixedly connected to the top door, and the driving member can make a linear reciprocating motion along the extension direction of the guide rail, so that the top door slides along the guide rail, thereby opening or closing the material port.

[0006] Preferably, the top door opening and closing device also includes a lifting unit, which is arranged below one end of the guide rail, and the other end of the guide rail is rotatably connected to the tank body or the frame; the lifting unit includes a lifting member, which can push and pull the guide rail so that the end of the guide rail is moved away from or closer to the tank body in the vertical direction.

[0007] Preferably, the lifting member is a cylinder, which includes a lifting cylinder body and a lifting power output shaft arranged on the lifting cylinder body. The lifting power output shaft can be extended and retracted along a straight line, and the lifting power output shaft is connected to the end of the guide rail.

[0008] Preferably, the lifting unit also includes a connecting assembly, through which the lifting power output shaft is connected to the guide rail; the connecting assembly includes a swing arm and a connecting rod, one end of the swing arm is rotatably connected to the lifting power output shaft, and the other end of the swing arm is rotatably connected to the tank body or frame; one end of the connecting rod is rotatably connected to the swing arm, and the other end of the connecting rod is rotatably connected to the end of the guide rail.

[0009] Preferably, the top door opening and closing device also includes a limiting assembly, which is arranged on the frame; the limiting assembly includes a first limiting member and a second limiting member, and the first limiting member and the second limiting member are respectively arranged on both sides of the guide rail, and the first limiting member and the second limiting member are close to the side of the guide rail for interfering with the surface of the guide rail.

[0010] Preferably, the frame also includes a fixed beam, which is arranged on the outside of the guide rail, and the extension direction of the fixed beam is consistent with the extension direction of the guide rail; the first limiting member is fixed on the side of the fixed beam close to the guide rail, and there are multiple first limiting members, which are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the fixed beam.

[0011] Preferably, the top door opening and closing device further includes a control unit, which includes a control valve, and the control valve can control the opening and closing of the power unit and the lifting unit, and the control valve is arranged near the bottom of the tank box.

[0012] Preferably, the power unit is a cylinder, which includes a driving cylinder body and a driving power output shaft arranged at one end of the driving cylinder body. The driving member is the driving power output shaft, and the driving power output shaft can be linearly extended and retracted along the extension direction of the guide rail.

[0013] Preferably, a rotating shaft is provided at one end of the driving cylinder away from the driving power output shaft, and the driving cylinder is rotatably connected to the guide rail via the rotating shaft.

[0014] The present invention also provides a tank transport vehicle, comprising a vehicle frame and the above-mentioned tank box, wherein the tank box is arranged on the vehicle frame.

[0015] It can be seen from the above technical solution that the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0016] In the tank truck and its tank container of the present invention, a drive member performs linear reciprocating motion along the extension of the guide rails, pushing the top door horizontally. This causes the sliding members on either side of the top door to slide along the guide rails, thereby sliding the top door horizontally and opening and closing the material opening. The sliding members on either side of the top door slide synchronously along the guide rails, ensuring the stability of the top door during movement and preventing it from tilting during opening and closing. Furthermore, the top door slides horizontally to open and close the material opening, eliminating vertical space occupation. This allows the tank container to open and close the material opening smoothly even in height-restricted environments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a tank container embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the top door opening and closing device in the tank container embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the power unit of the top door opening and closing device in the tank container embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] The accompanying drawings are marked as follows: 1. Tank box; 11. Frame; 111. End frame; 112. Top beam; 113. Bottom beam; 114. Column; 115. Fixed beam; 12. Tank body; 121. Material port; 122. Top door; 13. Turning seat; 14. Fixed seat; 15. Mounting seat; 2. Top door opening and closing device; 21. Sliding unit; 211. Guide rail; 2111. Slide groove; 212. Sliding member; 22. Power unit; 221. Driving member; 222. Driving cylinder; 223. Ear plate; 23. Lifting unit; 231. Lifting member; 2311. Lifting cylinder; 2312. Lifting power output shaft; 234. Connecting assembly; 2341. Swing arm; 2342. Connecting rod; 25. First limit member; 26. Second limit member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Typical embodiments embodying the features and advantages of the present invention are described in detail in the following description. It should be understood that the present invention is capable of various variations in different embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention, and that the descriptions and illustrations herein are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting.

[0022] In order to further illustrate the principle and structure of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] See Figures 1 to 3The present application provides a tank container 1, which includes a frame 11 and a tank body 12 supported by the frame 11. The frame 11 includes a pair of oppositely disposed end frames 111, one at each end of the tank body 12. A pair of top beams 112 are connected between the tops of the two end frames 111, and a pair of bottom beams 113 are connected between the bottoms of the two end frames 111. Vertical columns 114 are provided between adjacent top beams 112 and bottom beams 113.

[0024] In this embodiment, a feed port 121 is defined at the top of the tank body 12. Two feed ports 121 are provided in this embodiment, spaced apart along the length of the tank body 12. Each discharge port 121 of the tank body 12 is provided with a top door 122 for opening or closing the feed port 121. A sealing strip is provided on the surface of the top door 122 facing the feed port 121 to ensure a tight seal when the feed port 121 is closed.

[0025] The tank container 1 of this embodiment is provided with a top door opening and closing device 2 . There are two groups of top door opening and closing devices 2 . The two groups of top door opening and closing devices 2 are respectively provided corresponding to the two material ports 121 . The top door opening and closing devices 2 include a sliding unit 21 and a power unit 22 .

[0026] Specifically, the sliding unit 21 includes a pair of opposing guide rails 211 and sliding members 212 adapted to the guide rails 211. The two guide rails 211 are each mounted across the two top beams 112 of the frame 11 and positioned on either side of the material port 121. The sliding members 212 can slide along the guide rails 211. The sliding members 212 on the two guide rails 211 are fixed to either side of the top door 122, allowing the top door 122 to slide along the guide rails 211.

[0027] The power unit 22 includes a driving member 221 fixedly connected to the top door 122. The driving member 221 of this embodiment can perform linear reciprocating motion along the extension direction of the guide rail 211 to slide the top door 122 along the guide rail 211, thereby opening or closing the material port 121.

[0028] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the opposing surfaces of the two guide rails 211 are each provided with a slide groove 2111. Sliders 212 are disposed in the slide grooves 2111 and are slidable along the extension direction of the guide rails 211. In this embodiment, the sliders 212 are guide wheels, with two guide wheels disposed in the slide grooves 2111 of each guide rail 211. In other preferred embodiments, the sliders 212 may alternatively be a sliding structure such as a slider.

[0029] like Figure 1 and Figure 3As shown, a power unit 22 is provided on each of the two guide rails 211 to ensure smooth and stable sliding of the top door 122. The power unit 22 of this embodiment is a pneumatic cylinder, which includes a drive cylinder 222 and a drive power output shaft disposed at one end of the drive cylinder 222. In this embodiment, the drive member 221 is the drive power output shaft. The drive cylinder 222 is located above the slide 2111 and is disposed near the end of the guide rail 211. The length direction of the drive cylinder 222 is consistent with the extension direction of the guide rail 211, and the drive member 221 is disposed at the end of the drive cylinder 222 near the material inlet 121.

[0030] The drive cylinder 222 is provided with a rotating shaft at one end away from the driving member 221. The drive cylinder 222 is rotatably mounted on the guide rail 211 via the rotating shaft. This arrangement not only facilitates installation and removal of the power unit 22 but also provides a certain amount of play between the power unit 22 and the guide rail 211, preventing damage to the top door opening and closing device 2 caused by the shaking of the tank container 1. In other preferred embodiments, the power unit 22 can also be a hydraulic cylinder.

[0031] In this embodiment, the driver 221 is linearly extendable along the extension direction of the guide rail 211. The driver 221 is connected to the top door 122 via a lug 223. When the driver 221 linearly extends and retracts, it pushes the top door 122 horizontally. At this point, the sliders 212 on either side of the top door 122 slide within the guide rail 2111, causing the top door 122 to slide horizontally, thereby opening or closing the inlet 121.

[0032] Furthermore, the guide rail 211 of this embodiment has a free end and a movable end at its longitudinal ends, respectively. The movable end of the guide rail 211 is rotatably connected to the tank container 1. Specifically, in this embodiment, a tilting seat 13 is provided on the tank body 12, and the free end of the guide rail 211 is rotatably mounted on the tilting seat 13 via a pin. The pin is inserted into the tilting seat 13 to enable the guide rail 211 to rotate relative to the tank body 12. The rotation axis of the guide rail 211 is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the tank body 12.

[0033] like Figure 2 As shown, the top door opening and closing device 2 of this embodiment further includes a lifting unit 23, which is disposed at the free end of the guide rail 211 and arranged below the guide rail 211. The lifting unit 23 includes a lifting member 231, which can push and pull the guide rail 211, thereby moving the free end of the guide rail 211 away from or closer to the tank body 12 in the vertical direction.

[0034] In this embodiment, the lifting member 231 is a pneumatic cylinder, comprising a lifting cylinder body 2311 and a lifting power output shaft 2312. The lifting cylinder body 2311 is mounted on the frame 11, and a mounting base 14 for mounting the lifting cylinder body 2311 is provided on the columns 114 and the end frame 111. One end of the lifting cylinder body 2311 is rotatably connected to the mounting base 14, and the other end is connected to the lifting power output shaft 2312. In another preferred embodiment, the lifting member 2311 can also be a hydraulic cylinder.

[0035] When the lifting power output shaft 2312 is linearly extended and retracted, the lifting power output shaft 2312 can push the guide rail 211 upward or pull it downward, so that the free end of the guide rail 211 moves away from or closer to the tank body 12 in the vertical direction.

[0036] When top door 122 is closed against material port 121, lift member 231 is activated, causing lift PTO shaft 2312 to retract. This pulls guide rail 211 downward, vertically aligning guide rail 211 with tank body 12. This forces the sealing strip on top door 122 to press against tank body 12, enhancing the seal when top door 122 is closed. When tank container 1 is used as a waste storage and transport container, the sealing strip on top door 122 presses against tank body 12, effectively preventing unpleasant odors from the contents, thus ensuring that tank container 1 meets environmental requirements.

[0037] Furthermore, the lifting unit 23 of this embodiment also includes a connecting assembly 234, through which the lifting power output shaft 2312 of the lifting member 231 is connected to the free end of the guide rail 211. The connecting assembly 234 includes a swing arm 2341 and a connecting rod 2342. One end of the swing arm 2341 is rotatably connected to the lifting power output shaft 2312, and the other end of the swing arm 2341 is rotatably connected to the tank body 12 or the frame 11. One end of the connecting rod 2342 is rotatably connected to the swing arm 2341, and the other end of the connecting rod 2342 is rotatably connected to the free end of the guide rail 211.

[0038] In this embodiment, a mounting base 15 for a swing arm 2341 is provided on the tank body 12. The mounting base 15 is positioned below the guide rail 211, and the end of the swing arm 2341 is rotatably connected to the mounting base 15. The swing arm of this embodiment is arc-shaped, and the lifter 231 is connected to the guide rail 211 via a connecting assembly 234. This allows the lifter power output shaft 2312 to push and pull the guide rail 211 obliquely, so that during the raising and lowering of the guide rail 211, force is applied only through the connecting assembly 234. This not only ensures the structural stability of the lifter 231, but also prevents the lifter power output shaft 2312 from getting stuck during retraction, ensuring smooth operation of the lifter 231.

[0039] When the lifting power output shaft 2312 is extended and retracted in a straight line, the lifting member 231 drives the swing arm 2341 to rotate about its connection point with the mounting base 15, thereby driving the connecting rod 2342 to move upward or downward. At this time, the connecting rod 2342 can push and pull the guide rail 211 in the vertical direction, so that the free end of the guide rail 211 moves closer to or away from the tank body 12.

[0040] In some other preferred embodiments, the lifting member 231 is disposed directly below the guide rail 211, and a lifting power output shaft 2312 of the lifting member 231 is directly connected to the free end of the guide rail 211. The lifting member 231 can be extended and retracted vertically to push or pull the guide rail 211 upward, thereby moving the free end of the guide rail 211 closer to or away from the tank body 12.

[0041] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 The top door opening and closing device 2 of this embodiment further includes a position limiting assembly, which is disposed on the top beam 112 of the frame 11. The position limiting assembly includes a first position limiting member 25 and a second position limiting member 26, which are respectively disposed on both sides of the guide rail 211. The first position limiting member 25 and the second position limiting member 26 are close to the side of the guide rail 211 and are used to interfere with the surface of the guide rail 211.

[0042] In this embodiment, the frame 11 further includes a fixed beam 115, which is arranged outside the guide rail 211. The extension direction of the fixed beam 115 is consistent with the extension direction of the guide rail 211. The first stopper 25 is welded and fixed to the side of the fixed beam 115 near the guide rail 211. In this embodiment, multiple first stoppers 25 are provided and are spaced apart along the extension direction of the fixed beam 115.

[0043] Furthermore, a second limiter 26 is provided near the free end of the guide rail 211 and is welded and fixed to the top beam 112 of the frame 11 . The side of the second limiter 26 near the guide rail 211 is used to contact the surface of the guide rail 211 .

[0044] When the lifting unit 23 operates, causing the guide rail 211 to move vertically away from or toward the tank body 12, the first and second stoppers 25, 26 on either side of the guide rail 211 provide guidance, ensuring vertical movement of the guide rail 211. During transportation of the tank container 1, the first and second stoppers 25, 26 also limit the movement of the guide rail 211 on the tank body 12, ensuring the overall structural stability of the top door opening and closing device 2.

[0045] In this embodiment, the top door opening and closing device 2 further includes a control unit, which is a pneumatically controlled device and includes control valves. The control valves are in communication with the drive cylinder 222 and the lift cylinder 2311, respectively, to control the intake and exhaust of air from the vents of the drive cylinder 222 and the lift cylinder 2311, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the power unit 22 and the lift unit 23. The control valves in this embodiment are housed in a pneumatic control box located near the bottom of the tank container 1, facilitating operator control of the control valves.

[0046] In addition, the present application also provides a tank transport vehicle, which includes a vehicle frame and the above-mentioned tank box 1, wherein the tank box 1 is arranged on the vehicle frame.

[0047] In the tank truck and its tank container of this embodiment, the drive member performs linear reciprocating motion along the guide rails to push the top door horizontally, causing the sliding members on either side of the top door to slide along the guide rails, thereby sliding the top door horizontally and opening and closing the material opening. The sliding members on either side of the top door slide synchronously along the guide rails, ensuring the stability of the top door's movement and preventing it from tilting during opening and closing. Furthermore, the top door slides horizontally to open and close the material opening, eliminating vertical space occupation. This allows the tank container to open and close the material opening smoothly even in height-restricted environments.

[0048] While the present invention has been described with reference to several exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the terms used are intended to be illustrative and exemplary rather than restrictive. Since the present invention can be embodied in many forms without departing from the spirit or essence of the invention, it should be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited to any of the foregoing details, but should be interpreted broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. All changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the claims or their equivalents are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A tank container, comprising a frame and a tank body supported by the frame, wherein a material opening is provided at the top of the tank body, and a top door is provided at the material opening of the tank body to open or close the material opening; characterized in that: The tank container is provided with a top door opening and closing device, which includes: The sliding unit includes a pair of guide rails arranged opposite to each other and a sliding member adapted to the guide rails; the two guide rails are both arranged across the two top beams of the frame and are respectively arranged on both sides of the material opening; the sliding member can slide along the guide rails, and the sliding members on the two guide rails are respectively fixed on both sides of the top door, so that the top door slides along the guide rails; The power unit includes a driving member, the driving member is fixedly connected to the top door, and the driving member can perform linear reciprocating motion along the extension direction of the guide rail to slide the top door along the guide rail, thereby opening or closing the material opening; the top door opening and closing device also includes a lifting unit, the lifting unit is arranged below one end of the guide rail, and the other end of the guide rail is rotatably connected to the tank body or the frame; the lifting unit includes a lifting member, and the lifting member can push and pull the guide rail to vertically move the end of the guide rail away from or close to the tank body; The top door opening and closing device also includes a limit assembly, which is arranged on the frame; the limit assembly includes a first limit member and a second limit member, and the first limit member and the second limit member are respectively arranged on both sides of the guide rail, and the first limit member and the second limit member are close to the side of the guide rail for contacting the surface of the guide rail, and the first limit member and the second limit member can limit the guide rail to move up and down in the vertical direction.

2. The tank container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting member is a cylinder, which includes a lifting cylinder body and a lifting power output shaft arranged on the lifting cylinder body. The lifting power output shaft can be extended and retracted along a straight line, and the lifting power output shaft is connected to the end of the guide rail.

3. The tank container according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lifting unit also includes a connecting assembly, through which the lifting power output shaft is connected to the guide rail; the connecting assembly includes a swing arm and a connecting rod, one end of the swing arm is rotatably connected to the lifting power output shaft, and the other end of the swing arm is rotatably connected to the tank body or frame; one end of the connecting rod is rotatably connected to the swing arm, and the other end of the connecting rod is rotatably connected to the end of the guide rail.

4. The tank container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frame also includes a fixed beam, which is arranged on the outside of the guide rail, and the extension direction of the fixed beam is consistent with the extension direction of the guide rail; the first limiting member is fixed on the side of the fixed beam close to the guide rail, and there are multiple first limiting members, which are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the fixed beam.

5. The tank container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The top door opening and closing device further includes a control unit, which includes a control valve. The control valve can control the opening and closing of the power unit and the lifting unit. The control valve is arranged near the bottom of the tank box.

6. The tank container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power unit is a cylinder, which includes a driving cylinder body and a driving power output shaft arranged at one end of the driving cylinder body. The driving member is the driving power output shaft, and the driving power output shaft can be linearly extended and retracted along the extension direction of the guide rail.

7. The tank container according to claim 6, characterized in that: A rotating shaft is provided at one end of the driving cylinder body away from the driving power output shaft, and the driving cylinder body is rotatably connected to the guide rail via the rotating shaft.

8. A tank transport vehicle, comprising a vehicle frame, characterized in that: The tank transport vehicle further comprises a tank container according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the tank container is arranged on the vehicle frame.

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