Industrial trucks, especially high-bay industrial trucks

Abstract

Industrial truck (1) with a frame (2) to which a drive assembly (10) can be fastened, wherein the drive assembly (10) can be detachably fastened as a pre-assembled unit to an interface (16) of the frame (2), wherein the interface (16) of the frame (2) is formed on a vertical frame wall (17) and the drive assembly (10) can be pre-assembled on a support component (15) which can be detachably fastened to the interface (16) by means of a fastening flange (18), wherein the support component (15) has a horizontal support section (20) to which the drive assembly (10) can be fastened, and a vertical support section (21) which can be detachably fastened to the interface (16) by means of the fastening flange (18), wherein the fastening flange (18) is connected by at least one screw connection (22a;22b), characterized in that a support device (25) for transmitting vertical forces is formed between the support component (15) and the vertical frame wall (17), wherein the support component (15) has, with respect to the vertical support section (21), opposite the horizontal support section (20), a horizontal support extension (27) which can be brought into operative connection with a recess (26) formed on the vertical frame wall (17) and rests against the recess (26).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an industrial truck, in particular a high-bay industrial truck, with a frame to which a drive assembly can be fastened, wherein the drive assembly can be detachably fastened as a pre-assembled unit to an interface of the frame, wherein the interface of the frame is formed on a vertical frame wall and the drive assembly can be pre-assembled on a support component which can be detachably fastened to the interface by means of a fastening flange, wherein the support component has a horizontal, in particular plate-shaped, support section to which the drive assembly can be fastened, and a vertical support section which can be detachably fastened to the interface by means of the fastening flange, wherein the fastening flange is formed by at least one screw connection.

[0002] High-bay industrial trucks, especially high-bay stackers, which typically have a car for an operator that can be raised on a lifting mechanism, are used for stacking and picking goods in high-bay racks. For this purpose, a load-handling device is attached to the car, which can be designed, for example, as a pivoting fork. If the high-bay industrial truck is used exclusively for order picking, a simple fork aligned in the vehicle's longitudinal direction can be provided instead of the pivoting fork. In this case, the high-bay industrial truck is also referred to as a high-bay order picker.

[0003] The forces acting on the lifting gear, in particular the weight and inertia forces of the load, the car with the operator inside, and the lifting gear itself, are transferred to a frame of the high-bay industrial truck. This frame is supported on the track via a non-driven wheel axle and a steerable drive wheel. The steerable drive wheel is part of a drive assembly that includes an electric drive motor and a steering motor, usually also electric.

[0004] In order to be able to easily adapt such high-bay industrial trucks to customer requirements, it is already known from EP 1 466 860 B1 to manufacture such industrial trucks in a modular system.

[0005] With such a modular system, various drive assemblies with different power ratings can be mounted on the frame. To minimize changes to the frame, EP 1 466 858 B1, which describes an industrial truck designed as a high-bay warehouse truck, discloses pre-assembling the drive assembly on a support plate that can be removably attached to an interface of the frame. The interface to the frame is formed by two vertical retaining plates welded to a cross plate of the frame. The drive assembly pre-assembled on the support plate can be removably attached to the retaining plates from below using screw connections.

[0006] However, such a connection of the drive assembly to the vertical support plates requires considerable construction effort due to the support plates being welded to the frame. Furthermore, the support plates must be straightened after welding to create a defined interface to which the drive assembly can be attached. This further results in significant manufacturing effort for connecting the drive assembly to the frame.

[0007] A generic industrial truck is known from DE 10 2006 041 684 A1.

[0008] DE 10 2004 019 072 A1 discloses an industrial truck with a drive wheel arranged on a drive part and two spring-loaded / damped swivel castors arranged laterally from the drive wheel.

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide an industrial truck of the type mentioned at the outset, in which a connection of the drive assembly can be achieved with low construction and manufacturing costs.

[0010] This object is achieved according to the invention in that a support device for transmitting vertical forces is formed between the support component and the vertical frame wall, wherein the support component has, with respect to the vertical support section, a horizontal support extension opposite the horizontal support section, which can be brought into operative connection with a recess formed on the vertical frame wall and rests against the recess. According to the invention, the interface is thus arranged on the vertical frame wall of the frame. This arrangement and design of the interface on the vertical frame wall results in low construction and manufacturing costs for the interface, since no retaining plates have to be welded on and aligned, whereby the drive assembly can be connected to the frame with low manufacturing costs.

[0011] According to the invention, the support component further comprises a horizontal, in particular plate-shaped, support section to which the drive assembly can be fastened, and a vertical support section that can be releasably fastened to the interface by means of the fastening flange. Such an angular support component, on which the drive assembly can be preassembled, can be easily manufactured and fastened to the vertical interface by means of the fastening flange.

[0012] According to the invention, a support device for transmitting vertical forces is formed between the support component and the vertical frame wall. This allows the forces from the frame to be easily transmitted to the drive assembly and relieves the mounting flange of transverse forces.

[0013] For this purpose, according to the invention, the support component has a horizontal support extension opposite the horizontal support section relative to the vertical support section, which can be brought into operative connection with a recess formed in the vertical frame wall. This allows a support device to be easily formed, with which vertical forces can be transmitted from the frame to the drive assembly.

[0014] In the invention, the fastening flange is formed by at least one screw connection. With a fastening flange formed by several screw connections, the support component can be easily and releasably attached to the interface of the vertical frame wall.

[0015] Particular advantages arise if, according to an expedient development of the invention, the vertical support section is formed by at least one strut, in particular a rib-shaped strut. Such struts can further achieve high rigidity and strength of the angular support component in order to support the forces on the roadway via the frame and the drive assembly.

[0016] For this purpose, at least one bore for the screw connection is expediently formed on the vertical frame wall and at least one thread for the screw connection is formed on the strut of the vertical support section of the support component. The bores can be easily manufactured in the vertical frame wall. The threads can also be manufactured on the support component with little manufacturing effort. Furthermore, this ensures good accessibility to the screw connections during assembly of the drive assembly pre-assembled on the support component on the vertical frame wall. However, it is also possible to provide threads for the screw connections on the vertical frame wall and bores for the screw connections on the strut of the support component.

[0017] Particular advantages can be achieved when the support component is designed as a cast component. The support component, consisting of the horizontal support section and the vertical support section formed by the struts, can be manufactured from a single cast component with minimal construction effort. Furthermore, with a cast component, favorable strut configurations and thus favorable force distributions can be easily achieved.

[0018] The drive assembly advantageously comprises a traction drive unit and / or a steering unit and / or a hydraulic unit. The traction drive unit consists of an electric traction drive motor, which is connected to the drive wheel via a transmission. A steering unit consisting of an electric steering motor allows the traction drive unit or the drive wheel to be pivoted about a vertical axis of rotation. The hydraulic unit comprises an electric pump motor that drives a hydraulic pump.

[0019] To manufacture such industrial trucks in a modular system, different support components can be provided on which different drive assemblies are pre-assembled and which are detachably attached to identical mounting flanges and identical recesses in the vertical frame wall.

[0020] However, particular advantages can be achieved when, for the production of such industrial trucks in a modular system, identical support components with different drive assemblies can be attached to different vertical positions of the interface. Different drive assemblies, which differ in terms of the power of the traction drive unit, the power of the steering unit, the power of the hydraulic unit, and the diameter of the drive wheel, require different vertical positions on the frame.Since in such industrial trucks the vertical frame wall is also used as a counterweight and thus the vertical frame wall is adapted to the corresponding industrial truck, by arranging the support component at different vertical positions of the interface, identical support components can be used in order to easily manufacture industrial trucks with different drive assemblies in a modular system.

[0021] With regard to the production of the industrial truck in a modular system, advantages arise if different mounting flanges and / or different recesses for the support extension can be produced for identical support components for the detachable attachment of different drive assemblies to the vertical frame wall. This allows different vertical positions for identical support components to be easily achieved at the interface by simply adjusting the mounting flange and the recess on the vertical frame wall.

[0022] According to an advantageous development of the invention, different mounting flanges and / or different recesses can be produced by varying the position, particularly in the vertical direction, of the mounting flange and / or varying the extent, particularly in the vertical direction, of the recess. The different drive assemblies generally differ in the vertical position of the identical support component. By simply moving the mounting flange and changing the extent of the recess on the vertical frame wall, identical support components equipped with different drive assemblies can be easily attached to the interface.

[0023] Further advantages and details of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the schematic figures. Fig. 1 an industrial truck according to the invention in a side view, Fig. 2 the frame with the drive assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention in a perspective view, Fig. 3 the frame with the drive assembly according to the Fig. 2 in a side view, Fig. 4 the frame with the drive assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention in a perspective view and Fig. 5 the frame with the drive assembly according to the Fig. 4 in a side view.

[0024] In the Fig. 1 shows a side view of an industrial truck 1 according to the invention, designed as a high-bay warehouse truck. The industrial truck 1 has a frame 2 in which a battery compartment is formed for accommodating a power supply unit 3, designed, for example, as a drive battery. The industrial truck 1 has a lifting mechanism 4 formed by a lifting frame, on which a car 5 for an operator is arranged. A load-handling device 6, designed, for example, as a pivoting reach fork, is attached to the car 5.

[0025] The industrial truck 1 is supported on a roadway by means of a running wheel axle 7, which is arranged at the rear end of the frame 2, and a steerable drive wheel 8, which is part of a drive assembly 10, which is arranged at the front area of ​​the frame 2.

[0026] In the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 shows a first embodiment of a drive assembly 10 of an industrial truck 1 according to the invention, which comprises a drive unit consisting of an electric drive motor 11, which is in driving connection with the drive wheel 8 via a transmission 12, and a steering unit consisting of an electric steering motor 13, by means of which the drive wheel 8 can be pivoted about a vertical axis with the transmission 12.

[0027] The drive assembly 10 is attached to a support component 15 and can be attached as a pre-assembled unit to an interface 16 of the frame 2. According to the invention, the interface 16 is arranged on a vertical frame wall 17 of the frame 2, to which the support component 15 provided with the drive assembly 10 can be releasably attached by means of a fastening flange 18.

[0028] The support component 15 is designed as a cast component which has a horizontal, plate-shaped support section 20 which is provided with receptacles for fastening the drive unit and the steering unit, and a vertical support section 21 which is formed by two rib-shaped struts 21a, 21b which are laterally spaced apart in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0029] On the vertical frame wall 17, two vertical contact surfaces 17a, 17b are formed which are laterally spaced apart in the transverse direction of the vehicle and which form the interface 16 and to which the support component 15 can be fastened by means of the fastening flange 18.

[0030] The fastening flange 18 is formed by a plurality of screw connections 22a, 22b, for example by two vertically spaced screw connections 22a, 22b in the area of ​​each contact surface 17a, 17b and the corresponding struts 21a, 21b.

[0031] For this purpose, bore receptacles 23a, 23b are formed on the vertical frame wall 17 in the area of ​​the contact surfaces 17a, 17b and corresponding threaded receptacles (not shown in detail) for the screw connections 22a, 22b are formed in the struts 21a, 21b.

[0032] To transmit the vertical forces between the drive wheel 8 and the frame 2, a support device 25 is formed between the frame 2 and the support component 15. For this purpose, a downwardly open recess 26 is arranged on the vertical frame wall 17. This recess is provided with an upper support surface extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle, against which a horizontal support extension 27 of the support component 15 rests. The support extension 27 is arranged opposite the horizontal support section 20 with respect to the struts 21a, 21b.

[0033] In the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 shows a second embodiment of a drive assembly 10 of an industrial truck 1 according to the invention, in which the drive assembly 10 has a higher power and in which the support component 15, which is connected to the support component 15 of the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 is identical, a drive unit formed by a drive motor 11, a transmission 12 and the drive wheel 8 and a steering unit formed by the steering motor 13 with increased power is mounted. Compared to the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 is in the Fig. 4, Fig. 5, a drive wheel 8 with an enlarged diameter is also mounted.

[0034] Due to the increased power of the drive assembly 10 and the enlarged diameter of the drive wheel 8, in the second embodiment the vertical position of the support member 15 at the interface 16 formed on the vertical frame wall 17 changes upwards. Compared to the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 is among the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 the fastening flange 18 formed by the screw connections 22a, 22b is displaced vertically upwards and the recess 26, against which the support component 15 rests with the support extension 27, extends further vertically upwards, so that the support component 15 is fastened with the struts 21a, 21b at the upper end of the contact surfaces 17a, 17b.

[0035] The distance between the bore holes 23a, 23b for the screw connections 22a, 22b in the vertical direction and in the lateral vehicle transverse direction and the distance between the bore holes 23a, 23b and the recess 26 in the vertical direction remain the same compared to the Fig. 2, Fig. 3 unchanged.

[0036] As a result, by simply adjusting the vertical position of the bore receptacles 23a, 23b and by simply changing the height of the recess 26 and thus by easily making changes to the vertical frame wall 17, identical support components 15, on which different drive assemblies 10 are pre-assembled, can be releasably fastened in different vertical positions at the interface 16 in order to produce industrial trucks in a modular system.

[0037] The arrangement of the interface 16 on the vertical frame wall 17 according to the invention can be produced with little manufacturing and construction effort and enables simple fastening and assembly of the support component 15, on which the drive assembly 10 is pre-assembled, to the frame 2 by means of the fastening flange 18 formed by the screw connections 22a, 22b.

Claims

[1] Industrial truck (1) with a frame (2) to which a drive assembly (10) can be fastened, wherein the drive assembly (10) can be detachably fastened as a pre-assembled unit to an interface (16) of the frame (2), wherein the interface (16) of the frame (2) is formed on a vertical frame wall (17) and the drive assembly (10) can be pre-assembled on a support component (15) which can be detachably fastened to the interface (16) by means of a fastening flange (18), wherein the support component (15) has a horizontal support section (20) to which the drive assembly (10) can be fastened, and a vertical support section (21) which can be detachably fastened to the interface (16) by means of the fastening flange (18), wherein the fastening flange (18) is supported by at least one screw connection (22a; 22b) is formed, characterized bythat a support device (25) for transmitting vertical forces is formed between the support component (15) and the vertical frame wall (17), wherein the support component (15) has, with respect to the vertical support section (21), a horizontal support extension (27) opposite the horizontal support section (20), which can be brought into operative connection with a recess (26) formed on the vertical frame wall (17) and rests against the recess (26). [2] Industrial truck (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the vertical support section (21) is formed by at least one strut (21a; 21b), in particular a rib-shaped strut. [3] Industrial truck (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that at least one bore receptacle (23a; 23b) for the screw connection (22a; 22b) is formed on the vertical frame wall (17). [4] Industrial truck (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized bythat at least one threaded receptacle for the screw connection (22a; 22b) is formed on the strut (21a; 21b) of the vertical support section (21) of the support component (15). [5] Industrial truck (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the support component (15) is designed as a cast component. [6] Industrial truck (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the drive assembly (10) comprises a travel drive unit and / or a steering unit and / or a hydraulic unit. [7] Industrial truck (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that identical support components (15) with different drive assemblies (10) can be fastened at different vertical positions of the interface (16). [8] Industrial truck (1) according to claim 7, characterized bythat for the detachable fastening of different drive assemblies (10) to the vertical frame wall (17), different fastening flanges (18) and / or different recesses (26) for the support extension (27) can be produced for identical support components (15). [9] Industrial truck (1) according to claim 8, characterized by that different fastening flanges (18) and / or different recesses (26) can be produced by different positions, in particular in the vertical direction, of the fastening flange (18) and / or different extensions, in particular in the vertical direction, of the recess (26). [10] Industrial truck (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by that industrial truck (1) is a high-bay industrial truck.

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