Telescopic mast for a mobile elevating work platform

Abstract

Telescopic mast (10) for a mobile elevating work platform comprising a plurality of mast elements (20) lying one inside the other and displaceable relative to one another, each having a closed lateral surface (22) and a cavity (24) delimited by the lateral surface (22), b. a lifting cylinder (30) arranged within the mast elements (20) for extending and retracting the mast elements (20) along a longitudinal direction of the mast elements (20), c. wherein in the lateral surface (22) of at least one mast element (20) at least one channel (40, 41) extending over the entire length of the mast element (20) is formed, which is formed by a bulge (42) in the lateral surface (22) of the mast element (20), characterized in that the at least one channel (40, 41) has corresponding bulges (42, 44) in the lateral surfaces (22) of two or more adjacent mast elements (20), wherein accommodation and guidance of electrical and / or mechanical components between the corresponding bulges of adjacent mast elements is possible.

Description

The invention relates to a telescopic mast for a lifting work platform comprising a plurality of mast elements lying one inside the other and displaceable relative to one another, each having a closed lateral surface and a cavity bounded by the lateral surface, and a lifting cylinder arranged within the mast elements for extending and retracting the mast elements along a longitudinal direction of the mast elements.Elevating platform is used, among other things, in in industrial logistics and serves, for example, to pick small parts in high-rack stores. Such lifting platforms are also used for maintenance work. Mobile lifting work platforms usually consist of a chassis driven by one or more motors, an electric machine and a lifting mast which serves for raising and lowering an operating platform. The operating platform has operating elements for raising and lowering the operating platform and for moving the entire mobile lifting platform. The operating platform and in particular the operating elements of the operating platform are connected to the electric machine of the lifting platform for the purpose of energy supply and signal transmission via electric cables. The lifting towers of known mobile lifting work platforms are often telescopic towers consisting of a plurality of tower elements lying one inside the other and made of welded steel or of extruded aluminum profiles. The electrical cables for supplying the operating platform are either guided inside the mast in so-called energy chains, consisting of a plurality of chain links made of plastic, which are connected to one another in articulated fashion, or, embedded outside the mast, in spiral cables, are guided as far as the operating platform. This type of cable routing is, however, uncertain and prone to errors, since the energy chains and spiral cables cannot be fastened to the mast elements due to the telescopically extending mast. In addition, there is increased effort in the assembly of the poles. Depending on the functional scope of the respective lifting platform, an impracticable multiplicity of spiral cables or energy chains may be necessary.Further electrical or mechanical components, such as control elements or circuits, for example, have hitherto been connected to the mast via fastening elements. This also leads to a high outlay on assembly and, in particular, poor retrofittability. In addition, due to the construction of a telescopic mast from mast elements lying one inside the other, such structural elements can only be accommodated on the outermost mast element and are therefore difficult to access.DD86 072 discloses a telescopic jib, in particular for car cranes, the telescopic parts of which are designed as box profiles which are equipped with a longitudinal bead in the Dr (lower) belt.US 4,133,411 discloses an extension and retraction mechanism for a three-piece extendable boom in which an internally disposed hydraulic cylinder is used which is connected between a stationary boom section and a central boom section to a cable connection which is located completely inside the boom and whose opposite ends are anchored to opposite ends of the stationary section. In the inboard boom portion, an internal passage is formed.The invention is based on the object of providing a telescopic mast for a lifting platform which enables the accommodation of electrical and mechanical components with at the same time low assembly expenditure.The object is achieved by the features of claim 1.The telescopic mast according to the invention for a lifting work platform comprises a plurality of mast elements lying one inside the other and displaceable relative to one another, each having a closed lateral surface and a cavity bounded by the lateral surface, and a lifting cylinder arranged within the mast elements for extending and retracting the mast elements along a longitudinal direction of the mast elements. According to the invention, at least one channel extending over the entire length of the mast element is formed in the lateral surface of at least one mast element.The telescopic mast according to the invention consists of a plurality of mast elements which lie one inside the other in the retracted state of the telescopic mast and are moved relative to one another when the telescopic mast is extended. The mast elements have, for example, the form of hollow wires or tubes and can be manufactured from steel, preferably from extruded aluminum profiles. The lowermost mast element, and thus at the same time the innermost mast element, is preferably fixedly connected, for example screwed, to the chassis of the lifting platform. The lifting cylinder is arranged within this lower mast element, with which the individual mast elements and thus the entire telescopic mast can be extended. The mast elements located further outward are each guided and supported by the adjacent mast element located further inward.According to the invention, at least one channel is formed in the lateral surface of at least one mast element, which channel extends in the longitudinal direction of the mast element over the entire length thereof. A channel can only be provided in the lateral surface of the mast element located furthest outward. However, two or more channels can also be provided in the lateral surface of the mast element located furthest outward. One or more channels can also be provided in the lateral surfaces of a plurality of, in particular all, mast elements. The channels extend in the longitudinal direction of the mast elements, wherein the longitudinal direction corresponds to the direction of inward and outward movement of the mast elements and thus of the telescopic mast. The channels each extend along this longitudinal direction of the mast elements over the entire length of the mast elements.According to the invention, these channels serve to accommodate electrical or mechanical components. These channels can serve, for example, as cable guides and thus guide the electrical lines for supplying energy to the operating platform and for transmitting signals safely and easily along the mast as far as the operating platform. In particular, if all or at least a plurality of the mast elements have a channel in their lateral surfaces, the cables can be safely guided within the channels of the mast elements even when the mast is extended. Thus, it is precisely during a retraction and extension of the telescopic mast that a clamping of cables can be prevented. Also, the electric cables are reliably prevented from being caught outside the mast. It is possible to dispense with energy chains as well as spiral cables which are guided along the outside of the mast. Instead, the electrical lines are guided in channels which are formed in the lateral surfaces of the mast elements. Furthermore, the channels can also be designed to receive electrical components such as circuits, operating elements or lighting signals. The telescopic mast according to the invention thus enables not only the simple and secure guiding of cables in the channels formed in lateral surfaces of the telescopic mast, but also the accommodation of further electrical as well as mechanical components in the channels.In a preferred embodiment, the at least one channel can be formed by a bulge in the lateral surface of the mast element. In particular, the at least one channel can be bounded by a bulge in the lateral surface of a mast element and the lateral surface of an adjacent mast element. Particularly preferably, the at least one channel is formed by corresponding bulges in the lateral surfaces of two or more adjacent mast elements. The at least one channel can thus be formed by an interaction of the bulge of the lateral surface of a mast element with the lateral surface of an adjacent mast element or with a bulge in the lateral surface of the adjacent mast element. In particular, the protrusions in the lateral surfaces of two adjacent mast elements can be such that the channel formed in this way is particularly suitable in terms of shape and size for accommodating certain components. For example, the at least one channel can have a circular cross section for accommodating and guiding cables. Depending on the size of the at least one channel, more than only the directly adjacent, i.e. also the indirectly adjacent, in particular all, mast elements can have bulges in their lateral surfaces that correspond to one another. Immediately adjacent means here that the mast elements are of the same shape and their lateral surfaces are spaced apart only by possible guide means arranged between the lateral surfaces of the mast elements. Indirectly adjacent mast elements are of the same shape and their lateral surfaces are spaced apart by lateral surfaces of one or more intermediate mast elements and by possible guide means arranged between the lateral surfaces of the mast elements. This enables a sufficiently large channel with simultaneously a compact construction of the telescopic mast. According to this embodiment, the electrical and mechanical components, in particular the electrical cables, can be guided at least for the most part along within the mast between the individual mast elements and are thus accommodated particularly securely. The telescopic mast according to the invention thus allows power chains and spiral cables and other fastening elements to be dispensed with, since the mast elements of the telescopic mast themselves are already designed for accommodating or guiding components for energy supply, signal transmission and. Due to the corresponding bulges in the lateral surfaces of adjacent mast elements, accommodation and guidance of the electrical and mechanical components directly on or between the mast elements of the telescopic mast is possible, although the mast elements lie one inside the other and are displaced relative to each other. In particular, there is no longer the risk that cables inside the mast are impaired by the lifting cylinder or outside the mast by external influences, as is often the case with power chains and spiral cables.According to a further embodiment, at least two channels arranged side by side and spaced apart from one another by a separating web are formed in the lateral surface of at least one mast element, which extend in the longitudinal direction over the entire length of the mast element. If the channels are formed by bulges in the lateral surfaces of the mast elements, the bulges can thus be separated from one another by separating webs. Depending on the configuration, the separating webs can completely or partially separate the bulges. This enables a particularly compact accommodation of a plurality of components in the channels.The at least one channel can preferably be designed for guiding electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic cables and / or lines. The channel can also be suitable for accommodating electrical and / or mechanical components. Depending on the dimension and volume of the channel, desired conduits, cables and pipes can be routed along the channel.In one embodiment, at least one mast element can have platform receptacles for attaching storage platforms. In particular, the most outer mast element can have, for example in its lateral surface, a platform receptacle for attaching depositing platforms.An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a telescopic mast according to the prior art in a retracted position in a perspective view, FIG. 2 shows a telescopic mast according to the prior art in an extended position in a perspective view, and FIG. 3 shows a telescopic mast according to the invention in a sectional view.FIGS. 1 and 2 show a telescopic mast 10 according to the prior art. The telescopic mast 10 comprises four mast elements 20 in the form of hollow wires and a lifting cylinder 30 arranged within the mast elements. The mast elements 20 lie one inside the other in the retracted state, as can be seen from FIG. 1. When the telescopic mast 10 is extended, the mast elements 20 support and stabilize each other. The lifting cylinder 30 likewise comprises a plurality of extendable lifting elements. An operating platform, not shown, can be arranged on the uppermost mast element 20. The lowermost mast element 20 can be arranged on the vehicle chassis, which is likewise not illustrated. According to the prior art, electrical and / or mechanical components can only be attached to the uppermost of the mast elements 20, since the other mast elements 20 are unsuitable for this because of the proximity of the adjacent mast elements 20. According to the prior art, cables are either guided outside the telescopic mast and independently thereof by means of spiral cables and connected to the operating platform or guided to the operating platform by means of energy chains inside the telescopic mast.FIG. 3 shows an embodiment according to the invention of a telescopic mast 10 comprising four mast elements 20 in a sectional view in the retracted state of the telescopic mast 10. The hollow-cuboid mast elements 20 each have a lateral surface 22 and delimit a cavity 24. A lifting cylinder 30 is arranged within the cavity 24, which serves for raising and lowering the mast elements 20 and thus the telescopic mast 10. In the lateral surfaces 22 of the mast elements, a plurality of channels 40, 41 are formed which extend over the entire length of the mast elements 20, and thus perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. Bulges 42, 44 in the lateral surfaces 22 of the mast elements 20 are situated opposite each other and correspond to each other in such a way that they form the channels 40, 41 between the lateral surfaces 22 of the mast elements 20. The channels 40, 41 are particularly suitable for receiving certain electrical or mechanical components due to the shape of the protrusions 42, 44. Thus, in this embodiment, the channels 40 serve, for example, for cable guidance, while the channel 41 serves for accommodating, for example, a switching element. Due to the nature of the channels 40, cables can be reliably guided between the individual mast elements 20 even when the mast elements 20 are retracted and extended. In addition, electrical or mechanical components can be accommodated on any mast elements 20 within the channel 41. Furthermore, the most outer mast element has platform receptacles 50 for attaching storage platforms.

Claims

Telescopic mast (10) for a lifting work platform comprising a. a plurality of mast elements (20) lying one inside the other and displaceable relative to one another, each having a closed lateral surface (22) and a cavity (24) delimited by the lateral surface (22), b. a lifting cylinder (30) arranged within the mast elements (20) for extending and retracting the mast elements (20) along a longitudinal direction of the mast elements (20), c. wherein at least one channel (40, 41) extending over the entire length of the mast element (20) is formed in the lateral surface (22) of at least one mast element (20), said channel being formed by a bulge (42) in the lateral surface (22) of the mast element (20), characterized in that the at least one channel (40, 41) has corresponding bulges (42, 44) in the lateral surfaces (22) of two or more adjacent mast elements (20), wherein accommodation and guidance of electrical and / or mechanical components between the corresponding bulges of adjacent mast elements is possible.Telescopic mast according to claim 1, characterised in that at least two channels (40, 41) arranged side by side and spaced apart from one another by a separating web are formed in the lateral surface (22) of at least one mast element (20), which channels extend over the entire length of the mast element (20).Telescopic mast according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the at least one channel (40) is designed for guiding electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic cables and / or lines.Telescopic mast according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the at least one channel (41) is designed to accommodate electrical components.Telescopic mast according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that at least one mast element (20) has platform receptacles (50) for attaching storage platforms.Telescopic mast according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the mast elements are formed from extruded profiles made of metal.Telescopic mast according to claim 6, characterised in that the mast elements are formed from extruded profiles made of aluminium.

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