TELESCOPIC LIFTING DEVICE

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a telescopic boom lift.

[0002] Telescopic boom lifts are self-propelled works vehicles used to move bulky goods and equipment and / or to carry out various types of work at elevated heights.

[0003] Telescopic boom lifts are disclosed in the documents: IT BO20 090 469 A1, US 2018 / 215597 A1 and EP 3 584 212 A2

[0004] In their general configuration, which is by now well-established, lifts comprise a vehicle or truck mounted on wheels or tracks and provided with an adapted movement system in order to be able to move on the ground, and at least one rotating telescopic boom, which is supported directly or indirectly by the vehicle and which at the opposite end can be equipped with an accessory chosen according to the intervention that the lift is called upon to perform.

[0005] More detailed embodiments are also well-known which are within the general configuration outlined above: in some cases, in fact, the vehicle also supports a cab designed to accommodate an operator, who is in charge of handling the vehicle and actuating the boom movements. Moreover, telescopic boom lifts are often of the rotary type: the boom and possibly the cab are part of an assembly which rotates (about a vertical axis of rotation), and is mounted on the vehicle indeed so that it can rotate.

[0006] Typically, the vehicle is driven by a diesel-powered internal combustion engine, but such an embodiment is not without drawbacks.

[0007] In fact, as is well known, this fuel poses environmental problems that are not easy to solve, due to its pollutant emissions, which can pose a threat not only to humans but also to the atmosphere and the environment in general (consider, for example, the debated increase in the "greenhouse effect," caused indeed by the emission of pollutants into the atmosphere, and the resulting global warming).

[0008] Moreover, it should be considered that diesel fuel is a resource with (increasingly) limited availability, destined to be obtained with increasing difficulty over time.

[0009] Finally, the purchase cost of diesel fuel is already certainly not negligible and it is easy to predict its steady increase over time, also for the reasons stated above.

[0010] The aim of the present invention is to solve the above problems by providing a telescopic boom lift that can be powered in an environmentally sustainable way.

[0011] Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a lift equipped with a vehicle that generates no pollutant emissions or at least low pollutant emission content.

[0012] Another object of the invention is to provide a lift that can be powered with low costs and readily available substances.

[0013] Another object of the invention is to provide a lift in which the movable elements are actuated in an environmentally sustainable way, with no emission or low emissions of pollutant gases.

[0014] Another object of the invention is to provide a lift that ensures high reliability of operation.

[0015] Another object of the invention is to provide a lift that adopts a technical and structural architecture that is alternative to those of lifts of known types.

[0016] Not least object of the invention is to provide a lift that can be obtained easily starting from commonly commercially available elements and materials.

[0017] Still another object of the invention is to provide a lift that has low costs and is of assured application.

[0018] This aim and these and others objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a telescopic boom lift, comprising at least: a vehicle, a motor assembly, for the movement of said vehicle on the ground, a telescopic boom which is supported directly or indirectly by said vehicle and is adapted to support a work accessory, characterized in that said assembly comprises at least one hydrogen tank and at least one main motor, which can be supplied directly or indirectly with the hydrogen provided by said at least one tank and is configured for the delivery of mechanical energy, at least for the movement of said vehicle on the ground.

[0019] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the lift according to the invention, illustrated by way of nonlimiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a lateral elevation view of the telescopic boom lift according to the invention; Figure 2 is a block diagram of the telescopic boom lift according to the invention, in a first embodiment; Figure 3 is a block diagram of the telescopic boom lift according to the invention, in a second embodiment.

[0020] With reference to the figures, a telescopic boom lift is generally designated by the reference numeral 1 and comprises at least one vehicle 2 and a motor assembly 3 for moving the vehicle 2 on the ground.

[0021] It is noted that in the present description the term "boom lift" also includes all self-propelled work vehicles also known in the field as "telescopic handler" or "telehandler".

[0022] Precisely in order to be able to move freely on the ground (be it the road surface, agricultural land, the area of a construction site or any other resting surface), the vehicle 2 is typically provided with wheels 4 or tracks, associated with appropriate motion transmission means (from the assembly 3 indeed to the wheels 4).

[0023] More generally, for all the details that will not be described explicitly hereinafter, the entire vehicle 2 may be of the traditional type and chosen so as to correspond to the embodiment (among the many widespread in the field) that the person skilled in the art would consider to be most appropriate for the purpose in each instance.

[0024] Moreover, the lift 1 comprises at least one telescopic boom 5, which is supported directly or indirectly by the vehicle 2 and is adapted to support a work accessory 6. The boom 5 can rotate about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation A (parallel to the ideal ground resting plane and / or perpendicular to the plane on which Figure 1 lies), ideally located substantially at the height of the first end of said boom 5 (at the opposite end with respect to the accessory 6).

[0025] According to well-known methods, the telescopic boom 5 is typically composed of a plurality of members or extensions arranged in series and mutually extendable (precisely) as a result of a relative translation movement (of one member with respect to another): the rotation of the boom 5 about the horizontal axis A and / or the telescopic extension of the members allows to raise the accessory 6 to high elevations, and more generally to move the corresponding free end of the boom 5 to different positions, while keeping the vehicle 2 stationary, to perform various types of operations.

[0026] The accessory 6 can be of any type: in the accompanying figures, by way of example, it has been chosen to show an accessory 6 constituted by a fork, but it could be any other object or tool appropriate to the purpose for which the lift 1 is intended to be used (and it could also be a platform designed to accommodate a person).

[0027] Moreover, the accessory 6 may be interchangeable, so that it can be replaced at each operation, as a function of the specific requirements. More generally, the accessory 6 or a set of accessories 6 may be included in the lift 1, but the protective scope claimed herein also includes lifts 1 provided and / or supplied without accessories 6, which can then be sourced separately.

[0028] Moreover, the possibility that the lift 1 might be provided with two or more arms 5, for example articulated in pairs, is not excluded.

[0029] In any case, as already anticipated for the vehicle 2, it is noted that, for all aspects not discussed in the present description any constructive detail concerning also the boom 5, the accessories 6 and any other functional component or system can be chosen of a known type. In particular, therefore, the person skilled in the art may choose in each instance the configuration and the embodiment deemed most appropriate based on common expertise in the field and as a function of the specific requirements, without however abandoning the protective scope claimed herein.

[0030] According to the invention, the assembly 3 comprises at least one hydrogen tank 7 and at least one main motor 8a, 8b. The main motor 8a, 8b (which, as will be better clarified hereinafter, can be of various types) can be supplied directly or indirectly with the hydrogen provided by the hydrogen tank 7 and is configured to deliver mechanical power, at least for ground movement of the vehicle 2. The term "indirect" power supply means, in the present description, that it occurs via any number of transformations of the chemical energy contained in and carried by the hydrogen.

[0031] The use of hydrogen makes it possible to achieve the intended aim right now, since it allows to move at least the vehicle 2 of the lift 1 without generating polluting emissions; moreover, hydrogen is a source of energy readily available in nature, without risk of depletion.

[0032] It is noted that the number of tanks 7 comprised in the assembly 3 or in any case in the lift 1 can be any, for example as a function of the autonomy that one wishes to guarantee to the assembly 3 and / or the number of additional user devices, in addition indeed to the assembly 3, that can make use of hydrogen as an energy source (as will be better clarified hereinafter). Hereinafter, where reference is made to "a" tank 7, the concepts expressed should be understood to extend to any number of tanks 7 of the lift 1.

[0033] In particular, in a first embodiment of the invention, shown schematically in Figure 2, the main engine is of the internal combustion type (and is designated by the reference numeral 8a); it is configured for the (typically direct) transformation of the chemical energy of the hydrogen supplied by the tank 7 into mechanical energy, at least for ground movement of the vehicle 2. In this first option, therefore, the hydrogen is sent from the tank 7 to an internal chamber of the main engine 8a, where it is burned to allow precisely the generation of mechanical energy. The main engine 8a can be chosen of a known type, provided that it is indeed configured to be able to run on a hydrogen supply.

[0034] In a second embodiment, which is shown schematically in Figure 3 and does not exhaust the possibilities that are in any case within the protective scope claimed herein, the main motor (in this case identified by the reference 8b) is of the electric type and is configured to thus convert electric power into mechanical energy, at least to allow ground movement of the vehicle 2. The electric main motor 8b can be chosen of a known type, provided that it is indeed configured to be able to be powered by electricity.

[0035] In this second option, the assembly 3 also comprises at least one fuel cell 9 which (in a per se known manner) is configured to convert the chemical energy of the hydrogen supplied by the tank 7 into electric power, with which it is indeed possible to power directly or indirectly the electric main motor 8b. In this case, one or more control and adjustment devices 10 (of the type, for example, of a storage battery, a static converter, such as an inverter or rectifier, etc.) are preferably interposed between the cell 9 and the electric main motor 8b in order to optimize the operation of the assembly 3 and the way in which electric power is delivered to the electric main motor 8b.

[0036] The hydrogen supply of the electric main motor 8b is thus typically indirect (due to the interposition at least of the cell 9).

[0037] Usefully, the telescopic boom lift 1 comprises an apparatus 11 for moving at least the boom 5, which can also be directly or indirectly supplied with the hydrogen provided by the tank 7, at least to allow the rotation of the boom 5 with respect to the vehicle 2 around the aforementioned substantially horizontal axis of rotation A, and / or to allow the translation of at least one member of the boom 5 with respect to at least one other member of the boom 5 (and achieve telescopic extension and retraction).

[0038] Preferably, therefore, pumps, cylinders, actuators (electric, hydraulic or pneumatic) or in any case the specific components designed indeed to move the boom 5, are powered by means of hydrogen, the chemical energy of which can be converted into the most appropriate form, indeed to allow the operation of such components.

[0039] If, for example, one chooses to resort to electric actuators, they can be powered by means of the electric power supplied by the cell 9, by resorting to an appropriate electric power distribution system.

[0040] If instead hydraulic systems are used, the energy supplied by the hydrogen (and converted to mechanical or electrical energy) can be used for the operation of the hydraulic circuit.

[0041] Other components of the lift 1 also, similarly to what was mentioned earlier, can receive directly or indirectly the mechanical energy necessary for their operation from the chemical energy of the hydrogen contained in the tank 7.

[0042] Thus, in a first possible practical option, the lift 1 is provided with a single main engine 8a, 8b (powered indeed by hydrogen, as noted above), entrusted not only with supplying the mechanical energy necessary for the movement of vehicle 2, but also for the movement of the boom 5 and in general of all the other components that indeed require mechanical energy to be able to operate. All the distribution or other systems necessary for the transport of energy are obviously interposed between the main engine 8a, 8b and these components.

[0043] In any case, the number of main engines 8a, 8b can also be greater than one and chosen as a function of the specific requirements.

[0044] Usefully, provision is also made for the apparatus 11 to comprise at least one auxiliary engine 12a, 12b, chosen from an internal combustion auxiliary engine (identified by the reference numeral 12a) and an electric auxiliary motor 12b (identified by the reference numeral 12b), in any case configured for the direct or indirect conversion of the chemical energy of the hydrogen supplied by the tank 7 into mechanical energy. Thus, the auxiliary engine 12a, 12b may be entirely analogous to the corresponding type of the main engine 8a, 8b; if an electric auxiliary motor 12b is used, it may utilize the same cell 9 or another cell may be provided (with the interposition of another device 10), as in Figure 3.

[0045] Moreover, the lift 1 may be equipped with at least one main engine 8a and at least one auxiliary engine 12a, both of the internal combustion type (as in Figure 2), or with at least one main motor 8b and at least one auxiliary motor 12b, both of the electric type (Figure 3), or even of several mutually different types (chosen or not from those listed above). The (each) main engine 8a, 8b can be mounted directly on board the vehicle 2, while the (each) auxiliary motor 12a, 12b can be mounted on the vehicle 2 or even on top of it, being integral with the boom 5 and / or the other components that will be described hereafter. The main engine 8a, 8b may also find a placement on top of the vehicle 2 and be rendered integral with other components of the lift 1. Moreover, it is emphasized that provision is made for the (each) tank 7 to also have any placement relative to the lift 1 (it may be part of the vehicle 2 or not).

[0046] The motor assembly 3 and / or the movement apparatus 11 are provided with a plurality of main motors 8a, 8b and / or auxiliary motors 12a, 12b, one for each of the components that need independent movement (the boom 5 is one of them, some examples of other components in this regard will be described in the pages that follow). All the main motors 8a, 8b and / or auxiliary motors 12a, 12b use (directly or indirectly) hydrogen as an energy source (appropriately converted or transformed, as already noted).

[0047] In the case of the boom 5, an auxiliary motor 12a, 12b, for example, may be provided for rotation about the horizontal axis A and another motor may be provided to actuate the translation of the extensions (for the sake of simplicity, only one auxiliary motor 12a, 12b is shown in Figures 2 and 3, but the person skilled in the art will easily know how to replicate the configuration for other movements, of the same boom 5 or for other components of the lift 1).

[0048] In the embodiment of the accompanying figures, which does not limit the scope of application of the invention, the lift 1 may also comprise a cab 13, which is supported directly or indirectly by the vehicle 2 and which forms a cabin for accommodating at least one operator (responsible for handling the lift 1 and controlling personally the movements of the vehicle 2, of the boom 5 and of the other features of said lift 1).

[0049] With further reference to the accompanying figures, the lift 1 may also comprise a rotating structure 14 for supporting at least the boom 5 (and also the cab 13, if it is provided), which is supported by the vehicle 2 about a substantially vertical axis of rotation B (perpendicular to the ideal resting plane of the lift 1).

[0050] When indeed a structure 14 of the type just introduced is provided (an option which, it is again reiterated, is not to be understood to be in any way limiting to the protective scope claimed here), the lift 1 is termed "rotary."

[0051] Usefully, the structure 14 is functionally associated with at least one between the motor assembly 3 and the movement apparatus 11; thus it is possible to employ, either directly or indirectly (i.e., by means of multiple intermediate transformations), the chemical energy of the hydrogen supplied by the tank 7 to achieve the rotation of the structure 14 about the substantially vertical axis of rotation B.

[0052] As mentioned in the previous pages, the structure 14 is thus a nonlimiting example of the additional components of the lift 1 that can be effectively moved by using hydrogen as an energy source.

[0053] Moreover, where provided, the structure 14 is an example of those components of lift 1 mentioned in the previous pages, to which one may choose to render integral the (or each) main motor 8a, 8b, the (or each) auxiliary motor 12a, 12b, and / or the (or each) tank 7, instead of mounting them on the vehicle 2.

[0054] Again with reference to the embodiment of the accompanying figures (Figure 1 in particular), the lift 1 may comprise a system 15 for stabilizing vehicle 2; this stabilization system 15 comprises pairs of telescopic and rotating legs 16, which are movable between a first configuration, of minimum space occupation, and at least one second configuration, in which they extend below the lower profile of the vehicle 2 (and its wheels 4 or tracks in particular) and define its ground resting (replacing indeed the wheels 4 or tracks, which are lifted). In any case, the stabilization system 15 and the legs 16 can be chosen of a per se traditional type, and also for this reason, therefore, they are not shown in detail in the figures.

[0055] According to the invention, the stabilization system 15 also can be functionally associated with at least one between the motor assembly 3 and the movement apparatus 11, so that it is possible, in this case also, to use directly or indirectly the chemical energy of the hydrogen provided by the reservoir 7 for the movement of the legs 16 between the above mentioned configurations.

[0056] Again, therefore, the stabilization system 15 with its legs 16 also is a non limiting example of the additional components of the lift 1, which can be moved effectively by using hydrogen as an energy source.

[0057] Figures 2 and 3 show in this context two of the infinite possible configurations of the lift 1 according to the invention.

[0058] Positively, the lift 1 may comprise a central electronic unit 26, which for example may be a controller, a computer, other hardware, reprogrammable or not (e.g., with a microprocessor) to which the handling of the entire lift 1 is delegated. The unit 26 is provided with a BUS communication channel 17 for controlling the motor assembly 3 and / or the boom 5 and optionally (if provided) the apparatus 12 and / or the structure 14 and / or the stabilization system 15. The BUS channel 17 allows the unit 26 to interface with the components listed above or even with others, such as actuators, pumps, or other distribution systems or other systems of another kind, in any case to coordinate their operation and optimally manage power delivery. In the accompanying Figures 2, 3, it has been chosen for the sake of simplicity to represent a BUS channel 17 communicating only with the motors 8a, 8b, 12a, 12b, but the possibility is indeed envisaged that it may be able to interface with other components or subsystems.

[0059] The operation of the lift according to the invention is evident from what has been shown so far, but a brief summary is nevertheless given below.

[0060] In per se traditional ways, the vehicle 2 can move on the ground to reach the exact location and point where it is necessary to perform an intervention (usually at a certain height), for which the use of the lift 1 (of the accessory 6 mounted on the boom 5) is indeed required. In greater detail, after reaching the point of intervention, it is possible to activate the stabilization system 15 to obtain a more stable grip on the ground, and then to move the boom 5 (possibly rotating it with the cab 13), until the accessory 6 is indeed brought to the exact point of intervention.

[0061] In a quite peculiar and innovative way, the mechanical energy required at least for the ground movement of the vehicle 2, and preferably also the energy (mechanical or otherwise) required for the full operation of the boom 5 and / or the other components of the lift 1, is obtained from the chemical energy ensured by the hydrogen contained in the tank 7 (or in the tanks 7).

[0062] The hydrogen can in fact be burned in the main internal combustion engine 8a or converted to electrical energy (in the cell 9) to power the main electric motor 8b, in any case indeed to move the vehicle 2 on the ground. Similar components may be included in the movement apparatus 11, which is responsible for rotating the boom 5 and / or translating telescopically its members. It is noted that these tasks may be entrusted to the main motor 8a, 8b.

[0063] Again, the motor assembly 3 and / or the apparatus 11 can be used to move other components, such as the structure 14 or the legs 16 of the stabilization system 15.

[0064] It has thus been found that the lift 1 according to the invention fully achieves the intended aim, since the use of hydrogen as an energy source allows to power the lift 1 in an environmentally sustainable way.

[0065] It is in fact well known that hydrogen is readily available in nature and is not subject to depletion like other fuels used in known solutions.

[0066] Moreover, the hydrogen that can be used as mentioned in the motor assembly 3 and possibly in the apparatus 11 for the production of mechanical energy in an internal combustion engine 8a, 12a, and / or for the production of electrical energy in a fuel cell 9 (to power the electric motor 8b, 12b) in any case does not generate polluting emissions. In particular, it is noted that the cell 9 simply generates (hot) water as the waste product of the electrochemical reaction that allows indeed to convert the chemical energy of hydrogen into mechanical energy; likewise, it is well known that the operation of the electric motor 8b, 12b is distinguished by no (polluting) emissions and this is in fact also true for an internal combustion engine 8a, 12a that indeed burns hydrogen and not fossil fuels in the thermal cycle.

[0067] The lack of polluting or harmful emissions relates first of all to the motor assembly 3 and therefore to the movement of the vehicle 2, but by appropriately distributing and redirecting (at least part of) the mechanical energy produced by the main motor 8a, 8b, and / or by also adopting a movement apparatus 11 which comprises one or more auxiliary motors 12a, 12b, it is possible to ensure this environmentally sustainable operation, with no or low emissions of polluting gases, even for the boom 5, the rotating structure 14, the stabilization system 15 and / or any other movable element or component of interest of the lift 1 (which can therefore in practice be entirely hydrogen powered). For example, the lift 1 can be provided with a single auxiliary motors 12a, 12b (and / or with a single main motor 8a, 8b), or with multiple auxiliary motors 12a, 12b (and / or multiple main motors 8a, 8b), to the point of using one for each component to be supplied with hydrogen (optionally cooperating with actuators of another type).

[0068] Indeed by virtue of the high availability of hydrogen and the inexpensiveness of this energy source, the lift 1 according to the invention can be powered with low costs and readily available substances.

[0069] In the exemplary embodiments shown, individual characteristics, given in relation to specific examples, may actually be interchanged with other different characteristics that exist in other exemplary embodiments.

[0070] In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.

Claims

1. A telescopic boom lift, comprising at least: - a vehicle (2), - a motor assembly (3), for the movement of said vehicle (2) on the ground, - a telescopic boom (5) which is supported directly or indirectly by said vehicle (2) and is adapted to support a work accessory (6), said assembly (3) comprising at least one hydrogen tank (7) and at least one main motor (8a, 8b), which can be supplied directly or indirectly with the hydrogen provided by said at least one tank (7) and is configured for the delivery of mechanical energy, at least for the movement of said vehicle (2) on the ground, characterized in that it comprises a system (15) for stabilizing said vehicle (2), which comprises pairs of telescopic and rotating legs (16) which can move between a first configuration of minimum space occupation and at least one second configuration, in which said legs (16) extend below the lower profile of said vehicle (2) and define its resting on the ground, said stabilization system (15) being functionally associated with said motor assembly (3), for the direct or indirect use of the chemical energy of the hydrogen supplied by said at least one tank (7) for the movement of said legs (16) between said configurations.

2. The telescopic boom lift according to claim 1, characterized in that said main motor (8a) is of the internal combustion type and is configured to convert the chemical energy of the hydrogen supplied by said at least one tank (7) into mechanical energy, at least for the movement of said vehicle (2) on the ground.

3. The telescopic boom lift according to claim 1, characterized in that said main motor (8b) is of the electric type and is configured to convert electric power into mechanical energy, at least for the movement of said vehicle (2) on the ground, said assembly (3) comprising at least one fuel cell (9), configured to convert the chemical energy of the hydrogen supplied by said at least one tank (7) into electric power, for the direct or indirect power supply of said electric main motor (8b).

4. The telescopic boom lift according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an apparatus (11) for moving at least said boom (5), which can be supplied directly or indirectly with the hydrogen supplied by said at least one tank (7) at least for the rotation of said boom (5) with respect to said vehicle (2), about a substantially horizontal rotation axis (A), and / or for the translation of at least one member of said boom (5) with respect to at least one other member of said boom (5).

5. The telescopic boom lift according to claim 4, characterized in that said apparatus (11) comprises at least one auxiliary motor (12a, 12b), chosen between an auxiliary internal combustion engine (12a) and an auxiliary electric motor (12b) and configured for the direct or indirect conversion of the chemical energy of the hydrogen supplied by said at least one tank (7) into mechanical energy.

6. The telescopic boom lift according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a cab (13), which is supported directly or indirectly by said vehicle (2) and forms a cabin for the accommodation of at least one operator.

7. The telescopic boom lift according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a rotating supporting structure (14) at least for said boom (5), which is supported by said vehicle (2) about a substantially vertical rotation axis (B).

8. The telescopic boom lift according to claim 7, characterized in that said structure (14) is functionally associated with at least one between said motor assembly (3) and said movement apparatus (11), for the direct or indirect use of the chemical energy of the hydrogen supplied by said at least one tank (7) for the rotation of said structure (14) about said substantially vertical rotation axis (B).

9. The telescopic boom lift according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a central electronic unit (26), provided with a BUS communication channel (17) for the control of said motor assembly (3) and / or of said boom (5) and optionally of said apparatus (11) and / or of said structure (14) and / or of said stabilization system (15).