LIFTING TABLE WITH AUTOMATIC LEVEL ADJUSTMENT ON REINFORCED BASE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to the field of handling packages or objects, and in particular to the field of lifting tables or leveling tables intended to collect or distribute these packages and designed to be stackable by forklifts or stackers.

[0002] Common lifting tables consist of a platform that slides vertically relative to a frame placed on the ground or transported by a trolley. The frame has a space beneath a supporting structure, allowing the passage of fixed lower forks and the trolley's lifting forks to raise the table and enable its movement, with or without a load. One or more vertical springs are interposed between the supporting structure and the platform to allow the platform's level to adjust according to its load through their progressive elastic deformation. Such a table is therefore particularly ergonomic for operators loading and unloading packages.

[0003] To limit bulk and facilitate stacking, these lifting tables can include basic parts in the form of stringers and crossbeams.

[0004] Given the loads the lifting table must bear, the supporting parts of the load-bearing structure eventually deform during use, particularly due to horizontal stresses. Unfortunately, the size of the vertical spring(s) limits the possibilities for reinforcing the supporting parts of the load-bearing structure. A lifting table according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from US 2006 283669 A1.

[0005] The invention aims to resolve one or more of these drawbacks. The invention thus relates to a lifting handling table with automatic leveling, characterized in that it comprises: a platform; a load-bearing structure comprising first, second and third parallel stringers extending in a longitudinal direction, comprising first and second beams extending in a transverse direction and joining the first, second and third stringers at the level of the first and second longitudinal ends respectively, first and second openings being provided under the first beam between the first and second stringers on the one hand and between the second and third stringers on the other hand, third and fourth openings being provided under the second beam between the first and second stringers on the one hand and between the second and third stringers on the other hand, the first to fourth openings being configured to allow the insertion of a forklift fork;at least one vertical spring having a first end acting on the platform and a second end acting on the second side member and housed in the second side member; in which the first and / or second beam (34, 9) has a circular part extending horizontally around at least a part of the spring.

[0006] The invention also relates to variants of the dependent claims. Those skilled in the art will understand that each of the features of the independent claims and the description can be combined independently with the features of an independent claim, without thereby constituting an intermediate generalization.

[0007] According to one variant, the self-leveling lifting handling table comprises several vertical springs aligned along the longitudinal direction and having their second end bearing on the second spar and housed in the second spar, in which the first and second beams each have a circular part extending horizontally around one of said springs.

[0008] According to yet another variant, the said beam is in the form of two separate arms, one being anterior and the other being posterior to the said spring.

[0009] According to another variant, the beam has a hollow profile shape.

[0010] According to yet another variant, the said beam includes on an underside, at least one receiving pad for a trolley fork.

[0011] According to another variant, the beams include U-shaped sections open at the bottom.

[0012] According to yet another variant, the second spar has a U-shaped section open at the top.

[0013] According to another variant, the lifting table includes at least one lateral scissor system guiding the sliding platform in the vertical direction. According to yet another variant, the lateral scissor system includes, on each lateral side, two lateral arms each having a lower end fixed to a lateral stringer, characterized in that the lateral stringers have a U or L-shaped section open upwards housing the lower ends of the lateral scissor arms.

[0014] According to another variant, the first to third stringers have an underside designed to form a ground support surface.

[0015] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the description given below, which is by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig.1 is a perspective view of a lifting handling table with automatic level adjustment according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig.2 is a detailed perspective view of the lifting table of the figure 1 at the level of the top of the rear beam; Fig.3 is a detailed perspective view of the lifting table of the figure 1 at the level of the top of the front beam; Fig.4 is a perspective view illustrating the underside of the lifting table of the figure 1 .

[0016] There figure 1 This is a perspective view of a level 1 self-adjusting lifting handling table according to an embodiment of the invention. The table 1 comprises a platform 2, a supporting structure 3 and a vertical spring 41.

[0017] The supporting structure 3 comprises first, second and third parallel stringers 31 to 33. These stringers 31 to 33 extend along a longitudinal direction X. These stringers 31 to 33 serve where necessary to form supports on the ground of the table 1, ensure its rigidity in bending around a transverse axis Y and ensure the connection between transverse beams.

[0018] In particular, the first, second, and third side members 31, 32, and 33 have a hollow structure, for example, a profiled type. The second side member 32 is centrally located and has an upward-opening U-shaped cross-section. The vertical spring 41 has one end acting on the platform 2 and a second end acting on the second side member 32. The elastic force provided by the spring 41 is proportional to the load applied to the platform 2 and allows the level to be automatically adjusted along the vertical Z direction of the platform 2 according to the load. This system therefore provides an ergonomic function, allowing an operator to load the platform 2 at a satisfactory level, regardless of the load already applied to it. The second end of the spring 41 is housed in the second side member 32 between the first and second openings 35 and 36, thanks to the upward-opening U-shaped cross-section of this side member 32.The second end of the spring 41 is thus housed between the vertical sides of this longitudinal member 32, and part of the spring can therefore be positioned close to the ground, with forklift pockets on either side of the spring 41. The vertical dimensions of the spring 41 can thus be reduced, allowing for a greater travel for the platform 2 and thus enabling a larger load under good ergonomic conditions. Furthermore, the platform 2 can be lowered closer to the ground when loaded, ensuring greater stability.

[0019] In the example illustrated here, table 1 comprises several vertical springs 41, 42, and 43 aligned along the longitudinal direction X, with their second ends acting on the second spar 32 and housed within the second spar between the first and second openings 35 and 36, or between openings 95 and 96 (detailed below). This allows for greater spring stiffness and distribution of the elastic force along the longitudinal direction.

[0020] In the illustrated variant, the side rails 31, 33 have a hollow structure open upwards, more preferably with an L-shaped section with a lower blade and an inner blade.

[0021] Structure 3 includes at least one beam 34 (referred to as the front beam) extending along the transverse direction Y and connecting the longitudinal members 31 to 33 at a first longitudinal end. First and second openings 35 and 36 are provided under the transverse beam 34 between the first and second longitudinal members 31 and 32 on one side, and between the second and third longitudinal members 32 and 33 on the other. The openings 35 and 36 provide longitudinal passage for forklift tines to allow the table 1 to be moved to another location and to allow the passage of the lower forks during loading with a stacker. The transverse beam 34 serves both to connect the longitudinal members 31 to 33 and to form a lifting interface for the forks of a forklift or a stabilizing interface for the forks of a stacker.

[0022] Furthermore, structure 3 includes a beam 9 (called rear) extending along the transverse direction Y and connecting the longitudinal members 31 to 33 at a second longitudinal end.

[0023] There figure 2 Figure 9 shows the perspective detail of the rear beam. This crossbeam 9 serves both to connect the side members 31 to 33 and to form a lifting interface for the forks of a forklift or a stabilizing interface for the forks of a stacker, on the side opposite the openings 35 and 36. To this end, openings 95 and 96 are provided under the crossbeam 9 between the first and second side members 31 and 32 on one side, and between the second and third side members 32 and 33 on the other. The openings 95 and 96 are, of course, left freely accessible so as not to interfere with the passage of forks.

[0024] Beam 9 here includes vertical walls 93 and 98 attached to stringer 33, vertical walls (only wall 92 is shown) attached to stringer 32 and vertical walls (only wall 91 is shown) attached to stringer 31.

[0025] The beam 9 is made of two portions 9a and 9b surrounding the spring 43 at the front and rear. The portion 9a (rear) comprises a first circular part 43a extending horizontally around a portion of the spring 43, here over more than the rear half of the spring 43. The portion 9b (front) comprises a second circular part 43b extending horizontally around a portion of the spring 43, here over less than the front half of the spring 43. The portions 9a and 9b are fixed together around the spring 43.

[0026] The portions 9a, 9b allow the structure 3 to be reinforced horizontally by using the maximum space around the springs 41, 43 while minimizing dead volumes.

[0027] In order to stiffen beam 9 and thus structure 3: portion 9a comprises two vertical walls 93, 98 (and 91) in particular parallel to the Y and Z directions, each attached to a lower horizontal plate of the longerons 33 (and 31); portion 9b comprises a vertical wall 99, in particular parallel to the X and Z directions, attached to an internal vertical plate of the longerons 33 (and 31) parallel to the X and Z directions; portions 9a and 9b each comprise a vertical plate 92, in particular parallel to the Y and Z directions, attached to a lower horizontal plate of the longeron 32.

[0028] The same arrangement is preferably provided for beam 34 opposite spring 41, illustrated in figure 3 .

[0029] Preferably, the beams 34, 9 include, on one underside, pads 37 for receiving a trolley fork. These pads 37 prevent the fork from slipping and absorb the shocks of lifting the table by the trolley. These pads are illustrated in figure 4 .

[0030] In the illustrated variant, the lower end of the scissor arms is housed in the U-shaped or L-shaped recess of the side rails 31, 33. More precisely, the folded scissor arms are housed in the U-shaped or L-shaped recess of the side rails 31, 33. Thus, space savings are maximized in this variant when the table is folded. It can advantageously have a size of less than 20 cm in the folded position, in particular a minimum size of approximately 16 cm.

[0031] In the example illustrated here, the longerons 31, 32, and 33 have a lower face designed to form a ground support surface. Preferably, the longerons 31, 32, and 33 also have pads 38 (illustrated in figure 4 ). The skates 37, 38 may contain steel or an anti-slip material.

Claims

1. A handling lifting table with automatic level adjustment (1), comprising - a tray (2); - a load-bearing structure (3) comprising first (31), second (32) and third (33) parallel stringers extending in a longitudinal direction (X), comprising first and second beams (34, 9) extending in a transverse direction (Y) and connecting the first (31), second (32) and third (33) stringers at first and second longitudinal ends respectively, first and second openings (35, 36) being provided under the first beam (34) between the first (31) and second (32) stringers on the one hand, and between the second (32) and third (33) stringers on the other hand, third and fourth openings (95, 96) being provided under the second beam (9) between the first (31) and second (32) stringers on the one hand and between the second (32) and third (33) stringers on the other hand, the first to fourth openings (34, 9, 35, 36) being configured to allow the insertion of a forklift fork; - at least one vertical spring (41, 43) having a first end acting on the plate (2) and a second end acting on the second stringer and housed within the second stringer (32), and characterized in that the first and / or second beams (34, 9) comprise a circular portion (43a, 43b) extending horizontally around at least part of the spring (41).

2. The lifting table with automatic level adjustment (1) as claimed in claim 1, comprising a plurality of vertical springs (41, 42) aligned in the longitudinal direction (X) and having their second end acting on the second stringer (32) and housed within the second stringer, wherein the first and second beams (34, 9) each comprise a circular portion extending horizontally around one of said springs (41, 42).

3. The lifting table with automatic level adjustment (1) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said beam (34, 9) is in the form of two separate arms, one anterior and the other posterior to said spring (4).

4. The lifting table with automatic level adjustment (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said beam (34, 9) is in the form of a hollow profile.

5. The lifting table with automatic level adjustment (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said beam (34, 9) comprises on a lower face at least one pad (37) for receiving a forklift fork.

6. The lifting table with automatic level adjustment (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the beams (34, 9) comprise open-bottom U-shaped sections.

7. The lifting table with automatic level adjustment (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second stringer (32) has an open-top U-shaped section.

8. The lifting table with automatic level adjustment (1) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising at least one lateral scissor system (5) guiding the tray (2) in a sliding manner in the vertical direction (Z).

9. The lifting table with automatic level adjustment (1) according to the preceding claim, wherein the lateral scissor system comprises, on each side, two lateral arms each having a lower end fixed to a lateral stringer, characterized in that the lateral stringers have an open-top U- or L-shaped section housing the lower ends of the lateral scissor arms.

10. The lifting table with automatic level adjustment (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first to third stringers (31, 32, 33) have a lower face intended to form a ground-level bearing surface.