Lift truck upright
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-06-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-15
AI Technical Summary
The existing lift truck uprights face challenges in operator visibility and safety due to the presence of high-pressure hydraulic pipes that can break and contaminate the environment, posing a risk to the operator.
A design featuring a fixed and movable section with an auxiliary hydraulic circuit where pipes are housed within an insulation body made of polymeric material, extending along a vertical direction and wound on a rotating supporting element, providing protection against breakage and fluid leakage while maintaining operator visibility.
The solution enhances safety by preventing hydraulic fluid escape and minimizing pipe breakage risks, while improving operator visibility by keeping pipes out of sight, thus ensuring a safer and more effective lift truck operation.
Smart Images
Figure IB2024055469_12122024_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] DESCRIPTION
[0002] LIFT TRUCK UPRIGHT
[0003] Technical field
[0004] This invention relates to an upright of a lift truck.
[0005] Background art
[0006] In order to be able to effectively transport and lift a load the upright of a lift truck is characterised by its telescopic structure and by the hydraulic system.
[0007] The hydraulic system is divided into a primary circuit designed to perform the movement of the load, lifting and lowering, and further auxiliary hydraulic circuits designed for operation of certain user devices such as, for example, translating devices, translating-positioning device, rotary grippers, and others.
[0008] The auxiliary hydraulic circuit has a plurality of pipes for distributing the fluid which, so as not to obstruct the view of the operator of the truck, are retained in predetermined positions by suitable plates and wound at least partly in respective winding elements.
[0009] It should be noted that the pressure of the hydraulic fluid distributed in the circuit can also reach the order of 200 bar, so this circumstance is quite onerous if there is an accidental breakage of the pipe since the hydraulic fluid at this pressure quickly contaminates the environment presenting a potential danger for the operator.
[0010] Aim of the invention
[0011] In this scenario, in order to improve the upright both in terms of greater visibility of the operator of the lift truck and in terms of safety, the Applicant has felt the need to make an upright of a lift truck comprising a fixed section and a section movable relative to the fixed section and a unit for picking up a load connected to the movable section. An auxiliary hydraulic circuit, designed for the operation of at least one accessory user, comprising a plurality of pipes for distributing hydraulic fluid defining respective branches of the auxiliary hydraulic circuit.
[0012] Each pipe extends from a respective first end to a second end.
[0013] At least one insulation body is configured for housing at least one respective pair of pipes along at least one portion between the respective first ends and second ends.
[0014] The portion of the pipes extends at least along a vertical direction.
[0015] The insulation body is wound at least partly on a respective supporting element rotating about a relative axis of rotation.
[0016] Advantageously, the insulation body acts as a protective sheath towards the outside environment, since it prevents the escape of the pressurised hydraulic fluid, and, at the same time, towards the outside environment, since it minimises the risk of breakage of the pipes by external agents during the movement of the upright.
[0017] Brief description of the drawings
[0018] Further features and advantages of the invention are more apparent from the non-limiting description which follows of a preferred embodiment of an upright of a lift truck as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0019] - Figure 1 is a schematic prospective side view of a first embodiment of an upright of a lift truck according to the invention;
[0020] - Figure 2 is a schematic prospective side view of a second embodiment of an upright of a lift truck according to the invention;
[0021] - Figure 3 is a schematic scaled-up view of a detail of Figure 1 and Figure 2;
[0022] - Figure 4 is a schematic cross section of figure 3;
[0023] - Figure 5 is a scaled-up view of a further detail of Figure 1 and Figure 2;
[0024] - Figure 6 is a schematic cross section of figure 5;
[0025] - Figure 7 is a schematic view of a detail of Figure 1 and Figure 2. Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention
[0026] The reference numeral 1 denotes an upright of a lift truck having a main extension along a vertical direction.
[0027] The upright 1 comprises a fixed section 2 and a section 3, which is movable relative to the fixed section 2, and a unit 4 for gripping a load connected to the movable section 3.
[0028] The upright 1 comprises a main hydraulic circuit 13 designed for moving the movable section 3 relative to the fixed section 2 along the vertical direction, upwards and downwards.
[0029] The upright 1 comprises an auxiliary hydraulic circuit 5 designed for operation of at least one accessory user device 6.
[0030] The auxiliary hydraulic circuit 5, comprises a plurality of pipes 7 for distributing hydraulic fluid defining respective branches of the auxiliary hydraulic circuit 5.
[0031] Each pipe 7 extends from a respective first end 7a to a second end 7b.
[0032] At least one insulation body 8 is configured for housing at least one respective pair of pipes 7 along at least one portion between the respective first ends 7a and second ends 7b, as shown in Figure 7.
[0033] Preferably, the insulation body 8 houses a respective pair of pipes 7 along at least one flexible portion of the respective pipe 7 between the respective first ends 7a and second ends 7b.
[0034] Preferably, the pipes 7 of the auxiliary hydraulic circuit 5 housed in the insulation body 8 are flexible hoses.
[0035] Preferably, the insulation body 8 extends along the entire length of the respective pipes 7.
[0036] The portion of the pipes 7 housed in the insulation body 8 extends at least along a vertical direction parallel to the direction of extension of the upright.
[0037] The insulation body 8 is configured for housing a pair of pipes 7 wherein one pipe 7 is designed for distributing hydraulic fluid in a delivery branch of the auxiliary hydraulic circuit 5 and one pipe 7 is designed for distributing hydraulic fluid in a return branch of the auxiliary hydraulic circuit 5.
[0038] It should be noted that the pipes 7 do not have any relative movement inside the respective insulation body 8, and consequently the assembly constitutes a single body at a kinematic level.
[0039] The pipes 7 inserted at least partly in a respective insulation body 8 are configured for distributing the fluid to at least one user device 6, such as, for example, a translating device, a translating-positioning device, a rotary gripper, or the like.
[0040] The insulation body 8 is made of polymeric material.
[0041] The insulation body 8 is configured to withstand an internal pressure above 110 bar.
[0042] The insulation body 8 is wound at least partly on a respective supporting element 9 rotating about a relative axis of rotation 9a.
[0043] The supporting element 9 is connected to the movable section 3 of the upright 1 close to the upper end.
[0044] In particular, there are two supporting units 9 each connected to a respective profile of the movable section 3.
[0045] The supporting element 9 is configured to support means 12 for lifting the movable section 3 relative to the fixed section 2, as illustrated in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 3, the supporting element 9 is configured for supporting a flexible hose 14 of the primary hydraulic circuit 13.
[0046] The supporting element 9 is configured to support means 11 for lifting the gripping unit 4 relative to the movable section 3, as illustrated in Figure 6.
[0047] The insulating body 8, housing a respective pair of pipes 7, is positioned above the lifting means 11 , 12.
[0048] Preferably, the lifting means 11 are in the form of a chain.
[0049] Advantageously, since the lifting means are in the form of a chain, the insulation body 8 protects the pipes 7 from any accidental breakages. A further advantage linked to the protection of the pipes 7 is the possibility of preparing the pipes 7 wrapped by the insulation body 8 above the lifting means 11 , extending the window of the field of vision of the upright.
[0050] According to a first embodiment illustrated, see Figure 1 , the upright 1 comprises a single primary cylinder 10 for lifting the gripping unit 4.
[0051] The rotary support element 9 of the insulation body 8 is positioned on the upper end of the primary cylinder 10.
[0052] According to a second alternative embodiment, see Figure 2, the upright 1 comprises a pair of primary cylinders 10 for lifting the gripper element 4. The rotary supporting element 9 of the insulation body 8 is positioned on the upper end of the primary cylinder 10.
Claims
CLAIMS1. An upright of a lift truck comprising a fixed section (2) and a section (3) which is movable relative to the fixed section (2) and a unit (4) for gripping a load connected to the movable section (3); an auxiliary hydraulic circuit (5), designed for the operation of at least one accessory user (6), comprising a plurality of pipes (7) for distributing hydraulic fluid defining respective branches of the auxiliary hydraulic circuit (5); each pipe (7) extends from a respective first end (7a) to a second end (7b); at least one insulation body (8) is configured for housing at least one respective pair of pipes (7) along at least one portion between the respective first ends (7a) and second ends (7b); the portion of the pipes (7) extends at least along a vertical direction; the insulation body (8) is wound at least partly on a respective supporting element (9) rotating about a relative axis of rotation (9a).
2. The upright according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the insulation body (8) is configured for housing a pair of pipes (7) wherein one pipe (7) is designed for distributing hydraulic fluid in a delivery branch of the auxiliary hydraulic circuit (5) and one pipe (7) is designed for distributing hydraulic fluid in a return branch of the auxiliary hydraulic circuit (5).
3. The upright according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the insulation body (8) extends along the entire length of the respective pipes (7).
4. The upright according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pipes (7) inserted at least partly in a respective insulation body (8) are flexible pipes.
5. The upright according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pipes (7) do not have any relative movement inside the respective insulating body (8).
6. The upright according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support element (9) is configured to support means (11 ) for lifting the movable section (3) relative to the fixed section (2).
7. The upright according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the support element (9) is connected to the movable section (3).
8. The upright according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support element (9) is configured to support means (12) for lifting the gripping unit (4) relative to the movable section (3).
9. The upright according to the preceding claim, characterised in that it comprises at least one primary cylinder (10) for lifting the gripping unit (4); the rotary support element (9) of the insulation body (8) is positioned on the upper end of the primary cylinder (10).
10. The upright according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterised in that the insulating body (8), housing a respective pair of pipes (7), is positioned above the lifting means (11 , 12).