Narrow speed stacker

Abstract

The invention relates to a narrow-aisle forklift (1) with a vehicle body (2) and a lifting mast (5) arranged on the vehicle body (2), on which a load-handling device (7) is arranged to be raised and lowered, wherein the load-handling device (7) is designed for operating racks located laterally of the narrow-aisle forklift (1) and is designed as a pivoting push fork (8) movable in the transverse direction (Q) of the vehicle or as a telescopic push fork extendable and retractable in the transverse direction (Q) of the vehicle. A counterweight (26) is arranged in the vehicle body (2) and is adjustable in the transverse direction (Q).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a narrow aisle forklift truck with a vehicle body and a lifting frame arranged on the vehicle body, on which a load handling device is arranged to be raised and lowered, wherein the load handling device is designed for operating racks located laterally of the narrow aisle forklift truck and is designed as a swiveling push fork that can be moved in the transverse direction of the vehicle or as a telescopic push fork that can be extended and retracted in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0002] Narrow aisle forklifts are used in racking systems, such as high-bay racking, for storing and retrieving pallets and loads from the racking bays. During operation, the narrow aisle forklift moves along a row of racking in a corresponding aisle of the racking system. The load handling device accesses the racking bays located to the side of the forklift to retrieve or store a pallet or load in a single cycle. The load handling device is designed as a pivoting fork. The pivoting fork is mounted on the lifting frame and is movable in the transverse direction of the vehicle. A load fork, formed by two fork tines, is mounted on the push carriage and is pivotable around a vertical axis to allow pallets or loads to be stored or retrieved from both sides of the racking bay.Alternatively, the load-handling device can be formed by a telescopic push fork that can be extended and retracted in the transverse direction of the vehicle and has fork tines that run in the transverse direction of the vehicle and can be extended telescopically into the shelf compartments of the rack.

[0003] To stack a pallet with a load on it, the load is pushed horizontally across the vehicle using the pivoting forklift, which can be moved laterally, or the telescopic forklift, which can be extended and retracted laterally. This pushes the load sideways into a shelf compartment of the racking system, where it is then lowered. To unstack a pallet with a load on it, the load is moved underneath the pallet compartment using the pivoting forklift, which can be moved laterally, or the telescopic forklift, which can be extended and retracted laterally. These narrow-aisle forklifts are equipped with masts that, when fully extended, reach a height of more than 15 meters.

[0004] Narrow aisle stackers of this type are known from EP 1 258 451 B1 and EP 1 468 958 B1.

[0005] For narrow-aisle forklifts of this type, the residual load capacity is limited by tipping tests according to ISO 22915-21. The basic load capacity of the narrow-aisle forklift applies only up to a certain lifting height of the load handling device. Above this specific lifting height, reduced residual load capacities apply. The limiting factor for the residual load capacity is often the lateral tipping test, i.e., in the transverse direction of the vehicle. For these tipping tests, the narrow-aisle forklift is placed on a tiltable platform, which is slowly tilted. ISO 22915-21 defines platform angles at which the narrow-aisle forklift must not tip over laterally around a tipping axis or line that corresponds to a line parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal axis or a line passing through a drive wheel and a load wheel of the narrow-aisle forklift, which is positioned laterally and longitudinally from the drive wheel.

[0006] During the tipping tests, which determine the residual load-bearing capacity, the overall center of gravity of the narrow-aisle forklift shifts laterally towards the tipping axis / line as the tipping angle of the platform on which the forklift stands increases. The forklift tips over as soon as its overall center of gravity crosses the tipping axis / line.

[0007] The mass of the load picked up by the load handling device, the lifting height of the load, and its lateral extension position negatively affect the overall center of gravity and its position in the transverse direction of the narrow-aisle forklift. This results in state-of-the-art narrow-aisle forklifts exhibiting a significantly reduced residual load capacity with increasing lifting height and / or increasing lateral extension position of the load.

[0008] The present invention is based on the objective of providing a narrow-aisle stacker of the aforementioned type which is improved with regard to the aforementioned disadvantages.

[0009] This problem is solved according to the invention by arranging a counterweight in the vehicle body which is adjustable in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0010] With the counterweight, which is adjustable in the transverse direction of the vehicle, it is easily possible to influence the position of the overall center of gravity of a narrow-aisle forklift truck in relation to the tipping line / tipping axis, and thus to change the position of the overall center of gravity of the narrow-aisle forklift truck in such a way as to increase stability, so that with a raised load and / or a load extended laterally in the transverse direction of the vehicle, an increased residual load-bearing capacity is achieved, so that with the narrow-aisle forklift truck according to the invention it is possible to store and retrieve heavy loads laterally into a shelf compartment even at high lifting heights.

[0011] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the counterweight is adjustable in the transverse direction of the vehicle by means of an actuator, the actuator being controlled by an electronic control unit. With an electronic control unit that controls the actuator for lateral adjustment of the counterweight, the counterweight can be easily adjusted in the transverse direction of the vehicle as needed to change the overall center of gravity of the narrow-aisle forklift truck, thereby increasing stability.

[0012] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the electronic control unit is configured to adjust the counterweight in the opposite direction in a second direction when the load-handling device is extended laterally in a first direction. If the load-handling device is extended to the left, the counterweight is moved to the right. Conversely, if the load-handling device is extended to the right, the counterweight is moved to the left. This allows for a simple increase in the distance between the overall center of gravity of the narrow-aisle forklift and the tipping line / axis when the load is extended laterally, thus providing increased residual load-bearing capacity for the narrow-aisle forklift.If the electronic control unit controls the extension movement of the load handling device, the extension movement of the load handling device and its direction can be easily detected by the electronic control unit using a control element connected to the electronic control unit, for example a joystick, on which an operator of the narrow aisle forklift specifies the extension movement of the load handling device and its direction.

[0013] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the electronic control unit is connected to a lift height sensor configured to detect the lift height of the load-handling device. The electronic control unit is configured to adjust the counterweight in a second, opposite direction, only when the load-handling device is extended in a first direction in the transverse direction of the vehicle above a limit lift height. This achieves, in a simple manner, that the narrow-aisle forklift truck has an increased residual load-bearing capacity at high lift heights.

[0014] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the electronic control unit is connected to a load sensor configured to detect the weight of a load located on the load-handling device. The electronic control unit is configured to adjust the counterweight in a second, opposite direction, only when the load on the load-handling device extends in a transverse direction of the vehicle, and only when the load exceeds a certain load limit. This ensures that the narrow-aisle forklift truck has an increased residual load-bearing capacity when handling a heavy load, thus enabling the loading and unloading of the load into a rack compartment.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the narrow-aisle forklift truck has a steerable drive wheel arranged centrally in the transverse direction of the vehicle and two load wheels spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction of the vehicle, wherein the load wheels are spaced apart from the drive wheel in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and wherein the counterweight is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle between the drive wheel and the load wheels. In a narrow-aisle forklift truck with such a three-wheel chassis formed by the drive wheel and the two load wheels, the distance of the overall center of gravity of the narrow-aisle forklift truck to the tipping line / tipping axis defined by the drive wheel and the left or right load wheel can be effectively adjusted by adjusting the counterweight in the transverse direction of the vehicle.The right load wheel runs, and the area can be enlarged to provide increased residual load capacity.

[0016] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the narrow-aisle forklift truck has a battery compartment arranged in the vehicle body in which a traction battery is arranged.

[0017] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the counterweight is formed by at least one weight body, in particular a weight plate. With an additional weight body, for example a weight plate which may be formed by one or more steel plates or a cast body, the function of the adjustable counterweight can be achieved with minimal construction effort.

[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the counterweight is arranged vertically in the vehicle body below the battery compartment. This results in a low vertical position of the counterweight, which has a beneficial effect on the increased residual load-bearing capacity achieved with the counterweight.

[0019] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the counterweight is formed by the traction battery located in the battery compartment. The function of the counterweight can be easily achieved by the traction battery already installed in the narrow-aisle forklift if it is adjusted or moved laterally as needed. Thus, for the counterweight function of increasing the residual load capacity of the narrow-aisle forklift when the load handling attachment is extended laterally, no additional mass needs to be installed in the forklift; instead, the function of the counterweight is performed by the existing counterweight mass in the forklift, which is typically more than 1000 kg.For this purpose, the traction battery can be arranged on a roller track so that it can be moved laterally in the direction of the vehicle and can be moved laterally in the direction of the vehicle by means of a suitable actuator, for example a hydraulic or electric actuator.

[0020] The invention has a number of advantages.

[0021] The counterweight is a mass that is moved from the center of the vehicle in a transverse direction and thus perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, in the opposite direction to the extension movement of the load arranged on the load-bearing device.

[0022] This results in an increase in the distance of the overall center of gravity of the narrow aisle forklift from the tipping axis / tipping line, so that the narrow aisle forklift has an increased residual load capacity, i.e. the narrow aisle forklift only tips over at a larger tipping angle or at the same tipping angle a heavier load can be picked up with the load handling device.

[0023] The counterweight, which can be moved laterally within the vehicle, is advantageously positioned as low as possible in the narrow-aisle forklift, for example in the area of ​​the battery compartment. The counterweight function can be achieved either by adding mass, such as an additional weight body, for example one or more steel plates, or by moving an existing mass of the narrow-aisle forklift, such as the traction battery, laterally within the vehicle.

[0024] The invention achieves an increased residual load capacity of the narrow aisle forklift, which enables users to load and unload heavy loads laterally into and out of shelf compartments of a rack at higher lifting heights using the narrow aisle forklift according to the invention.

[0025] With the counterweight adjustable laterally in the vehicle direction, which is adjusted in the opposite direction to the extension movement of the load mounted on the load handling device, the mass formed by the counterweight is used more precisely and effectively as a counterweight increasing the load-bearing capacity than a counterweight fixed in the narrow-aisle forklift. This allows the mass of the counterweight to be lower compared to a fixed counterweight, resulting in fewer limitations and reduced stress on the narrow-aisle forklift, for example, with regard to acceleration, wheel pressure, and energy consumption.

[0026] Further advantages and details of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in the schematic figures. These figures show... Figure 1 shows a narrow-aisle forklift truck according to the invention in a side view, Figure 2 shows the narrow-aisle forklift truck of the Figure 1with raised load-handling device and inserted load-handling device and Figure 3 a section of the Figure 2 with the load-handling device raised and the load-handling device extended laterally in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0027] The figures show a narrow aisle stacker 1 according to the invention, which is designed, for example, as a high-bay stacker.

[0028] The narrow aisle forklift 1 has a vehicle body 2 with a vehicle frame in which a battery compartment 3 is designed to accommodate a traction battery 4 of a battery-electric drive system of the narrow aisle forklift 1.

[0029] The narrow-aisle forklift 1 has a lifting mechanism arranged on the vehicle body 2 and formed by a lifting mast 5. In the illustrated embodiment, a driver's platform 6, designed as a cabin or driver's cab and forming a workstation F for one operator, is mounted on the platform and can be raised and lowered by means of a lifting drive (not shown). A load handling device 7 for operating racks located to the side of the narrow-aisle forklift 1 is arranged on the liftable and lowerable driver's platform 6.

[0030] In the illustrated embodiment, the load-handling device 7 is designed as a pivoting push fork 8.

[0031] The swiveling push fork 8 includes - as in the Figure 2 and 3As can be seen more clearly, a sliding carriage 10 is arranged to be movable in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle on the driver's platform 6 and thus on the lifting frame 5. A support 11 is arranged on the front of the driver's platform 6, on which the sliding carriage 10 is arranged to be displaceable horizontally in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle by means of a lateral sliding device 12.

[0032] In the load-handling device 7, designed as a pivoting push fork 8, an additional lifting mast 15 can be pivoted about a vertical axis V relative to the push carriage 10, which is displaceable in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle, by means of a rotary guide 13 and a rotary drive (not shown in detail). A load fork 16 with two fork tines is arranged on the additional lifting mast 15 and can be raised and lowered.

[0033] With the swiveling push fork 8, a horizontal extension movement in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle (side thrust function) and a swiveling movement about the vertical axis V can be generated as a movement of the load handling device 7, so that with the swiveling push fork 8 shelf compartments on both sides of the narrow aisle forklift 1 can be operated.

[0034] In the illustrated embodiment, the narrow-aisle forklift 1 has a three-wheel chassis and is supported on a track FB by means of two non-steered and non-driven load wheels 20a, 20b, which are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle and are located at a load-side end of the vehicle body 2, and a steerable drive wheel 21, which is located centrally at a drive-side end of the vehicle body 2 in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle and spaced apart from the load wheels 20a, 20b in the longitudinal direction L of the vehicle. The load wheel 20a is located on the right side of the vehicle and the load wheel 20b is located on the left side of the narrow-aisle forklift 1.

[0035] The battery compartment 3 with the traction battery 4 arranged therein is located in the longitudinal direction L of the vehicle between the two load wheels 20a, 20b and the drive wheel 21.

[0036] In the drive-side end of the vehicle body 2, an electric drive system (not shown in detail) is further arranged, comprising the electric drive motor and a steering drive, for example an electric steering motor, for the steerable drive wheel 21, as well as an electrically operated hydraulic pump unit, which is intended to supply the working hydraulics, which are formed by the lifting drive of the lifting frame 5 and a lifting drive of the additional lifting mast 15, as well as the drives (log push device, rotary drive) for the swiveling push fork 8.

[0037] The operator's cab 6 contains the control and operating elements required for operating the narrow-aisle forklift 1, for example in the form of an operating unit designed as a control panel B. The control panel B is equipped with corresponding operating elements, such as a joystick, and a steering control element for controlling the drive and load handling functions of the narrow-aisle forklift 1, which include the sideshift function for extending the load handling device 7 in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle.

[0038] The lifting mast 5 of the narrow-aisle forklift 1 according to the invention is designed as a multi-stage lifting mast. In the illustrated embodiment and according to the Figure 2The lifting frame 5 is designed as a so-called triplex lifting frame with a support mast 5a arranged on the vehicle body 2, a first extension mast 5b which can be extended upwards in the support mast 5a and a second extension mast 5c which can be extended upwards in the first extension mast 5b, in which the driver's platform 6 is arranged to be extendable upwards.

[0039] In the Figure 2 The narrow-aisle forklift 1 is shown with the lifting mast 5 fully extended upwards and the operator's platform 6 fully raised. In the Figure 2 The side-shift device 12 is actuated in such a way that the push slide 10 and thus the load-handling device 7 is retracted laterally in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle.

[0040] To stack or unstack a load located on the load handling device 7 into a rack (not shown in detail), the load handling device 7 is extended in the horizontal transverse direction Q of the vehicle by means of the side-shift device 12. Figure 3The side-shift device 12 is shown in a position in which the push slide 10 thus extends the load-handling device 7 laterally in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle and the load-handling device 7 with the load 25 on it is in a position extended laterally into the shelf (not shown in detail) for storing or retrieving the load 25.

[0041] In the narrow aisle forklift 1, a counterweight 26 is arranged in the vehicle body 2 and is adjustable in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle.

[0042] In the illustrated embodiment, the counterweight 26, which is adjustable in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle, is formed by the traction battery 4 located in the battery compartment 3.

[0043] The counterweight 26 formed by the traction battery 4 is adjustable in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle by means of an actuator 30. The actuator 30 is connected to an electronic control unit 31 for control purposes.

[0044] The traction battery 4 can stand on a roller track 33 arranged in the battery compartment 3 in order to achieve easy adjustability in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle by means of the actuator 30.

[0045] The electronic control unit 31 is configured to adjust the counterweight 26 in the opposite direction in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle when the load-handling device 7 extends in a first direction. The electronic control unit 31 can be connected to the control element on the control panel B, which controls the lateral extension function of the load-handling device 7, to detect the extension movement and its direction. Preferably, the electronic control unit 31 controls the lateral extension function and thus the extension movement of the load-handling device 7.

[0046] If the load-handling device 7 is extended to the left in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle by means of a corresponding activation of the control element on the control panel B, the counterweight 26 is moved in the opposite direction to the right in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle. Conversely, if the load-handling device 7 is extended to the right in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle by means of a corresponding activation of the control element on the control panel B, the counterweight 26 is moved in the opposite direction to the left in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle.

[0047] The electronic control unit 31 can additionally be connected to a lifting height sensor 35, which is configured to detect the lifting height of the load-handling device 7. The electronic control unit 31 is preferably configured such that, only above a limit lifting height of the load-handling device 7, which may be stored, for example, in the electronic control unit 31, the counterweight 26 is adjusted in the opposite direction in a second direction in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle during an extension movement of the load-handling device 7 in a first direction.

[0048] The electronic control unit 31 can additionally be connected to a load sensor 36, which is configured to detect the load weight of the load 25 located on the load-handling device 7. The electronic control unit 31 is preferably configured such that, only above a limit load weight of the load 25 arranged on the load-handling device 7, which may, for example, be stored in the electronic control unit 31, the counterweight 26 is moved in the opposite direction in a second direction in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle during an extension movement of the load-handling device 7 in a first direction.

Claims

1. Narrow aisle forklift truck (1) with a vehicle body (2) and a lifting mast (5) arranged on the vehicle body (2), on which a load handling device (7) is arranged to be raised and lowered, wherein the load handling device (7) is designed for operating racks located laterally of the narrow aisle forklift truck (1) and is designed as a swiveling push fork (8) movable in the transverse direction (Q) of the vehicle or as a telescopic push fork extendable and retractable in the transverse direction (Q) of the vehicle, characterized by the fact that a counterweight (26) is arranged in the vehicle body (2) and is adjustable in the transverse direction (Q) of the vehicle.

2. Narrow aisle forklift truck (1) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the counterweight (26) is adjustable in the transverse direction (Q) of the vehicle by means of an actuator (30), the actuator (30) being controlled by means of an electronic control unit (31).

3. Narrow aisle forklift (1) according to claim 2, characterized by the fact thatthe electronic control device (31) is designed to adjust the counterweight (26) in a second direction in the opposite direction in the transverse direction of the vehicle (Q) during an extension movement of the load handling device (7) in a first direction.

4. Narrow aisle forklift (1) according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that the electronic control unit (31) is connected to a lifting height sensor (35) which is designed to detect the lifting height of the load handling device (7), wherein the electronic control unit (31) is designed to adjust the counterweight (26) in a second direction in the opposite direction in the vehicle transverse direction (Q) only above a limit lifting height of the load handling device (7) during an extension movement of the load handling device (7) in a first direction in the transverse direction (Q) of the vehicle.

5. Narrow aisle forklift truck (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by the fact thatthe electronic control unit (31) is connected to a load sensor (36) which is configured to detect the load weight of a load (25) located on the load handling device (7), wherein the electronic control unit (31) is configured to adjust the counterweight (26) in a second direction in the transverse direction (Q) of the vehicle only above a limit load weight of the load (25) arranged on the load handling device (7) when the load handling device (7) is extended in a first direction in the transverse direction (Q) of the vehicle.

6. Narrow aisle forklift (1) according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized by the fact thatThe narrow aisle forklift (1) has a steerable drive wheel (21) arranged centrally in the transverse direction (Q) of the vehicle and two load wheels (20a, 20b) arranged apart from each other in the transverse direction (Q) of the vehicle, wherein the load wheels (20a, 20b) are arranged apart from the drive wheel (21) in the longitudinal direction (L) of the vehicle, and wherein the counterweight (26) is arranged between the drive wheel (21) and the load wheels (20a, 20b) in the longitudinal direction (L) of the vehicle.

7. Narrow aisle forklift (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by the fact that the narrow aisle forklift (1) has a battery compartment (3) arranged in the vehicle body (2) in which a traction battery (4) is arranged.

8. Narrow aisle forklift (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by the fact that the counterweight (26) is formed by at least one weight body, in particular a weight plate.

9. Narrow aisle forklift truck (1) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by the fact thatthe counterweight (26) is arranged in a vertical direction in the vehicle body (2) below the battery compartment (3).

10. Narrow aisle forklift (1) according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that the counterweight (26) is formed by the traction battery (4) located in the battery compartment (3).

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