Conveyance carriage for air conditioner

Abstract

To safely and easily convey, load and unload an air conditioner without damaging a chamber.SOLUTION: An air conditioner conveyance carriage 1 for carrying and conveying an air conditioner 100 having chambers 120 and 130 connected to a device body 110 has a support frame 2 that can change its posture between a lying posture and an upright posture and supports the air conditioner 100, and a plurality of wheels 3 that are attached to the support frame 2 and come into contact with the ground when the support frame 2 is in an upright posture. The support frame 2 includes: a first support part 10 that supports a bottom surface of the device body 110 in the lying posture; and a second support part 20 that supports a side surface of the device body 110 as the posture changes from the lying posture to an upright posture. When the carriage 1 is in the upright posture, the chambers 120 and 130 can be conveyed while being disposed above or below the device body 110.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport cart for an air conditioner for transporting an air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] Air conditioners that are installed in the ceiling space of buildings and the like are known that have a configuration in which a chamber such as a blowing chamber is connected to the device main body. In recent years, it has become mainstream for this type of air conditioner to have the device main body and the chamber assembled in a factory. In this case, the air conditioner with the chamber connected to the device main body is placed on a dolly or the like and transported from the factory to the building where it is to be installed.

[0003] Conventionally, various types of dollies have been proposed as dollies for transporting air conditioners as described above. For example, one conventional dolly has been proposed that has side sections that can rotate relative to the bottom section (for example, Figs. 25 and 26 of Patent Document 1). This conventional dolly has two air conditioners placed vertically on the bottom section of the dolly, and the side sections are raised to support the air conditioners from the sides. The dolly is loaded onto a transport truck or the like and transported to the construction site. When it arrives near the installation location at the construction site, the side sections that can rotate relative to the bottom section are laid down on their sides together with the air conditioners, so that the top surface of the air conditioner faces upward.

[0004] Another conventional cart has been proposed, which has a holding part that holds the air conditioner by engaging with support members attached to both the left and right sides of the air conditioner, and is movable while holding the air conditioner (for example, Patent Document 2). This conventional cart holds the support members in a rotatable manner, and is capable of changing the position of the air conditioner between a horizontal position and an upright position. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-76367 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7146199 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, when the chamber is attached to the main body of the equipment, the planar size of the air conditioner becomes larger. Meanwhile, temporary elevators installed at construction sites for transporting materials can be narrow, with widths of only about 1 meter. In addition, there are also narrow passageways between each floor that are only about 1 meter wide. Therefore, if the chamber is attached to the main body of the equipment in the factory, the issue of how to transport the equipment through such narrow spaces becomes an issue.

[0007] In response to this issue, Patent Document 1 proposes placing an air conditioner with a chamber attached to the main body on a dolly in a vertical position with the left and right sides facing up and down, rather than in a horizontal position. By placing the air conditioner in a vertical position, it is possible to reduce the floor space occupied by the air conditioner. Therefore, it becomes possible to transport the air conditioner even in a narrow space such as the one described above.

[0008] On the other hand, if the air conditioner is loaded onto a transport vehicle in a vertical position when being transported from a factory to a construction site, the vibrations during transport may damage the internal refrigerant piping, heat exchanger, etc. To prevent this, it is desirable to load the air conditioner onto a transport vehicle in a horizontal position when being transported from a factory to a construction site.

[0009] When attempting to transport a narrow area at a construction site using a dolly such as that described in Patent Document 1, the air conditioner brought in in a horizontal position must be transferred to the dolly at the construction site. In this case, the work of transferring the air conditioner to the dolly requires a working space that is at least the combined planar size of the air conditioner in the horizontal position and the planar size of the dolly. However, depending on the construction site, it may be difficult to secure sufficient working space in addition to the space for temporarily storing the cargo of the transport vehicle. In such cases, there is a problem that it is extremely difficult to convert the air conditioner in the horizontal position that is unloaded from the transport vehicle to a vertical position and transfer it to the dolly at the construction site.

[0010] In contrast, the dolly of Patent Document 2 is capable of changing the position of the air conditioner between a horizontal position and an upright position while holding the air conditioner with a chamber connected to the device body. Therefore, if the dolly is loaded onto a truck with the air conditioner in a horizontal position, it can be transported from a factory to a construction site. Furthermore, when it arrives at the construction site, the dolly is unloaded from the truck and the air conditioner is changed to an upright position, making it possible to transport it through narrow spaces. In other words, the dolly of Patent Document 2 is capable of changing the air conditioner between a horizontal position and an upright position while holding the air conditioner, so it can be transported from a factory to an installation site with the air conditioner loaded.

[0011] However, the dolly of Patent Document 2 requires that support members be attached to the sides of the two air conditioners stacked together, and that the support members be rotatably attached to the holder of the dolly, so that it takes a lot of effort to load the air conditioners onto the dolly. In addition, after arriving at the installation site, it also requires a lot of effort to unload the air conditioners from the dolly. Therefore, the dolly of Patent Document 2 has a problem in that it is not possible to efficiently load and unload the air conditioners.

[0012] In addition, the chamber connected to the main body of the device is made of thin metal plates and has a hollow interior, making it fragile and prone to deformation when subjected to external forces. Therefore, it is important not to damage the fragile chamber when transporting it from the factory to the installation site.

[0013] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems in the conventional art, and has as its object to provide a transport cart for air conditioners which allows the transport and loading / unloading of air conditioners to be carried out safely and easily without damaging the chamber. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, firstly, the present invention provides an air conditioner transport cart for loading and transporting an air conditioner having a chamber connected to the equipment body, which can be changed in position between a lying position and an upright position, and which has a support frame for supporting the air conditioner, and a plurality of wheels attached to the support frame and which come into contact with the ground when the support frame is in the upright position, wherein the support frame has a first support portion for supporting the bottom surface of the equipment body in the lying position, and a second support portion for supporting the side surface of the equipment body as the position changes from the lying position to the upright position, and which is characterized in that when in the upright position, the chamber can be transported with the chamber positioned above or below the equipment body.

[0015] Secondly, the present invention is characterized in that, in a transport cart for an air conditioner having the first configuration, the support frame has a pair of rear side frame members which are in a horizontal position when in the laid-down position, the pair of rear side frame members hold the first support part at a predetermined height position when the support frame is in the laid-down position, and when the first support part supports the bottom surface of the equipment body, the bottom surface of the equipment body does not come into contact with the ground.

[0016] Thirdly, the present invention is characterized in that, in the air conditioner transport cart having the second configuration, the first support portion is provided on a pair of first cross members that are horizontally suspended between the pair of rear side frame members, and the pair of first cross members are supported by the pair of rear side frame members in a parallel state to each other and spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the length of the equipment body.

[0017] Fourth, the present invention is characterized in that, in a transport cart for an air conditioner having the second or third configuration, the support frame has a pair of front frame members extending parallel to the pair of rear frame members at a predetermined height from the ground when in the laid-down position, and the second support portion is provided on a second cross member that is spanned between the rear frame members and the front frame members.

[0018] Fifth, the present invention is characterized in that, in a transport cart for an air conditioner having a first configuration, the first support part is formed of a plate-shaped member that supports the bottom surface of the equipment body in the laid-down position, and the plate-shaped member does not allow the bottom surface of the equipment body to come into contact with the ground when the support frame is in the laid-down position.

[0019] Sixth, the present invention is characterized in that, in a transport cart for an air conditioner having the first, second, third or fifth configuration, it further comprises a restraining member that restrains the air conditioner and the support frame while the air conditioner is supported by the first support part or the second support part. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to transport an air conditioner having a chamber connected to the main body of the equipment, and the air conditioner can be transported and loaded / unloaded safely and easily without damaging the chamber. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the dolly is in an upright position. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the dolly is in a sideways position. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioner transported by a dolly. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioner transported by a dolly. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of loading an air conditioner onto a cart. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the air conditioner is loaded onto a dolly. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the air conditioner loaded on a cart. [Figure 8] 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating a process in which the dolly changes from a lying position to an upright position. [Figure 9] 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which the dolly is in an upright position with the air conditioner supported thereon. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the bogie. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another modified example of the bogie. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing yet another modified example of the bogie. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings referred to below, the same reference numerals are used to designate common members, and redundant description thereof will be omitted.

[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an air conditioner transport cart (hereinafter, simply referred to as "cart") 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention in an upright position. FIG. 1 shows the front side, rear side, right side, and left side directions based on the upright position of the cart 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the cart 1 in a sideways position. The cart 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a cart for loading and transporting an air conditioner having a chamber connected to the device body. This cart 1 can be easily changed in position between the upright position shown in FIG. 1 and the sideways position shown in FIG. 2. The cart 1 includes a support frame 2 that supports the air conditioner, and a plurality of wheels 3 that are attached to the bottom 4 of the support frame 2 and come into contact with the ground when the support frame 2 is in an upright position.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the bottom 4 of the support frame 2 is formed as a frame-shaped bottom in which a number of angle members 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d are assembled in a rectangular shape. A number of wheels 3 are attached to the four corners of the bottom 4. Therefore, the dolly 1 can move by rolling the wheels 3 when in an upright position. At least two of the four wheels 3 can rotate around a predetermined vertical axis, and are wheels that can change the traveling direction of the dolly 1. In addition, each wheel is provided with a locking mechanism, and the rotation of the wheel can be locked. The bottom 4 may be provided with a bottom plate.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the support frame 2 has a pair of front frame members 5, 5 erected from the bottom 4, and a pair of rear frame members 6, 6 erected from the bottom 4. The front frame members 5, 5 and the rear frame members 6, 6 are made of, for example, aluminum angle members, and erected parallel to each other from the four corners of the bottom 4. For example, the rear frame members 6, 6 are fixed to the rear side of the bottom 4 by fastening members consisting of bolts and nuts with the inside of the angle members joined to the outside of the corner portion on the rear side of the bottom 4. The front frame members 5, 5 are fixed to the front side of the bottom 4 by fastening members consisting of bolts and nuts with the outside of the angle members joined to the side surfaces of the angle members 4b, 4c extending in the front-rear direction.

[0026] The rear frame members 6,6 are longer than the front frame members 5,5. As shown in FIG. 2, the rear frame members 6,6 are horizontal and parallel to the ground (floor surface) when laid on their side. For example, the rear frame members 6,6 are in contact with the ground when laid on their side. The front frame members 5,5 are horizontal and at a higher position than the rear frame members 6,6 when laid on their side. For example, the front frame members 5,5 are supported in a substantially horizontal state at a predetermined height from the ground when laid on their side.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, a first horizontal member 11 is provided at the upper end of the rear frame members 6, 6, and is horizontally supported between the pair of rear frame members 6, 6 in the left-right direction. Both ends of the first horizontal member 11 are fixed to mounting brackets 13, 13 attached to the upper end of the pair of rear frame members 6, 6, for example. The mounting brackets 13, 13 extend from the upper end of the rear frame members 6, 6 toward the inside of the dolly 1, and the end of the first horizontal member 11 is connected and fixed to the tip of the mounting brackets 13. The first horizontal member 11 is made of, for example, an aluminum angle bar. As shown in FIG. 2, the first horizontal member 11 is attached to the mounting brackets 13, 13 in a position in which a flat plate portion 11a, which becomes a horizontal plane when the dolly 1 is laid down, faces the bottom portion 4 of the dolly 1.

[0028] 1, a first cross member 12 is provided in the center of the rear frame members 6, 6, spanning in the left-right direction between the pair of rear frame members 6, 6. Both ends of this first cross member 12 are fixed to second cross members 21, 22 spanning in the front-rear direction, for example, between the rear frame members 6, 6 and the front frame members 5, 5.

[0029] The second cross members 21, 22 are made of, for example, aluminum angle members, and are attached above the bottom 4 in a parallel state with a predetermined distance in the left-right direction when in an upright position. The first cross member 12 is attached to the rear side of the second cross members 21, 22, and crosses between the pair of rear frame members 6, 6 in the left-right direction. The first cross member 12 is made of, for example, aluminum angle members. When in a laid-down position as shown in FIG. 2, the first cross member 12 is attached to the second cross members 21, 22 in a state in which a flat plate portion 12a, which forms a horizontal plane, is at the same height as the flat plate portion 11a of the first cross member 11 and extends toward the first cross member 11.

[0030] One end of the second horizontal members 21, 22 is connected to the center of the rear frame members 6, 6, and the other end is connected to the upper end of the front frame members 5, 5. When the trolley 1 is in an upright position, the flat plate portions 21a, 22a of the second horizontal members 21, 22, which form horizontal planes, face each other at the same height on both the left and right sides of the trolley 1.

[0031] 3 and 4 are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of the air conditioner 100 transported by the dolly 1. As shown in FIG. 3(a), the air conditioner 100 includes an equipment body 110 and chambers 120 and 130. The equipment body 110 is configured by integrally assembling an air conditioning unit 101 incorporating a heat exchanger and a filter unit 102 incorporating a dust filter. A mounting unit 111 for mounting a hanging member such as a hanging bolt at a predetermined height is provided on the side of the equipment body 110. The equipment body 110 also has a connection unit 114 provided at an end of the air conditioning unit 101 and a connection unit 115 provided at an end of the filter unit 102. The connection unit 114 is formed in a square tube shape with the center of the side of the air conditioning unit 101 protruding outward. The connection unit 115 is formed in a square tube shape with the center of the side of the filter unit 102 protruding outward. These connection parts 114, 115 are formed on the front and rear side surfaces of the device body 110 and are capable of connecting the chambers 120, 130, respectively.

[0032] The chamber 120 is connected to the device body 110 as an outlet chamber of the air conditioner 100. The chamber 120 can be connected to at least one duct, and receives air blown out from the device body 110 and sends it to the duct. The chamber 120 is formed in a box shape using a thin metal plate or the like, and is hollow inside. Therefore, the chamber 120 is a fragile member that is easily deformed when an external force is applied. As shown in FIG. 3(b), the chamber 120 has a connection part 124 that protrudes in a square tube shape from the center of the side connected to the air conditioning unit 101. This connection part 124 can be attached in a state where it is overlapped inside or outside the connection part 114 provided in the air conditioning unit 101. Therefore, the chamber 120 is attached in a state where it is connected to the device body 110 by attaching the connection part 124 to the connection part 114 of the air conditioning unit 101.

[0033] The chamber 130 is connected to the device body 110 as an intake chamber of the air conditioner 100. The chamber 130 can be connected to at least one duct, and receives air to be supplied to the device body 110 through the duct and supplies it to the device body 110. The chamber 130 is formed in a box shape using a thin metal plate or the like, and is hollow inside. Therefore, the chamber 130 is a fragile member that is easily deformed when an external force is applied. As shown in FIG. 3(b), the chamber 130 has a connection part 135 that protrudes in a square tube shape from the center of the side connected to the filter part 102. This connection part 135 can be attached in a state where it is overlapped inside or outside the connection part 115 provided on the filter part 102. Therefore, the chamber 130 is attached in a state where it is connected to the device body 110 by attaching the connection part 135 to the connection part 115 of the filter part 102. However, the air conditioner 100 may be configured such that the chamber 130 is not attached to the device body 110.

[0034] 4, the air conditioner 100 is provided with a holding member 140 for enabling the chambers 120, 130 to be hung integrally in a state in which they are connected to the device body 110. The holding member 140 has a frame structure in which main beam members 141, 142 and sub-beam members 143, 144 are assembled in a crisscross pattern.

[0035] The main beam members 141, 142 are formed of, for example, aluminum angle members, and are arranged so as to cross the upper surface of the device body 110 while being in close contact with the upper surface of the device body 110. Both ends of the main beam members 141, 142 are arranged above mounting parts 111 provided on the side surfaces of the device body 110. Support bolts 151 hang down from both ends of the main beam members 141, 142, and the lower ends of the support bolts 151 are connected to the mounting parts 111 to support the air conditioner 100. At this time, by tightening fastening members such as bolts and nuts attached to the upper surfaces of the main beam members 141, 142, the main beam members 141, 142 are pressed against the upper surface of the device body 110, and the main beam members 141, 142 are fixed in a state of being in close contact with the upper surface of the device body 110.

[0036] The sub-beams 143, 144 are made of, for example, aluminum angle members. The sub-beams 143, 144 are arranged so as to intersect with the main beams 141, 142 at both ends of the main beams 141, 142. At the intersections, connecting fittings 146 are provided to connect the main beams 141, 142 and the sub-beams 143, 144 to each other. Both ends of the sub-beams 143, 144 extend to positions above the side surfaces of the chambers 120, 130 connected to the device body 110. Holding members 152 are attached to both ends of the sub-beams 143, 144 to hold the side surfaces of the chambers 120, 130. For example, the holding members 152 are fixed in a state of holding the side surfaces of the chambers 120, 130 by driving screws or the like into the holding members 152 joined to the side surfaces of the chambers 120, 130.

[0037] A center beam 145 is disposed at the center of the main beams 141, 142, so as to be perpendicular to the main beams 141, 142. The center beam 145 is fixed to the main beams 141, 142 by connecting fittings 154 provided at the intersections with the main beams 141, 142. Both ends of the center beam 145 extend to positions above the ends of the chambers 120, 130. Holding members 153 are attached to both ends of the center beam 145, and hold the end faces of the chambers 120, 130. For example, the holding members 153 are fixed in a state of holding the end faces of the chambers 120, 130 by driving screws or the like into the holding members 153 joined to the end faces of the chambers 120, 130.

[0038] The air conditioner 100 as described above is manufactured in a factory. That is, the work of mounting the chambers 120, 130 to the device main body 110 and the work of attaching the holding member 140 are performed in a factory different from the installation site of the air conditioner 100. After being manufactured in the factory, the air conditioner 100 is loaded onto the dolly 1 described above and transported to the installation site.

[0039] The dolly 1 has first support parts 10, 10 that support the bottom surface of the device body 110 in the sideways position shown in FIG. 2. For example, the first support parts 10, 10 are formed by flat plate parts 11a, 12a of the first horizontal members 11, 12. The first horizontal members 11, 12 are arranged at intervals approximately equal to the length of the device body 110 in the front-rear direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of the rear frame members 6, 6. Therefore, the first support parts 10, 10 formed by the flat plate parts 11a, 12a of the first horizontal members 11, 12 can support the bottom edge parts of both ends in the front-rear direction of the device body 110. However, this is not limited to this, and the first support parts 10, 10 may be formed of a member separate from the first horizontal members 11, 12. In other words, the first support parts 10, 10 may be a member that can support the bottom surface of the device body 110 when the dolly 1 is in the sideways position.

[0040] In addition, the dolly 1 has second support parts 20, 20 that support the side surface of the device body 110 in the upright position shown in FIG. 1. The second support parts 20, 20 are joined to the side surface of the device body 110 in the upright position and support the entire load of the air conditioner 100. For example, the second support parts 20, 20 are formed by the flat plate parts 21a, 22a of the second cross members 21, 22. The second cross members 21, 22 are arranged at intervals approximately equal to the length of the device body 110 in the left-right width direction. Therefore, the second support parts 20, 20 formed by the flat plate parts 21a, 22a of the second cross members 21, 22 can support the side edge parts in the left-right width direction of the device body 110 when the dolly 1 is in the upright position. However, this is not limited to this, and the second support parts 20, 20 may be formed of a member separate from the second cross members 21, 22. In other words, the second support parts 20, 20 may be members capable of supporting the side surface that is the lowermost portion of the device body 110 when the dolly 1 is in the upright position.

[0041] When the air conditioner 100 is loaded onto the dolly 1, the dolly 1 is in a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 5. The air conditioner 100 is loaded onto the dolly 1 by placing the bottom surface of the device body 110 on the first support parts 10, 10 of the dolly 1 which is in a horizontal position. At this time, the chamber 130 is disposed between the front frame members 5, 5. In other words, the distance between the front frame members 5, 5 is formed to be greater than the length of the chamber 130 in the left-right direction. As a result, when the air conditioner 100 is loaded onto the dolly 1, the front frame members 5, 5 do not interfere with the chamber 130.

[0042] As described above, the air conditioner 100 is equipped with the holding member 140 that holds the chambers 120, 130 in a connected state to the equipment main body 110. Therefore, when loading the air conditioner 100 onto the dolly 1, a worker can load the air conditioner 100 onto the dolly 1 by lifting the holding member 140. In other words, the worker can load the air conditioner 100 onto the dolly 1 without touching the fragile chambers 120, 130.

[0043] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the air conditioner 100 loaded on the dolly 1. FIG. 7 is a side view showing the air conditioner 100 loaded on the dolly 1. When the air conditioner 100 is loaded on the dolly 1 in a lying position as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the bottom surface of the device main body 110 is supported by first support parts 10, 10 provided on the support frame 2. In other words, the support frame 2 does not support the chambers 120, 130. Therefore, when the dolly 1 is in a lying position, the support frame 2 can support the air conditioner 100 without applying an external force to the chambers 120, 130.

[0044] When the dolly 1 is in a lateral position, the pair of rear frame members 6, 6 hold the first support parts 10, 10 at a predetermined height from the ground 170. Therefore, when the first support parts 10, 10 support the bottom surface of the device body 110, the dolly 1 does not bring the bottom surface 100a of the device body 110 into contact with the ground 170. As a result, when the dolly 1 is in a lateral position, it can support the air conditioner 100 in a horizontal position without damaging the bottom surface 100a of the device body 110.

[0045] As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, when the air conditioner 100 is loaded onto the dolly 1 in a sideways position, restraining members 30a, 30b made of cable ties or the like are attached to the dolly 1. The restraining member 30a restrains, for example, the support bolt 151 and the first cross member 11, and prevents the bottom surface of the device body 110 from floating up from the first support portion 10 of the first cross member 11. The restraining member 30b restrains the front frame members 5, 5 and the sub-beam members 143, 144, and prevents the bottom surface of the device body 110 from floating up from the first support portion 10 of the first cross member 12. In other words, the restraining members 30a, 30b prevent the relative positional relationship between the dolly 1 and the air conditioner 100 from changing. If cable ties are used as such restraining members 30a, 30b, they can be easily attached and removed, and therefore have excellent work efficiency.

[0046] When the air conditioner 100 is restrained to the dolly 1 by the restraining members 30a and 30b, the dolly 1 is changed in position by an operator from a lying position to an upright position, as shown in FIG. 8. At this time, the wheels 3 are locked. The operator can easily change the dolly 1 supporting the air conditioner 100 to an upright position by lifting the dolly 1 using the locked wheels 3 as a fulcrum. In addition, the air conditioner 100 is restrained to the dolly 1 by the restraining members 30a and 30b. Therefore, when the dolly 1 changes from a lying position to an upright position, the air conditioner 100 does not come off the dolly 1, and maintains the state in which it is supported by the dolly 1. Therefore, the operator can also change the dolly 1 to an upright position by lifting the holding member 140.

[0047] When the dolly 1 changes from a lying position to an upright position, the support frame 2 changes to a state in which the second support parts 20, 20 support the entire load of the air conditioner 100. That is, the air conditioner 100 changes from a state in which the bottom surface of the device body 110 is supported by the first support parts 10, 10 to a state in which the side surface located at the bottommost part of the device body 110 is supported by the second support parts 20, 20.

[0048] 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which the dolly 1 is in an upright position while supporting the air conditioner 100. When the dolly 1 changes to the upright position, the device body 110 of the air conditioner 100 is supported by the second support parts 20, 20, and the chambers 120, 130 are arranged above or below the device body 110. At this time, no external force acts on the chambers 120, 130. Therefore, while the dolly 1 changes from a lateral position to an upright position, and even after it has changed to the upright position, it is possible to support the air conditioner 100 while maintaining the shape of the fragile chambers 120, 130 without applying an external force to the chambers 120, 130.

[0049] When the dolly 1 changes to an upright position, the wheels 3 provided on the bottom 4 of the dolly 1 touch the ground. Therefore, the worker can easily move the dolly 1 horizontally by unlocking the wheels 3 and rolling the wheels 3. At this time, the dolly 1 supports the air conditioner 100 in an upright position. Therefore, the worker can easily pass the dolly 1 supporting the air conditioner 100 even in a narrow space. Even if vibration occurs in the dolly 1 while the dolly 1 is moving, the air conditioner 100 will not come off the dolly 1 because it is restrained to the dolly 1 by the restraining members 30a and 30b. Therefore, even if there are some unevenness in the floor surface on which the dolly 1 is moved, the dolly 1 can move horizontally while maintaining a good state of supporting the air conditioner 100.

[0050] The air conditioner 100 is placed on a dolly 1 in a factory, for example, and is restrained to the dolly 1 by the restraining members 30a and 30b. When transporting the air conditioner 100 from the factory to the installation site, the dolly 1 supporting the air conditioner 100 is loaded onto a transport truck for transport. At this time, if the dolly 1 is loaded onto the transport truck in an upright position, the refrigerant piping and heat exchanger inside the air conditioner 100 may be damaged due to vibration during transport. Therefore, when loading the dolly 1 onto the transport truck, it is preferable to transport the dolly 1 in a lateral position with the air conditioner 100 in a horizontal position. The dolly 1 can easily change its position from the upright position to the lateral position by locking the wheels 3. Therefore, a worker can load the dolly 1 onto the bed of the transport truck in an upright position, and then place the dolly 1 in a lateral position, thereby loading the air conditioner 100 onto the transport truck in a horizontal position.

[0051] However, if there is no risk of damaging the refrigerant piping, heat exchanger, etc. inside the air conditioner 100, the dolly 1 supporting the air conditioner 100 may be loaded onto a transport truck in the upright position shown in Fig. 9. Loading the air conditioner 100 in an upright position onto a transport truck has the advantage that many air conditioners 100 can be transported at one time.

[0052] When the transport truck arrives at the construction site, the dolly 1 is unloaded from the transport truck. At this time, if the dolly 1 is loaded on the transport truck in a lying position, the dolly 1 is changed in position from the lying position to an upright position. Also, if the dolly 1 is loaded on the transport truck in an upright position, the dolly 1 is unloaded from the transport truck in the upright position. Thereafter, the dolly 1 is moved and transported in the upright position to the installation location of the air conditioner 100. At this time, since the dolly 1 is transported in the upright position, even if a narrow place exists in the route to the installation location of the air conditioner 100, it can pass through the narrow place.

[0053] When the dolly 1 is moved to the installation location of the air conditioner 100, the worker returns the dolly 1 from the upright position to a lying position again. Then, the worker removes the restraining members 30a, 30b from the dolly 1, and then removes the air conditioner 100 from the dolly 1. At this time, the worker can easily remove the air conditioner 100 from the dolly 1 by simply lifting the holding member 140. Thereafter, the worker lifts the air conditioner 100 to a predetermined height position in the ceiling space, connects the hanging bolts hanging down into the ceiling space to the holding member 140, and installs the air conditioner 100 in a state where it is suspended in the ceiling space.

[0054] As described above, the dolly 1 of this embodiment can change its posture between a lying posture and an upright posture, and has a support frame 2 that supports the air conditioner 100, and a plurality of wheels 3 that are attached to the support frame 2 and touch the ground when the support frame 2 is in the upright posture. The support frame 2 has first support parts 10, 10 that support the bottom surface of the device body 110 in the lying posture, and second support parts 20, 20 that support the side surface located at the bottom of the device body 110 as the posture changes from the lying posture to the upright posture. The dolly 1 is configured to be able to transport the chambers 120, 130 in the upright posture with the chambers 120, 130 located above or below the device body 110.

[0055] According to this configuration, the dolly 1 can transport the air conditioner 100 from the factory to the installation site without damaging the fragile chambers 120, 130. In particular, since the dolly 1 supports only the device body 110 without contacting the chambers 120, 130, even if the dolly 1 is subjected to vibration or the like during transportation, the chambers 120, 130 will not be deformed. Furthermore, when the air conditioner 100 is to be removed from the dolly 1, it is only necessary to lift the air conditioner 100 by placing the dolly 1 in a sideways position, so that the air conditioner 100 can be removed from the dolly 1 easily and safely. Furthermore, since the dolly 1 can move on the floor surface while supporting the air conditioner 100 in an upright position, it can easily pass through narrow places. Therefore, if the dolly 1 of this embodiment is used to transport the air conditioner 100, the chambers 120, 130 will not be damaged, and the air conditioner 100 can be transported and loaded / unloaded safely and easily.

[0056] In particular, the dolly 1 of this embodiment supports the air conditioner 100 in a vertical position in which the chambers 120, 130 are arranged above or below the device body 110 when in an upright position. On the other hand, in addition to the mode in which the chambers 120, 130 are arranged above or below the device body 110, the mode in which the air conditioner 100 is arranged in a vertical position also includes a mode in which the chambers 120, 130 are arranged on the lateral side in the left-right direction of the device body 110. However, when the chambers 120, 130 are arranged on the lateral side in the left-right direction of the device body 110 and the air conditioner 100 is arranged in a vertical position, the dolly 1 becomes longer in the lateral direction (horizontal direction), so that the area occupied by the dolly 1 on the floor surface becomes large, making it difficult to pass through narrow places. In contrast, when the air conditioner 100 is supported in a vertical position in which the chambers 120, 130 are arranged above or below the device body 110 when in an upright position, the area occupied by the dolly 1 can be reduced, which has the advantage that it can pass through narrow places relatively easily.

[0057] Furthermore, the dolly 1 of this embodiment transports one air conditioner 100 while being loaded with it. Therefore, the area occupied by the dolly 1 can be made smaller than when multiple air conditioners are loaded and transported as in the conventional case. Therefore, when the dolly 1 is transported in an upright position at a construction site or the like, it can pass through narrower places than before.

[0058] An embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. In other words, the present invention can be applied to various modified examples other than the configuration described in the embodiment above.

[0059] Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the dolly 1. In the dolly 1 shown in Fig. 10, both the first support section 10 and the second support section 20 are formed by the first cross member 12. Therefore, when the dolly 1 is in an upright state, the three edges of the side surface of the device body 110 are supported by the second support sections 20. This allows the dolly 1 to more stably support the air conditioner 100 when in an upright state.

[0060] 10, the dolly 1 may be provided with a connecting member 28 that connects the upper parts of a pair of front frame members 5, 5 in order to support the front edge of the equipment body 110. This connecting member 28 is attached to the dolly 1 after the air conditioner 100 is loaded onto the dolly 1. When the dolly 1 is in an upright position, the connecting member 28 supports the front edge of the side surface of the equipment body 110. In other words, the four edges of the side surface of the equipment body 110 are supported. This allows the dolly 1 to support the air conditioner 100 more stably.

[0061] Fig. 11 is a diagram showing another modified example of the dolly 1, in which the dolly 1 is in a lying position as viewed from diagonally below. The dolly 1 shown in Fig. 11 has a first cross member 11 attached to the center of a pair of rear frame members 6, 6. The upper surface of this first cross member 11 functions as the first support portion 10, and supports the bottom surface 100a of the air conditioner 100 (equipment body 110). Therefore, the first cross member 11 is not necessarily limited to supporting the edge of the bottom surface 100a of the equipment body 110.

[0062] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing yet another modified example of the dolly 1, in which the dolly 1 in a lateral position is viewed from diagonally below. As shown in FIG. 12, the support frame 2 of the dolly 1 may be configured to include a plate-shaped member 9 that supports the bottom surface of the device body 110 in a lateral position. In this case, the upper surface of the plate-shaped member 9 functions as the first support portion 10 and supports the bottom surface 100a of the air conditioner 100 (device body 110). In addition, the plate-shaped member 9 does not allow the bottom surface 100a of the device body 110 to contact the ground when the dolly 1 is in a lateral position. Therefore, damage to the bottom surface 100a of the device body 110 can be prevented. In this way, the dolly 1 may be configured to include a plate-shaped member 9 that supports the bottom surface 100a of the device body 110 as shown in FIG. 12. In this case, the dolly 1 may be configured not to include the pair of rear side frame members 6, 6 described in the above embodiment.

[0063] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the air conditioner 100 is provided with the holding member 140. However, the air conditioner 100 may be configured not to include the holding member 140.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the case where a plurality of wheels 3 are attached to the four corners of the bottom 4 of the dolly 1 has been exemplified. The plurality of wheels 3 may be configured to be detachable from the bottom 4 of the dolly 1. For example, when the dolly 1 is loaded onto a transport truck in an upright position, if the wheels 3 are attached to the bottom 4, there is a possibility that the dolly 1 will move during transport. Therefore, in order to prevent the dolly 1 from moving during transport, the wheels 3 may be configured to be easily detachable from the bottom 4 of the dolly 1. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1...cart (transport cart for air conditioner), 2...support frame, 3...wheels, 4...bottom, 5...front frame material, 6...rear frame material, 10...first support part, 11, 12...first cross member, 20...second support part, 21, 22...second cross member, 30a, 30b...restraining member, 100...air conditioner, 110...equipment body, 120, 130...chamber.

Claims

1. An air conditioner transport cart for carrying and transporting an air conditioner having a chamber connected to a device body, A support frame that supports the air conditioner and that can be changed between a lying position and an upright position; A plurality of wheels attached to the support frame and brought into contact with the ground when the support frame is in the upright position; having The support frame includes: a first support portion that supports a bottom surface of the device body in the sideways position; a second support portion that supports a side surface of the device body as the device changes from the lying position to the standing position; Equipped with The transport cart for an air conditioner, characterized in that, when in the upright position, the transport cart can be transported with the chamber disposed above or below the equipment body.

2. The support frame has a pair of rear frame members that are in a horizontal position when in the sideways position, The transport cart for an air conditioner as described in claim 1, characterized in that the pair of rear side frame members hold the first support portion at a predetermined height position when the support frame is in a sideways position, and when the first support portion supports the bottom surface of the equipment body, the bottom surface of the equipment body does not come into contact with the ground.

3. The first support portion is provided on a pair of first horizontal members that are horizontally supported between the pair of rear frame members, The transport cart for an air conditioner as described in claim 2, characterized in that the pair of first cross members are supported by the pair of rear frame members in a parallel state to each other with a gap corresponding to the length of the equipment body.

4. the support frame has a pair of front frame members extending parallel to the pair of rear frame members at a predetermined height from the ground when in the laid-down position, 4. The transport cart for an air conditioner according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the second support portion is provided on a second horizontal member that is horizontally disposed between the rear frame member and the front frame member.

5. the first support portion is formed of a plate-like member that supports a bottom surface of the device body in the sideways position, 2. The transport cart for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the plate-like member prevents a bottom surface of the device body from contacting the ground when the support frame is in a sideways position.

6. a restraining member that restrains the air conditioner and the support frame in a state in which the air conditioner is supported by the first support portion or the second support portion; 6. The transport cart for an air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising:

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