Vehicle holding device and loading method

Abstract

To load more vehicles in a container for transportation.SOLUTION: A vehicle holding device comprises a first fixture which has a front wheel mount part for holding the front wheels of a first vehicle carried into a container and a second fixture which has a rear wheel mount part for holding the rear wheels of the first vehicle. The rear wheel mount part is positioned above the chassis of a second vehicle loaded in the container behind the first vehicle in the height direction of the container, and the front wheel mount part is above the floor surface of the container in the height direction of the container and below the rear wheel mount part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle holding device for holding a vehicle and a method for loading a vehicle into a container using the vehicle holding device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, it is common practice to load a plurality of vehicles into a transport container for transport. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an apparatus for loading two vehicles into a transport container and a method for loading vehicles using the apparatus. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2009-161189 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Since the sizes of shipping containers are standardized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), there is a limit to the number of vehicles that can be loaded into each container. On the other hand, if the number of vehicles that can be loaded into a container can be increased, more vehicles can be transported per container, thereby reducing transportation costs and improving transportation efficiency.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention proposes a vehicle holding device for loading more vehicles into a container, and a method for loading vehicles into a container using the vehicle holding device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle holding device of the present invention comprises a first jig having a front wheel mounting portion for holding the front wheels of a first vehicle brought into a container, and a second jig having a rear wheel mounting portion for holding the rear wheels of the first vehicle, wherein the rear wheel mounting portion is positioned higher in the height direction of the container than the chassis of a second vehicle loaded into the container after the first vehicle, and the front wheel mounting portion is positioned higher in the height direction of the container than the floor surface of the container and lower than the rear wheel mounting portion. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the transportation cost and improve the transportation efficiency for containers loaded with vehicles. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a container and a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a state in which vehicles are loaded into a container according to an embodiment, and an arrangement of vehicle holding devices in the container. [Diagram 3] 2A to 2C are a plan view, a front view, and a right side view of a first jig according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overview of a first jig according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overview of a first jig according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first jig and a slope according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] 4A to 4C are a plan view, a front view, and a right side view of a second jig according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating an outline of a wheel stopper portion according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a process of loading a vehicle into a container according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a process of loading a vehicle into a container according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a process of loading a vehicle into a container according to an embodiment. [Figure 12] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a process of loading a vehicle into a container according to an embodiment. [Figure 13] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a process of loading a vehicle into a container according to an embodiment. [Figure 14] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a process of loading and unloading a vehicle into a container according to an embodiment. [Figure 15] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a process of loading and unloading a vehicle into a container according to an embodiment. [Figure 16] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a process of loading and unloading a vehicle into a container according to an embodiment. [Figure 17] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a process of loading and unloading a vehicle into a container according to an embodiment. [Figure 18] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a process of loading and unloading a vehicle into a container according to an embodiment. [Figure 19] 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating a process of loading and unloading a vehicle into a container according to an embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of loading a vehicle into a container as a comparative example of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The configurations shown in the drawings are schematic diagrams of the necessary parts and their peripheral configurations for implementing the present embodiment. Therefore, the dimensions, ratios, etc. of each structure shown in the drawings are merely examples, and various changes can be made according to the design, etc., without departing from the technical concept of the present invention.

[0010] 1 and 2, a plurality of vehicles 200 are loaded into a container 100. The container 100 with the vehicles 200 loaded therein is transported to a destination by a ship, a freight truck, a freight train, or the like.

[0011] In the following description, the direction in which the vehicle 200 is brought into the container 100 is referred to as the back direction, and the direction in which the vehicle 200 is brought out is referred to as the front direction, and the back and front directions are referred to as the front-rear direction. The left and right directions are also referred to based on the back direction. Furthermore, the direction from the bottom side to the top side of the container 100 is referred to as the up direction, and the up and down directions are also referred to. The height may be measured from the top as viewed from the bottom. The height here refers to the height from the floor surface 107 of the container 100 unless otherwise specified.

[0012] The container 100 is, for example, 40 feet long as specified by the ISO standard. The internal dimensions of the 40-foot container 100 are 12,035 mm in length in the front-to-rear direction, 2,340 mm in width in the left-to-right direction, and 2,696 mm in height in the up-to-down direction.

[0013] The container 100 is formed in a box shape that is long in the front-to-rear direction, and is formed with an opening 101 that opens to the front side. The container 100 includes a front wall 102 located at the back side and facing in the front-to-rear direction, a bottom wall 103 and a top wall 104 that are long in the front-to-rear direction and facing in the vertical direction and positioned spaced apart from each other, a left side wall 105 and a right side wall 106 that face in the left-to-right direction and are spaced apart from each other, and a detachable rear wall (not shown) that closes the opening 101.

[0014] The bottom wall 103 is formed with a floor surface 107 that is exposed to the inside of the container 100 . The floor surface 107 is made of wood, for example, and can be attached to other members by nailing them.

[0015] The vehicle 200 is, for example, a freight vehicle such as a truck, and includes a cabin 201 in which a driver rides, and a chassis 202 on which cargo to be transported is placed. The vehicle 200 is also provided with a pair of front wheels 203, 203 at the front and a pair of rear wheels 204, 204 at the rear. The total length of the vehicle 200 in the fore-aft direction varies depending on the vehicle type, but is longer than one-third of the length of the container 100 in the fore-aft direction, and is, for example, 4500 mm to 5000 mm. The total length of the vehicle 200 in the fore-aft direction in this embodiment is, for example, 4710 mm or 4860 mm.

[0016] In this embodiment, three vehicles 200 are loaded into the container 100. Therefore, for ease of explanation, as shown in FIG. 2A, each vehicle 200 will be distinguished as a first vehicle 200a (cabin 201a, chassis 202a, front wheels 203a, and rear wheels 204a), a second vehicle 200b (cabin 201b, chassis 202b, front wheels 203b, and rear wheels 204b), and a third vehicle 200c (cabin 201c, chassis 202c, front wheels 203c, and rear wheels 204c).

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the vehicle holding device 10 is disposed inside the container 100 and holds the wheels of the vehicle 200 brought into the container 100.

[0018] The vehicle holding device 10 includes a first jig 11 and a second jig 12 . The first jig 11 is disposed at the rear end of the floor surface 107 of the container 100, and the front wheel 203a of the first vehicle 200a can be placed thereon. The front wheel 203a is placed and held on the first jig 11. This allows the positioning of the front wheel 203a in the container 100.

[0019] Further, the position on the first jig 11 where the front wheel 203a is placed is a position spaced above the floor surface 107. For example, the front wheel 203a is positioned at a height of about 370 mm from the floor surface 107.

[0020] The second jig 12 is disposed on the floor surface 107 in front of the first jig 11, and the rear wheel 204a of the first vehicle 200a can be placed thereon. The rear wheel 204a is placed and held on the second jig 12. This allows the rear wheel 204a to be positioned in the container 100.

[0021] Further, the position on the second jig 12 where the rear wheel 204a is placed is a position spaced above the floor surface 107. For example, the rear wheel 204a is positioned at a height of about 900 mm above the floor surface 107. At this time, the height of the second jig 12 is set higher than the height of the first jig 11.

[0022] In this way, the position on which the rear wheel 204a is placed is separated from the floor surface 107 by the second jig 12, thereby securing space between the chassis 202a of the first vehicle 200a and the floor surface 107 to transport the chassis 202b of the second vehicle 200b.

[0023] In addition, since the position where the front wheel 203a is placed is separated from the floor surface 107 by the first jig 11, the space formed between the chassis 202a and the floor surface 107 is even larger in the vertical direction, making it possible to move the rear end 205b of the chassis 202b further inward.

[0024] By bringing the second vehicle 200b further in, a larger space can be secured in the front-to-rear direction of the container 100, making it possible to load the third vehicle 200c into the container 100.

[0025] The vehicle support device 10 further includes a pair of slopes 13, 13. An inclined surface 13a is formed on the upper surface of the slope 13, and the front wheels 203a of the first vehicle 200a can travel along the inclined surface 13a. By arranging the slope 13 adjacent to the first jig 11 on the floor surface 107, when the first vehicle 200a is carried into the container 100, the front wheels 203a that have climbed up the slope 13 can be guided to the first jig 11. In addition, when the first vehicle 200a is carried out, the front wheels 203a can be guided from the first jig 11 to the floor surface 107. For ease of explanation, FIG. 2A illustrates the slope 13 in an attached state, but it is preferable that the slope 13 be removed when the front wheels 203a and rear wheels 204a of the first vehicle 200a are held by the first jig 11 and the second jig 12.

[0026] The vehicle holding device 10 further includes a third jig 14 and a fourth jig 15 . The third jig 14 is disposed on the floor surface 107 of the container 100 in front of the second jig 12, and the front wheel 203b of the second vehicle 200b is placed and held on the third jig 14. This allows the positioning of the front wheel 203b in the container 100.

[0027] The fourth jig 15 is disposed on the floor surface 107 of the container 100, behind the second jig 12 and in front of the first jig 11, i.e., between the first jig 11 and the second jig 12. The rear wheel 204b of the second vehicle 200b is held by being disposed on the fourth jig 15. This allows the positioning of the rear wheel 204b in the container 100.

[0028] The vehicle holding device 10 further includes a fifth jig 16 and a sixth jig 17 . The fifth jig 16 is disposed on the floor surface 107 of the container 100 in front of the sixth jig 17, and the front wheel 203c of the third vehicle 200c can be placed on the fifth jig 16. The front wheel 203c is held by being placed on the fifth jig 16. This allows the positioning of the front wheel 203c in the container 100.

[0029] The sixth jig 17 is disposed on the floor surface 107 of the container 100 in front of the third jig 14, and the rear wheel 204c of the third vehicle 200c is placed and held on the sixth jig 17. This allows the positioning of the rear wheel 204c in the container 100 to be performed.

[0030] As described above, the container 100 is transported with the three vehicles 200 (200a, 200b, 200c) held by the vehicle holding devices 10. Although not shown in the drawings, lashing is applied to the three vehicles 200 (200a, 200b, 200c) when transporting the container 100. Lashing refers to fastening cargo, luggage, etc. with fasteners such as ropes and chains to prevent the cargo from shifting during transportation, etc.

[0031] The first jig 11, the second jig 12, the slope 13, the third jig 14, the fourth jig 15, the fifth jig 16 and the sixth jig 17 will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 3 to 8.

[0032] In the following explanation, the front-to-rear directions (rear and front directions), left-to-right directions, and up-to-down directions (height) of the first jig 11, the second jig 12, the slope 13, the third jig 14, the fourth jig 15, the fifth jig 16, and the sixth jig 17 will be indicated based on the state in which they are arranged in the container 100 shown in Figures 2A and 2B.

[0033] Details of the first jig 11 will be described with reference to Fig. 3 to Fig. 6. In particular, Fig. 3A shows a plan view of the first jig 11, and Fig. 3B shows a front view of the first jig 11 as viewed from the front side. Also, Fig. 3C shows a right side view of the first jig 11. Note that the structure of the first jig 11 is line symmetrical with respect to the front-rear direction at the center in the left-right direction as the axis of symmetry, and therefore the left side view is omitted.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 3, the first jig 11 includes a positioning portion 21 and front wheel placement portions 22, 22. The positioning portion 21 includes a contact member 211 and a regulating member 221 extending in the left-right direction, and side frame members 212, 213 extending in the front-rear direction. The contact member 211, the regulating member 221, and the side frame members 212, 213 are, for example, square steel pipes made of metal.

[0035] The contact member 211 is located at the rear edge of the first jig 11, and the regulating member 221 is located at a distance in front of the contact member 211. In addition, the side frame members 212, 213 are located at a distance from each other in the left-right direction.

[0036] The rear ends of side frame members 212, 213 are attached to both ends in the left-right direction of the abutment member 211. In addition, the front ends of the side frame members 212, 213 are attached to a restricting member 221. The abutment member 211, the restricting member 221, and the side frame members 212, 213 form a frame portion 223.

[0037] When placing the first jig 11 in the container 100, the abutting member 211 is brought into contact with the inner surface 102a of the front wall 102, thereby positioning the first jig 11 in the container 100 (see FIG. 2).

[0038] Furthermore, since the restricting member 221 is longer in the left-right direction than the abutting member 211, the restricting member 221 is formed with restricting protrusions 215, 215 that protrude from the frame portion 223 in the left-right direction, respectively. With the first jig 11 placed on the floor surface 107 of the container 100, first fixing members 23, 23 are attached to the front sides of the respective regulating protrusions 215, 215 as shown in Fig. 2B. The first fixing members 23 are, for example, wooden lumber, and are attached by nailing to the floor surface 107.

[0039] As a result, the first jig 11 is held between the inner surface 102a of the container 100 and the first fixing members 23, 23, and movement in the front-rear direction of the first jig 11 is restricted. The first fixing member 23 can be easily removed by pulling out the nails.

[0040] The positioning portion 21 further includes a rear end member 224 extending in the left-right direction, and a reinforcing member 225 extending in the front-rear direction. The rear end member 224 and the reinforcing member 225 are, for example, square steel pipes made of metal.

[0041] The rear end member 224 is located in front of and spaced apart from the restricting member 221. Moreover, one end of the reinforcing member 225 is attached to the center of the restricting member 221, and the other end is attached to the center of the rear end member 224.

[0042] Further, in the space formed between the regulating member 221 and the rear end member 224, which are spaced apart in the front-rear direction, the front wheel rests 22, 22 are disposed at both ends in the left-right direction.

[0043] 4, the front wheel rest portion 22 includes a stand portion 232, a first holding portion 242, a storage portion 250, mounting members 262, 263, and a second holding portion 264. The front wheel rest portion 22 is higher than the positioning portion 21.

[0044] The mount unit 232 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the front-rear direction. Each of the front-rear, left-right, top-bottom, and bottom-facing surfaces of the mount unit 232 is formed by, for example, a plurality of metal square steel pipes arranged at a distance from each other. The upper surface of the mount portion 232 is formed as a support surface 235 for supporting the front wheels 203a of the first vehicle 200a as shown in FIG.

[0045] The first holding portion 242 is formed at the end portion on the far side of the mounting surface 235. The upper surface of the first holding portion 242 is formed as an inclined surface 242a that becomes higher toward the far side. When the front wheel 203a is placed on the placement surface 235, the front wheel 203a comes into contact with the inclined surface 242a, thereby restricting the movement of the front wheel 203a in the rear direction.

[0046] A storage section 250 is provided as a hole formed at the front end of the placement surface 235 . The storage section 250 is made of metal, is shaped like a long box in the left-right direction, is open at the top, and has a rear section 251 and a front section 252 that face in the front-to-back direction and are spaced apart from each other in the front-to-back direction, a bottom section 253 located below and facing in the up-down direction, and a left side section 254 and a right side section 255 that face in the left-to-right direction and are spaced apart from each other in the left-to-right direction.

[0047] 4 is provided at a position lower than the height of the mounting surface 235 of the stand 232. This is to make it easier to remove the multiple mounting members 262, 263 stored in the storage section 250.

[0048] The multiple mounting members 262, 263 and the second holding portion 264 are, for example, wooden blocks extending in the left-right direction. By storing the mounting members 262, 263 in the storage section 250, the upper surfaces of the wooden mounting members 262, 263 are exposed on the plane of the metal mounting surface 235. This upper surface is designed so that the front wheels 203a of the first vehicle 200a can travel along it, and the front wheels 203a pass over the upper surfaces of the mounting members 262, 263 following the inclined surface 13a of the slope 13 as shown in FIG.

[0049] For example, the second holding portion 264 is attached to the mounting member 263 located at the end on the front side by driving nails 265, 265. As a result, the second holding portion 264 is in a state of protruding upward from the plane of the mounting surface 235 as shown in FIG.

[0050] Here, in a state where the front wheel 203a of the first vehicle 200a is placed on the placement surface 235, the movement of the front wheel 203a in the rear direction is restricted by the second holding portion 264. Therefore, the front wheel 203a is held by the first holding portion 242 and the second holding portion 264.

[0051] Moreover, the second holding portion 264 fixed to the mounting member 263 can be removed by removing the nails 265, 265. This makes it possible to easily release the restriction on the movement of the front wheel 203a in the forward direction.

[0052] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which two mounting members 262, 263 are stored in storage section 250, but the mounting members stored in storage section 250 may be stored as one member, or may be stored as three or more members.

[0053] Details of the second jig 12 will be described with reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 7. In particular, Fig. 7A shows a plan view of the second jig 12, and Fig. 7B shows a front view of the second jig 12 as viewed from the front side. Also, Fig. 7C shows a right side view of the second jig 12. Note that the structure of the second jig 12 is line symmetrical with respect to the front-rear direction at the center in the left-right direction as the axis of symmetry, and therefore a left side view is omitted.

[0054] The second jig 12 includes a rear wheel mounting portion 31 extending in the left-right direction, and support portions 32, 32 provided on both left and right ends of the rear wheel mounting portion 31. The rear wheel mounting portion 31 and the support portions 32, 32 are formed of, for example, metal members.

[0055] The support portion 32 includes a top surface member 321 extending in the front-rear direction, leg members 322, 322 extending in the up-down direction, a bottom surface member 323 extending in the front-rear direction and having the same length as the top surface member 321, and a plurality of reinforcing members 324, 325, 326.

[0056] One ends of leg members 322, 322 are attached to both ends of the bottom member 323 in the front-rear direction, and the other ends of the leg members 322, 322 are attached to both ends of the top member 321 in the front-rear direction.

[0057] The support portion 32 is formed as a rectangular frame by the top surface member 321, the leg members 322, 322, and the bottom surface member 323. The reinforcing members 326 are attached so as to correspond to the diagonal line of the frame.

[0058] Further, the reinforcing member 324 is attached so as to be obliquely intersecting between the top surface member 321 and the leg member 322, and the reinforcing member 325 is attached so as to be obliquely intersecting between the bottom surface member 323 and the leg member 322.

[0059] The rear wheel mounting portion 31 includes angles 311, 312 extending in the left-right direction, wheel receiving rails 314, 315 extending in the left-right direction, and reinforcing members 313, 313, 313 extending in the front-rear direction.

[0060] Angles 311, 312 are placed and attached to the supports 32, 32 so as to bridge the supports. The angles 311 and 312 are spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction. The angle 311 is positioned so that the edge of its bent portion is aligned along the rear end of the support parts 32, 32. The angle 312 is positioned so that the edge of its bent portion is aligned along the front end of the support parts 32, 32.

[0061] Wheel receiving rails 314, 315 are attached to the angles 311, 312, respectively. The wheel receiving rails 314, 315 are, for example, square pipe materials with a rectangular cross section, and are attached so that the faces corresponding to the long sides of the rectangles face the ends of the angles 311, 312, so that the faces 314a, 315a corresponding to the other long sides of the rectangles face diagonally inward.

[0062] The reinforcing members 313, 313, 313 are attached spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction so as to bridge the wheel receiving rails 314, 315. This makes it possible to increase the strength of the frame formed by the top members 321, 321 of the supports 32, 32 and the angles 311, 312.

[0063] The rear wheels 204a of the first vehicle 200a are placed on the wheel receiving rails 314, 315. Specifically, the pair of rear wheels 204a, 204a are placed between the top surface member 321 and the reinforcing member 313.

[0064] In this case, since surfaces 314a, 315a of wheel receiving rails 314, 315 face diagonally inward from each other, when rear wheel 204a is placed on it, the corners of wheel receiving rails 314, 315 abut surfaces 314a, 315a without being pressed by rear wheel 204a, thereby dispersing the concentration of pressure on rear wheel 204a.

[0065] Also, as shown in FIG. 2B, when the second jig 12 is placed on the floor surface 107 of the container 100, second fixing members 24, 24 are attached to the rear side of both ends of the second jig 12 in the left-right direction, and third fixing members 25, 25 are attached to the front side.

[0066] The second fixing member 24 and the third fixing member 25 are, for example, wooden timbers, and are fixed by nailing to the floor surface 107. The second jig 12 is held between the second fixing members 24, 24 and the third fixing members 25, 25, thereby restricting movement of the second jig 12 in the front-rear direction.

[0067] The pair of slopes 13 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. The slope 13 is formed with an inclined surface 13a that extends in the front-rear direction and increases in height toward the rear.

[0068] By bringing the higher ends of the slopes 13, 13 into contact with the front wheel support portions 22, 22 of the first jig 11 and moving the front wheels 203a, 203a of the first vehicle 200a up the slopes 13a, 13a, the front wheels 203a, 203a can be guided to the support surfaces 235, 235 of the first jig 11.

[0069] The slope 13 can be formed of a plurality of members. For example, the slope 13 is formed of a first member 131, a second member 132, and a third member 133. At this time, the first member 131, the second member 132, and the third member 133 are made portable from the front end of the front wheel placement portion 22 of the first jig 11, and the first member 131, the second member 132, and the third member 133 are arranged adjacent to each other on the floor surface 107 of the container 100 to form the slope 13a. By dividing the slope 13 into multiple components in this manner, the slope 13 can be easily carried in and installed even in the narrow space inside the container 100.

[0070] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the slope 13 is formed from three components, namely the first component 131, the second component 132, and the third component 133, but the slope 13 may be formed from two or four or more components.

[0071] Furthermore, the material of the slope 13 is laminated cardboard. The laminated cardboard has a laminated structure of single-layered cardboard, for example, made by sandwiching a corrugated core between liners. In the slope 13, the corrugated core of the laminated cardboard has openings in the vertical direction. The laminated cardboard is strong enough to withstand the weight of the first vehicle 200a and is lightweight, making it suitable as a material for the slope 13.

[0072] The ring stopper portion 5 is used as the third jig 14, the fourth jig 15, the fifth jig 16, and the sixth jig 17. Details of the ring stopper portion 5 will now be described with reference to Figs. The wheel stopper unit 5 will be described by extracting the structure arranged on the left side of the container 100 as shown in Fig. 8. The structure arranged on the right side of the container 100 in the wheel stopper unit 5 will be omitted from description because it is linearly symmetrical with the structure on the left side when the front-rear direction at the center in the left-right direction is taken as the axis of symmetry.

[0073] 8A and 8B, the wheel stopper portion 5 includes a first restricting portion 51 and a second restricting portion 52 extending in the left-right direction, and a reinforcing portion 53 extending in the front-rear direction. The first restricting portion 51, the second restricting portion 52, and the reinforcing portion 53 are formed of, for example, wooden blocks.

[0074] When the loading position of the vehicle 200 brought into the container 100 is determined, the first regulating portion 51 is disposed in front of the wheels (front wheels 203 or rear wheels 204) of the vehicle 200, and the second regulating portion 52 is disposed behind them. The first regulating portion 51 and the second regulating portion 52 are attached to the floor surface 107 of the container 100 by, for example, driving nails into both ends of each of the first regulating portion 51 and the second regulating portion 52. The first restricting portion 51 and the second restricting portion 52 hold the wheel (front wheel 203 or rear wheel 204), thereby restricting the movement of the wheel in the front-rear direction.

[0075] Further, the reinforcing portion 53 is attached, for example, by nailing, to the left end portions of the first restricting portion 51 and the second restricting portion 52. In this manner, the wheel stopper portion 5 is formed into a U-shape by the first restricting portion 51, the second restricting portion 52 and the reinforcing portion 53. The reinforcing portions 53, 53 of the left and right wheel stopper portions 5, 5 provided for holding the pair of wheels restrict the movement of the wheels in the left and right direction.

[0076] Next, a method for loading three vehicles 200 (200a, 200b, 200c) into the container 100 using the vehicle holding device 10 will be described with reference to Figs. The loading method here includes not only the process of loading the vehicle 200 but also the process of unloading the vehicle 200. In the following description, loading the vehicle 200 into the container 100 is also referred to as "vanning," and unloading the vehicle 200 is also referred to as "devanning."

[0077] Each process of vanning a plurality of vehicles 200 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9A, the first jig 11 is carried into the container 100 by a forklift 400. At this time, the first jig 11 is placed on the forks 401 of the forklift 400.

[0078] The first jig 11 brought in by the forklift 400 is placed on the floor surface 107 with the abutment member 211 in contact with the inner surface 102a of the front wall 102, as shown in FIG. 9B.

[0079] Thereafter, the slope 13 is disposed adjacent to the front wheel rest portion 22 so that the rear side surface of the slope 13 contacts the front side surface of the front wheel rest portion 22. At this time, the first member 131, the second member 132, and the third member 133 are brought into the container 100, and the slope 13 is formed by disposing each member in order.

[0080] After the slope 13 is placed, as shown in Fig. 10A, the first vehicle 200a is carried into the container 100. The first vehicle 200a moves inside the container 100 by self-propelling. The front wheels 203a moving along the floor surface 107 run up the inclined surface 13a of the slope 13 and stop moving at a position where they come into contact with the first holding portion 242 of the first jig 11. At this time, the movement of the front wheels 203a in the moving direction is restricted by the first holding portion 242.

[0081] 10B, a nail 265 is driven into the mounting member 263 protruding from the storage section 250 of the front-wheel placement section 22 to attach the second holding section 264. By attaching the second holding section 264, the movement of the front wheel 203a in the backward direction is restricted. The front wheel 203a is held by the first holding section 242 and the second holding section 264.

[0082] At this time, the slope 13 arranged on the floor surface 107 is removed. At this time, the first member 131, the second member 132, and the third member 133 are carried in order, respectively, to remove the slope 13.

[0083] Although the second holding part 264 can be attached and the slope 13 can be removed in either order, it is safer to remove the slope 13 when the second holding part 264 is attached and the rearward movement of the front wheels 203a is restricted. Also, the slope 13 can be left in place, but since there is a risk that the slope 13 may move during transportation of the container 100, it is preferable to remove it when loading the first vehicle 200a.

[0084] Furthermore, although not shown in this figure, first fixing members 23, 23 are fixed to the front side of the restricting protrusions 215, 215 of the first jig 11 (see FIG. 2B). The first fixing members 23, 23 are attached by driving nails into the floor surface 107. As a result, the first jig 11 is held between the inner surface 102a of the container 100 and the first fixing members 23, 23.

[0085] 11A, the second jig 12 is brought into the container 100 and temporarily placed behind the chassis 202a of the first vehicle 200a with the top surface 317 in contact with the floor surface 107. Since the second jig 12 is U-shaped (see FIG. 7), when the top surface 317 is placed on the floor surface 107, the chassis 202a can be stored between the left and right supports 32, 32.

[0086] 11B, the forklift 400 having the chassis support 402 attached to the fork 401 is advanced into the container 100. At this time, the chassis support 402 is positioned at the tip side of the fork 401. The chassis support 402 is used for the purpose of lifting the rear end 205a of the chassis 202a to a required height without the upper end of the fork 401 hitting the ceiling of the container 100 when the fork 401 is raised. In other words, the height of the chassis support 402 is set so that the upper end of the fork 401 is lower than the ceiling of the container 100 when the rear end 205a is lifted to the required height.

[0087] The chassis support 402 is placed against the rear end 205a of the chassis 202a, and the fork 401 is raised in this state. As a result, in the container 100, the rear end 205a of the chassis 202a of the first vehicle 200a is raised with the rotation shaft of the front wheel 203a as a fulcrum. Note that the handbrake of the first vehicle 200a is not applied here so that the movement of the rotation shaft of the front wheel 203 is not restricted.

[0088] While keeping the rear end 205a raised to a predetermined height by the chassis support 402, the second jig 12 that was temporarily placed is reset to the correct upside-down position, i.e., with the bottom surface 316 in contact with the floor surface 107.

[0089] Then, after adjusting the position of the second jig 12, the fork 401 is lowered, and the rear end portion 215a of the chassis 202a that was raised is lowered so that the rear wheels 204a, 204a of the first vehicle 200a are placed on the wheel receiving rails 314, 315 provided on the top surface 317 of the second jig 12. As a result, the rear wheels 204a, 204a are held by the second jig 12.

[0090] Although not shown in the drawings, lashing work is performed on the first vehicle 200a at this time. Here, a fastener such as a rope is used to fasten predetermined portions near the front wheels 203a, 203a to the bottom wall 103 of the container 100. Also, predetermined portions near the rear wheels 204a, 204a are fastened to the bottom wall 103 of the container 100 using fasteners. Furthermore, a predetermined portion of the rear end portion 205a of the chassis 202a is fastened to the top wall 104 using fasteners.

[0091] After the forklift 400 has finished lowering the rear end 205a of the chassis 202a, it moves backwards to exit the container 100.

[0092] When loading of the first vehicle 200a is completed as described above, the second vehicle 200b is brought in while moving backwards under its own power, as shown in Fig. 12A. At this time, the rear end 205b of the chassis 202b is brought into the space formed between the chassis 202a and the floor surface 107.

[0093] In order to hold the second vehicle 200b that has been brought in, third jigs 14, 14 are attached to the front wheels 203b, 203b, and fourth jigs 15, 15 are attached to the rear wheels 204b, 204b, as shown in FIG. 12B. The third jig 14 and the fourth jig 15 use wheel stoppers 5 (see FIG. 8), and the front wheel 203b and the rear wheel 204b are held by the wheel stoppers 5. Here, the first restricting portion 51 and the second restricting portion 52 are arranged on the rear and front sides of the front wheel 203d (rear wheel 204b), respectively, and are attached to the floor surface 107 together with the reinforcing portion 53 by nailing.

[0094] Although not shown in the drawings, lashing work is now performed on the second vehicle 200b. As with the first vehicle 200a, fasteners are used to fasten predetermined portions near the front wheels 203b, 203b to the bottom wall 103 of the container 100. Similarly, fasteners are used to fasten predetermined portions near the rear wheels 204b, 204b to the bottom wall 103 of the container 100.

[0095] When the loading of the second vehicle 200b is completed as described above, the third vehicle 200c is brought in while moving backwards under its own power, as shown in Fig. 13A. Then, in order to hold the brought-in third vehicle 200c, fifth jigs 16, 16 are attached to the front wheels 203c, 203c, and sixth jigs 17, 17 are attached to the rear wheels 204c, 204c, as shown in Fig. 13B. The fifth jig 16 and the sixth jig 17 are provided with wheel stoppers 5 (see FIG. 8), and the front wheel 203c and the rear wheel 204c are held by the wheel stoppers 5, respectively. Although not shown in the drawings, lashing work is performed on the third vehicle 200c in the same manner as for the second vehicle 200b.

[0096] As a result, the three vehicles 200 (200a, 200b, 200c) are loaded into the container 100, and the vanning process is completed.

[0097] Next, each process of devanning a plurality of vehicles 200 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0098] First, the ties attached to the third vehicle 200c are cut, and the fifth jig 16 and the sixth jig 17 holding the front wheel 203c and the rear wheel 204c are removed as shown in Fig. 14A. The fifth jig 16 and the sixth jig 17 are removed by removing the nails that were driven in when they were attached from the floor surface 107. Then, as shown in Fig. 14B, the third vehicle 200c is unloaded from the container 100 by moving forward under its own power.

[0099] After the third vehicle 200c is unloaded, the lashing ties for the second vehicle 200b are cut, and the third and fourth jigs 14 and 15 holding the front and rear wheels 203b and 204b are removed as shown in Fig. 15A. Then, the second vehicle 200b is unloaded outside the container 100 by moving forward under its own power as shown in Fig. 15B.

[0100] After the second vehicle 200b has been unloaded, the second fixing member 24 and the third fixing member 25 that had been holding the second jig 12 are removed (see FIG. 2B). The second fixing member 24 and the third fixing member 25 are removed by removing the nails that were driven in during installation from the floor surface 107. Then, of the fasteners (not shown) fastening the first vehicle 200a, the fasteners fastened to the bottom wall 103 are cut. At this time, in order to prevent the chassis 202a from falling during the work, the fasteners fastening the rear end portion 205a to the top wall 104 are left uncut.

[0101] 16A, the second holding portion 264 that has restricted the forward movement of the front wheel 203a in the first jig 11 is removed. Here, the second holding portion 264 can be easily removed by removing the nail from the mounting member 163 stored in the storage portion 250.

[0102] Then, the slope 13 is disposed adjacent to the front wheel rest section 22 so that its rear side surface is in contact with the front side surface of the front wheel rest section 22. At this time, a worker brings a first member 131, a second member 132, and a third member 133 into the container 100, and the slope 13 is formed by arranging each member in order.

[0103] After the slope 13 is positioned, as shown in Fig. 17A, a forklift 400 having a chassis support 402 attached to a fork 401 is moved forward and entered into the container 100. The fork 401 is raised and the chassis support 402 is brought into contact with the rear end 205a of the chassis 202a, whereby the first vehicle 200a is supported while maintaining the height of the rear end 205a.

[0104] While keeping the rear end 205a supported by the chassis support 402, the fastener fastening the rear end 205a to the top wall 104 is cut. Then, the second jig 12 that was temporarily placed is removed and repositioned upside down, that is, with the top surface 317 in contact with the floor surface 107, closer to the front than the rear end 205a.

[0105] Since the second jig 12 is U-shaped (see FIG. 7), when the top surface 317 is placed on the floor surface 107, the fork 401 can be stored between the left and right supports 32, 32. Thereafter, by lowering the fork 401, the rear end portion 205a of the chassis 202a is lowered so that the rotation axis of the front wheel 203a serves as a fulcrum, and the rear wheel 204a is brought into contact with the floor surface 107 of the container 100.

[0106] Thereafter, the forklift 400 is driven backward under its own power to withdraw from the container 100, and the second jig 12 is carried out of the container 100. Then, the first vehicle 200a is driven backward under its own power as shown in Fig. 18. At this time, the front wheels 203a running on the placement surface 235 of the first jig 11 are guided to the floor surface 107 by the inclined surface 13a of the slope 13, and are unloaded outside the container 100 as shown in Fig. 18B.

[0107] When loading and unloading of the first vehicle 200a is completed, the slope 13 arranged on the floor surface 107 is removed. At this time, the slope 13 is removed by carrying the first member 131, the second member 132, and the third member 133 in order.

[0108] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 19A, a forklift 400 moves into the container 100 under its own power, places the first jig 11 on the forks 401, and carries it out of the container 100.

[0109] As a result, as shown in FIG. 19B, the three vehicles 200 (200a, 200b, 200c) loaded in the container 100 are unloaded, and the devanning process is completed.

[0110] According to the above embodiment, the vehicle holding device 10 includes a first fixture 11 having a front wheel mounting portion 22 that holds the front wheel 203a of the first vehicle 200a brought into the container 100, and a second fixture 12 having a rear wheel mounting portion 31 that holds the rear wheel 204a of the first vehicle 200a (see Figures 2, 3 and 7).

[0111] Here, it is desirable that the rear wheel rest section 31 is positioned higher in the height direction of the container 100 than the chassis 202b of the second vehicle 200b loaded into the container 100 after the first vehicle 200a, and that the front wheel rest section 22 is positioned higher than the floor surface 107 and lower than the rear wheel rest section 31 in the height direction of the container 100 (see Figure 2).

[0112] By placing the rear wheels 204b of the first vehicle 200a on the rear wheel placement section 31, a space is formed between the chassis 202a and the floor surface 107 into which the chassis 202b of the second vehicle 200b can be carried.

[0113] Furthermore, the position where the front wheels 203a are placed is separated from the floor surface 107 by the first jig 11, so that the space formed between the chassis 202a and the floor surface 107 is further increased in the vertical direction. This allows the rear end portion 205b of the chassis 202b to be brought further into the container 100, and ensures a space in the front-rear direction in the container 100 for carrying in the third vehicle 200c.

[0114] On the other hand, in an example where the jig 1 holding the front wheel 203a of the first vehicle 200a is not separated from the floor surface 107 of the container 100 and the front wheel 203a is held in abutting contact with the floor surface 107 as in the comparative example shown in Fig. 20, the rear end portion 205b of the second vehicle 200b cannot be brought sufficiently deep into the container. Therefore, a space in the front-rear direction in the container 100 for carrying in the third vehicle 200c is not secured, and even if the third vehicle 200c is brought in, a part of the cabin 201c protrudes by a length M from the opening 101 of the container 100, and it cannot be loaded.

[0115] In contrast to this, in the vehicle holding device 10 of the present embodiment, by providing height to the first jig 11 as described above, more space is secured in the fore-and-aft direction of the container 100 than in the comparative example, and loading of the third vehicle 200c is realized as shown in FIG. 2A.

[0116] In this way, it is possible to load three vehicles 200 (200a, 200b, 200c) in the container 100 instead of the conventional two, thereby making it possible to reduce the transportation cost of the container 100 and improve the transportation efficiency. For example, in the vehicle holding device 10 of this embodiment, when three vehicles 200 each having a total length of 4710 mm are loaded onto a container 100 having a length of 12035 mm in the front-rear direction, it is preferable to set the height of the first jig 11 to 370 mm and the height of the second jig 12 to 900 mm, while the height of the container 100 in the vertical direction is 2696 mm. In this case, the height of the second jig 12 is higher than one-third the height of the container 100, and the height of the first jig 11 is higher than one-eighth the height of the container 100.

[0117] In addition, in the vehicle holding device 10 of this embodiment, it is desirable to provide a slope 13 formed to guide the front wheel 203a of the first vehicle 200a from the floor 107 of the container 100 to the front wheel placement section 22, thereby enabling portability (see Figures 2 and 6).

[0118] As a result, the front wheel 203a can be moved by self-propelling the first vehicle 200a onto the front wheel placement portion 22 of the first jig 11, which is provided with a height for the above-mentioned reasons. In addition, since the ramp 13 is portable, it can be removed as necessary so as not to get in the way when loading the vehicles 200 (200a, 200b, 200c) into the container 100.

[0119] In the vehicle holding device 10 of this embodiment, the slope 13 is preferably formed of a plurality of members (for example, a first member 131, a second member 132, and a third member 133) (see Figs. 2 and 6).

[0120] This allows the slope 13 to be removed individually. When the first vehicle 200a is carried into the container 100, the width in the left-right direction between the side of the first vehicle 200a and the left side wall 105 (right side wall 106) of the container 100 is very narrow. Therefore, by dividing the slope 13 into individual components so that they can be removed, removal can be easily performed. In addition, the slope 13 can be divided and carried in a lightweight state, thereby reducing the burden on the user when carrying it.

[0121] In the vehicle holding device 10 of this embodiment, the slope 13 is preferably made of laminated cardboard (see Figs. 2 and 6).

[0122] The laminated cardboard is strong enough to withstand the weight of the first vehicle 200a, and is also lightweight, so that the ramp 13 can be easily transported and installed in the container 100. Furthermore, when laminated cardboard is used, friction occurs on the contact surfaces of the first member 131, the second member 132, and the third member 133 when they are arranged side by side, making it difficult for the members to slip out of place. Therefore, it is possible to install the ramp 13 without having to provide a mechanism for connecting the members together.

[0123] The material of the slope 13 is not limited to laminated cardboard, and metal, synthetic resin, etc. may be used. However, metal tends to be heavy and may be a burden when carried, and synthetic resin may crack due to the weight of the first vehicle 200a. Also, unlike laminated cardboard, a mechanism must be provided separately to connect the components of the slope 13 when installing them. For these reasons, it is desirable to use laminated cardboard for the slope 13.

[0124] In addition, in the vehicle holding device 10 of this embodiment, it is desirable that the front wheel mounting section 22 comprises a metal base section 232 for mounting the front wheel 203a of the first vehicle 200a, a first holding section 242 located in the forward direction of the front wheel 203a mounted on the base section 232 and restricting movement of the front wheel 203a in the forward direction, a wooden second holding section 264 located in the backward direction of the front wheel 203a mounted on the base section 232 and restricting movement of the front wheel 203a in the backward direction, a wooden mounting member 262 to which the second holding section 264 is detachably attached, and a metal storage section 250 located in the backward direction of the front wheel 203a mounted on the base section 232 and in which the mounting member 262 is stored (see Figures 4 and 5).

[0125] As a result, the mounting member 262 stored in the storage section 250 is exposed on the upper surface of the front wheel support section 22, and the second retaining section 264 attached to the exposed mounting member 262 restricts the movement of the front wheel 203a of the first vehicle 200a in the backward direction.

[0126] Since the first vehicle 200a needs to move backwards when loading and unloading, it is desirable for the second holding part 264 to be easily attached and detached. However, since the platform part 232 is made of metal, it is difficult to make the second holding part 264 easily attached and detached.

[0127] Therefore, the second holding portion 264 is made of a wooden member, a storage portion 250 is provided at a position where the second holding portion 264 is attached, and a wooden mounting member 262 is stored in the storage portion 250. As a result, when holding the first vehicle 200a, for example, the second holding portion 264 is attached to the mounting member 262 by driving a nail 265 (see FIG. 5), and when moving the first vehicle 200a, the front wheel 203a can be moved by removing the nail 265. Therefore, it is easy to restrict and release the movement of the front wheel 203a.

[0128] The loading method in this embodiment includes the steps of: using the vehicle holding device 10, arranging the first jig 11 so as to contact the inner wall (the inner surface 102a of the front wall 102) on the far side of the container 100; arranging the slope 13 so as to be continuous with the front wheel rest 22; and moving the front wheels 203a of the first vehicle 200a from the floor surface 107 to the front wheel rest 22 via the slope 13, and holding the front wheels 203a of the first vehicle 200a by the front wheel rest 22. The method includes the steps of: lifting the rear wheel 204a and placing it on the rear wheel placing portion 31, thereby holding the rear wheel 204a by the rear wheel placing portion 31; inserting the rear end portion 205b of the chassis 202b of the second vehicle 200b into the space formed between the floor surface 107 and the chassis 202a of the first vehicle 200a; and holding the front wheel 203b of the second vehicle 200b with a third jig 14 and holding the rear wheel 204b with a fourth jig 15.

[0129] According to this loading method, the rear end 205b of the chassis 202b can be brought further into the container 100, and a space in the front-rear direction of the container 100 can be secured for carrying in the third vehicle 200c. Therefore, it becomes possible to load three vehicles 200 (200a, 200b, 200c) in the container 100, which is more than the conventional two vehicles, and it is possible to reduce the transportation cost of the container 100 and improve the transportation efficiency.

[0130] Finally, the effects described in the present embodiment are merely examples and are not limiting, and other effects may be achieved, or only a part of the effects may be achieved. Furthermore, not all of the combinations of the configurations described in the present embodiment are necessarily essential to solving the problem. [Explanation of symbols]

[0131] Vehicle holding device 10 First jig 11 Second jig 12 Slope 13 Front wheel rest 22 Rear wheel rest 31 Container 100 Floor 107 Vehicle 200 First car 200a Second car 200b Third car 200c Chassis 202, 202a, 202b, 202c Front wheel 203,203a,203b,203c Rear wheel 204,204a,204b,204c Mounting section 232 First holding part 242 Storage area 250 Mounting material 262 Second holding part 264

Claims

1. a first jig having a front wheel placement portion for holding a front wheel of a first vehicle carried into a container; a second jig having a rear wheel placement portion for holding a rear wheel of the first vehicle, the rear wheel placement portion is located at a position higher than a chassis of a second vehicle loaded into the container behind the first vehicle in a height direction of the container, The front wheel rest portion is located higher than the floor surface of the container and lower than the rear wheel rest portion in the height direction of the container. Vehicle retention device.

2. A slope is formed from the floor surface of the container to the front wheel placement section to guide the front wheels of the first vehicle, and the container is provided with a slope for enabling transportation.

2. The vehicle support device according to claim 1.

3. The slope is formed by a plurality of members.

3. A vehicle support device according to claim 2.

4. The slope is formed of laminated cardboard.

4. A vehicle support device according to claim 3.

5. The front wheel placement portion is a metal frame portion on which a front wheel of the first vehicle is placed; a first holding portion located on a side of a traveling direction of a front wheel of the first vehicle placed on the mounting portion and configured to restrict movement of the front wheel in the traveling direction; a second holding portion made of wood, the second holding portion being positioned in a rearward direction of a front wheel of the first vehicle placed on the base portion and configured to restrict movement of the front wheel in the rearward direction; a wooden mounting member to which the second holding portion is detachably attached; a metal storage section that is located in the rearward direction of a front wheel of the first vehicle placed on the mounting section and that stores the mounting member therein; 2. The vehicle support device according to claim 1.

6. a first jig having a front wheel mounting portion for holding the front wheels of a first vehicle brought into a container, a second jig having a rear wheel mounting portion for holding the rear wheels of the first vehicle, a portable ramp having a slope formed thereon for guiding the front wheels of the first vehicle from the floor of the container to the front wheel mounting portion, a third jig for holding the front wheels of a second vehicle, and a fourth jig for holding the rear wheels of the second vehicle, wherein the rear wheel mounting portion is positioned higher in the height direction of the container than a chassis of the second vehicle loaded into the container after the first vehicle, and the front wheel mounting portion is positioned higher in the height direction of the container than the floor of the container and lower than the rear wheel mounting portion, placing the first jig in contact with an inner wall of the container; placing the ramp adjacent to the front wheel rest portion; a step of moving a front wheel of the first vehicle from a floor surface of the container to the front wheel rest portion via the slope and holding the front wheel of the first vehicle by the front wheel rest portion; a step of lifting a rear wheel of the first vehicle and placing it on the rear wheel placement portion, thereby holding the rear wheel of the first vehicle by the rear wheel placement portion; inserting a rear end of the chassis of the second vehicle into a space formed between a floor surface of the container and the chassis of the first vehicle; holding a front wheel of the second vehicle by the third jig and holding a rear wheel of the second vehicle by the fourth jig. Loading method.

Images