Winch device

Abstract

To provide a winch device having a compact structure, thereby improving portability in a transportation device.SOLUTION: A winch device 10 is mounted on the end of a loading platform 42 on the side where cargo 32 is loaded and unloaded, and includes a winch 11 which winds up a towing member 22 and is connected to the towing member 22 to laterally pull the cargo 32 loaded on the loading platform 42, and a stopper 24 which extends downward from the winch 11 and is dropped downward along the end face of the end of the loading platform 42.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a winch device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as a device for unloading cargo on the floor surface of the loading platform of a transportation device such as a truck by pulling the cargo from the rear end (tail) of the loading platform with a winch, an unloading device such as that described in Patent Document 1 is known. In this disclosure, the transportation device means a device that has a loading platform on which cargo is placed and is used for transportation on which unloading work can be performed, including not only transportation vehicles such as trucks but also, for example, ships, freight cars, containers, etc.

[0003] In Patent Document 1, a winch is fixed to a loading platform with casters. The loading platform is pressed against the rear end of the loading platform, and the rear end of the loading platform receives the reaction force during towing, and the winch pulls the cargo from the loading platform toward the loading platform. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-124735 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the unloading device of Patent Document 1 does not directly and detachably mount the winch on the bed of the truck. In addition, since the unloading device of Patent Document 1 is a device that uses casters to move close to the bed from the outside of the truck, in order to align the winch with the height of the cargo on the truck bed, the unloading platform itself needs to be as high as the bed. As a result, the unloading platform is bulky. This requires a relatively large occupied space, which makes it difficult to load the device onto the truck itself and carry it around, i.e., there is a problem that portability by truck is low.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a winch device having a compact structure that can be easily carried on a transportation device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The winch device of the present invention is placed on the end of the loading platform where cargo is loaded and unloaded (hereinafter referred to as the "loading platform end"), and comprises a winch that winds up a towing member and is connected to the towing member to pull cargo loaded on the loading platform sideways, and a stopper that extends downward from the winch and is dropped downward along the end face of the loading platform end. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, the compact structure improves portability on a transportation device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view illustrating an overall view of a winch device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the configuration of the winch device according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a method for fixing a spool and a towing member of the winch device according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a plan view for explaining a method for unloading a load using a winch device according to the present embodiment (part 1). [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view for explaining a method for unloading a load using the winch device according to the present embodiment (part 2). [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is a plan view for explaining a method for unloading a load using the winch device according to the present embodiment (part 3). [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a method for unloading a load using the winch device according to the present embodiment (part 4). [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating the configuration of a winch device according to a first modified example. [Figure 9]FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating the configuration of a winch device according to a second modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a side view illustrating the configuration of a winch device according to a third modified example. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a plan view illustrating a sliding state of the winch device according to the third modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 11. The drawings used in the following description are all schematic, and the dimensional relationship of each element, the ratio of each element, and the like shown in the drawings do not necessarily match the actual ones. Furthermore, the dimensional relationship of each element, the ratio of each element, and the like between multiple drawings do not necessarily match. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified in the specification, each element is not limited to one, and may be present in multiples. Furthermore, in the drawings, substantially the same elements are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations in the specification are omitted.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the inventor noticed that in some cases, a step portion 44 for positioning a rear door 46 of the loading platform 42 is formed between the floor surface 42A of the loading platform 42 of a truck shown as a transportation device 40 and a surface (hereinafter referred to as the "end surface 42B") that perpendicularly intersects with the surface of the loading platform end (floor surface 42A).

[0012] In other words, in such a truck, a step 44 is interposed between the floor surface 42A of the loading platform 42 and the end surface 42B, which is the rear side surface, and they are not continuous, and the position of the flat floor surface 42A of the loading platform 42 on which the luggage 32 is actually placed is higher by the step height of the step 44 than the upper end position of the end surface 42B, which is exposed to the outside.

[0013] As a result of intensive research, the inventor has devised a new winch device that utilizes this step, and further developed it to devise a new winch device according to the present invention that can be used with transportation devices that have an end face that intersects with the end of the loading platform at a right angle, even if the transportation devices do not have a step, such as wing-type trucks, sliding-door containers, freight cars, etc. The present embodiment described below is one example of an embodiment according to the present invention.

[0014] <Winch device structure> The winch device 10 of this embodiment has as its components a rotating shaft 12, a housing 14, a spool 16 (the spool is also called a drum), a reducer 18, a manual handle 20, a pulling member 22, and a stopper 24.

[0015] The components included in the winch 11 are the rotating shaft 12 as an input section for the traction power, the housing 14 as a case for protecting and mounting the members, the spool 16 as a device for winding up the towing member, the reducer 18 as a device for reducing the rotational speed of the rotating shaft by a combination of gears to amplify the rotational torque, and the manual handle 20 as a source of the traction power. In this embodiment, the winch device 10 is attached to a truck having a step section 44 as a transportation device 40. That is, the winch device 10 is placed on the end of the bed on the side where the load 32 is loaded and unloaded. The winch device 10 is connected to a pallet 30 loaded on the bed 42 of the truck, thereby towing the load 32 during unloading work.

[0016] (palette) The pallet 30 used in this embodiment is a forklift pallet with a fork insertion port and its dimensions are the JIS standard of 1100 mm x 1100 mm x 144 mm, but the structure and dimensions of the pallet using the winch device of the present invention are not limited to this and can be any as long as it can be mounted on a transportation device and can be pulled horizontally on a loading platform. For example, it may be a sheet pallet, or it may be bulk cargo that is not mounted on a pallet, etc., if the cargo has a handle to which a towing member can be connected, such as by rope wrapping, etc.

[0017] In addition, the width along the width direction (left and right direction in Figure 4) of the loading platform 42 of the transportation device 40 in this embodiment is sufficient to line up two rows of JIS standard size pallets 30 horizontally with ample space to spare, but the width of the transportation device that unloads using the winch device of the present invention is not limited to this, and is left to the specifications of the transportation device as long as the transportation device has a loading platform and end faces at the end of the loading platform.

[0018] (Stepped part) In this embodiment, a step portion 44 is formed between a floor surface 42A and an end surface 42B of a loading platform 42 of the transportation device 40. When the transportation device 40 is moving for transportation, a rear door 46 of the loading platform 42 is usually disposed at the position of the step portion 44, and during loading and unloading of luggage, the rear door 46 is opened to expose the step portion 44. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the step portion 44 formed between the floor surface 42A and the end surface 42B of the loading platform 42. The step portion 44 has a bottom surface 44A and a rising surface 44B.

[0019] In this embodiment, the width of the bottom surface 44A of the step portion 44 is equal to the width of the truck as the transportation device 40, the depth of the bottom surface 44A is equal to the thickness of the rear door 46 of the truck, and the height of the rising surface 44B is equal to the height of the rising surface 44B of the truck. Note that in the present invention, the dimensions of the bottom surface and the rising surface of the step portion basically follow the standard specifications of the transportation device to be used, but this does not prevent the dimensions from being different from the standard specifications due to custom specifications.

[0020] In this embodiment, the bottom surface 44A is a horizontal surface, but in the present invention, it is not limited to a strictly horizontal surface, and may be, for example, an inclined surface. In addition, in this embodiment, the rising surface 44B is a vertical surface, but in the present invention, it is not limited to a strictly vertical surface, and may be, for example, an inclined surface that approaches the end surface 42B side (left side in FIG. 2) as it goes from the lower side to the upper side. In addition, in this embodiment, the step portion 44 is formed by one bottom surface 44A and one rising surface 44B, but in the present invention, the step portion 44 may be divided into any number of pieces along the width direction.

[0021] In this embodiment, the winch 11 is placed (mounted) on the rear end of the bed 42 of the truck, winds up the towing member 22, and laterally pulls the cargo 32 connected to the towing member 22 and loaded on the bed 42. In addition, the stopper 24, which is a component of the winch 11, extends below the bottom surface of the housing 14 of the winch 11 and is dropped into a step 44 at the rear end of the bed 42. The winch device 10 according to this embodiment will be specifically described below.

[0022] (Overall overview of the winch device) In this embodiment, the overall size of the winch device 10 is approximately the same as that shown in Fig. 1 in comparison with the overall size of the truck serving as the transport device 40, but in the present invention, the overall size of the winch device can be appropriately set as long as it can be placed (mounted) on the floor surface of the end of the loading platform where loading and unloading of cargo is performed (hereinafter referred to as the "loading platform end"). It is preferable to make the overall size of the winch device as small as possible so that it fits within a range that can be easily handled by an operator. Also, if the loading platform of the transport device has a ceiling, the height of the top of the winch device when placed at the loading platform end must fit within a range that does not interfere with the ceiling.

[0023] 1 in comparison with the overall size of the truck serving as the transport device 40, in the present invention, the overall width of the winch device can be set as appropriate as long as it can be placed on the floor surface of the end of the loading platform. However, as will be described later, a modified version of this embodiment has been proposed in which the winch device is moved or slid along the width direction, and in this case, it is preferable that the overall width of the winch device is set to such an extent that when the winch device is slid to one end of the transport device in the width direction, at least a width that allows for unloading with a forklift remains.

[0024] In the present invention, the material of each component of the winch device may be appropriately selected from, for example, metal, resin, etc., as long as it has the strength to withstand the external force applied when towing a load. Furthermore, each component of the winch device can be fixed by any fixing means, for example, screws, welding, etc., depending on the combination of the respective materials.

[0025] (rotation axis) In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 12 of the winch 11 is a cylindrical member. A manual handle 20 that is held by an operator is attached to the upper end of the rotating shaft 12. When the rotating shaft 12 is rotated by the manual handle 20, an input rotation is applied to the reducer 18 that is connected to the lower end of the rotating shaft 12. The manual handle 20 is provided above the upper surface of the housing 14 and is directly connected to the gear shaft of the input gear of the reducer 18 via the rotating shaft 12, and is capable of circular motion around the rotating shaft 12 in a horizontal plane.

[0026] In addition, in this embodiment, the manual handle 20 is operated so as to rotate around the rotating shaft 12 to drive the rotational motion of the rotating shaft 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a ratchet mechanism may be provided at the connection part between the rotating shaft and the manual handle, and the rotational motion of the rotating shaft may be driven by repeatedly rotating the manual handle partially.

[0027] In addition, in this embodiment, the rotating shaft 12 and the manual handle 20 are connected by providing a horizontal through hole at the upper end of the rotating shaft 12 and a vertical through hole at the top of the rotating shaft 12 that reaches the horizontal through hole, and further providing a plurality of engagement holes at intervals on the upper surface of the arm part of the manual handle 20 (the surface that is on the upper side when the handle part of the manual handle 20 is stood vertically), and the manual handle 20 is inserted into the horizontal through holes so that the length from the grip part of the arm part of the manual handle 20 to the rotating shaft 12 is appropriate according to the load of the luggage to be towed, and then a locking pin is inserted into the vertical through hole and dropped into the locking hole of the arm part, thereby removably fixing the manual handle 20 to the rotating shaft 12.

[0028] However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the head of the rotating shaft may be shaped like a hexagonal prism similar to the shape of the head of a nut, and the tip of the arm of the manual handle may be provided with a structure similar to a socket wrench that fits into the hexagonal prism of the head of the rotating shaft, and the socket portion may be fitted into the hexagonal prism part of the head of the rotating shaft, thereby allowing the manual handle to be detachably fixed to the rotating shaft.

[0029] In addition, in the present invention, for example, a paradox planetary gear mechanism can be used as the reducer. By using the paradox planetary gear mechanism, a relatively large output rotation can be obtained even when the input rotation is human power via a manual handle, and since the drive shaft and output shaft are arranged in a straight line, the winch device can be made smaller, which also helps to reduce the weight of the winch device.

[0030] In addition, in this embodiment, the winch device 10 is driven by applying torque as an input rotation to the rotating shaft 12 by manipulating the manual handle 20 by human power, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the winch device 10 may be driven using, for example, a power generating device or tool that can apply torque to the rotating shaft 12, such as an electric motor equipped with an appropriate rotation control device, an electric wrench, etc.

[0031] (Housing and handwheel) In this embodiment, the housing 14 supports the rotating shaft 12 so as to be freely rotatable. A reduction gear 18 is installed in the upper space of the housing 14, and a spool 16 is installed in the lower space. The housing 14 is disposed on the floor surface 42A of the loading platform 42, and the bottom surface of the housing 14 is in contact with the floor surface 42A. In this embodiment, the outer shape of the housing 14 is a box shape surrounded by a plate-like member all around, but in the present invention, it is not limited to this, and for example, it may be a shelf shape composed of one plate-like member or multiple plate-like members without having a plate-like member surrounding the entire circumference. In addition, in this embodiment, the material of the housing 14 is resin, but in the present invention, the material of the housing is not limited to this, and may be appropriately selected from metals and the like within a range that has the required robustness. When the material of the housing 14 is resin, the winch device is lighter in weight and workability is improved compared to when the material is metal.

[0032] In this embodiment, the housing 14 is a cube with approximately equal sides. The manual handle 20 is composed of a vertically standing, approximately cylindrical grip and a horizontally extending, prismatic arm. However, the length from the grip of the arm of the manual handle 20 to the rotating shaft 12 can be adjusted as needed so that the arm can be inserted into a lateral through-hole provided at the upper end of the rotating shaft 12 and fixed at any position, so that an appropriate rotation torque can be applied to the rotating shaft 12 according to the load of the towed baggage. In the present invention, the shapes and dimensions of the housing 14 and the manual handle 20 are not limited to these and can be set as needed.

[0033] (Anti-slip material) In this embodiment, the anti-slip member 26 is disposed between the floor surface 42A and the housing 14. By disposing the anti-slip member 26, the stability of the winch device 10 is increased when it is disposed on the floor surface 42A. The material of the anti-slip member 26 in this embodiment is a rubber sheet, but the present invention is not limited to this and any material that increases frictional force can be appropriately selected. Note that the anti-slip member is not essential to the present invention.

[0034] (spool) In this embodiment, the spool 16 is rotatably installed inside the housing 14. The spool 16 is attached to one end of the rotating shaft 12 (the lower space of the housing 14 in FIG. 2) via the reducer 18. The spool 16 is installed below the reducer 18, and the rotating shaft of the spool 16 is directly connected to a gear shaft of an output gear (not shown) of the reducer 18 that protrudes downward, and winds up the towing member 22. Note that, in this embodiment, the reducer 18 is rotatably installed inside the housing 14, but in the present invention, the reducer is not essential when the load to be towed is light or when the rotational torque applied to the rotating shaft 12 is sufficiently large.

[0035] (Traction member) In this embodiment, the towing member 22 has one end (the left end in FIG. 2) attached and fixed to the substantially cylindrical core portion (not shown) of the spool 16, and is connected to the load 32 by engaging an engaging portion (not shown) provided on the other end (the right end in FIG. 2) with an engaged portion (not shown) on the load 32. As the towing member 22 in this embodiment, a belt is used as shown in the state of being wound around the spool 16 in FIG. 2, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any towing member of any shape and material may be used as long as it is elongated and bendable so as to be wound around the spool and has the required tensile strength, such as a wire, rope, steel cable, chain, etc.

[0036] 3, in this embodiment, one end of the pulling member 22 is fixed to the core 16A of the spool 16 by cutting a portion of the periphery of the cylindrical core 16A in the lengthwise direction to make it flat, providing three screw holes in the flat portion (flat portion 16A1), and folding back one end of the belt of the pulling member 22 to double it up to form the doubled portion 22A. Also, the unity of the doubled portion 22A is improved by sewing it with a sewing portion 23 made of, for example, resin thread.

[0037] Then, in the double portion 22A, screw holes are provided at positions (portions) facing the screw holes provided in the core portion 16A, for example, by melting, and the screw holes of the belt are aligned with the screw holes of the core portion 16A, and the belt is fixed to the flat portion (flat portion 16A1) by screws 17 as fixing devices. This method provides a stronger fixation than, for example, a fixing method in which the belt end is attached to the surface of the core portion 16A with an adhesive, and there is little risk of the belt coming off the core portion 16A even if a strong force is applied to the belt when pulling a heavy object.

[0038] In this embodiment, even if the belt of the towing member 22 is wound around the core 16A in multiple layers, the thickness of the doubled portion of the periphery of the core 16A is reduced by the flat portion 16A1, so that the wound belt can be prevented from protruding above the doubled portion from the other portions. This stabilizes the operation of the winch device 10 during winding. In the present invention, the doubled portion 22A of the belt, the sewn portion 23, and the flat portion 16A1 of the core 16A are not essential, and only a part of these may be used.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 3, the head of the screw 17 has a flat portion 17A formed at the top, which has a surface perpendicular to the axial direction. The bottom of the head is, for example, hemispherical (dome) or truncated cone. Therefore, a corner 17B is formed at the boundary between the top and bottom of the head. When the belt is wound around the screw, the corner 17B bites into the belt, making it difficult for the wound belt to loosen. Note that the corner is not essential in the present invention.

[0040] In the present invention, the towing member may be directly tied to the leg of the pallet, or may be connected via a towing aid such as a hook. The towing member may be connected to the pallet at a position on the pallet, for example, at one leg in the center of the width of the pallet, or at both legs on the left and right in the width direction, or at any part of the wall or top surface of the pallet 30, and the connection position on the pallet is arbitrary. When cargo is placed on the sheet pallet, the towing member may be connected to the sheet pallet via a towing aid that clamps the end of the sheet pallet.

[0041] (stopper) In this embodiment, the stopper 24 has an attachment portion 24A which is a portion screwed and in close contact with the outer surface of the housing 14, and a protruding portion 24B which protrudes downward along the rising surface 44B of the step portion 44 during towing, i.e., when the winch device 10 is disposed at the loading platform end of the loading platform 42. In this embodiment, the width of the stopper 24 is approximately the same as the width of the housing 14, the total length is approximately the same as the height of the housing 14, and within the total length, the length of the protruding portion 24B is slightly shorter than the height of the rising surface 44B of the step portion 44, and the thickness is approximately half the height of the rising surface 44B of the step portion 44, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the dimensions of the stopper 24 can be set appropriately as long as it has a strength sufficient to withstand the external force applied when towing a load.

[0042] (protrusion) In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the protrusion 24B has an abutment surface 24B1 that abuts against the rising surface 44B during towing. In this embodiment, when the pallet 30 on which the load 32 connected to the towing member 22 is placed is towed by the towing force generated by rotating the rotating shaft 12, a reaction force of the towing force acting on the pallet 30 acts on the winch device 10 side with the same magnitude as the towing force. The part that receives the reaction force that tries to pull the winch device 10 side toward the pallet 30 side along the force line is the rising surface 44B of the step portion 44 that faces and contacts the stopper 24 in the force line direction of the reaction force. Therefore, all of the reaction force of the towing force acts on the rising surface 44B of the step portion 44 via the abutment surface 24B1 of the stopper 24.

[0043] However, when the towing member 22 is towing at a position higher than the center of gravity of the winch device 10, in addition to the reaction force of the towing force that tries to pull the winch device 10 toward the pallet 30, a rotational moment that tries to rotate the winch device around the center of gravity of the winch device 10 is generated. That is, a prying force acts on the stopper 24 that supports the winch device 10 so that it does not move. If this prying force becomes greater than the force that presses the stopper 24 downward due to the weight of the winch device 10, a force that moves the stopper 24 upward along the rising surface 44B is applied, and there is a possibility that the stopper 24 will eventually lose its function of fixing the winch device 10 to the end of the loading platform.

[0044] One way to reduce such undesirable rotational moment is to add a weight to the top of the winch device 10 or to hold down the top with a hand, thereby raising the apparent center of gravity on the winch device 10 side and bringing it closer to the horizontal position of the towing member 22.

[0045] As another method, it is possible to lower the position of the towing member 22 paid out from the winch device 10 and bring it closer to the center of gravity of the winch device 10. To achieve this, for example, instead of pulling the spool 16 of the winch device 10 from above in an upright position, the spool 16 may be used in a fixed position laid down on its side as employed in this embodiment, or the spool 16 may be pulled from below. In order to pull the towing member 22 from below, it is necessary to reverse the rotation of the spool 16, which can be achieved by adding or removing one gear constituting the winch device 10.

[0046] (Unloading method) Next, a method for unloading a load using the winch device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 7. As shown in Figure 4, first, the winch device 10 is attached to a stepped portion 44 at the rear end of the transportation device 40 at an arbitrary position in the width direction.

[0047] In this embodiment, the pallets 30 carrying the cargo 32 are stacked in two rows along the width direction on the loading platform 42 of the transport device 40, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the cargo may be stacked in one row, or in three or more rows depending on the packaging style. Also, in the present invention, the cargo does not necessarily have to be placed on a wooden or resin platform-type pallet device, and may be placed on another pallet device such as a sheet pallet, or, if the cargo is in a packaging style that allows connection with a towing member, the cargo may be unloaded by connecting the towing member to the towing member while placed directly on the floor surface of the transport device without being placed on a pallet device.

[0048] Next, the winch device 10 is slid in the width direction, and the position of the winch device 10 is adjusted so that it overlaps in a straight line with one row of pallets 30 (the right side in FIG. 4). Next, the tip of the towing member 22 of the winch device 10 is pulled and unwound from the spool 16, and when it reaches the front part of the foremost pallet 30 on the loading platform 42, the tip of the towing member 22 is engaged with the front support column of the pallet 30. Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the manual handle 20 of the winch device 10 is operated to tow the pallet 30, and the pallet 30 is pulled out to a position on the loading platform 42 where the forks of the forklift 90 can be inserted.

[0049] Next, as shown in Figure 6, the towing member 22 is released from the pallet 30, and the towing member 22 is removed from the pallet 30. Then, the winch device 10 is slid sideways along the width direction of the platform 42 to a position that does not interfere with the work of the forklift 90. Next, the position of the winch device 10 is adjusted so that it overlaps in a straight line with the other row of pallets 30 (the left side in Figure 6), and the same procedure as above is repeated to pull out the pallet 30 to a position where the forks of the forklift 90 can be inserted.

[0050] Next, as shown in Figure 7, the pulled out pallet 30 is removed from the platform 42 of the transportation device 40 by a forklift 90 and transported. Thereafter, the series of steps described above using Figures 4 to 7 are repeated to sequentially unload the pallets 30 loaded on the platform 42. In this manner, the unloading method according to this embodiment can be configured. Note that in the present invention, the order of the rows for unloading can be arbitrary, and unloading of one row may be completed before unloading of another row, or unloading may be performed randomly from multiple rows.

[0051] According to the unloading method of this embodiment, unloading work from the transportation device 40 can be performed relatively easily. Also, compared to the conventional case where a device with a fixed winch is placed outside the vehicle, it is possible to provide a winch device 10 that is highly portable on the transportation device 40, is relatively inexpensive, lightweight, and does not require skill for installation and operation.

[0052] (Action and effect) The winch device 10 according to this embodiment has a stopper 24 attached to the housing 14, and having a protruding portion 24B that protrudes below the floor surface 42A of the cargo bed 42 during towing. The stopper 24 is disposed at a position where the protruding portion 24B protrudes downward along the rising surface 44B of the step portion 44 formed between the floor surface 42A and the end surface 42B of the cargo bed 42 of the transportation device 40. The protruding portion 24B also has an abutting surface 24B1 that abuts against the rising surface 44B during towing.

[0053] That is, in this embodiment, the stopper 24 extending downward from the winch 11 is dropped into a step 44 at the rear of the bed 42. Therefore, when the towing member 22 is wound up and the cargo 32 loaded on the bed 42 is pulled laterally to the rear of the bed 42, the step 44 acts as a reaction force receiver, and the winch 11 is held on the bed 42 without slipping. Therefore, the winch device 10 can be directly and detachably attached to the bed 42 of the transportation device 40, and the compact structure improves portability on the transportation device 40.

[0054] In particular, in an unloading operation according to an example performed by the inventor using the winch device 10 according to this embodiment, for example, a pallet 30 carrying about 1 ton of cargo 32 could be pulled out with a pulling force of about 135 kg simply by turning the manual handle 20 with one hand. In this example, a slider board such as that described in JP 2017-140168 A was placed under the pallet 30 as an auxiliary member for improving sliding properties.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the manual handle 20 is rotated by hand around the rotation axis 12 within a horizontal plane. Therefore, even if the arm portion of the manual handle 20 is long, the manual handle 20 is supported by the floor surface 42A when rotating the manual handle 20, and the rotation is not hindered.

[0056] <Other embodiments> Although the present invention has been described by the above disclosed embodiment, the description and drawings forming a part of this disclosure should not be understood as limiting the present invention. It should be considered that various alternative embodiments, examples and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.

[0057] (First Modification) The winch device 10 according to this embodiment is a horizontal (flat) type in which the axis of the rotating shaft 12 and the axis of the spool 16 are oriented vertically and the spool 16 is laid down, but it may be a vertical winch device 10 in which the axis of the rotating shaft 12 and the axis of the spool 16 are oriented horizontally and the spool 16 is upright, as in a winch device 10A according to a first modified example shown in Fig. 8. Other structures of the winch device 10 according to the first modified example are similar to those of the winch device 10 according to this embodiment described using Figs. 2 to 7, and therefore repeated description will be omitted.

[0058] (Function and effect of the first modified example) In the winch device 10A according to the first modification, as in the present embodiment, the winch device 10A can be directly and detachably attached to the platform 42 of the transportation device 40, and the compact structure improves portability on the transportation device 40. Other effects of the first modification are the same as those of the present embodiment.

[0059] In addition, the manual handle 20 in this embodiment is provided on the top surface of the winch device 10, and the winch device 10 is operated by turning it by hand in a horizontal plane like a millstone, but in the first modified example, the manual handle 20 is provided on the side of the winch device 10A, and the winch device 10A is operated by rotating it vertically, and since there is no manual handle 20 on the top surface of the winch device 10A, it is possible to perform the rotation operation while holding the top surface of the winch device 10A with the opposite hand to stabilize it.

[0060] In addition, in this embodiment and the first modified example, the axis of the rotating shaft 12 and the input shaft of the reducer 18 are shown to be coaxial, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, by connecting the rotating shaft to the reducer via a bevel gear, the axis of the rotating shaft can be attached at an appropriately inclined angle, such as 45 degrees, relative to the input shaft of the reducer.

[0061] (Second Modification) As in the winch device 10B according to the second modified example illustrated in Fig. 9, a support 50 may be provided to support the rear end (the left end in Fig. 9) of the housing 14A of the winch device 10B from below. The support 50 prevents the winch device 10B from falling onto the ground outside the loading platform 42. In addition, casters 52 that rotate on the ground are provided below the support 50. Note that the casters 52 are not essential in the present invention.

[0062] In the second modified example, the mounting portion 24A of the stopper 24 is fixed in a state of being fitted into a recess 14A1 provided in the lower part of the housing 14A. The protruding portion 24B of the stopper 24 protrudes below the floor surface 42A, as in the case of this embodiment. That is, in the second modified example, the stopper 24 extends from the lower surface of the winch 11, and a movable receiving platform 50 that supports the lower part of the winch 11 protruding from the loading platform 42 is provided on the outside of the loading platform 42.

[0063] The structure of the winch device 10B according to the second modified example, other than the pedestal 50 and the casters 52, is similar to the structure of the winch device 10B according to the present embodiment described with reference to Figures 2 to 7, so duplicated description will be omitted.

[0064] (Function and effect of the second modified example) As in the present embodiment, in the winch device 10B of the second modified example, the winch device 10B can be directly and detachably attached to the loading platform 42 of the transportation device 40, and its compact structure improves portability on the transportation device 40.

[0065] In the second variant, a stopper 24 is provided at the bottom of the winch 11, and a support base 50 is provided to support the bottom of the winch 11 that protrudes from the cargo bed 42. This brings the center of gravity of the winch 11 closer to the stopper 24, which receives the towing reaction force, making it less likely that a rotational moment will act on the winch 11.

[0066] In the second modified example, the rear end of the heavy winch device 10B is structured to protrude outward from the end face 42B of the truck, but the support 50 allows it to be stably supported and achieves a high level of safety. Note that the support is not essential to the present invention. For example, if the center of gravity of the winch device, which is determined by the material and dimensions of the winch device, is sufficiently inside the bed from the end of the bed, the support is not necessary.

[0067] In addition, since the receiving platform 50 can be easily moved by the casters 52, the receiving platform 50 can be moved quickly in response to a change in the position of the winch device 10B on the loading platform 42. Other effects of the second modified example are similar to those of the present embodiment and the first modified example.

[0068] (Third Modification) Regarding the structure of the winch device 10C according to the third modified example illustrated in Fig. 10, the following will describe the differences from the structure of the winch device 10 according to the present embodiment described using Figs. 2 to 7 and the structure of the winch device 10B according to the second modified example described using Fig. 9. Furthermore, duplicated descriptions of structures similar to the structure of the winch device 10 according to the present embodiment or the structure of the winch device 10B according to the second modified example will be omitted.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 10, the winch device 10C according to the third modification is placed on the mounting plate 60 and screwed. In the present invention, the means for fixing the winch device to the mounting plate is not limited to screwing, and may be selected appropriately according to the material used, such as welding or fitting, and the member constituting the bottom surface of the housing may be expanded horizontally to share the housing bottom surface and the mounting plate. The winch device 10C according to the third modification has a restraining device 70 having an opposing surface 70A. The slide stopper 64 is slidably arranged inside the slide groove 62 formed between the rising surface 44B and the opposing surface 70A.

[0070] The slide stopper 64 of the third modified example corresponds to the "stopper" of the present invention. The slide stopper 64 has the same function as the stopper 24 in the present embodiment, the first modified example, and the second modified example in terms of supporting the reaction force during towing, but differs in that it also functions as a slider (sliding element) that fits into the slide groove 62 and slides the winch device 10C in the width direction.

[0071] That is, in the third modified example, the slide stopper 64 extends from the lower surface of the mounting plate 60 to which the winch 11 is fixed. The portion of the mounting plate 60 protruding rearward from the loading platform 42 is supported by a receiving base 50 provided on the outside of the loading platform 42. The restraining device 70 supports and restrains the slide stopper 64 from the rear so as not to fall off from the rear of the bottom surface 44A of the stepped portion 44, and supports the lower surface of the mounting plate 60 so as to be slidable in the width direction of the loading platform 42. The restraining device 70 is attached by fitting an engaging pin 72 into an engaging hole 44A1 provided on the bottom surface 44A of the stepped portion 44. Furthermore, a pressing member 80 that is L-shaped in side view is attached to the outside of the restraining device 70 and is fixed by a first pressing bolt 84 and a second pressing bolt 86 to reinforce the connection between the restraining device 70 and the stepped portion 44.

[0072] (restraint) The restraining device 70 is an inverted L-shaped member in side view, having a rectangular opposing surface 70A that is long in the width direction and capable of forming a slide groove 62 in the step portion 44 at the rear end corner of the loading platform 42. The restraining device 70 is arranged so that the corner of the L shape fits perfectly with the corner of the rear end upper surface of the step portion 44. The upper end of the restraining device 70 is arranged below the mounting plate 60 and supports the mounting plate 60 from below. The restraining device 70 has an opposing surface 70A and an engagement pin 72. The opposing surface 70A faces the rising surface 44B with a gap therebetween, and extends along the width direction of the loading platform 42.

[0073] (Slide groove) The slide groove 62 is formed between the restraining device 70 and the rising surface 44B (vertical surface) of the step portion 44. In addition, a slide stopper 64, which is provided so as to protrude from the lower surface of the mounting plate 60 to which the winch device 10C is fixed on the upper surface, and has a thickness in the front-rear direction smaller than the groove width of the slide groove 62, is fitted into this slide groove 62, whereby the winch device 10C is attached to the rear end of the platform 42.

[0074] (stopper) The slide stopper 64 has a protruding portion 64B protruding downward from the lower surface of the mounting plate 60, and an abutting surface 64B1 that abuts against the rising surface 44B of the step portion 44 during towing to support the towing reaction force. In the present invention, the dimensions of the slide stopper can be set arbitrarily. Also, the thickness of the slide stopper measured along the front-rear direction (left-right direction in FIG. 10) may be appropriately set within a range smaller than the width of the slide groove formed for inserting the slide stopper, but for stability, it is desirable that the thickness of the slide stopper and the width of the slide groove are approximately the same dimension so as not to leave too much of a gap in the slide groove.

[0075] In addition, in the present invention, the width of the slide stopper (width in the left-right direction in FIG. 11) is preferably within the width of the winch device, since it is difficult to handle if the slide stopper protrudes significantly beyond the winch device.

[0076] In the third modified example, the length of the protruding portion 64B of the slide stopper 64 is set to a length that reaches and contacts the bottom surface 44A of the slide groove 62 when the lower surface of the mounting plate 60 of the winch device 10C is supported by the upper end surfaces of the restraining devices 70 on both sides of the slide groove 62 and the floor surface 42A of the loading platform 42 in contact with the step portion 44. Note that in the present invention, the length of the protruding portion of the slide stopper is not limited to this, and may be shorter than that of this embodiment and the tip of the protruding portion may not reach the bottom surface of the slide groove, as long as the slide stopper can stably receive the traction reaction force and can stably slide in the width direction.

[0077] In addition, in the present invention, conversely, as long as the slide stopper can stably receive the towing reaction force and can also slide stably in the width direction, the length of the protrusion of the slide stopper can be longer than in the third modified example, and when the tip of the protrusion is in contact with the bottom surface of the slide groove, the underside of the winch device can be raised above the upper end surfaces of the restraint devices on both sides of the slide groove and the floor surface of the cargo bed that contacts the step portion; the length of the protrusion can be set as desired, but since the winch device can become unstable if it protrudes too high from the slide groove, it is preferable that the length of the protrusion be within a range that maintains the stability of the winch device during towing.

[0078] (Rotational reaction force acting on the winch device) In the third modified example (as well as in the present invention, this embodiment, the second modified example, and the third modified example), a reaction force acts on the bearing of the rotating shaft 12 due to the rotation of the rotating shaft 12, and a rotational reaction force acts on the bearing and parts integrated with it, tending to rotate the bearing in the opposite direction to the rotation of the rotating shaft 12 around the rotating shaft 12. However, the magnitude of this rotational reaction force is generated by the frictional force between the rotating shaft 12 and the bearing, and this frictional force can be kept very small by using bearings or the like. Therefore, the rotational reaction force received by the bearing side is small enough to be negligible.

[0079] Even if a rotational reaction force acts on the bearing side, the slide stopper 64 extending from the underside of the mounting plate 60 of the winch device 10C fits into the slide groove 62, and the underside of the winch device 10C is pressed against the upper surface of the platform 42 and the upper end surface of the restraining device 70 by the weight of the winch device 10C and the winch device 10C, making them in close contact. For this reason, the rotational reaction force is received by this contact surface and reduced or cancelled out, making it possible to ignore the action of the slide stopper 64 pressing against the opposing surface 70A of the restraining device 70 and the rising surface 44B of the step portion 44 in a prying manner with the rotational reaction force.

[0080] (The pulling reaction force that pulls the winch device towards the pallet) In the present invention, when a winch device is used to tow a load, a force acts on the winch device to pull it toward the load due to the reaction force of the pulling force acting on the towing member. However, since the stopper is engaged in a fitted state with the slide groove, the reaction force corresponding to the pulling force acting on the towing member is received by the rising surface of the step part of the slide groove or the end surface of the platform of the transport layer that does not have a step part. Therefore, the winch device is not pulled toward the load and is held in a specified position, so that the load can be reliably towed.

[0081] (Engagement hole) In the third modified example, two engagement holes 44A1 are formed at symmetrical positions near the left and right ends in the width direction on the bottom surface 44A (horizontal surface) of the step portion 44 formed at the corner portion of the rear end of the loading platform 42. Two engagement pins 72 provided on the restraint 70 are inserted into the two engagement holes 44A1, respectively.

[0082] In the third modification, holes provided on both sides in the width direction of the bottom surface 44A of the step portion 44, which is already formed in many trucks, are used as the engagement holes 44A1 into which the engagement pin 72 is inserted. This is an advantage that it is possible to attach the winch device 10C according to the present invention without adding any additional processing to the truck body. Note that in the present invention, the engagement holes are not limited to this, and new engagement holes may be drilled and used in the bottom surface of the step portion at the corner of the rear end of the loading platform. Also, the number of engagement holes may be appropriately increased along the width direction of the slide groove in order to improve the stability and robustness of the restraint device.

[0083] (Engagement pin) In the third modified example, the engagement pin 72 is a protrusion that protrudes below the restraint 70. The engagement pin 72 is provided to protrude at a position corresponding to the engagement hole 44A1 on the underside of the restraint 70 that contacts the bottom surface 44A of the stepped portion 44. In the third modified example, the engagement pin 72 that protrudes from the underside of the restraint 70 is formed by integral molding with the main body portion of the restraint 70, but in the present invention, the engagement pin is not limited to this, and for example, the engagement pin can be formed as a separate member from the restraint main body portion and engaged with the main body portion of the restraint by an engagement means such as fitting or screwing to be integrated with the main body portion of the restraint.

[0084] In the present invention, the engagement pin can be attached using an engagement means equipped with an attachment position adjustment mechanism, such as fitting through a loose hole or screwing through a loose hole, which can adjust the attachment position in the width direction of the restraint device so that it can be aligned with the engagement hole into which it is inserted.

[0085] In the present invention, the shape of the protrusion protruding from the underside of the restraint is not limited to a rod-like pin shape, but may be any other shape, such as a plate-like shape, in which case the shape of the engagement hole is formed to correspond to the shape of the protrusion. Also, by attaching a magnetic member, such as a magnet sheet, to the surface of the protrusion, a magnetic attraction force may be applied between the protrusion and a step part of the metal loading platform, and the protrusion is attracted to the step part by the attraction force, further strengthening the engagement.

[0086] (Pressing member) In the third modified example, in order to further strengthen the engagement between the restraining device 70 and the step portion 44, a pressing member 80 is attached to the outside of the restraining device 70. The pressing member 80 has a pressing frame 82 that is L-shaped in a side view, a first pressing bolt 84 that is inserted into a first bolt hole 82A that is an elongated hole formed in the vertical leg side end of the pressing frame 82, and a second pressing bolt 86 that is screwed into a second bolt hole 82B that is formed in the horizontal leg side end of the pressing frame 82.

[0087] Furthermore, a bolt hole 70B into which the tip of the first press bolt 84 is screwed is formed in the rear surface of the restraining device 70 opposite the first bolt hole 82A, which is an elongated hole provided at the horizontal leg side end of the press frame 82. Furthermore, the tip of the second press bolt 86 is screwed into the second bolt hole 82B until it is pressed against the underside of the platform 42.

[0088] (Slide mechanism) 11, the winch device 10C can be moved in either direction in the width direction along the slide groove 62. The winch device 10C slides in the width direction using the sliding surfaces between the lower end surface of the slide stopper 64 and the bottom surface 44A of the step portion 44, between the abutting surface 64B1 of the slide stopper 64 and the rising surface 44B of the step portion 44, between the side surface opposite to the abutting surface 64B1 of the slide stopper 64 and the opposing surface 70A of the restraining tool 70, between the lower surface of the mounting plate 60 and the upper end surface of the restraining tool 70, and between the lower surface of the mounting plate 60 and the floor surface 42A of the loading platform 42 that contacts the step portion 44 as sliding surfaces.

[0089] However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the protruding portion of the slide stopper may be made relatively long, and when the winch device is attached to the slide groove, the lower surface of the mounting plate of the winch device may be raised above the upper end surfaces of the restraining devices on both sides of the slide groove and the upper surface of the platform that contacts the step portion. In this way, the movement may be facilitated by limiting the sliding surfaces to between the lower end surface of the slide stopper and the bottom surface of the step portion, between the abutting surface of the slide stopper and the rising surface of the step portion, and between the side surface opposite to the abutting surface of the slide stopper and the opposing surface of the restraining device.

[0090] In addition, since the sliding surfaces between the abutment surface of the slide stopper and the rising surface of the step portion and between the side surface of the slide stopper opposite to the abutment surface and the opposing surface of the restraining device are in side contact, the force pressing the sliding surfaces is smaller than that of the sliding surface between the lower end surface of the slide stopper and the bottom surface of the step portion, and the sliding resistance can be substantially ignored. Furthermore, for example, movement may be made easier by attaching wheels such as a door roller to the lower end surface of the slide stopper, or by attaching a member with low friction resistance such as a slider board to the lower end surface of the slide stopper and / or the bottom surface of the step portion.

[0091] (Function and effect of the third modified example) As in the present embodiment, in the winch device 10C of the third modified example, the winch device 10C can be directly and detachably attached to the loading platform 42 of the transportation device 40, and its compact structure improves portability on the transportation device 40.

[0092] In the third modified example, the slide stopper 64 is slidably disposed inside the slide groove 62 formed between the rising surface 44B of the step portion 44 and the opposing surface 70A of the restraining device 70. This makes it easy to efficiently unload a plurality of luggage 32 lined up in the width direction on the floor surface 42A of the loading platform 42.

[0093] In addition, in the third modified example, the restraint device 70 is engaged with the loading platform 42 by inserting the engagement pin 72 into the engagement hole 44A1, so that construction of the slide groove 62 does not require skill, and stability of the attached restraint device 70 is obtained.

[0094] In the third modified example, the rear of the mounting plate 60 of the winch device 10C is supported by the upper surface of the restraining device 70 and further extends to the rear outside of the bed 42, and the underside of the extended portion can be supported by the upper surface of the caster-equipped support base 50. Meanwhile, the front underside of the winch device 10C is supported by the upper surface of the bed 42. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the mounting plate of the winch device may be configured not to extend to the rear outside of the bed, and not to use a support base with casters.

[0095] The effect of using a support base with casters is that the load of the fixed winch device 10C is shared by the top surface of the support base, so the load acting on the top surface of the restraint 70 is reduced, and damage to the restraint 70 is suppressed. As a result, it becomes possible to use a relatively low-strength resin material or the like for the restraint 70, and it is also possible to reduce the thickness of the restraint 70. Accordingly, it becomes possible to reduce the weight of the entire winch device 10C, and there is an effect of preventing damage to the winch device 10C and making it easier for the worker to handle the winch device 10C. Other effects of the third modification are the same as those of the present embodiment, the first modification, and the second modification.

[0096] In addition, the present invention can be configured by partially combining the configurations illustrated in the attached drawings. As described above, the present invention includes various embodiments not described above, and the technical scope of the present invention is defined only by the invention-specifying matters in the claims that are appropriate from the above description. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 10, 10A, 10B, 10C Winch device 11. Winch 12 Rotation axis 14,14A Housing 14A1 Recess 16 Spools 16A core 16A1 Flat part 17 Bis 17A Flat part 17B Corner 18 Reducer 20 Manual Handle 22 Traction member 22A double part 23 Suture area 24 Stopper 24A Mounting part 24B Protrusion 24B1 Abutment surface 26 Anti-slip material 30 palettes 32 Luggage 40 Transport equipment 42 Cargo Bed 42A Floor 42B End face 44 Step 44A Bottom 44A1 Engagement hole 44B Standing surface 46 Rear door 50 Cradle 52 Caster 60 Loading Plate 62 Slide groove 64 Slide stopper (stopper) 64B Protrusion 64B1 Abutment surface 70 Restraints 70A Opposite Surface 70B Bolt hole 72 Engagement pin 80 Pressing member 82 Presser frame 82A First bolt hole 82B Second bolt hole 84 First retaining bolt 86 Second pressure bolt 90 Forklift

Claims

1. a winch that is placed on an end of the loading platform on a side where luggage is loaded and unloaded, winds up a towing member, and is connected to the towing member to laterally pull luggage loaded on the loading platform; A stopper extending downward from the winch and dropping downward along an end surface of the end of the loading platform; A winch device comprising:

2. The stopper extends from a lower portion of the winch, A movable support platform for supporting a lower portion of the winch protruding from the loading platform is disposed outside the loading platform. The winch device according to claim 1.

3. The stopper is extended from a lower surface of a mounting plate to which the winch is fixed, The loading plate protruding from the loading platform is supported by a support disposed outside the loading platform, A restraining device is provided at the rear of the loading platform to restrain the stopper at the step portion at the end of the loading platform and to support the lower surface of the loading platform so as to be slidable in the width direction of the loading platform. A winch device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The restraining device is provided with an engagement pin, The engagement pin is inserted into an engagement hole formed in the step portion of the loading platform. The winch device according to claim 3.

5. The winch is A housing installed on the loading platform; A reducer installed in an upper space of the housing; a spool that is disposed in a lower space of the reducer and is directly connected to a gear shaft of an output gear of the reducer that protrudes downward and winds up the towing member; a manual handle provided above an upper surface of the housing, directly connected to a gear shaft of an input gear of the reducer, and movable in a horizontal plane; A winch device according to claim 1 or 2.

Images