Lifting device

Abstract

To provide a novel lifting device which has a platform which can be opened / closed by lateral rotation, and comprises an interlock function which prevents simultaneous lock-releasing of vertical rotation and the lateral rotation.SOLUTION: In a lifting device, a platform has an outer frame and a laterally rotatable inner frame. The inner frame has a lateral lock shaft and a vertical lock pin supported so as to be individually slid on a slide axis. The lateral lock shaft has a shaft end part and a shaft contacting part. The vertical lock pin has a pin end part and a pin contacting part capable of coming in contact with the shaft contacting part on the slide axis. The outer frame has a shaft receiving part which locks the lateral rotation of the inner frame by engaging with the shaft end part. A side frame has a pin receiving part which locks the vertical rotation of the outer frame by engaging with the pin end part. In the lifting device, the shaft contacting part of the lateral lock shaft comes in contact with the pin end part when the shaft end part is removed from the shaft receiving part, and thereby the pin end part is engaged with the pin receiving part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lifting device that raises and lowers a platform by a drive unit on a vehicle, and more particularly to a lifting device in which a platform stored in an upright position on a vehicle can be opened and closed in a lateral opening (lateral rotation) manner. [Background technology]

[0002] Fig. 1 shows the operation of a lifting device 1 having a horizontally rotatable platform 3. The platform 3 can rotate vertically between an upright position (stored state) in Fig. 1(a) and a prostrate position (deployed state) in Fig. 1(b), and the platform 3 in the prostrate position is raised and lowered by driving a drive mechanism 4 (Fig. 1(b) ←→ Fig. 1(c)). The operation of Fig. 1 is also common to the lifting device 1 of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0003] The platform 3 may include a main platform 10 and a sub-platform 20 deployable from the main platform 10.

[0004] The platform 3 has an outer frame 11 and an inner frame 12, and by rotating the inner frame 12 horizontally while the platform 3 is in an upright position (Figure 1(a)), it is possible to load and unload light luggage etc. into the loading platform / luggage compartment (Figure 1(d)).

[0005] FIG. 7 shows a conventional horizontally rotating lifting device 101. In the lifting device 101, a turn pipe 102 is attached to the side frame 5 of the drive mechanism 4, and the main platform 10 can rotate horizontally around the turn pipe 102. In this structure, in order to hoist the deployed main platform 10, it is necessary to connect the turn pipe 102 and turn lock 103 to the main platform 10 with a suspender link 21 (FIG. 1). In this case, it is desirable to connect the suspender link 21 at a high position on the side frame 5 in order to transmit the suspension force with high efficiency, but in order to do so, it is necessary to increase the vertical dimension of the side frame 5, which poses the problem of the drive mechanism 4 becoming larger and heavier. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-169292 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention provides a new type of lifting device with a platform that can be opened and closed by rotating horizontally, and in particular, provides a lifting device with an interlock function that can prevent the horizontal and vertical rotations from being unlocked simultaneously. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] This application discloses the following invention. <Configuration 1> A lifting device that can be attached to a vehicle, the lifting device having a drive mechanism having a side frame and a platform that can be vertically rotated relative to the side frame, The platform has an outer frame and an inner frame that can rotate laterally relative to the outer frame, The inner frame has a horizontal lock shaft and a vertical lock pin that are supported so as to be able to slide independently on a slide shaft, The lateral lock shaft has a shaft end portion and a shaft abutment portion, the vertical lock pin has a pin end portion and a pin abutment portion that can abut against the shaft abutment portion on the slide shaft, The outer frame has a shaft receiving portion that engages with the shaft end portion to lock the lateral rotation of the inner frame, The side frame has a pin receiving portion that engages with the pin end portion to lock the vertical rotation of the outer frame, When the shaft end is released from the shaft receiving portion, the shaft abutment portion of the lateral lock shaft abuts against the pin end, thereby engaging the pin end with the pin receiving portion. A lifting device characterized by: <Configuration 2> The lifting device according to configuration 1, wherein the inner frame further has a fixing mechanism for fixing the lateral lock shaft at a disengaged position where the shaft end portion is disengaged from the shaft receiving portion. <Configuration 3> 2. The lifting device according to configuration 1, wherein the shaft abutment portion and the pin abutment portion have a convex curved shape. <Configuration 4> The lifting device described in configuration 1, characterized in that the inner frame has multiple sets of the horizontal lock shafts and the vertical lock pins that can slide on multiple different slide axes, and the outer frame and the side frames have multiple shaft receiving portions and pin receiving portions that engage with the shaft ends and pin ends of each of the multiple sets of the horizontal lock shafts and the vertical lock pins. <Component 5> The lifting device according to configuration 1, further comprising a first biasing means for biasing the lateral lock shaft in a direction in which the lateral lock shaft is accommodated in the shaft receiving portion. <Component 6> The lifting device according to configuration 1, further comprising a second biasing means for biasing the vertical lock pin in a direction in which the vertical lock pin is removed from the pin receiving portion. <Component 7> The lifting device according to configuration 1, characterized in that the pin end has a lever shape, and the pin receiving portion that engages with the pin end has a latch shape. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 shows the operation of a lifting device 1 having a platform 3 that can rotate laterally. (a) is a stored position, (b) is an deployed position, (c) is a lowered position, and (d) is a sideways open position. [Diagram 2] 1 shows a front view of the lifting device 1. [Diagram 3] An enlarged perspective view of a lateral lock support portion 16 is shown. [Figure 4]Partially shows the lifting device 1 when the lateral opening lock is in the locked state. (a) is near the upper left lateral shaft lever 14L. (b) is near the upper right vertical lock pin 15. (c) is near the lower left lateral shaft lever 14L. (d) is near the lower right vertical lock pin 15. [Diagram 5] Partially shows the lifting device 1 when the lateral opening lock is in the released state. (a) is near the upper left lateral shaft lever 14L. (b) is near the upper right vertical lock pin 15. (c) is near the lower left lateral shaft lever 14L. (d) is near the lower right vertical lock pin 15. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are enlarged views of the shaft contact portion 14b and the pin contact portion 15a during the lateral opening operation of the inner frame 12. (a) is the closed state, (b) is an intermediate state, and (c) is the open state. [Figure 7] 1 shows a conventional lifting device 101. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Fig. 2 shows a front view of a lifting device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The lifting device 1 has a base 2 that can be attached to a vehicle (e.g., a loading platform / luggage compartment of the vehicle, etc.) and a drive mechanism 4 for raising and lowering a platform 3. The platform 3 may have a main platform 10, a sub-platform 20, a flapper 30, etc. (see Figs. 1(b) and (c)). The sub-platform 20 and the flapper 30 can be rotated vertically relative to the main platform 10 and the sub-platform 20, respectively, by manual or mechanical drive, thereby expanding the loading area and facilitating the lifting and lowering of luggage onto the platform 3, etc.

[0011] The base 2 is attached to the vehicle with, for example, bolts, etc. A drive mechanism 4 having a four-link structure or the like is installed on the base 2, and a platform 3 is attached to the tip of a side frame (drive arm) 5 of the drive mechanism 4.

[0012] The platform 3 can rotate vertically relative to the side frames 5 between a standing position (FIG. 1(a)) and a prostrate position (FIG. 1(b)).

[0013] The platform 3 has an outer frame 11 and an inner frame 12 inserted into the outer frame 11 (FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b)). The inner frame 12 is supported by pivot parts 13a and hinges 13b so as to be rotatable laterally relative to the outer frame 11 (FIG. 2), and can rotate between a closed state (FIG. 1(a)) and an open state (FIG. 1(d)).

[0014] The inner frame 12 has one or more sets (two sets, upper and lower, in the illustrated example) of horizontal lock shafts 14 and vertical lock pins 15. Each of the horizontal lock shafts 14 and vertical lock pins 15 is supported by the inner frame 12 so as to be slidable in the X direction (see FIG. 2) on a slide shaft at one or more different positions in the Z direction (see FIG. 2).

[0015] The horizontal lock shaft 14 has a shaft end portion 14a at the left end and a shaft abutment portion 14b at the right end.

[0016] The vertical lock pin 15 has a pin abutment portion 15a at the left end and a pin end portion 15b at the right end. In this example, the pin end portion 15b of the upper vertical lock pin 15 has an L-shaped lever shape.

[0017] The horizontal lock shaft 14 and the vertical lock pin 15 slide on the slide shaft, so that the shaft abutment portion 14b and the pin abutment portion 15a can abut against each other.

[0018] The outer frame 11 has shaft receiving portions 14c at positions on each slide axis. When the horizontal lock shaft 14 moves to the left and the shaft end portion 14a engages (fits) with the shaft receiving portion 14c, the horizontal rotation of the inner frame 12 relative to the outer frame 11 is locked. The shaft receiving portion 14c may have a hole structure into which the shaft end portion 14a can be inserted.

[0019] The side frame 5 has a pin receiving portion 15c at a position on each slide shaft. When the vertical lock pin 15 moves to the right and the pin end portion 15b engages (fits) with the pin receiving portion 15c, the vertical rotation of the outer frame 11 relative to the side frame 5 is locked. In this example, the upper pin receiving portion 15c has a latch shape with which the L-shaped pin end portion 15b can be engaged. The lower pin receiving portion 15c may have a hole structure into which the pin end portion 15b of the lower vertical lock pin 15 can be inserted.

[0020] The inner frame 12 is disengaged in such a manner that the shaft end portion 14a is disengaged to the right from the shaft receiving portion 14c. The horizontal lock support part 16 further has a horizontal lock support part 16 that fixes the horizontal lock shaft 14 in the position. Fig. 3 shows an enlarged perspective view of the horizontal lock support part 16. The horizontal lock support part 16 has a guide groove that guides the horizontal shaft lever 14L. The guide groove has an L shape consisting of an axial groove 16a and a perpendicular groove 16b.

[0021] The horizontal lock shaft 14 may have a first biasing means such as a compression spring that biases the horizontal lock shaft 14 in the direction of being accommodated in the shaft receiving portion 14c. For example, the first biasing means may be built into the horizontal lock support portion 16. In this case, by moving the horizontal shaft lever 14L from the perpendicular groove 16b to the axial groove 16a, the horizontal lock shaft 14 slides to the left by the biasing force of the first biasing means, and the shaft end 14a can be engaged with the shaft receiving portion 14c. When the horizontal shaft lever 14L is moved to the right along the axial groove 16a and then to the perpendicular groove 16b, the horizontal lock shaft 14 is fixed in a position where the shaft end 14a is released from the shaft receiving portion 14c.

[0022] Fig. 4 shows a state in which the lateral rotation of the inner frame 12 is locked. In Fig. 4, the lateral shaft lever 14L is in the axial groove 16a, and the lateral lock shaft 14 has moved leftward due to the biasing force of the first biasing means or the like, and the shaft end portion 14a is engaged with the shaft receiving portion 14c, thereby locking the lateral rotation (Figs. 4(a) and (c)).

[0023] When the horizontal lock shaft 14 moves leftward, the shaft abutment portion 14b also moves leftward, and the shaft abutment portion 14b moves away from the pin abutment portion 15a (FIGS. 4(b) and (d)). This allows the vertical lock pin 15 to move leftward. Therefore, by moving the vertical lock pin 15 leftward until the pin end portion 15b is released from the pin receiving portion 15c, the vertical rotation of the platform 3 is unlocked.

[0024] In this example, the locking structure for vertical rotation is different between the top and bottom. That is, when the lever-shaped pin end 15b of the top vertical lock pin 15, which faces downward in Fig. 4(b), is rotated upward, the pin end 15b can be moved to the left of the latch-shaped pin receiver 15c, whereby the engagement between the pin end 15b and the pin receiver 15c is released and the vertical rotation is unlocked. The vertical lock pin 15 on the bottom vertical lock pin 15 moves left due to the biasing force of a second biasing means such as a spring (not shown) that is axially inserted into the vertical lock pin 15, and the pin end 15b is released from the pin receiver 15c, thereby unlocking the vertical rotation.

[0025] Fig. 5 shows the state in which the lateral rotation of the inner frame 12 is unlocked. When the lateral shaft lever 14L is on the axial groove 16a, the lateral lock shaft 14 can move left and right, and the lateral rotation lock is released by moving the lateral lock shaft 14 to the right and disengaging the shaft end 14a from the shaft receiving portion 14c (Figs. 5(a) and (c)). When the lateral shaft lever 14L is engaged with the perpendicular groove 16b, the lateral lock shaft 14 can be held in the disengaged position. When the lateral rotation of the upper and lower lateral lock shafts 14 is unlocked, the inner frame 12 can rotate laterally relative to the outer frame 11.

[0026] When the horizontal lock shaft 14 moves to the right, the shaft abutment portion 14b abuts against the pin end portion 15b and urges it rightward, and the pin end portion 15b engages with the pin receiving portion 15c, thereby locking the vertical rotation of the platform 3 (FIGS. 5(b) and (d)). As for the upper vertical lock pin 15, the lever-shaped pin end portion 15b can be rotated downward after the pin end portion 15b engages with the pin receiving portion 15c to maintain the vertical rotation unlocked state (FIG. 5(b)).

[0027] Fig. 6 shows the contact state between the shaft abutment portion 14b and the pin abutment portion 15a during the horizontal rotation of the inner frame 12. As shown in the figure, the shaft abutment portion 14b and the pin abutment portion 15a have a convex curved shape, so that the movement of the vertical lock pin 15 in the slide axis direction during the horizontal rotation of the inner frame 12 can be suppressed. This reduces the concern that the pin end portion 15b will come off the pin receiving portion 15c. If the center of curvature of the shaft abutment portion 14b in contact with the pin abutment portion 15a is aligned with the axis of the journal portion 13a (see Fig. 5(d)), the effect of suppressing the movement of the pin end portion 15b during the horizontal rotation of the inner frame 12 is enhanced.

[0028] The lifting device 1 of the above embodiment has a horizontal lock shaft 14 and a vertical lock pin 15 that can slide independently on the slide shaft, a shaft receiving portion 14c on the outer frame 11 that engages with the shaft end 14a, and a pin receiving portion 15c on the side frame 5 that engages with the pin end 15b. When the shaft end 14a is released from the shaft receiving portion 14c to release the lock on the horizontal rotation, the shaft abutment portion 14b abuts against the pin abutment portion 15a, so that the pin end 15b engages with the pin receiving portion 15c, thereby locking the vertical rotation of the platform 3. Therefore, as long as the horizontal rotation is unlocked, the vertical rotation cannot be unlocked, and as long as the vertical rotation is unlocked, the horizontal rotation cannot be unlocked. In this way, an interlock function that prevents the locks on the horizontal rotation and the vertical rotation from being released simultaneously can be achieved.

[0029] Furthermore, by providing a first biasing means that biases the lateral lock shaft 14 in the direction in which the lateral lock shaft 14 is accommodated in the shaft receiving portion 14c, it is possible to prevent unintended lateral rotation of the inner frame 12. By providing a fixing mechanism (lateral lock support portion 16) that fixes the lateral lock shaft at a position where the shaft end portion 14a is separated from the shaft receiving portion 14c, it is possible to facilitate the operation of unlocking the lateral rotation.

[0030] Furthermore, since horizontal rotation is locked by multiple sets of horizontal lock shafts 14 that are slidable on multiple different slide axes, the support stability of the inner frame 12 is improved when horizontal rotation is locked. Therefore, heavy objects can be safely loaded onto the platform 3. By making the pin ends 15b of some of the vertical lock pins 15 into a lever shape, vertical rotation lock can be manually released, and other vertical lock pins 15 are automatically released using the biasing force of the second biasing means, which facilitates the operation of unlocking the vertical rotation.

[0031] The left-right and front-rear positions and directions of each structure and member in the above embodiment are examples and are not essential, and can be reversed or changed. For example, the lock structure for horizontal rotation (horizontal lock shaft 14, shaft receiving portion 14c, etc.) can be provided on the outer frame 11 on the right side (driver's seat side), and the lock structure for vertical rotation (vertical lock pin 15, pin receiving portion 15c, etc.) can be provided on the side frame 5 on the left side (passenger's seat side), or on both side frames 5. If the lifting device 1 with the platform 3 that rotates vertically is installed on the side of the vehicle, the positions and directions of each structure and member can be changed accordingly. Other aspects are possible for the dimensions, shapes, arrangements, numbers, materials, etc. of the lifting device and its elements described in the above embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1. Lifting device 2. Base 3. Platform 4. Drive mechanism 5. Side frame 10. Main Platform 11 Outer frame 12 Inner frame 13a...Axis support 13b Hinge 14. Horizontal lock shaft 14a Shaft end 14b... Shaft contact part 14c Shaft receiving part 14L Horizontal shaft lever 15···Vertical lock pin 15a Pin contact part 15b Pin end 15c Pin receiving part 16 Horizontal lock support 16a...Axial groove 16b...Right angle groove 20. Sub-platform 21... Suspension link 30. Flapper 101 Lifting device 102 Turn pipe 103···Turn lock

Claims

1. A lifting device that can be attached to a vehicle, the lifting device having a drive mechanism having a side frame and a platform that can be vertically rotated relative to the side frame, The platform has an outer frame and an inner frame that can rotate laterally relative to the outer frame, The inner frame has a horizontal lock shaft and a vertical lock pin that are supported so as to be able to slide independently on a slide shaft, The lateral lock shaft has a shaft end portion and a shaft abutment portion, the vertical lock pin has a pin end portion and a pin abutment portion that can abut against the shaft abutment portion on the slide shaft, The outer frame has a shaft receiving portion that engages with the shaft end portion to lock the lateral rotation of the inner frame, The side frame has a pin receiving portion that engages with the pin end portion to lock the vertical rotation of the outer frame, When the shaft end is released from the shaft receiving portion, the shaft abutment portion of the lateral lock shaft abuts against the pin end, thereby engaging the pin end with the pin receiving portion. A lifting device characterized by:

2. 2. The lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the inner frame further includes a fixing mechanism for fixing the lateral lock shaft at a disengaged position where the shaft end portion is disengaged from the shaft receiving portion.

3. The lifting device according to claim 1 , wherein the shaft abutment portion and the pin abutment portion have a convex curved shape.

4. The lifting device according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner frame has a plurality of sets of the horizontal lock shafts and the vertical lock pins that can slide on a plurality of different slide axes, and the outer frame and the side frames have a plurality of shaft receiving portions and pin receiving portions that engage with the shaft ends and pin ends of each of the plurality of sets of the horizontal lock shafts and the vertical lock pins.

5. 2. The lifting device according to claim 1, further comprising a first biasing means for biasing the lateral lock shaft in a direction in which the lateral lock shaft is received in the shaft receiving portion.

6. 2. The lifting device according to claim 1, further comprising a second biasing means for biasing the vertical lock pin in a direction in which the vertical lock pin is removed from the pin receiving portion.

7. 2. The lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the pin end has a lever shape, and the pin receiving portion that engages with the pin end has a latch shape.

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