Dolly and obstacle run-over mechanism

Abstract

To obtain a dolly and an obstacle run-over mechanism which can run over a step easily with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A dolly 10 includes: a base part 12 on which packages may be placed; front wheels 14 attached to a lower surface of a front part in the base part 12; rear wheels 16 attached to a lower surface of a rear part in the base part 12; and an inclined member 26 provided on a lower surface of the base part 12, at least partially located between the front wheels 14 and the rear wheels 16, and formed as an inclined surface in which a lower surface 26A inclines downward from the front to the rear.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cart and an obstacle crossing mechanism. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an auxiliary device for climbing over steps that can be attached to an existing cart afterwards. This auxiliary device for climbing over steps includes a fan-shaped front auxiliary wheel arranged between a pair of front wheels, and a fan-shaped rear auxiliary wheel arranged between a pair of rear wheels, and is configured so that the front auxiliary wheel comes into contact with the step before the front wheels, causing the front part of the cart to climb over the step. Similarly, the rear auxiliary wheel comes into contact with the step before the rear wheels, causing the rear part of the cart to climb over the step. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-63407 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the device described in Patent Document 1 has a complex structure in which the oscillating auxiliary wheels are connected by coil springs, so there is a demand for a cart that has a simpler structure and can easily overcome steps.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVETION The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a carriage and an obstacle climbing mechanism that can easily climb over steps with a simple structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The trolley described in claim 1 comprises a base portion on which luggage can be placed, front wheels attached to the underside of the front part of the base portion, rear wheels attached to the underside of the rear part of the base portion, and an inclined member provided on the underside of the base portion, at least a portion of which is located between the front and rear wheels and whose underside is an inclined surface that slopes downward from the front to the rear.

[0007] In the dolly described in claim 1, a front wheel is attached to the underside of the front part of the base part on which luggage can be placed. A rear wheel is attached to the underside of the rear part of the base part. Furthermore, a tilting member is provided on the underside of the base part. Here, at least a part of the tilting member is provided between the front wheel and the rear wheel. Also, the underside of the tilting member is an inclined surface that is inclined downward from the front side to the rear side. As a result, after the front wheel runs up the step, the step comes into contact with the inclined surface, and an upward reaction force from the step acts on the inclined surface, making it easier for the rear wheel to climb over the step.

[0008] In addition, because the inclined member functions to make it easier to overcome steps while fixed to the base, steps can be overcome with a simple structure. Furthermore, since no parts such as coil springs are required, it is also excellent in terms of maintainability.

[0009] The dolly according to claim 2 is the same as claim 1, in which the front end of the inclined surface is located forward of the midpoint between the front wheel and the rear wheel.

[0010] In the trolley described in claim 2, the front end of the inclined surface is located forward of the midpoint between the front and rear wheels, so that the inclination angle of the inclined surface is gentler than in a structure in which the inclined surface is located only at the rear, and less force is required to overcome a step.

[0011] The dolly according to claim 3 is the same as claim 1, in which the rear end of the inclined surface is located below the center of the rotation shaft of the rear wheel.

[0012] In the dolly described in claim 3, the rear end of the inclined surface is positioned below the center of the rotation axis of the rear wheel, so that the rear wheel does not get caught on the step and can smoothly overcome the step.

[0013] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides the dolly of the first aspect, wherein the inclination member includes a plate-like member having a large number of through holes formed therein.

[0014] In the truck described in claim 4, the tilting member is configured to include a plate-shaped member and has a large number of through holes. This makes it possible to prevent liquid such as water from accumulating in the tilting member. In addition, the weight of the tilting member can be reduced.

[0015] The dolly according to claim 5 is the same as claim 1, in which the inclination members are provided in a pair on the left and right.

[0016] In the trolley described in claim 5, a pair of inclination members are provided on the left and right sides, so that even if there is an obstacle such as a fallen object or a protrusion on the road surface, the obstacle can be passed over without interfering with the inclination members.

[0017] A sixth aspect of the present invention provides the dolly according to the fifth aspect, wherein the inclined member includes a design surface that connects an end portion of the inclined surface in a width direction to the base portion.

[0018] In the trolley described in claim 6, since the inclined member has a design surface, if an advertisement or the like is displayed on the design surface, the advertisement can be made visible to those around when the trolley is in use.

[0019] The dolly according to claim 7 is the dolly according to claim 1, wherein the tilting member is provided with a grip portion that can be gripped by a user.

[0020] In the dolly described in claim 7, a user can carry the dolly by holding the grip portion.

[0021] The cart described in claim 8 is any one of claims 1 to 7, and is provided with a step that protrudes rearward from the base portion and that a user can step on with their foot, and the step is configured to be slidable back and forth between a use position that protrudes rearward from the base portion and a storage position that is stored on the underside of the base portion.

[0022] In the dolly described in claim 8, a step protrudes rearward from the base, and the step is configured so that the user can step on it with their foot. This allows the user to lift the front wheel by stepping on the step with their foot. The step is also configured so that it can slide back and forth between a use position where it protrudes rearward from the base and a storage position where it is stored on the underside of the base. This means that when not in use, the step can be slid to the storage position so that it does not get in the way.

[0023] The dolly according to claim 9 is the same as claim 8, wherein the step is configured to slide to the use position by being pressed forward in the storage position.

[0024] In the trolley described in claim 9, the step in the stored position can be slid to the usage position simply by pushing with a foot or the like.

[0025] The obstacle climbing mechanism described in claim 10 is an obstacle climbing mechanism that is attached to a trolley having front wheels and rear wheels, and is configured to be attachable to the underside of a base part of the trolley, and when attached to the base part, has an inclined member at least a portion of which is located between the front wheels and the rear wheels, and whose underside is an inclined surface that slopes downward from the front side to the rear side.

[0026] In the obstacle climbing mechanism described in claim 10, by retrofitting a tilting member to a general cart that does not have a tilting member, it is possible to easily climb over a step. Effect of the Invention

[0027] As described above, the cart and obstacle climbing mechanism according to the present invention can easily climb over a step with a simple structure. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a side view of the carriage according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the bottom surface of the dolly according to the first embodiment, illustrating a state in which the step is in a stored position. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the bottom surface of the dolly according to the first embodiment, illustrating a state in which the step is in a use position. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a side view of a bogie according to a first modified example. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a side view of a bogie according to a second modified example. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a side view of a bogie according to a third modified example. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a side view of a bogie according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view showing the bottom surface of the dolly according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view showing the bottom surface of the dolly according to the third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view showing the bottom surface of the dolly according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing the bottom surface of a carriage according to a fifth modified example. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing the bottom surface of a carriage according to a sixth modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] First Embodiment The dolly 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The arrows FR and UP shown in each drawing indicate the direction of movement of the dolly 10 (the forward side in the front-rear direction) and the upward side in the up-down direction, respectively. In the following description, when the directions of front-rear, up-down, and left-right are simply used, they refer to front-rear in the front-rear direction, up-down in the up-down direction, and left-right when facing forward, unless otherwise specified.

[0030] Fig. 1 is a side view of a dolly 10 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the dolly 10 according to this embodiment is mainly configured to include a base portion 12, a front wheel 14, a rear wheel 16, a handle 18, a tilting member 26, and a step deployment mechanism 28.

[0031] The base portion 12 is generally rectangular in plan view and is made of resin or the like. The upper surface of the base portion 12 is an area on which luggage is placed. A handle 18 is provided at the rear end of the upper surface of the base portion 12, and front wheels 14 and rear wheels 16 are provided on the lower surface of the base portion 12.

[0032] The handle 18 is a generally U-shaped member that is open on the lower side, and its lower end is fixed to the base part 12 via brackets 20. The upper part of the handle 18 is bent backward so that it is easily gripped by the user.

[0033] The handle 18 is fixed to a rotation shaft (not shown) provided on the bracket 20, and is configured to be able to rotate forward. A locking mechanism (not shown) is provided between the handle 18 and the bracket 20, and in the normal use state, the locking mechanism locks the handle 18 so that it does not rotate. When not in use, the locking state is released and the handle 18 is rotated forward, allowing the handle 18 to be folded.

[0034] A pair of front wheels 14 are attached to the lower surface of the front part of the base part 12, one on the left and one on the right, and a pair of rear wheels 16 are attached to the lower surface of the rear part of the base part 12, one on the left and one on the right.

[0035] Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the bottom surface of the dolly 10 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the front wheel 14 includes a front wheel mounting base 30, a front wheel support plate 32, and a front caster 34. The front wheel mounting base 30 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and a flange at the upper end is fastened to the lower surface of the base part 12, so that the front wheel mounting base 30 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the base part 12.

[0036] The front wheel support plates 32 are provided on both the left and right sides of the lower end of the front wheel mounting base 30, and are formed into a substantially rectangular plate shape in a side view. A front caster 34 is disposed between the pair of left and right front wheel support plates 32. The front caster 34 is axially supported by the front wheel support plates 32 so as to be rotatable.

[0037] Meanwhile, the rear wheels 16 are configured to include rear wheel support plates 36 and rear casters 38. The rear wheel support plates 36 protrude downward from the lower surface of the base portion 12, and a pair of left and right rear wheel support plates 36 are arranged facing each other. The rear casters 38 are disposed between the pair of rear wheel support plates 36 and are rotatably supported by the rear wheel support plates 36.

[0038] 1 and 2, a front arm 22 and a rear arm 24 extend downward from the bottom surface of the base portion 12. The front arms 22 are provided in a pair on the left and right and are arranged slightly rearward of the front wheels 14. The rear arms 24 are provided in a pair on the left and right and are arranged rearward of the front arms 22. The rear arms 24 are also longer in the up-down direction than the front arms 22.

[0039] (inclined member 26) An inclined member 26 is attached to the lower ends of the front arm 22 and the rear arm 24. In this embodiment, the inclined member 26 is formed by bending both ends of a metal plate, for example, and includes a lower surface 26A facing downward and side surfaces 26B extending upward from both widthwise ends of the lower surface 26A. Therefore, the cross-sectional shape of the inclined member 26 viewed from the front-rear direction is a flattened, generally U-shaped shape with an open upper side.

[0040] The front arm 22 is superimposed on the inner wall of the side surface 26B at the front end of the inclined member 26, and the front arm 22 and the inclined member 26 are mechanically fastened by bolts and nuts through long holes formed in the inclined member 26.

[0041] The rear arm 24 is overlapped with the outer wall of the side surface 26B at the rear end of the tilting member 26, and the rear arm 24 and the tilting member 26 are mechanically fastened by bolts and nuts. Therefore, at least a portion of the tilting member 26 in this embodiment is located between the front wheel 14 and the rear wheel 16. Note that "between the front wheel 14 and the rear wheel 16" here is a concept that refers to the area between the rotation center of the front wheel 14 and the rotation center of the rear wheel 16, and broadly includes a mode in which a portion of the tilting member 26 overlaps with the front wheel 14 and the rear wheel 16 in a side view.

[0042] The inclined member 26 is attached to the front arm 22 and the rear arm 24 so as to be inclined downward from the front side to the rear side. Therefore, the lower surface 26A of the inclined member 26 is an inclined surface that is inclined downward from the front side to the rear side.

[0043] 1 is an imaginary line that extends vertically through the middle between the front wheel 14 and the rear wheel 16, and the front end of the lower surface (inclined surface) 26A of the inclined member 26 is located between the imaginary line CL and the front wheel 14. In other words, the front end of the inclined surface is located forward of the middle between the front wheel 14 and the rear wheel 16.

[0044] Further, the rear end of the lower surface (inclined surface) 26A of the inclined member 26 is located forward of the rear wheel 16 and below the rotation shaft center of the rear wheel 16. Although not shown in the figure, the rotation shaft center of the rear wheel 16 coincides with the center of the rear caster 38.

[0045] (Step deployment mechanism 28) 2, the step unfolding mechanism 28 is mainly composed of a step 40, a cover plate 42, and a shaft 44. The step 40 is formed of a metal plate having a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, and is disposed on the lower surface side of the rear part of the base part 12. The step 40 is also composed of a support surface 40A on which the user's feet are placed, and a flange 40B formed by bending the front end part of the support surface 40A downward.

[0046] Here, in FIG. 2, the step 40 is arranged in a storage position hidden on the underside of the base portion 12 except for the rear end portion.

[0047] The cover plate 42 is disposed below the step 40 and is fixed to the base portion 12. Therefore, the step 40 is configured to be movable back and forth while being sandwiched between the base portion 12 and the cover plate 42.

[0048] A notch 42A is formed in the front end of the cover plate 42, and a flange 40B of the step 40 fits into this notch 42A. A shaft 44 is provided in the notch 42A.

[0049] The shaft 44 extends in the front-rear direction, and the rear end of the shaft 44 is fixed to a rear fixing part 46 attached to the cover plate 42. The front end of the shaft 44 is fixed to a front fixing part (not shown) provided on the base part 12. The flange 40B of the step 40 is passed through the shaft 44, so that the step 40 is configured to move back and forth along the shaft 44. The shaft 44 is provided with a compression coil spring (not shown) that urges the flange 40B of the step 40 rearward.

[0050] 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing the bottom surface of the dolly 10 according to the present embodiment, illustrating a state in which the step 40 is in the use position. As shown in FIG. 3, when the step 40 is in the use position, the placement surface 40A protrudes rearward beyond the base portion 12.

[0051] In addition, in the use position, the flange 40B of the step 40 contacts the rear end of the cutout portion 42A of the cover plate 42, and the flange 40B is engaged here, thereby limiting the sliding range of the step 40.

[0052] A latch 48 is provided on the underside of the base portion 12. The latch 48 in this embodiment is a magnetic latch, and a magnet is disposed on the holding surface (rear surface). When the step 40 is disposed in the storage position, the flange 40B of the step 40 is held on the holding surface of the latch 48 by magnetic force. For this reason, the magnetic force acting between the step 40 and the latch 48 is adjusted to be greater than the biasing force of the compression coil spring provided on the shaft 44.

[0053] When the latch 48 is pressed via the step 40 with the step 40 in the stored position, the flange 40B is separated from the latch 48 by the action of the spring inside the latch 48, and the step 40 is slid to the use position by the biasing force of the compression coil spring provided on the shaft 44. Also, by sliding the step 40 towards the latch 48 against the biasing force of the compression coil spring, the flange 40B is again held by the latch 48, and the step 40 is placed in the stored position. In this way, the step 40 is configured to be slidable back and forth between the use position where it protrudes rearward from the base part 12 and the stored position where it is stored on the underside of the base part 12. Also, the step 40 is configured to slide to the use position by being pressed forward in the stored position.

[0054] (action) Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

[0055] In the dolly 10 of this embodiment, the front wheels 14 are attached to the underside of the front part of the base part 12 on which luggage can be placed. In addition, the rear wheels 16 are attached to the underside of the rear part of the base part 12. Furthermore, an inclined member 26 is provided on the underside of the base part 12. Here, at least a part of the inclined member 26 is provided between the front wheels 14 and the rear wheels 16. In addition, the underside 26A of the inclined member 26 is an inclined surface that inclines downward from the front side to the rear side. As a result, after the front wheels 14 run up a step, the step comes into contact with the underside 26A, and an upward reaction force from the step acts on the inclined surface, making it easier for the rear wheels 16 to get over the step.

[0056] In this embodiment, the inclination member 26 has a function of making it easier to overcome a step while being fixed to the base portion 12, so that the step can be overcome with a simple structure. Furthermore, the inclination member 26 itself does not require parts such as a coil spring, so it is also excellent in terms of maintainability.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the front end of the inclined member 26 is located forward of the midpoint between the front wheel 14 and the rear wheel 16, the inclination angle of the inclined surface is gentler than in a structure in which the inclined surface is located only at the rear, and less force is required to overcome a step.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the rear end of the lower surface 26A (inclined surface) of the inclined member 26 is located below the center of the rotation axis of the rear caster 38, so that the rear wheel 16 can smoothly overcome the step without getting caught on it.

[0059] In this embodiment, a step 40 protrudes rearward from the base portion 12, and is configured so that the user can step on the step 40 with their foot when in the use position. This allows the user to step on the step 40 with their foot to lift the front wheel 14 off the ground.

[0060] The step 40 is also configured to be slidable back and forth between a use position where it protrudes rearward from the base portion 12 and a storage position where it is stored on the underside of the base portion 12. This allows the step 40 to be slid to the storage position when not in use, so that the step 40 does not get in the way. Furthermore, the step 40 can be slid from the storage position to the use position simply by pushing it with a foot, etc., so the step 40 can be taken in and out without any troublesome operations.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the shape of the inclined member 26 is substantially linear in side view, but is not limited to this. For example, the structures described in the first to fourth modified examples shown in Figs. 4 to 7 may be adopted.

[0062] (First Modification) Fig. 4 is a side view of the bogie 10 according to the first modified example. As shown in Fig. 4, in this modified example, the inclination member 27 is bent. Specifically, the inclination member 27 is bent so that the intermediate portion in the front-rear direction bulges downward, and the lower surface 27A of the inclination member 27 is an inclined surface that is inclined downward from the front side to the rear side as a whole.

[0063] (Second Modification) Fig. 5 is a side view of the carriage 10 according to the second modified example. As shown in Fig. 5, in this modified example, the inclination member 29 is curved. Specifically, the inclination member 29 is curved so as to bulge downward, and the lower surface 27A of the inclination member 27 is an inclined surface that is inclined downward from the front side to the rear side as a whole.

[0064] (Third Modification) Fig. 6 is a side view of the bogie 10 according to the third modified example. As shown in Fig. 6, in this modified example, the inclination member 31 is bent. Specifically, the inclination member 31 is bent so that the intermediate portion in the front-rear direction bulges upward, and the lower surface 31A of the inclination member 31 is an inclined surface that is inclined downward from the front side to the rear side as a whole.

[0065] (Fourth Modification) Fig. 7 is a side view of the bogie 10 according to the fourth modified example. As shown in Fig. 7, in this modified example, the inclination member 33 is curved. Specifically, the inclination member 33 is curved so as to bulge upward, and the lower surface 33A of the inclination member 33 is an inclined surface that is inclined downward from the front side to the rear side as a whole.

[0066] The dolly 10 according to the above first to fourth modified examples also has the same effects as this embodiment because the lower surface of the inclination member is an inclined surface like this embodiment.

[0067] <Second embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description will be omitted as appropriate.

[0068] Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing the bottom surface of the dolly 60 according to the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 8, the dolly 60 of this embodiment is provided with an inclined member 62 on the lower surface of the base portion 12.

[0069] At least a portion of the inclined member 62 is located between the front wheel 14 and the rear wheel 16. A lower surface 62A of the inclined member 62 is an inclined surface that slopes downward from the front side to the rear side.

[0070] Here, the inclination member 62 of the present embodiment is integrally formed of a resin member together with the base portion 12. Therefore, the inclination member 62 is formed of the same material as the base portion 12.

[0071] The inclined member 62 is configured in a block shape including a lower surface 62A, a side surface 62B, a rear surface 62C, and a front surface (not shown). Note that the inclined member 62 may be provided with a step deployment mechanism 28, similar to the first embodiment.

[0072] In the dolly 60 according to this embodiment, the inclination member 62 is formed integrally with the base portion 12, so there is no need to attach the inclination member 62 separately later. Other operations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0073] <Third embodiment> Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description will be omitted as appropriate.

[0074] Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective view showing the bottom surface of the carriage 70 according to the third embodiment. As shown in Fig. 9, the carriage 70 of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a pair of inclined members 72 are provided on the left and right.

[0075] One of the inclination members 72 is provided between the front wheel 14 and the rear wheel 16 at the right end of the dolly 70 and may be formed integrally with a fixing bracket used to fix the front wheel 14 or the rear wheel 16. The other inclination member 72 is provided between the front wheel 14 and the rear wheel 16 at the left end of the dolly 70.

[0076] The pair of inclined members 72 each have a lower surface 72A that is inclined downward from the front side to the rear side. The inclined member 72 also has a design surface 72B that connects the width direction end of the inclined lower surface 72A and the base portion 12.

[0077] On the design surface 72B, an advertisement such as an arbitrary company name, product name, etc. is drawn to be visible to the surroundings. In the present embodiment, as an example, the design surface 72B and the side surface of the base portion 12 are flush with each other.

[0078] In this embodiment, since a pair of inclined members 72 is provided on the left and right, even if there is an obstacle such as a fallen object or a protrusion on the road surface, the obstacle can be passed without interfering with the inclined members 72. That is, in this case, by passing the obstacle between the pair of left and right front wheels 14, the obstacle does not interfere with the inclined members 72.

[0079] In addition, in this embodiment, since the inclined member 72 has the design surface 72B, if an advertisement or the like is displayed on the design surface 72B, the advertisement can be visually recognized by those around when the dolly 70 is in use.

[0080] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the design surface functions as a guide to prevent feet from getting caught, so that the feet of the user and people around the cart 70 can be prevented from getting caught when the cart 70 is in use. Other functions are the same as those of the first embodiment. The design surface 72B may be provided with a reflective material that utilizes retroreflection, or may be provided with a fluorescent material or a phosphorescent material. In this case, the presence of the cart 70 can be made known to those around when it is used at night or in a dark place. Similarly, light-emitting diodes (LEDs: Light Emission Diodes) may be embedded in the design surface 72B to illuminate the surroundings.

[0081] <Fourth embodiment> Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description will be omitted as appropriate.

[0082] Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective view showing the bottom surface of the carriage 80 according to the fourth embodiment. As shown in Fig. 10, the carriage 80 of the present embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a plurality of through holes 86C are formed in the inclined member 86.

[0083] A front arm 82 and a rear arm 84 are provided on the underside of the base portion 12 of the dolly 80. The front arms 82 are provided in pair on the left and right and are disposed slightly rearward of the front wheels 14. The rear arm 84 is disposed rearward of the front arm 82 and is formed in a block shape. The rear arm 84 is longer than the front arm 82.

[0084] An inclined member 86 is attached to the lower ends of the front arm 82 and the rear arm 84. In this embodiment, the inclined member 86 is formed by bending both ends of a metal plate, for example, and includes a lower surface 86A facing downward and side surfaces 86B extending upward from both widthwise ends of the lower surface 86A. Therefore, the cross-sectional shape of the inclined member 86 viewed from the front-rear direction is a flattened, generally U-shaped shape with an open upper side.

[0085] The lower surface 86A is an inclined surface that slopes downward from the front side to the rear side, and has a large number of through holes 86C formed in the lower surface 86A.

[0086] In this embodiment, a large number of through holes 86C are formed in the lower surface 86A of the inclined member 86, so that even if a gap is formed between the inclined member 86 and the base portion 12, accumulation of liquids such as water on the upper surface side of the inclined member 86 can be prevented.

[0087] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by forming the through holes 86C, it is possible to reduce the weight of the inclination member 86. As a result, it is possible to reduce the weight of the entire carriage 80. Other functions are similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0088] Although the first to fourth embodiments have been described above, it is needless to say that the present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above first embodiment, the cart 10 provided with the tilting member 26 has been described, but an obstacle climbing mechanism including a tilting member may be retrofitted to a general cart.

[0089] The obstacle climbing mechanism to be retrofitted to the dolly may have a structure including a front arm and a rear arm that can be attached to the underside of the base of the dolly, and a tilting member attached to the front arm and the rear arm. When retrofitted to the dolly, at least a portion of the obstacle climbing mechanism is located between the front and rear wheels, and the underside is an inclined surface that tilts downward from the front to the rear. In this way, even a general dolly can be fitted with a tilting member similar to that of the first embodiment, and the step can be easily climbed with a simple structure.

[0090] In addition, in the above first embodiment, a structure including both the inclination member 26 and the step deployment mechanism 28 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a structure including only the inclination member 26 may also be used.

[0091] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the inclined member 26 itself is in contact with the step, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a sheet-like member may be attached to the lower surface 26A of the inclined member 26. The sheet-like member is preferably a member with a low friction coefficient to reduce the frictional force acting between the inclined member 26 and the step. Also, the sheet-like member may be easily replaced when it deteriorates.

[0092] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the step 40 has a rectangular thin plate shape, but is not limited to this and may have other shapes. For example, the rear end of the step 40 may be bent obliquely upward to make it easier for the user to press it with the toes.

[0093] In addition, in the step deployment mechanism 28 of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a magnetic latch 48 is used, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other methods may be used to store and deploy the step. For example, a structure may be adopted in which a sensor for detecting a step is attached to the front end of the base, and a one-axis actuator for electrically deploying and storing the step is attached to the rear of the base. In this case, when the sensor detects a step, a signal is transmitted to the actuator, and the step is slid from the storage position to the use position. Also, the step may be configured to slide from the use position to the storage position when a predetermined time has elapsed after the step has been overcome based on a signal from the sensor. In this case, the sensor is not limited to an infrared sensor or a laser sensor, and an optical camera may be used as the sensor. A step may be detected by image recognition of an image captured by an optical camera. Furthermore, instead of the magnetic latch 48, a locking mechanism for manually locking the step may be provided. For example, a mechanism for physically locking the step when the step is slid to the storage position may be provided. In this case, by providing switches for operating the locking mechanism on the handle 18 or the like, the user can perform the locking and unlocking operations at their fingertips.

[0094] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a structure is provided with a pair of left and right front wheels 14 and a pair of left and right rear wheels 16, but this is not limited to the above. For example, a structure may be adopted in which an additional wheel is provided between the front wheels 14 and the rear wheels 16. Also, a structure may be adopted in which only one front wheel 14 or one rear wheel 16 is provided. Furthermore, a structure may be adopted in which three or more front wheels 14 or three or more rear wheels 16 are provided in the width direction.

[0095] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the rear end of the lower surface 26A of the inclined member 26 is located below the center of the rotation shaft of the rear wheel 16, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the rear end of the lower surface 26A of the inclined member 26 may be located above the center of the rotation shaft of the rear wheel 16. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the front end of the lower surface 26A of the inclined member 26 is located above the center of the rotation shaft of the front wheel 14, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the front end of the lower surface 26A of the inclined member 26 may be located below the center of the rotation shaft of the front wheel 14.

[0096] Moreover, the structures described in the fifth modified example shown in FIG. 11 and the sixth modified example shown in FIG. 12 may be adopted.

[0097] <Fifth Modification> Fig. 11 is an enlarged perspective view showing the bottom surface of the dolly 10 according to the fifth modified example. As shown in Fig. 11, in this modified example, the inclined member 26 is provided with a grip portion 35 that can be gripped by a user.

[0098] The gripping portion 35 is provided on the side surface 26B of the inclination member 26. As an example, the gripping portion 35 of this modified example is formed in a substantially U-shape, and both ends of the U-shape are fixed to the side surface 26B of the inclination member 26. The gripping portion 35 is provided on each of the right side surface 26B and the left side surface 26B.

[0099] According to this modification, when the dolly 10 is not in use, the user can carry the dolly 10 by gripping the grip portion 35. For example, since the user can easily lift the dolly 10 by gripping the grip portion 35 with the handle 18 folded, the dolly 10 can be carried in places where the dolly 10 cannot travel, such as stairs.

[0100] The gripping portion 35 may be attached parallel to the base portion 12 of the cart 10. In this case, for example, by attaching a bracket extending upward from the side surface 26B of the inclined member 26 and attaching the rear side of the gripping portion 35 to this bracket, the gripping portion 35 and the base portion 12 can be made approximately parallel to each other.

[0101] <Sixth Modification> Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective view showing the bottom surface of the dolly 70 according to the sixth modified example. As shown in Fig. 12, in this modified example, the inclined member 72 is provided with a grip portion 35 that can be gripped by a user.

[0102] The pair of inclined members 72 each have a lower surface 72A that is inclined downward from the front side to the rear side. The inclined member 72 also has a design surface 72B that connects the width direction end of the inclined lower surface 72A and the base portion 12.

[0103] Furthermore, a recess 72A is formed on the inner side of the inclined member 72 in the width direction, and this recess 72A constitutes a gripping portion that can be gripped by a user. That is, a user can easily grip the inclined member 72 by hooking a finger on the recess 72A. Note that a protrusion or the like may be provided on the inner wall of the recess 72A so that the user can easily hook a finger on it. The recess 72A may also be made to penetrate to the design surface 72B. In this case, for example, the user can insert his / her arm into the recess 72A to transport the cart 70. Furthermore, a slit or the like may be formed on the lower surface 72A to make it easier for the user to grip the inclined member 72. [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] 10 Carts 12 Base section 14 Front wheel 16 Rear wheel 26 Inclined member 26A Bottom surface (slanted surface) 27 Inclined Member 27A Bottom surface (slanted surface) 29 Inclined Member 29A Bottom surface (slanted surface) 31 Inclined member 31A Lower surface (inclined surface) 33 Inclined member 33A Lower surface (inclined surface) 35 Gripping part 60 Trolley 62 Inclined member 62A Lower surface (inclined surface) 70 Trolley 72 Inclined member 72A Lower surface (inclined surface) 72C Concave part (gripping part) 80 Trolley 86 Inclined member 86A Lower surface (inclined surface) 86C Through hole

Claims

1. A base portion on which luggage can be placed; A front wheel attached to a lower surface of a front portion of the base portion; A rear wheel attached to a lower surface of a rear portion of the base portion; an inclined member provided on a lower surface of the base portion, at least a portion of which is located between the front wheel and the rear wheel, and the lower surface of the inclined member is an inclined surface that inclines downward from the front side to the rear side; A trolley having the above structure.

2. The bogie according to claim 1 , wherein a front end of the inclined surface is located forward of a midpoint between the front wheel and the rear wheel.

3. The bogie according to claim 1 , wherein a rear end of the inclined surface is located below a center of a rotation shaft of the rear wheel.

4. The bogie according to claim 1 , wherein the inclination member includes a plate-like member having a large number of through holes formed therein.

5. The bogie according to claim 1 , wherein the inclination members are provided in a pair on the left and right.

6. The cart according to claim 5 , wherein the inclined member has a design surface connecting a width direction end of the inclined surface and the base portion.

7. The cart according to claim 1 , wherein the tilting member is provided with a grip portion that can be gripped by a user.

8. A step is provided that protrudes rearward from the base portion and that a user can step on with their foot; The cart according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the step is configured to be slidable back and forth between a use position in which it protrudes rearward from the base portion and a storage position in which it is stored on the underside of the base portion.

9. The dolly according to claim 8 , wherein the step is configured to slide to the use position by being pressed forward when in the storage position.

10. An obstacle climbing mechanism attached to a cart having front and rear wheels, An obstacle climbing mechanism having an inclined member that is configured to be attached to the underside of a base portion of the trolley, and when attached to the base portion, at least a portion of which is positioned between the front wheels and the rear wheels, and whose underside is an inclined surface that slopes downward from the front to the rear.

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