Pallet

Abstract

To provide a pallet which can increase reliability compared with the conventional one.SOLUTION: A pallet 1 which can be mounted on a loading platform P of a conveyance vehicle V comprises: a first support member 30 including plural receiving parts 32 extending in the vertical direction and arranged in parallel in the vertical direction; a second support member 40 including plural holding parts 42 extending in the vertical direction and arranged in parallel in the vertical direction; and plural arm members 50 arranged so as to be lined up in the vertical direction and each including a rotary shaft part 51. Each arm part 50 is configured in such a manner that the rotary shaft part 51 is rotatably supported by the receiving part 32 and the holding part 42, and the arm part can take a support state in which it can receive an object 60 from below and a retracted state in which it is raised up.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a pallet. [Background technology]

[0002] Pallets used for, for example, plate-shaped objects have been known for some time. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a pallet used for automobile windshields. The pallet in Patent Document 1 has multiple support arms vertically arranged on one side and the other side of a window glass storage section. Each support arm is rotatably supported by a support leg, and can be positioned between a horizontal position supporting the window glass and a raised position. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 5-42073 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] For example, a pallet may be placed on the platform of a transport vehicle such as a truck and used to transport an object from a factory where the object is produced to an assembly factory where the final product is assembled. If the transport vehicle accelerates, decelerates, or turns during transportation, force may be applied to a member (for example, the support leg in Patent Document 1) that rotatably supports a support arm that supports the object, which may affect its reliability.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a pallet that can be made more reliable than conventional pallets. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a pallet that can be placed on the loading platform of a transport vehicle, comprising a first support member that extends in the vertical direction and has a plurality of receiving portions arranged in a row in the vertical direction, a second support member that extends in the vertical direction and has a plurality of holding portions arranged in a row in the vertical direction, and a plurality of arm portions that are arranged in a row in the vertical direction and have a rotating shaft portion, wherein the rotating shaft portion of the arm portion is rotatably supported by the receiving portions and the holding portions, and the arm portion is configured to be able to assume a supporting state in which it can receive an object from below, and a raised retracted state.

[0007] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the rotation shaft of the arm is rotatably supported by the receiving portion of the first support member and the retaining portion of the second support member. This ensures that the rotation shaft can be reliably supported even when the pallet containing the object is transported on the platform of a transport vehicle, making it possible to provide a pallet with higher reliability than conventional pallets.

[0008] In the present invention, preferably, the receiving portion has an opening in the first support member that opens toward the inside of the pallet, and is formed in the shape of a slit that extends obliquely downward from the opening.

[0009] According to the present invention configured in this manner, for example, since the receiving portion extends obliquely downward from the opening, it is possible to easily set the rotation shaft portion of the arm portion in the receiving portion.

[0010] In the present invention, the pressing portion is preferably formed in a hook shape so as to restrict the rotation shaft portion supported by the receiving portion from moving toward the opening of the receiving portion.

[0011] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the retaining portion can prevent the rotating shaft from moving toward the opening of the receiving portion when the pallet is placed on the loading platform of the transport vehicle and transported. As a result, the receiving portion and the retaining portion can absorb the force that moves the rotating shaft toward the opening of the receiving portion, thereby stably supporting the rotating shaft.

[0012] In the present invention, preferably, the first support member and the second support member are plate-shaped, and the first support member and the second support member are stacked in a position in which the thickness direction of the first support member and the thickness direction of the second support member are aligned.

[0013] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the receiving portion of the first support member and the pressing portion of the second support member can be adjacent to each other, which allows the rotating shaft to be supported more stably by the receiving portion and the pressing portion.

[0014] In the present invention, preferably, the first support member has a first hole portion formed through it in the thickness direction, and the second support member has a second hole portion formed through it in the thickness direction, at least one of the first hole portion and the second hole portion is an elongated hole extending in the vertical direction, and further includes a fixing member for fixing the first support member and the second support member when inserted into the first hole portion and the second hole portion, and is configured so that the first support member and the second support member can be shifted in the vertical direction when the fixing member is inserted into the first hole portion and the second hole portion.

[0015] According to the present invention configured in this manner, by shifting the first support member and the second support member in the vertical direction, it is possible to set the rotating shaft portion in the receiving portion through the opening in the receiving portion, and to remove the rotating shaft portion set in the receiving portion through the opening in the receiving portion, thereby making it possible to easily replace a deteriorated arm portion, for example.

[0016] In the present invention, preferably, the inner end of the pallet above the receiving portion of the first support member is provided with a first recess that is recessed toward the outside of the pallet, and the inner end of the pallet above the pressing portion of the second support member is provided with a second recess that is recessed toward the outside of the pallet, and when the first support member and the second support member are stacked, at least a portion of the first recess and the second recess overlap in the stacking direction of the first support member and the second support member to form a recess, and when the arm portion is in the retracted state, a portion of the arm portion is positioned within the recess.

[0017] According to the present invention configured in this manner, by positioning part of the arm section within the recess in the retracted state, it is possible to prevent interference between the object and the arm section when removing an object stored in the storage section of the pallet from above, or when storing an object in the storage section of the pallet from above.

[0018] In the present invention, preferably, the device further comprises a cylindrical bushing having a flange and attached to the rotary shaft portion, the flange being sandwiched between the first support member and the second support member.

[0019] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the flange of the bushing is sandwiched between the first support member and the second support member, so that the bushing can be reliably supported.

[0020] In the present invention, preferably, the arm portion has a bifurcated tip portion, the tip portion having an object receiving portion and a flip-up portion provided below the object receiving portion, and when the arm portion is in the supported state, the lower portion of the flip-up portion of the arm portion is configured to abut against the upper portion of the lower object stored below the flip-up portion when the lower object is removed upward.

[0021] According to the present invention configured as described above, when the lower object is removed upward, the upper part of the lower object comes into contact with the lower part of the lift-up part, which is in a supported state. This allows the arm part positioned above the lower object to be lifted up and placed in a retracted state when the lower object is removed upward. Furthermore, for example, if the object is approximately square-shaped, the object can be properly received from below by the object receiving part provided separately from the lift-up part.

[0022] In the present invention, preferably, the apparatus comprises a storage unit capable of storing a plurality of the objects in a position where they are lined up at intervals from each other in the vertical direction, one side pillar provided on one side of the storage unit, and another side pillar provided on the other side of the storage unit, the one side pillar comprising a first pillar and a second pillar, the other side pillar comprising a third pillar and a fourth pillar, the first pillar, the second pillar, the third pillar, and the fourth pillar each comprising the first support member and the second support member, the arm unit comprising a pair of a first arm and a second arm, the first arm and the second arm being connected via the rotating shaft, the rotating shaft of the arm unit on the one side pillar side being rotatably supported by the first pillar and the second pillar, and the rotating shaft of the arm unit on the other side pillar side being rotatably supported by the third pillar and the fourth pillar.

[0023] According to the present invention configured in this way, the arm portion supports the object at four points, so the object can be received stably. Also, because the first arm and the second arm are connected by the rotating shaft portion, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a situation where only one arm cannot be lifted.

[0024] In the present invention, preferably, the arm portion includes an axial weight portion connected to the first arm and the second arm, and a rotation restriction portion is further provided at each of a position between the first pillar portion and the second pillar portion and a position between the third pillar portion and the fourth pillar portion, for abutting against the weight portion to maintain the arm portion in the supported state.

[0025] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the rotation of the arm portion is restricted by utilizing the shaft-shaped weight portion connected to the first arm and the second arm, thereby making it possible to maintain the arm portion in a supported state. This eliminates the need to provide a rotation restricting portion for each of the first arm and the second arm, thereby reducing the number of parts.

[0026] In the present invention, preferably, the device further comprises pillars provided at the four corners, an upper frame connecting the upper portions of the pillars, and a lower frame connecting the lower portions of the pillars, wherein the first support member is detachably attached to the upper frame and the lower frame, and the second support member is detachably attached to the first support member.

[0027] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the first support members to which the second support members are attached are detachably attached to the upper and lower frames, so that different types of first support members and second support members can be selectively attached to the upper and lower frames depending on the object, for example. As a result, even if the type, size, or shape of the object changes, a pallet that can be used for a wide variety of objects can be provided simply by attaching the corresponding first support members and second support members to the upper and lower frames. [Effects of the Invention]

[0028] It is possible to provide a pallet that is more reliable than conventional pallets. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a pallet according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part II in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a first support member. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a second support member. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a first rotation restricting member. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a view showing the arm portion in a supporting state as viewed from one side in the intersecting direction. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a view showing the arm portion in a retracted state as viewed from one side in the intersecting direction. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a view from one side in the transverse direction showing how an object is removed from a pallet. [Figure 10] 10 is a view seen from one side in the intersecting direction, showing a state in which the second support member is shifted upward relative to the first support member. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a pallet 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The pallet 1 can be placed on a loading platform P of a transport vehicle (e.g., a truck) V. In this embodiment, the pallet 1 is placed on the loading platform P of the transport vehicle V and is used to transport an object 60 from a factory where the object 60 is produced to a factory where the final product is assembled. For ease of explanation, some of the arm units 50 are omitted from FIG. 1.

[0032] The pallet 1 also has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped pallet body 2 having a storage section 2a. The pallet body 2 has a plurality of support posts 3 located at the four corners of the pallet body 2, a plurality of upper frames 4, and a plurality of lower frames 5. The storage section 2a has a storage space capable of storing a plurality of objects 60 arranged at intervals in the vertical direction.

[0033] 1, for convenience of explanation, the upper side in the vertical direction (top-bottom direction) will be referred to as the "upper side," the lower side in the vertical direction (top-bottom direction) will be referred to as the "lower side," one side in the longitudinal direction of the pallet body 2 will be referred to as the "one longitudinal side," the other side in the longitudinal direction of the pallet body 2 will be referred to as the "other longitudinal side," one side in the intersecting direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the pallet body 2 and the horizontal direction will be referred to as the "one intersecting side," and the other side in the intersecting direction will be referred to as the "other intersecting side." As an example, when the pallet 1 is placed on the loading platform P of the transport vehicle V, the "longitudinal direction" in FIG. 1 corresponds to the fore-and-aft direction of the transport vehicle V, and the "intersecting direction" in FIG. 1 corresponds to the width direction of the transport vehicle V.

[0034] The support pillars 3 include a first support pillar 3a, a second support pillar 3b, a third support pillar 3c, and a fourth support pillar 3d. A rectangular leg plate 3e is attached to the lower end of each of the first support pillar 3a to the fourth support pillar 3d, and the lower surface of the leg plate 3e is in contact with the upper surface of the loading platform P.

[0035] The upper frames 4 are provided to connect upper portions of the first support column 3 a to the fourth support column 3 d. In this embodiment, one upper frame 4 extending in the intersecting direction connects upper portions of the first support column 3 a and the second support column 3 b, the other upper frame 4 extending in the intersecting direction connects upper portions of the third support column 3 c and the fourth support column 3 d, and the upper frame 4 extending in the longitudinal direction connects upper portions of the second support column 3 b and the fourth support column 3 d.

[0036] The lower frames 5 are provided to connect the lower portions of the first support pillar 3a to the fourth support pillar 3d. In this embodiment, four lower frames 5 extending in the longitudinal direction and four lower frames 5 extending in the intersecting direction are connected in a lattice pattern.

[0037] A pair of rectangular ring portions 5a that open in the intersecting direction are provided on the underside of the lower frame 5. The rectangular ring portions 5a are designed so that the claws (not shown) of a forklift (not shown) can be inserted and removed.

[0038] The pallet 1 is provided with a one-side pillar portion 10 on one side in the longitudinal direction of the storage portion 2a, and an other-side pillar portion 20 on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the storage portion 2a.

[0039] The one side pillar portion 10 includes a first pillar portion 11 and a second pillar portion 12 extending in the vertical direction. The first pillar portion 11 and the second pillar portion 12 are disposed at a first predetermined distance from each other in the intersecting direction. A first rotation restricting member 13 extending in the vertical direction is disposed between the first pillar portion 11 and the second pillar portion 12 in the intersecting direction. The first pillar portion 11, the second pillar portion 12, and the first rotation restricting member 13 have their upper end portions detachably attached to the upper frame 4. Furthermore, the first pillar portion 11, the second pillar portion 12, and the first rotation restricting member 13 have their lower end portions detachably attached to the lower frame 5.

[0040] The other side pillar portion 20 includes a third pillar portion 21 and a fourth pillar portion 22 extending in the vertical direction. The third pillar portion 21 and the fourth pillar portion 22 are arranged at a second predetermined interval in the intersecting direction. In this embodiment, the second predetermined interval is set smaller than the first predetermined interval to match the shape and size of the objects 60 to be stored on the pallet 1.

[0041] A second rotation restricting member 23 extending in the vertical direction is disposed between the third pillar portion 21 and the fourth pillar portion 22 in the intersecting direction. The third pillar portion 21, the fourth pillar portion 22, and the second rotation restricting member 23 have their respective upper end portions detachably attached to the upper frame 4. In addition, the third pillar portion 21, the fourth pillar portion 22, and the second rotation restricting member 23 have their respective lower end portions detachably attached to the lower frame 5.

[0042] Next, the first pillar section 11 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Note that the second pillar section 12, the third pillar section 21, and the fourth pillar section 22 have the same configuration as the first pillar section 11, and therefore their description will be omitted.

[0043] 2, the first pillar portion 11 includes a first support member 30 and a second support member 40 that extend in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the upper end portion of the first support member 30 is detachably attached to the upper frame 4, and the lower end portion is detachably attached to the lower frame 5. The second support member 40 is detachably attached to the first support member 30.

[0044] 3, the first support member 30 extends from one end toward one side in a direction (first orthogonal direction) perpendicular to the horizontal direction of its thickness direction (first thickness direction). In other words, the first support member 30 is substantially L-shaped when viewed from above. In this embodiment, the length of the side of the first support member 30 in the first orthogonal direction is greater than the length of the side in the first thickness direction.

[0045] Furthermore, the other end of the first support member 30 in the first orthogonal direction (the end toward the inside of the pallet) is provided with a plurality of first recesses 31 that are recessed toward one side in the first orthogonal direction (outside the pallet). In this embodiment, eight first recesses 31 are provided. Furthermore, the plurality of first recesses 31 are arranged side by side at predetermined intervals from each other in the vertical direction.

[0046] Furthermore, the other end portion (the end portion on the inner side of the pallet) of the first support member 30 in the first orthogonal direction is provided with a plurality of receiving portions 32. In this embodiment, nine receiving portions 32 are provided, and a first recess 31 is provided at an upper position of each receiving portion 32.

[0047] The plurality of receiving portions 32 are provided with openings 32a that open to the other side in the first orthogonal direction of the first support member 30 (toward the interior of the pallet), and are formed as slits that extend downward from the openings 32a to one side in the first orthogonal direction of the first support member 30. In other words, the plurality of receiving portions 32 are formed as slits that extend diagonally downward from the openings 32a that open toward the interior of the pallet 1. In this embodiment, only the receiving portion 32 located on the lowest side is formed as a slit that extends from the opening 32a to one side in the orthogonal direction (horizontally).

[0048] The plurality of receiving portions 32 are arranged side by side at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the receiving portions 32 (except for the receiving portion 32 located at the bottom) are provided alternately with the first recesses 31 in the vertical direction.

[0049] Furthermore, the first support member 30 is provided with a plurality of first fixing holes 33 formed to penetrate in the first thickness direction. In this embodiment, the first fixing holes 33 are round holes, and are provided at three locations: the upper end, a vertical midpoint, and the lower end.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 4, the other end of the second support member 40 in the second orthogonal direction (the end toward the inside of the pallet) is provided with a plurality of second recesses 41 that are recessed toward one side in the second orthogonal direction (outside the pallet). In this embodiment, nine second recesses 41 are provided. Each second recess 41 is provided at a position corresponding to a first recess 31. The second recesses 41 are also arranged side by side at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction.

[0051] Furthermore, a plurality of pressing portions 42 are provided at the other end of the second support member 40 in the second orthogonal direction (the end toward the inside of the pallet). In this embodiment, nine pressing portions 42 are provided, and a second recess 41 is provided at a position above each pressing portion 42. Each pressing portion 42 is provided at a position corresponding to the receiving portion 32. Furthermore, the plurality of pressing portions 42 are arranged side by side at predetermined intervals from each other in the vertical direction. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pressing portions 42 (except for the pressing portion 42 located at the lowest side) are provided alternately with the second recesses 41 in the vertical direction.

[0052] The pressing portion 42 has a generally hook shape when viewed from one side in the second thickness direction. More specifically, the pressing portion 42 protrudes from the other end portion of the second support member 40 in the second orthogonal direction (the end portion inside the pallet) to the other side in the second orthogonal direction (inside the pallet), and then extends downward.

[0053] The second support member 40 also has a plurality of second fixing holes 43 formed therethrough in the second thickness direction. In this embodiment, the second fixing holes 43 are elongated holes extending in the vertical direction, and are provided in three locations: at the upper end, at a vertical midpoint, and at the lower end. Each second fixing hole 43 is provided at a position corresponding to a first fixing hole 33.

[0054] 2, the first support member 30 and the second support member 40 are detachably fixed together by bolts B and nuts N in a state where they are stacked together in such a position that the first thickness direction of the first support member 30 and the second thickness direction of the second support member 40 are aligned. More specifically, with the first fixing holes 33 of the first support member 30 aligned with the second fixing holes 43 of the second support member 40, the nuts N are tightened onto the bolts B inserted into the first fixing holes 33 and the second fixing holes 43, thereby fixing the first support member 30 and the second support member 40 together.

[0055] Next, the first rotation restricting member 13 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Note that the second rotation restricting member 23 has the same configuration as the first rotation restricting member 13, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0056] The first rotation restricting member 13 has a generally U-shape when viewed from above and includes a bottom wall 13a, a first side wall 13b, and a second side wall 13c. The first side wall 13b extends from one end of the bottom wall 13a in the third orthogonal direction toward one side in the third thickness direction. The second side wall 13c extends from the other end of the bottom wall 13a in the third orthogonal direction toward one side in the third thickness direction. In this embodiment, the third thickness direction shown in FIG. 5 is the thickness direction of the bottom wall 13a of the first rotation restricting member 13. The third orthogonal direction shown in FIG. 5 is a direction perpendicular to the third thickness direction and the horizontal direction.

[0057] The first rotation restricting member 13 is also provided with a plurality of first through-holes 13d that penetrate the other side portions in the third thickness direction of the bottom wall 13a, the first side wall 13b, and the second side wall 13c. The plurality of first through-holes 13d are provided at predetermined intervals from one another in the up-down direction.

[0058] The first rotation restricting member 13 is provided at an upper portion of each of the first through-hole portions 13d with a restricting portion 13e extending in the third orthogonal direction.

[0059] The lower end portion of the first rotation restricting member 13 is provided with a second through-hole portion 13f that penetrates the other side portions in the third thickness direction of the bottom wall portion 13a, the first side wall portion 13b and the second side wall portion 13c.

[0060] Next, the arm unit 50 will be described with reference to Figure 6. The arm unit 50 is made of, for example, metal, and includes a shaft-shaped rotating shaft unit 51, a shaft-shaped weight unit 52 that extends substantially parallel to the rotating shaft unit, a first arm 53, and a second arm 54.

[0061] A first base end 53a of the first arm 53 is fixed to an upper portion on one axial side of the rotating shaft 51, and a second base end 54a of the second arm 54 is fixed to an upper portion on the other axial side of the rotating shaft 51. In other words, the first base end 53a of the first arm 53 and the second base end 54a of the second arm 54 are connected via the rotating shaft 51.

[0062] An upper portion of a first base end 53a of the first arm 53 is fixed to a lower portion on one axial side of the weight portion 52, and an upper portion of a second base end 54a of the second arm 54 is fixed to a lower portion on the other axial side of the weight portion 52. In other words, the first base end 53a of the first arm 53 and the second base end 54a of the second arm 54 are connected via the weight portion 52. In this embodiment, the weight portion 52 is disposed on the other side in the fourth orthogonal direction (toward the base ends of the first arm 53 and the second arm) of the rotating shaft portion 51.

[0063] The tip end portions of the first arm 53 and the second arm 54 are each provided with a flip-up portion 55. The flip-up portion 55 is formed so as to be bent in a generally V-shape when viewed from above. A buffer member 56 (made of, for example, resin or rubber) is attached to the outer periphery of the flip-up portion 55.

[0064] Each of the first arm 53 and the second arm 54 is provided with an object receiving portion 57 that branches off and extends upward from the flip-up portion 55. In other words, the tip portion of each of the first arm 53 and the second arm 54 is formed in a bifurcated shape in the vertical direction, and the flip-up portion 55 is located below the object receiving portion 57.

[0065] The object receiving portion 57 includes a support plate portion 57a and a holding member 57b (made of, for example, resin or rubber) attached to the upper surface of the support plate portion 57a. The support plate portion 57a is formed so as to extend continuously upward, diagonally upward, and horizontally in this order from the connecting portion with the flip-up portion 55. The holding member 57b is provided on the upper surface of the portion of the support plate portion 57a extending diagonally upward and on the upper surface of the portion extending horizontally.

[0066] As shown in Fig. 7, the arm portion 50 has a rotating shaft portion 51 rotatably supported by a support hole H formed by the receiving portion 32 of the first support member 30 and the pressing portion 42 of the second support member 40. In this embodiment, a cylindrical bushing 58 (made of, for example, resin) is attached to the outer periphery of each of both axial ends of the rotating shaft portion 51 (see Fig. 2). In other words, the bushing 58 is fitted onto the outside of the rotating shaft portion 51. As a result, the arm portion 50 is rotatably supported by the receiving portion 32 and the pressing portion 42 via the bushing 58 attached to the rotating shaft portion 51.

[0067] The bushing 58 also has a flange 59. The flange 59 is sandwiched between the first support member 30 and the second support member 40 in the intersecting direction (the first thickness direction of the first support member 30 and the second thickness direction of the second support member 40) (see FIGS. 2 and 7). This makes it possible to prevent the bushing 58 from falling off, for example.

[0068] 7 also shows the arm unit 50 in a supporting state. In this supporting state, the flip-up portion 55 of the first arm 53 extends in a substantially horizontal direction (substantially in the longitudinal direction in the example of FIG. 7). In this supporting state, the object receiving portion 57 can receive an object 60 from below.

[0069] 2, the upper part of weight portion 52 abuts against the lower part of restricting portion 13e, thereby restricting arm portion 50 from rotating counterclockwise as viewed from one side in the transverse direction around rotating shaft portion 51 as the rotation axis. As a result, when an object 60 is set on object receiving portion 57 of arm portion 50, the weight of object 60 restricts arm portion 50 from rotating counterclockwise as viewed from one side in the transverse direction around rotating shaft portion 51 as the rotation axis. Therefore, when object 60 is received by flip-up portion 55 of arm portion 50, flip-up portion 55 can be maintained in a state in which it extends substantially horizontally (support state).

[0070] As shown in FIG. 7 , the target object 60 is, for example, a battery case component. The battery case component has a substantially rectangular dish shape and includes a substantially flat base wall 61 and side wall 62 provided on the periphery of the base wall 61. For example, by combining two substantially rectangular dish-shaped targets 60 in a sandwich-like shape, it is possible to configure a battery case for an electric vehicle having an upper and lower half structure. In this embodiment, for example, the support plate 57a and the holding member 57b of each arm (first arm 53, second arm 54) are configured to fit along the inner surface of the base wall 61 and the inner surface of the side wall 62 of the substantially rectangular dish-shaped target object 60. This allows the target object 60 to be transported in a properly held state.

[0071] When the pallet 1 placed on the loading platform P is transported by the transport vehicle V, the object 60 supported by the arm unit 50 tends to move, for example, in the longitudinal direction due to acceleration or deceleration of the transport vehicle V. Accordingly, for example, the rotating shaft unit 51 of the arm unit 50 tends to move to the other longitudinal side, and a force is applied to the portion of the support hole H on the other longitudinal side of the rotating shaft unit 51. In this embodiment, the receiving portion 32 and the pressing portion 42 that constitute the support hole H are configured to receive the force that tends to move the rotating shaft unit 51 to the other longitudinal side. Explaining in more detail, the receiving portion 32 extends diagonally downward from the opening 32a, and the holding portion 42 is formed in a hook shape so as to restrict the rotating shaft portion 51 from moving toward the other longitudinal side (the opening 32a side of the receiving portion 32), so that the receiving portion 32 can stop the lower part of the rotating shaft portion 51 from moving toward the other longitudinal side, and the holding portion 42 can stop the upper part of the rotating shaft portion 51 from moving toward the other longitudinal side.

[0072] If the force of movement of the rotating shaft portion 51 in the other longitudinal direction were to be received only by another receiving portion (not shown) equivalent to receiving portion 32, then, for the sake of reliability, the other receiving portion (not shown) would need to protrude from the inner end of the first support member 30 toward the inside of the pallet. In contrast, in this embodiment, movement of the rotating shaft portion 51 toward the other longitudinal direction (toward the opening 32a of receiving portion 32) is received by receiving portion 32 of the first support member 30 and pressing portion 42 of the second support member, so it is possible to prevent the receiving portion 32 and pressing portion 42 from protruding toward the inside of the pallet. This makes it possible to ensure the size of the storage portion 2a while preventing the pallet 1 from becoming too large.

[0073] 8 shows the arm portion 50 in the retracted state. In the retracted state, a portion of the flip-up portion 55 (arm portion 50) is located within a recess 70 formed by the first recess 31 and the second recess 41. The recess 70 is formed by at least a portion of the first recess 31 and the second recess 41 overlapping in the overlapping direction of the first support member 30 and the second support member 40 when the first support member 30 and the second support member 40 are stacked on top of each other. In this embodiment, in the retracted state, the flip-up portion 55 of the first arm 53 extends substantially in the vertical direction.

[0074] In addition, in the retracted state, when the object 60 is stored in the storage section 2a from above, or when the object 60 is removed from the storage section 2a from above, the arms (first arm 53, second arm 54) can be prevented from interfering with the object 60 and interfering with the above-mentioned work.

[0075] Furthermore, in the retracted state, the center of gravity of the arm unit 50 is located on one side in the longitudinal direction relative to the rotating shaft unit 51. As a result, the arm unit 50 attempts to rotate clockwise around the rotating shaft unit 51 as the axis of rotation when viewed from one side in the intersecting direction. Then, for example, a portion of the arm unit 50 comes into contact with the first support member 30, thereby restricting rotation and maintaining the retracted state.

[0076] 9 shows, for example, in a final product assembly factory, a state in which an object 60a set on a pair of arm sections 50h in the eighth row from the top is removed upward using a conveyance mechanism 65. Note that Fig. 9 shows an example in which the pair of arm sections 50h in the eighth row from the top and the pair of arm sections 50i in the ninth row from the top are in a supporting state, the pair of arm sections 50b in the seventh row from the top are in a state of transitioning from the supporting state to a retracted state, and the pair of arm sections 50a in the first row from the top to the pair of arm sections 50f in the sixth row from the top are in the retracted state.

[0077] When the conveying mechanism 65 moves the target object 60a upward, the upper part of the target object 60a comes into contact with the lower parts of the pair of arm sections 50g (the lifting sections 55), causing the pair of arm sections 50g to rotate. In FIG. 9, the arm section 50g located on one side in the longitudinal direction (the arm section 50 on the one-side pillar section 10 side) rotates clockwise, while the arm section 50g located on the other side in the longitudinal direction (the arm section 50 on the other-side pillar section 20 side) rotates counterclockwise. As a result, the pair of arm sections 50g are lifted up from the support state and transition to the retracted state. In this embodiment, the pair of arm sections 50g are provided with weight sections 52. As a result, when the pair of arm sections 50g are not fully lifted up (when the lifting sections 55 of the pair of arm sections 50g are not extended in the substantially vertical direction), the center of gravity of the pair of arm sections 50g is located outside the rotation shaft section 51 of the pallet 1. This allows the pair of arm sections 50g to reliably transition from the supporting state to the retracted state. Note that the "outside" of the pallet 1 refers to one side in the longitudinal direction for the arm sections 50g located on one side in the longitudinal direction, and refers to the other side in the longitudinal direction for the arm sections 50g located on the other side in the longitudinal direction.

[0078] According to this embodiment, when an object 60a set on a pair of arms 50h located below a pair of arms 50g is to be removed upward, the pair of arms 50g can be transitioned from the supporting state to the retracted state using the object 60a. This eliminates the need for an operator or the like to manually transition the pair of arms 50g from the supporting state to the retracted state, thereby enabling the object 60 set on each arm 50 of the pallet 1 to be removed in a short time. Furthermore, when the pair of arms 50h are raised, the object 60a comes into contact with the buffer members 56 of the pair of arms 50h. This prevents scratches, dents, and the like from occurring on the outer surface of the object 60a due to contact between the object 60a and the pair of arms 50h, which would otherwise deteriorate the appearance of the object 60a.

[0079] In this embodiment, the transition of each arm unit 50 from the retracted state to the supporting state is performed, for example, by an operator manually rotating each arm unit 50. Then, the object 60 is set in the object receiving portion 57 of each arm unit 50 in the supporting state by using a transport mechanism 65 from above the storage unit 2a.

[0080] 9, the object 60b set on the ninth pair of arm sections 50i from the top is held from below by the object receiving portions 57 of the pair of arm sections 50i, and the flip-up portions 55 of the eighth pair of arm sections 50h from the top are vertically adjacent to each other. As a result, even if the object 60b attempts to move upward when the transport vehicle V carrying the pallet 1 passes over an uneven road surface or a step, the flip-up portions 55 of the pair of arm sections 50h can restrict the upward movement of the object 60b. Furthermore, because the flip-up portions 55 of the pair of arm sections 50h are provided with buffer members 56, the object 60b comes into contact with the buffer members 56 during transport by the transport vehicle V, thereby preventing the appearance of the object 60b from being deteriorated.

[0081] 10 shows a state in which the second support member 40 has been moved from the first position (initial position) shown in FIG. 7 to a second position above the first support member 30. In this embodiment, the second fixing hole 43 of the second support member 40 is an elongated hole, and therefore, by slightly loosening the nut N with the bolt B inserted into the first fixing hole 33 (see FIG. 3) of the first support member and the second fixing hole 43 of the second support member, it is possible to move the second support member 40 vertically relative to the first support member 30.

[0082] At the second position where the second support member 40 has been moved upward relative to the first support member 30, the opening 32a of the receiving portion 32 of the first support member 30 is larger than the rotating shaft 51 of the arm portion 50. In the second position, the nut N can be temporarily tightened on the bolt B to remove the rotating shaft 51 of the arm portion 50 set in the receiving portion 32 from the receiving portion 32 via the opening 32a, or to set the rotating shaft 51 of another arm portion 50 in the receiving portion 32 via the opening 32a. This makes it easy to remove the rotating shaft 51 from the receiving portion 32 or to set the rotating shaft 51 in the receiving portion 32.

[0083] Then, after the rotary shaft portion 51 is set in the receiving portion 32 with the second support member 40 in the second position, the nut N is slightly loosened and the second support member 40 is moved downward relative to the first support member 30 to return to the first position. Thereafter, the nut N is tightened onto the bolt B to complete the work.

[0084] In this embodiment, the second fixing hole 43 of the second support member 40, which is located on one side in the transverse direction of the first fixing hole 33 of the first support member 30 (the opposite side in the transverse direction from the first rotation restricting member 13), is an elongated hole extending in the vertical direction, and a nut N is disposed on one side in the transverse direction of the second fixing hole 43 (the opposite side in the transverse direction from the first rotation restricting member 13). This makes it easier for workers to visually recognize the second fixing hole 43 and the nut N, and also makes it easier for workers to shift the second support member 40 in the vertical direction relative to the first support member 30 and to tighten and loosen the nut N.

[0085] As described above, according to this embodiment, the rotating shaft portion 51 of the arm portion 50 is rotatably supported by the receiving portion 32 of the first support member and the retaining portion 42 of the second support member 40. As a result, even when the pallet 1 containing the object 60 is transported on the loading platform P of the transport vehicle V, the rotating shaft portion 51 can be reliably supported, making it possible to provide a pallet 1 that is more reliable than conventional pallets.

[0086] Furthermore, for example, since the receiving portion 32 extends obliquely downward from the opening 32a, the rotation shaft portion 51 of the arm portion 50 can be easily set on the receiving portion 32.

[0087] Furthermore, when the pallet 1 is being transported on the loading platform P of the transport vehicle V, the retaining portion 42 can restrict the rotating shaft portion 51 from moving toward the opening 32a of the receiving portion 32. As a result, the receiving portion 32 and the retaining portion 42 can absorb the force that moves the rotating shaft portion 51 toward the opening 32a of the receiving portion 32, so the rotating shaft portion 51 can be stably supported.

[0088] Furthermore, it is possible to position the receiving portion 32 of the first support member 30 adjacent to the pressing portion 42 of the second support member 40. Therefore, the support of the rotating shaft portion 51 by the receiving portion 32 and the pressing portion 42 can be performed more stably.

[0089] Furthermore, by shifting the first support member 30 and the second support member 40 in the vertical direction, it is possible to set the rotating shaft portion 51 in the receiving portion 32 through the opening 32a of the receiving portion 32, and to remove the rotating shaft portion 51 set in the receiving portion 32 through the opening 32a of the receiving portion 32, which makes it possible to easily replace, for example, a deteriorated arm portion 50.

[0090] In addition, by positioning a portion of the arm portion 50 within the clearance portion 70 in the retracted state, interference between the object 60 and the arm portion 50 can be prevented when the object 60 stored in the storage portion 2a of the pallet 1 is removed upward, or when the object 60 is stored in the storage portion 2a of the pallet 1 from above.

[0091] Furthermore, since the flange 59 of the bushing 58 is sandwiched between the first support member 30 and the second support member 40, the bushing 58 can be reliably supported.

[0092] Furthermore, when the object 60a is taken out upward, the upper part of the object 60a comes into contact with the lower part of the flip-up part 55, which is in a supported state. As a result, when the object 60a is taken out upward, the arm part 50 positioned above the object 60a can be flipped up and put into a retracted state. Furthermore, for example, if the object 60 is in a substantially square dish shape, the object receiving part 57, which is provided separately from the flip-up part 55, can properly receive the object 60 from below.

[0093] Furthermore, the arm portion 50 supports the object 60 at four points, thereby stably receiving the object 60. Furthermore, the first arm 53 and the second arm 54 are connected by the rotary shaft portion 51, which prevents the occurrence of a situation where only one arm cannot be lifted up.

[0094] Furthermore, by restricting the rotation of the arm portion 50 using the shaft-shaped weight portion 52 connected to the first arm 53 and the second arm 54, it is possible to maintain the arm portion 50 in a supported state. This eliminates the need to provide a rotation restricting portion (first rotation restricting member 13 and second rotation restricting member 23) on each of the first arm 53 and the second arm 54, thereby reducing the number of parts.

[0095] Furthermore, because the first support members 30 to which the second support members 40 are attached are detachably attached to the upper frame 4 and the lower frame 5, it is possible to selectively attach different types of first support members 30 and second support members 40 to the upper frame 4 and the lower frame 5 depending on the object 60, for example. As a result, even if the type, size, or shape of the object 60 changes, a pallet 1 that can accommodate a wide variety of objects 60 can be provided simply by attaching the corresponding first support members 30 and second support members 40 to the upper frame 4 and the lower frame 5.

[0096] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the pallet 1 is placed on the loading platform P of the transport vehicle V and transported, but the pallet 1 may be placed on the loading platform P of the transport vehicle V.

[0097] In addition, in this embodiment, the pallet 1 was placed on the loading platform P of the transport vehicle V with its longitudinal direction aligned with the fore-and-aft direction of the transport vehicle V, but the pallet 1 may also be placed on the loading platform P of the transport vehicle V with its longitudinal direction aligned with the vehicle width direction of the transport vehicle V, or the pallet 1 may be placed on the loading platform P of the transport vehicle V with multiple layers stacked vertically.

[0098] In addition, in this embodiment, the first support member 30, the first rotation restricting member 13, and the second rotation restricting member 23 are removably attached to the upper frame 4 and the lower frame 5, but they may also be fixed to the upper frame 4 and the lower frame 5 by welding.

[0099] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first support member 30 is in a generally L-shaped plate shape, but it may have a shape other than a generally L-shaped plate shape (for example, a generally flat plate shape).

[0100] In addition, in this embodiment, the receiving portion 32 is formed in a slit shape extending obliquely downward from the opening 32a, but it may be formed in a slit shape extending in the intersecting direction (horizontal direction).

[0101] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second support member 40 is removably fixed to the first support member 30, but it may also be fixed to the first support member 30 by welding, or may also be fixed to the upper frame 4 and the lower frame 5 by welding.

[0102] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pressing portion 42 is formed in a hook shape that protrudes from the other end of the second support member 40 in the second orthogonal direction to the other side of the second orthogonal direction and then extends downward, but it may also be formed in a hook shape that protrudes from the other end of the second support member 40 in the second orthogonal direction to the other side of the second orthogonal direction and then extends upward.

[0103] In addition, in this embodiment, the first fixing hole 33 is a round hole and the second fixing hole 43 is a long hole extending in the vertical direction, but the first fixing hole 33 and the second fixing hole 43 may also be long holes extending in the vertical direction, or the first fixing hole 33 may be a long hole extending in the vertical direction and the second fixing hole 43 may be a round hole.

[0104] In addition, in this embodiment, the arm portion 50 has the first arm 53 and the second arm 54 connected by the rotating shaft portion 51 and the weight portion 52, but the first arm 53 and the second arm 54 may be separated, or the first arm 53 and the second arm 54 may be connected by only one of the rotating shaft portion 51 and the weight portion 52.

[0105] In addition, in this embodiment, the arm unit 50 is provided with the first arm 53 and the second arm 54, but it may be provided with only one of them.

[0106] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first arm 53 and the second arm 54 of the arm portion 50 are provided with a lift-up portion 55 and an object receiving portion 57, but the object receiving portion 57 may be eliminated by receiving the object 60 with the lift-up portion 55, or the arm portion 50 may be lifted up with the object receiving portion 57, thereby eliminating the lift-up portion 55.

[0107] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example of a battery case part having a substantially square dish shape has been described as the target object 60, but the target object may have a shape other than a substantially square dish shape (for example, a substantially plate shape), or may be an automobile part other than a battery case part (for example, a substantially plate-shaped automobile glass, automobile ceiling material, door component, etc.), or may be something other than an automobile part (for example, a roofing material, wall material, floor material, fittings for a building, solar panel, etc.). [Industrial Applicability]

[0108] The present invention is suitable for pallets. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 1 palette 2a Storage section 3 pillars 4 Upper Frame 5 Lower frame 10 One side pillar part 11 1st pillar section 12 Second pillar section 13 First rotation restricting member (rotation restricting portion) 20 Other side column 21 Third pillar section 22 Fourth Pillar 23 Second rotation restricting member (rotation restricting portion) 30 first support member 31 First recess 32 Receiving part 32a opening 33 First fixing hole (first hole) 40 second support member 41 Second recess 42 Presser foot 43 Second fixing hole (second hole) 50 Arm section 51 Rotating shaft 52 Weight section 53 First Arm 54 Second Arm 55 Flip-up section 57 Object receiving part 58 Bush 59 Spit 60 Objects 60a Object (lower object) 70 Relief B Bolt (fixing member) N Nut (fixing member) P Cargo bed V Transport vehicle

Claims

1. A pallet that can be placed on the loading platform of a transport vehicle, a first support member extending in the vertical direction and having a plurality of receiving portions arranged side by side in the vertical direction; a second support member extending in the vertical direction and having a plurality of pressing portions arranged side by side in the vertical direction; a plurality of arm portions arranged in a vertical direction and each having a rotation shaft portion; The arm portion is a pallet in which the rotating shaft portion is rotatably supported by the receiving portion and the holding portion, and which is configured to be able to assume a supported state in which it can receive an object from below, and a raised, retracted state.

2. 2. The pallet of claim 1, The receiving portion has an opening in the first support member that opens toward the inside of the pallet, and is formed as a slit that extends diagonally downward from the opening.

3. 3. The pallet according to claim 2, The pressing portion is formed in a hook shape so as to restrict the rotation shaft portion supported by the receiving portion from moving toward the opening of the receiving portion.

4. 4. The pallet according to claim 3, The first support member and the second support member are plate-shaped, A pallet in which the first support member and the second support member are stacked in an orientation in which the thickness direction of the first support member and the thickness direction of the second support member are aligned.

5. 5. The pallet according to claim 4, The first support member includes a first hole portion formed to penetrate the first support member in a thickness direction thereof, the second support member has a second hole portion formed through the second support member in a thickness direction thereof, At least one of the first hole portion and the second hole portion is a long hole extending in the vertical direction, a fixing member for fixing the first support member and the second support member in a state where the first support member and the second support member are inserted into the first hole portion and the second hole portion, A pallet configured so that the first support member and the second support member can be shifted in the vertical direction when the fixing member is inserted into the first hole portion and the second hole portion.

6. 6. The pallet according to claim 4 or 5, a first recessed portion that is recessed outward from the pallet is provided at an inner end portion of the pallet above the receiving portion of the first support member; a second recessed portion that is recessed outward from the pallet is provided at an end portion of the second support member that is inward from the pallet and above the pressing portion; When the first support member and the second support member are stacked, at least a part of the first recess and the second recess overlap in a stacking direction of the first support member and the second support member, thereby forming a relief portion, A pallet in which a portion of the arm portion is positioned within the recess when the arm portion is in the retracted state.

7. 6. The pallet according to claim 4 or 5, a cylindrical bushing having a flange and attached to the rotating shaft portion; The pallet has a flange sandwiched between the first support member and the second support member.

8. 2. The pallet of claim 1, The arm portion has a tip portion formed in a bifurcated shape, The tip portion includes an object receiving portion and a flip-up portion provided below the object receiving portion, A pallet configured such that when the arm portion is in the supporting state, the lower part of the lifting portion of the arm portion abuts against the upper part of a lower object stored below the lifting portion when the lower object is removed upward.

9. 2. The pallet of claim 1, a storage unit capable of storing a plurality of the objects in a position where they are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction; a first pillar provided on one side of the receiving portion and an second pillar provided on the other side of the receiving portion, The one side pillar portion includes a first pillar portion and a second pillar portion, The other side pillar portion includes a third pillar portion and a fourth pillar portion, each of the first pillar portion, the second pillar portion, the third pillar portion, and the fourth pillar portion includes the first support member and the second support member; The arm portion includes a pair of a first arm and a second arm, the first arm and the second arm are connected via the rotation shaft portion, The rotation shaft portion of the arm portion on the one side pillar portion side is rotatably supported by the first pillar portion and the second pillar portion, A pallet in which the rotation shaft portion of the arm portion on the other side of the pillar portion is rotatably supported by the third pillar portion and the fourth pillar portion.

10. 10. The pallet of claim 9, the arm portion includes a shaft-shaped weight portion connected to the first arm and the second arm, A pallet further comprising a rotation control portion at each of a position between the first pillar portion and the second pillar portion and a position between the third pillar portion and the fourth pillar portion, for abutting against the weight portion to maintain the arm portion in the supported state.

11. 2. The pallet of claim 1, With pillars at the four corners, an upper frame connecting upper portions of the support columns; a lower frame connecting the lower portions of the support columns; the first support member is detachably attached to the upper frame and the lower frame, The second support member is a pallet removably attached to the first support member.

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