Road cone storage device

Abstract

The objective is to provide a road cone storage device that makes it easy to load and remove multiple road cones. [Solution] This is a road cone storage device 3 mounted on a work vehicle. The road cone storage device 3 includes a guide part 4 that slidably guides the base of a road cone 90 when the road cone 90 is lying on its side, and a holding part 5 that holds the conical portion of the road cone 90 when the road cone 90 is lying on its side. The guide part 4 has a length that allows the base portions of multiple road cones 90, ... to be placed on it when multiple road cones 90, ... are lying on their sides. Furthermore, the holding part 5 has a frame that is sized to allow the conical portion of the innermost road cone 90 to be inserted from the tip to partway.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a load cone storage device installed on the loading platform of a work vehicle including an aerial work vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a work vehicle is parked on one side lane of a road, occupying a certain area on the road to perform telecommunications work or the like. In this case, load cones are installed in consideration of the safety around the work vehicle. However, generally, since a plurality of storage compartments for loading materials and equipment are already installed on the loading platform of the work vehicle, there is no space provided for neatly stacking and loading the load cones in a flat state.

[0003] Therefore, for example, the load cone storage device of Patent Document 1 is a load cone storage device that vertically stacks and stores load cones, and is characterized in that brackets for stacking and holding the load cones are slidably provided on the side of the vehicle body of the work vehicle. According to this configuration, it is said that the load cones can be taken out smoothly.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the conventional load cone storage device including Patent Document 1 vertically stacks the load cones. Therefore, when loading or unloading the load cones, it is necessary to lift them upward by the height of the load cones, which makes the work difficult.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a road cone storage device that makes it easy to load and remove multiple road cones. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the road cone storage device of the present invention is a road cone storage device mounted on a work vehicle, and is characterized by comprising: a guide portion that slidably guides the base portion of the road cone when the road cone is lying on its side; and a holding portion that holds the conical portion of the road cone when the road cone is lying on its side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] As described above, the road cone storage device of the present invention includes a guide part that slidably guides the base of the road cone when it is lying on its side, and a holding part that holds the conical part of the road cone when it is lying on its side. With this configuration, the road cones can be slid in and out when they are lying on their side, making it easy to load and remove multiple road cones. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A side view of an aerial work platform. [Figure 2] This is a rear perspective view of an aerial work platform, including a road cone storage device. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the road cone storage device. [Figure 4] This is a side view of the road cone storage device. It shows the maximum number of cones stored. [Figure 5] This is a plan view of the road cone storage device. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the insert. [Figure 7] This is a side view of the road cone storage device. The number of stored cones is shown in the minimum configuration. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Here, an aerial work platform 1 will be used as an example of a work vehicle, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to any work vehicle that uses road cones, such as a mobile crane. [Examples]

[0011] (Overall configuration of an aerial work platform) First, the overall configuration of the aerial work platform 1 equipped with the road cone storage device 3 of the present invention will be described using Figure 1. The aerial work platform 1 is used when performing work at height in electrical work, construction work, etc. As shown in Figure 1, the aerial work platform 1 comprises a vehicle body 10 which is the main body of a vehicle with a driving function, a cabin 11 located in front of the vehicle body 10, a slewing frame 12 which is rotatably mounted on the vehicle body 10, a boom 14 attached to the slewing frame 12, and outriggers 16a to 16d provided at the four corners of the vehicle body 10.

[0012] The slewing frame 12 rotates (swivels) relative to the vehicle body 10 by a slewing bearing mechanism. The boom 14 is constructed in a nested manner by multiple boom elements such as a base boom, an intermediate boom, and a tip boom. The boom 14 extends and retracts by extending and retracting an internally located telescopic cylinder.

[0013] Furthermore, the base boom is rotatably mounted on a support shaft horizontally installed on the slewing frame 12, and the entire boom 14 can be raised and lowered by extending and retracting a luffing cylinder 13 connected in the middle. A bucket 15 is attached to the tip of the front boom, which serves as a work platform on which an operator can stand to perform work at height.

[0014] (Road cone storage device) At the rear of the vehicle body 10, in addition to the above-described swivel frame 12, a plurality of storage boxes (tool boxes with doors) 171 to 173 are installed at respective positions. And, the space on the vehicle body 10 where the storage boxes 171 to 173 are not installed is used as a loading platform for loading materials and the like. That is, the space defined by the storage boxes 171 to 173 and the fin 18 on the vehicle body 10 serves as the loading platform. The fin 18 is attached to the vehicle body 10 via a hinge provided at the lower edge, and thus can rotate with respect to the vehicle body 10 to open and close.

[0015] And, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a load cone storage device 3 capable of storing a plurality of load cones 90,... is arranged in the loading platform on the right side of the vehicle body 10. Note that the load cone storage device 3 is not necessarily limited to the position on the right side of the rear of the vehicle, and can also be arranged at other positions including the left side of the rear.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the load cone storage device 3 is configured to be able to store a plurality of load cones 90,... in a state where they are laid down horizontally, that is, in a state where the central axis of the conical portion of the load cone 90 is substantially horizontal and the base portion stands substantially vertically. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the load cone storage device 3 includes a guide portion 4 that slidably guides the base portion of the load cone 90 in a state where the load cone 90 is laid down horizontally, and a holding portion 5 that holds the conical portion of the load cone 90 in a state where the load cone 90 is laid down horizontally.

[0017] The guide portion 4 has a function of slidingly moving the base portion of the load cone 90 laid down horizontally from the front side (the rear side of the vehicle, the same hereinafter) to the back side (the front side of the vehicle, the same hereinafter) while regulating the sliding direction while placing the base portion of the load cone 90 laid down horizontally. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the guide portion 4 includes a slide surface 40 which is a flat surface on which the base portion of the load cone 90 slidably moves, and side surfaces 42, 42 whose both end edges in the width direction (the direction perpendicular to the slide direction) of the slide surface 40 are bent substantially vertically upward. Further, a slit 41 is provided along the central axis of the slide surface 40.

[0018] Therefore, the base of the load cone 90 is adapted to slide in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle on the sliding surface 40 while being restricted by the left and right side surfaces 42, 42. At this time, by moving the apex (tip) of the conical portion of the load cone 90 while bringing it into contact with the slit 41, it becomes possible to push the load cone 90 straight along the sliding surface 40.

[0019] The sliding surface 40 of the guide portion 4 has a length that can accommodate the base portions of the plurality of load cones 90,... in a state where the plurality of load cones 90,... are laid down horizontally. Specifically, the sliding surface 40 of the guide portion 4 in this embodiment has a length that can accommodate the base portions of, for example, 10 load cones 90,... along the sliding direction.

[0020] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the sliding surface 40 of the guide portion 4 is formed obliquely such that the front side (rear side of the vehicle) is higher and the back side (front side of the vehicle) is lower. Specifically, in this embodiment, the sliding surface 40 is inclined so that it is higher on the rear side of the vehicle and lower on the front side of the vehicle. This inclination angle is preferably set such that the central axis of the load cone 90 placed on the sliding surface 40 is substantially horizontal.

[0021] The holding portion 5 has a function of holding all of the plurality of load cones 90,... in a stacked state by holding the conical portion of the load cone 90 on the foremost end side (rearmost side) among the plurality of load cones 90 laid down horizontally (that is, restricting the movement in the vertical, horizontal, and lateral directions). And the holding portion 5 in this embodiment is fixed in a manner that can be changed in position along the sliding direction (longitudinal direction of the vehicle) with respect to the guide portion 4 according to the number of load cones 90 to be stored.

[0022] Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, multiple bolt holes 40a, ... are provided at predetermined intervals near the left and right side edges of the sliding surface 40 of the guide portion 4, and the retaining portion 5 is fixed using two of these (two sets) (as will be described later using Figures 4 and 7). However, the method of fixing the retaining portion 5 to the guide portion 4 is not limited to the bolt and nut method described here; a method in which locking claws are engaged in the holes may also be used, or any fixing method may be used as long as the position can be changed.

[0023] Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the holding unit 5 comprises a gate-shaped arm 51 as a frame, reinforcing arms 52, 52 extending from both the left and right sides of the gate-shaped arm 51, a slope 53 that lifts the conical portion of the road cone 90 to adjust its angle, and slanted side panels 54, 54 that direct the conical portion of the road cone 90 toward the central axis.

[0024] The gate-shaped arm 51, which serves as the frame for this holding section 5, is sized to allow the conical portion of the innermost load cone 90 to be inserted from the tip to partway through. More specifically, the gate-shaped arm 51 is sized to allow insertion up to approximately 70% of the length (height) of the conical portion of the load cone 90.

[0025] The side panels 54, 54 of the holding unit 5 guide the conical portion of the load cone 90 to the left and right, directing it toward the central axis, while the slope 53 directs the conical portion of the load cone 90 upward. In other words, the holding unit 5 has a slope 53 at the bottom of the gate-shaped arm 51, which acts as a frame, for lifting the conical portion of the innermost load cone 90 upward. The inclination angle and the height of the end position of this slope 53 are determined so that the central axis of the load cone 90 is approximately horizontal.

[0026] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 6, the road cone storage device 3 of this embodiment further includes an insertion piece 6 that is inserted into the interior through the base of the road cone 90. Specifically, the insertion piece 6 consists of a V-shaped portion 60 bent into a V shape and a base portion 61 that is attached to the tailgate 18 by bolts. When the road cones 90 are stored, the insertion piece 6 abuts against the lower inner surface of the conical portion of the frontmost road cone 90, thereby preventing the road cone 90 from bouncing or falling out due to vibrations while the work vehicle is in motion.

[0027] In this embodiment, the insertion piece 6 is fixed to a tailgate 18 that is installed on the work vehicle so as to be openable and closable. The tailgate 18 is hinged and fixed at the same level as the vehicle body 10, and its center of rotation is slightly lower than the sliding surface 40 of the guide part 4. Therefore, when the insertion piece 6 rotates together with the tailgate 18, it is less likely to interfere with the inner surface (upper part) of the conical portion of the road cone 90.

[0028] As described above, the road cone storage device 3 of this embodiment can hold the road cone group 90 (a whole collection of multiple road cones 90) from both the front and rear by holding the rear side of the road cone group 90 with the holding part 5 and pressing down on the front side of the road cone group 90 with the insertion piece 6. In other words, even though the multiple road cones 90 are nested and overlapping each other, the entire road cone group 90, including the intermediate road cones 90, can be held by holding only the front and base road cones 90.

[0029] (action) In practice, when loading or unloading multiple road cones 90, ..., the following effects occur:

[0030] 1) The base of the Road Cone 90 faces forward, making it easy to move in and out by holding the base. Traditionally, when stacking the road cones vertically, the Road Cone 90 was inserted and removed from the top, but the conical part was slippery and difficult to handle. The base is a thin plate, making it easier to grip.

[0031] 2) Multiple road cones 90 can be easily inserted and removed at once. Because the base of the road cone 90 is a thin plate, multiple road cones 90 can be held together. In this case, the road cones 90 are lying on their sides and can be slid along the guide section 4, eliminating the need to lift the entire unit. This reduces working time.

[0032] 3) It can be accessed by opening the tilt panel 18. Opening the tailgate 18 automatically releases the locking mechanism on the front side of the road cone group 90, making it easy to access and insert / remove the road cone 90 from the front. There is no need to use chains or other means to secure it.

[0033] 4) Because it's in a low position, it's easy to handle with your hands. Because the Road Cone 90 is loaded and unloaded sideways, the work is done at a low height, making it easier for workers standing at the back of the work vehicle to perform the task. In other words, when storing them stacked vertically as in the conventional method, loading and unloading the Road Cone 90 at the top required climbing onto the truck bed and lifting it to a considerable height.

[0034] (effect) Next, the effects of the road cone storage device 3 in this embodiment will be listed and explained.

[0035] (1) As described above, the road cone storage device 3 of this embodiment is a road cone storage device 3 mounted on a work vehicle, and includes a guide part 4 that slidably guides the base of the road cone 90 when the road cone 90 is lying on its side, and a holding part 5 that holds the conical part of the road cone 90 when the road cone 90 is lying on its side. With this configuration, the road cone 90 can be slid in and out when it is lying on its side, making it easy to load and remove multiple road cones 90, ... into the road cone storage device 3.

[0036] (2) Furthermore, since the guide section 4 has a length that allows the bases of multiple road cones 90 to be placed on top of each other when the road cones 90 are lying on their sides, multiple road cones 90 can be stored in a nested stacked state.

[0037] (3) Furthermore, the holding part 5 has a gate-shaped arm 51 as a frame that is sized to allow the conical portion of the innermost road cone 90 to be inserted from the tip to partway through, so it can hold the innermost (tip side, conical portion side) of multiple road cones 90, ... which are stacked in a nested manner, and prevent them from bouncing due to vibrations while driving.

[0038] (4) The holding part 5 is fixed to the guide part 4 in such a manner that its position can be changed according to the number of road cones 90, ... to be stored. With this configuration, the holding part 5 can be moved according to the number of road cones 90, ... to firmly hold multiple road cones 90, ... For example, as shown in Figure 4, the holding part 5 can be positioned to store 10 road cones 90, ... and as shown in Figure 7, the holding part 5 can be positioned to store 4 road cones 90, ... Of course, the holding part 5 can also be positioned to accommodate other numbers. By adjusting the position of the holding part 5 in this way, the road cones 90, ... can be pressed together, making it easier to hold the entire group of road cones 90.

[0039] (5) Furthermore, since the guide section 4 has a sliding surface 40 which is higher at the front and lower at the back, when storing the road cone 90, it is easier to push it to the back by its own weight, and it is possible to prevent the road cone 90 from returning to the front once it has been stored.

[0040] (6) Furthermore, the holding part 5 has a slope 53 at the lower part of the gate-shaped arm 51 which forms the frame, for lifting the conical part of the innermost road cone 90 upward, so that the tip of the road cone 90 can be lifted and its orientation can be held approximately horizontal. By holding the road cone 90 so that its central axis is approximately horizontal, subsequent road cones 90 can be easily pushed in and removed. Therefore, a large number of road cones 90 can be stored.

[0041] (7) Furthermore, by providing an insertion piece 6 that is inserted into the interior through the base of the nearest road cone 90, it is possible to prevent the entire group of road cones 90 from shifting sideways or bouncing. That is, since the multiple road cones 90 overlap each other in a nested manner, by providing an insertion piece 6 that holds the front side in addition to the holding part 5 that holds the back side, the entire group of road cones 90 can be held.

[0042] (8) In this case, the insertion piece 6 is fixed to the tailgate 18 which is installed on the work vehicle so as to be openable and closable, so that when loading or unloading the road cones 90, opening the tailgate 18 automatically releases the front side of the road cone group 90. Conversely, when loading or unloading is finished, closing the tailgate 18 automatically holds the front side of the road cone group 90.

[0043] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and any design modifications that do not depart from the spirit of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0044] For example, in the embodiment, the case in which the sliding surface 40 of the guide part 4 is inclined was described, but it is not limited to this, and the sliding surface 40 can also be configured to be substantially horizontal.

[0045] Furthermore, although the embodiment describes a configuration in which the holding portion 5 is fixed to the guide portion 4 so that its position can be changed, the embodiment is not limited to this, and the holding portion 5 can also be configured so that it does not move relative to the guide portion 4.

[0046] In this embodiment, when the road cone storage device 3 is positioned to allow access to the road cone 90 from the rear of the vehicle, the "front side" is described as the rear side of the vehicle and the "back side" as the front side of the vehicle. However, the device is not limited to this configuration. If the road cone 90 is accessed from the right side of the vehicle, the front side will be the right side of the vehicle and the back side will be the left side of the vehicle. Conversely, if the road cone 90 is accessed from the left side of the vehicle, the front side will be the left side of the vehicle and the back side will be the right side of the vehicle. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0047] 1: Aerial work platform (work vehicle) 10: Vehicle body; 11: Cabin; 12: Turntable; 13: Luffing cylinder; 14: Boom; 15: Bucket; 16a~16d: Outriggers; 171~173: Storage boxes; 18: Tailgate 3: Road cone storage device; 4: Guide section; 40: Sliding surface; 40a: Bolt hole; 41: Slit; 42: Side; 5: Holding part; 51: Gate-type arm; 52: Reinforcement arm; 53: Slope; 54: Side panel; 6: Insertion piece; 60: V-shaped section; 61: Base section; 90: Road cone

Claims

1. A road cone storage device mounted on a work vehicle, With the road cone lying on its side, a guide portion is provided to allow the base portion of the road cone to slide. With the aforementioned road cone lying on its side, a holding part holds the conical portion of the road cone, A road cone storage device equipped with the following features.

2. The road cone storage device according to claim 1, wherein the guide portion has a length that allows the base portions of the multiple road cones to be placed on top of the multiple road cones when they are laid on their sides.

3. The road cone storage device according to claim 2, wherein the holding portion has a frame sized to allow the conical portion of the road cone to be inserted from the tip to partway through.

4. The road cone storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the holding portion is fixed to the guide portion in a manner that allows its position to be changed according to the number of road cones to be stored.

5. The road cone storage device according to claim 4, wherein the guide portion has a sliding surface formed such that the front side is higher and the back side is lower.

6. The road cone storage device according to claim 5, wherein the holding portion has a slope at the lower part of the frame for lifting the conical portion of the road cone upward.

7. A road cone storage device according to claim 4, further comprising an insertion piece inserted into the interior of the road cone through the base portion.

8. The road cone storage device according to claim 7, wherein the insertion piece is fixed to a tailgate that is installed on the work vehicle so as to be openable and closable.

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