Vibration-damping pallet

Abstract

We provide a vibration-damping pallet equipped with a vibration-damping structure that can reduce the man-hours and costs required for processing the components that hold the vibration-damping material. [Solution] The vibration-damping pallet according to the present invention has an upper mounting member attached to the lower surface of an upper frame member extending in a first direction, a lower mounting member attached to the upper surface of a lower frame member extending in a first direction, and a vibration-damping material held between the upper mounting member and the lower mounting member, the upper mounting member and the lower mounting member having a movement restricting portion in the first direction, and the upper frame member and the lower frame member having a movement restricting portion in a second direction intersecting the first direction, the vibration-damping material being restricted from moving in the first direction by the upper mounting member and the lower mounting member, and from moving in the second direction by the upper frame member and the lower frame member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vibration isolation pallet that suppresses vibrations applied to an article during transportation of the article.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, when transporting articles such as precision instruments and industrial products, a vibration isolation pallet in which a vibration isolation material (buffer material) such as a vibration isolation pad is interposed between a lower member that contacts the floor surface or the like and an upper member that contacts the article has been used. In such a vibration isolation pallet, a vibration isolation material having a dynamic spring constant corresponding to the weight of the article to be transported and the load applied to the upper member is applied.

[0003] When using a vibration isolation material suitable for an article according to the weight of the article or the like, it is necessary to replace the vibration isolation material having a different dynamic spring constant for each article. Therefore, in order to give the vibration isolation pallet versatility, a structure that allows the vibration isolation material to be easily replaced is applied.

[0004] For example, as a structure that allows the vibration isolation material to be easily replaced, Patent Document 1 discloses a floor member on which an article to be transported is placed, and a plurality of pieces that are detachably attached to attachment seats provided on the lower surface of the floor member and support the floor member with respect to the floor by grounding to the floor of an article transport container or an article transport means. Each piece includes an attachment member that is detachably attached to the attachment seat of the floor member, and a buffer material that is fixed to the attachment member and whose lower surface is grounded to the floor of the article transport container or the article transport means.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] In the conventional vibration-isolating floor device illustrated above, the mounting member constituting the piece consists of a plate-shaped base portion and a cushioning material holding portion made of a box-shaped frame, and the cushioning material is fitted inside the cushioning material holding portion and fixed with adhesive. With this structure, the cushioning material is installed so that it does not shift in the lateral direction relative to the vertical direction.

[0007] However, in order to manufacture the mounting components described above, it is necessary to form the cushioning material holding portion of the frame either integrally with the plate-shaped base plate or as a separate component. For example, if the cushioning material holding portion is formed integrally with the base plate, the rising frame portion must be processed by bending or pressing, and if it is formed as a separate component, the frame-shaped component must be attached by welding or adhesive, which results in increased processing time and costs.

[0008] This invention was made based on these backgrounds, and aims to provide a vibration-damping pallet equipped with a vibration-damping structure that can reduce the man-hours and costs required for processing members that hold vibration-damping materials. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, one representative aspect of the present invention is a vibration-damping pallet having an upper mounting member attached to the lower surface of an upper frame member extending in a first direction, a lower mounting member attached to the upper surface of a lower frame member extending in a first direction, and a vibration-damping material held between the upper mounting member and the lower mounting member, wherein the upper mounting member and the lower mounting member have movement restricting parts in the first direction, and the upper frame member and the lower frame member have movement restricting parts in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and the vibration-damping material is restricted from moving in the first direction by the movement restricting parts of the upper mounting member and the lower mounting member, and restricted from moving in the second direction by the movement restricting parts of the upper frame member and the lower frame member.

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention is a vibration-damping pallet comprising an upper mounting member attached to the lower surface of an upper frame member extending in a first direction, a lower mounting member attached to the upper surface of a lower frame member extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a vibration-damping material held between the upper mounting member and the lower mounting member, wherein the upper mounting member and the lower frame member have movement restricting portions in the first direction, and the upper frame member and the lower mounting member have movement restricting portions in a second direction, and the vibration-damping material is restricted from moving in the first direction by the movement restricting portions of the upper mounting member and the lower frame member, and is also restricted from moving in the second direction by the movement restricting portions of the upper frame member and the lower mounting member.

[0011] According to the present invention, which has these configurations, by forming structures that restrict the lateral movement of the vibration-damping material in a distributed manner on the upper frame member and lower frame member, and on the upper mounting member and lower mounting member according to the direction of restriction, it is possible to reduce the man-hours and costs required for processing the members that hold the vibration-damping material. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] These are perspective views, front views, and side views illustrating an overview of a vibration-damping pallet according to Example 1, which is a typical example of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows a side view and an exploded view thereof illustrating the overview of the vibration isolation frame mechanism. [Figure 3] Figure 1 shows a side view and an exploded view thereof illustrating the overview of the vibration isolation frame mechanism. [Figure 4] These are perspective views, front views, and side views illustrating an overview of a vibration-damping pallet according to Embodiment 2, which is another example of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 4 shows a side view and an exploded view thereof illustrating the overview of the vibration isolation frame mechanism. [Figure 6] Figure 4 shows a side view and an exploded view thereof illustrating the overview of the vibration isolation frame mechanism. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Hereinafter, a typical example of the vibration-damping pallet according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. In this specification, "lateral direction" means the left-right direction as shown in the front view or side view of the drawings.

[0014] <Example 1> Figure 1 shows an overview of a vibration-isolating pallet according to Embodiment 1, a representative example of the present invention, where Figure 1(a) is a perspective view, Figure 1(b) is a front view from a first direction, and Figure 1(c) is a side view from a second direction. Figure 2 shows an overview of the vibration-isolating frame mechanism shown in Figure 1, viewed from a first direction, where Figure 2(a) is the same front view as Figure 1(b), Figure 2(b) is a side view, and Figure 2(c) is an exploded view thereof. Furthermore, Figure 3 shows an overview of the vibration-isolating frame mechanism shown in Figure 1, viewed from a second direction, where Figure 3(a) is the same front view as Figure 1(c), Figure 3(b) is a side view, and Figure 3(c) is an exploded view thereof.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1(a), the vibration-damping pallet 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention includes, as an example, a plurality of vibration-damping frame mechanisms 110 extending along a first direction A1, a plurality of upper connecting members 120 positioned above the vibration-damping frame mechanisms 110 and extending along a second direction A2 intersecting the first direction A1, and a plurality of lower connecting members 130 positioned below the vibration-damping frame mechanisms 110 and extending along the second direction A2. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1(b), in the vibration-damping pallet 100, as an example, three vibration-damping frame mechanisms 110 are arranged at equal intervals along the second direction A2.

[0016] The vibration isolation frame mechanism 110, which is the technical main part of the vibration isolation pallet 100 according to the present invention, includes, for example, as shown in Figures 2(b) and 3(b), an upper frame member 111 extending along a first direction A1, an upper mounting member 112 attached to the lower side of the upper frame member 111, a lower frame member 114 extending along the first direction A1, a lower mounting member 113 attached to the upper side of the lower frame member 114, and a vibration isolation material 115 held between the upper mounting member 112 and the lower mounting member 113.

[0017] The upper frame member 111 is formed of, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy material or a resin material by injection molding. In particular, as shown in Fig. 2(c), it has movement restricting portions 111a formed along the first direction A1 on the lower surface side and facing each other. The movement restricting portions 111a are configured such that the upper mounting member 112 is mounted therebetween and contacts the side surface of a vibration isolator 115 described later in the second direction A2.

[0018] The upper mounting member 112 is formed of, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy material or a resin material by injection molding. In particular, as shown in Fig. 3(c), it has movement restricting portions 112a formed along the second direction A2 on the lower surface side and facing each other. The movement restricting portions 112a are configured such that the vibration isolator 115 is mounted therebetween and contacts the side surface thereof in the first direction A1.

[0019] Further, screw holes 112b for fastening are formed at the end faces of the movement restricting portions 112a of the upper mounting member 112, and two through holes 111b are formed at positions corresponding to the intervals of the screw holes 112b in the movement restricting portions 111a of the upper frame member 111. The upper frame member 111 and the upper mounting member 112 are assembled via a fastening member 116 such as a bolt.

[0020] The lower mounting member 113 is formed of, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy material or a resin material by injection molding, similar to the upper mounting member 112. As shown in Fig. 3(c), it has movement restricting portions 113a formed along the second direction A2 on the upper surface side and facing each other. The movement restricting portions 113a are configured such that the vibration isolator 115 is mounted therebetween and contacts the side surface thereof in the first direction A1.

[0021] The lower frame member 114 is formed of, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy material or a resin material by injection molding, similar to the upper frame member 111. As shown in Fig. 2(c), it has moving restriction portions 114a formed along the first direction A1 on the upper surface side and facing each other. The moving restriction portions 114a are configured such that the lower attachment member 113 is attached therebetween and contacts the side surface of the vibration isolator 115 in the second direction A2.

[0022] Also, screw holes 113b for fastening are formed at the end faces of the moving restriction portions 113a of the lower attachment member 113, and two through holes 114b are formed at positions corresponding to the intervals of the screw holes 113b in the moving restriction portions 114a of the lower frame member 114. The lower frame member 114 and the lower attachment member 113 are assembled via a fastening member 117 such as a bolt.

[0023] The vibration isolator 115 is made of a material having properties such as absorbing or mitigating vibration, such as polyurethane resin or synthetic rubber. As an example, it has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The upper surface of the vibration isolator 115 is attached to the lower surface of the upper attachment member 112, and the lower surface is attached to the upper surface of the lower attachment member 113. The attachment between the vibration isolator 115, the upper attachment member 112, and the lower attachment member 113 is performed, for example, by adhesion.

[0024] When, for example, a lateral load (vibration) in Figs. 2 and 3 is applied to the entire vibration isolation pallet 100, the four side surfaces of the vibration isolator 115 contact the moving restriction portions 111a of the upper frame member 111 and the moving restriction portions 114a of the lower frame member 114 in the second direction A2, and contact the moving restriction portions 112a of the upper attachment member 112 and the moving restriction portions 113a of the lower attachment member 113 in the first direction A1. Thereby, the lateral movement of the vibration isolator 115 is restricted, so that the load (vibration) applied to the entire vibration isolation pallet 100 can be effectively suppressed.

[0025] The upper connecting member 120 is formed from, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy profile or a resin material produced by injection molding, and the items to be transported are placed on its upper surface. In the example shown in Figure 1, six upper connecting members 120 are arranged at equal intervals in the first direction A1, but any number of members can be selected considering the overall weight and rigidity of the vibration-damping pallet 100.

[0026] The lower connecting members 130 are formed from, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy or a resin material produced by injection molding. In actual use, as shown in Figure 1(c), forklift tines or towing ropes are inserted into the space S1 formed between the multiple lower connecting members 130. In the example shown in Figure 1, three lower connecting members 130 are arranged at equal intervals in the first direction A1, but any number of members can be selected considering the overall weight and rigidity of the vibration-damping pallet 100.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1, in the vibration-damping pallet 100 according to Embodiment 1, multiple upper connecting members 120 are connected to the upper frame members 111 of each vibration-damping frame mechanism 110, thereby integrally connecting multiple vibration-damping frame mechanisms 110 and multiple upper connecting members 120. In addition, multiple lower connecting members 130 are connected to the lower frame members 114 of each vibration-damping frame mechanism 110, thereby integrally connecting multiple vibration-damping frame mechanisms 110 and multiple lower connecting members 130.

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, intermediate connecting members 140, which are connected to multiple lower connecting members 130, may be provided between multiple vibration-damping frame mechanisms 110. This increases the overall rigidity of the vibration-damping pallet 100 and makes it less likely for dimensional changes to occur when external bending or torsional forces are applied to the entire vibration-damping pallet 100.

[0029] The vibration-damping pallet according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, having the configuration described above, includes a vibration-damping frame mechanism that includes an upper mounting member and a lower mounting member that restrict the lateral movement of the vibration-damping material along a first direction, and an upper frame member and a lower frame member that restrict the lateral movement of the vibration-damping material along a second direction intersecting the first direction. As a result, the structure that restricts the lateral movement of the vibration-damping material can be formed in a distributed manner on the upper frame member and the lower frame member and the upper mounting member and the lower mounting member according to the restricting direction, thereby reducing the man-hours and costs required for processing the members that hold the vibration-damping material.

[0030] Furthermore, in the case of conventional technology, when a mounting member is used that forms a frame-shaped vibration-damping material (cushioning material) holding part on the base, it is necessary to attach the base of the mounting member to the frame member constituting the vibration-damping pallet with a fastening structure such as bolts. In contrast, the vibration-damping pallet according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention employs a structure in which the upper mounting member and the lower mounting member are fastened while positioned between the movement restricting parts of the upper frame member and the lower frame member, respectively. This allows the fastening direction to be lateral, making it possible to reduce the thickness (product height) of the members constituting the vibration-damping pallet, and as a result, loading becomes easier.

[0031] <Example 2> Figure 4 shows an overview of a vibration-isolating pallet according to Embodiment 2, a representative example of the present invention, where Figure 4(a) is a perspective view, Figure 4(b) is a front view from a second direction, and Figure 4(c) is a side view from a first direction. Figure 5 shows an overview of the vibration-isolating frame mechanism shown in Figure 4, viewed from a second direction, where Figure 5(a) is the same front view as Figure 4(b), Figure 5(b) is a side view, and Figure 5(c) is an exploded view thereof. Furthermore, Figure 6 shows an overview of the vibration-isolating frame mechanism shown in Figure 4, viewed from a first direction, where Figure 6(a) is the same front view as Figure 4(c), Figure 6(b) is a side view, and Figure 6(c) is an exploded view thereof.

[0032] As shown in Figure 4(a), the vibration-damping pallet 200 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention includes, as an example, a plurality of vibration-damping frame mechanisms 210, a plurality of upper connecting members 220 arranged above the vibration-damping frame mechanisms 210 and extending along a second direction A2, and a plurality of lower connecting members 230 arranged below the vibration-damping frame mechanisms 210 and extending along a first direction A1 that intersects with the second direction A2.

[0033] The vibration isolation frame mechanism 210 of the vibration isolation pallet 200 according to Embodiment 2 includes, for example, as shown in Figures 5(b) and 6(b), an upper frame member 211 extending along a first direction A1, an upper mounting member 212 attached to the lower surface side of the upper frame member 211, a lower frame member 214 extending along a second direction A2, a lower mounting member 213 attached to the upper surface side of the lower frame member 214, and a vibration isolation material 115 held between the upper mounting member 212 and the lower mounting member 213.

[0034] The upper frame member 211 is formed from, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy or a resin material formed by injection molding, similar to the first embodiment. In particular, as shown in Figure 6(c), it is provided with opposing movement restricting portions 211a formed on the lower surface side along the first direction A1. The upper mounting member 212 is attached between these movement restricting portions 211a, and the upper frame member 211a is configured to contact the side surface of the vibration-damping material 215, which will be described later, in the second direction A2.

[0035] The upper mounting member 212 is formed from, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy or a resin material formed by injection molding, similar to the first embodiment. In particular, as shown in Figure 5(c), it is provided with opposing movement restricting portions 212a formed on the lower surface side along the second direction A2. The vibration-damping material 215 is attached between these movement restricting portions 212a and is configured to contact the side surface of the vibration-damping material 215 in the first direction A1.

[0036] Furthermore, screw holes 212b for fastening are formed on the end face of the movement restricting portion 212a of the upper mounting member 212, and two through holes 211b are formed in the movement restricting portion 211a of the upper frame member 211 at positions corresponding to the spacing of the screw holes 212b. The upper frame member 211 and the upper mounting member 212 are then assembled via fastening members 216, such as bolts.

[0037] The lower mounting member 213, like the upper mounting member 212, is formed from, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy or a resin material produced by injection molding, and as shown in Figure 6(c), it is provided with opposing movement restricting portions 213a formed on the upper surface along the first direction A1. The vibration-damping material 215 is attached between these movement restricting portions 213a and is configured to contact the side surface of the vibration-damping material 215 in the second direction A2.

[0038] The lower frame member 214, like the upper frame member 211, is formed from, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy or a resin material produced by injection molding, and as shown in Figure 5(c), it is provided with opposing movement restricting portions 214a formed on the upper surface side along the second direction A2. The lower mounting member 213 is attached between these movement restricting portions 214a, and the portions are configured to contact the side surface of the vibration damping material 215 in the first direction A1.

[0039] Furthermore, screw holes 213b for fastening are formed on the end face of the movement restricting portion 213a of the lower mounting member 213, and two through holes 214b are formed in the movement restricting portion 214a of the lower frame member 214 at positions corresponding to the spacing of the screw holes 213b. The lower frame member 214 and the lower mounting member 213 are then assembled via fastening members 217, such as bolts.

[0040] The vibration-damping material 215, as in Example 1, is made of a material that has vibration-absorbing or mitigating properties, such as polyurethane resin or synthetic rubber, and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The upper surface of the vibration-damping material 215 is attached to the lower surface of the upper mounting member 212, and the lower surface is attached to the upper surface of the lower mounting member 213. The vibration-damping material 215 is attached to the upper mounting member 212 and the lower mounting member 213 by means of adhesive, for example.

[0041] When a lateral load (vibration) is applied to the entire vibration-damping pallet 200, for example, the vibration-damping material 215's four sides come into contact with the movement restricting portion 211a of the upper frame member 211 and the movement restricting portion 213a of the lower mounting member 213 in the second direction A2, and with the movement restricting portion 212a of the upper mounting member 212 and the movement restricting portion 214a of the lower frame member 214 in the first direction A1. As a result, the lateral movement of the vibration-damping material 215 is restricted, and the load (vibration) applied to the entire vibration-damping pallet 200 can be effectively suppressed.

[0042] The upper connecting members 220 are formed from, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy or a resin material produced by injection molding, similar to Example 1. In the example shown in Figure 4, six members are arranged at equal intervals in the first direction A1, but any number of members can be selected considering the overall weight and rigidity of the vibration-damping pallet 200. Similarly, the lower connecting members 230 are formed from, for example, an extruded aluminum alloy or a resin material produced by injection molding. In the example shown in Figure 4, three members are arranged at equal intervals in the second direction A2, but any number of members can be selected considering the overall weight and rigidity of the vibration-damping pallet 200.

[0043] As shown in Figure 4, in the vibration-damping pallet 200 according to Embodiment 2, the vibration-damping frame mechanism 210 and the multiple upper connecting members 220 are integrally connected by the connection of multiple upper connecting members 220 to the upper frame members 211 of each vibration-damping frame mechanism 210. In addition, the multiple lower connecting members 230 are integrally connected to the multiple lower connecting members 230 by the connection of multiple lower frame members 214 of each vibration-damping frame mechanism 210.

[0044] In addition, similar to Example 1, intermediate connecting members 240, which are connected to a plurality of lower connecting members 230, may be provided between a plurality of lower frame members 214 of the vibration-damping frame mechanism 210. This can increase the overall rigidity of the vibration-damping pallet 200.

[0045] In the vibration-damping pallet according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, which has the above configuration, the upper frame member and the lower frame member are intersected in the vibration-damping frame mechanism, and multiple upper frame members and multiple lower frame members are connected in a grid pattern via a structure that attaches multiple vibration-damping materials. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the vibration-damping pallet according to Embodiment 1, it is possible to further increase the rigidity of the vibration-damping pallet.

[0046] The above-described embodiments are merely examples of vibration-damping pallets according to the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, those skilled in the art can make various modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and these modifications do not exclude the scope of the present invention.

[0047] For example, in Examples 1 and 2, a roughly rectangular parallelepiped is shown as the vibration damping material. However, when assembling the vibration damping frame mechanism, the movement of the vibration damping material can be suppressed if its sides come into contact with the movement restricting parts of the upper and lower frame members, or the movement restricting parts of the upper and lower mounting members, respectively, in order to suppress the lateral load (vibration) acting on the vibration damping material. For this reason, cylindrical or polygonal cross-section shapes may also be used for the vibration damping material. This makes it possible to further reduce manufacturing costs by reducing the volume of the vibration damping material.

[0048] Furthermore, while Examples 1 and 2 illustrate cases where the components constituting the vibration-damping pallet are formed from aluminum alloy extruded profiles or resin materials produced by injection molding, these components may also be manufactured continuously from extruded profiles and then cut to the required length. This makes it possible to create components with arbitrary cross-sectional shapes at low cost, and thus the cost reduction effect can be improved, particularly for the upper frame member and lower frame member, as well as the upper and lower mounting members, which include the movement restricting section that comes into contact with the vibration-damping material.

[0049] Furthermore, while Examples 1 and 2 illustrate cases where the upper and lower connecting members are formed from multiple elongated members aligned in a first or second direction, they may also be formed as surface members that broadly cover the entire surface of the vibration-damping pallet or a predetermined area. This allows the load from the weight of the placed items and loads from external forces to be borne across the surface, thereby further increasing the overall rigidity of the vibration-damping pallet. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 100 Vibration-damping pallets 110 Vibration-damping frame mechanism 111 Upper frame member 112 Upper mounting member 113 Lower mounting member 114 Lower frame member 115 Vibration isolation material 116 Fastening Members 117 Fastening Members 120 Upper connecting member 130 Lower connecting member 140 Intermediate connecting member 200 Vibration-damping pallet 210 Vibration-damping frame mechanism 211 Upper frame member 212 Upper mounting member 213 Lower mounting component 214 Lower frame member 215 Vibration isolation material 216 Fastening Members 217 Fastening Members 220 Upper connecting member 230 Lower connecting member 240 Intermediate connecting member

Claims

1. It comprises an upper mounting member attached to the lower surface of an upper frame member extending in a first direction, a lower mounting member attached to the upper surface of a lower frame member extending in a first direction, and a vibration-damping material held between the upper mounting member and the lower mounting member. The upper mounting member and the lower mounting member have a movement restricting portion in the first direction. The upper frame member and the lower frame member have a movement restricting portion that intersects the first direction in a second direction. The vibration-damping material is characterized in that its movement in a first direction is restricted by movement restricting parts of the upper and lower mounting members, and its movement in a second direction is restricted by movement restricting parts of the upper and lower frame members. Vibration-damping pallet.

2. It comprises an upper mounting member attached to the lower surface of an upper frame member extending in a first direction, a lower mounting member attached to the upper surface of a lower frame member extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a vibration-damping material held between the upper mounting member and the lower mounting member. The upper mounting member and the lower frame member have a movement restricting portion in the first direction. The upper frame member and the lower mounting member have a movement restricting portion in the second direction. The vibration-damping material is characterized in that its movement in a first direction is restricted by the movement restricting parts of the upper mounting member and the lower frame member, and its movement in a second direction is restricted by the movement restricting parts of the upper frame member and the lower mounting member. Vibration-damping pallet.

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