Transport cart

Abstract

This design ensures visibility and prevents damage to the brake pedal that fixes the position of the braked caster wheels located on the underside of the trolley body. [Solution] A base frame 4 is formed by vertical frame members 11, horizontal frame members 12, and four corner members 13. A mounting member 5 and a base member 6 are attached to this base frame 4 to form a trolley body 3, and caster wheels with brakes 7 are placed at the four corners of the trolley body 3. The caster wheels 7 have a mounting plate 31 attached to the underside of the base member 6, and a support yoke 33 is rotatably supported on this mounting plate 31, and a brake 8 that brakes the wheel 7a is supported in an outwardly protruding manner. The brake 8 has a foot-operated operating part K that is fixed in position in the rotational direction of the support yoke 33, and the tip Ka of the operating part K can be retracted from a position protruding from the outer surface H of the base frame 4 to a position inside the outer surface H.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a carrier truck for placing and transporting luggage.

Background Art

[0002] The carrier truck forms a truck body by attaching a placement material on which luggage can be placed to a square frame and attaching a bottom material to the lower part, and wheels are provided on the lower surfaces of the four corners of this truck body. Some adopt caster wheels with brakes (stoppers).

[0003] The carrier truck disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a caster with a brake, which consists of a yoke, a wheel, a brake shoe, and a brake pedal. By stepping on and swinging an operation part at one end of the brake pedal, the brake shoe is pressed against the wheel to fix the wheel. One end of the brake shoe is pivotally supported, and the other end is formed to spring up as the operation part. When the wheel faces in the front-rear direction when the brake is released, in a plan view, it protrudes from around the truck body (Claim 4). Thereby, the visibility of the operation part of the brake pedal is improved.

[0004] The carrier truck disclosed in Patent Document 2 is a carrier truck including a truck body part and casters arranged at at least four corners of the truck body part. The caster has a support part, a wheel rotatably supported by the support part, and a brake pedal for fixing the rotation of the wheel. The brake pedal has an operation part to be stepped on with the foot. The operation part is located behind the wheel, and when the state where the wheel faces in the front-rear direction is viewed in a plan view, the operation part overlaps with the truck body part (Claim 1). Thereby, the brake pedal is made less likely to be damaged.

[0005] The caster wheel with a brake (stopper) for a transport trolley disclosed in Patent Document 1 (and similarly in Patent Document 2) consists of a yoke, a wheel, a brake shoe, and a brake pedal. The brake pedal is fixed in place by pressing the brake shoe against the wheel and swinging it by stepping on the operating part at one end. The brake pedal is pivotally supported at one end on the brake shoe and the other end is formed to flip up as the operating part. The brake pedal is pivotally supported at the yoke and rotates together with the yoke and wheel.

[0006] When the brake pedal rotates with the yoke and wheels, it becomes difficult to expose or overlap the brake pedal's operating part with the main body of the trolley unless the trolley is moved so that the wheels face forward and backward.

[0007] While the brake pedal rotates the caster along with the yoke and wheel, there are caster wheels with a brake (stopper) where the brake pedal is fixed in position.

[0008] The caster with a locking mechanism disclosed in Patent Document 3 is a caster in which a swivel plate and a mounting plate formed on the upper part of a pair of support yokes that pivotally support the caster's wheels are pivotally supported by thrust bearings, and comprises an operating lever mounting bracket plate fixed to the mounting plate so as to extend laterally from the mounting plate, an operating lever pivotally supported on the operating lever mounting bracket plate, a stopper member integrally provided with the operating lever and having a braking stopper surface and a non-braking stopper surface, and a mechanism that coaxially passes through the axis of the pivot and is movable up and down. The device comprises an operating pin provided and biased upward, an operating bar made of a plate-shaped rod, the approximately middle portion of which penetrates the side wall of the mounting base plate, and which is provided so as to be tiltable with respect to this penetration as a pivot point, the base end of which contacts either the braking stopper surface or the non-braking stopper surface of the stopper member, and the tip portion which is locked to the upper end of the operating pin, and a brake shoe pressing member pivotally attached to a support yoke, which is displaced in conjunction with the raising and lowering of the operating pin and is displaced to a brake release position which moves away from a braking position which presses the brake shoe against the circumferential surface of the wheel (Claim 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-61988 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-86185 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 3243730 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] The transport cart described in Patent Document 1 achieves the objective of improving the visibility of the brake pedal operation part, and the transport cart described in Patent Document 2 achieves the objective of making the brake pedal less susceptible to damage. However, in order for the brake pedal to rotate with the yoke and wheels, the transport cart must be rocked so that the wheels face forward and backward.

[0011] To resolve this problem, one could adopt the brake pedal with a fixed-position braked caster wheel as described in Patent Document 3. However, if the brake pedal from Patent Document 3 is adopted for the transport cart described in Patent Document 1, while improved visibility of the brake pedal's operating part can be ensured, the possibility of damage from collisions with walls, etc., increases. If the brake pedal from Patent Document 3 is adopted for the transport cart described in Patent Document 2, while damage to the brake pedal's operating part can be prevented, a new problem arises: the operating part becomes difficult to see.

[0012] The present invention aims to provide a transport trolley that can solve the problems of the conventional technology described above.

[0013] This invention provides a trolley body equipped with caster wheels with brakes that have a fixed position brake pedal. The objective is to provide a transport trolley that ensures visibility of the brake pedal and prevents damage by providing a buffer on the outer surface of the corners of the trolley body, and by allowing the tip of the brake pedal to protrude from the outer surface of the frame and to be retractable from the protruding position to a position inside the outer surface. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The specific means for solving the problem in the present invention is to connect two parallel vertical frame members 11 and two parallel horizontal frame members 12 with four corner members 13 into which a handle support column 16 can be inserted to form a rectangular frame 4 in plan view, attach a loading member 5 on which luggage can be placed to this frame 4, and attach a bottom member 6 to the lower part of the frame 4 to form the trolley body 3. Brake-equipped caster wheels 7 are positioned at the four corners of the trolley body 3. These caster wheels 7 are mounted on a mounting plate 31 attached to the underside of the base material 6, and a bifurcated support yoke 33 that supports the wheel 7a is rotatably supported on the mounting plate 31. Brakes 8 that brake the wheel 7a are supported on the mounting plate 31 in an outwardly protruding manner. The brake 8 has a foot-operated operating section K that is fixed in position in the rotational direction of the support yoke 33, and the tip Ka of the operating section K can be retracted from a position protruding from the outer surface H of the frame 4 to a position inside the outer surface H. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, the brake pedal, which fixes the position of the braked caster wheel located on the underside of the trolley body, ensures that the brake 8 is always in a position where it can be operated without moving the trolley body, and also ensures visibility of the tip Ka of the operating part K and prevents damage. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is an overall plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a front view of the entire structure. [Figure 3] This is a side view of the entire structure. [Figure 4]It is an enlarged plan view of the main part. [Figure 5] It is a sectional view taken along the line X-X of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] It is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the caster wheel. [Figure 7] It is a sectional view taken along the line Y-Y of FIG. 1. [Figure 8] It is an explanatory view of the protruding state of the caster wheel showing a modified example of the attachment body. [Figure 9] It is an explanatory view of the immersed state of the caster wheel showing a modified example of the attachment body. [Figure 10] It is a plan view showing a first modified example of the caster wheel. [Figure 11] It is a front view showing a first modified example of the caster wheel. [Figure 12] It is a front view of the main part showing a first modified example of the caster wheel. [Figure 13] It is a plan view showing a second modified example of the caster wheel. [Figure 14] It is a front view showing a second modified example of the caster wheel. [Figure 15] It is a plan view of the main part showing a second modified example of the caster wheel.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

[0018] In FIGS. 1 to 7, the transport cart 1 forms a cart body 3 by attaching a placement material 5 on which a load can be placed to a rectangular (rectangular, quadrilateral) base frame 4 and attaching a bottom material 6 to the lower part of the quadrilateral frame, and a caster wheel 7 with a brake is attached to the lower surface of the bottom material 6 at the corners (in the embodiment, six places at the four corners and the center of the long side) at both ends of at least one side of the cart body 3.

[0019] The transport trolley 1 is rectangular in shape, with its length being defined as the vertical direction, and the frame members that are long in the vertical direction are called vertical frame members 11. The direction perpendicular to the vertical direction is defined as the horizontal direction, and the frame members that are long in the horizontal direction are called horizontal frame members 12. However, the base frame 4 may have its vertical and horizontal directions reversed, with the vertical frame members being called horizontal frame members and the horizontal frame members being called vertical frame members.

[0020] The base frame 4 is formed in a rectangular shape in plan view by connecting two parallel vertical frame members 11 (frame members that are long in the vertical direction in Figure 1) and two parallel horizontal frame members 12 with four corner members 13. At least two vertical cross members 14 are provided between the two horizontal frame members 12, with both ends connected to the horizontal frame members 12, and the mounting material 5 is fixed to the vertical frame members 11, horizontal frame members 12 and vertical cross members 14.

[0021] The vertical frame members 11, horizontal frame members 12, and vertical crossbar members 14 are formed in the shape of square pipes from aluminum alloy or the like, and the corner members 13 are also extruded from aluminum alloy and have holes a formed that penetrate vertically, into which the handle support column 16 can be inserted.

[0022] The corner member 13 has a cylindrical portion 13a with a hole a on its inner circumference into which the lower end of the handle support 16 can be inserted, and a pair of vertical connecting pieces 13b that connect the vertical frame members 11 and a pair of horizontal connecting pieces 13c that connect the horizontal frame members 12, which are formed to extend vertically.

[0023] The corner member 13 has a bolt 18 passing through the hole a at the lower part of the cylindrical portion 13a, and it receives the lower end of the handle support 16 which is inserted into the hole a.

[0024] Furthermore, the outer surface of the corner member 13 is covered with a buffer 9 made of synthetic resin, which mitigates impact when it comes into contact with obstacles such as walls or wheel stops.

[0025] The outer surface G of this buffer body 9 has an outer surface facing front and rear and an outer surface facing left and right. The outer surface G facing front and rear is located outside the lateral connecting piece 13c and protrudes by a dimension α from the outer surface H of the lateral frame member 12. The outer surface G facing left and right is located outside the vertical frame member 11 and protrudes by a dimension α from the outer surface H of the vertical frame member 11.

[0026] Three parallel mounting bodies 21 are installed on the lower surfaces of the vertical frame members 11, horizontal frame members 12, and vertical cross members 14, forming a base member 6 between two horizontal frame members 12. The mounting bodies 21 on both sides have a reinforcing rib 21a that rises up from one side edge, and two downward-projecting mounting seats 21b that have grooves into which bolt heads can be inserted.

[0027] The mounting body 21 has both longitudinal ends of the flat plate fixed to the lower surfaces of the vertical frame member 11 and the vertical cross member 14, and the mounting base plate 31 of the braked caster wheel 7 is fixed to its lower surface at positions corresponding to the four corners of the trolley body 3 via fasteners 22 such as bolts.

[0028] The mounting bodies 21 on both sides are positioned relative to the horizontal frame members 12 of the trolley body 3 in order to fix the mounting base plate 31, and a gap C is formed between the inner surface of the horizontal frame member 12 and the mounting body 21 on the horizontal frame member 12 side.

[0029] The mounting material 5 attached to the frame 4 consists of a flat aluminum plate fixed to the upper surfaces of the vertical frame members 11, horizontal frame members 12, and vertical cross members 14, and a rectangular aluminum profile that is installed between the inner surfaces of two vertical frame members 11 and between two horizontal frame members 12, with the upper surface of the aluminum profile being approximately equal to the upper surfaces of the vertical frame members 11 and horizontal frame members 12, and these upper surfaces serving as the mounting surface.

[0030] The mounting material 5 shown in Figures 1-3 is made of the aforementioned aluminum plate, with its upper surface serving as the loading surface for cargo. The mounting material 5 is cut out in six places to form recessed spaces P on the upper surface of the frame 4, exposing the fixing parts of the mounting plate 31 of the lower mounting body 21. These six recessed spaces P provide space for the six wheels 7a of the upper transport cart 1 when another transport cart 1 is placed on top of the transport cart 1.

[0031] The recessed space P of the mounting member 5 extends to the horizontal frame member 12, leaving an upward gap C between it and the reinforcing rib 21a of the mounting body 21 on the side of the horizontal frame member 12. In other words, the recessed space P and the gap C pass vertically between the horizontal frame member 12 and the mounting body 21 and above the caster wheel with brake 7, allowing the brake 8 of the caster wheel 7 to be seen from above.

[0032] In Figure 6, the caster wheel with brakes 7 has a bifurcated support yoke 33 that rotatably supports the wheel 7a via a pivot shaft, with a swivel plate 34 provided on the upper part of the yoke. The mounting plate 31 is fixed to the mounting body 21, and the swivel plate 34 is supported by a thrust bearing 35 interposed in the swivel receiving portion of the mounting plate 31. A thrust receiving body 36 is supported on the lower side of the swivel plate 34 via balls. The swivel plate 34 and the thrust bearing 35 are fitted onto a swivel shaft 37 provided on the mounting plate 31, thereby supporting the support yoke 33 on the swivel shaft 37 so that the caster can swivel.

[0033] The brake mechanism F includes a brake (braking operating member) 8 with a two-stage lever structure having a first brake lever 8A and a second brake lever 8B, an operating rod 38 that moves up and down by the end of the second brake lever 8B, and a braking member 39 that changes from a released state to a braking state when the operating rod 38 moves downward.

[0034] The first brake lever 8A has an operating section K formed on its upper surface, which is an operating surface that can be stepped on with the foot. Its base is supported so as to be able to swing up and down via a pivot pin 40 at the tip of a lever support section 31a that protrudes outward from the mounting base plate 31, and a cam section 8c is formed at its base.

[0035] The second brake lever 8B is formed by bending a strip of material into a roughly Z-shape when viewed from the front. Its tip abuts against the cam portion 8c, and it can be pushed upward by the rotation of the cam portion 8c. Its end is connected to the upper part of the operating rod 38, and it can push the operating rod 38 downward.

[0036] The second brake lever 8B has a bent portion 8d in the middle that contacts a pivot point 31b provided on the mounting plate 31, forming a lever fulcrum that converts the upward movement of the tip of the second brake lever 8B into the downward movement of the operating rod 38 at its end.

[0037] The second brake lever 8B is positioned within the mounting base plate 31 from its end to its middle section, and is bent sharply outward and downward from the bent portion 8d that abuts against the pivot portion 31b, with its tip abutting against the cam portion 8c of the first brake lever 8A. This cam portion 8c and pivot pin 40 are positioned at approximately the same height as the braking member 39, and therefore the first brake lever 8A is positioned at a sufficient distance from the underside of the bogie body 3, ensuring sufficient space between the first brake lever 8A and the underside of the bogie body 3 for inserting the toes when pressing down.

[0038] The operating rod 38 is inserted into a through hole formed in the axis of the pivot shaft 37 so as to be able to move up and down, is biased upward by a spring 43 fitted to its upper part, engages with the end of the second brake lever 8B, and its lower end is in contact with a recess in the push body 39b of the braking member 39.

[0039] The braking member 39 is pressed against the outer surface of the wheel 7a as the operating rod 38 moves downward, thereby braking (stopping, braking) the wheel 7a.

[0040] Although the caster wheel 7 with a brake is capable of caster rotation because the support yoke 33 is rotatable relative to the mounting plate 31, the brake mechanism F does not rotate with the support yoke 33 and the wheel 7a, and remains a fixed component facing the front-to-back direction at all times.

[0041] In Figures 1-6, the braked caster wheels 7 at the four corners of the trolley body 3 have the first brake lever 8A and the second brake lever 8B of the brake 8 positioned along the front-rear direction of the trolley body 3. The first brake lever 8A is positioned outside the second brake lever 8B so that it can be seen from the outside in the front-rear direction of the horizontal frame member 12 of the trolley body 3, and the tip Ka of the operating part K protrudes from the outer surface H of the horizontal frame member 12.

[0042] The protrusion of the tip Ka of the operating section K from the outer surface H of the frame 4 is a small protrusion β, which is clearly visible from the outside of the bogie body 3. This protrusion β is smaller than the protrusion α of the outer surface G of the buffer 9, and is such that contact can be avoided when the buffer 9 comes into contact with an obstacle.

[0043] In Figures 1, 2, and 7, in the case of a caster wheel 7 with a brake positioned in the longitudinal center of the rectangular trolley body 3, the first brake lever 8A and the second brake lever 8B of the brake 8 are positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the trolley body 3, and the first brake lever 8A is positioned outside the second brake lever 8B so that it can be operated by stepping on it from the left and right outer sides of the vertical frame members 11 of the trolley body 3, and the tip Ka of the operating part K protrudes from the outer surface H of the vertical frame member 11.

[0044] Even with this intermediate caster wheel 7, the protrusion of the tip Ka of the operating part K from the outer surface H of the frame 4 is a protrusion dimension β, which is slight but is clearly visible from the outside of the bogie body 3. This protrusion dimension β is smaller than the protrusion dimension α of the outer surface G of the buffer 9, and is such that contact can be avoided when the buffer 9 comes into contact with an obstacle.

[0045] Figures 8 and 9 show a modified version of the mounting body 21, in which the mounting body 21 has two positions for attaching the mounting base plate 31. The first position Q1 is where the tip Ka of the operating part K of the brake 8 protrudes from the outer surface of the frame 4 and is recessed from the outer surface of the buffer body 9, and the second position Q2 is where the operating part K of the brake 8 is recessed from the outer surface H of the frame 4 and positioned below the gap C.

[0046] When the mounting plate 31 is attached to the first position Q1, the tip Ka of the operating part K of the brake 8 protrudes by a dimension β from the outer surface H of the frame 4 and retracts from the outer surface H of the frame 4 by a protruding dimension α.

[0047] When the mounting plate 31 is attached to the second position Q2, the tip Ka of the operating part K of the brake 8 is recessed from the outer surface H of the frame 4. However, the operating part K of the brake 8 is recessed from the outer surface H of the frame 4 and positioned below the gap C, allowing the brake 8 to be seen through the gap C.

[0048] The user can freely choose between the first position Q1 and the second position Q2, that is, whether the operating part K of the brake 8 supported on the mounting plate 31 is positioned to protrude from the outer surface H of the frame 4 or to be recessed.

[0049] In the first modified example of the caster wheel shown in Figures 10-12, the first brake lever 8A has a first lever main part L1 that is supported at the tip of the lever support part 31a so as to be able to swing up and down and has a cam part 8c formed thereon, and a first lever operating part L2 that is supported on the first lever main part L1 so as to be able to move in a straight line and has an operating part K that can be stepped on by foot.

[0050] The base of the first lever operating part L2 is movably housed inside the first lever main part L1 and is biased in the protruding direction by a spring 43. A pin 42 fixed to the first lever main part L1 passes through a long groove 41 formed in the first lever operating part L2, and is able to move linearly in the inward and outward directions within the movable dimension γ of the long groove 41. Preferably, the movable dimension γ of this long groove 41 is longer than the protruding dimension β of the tip Ka of the operating part K protruding from the outer surface H of the base frame 4.

[0051] When the tip Ka of the operating part K hits an obstacle, the operating part K can move within the range of dimension γ, and the operating part K is protected when the obstacle hits the outer surface H of the frame 4.

[0052] In the second modified example of the caster wheel shown in Figures 13-15, the first brake lever 8A has a first lever main part L1 that is supported so as to be able to swing up and down at the tip of the lever support part 31a and has a cam part 8c formed thereon, and a first lever operating part L2 that is supported so as to be able to swing on the first lever main part L1 and has an operating part K that can be stepped on by foot.

[0053] The first lever main portion L1 has a bifurcated shape when viewed from the front, and the base of the first lever operating portion L2 is pivotally supported via an eccentric shaft 44 and biased by a spring 45 to achieve the maximum protrusion amount.

[0054] The first lever operating part L2 forms a substantially semicircular operating part K, and its tip Ka can swing from the position of maximum protrusion to the position of minimum protrusion by the eccentric shaft 44, as shown in Figure 15. Due to this swinging, the tip Ka of the operating part K moves by a dimension γ in the inward and outward directions.

[0055] In other words, the tip Ka of the brake 8's operating part K can swing from a position where it protrudes by a dimension β from the outer surface H of the frame 4 to a position where it is retracted inside the outer surface H. When the tip Ka of the operating part K hits an obstacle, the operating part K can swing within a range of dimension γ, and the operating part K is protected when the obstacle hits the outer surface H of the frame 4.

[0056] In the embodiment described above, two parallel vertical frame members 11 and two parallel horizontal frame members 12 are connected by four corner members 13 into which a handle support column 16 can be inserted to form a rectangular frame 4 in plan view, a loading member 5 on which luggage can be placed is attached to this frame 4, and a base member 6 is attached to the lower part of the frame 4 to form the trolley body 3, and caster wheels 7 with brakes are placed at the four corners of the trolley body 3, and these caster wheels 7 are attached to a mounting plate 31 which is attached to the lower surface of the base member 6, and this mounting plate 3 A bifurcated support yoke 33 supporting a wheel 7a is rotatably supported on the mounting plate 31, and a brake 8 for braking the wheel 7a is supported on the mounting plate 31 in an outwardly protruding manner. A buffer 9 having a buffer outer surface G that protrudes from the outer surface of the frame 4 is provided on the outer surface of the corner member 13, and the brake 8 has a foot-operated operating part K that is fixed in position in the rotational direction of the support yoke 33, the tip Ka of the operating part K protrudes from the outer surface H of the frame 4 and is recessed from the buffer outer surface G of the buffer 9.

[0057] With this configuration, the brake 8 is supported by the mounting plate 31 and remains fixed in position without the caster rotating, so it is always possible to be confident that the brake 8 is in an operable position without having to move the bogie body to orient the wheels 7a in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the operating part K of the brake 8, which is supported by the mounting plate 31, protrudes from the outer surface H of the frame 4 to ensure improved visibility, and the operating part K of the brake 8 is recessed from the outer surface G of the shock absorber 9 to prevent damage.

[0058] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the corner member 13 has a cylindrical portion 13a with a hole a for inserting the handle support 16, a vertical connecting piece 13b that connects to the outer surface of the vertical frame member 11, and a horizontal connecting piece 13c that connects to the outer surface of the horizontal frame member 12, and the buffer body 9 has a buffer body outer surface G that covers the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 13a of the corner member 13 and protrudes from the outer surface of the horizontal connecting piece 13c.

[0059] This configuration allows the cushioning body 9 to cover the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 13a of the corner member 13, forming a cushioning body outer surface G that protrudes from the outer surface of the lateral connecting piece 13c, thereby protecting the operating part K of the brake 8.

[0060] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the mounting member 5 has a recessed space P that exposes the upper surface of the base member 6 at a position corresponding to the placement of the caster wheels 7. The base member 6 has a mounting body 21 installed between two vertical frame members 11 to which a mounting base plate 31 is attached. This mounting body 21 is parallel to the horizontal frame member 12 and forms a gap C between it and the horizontal frame member 12 that communicates with the recessed space P and allows the brake 8 to be visually inspected from above.

[0061] This configuration allows the operating part K of the brake 8, which is supported by the mounting plate 31, to be constantly visible through the gap C in the frame 4.

[0062] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the mounting body 21 has two positions for attaching the mounting base plate 31. The first position Q1 is where the tip Ka of the operating part K of the brake 8 protrudes from the outer surface of the frame 4 and is recessed from the outer surface G of the buffer body 9, and the second position Q2 is where the operating part K of the brake 8 is recessed from the outer surface H of the frame 4 and positioned below the gap C.

[0063] This configuration allows the position of the brake 8's operating section K, supported by the mounting plate 31, to be selected as either protruding from the outer surface H of the frame 4 or recessed.

[0064] In the embodiment described above, the caster wheel with brakes 7 has a swivel base plate 34 provided on the upper part of the support yoke 33, and this swivel base plate 34 is rotatably supported on the mounting base plate 31 via a swivel shaft 37, and the brake 8 has a two-stage lever structure having a first brake lever 8A and a second brake lever 8B, and has an operating rod 38 that moves up and down by the end of the second brake lever 8B, and a braking member 39 that moves from a released state to a braking state with respect to the wheel 7a by the downward movement of the operating rod 38, and the upper surface of the first brake lever 8A is an operating surface that can be stepped on with a foot and The second brake lever 8B is supported so as to be able to swing up and down at the tip of a lever support portion 31a that protrudes outward from the mounting base plate 31, and a cam portion 8c is formed at its base. The tip of the second brake lever 8B is in contact with the cam portion 8c and can be pushed upward by the rotation of the cam portion 8c, and the end is connected to the upper part of the operating rod 38 and can be pushed downward. The bent portion 8d in the middle is in contact with a pivot portion 31b provided on the mounting base plate 31 and forms a lever pivot that converts the upward movement of the tip Ka of the second brake lever 8B into the downward movement of the operating rod 38 at the end.

[0065] This configuration allows the brake 8 to be supported by a mounting plate 31 fixed to the base material 6, rather than by a pivoting support yoke 33, and the brake 8 can always be positioned in a fixed location without pivoting.

[0066] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the first brake lever 8A has a first lever main part L1 that is supported at the tip of the lever support part 31a so as to be able to swing up and down and has a cam part 8c formed thereon, and a first lever operating part L2 that is supported on the first lever main part L1 so as to be able to move in a straight line and has an operating part K that can be stepped on by a foot, and the tip Ka of the operating part K of the first lever operating part L2 is movable from a position that protrudes from the outer surface H of the frame 4 to a position that is retracted inside the outer surface H.

[0067] With this configuration, even if the obstacle that the outer surface G of the buffer 9 strikes has a protrusion that penetrates into the outer surface G of the buffer, and that protrusion collides with the tip Ka of the operating part K of the first lever operating part L2, the first lever operating part L2 can move in a straight line to the inside of the outer surface H of the frame 4 and escape, thereby avoiding damage.

[0068] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the first brake lever 8A has a first lever main part L1 that is supported at the tip of the lever support part 31a so as to be able to swing up and down and has a cam part 8c formed thereon, and a first lever operating part L2 that is supported at the tip of the first lever main part L1 so as to be able to swing and has an operating part K that can be stepped on by the foot, and the tip Ka of the operating part K of the first lever operating part L2 is able to swing from a position that protrudes from the outer surface H of the frame 4 to a position that is retracted inside the outer surface H.

[0069] With this configuration, even if the obstacle that the outer surface G of the buffer 9 strikes has a protrusion that penetrates into the outer surface G of the buffer, and that protrusion collides with the tip Ka of the operating part K of the first lever operating part L2, the first lever operating part L2 can swing to the inside of the outer surface H of the frame 4 and escape, thereby avoiding damage.

[0070] In the embodiment described above, the caster wheels with brakes 7 are positioned not only at the four corners of the trolley body 3 (front, rear, left, and right), but also on the left and right sides in the middle of the front-rear direction. These intermediate caster wheels 7 have a mounting plate 31 attached to the underside of the base material 6, and a bifurcated support yoke 33 that supports the wheel 7a is rotatably supported on the mounting plate 31. A brake 8 that brakes the wheel 7a is supported on the mounting plate 31 in an outwardly protruding manner. The brake 8 of the intermediate caster wheels 7 has a foot-operated operating part K that is fixed in position in the rotational direction of the support yoke 33, and the tip Ka of the operating part K protrudes from the outer surface H of the vertical frame member 11 of the base frame 4 and is recessed from the outer surface G of the buffer body 9.

[0071] This configuration allows the intermediate caster wheel 7 to have the operating part K of the brake 8, which is supported by the mounting plate 31, protrude from the outer surface H of the vertical frame member 11 of the frame 4, thereby ensuring improved visibility, and also ensures that the operating part K of the brake 8 is retracted from the outer surface G of the shock absorber 9, thus preventing damage.

[0072] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and the shape, configuration, and combination of the components can also be changed.

[0073] For example, if the trolley body 3 is rectangular and caster wheels are used in four or six locations, braked caster wheels 7 may be used only at the corners on both sides of one side of the trolley body 3.

[0074] If a caster wheel with a brake 7 is positioned in the longitudinal center of the trolley body 3, an opening may be formed in the mounting body 21 to which it is attached, allowing the first brake lever 8A to be seen from above.

[0075] The operating part K of the brake 8 is roughly rectangular in plan view, but it may also be formed in a trapezoidal shape in plan view, becoming wider from the inner end of the operating part K towards the tip Ka. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0076] 1. Transport cart 3. Bogie body 4-unit frame 5. Mounting material 6 Bottom material 7 Caster wheels 7a wheels 8 Brakes 8A First brake lever 8B Second brake lever 8c Cam section 8d bent part 9 Buffer 11 Vertical frame material 12 Horizontal frame material 13 Corner member 13a Cylinder part 13b Longitudinal connecting piece 13c Horizontal connection piece 14 Vertical support members 16 Handle support 18 volts 21 Mounting body 21a Reinforcement rib 21b Mounting base 22 Fasteners 31 Mounting base plate 31a Lever support part 31b Fulcrum part 33 Support yoke 34. Rotating platform 35 Thrust bearing 36 Thrust bearing 37. Swivel axis 38 Operating rod 39 Braking member 40 pivot pins 41 Long groove 42 pins 43 Spring 44 Eccentric shaft 45 Spring a hole α Projection dimension β Projection dimension γ Movable dimensions C Gap F Brake Mechanism G Buffer outer surface H Frame exterior K Operation section Ka tip L1 First lever main part L2 First lever operating part P Space recess Q1 1st position Q2 2nd position

Claims

1. Two parallel vertical frame members (11) and two parallel horizontal frame members (12) are connected by four corner members (13) into which handle support columns (16) can be inserted to form a rectangular frame (4) in plan view, a loading member (5) on which luggage can be placed is attached to this frame (4), and a bottom member (6) is attached to the lower part of the frame (4) to form the trolley body (3). Brake-equipped caster wheels (7) are positioned at the four corners of the trolley body (3). These caster wheels (7) are mounted on a mounting plate (31) attached to the underside of the base material (6), and a bifurcated support yoke (33) that supports the wheel (7a) is rotatably supported on the mounting plate (31), and a brake (8) that brakes the wheel (7a) is supported on the mounting plate (31) in an outwardly protruding manner. The transport trolley is characterized in that the brake (8) has a foot-operated operating part (K) that is fixed in position in the rotational direction of the support yoke (33), and the tip (Ka) of the operating part (K) can be retracted from a position protruding from the outer surface (H) of the frame (4) to a position inside the outer surface (H).

2. The aforementioned caster wheel with brake (7) has a swivel base (34) provided on the upper part of the support yoke (33), and this swivel base (34) is rotatably supported on the mounting base (31) via a swivel shaft (37). The brake (8) has a two-stage lever structure having a first brake lever (8A) and a second brake lever (8B), and includes an operating rod (38) that moves up and down by the end of the second brake lever (8B), and a braking member (39) that moves from a released state to a braking state relative to the wheel (7a) when the operating rod (38) moves downward. The first brake lever (8A) has an upper surface that can be operated by stepping on it with the foot, and is supported so as to be able to swing up and down at the tip of a lever support portion (31a) that protrudes outward from the mounting base plate (31), and a cam portion (8c) is formed at its base. The transport trolley according to claim 1, characterized in that the tip of the second brake lever (8B) is in contact with the cam portion (8c), and can be pushed upward by the rotation of the cam portion (8c), the end of which is connected to the upper part of the operating rod (38), and can push the operating rod (38) downward, and the bent portion (8d) in the middle is in contact with a pivot portion (31b) provided on the mounting base plate (31), forming a lever pivot that converts the upward movement of the tip (Ka) of the second brake lever (8B) into the downward movement of the operating rod (38) at the end.

3. The first brake lever (8A) has a first lever main part (L1) that is supported at the tip of the lever support part (31a) so as to be able to swing up and down and has a cam part (8c) formed thereon, and a first lever operating part (L2) that is supported on the first lever main part (L1) so as to be able to move in a straight line and has an operating part (K) that can be pressed with the foot. The transport trolley according to claim 2, characterized in that the tip (Ka) of the operating part (K) of the first lever operating part (L2) is movable from a position protruding from the outer surface (H) of the frame (4) to a position retracted inside the outer surface (H).

4. The transport trolley according to claim 3, characterized in that the base of the first lever operating part (L2) is supported on the first lever main part (L1) so as to be movable linearly in the inward and outward directions, and is biased in the protruding direction by a spring (43).

5. The first brake lever (8A) has a first lever main part (L1) that is supported at the tip of the lever support part (31a) so as to be able to swing up and down and has a cam part (8c) formed thereon, and a first lever operating part (L2) that is supported on the first lever main part (L1) so as to be able to swing and has an operating part (K) that can be pressed with the foot. The transport trolley according to claim 2, characterized in that the tip (Ka) of the operating part (K) of the first lever operating part (L2) is swingable from a position protruding from the outer surface (H) of the frame (4) to a position retracted into the inner side of the outer surface (H).

6. The transport trolley according to claim 5, characterized in that the base of the first lever operating part (L2) is pivotably supported on the first lever main part (L1) via an eccentric shaft (44), and its tip (Ka) is biased by a spring (45) to the maximum amount of protrusion.

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