Transport vehicles and containers

Abstract

To provide transport vehicles and containers that allow for easy external monitoring of the remaining amount of transported goods. [Solution] The system comprises a cargo box and a discharge means for discharging the contents of the cargo box to the outside. The cargo box is divided by a partition wall into a cargo storage section 7 and an equipment storage section 8. The partition wall 6 has an internal viewing section 61 that allows the inside of the cargo storage section to be seen, and an external viewing section 60 that allows the inside of the equipment storage section 8 to be seen at a position corresponding to the equipment storage section of the cargo box.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to transport vehicles such as container carriers and trucks. The present invention also relates to containers. The transport vehicle and container of the present invention are suitable for transporting a large amount of small-sized and relatively light items such as solid fuels like wood pellets, grains such as corn, rice, and wheat, crushed resin, granular fertilizers, mixed feeds, powders, etc.

Background Art

[0002] Small-sized solids such as wood pellets are transported by transport vehicles such as dump trucks. At the destination, for example, the loading box is tilted to put the loaded wood pellets etc. into a bin installed on the ground, and then they are carried into a storage such as a silo using, for example, a screw conveyor or air conveyance. (Patent Document 1) There is also a dump truck equipped with an air conveyance device that air-conveys wood pellets etc. from the loading box to a storage. (Patent Document 2)

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the transport vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 2, the loading box is tilted to move the loaded wood pellets to one end side of the loading box, discharged from the loading box to a rotary valve, and then carried out externally by riding on the air flow in the subsequent mixing phase device.

[0005] By the way, when discharging, the wood pellets etc. may get clogged inside the loading box. The cargo boxes have their tops covered to prevent wood pellets and other materials from getting wet in the rain, so it's troublesome to check inside to see if there are any blockages. Therefore, the transport vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 2 is provided with a residual confirmation window. In the transport vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 2, the rear half of the cargo box is provided with a pair of left and right guide plates that are angled downwards from the left and right side plates toward the discharge port, and an end plate is connected to the rear edge of the left and right guide plates. In the transport vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 2, a long, vertically oriented remaining quantity confirmation window, covered with a transparent acrylic plate, is opened in the end plate. However, the remaining amount confirmation window disclosed in Patent Document 2 is difficult to see from the outside.

[0006] This invention addresses the aforementioned problems of the prior art and aims to provide a transport vehicle and container that allow for easy external confirmation of the remaining amount of transported goods. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An embodiment for solving the above-mentioned problems is a transport vehicle having a cargo box and a means for discharging the transported goods inside the cargo box to the outside, wherein the inside of the cargo box is divided by a partition wall to form a transported goods storage section and an equipment storage section, the partition wall has an internal viewing section that allows the inside of the transported goods storage section to be seen, and the cargo box has an external viewing section at a position corresponding to the equipment storage section that allows the inside of the equipment storage section to be seen.

[0008] In this embodiment of the transport vehicle, there is a partition wall inside the cargo box, dividing the cargo box into a cargo storage section and an equipment storage section. In this embodiment of the transport vehicle, the transported material, such as wood pellets, is stored in the cargo storage section inside the cargo box. In the transport vehicle of this embodiment, there is an external viewing section located at a position corresponding to the equipment storage section of the cargo box, which allows the user to see inside the equipment storage section of the cargo box. Therefore, the user can look inside the equipment storage section of the cargo box through the external viewing section. In this embodiment of the transport vehicle, there is an internal viewing section in the partition wall, so the user can see the internal viewing section provided in the partition wall through the external viewing section. Since the internal viewing section allows the user to see inside the cargo storage section, the user can check the inside of the cargo storage section from outside the cargo box via the external viewing section and the internal viewing section, and confirm whether or not there is cargo being transported.

[0009] In the above-described embodiment, it is desirable that the partition wall has an inclined wall portion that is inclined with respect to the front-to-back direction of the cargo box, and that the internal viewing portion is provided in the inclined wall portion.

[0010] The inclined wall section is tilted relative to the cargo box, and therefore has a surface component that faces the external viewing section. As a result, the surface of the inclined wall section can be seen from the external viewing section.

[0011] In each of the above embodiments, it is desirable that there is a storage space on the side of the cargo box, the external viewing section is located at the back wall of the storage space, and a door member is provided to close the storage space.

[0012] In this embodiment of the transport vehicle, since there is a storage space on the side of the cargo box, equipment can be stored in this storage space and transported. Furthermore, in this embodiment of the transport vehicle, the storage space can be closed by a door member, so the equipment inside the storage space will not fall out during transport. In this embodiment of the transport vehicle, the external viewing section is located at the back wall of the storage space. Therefore, the external viewing section can be hidden by closing the door member.

[0013] In each of the above embodiments, it is desirable that a hose is provided and that the hose is housed in the aforementioned storage space.

[0014] The hoses include, for example, discharge hoses for pressurizing and transporting materials, and intake hoses for sucking up dust generated at the supply destination of the transported materials, such as silos. According to this embodiment, a place to store the hoses can be secured.

[0015] In each of the embodiments described above, it is desirable that there is a hose, an opening for inserting the hose at a position corresponding to the equipment housing, and that the opening is covered by the door member.

[0016] The hoses are, for example, discharge hoses for pressurizing and transporting materials, or intake hoses for sucking up dust generated at the supply destination of the transported materials, such as silos. According to this embodiment, the opening through which the hoses are inserted can be hidden by closing the door member.

[0017] In each of the above embodiments, the cargo box can be tilted, the discharge means is an air conveying device having a blower and a multiphase unit, the multiphase unit is connected to the conveyed material storage section and the blower, the conveyed material in the conveyed material storage section is introduced into the multiphase unit when the cargo box is tilted, and the conveyed material is pressurized and conveyed by the air blowing of the blower, and it is desirable that the blower and the multiphase unit be located in the equipment storage section.

[0018] According to this embodiment, the items to be transported within the transported item storage section can be transported by air. Furthermore, the transport device in this embodiment is compact because the air transport device is housed within the cargo box.

[0019] Another embodiment for solving the above-mentioned problems is a transport vehicle having a cargo box and a means for discharging the transported goods inside the cargo box to the outside, wherein the inside of the cargo box is divided by a partition wall to form a transported goods storage section and an equipment storage section, and at least one of the sides of the partition wall, the side of the transported goods storage section, or the side of the cargo box has an internal viewing section that allows the inside of the transported goods storage section to be seen, and an external viewing section that allows the inside of the equipment storage section to be seen at a position in the cargo box corresponding to the equipment storage section.

[0020] In the transport vehicle of this aspect, there is a partition wall in the cargo box, and the inside of the cargo box is partitioned into a transported item storage section and a device storage section. Although transported items such as wooden pellets are discharged from the transported item storage section, in many cases, the connection path for discharging the transported items from the transported item storage section is at the end of the transported item storage section, and a rotary valve (scraping device) and a mixer are often connected in series behind the transported item storage section. Therefore, a rotary valve and a mixer are arranged around the rear end face of the partition wall, and there are many obstacles in front of the rear end face of the partition wall, making it difficult to visually check. In contrast, in the transport vehicle of this aspect, there is an internal perspective section on at least one of the side surface of the partition wall, the side surface of the transported item storage section, and the side surface of the cargo box through which the inside of the transported item storage section can be visually recognized. Therefore, according to the transport vehicle of this aspect, there are few obstacles in front of the internal perspective section, and the inside of the transported item storage section can be confirmed via the internal perspective section, and the presence or absence of transported items can be confirmed.

[0021] Another aspect for solving the above problems is a transport vehicle having a vehicle body, a transported item storage section, and discharging means for discharging the transported items to the outside. The transported item storage section has a front wall, a rear wall, side walls, and a bottom wall, and there is an internal perspective section on at least one of the side surface of the transported item storage section or the bottom surface of the transported item storage section through which the inside of the transported item storage section can be visually recognized.

[0022] In the transport vehicle of this aspect, there is an internal perspective section on at least one of the side surface of the transported item storage section or the bottom surface of the transported item storage section through which the inside of the transported item storage section can be visually recognized. Therefore, according to the transport vehicle of this aspect, there are few obstacles in front of the internal perspective section, and the inside of the transported item storage section can be confirmed via the internal perspective section, and the presence or absence of transported items can be confirmed.

[0023] In each of the above aspects, the side wall or the bottom wall of the transported item storage section is an inclined wall whose lower side inclines inward, and the internal perspective section is provided on the inclined wall, and there is an outer wall outside the inclined wall, and it is desirable that an opening through which the internal perspective section can be visually recognized is provided on the outer wall.

[0024] In the transport vehicle of this embodiment, the side wall or bottom wall of the transport compartment is an inclined wall that slopes inward at the lower side, and there is an outer wall outside the inclined wall. Therefore, there is a space between the inclined wall and the outer wall, and equipment can be stored and transported in this storage space. In this embodiment of the transport vehicle, there is an internal viewing section in the side wall or bottom wall of the transported goods storage section. In addition, there is an outer wall outside the inclined wall, and an opening is provided in this outer wall that allows the internal viewing section to be viewed. Therefore, the user can see the internal viewing section provided in the side wall or bottom wall of the transported goods storage section through the external viewing section. Since the internal viewing section allows the user to see inside the transported goods storage section, the user can check the inside of the transported goods storage section via the external viewing section and the internal viewing section, and can confirm whether or not there are any goods being transported.

[0025] In each of the embodiments described above, it is desirable that a door member is provided in the outer wall, and that the internal viewing area is concealed when the door member is closed.

[0026] In this embodiment of the transport vehicle, the interior viewing area can be concealed by closing the door.

[0027] In each of the above embodiments, it is desirable to have a front housing that constitutes a conveyed material storage section and a rear housing that houses the discharge means.

[0028] According to this embodiment, the front housing and the rear housing can be separated for maintenance.

[0029] In each of the embodiments described above, it is desirable that the cargo box be a container that can be mounted on a vehicle.

[0030] For example, solid fuels such as wood pellets have high transportation demand in winter but low demand in summer. Grains such as corn, rice, and wheat have high transportation demand during harvest season but low demand at other times of the year. In this embodiment of the transport device, since the cargo box is a container, it can be attached to and detached from the vehicle body. Therefore, during peak seasons, the container can be loaded onto the vehicle body for transporting wood pellets, etc., and during off-peak seasons, the vehicle body can be used for other purposes. Therefore, it is possible to improve the operating rate of the vehicle itself.

[0031] Another embodiment for solving a similar problem is a container that can be mounted on a vehicle, wherein the inside of the container is divided by a partition wall to form a transported goods storage section and an equipment storage section, and is equipped with a discharge means for discharging the transported goods in the equipment storage section to the outside of the container, and the partition wall has an internal viewing section that allows the inside of the transported goods storage section to be seen, and the cargo box has an external viewing section that allows the inside of the equipment storage section to be seen at a position corresponding to the equipment storage section.

[0032] In this embodiment of the container, there is a partition wall inside the container, dividing the inside of the container into a transport material storage section and an equipment storage section. In this embodiment of the container, transport materials such as wood pellets are stored in the transport material storage section inside the container. In this embodiment of the container, there is an external viewing section located at a position corresponding to the equipment storage section within the container, allowing the user to see inside the equipment storage section of the cargo box through the external viewing section. Therefore, the user can see the partition wall inside the container through the external viewing section. In this embodiment of the container, there is an internal viewing section in the partition wall, so the user can see the internal viewing section provided in the partition wall through the external viewing section. Since the internal viewing section allows the user to see inside the cargo storage section, the user can check the inside of the cargo storage section from outside the container via the external viewing section and the internal viewing section, and confirm whether or not there is cargo being transported. The container in this embodiment can be attached to and detached from the vehicle body. Therefore, during peak seasons, the container can be loaded onto the vehicle body for transporting wood pellets, etc., and during off-peak seasons, the vehicle body can be used for other purposes. Therefore, using a container of this type can improve the operational efficiency of the vehicle itself.

[0033] In each of the embodiments described above, it is desirable that the partition wall has an inclined wall portion that is inclined with respect to the front-to-back direction of the container, and that the internal viewing portion is provided in the inclined wall portion.

[0034] The sloping wall section is inclined relative to the container, and therefore has a surface component that faces the external viewing area. As a result, the surface of the sloping wall section can be seen from the external viewing area.

[0035] In each of the above embodiments, it is desirable that there is a storage space on the side, the external viewing section is located at the back wall of the storage space, and a door member is provided to close the storage space.

[0036] In this embodiment of the transport vehicle, since there is a storage space on the side, equipment can be stored in this storage space and transported. Furthermore, in this embodiment of the transport vehicle, the storage space can be closed by a door member, so the equipment inside the storage space will not fall out during transport. In this embodiment of the container, the external viewing section is located at the back wall of the storage space. Therefore, the external viewing section can be hidden by closing the door member.

[0037] In each of the above embodiments, it is desirable that a hose is provided and that the hose is housed in the aforementioned storage space.

[0038] The hoses include, for example, discharge hoses for pressurizing and transporting materials, and intake hoses for sucking up dust generated at the supply destination of the transported materials, such as silos. According to this embodiment, a place to store the hoses can be secured.

[0039] In each of the embodiments described above, it is desirable that there is a hose, an opening for inserting the hose at a position corresponding to the equipment housing, and that the opening is covered by the door member.

[0040] The hoses are, for example, discharge hoses for pressurizing and transporting materials, or intake hoses for sucking up dust generated at the supply destination of the transported materials, such as silos. According to this embodiment, the opening through which the hoses are inserted can be hidden by closing the door member.

[0041] In each of the embodiments described above, the discharge means is an air conveying device having a blower and a multiphase unit, the multiphase unit being connected to the conveyed material storage section and the blower, the conveyed material in the conveyed material storage section being introduced into the multiphase unit, and the conveyed material being pressurized by the air blowing of the blower, and it is desirable that the blower and the multiphase unit be located in the equipment storage section.

[0042] According to this embodiment, the transported material in the transported material storage section can be transported by air. Furthermore, since all the necessary equipment is located inside the container, the transport device of this embodiment is compact.

[0043] Another embodiment for solving the above-mentioned problems is a container that can be mounted on a vehicle, wherein the inside of the container is divided by a partition wall to form a transported goods storage section and an equipment storage section, and is equipped with a discharge means for discharging the transported goods in the equipment storage section to the outside of the container, and has an internal viewing section on at least one of the sides of the partition wall, the side of the transported goods storage section, or the side of the container that allows the inside of the transported goods storage section to be seen, and has an external viewing section at a position corresponding to the equipment storage section of the cargo box that allows the inside of the equipment storage section to be seen.

[0044] In this embodiment of the transport vehicle, there is an internal viewing section on at least one of the sides of the partition wall, the side of the transported goods storage section, or the side of the container, which allows the inside of the transported goods storage section to be viewed. Therefore, with this embodiment of the transport vehicle, there are fewer obstacles in front of the internal viewing section, and the inside of the transported goods storage section can be checked through the internal viewing section, allowing confirmation of the presence or absence of transported goods.

[0045] Another embodiment for solving the above-mentioned problems is a container that can be mounted on a vehicle, wherein the inside of the container is divided by a partition wall to form a transported goods storage section and an equipment storage section, and is equipped with a discharge means for discharging the transported goods in the equipment storage section to the outside of the container, and is characterized in that at least one of the sides of the partition wall, the side of the transported goods storage section, or the side of the container has an internal viewing section that allows the inside of the transported goods storage section to be seen.

[0046] In this embodiment of the transport vehicle, there is an internal viewing section on at least one of the sides of the partition wall, the side of the transported goods storage section, or the side of the container, which allows the inside of the transported goods storage section to be viewed. Therefore, with this embodiment of the transport vehicle, there are fewer obstacles in front of the internal viewing section, and the inside of the transported goods storage section can be checked through the internal viewing section, allowing confirmation of the presence or absence of transported goods. [Effects of the Invention]

[0047] The transport vehicle and container of the present invention make it easy to check the remaining amount of transported goods from the outside. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0048] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a side view of a transport vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows the state when the container is dumped, and (b) shows the state when the container has been unloaded from the vehicle. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the internal structure of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is an exploded perspective view showing the internal structure of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating the structure and piping system of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows the door member that seals the storage space in a closed state, (b) shows the door member in an open state, and (c) shows the view when the door member is opened, the hose is removed, and the storage space is viewed. [Figure 7] (b) is a perspective view of the outer casing of the container with the top and rear walls removed, showing the door member that seals the storage space closed, and (b) shows the door member in the open state with a portion broken off. [Figure 8] This is an exploded perspective view of the main part of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the left and right side walls of the container, a partition wall, and a rotary valve. [Figure 9] (a) to (c) are schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] (a) to (c) are schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] (a) to (c) are schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] This is a perspective view of a container according to another embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows the door member that seals the storage space in a closed state, and (b) shows the door member in an open state. [Figure 14] (a) is a perspective view of section AA of Figure 13(a), (b) is a perspective view of section AA of Figure 13(b), and (c) is a perspective view of (b) from the direction of the arrow. [Figure 15] (a) is a cross-sectional view AA of Figure 13(a), (b) is a cross-sectional view AA of Figure 13(b), and (c) is a front view of (b) as seen from the direction of the arrow. [Figure 16] This is a perspective view of a transport vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0049] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The invention as described in the claims is not limited to the embodiments described below. In the following explanation, the front and rear relationships are based on the front and rear of the transport vehicle 1. That is, the front side refers to the side with the driver's seat 200, and the rear side refers to the opposite side. The lateral and width directions are both perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction of the transport vehicle 1. The transport vehicle 1 of this embodiment has a container 2 mounted on a vehicle body 201. The vehicle body 201 is a container transport vehicle of a type called a sliding type. The vehicle body 201 is equipped with a loading and unloading arm 203 for loading and unloading the container 2 between the vehicle and the ground. Furthermore, the transport vehicle 1 of this embodiment has a dump arm 216 for dumping the container 2.

[0050] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle body 201 has a vehicle section 205 and a special equipment 207. Vehicle section 205 is a known truck body, which has an engine and rotates its wheels to travel on roads.

[0051] The special equipment 207 is a device for loading and unloading container 2 between the vehicle unit 205 and the ground, and is mounted on the vehicle unit 205. The special equipment 207 includes a container mounting section 211 on which the container 2 is placed, a dump arm (dumping load handling arm) 216, and a loading / unloading load handling arm 203. The container placement section 211 is the part on which the container 2 is placed. The dump arm 216 swings relative to the frame.

[0052] The loading and unloading load handling arm 203 is composed of a hook arm 220 and a lift arm 221, as shown in Figure 2. The hook arm 220 has an overall shape that is roughly "L"-shaped, and a hook (engaging part) 223 is provided at its tip. The lift arm 221 has an overall straight shape. The lift arm 221 is pivotably mounted to the middle section of the dump arm 216.

[0053] A lift cylinder 225 is attached to the lift arm 221. In the transport vehicle 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2(b), only the lift arm 221 swings in the upright direction, allowing the container 2 to be lowered. Also in the transport vehicle 1 of this embodiment, when the lift cylinder 225 is extended, as shown in Figure 2(a), the dump arm 216 swings in the upright direction and tilts, causing the container 2 to be dumped. That is, the container 2 is in an inclined position.

[0054] Next, I will explain container 2. Container 2 in this embodiment is for transporting wood chips. The container 2 of this embodiment has a function for containing wood chips and a means for discharging the wood chips from the container 2 to the outside. In other words, the container 2 has an outer shell member 3, and a partition wall 6 is provided inside the outer shell member 3, dividing it into a transported goods storage section 7 and an equipment storage section 8. In this embodiment, the partition wall 6 also functions as the rear wall of the transported goods storage section 7.

[0055] The transport material storage section 7 is the area where wood chips are stored. The equipment housing section 8 contains the equipment that constitutes the discharge means and the dust collection equipment 30. The discharge means used in this embodiment is an air conveying device 10. The components of the air conveying device 10 (discharge means) are, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, a rotary valve (scraping device) 11, a multiphase unit 12, a blower 13, and piping connecting these components.

[0056] The rotary valve (scraper) 11 is a known type, and as shown in Figures 4 and 5, it has scraping blades 16 built into a housing 15. The housing 15 is provided with a blade housing 17, an inlet 18, and an outlet 20. The inlet 18 and outlet 20 connect the blade housing 17 to the outside. The rotary valve (scraper) 11 has scraping blades 16 built into the blade housing section 17 of the housing 15, and the scraping blades 16 are rotated within the housing 15 by a drive source 32 (Figure 4). The drive source 32 can be a hydraulic motor or an electric motor. The multiphase unit 12 is a box-shaped component and has a conveyed material inlet 23, an air inlet 21, and an outlet 22. The blower 13 is a known twin-shaft blower and has an air intake port 25 and an air outlet port 26. A filter 27 is attached to the air intake port 25.

[0057] As shown in Figures 3, 4, 6, and 8, the partition wall 6 is composed of a main wall section 40 and a connecting passage 41. The main wall section 40 has an isosceles trapezoidal shape in plan view and is composed of a front wall 36 and side walls (inclined wall sections) 37a and 37b. The front wall 36 is a rectangular partition wall installed perpendicular to the side walls 101 and 102 of the container 2. The width of the front wall 36 occupies approximately one-third of the width of the container 2. The side walls (inclined wall sections) 37a and 37b are inclined relative to the front wall 36. As described above, the main wall section 40 has an isosceles trapezoidal shape in plan view, with the front wall 36 at the center and the side walls (inclined wall sections) 37a and 37b on either side. The left and right side walls (inclined wall sections) 37a and 37b are installed in an inclined position so as to taper toward the rear end of the container 2. When viewed from above, the side wall (inclined wall section) 37a is inclined relative to the front-to-back direction of the container (cargo box). The total width of the main wall section 40 is equivalent to the width of the interior of the container 2, and the side walls (inclined wall sections) 37a and 37b are in contact with the interior wall of the container 2. The front wall 36 of the main wall section 40 is the rear end surface of the partition wall 6 described above, and the side walls (inclined wall sections) 37a and 37b are part of the side surface of the partition wall 6.

[0058] The connecting passage 41 is part of the partition wall 6 and is a funnel-shaped portion that protrudes from the lower part of the main wall 40. Specifically, the connecting passage 41 is composed of two guide plates (inclined wall sections) 42 and a top plate 43. The two guide plates 42 are extensions of the lower parts of the side walls (inclined wall sections) 37a and 37b, and are installed in an inclined position so as to taper toward the rear end of the container 2. The guide plates (inclined wall sections) 42 are inclined relative to the front-to-back direction of the container (cargo box). The upper surfaces of the guide plates 42 are sealed by the top plate 43. Since the partition wall 6 is in contact with the bottom wall 105 of the container 2, the connecting passage 41 of the partition wall 6 has a rectangular cylindrical cross-section, with its top closed by the top plate 43, both sides closed by guide plates (inclined wall sections) 42, and its bottom closed by the bottom wall 105 of the container 2. In other words, the connecting passage 41 has a trapezoidal planar shape, is low in height, and is a cylindrical part with no ends open. The two guide plates 42 are part of the side of the partition wall 6.

[0059] Assuming container 2 is in a horizontal position, an overview of the partition wall 6 reveals that it is mostly composed of the main wall section 40, with a connecting passage 41 at a portion of the tip. Specifically, there is a main wall section 40 that is provided perpendicular to the side walls 101 and 102 of container 2, and a connecting passage 41 protrudes from the main wall section 40 toward the rear end. The cross-sectional area of ​​the connecting passage 41 decreases as it approaches the front end. The guide plate (inclined wall section) 42 that forms the side of the connecting passage 41 is in an inclined position with respect to the front-to-back direction of the container (cargo box), and constitutes an inclined wall section.

[0060] In this embodiment, a rotary valve (scraper) 11 is connected to the end of the partition wall 6. Figure 5 is a schematic representation of each component, and the actual arrangement of each component is as shown in Figure 3. The orientation of the rotary valve (scraper) 11 is oriented laterally in the front-to-back direction relative to the container (cargo box) 2, as shown in Figure 4. In other words, the rotation axis 47 of the scraping blade 16 is in a horizontal position and is positioned laterally.

[0061] In this embodiment, the wood chip discharge path is as shown in Figure 5, with a rotary valve (scraper) 11 connected to the end of the conveying material storage section 7, and a multiphase unit 12 connected downstream of the rotary valve 11. A blower 13 is also connected to the multiphase unit 12. Specifically, the inlet 18 of the rotary valve 11 is connected to the open end of the connection passage 41 of the conveyed material storage section 7, and the conveyed material inlet 23 of the multiphase unit 12 is connected to the outlet 20 of the rotary valve 11. The outlet 22 of the multiphase unit 12 is connected to the outlet 31. In addition, the air outlet 26 of the blower 13 is connected to the air intake 21 of the multiphase unit 12.

[0062] The dust collection device 30 consists of a suction device 33 and a bag filter 35. The suction device 33 is connected to an intake hose 38. The bag filter 35 is connected to the exhaust port of the suction device 33.

[0063] In the container 2 of this embodiment, the rotary valve 11 and the multiphase unit 12 are connected in series to the connecting passage 41 of the conveyed material storage section 7. A blower 13 is also installed above the connecting passage 41. Furthermore, a suction device 33 and a bag filter 35 are installed behind the multiphase unit 12. Therefore, behind the front wall 36 of the main wall portion 40 of the partition wall 6, various pieces of equipment are densely packed, making the front wall 36 difficult to see. In other words, the rear end surface of the partition wall 6 described above is densely packed with various pieces of equipment.

[0064] Next, we will explain the process for discharging wood chips from container 2. When discharging wood chips from container 2, container 2 is dumped and tilted as shown in Figure 2(a). As a result, the wood chips in the transported material storage section 7 accumulate towards the rear end of the container 2. There is a partition wall 6 at the rear end of the transported material storage section 7, and a connecting passage 41 protrudes from the lower part of the partition wall 6. The wood chips collected by tilting the container 2 are guided by two guide plates (inclined wall sections) 42 and enter the rotary valve (scooping device) 11, where they are scraped out in fixed amounts by the scraping blades 16 and enter the subsequent multiphase mixer 12. The inside of the multiphase unit 12 is a well-ventilated environment due to the air supplied by the blower 13. The wood chips introduced into the multiphase unit 12 are pushed by the airflow and discharged from the outlet 22 of the multiphase unit 12, passing through the discharge hose 31 and being discharged to the outside of the container 2. In other words, with the container (cargo box) 2 tilted, a fixed amount of material from the material storage section 7 is introduced into the multiphase unit 12 by the rotary valve (scooping device) 11, and the material is pumped by the air supplied by the blower 13.

[0065] Next, the characteristic configuration of container 2 in this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the container 2 is provided with storage compartments 50 at the lower part of its left and right sides. Furthermore, the back wall 115 of the storage section 50 has an external viewing section 60 that allows the inside of the equipment storage section 8 to be seen. In addition, the guide plate (inclined wall section) 42 of the partition wall 6 has an internal viewing section 61 that allows the inside of the transported material storage section 7 to be seen. In the container 2 of this embodiment, an opening 62 is formed in the back wall 115 of the storage section 50 through which the discharge hose 31 and the intake hose 38 are inserted. The following explains further.

[0066] In this embodiment, the container 2 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped and is enclosed by a top wall 100, side walls 101 and 102, a bottom wall 105, a front wall 106, and a rear wall 107. The partition wall 6 described above is provided inside. In this embodiment, the front wall 106 of the container 2 functions as the front wall of the transported goods storage section 7, the internal partition wall 6 functions as the rear wall of the transported goods storage section 7, the side walls 101 and 102 of the container 2 function as the rear wall of the transported goods storage section 7, and the bottom wall 105 of the container 2 functions as the bottom wall of the transported goods storage section 7. The side walls 101 and 102 of container 2 are rectangular in plan view, but as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the area near the bottom edge is recessed inward, forming a recess 110. That is, the lower ends of the side walls 101 and 102 of container 2 are formed with a horizontally folded horizontal wall section 111 and a vertical wall, the back wall 115, which is further folded downward from its tip. The recess 110 extends across the entire length of the side walls 101 and 102.

[0067] The side walls 101 and 102 of container 2 are attached perpendicularly to the bottom wall 105, but the lower ends of the side walls 101 and 102 of container 2 are in contact with the edge of the bottom wall 105 slightly inward, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. Therefore, on the side of container 2, specifically its lower edge, there are groove-shaped storage spaces 120a and 120b enclosed by the area near the lower ends of the side walls 101 and 102 of container 2 and the bottom wall 105. Specifically, at the lower edges of both sides of container 2, there are groove-shaped storage spaces 120a and 120b, where the top is partitioned by the horizontal wall portion 111 of the side walls 101 and 102, the back is partitioned by the back wall 115 of the side walls 101 and 102, and the bottom is partitioned by the bottom wall 105 of container 2.

[0068] Furthermore, in the container 2 of this embodiment, there is a door member 121 that closes the openings of the groove-shaped storage spaces 120a and 120b. The door member 121 is an elongated plate-shaped member and, as shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8, is pivotably attached to the left and right sides of the bottom wall 105 of the container 2 via hinges (not shown). Therefore, as shown in Figures 6(a) and 7(a), when the door member 121 is raised upward, the groove-shaped storage spaces 120a and 120b are closed, and as shown in Figures 6(b) and 7(b), when the door member 121 is lowered downward, the groove-shaped storage space 120 is opened. In this embodiment, the storage section 50 is composed of the groove-shaped storage spaces 120a and 120b and the door member 121. In this embodiment, the discharge hose 31 and the intake hose 38 are stored in one of the storage spaces 120a. That is, in this embodiment, one of the storage spaces 120a functions as a hose storage section. In this embodiment, there are two door members 121, and the storage spaces 120a and 120b are each covered by the two door members 121. The door members 121 have handles and locking mechanisms (not shown).

[0069] In this embodiment, the back wall 115 of the groove-shaped storage space 120a has an external viewing section 60 that allows the inside of the equipment storage section 8 to be seen, and an opening 62 through which hoses 31 and 38 are inserted. The external viewing section 60 is a rectangular opening and serves as a viewing window. The opening 62 through which the hoses 31 and 38 are inserted is a slightly larger rectangular opening. As described above, in this embodiment, one of the storage spaces 120a functions as a hose storage section, and the discharge hose 31 and the intake hose 38 are pulled out from the opening 62 and stored in the groove-shaped storage space 120a.

[0070] In this embodiment, the guide plate (inclined wall section) 42 on the storage space 120a side of the partition wall 6 has an internal viewing section 61 that allows the inside of the transported material storage section 7 to be seen. The internal viewing section 61 is formed by providing an opening 130 in the guide plate (inclined wall section) 42 of the partition wall 6, and attaching a transparent plate 131 to the opening. The transparent plate 131 is made of glass, acrylic, or the like. The guide plate (inclined wall section) 42 of the partition wall 6 constitutes the connecting path 41 of the partition wall 6 and is located at the end of the transported material storage section 7. Therefore, the internal viewing section 61 is located at the end of the transported material storage section 7, and the inside of the end of the transported material storage section 7 can be observed.

[0071] In this embodiment, container 2 allows for external verification of whether or not wood chips remain. Specifically, the door member 121 of the storage space 120a is opened to take out the discharge hose 31, the tip of the discharge hose 31 is inserted into the inlet of a storage facility such as a silo (not shown), and the air conveying device 10 (discharge means) is activated to transfer the wood chips to the storage facility. Additionally, the intake hose 38 is inserted into the opening of a storage facility such as a silo to suck up dust floating inside the storage facility.

[0072] When the discharge of wood chips stops, the user looks through the external viewing section 60 provided in the back wall 115 of the storage space 120a and looks through the internal viewing section 61 provided in the guide plate (inclined wall section) 42 of the partition wall 6. Although the guide plate (inclined wall section) 42 of the partition wall 6 is at an angle, it faces the back wall 115 of the storage space 120a, so the guide plate (inclined wall section) 42 is visible from the external viewing section 60, and the internal viewing section 61 is also in a position where it can be seen from the external viewing section 60. The internal viewing section 61 is provided in the guide plate (inclined wall section) 42 of the partition wall 6 with an opening 130 and a transparent plate 131 attached to the opening, so the inside of the transported material storage section 7 can be seen. The internal viewing section 61 is located at the end of the transported material storage section 7. Therefore, by looking through the external viewing section 60 provided in the back wall 115 of the storage space 120a and looking at the internal viewing section 61 provided in the guide plate (inclined wall section) 42 of the partition wall 6, it is possible to check whether or not wood chips remain in the transported material storage section 7.

[0073] Next, a modified example of the present invention will be described. In the following description of embodiments, for components that are the same as those in the previous embodiments or that perform the same function, the same numbering will be assigned to the drawings as in the previous embodiments, thus omitting redundant descriptions. In the transport vehicle 1 described above, an internal viewing section 61 is provided on the guide plate (inclined wall section) 42 of the connecting passage 41, but an internal viewing section 61 may also be provided on the side walls (inclined wall sections) 37a and 37b of the main wall section 40. An internal viewing section 61 may also be provided on the front wall 36 of the main wall section 40, but depending on the positional relationship with the external viewing section 60, the external viewing section 60 may be difficult to see. Also, in the layout of this embodiment, there is some equipment in front of the front wall 36, so the external viewing section 60 is difficult to see.

[0074] In the transport vehicle 1 described above, an external viewing section 60 is provided on the back wall 115 of the storage space 120a, but an external viewing section 60 may also be provided on the outer edges of the side walls 101 and 102. In particular, if an internal viewing section 61 is provided on the side walls (inclined wall sections) 37a and 37b of the main wall section 40, it is desirable to provide the external viewing section 60 at a position higher than the storage space 120a so that the internal viewing section 61 is more easily visible.

[0075] In the transport vehicle 1 described above, the partition wall 6 has an isosceles trapezoidal shape in its plan view. That is, the main wall portion 40 of the partition wall 6 is composed of a front wall 36 and side walls (inclined wall portions) 37a and 37b, and has an isosceles trapezoidal shape in its plan view. In the embodiment described above, the lower part of the partition wall 6 protrudes to form a connecting passage 41, and the guide plates (inclined wall portions) 42 that constitute the connecting passage 41 are arranged in an isosceles trapezoidal shape. That is, in the transport vehicle 1 described above, the partition wall 6 has symmetrical left and right side walls (inclined wall portions) 37a and 37b and left and right guide plates (inclined wall portions) 42. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and may be asymmetrical as shown in Figure 9(a). Furthermore, the inclined wall, as shown in Figure 9(b), may be present on only one side. Moreover, the inclined wall may not be present at all, as shown in Figure 9(c). In the transport vehicle 1 described above, the partition wall 6 has a main wall section 40 and a connecting passage 41, but there is no need to distinguish between the two.

[0076] In the transport vehicle 1 described above, an internal viewing section 61 and an external viewing section 60 are provided, but the external viewing section 60 may be omitted and only the internal viewing section 61 may be provided. If only the internal viewing section 61 is provided, it will be located at one of the following positions: the side of the partition wall 6, the side of the transported goods storage section 7, or the side of the outer member 3 of the container (cargo box) 2. Figure 10(a) shows an example in which an internal viewing section 61 is provided on the side of the partition wall 6. That is, in Figure 10(a), an internal viewing section 61 is provided on the side walls (inclined wall sections) 37a and 37b of the partition wall 6. In the embodiment shown in Figure 10(a), there is no external viewing section 60.

[0077] The embodiment shown in Figure 10(b) is an example in which an internal viewing section 61 is provided on the side of the transported goods storage section 7. The embodiment shown in Figure 10(c) is an example in which an internal viewing section 61 is provided on the side of the outer shell member 3 of the container (cargo box) 2. In the embodiments shown in Figures 10(b) and (c), there is no external viewing section 60. In the embodiment shown in Figure 10, there is no external viewing section 60, but there are few obstructing devices in front of the internal viewing section 61. Therefore, by opening a hatch (not shown), the internal viewing section 61 can be visually inspected, and it is possible to check whether or not wood chips or the like remain.

[0078] The transport vehicle 1 described above is a container transport vehicle (vehicle body 201) with a container 2 loaded on it. Therefore, during peak seasons, the container can be loaded onto the vehicle body and used for transporting wood pellets, etc., and during off-peak seasons, the vehicle body can be used for other purposes. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the operating rate of the vehicle body 201 can be improved. However, the present invention can also be applied to a regular dump truck. That is, the transport vehicle 1 may have a cargo box that is not removable. Also, the cargo box may be tilted in the direction of the side of the vehicle.

[0079] In the transport vehicle 1 described above, the rotary valve 11 is directly attached to the end of the transport material storage section 7. However, as shown in Figure 11(a), other transport devices 300 may be provided inside or at the end of the transport material storage section 7, and the transport material may be supplied to the rotary valve 11 via these transport devices 300. Figure 11(a) shows an example in which a screw conveyor is used as the other transport device 300. A belt conveyor can also be used as the other transport device 300. Alternatively, wood chips or the like may be moved by vibration.

[0080] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 11(b), the rotary valve 11 may be omitted, and wood chips or the like may be supplied to the multiphase mixer 12 from the conveying device (screw conveyor) 300. If container 2 can be raised to a near-vertical position, the material may be sent directly from the transported material storage section 7 to the multiphase mixer 12, as shown in Figure 11(c). In this case, it is desirable to vibrate or shock the transported material storage section 7 and the connecting passage 41.

[0081] Figure 12 shows a configuration in which a belt conveyor 301 or bucket conveyor is installed at the bottom of the material storage section 7, and wood chips and the like are discharged from the material storage section 7 by the belt conveyor or the like and supplied to the rotary valve 11. If this configuration is adopted, it is not necessarily required to tilt container 2.

[0082] Figures 13 to 15 show an example in which the internal viewing section 61 is provided on the side of the transported material storage section 7. In the container 2 shown in Figures 13 to 15, the lower side of the material storage section 7 is inclined inward. That is, in the container 2 shown in Figures 13 to 15, the upper side of the material storage section 7 is a vertical wall 63, and the lower side is an inclined wall 65. In the container 2 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, an internal viewing section 61 is provided in the inclined wall 65, allowing the inside of the material storage section 7 to be seen. A belt conveyor 301 is also installed at the bottom of the material storage section 7.

[0083] The outer casing of container 2 is formed by the extension of the vertical wall 63 on the side of the cargo storage section 7, which is extended by an extension wall 71 to the bottom wall 105 of container 2. Between the inclined wall 65 and the extension wall 71 is a storage space 120 with a roughly triangular cross-section. An external viewing section 60 is provided in the outer extension wall 71. The external viewing section 60 is a fairly large opening primarily for loading and unloading equipment from the storage space 120. In this embodiment, an internal viewing section 61 is provided on the inclined wall 65 on the side of the conveyed material storage section 7, allowing the inside of the conveyed material storage section 7 to be viewed. A door member 67 is provided on the outer wall 132 of container 2, and the storage space 120 is sealed off by the door member 67. The interior viewing section 61 is also concealed by the door member 67.

[0084] By opening the door member 67 of the storage space 120 and opening the external viewing section 60 provided in the extension wall 71, it is possible to see the internal viewing section 61 provided in the inclined wall 65 on the side of the transported material storage section 7. Through the internal viewing section 61, it is possible to check whether or not wood chips remain in the transported material storage section 7.

[0085] In Figures 13 to 15, the lower part of the side surface of the transported material storage section 7 is sloped, but a configuration with a sloped bottom surface is also conceivable. If there is a sloped wall on the bottom surface, it is desirable to provide an internal viewing section 61 on that bottom surface.

[0086] Figure 16 shows the application of the present invention to a truck that does not have a dumping function. The equipment of the transport vehicle 1 shown in Figure 16 is generally the same as that of the container 2 shown in Figures 13 to 15, but the cargo on the loading platform is divided into a front housing 73 and a rear housing 75. The front enclosure 73 is a cargo box that constitutes the transported goods storage section 7. The inside of the front enclosure 73 is a single space with no partition walls. That is, the top wall 230, side walls 231, bottom wall 232, front wall 233, and rear wall 235 of the front enclosure 73 directly become the top wall, side walls, bottom wall, front wall, and rear wall of the transported goods storage section 7. Furthermore, the rear housing 75 houses an air conveying device 10 (discharge means).

[0087] In the embodiment described above, the discharge hose 31 is permanently connected to the multiphase unit 12 and, while connected to the multiphase unit 12, is pulled out from the opening 62 of the storage unit 50 and stored in the storage space 120a. However, the discharge hose 31 may be easily attached and detached by a coupler or the like. In this case, the discharge hose 31 may be removed and housed in the storage space 120a. It is preferable that the coupler on the multiphase 12 side protrudes from the opening 62 of the storage section 50.

[0088] The components to be stored in the storage spaces 120a and 120b are not limited to the discharge hose 31. For example, an intake blower for drawing in dust from a silo or the like at the supply destination may be provided, and an intake hose connecting the silo and the intake blower may be stored in the storage spaces 120a and 120b. Furthermore, the components stored in the storage spaces 120a and 120b are not limited to hoses; anything can be used.

[0089] In the embodiment described above, the equipment housing section 8 houses all of the equipment constituting the discharge means and the dust collection equipment 30. In other words, the equipment housing section 8 inside the container 2 of the embodiment described above houses a rotary valve (scraper) 11, a multiphase mixer 12, a blower 13, piping, a suction device 33, and a bag filter 35. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the multiphase unit 12 and the blower 13 may be attached to the outside of the housing of the container 2 and integrally with the housing. Also, the suction device 33 and the bag filter 35 may be attached to the outside of the housing of the container 2 and integrally with the housing.

[0090] The inventions according to the embodiments described above can be replaced or combined as long as no contradictions arise. Furthermore, the above embodiments allow for the free substitution or addition of components between each embodiment, as long as they fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0091] 1: Transport vehicle, 2: Container, 3: Outer shell component, 6: Partition wall, 7: Transported goods storage section, 8: Equipment housing section, 10: Air conveying device, 11: Rotary valve, 12: Mixer, 13: Blower, 31: Discharge hose, 42: Guide plate (sloping wall section), 50: Storage section, 60: External viewing section, 61: Internal viewing section, 62: Opening, 65: Inclined wall, 73: Front side housing, 75: Rear enclosure, 115: Back wall, 120: Storage space, 121: Door component, 132: Outer wall, 201: Vehicle body, 230: Top wall, 231: Side wall, 232: Bottom wall, 233: Front wall, 235: Rear wall

Claims

1. The system comprises a cargo box and a means for discharging the contents of the cargo box to the outside, and the inside of the cargo box is divided by a partition wall to form a cargo storage section and an equipment storage section. A transport vehicle characterized in that the partition wall has an internal viewing section that allows the interior of the transported goods storage section to be viewed, and the cargo box has an external viewing section that allows the interior of the equipment storage section to be viewed at a position corresponding to the equipment storage section.

2. The transport vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the partition wall has an inclined wall portion that is inclined with respect to the front-rear direction of the cargo box, and the internal viewing portion is provided in the inclined wall portion.

3. The transport vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that there is a storage space on the side of the cargo box, the external viewing section is on the back wall of the storage space, and there is a door member that closes the storage space, making it possible to close the storage space.

4. The transport vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that it has a hose, and the hose is housed in the storage space.

5. The transport vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that it has a hose, an opening for inserting the hose at a position corresponding to the equipment housing, and the opening is covered by the door member.

6. The aforementioned cargo box can be tilted, The discharge means is an air conveying device comprising a blower and a phase mixer, the phase mixer being connected to the conveyed material storage section and the blower, the conveyed material in the conveyed material storage section being introduced into the phase mixer with the cargo box tilted, and the conveyed material being pressurized and conveyed by the air blown by the blower. The transport vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the equipment housing section includes the blower and the multiphase unit.

7. The system comprises a cargo box and a means for discharging the contents of the cargo box to the outside, and the inside of the cargo box is divided by a partition wall to form a cargo storage section and an equipment storage section. At least one of the sides of the partition wall, the side of the transported goods storage section, or the side of the cargo box has an internal viewing section that allows the inside of the transported goods storage section to be seen, A transport vehicle characterized by having an external viewing section that allows the inside of the equipment storage section to be viewed from a position corresponding to the equipment storage section of the cargo box.

8. The vehicle has a vehicle body, a transported material storage section, and a discharge means for discharging the transported material to the outside. The transport vehicle is characterized in that the transported material storage section has a front wall, a rear wall, side walls, and a bottom wall, and at least one of the side surfaces or bottom surfaces of the transported material storage section has an internal viewing section that allows the inside of the transported material storage section to be seen.

9. The side wall or bottom wall of the transported material storage section is an inclined wall whose lower side slopes inward, and the internal viewing section is located on this inclined wall. The transport vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that there is an outer wall on the outside of the inclined wall, and an opening is provided in the outer wall that allows the internal transparent section to be viewed.

10. The transport vehicle according to claim 9, characterized in that a door member is provided in the outer wall, and the internal transparent section is concealed when the door member is closed.

11. The transport vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that it has a front housing that constitutes a transported material storage section and a rear housing that houses a discharge means.

12. The transport vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the cargo box is a container that can be mounted on a vehicle.

13. A container that can be mounted on a vehicle, wherein the inside of the container is divided by a partition wall to form a transported material storage section and an equipment storage section, and is equipped with a discharge means for discharging the transported material in the equipment storage section to the outside of the container. A container characterized in that the partition wall has an internal viewing section that allows the interior of the transported goods storage section to be viewed, and the cargo box has an external viewing section that allows the interior of the equipment storage section to be viewed at a position corresponding to the equipment storage section.

14. The container according to claim 13, characterized in that the partition wall has an inclined wall portion that is inclined with respect to the front-to-back direction of the container, and the internal viewing portion is provided in the inclined wall portion.

15. The container according to claim 13, characterized in that it has a storage space on its side, the external viewing section is located at the back wall of the storage space, and there is a door member that closes the storage space, making it possible to close the storage space.

16. The container according to claim 15, characterized in that it has a hose, and the hose is housed in the storage space.

17. The container according to claim 15, characterized in that it has a hose, has an opening for inserting the hose at a position corresponding to the equipment housing, and the opening is covered by the door member.

18. The discharge means is an air conveying device comprising a blower and a phase mixer, the phase mixer being connected to the conveyed material storage section and the blower, the conveyed material in the conveyed material storage section being introduced into the phase mixer, and the conveyed material being pressurized and conveyed by the airflow from the blower. The container according to claim 13, characterized in that the equipment housing section includes the blower and the multiphase unit.

19. A container that can be mounted on a vehicle, wherein the inside of the container is divided by a partition wall to form a transported material storage section and an equipment storage section, and is equipped with a discharge means for discharging the transported material in the equipment storage section to the outside of the container. At least one of the sides of the partition wall, the side of the transported goods storage area, or the side of the container has an internal viewing section that allows the inside of the transported goods storage area to be seen. A container characterized by having an external viewing section that allows the inside of the equipment storage section to be viewed from a position corresponding to the equipment storage section of the cargo box.

20. A container that can be mounted on a vehicle, wherein the inside of the container is divided by a partition wall to form a transported material storage section and an equipment storage section, and is equipped with a discharge means for discharging the transported material in the equipment storage section to the outside of the container. A container characterized in that at least one of the sides of the partition wall, the side of the transported goods storage section, or the side of the container has an internal viewing section that allows the inside of the transported goods storage section to be seen.

Images