Equipment transport module, method for transporting equipment using the equipment transport module, and method for installing equipment.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2025032354
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-02-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-09-09
Smart Images
Figure 2026144825000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to an equipment transportation module, and an equipment transportation method and an equipment installation method using the equipment transportation module. [Background Art]
[0002] As a conventional equipment transportation module, for example, there is known one comprising: traveling means arranged below a mounting table; a link mechanism that supports the mounting table and the traveling means in a separable / connectable manner such that support legs of the mounting table are lifted from a floor surface; and biasing means that biases the mounting table and the traveling means away from each other (see, for example, Patent Document 1). As another conventional equipment transportation module, there is known a moving device for a portable workbench, in which a step beam receiver for receiving a step beam is provided on a vertical frame provided with moving wheels, the vertical frame is pulled together with the moving wheels toward a main leg of the step with the step beam receiver as a base point, and then fixed with a locking bar, thereby enabling movement using the moving wheels (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 7-223545 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-068638 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]
[0004] However, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, when a means of transporting the equipment is used, the entire platform must be lifted by pedal operation. In this case, for example, with heavy equipment, the burden on the user is significant. Therefore, there is room for improvement in terms of ease of handling in the invention described in Patent Document 1. Furthermore, in the invention described in Patent Document 2, when transporting the equipment, it is necessary to directly operate the vertical frame equipped with wheels, so there is room for improvement in terms of safety and operability.
[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide an equipment transport module that offers high safety and ease of handling when transporting and installing equipment, a mobile equipment equipped with the equipment transport module, and an efficient method for installing and transporting equipment using the equipment transport module. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] (1) The equipment transport module of the present invention is an equipment transport module that can be attached to equipment for transporting equipment equipped with support legs, comprising: a wheel leg having a wheel at its lower end; a wheel leg rotating part that can be rotatably connected to the equipment such that the wheel leg tilts forward and backward with respect to the equipment; and a link member that is rotatably connected to each of the front and rear wheel legs to synchronize the tilt of the front wheel leg and the tilt of the rear wheel leg, wherein the wheel leg, when the wheel leg is upright with respect to the equipment, has the wheel protruding below the support legs of the equipment, while the wheel The wheel can be housed inside the support legs of the equipment when the wheel legs are tilted relative to the equipment, and furthermore, at least one of the front wheel legs and the rear wheel legs is provided with a locking mechanism that maintains the wheel leg in a tilted state so that it protrudes below the support legs of the equipment when at least one of the front wheel legs and the rear wheel leg is tilted relative to the equipment such that the wheel protrudes below the support legs of the equipment, by contacting the equipment transport module or a part of the equipment. The equipment transport module of the present invention provides high safety and ease of handling when transporting and installing equipment.
[0007] (2) In the equipment transport module described in (1) above, it is preferable that the locking portion is located below the rotating connecting portion that connects the wheel leg and the link member. In this case, the space located above the equipment transport module can be widely secured as space that can be used for arranging the equipment.
[0008] (3) In the equipment transport module described in (1) or (2) above, the rotation center of the wheel leg rotation part is preferably located behind the wheel leg, and the locking part is preferably in contact with the equipment transport module or a part of the equipment when at least one of the front wheel leg and the rear wheel leg is tilted forward relative to the equipment such that the wheel protrudes below the support leg of the equipment. In this case, when a user tries to move the equipment transport module forward together with the equipment, the operation to move forward involves tilting the equipment transport module forward relative to the ground surface, and then returning the equipment transport module to its state before tilting forward, thereby making the equipment transport module easily movable.
[0009] (4) In the equipment transport module described in (3) above, it is preferable that the locking portion is provided on at least the front wheel leg. In this case, by tilting the equipment transport module forward, the locking portion can be effectively brought into contact with the equipment transport module or a part of the equipment by utilizing the weight of the equipment transport module itself or the weight of the entire equipment transport module including the equipment.
[0010] (5) Preferably, any one of the equipment transport modules described in (1) to (4) above is further provided with a pressing part capable of pressing at least one of the front wheel legs and the rear wheel legs so as to house the wheels inside the support legs of the equipment. In this case, the user can easily install the equipment transport module or the entire equipment transport module including the equipment in a desired position by operating the pressing part.
[0011] (6) In the equipment transport module described in (5) above, the locking portion preferably contacts the equipment transport module or a part of the equipment such that when at least one of the front wheel legs and the rear wheel legs is tilted forward relative to the equipment, the wheel protrudes below the support legs of the equipment, and the pressing portion preferably presses the front wheel leg so that the front wheel leg is tilted backward relative to the equipment. In this case, the equipment can be easily installed by operating the pressing portion on the front side of the equipment transport module.
[0012] (7) In the equipment transport module described in (6) above, the front wheel leg is further provided with an extended portion that is connected to the front wheel leg and extends above the wheel leg rotation portion of the front wheel leg, and the pressing portion is preferably rotatably connected to the extended portion of the front wheel leg. In this case, by utilizing the reaction force generated when the pressing portion is pressed forward against a target object located in front, the pressing portion is pressed against the extended portion of the front wheel leg, and as a result, the front wheel leg can be tilted backward. For this reason, the user can easily install the equipment with a simple operation of just pressing the pressing portion against the target object and pushing the pressing portion into the equipment transport module.
[0013] (8) In any one of the equipment transport modules described in (5) to (7) above, the locking portion preferably contacts the equipment transport module or a part of the equipment such that when at least one of the front wheel legs and the rear wheel legs is tilted forward relative to the equipment, the wheel protrudes below the support legs of the equipment, and the pressing portion preferably presses the rear wheel leg so that the rear wheel leg is tilted backward relative to the equipment. In this case, the equipment can be easily installed by the user operating the pressing portion at the rear of the equipment transport module.
[0014] (9) In the equipment transport module described in (8) above, the pressing portion is preferably a sliding member that can slide in the front-rear direction. In this case, by keeping the height of the pressing portion low, it becomes possible to operate it at the user's feet.
[0015] (10) The present invention provides a method for transporting equipment, which involves transporting the equipment to a desired location by using one of the equipment transport modules described in (1) to (9) above, and includes a wheel protrusion step, inclining the equipment transport module with respect to the ground surface so that one of the front-rear corners of the support legs of the equipment is positioned lower than the other, from a state in which the equipment can be installed on the ground surface by the support legs of the equipment, until the locking portion contacts the equipment transport module or a part of the equipment, thereby causing the wheels to protrude below the support legs of the equipment; and a wheel grounding step, inclining the equipment transport module back to the state before it was tilted after the wheels have been protruded. According to the present invention, a method for transporting equipment using an equipment transport module provides an efficient method for transporting equipment using one of the equipment transport modules described in (1) to (9) above.
[0016] (11) A method for installing equipment using an equipment transport module, for installing the equipment in a desired position by using any one of the equipment transport modules described in (5) to (9) above, comprising a support leg grounding step, in which, from a state in which the equipment is movable on the ground surface by the wheels, the pressing portion is pressed against at least one of the front wheel legs and the rear wheel legs, thereby housing the wheels inside the support legs of the equipment and grounding the support legs to the ground surface. According to the equipment installation method using an equipment transport module of the present invention, an efficient method for installing equipment using any one of the equipment transport modules described in (1) to (9) above can be obtained. [Effects of the Invention]
[0017] According to the present invention, when transporting and installing equipment, it is possible to provide an equipment transport module that has high safety and is easy to handle, an efficient equipment transport method using the equipment transport module, and an equipment installation method. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view perspectively showing an equipment transport module according to an embodiment of the present invention from the front upper side. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the equipment transport module of FIG. 1, in which a part of the equipment is virtually shown together with the equipment transport module. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically showing the equipment transport module of FIG. 1, in which a part of the equipment is shown together with the equipment transport module. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view showing stairs, which are an example of equipment that can be attached to the equipment transport module of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a rear view showing the stairs of FIG. 4 from the rear side. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram schematically showing the equipment transport module of FIG. 1, in which a part of the equipment together with the equipment transport module is virtually shown in a state of being grounded against the ground contact surface. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic explanatory view for schematically explaining an equipment transport method using the equipment transport module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and schematically shows a wheel protruding step of protruding wheels by tilting the equipment transport module of FIG. 6 forward with the support legs of the equipment as a base point. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is another schematic explanatory view for schematically explaining an equipment transport method using the equipment transport module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state where the wheel protruding step is completed after wheel legs are locked to a part of the equipment transport module by a lock portion. [Figure 9]This is a schematic explanatory diagram for schematically explaining the wheel grounding step that is continuously performed after the wheel protrusion step is completed, and shows a state where the wheel grounding step is completed by returning the state of the equipment transport module of FIG. 8 to the state before the equipment transport module is tilted. [Figure 10] This is a schematic explanatory diagram for schematically explaining an equipment installation method using an equipment transport module according to an embodiment of the present invention, and options for two methods for installing the equipment at a desired position by using two pressing portions provided at the front and rear of the equipment transport module of FIG. 9 are indicated by arrows. [Figure 11] This is a schematic diagram schematically showing a process in which, among the options in FIG. 10, the wheels of the equipment transport module are accommodated inside the support legs of the equipment by using the pressing portion provided on the front side of the equipment transport module. [Figure 12] This is a schematic diagram schematically showing a state where, among the options in FIG. 10, the wheels of the equipment transport module are accommodated inside the support legs of the equipment by using the pressing portion provided on the rear side of the equipment transport module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, that is, an equipment transport module (equipment transport apparatus), a mobile equipment including the equipment transport module, and an equipment transport method and an equipment installation method using the equipment transport module, will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an equipment transport module 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from the front upper side. FIG. 2 is a side view of a mobile equipment 10 including the equipment transport module 1. In FIG. 2, as indicated by broken lines, a part of equipment (50) is virtually illustrated together with the equipment transport module 1. Further, FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the mobile equipment 10 including the equipment transport module 1, shown together with a part of the equipment (50).
[0021] In addition, Figure 4 shows a staircase 50, an example of equipment that can be attached to the equipment transport module 1, from the side. Furthermore, Figure 5 shows the staircase 50 from the rear.
[0022] In this embodiment, the stairs 50 are a frame stairs composed of multiple frames. In this embodiment, the stairs 50 are metal stairs such as aluminum alloy. The stairs 50 include support legs (51, 52) and a base frame 53 to which the support legs (51, 52) are attached. In this embodiment, the stairs 50 include a stair body 54 with multiple treads 54a and a handrail 55 on the base frame 53. The stairs 50 can be made to ground against the ground surface F1 by the support legs (51, 52). As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, the stairs 50 have support legs (51, 52) positioned at two locations spaced apart in the width direction. As shown in Figure 4, the base frame 53 is a frame that extends in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the base frame 53 has a front support leg 51 (hereinafter also referred to as the "front support leg 51") positioned at the front and a rear support leg 52 (hereinafter also referred to as the "rear support leg 52") positioned at the rear, spaced apart in the front-rear direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, the stairs 50 are stairs equipped with four support legs. Here, front and rear are relative to the user. For example, the side from which the user pushes the equipment (equipment transport module) toward the front is considered the front, and the side from which the user pulls the equipment toward the rear is considered the rear.
[0023] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 2, the equipment transport module 1 is an equipment transport module that can be attached to equipment (50) to transport equipment (50) equipped with support legs (51, 52). Figure 2 shows a mobile equipment 10. The mobile equipment 10 comprises the equipment transport module 1 and the equipment (50). The equipment transport module 1 comprises wheel legs (2, 6) having wheels (3, 7) at their lower ends, wheel leg rotating parts (4, 8) that can be rotatably connected to the equipment (50) so that the wheel legs (2, 6) tilt forward and backward relative to the equipment (50), and link members (9) that are rotatably connected to each of the wheel legs (2, 6) arranged at the front and rear, thereby synchronizing the tilt of the front wheel leg 2 and the tilt of the rear wheel leg 6. Here, when we say that the wheel legs (2,6) are tilted forward or backward relative to the equipment (50), it means that, as shown in Figures 6 and 9 below, the wheel legs (2,6) rotate forward or backward around the wheel leg rotating part (4,8) as the pivot point, and the upper end of the wheel leg (2,6) is positioned further forward or backward than the lower end of the wheel leg (2,6). Furthermore, synchronizing the tilt of the front wheel leg 2 and the tilt of the rear wheel leg 6 means that the direction and angle of the forward and backward tilt of the front wheel leg 2 are made to match the direction and angle of the forward and backward tilt of the rear wheel leg 6.
[0024] As shown in Figure 2, the wheel legs (2,6) are designed so that when the wheel legs (2,6) are upright relative to the equipment (50), the wheels (3,7) can protrude below the support legs (51,52) of the equipment (50). Here, "upright relative to the equipment (50)" means that the wheel legs (2,6) are positioned perpendicular to the base frame (53), as shown in Figure 2. On the other hand, the wheel legs (2,6) are designed so that when the wheel legs (2,6) are tilted relative to the equipment (50), the wheels (3,7) can be housed inside the support legs (51,52) of the equipment (50). Here, "tilted relative to the equipment (50)" is synonymous with "tilted forward or backward relative to the base frame (53), as shown in Figures 6 and 9. Furthermore, housing the wheels (3,7) inside the support legs (51,52) of the equipment (50) means housing the wheels (3,7) inside the support legs (51,52) so that they do not protrude from the underside of the support legs (51,52) of the equipment (50). In other words, housing the wheels (3,7) inside the support legs (51,52) of the equipment (50) means that the equipment transport module 1 is not moved by the wheels (3,7) but is in contact with the ground surface F1 by the support legs (51,52) of the equipment (50).
[0025] As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the equipment transport module 1 includes a front wheel leg (front wheel leg) 2 positioned at the front and having a wheel 3 at its lower end, a front wheel leg rotating part (front wheel leg rotating part) 4 that can be rotatably connected to the stairs 50 so that the front wheel leg 2 tilts forward and backward relative to the stairs 50, a rear wheel leg (rear wheel leg) 6 positioned at the rear and having a wheel 7 at its lower end, and a rear rotating part (rear wheel leg rotating part) 8 that can be rotatably connected to the stairs 50 so that the rear wheel leg 6 tilts forward and backward relative to the stairs 50. In this embodiment, the front end of the link member 9 is rotatably connected to the upper end of the front wheel leg 2 by a rotating connecting part 11. In this embodiment, the rear end of the link member 9 is rotatably connected to the upper end of the rear wheel leg 6 by a rotating connecting part 12. As a result, the link member 9 is rotatably connected to the front wheel leg 2 and the rear wheel leg 6, respectively, thereby synchronizing the tilt of the front wheel leg 2 and the tilt of the rear wheel leg 6. In this embodiment, the rotating connecting part 11 located at the front and the rotating connecting part 12 located at the rear are each composed of hinges. As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the extending length of the front wheel leg 2 (length in the vertical direction in Figure 2) and the extending length of the rear wheel leg 6 are different. Specifically, the extending length of the front wheel leg 2 is shorter than the extending length of the rear wheel leg 6. This is because, due to the material characteristics of the rotating connecting parts 11 and 12, when connecting the front wheel leg 2 and the rear wheel leg 6 to the link member 9, the front wheel leg 2 and the rear wheel leg 6 can only be mounted facing each other in the front-rear direction. When the front wheel legs 2 and rear wheel legs 6 are mounted facing each other in the front-rear direction, a difference in the amount of movement between the front wheel 3 and the rear wheel 7 occurs when the wheel legs (2,6) are rotated around the rotation center (O4,O8) of the wheel leg rotation section (4,8). Therefore, in this embodiment, the amount of movement between the front wheel 3 and the rear wheel 7 is made equal by adjusting the extension length of the front wheel leg 2 and the extension length of the rear wheel leg 6.
[0026] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment, the front wheel legs 2 and rear wheel legs 6 connected by the link member 9 are each arranged in pairs, spaced apart in the width direction. In addition, in this embodiment, the two front wheel legs 2 are connected by a link member 13 that extends in the width direction. This allows the link member 13 to synchronize the inclination of the two front wheel legs 2. Similarly, in this embodiment, the two rear wheel legs 6 are connected by a link member 14 that extends in the width direction. This allows the link member 14 to synchronize the inclination of the two rear wheel legs 6.
[0027] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the wheel leg rotating section (4,8) comprises a fixed shaft (4a,8a) and a rotating sleeve (4b,8b). As shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment, the fixed shaft (4a,8a) is a shaft that extends in the width direction. In this embodiment, the two extending ends (4c,8c) of the fixed shaft (4a,8a) are each connected to the base frame 53. In addition, in this embodiment, the fixed shaft (4a,8a) rotatably passes through the rotating sleeve (4b,8b). As a result, in this embodiment, the rotating sleeve (4b,8b) can rotate around the fixed shaft (4a,8a) in the front-rear direction (forward-backward direction). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, in this embodiment, the rotating sleeve (4b,8b) is connected to the wheel leg (2,6) via connecting pieces (15,16). This allows the wheel legs (2,6) to rotate in the forward and backward direction (forward and backward direction) around the fixed shaft (4a,8a). In particular, in this embodiment, the wheel leg rotating parts (4,8) are supported by support pieces (41,43) provided on the wheel legs (2,6). In particular, in this embodiment, elastic bodies (42,44) are arranged between the wheel leg rotating parts (4,8) and the support pieces (41,43). As a result, the wheel leg rotating parts (4,8) are elastically supported from below by the support pieces (41,43) via the elastic bodies (42,44).
[0028] In this embodiment, the front wheel leg rotating section 4 comprises a fixed shaft 4a with two extending ends 4c connected to a base frame 53, and a rotating sleeve 4b that can rotate around the fixed shaft 4a in the front-rear direction (forward-backward direction). The rotating sleeve 4b is connected to the front wheel leg 2 via a connecting piece 15. This allows the front wheel leg 2 to rotate around the fixed shaft 4a in the front-rear direction (forward-backward direction). In this embodiment, the rear wheel leg rotating section 8 also comprises a fixed shaft 8a with two extending ends 8c connected to a base frame 53, similar to the front wheel leg 4, and a rotating sleeve 8b that can rotate around the fixed shaft 8a in the front-rear direction (forward-backward direction). The rotating sleeve 8b is connected to the front wheel leg 2 via a connecting piece 16. This allows the rear wheel leg 6 to rotate around the fixed shaft 8a in the front-rear direction (forward-backward direction), similar to the front wheel leg 2. In this embodiment, for example, hinge connectors can be used for the wheel leg rotating parts (4,8). In addition, as shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the front wheel leg rotating part 4 is supported by a support piece 41 provided on the front wheel leg 2. In this embodiment, the support piece 41 is provided on the rear side of the front wheel leg 2. In this embodiment, the support piece 41 extends from the front wheel leg 2 to the rear. Thus, in this embodiment, the front wheel leg rotating part 4 is supported from below by the support piece 41. In particular, in this embodiment, an elastic body 42 is placed between the front wheel leg rotating part 4 and the support piece 41. Thus, the front wheel leg rotating part 4 is elastically supported from below by the support piece 41 via the elastic body 42. Similarly, the rear wheel leg rotating part 8 is supported by a support piece 43 provided on the rear wheel leg 6. In this embodiment, the support piece 43 is provided on the rear side of the rear wheel leg 6. In this embodiment, the support piece 43 extends rearward from the rear wheel leg 6. As a result, in this embodiment, the rear wheel leg rotating portion 8 is supported from below by the support piece 43. In particular, in this embodiment, an elastic body 44 is positioned between the rear wheel leg rotating portion 8 and the support piece 43. As a result, the rear wheel leg rotating portion 8 is elastically supported from below by the support piece 43 via the elastic body 44.
[0029] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8 described later, at least one of the front wheel legs 2 and the rear wheel legs 6 is provided with a locking mechanism 5 that, when the wheel leg (2, 6) is tilted relative to the equipment (50) such that the wheel (3, 7) protrudes below the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50), contacts the equipment transport module 1 or a part of the equipment (50), thereby maintaining the wheel leg (2, 6) in a tilted state so that the wheel (3, 7) protrudes below the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50), as shown in Figure 8.
[0030] In this embodiment, the locking portion 5 is composed of projections extending from the wheel legs (2,6). As shown in Figures 6-8, in this embodiment, the locking portion 5 can rotate together with the wheel legs (2,6) around the fixed shaft (4a,8a). In this embodiment, by rotating the wheel legs (2,6), the tip 5a of the locking portion 5 can be brought into contact with a part of the equipment transport module 1, as shown in Figure 8. In this embodiment, the locking portion 5 is located on the rear side of the front wheel leg 2. Specifically, the locking portion 5 extends from the front wheel leg 2 to the rear. This allows the tip 5a of the locking portion 5 to be brought into contact with the link member 9, which is part of the equipment transport module 1.
[0031] Referring to Figure 2, in this embodiment, the locking part 5 is positioned below the rotating connecting parts (11, 12) that connect the wheel legs (2, 6) and the link member 9. In this embodiment, the locking part 5 is provided on the wheel legs (2, 6), specifically on the wheel leg rotating parts (4, 8). More specifically, the locking part 5 is provided on the rotating sleeves (4b, 8b) of the wheel leg rotating parts (4, 8). When the locking part 5 is provided on the front wheel leg rotating part 4, as in this embodiment, the locking part 5 can be positioned at the same height (vertical height) as the front wheel leg rotating part 4, as shown in Figure 2. Similarly, when the locking part 5 is provided on the rear wheel leg rotating part 8, the locking part 5 can be positioned at the same height as the rear wheel leg rotating part 8, as shown in Figure 2.
[0032] Furthermore, referring to Figure 2, in this embodiment, the rotation centers (O4, O8) of the wheel leg rotating parts (4, 8) are located behind the wheel legs (2, 6). Specifically, in this embodiment, the rotation center O4 of the front wheel leg rotating part 4 is located behind the front wheel leg 2, as shown in Figure 2. Also, as shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the rotation center O8 of the rear wheel leg rotating part 8 is also located behind the rear wheel leg 6, similar to the rotation center O4 of the front wheel leg rotating part 4.
[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the locking part 5 contacts the equipment transport module 1 or a part of the equipment (50) when at least one of the front wheel legs 2 and the rear wheel legs 6 tilts forward relative to the equipment (50) such that the wheel (3,7) protrudes below the support legs (51,52) of the equipment (50). Here, tilting forward means a state in which the wheel legs (2,6) are rotated forward with the wheel leg rotation part (4,8) as the pivot point, and the upper end of the wheel leg (2,6) is located in front of the lower end of the wheel leg (2,6).
[0034] The locking portion 5 is provided on at least the front wheel leg 2. In this embodiment, the locking portion 5 is provided on the front wheel leg 2. In this embodiment, by providing the locking portion 5 on the rear side of the front wheel leg 2, it can be brought into contact with the link member 9, which is part of the equipment transport module 1. However, the locking portion 5 can be provided on at least one of the front wheel leg 2 and the rear wheel leg 6. For example, by providing the locking portion 5 on the rear side of the rear wheel leg 6, it can be brought into contact with the guide rail 19 described later. The locking portion 5 can also be brought into contact with a part of the equipment (50). For example, as in this embodiment, if the equipment is a staircase 50 with a frame structure, the locking portion 5 can be brought into contact with the frame that constitutes the staircase 50.
[0035] In addition, the equipment transport module 1 according to this embodiment further includes pressing parts (21, 31) capable of pressing at least one of the front wheel legs 2 and the rear wheel legs 6 so as to house the wheels (3, 7) inside the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50).
[0036] In this embodiment, the pressing part 21 presses the front wheel leg 2 so that the front wheel leg 2 tilts backward relative to the equipment (50). Here, "tilting backward" refers to a state in which the wheel leg (2,6) has rotated backward with the wheel leg rotation part (4,8) as the pivot point, and the upper end of the wheel leg (2,6) is located behind the lower end of the wheel leg (2,6). As shown in Figure 12, which will be described later, in this embodiment, the pressing part 21 is positioned above the front wheel leg rotation part 4. Therefore, if the upper side of the front wheel leg 2 is pushed backward by the pressing part 21, the wheel (3,7) will be housed inside the support legs (51,52) of the equipment (50) as the front wheel leg 2 tilts backward, as shown in Figure 12. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pressing part 21 is positioned above the link member 9.
[0037] As shown in Figure 1, in this embodiment, the front wheel leg 2 further includes an extension portion 17 that is connected to the front wheel leg 2 and extends above the front wheel leg rotation portion 4 of the front wheel leg 2. In this embodiment, the extension portion 17 is provided on the link member 13. In this embodiment, the extension portion 17 includes two column portions 17a arranged spaced apart in the width direction, and a connecting shaft 17b that spans the two column portions 17a in the width direction. As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the column portions 17a extend parallel to the extension direction of the wheel leg 2, while in this embodiment, the pressing portion 21 is rotatably connected to the extension portion 17. In this embodiment, the pressing portion 21 is rotatably connected to the connecting shaft 17b by a rotating sleeve 22. In this embodiment, for example, a hinge connector can be used between the connecting shaft 17b and the rotating sleeve 22. In this embodiment, the pressing portion 21 is a U-shaped member equipped with two rotating sleeves 22. Specifically, the pressing portion 21 is equipped with rotating sleeves 22 at the rear ends of two arm frames 23 that are spaced apart in the width direction, while the front ends of the two arm frames 23 are connected by a front frame 24 that extends in the width direction. As a result, as shown in Figure 12, when the pressing portion 21 is pushed to the rear, the front wheel leg 2 can automatically tilt backward with the front wheel leg rotating portion 4 as the pivot point via the extending portion 17 connected to the pressing portion 21. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 12, the wheels (3, 7) are housed inside the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50) as the rear wheel leg 6 tilts backward.
[0038] In contrast, the pressing part 31 presses the rear wheel leg 6 so that it tilts backward relative to the equipment (50). As shown in Figure 12, in this embodiment, the pressing part 31 is positioned below the rear wheel leg rotation part 8. Therefore, if the lower side of the rear wheel leg 6 is pushed forward by the pressing part 31, the wheel (3,7) will be housed inside the support legs (51,52) of the equipment (50) as the rear wheel leg 6 tilts backward, similar to the pressing part 21, as shown in Figure 12.
[0039] As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, a stopper 18 is provided on the support piece 43 of the rear wheel leg 6. In this embodiment, the stopper 18 is a projection that protrudes downward from the rear end of the support piece 43. In this embodiment, the front frame 32 of the pressing part 31 is positioned between the rear wheel leg 6 and the stopper 18, as shown by the dashed circle in Figure 2, when the assembly of the equipment transport module 1 is completed. As a result, in this embodiment, when the pressing part 31 is pushed forward, the front frame 32 of the pressing part 31 presses the lower side of the rear wheel leg 6 forward, thereby tilting the rear wheel leg 6 backward. Conversely, in this embodiment, when the pressing part 31 is pulled out to the rear, the pressing part 31 presses the stopper 8 backward, thereby tilting the rear wheel leg 6 forward.
[0040] In this embodiment, the pressing portion 31 is a sliding member that can slide in the front-rear direction. As shown in Figure 3, in this embodiment, the fixed shaft 8a is provided with a guide rail 19 that extends in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the pressing portion 31 can be slid in the front-rear direction along the guide rail 19. In this embodiment, the pressing portion 31 can be slid in the front-rear direction along the guide rail 19 via a linear motion mechanism 19a. In this embodiment, two guide rails 19 are arranged with a gap between them in the width direction.
[0041] In this embodiment, the pressing section 31 includes a front frame 32 that presses against the stopper 18. In this embodiment, the front frame 32 is provided with a pedal 33. In this embodiment, the pedal 33 is a U-shaped member. Specifically, the front ends of two arm frames 33a, which are spaced apart in the width direction, are connected to the front frame 32, while the rear ends of the two arm frames 33a are connected by a rear frame 33b that extends in the width direction. In this embodiment, the pressing section 31 slidably connects the arm frames 33a of the pedal 33 to the guide rail 19 via a linear motion mechanism 19a. As a result, as shown in Figure 12, when the pressing section 31 is pushed forward, the rear wheel leg 6 can automatically tilt backward with the rear wheel leg rotation section 8 as the pivot point. In this embodiment, the wheels (3,7) are housed inside the support legs (51,52) of the equipment (50) by the rear wheel legs 6 tilting backward, as shown in Figure 12.
[0042] Here, referring to Figures 6-9, we will explain a method for transporting equipment (50) using the equipment transport module 1 to transport the equipment (50) to a desired location.
[0043] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the equipment transport module 1. In Figure 6, the support legs (51, 52) and base frame 53 of the equipment (50) are virtually shown in a state where the equipment (50) is in contact with the ground surface F1. Figure 7 is a schematic explanatory diagram illustrating a method of transporting equipment (50) using the equipment transport module, which is one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 schematically shows a wheel protrusion process in which the wheels (3, 7) are protruded by tilting the equipment transport module 1 of Figure 6 forward with the support legs 51 of the equipment (50) as the pivot point. Figure 8 is another schematic explanatory diagram illustrating a method of transporting equipment (50) according to the same embodiment. In Figure 8, the state in which the wheel protrusion process is completed is shown with only the wheels 3 located on the front side of the equipment transport module 1 in contact with the ground surface F1, as the front wheel legs 2 are locked to a part (9) of the equipment transport module 1 by the locking part 5. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the wheel grounding process that follows the completion of the wheel protrusion process. Figure 9 shows that the equipment transport module 1 in Figure 8 has been returned to its state before it was tilted, thus completing the wheel grounding process, and the wheels 7 positioned on the rear side of the equipment transport module 1 are also in contact with the ground surface F1.
[0044] One embodiment of the present invention, a method for transporting equipment using an equipment transport module, includes a wheel protrusion step, in which, starting from a state in which the equipment (50) is placed on the ground surface F1 by the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50), as shown in Figure 6, the equipment transport module 1 is tilted with respect to the ground surface F1 so that one of the front-rear corners of the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50) is positioned lower than the other, until the locking portion 5 comes into contact with the equipment transport module 1 or a part of the equipment (50), as shown in Figure 7, thereby causing the wheels (3, 7) to protrude below the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50).
[0045] In addition, the equipment transport method using the equipment transport module 1, as in this embodiment, includes a wheel grounding step, as shown in Figure 8, in which the wheels (3,7) are extended until the locking portion 5 contacts the equipment transport module 1 or a part of the equipment (50), and then, as shown in Figure 9, the equipment transport module 1 is returned to the state before it was tilted.
[0046] According to this embodiment, a method for transporting equipment using an equipment transport module, an efficient method for transporting equipment using the equipment transport module 1 can be obtained.
[0047] Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, the wheel protrusion process involves lifting the equipment transport module 1 together with the equipment (50) from the rear side of the equipment transport module 1, starting from a state in which the equipment (50) is installed on the ground surface F1 by the front support legs 51 and the rear support legs 52, thereby causing the wheels 3 and 7 to protrude below the front support legs 51 and the rear support legs 52 of the equipment (50). In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, the wheels 3 and 7 are in a state in contact with the ground surface F1 together with the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50). In this embodiment, the wheel protrusion process first involves lifting the equipment transport module 1 together with the equipment (50) from the rear side of the equipment transport module 1, starting from the installed state of the equipment (50) by the support legs (51, 52) as shown in Figure 6. This allows the equipment transport module 1 to be tilted with respect to the ground surface F1 such that the front corner 51e of the front support leg 51 of the equipment (50) is positioned lower than the rear corner 52e of the other rear support leg 52. In this embodiment, this lifting is performed until the front wheel leg 2 is slightly tilted forward, beyond the state in which the front wheel 3 is standing vertically relative to the ground surface F1, while the front wheel 3 remains in contact with the ground surface F1 and rotates. In other words, the equipment transport module 1 is lifted from the rear of the equipment transport module until the rotation center O3 of the front wheel 3 moves slightly rearward from the rotation center O4 of the front wheel leg rotating part 4. When the rotation center O3 of the front wheel 3 moves even slightly rearward from the rotation center O4 of the front wheel leg rotating part 4, the weight of the members connected to the front wheel leg 2, including the front wheel leg 2, imparts a rotational force around the rotation center O4 to the front wheel leg 2 which is in contact with the ground via the wheel 3. As a result, as shown in Figure 7, the equipment transport module 1 automatically tilts forward along with the equipment (50) around the front wheel leg rotation section 4. In particular, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, the rear of the equipment transport module 1 can be easily lifted together with the equipment (50) by lifting it so that it is tilted relative to the ground surface F1, using the front corner 51e of the front support leg 51 as the pivot point.In this embodiment, the automatic tilting of the equipment transport module 1 due to its collapse is performed automatically until the tip 5a of the locking part 5 contacts the lower surface of the link member 9, as shown in Figure 8. This automatically locks the locking part 5 and the link member 9 so that the wheels 3 and 7 protrude from the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50). That is, in this embodiment, the wheel protrusion process is completed by bringing the locking part 5 into contact with the link member 9, as shown in Figure 8. This allows the wheels 3 and 7 to protrude from the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50) while locked to the link member 9, as shown in Figure 8. Next, in this embodiment, the wheel grounding process, which follows the wheel protrusion process, is performed after the wheel protrusion process is completed, by lowering the rear side of the equipment transport module 1 to the ground surface F1, as shown in Figure 8, and returning the equipment transport module 1 to the state before it was tilted relative to the ground surface F1, as shown in Figure 9. By lowering the rear of the equipment transport module 1 onto the ground surface F1, the rear wheels 7 can also come into contact with the ground surface F1. In this embodiment, the wheel grounding process is completed when the rear wheels 7 come into contact with the ground surface F1. In this embodiment, the wheel grounding process is completed simply by lowering the lifted equipment transport module 1 onto the ground surface F1. As a result, after the wheel grounding process is completed, the equipment transport module 1, together with the equipment (50), can move along the ground surface F1 while remaining self-supporting on the front wheels 3 and rear wheels 7.
[0048] In other words, in this embodiment, the method of transporting equipment (50) using the equipment transport module 1, as shown in Figure 6, involves lifting the equipment transport module 1 from the rear side from a state where it is installed on the support legs (51, 42) of the equipment (50). This automatically tilts the front wheel legs 2 forward, as shown in Figure 7, and this forward tilt can be locked in a state where the wheels 3 and 7 protrude below the equipment (50), as shown in Figure 8. Therefore, from the state shown in Figure 8, by lowering the lifted equipment transport module 1, along with the equipment (50), onto the ground surface F1, as shown in Figure 9, using the wheels 3 as the pivot point, the locking state between the locking part 5 and the link member 9 is firmly maintained by the weight of the equipment transport module 1 including the equipment (50), and as shown in Figure 9, the equipment transport module 1 can be made to stand on its own on the front wheels 3 and rear wheels 7, that is, to be movable. Therefore, according to this embodiment of the equipment (50) transport method using the equipment transport module 1, an efficient equipment transport method using the equipment transport module 1 can be obtained.
[0049] Next, referring to Figures 9-12, a method for installing the equipment (50) using the equipment transport module 1 to position the equipment (50) at a desired location will be explained.
[0050] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a method for installing equipment (50) using an equipment transport module 1, which is one embodiment of the present invention. In Figure 10, arrows indicate two options for installing the equipment (50) in a desired position by using two pressing parts 21 and 31 provided at the front and rear of the equipment transport module 1. Figure 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating the process by which the wheels 3 of the equipment transport module 1 are housed inside the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50) by using the pressing part 21 provided at the front of the equipment transport module 1, one of the options in Figure 10. Figure 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which the wheels 7 of the equipment transport module 1 are housed inside the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50) by using the pressing part 31 provided at the rear of the equipment transport module 1, one of the options in Figure 10.
[0051] One embodiment of the present invention, a method for installing equipment (50) using an equipment transport module 1, includes a support leg grounding step, in which, starting from a state in which the equipment (50) is movable on the ground surface F1 by wheels 3 and wheels 7, as shown in Figure 9, pressing the pressing parts (21, 31) against at least one of the front wheel legs 2 and the rear wheel legs 6, as shown in Figure 10, thereby housing the wheels (3, 7) inside the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50) and grounding the support legs (51, 52) to the ground surface F1, as shown in Figure 12.
[0052] When using the pressing part 21, push the pressing part 21 backward as shown by the arrow on the left side of Figure 10. For example, as shown in Figure 11, press the pressing part 21 forward against the wall surface W1 of the target object located directly in front of the desired installation position. By utilizing the reaction force generated by this pressing, the front wheel legs 2 can be tilted backward as shown in Figure 12. Therefore, the user can easily install the equipment (50) in the desired position with a simple operation of just pressing the pressing part 21 against the target object and pushing the pressing part 21 into the equipment transport module 1.
[0053] On the other hand, when using the pressing part 31, the pressing part 31 is pushed forward as shown by the arrow on the right side of Figure 10. For example, as shown in Figure 11, by pushing the rear frame 33b of the foot pedal 33 forward, the rear wheel legs 6 can be tilted backward as shown in Figure 12. Therefore, the user can easily set the equipment (50) in the desired position with a simple operation of pushing the pressing part 31 into the equipment transport module 1 by pushing the foot pedal 33.
[0054] The equipment transport module 1 includes wheel legs (2, 6) with wheels (3, 7) at their lower ends, wheel leg rotating parts (4, 8) that can rotatably connect the wheel legs (2, 6) to the equipment (50), and a link member 9 that synchronizes the inclination of the wheel legs (2, 6). By rotating the wheel legs (2, 6), the wheels (3, 7) are made to protrude below the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50), while the wheels (3, 7) are retracted inside the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50). The locking part 5 is brought into contact with the equipment transport module 1 or a part of the equipment (50) to maintain the state in which the wheels (3, 7) protrude below the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50). With the equipment transport module 1, the wheels (3, 7) can be extended and retracted from the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50) simply by tilting the equipment (50) forward and backward, without having to lift the entire equipment (50). Therefore, the burden on the user is reduced compared to when the wheels are extended and retracted by lifting the entire equipment (50). Thus, the equipment transport module 1 is easy to handle. Furthermore, with the equipment transport module 1, the user does not need to directly operate the wheel legs (2, 6) equipped with wheels (3, 7) when transporting and installing the equipment (50). Thus, the equipment transport module 1 has high safety and ease of operation. Therefore, the equipment transport module 1 provides high safety and ease of handling when transporting and installing the equipment (50).
[0055] In addition, since the equipment transport module 1 has a link mechanism for operating the wheel legs (2,6) that is based on the link member 9, the configuration for operating the wheel legs (2,6) is simplified.
[0056] Furthermore, in the equipment transport module 1 of this embodiment, the locking portion 5 is positioned below the rotating connecting portions (11, 12). In this case, the equipment transport module 1 can be compactly arranged in the vertical direction, while the space above the equipment transport module 1 can be widely secured as space that can be used for arranging the equipment (50).
[0057] Furthermore, in the equipment transport module 1 of this embodiment, the rotation centers (O4, O8) of the wheel leg rotation parts (4, 8) are positioned behind the wheel legs (2, 6), and the locking part 5 contacts the equipment transport module 1 or a part of the equipment (50) when the wheel legs (2, 6) tilt forward. In this case, simply by lifting the rear of the equipment transport module 1 so that the rotation center O3 of the front wheel 3 moves behind the rotation center O4 of the front wheel leg rotation part 4, the weight of all the members connected to the front wheel leg 2, including the front wheel leg 2, becomes the rotational force of the front wheel leg 2. As a result, the wheels (3, 7) automatically protrude from the support legs (52, 53) of the equipment (50), making it easy to protrude the wheels (3, 7) from the support legs (51, 51) of the equipment (50).
[0058] Furthermore, in the equipment transport module 1 of this embodiment, the locking portion 5 is provided on at least the front wheel legs 2. In this case, when the wheel legs (2,6) are tilted forward, the locking portion 5 can be effectively brought into contact with the equipment transport module 1 or a part of the equipment (50) by utilizing the weight of the equipment transport module 1 itself or the total weight of the equipment transport module 1 including the equipment (50).
[0059] Furthermore, the equipment transport module 1 in this embodiment is further equipped with pressing parts (21, 31) capable of pressing at least one of the front wheel legs 2 and the rear wheel legs 6 so as to house the wheels (3, 7) inside the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50). In this case, the equipment (50) can be easily installed in the desired position by the user operating the pressing parts (21, 31).
[0060] Furthermore, in the equipment transport module 1 of this embodiment, the locking part 5 contacts the equipment transport module 1 or a part of the equipment (50) so that the wheels (3,7) protrude when the wheel legs (2,6) are tilted forward, and the pressing part 21 presses the front wheel leg 2 so that the front wheel leg 2 is tilted backward. In this case, the equipment (50) can be easily installed by directly or indirectly operating the pressing part 21 on the front side of the equipment transport module 1.
[0061] Furthermore, in the equipment transport module 1 of this embodiment, the front wheel leg 2 is equipped with an extended portion 17, and the pressing portion 21 is rotatably connected to the extended portion 17. In this case, by utilizing the reaction force generated when the pressing portion 21 is pressed forward against a target object located in front, the pressing portion 21 is pressed against the extended portion 17 of the front wheel leg 2, and as a result, the front wheel leg 2 can be tilted backward. Therefore, the user can easily install the equipment (50) with a simple operation of abutting the pressing portion 21 against the wall surface W1 of a target object located in front of the desired position and pushing the pressing portion 21 into the equipment transport module 1. In addition, in this case, the connection between the front wheel leg 2 and the pressing portion 21 is made into a simple link type in which the pressing portion 21 is rotatably connected to the front wheel leg 2, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.
[0062] Furthermore, in the equipment transport module 1 of this embodiment, the locking part 5 contacts the equipment transport module 1 or a part of the equipment (50) so that the wheels (3,7) protrude when the wheel legs (2,6) are tilted forward, and the pressing part 31 presses the rear wheel leg 6 so that the rear wheel leg 6 is tilted backward. In this case, the equipment (50) can be easily installed by the user operating the pressing part 31 on the rear side of the equipment transport module 1.
[0063] Furthermore, in the equipment transport module 1 of this embodiment, the pressing part 31 is a sliding member that can slide in the front-rear direction. In this case, by keeping the height of the pressing part 31 low, it becomes possible to operate it at the user's feet. In particular, as in this embodiment, when the stairs 50 are equipment, as shown in Figure 4, a low step tread 44a is arranged on the rear part of the stairs 50. Thus, under conditions where the installation space is limited, adopting a sliding member as the pressing part 31 is effective.
[0064] Furthermore, the mobile equipment 10 includes an equipment transport module 1 and equipment (50) to which the equipment transport module 1 is attached. The mobile equipment 10 offers high safety and ease of handling when transporting and installing the equipment (50).
[0065] Furthermore, in the mobile equipment 10, the equipment is a metal staircase 50. In this case, the heavy staircase can be easily transported and installed. In particular, since the staircase is often installed against a wall, if the pressing part 21 is positioned on the front side, the staircase 50 can be easily installed in the desired position by using contact with the wall surface W1 to operate the pressing part 21.
[0066] Furthermore, this embodiment of the equipment transport method using the equipment transport module 1 includes a wheel protrusion step, in which the equipment transport module 1 is tilted with respect to the ground surface F1 so that one of the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (50) is positioned lower than the other, from a state in which the equipment (50) can be installed, thereby protruding the wheels (3, 7) until the locking part 5 contacts the equipment transport module 1 or a part of the equipment (50); and a wheel grounding step, in which, after the wheels (3, 7) have been protruding in a locked state, the equipment transport module 1 is returned to the state before it was tilted with respect to the ground surface F1. According to this embodiment of the equipment transport method using the equipment transport module 1, movement using the wheels (3, 7) becomes possible simply by lifting the equipment (50) so that it is tilted back and forth. Therefore, according to this embodiment of the equipment transport method using the equipment transport module 1, an efficient method of transporting equipment (50) using the equipment transport module 1 can be obtained.
[0067] Furthermore, this embodiment of the method for installing equipment using the equipment transport module 1 includes a support leg grounding step, in which, from a state in which the equipment (50) is movable by wheels (3, 7), the pressing parts (21, 31) are pressed against at least one of the front wheel legs 2 and the rear wheel legs 6, thereby housing the wheels (3, 7) inside the support legs (51, 52) of the equipment (5) and grounding the support legs (51, 52). According to this embodiment of the method for installing equipment (50) using the equipment transport module 1, the equipment (50) can be installed with a simple operation such as pushing using the pressing parts (21, 31). Therefore, according to this embodiment of the method for installing equipment (50) using the equipment transport module 1, an efficient method for installing equipment using the equipment transport module 1 can be obtained.
[0068] As described above, exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been stated, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the equipment transport module, the rotation centers (O4, O8) of the wheel leg rotation parts (4, 8) can be positioned in front of the wheel legs (2, 6), and the locking part 5 can be made to contact the equipment transport module or a part of the equipment (50) when the wheel legs (2, 6) are tilted backward. That is, the equipment transport module can be configured to have the wheels (3, 7) protrude by tilting the wheel legs (2, 6) backward, rather than by tilting the wheel legs (2, 6) forward. Also, the two support legs arranged in the width direction of the equipment (50) can be a single support leg (for example, a single plate) instead of multiple support legs (51, 52). Furthermore, in this embodiment, the locking portion 5 is positioned perpendicular to the extending direction of the wheel legs (2,6) as shown in Figure 2, but it can also be tilted relative to the extending direction of the wheel legs (2,6). By appropriately setting the angle between the locking portion 5 and the extending direction of the wheel legs (2,6), the wheel legs (2,6) can be tilted to a desired angle.
[0069] [Contribution to the United Nations-led Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)] The SDGs have been proposed to realize a sustainable society. Each embodiment of the present invention is considered to be a technology that can contribute to "No. 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation," among others. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0070] 1: Equipment transport module, 2: Front wheel leg (front wheel leg), 3: Wheel (front wheel), 4: Front wheel leg rotating part (front wheel leg rotating part), 4a: Fixed shaft, 4b: Rotating sleeve, 4c: End of fixed shaft in the direction of extension, 5: Locking part, 6: Rear wheel leg (rear wheel leg), 7: Wheel (rear wheel), 8: Rear wheel leg rotating part (rear wheel leg rotating part), 8a: Fixed shaft, 8b: Rotating sleeve, 8c: End of fixed shaft in the direction of extension, 9: Link member, 10: Mobile equipment, 11: Rotating connector, 12: Rotating connector, 13: Link member, 14: Link member, 15: Connecting piece, 16: Connecting piece, 17: Extension part, 17a: Column part, 17b: Overlapping shaft, 18: Stopper, 19: Guide rail, 21: Front pressing part (pressing part), 22: Rotating sleeve, 23: Arm frame, 24: Front frame, 31: Rear pressing part (pressing part), 32: Front frame, 33: Pedal, 41: (Front) support piece, 42: (Front) elastic body, 43: (Rear) support piece, 44: (Rear) elastic body, 50: Stairs (equipment), 51: Front support leg (support leg), 51e: Front corner of front support leg, 52: Rear support leg (support leg), 52e: Rear corner of rear support leg, 53: Base frame, 54: Stair body, 54a: Tread, 55: Handrail, F1: Ground contact surface, O4: Rotation center of front wheel leg rotation part, O8: Rotation center of rear wheel leg rotation part
Claims
1. A transport module for equipment, which can be attached to equipment for transporting equipment equipped with support legs, It comprises a wheel leg having a wheel at its lower end, a wheel leg rotating part that can be rotatably connected to the equipment such that the wheel leg tilts forward and backward relative to the equipment, and a link member that is rotatably connected to each of the front and rear wheel legs to synchronize the tilt of the front wheel leg and the tilt of the rear wheel leg. The wheel leg is such that, when the wheel leg is upright relative to the equipment, the wheel protrudes below the support leg of the equipment, while when the wheel leg is tilted relative to the equipment, the wheel can be housed inside the support leg of the equipment. Furthermore, the equipment transport module is provided with a locking mechanism on at least one of the front wheel legs and the rear wheel legs, which maintains the wheel leg in a forward or backward tilted state such that the wheel protrudes below the support legs of the equipment when at least one of the front wheel legs and the rear wheel leg is tilted relative to the equipment such that the wheel protrudes below the support legs of the equipment by contacting the equipment transport module or a part of the equipment.
2. The equipment transport module according to claim 1, wherein the locking portion is positioned below the rotating connecting portion that connects the wheel leg and the link member.
3. The rotation center of the wheel leg rotation section is located behind the wheel leg. The equipment transport module according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the locking portion contacts the equipment transport module or a part of the equipment when at least one of the front wheel leg and the rear wheel leg is tilted forward relative to the equipment such that the wheel protrudes below the support leg of the equipment.
4. The equipment transport module according to claim 3, wherein the locking portion is provided on at least the front wheel leg.
5. The equipment transport module according to claim 1, further comprising a pressing portion capable of pressing at least one of the front wheel leg and the rear wheel leg so as to house the wheel inside the support leg of the equipment.
6. The locking portion contacts the equipment transport module or a part of the equipment such that when at least one of the front wheel legs or the rear wheel legs tilts forward relative to the equipment, the wheel protrudes below the support legs of the equipment. The equipment transport module according to claim 5, wherein the pressing portion presses the front wheel leg such that the front wheel leg tilts backward relative to the equipment.
7. The front wheel leg further includes an extended portion that is connected to the front wheel leg and extends above the wheel leg rotation portion of the front wheel leg. The equipment transport module according to claim 6, wherein the pressing portion is rotatably connected to the extended portion of the front wheel leg.
8. The locking portion contacts the equipment transport module or a part of the equipment such that when at least one of the front wheel legs or the rear wheel legs tilts forward relative to the equipment, the wheel protrudes below the support legs of the equipment. The equipment transport module according to claim 5, wherein the pressing portion presses the rear wheel leg such that the rear wheel leg tilts backward relative to the equipment.
9. The equipment transport module according to claim 8, wherein the pressing portion is a sliding member that can slide in the front-rear direction.
10. A method for transporting equipment using an equipment transport module, wherein the equipment is transported to a desired location by using the equipment transport module described in claim 1, From a state in which the equipment can be installed on the ground surface by the support legs of the equipment, the equipment transport module is tilted with respect to the ground surface so that one of the front-to-rear corners of the support legs of the equipment is positioned lower than the other, thereby causing the wheels to protrude below the support legs of the equipment, a wheel protrusion step, A method for transporting equipment using an equipment transport module, comprising: a wheel grounding step of extending the wheels and then returning the equipment transport module to the state before it was tilted.
11. A method for installing equipment using an equipment transport module, wherein the equipment is installed in a desired location by using the equipment transport module described in claim 5, A method for installing equipment using an equipment transport module, comprising a support leg grounding step, in which, from a state in which the equipment is movable on a ground surface by the wheels, the pressing portion is pressed against at least one of the front wheel legs and the rear wheel legs, thereby housing the wheels inside the support legs of the equipment and grounding the support legs to the ground surface.
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