Industrial trucks for transporting containers on support frames (stabilization systems)

Abstract

An industrial truck (100) for transporting at least one container (102) is disclosed. The industrial truck (100) comprises a vehicle frame (104) constituting a loading platform (106) formed by an upper surface (108) of the vehicle frame (104), and height-adjustable wheel suspensions (110), each of which comprises at least two adjacent wheels (112), the wheel suspensions (110) being arranged as four independent quadrants (114, 116, 118, 120), the quadrants (114, 116, 118, 120) being arranged in pairs at a front portion (122) and a rear portion (124) of the vehicle frame (104) with respect to a longitudinal direction (126) of the industrial truck (100). The industrial truck (100) includes a power source (148) configured to power the wheels (112), a control unit (154) configured to control operation of the industrial truck (100), and a stabilization mechanism (178) connecting at least some of the wheel suspensions (110) of laterally adjacent quadrants (114, 116, 118, 120) on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis (180) of the industrial truck (100), wherein the stabilization mechanism (178) is configured, at least in part, to hydraulically connect in opposite directions at least one wheel suspension (110) of the quadrants (114, 116, 118, 120) on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis (180) with a corresponding at least one wheel suspension (110). Further disclosed are a system (160) and method for stabilizing an industrial truck (100).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an industrial truck for transporting containers on a support frame. The present invention further relates to a system including an industrial truck and at least one freestanding support frame. The present invention further relates to a method for stabilizing an industrial truck. [Background technology]

[0002] Support frames for industrial trucks and container transport are well known in the art. Patent document 1 (DE 2 137 729 A) discloses a vehicle with a swap body that can be lifted from the vehicle frame. The swap body has legs that can be placed on the ground. The legs are pivotally attached to the swap body in the form of a parallelogram or trapezoid, so that horizontal movement of the swap body causes the swap body to move up and down. The vehicle includes a locking device that allows the swap body placed on the vehicle to be connected to the vehicle frame in a locked state so that it cannot be lifted or moved. The swap body has an engaging element that engages with a holder on the vehicle frame and has a slot. To lock multiple locking elements together, the swap body is placed on the vehicle and then moved horizontally, and the engaging element of the locking element is inserted into the horizontal portion of the slot.

[0003] DE 20 2010 006 522 U1 discloses a swapping device for connecting and disconnecting a swap body to a transport vehicle. In the parking position, the swap body is placed on support legs with a gap between the swap body and the ground. To load the swap body onto the vehicle, the swap body is lifted from the support legs by raising the swapping device. This is done by raising the level of the vehicle's air suspension. The swap body is then moved in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle by a shifting device. Locking elements interlock and secure the swap body against vertical movement upward and in the direction of travel.

[0004] Twistlocks are the most common in the art for interlocking containers to vehicles or support frames. Twistlocks are locking devices that connect swap bodies or ISO containers to each other or to the transport vehicle. Twistlocks are inserted into standardized corner castings on the container. Alternatively, the container is placed onto a twistlock secured to the vehicle. A portion of the twistlock is then twisted 90 degrees to form a positive connection.

[0005] EP 1 937 511 B1 discloses an alternative locking device for locking corner castings of ISO-standard freight containers to vehicles. The locking device includes a locking means adjustable between an open position, in which the locking means can pass freely through the opening in the corner casting, and a closed position, in which the locking means catches behind an opening in the wall surrounding the opening in the corner casting. The locking device further includes an operating means that, when a container is placed on the locking device, cooperates with the wall of the corner casting to adjust the locking means from an unloaded initial position to an end position loaded by the weight of the container, and an adjustment mechanism with a scissors mechanism that couples the locking means and the operating means so that when the corner casting of a container is placed on the locking device, the weight load of the container urges the locking means toward the closed position.

[0006] The volume of freight transported by containers has been steadily increasing over time, with both the number of containers and the frequency of container movements continuing to grow. While significant improvements have been achieved through these industrial trucks and transport vehicles, traditional transport methods are struggling to keep up with this growth, and new, more highly automated transport technologies are needed. In particular, transportation costs account for a significant portion of logistics costs. Truck transport is faster and more flexible than rail transport. Rail has the advantage of a larger load capacity. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] DE 2 137 729 Publication A [Patent Document 2] DE 20 2010 006 522 U1 [Patent Document 3] EP 1 937 511 B1

[0008] It is therefore desirable to provide a cost-effective and flexible transport solution that can transport the same payloads on-site (terminals, industrial areas) and off-site (public roads) as railcars (up to 74 tons), but at the same time be able to travel very flexibly on standard and shared road infrastructures like regular trucks (25 tons payload), thereby reducing transport costs and making on-site and off-site transport more efficient.In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide a self-propelled automated transport means that can carry very high tonnages, enhances rail transport in intermodal transport both pre-carriage and on-carriage, is electromagnetically mobile or otherwise CO2-neutral, can travel in normal traffic and can be used very well in logistics. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] This problem is addressed by an industrial truck for transporting containers on a support frame, a system comprising an industrial truck and at least one freestanding support frame, and a method for stabilizing an industrial truck, which have the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments, which may be realized independently or in any combination, are set out in the dependent claims and in the specification as a whole.

[0010] In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an industrial truck for transporting at least one container, the industrial truck comprising: a vehicle frame comprising: a loading platform formed by an upper surface of the vehicle frame; and height-adjustable wheel suspensions, each wheel suspension including at least two adjacent wheels, the wheel suspensions being arranged in four independent quadrants, the quadrants being arranged in pairs at the front and rear portions of the vehicle frame relative to a longitudinal direction of the industrial truck; a power source configured to power the wheels; a control unit configured to control operation of the industrial truck; and 1. A stabilization mechanism for connecting at least some wheel suspensions of laterally adjacent quadrants on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of an industrial truck, the stabilization mechanism being configured to at least partially hydraulically reverse connect at least one wheel suspension of one quadrant with at least one corresponding wheel suspension of at least one quadrant on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis.

[0011] The vehicle frame can carry a support frame on which a container can be placed. Loads and unloads can be carried independently. For this reason, the vehicle is equipped with such a support frame. To unload, the vehicle lowers the frame to the ground, and the pickup truck passes under or drives under the frame and lifts it up. The vehicle can independently unlock and lock the frame and container, ensuring that the container and frame remain secured on the vehicle while in motion. Industrial trucks can transport extremely heavy loads and multiple shipping containers simultaneously, with payloads exceeding 75 tons. To enable the vehicle to adjust its height, a hydraulic wheel suspension system is equipped. This wheel suspension system is also designed to evenly distribute the load across the road surface. For this purpose, the suspension system is divided into four quadrants: front left, front right, rear left, and rear right. All bearing components of the quadrants within the suspension system are coupled to ensure that the forces in each quadrant are always evenly distributed and that the ground pressure on each wheel is approximately equal. When transporting with only the 20-foot load-bearing frame, the ground pressure on the loaded side will be higher than on the unloaded side, but will not exceed the SLW60 limit, and the ground pressure will be equal on both the loaded and unloaded sides. The lateral stabilization of the vehicle is achieved by precisely connecting several axle sections on the left and right sides of the front and / or rear by the stabilization mechanism. Furthermore, the stabilization mechanism allows for the transportation of sloshing-free liquids, independent of the liquid level in the container.

[0012] The stabilization mechanism may be configured such that when a load acts on at least one wheel suspension of the quadrant, the hydraulic coupling damps the corresponding at least one wheel suspension of the quadrant on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis, thereby improving lateral stabilization of the vehicle by precisely connecting several front and / or rear left and right axle sections by the stabilization mechanism.

[0013] The wheel suspensions may each include at least one hydraulic cylinder, the hydraulic cylinders being filled with hydraulic fluid, and the stabilization mechanism includes fluidly connecting the hydraulic fluid of a predetermined number of hydraulic cylinders of the wheel suspensions of one quadrant with a predetermined number of hydraulic cylinders of a laterally adjacent quadrant on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis. Thus, it is not necessary to connect all of the hydraulic cylinders of laterally adjacent quadrants to each other, but only some of the hydraulic cylinders. This improves the lateral stabilization of the vehicle by precisely connecting several front and / or rear left and right axles using the stabilization mechanism.

[0014] Each hydraulic cylinder may include a piston, and the fluid communication may include a connection between a hydraulic volume defined by an upper side of the piston of at least one hydraulic cylinder of at least one wheel suspension of the quadrant and a hydraulic volume defined by a lower side of the piston of at least one hydraulic cylinder of at least one wheel suspension of the quadrant, on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, or vice versa. Thus, when the load deviates from the center point, such as when the industrial truck travels along a curve, the load pressure acting on one side of the industrial truck increases, and this pressure acts as a negative pressure on the other side of the industrial truck, thereby generating an opposing twisting moment or torque that counteracts the load and causes a balancing effect.

[0015] The predetermined number may be less than the total number of hydraulic cylinders of the wheel suspensions of laterally adjacent quadrants, thereby improving balancing and load distribution effects.

[0016] The wheel suspension may be height adjustable by means of hydraulic cylinders, whereby the height can be varied by means of hydraulically actuated structural members as is well established in the field of the present disclosure.

[0017] The amount of hydraulic fluid may be individually adjustable for each quadrant, so that adaptation of the stabilising effect to varying loads can be made individually for each hydraulic cylinder.

[0018] The industrial truck may further include a hydraulic system including at least one hydraulic fluid reservoir for storing hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic fluid pump, and hydraulic fluid lines, wherein the hydraulic fluid reservoir may be in fluid communication with the hydraulic cylinders of each quadrant by the hydraulic fluid lines, and the hydraulic fluid pump may be configured to independently supply hydraulic fluid to and / or exhaust hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic cylinders of each quadrant to regulate the amount of hydraulic fluid in each quadrant.

[0019] The hydraulic system may be configured to close the laterally divided quadrant hydraulic fluid lines at least during driving of the industrial truck, so that the pressure in the closed hydraulic fluid lines is the same during driving so that the balancing effect is always the same.

[0020] The hydraulic cylinders of each quadrant may be in fluid communication with each other, thereby evenly distributing the load.

[0021] The height of the industrial truck can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of hydraulic fluid. Thus, by changing the amount of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic cylinder, the height of the industrial truck can be changed.

[0022] The hydraulic fluid may include a hydraulic liquid, which is incompressible so that the pressure conditions within the hydraulic system are constant.

[0023] The hydraulic fluid may also contain gases, in particular nitrogen, which provide a damping effect when travelling over uneven ground, for example.

[0024] The industrial truck may further include a height sensor configured to determine the height of the industrial truck, thus detecting the height of the industrial truck, allowing for precise control of the height adjustment.

[0025] Each hydraulic cylinder may include a cylinder casing, a piston, a piston rod, and a hinge, the piston and the piston rod may be movably disposed relative to the cylinder casing, and the cylinder casing and the piston rod may be connected to each other by the hinge, such that the hydraulic cylinder can be moved between an extended position and a retracted position.

[0026] The height sensor may be configured to determine the height of the industrial truck by detecting the position of the hinge, and thus depending on the position of the hinge portions relative to one another, the height of the industrial truck may be determined.

[0027] The industrial truck may further include at least one load sensor associated with each quadrant, the load sensor configured to detect a load acting on the respective quadrant. Thus, the load acting on the industrial truck may be accurately determined. Furthermore, the weight of the container and contents stored therein may be determined. This allows the fill level of the container to be determined and the possibility of flashing, sloshing, and / or swinging of the contents of the container to be avoided.

[0028] The number of wheels may be determined so that the ground pressure of the loaded industrial truck is below a predetermined threshold, thereby distributing the load evenly on the ground without exceeding the threshold required for the industrial truck to be driven on public roads.

[0029] The threshold is 833kN / m 2 Depending on local requirements, lower thresholds may be preferred.

[0030] The industrial truck may include at least 8 wheels, preferably at least 10 wheels, more preferably at least 16 wheels, such as at least 32 wheels, thereby reducing ground pressure.

[0031] Each wheel suspension may include two wheels, thus ensuring that at least one wheel per wheel suspension is in contact with the ground.

[0032] The industrial truck may be capable of moving in two opposite directions, thus allowing the industrial truck to move flexibly.

[0033] The industrial truck may further include lights located on the front and rear portions of the vehicle frame, thus improving the visibility of the industrial truck.

[0034] The control unit may be configured to switch the lights of the front and rear portions of the body frame between a forward movement state and a backward movement state, so that the industrial truck can have the same design for the front and rear portions and can flexibly change the lighting state of the lights according to the direction of movement.

[0035] The height-adjustable wheel suspension may be configured to lower and raise the industrial truck relative to a ground surface, in particular a road surface, so that the support frame can be picked up.

[0036] The industrial truck may be configured to transport at least one container on a support frame, thus allowing the industrial truck to transport standardized containers.

[0037] The vehicle frame may further include an engagement element for securing the support frame to the loading platform, so that the support frame is securely secured to the vehicle frame and movement of the support frame relative to the vehicle frame can be prevented when secured.

[0038] The power source and control unit may be located below the loading platform, in this way they can be compactly located without potentially interfering with the pick-up and placement of the support frame.

[0039] In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system comprising an industrial truck according to any one of the embodiments disclosed above or below and at least one free-standing support frame for receiving at least one container, the support frame including four legs having a lateral distance greater than a width of the industrial truck and a height such that the industrial truck can move under the support frame in a lowered state, and the legs are dimensioned to have a distance from the ground surface in a raised state of the industrial truck, so that the industrial truck and the support frame can be kitted and operate precisely together.

[0040] The vehicle frame may further include an engaging element for securing the support frame on the loading platform, the support frame may further include an opening engageable by the movable engaging element to secure the support frame on the industrial truck, and the vehicle frame may further include a locking device actuable by engagement of the engaging element with the opening to secure a container located on the support frame in a locked state. Thus, the container may be automatically secured to the support frame when the support frame is secured to the vehicle frame.

[0041] The legs may be fixedly attached to the support frame, so that the support frame can be placed on any desired surface without additional handling steps.

[0042] The industrial truck may be controlled by a control station. The control station may be located on the industrial truck. Thus, control of the operation of the industrial truck may be performed directly on the industrial truck to accelerate any changes in operation. Alternatively, the control station may be located outside the industrial truck or at a location remote from the industrial truck. In this way, control of the operation of the industrial truck may be performed remotely, allowing for fully automated operation of the industrial truck.

[0043] In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of stabilizing an industrial truck according to any one of the above-disclosed embodiments or the embodiments disclosed below, the method comprising the steps of: a) at least partially hydraulically counter-coupling at least one wheel suspension of at least one quadrant with at least one corresponding wheel suspension of at least one quadrant on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis; b) adjusting the predetermined height of the wheel suspension; and c) Closing the hydraulic coupling of the wheel suspension of the quadrant on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis.

[0044] This ensures that the container and / or supporting frame being transported remains balanced at all times and there is no risk of it shifting during travel of the industrial truck, and the load is evenly distributed.

[0045] The predetermined height of the wheel suspension may be adjusted by supplying a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid to the wheel suspension. Thus, the industrial truck may be raised or lowered by supplying hydraulic fluid to or venting hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic cylinders of the wheel suspension.

[0046] This method may be computer-implemented, and thus the industrial truck may perform the stabilization process in an automated manner.

[0047] The term "industrial truck" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may refer to any vehicle or machine designed to transport loads, without any particular limitation. An industrial truck may be operated by a driver or may be a driverless industrial truck. Industrial trucks are known in the art and are subject to several industry standards, such as International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard ISO 3691-4:2060, which is in effect as of the filing date of this application. In a preferred embodiment, the industrial truck is an automated guided vehicle that is automatically controlled and guided in its normal operating mode. Preferably, the automated guided vehicle can be monitored and controlled from a control center.

[0048] The term "vehicle frame" as used herein is a broad term and is given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. This term may specifically, but not be limited to, any frame of an industrial truck capable of carrying a container, preferably a container having corner castings. In particular, the vehicle frame may be configured to pick up a support frame configured to carry the container.

[0049] The term "support frame" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. Specifically, but without limitation, the term may refer to any freestanding frame that can be picked up by an industrial truck and loaded with a container, preferably a container with corner castings.

[0050] The term "container" as used herein is a broad term and is given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may refer to, but is not limited to, any container that can be loaded onto a vehicle or support frame and transported by vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, the container refers to an intermodal shipping container or shipping container with corner castings. More preferably, the container is a standard 20-foot or 40-foot intermodal shipping container.

[0051] The term "loading platform" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. Specifically, but without limitation, the term may refer to a portion of a vehicle frame configured to be loaded onto and engage with a support frame for carrying containers.

[0052] The term "quadrant" as used herein is a broad term and is to be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not intended to be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may refer to, but is not limited to, the area formed by the axes of a two-dimensional system that divides a plane into four regions.

[0053] As used herein, the term "wheel suspension" is a broad term and is given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. This term specifically refers to the system of wheels or tires, tire air, springs, shock absorbers, linkages, etc. that connects a vehicle to its wheels and allows relative motion between them, without limitation. Wheel suspension must support both road compliance / handling and ride comfort, which are mutually exclusive. Suspension tuning involves finding the right compromise. Because all road or ground forces acting on a vehicle are exerted through the tire contact patch, it is important for the suspension to keep the road wheels in contact with the road surface as much as possible. The suspension also protects the vehicle body and cargo or luggage from damage and wear. The front and rear suspension designs of a vehicle may differ.

[0054] The term "wheel suspension" as used herein is a broad term and is given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any particular or customized meaning. The term may refer to, but is not limited to, any source configured to provide power to a wheel. The power provided may be, in particular, a driving force. The power source may include a drive or motor, such as an internal combustion engine or, more preferably, an electric motor.

[0055] As used herein, the term "control unit" is a broad term and is given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any particular or customized meaning. This term may specifically refer to systems, such as embedded systems in automotive electronics that control one or more electrical systems or subsystems in an automobile or other motor vehicle, particularly an industrial truck. This term may specifically refer to an electronic control unit (ECU). Modern automobiles have many ECUs, including some or all of the following: engine control module (ECM), powertrain control module (PCM), transmission control module (TCM), brake control module (BCM or EBCM), central control module (CCM), central timing module (CTM), general electronic module (GEM), body control module (BCM), and suspension control module (SCM). While these ECUs are sometimes collectively referred to as the car's computer, they are all separate computers, not a single one. An assembly may incorporate multiple individual control modules (the PCM often controls both the engine and transmission).

[0056] The term "stabilizing mechanism" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to, but is not limited to, a mechanism or system configured to maintain the orientation of an industrial truck in space. In particular, a stabilizing mechanism may refer to a mechanism or system configured to balance, equalize, and / or distribute load forces acting on each quadrant to adjacent quadrants.

[0057] The term "hydraulic cylinder" as used herein is a broad term and is given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without any special or customized meaning. This term may refer to, but is not limited to, a mechanical actuator used to apply a unidirectional force through a unidirectional stroke. Hydraulic cylinders are used in many applications, particularly construction machinery (earth-moving vehicles), manufacturing machinery, elevators, and civil engineering. Hydraulic cylinders obtain their power from a pressurized hydraulic fluid, which is substantially incompressible. Oil is typically used as the hydraulic fluid. A hydraulic cylinder consists of a cylinder barrel in which a piston connected to a piston rod moves back and forth. One end of the barrel is closed by the cylinder bottom (also called the cap), and the other end is closed by the cylinder head (also called the gland), through which the piston rod extends. The piston has a sliding ring and a seal. The piston divides the interior of the cylinder into two chambers: a bottom chamber (the cap end) and a piston rod chamber (the rod end / head end).

[0058] The term "hydraulic fluid" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. This term refers to, but is not limited to, the medium by which power is transmitted in hydraulic machines. Common hydraulic fluids are mineral oil or water-based. Examples of equipment that uses hydraulic fluids include excavators, backhoes, hydraulic brakes, power steering systems, automatic transmissions, garbage trucks, aircraft flight control systems, lifts, industrial machinery, etc. Hydraulic systems such as these operate most efficiently when the hydraulic fluid used has zero compressibility.

[0059] The term "hydraulic fluid reservoir," as used herein, is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. This term may specifically refer, without limitation, to any device, such as a tank, configured to at least temporarily store and / or buffer hydraulic fluid. A hydraulic fluid reservoir may be a tank or the like.

[0060] As used herein, the term "hydraulic fluid line" is a broad term and is given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may refer to, but is not limited to, any fluid connection configured to allow hydraulic fluid to pass therethrough to transport the hydraulic fluid from one location to another. A hydraulic fluid line may be a tube, a channel, and / or a pipe.

[0061] The term "height adjustable" as used herein is a broad term and is given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any particular or customized meaning. The term may specifically, but is not limited to, describe the property of a construction member to vary its height. Height is the distance from the tip or top of the construction member relative to a given plane, particularly a floor, road, or soil.

[0062] Further disclosed and proposed herein is a computer program comprising computer-executable instructions for carrying out the method according to the present invention in one or more of the embodiments encompassed herein when the program is run on a computer or a computer network. In particular, the computer program may be stored on a computer-readable data carrier and / or on a computer-readable storage medium.

[0063] As used herein, the terms "computer-readable data carrier" and "computer-readable storage medium" may in particular denote non-transitory data storage means such as hardware storage media on which computer-executable instructions are stored. A computer-readable data carrier or storage medium may in particular be or include a storage medium such as a random access memory (RAM) and / or a read-only memory (ROM).

[0064] Thus, in particular, one, more than one or all of the method steps a) to c) set out above may be carried out using a computer or a computer network, preferably using a computer program.

[0065] Further disclosed and proposed herein is a computer program product having program code means for carrying out the method according to the invention in one or more of the embodiments encompassed herein when the program is run on a computer or a computer network. In particular, the program code means may be stored on a computer-readable data carrier and / or on a computer-readable storage medium.

[0066] Further disclosed and suggested herein is a data carrier having a data structure stored thereon, which is capable of performing a method according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein after being loaded into a computer or computer network, for example into a working memory or main memory of the computer or computer network.

[0067] Also disclosed and suggested herein is a computer program product having program code means stored on a machine-readable carrier for performing a method according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein when the program is executed on a computer or computer network. In this specification, a computer program product refers to a program as a tradeable product. The product may generally be in any form, such as a paper medium, or on a computer-readable data carrier and / or computer-readable storage medium. In particular, the computer program product may be distributed over a data network.

[0068] Finally, disclosed and suggested herein is a modulated data signal containing instructions readable by a computer system or computer network for carrying out a method according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein.

[0069] With reference to computer-implemented aspects of the invention, one or more, or even all, of the method steps of the methods according to one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein can be performed using a computer or a computer network. Thus, in general, any of the method steps involving providing and / or manipulating data can be performed using a computer or a computer network. In general, these method steps can include any of the method steps, except those that typically require manual intervention, such as certain aspects of providing a sample and / or performing the actual measurement. Specifically, the following configurations are further disclosed herein: a) a computer or computer network comprising at least one processor, the processor being adapted to execute a method according to one of the embodiments described herein; b) a computer-loadable data structure adapted to perform a method according to one of the embodiments described herein while the data structure is being executed on a computer; c) a computer program adapted to carry out a method according to one of the embodiments described herein while the program is running on a computer, d) a computer program comprising program means for carrying out a method according to one of the embodiments described herein while said computer program is being run on a computer or on a computer network; e) a computer program comprising program means according to the embodiment, the program means being stored on a computer-readable storage medium; f) a storage medium, on which a data structure is stored and which is adapted to perform a method according to one of the embodiments described herein after the data structure has been loaded into a main and / or working storage device of a computer or a computer network; and g) A computer program product having program code means, which may be stored on a storage medium or is stored on a storage medium, for performing a method according to one of the embodiments described herein when the program code means is executed on a computer or on a computer network.

[0070] As used herein, the terms "have," "comprise," "include," or any grammatical variations thereof, are used in a non-exclusive sense. Thus, these terms may refer to both the absence of any additional features in the entity described in this context, other than the features introduced by these terms, as well as the presence of one or more additional features. As an example, the expressions "A has B," "A comprises B," and "A includes B" may refer to both the absence of any other elements in A besides B (i.e., A consists only of B), and the presence of one or more additional elements in entity A besides B, such as element C, elements C and D, or further elements.

[0071] Furthermore, it should be noted that the terms "at least one," "one or more," or similar expressions indicating that a feature or element may be present one or more times are typically used only once when introducing each feature or element. In most cases, the phrase "at least one" or "one or more" will not be repeated when referring to each feature or element, regardless of the fact that each feature or element may be present one or more times.

[0072] Furthermore, as used herein, the terms "preferably," "more preferably," "particularly," "more particularly," "particularly," "more particularly," or similar terms are used in combination with any feature without limiting its substitutability. Features introduced by these terms are therefore optional features and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims in any way. The present invention may be practiced using alternative features, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art. Similarly, features introduced by "in an embodiment of the invention" or similar expressions are intended to be optional features, without any limitation on alternative embodiments of the invention, without any limitation on the scope of the invention, and without any limitation on the possibility of combining the feature so introduced with other optional or non-optional features of the invention.

[0073] In summary, without excluding further possible embodiments, the following embodiments are envisaged: "Embodiment 1" An industrial truck for transporting at least one container, comprising: a vehicle frame comprising: a loading platform formed by an upper surface of the vehicle frame; and height-adjustable wheel suspensions, each wheel suspension including at least two adjacent wheels, the wheel suspensions being arranged in four independent quadrants, the quadrants being arranged in pairs at the front and rear portions of the vehicle frame relative to the longitudinal direction of the industrial truck; a power source configured to power the wheels; a control unit configured to control operation of the industrial truck; and a stabilizing mechanism for connecting at least some wheel suspensions of laterally adjacent quadrants on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of an industrial truck, the stabilizing mechanism being configured to at least partially hydraulically reverse connect at least one wheel suspension of the quadrants with at least one corresponding wheel suspension of the quadrant on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis; Industrial truck equipped with:

[0074] "Embodiment 2" 2. The industrial truck of claim 1, wherein the stabilization mechanism is configured such that when a load acts on at least one wheel suspension of the quadrant, the hydraulic coupling reduces the damping of the corresponding at least one wheel suspension of the quadrant on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis.

[0075] "Embodiment 3" 3. The industrial truck of claim 1 or 2, wherein the wheel suspensions each include at least one hydraulic cylinder filled with hydraulic fluid, and the stabilization mechanism fluidly connects the hydraulic fluid of a predetermined number of the hydraulic cylinders of the wheel suspensions of one quadrant with a predetermined number of the hydraulic cylinders of a laterally adjacent quadrant on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis.

[0076] "Embodiment 4" 4. The industrial truck of claim 3, wherein each of the hydraulic cylinders includes a piston, and the fluid communication connects a hydraulic volume defined by an upper side of a piston of at least one hydraulic cylinder of at least one wheel suspension of the quadrant-shaped body to a hydraulic volume defined by a lower side of a piston of at least one hydraulic cylinder of at least one wheel suspension of the quadrant-shaped body on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis, and vice versa.

[0077] "Embodiment 5" 5. The industrial truck of claim 3 or 4, wherein the predetermined number is less than the sum of the number of hydraulic cylinders of the wheel suspensions of laterally adjacent quadrants.

[0078] "Embodiment 6" 6. The industrial truck according to any one of embodiments 3 to 5, wherein the wheel suspensions are height-adjustable by the hydraulic cylinders.

[0079] "Embodiment 7" 7. The industrial truck of any one of embodiments 3 to 6, wherein the amount of hydraulic fluid is individually adjustable for each quadrant.

[0080] "Embodiment 8" 8. The industrial truck of embodiment 7, further comprising a hydraulic system including at least one hydraulic fluid reservoir for storing hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic fluid pump, and a hydraulic fluid line, wherein the hydraulic fluid reservoir is in fluid communication with the hydraulic cylinders of each quadrant by the hydraulic fluid line, and the hydraulic fluid pump is configured to independently supply hydraulic fluid to and / or exhaust hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic cylinders of each quadrant to adjust the amount of hydraulic fluid in each quadrant.

[0081] "Embodiment 9" 9. The industrial truck of embodiment 8, wherein the hydraulic system is configured to close hydraulic fluid lines for lateral quartering at least during driving of the industrial truck.

[0082] "Embodiment 10" 10. The industrial truck of any one of embodiments 4-9, wherein the hydraulic cylinders of each quadrant are in fluid communication with each other.

[0083] "Embodiment 11" 11. The industrial truck according to any one of embodiments 4 to 10, wherein the height of the industrial truck is adjustable by means of adjusting the amount of hydraulic fluid.

[0084] "Embodiment 12" 12. The industrial truck of any one of embodiments 4-11, wherein the hydraulic fluid comprises a hydraulic liquid.

[0085] "Embodiment 13" 13. The industrial truck of embodiment 12, wherein the hydraulic fluid further comprises a gas, in particular nitrogen.

[0086] "Embodiment 14" 14. The industrial truck of any one of embodiments 4 to 13, further comprising a height sensor configured to determine a height of the industrial truck.

[0087] "Embodiment 15" 15. The industrial truck of embodiment 14, wherein each hydraulic cylinder comprises a cylinder casing, a piston, a piston rod, and a hinge, the piston and piston rod being movably disposed relative to the cylinder casing, and the cylinder casing and piston rod being connected to each other by the hinge.

[0088] "Embodiment 16" 16. The industrial truck of claim 15, wherein the height sensor is configured to determine the height of the industrial truck by detecting the position of the hinge.

[0089] "Embodiment 17" 17. An industrial truck according to any one of embodiments 1 to 16, further comprising at least one load sensor associated with each quadrant, the load sensor configured to detect a load acting on each quadrant.

[0090] "Embodiment 18" 18. The industrial truck according to any one of embodiments 1 to 17, wherein the number of wheels is determined so that the ground contact pressure of the industrial truck in a loaded state is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold.

[0091] "Embodiment 19" Threshold is 833kN / m 2 19. The industrial truck of embodiment 18, wherein

[0092] "Embodiment 20" 20. The industrial truck of any one of embodiments 1-19, wherein the industrial truck is movable in two opposite directions.

[0093] "Embodiment 21" 21. The industrial truck according to any one of embodiments 1 to 20, further comprising lights disposed at the front and rear portions of the vehicle frame.

[0094] "Embodiment 22" 22. The industrial truck of claim 21, wherein the control unit is configured to switch lights on the front and rear portions of the body frame to a forward moving state or a rear moving state.

[0095] "Embodiment 23" 23. An industrial truck according to any one of embodiments 1 to 22, wherein the height-adjustable wheel suspension is configured to lower and raise the industrial truck relative to a ground surface, in particular a road surface.

[0096] "Embodiment 24" 24. The industrial truck of any one of embodiments 1-23, wherein the industrial truck is configured to transport at least one container on the support frame.

[0097] "Embodiment 25" 25. The industrial truck of embodiment 24, wherein the vehicle frame further comprises an engagement element for securing the support frame on the loading platform.

[0098] "Embodiment 26" 26. The industrial truck according to any one of embodiments 1 to 25, wherein the power source and the control unit are disposed below the loading platform.

[0099] "Embodiment 27" A system comprising an industrial truck according to any one of embodiments 1 to 26 and at least one freestanding support frame for receiving at least one container, wherein the support frame has four legs, the lateral distance of which is greater than the width of the industrial truck, the height of which is dimensioned so that the industrial truck can move under the support frame in a lowered state, and the legs have a distance from the ground surface when the industrial truck is in an elevated state.

[0100] "Embodiment 28" A system according to embodiment 27, wherein the vehicle frame further comprises an engagement element for securing the support frame on a loading platform, the support frame further comprises an opening engageable by a movable engagement element to secure the support frame on an industrial truck, and the vehicle frame further comprises a locking device operable by engagement of the engagement element with the opening to secure a container placed on the support frame in a locked state.

[0101] 『Embodiment 29』 The system of embodiment 27 or 28, referring to a system in which the legs are fixedly attached to the support frame.

[0102] "Embodiment 30" 27. A method for stabilizing an industrial truck according to any one of embodiments 1 to 26, referring to an industrial truck, comprising the steps of: a) at least partially hydraulically counter-coupling at least one wheel suspension of at least one quadrant with at least one corresponding wheel suspension of at least one quadrant on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis; b) adjusting the predetermined height of the wheel suspension; and c) Closing the hydraulic coupling of the wheel suspension of the quadrant on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis.

[0103] "Embodiment 31" 31. The method of embodiment 30, wherein the predetermined height of the wheel suspension is adjusted by supplying a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid to the wheel suspension.

[0104] "Embodiment 32" 32. The method of embodiment 30 or 31, wherein the method is computer-implemented. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0105] Further optional features and embodiments are disclosed in more detail in the description of the following embodiments, preferably in conjunction with the dependent claims, where each optional feature may be realized in isolation as well as in any possible combination, as understood by a person skilled in the art. The scope of the present invention is not limited by the preferred embodiments. The embodiments are schematically depicted in the figures, where the same reference numerals in these figures represent identical or functionally equivalent elements.

[0106] In the figure: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an industrial truck. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an industrial truck. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a side view of an industrial truck in a raised position. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view of an industrial truck in an intermediate position. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a side view of an industrial truck in a lowered position. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a front view of an industrial truck. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a front view of an industrial truck with its wheels rotated. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a front view of an industrial truck with the wheels turned. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a front view of an industrial truck with the wheels in another pivot position. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the driven bogie. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a side view of the driven bogie in the intermediate position. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a side view of the driven truck in the lowered position. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a side view of the driven truck in the raised position. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a non-drive bogie. [Figure 15]FIG. 15 is a side view of the non-drive bogie in the intermediate position. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a side view of the non-drive truck in the lowered position. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a side view of the non-drive truck in the raised position. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an industrial truck. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a schematic plan view of a hydraulic system for an industrial truck. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing the front of a hydraulic system for an industrial truck. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram showing the rear of a hydraulic system for an industrial truck. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the front or rear end of an industrial truck. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0107] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an industrial truck 100 according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the industrial truck 100. The industrial truck 100 is configured to transport at least one container 102 (FIG. 18). To this end, the industrial truck 100 includes a vehicle frame 104. The vehicle frame 104 includes a loading platform 106 formed by an upper surface 108 of the vehicle frame 104. The vehicle frame 104 further includes height-adjustable wheel suspensions 110. In particular, the vehicle frame 104 includes a plurality of height-adjustable wheel suspensions 110. By way of example only, the vehicle frame 104 includes a total of 16 height-adjustable wheel suspensions 110. Each wheel suspension 110 includes at least two adjacent wheels 112. The number of wheels 112 is determined so that the ground pressure of the loaded industrial truck 100 is below a predetermined threshold. The threshold is 833 kN / m 2The wheel suspensions 110 are arranged as four independent quadrants 114, 116, 118, and 120. The quadrants 114, 116, 118, and 120 are arranged in pairs at a front portion 122 and a rear portion 124 of the vehicle frame 104 with respect to a longitudinal direction 126 of the industrial truck 100. Thus, each quadrant 114, 116, 118, and 120 includes four wheel suspensions 110, with four wheel suspensions 110 arranged at the left front 122, right front 122, left rear 124, and right rear 124. The height-adjustable wheel suspensions 110 are configured to lower and raise the industrial truck 100 relative to a ground surface, such as a road surface. The industrial truck 100 can travel on conventional road infrastructure. For this reason, the load on the road surface must not exceed the value specified in SLW 60 of DIN 1072-2025. To achieve this, the industrial truck 100 is equipped with a sufficient number of wheels 112 and axles of the wheel suspension 110. This ensures that the weight is evenly distributed on the road surface, allowing the industrial truck 100 to travel on normal roads despite its extremely high weight. For example, an industrial truck 100 with a 52-foot load length has 32 tires and 16 half axles. This design differs from the four-tired two-axle AGVs used in ports, which cannot be retrofitted to terminals because they can only travel on infrastructure specially prepared for heavy loads.

[0108] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the industrial truck 100 in a raised position. FIG. 4 shows a side view of the industrial truck 100 in an intermediate position. FIG. 5 shows a side view of the industrial truck 100 in a lowered position. To raise and lower the industrial truck 100, each wheel suspension 110 includes at least one hydraulic cylinder 128. Each hydraulic cylinder 128 is filled with hydraulic fluid. Each hydraulic cylinder 128 includes a cylinder barrel or cylinder casing 130, a piston 132 ( FIG. 18 ), a piston rod 134, and a hinge 136. The piston 132 is connected to or integrally formed with the piston rod 134. The piston 132 and piston rod 134 are movably disposed relative to the cylinder casing 130. The cylinder casing 130 and the piston rod 134 are connected to each other by the hinge 136. Supplying or discharging hydraulic fluid to or from the cylinder casing 130 changes the position of the piston 132 within the cylinder casing 130, thereby retracting or displacing the piston 132 into or from the cylinder housing 130. In particular, as is commonly known, the hinge 136 includes two hinge portions 138 (FIGS. 11-17) that are pivotally connected to one another about a hinge axis 140. Thus, the two hinge portions 138 move toward or away from one another, thereby decreasing or increasing the distance between the hinge portions 138 and thereby raising or lowering the industrial truck 100.

[0109] 3-5, the industrial truck 100 is configured to raise the vehicle frame 104 in a raised position so that the vehicle frame 104 can be removed from a supporting surface, such as a road, floor, or soil. In the raised position, the industrial truck 100 can raise the support frame 142 (FIG. 18). In the lowered position, the industrial truck 100 is configured to move toward or through a position below or beneath the support frame 142. In the intermediate position, the industrial truck 100 can move with or without the support frame 142 under normal grade road conditions. It is clearly shown that the industrial truck 100 is configured to move in each of the lowered, raised, or intermediate positions.

[0110] The industrial truck 100 further includes a height sensor 144 configured to determine the height of the industrial truck 100. The height sensor 144 is configured to determine the height of the industrial truck 100 by detecting the position of the hinge 136. In particular, the height sensor 144 is configured to detect whether the hinge portion 138 is in the extended position, the retracted position, or any position therebetween. The position of the hydraulic cylinder 128 may thereby be determined.

[0111] 6 is a front view of the industrial truck 100. The wheel suspension 110 is rotatable about an axis 146 that extends perpendicular to the loading platform 106 of the vehicle frame 104.

[0112] Figure 7 is a front view of the industrial truck 100 with the wheels 112 rotated. The wheels 112 can rotate as shown in Figure 7 because the wheel suspensions 110 are rotatable about axes 146 that extend perpendicular to the loading platform 106 of the vehicle frame 104. Thus, the industrial truck 100 can be steered.

[0113] Figure 8 is a front view of the industrial truck 100 with the wheels 112 in a pivoted position. Figure 9 is a front view of the industrial truck 100 with the wheels 112 in another pivoted position. As can be seen in Figures 8 and 9, the wheel suspensions 110 allow the wheels 112 to pivot or tilt relative to the loading platform 106 of the vehicle frame 104. This allows the wheels 112 to be raised or lowered relative to the loading platform 106 depending on the surface over which the industrial truck 100 is traveling.

[0114] As further shown in Figures 3 to 5, the industrial truck 100 further includes at least one power source 148 configured to provide power to the wheels 112. The power source 148 may be a motor, such as an electric motor. In particular, the power source 148 is disposed on at least a portion of the wheel suspensions 110 to provide driving force to the wheels 112 of these wheel suspensions 110. The wheel suspensions 110 include carriages 150, 152. At least a portion of the carriages 150, 152 are driven carriages 150 on which the power source 148 is disposed. In other words, the power source 148 is configured to drive the wheels 112 of these driven carriages 150.

[0115] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the driven truck 150. FIG. 11 is a side view of the driven truck 150 in an intermediate position. FIG. 12 is a side view of the driven truck 150 in a lowered position. FIG. 13 is a side view of the driven truck 150 in a raised position. As shown in FIGS. 10 to 13 , the power source 148 is disposed between the wheels 112 of the driven truck 150. Because the power source 148 is disposed on the driven truck between the wheels 112, driving force can be supplied directly to the wheels 112 without intermediate gears or transmissions, or with only a few gears or transmissions therebetween. It is clearly shown that in each position, i.e., the raised position, the lowered position, or any intermediate position, the wheels 112 of the driven truck 150 can be driven to move the industrial truck 100.

[0116] Additionally, the wheel suspension 110 may include several non-drive trucks 152. The wheels 112 of these trucks 152 are not driven, but are passive or idle wheels 112 that move when the drive wheels 112 receive power from the power source 148. FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the non-drive truck 152. FIG. 15 is a side view of the non-drive truck 152 in an intermediate position. FIG. 16 is a side view of the non-drive truck 152 in a lowered position. FIG. 17 is a side view of the non-drive truck 152 in a raised position. The non-drive truck 152 is substantially identical to the drive truck 150, only the power source 148 is omitted. It is noted that in each position, i.e., the raised position, the lowered position, or any intermediate position, the wheels 112 of the non-drive truck 152 can be indirectly driven by driving the wheels 112 of the driven truck 150 to move the industrial truck 100.

[0117] As particularly shown in FIG. 1 , the industrial truck 100 further includes a control unit 154. The power source 148 and the control unit 154 are disposed below the loading platform 106. In particular, the control unit 154 is disposed below a central portion 156 of the vehicle frame 104. The control unit 154 is configured to control the operation of the industrial truck 100, such as the traveling direction, traveling speed, and / or height of the industrial truck 100. The industrial truck 100 further includes lights 158 ( FIG. 22 ) disposed on the front portion 122 and the rear portion 124 of the vehicle frame 104. The control unit 154 is configured to switch the lights 158 on the front portion 122 and the rear portion 124 of the vehicle frame 104 to a forward or reverse state. In other words, the control unit 154 is configured to switch the color of the lights 158 to indicate the front portion 122 and the rear portion 124, which may change due to the industrial truck 100 potentially moving in two opposite directions. Additionally, driving direction and other information may be indicated by lights 158. Thus, under the control of control unit 154, lights 158 include one or more of the following functions: dipped headlights, rear lights, brake lights, daytime running lights, and turn signals.

[0118] FIG. 18 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an industrial truck 100. The industrial truck 100 is configured to transport at least one container 102 on a free-standing support frame 142. The industrial truck 100 and support frame 142 may be part of a system 160 that includes the industrial truck 100 and support frame 142. The support frame 142 includes four legs 162 whose lateral distance is greater than the width of the industrial truck 100 and whose height is dimensioned so that the industrial truck 100 can move under the support frame 142 in a lowered state and the legs 162 are spaced apart from the road surface when the industrial truck 100 is raised. FIG. 18 shows the industrial truck 100 in a raised state.

[0119] The vehicle frame 104 further includes an engaging element 164 for securing the support frame 142 to the loading platform 106. The support frame 142 further includes a locking means 166. The locking means 166 is attached to the support frame 142 so as to be movable between an open position and a closed position, protruding upward from the upper surface of the support frame 142 so that, in the open position, it can be inserted into an opening 168 on the lower surface 170 of the container 102. The locking means 166 can be any suitable means known in the art that can interact with the opening 168 of the container 102. In the illustrated example, the locking means 166 is a twist lock. The support frame 142 further includes a locking mechanism 172 for actuating the locking means 166. By way of example only, the locking mechanism 172 includes a sliding element 174 slidably attached to the inside of the support frame 142 and a flexible link 176. The flexible link 176 is designed so that displacement of the sliding element 174 causes the locking means 166 to move from the open position to the closed position. An opening 168 is provided in the underside 170 of the support frame 142, through which the engaging element 164 of the industrial truck 100 can act on the sliding element 174. The sliding element 174 is mounted laterally displaceable inside the support frame 142, the displacement path of the sliding element 174 being limited in each case by stops (not shown in detail) rigidly connected to the support frame 142, the sliding element 174 coming to rest against the respective stop in the closed position of the locking means 166.

[0120] The industrial truck 100 further includes a stabilizing mechanism 178 connecting at least some of the wheel suspensions 110 of laterally adjacent quadrants 114, 116, 118, 120 on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis 180 of the industrial truck 100. The stabilizing mechanism 178 is configured, at least in part, to hydraulically connect at least one wheel suspension 110 of one quadrant 114, 116, 118, 120 in a reverse direction with at least one corresponding wheel suspension 110 of the quadrant 114, 116, 118, 120 on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis 180. In particular, the stabilization mechanism 178 is configured such that, when a load acts on at least one wheel suspension 110 of the quadrant 114, 116, 118, 120, the hydraulic coupling damps the corresponding at least one wheel suspension 110 of the quadrant 114, 116, 118, 120 on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis 180. For this purpose, the hydraulic cylinders 128 are filled with hydraulic fluid. The stabilization mechanism 178 is configured such that the hydraulic fluid of a predetermined number of hydraulic cylinders 128 of the wheel suspension 110 of one quadrant 114, 116, 118, 120 is in fluid communication with a predetermined number of hydraulic cylinders 128 of a laterally adjacent quadrant 114, 116, 118, 120 on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis 180. The predetermined number is less than the sum of the number of hydraulic cylinders 128 of the wheel suspensions 110 of laterally adjacent quadrants 114, 116, 118, 120. In particular, the predetermined number of hydraulic cylinders 128 is at least one. The fluid communication includes a connection between a hydraulic volume defined by an upper side 182 of the piston 132 of at least one hydraulic cylinder 128 of at least one wheel suspension 110 of the quadrants 114, 116, 118, 120 and a hydraulic volume defined by a lower side 184 of the piston 132 of at least one hydraulic cylinder 128 of at least one wheel suspension 110 of the quadrant opposite the longitudinal axis 180, and vice versa. The upper side 182 may also be referred to as the suction side, and the lower side 184 may also be referred to as the rod side. The hydraulic cylinder 128 is designed so that the upper surface 186 of the piston 132 on the upper side 182 and the lower surface 188 of the piston 132 on the lower side 184 have a predetermined ratio.For example, the ratio of the top surface 186 of the piston 132 on the upper side 182 to the bottom surface 188 of the piston 132 on the lower side 184 is 2:1.

[0121] Figure 19 is a schematic plan view of a hydraulic system 190 of the industrial truck 100. Figure 20 is a schematic view of the hydraulic system 190 in the front portion 122 of the industrial truck 100. Figure 21 is a schematic view of the hydraulic system 190 in the rear portion 124 of the industrial truck 100. The hydraulic system 190 includes at least one hydraulic fluid reservoir 192 that stores hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic fluid pump 194, and hydraulic fluid lines 196. The hydraulic fluid reservoir 192 is in fluid communication with the hydraulic cylinders 128 of each of the quadrants 114, 116, 118, 120 by the hydraulic fluid lines 196. The hydraulic cylinders 128 of each of the quadrants 114, 116, 118, 120 are in fluid communication with each other. In particular, Figures 19-21 show the hydraulic cylinders 128 of the front section 122 and the rear section 124 located on the first through eighth axes 198, 200, 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, 212. The fluid communication includes a connection between the hydraulic volume defined by the upper side 182 of the piston 132 of the hydraulic cylinder 128 of the wheel suspension 110 of the left quadrant 114, 118 on the second, third, sixth, and seventh axes 200, 202, 208, 210 and the hydraulic volume defined by the lower side 184 of the piston 132 of the hydraulic cylinder 128 of the wheel suspension 110 of the right quadrant 116, 120 on the second, third, sixth, and seventh axes 200, 202, 208, 210, and vice versa. Further, the fluid communication includes connecting the hydraulic volumes defined by the upper sides 182 of the pistons 132 to the hydraulic volumes defined by the lower sides 184 of the pistons 132 of the same hydraulic cylinders 128 of the wheel suspensions 110 of the left quadrants 114, 118 and right quadrants 116, 120 at the first, fourth, fifth and eighth axes 198, 204, 206, 212. The hydraulic pump 190 is configured to independently supply hydraulic fluid to and / or exhaust hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic cylinders 128 of each fourth quadrant 114, 116, 118, 120 to regulate the amount of hydraulic fluid in each fourth quadrant 114, 116, 118, 120. The hydraulic system 190 is configured to close the hydraulic fluid lines 196 for the lateral quadrants 114 , 116 , 118 , 120 at least while the industrial truck 100 is in motion.The height of the industrial truck 100 is adjustable by adjusting the amount of hydraulic fluid. Hydraulic fluids include hydraulic liquids. Hydraulic fluids also include gases, such as nitrogen. The gas is stored in a pressure tank 214 and provides a damping effect to the wheel suspension 110 when the industrial truck 100 moves and experiences impacts, such as when traveling over uneven ground.

[0122] 20 and 21 , each of the front and rear sections 122, 124 includes, for each of its quadrants 114, 116, 118, 120, a first actuation mechanism 216 for adjusting the amount of hydraulic fluid for raising the industrial truck 100 and a second actuation mechanism 218 for adjusting the amount of hydraulic fluid for lowering the industrial truck 100. The industrial truck 100 further includes at least one load sensor 220 associated with each quadrant 114, 116, 118, 120. The load sensor 216 is configured to detect a load acting on the respective quadrant 114, 116, 118, 120.

[0123] Depending on the implementation of the control unit 154, the industrial truck 100 can be implemented as an automated guided vehicle (AGV). The vehicle has a gross unladen weight between 10 tonnes and 30 tonnes and can carry a maximum payload of 150 tonnes. The 52-foot loaded version has a gross weight of 110 tonnes, an unladen weight including the support frame 142 of 30 tonnes, and can carry a payload of 80 tonnes.

[0124] An industrial truck 100 with a loading length of 26 feet may transport one container 102 with a length of 26 feet. If the loading length is 52 feet, the industrial truck 100 can transport one container 102 with a length of 52 feet, or two containers 102 with a length of 26 feet each. If the loading length is 80 feet, the industrial truck 100 can transport one container 102 with a length of 80 feet, two containers 102 with a length of 20 to 40 feet each, three containers 102 with a length of up to 22 feet each, or four containers 102 with a length of up to 20 feet each. An industrial truck 100 having a loading length of 96 feet can transport one container 102 having a length of 96 feet, two containers 102 each having a length of 45 feet, three containers 102 each having a length of up to 30 feet, or four containers 102 each having a length of up to 24 feet. The industrial truck 100 can carry one or more support frames 142, such as two support frames 142.

[0125] The support frame 142 can have a length of 20 feet, 40 feet, or 60 feet. A support frame 142 having a length of 20 feet can be used to transport containers 102 having lengths of 20 to 30 feet. A support frame 142 having a length of 40 feet can be used to transport containers 102 having lengths of 30 to 60 feet. A support frame 142 having a length of 60 feet can be used to transport containers 102 having lengths of 60 to 96 feet.

[0126] 22 is a perspective view of the front or rear end of industrial truck 100. At front end 222 and rear end 224, industrial truck 100 may be equipped with bumpers 226. A force acting on one of bumpers 226 indicates a collision with an object and causes industrial truck 100 to come to an emergency stop.

[0127] The operation of industrial truck 100 will now be described in further detail.

[0128] As described above, the industrial truck 100 has height-adjustable wheel suspensions 110 that allow the industrial truck 100 to be lowered and raised relative to the road surface. As further described above, the support frame 142 includes four legs 162, the lateral distance between which is greater than the width of the industrial truck 100 and the height of which is dimensioned so that the industrial truck 100 can move beneath the support frame 142 in a lowered position. To pick up the support frame 142, the control unit 154 activates the hydraulic system 190, and more specifically, adjusts the amount of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic cylinder 128 to lower the industrial truck 100. In particular, the amount of hydraulic fluid in the upper surface 182 of the cylinder casing 130 of the hydraulic cylinder 128 is reduced by supplying hydraulic fluid into the hydraulic fluid reservoir 192, causing the piston 132 to retract into the cylinder casing 130 and lower the industrial truck 100. In the lowered position, the industrial truck 100 moves beneath the support frame 142. Depending on the direction of travel, the control unit 154 switches lights 158 on the front and rear sections 122, 124 to indicate the front and rear sections 122, 124 of the industrial truck 100. When traveling under the support frame 142, the industrial truck 100 detects the type of support frame 142, such as 20 feet, 40 feet, or 60 feet. The industrial truck 100 has a payload length of either 26 feet, 52 feet, 80 feet, or 96 feet.

[0129] When the industrial truck 100 is at a target position below the support frame 142, the control unit 154 activates the hydraulic system 190, and more specifically, adjusts the amount of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic cylinder 128 to raise the industrial truck 100. A predetermined height of the wheel suspension 110 is adjusted by supplying a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid to the wheel suspension 110. In particular, by supplying hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid reservoir 192, the amount of hydraulic fluid in the upper surface 182 of the cylinder casing 130 of the hydraulic cylinder 128 increases, causing the piston 132 to expand and move out of the cylinder casing 130, thereby raising the industrial truck 100. After lifting and securing, the weight of the load is measured by the industrial truck 100. Since the weights of different types of support frames 142 and empty bed units are known master data, the load weight of the transported product can be determined from this, and the fill level can also be determined from the density and volume of the container 102. This information can be used to identify hazards during transportation and, for example, adjust the velocity of the liquid to prevent dangerous surging motions.

[0130] When the industrial truck 100 is in the raised state, the legs 162 of the support frame 142 are positioned away from the road surface. Furthermore, the movable engaging means engages with openings 168 provided in the support frame 142 for this purpose in order to secure the support frame 142 to the industrial truck 100. Furthermore, the locking device of the support frame 142 is activated by the engagement of the engaging means, and can secure the container 102 placed on the support frame 142 in a locked state. Needless to say, the industrial truck 100 may pick up the support frame 142 without the container 102 placed thereon. Then, the industrial truck 100 may travel to its destination.

[0131] Loads can be picked up and dropped off independently. For this purpose, the industrial truck 100 carries a support frame 142. When dropping off, the industrial truck 100 lowers itself until the frame touches the ground and then moves underneath the frame, or when picking up, the industrial truck 100 drives underneath the frame and raises it. The industrial truck 100 can unlock and lock the support frame 142 and the container 102 independently while traveling, so that the container 102 and the support frame 142 are secured on the industrial truck 100.

[0132] As shown in FIG. 22 , the industrial truck 100 may include one or more sensors 228 for detecting potential objects around the industrial truck 100, such as obstacles, buildings, pedestrians, other vehicles, etc. For example, the industrial truck 100 may be equipped with two scanners or sensors 228 for detecting any objects at close and long distances in both directions of travel. Upon detecting an object, the industrial truck 100 may slow down or stop. Furthermore, such sensors may also be located on the sides. Needless to say, the side sensors are positioned so that they are not obstructed by the support frame 142 during transportation. The sensors for detecting any objects may be sensors configured to detect objects without contact, such as LIDAR, radar, IR, or ultrasonic sensors. Essentially, the object detection sensors are implemented in accordance with the requirements of IEC TS 62998-1 and have an integrity level of SIL 2.

[0133] The industrial truck 100 receives transportation instructions from the logistics control system 160. The industrial truck 100 is technically capable of moving fully autonomously along a selected route between the origin and destination. The selected industrial truck 100's computer takes over the instructions, determining its position by measuring the number of wheel revolutions and repeatedly comparing these with transponders on the road. Alternatively, verification can be performed using other common methods, such as line detection, spatial recognition (3D camera), or GPS (with reference signal). If transponders are used, they are fixed, measured, and have a unique ID. The industrial truck 100 is equipped with transponder antennas on the front and rear sides, which read transponders in the lane that have IDs and positions under them. In this way, the industrial truck's navigation system detects its position and deviation from the planned route both forward and backward, and navigates with centimeter-level accuracy. As a result, heading corrections are made accurately, and speed is determined and corrected as necessary. Thanks to its extremely precise handling, it can also navigate around curves without causing dangerous surges to the tanks being transported - a precision achieved here is an essential prerequisite for automated driving in hazardous areas (such as pipelines, which are common at chemical sites).

[0134] Furthermore, with respect to stabilizing the industrial truck 100, at least one wheel suspension of the quadrants 114, 116, 118, 120 is at least partially hydraulically coupled in a reverse direction with at least one corresponding wheel suspension of the quadrant 114, 116, 118, 120 on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis 180. The hydraulic coupling of the wheel suspension 110 of the quadrant 114, 116, 118, 120 on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis 180 is then closed. As described above, the fluid communication includes a connection between a hydraulic volume defined by an upper side 182 of the piston 132 of the hydraulic cylinder 128 of the wheel suspension 110 of the left quadrant on the second, third, sixth, and seventh axes and a hydraulic volume defined by a lower side 184 of the piston 132 of the hydraulic cylinder 128 of the wheel suspension 110 of the right quadrant on the second, third, sixth, and seventh axes, and vice versa. Therefore, when the load deviates from the center point, such as when the industrial truck 100 travels along a curve, the load pressure acting on one side of the industrial truck 100 increases, and this pressure acts as a negative pressure on the other side of the industrial truck 100. This creates an opposing twisting moment or torque, which counteracts the load and causes a balancing effect. Because the hydraulic couplings of the wheel suspensions 110 on the quadrants 114, 116, 118, 120 on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis 180 are closed during driving, the pressure on one of the quadrants 114, 116, 118, 120 is always the same. Therefore, the hydraulic cylinders 128 always carry the same load. The load is evenly distributed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction 126 and is centered above the first through eighth axes in the driving or longitudinal direction 126. When the industrial truck 100 arrives at its destination, the industrial truck 100 stops, and the control unit 154 activates the hydraulic system 190, specifically, adjusts the amount of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic cylinder 128 to lower the industrial truck 100. The predetermined height of the wheel suspension 110 is adjusted by supplying a predetermined amount of hydraulic fluid to the wheel suspension 110. Specifically, by supplying hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic fluid reservoir 192, the amount of hydraulic fluid in the upper surface 182 of the cylinder casing 130 of the hydraulic cylinder 128 decreases, causing the piston 132 to retract and move into the cylinder casing 130, thereby lowering the industrial truck 100. When the industrial truck 100 is in the lowered state, the legs 162 of the support frame 142 engage the road surface. Furthermore, the movable engagement means disengages from the openings 168 provided in the support frame 142 for this purpose to release the support frame 142 from the industrial truck 100. Furthermore, the locking device of the support frame 142 can be activated by the engagement of the engagement means to release the container 102 placed on the support frame 142 in an unlocked state. Thereafter, the industrial truck 100 can move under the support frame 142 toward a new destination.

[0135] References DE 2 137 729 A DE 20 2010 006 522 U1 EP 1 937 511 B1 [Explanation of symbols]

[0136] 100 Industrial Trucks 102 Container 104 Vehicle Frame 106 Loading Platform 108 Top surface of vehicle frame 110 Wheel Suspension 112 Wheels 114 Quadrant 116 Quadrant 118 Quadrant 120 Quadrant 122 Front part 124 Rear part 126 Longitudinal 128 Hydraulic Cylinder 130 Cylinder casing 132 Piston 134 Piston rod 136 Hinge 138 Hinge part 140 Hinge axis 142 Support Frame 144 Height Sensor 146 axes 148 Power source 150 Driven bogie (drive bogie) 152 Non-drive bogie 154 Control Unit 156 Central part of vehicle frame 158 Light 160 systems 162 Legs 164 Engagement element 166 Locking means 168 Aperture 170 Bottom surface 172 Locking mechanism 174 Sliding Elements 176 Flexure linkage (flexure link) 178 Stabilization mechanism 180 Longitudinal axis 182 Upper side of piston 184 Underside of piston 186 Top surface (upper surface) 188 Bottom 190 Hydraulic System 192 Hydraulic fluid reservoir 194 Hydraulic fluid pump 196 Hydraulic Fluid Line 198 1st axis 200 2nd axis 202 3rd axis 204 4th axis 206 5th axis 208 6th axis 210 7th axis 212 8th axis 214 Pressure Tank 216 First Actuating Mechanism 218 Second Actuating Mechanism 220 Load Sensor 222 Front end 224 Rear end 226 Bumper 228 Sensors

Claims

1. An industrial truck (100) for transporting at least one container (102), the industrial truck (100) comprising: i. a vehicle frame (104) comprising a loading platform (106) formed by an upper surface (108) of the vehicle frame (104) and height-adjustable wheel suspensions (110), each of the wheel suspensions (110) comprising at least two adjacent wheels (112), the wheel suspensions (110) being arranged as four independent quadrants (114, 116, 118, 120), the quadrants (114, 116, 118, 120) being arranged in pairs at a front portion (122) and a rear portion (124) of the vehicle frame (104) relative to a longitudinal direction (126) of the industrial truck (100); ii. a power source (148) configured to power said wheels (112); iii. a control unit (154) configured to control operation of the industrial truck (100); and iv. a stabilizing mechanism (178) connecting wheel suspensions (110) of at least some of laterally adjacent quadrants (114, 116, 118, 120) on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis (180) of the industrial truck (100), the stabilizing mechanism (178) being configured to at least partially reverse hydraulically couple at least one wheel suspension of at least one of the quadrants (114, 116, 118, 120) to at least one corresponding wheel suspension of the quadrant on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis (180); An industrial truck (100) comprising:

2. 2. The industrial truck (100) of claim 1, wherein the stabilization mechanism (178) is configured such that, when a load acts on at least one wheel suspension (112) of the quadrant-shaped bodies (114, 116, 118, 120), the hydraulic coupling reduces the damping of the corresponding at least one wheel suspension (112) of the quadrant-shaped bodies (114, 116, 118, 120) on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis (180).

3. 3. The industrial truck (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the wheel suspensions (110) each comprise at least one hydraulic cylinder (128), which is filled with hydraulic fluid, in particular hydraulic liquid, and the stabilization mechanism (178) comprises fluid communication of the hydraulic fluid of a predetermined number of hydraulic cylinders (128) of the wheel suspensions (110) of a quadrant (114, 116, 118, 120) with a predetermined number of the hydraulic cylinders (128) of a laterally adjacent quadrant (114, 116, 118, 120) on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis (180).

4. 4. The industrial truck according to claim 3, wherein each of the hydraulic cylinders comprises a piston, and the fluid communication includes a connection between a hydraulic volume defined by an upper side of the piston of at least one of the hydraulic cylinders of the wheel suspension of at least one of the quadrants and a hydraulic volume defined by a lower side of the piston of the hydraulic cylinder of at least one of the wheel suspension of at least one of the quadrants, and vice versa, and the predetermined number is preferably less than the sum of the number of the hydraulic cylinders of the wheel suspensions of laterally adjacent quadrants.

5. 4. The industrial truck (100) of claim 3, wherein the wheel suspension (110) is height adjustable by the hydraulic cylinder (128) and / or the amount of hydraulic fluid is individually adjustable for each quadrant (114, 116, 118, 120).

6. a hydraulic system (190) including at least one hydraulic fluid reservoir (192) for storing hydraulic fluid, a hydraulic fluid pump (194), and hydraulic fluid lines (196), the hydraulic fluid reservoir (192) being fluidly connected to the hydraulic cylinders (128) of each quadrant (114, 116, 118, 120) by the hydraulic fluid lines (196); 4. The industrial truck (100) of claim 3, wherein the hydraulic fluid pump (190) is configured to independently supply hydraulic fluid to and / or exhaust hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic cylinders (128) of each quadrant (114, 116, 118, 120) to regulate the amount of hydraulic fluid in each quadrant (114, 116, 118, 120).

7. 7. The industrial truck (100) of claim 6, wherein the hydraulic system (190) is configured to close the hydraulic fluid lines (196) for the lateral quadrants (114, 116, 118, 120) at least during driving of the industrial truck (100), and the hydraulic cylinders (128) of each quadrant (114, 116, 118, 120) are in fluid communication with one another, among other things.

8. 3. The industrial truck (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the height of the industrial truck (100) is adjustable by means of adjusting the amount of hydraulic fluid, the hydraulic fluid further comprising in particular a gas, in particular nitrogen.

9. The industrial truck (100) of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a height sensor (144) configured to determine a height of the industrial truck (100).

10. 10. The industrial truck (100) of claim 9, wherein each of the hydraulic cylinders (128) comprises a cylinder casing (130), a piston (132), a piston rod (134), and a hinge (136), the piston (132) and the piston rod (134) are movably disposed relative to the cylinder casing (130), the cylinder casing (130) and the piston rod (134) are connected to each other by the hinge (136), and the height sensor (144) is particularly configured to determine the height of the industrial truck (100) by detecting the position of the hinge (136).

11. 3. The industrial truck (100) of claim 1 or 2, further comprising at least one load sensor (216) associated with each quadrant (114, 116, 118, 120), the load sensor (216) configured to detect a load acting on each quadrant (114, 116, 118, 120).

12. The number of the wheels (112) is determined so that the ground pressure of the industrial truck (100) in a loaded state is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, and in particular, the threshold is 833 kN / m 2 The industrial truck (100) according to claim 1 or 2,

13. 3. The industrial truck (100) of claim 1 or 2, further comprising lights (158) arranged in the front portion (122) and the rear portion (124) of the vehicle frame (104), and the control unit (154) is configured, in particular, to switch the lights (158) in the front portion (122) and the rear portion (124) of the vehicle frame (104) to a forward movement state or a rear movement state.

14. 3. A system (160) comprising an industrial truck (100) according to claim 1 or 2 and at least one freestanding support frame (142) for receiving at least one container (102), wherein the support frame (142) comprises four legs (162), the lateral distance between the legs (162) being greater than the width of the industrial truck (100), the height of the legs (162) being such that the industrial truck (100) can move under the support frame (142) in a lowered position, and the legs (162) are positioned above the ground surface in a raised position of the industrial truck (100).

15. 3. A method for stabilizing an industrial truck (100) according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the steps of: i. hydraulically coupling at least one wheel suspension of one quadrant (114, 116, 118, 120) in at least a partial reverse direction with at least one corresponding wheel suspension of the quadrant (114, 116, 118, 120) on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis (180); ii. adjusting the predetermined height of the wheel suspension (110); and iii. closing the hydraulic couplings of the wheel suspensions (110) of the quadrants (114, 116, 118, 120) on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis (180); A method comprising:

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