Movable anti-constriction mechanism for lifting device

The movable stenosis prevention mechanism for lifting devices, with a retractable anti-stening plate and gas spring type cylinder, addresses the challenge of preventing body parts from entering the gap between factory pits and lifting devices, particularly in shallow pits, while ensuring workability and cost-effectiveness.

JP7655671B2Active Publication Date: 2025-04-02NIPPON SHARYO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2021053359
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2021-03-26
Publication Date
2025-04-02
Estimated Expiration
2041-03-26

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing safety measures for preventing body parts from entering the gap between factory pits and lifting devices are inadequate, particularly in shallow pits, as they either hinder workability or are difficult to implement effectively.

Method used

A movable stenosis prevention mechanism for lifting devices, featuring a retractable anti-stening plate that can be raised and lowered along the pit's inner wall, using a gas spring type cylinder for operation, allowing the plate to fit within shallow pits without obstructing work.

Benefits of technology

The mechanism effectively prevents body parts from entering the gap between the pit and the lifting device, even in shallow pits, while maintaining workability and being cost-effective for implementation in existing factories.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To provide a movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device capable of preventing a part of a body from entering between a shallow pit and the lifting device.SOLUTION: A movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device corresponding to a lifting device 100, which is stored in a pit 20 provided on a floor surface 10 of a factory, includes a constriction prevention plate 130 provided along an inner wall surface of the pit 20, and a cylinder 135 for lifting / lowering the constriction prevention plate 130. The projection height of the constriction prevention plate 130 is lower than the height of the lifting device 100 when an upper table 101 of the lifting device 100 is positioned at a lower end. When the upper table 101 is positioned at the lower end, a top surface of the constriction prevention plate 130 is pressed with a lower surface of the upper table 101 so that the constriction prevention plate 130 is stored inside the pit 20. When the upper table 101 is positioned at an upper end, the constriction prevention plate 130 is pushed up by the cylinder 135 to be raised to the upper end position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3
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Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lifting device that is embedded in a pit in a factory, and to a technique for preventing part of the body from getting caught in the gap between the pit and the lifting device. [Background technology]

[0002] In vehicle maintenance factories, etc., a pit is dug on the factory floor and a lifting device is installed in it. In this case, a gap is created between the edge of the pit and parts of the lifting device, such as the table and the arm for lifting the table, so that a part of the worker's body may unintentionally get in the gap, causing interference when lowering the lifting device or a risk of falling into the pit. The following countermeasures are known for such deeply excavated places in the work environment, such as pits and manholes.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique related to a manhole safety fence device. This technique provides a retractable safety fence that can be raised and lowered to prevent people from accidentally falling into the manhole when the manhole cover is opened. When the safety fence is pulled out from inside the manhole, the outriggers rotate outward by a spring to lock the safety fence on the top surface of the manhole. Therefore, when the manhole cover is left open to use the manhole, the safety fence is pulled out, preventing people from accidentally falling into the manhole.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a technology related to a fall prevention device. This technology installs an air tube along the side edge of the vehicle in the gap between the rooftop inspection scaffolding installed for inspecting the roof of a railroad car and the vehicle roof, and connects this air tube to an air inflator to inflate it. This makes it possible to prevent people or objects from falling through the gap between the rooftop inspection scaffolding and the vehicle roof. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-124055 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2018-102444 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Therefore, it seems that the use of technologies such as those in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 can close the gap between the pit and the lifting device in the factory and prevent parts of the body from getting stuck in the gap between the pit and the lifting device, but there are the following problems when simply applying them. First, when using the technology in Patent Document 1, the pit needs to be deep enough to accommodate a fence with the same height as the lifting height of the lifting device, and it cannot be used for shallow pits. In addition, while the technology in Patent Document 2 is expected to be effective in preventing people from falling into the pit, it is not easy to inflate the air tube in the vertical direction to prevent people's bodies from getting stuck between the pit and the lifting device.

[0007] There are other problems. In general, for example, to maintain railroad cars and their parts in a factory, the worker often works with the workpiece lifted up, facing upwards or at eye level, and attention to the ground is often distracted. In addition, when the lifting device is not moving, the workability may be poor if a part of the body is not allowed to enter the space between the pit and the lifting device to some extent due to the nature of the work. Therefore, there may be cases where a safety fence that prevents a part of the body from entering the space between the pit and the lifting device as in Patent Document 1 is inconvenient. In addition, the air tube as in Patent Document 2 requires height to cover the gap under the lifting device, making it difficult to store and difficult to use in a shallow pit.

[0008] For these reasons, it would be possible to simply install a fixed safety fence around the pit, but this would interfere with work when the lifting device is stored under the floor. This is because when moving railroad cars or their parts, lifting work is required if there is a difference in floor level. Also, when creating a pit on the floor of an existing factory, it is cheaper to make the pit as shallow as possible, so a retractable safety fence that can accommodate shallow pits was eagerly desired by the site.

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve such problems and provide a movable constriction prevention mechanism for an elevator device that can prevent part of the body from getting stuck between a shallow pit and the elevator device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to achieve the above object, a movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device according to one aspect of the present invention has the following features.

[0011] (1) A movable constriction prevention mechanism for an elevator device that is fitted inside a pit on the floor, A constriction prevention plate is provided along the inner wall surface of the pit so as to be capable of rising and falling, and a movable mechanism for raising and lowering the constriction prevention plate, The height dimension of the constriction prevention plate protruding from the floor surface is lower than the height dimension of the lifting device in a folded state when the upper table of the lifting device is at the lower end, When the upper table is at the lower end, the upper surface of the constriction prevention plate is pressed by the lower surface of the upper table, so that the constriction prevention plate is contained inside the pit, When the upper table is at the upper end, the constriction prevention plate is pushed up by the movable mechanism to rise to the upper end position; The constriction prevention plate is disposed on the inner periphery of the pit without any gap; When the constriction prevention plate protrudes from the floor surface, the lower end of the constriction prevention plate is located below the floor surface; It is characterized by:

[0012] According to the aspect described in (1) above, the constriction prevention plate can be raised and lowered even in a shallow pit, and the constriction prevention plate can be stored in the pit. When performing maintenance on a railway vehicle and its parts lifted by a lifting device, the worker will inevitably lose attention to his / her feet. However, at the very least, it is sufficient to prevent the toes of the worker from entering the inside of the pit from the edge, and the height of the constriction prevention plate itself does not need to be very high. This is because, as shown in the problem, when a worker works on a workpiece lifted up by a lifting device, the worker tends to lose attention to his / her feet.

[0013] Conversely, by providing a constriction prevention plate as a measure for the feet, it is possible to improve the safety of the work vehicle. Therefore, the purpose can be sufficiently achieved by raising and lowering the constriction prevention plate that is lower than the height dimension of the lifting device in the folded state. Since the height of the constriction prevention plate is not required, the constriction prevention plate can be stored even in a shallow pit, and since the constriction prevention plate is stored inside the pit when the upper table is at the lower end, the constriction prevention plate does not interfere with work when not in use.

[0014] (2) In the movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device according to (1), The constriction prevention plate is made of a hard material, and the movable mechanism uses a gas spring type cylinder. is preferred.

[0015] In the embodiment described in (2) above, the structure of the movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device can be simplified and the cost can be reduced, so that, for example, even when an underfloor storage type lifting device equipped with a movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device is adopted in an existing factory, it can be adopted at low cost. By using a gas spring type cylinder for the movable mechanism, the constriction prevention plate can be lifted without requiring power. In addition, by restricting the height of the constriction prevention plate to a level that prevents the worker's toes from going over the edge of the pit, the stroke of the cylinder can be shortened and the depth of the pit is not required. For these reasons, it is possible to adopt the movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device at low cost.

[0016] (3) A movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device that is adapted to a lifting device housed inside a pit provided on a floor surface, A constriction prevention plate is provided along the inner wall surface of the pit so as to be capable of rising and falling, and a movable mechanism for raising and lowering the constriction prevention plate, The height dimension of the constriction prevention plate protruding from the floor surface is lower than the height dimension of the lifting device in a folded state when the upper table of the lifting device is at the lower end, When the upper table is at the lower end, the upper surface of the constriction prevention plate is pressed by the lower surface of the upper table, so that the constriction prevention plate is contained inside the pit, When the upper table is at the upper end, the constriction prevention plate is pushed up by the movable mechanism to rise to the upper end position; The upper end of the bellows-type anti-constriction membrane is fixed to the lower surface of the upper table, The anti-constriction membrane expands and contracts as the upper table rises and falls. The anti-constriction membrane is made of a flexible material, and a worker can work by placing part of his / her body under the upper table. The constriction prevention plate is made of a material harder than the constriction prevention film and protects the feet of the worker. is preferred.

[0017] In the embodiment described in (3) above, the protrusion of the constriction prevention plate realizes the function of preventing a part of the body from getting into the gap between the pit and the lifting device under the feet of the worker, and the constriction prevention membrane realizes the function of preventing a part of the body from getting into the gap between the pit and the lifting device above the upper end of the constriction prevention plate. Since the area covered by the constriction prevention membrane is within the field of vision of the worker, the level of constriction prevention effect required is lower than that of the lower part, but the provision of the constriction prevention membrane can contribute to further improving the safety of the worker during work. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the lifting device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 2] This is a front view of the lifting device of this embodiment that fits within a pit. [Diagram 3] This is a side view of the lifting device of this embodiment that fits within a pit. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a pantograph arm portion of the lifting device in this embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a side view of the lifting device in a folded state according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] First, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a lifting device 100 according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 shows a front view of the lifting device 100 that fits within a pit 20. Fig. 3 shows a side view of the lifting device 100 that fits within the pit 20. The lifting device 100 is a type of device with a lifting function called a table lift or the like, and is housed in a pit 20 provided on a factory floor 10. An object to be lifted up, such as a railroad car or its parts, can be placed on an upper table 101 of the lifting device 100 and lifted or lowered.

[0020] A pantograph arm 105 is provided below the upper table 101. The pantograph arm 105 is arranged such that a pair of left and right first arms 105a and a pair of left and right second arms 105b cross each other, and the left and right first arms 105a and second arms 105b are rotatably supported at approximately the center. An upper end of the first arm 105a is rotatably supported on the upper table 101 side, one of the lower ends is supported on the base 102 side so as to be able to move in parallel, and the other lower end is rotatably supported on the base 102 side. One end of the second arm 105b is rotatably supported on the base 102 side.

[0021] Fig. 4 is a side view illustrating the pantograph arm portion of the lifting device 100. Fig. 4 corresponds to Fig. 2, and in order to make the link mechanism easier to see, the first arm 105a and the second arm 105b at the front are omitted. The other end of the second arm 105b is held so as to be movable in parallel to the upper table 101 side. There is no particular limitation on the method of holding the other ends of the first arm 105a and the second arm 105b, but a well-known structure is, for example, one in which wheels are provided at the tips and rails are provided on the back side of the upper table 101 or on the top surface of the base 102.

[0022] A rotating shaft 115 is provided at the position where the first arm 105a and the second arm 105b intersect. The pantograph arm 105 opens and closes around this rotating shaft 115, and operates to raise and lower the upper table 101. This is a type known as a scissor jack.

[0023] A ball screw 106 and a nut 107 are provided between the first arm 105a and the second arm 105b, and one end of a multi-joint link 108 is connected to the nut 107. The other end of the multi-joint link 108 is connected to the first arm 105a. A brake motor 110 is provided at one end of the ball screw 106, and when the brake motor 110 rotates, the ball screw 106 rotates, and the nut 107 screwed onto the ball screw 106 moves up and down along the ball screw 106. The brake motor 110 is energized by passing a wire through the wiring pit 30 shown in FIG. 1.

[0024] The nut 107 rises and falls in accordance with the forward and reverse rotation of the brake motor 110. The end of the ball screw 106 on the side where the brake motor 110 is provided is attached to a bar (not shown) that connects the lower ends of the pair of left and right second arms 105b. On the other hand, the other end of the ball screw 106 is not fixed.

[0025] Therefore, when the braked motor 110 rotates, the ball screw 106 rotates and the screwed nut 107 rises and falls, and the pantograph arm 105 contracts via the multi-joint link 108, causing the upper table 101 to rise or fall. When the upper table 101 is at the lowest end, the folded lifting device 100 is completely contained within the pit 20, and the floor surface 10 and the upper table 101 form the same plane. The angle of the ball screw 106 changes with the angle of the second arm 105b.

[0026] One end of bellows 120 is attached to the underside of upper table 101. The other end of bellows 120 is fixed to the bottom surface of pit 20. Bellows 120 are flat, and a plurality of bellows 120 are attached to each side of upper table 101 so as to surround pantograph arm 105. They are structured to expand and contract as upper table 101 rises and falls. There are no particular limitations on the material of bellows 120, but since it is expected that it will be opened and closed repeatedly, it is preferable to use a fibrous material such as highly durable cloth.

[0027] The constriction prevention plate 130 is arranged around the lifting device 100 configured as described above. The constriction prevention plate 130 is erected along the inner wall surface of the pit 20. The constriction prevention plate 130 is made of a steel plate material, and the upper end is bent into an L-shape to form a top, and is arranged so that the lower surface of the upper table 101 abuts against the constriction prevention plate 130 when the upper table 101 descends. The constriction prevention plate 130 is arranged without gaps on the inner circumference of the pit 20, but it is not prevented from being divided into multiple pieces and arranged. For example, it is conceivable to arrange four constriction prevention plates 130 on one side of the inner circumference of the pit 20. In addition, although the constriction prevention plate 130 uses an L-shaped steel plate, it is not prevented from using a punched metal or a wire mesh-like member to reduce weight.

[0028] The tip of a gas sprinkler type cylinder 135 is engaged with the underside of the top of the constriction prevention plate 130. At least two cylinders 135 are provided for the constriction prevention plate 130 so that it can rise and fall. The cylinders 135 are fixed to the bottom surface of the pit 20, so that the constriction prevention plate 130 protrudes from the pit 20 at the forward end of the cylinders 135, and the constriction prevention plate 130 is completely contained inside the pit 20 at the backward end of the cylinders 135.

[0029] In this embodiment, the height of the constriction prevention plate 130 is set to protrude about 90 mm from the floor surface 10, and the depth of the pit 20 is set to a depth that allows the lifting device 100 to be accommodated in the folded state, so that the height of the constriction prevention plate 130 is sufficient to be accommodated in the pit 20 when the cylinder 135 is at the retracted end. In addition, the constriction prevention plate 130 is held on the inner wall surface of the pit 20 by a guide (not shown). Therefore, the constriction prevention plate 130 is pushed down by the upper table 101 to be accommodated inside the pit 20, and is pushed out by the cylinder 135 as the upper table 101 of the lifting device 100 rises.

[0030] The movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device of this embodiment has the above-mentioned configuration, and therefore provides the following actions and effects.

[0031] First, an advantage is that it is possible to prevent part of the body from getting stuck between the shallow pit 20 and the lifting device 100. This is because the movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device, which is compatible with a lifting device 100 housed inside a pit 20 provided on a factory floor 10, comprises a constriction prevention plate 130 that is arranged to be able to rise and fall along the inner wall surface of the pit 20, and a cylinder 135 that corresponds to a movable mechanism for raising and lowering the constriction prevention plate 130, and the height dimension of the constriction prevention plate 130 protruding from the floor surface 10 is lower than the height dimension of the lifting device 100 in the folded state when the upper table 101 of the lifting device 100 is at its lower end, and when the upper table 101 is at its lower end, the upper surface of the constriction prevention plate 130 is pressed by the lower surface of the upper table 101, so that the constriction prevention plate 130 is housed inside the pit 20, and when the upper table 101 is at its upper end, the constriction prevention plate 130 is pushed up by the cylinder 135 and rises to its upper end position.

[0032] Therefore, as the upper table 101 of the lifting device 100 rises, the constriction prevention plate 130 also rises, thereby preventing a part of the body from getting stuck between the shallow pit and the lifting device. Figure 5 shows a side view of the lifting device 100 in a folded state. This constriction prevention plate 130 has the function of preventing the worker's toes from getting stuck between the lifting device 100 and the edge of the pit 20.

[0033] As shown in the problem, without the constriction prevention plate 130, when the upper table 101 is lowered from the upper end, it is possible that the worker may be pinched between the edge of the pit 20 and the pantograph arm 105, or between the edge of the pit 20 and the underside of the upper table 101. This is because the worker tends to neglect to pay attention to his / her feet when working on a workpiece lifted up by the lifting device 100. However, as shown in this embodiment, by using the constriction prevention plate 130, even though it is only about 90 mm high, the constriction prevention plate 130 reliably prevents the worker's toes from going over the edge of the pit 20.

[0034] As a result, it is possible to prevent the worker from unintentionally going beyond the edge of the pit 20. Since the area above the constriction prevention plate 130 is protected by the bellows 120, it is possible to prevent a part of the worker's body from accidentally going under the upper table 101, and by using a relatively soft material for the bellows 120, it is possible to temporarily place a part of the worker's body under the upper table 101 when necessary. Since the area within the field of vision is likely to attract the worker's attention, the area covered by the bellows 120 is protected by the flexible bellows 120 so that it can be flexibly handled in consideration of workability, while the area around the feet, which is difficult to see, needs to be protected by a harder material. For this reason, by reliably protecting the edge of the pit 20 with the constriction prevention plate 130, a sufficient constriction prevention effect can be obtained.

[0035] Furthermore, when the upper table 101 of the lifting device 100 is raised, the constriction prevention plate 130 is pushed up by the gas spring cylinder 135 and protrudes, thereby exerting the effect of preventing constriction. On the other hand, when the upper table 101 is lowered, the constriction prevention plate 130 is pushed by the underside of the upper table 101 and completely stored in the pit 20 as shown in Fig. 5. Therefore, when the lifting device 100 is not in use, a situation can be created in which no protrusions protrude from the floor surface 10, and they do not become an obstacle to work such as moving a workpiece onto the upper table 101.

[0036] Since the constriction prevention plate 130 does not require height, the pit 20 only needs to be deep enough to accommodate the height of the lifting device 100 in the folded state, and even a shallow pit 20 can provide a movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device that is highly effective in preventing constriction. Although a gas spring type cylinder 135 is used to raise and lower the constriction prevention plate 130, this does not prevent the use of a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder. Also, this does not prevent the use of a motor-driven linear motion mechanism as necessary.

[0037] However, it is preferable to use a gas spring type that operates without the need for power, as this is easy to install. Also, when the upper table 101 of the lifting device 100 rises, the plate automatically rises due to the biasing force of the cylinder 135, so it is unlikely that the constriction prevention plate 130 will remain lowered due to the operator forgetting to operate it, and safety can be ensured. A sensor such as a limit switch may be provided for each plate 130 to check whether it has risen, thus improving safety. Also, a state in which the plate is not raised may be detected at this time and an abnormality may be notified.

[0038] The movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device according to the present invention has been described in detail above by showing an embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, an example of the lift-up structure of the lifting device 100 has been shown, but a table lift with a different structure may be used. As for the driving method, instead of the type using the ball screw 106 and the brake-equipped motor 110, a type using a hydraulic cylinder or a type using a bellows may be used. In addition, the height of the constriction prevention plate 130 is set to protrude 90 mm from the floor surface 10 when at the raised end, but it is sufficient to be high enough to prevent the worker's feet from entering the inside from the edge of the pit 20, and the height may be changed as necessary. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 10 Floor surface 20 Pit 100 Lifting device 101 Upper table 130 Stenosis prevention plate 135 cylinder

Claims

1. A movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device that is adapted to a lifting device housed inside a pit provided on a floor surface, A constriction prevention plate is provided along the inner wall surface of the pit so as to be capable of rising and falling, and a movable mechanism for raising and lowering the constriction prevention plate, The height dimension of the constriction prevention plate protruding from the floor surface is lower than the height dimension of the lifting device in a folded state when the upper table of the lifting device is at the lower end, When the upper table is at the lower end, the upper surface of the constriction prevention plate is pressed by the lower surface of the upper table, so that the constriction prevention plate is contained inside the pit, When the upper table is at the upper end, the constriction prevention plate is pushed up by the movable mechanism to rise to the upper end position; The constriction prevention plate is disposed on the inner periphery of the pit without any gap; When the constriction prevention plate protrudes from the floor surface, the lower end of the constriction prevention plate is located below the floor surface; A movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device, comprising:

2. 2. The movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device according to claim 1, The constriction prevention plate is made of a hard material, and the movable mechanism uses a gas spring type cylinder. A movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device, comprising:

3. A movable constriction prevention mechanism for an elevator device that is adapted to be housed inside a pit provided on a floor surface, comprising: A constriction prevention plate is provided along the inner wall surface of the pit so as to be capable of rising and falling, and a movable mechanism for raising and lowering the constriction prevention plate, The height dimension of the constriction prevention plate protruding from the floor surface is lower than the height dimension of the lifting device in a folded state when the upper table of the lifting device is at the lower end, When the upper table is at the lower end, the upper surface of the constriction prevention plate is pressed by the lower surface of the upper table, so that the constriction prevention plate is contained inside the pit, When the upper table is at the upper end, the constriction prevention plate is pushed up by the movable mechanism to rise to the upper end position; The upper end of the bellows-type anti-constriction membrane is fixed to the lower surface of the upper table, The anti-constriction membrane expands and contracts as the upper table rises and falls. The anti-constriction membrane is made of a flexible material, and a worker can work by placing part of his / her body under the upper table. The constriction prevention plate is made of a material harder than the constriction prevention film and protects the feet of the worker. A movable constriction prevention mechanism for a lifting device, comprising:

Citation Information

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