Truck bed structure

Abstract

To provide a loading platform structure of a truck which enables a side plate of a loading platform to be used as a plank for loading a vehicle, such as a construction machine, and enables the side plate to be disposed between a bottom plate of the loading platform and a ground surface in a relatively easy manner.SOLUTION: A loading platform structure 2 of a truck 1 includes: a loading platform 20 which has a bottom plate 21 and a side plate 23; a guide shaft 30 which is provided at a side edge part of the bottom plate 21 and extends in a vehicle fore and aft direction ranging from a front part to a rear part of the bottom plate 21; and engagement members 40 each of which is provided at the side plate 23 and engages with the guide shaft 30 in a manner that the engagement member 40 can rotate in a vehicle lateral direction and slide in the vehicle fore and aft direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bed structure of a truck on which vehicles such as construction machinery can be loaded. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, when loading a vehicle such as a construction machine onto the bed of a truck, a ramp is often placed between the bed and the ground, and the vehicle is moved onto the bed using the ramp. However, in order to make the ramp available at any time, it is necessary to load the ramp onto the bed in advance. To do this, it is necessary to secure installation space for the ramp on the bed, which accordingly restricts the space available on the bed.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes using the side plates of a loading platform as a ramp. In the truck loading platform structure described in Patent Document 1, the side plates of the loading platform are configured to be rotatable outward in the vehicle width direction relative to the bottom plate of the loading platform and to be detachable from the bottom plate. When loading a vehicle, the worker first rotates the side plates outward in the vehicle width direction and tilts them. Next, the worker removes the side plates from the bottom plate and moves them behind the bottom plate while supporting them with their hands. After that, the front ends of the side plates are hooked onto the rear end of the bottom plate, and the side plates are bridged between the rear end of the bottom plate and the ground. This makes it possible to use the side plates of the loading platform as a ramp.

[0004] Patent Document 2 also describes using the side panels of a loading platform as a ramp. In the truck loading platform structure described in Patent Document 2, cylindrical rear end posts are erected at the rear end portions of both the left and right sides of the bottom panel of the loading platform. The side panels of the loading platform are inserted into the rear end posts so as to be able to slide back and forth. When loading a vehicle, an operator first removes the front end portions of the side panels from the front end posts. Next, the side panels are slid rearward while still in the upright position, and the side panels are pulled rearward from the rear end posts. The side panels are then tilted from the upright position, and the front end portions of the side panels are hooked onto stays attached to the rear end portions of the bottom panel of the loading platform. This bridges the rear end portions of the bottom panel and the ground, making the side panels usable as ramps.

[0005] According to the truck bed structure described above, the side panels of the bed can be used as road boards, so there is no need to always have dedicated road boards loaded on the bed, and therefore the space of the bed can be used to the maximum. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 61-98642 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 2-133984 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In the truck bed structure described in Patent Document 1, after removing the side panels from the bottom panel, the worker must carry them behind the bottom panel while supporting the entire weight of the side panels by hand. Because the side panels of the bed are heavy objects, this places a heavy burden on the worker. On the other hand, in the truck bed structure described in Patent Document 2, the side panels can be slid rearward while still on the bottom panel, so the side panels can be moved behind the bottom panel while being supported by the bottom panel. However, because the side panels, which are heavy objects, must be slid while standing upright, moving the side panels behind the bottom panel is not necessarily an easy task.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and its purpose is to provide a truck bed structure in which the side panels of the bed can be used as road panels and in which the work of bridging the side panels between the bed bottom panel and the ground can be carried out relatively easily. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The truck bed structure of the present invention comprises a bed having a bottom plate and side plates erected on the side ends of the bottom plate, a guide shaft provided on the side end of the bottom plate and extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle from the front to the rear of the bottom plate, and an engaging member provided on the side plate that rotatably engages with the guide shaft and slidably in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

[0010] According to the above-described loading platform structure, the engaging members provided on the side panels of the loading platform are rotatable in the left-right direction of the vehicle and slidable in the front-rear direction of the vehicle relative to guide shafts provided on the bottom panel of the loading platform. Therefore, after tilting the side panels outward in the vehicle width direction, they can be moved rearward along the guide shafts while still tilted. This facilitates the task of moving the side panels rearward of the bottom panel. According to the above-described loading platform structure, the side panels of the loading platform can be used as runways, and the task of bridging the side panels between the bottom panel and the ground can be performed relatively easily.

[0011] The truck bed structure may include a guide shaft support member extending from the bottom plate in a first direction perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction and supporting the guide shaft. The engaging member may be formed with a circular hole that is substantially circular when viewed along the vehicle longitudinal direction when the side plates are tilted outward in the vehicle width direction, and a slot that extends from the circular hole in the first direction. The inner diameter of the circular hole may be equal to or greater than the outer diameter of the guide shaft, and the width of the slot may be greater than the dimensions of the guide shaft support member in the vehicle longitudinal direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0012] As a result, the circular hole formed in the engaging member allows the engaging member to easily rotate on the outer circumferential surface of the guide shaft. Therefore, the side plate of the loading platform can be easily tilted from an upright position. Furthermore, the groove formed in the engaging member allows the guide shaft support member to pass through the groove when the side plate is tilted and then slid rearward. Therefore, when the side plate is moved rearward along the guide shaft, the guide shaft support member does not interfere with the engaging member.

[0013] The truck bed structure may include a locking mechanism that holds the side panels in an upright position. The side panels may be provided with hooks at their front or rear ends to engage with the locking mechanisms. The bottom panel may be provided with a locking portion at its rear end to engage with the hooks.

[0014] This allows the side panels to be moved rearward of the bottom panel and then locked with the hooks on the bottom panel, stably connecting the side panels to the rear end of the bottom panel and the ground. The hooks, which are locked with the locking mechanism that holds the side panels in an upright position, can also be used as components to lock the side panels to the rear end of the bottom panel, reducing the number of parts required.

[0015] The truck bed structure may include a side plate support member that is arranged to extend outward in the vehicle width direction from the rear end of the bottom plate when the side plate is slid in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle along the guide shaft, and that supports the side plate when the side plate is moved in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

[0016] This allows the side plate to be supported by the side plate support member when moving the side plate rearward along the guide shaft, thereby reducing the workload on the worker and facilitating the operation of moving the side plate rearward.

[0017] The engaging members may be arranged in a plurality in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, and all of the engaging members may be configured to be removable rearward from the guide shaft.

[0018] This allows the side panels to be removed from the bottom panel by sliding all of the engaging members rearward along the guide shafts and then removing them rearward from the guide shafts. After removing the side panels from the bottom panel, they can be moved directly behind the bottom panel and placed on the rear end of the bottom panel. This allows the side panels to easily span between the rear end of the bottom panel and the ground.

[0019] The engaging members may include a front engaging member provided at a front portion of the side plate and one or more rear engaging members arranged rearward of the front engaging member. The front engaging members may be configured to be rotatable, while engaging with the rear ends of the guide shafts, from a position where the side plates are tilted outward in the vehicle width direction to a position where they are tilted inward in the vehicle width direction.

[0020] This allows the side panels to be tilted outward in the vehicle width direction from an upright position, slid rearward along the guide shaft, and then rotated to a position tilted inward in the vehicle width direction while the front engagement members remain engaged with the rear ends of the guide shafts. By rotating the side panels to a position tilted inward in the vehicle width direction in this way, the side panels can be bridged between the rear end of the bottom panel and the ground. Therefore, the side panels can be used as rungs without being removed from the bottom panel.

[0021] The guide shaft may include a main shaft extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a rear end shaft connected to a rear end of the main shaft so as to be rotatable up and down. The rear end shaft may be configured to be rotatable between a horizontal position extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and an inclined position inclined downward toward the rear.

[0022] As a result, by placing the rear end shaft in a horizontal position, the engagement member can be slid rearward along the main shaft and rear end shaft of the guide shaft to the rear end of the guide shaft (i.e., the rear end shaft), allowing the side plate to be moved rearward. After moving the side plate rearward, by rotating the rear end shaft to a tilted position, the side plate can be tilted rearward and downward without removing it from the bottom plate (i.e., while the front engagement member remains engaged with the rear end of the guide shaft). Therefore, the side plate can be satisfactorily bridged between the rear end of the bottom plate and the ground without removing it from the bottom plate.

[0023] A stopper may be provided at a rear end of the guide shaft and protrude outward in a radial direction of the guide shaft. When viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction with the side plate tilted outward in the vehicle width direction from the upright state, the rear engaging member may be formed with a recess through which the stopper can pass when the rear engaging member is moved rearward, and the front engaging member may be formed with an abutment portion against which the stopper abuts when the front engaging member is moved rearward.

[0024] As a result, the rear engagement member does not abut against the stopper when the side plate is moved rearward along the guide shaft, so the rear engagement member can be removed from the guide shaft simply by tilting the side plate outward in the vehicle width direction and then moving it rearward. This makes it easy to move the side plate rearward. On the other hand, because the front engagement member abuts against the stopper when the side plate is moved rearward, it is possible to prevent the side plate from unintentionally coming off the bottom plate after it has moved rearward.

[0025] The side plates may be made of aluminum or resin.

[0026] This makes the side panels lighter than when they are made of steel, making it easier to bridge the side panels between the bottom plate of the loading platform and the ground.

[0027] The truck bed structure may include a frame that supports the bottom plate and is tiltable, an actuator that tilts the frame, and a control device that controls the actuator so that the guide shaft tilts downward and rearward when the engaging member is slid rearward along the guide shaft.

[0028] According to the above, since the guide shaft is tilted downward toward the rear when the engaging member is slid rearward, the operation of moving the side plate rearward along the guide shaft can be performed more easily. [Effects of the Invention]

[0029] According to the present invention, a truck bed structure can be provided in which the side panels of the bed can be used as road panels, and the work of bridging the side panels between the bottom panel of the bed and the ground can be performed relatively easily. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a truck equipped with a bed structure according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a side view of a loading platform structure according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 4A and 4B are rear views of the loading platform structure according to the first embodiment, in which (a) shows the side panels in an upright position, and (b) shows the side panels in a reclined position. [Figure 5] 4(a) is a view of the engaging member as seen from the rear of the vehicle, and FIG. 4(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line Vb-Vb in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a side view of the front end of the bed structure. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a vertical cross section of a hook portion and a locking portion. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side view of the loading platform structure when the side panels are tilted. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a side view of the side plate support guide when the side plate is being moved rearward. [Figure 12] FIG. 5(b) is a view equivalent to FIG. 5(b) when the side plate is tilted. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a side view of the truck when the side panels are placed between the rear end of the bottom panel and the ground. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a side view of a truck with a tilted loading platform. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a side view of the loading platform structure according to the second embodiment. [Figure 16]10(a) is a side view of the rear portion of a guide shaft according to a second embodiment, and FIG. 10(b) is a view of the guide shaft as seen from the rear of the vehicle. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a view of the front engagement member as seen from the rear of the vehicle. [Figure 18] FIG. 4 is a view of the rear engagement member as seen from the rear of the vehicle. [Figure 19] FIG. 4 is a view of the rear engagement member and the guide shaft as seen from the rear of the vehicle. [Figure 20] FIG. 10 is a view of the front engagement member and the guide shaft as seen from the rear of the vehicle. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a partial side view illustrating the loading platform structure according to the second embodiment, showing a state in which the side plate has moved rearward of the bottom plate. [Figure 22] FIG. 10 is a partial side view illustrating a state in which the side plates are inverted and the rear end shafts of the guide shafts are bent in the loading platform structure according to the second embodiment. [Figure 23] FIG. 10 is a side view of a truck in which a side panel is placed between the rear end of the bottom panel of the loading platform that has been slid rearward and the ground. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] (First embodiment) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a side view of a truck 1 equipped with a bed structure 2 according to a first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the truck 1.

[0032] 1, the truck 1 includes a chassis frame 11, a cab 12 supported by the chassis frame 11, left and right front wheels 13F and left and right rear wheels 13R supported by the chassis frame 11. The truck 1 also includes a subframe 14 disposed behind the cab 12 and on the chassis frame 11, and a loading platform 20 supported by the subframe 14.

[0033] The cargo bed 20 is disposed behind the cab 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the cargo bed 20 includes a bottom plate 21, a front plate 22 erected at the front end of the bottom plate 21, a left side plate 23 erected at the left side end of the bottom plate 21, a right side plate 24 erected at the right side end of the bottom plate 21, and a rear plate 25 erected at the rear end of the bottom plate 21. The left side plate 23 and the right side plate 24 extend in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. The rear plate 25 is configured to be rotatable downward about its lower end or removable. The materials of the bottom plate 21, front plate 22, left side plate 23, right side plate 24, and rear plate 25 are not particularly limited, but are aluminum in this embodiment.

[0034] 3 is a side view of the loading platform structure 2 according to this embodiment. The loading platform structure 2 includes a loading platform 20, a guide shaft 30 provided on a bottom plate 21 of the loading platform 20, and an engaging member 40 provided on a side plate 23 of the loading platform 20 and engaging with the guide shaft 30.

[0035] The guide shafts 30 are provided on the left and right side ends of the bottom plate 21 of the cargo bed 20. The guide shafts 30 extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the front to the rear of the bottom plate 21. Here, the guide shafts 30 extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the front end to the rear end of the bottom plate 21. The left guide shaft 30 and the right guide shaft 30 are arranged symmetrically, but have the same configuration. In the following explanation, the left guide shaft 30 and the left side plate 23 will be described, and an explanation of the right guide shaft 30 and the right side plate 24 will be omitted.

[0036] FIG. 4(a) is a view of the left side portion of the loading platform structure 2 as seen from the rear. As shown in FIG. 4(a), the left guide shaft 30 is disposed to the left of the bottom plate 21 and is spaced apart from the bottom plate 21. The guide shaft 30 is supported by a plurality of support rods 31 arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The support rods 31 are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The support rods 31 extend in the vehicle width direction. Note that the vehicle width direction is synonymous with the vehicle left-right direction and is an example of the "first direction" according to the present invention. In the following description, "outward in the vehicle width direction" refers to a direction away from the vehicle center line, and "inward in the vehicle width direction" refers to a direction closer to the vehicle center line. The support rods 31 connect the guide shaft 30 and the bottom plate 21.

[0037] The engaging member 40 is a member that engages with the guide shaft 30 so as to be rotatable in the left-right direction of the vehicle and slidable in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The engaging member 40 is provided on the side plate 23. When the side plate 23 is in an upright state, the front-rear direction of the vehicle corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the side plate 23, and the up-down direction of the vehicle corresponds to the lateral direction of the side plate 23. The engaging member 40 is fixed to one end of the lateral direction of the side plate 23. When the side plate 23 is in an upright state, the engaging member 40 is fixed to the lower end of the side plate 23. As shown in FIG. 3, the side plate 23 is provided with a plurality of engaging members 40, and these engaging members 40 are lined up in the front-rear direction of the vehicle.

[0038] FIG. 5(a) is a rear view of the engaging member 40. FIG. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line Vb-Vb in FIG. 3. When viewed along the vehicle longitudinal direction as shown in FIG. 5(a), the engaging member 40 has a substantially circular hole 40a and a slot 40b extending from the circular hole 40a. Note that, as used herein, "substantially circular" is not limited to a perfect circle but also includes elliptical shapes and the like. Furthermore, "substantially circular" also includes circular shapes with irregularities in part of their contours. The slot 40b is formed to extend downward from the circular hole 40a when the side plate 23 is in an upright position and is open downward. In this embodiment, the engaging member 40 includes a rectangular portion 40A fixed to the side plate 23 and a semicircular portion 40B located on the opposite side of the rectangular portion 40A from the side plate 23. However, the shape described here is merely an example, and the shape of the engaging member 40 is not particularly limited.

[0039] Because the engagement members 40 are rotatably engaged with the guide shafts 30, the side plates 23 can rotate relative to the bottom plate 21 via the engagement members 40 and the guide shafts 30. The side plates 23 can be placed in an upright position and a tilted position. The side plates 23 can be placed in a tilted position by rotating them outward in the vehicle width direction from the upright position. Figure 4(a) shows the side plates 23 in an upright position, and Figure 4(b) shows the side plates 23 in a tilted position. Hereinafter, the position of the side plates 23 when they are upright will be referred to as the upright position, and the position of the side plates 23 when they are tilted will be referred to as the tilted position. The side plates 23 can rotate between the upright position and the tilted position.

[0040] As shown in Figure 3, the cargo bed structure 2 is provided with so-called spring claws (also called spring hooks) 50 as a locking mechanism for holding the side panels 23 in an upright position. The spring claws 50 are disposed at the front and rear ends of the side panels 23. The spring claws 50 are attached to front and rear fixed posts 51.

[0041] Figure 6 is a side view of the front end of the cargo bed structure 2. As shown in Figure 6, the locomotive fitting 50 has a ring portion 52 and a lever 53. The locomotive fitting 50 is rotatably supported on a shaft 54 ​​provided on a fixed pillar 51. A hook 55 is provided on the fixed pillar 51 to which the ring portion 52 of the locomotive fitting 50 is engaged. An operator can engage or release the ring portion 52 with the hook 55 by grasping the lever 53 and rotating it around the shaft 54.

[0042] FIG. 7 is a side view of the front end of the side panel 23. As shown in FIG. 7, a hook portion 26A is provided at the front end of the side panel 23. A similar hook portion 26A is also provided at the rear end of the side panel 23 (see FIG. 3). FIG. 8 is a plan view of the front end of the loading platform structure. As shown in FIG. 8, the hook portion 26A is formed in a U-shape when viewed from above when the side panel 23 is in the upright position. The cross section of the hook portion 26A is also formed in a U-shape. As shown in FIG. 7, the upper end of the hook portion 26A is formed with a hole 61 through which the hook 55 (see FIG. 6) provided on the fixed post 51 is passed. The center of the hook portion 26A is formed with a hole 62 through which the bracket 50 is passed. As shown in Figure 6, when an operator inserts the hook 55 and the shrimp fitting 50 into the holes 61 and 62 of the hook portion 26A, respectively, and rotates the lever 53 to lock the ring portion 52 of the shrimp fitting 50 onto the hook 55, the hook portion 26A is sandwiched between the shrimp fitting 50 and the fixed post 51. This holds the side panel 23 in the upright position.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3 , the rear end of the bottom plate 21 is provided with a locking portion 27 to which the hook portion 26A can be locked. The locking portion 27 is provided on each of the left and right sides of the rear end of the bottom plate 21. As shown in FIG. 4( a), each locking portion 27 extends in the left-right direction of the vehicle. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a vertical cross section of the hook portion 26A and the locking portion 27. As shown in FIG. 9 , the locking portion 27 is formed with a locking groove 27a into which the tip of the hook portion 26A is inserted. By inserting the tip of the hook portion 26A into the locking groove 27a, the hook portion 26A can be locked to the locking portion 27. By locking the hook portion 26A to the locking portion 27, the front end of the side plate 23 can be stably supported on the rear end of the bottom plate 21. Note that the cross-sectional shape of the locking portion 27 is not particularly limited, but the cross-sectional shape of the upper end 27b of the locking portion 27 may be formed to be circular to facilitate stable locking of the hook portion 26A.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 3, a side panel support guide 35 is provided at the rear end of the left side of the bottom plate 21. As shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), the side panel support guide 35 is configured to be slidable in the left-right direction of the vehicle. The side panel support guide 35 has a support bar 35A extending in the left-right direction of the vehicle and a lever 35B provided at the right end of the support bar 35A. A cylindrical support member 36 is provided at the rear end of the bottom plate 21, and the support bar 35A is slidably inserted into the support member 36. When an operator grasps and moves the lever 35B to the right, the side panel support guide 35 is positioned at a retracted position where the support bar 35A does not protrude leftward from the bottom plate 21 (see FIG. 4(a)). When an operator grasps and moves the lever 35B to the left, the side panel support guide 35 is positioned at an extended position where the support bar 35A protrudes leftward from the bottom plate 21 (see FIG. 4(b)). When the side plate support guide 35 is moved to the deployed position, the support bar 35A can support the side plate 23. Although not shown, a side plate support guide 35 is also provided at the rear end of the right side of the bottom plate 21. The right side plate support guide 35 is disposed symmetrically with the left side plate support guide 35. The support bar 35A of the right side plate support guide 35 can support the right side plate 24.

[0045] The above is the configuration of the loading platform structure 2 according to this embodiment. Next, a method of using the side plates 23 as runways will be described.

[0046] First, the worker rotates the rear panel 25 (see FIG. 2) of the loading platform 20 downward or removes it, thereby opening up the rear of the loading platform 20.

[0047] Next, the worker unlocks the front and rear brackets 50 and tilts the side panel 23 to the left from the upright position (see FIGS. 4(b) and 10). In this embodiment, the engaging members 40 provided on the side panel 23 are rotatably engaged with the guide shafts 30 provided on the bottom panel 21, so the worker can easily tilt the side panel 23.

[0048] Next, the worker moves the side plate support guide 35 from the retracted position to the deployed position (see FIG. 4(b)). The operation of moving the side plate support guide 35 from the retracted position to the deployed position may be performed before tilting the side plate 23, but is not particularly limited thereto, and may be performed after tilting the side plate 23, or may be performed in parallel with the operation of tilting the side plate 23.

[0049] Next, the worker moves the side panel 23 rearward along the guide shaft 30 while it is tilted. The guide shaft 30 guides the rearward movement of the side panel 23. Because the guide shaft 30 extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, the worker can move the side panel 23 straight rearward. Also, as shown in FIG. 4(b), because the side panel support guide 35 is positioned in the extended position, a portion of the side panel 23 is supported by the support bar 35A of the side panel support guide 35 (see FIG. 11). Therefore, the worker can stably move the side panel 23 rearward.

[0050] As shown in Figure 12, when the side plate 23 is tilted, the slot 40b of the engaging member 40 extends in the left-right direction. The width W40b of the slot 40b is greater than the dimension H31 of the support rod 31 in the up-down direction (note that the up-down direction is an example of the "second direction" according to the present invention). In other words, W40b > H31. Therefore, when the side plate 23 is moved rearward along the guide shaft 30, the support rod 31 can pass through the slot 40b of the engaging member 40. The side plate 23 can be moved rearward along the guide shaft 30 without interfering with the support rod 31.

[0051] When the frontmost engaging member 40 reaches the rear of the guide shaft 30, the side plate 23 disengages from the bottom plate 21. After removing the side plate 23 from the bottom plate 21, the worker hooks the hook portion 26A of the side plate 23 onto the locking portion 27 of the bottom plate 21 (see FIG. 9). As a result, as shown in FIG. 13, the side plate 23 is suspended between the rear end of the bottom plate 21 and the ground. Although not explained further, the right side plate 24 can be similarly suspended between the rear end of the bottom plate 21 and the ground. In this way, the left side plate 23 and the right side plate 24 can be used as ramps. The worker can load a vehicle such as a construction machine onto the bed 20 using the side plates 23, 24 of the bed 20.

[0052] The bed 20 of the truck 1 may be non-tiltable or tiltable. For example, as shown in FIG. 14 , the rear end of a subframe 14 may be connected to the rear end of the chassis frame 11 so as to be vertically rotatable, forming a tiltable dump frame. A dump actuator 15, such as a hydraulic cylinder, may be connected to the subframe 14 and the chassis frame 11. A control device 16 that controls the dump actuator 15 may control the dump actuator 15 so that the guide shafts 30 tilt downward and rearward when an operator slides the side plates 23 rearward along the guide shafts 30. Tilting the guide shafts 30 rearward reduces the workload of the operator when sliding the side plates 23 rearward along the guide shafts 30. This makes the operation easier for the operator.

[0053] After a vehicle such as construction machinery has been loaded onto the loading platform 20, the side plates 23, 24 can be fixed to the bottom plate 21 by performing the above-described operations in reverse order. By holding the side plates 23, 24 in the upright position, the truck 1 can be driven with a vehicle such as construction machinery loaded onto the loading platform 20.

[0054] When unloading a vehicle such as construction machinery loaded onto the loading platform 20, the side plates 23, 24 can be used as road plates by performing the above-described operation. The vehicle such as construction machinery can be unloaded from the loading platform 20 using the side plates 23, 24.

[0055] Next, various effects brought about by this embodiment will be described.

[0056] According to the bed structure 2 for a truck 1 of this embodiment, the side plates 23 can be tilted outward in the vehicle width direction, and then moved rearward along the guide shafts 30 in the tilted state. According to this embodiment, there is no need to remove the side plates 23 from the bottom plate 21 in order to move them rearward from the bottom plate 21. Furthermore, while it is relatively difficult to move the side plates 23 rearward while they are upright, according to this embodiment, the side plates 23 can be moved rearward along the guide shafts 30 in a tilted state. This makes it easier to move the side plates 23 rearward from the bottom plate 21. According to this embodiment, the side plates 23 of the bed 20 can be used as walkway boards, and the side plates 23 can be easily placed between the bottom plate 21 and the ground.

[0057] According to this embodiment, the circular hole 40a is formed in the engaging member 40, so that the engaging member 40 can be easily rotated on the outer peripheral surface of the guide shaft 30 when rotating the side plate 23 from the upright position to the tilted position. This makes it easy to tilt the side plate 23. Furthermore, the slot 40b is formed in the engaging member 40, so that the support rod 31 supporting the guide shaft 30 can be passed through the slot 40b when tilting the side plate 23 and then sliding it rearward. This prevents the support rod 31 from interfering with the engaging member 40 when moving the side plate 23 rearward.

[0058] According to this embodiment, hook portions 26A are provided at the front ends of the side plates 23, and locking portions 27 are provided at the rear end of the bottom plate 21. By locking hook portions 26A to locking portions 27, the front ends of the side plates 23 can be stably supported on the rear end of the bottom plate 21, and the side plates 23 can be stably bridged between the rear end of the bottom plate 21 and the ground. In addition, hook portions 26A, which are locked to a locking mechanism (loop fasteners 50) that holds the side plates 23 in an upright position, can also be used as members that lock the side plates 23 to the rear end of the bottom plate 21. This allows for a reduction in the number of parts.

[0059] According to this embodiment, the loading platform structure 2 is provided with side plate support guides 35. When the side plates 23 are moved rearward, the side plates 23 can be supported by the side plate support guides 35. Therefore, when the worker moves the side plates 23 rearward along the guide shafts 30, the burden of supporting the side plates 23 can be reduced. This makes it easier to move the side plates 23 rearward.

[0060] According to this embodiment, the side plate support guides 35 are configured to be slidable in the left-right direction of the vehicle. When moving the side plates 23 rearward, the side plate support guides 35 can be slid outward in the vehicle width direction and easily set to a position extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the rear end of the bottom plate 21. Furthermore, when the side plate support guides 35 are not in use, they can be slid inward in the vehicle width direction to prevent them from getting in the way.

[0061] The material of the side plates 23 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, the side plates 23 are made of aluminum. The side plates 23 are lighter than when they are made of iron. This makes it easier to bridge the side plates 23 between the bottom plate 21 and the ground. The side plates 23 may also be made of resin (including fiber-reinforced resin). In this case, the side plates 23 are also lighter, making it easier to bridge the side plates 23 between the bottom plate 21 and the ground.

[0062] 12, if the guide shaft 30 is tilted downward and rearward by controlling the dump actuator 15 when the engaging member 40 is slid rearward along the guide shaft 30, the operation of moving the side plate 23 rearward can be performed more easily. As a result, the operation of bridging the side plate 23 between the bottom plate 21 and the ground can be performed more easily.

[0063] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, the configurations of the guide shaft 30, the engaging member 40, etc. are different from those of the first embodiment. In the following description, the differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described. The same parts as in the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0064] 15 is a side view of the loading platform structure 2 according to the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the loading platform structure 2 also includes a loading platform 20, a guide shaft 30 provided on the bottom plate 21 of the loading platform 20, and an engaging member 40 provided on the side plate 23 of the loading platform 20 and engaging with the guide shaft 30.

[0065] In this embodiment, the rear end of the guide shaft 30 extends rearward beyond the rear end of the bottom plate 21. As shown in FIG. 16(a), the rear end of the guide shaft 30 is configured to be bendable. Specifically, the guide shaft 30 includes a main shaft 30A extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a rear end shaft 30B connected to the rear end of the main shaft 30A so as to be rotatable up and down. The main shaft 30A and the rear end shaft 30B are connected by a connecting shaft 30C extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The rear end shaft 30B can be positioned horizontally as shown by the solid lines in FIG. 16(a) or tilted backward as shown by the imaginary lines.

[0066] 16(b) is a view of the guide shaft 30 as seen from the rear. In this embodiment, a stopper 32 that protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction is provided at the rear end of the guide shaft 30. The stopper 32 is provided on the rear end shaft 30B.

[0067] 15, in this embodiment as well, a plurality of engagement members 40 are fixed to the side panels 23 of the cargo bed 20. However, in this embodiment, the engagement member 40 arranged at the forefront is configured differently from the other engagement members 40. In the following description, the engagement member 40 arranged at the forefront will be referred to as the front engagement member 41, and the engagement members 40 arranged behind the front engagement member 41 will be referred to as the rear engagement members 42.

[0068] FIG. 17 is a view of the front engagement member 41 as seen from the rear. As shown in FIG. 17, when viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the front engagement member 41 has a circular hole 41a, a slot 41b extending from the circular hole 41a, and a recess 41c recessed from the circular hole 41a. When the side plate 23 is in an upright position, the slot 41b extends downward from the circular hole 41a, and the recess 41c is recessed outward in the vehicle width direction from the circular hole 41a. When viewed from the rear, the recess 41c is larger than the stopper 32 of the guide shaft 30. The shape and dimensions of the recess 41c are set so that the stopper 32 of the guide shaft 30 can pass through it.

[0069] Figure 18 is a view of the rear engagement member 42 as seen from the rear. As shown in Figure 18, when viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the rear engagement member 42 has a circular hole 42a, a slot 42b extending from the circular hole 42a, and a recess 42c recessed from the circular hole 42a. When the side plate 23 is in an upright position, the slot 42b extends downward from the circular hole 42a, and the recess 42c is recessed upward from the circular hole 42a. When viewed from the rear, the recess 42c is larger than the stopper 32 of the guide shaft 30. The shape and dimensions of the recess 42c are set so that the stopper 32 of the guide shaft 30 can pass through it.

[0070] In this embodiment as well, when using the side plate 23 as a walkway plate, first, the side plate 23 is tilted to the left. Then, the side plate 23 is moved rearward along the guide shaft 30. As shown in FIG. 19 , when the side plate 23 is tilted, the recess 42c of the rear engagement member 42 is located to the left of the circular hole 42a. A stopper 32 is formed at the rear end of the guide shaft 30, and when the rear engagement member 42 moves rearward, the stopper 32 passes through the recess 42c of the rear engagement member 42. Therefore, the rear engagement member 42 can be removed rearward from the guide shaft 30.

[0071] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 20 , when the side plate 23 is tilted, the front engagement member 41 overlaps the stopper 32 when viewed in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Therefore, when the front engagement member 41 moves rearward, the stopper 32 abuts against the front engagement member 41. The portion of the front engagement member 41 opposite the shaft hole 41b of the circular hole 41a forms an abutment portion 41d (see FIG. 17 ) against which the stopper 32 abuts. Because the abutment portion 41d abuts against the stopper 32, the front engagement member 41 does not come off the guide shaft 30 when the side plate 23 is tilted. When the front engagement member 41 abuts against the stopper 32 while moving the side plate 23 rearward, the operator can easily tell that the side plate 23 has reached the rear of the bottom plate 21. Furthermore, the abutment of the front engagement member 41 against the stopper 32 prevents the side plate 23 from unintentionally coming off the guide shaft 30.

[0072] 21 is a side view of the cargo bed structure 2 when the front engagement member 41 abuts against the stopper 32. In this embodiment, a groove-shaped hook portion 28 is formed at the front end of the side plate 23. When the side plate 23 is in a tilted position tilted to the left from the upright position, the hook portion 28 opens upward.

[0073] In this embodiment, the worker moves the side plate 23 rearward relative to the bottom plate 21, and then rotates the side plate 23 180 degrees to the right around the guide shaft 30, as shown in FIG. 22 . That is, the side plate 23 is inverted from a position tilted outward in the vehicle width direction to a position tilted inward in the vehicle width direction. When the side plate 23 is inverted, the hook portion 28 opens downward. After inverting the side plate 23, the worker hooks the hook portion 28 onto the locking portion 27 provided at the rear end of the bottom plate 21. In addition, the worker rotates the rear end shaft 30B of the guide shaft 30 downward. As a result, the side plate 23 spans between the rear end of the bottom plate 21 and the ground, and can be used as a walkway.

[0074] Although not described here, the right side panel 24 can also be used as a ramp. In this embodiment, the left side panel 23 and the right side panel 24 of the loading platform 20 can be used to load a vehicle such as a construction machine onto the loading platform 20.

[0075] According to this embodiment, the front engagement members 41 are configured to be able to rotate the side plates 23 from a position where they are tilted outward in the vehicle width direction to a position where they are tilted inward in the vehicle width direction while remaining engaged with the rear ends of the guide shafts 30. After the side plates 23 are tilted outward in the vehicle width direction from their upright positions and slid to the rear of the bottom plate 21 along the guide shafts 30, the side plates 23 can be rotated to a position where they are tilted inward in the vehicle width direction while the front engagement members 41 are engaged with the guide shafts 30. Therefore, the side plates 23 can be bridged between the rear ends of the bottom plate 21 and the ground without being removed from the bottom plate 21. Therefore, the side plates 23 can be used as rungs without being removed from the bottom plate 21.

[0076] According to this embodiment, the guide shaft 30 includes a rear end shaft 30B connected to the rear end of the main shaft 30A so as to be rotatable up and down. The rear end shaft 30B is configured to be rotatable between a horizontal position extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and an inclined position inclined rearward and downward. By setting the rear end shaft 30B to the horizontal position, the engagement members 40 (i.e., the front engagement members 41 and the rear engagement members 42) can be slid rearward to the rear end of the guide shaft 30 (i.e., the rear end shaft 30B), and the side plate 23 can be moved rearward from the bottom plate 21. After moving the side plate 23 rearward, the rear end shaft 30B can be rotated to an inclined position, thereby inclining the side plate 23 rearward and downward. Therefore, with the front engagement members 41 engaged with the rear end of the guide shaft 30, the side plate 23 can be satisfactorily bridged between the rear end of the bottom plate 21 and the ground.

[0077] According to this embodiment, a stopper 32 is provided at the rear end of the guide shaft 30. When the side plate 23 is moved rearward, the rear engagement member 42 does not abut against the stopper 32, so the rear engagement member 42 can be removed from the guide shaft 30. This allows the side plate 23 to be moved rearward. On the other hand, when the side plate 23 is moved rearward beyond the bottom plate 21, the front engagement member 41 abuts against the stopper 32, so it is possible to prevent the side plate 23 from unintentionally detaching from the bottom plate 21.

[0078] 17 , the recess 41c of the front engagement member 41 is formed in a position, shape, and size that allows the stopper 32 to pass through when viewed in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle when the side plate 23 is in an upright state. When the side plate 23 is in an upright state, the stopper 32 can be passed through the recess 41c of the front engagement member 41 by moving the side plate 23 rearward. Therefore, when it is necessary to remove the side plate 23 from the bottom plate 21, the front engagement member 41 can be pulled out from the guide shaft 30 by raising the side plate 23, and the side plate 23 can be removed from the bottom plate 21.

[0079] In this embodiment, the bed 20 of the truck 1 may be either tiltable or non-tiltable. If the bed 20 is tiltable by a dump actuator, the dump actuator may be controlled by a control device so that the guide shaft 30 tilts downward and rearward when the side plate 23 is slid rearward along the guide shaft 30. Tilting the guide shaft 30 tilts downward and rearward reduces the burden on the worker when sliding the side plate 23 rearward along the guide shaft 30, making the worker's work easier.

[0080] (Other embodiments) Although two embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be embodied in various other forms. Next, examples of other embodiments will be briefly described.

[0081] The bed 20 (more specifically, the bottom plate 21) may not slide rearward, but may be configured to slide rearward. For example, as shown in FIG. 23 , the bottom plate 21 may be slid rearward relative to the subframe 14. Even in this case, the side plates 23, 24 of the bed 20 can be used as runways by spanning the rear end of the bottom plate 21 and the ground. According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 23 , when the side plates 23, 24 are spanned between the rear end of the bottom plate 21 and the ground, the inclination angle of the side plates 23, 24 from the ground can be made smaller. This makes it easier to load a vehicle such as a construction machine onto the bed 20. Note that the guide shaft and engaging member are not shown in FIG. 23 . The actuator that slides the bed 20 rearward may be separate from the actuator that tilts the bed 20, or a common actuator may be used to tilt and slide the bed. In this case, the control device 16 may control the common actuator so that the guide shaft 30 is tilted downward and rearward when the engaging member 40 is slid rearward along the guide shaft 30.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the guide shaft 30 is disposed directly below the side plate 23, but the position of the guide shaft 30 is not particularly limited. For example, the guide shaft 30 may be disposed outward and below the side plate 23 in the vehicle width direction. The guide shaft 30 may be formed to be hollow or solid.

[0083] In the above embodiment, the engaging member 40 is fixed to the lower end surface of the side plate 23 when the side plate 23 is in the upright position, but the location where the engaging member 40 is fixed to the side plate 23 is not particularly limited. For example, the engaging member 40 may be fixed to the lower part of the side surface of the side plate 23 when the side plate 23 is in the upright position, and may extend downward from the lower part of the side surface of the side plate 23. Furthermore, the shape of the engaging member 40 is not particularly limited.

[0084] In the above embodiment, the side panel support guide 35 has a lever 35B, but the lever 35B is not necessarily required. The support bar 35A of the side panel support guide 35 is formed in a cylindrical shape, but the cross-sectional shape of the support bar 35A is not limited to a circle. The cross-sectional shape of the support bar 35A may be, for example, an oval or a rectangle. In the above embodiment, the side panel support guide 35 is a side panel support member that supports the side panel 23 when the side panel 23 is moved in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, but the shape of the side panel support member is not particularly limited. In the above embodiment, the side panel support member (side panel support guide 35) is attached to the loading platform 20 so as to be slidable in the transverse direction of the vehicle, but the side panel support member may also be attached to the loading platform 20 so as not to be slidable. For example, the side panel support member may be configured to be detachable from the loading platform 20 and attached to the loading platform 20 when the side panel 23 is slid in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0085] In order to stably lock the front end of the side plate 23 and the rear end of the bottom plate 21, the first embodiment provides a hook portion 26A and a locking portion 27, while the second embodiment provides a hook portion 28 and a locking portion 27. However, as long as the front end of the side plate 23 can be stably placed on the rear end of the bottom plate 21, the hook portion and the locking portion are not necessarily required.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the bottom plate 21, front plate 22, side plates 23 and 24, and rear plate 25 that make up the cargo bed 20 are made of aluminum, but these may also be made of other materials such as iron. The bottom plate 21, front plate 22, side plates 23 and 24, and rear plate 25 may be made of the same material, or any one of them may be made of a different material from any one of the others. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1 track 2. Cargo bed structure 14 Subframe (dump frame) 15 Dump actuator 16 Control device 20 Cargo bed 21 Bottom plate 23 Side panel 26A Hook part 27 Locking part 30 Guide shaft 30A main body shaft 30B rear end shaft 31 Support rod (guide shaft support member) 32 Stopper 35 Side plate support guide (side plate support member) 40 Engagement member 41 Front engagement member 42 Rear engaging member 40a,41a,42a circular hole 40b,41b,42b slot 41d Contact part 42c recess 50 Lobster clasp (locking mechanism)

Claims

1. A bed structure provided on a truck, a loading platform having a bottom plate and side plates erected at side ends of the bottom plate; a guide shaft provided at a side end of the bottom plate and extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the front to the rear of the bottom plate; an engaging member provided on the side plate and engaging with the guide shaft so as to be rotatable and slidable in the front-rear direction of the vehicle; a locking mechanism that holds the side plate in an upright position, a hook portion for engaging the locking mechanism is provided at the front end or rear end of the side plate; A truck bed structure, wherein a locking portion to which the hook portion is locked is provided at the rear end of the bottom plate.

2. A loading platform structure provided on a truck, a loading platform having a bottom plate and side plates erected at side ends of the bottom plate; a guide shaft provided at a side end of the bottom plate and extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the front to the rear of the bottom plate; an engaging member provided on the side plate and engaging with the guide shaft so as to be rotatable and slidable in the front-rear direction of the vehicle; a side plate support member that is arranged to extend outward in the vehicle width direction from the rear end of the bottom plate when the side plate is slid in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction along the guide shaft, and that supports the side plate when the side plate is moved in the vehicle fore-and-aft direction.

3. A loading platform structure provided on a truck, a loading platform having a bottom plate and side plates erected at side ends of the bottom plate; a guide shaft provided at a side end of the bottom plate and extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the front to the rear of the bottom plate; an engaging member provided on the side plate and engaging with the guide shaft so as to be rotatable and slidable in the front-rear direction of the vehicle; The engaging members are arranged in a plurality in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, A truck bed structure, wherein all of the plurality of engaging members are configured to be removable rearward from the guide shaft.

4. A loading platform structure provided on a truck, a loading platform having a bottom plate and side plates erected at side ends of the bottom plate; a guide shaft provided at a side end of the bottom plate and extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the front to the rear of the bottom plate; an engaging member provided on the side plate and engaging with the guide shaft so as to be rotatable and slidable in the front-rear direction of the vehicle; the engaging members include a front engaging member provided at a front portion of the side plate and one or more rear engaging members arranged rearward of the front engaging member, A truck bed structure, wherein the front engagement member is configured to be rotatable from a position where the side plate is tilted outward in the vehicle width direction to a position where it is tilted inward in the vehicle width direction while remaining engaged with the rear end of the guide shaft.

5. The guide shaft includes a main body shaft extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction and a rear end shaft connected to a rear end of the main body shaft so as to be rotatable up and down, 5. The truck bed structure according to claim 4, wherein the rear end shaft is configured to be rotatable between a horizontal position extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction and an inclined position inclined downward toward the rear.

6. A stopper is provided at the rear end of the guide shaft, protruding radially outward from the guide shaft, 6. A truck bed structure as described in claim 4 or 5, wherein, when viewed along the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle when the side plate is tilted outward in the vehicle width direction from an upright state, the rear engaging member has a recess formed therein through which the stopper can pass when the rear engaging member is moved rearward, and the front engaging member has an abutment portion formed therein against which the stopper abuts when the front engaging member is moved rearward.

7. a guide shaft support member extending from the bottom plate in a first direction perpendicular to the vehicle front-rear direction and supporting the guide shaft; The engaging member has a substantially circular hole and a groove hole extending in the first direction from the circular hole when viewed along the vehicle front-rear direction in a state in which the side plate is tilted outward in the vehicle width direction, the inner diameter of the circular hole is equal to or greater than the outer diameter of the guide shaft, 7. The truck bed structure according to claim 1, wherein the width of the groove is larger than the dimensions of the guide shaft support member in the vehicle longitudinal direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

8. 8. The truck bed structure according to claim 1, wherein the side plates are made of aluminum or resin.

9. a tiltable frame supporting the bottom plate; an actuator that tilts the frame; a control device that controls the actuator so that the guide shaft is tilted downward and rearward when the engaging member is slid rearward along the guide shaft; The truck bed structure according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising:

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