Transport vehicle

Abstract

A transport vehicle of the present invention comprises: a vehicle body; a traveling device mounted to the vehicle body; winches mounted on the vehicle body and each having a wire; a storage container of which a lower end portion is rotatably mounted on the vehicle body and that has an open top; and a rotating mechanism that is connected to the storage container and rotates the storage container in a front-rear direction. The storage container is mounted to be able to rotate forward on a slope so that an upper end of the storage container can be substantially horizontal, and to be able to rotate rearward on a substantially horizontal plane so as to allow discharge of a carried object stored in the storage container. The storage container can store the carried object while moving on a steep slope, and can reliably discharge the carried object at a discharge location.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport vehicle that can move on slopes and transport earth and sand. [Background technology]

[0002] The object of the invention described in Patent Document 1 is to provide a crawler-type transport vehicle for agricultural work that is maneuverable, easy to operate, and safe, even when used for agricultural work on slopes in mountainous areas such as orchards, and that is suitable for such work even on rough, steep, or narrow mountain slopes.

[0003] The means for achieving the above objective is to "equip a body frame with a loading platform on top, with two motors, a battery and a control circuit board, a push handle at the rear of the body frame, a pair of left and right free-wheeling wheels attached to the front lower part of the body frame, and a pair of left and right drive wheels attached to the rear, with crawler belts wound around the front and rear wheels, and each motor operating the left and right drive wheels individually" (Patent Document 1). Although the crawler type transport vehicle can transport luggage on a gentle slope to a certain degree, it has the problem that it cannot travel on slopes with a gradient of a certain degree or more.

[0004] In addition, because the loading platform cannot rotate forward, there is a risk that the load may not be properly held on steep slopes. Furthermore, although the loading platform can tilt backward, because the loading platform is shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped and can only rotate about 45 degrees from the horizontal position, there are problems such as loads remaining inside the loading platform when being unloaded. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-16793 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional transport vehicle, the present invention aims to provide a transport vehicle that can move up steep slopes to store transported items and can reliably discharge the transported items at the discharge location. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the transport vehicle according to claim 1 of the present invention comprises a vehicle body, a traveling device provided on the vehicle body, a winch provided on the vehicle body and equipped with a wire, a storage container provided on the vehicle body at a rotatable lower end and an open upper end, and a rotation mechanism connected to the storage container and rotating the storage container in the front-to-rear direction, the storage container being rotatable forward so that its upper end is approximately horizontal on a slope, and being rotatable on an approximately horizontal surface so that transported objects stored in the storage container can be discharged. The rotation mechanism is composed of a base provided on the rear side of the vehicle body, a rotation shaft provided on the upper end of the base and connected to the lower end of the storage container, a link mechanism connecting the storage container to the base or the vehicle body, and a hydraulic cylinder for the rotation mechanism connected to the link mechanism, and the link mechanism is composed of a first link whose lower base end is connected to the base or the vehicle body, and a connecting rod whose upper base end is connected to the free end of the first link that is displaceable and whose upper base end is connected to the storage container. It is characterized by:

[0008] The rotation mechanism of the transporter described in claim 2 is characterized in that it is configured to rotate the storage container rearward by more than 90 degrees.

[0009] The storage container of the transporter according to claim 3 is characterized in that at least the rear side portion is formed as an inclined surface that widens upward.

[0010] The transporter according to claim 4 is characterized in that the body of the transporter is further provided with a work machine.

[0011] The work machine of the transporter described in claim 5 is a hydraulic excavator that is provided on the vehicle body so as to be rotatable in a substantially horizontal direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] As is clear from the above description, the present invention provides the following effects. (1) In the invention described in claim 1, a storage container is attached to a vehicle body having a winch with a wire via a rotating mechanism, so that the vehicle can move up a slope to store the transported items and can reliably discharge the transported items at the discharge location. (2) In the inventions described in claims 2 and 3, the same effect as in (1) can be obtained, and the transported objects can be discharged more reliably. (3) In the inventions described in claims 4 and 5, the same effects as those in (1) and (2) can be obtained, and work can be performed on slopes and objects can also be transported. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] 1 to 7 are explanatory diagrams showing a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a side view of the transporter according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Plan view of the transport vehicle. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] Plan view when working on a slope. [Figure 5] Side view when working on a slope. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a state in which the transported object is stored in the storage container. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the state in which the transported object is being discharged. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. Note that the left-right direction refers to the left-right direction in Fig. 2 (plan view), the front-rear direction refers to the left-right direction in Fig. 1, and the up-down direction refers to the up-down direction in Fig. 1.

[0015] In the first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, reference numeral 1 denotes a transport vehicle that can move mainly on a steep slope 2 of at least 40 degrees or more.

[0016] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the transport vehicle 1 is composed of a vehicle body 3, a traveling device 4 provided on the vehicle body 3, a winch 6 provided on the vehicle body 3 and equipped with a wire 5, a storage container 7 having a rotatable lower end provided on the vehicle body 3 and an open upper end, a rotation mechanism 8 connected to the storage container 7 and rotating the storage container in the forward and backward directions, and a work machine 9 provided on the vehicle body 3.

[0017] The vehicle body 3 is equipped with running devices 4 at its bottom, and in this embodiment, endless tracks 4 are used on the left and right sides of the running devices 4. It is also possible to use tires instead of endless tracks 4 as the running devices 4. A pair of winches 6, one on each side, is provided on each side of the vehicle body 3, each equipped with a wire 5 for suspending the transport vehicle 1 on the slope 2. A hydraulic excavator 9 is provided as a work machine 9 on the front side, and a storage container 7 is provided on the rear side of the upper part of the vehicle body 3.

[0018] The hydraulic excavator 9 is provided with an operator's seat 10, which is provided with an operation panel for operating the traveling device 4, the left and right winches 6, and the rotation mechanism 8 that rotates the storage container 7.

[0019] In this embodiment, the hydraulic excavator 9 is mounted on the vehicle body 3 via angle adjustment means 11 that can make the hydraulic excavator 9 approximately horizontal even on the slope 2.

[0020] The angle adjustment means 11 is composed of a base plate 14, one end of which is attached to a support base 12 of the vehicle body 3 via a pivot pin 13 and the other end of which is attached so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction, and a hydraulic cylinder 15, which is provided on the rear side of the base plate 14 and rotates the base plate 14 in the vertical direction around the pivot pin 13 as a fulcrum.

[0021] In this embodiment, the hydraulic excavator 9 is rotatable in an approximately horizontal direction via a swivel mechanism 16, and includes an operator's seat 10 provided on the upper part of the base plate 14 via the swivel mechanism 16, a drive arm 17 attached to the front end of the operator's seat 10, and a bucket 18 as a work attachment detachably attached to the tip of the drive arm 17.

[0022] The storage container 7 is attached to the rear end of the upper part of the vehicle body 3 at its lower end so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction via a rotation mechanism 8, and is configured as a box-like shape that is approximately an inverted triangle, approximately an inverted trapezoid, or an inclined approximately rectangular shape when viewed from the side (as shown in FIG. 1) with its upper end open; in this embodiment, it is formed in an approximately inverted trapezoid shape. Specifically, the rear side is formed as a long inclined surface, with the rotation mechanism 8 connected to the apex of the bottom, and the front side is shaped as a combination of a gentle inclined surface and a steep inclined surface. In this way, at least the rear side is formed as an inclined surface that widens upward, so that the transported object 19 can be reliably discharged.

[0023] When on a slope 2, the storage container 7 can be rotated forward so that its upper end is approximately horizontal, and when on an approximately horizontal surface, it can be rotated rearward by more than 90 degrees so that the transported objects 19 stored in the storage container 7 can be discharged. Note that any angle is sufficient as long as it allows the transported objects 19 stored in the storage container 7 to be reliably discharged, and when the rear side of the storage container 7 is inclined as in this embodiment, the rearward rotation angle can be within 90 degrees.

[0024] This rotation mechanism 8 is composed of a base 20 provided on the rear side of the vehicle body 3, a rotation shaft 21 provided at the upper end of this base 20, a storage container 7 whose lower end (for example, the lowest vertex part) is connected to the rotation shaft 21, a link mechanism 22 connecting the storage container 7 to the base 20 or the vehicle body 3, and a hydraulic cylinder 23 for the rotation mechanism connected to the link mechanism 22.

[0025] The link mechanism 22 employs a "two-handed link" having a first link 22a whose lower base end is connected to, for example, the base 20 or the vehicle body 3, and a connecting rod 22b whose upper base end is connected to a position away from the apex of the bottom of the storage container 7 and whose first link 22a is connected to a displaceable free end of the first link. The tip of the operating rod 23a of the hydraulic cylinder 23 for the turning mechanism, which is operated by a pressure medium, is connected to a displaceable connecting position P between the first link 22a and the connecting rod 22b.

[0026] Therefore, in this embodiment, the aforementioned rotating shaft 21 is the fulcrum, the protruding tip of the operating rod 23a (the connection point between the first link 22a and the connecting rod 22b) is the force point, and the base end of the connecting rod of the link mechanism 22, which connects to an appropriate location on the front bottom surface of the storage container 7, is the weight point.

[0027] When the transport vehicle 1 travels on a horizontal surface, the operating rod 23a of the hydraulic cylinder 23 for the turning mechanism is positioned at the origin position to make the upper end of the storage container 7 approximately horizontal, and when on a slope 2, the operating rod 23a is contracted to turn the storage container 7 forward with the turning shaft 21 as the fulcrum, thereby maintaining the upper end approximately horizontal. The operating rod 23a of the hydraulic cylinder 23 for the turning mechanism is connected to the gentle inclined surface on the front side mentioned above.

[0028] Furthermore, when the transported object 19 is discharged, by extending the operating rod 23a, the aforementioned rotation shaft 21 becomes the fulcrum, the protruding tip of the operating rod 23a becomes the point of force, and the base end of the connecting rod connected to the bottom of the storage container 7 becomes the point of gravity, so that the storage container 7 can be rotated rearward by more than 90 degrees. Therefore, all of the transported object 19 inside the storage container 7 can be reliably discharged.

[0029] Incidentally, rotating the storage container 7 rearward by more than 90 degrees refers to a state in which the storage container 7 is rotated downward by more than 90 degrees when the vehicle body is positioned on a substantially horizontal plane, as shown in Figure 3. By allowing the storage container 7 to rotate rearward to this extent, the transported object 19 inside the storage container 7 can be reliably discharged.

[0030] In this embodiment, the pivot shaft 21 is provided via the base 20 so that it can be rotated rearward by more than 90 degrees, but if rotation space for the storage container 7 can be secured by, for example, cutting out the rear end of the vehicle body 3, the pivot shaft 21 may be provided directly on the vehicle body 3.

[0031] When working on the slope 2, the wires 5 of the winches 6 of the transport vehicle 1 are connected to the anchors 24 on the slope 2 so that they form an approximately inverted V shape in a plan view as shown in Figure 4, and the transport vehicle 1 is moved to the work position.

[0032] At this time, the angle adjusting means 11 and the rotation mechanism 8 are adjusted so that the operator's seat 10 of the work machine 9 and the upper end of the storage container 7 are in a substantially horizontal position, as shown in FIG.

[0033] Once the work position is reached, drilling, excavation, and other work is carried out using the hydraulic excavator 9, and the transported material 19, such as soil and sand, generated by these works is stored in the storage container 7 using the bucket 18 of the hydraulic excavator 9, as shown in Figure 6.

[0034] After storing the transported object 19 in the storage container 7, the transport vehicle 1 is moved to the location where the transported object 19 is to be discharged, and then the storage container 7 is rotated backward by the rotation mechanism 8 as shown in Figure 7, and the transported object 19 is discharged.

[0035] In the embodiment of the present invention, a transporter equipped with a work machine has been described, but a transporter without a work machine may also be used. Furthermore, the work machine may be not only a hydraulic excavator, but also a drilling machine or other existing work machine capable of working on slopes. [Industrial Applicability]

[0036] The present invention is applicable to industries that manufacture transport vehicles used for various operations on steep slopes such as slopes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1: Transport vehicle, 2: Slope, 3: Body, 4: Running gear, 5: Wire, 6: Winch, 7: storage container; 8: rotation mechanism; 9: Work machine, 10: Driver's seat, 11: Angle adjustment means, 12: Support stand, 13: pivot pin; 14: base plate; 15: hydraulic cylinder, 16: turning mechanism, 17: drive arm; 18: work attachment; 19: Object to be transported, 20: Base, 21: Rotating shaft; 22: Link mechanism; 23: Hydraulic cylinder for rotation mechanism, 24: Anchor.

Claims

1. a transport vehicle comprising a vehicle body, a traveling device attached to the vehicle body, a winch attached to the vehicle body and equipped with a wire, a storage container attached to the vehicle body at a rotatable lower end and an open upper end, and a rotation mechanism connected to the storage container and rotating the storage container in the forward and backward directions, wherein the storage container is rotatable forward so that its upper end is approximately horizontal on a slope, and is rotatable rearward on an approximately horizontal surface so that transported objects stored in the storage container can be discharged, the rotation mechanism comprising a base attached to the rear side of the vehicle body, a rotation shaft attached to the upper end of the base and connected to the lower end of the storage container, a link mechanism connecting the storage container to the base or the vehicle body, and a hydraulic cylinder for the rotation mechanism connected to the link mechanism, and the link mechanism is composed of a first link whose lower base end is connected to the base or vehicle body, and a connecting rod connected to the displaceable free end of the first link and whose upper base end is connected to the storage container.

2. 2. The transporter according to claim 1, wherein the rotation mechanism is configured to rotate the storage container rearward by more than 90 degrees.

3. 3. The transporter according to claim 1, wherein at least a rear side of the storage container is formed as an inclined surface that widens upward.

4. 4. A transporter according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle body is further provided with a work machine.

5. 5. The transporter according to claim 4, wherein the work machine is a hydraulic excavator mounted on the vehicle body so as to be rotatable in a substantially horizontal direction.

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