Weight-bearing lift trolley

Abstract

To provide a device which enables a heavy object in a range which can be handled in transportation by human work to be moved up or down instantly.SOLUTION: A loading platform 1 disposed at the front of a dolly and a step board 3 for moving up the loading platform are respectively fixed to a linear guide component 2 and a linear guide component 4 which are fixed to a support pillar 5 serving as a framework of the dolly. A pulley 6 is fixed to an upper end of the support pillar. One end of one wire 7 is fixed to the loading platform, and the other end goes around the pulley to be fixed to the step board. The loading platform and the step board may move vertically while keeping a horizontal state. Making the loading platform heavier than the step board causes the loading platform to be in a stand-by state at a lower limit position where the loading platform is in contact with a landing part 15 at normal times, and a package can be instantly moved up only by a worker putting his / her weight on the step board. Further, a lever 8 which is swung by a spring is fixed to a support pillar side surface. At a descent end of the step board, action of the spring causes the lever to protrude to an upper part of the step board to prevent the step board from moving up and thereby keep the loading platform at the opposite side of the pulley in an elevated position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cart with a lifting function, which is utilized in the transportation work of daily necessities, the feeding of agricultural products into a sorting machine, the feeding of brown rice into a rice milling machine, the transportation and display of goods in a home center, etc., and the transportation of relief supplies in disaster areas.

Background Art

[0002] The background is a cart with a lifting function that has a function of holding the load at a desired height in addition to the loading and moving for carrying the load.

[0003] The technology of the lifting function of carts with a lifting function that is widespread in the world includes hydraulic, electric, and manual handle rotation types.

[0004] Many of these carts with a lifting function have a loading capacity of approximately 150 kg to 500 kg, etc., and are adapted to factories and construction sites.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006]

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] The current carts with a lifting function are classified according to the maximum loading capacity, but the time required for the lifting stroke is longer for the higher maximum loading capacity specifications. For example, when examined with the hydraulic lifting cart owned by the applicant, for the 150 kg maximum loading capacity specification, with no load and a 450 mm lift, the foot pedal for operating the hydraulic pressure was 11 times, for the 250 kg specification it was 23 times, and for the 500 kg specification it was 37 times, under the comparison conditions with the invention product.

[0008] However, when these existing lifting carts are used, for example, to load agricultural products into sorting machines or to transport relief supplies in disaster-stricken areas, they take too long to rise, making them unsuitable for frequent and repeated transport tasks. There is a great need in many workplaces for a lifting cart with a different design, one that can instantly rise to a load that can be assisted by a person, while still being able to handle heavy loads. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] This will be explained in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 14. The trolley frame according to the present invention is constructed of aluminum frame with consideration for reducing the overall weight, and as shown in Figure 1, it comprises a frame for four wheels for moving and support columns 5 for raising and lowering the loading platform 1 and step stool 3. A straight guide component 2 is fixed to the front of the support columns 5 and a straight guide component 4 is fixed to the rear, and the loading platform 1 is fixed to the straight guide component 2 and the step stool 3 is fixed to the straight guide component 4 as shown in Figure 5.

[0010] A pulley 6 is fixed to the top of the support column 5 on a pulley fixing plate 11 as shown in Figure 9, and a wire 7 that guides the lifting and lowering motion is routed around the pulley 6 and both ends are bolted to the loading platform 1 and step stool 3 with wire clamping components 14 as shown in Figure 5.

[0011] The handle 10, which is gripped during steering and lifting, is secured to the pulley fixing plate 11 by tightening it with a handle clamping component 12 as shown in Figure 8. The pulley fixing plate 11 is fixed to both sides of the support column 5 with auxiliary frames 13 screwed in parallel as shown in Figure 10, so as to accommodate the twisting action during steering. The rear wheel 9, which serves as both steering and braking, is fixed to the aluminum frame with a rear wheel fixing component 23 as shown in Figure 6, and the front wheel 22 is fixed to the aluminum frame with a front wheel fixing component 24 as shown in Figure 7.

[0012] In the above structure, the loading platform 1 and the stepping stool 3 move up and down in opposite directions while maintaining a horizontal surface. However, by making the weight of the loading platform 1 slightly heavier than the weight of the stepping stool 3, and setting a difference of 1.2 kg in this invention, the loading platform 1 lowers and hits the landing part 15 to settle into its fixed position.

[0013] When a load approximately 5 kg lighter than the worker's weight is placed on the fixed platform 1, the worker places one foot on the footrest 3, and as shown in Figure 11, lifts the other foot and applies their entire weight, causing the load on platform 1 to rise.

[0014] This section explains the mechanism by which the cargo bed 1 automatically locks into place after it has been raised. In Figure 11, a lever base 16 is fixed to the side of the support column 5, and the lever 8 is oscillating around a pivot axis 17 fixed to its upper surface so as to be able to slide. It is pulled in a counterclockwise rotational direction toward the plane of the paper by a spring 18 and hits a fixed position stopper 19, putting it in a waiting state.

[0015] During the lowering process of the step stool 3, as the step stool 3 descends, the lower part of the lever 8 is pushed to the left on the back side as indicated by arrow a. When the step stool 3 lands on the floor, the structure is designed so that a gap is created between the lower end of the lever 8 and the upper end of the step stool 3 as indicated by arrow b, as shown in Figure 12. The lever 8 returns to its original position due to the pulling force of the spring 18, and then when the worker releases their foot from the step stool 3 as shown in Figure 13, the step stool 3 is pulled through the wire 7 by the load of the platform 1 from the opposite side of the pulley 6, and the lower end of the lever 8 and the upper end of the step stool 3 come into contact as indicated by arrow c, creating a locked state, and the platform 1 with the load on it is held in the raised position.

[0016] The process of returning the loading platform 1 and step stool 3 to their original positions after the load has been removed by the worker at a predetermined height is described below. In Figure 14, when the worker pulls the knob 20 fixed to the upper side of the lever 8 towards them, the upper part of the lever 8 moves to the right in the plane of the paper as indicated by arrow d, and the opposite lower part moves to the left in the plane of the paper as indicated by arrow e through the pivot axis 17 until it hits the release stopper 21, releasing the locking action that was acting on the upper end of the step stool 3. As a result, the step stool 3 is pulled upward through the wire 7 from the heavier loading platform 1, passing through the lever 8 as indicated by arrow f. Immediately afterward, even if the worker releases their hand from the knob 20 as indicated by arrow g, the step stool 3 continues to rise, and the loading platform 1 moves downward, hitting the landing component 15 and returning to its original position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] In situations where goods are frequently transported and lifted to a predetermined height, such as loading agricultural products onto trucks, feeding them into sorting machines, or transporting relief supplies in disaster areas, the weight-bearing lift trolley of the present invention reduces the effort required for lifting from knee-high to chest-high, which places the greatest burden on people. This alleviates fatigue and allows even those who are not particularly strong, such as women or the elderly, to share the task. Furthermore, the effort required for lifting is significantly reduced compared to conventional lifting trolleys. For example, when loading a 30kg bag of rice into a rice mill, a well-known hydraulic system with a load capacity of 150kg requires 11 foot pedaling motions. However, our repeated practical testing has confirmed that with the weight-bearing lift trolley of the present invention, an average adult can lift the bag in just about 2 seconds. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This diagram shows the state after an operator has transported goods using the trolley of the present invention, with their feet placed on the footrest 3 in preparation for lifting the goods, as viewed from the left side in the direction of travel, and is also a plan view of the same diagram. [Figure 2] This is a side view of Figure 1, as seen from the perspective of the worker who is pressing. [Figure 3]This is a view from the left in the direction of travel of the state where the operator has applied their weight to the platform 3 and raised the loading platform 1 from the state of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] This is a side view of FIG. 3 as seen from the side of the operator who is pushing it, with respect to FIG. 3. [Figure 5] This is a view showing the details of the fixing of the linear guide parts 2 and 4 that move the loading platform 1 and the platform 3 up and down in balance to the support column 5, and the details of the fixing of the wire 7 to the loading platform 1 and the platform 3, in the cross-section B-B shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] This is a view showing the details of the fixing of the rear wheels 9 when the trolley of the present invention is being transported and moved, in the cross-section C-C shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] This is a view showing the details of the fixing of the front wheels 22 when the trolley of the present invention is being transported and moved, in the cross-section F-F shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 8] This is a view showing the details of the fixing of the handle 10 that is grasped when pushing the trolley by hand or when applying weight to the platform 3 to raise it, in the cross-section G-G shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 9] This is a view showing the details of the fixing of the pulley 6 that is responsible for the up and down movement of the loading platform 1 and the platform 3, in the cross-section E-E shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 10] This is a view showing the details of the fixing of the pulley fixing plate 11 that fixes the pulley 6 and the handle 10 to the support column 5, in the cross-section A-A shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 11] This is a view showing the operation of the lever 8 in the process of lowering by applying weight to the platform 3, a view from the left in the direction of travel, and the fixed state of the lever 8 showing the cross-section D-D shown in the figure. [Figure 12] This is a view showing the relationship between the lever 8 and the platform 3 when the platform 3 touches the floor surface. [Figure 13] This is a view showing the relationship between the lever 8 and the platform 3 when the foot is released from the platform 3. [Figure 14] This is a view explaining the state after the operator has pulled the knob 20 fixed to the lever 8 in order to return the loading platform 1 and the platform 3 to their original positions after removing the load from the raised loading platform 1.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0019] First, the worker places the load onto the platform 1 of the trolley of the invention shown in Figure 1. At this time, since the platform 1 is 360 mm above the floor, the work is easy without having to bend the body in an awkward position.

[0020] The vehicle then moves to its destination. In this invention, the front wheels 22 are large enough to handle uneven ground such as orchards and disaster sites (340 mm in diameter in this invention), and the rear wheels 9 are the well-known freely rotating type with a rotation locking function. The vehicle moves forward by steering with the handle 10, and the rear wheels 9 are locked at the stopping point.

[0021] After stopping at the destination, as shown in Figure 1, the worker can place their foot on the step stool 3 and apply their weight to instantly raise the platform 1. As shown in Figure 3, the lever 8 engages with the upper end of the step stool 3 due to the action of the spring 18, and even after removing the foot, the lever 8 continues to operate as shown in Figures 12 and 13, so the load can be held in the raised position. At this time, the platform 1 is 810 mm above the floor, so the load is at about chest level for the worker, allowing for comfortable work without bending over.

[0022] After removing the cargo from the loading platform 1, as shown in Figure 14, pulling the fixed knob 20 on the top of the lever 8 towards you will return the step stool 3 and loading platform 1 to their original positions. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0023] 1. Cargo bed 2 Straight guide parts for the cargo bed 3 Step stool 4. Straight guide parts for step stools 5 pillars 6 Pulley 7 wires 8 Lever 9 Rear wheel 10 handles 11 Pulley fixing plate 12 Handle clamping parts 13. Auxiliary Frame 14 Wire clamping parts 15 Landing parts 16 Lever stand 17. Pivot axis 18 Springs 19 Fixed position stopper 20 Knobs 21 Release stopper 22 Front wheels 23 Rear wheel fixing parts 24 Front wheel fixing parts 25 Luggage

Claims

[Claim 1] This is a lift-equipped trolley that has a cargo platform 1 for carrying cargo and allows the cargo platform to be moved and raised and lowered. The trolley is equipped with two large-diameter front wheels 22 arranged in parallel at the front and two rear wheels 9 that serve as both steering wheels and brakes, arranged in parallel at the rear, enabling it to move over uneven ground such as orchards and wastelands. In addition, it has the following features regarding the raising and lowering operation of the cargo platform 1. A support column 5 is provided in the middle of the trolley to support the raising and lowering of the loading platform 1. A linear guide component 2, which enables the vertical movement of the loading platform 1, is fixed to the front of the support column 5. A linear guide component 4 for the step stool 3, which is used to raise the loading platform 1, is fixed to the rear of the support column 5. The loading platform 1 is positioned in front of the trolley and fixed to the linear guide component 2, and the step stool 3 is fixed to the linear guide component 4 at the rear of the trolley. A pulley 6 is fixed to the top of the support column 5, and a wire 7 is placed on the pulley, with both ends of the wire 7 pointing downwards and fixed to the loading platform 1 and the step stool 3. When a load within the worker's weight range is placed on the loading platform 1, the worker places their feet on the step stool 3 and applies their weight, causing the wire, which is wrapped around the pulley, to lift the loading platform 1 and raise the load to a predetermined height. While the platform is rising, a lever 8 is fixed to the side of the support column 5, which can swing around a pivot axis 17 via a spring 18. When the platform 3 reaches its lowest position, the lever 8 extends over the platform 3 due to the action of the spring 18, preventing the platform 3 from rising, thereby holding the platform 1 on the opposite side of the pulley 6 at its highest point. Afterward, the worker moves the load from the raised end of the platform 1 to the desired location, and then operates lever 8 to release the lever 8 that was protruding and locked relative to the step stool 3. At this time, since platform 1 is set to be about 1.2 kg heavier than step stool 3, gravity causes platform 1 to lower and step stool 3 to rise and return to its original position. The above structure allows for the following sequence of operations on a lifting trolley: after loading cargo onto the platform 1 and moving it, the worker can instantly raise the platform 1 by applying their weight to the step stool 3, and hold it in the raised position; after the worker unloads the cargo, the lever 8 is activated to return the platform 1 and step stool 3 to their original positions.

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