Lifting equipment

Abstract

To provide a suspension device which facilitates slinging work even if a suspension object is at a position higher than an eye line of an operator, and a hooking part for suspending a suspension object is not visible.SOLUTION: A suspension device 1 includes engagement parts 3 and regulation parts 4 and suspends a suspension object, wherein the engagement parts 3 are inserted to holes 13 of a suspension object 11 and engage a suspension object 11 from at least its lower surface, and the regulation parts 4 regulate a relative position between the engagement parts 3 and the suspension object 11 by contact with the suspension object 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lifting device for lifting an object to be lifted.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, when lifting an object to be lifted using an electric hoist or an electric balancer, a lifting device for locking the object to be lifted has been used.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the invention described in Patent Document 1, a lifting tool for remotely operating an object to be lifted having a hole is disclosed. However, when the object to be lifted is a pallet for a forklift or the like and is stacked in multiple levels higher than the operator's line of sight, the hooking hole portion for lifting the object to be lifted cannot be visually recognized by the operator on the ground, so that a great deal of labor is required for the hanging operation.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a lifting device that can facilitate the hanging operation even when the object to be lifted is at a position higher than the operator's line of sight and the hooking portion for lifting the object to be lifted cannot be visually recognized.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a lifting device that includes a locking portion and a restricting portion and suspends an object to be lifted, where the locking portion is inserted into a hole of the object to be lifted and locks from at least the lower surface of the object to be lifted, The regulating part controls the relative position between the locking part and the object to be suspended by contacting the object to be suspended.

[0007] Furthermore, the restricting section can restrict the locking section in one direction when the vertical distance between the locking section and the object being suspended is less than or equal to a predetermined distance.

[0008] Furthermore, it is equipped with a posture limiting unit that restricts the orientation of the object being suspended, centered around the locking unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The lifting device of the present invention makes it easier to rig up objects that are positioned higher than the worker's line of sight. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the external appearance of a lifting device, an object to be lifted, and an electric balancer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] These are perspective views and cross-sectional views of a lifting device and an object to be lifted according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] These are perspective views and cross-sectional views of a lifting device and an object to be lifted according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] These are perspective views and cross-sectional views of a lifting device and an object to be lifted according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] These are perspective views and cross-sectional views of a lifting device and an object to be lifted according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] These are perspective views and cross-sectional views of a lifting device and an object to be lifted according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] These are perspective views and cross-sectional views of a lifting device and an object to be lifted according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, a lifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] Figure 1 is an external perspective view of a lifting device, a lifting object, and an electric balancer according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the state before the lifting device lifts the lifting object. The lifting object is, for example, a resin pallet 11 used by inserting the forks of a forklift, and is approximately 1200 mm long, 1000 mm wide, and 130 mm high. When not in use, the pallets 11 are stacked and stored in a pallet storage area, and are taken out from the top layer as needed. In addition to the horizontal holes for inserting the forklift forks, the pallet 11 has rectangular holes 13 and 14. A beam 12 is provided between holes 13 and 14, and there are two of these beams in the center of the top surface of the pallet 11. Therefore, workers can move the pallet 11 using the beam 12. Holes 13 and 14 are not necessarily through holes, and may be recesses, but there is space on the underside of the beam 12 for the locking part 3 to move.

[0013] The electric balancer 21 detects the weight of the object being lifted using a built-in load sensor and assists in canceling out the weight of the lifted object using an electric motor, thereby facilitating the lifting and lowering of the object. Furthermore, when an external force is applied to the object being lifted, the electric balancer 21 detects this with the load sensor and controls it to match the weight of the object that has been pre-registered, so that the operator can easily lift and lower the object by applying only a small force. In addition, the electric balancer 21 can be suspended from rail blocks or the like that run on rails in the x and y directions, and can move freely horizontally in the x and y directions.

[0014] The remote control 22 wirelessly commands the operation of the electric balancer 21. The remote control 22 has a built-in battery and issues commands to the electric balancer 21 for lifting (up and down) movement, holding at the current position, and assist operation to cancel the weight of the suspended object, via its respective buttons.

[0015] The suspension device 1 has a suspension part 2, a locking part 3, a regulating part 4, and an attitude limiting part 5. The suspension part 2 has a hanging hole at the upper end so as to be hung on the hanging hook of the electric balancer 21 for the suspended load. The locking part 3 is a U-shaped hook provided so as to extend in the minus z direction from the suspension part 2 and having an upward protrusion, and is provided at two positions according to the interval in the x direction of the beam 12. By locking the locking part 3 to the lower surface of the beam 12 in the plus z direction, the suspension device 1 can lift the pallet 11. And the interval in the y direction of the protrusions of the locking part 3 is provided slightly larger than the width in the y direction of the beam 12.

[0016] On the other hand, the side plates 8a and 8b are connected to both sides of the suspension part 2 perpendicular to the suspension part 2. A handle 6 is provided near the intersection of the side plate 8a and the suspension part 2. The handle 6 is for an operator to grasp and move the suspension device 1 suspended on the electric balancer 21.

[0017] The regulating part 4 is a protrusion extending in the minus z direction from the side plate 8a. The length of the protrusion of the regulating part 4 is provided longer in the z direction than the lower surface of the locking part 3. Therefore, the protrusion of the regulating part 4 protrudes below the lower surface of the locking part 3. Note that this regulating part 4 exists only on the side where the handle 6 is provided, and is not provided on the side plate 8b on the opposite side sandwiching the locking part 3. That is, when the vertical distance between the locking part 3 and the pallet 11 exceeds a predetermined distance, the suspension device 1 can move freely in the xy direction. However, when the vertical distance between the locking part 3 and the pallet 11 is below the predetermined distance, the regulating part 4 abuts on the side surface of the pallet 11, so that the suspension device 1 cannot be moved further in the minus x direction, while it can be moved in the plus x direction. Therefore, the regulating part 4 can regulate the relative position between the locking part 3 and the pallet 11 in one direction.

[0018] The posture restricting part 5 is a roller located at both ends in the y direction of the side plates 8a and 8b, with the x direction as the central axis. The posture restricting part 5 is provided on both of the side plates 8a and 8b facing each other across the yz plane, and in both cases, it protrudes from the side plates 8a and 8b near the locking part 3 in the x direction. Note that the posture restricting part 5 is not limited to a roller protruding from the side plates 8a and 8b, and it may be a rod-shaped member connecting the two side plates 8a and 8b or the like.

[0019] The mark 9 is a mark used for aligning the y-direction positions of the lifting device 1 and the pallet 11. Therefore, in addition to an arrow, the mark 9 may be a hole or a mark of other shapes.

[0020] Figures 2 to 7 are external perspective views and cross-sectional views of the lifting device and the object to be lifted according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the states of a series of the lifting device and the object to be lifted.

[0021] Figure 2(a) shows the state when the lifting device 1 is vertically above the pallet 11. And Figure 2(b) is a cross-sectional view seen in the minus x direction after cutting along a plane P parallel to the yz plane in Figure 2(a). Each cross-sectional view after Figure 2 shows the cross-section at the same position as Figure 2(b).

[0022] The details of the operation performed by the operator using the lifting device 1 are described below. The operator puts the electric balancer 21 in an assist state, holds the handle 6 of the lifting device 1, and raises and lowers the lifting device 1. At this time, the operator registers the weight only by the weight of the lifting device 1, and the electric balancer 21 assists the operator's raising and lowering actions so as to cancel the weight of the lifting device 1. Then, while operating by holding the handle 6 in the minus x direction so that the lifting device 1 approximately comes directly above the pallet 11 from the state of Figure 2(a), the operator guides the lifting device 1 to a position where the mark 9 can be seen at the center of the rib 15 of the pallet 11 in the y direction. And when the operator determines that the lifting device 1 above the line of sight is approximately directly above the pallet 11, the operator lowers the lifting device 1 while pressing the restricting part 4 against the side surface of the pallet 11, and further lowers the lifting device 1 in the vertically downward direction (minus z direction) while adjusting the xy-direction position so that the two locking parts 3 enter the holes 13.

[0023] Figures 3(a) and 3(b) show the state when the locking portion 3 of the lifting device 1 is inserted into the hole 13 of the pallet 11. The worker lowers the lifting device 1 until the tip of the locking portion 3 is lower in the z direction than the lower surface of the beam 12. In other words, the worker only needs to lower it until the suspension portion 2 at the base of the locking portion 3 contacts the top surface of the pallet 11.

[0024] Figures 4(a) and 4(b) show the state after the locking portion 3 of the lifting device 1 has entered the hole 13 of the pallet 11. The worker moves the lifting device 1 in the horizontal direction, the negative y direction, until the locking portion 3 abuts against the side surface of the beam 12, resulting in the state shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b).

[0025] Figures 5(a) and 5(b) show the state just before the locking part 3 of the lifting device 1 locks onto the beam 12 of the pallet 11. The worker moves the lifting device 1 from the position shown in Figure 4(b) in the vertical upward direction, i.e., in the positive z direction, so that the locking part 3 comes into contact with the bottom of the beam 12. In this state, the locking part 3 is gripping the beam 12, but the pallet 11 has not yet been lifted. The worker then continues to press the rise button on the remote control 22. The electric balancer 21 then raises the lifting device 1, and the pallet 11 is lifted off the pallet below.

[0026] Figures 6(a) and 6(b) show the state in which the electric balancer 21 has lifted the lifting device 1 and the pallet 11. The operator stops pressing the lift button on the remote control 22 and presses the assist command button. The electric balancer 21 then registers the combined weight of the lifting device 1 and the pallet 11 and performs assistance to balance the lifting device 1 and the pallet 11 based on this combined weight. From this point on, the operator can freely raise and lower the pallet 11 with minimal force by gripping the handle 6 of the lifting device 1. Raising and lowering the pallet 11 can be performed not only by using the handle 6, but also by applying external force to any position such as the handle 7, the suspension part 2, or the pallet 11.

[0027] Figures 7(a) and 7(b) show the state in which the electric balancer 21 has lifted the lifting device 1 and the pallet 11, and the pallet 11 is tilted. The beam 12 of the pallet 11 is held in place by the locking part 3, so tilting is suppressed to some extent, but the pallet 11 may tilt around the x-axis with the beam 12 as the center. In addition, workers may lift or lower the pallet 11 by applying an external force to any position on the pallet 11, which may also cause it to tilt. Therefore, posture limiting parts 5 are provided at both ends of the side plates 8a and 8b, and the posture limiting parts 5 restrict the range of posture of the pallet 11.

[0028] Therefore, according to the present invention, even when the objects to be lifted are stacked in multiple layers higher than the worker's line of sight, and the locking part of the objects to be lifted that secures the lifting device is not visible to the worker, the lifting device can be easily used to perform rigging work on the objects to be lifted.

[0029] Furthermore, while the above embodiment described a lifting device for suspending a pallet as an example, it is of course possible to use a lifting device for suspending objects other than pallets. [Industrial applicability]

[0030] As described above, the lifting device of the present invention can be applied to the lifting and lowering of objects such as pallets handled by a forklift. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0031] 1: Hanging device 2: Hanging part 3: Locking part 4: Regulatory Department 5: Posture restriction section 6: Handle 7: Handle 8a, 8b: Side plate 9: Mark 11: Pallet (object to be lifted) 12: Beam 13: Hole 14: Hole 15: Rib 21: Electric balancer 22: Remote control

Claims

[Claim 1] A lifting device for suspending an object, comprising a locking part, a restricting part, and a suspension part, The locking portion and the restricting portion are, Based on the fact that the suspension part is connected in a way that allows it to be raised and lowered by an electric lifting device, the lower part extending horizontally below the suspension part is made movable up and down. The aforementioned locking portion is, Based on the descent of the object to be suspended from above, it is made insertable into the hole of the object to be suspended, and when it moves within the hole toward the lower surface provided at the upper part of the hole, it is made to enter a locked state that allows for suspension. The aforementioned regulatory body, It extends vertically to a predetermined length as part of a side plate that intersects at the end of the extended portion of the lower part which extends horizontally from below the suspension part, and is positioned along the side edge of the object to be suspended based on the descent, The aforementioned side plate is As a result of the aforementioned descent, the locking portion is inserted into the hole, and when the upper part of the object to be suspended and the extending portion come into contact, the restricting portion is positioned so as to face the side surface of the object to be suspended, thereby enabling the relative position between the locking portion and the object to be suspended to be restricted. When a predetermined operating force is applied to either the suspension portion or the side plate, and the locking portion moves within the hole in a locked state, the restricting portion of the predetermined length maintains the restrictable position. A lifting device characterized by the following features.

Images