Pushing member, transport trolley and protective member

Abstract

To prevent hands of a user from contacting with an object etc. around a transport dolly.SOLUTION: The invention relates to a hand-operated member 40 for allowing a user to push a transport dolly 1 with its hand when moving the transport dolly 1. The hand-operated member 40 includes protection parts 44, 45 which protect a hand of the user holding the hand-operated member 40. Further, the hand-operated member 40 has a grip part 43. The protection parts 44, 45 are located close to the grip part 43 and protrude to the outer side relative to an outer peripheral surface of the grip part 43.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a hand-pushing member 、 a transport cart and protective member and particularly relates to a hand-pushing member or the like that protects the user's hand of .

Background Art

[0002] Some transport carts used at construction sites and the like have a configuration in which a single pipe can be inserted into the four corners and the like of the main body of the transport cart. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a transport cart provided with corner members into which a single pipe can be inserted as a hand-pushing bar at the four corners. With such a configuration, when moving the transport cart, the user of the transport cart can use the single pipe inserted into the main body of the transport cart as a hand-pushing bar.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, when moving a transport cart using a hand-pushing bar, there is a risk that the hand of the user holding (grasping) the hand-pushing bar may come into contact with an object existing in the surroundings such as a wall. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to Protect ...

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present invention relates to a hand pusher for a transport trolley, which is attached to the trolley body by inserting it into upwardly opening insertion holes provided at the four corners of the rectangular trolley body, and is used by a user to push the transport trolley when it is in motion. The hand pusher comprises a pipe-shaped main body member that is straight from the lower end to the upper end and extends in the vertical direction, and a protective member that protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the main body member and has a protective portion to protect the user's hand that grasps the hand pusher. The protective member is rotatable relative to the main body member about the axis of the mounting hole for attaching it to the main body member. It is characterized by the following: [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, the user's hand Protect It is possible. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of the configuration of the transport cart and push member according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic external perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a protective component. [Figure 3] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a protective member. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates the effect of the hand-pushing member. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates the effect of the hand-pushing member. [Figure 6] This figure schematically shows an example of the configuration of the protective member of the second embodiment. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of the configuration of a transport cart and a pusher member according to the third embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of the configuration of the push member and protective member. [Figure 9] This is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a reinforcing member. [Figure 10] This figure shows an example of the configuration of a transport cart and pusher member according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 11] This figure shows an example of the configuration of the push member and protective member. [Figure 12] This is a perspective view showing an example configuration of a transport cart with side walls attached. [Figure 13] It is a figure showing a state where hand-pressing members are stacked. [Figure 14] It is a figure showing a configuration example of a hand-pressing member of the fifth embodiment. [Figure 15] It is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a protection member of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 16] It is a figure showing a configuration example of a carrier dolly with side walls attached. [Figure 17] It is a figure showing a configuration example of a carrier dolly with side walls attached.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, the carrier dolly and the hand-pressing member according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. For convenience of explanation, the vertical direction of the hand-pressing member and the protection member shown in each of the following embodiments is based on the direction in the state where the hand-pressing member is attached to the dolly main body portion. Also, the front-rear direction of the carrier dolly is the longitudinal direction of the carrier dolly, and the left-right direction is the lateral direction of the carrier dolly. However, the carrier dolly of the present embodiment can travel in any direction including front, rear, left, and right.

[0009] <First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a figure showing a configuration example of a carrier dolly and a hand-pressing member according to the first embodiment. The carrier dolly 1 includes a dolly main body portion 20, a traveling portion 30, and a hand-pressing member 40. First, the dolly main body portion 20 will be described. The dolly main body portion 20 is configured by connecting a plurality of frame portions and the like, and loads the transported object. The dolly main body portion 20 is rectangular in a plan view with the front-rear direction as the longitudinal direction and the left-right direction as the lateral direction. The dolly main body portion 20 has a front side frame portion 21a, a rear side frame portion 21b, a right side frame portion 21c, a left side frame portion 21d, a corner member 22, a reinforcing frame portion (reinforcing portion) 25, a mounting plate 26, and the like.

[0010] The front frame portion 21a, the rear frame portion 21b, the right frame portion 21c, and the left frame portion 21d can use, for example, angular hollow pipes made of an aluminum alloy. Also, the corner member 22 is made of an aluminum alloy formed by, for example, extrusion molding. The corner member 22 has an insertion hole 23 that opens upward and a stopper portion 24 (see FIG. 8) that closes the lower part. A hand-pushing member 40 is inserted into the insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22. The lower end of the hand-pushing member 40 inserted into the insertion hole 23 is supported by the stopper portion 24.

[0011] The front frame portion 21a, the rear frame portion 21b, the right frame portion 21c, and the left frame portion 21d are joined at the four corners by the corner member 22 to form a rectangular four-sided frame. Inside the frame, a plurality of reinforcing frame portions 25 are attached in the front-rear, left-right directions and joined by screws, rivets, welding, etc. to form a grid-like structure. The reinforcing frame portions 25 can use, for example, angular hollow pipes made of an aluminum alloy or plates with uneven cross-sections. The placement plate 26 is a planar plate for loading the transported object. The placement plate 26 is joined to each frame portion and each reinforcing frame portion 25 via rivets and screws.

[0012] The traveling portion 30 travels on the traveling surface while supporting the load of the cart main body portion 20 and the transported object. The traveling portion 30 has a plurality of casters 31. In this embodiment, the traveling portion 30 has six casters, namely, four casters 31 arranged at the four corners of the cart main body portion 20 and two casters 31 arranged at the center in the front-rear direction and spaced apart left and right. Each caster 31 is attached to the cart main body portion 20 via a mounting plate.

[0013] The push member 40 is a member used by the user to push the transport cart 1 when it is in motion. The push member 40 is elongated, with a length of approximately 1000 mm. The push member 40 is attached to the cart body 20 by inserting its lower end into the insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22. The transport cart 1 in this embodiment has four push members 40, each inserted into the insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22. All four push members 40 have the same configuration. However, it is not limited to attaching four push members 40; one, two, or three push members 40 may also be attached.

[0014] The push member 40 has a main body member 41 as the main body part and a protective member 42. The main body member 41 is a long, pipe-shaped member. For example, a single pipe can be used for the main body member 41. A single pipe refers to a general structural carbon steel pipe as defined in JIS G 3444, and is a circular pipe with an outer diameter of 48.6 mm. However, the main body member 41 is not limited to a single pipe of the above dimensions, and various rod-shaped or tubular members can be used.

[0015] The protective member 42 protects the user's hands. The protective member 42 is detachably attached to the upper end of the main body member 41. The user (construction worker, etc.) can move the transport trolley 1 by grasping the protective member 42 attached to the main body member 41.

[0016] Figure 2 is a schematic external perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the protective member 42, where (a) is a view from diagonally above and (b) is a view from diagonally below. Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the protective member 42. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the protective member 42 has a grip portion 43, a first protective portion 44, and a second protective portion 45, which are integrally formed. The protective member 42 also has a mounting hole 46 formed inside into which the upper end of the main body member 41 can be inserted, and which opens to the lower side (opposite side from the first protective portion 44 in the vertical direction). The protective member 42 is made of a resin material such as polyethylene and is integrally formed by injection molding.

[0017] The grip portion 43 is substantially cylindrical and has dimensions that allow a user to grasp (grip) it with one hand. To allow a user to grasp it with one hand, for example, the length (vertical dimension) is preferably in the range of 100 to 200 mm, and more preferably in the range of 120 to 180 mm. Also, if a single pipe is used for the main body member 41, for example, the outer diameter is preferably in the range of 50 to 60 mm. However, the specific dimensions are not particularly limited. In addition, the surface of the grip portion 43 may be provided with a non-slip pattern of bumps and grooves.

[0018] The first protective part 44 and the second protective part 45 are provided in close proximity to the grip part 43. Specifically, the first protective part 44 is provided at one end (upper side) of the grip part 43 in the vertical direction (axial direction of the main body member 41), and the second protective part 45 is provided at the other end (lower side) of the grip part 43 in the vertical direction. The first protective part 44 and the second protective part 45 both protrude outward from the outer circumferential surface of the grip part 43 and have a larger outer diameter than the grip part 43. In particular, the outer diameters of the first protective part 44 and the second protective part 45 are set to such a size that, in a plan view, the user's hand H (fingers) gripping the grip part 43 does not overlap and protrude beyond the first protective part 44 and the second protective part 45 (it fits inside the outline in a plan view). Specifically, for example, the outer diameters of the first protective part 44 and the second protective part 45 are preferably in the range of 100 to 140 mm, and more preferably in the range of 110 to 130 mm. However, the specific dimensions are not particularly limited.

[0019] The first protective portion 44 is approximately circular in plan view and has a tapered shape, with its outer diameter decreasing towards the top (opposite side from the grip portion 43). The side surface 47 (radially outer surface) of the first protective portion 44 is formed as a curved surface that bulges radially outward and diagonally upward in a side view. The top surface 48 (surface opposite to the grip portion 43) of the first protective portion 44 is formed as a dome-shaped curved surface that bulges upward. The side surface 47 and top surface 48 of the first protective portion 44 are smoothly connected by the curved surface. The bottom surface 49 of the first protective portion 44 may be flat. However, it is preferable that the side surface 47 and bottom surface 49 of the first protective portion 44 are smoothly connected by the curved surface. Thus, in a side view, the contour lines of the side surface 47 and top surface 48 of the first protective portion 44 are formed as curves. However, the shape of the first protective part 44 is not limited to the shape described above. For example, the shape of the first protective part 44 may be disc-shaped, or it may be a roughly hemispherical shape that bulges upward.

[0020] The second protective part 45 has the shape of the first protective part 44 inverted vertically. However, the shape of the second protective part 45 is not limited to the shape described above. For example, the shape of the second protective part 45 may be disc-shaped, or it may be a roughly hemispherical shape that bulges downwards. The mounting hole 46 is a hole (recess) into which the main body member 41 can be inserted, and its lower side (the side of the second protective part 45) is open. The inner diameter of the mounting hole 46 is set according to the outer diameter of the main body member 41. For example, it is set to a size such that the protective member 42 does not easily detach from the main body member 41 when the main body member 41 is inserted into the mounting hole 46. The depth of the mounting hole 46 is not particularly limited, but it is set to a depth such that it does not come off when a lateral force is applied during use.

[0021] Therefore, the protective member 42 can be attached to the main body member 41 by inserting the upper end of the main body member 41 into the mounting hole 46 (see Figure 1). The user can attach the push member 40, with the protective member 42 attached to the main body member 41, to the trolley body 20 by inserting it into the insertion holes 23 of each corner member 22, and the user can move the transport trolley 1 by grasping the grip portion 43 of the push member 40 with their hand.

[0022] Here, the effects of the push member 40 according to the first embodiment will be explained with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figures 4 and 5 are diagrams illustrating the effects of the push member 40. Specifically, Figure 4 schematically shows a state in which the upper end of the push member 40 approaches an object W such as a wall while the transport cart 1 is moving. Figure 5 schematically shows a state in which the plate material, which is the transported object B of the transport cart 1, is leaning against the upper end of the push member 40.

[0023] As shown in Figure 4, while the transport cart 1 is moving, the upper end of the push member 40 may come close to an object W such as a wall. In this case, if the protective member 42 is not attached to the upper end of the main body member 41 and the user is simply grasping the upper end of the main body member 41 directly, the user's hand H (fingers or back of hand) may come into contact with the object W or be pinched between the main body member 41 and the object W. In contrast, as shown in Figure 4, if the protective member 42 is attached to the upper end of the main body member 41 and the grip portion 43 of the protective member 42 is grasped (gripped), then when the upper end of the push member 40 approaches the object W, the first protective portion 44 and the second protective portion 45 will come into contact with the object W, thereby preventing or suppressing the user's hand H, which is grasping the grip portion 43, from coming into contact with the object W.

[0024] As shown in Figure 5, when transporting plate-shaped materials on the transport trolley 1, the plate-shaped materials may be leaned against the upper end of the push member 40. In this case, by leaning the transported material B, which is the plate-shaped material, against the first protective part 44 of the protective member 42, space can be secured for the user to grasp the push member 40, and contact between the user's hand H (especially fingers) and the transported material B can be prevented or suppressed. Here, the side surface 47 of the first protective part 44 is a curved surface that bulges diagonally upward, and the top surface 48 is a curved surface that bulges upward, and the side surface 47 and the top surface 48 are smoothly connected by the curved surfaces. Therefore, when the transported material B leans diagonally upward on the first protective part 44, the transported material B will be supported by the curved surface. Thus, the formation of contact marks on the transported material B is prevented or suppressed.

[0025] Furthermore, the transported object B on the transport trolley 1 may move during transport and approach the upper end of the push member 40. In this case as well, the moving transported object B will come into contact with the first protective part 44 or the second protective part 45, preventing or suppressing contact between the transported object B and the user's hand H that is gripping the grip part 43. At this time, since the first protective part 44 and the second protective part 45 are not provided with pointed portions that extend radially outward, the formation of contact marks on the transported object B that comes into contact with the first protective part 44 or the second protective part 45 is prevented or suppressed.

[0026] Thus, according to the first embodiment of the push member 40, contact between the user's hand H, which is gripping the push member 40 of the transport trolley 1, and objects W surrounding the transport trolley 1 or the transported objects B on the transport trolley 1 is prevented or suppressed. Furthermore, even if the transported objects B come into contact with the protective member 42, the formation of contact marks on the transported objects B is prevented or suppressed.

[0027] <Second Embodiment> Next, the configuration of the push member according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the protective member 52 among the push member according to the second embodiment, where (a) is a view from above and (b) is a view from below. Components similar to those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0028] As shown in Figure 6, the protective member 52 has an insertion portion 53 and a protective portion 54, which are integrally formed. The protective member 52 is made of a resin material such as polyethylene and is integrally formed by injection molding.

[0029] The insertion portion 53 is a cylindrical or columnar part that is inserted into the upper end of the main body member 41. The outer diameter of the insertion portion 53 is set according to the inner diameter of the main body member 41 to which it is applied. For example, the dimensions are set such that the protective member 52 does not easily detach from the main body member 41 when the insertion portion 53 is inserted into the main body member 41.

[0030] The protective portion 54 is a part provided on the upper side of the insertion portion 53. The protective portion 54 protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the main body member 41 to which it is applied. The protective portion 54 is, for example, approximately circular in plan view. The outer diameter of the protective portion 54 is set to a dimension such that, in plan view, the fingers of the user gripping the upper end of the main body member 41 do not protrude from the protective portion 54 (they fit inside the outer outline of the protective portion 54 in plan view). Specifically, the outer diameter of the protective portion 54 is preferably in the range of 100 to 140 mm, and more preferably in the range of 110 to 130 mm. However, the specific dimensions are not particularly limited.

[0031] The protective portion 54 can have the same shape as the first protective portion 44 of the protective member 42 according to the first embodiment. That is, the protective portion 54 has a tapered shape in which the outer diameter decreases towards the upper side (opposite side from the insertion portion 53). The side surface 57 of the protective portion 54 is formed as a curved surface that bulges radially outward and diagonally upward in a side view. The upper surface 58 of the protective portion 54 (the surface opposite to the insertion portion 53) is formed as a dome-shaped curved surface that bulges upward. The side surface 57 and the upper surface 58 of the protective portion 54 are smoothly connected by a curved surface. Thus, in a side view, the contour lines of the side surface 57 and the upper surface 58 of the protective portion 54 consist of curves. The lower surface 59 of the protective portion 54 (the surface facing the insertion portion 53) may be substantially flat. The side surface 57 and the lower surface 59 of the protective portion 54 are smoothly connected by a curved surface.

[0032] Therefore, the protective member 52 can be attached to the main body member 41 by inserting the insertion part 53 into the upper end of the main body member 41. The user can attach the push member, with the protective member 52 attached to the main body member 41, to the trolley body 20 by inserting the push member into the insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22, and the user can move the transport trolley by grasping the main body member 41 close to the protective part 54 with their hand as a grip. The second embodiment can achieve the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0033] <Third Embodiment> Next, the configuration of the transport cart and pusher according to the third embodiment will be described. Figure 7 shows an example of the configuration of a transport trolley and a push member according to the third embodiment. Components similar to those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted. The transport trolley 2 comprises a trolley body 20, a running section 30, and a hand-pushing member 60.

[0034] The push member 60 has a main body member 61 as the main body part, a protective member 63, and a reinforcing member 70. The main body member 61 is a long, pipe-shaped member. Unlike the first embodiment, the main body member 61 of this embodiment is made of aluminum alloy to reduce weight and is formed by extrusion molding. Furthermore, the main body member 61 of this embodiment is colored differently from the trolley body 20, specifically the front frame section 21a, the rear frame section 21b, the right frame section 21c, and the left frame section 21d, in order to improve visibility. For example, if the front frame section 21a, the rear frame section 21b, the right frame section 21c, and the left frame section 21d are metallic colors such as silver, the main body member 61 may be colored differently from the metallic color, such as the three primary colors such as red, green, and blue, or it may be orange. Furthermore, the main body member 61 of this embodiment has an outer diameter of, for example, 42 to 45 mm (44 mm in this case), making it easier for the user to grasp, and is a smaller diameter circular tube than that of the first embodiment. In addition, the main body member 61 of this embodiment is reinforced in a cross shape on the inside to improve strength. However, the main body member 61 is not limited to the dimensions described above, and various rod-shaped or tubular members, the single pipes described above, etc., can be used.

[0035] Figure 8 shows an example of the configuration of the push member 60 and the protective member 63, where (a) is a side view of the push member 60 and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II. The protective member 63 protects the user's hands and also serves as an indicator of the maximum load height when loading cargo. The protective member 63 is fixed to the upper side of the main body member 61 at a predetermined distance from the upper end using bolts, rivets, etc. In this embodiment, the protective member 63 is preferably fixed at a distance of 100 to 200 mm from the upper end of the main body member 61, and more preferably at a distance of 120 to 180 mm. The portion of the main body member 61 from the upper end of the main body member 61 to the upper end of the protective member 63 functions as the grip portion 62. The protective member 63 has a protective portion 64 and a mounting portion 65, which are integrally formed. The protective member 63 also has mounting holes 66 that open at the top and bottom for inserting the main body member 61 into it. The protective member 63 is made of a resin material such as polyethylene and is integrally formed by injection molding. The protective member 63 is colored differently from the trolley main body 20, specifically the front frame portion 21a, rear frame portion 21b, right frame portion 21c, and left frame portion 21d, in order to improve visibility. For example, if the front frame portion 21a, rear frame portion 21b, right frame portion 21c, and left frame portion 21d are metallic colors such as silver, the protective member 63 may be colored differently from the metallic color, such as red, green, blue, or other primary colors, or it may be orange. The protective member 63 is colored differently from the main body member 61, but it may also be the same color.

[0036] The protective portion 64 is disc-shaped and protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the grip portion 62, and has a larger outer diameter than the grip portion 62. In particular, the outer diameter of the protective portion 64 is set to a dimension such that, in a plan view, the user's hand holding the grip portion 62 does not overlap and protrude from the protective portion 64 (it fits inside the outer outline in a plan view). Specifically, the outer diameter of the protective portion 64 is preferably in the range of 100 to 140 mm, and more preferably in the range of 110 to 130 mm. However, the specific dimensions are not particularly limited. The mounting portion 65 is cylindrical in shape, extending downward from the lower end of the protective portion 64, and has an outer diameter that is larger than the main body member 61 and smaller than the protective portion 64. The length (vertical dimension) of the mounting portion 65 is not particularly limited, but is set to a length that allows the mounting portion 65 to be fixed to the main body member 61 with bolts, rivets, etc.

[0037] The mounting hole 66 is a hole into which the main body member 61 can be inserted. The inner diameter of the mounting hole 66 is set according to the outer diameter of the main body member 61. Therefore, the protective member 63 can be fixed to the main body member 61 by inserting the main body member 61 into the mounting hole 66 and fixing the mounting portion 65 to the main body member 61 at a predetermined position from the upper end of the main body member 61 with bolts, rivets, etc.

[0038] The reinforcing member 70 is fixed to the lower end of the main body member 61, specifically at a position close to the lower end, using bolts, rivets, etc. The reinforcing member 70 reinforces the strength of the main body member 61 and also suppresses looseness between the main body member 61 and the insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22 when the main body member 61 is inserted into the insertion hole 23. The reinforcing member 70 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy. Figure 9 shows an example of the configuration of the reinforcing member 70, where (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II as shown in Figure 8(a), and (b) is a diagram showing the insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22.

[0039] As shown in Figure 9(a), the reinforcing member 70 is cylindrical and has an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the main body member 61. The reinforcing member 70 has several (two in this case) bulging portions 71a and 71b on its outer circumferential surface that bulge radially. The bulging portions 71a and 71b protrude radially via a gently sloping portion 72. The lower end of the reinforcing member 70 has a tapered shape, with the outer diameter decreasing towards the bottom. The length (vertical dimension) of the reinforcing member 70 is not particularly limited, but is set to be approximately the same length as the depth of the insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22. The reinforcing member 70 also has mounting holes 73 that open vertically for inserting the main body member 61 into it. Therefore, the reinforcing member 70 can be fixed to the main body member 61 by inserting the main body member 61 into the mounting hole 73 and fixing the reinforcing member 70 to the main body member 61 at a predetermined position from the lower end of the main body member 61 with bolts, rivets, etc.

[0040] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 9(b), the insertion hole 23 into which the reinforcing member 70 is inserted is surrounded by flat surfaces 75a, 75b, and 75c, and an arcuate surface 75d that is approximately the same as the radius of curvature of the circular reinforcing member 70. The insertion hole 23 also has spaces 76a and 76b as recesses that allow the insertion of the bulging portions 71a and 71b of the reinforcing member 70. Therefore, by aligning the bulging portions 71a and 71b with the spaces 76a and 76b and inserting the reinforcing member 70, which is fixed to the main body member 61, into the insertion hole 23, the push member 60 is positioned in a predetermined position.

[0041] The user can attach the push member 60, which has the protective member 63 and reinforcing member 70 fixed to the main body member 61, to the trolley body 20 by inserting it into the insertion holes 23 of the corner member 22. The user can move the transport trolley 2 by grasping the grip portion 62 of the push member 60 with their hand. The third embodiment can achieve the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the main body member 61 has a smaller diameter than a single pipe, the user can easily grasp the grip portion 62 of the main body member 61. On the other hand, to compensate for the reduction in strength due to the smaller diameter, a reinforcing member 70 is fixed to the lower end of the main body member 61. Therefore, the strength of the push member 60 can be improved. However, even if a single pipe or a member other than a single pipe is used for the main body member 61, the reinforcing member 70 may also be fixed to the lower end of the main body member 61. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the reinforcing member 70 is inserted into the insertion hole 23, the inclined portion 72 of the reinforcing member 70 contacts the flat surfaces 75b, 75c and the arcuate surface 75d. Therefore, compared to simply inserting the circular main body member 61, the contact area between the reinforcing member 70 and the insertion hole 23 is increased, thus reducing the looseness between the corner member 22 and the insertion hole 23.

[0043] Furthermore, in the plan view shown in Figure 8(b), a portion of the protective section 64 overlaps with the trolley body 20 (see the dashed line). Therefore, when loading cargo onto the trolley body 20, interference between the cargo and the protective section 64 prevents the cargo from being loaded higher than the protective section 64. In other words, the protective section 64 serves as an indicator of the maximum loading height. Consequently, the user can prevent the center of gravity of the transport trolley 2 loaded with cargo from rising, and the user can operate the transport trolley 2 stably. In order to inform the user that the protective section 64 is an indicator of the maximum loading height, a sticker or the like is attached to the push member 60 or the trolley body 20, etc., stating that cargo should not be loaded above the protective section 64. The protective member 63 may be positioned at a predetermined distance from the upper end of the main body member 61, and rotatably positioned relative to the main body member 61 with respect to the axis of the mounting hole 66. In this case, when the protective portion 64 of the protective member 63 comes into contact with an object W such as a wall, the protective member 63 rotates, thereby suppressing the impact of the contact.

[0044] <Fourth Embodiment> Next, the configuration of the transport cart and push member according to the fourth embodiment will be described. Figure 10 shows an example of the configuration of a transport trolley and a push member according to the fourth embodiment. Components similar to those in the third embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted. The transport trolley 3 comprises a trolley body 20, a running section 30, and hand-pushing members 80 (80a to 80d).

[0045] The push member 80 comprises a main body member 61, a protective member 83, and a reinforcing member 70. The main body member 61 and the reinforcing member 70 can be the same members as those used in the third embodiment. Figure 11 shows an example of the configuration of the push member 80 and the protective member 83, where (a) is a side view of the push member 80 and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III. The protective member 83 protects the user's hand and also functions as a side wall mounting part for attaching the side wall. The protective member 83 is fixed to the main body member 61 at multiple (in this case, two) positions separated above and below it using bolts, rivets, etc. Specifically, the first protective member 83 is on the upper side and is fixed with bolts, rivets, etc. at a predetermined distance from the upper end. This position is close to the grip portion 62. On the other hand, the second protective member 83 is on the lower side and is fixed with bolts, rivets, etc. at a predetermined distance from the lower end. This position is close to the reinforcing member 70.

[0046] The protective member 83 has a protective portion 84 and a mounting portion 65, which are integrally formed. The protective member 83 also has mounting holes 66 that open at the top and bottom for inserting the main body member 61 into it. The protective member 83 is made of a resin material such as polyethylene and is integrally formed by injection molding. The protective member 83 is colored similarly to the protective member 63 of the third embodiment in order to improve visibility.

[0047] The protective portion 84 has multiple (in this case, four) protrusions 85a to 85d that project outward from the outer circumferential surface of the grip portion 62. The protrusions 85a to 85d are spaced at equal intervals of 90° around the axis (central axis) along the vertical direction of the mounting hole 66, and extend radially from the axial side of the mounting hole 66. Furthermore, the outer outline of the protrusions 85a to 85d forms part of a roughly circular shape (hereinafter referred to as the circular shape of the protrusions 85a to 85d). The circular shape of the protrusions 85a to 85d has an outer diameter larger than that of the grip portion 62. In particular, the outer diameter of the protrusions 85a to 85d is set to a dimension such that, in a plan view, the user's hand gripping the grip portion 62 does not overlap and protrude from the protective portion 84 (it fits inside the outline in a plan view). Specifically, the circular outer diameter of the protrusions 85a to 85d is preferably in the range of 100 to 140 mm, and more preferably in the range of 110 to 130 mm. However, the specific dimensions are not particularly limited.

[0048] Furthermore, the protective portion 84 has grooves 86a to 86d between adjacent protruding portions 85a to 85d that are recessed from the outside toward the center of the protective portion 84, i.e., toward the inside. The grooves 86a to 86d are formed at equal intervals of 90° with respect to the axis (central axis) of the mounting hole 66. The grooves 86a to 86d penetrate the protective portion 84 vertically. The groove width of the grooves 86a to 86d (W shown in Figure 11(b)) is set to a dimension that allows the side wall, which will be described later, to be fitted. In addition, the grooves 86a to 86d have inclined or arc-shaped support portions 87a to 87d that widen toward the outside.

[0049] Here, the two protective members 83 can be fixed to the main body member 61 by inserting the main body member 61 into the mounting holes 66 of the first protective member 83 and the second protective member 83, and fixing the mounting portions 65 to the main body member 61 at predetermined positions from the upper end and lower end of the main body member 61 with bolts, rivets, etc. At this time, in a plan view of the push member 80, the two protective members 83 are fixed to the main body member 61 with their respective grooves 86a to 86d overlapping.

[0050] The user can attach the push member 80, which has the protective member 83 and reinforcing member 70 fixed to the main body member 61, to the trolley main body 20 by inserting it into the respective insertion holes 23 of the corner member 22. At this time, the grooves 86a to 86d of each push member 80 are positioned by the reinforcing member 70 so that they face the front-rear and left-right directions of the transport trolley 3, respectively. Also, in the plan view shown in Figure 11(b), taking the push member 80b as an example, grooves 86a and 86b of the grooves 86a to 86d overlap with the trolley main body 20 (see dashed line).

[0051] Figure 12 is a perspective view showing an example configuration of the transport trolley 3 with side walls 90A to 90D attached. The side walls 90A to 90D are rectangular plates that cover the sides of the transport cart 3 from the front, back, left, and right. For example, corrugated plastic can be used for the side walls 90A to 90D. Corrugated plastic is a plate-shaped material made of plastic that has hollow areas, is lightweight and has excellent rigidity. However, plywood or veneer of wood may also be used for the side walls 90A to 90D.

[0052] Here, the thickness of the side walls 90A to 90D is set to a dimension that allows them to be fitted into the grooves 86a to 86d. The height of the side walls 90A to 90D is approximately the same as the distance from the mounting plate 26 to the protective portion 84 of the protective member 83 located above it. The length (length in the left-right direction) of the side walls 90A and 90B is approximately the same as the length of the front frame portion 21a or the rear frame portion 21b. The length (length in the front-rear direction) of the side walls 90C and 90D is approximately the same as the length of the right frame portion 21c or the left frame portion 21d.

[0053] Next, we will explain how to attach the side walls 90A to 90D to the transport trolley 3. For the sake of explanation, when the side walls 90A to 90D are attached to the transport trolley 3, the upper side of the rectangle of the side walls 90A to 90D will be called the top side, the lower side the bottom side, and the two vertical sides the side sides. First, the user maintains that the surfaces of the side walls 90A to 90D are vertical. Next, the user inserts each side wall 90A to 90D from above between the push member 80d and the push member 80a, between the push member 80a and the push member 80b, between the push member 80b and the push member 80c, and between the push member 80c and the push member 80d. At this time, the side edges of the side walls 90A to 90D are fitted into the grooves 86a to 86d of the push members 80a to 80d as they are inserted. By inserting the side walls 90A to 90D, each bottom edge of the side walls 90A to 90D is supported by the upper surface of the mounting plate 26 (or frame).

[0054] When the side walls 90A to 90D are supported on the mounting plate 26, each side of the side walls 90A to 90D is fitted into the grooves 86a to 86d of the protective member 83 located above the hand-pushing members 80a to 80d, and into the grooves 86a to 86d of the protective member 83 located below the hand-pushing members 80a to 80d. As shown in Figure 11(b), taking the push member 80b as an example, for both the upper and lower protective members 83, one side of the side wall 90D is fitted into the groove 86a of the protective part 84, and one side of the side wall 90B is fitted into the groove 86d of the protective part 84. Similarly, for the push members 80a, 80b, and 80d, the sides are fitted into the two grooves 86a to 86d at the upper and lower positions, respectively. Therefore, the side walls 90A to 90D are attached to the transport trolley 3 by the protective parts 84 of the push members 80a to 80d.

[0055] The transport cart 3, to which the side walls 90A to 90D are attached, can accommodate the transported goods within the space enclosed by the side walls 90A to 90D. By attaching the side walls 90A to 90D so as to cover the sides of the transport cart 3, the transport cart 3 can be moved without the transported goods falling. In other words, the user can move the transport cart 3 by grasping the grip portion 62 of the push member 80 with their hand. At this time, even if the user's hand H, which is grasping the push member 40 of the transport cart 3, comes close to the object W, the protective portion 84 of the upper protective member 83 will come into contact with the object W, thereby preventing or suppressing the user's hand H grasping the grip portion 62 from coming into contact with the object W.

[0056] Furthermore, the push member 80 of this embodiment can support multiple push members 80 stacked together when storing or transporting them. Figure 13 shows the hand-pushing members 80 stacked, where (a) is a side view and (b) is a view from the direction of arrow A shown in (a). As shown in Figure 13(a), to stack the push members 80, multiple layers are stacked so that each push member 80 is parallel to the others with its longitudinal direction horizontal. At this time, adjacent push members 80 stacked in parallel are offset alternately in the longitudinal direction of the push members 80 so that the protective members 83 do not overlap in the vertical direction.

[0057] As shown in Figure 13(b), the first-tier push member 80 has two protrusions (here, protrusions 85b and 85c) of the protective part 84 of the protective member 83 in contact with the floor surface. Therefore, the first-tier push member 80 is stably grounded to the floor surface. Next, the stacked second-tier push member 80 has a support portion (here, support portion 87c) formed between the two protrusions (here, protrusions 85b and 85c) of the protective part 84 in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the main body member 61 of the first-tier push member 80. Also, the first-tier push member 80 has a support portion (here, support portion 87a) formed between the two protrusions (here, protrusions 85a and 85d) of the protective part 84 in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the main body member 61 of the second-tier push member 80, more precisely, the outer circumferential surface of the mounting portion 65. Thus, when stacking multiple push members 80, the protective portion 84 of the push member 80 has support portions 87a to 87d for supporting adjacent push members 80 in parallel. Therefore, multiple push members 80 can be stacked stably.

[0058] Furthermore, the hand-pushing members 80 are not limited to being stacked in two layers; they may also be stacked in three layers as shown by the dashed line in Figure 13, or in four or more layers. Also, the support parts 87a to 87d are not limited to being inclined or arc-shaped, with the groove width widening towards the outside; they may be any shape capable of supporting the main body members 61 of adjacent hand-pushing members 80.

[0059] <Fifth Embodiment> Next, the configuration of the push member according to the fifth embodiment will be described. Figure 14 shows an example of the configuration of the push member according to the fifth embodiment. The push member 100 of this embodiment is an improvement over the push member 60 described in the third embodiment, and components similar to those of the push member 60 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0060] The push member 100 has a main body member 110, a protective member 63, and a reinforcing member 70, and is extendable and retractable in the longitudinal direction. The main body member 110 has a first main body portion 111a and a second main body portion 111b. The first main body portion 111a and the second main body portion 111b are elongated and pipe-shaped members, and are made of, for example, an aluminum alloy. The first main body portion 111a constitutes the upper part of the main body member 110, and the second main body portion 111b constitutes the lower part of the main body member 110.

[0061] A protective member 63 is fixed to the first main body portion 111a at a predetermined position from its upper end. The area from the upper end of the first main body portion 111a to the upper end of the protective member 63 functions as a grip portion 62. On the other hand, a reinforcing member 70 is fixed to the second main body portion 111b at a position close to its lower end using bolts, rivets, etc. Here, the first main body portion 111a has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the second main body portion 111b, and the second main body portion 111b has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the first main body portion 111a. That is, the lower end of the first main body portion 111a can be inserted into the second main body portion 111b from the upper end side. Therefore, the longitudinal length of the main body member 110 can be extended or retracted by changing the length to which the first main body portion 111a is inserted into the second main body portion 111b, i.e., the overlapping length.

[0062] Furthermore, the main body member 110 has a holding mechanism 112 that holds the main body member 110 at an extended or retracted length at a position where the first main body portion 111a and the second main body portion 111b overlap. The holding mechanism 112 has a plurality of adjustment holes 113 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the first main body portion 111a, a single through hole 114 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the second main body portion 111b, and an insertion pin 115 that is inserted through the adjustment holes 113 and the through hole 114. To hold the main body member 110 at a desired length, the main body member 110 can be extended or retracted, and then the insertion pin 115 can be inserted through the through hole 114 and the adjustment holes 113 to hold the main body member 110 at the extended or retracted length.

[0063] Thus, the length of the push member 100 can be extended or retracted in the longitudinal direction by the main body member 110. By extending or retracting the length of the main body member 110, the position of the protective part 64 of the protective member 63 can be adjusted vertically. Therefore, when the protective part 64 is used as an indicator of the maximum load height, the position of the protective part 64 can be adjusted vertically as needed. For example, since the maximum load height at which stable travel is possible differs depending on the size of the trolley body 20, the push member 100 can be extended or retracted to change the vertical position of the protective part 64, which is an indicator of the maximum load height, according to the size of the trolley body 20 to which it is attached. Also, for example, since the standard for the maximum load height may differ for each organization (or construction site) to which the user belongs, the manufacturer can manufacture the push member 100 with the vertical position of the protective part 64, which is an indicator of the maximum load height, changed for each organization (or construction site).

[0064] In this embodiment, the holding mechanism 112 is described as holding the main body member 110 at its extended or retracted length by inserting the insertion pin 115 through the insertion hole 114 and the adjustment hole 113. However, the mechanism is not limited to this case, and any holding mechanism is acceptable as long as it can hold the member in a way that prevents its length from being unintentionally changed. Furthermore, although this embodiment describes a push member 100 that is an extendable version of the push member 60 described in the third embodiment, it is not limited to this case, and push members of other embodiments may also be made extendable. If the push member 40 of the first embodiment is made extendable, the height of the grip portion 43 can be adjusted. Also, if the push member 80 of the fourth embodiment is made extendable, side walls of a different height from the side walls 90A to 90D described above can be attached.

[0065] <Sixth Embodiment> Next, the configuration of the push member according to the sixth embodiment will be described. The push member 120 of this embodiment is an improvement over the push member 80 described in the fourth embodiment. Here, the improvements will be the main focus of the explanation, and components similar to those of the push member 80 will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0066] The push member 120 comprises a main body member 61, a protective member 123, and a reinforcing member 70. The main body member 61 and the reinforcing member 70 can be the same members as those used in the third embodiment. Figure 15 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the protective member 123. The protective member 123 protects the user's hands and also functions as a side wall mounting part for attaching the side wall. The protective member 123 has a protective part 124.

[0067] The protective portion 124 has a plurality (in this case, four) of protrusions 85a to 85d that protrude outward from the outer circumferential surface of the grip portion 62. Furthermore, the protective portion 124 has grooves 126a to 126d between adjacent protrusions 85a to 85d, which are recessed from the outside toward the center side of the protective portion 84, i.e., toward the inside. The grooves 126a to 126d are formed at approximately 90° intervals with respect to the axis (central axis) of the mounting hole 66. The grooves 126a to 126d penetrate the protective portion 124 vertically.

[0068] In this embodiment, grooves 126a to 126d are configured to accommodate two types of side walls with different thicknesses. Specifically, the groove widths of grooves 126a and 126b are set to a dimension W1 that allows a thicker side wall to be fitted. The groove widths of grooves 126c and 126d are set to a dimension W2 that allows a thinner side wall to be fitted. The relationship between dimension W1 and dimension W2 is W1 > W2. When considering one groove, the groove width of the groove in question is approximately the same as the groove width of one of the adjacent grooves, but different from the groove width of the other groove. Furthermore, at the boundary between each groove 126a to 126d and the upper surface of the protective part 124, there is an inclined portion 127 such that the groove width widens towards the top, allowing the side wall to be easily fitted in from above.

[0069] Here, when the two protective members 123 are fixed to the main body member 61, in a plan view of the push member 120, the grooves 126a to 126d of each member are fixed to the main body member 61 in a state where they overlap. The user can attach the push member 120, which has the protective member 123 and reinforcing member 70 fixed to the main body member 61, to the trolley main body 20 by inserting it into the respective insertion holes 23 of the corner member 22. At this time, the reinforcing member 70 positions each push member 120 so that the grooves 126a to 126d are oriented in the front-rear and left-right directions of the trolley 3, respectively, according to the thickness of the side wall plate to be attached to the transport trolley 3.

[0070] Figure 16 is a plan view illustrating the orientation of the push member 120 when thick side walls 91A to 91D are attached to the transport trolley 3. Here, for example, corrugated plastic can be used as the thick side walls 91A to 91D. When attaching the thicker side walls 91A to 91D, the push members 120 are positioned on the corner members 22 such that the grooves 126a and 126b of the protective section 124 overlap with the trolley body 20. Therefore, in a plan view, of the protective sections 124 located at the four corners, adjacent protective sections 124 have grooves 126a and 126b with groove widths of W1 facing each other. The user inserts the side walls 91A to 91D from above into the spaces between the groove 126a of the push member 120d and the groove 126b of the push member 120a, between the groove 126a of the push member 120a and the groove 126b of the push member 120b, between the groove 126a of the push member 120b and the groove 126b of the push member 120c, and between the groove 126a of the push member 120c and the groove 126b of the push member 120d. Thus, the thicker side walls 91A to 91D are attached to the transport trolley 3 by the protective parts 123 of the push members 120a to 120d.

[0071] Figure 17 is a plan view illustrating the orientation of the push member 120 when thin side walls 92A to 92D are attached to the transport trolley 3. Here, thin side walls 92A to 92D can be made of, for example, plywood or veneer of wood. When attaching the thin side walls 92A to 92D, the push members 120 are positioned on the corner members 22 such that the grooves 126c and 126d of the protective part 124 overlap with the trolley body 20. Therefore, in a plan view, of the protective parts 124 located at the four corners, adjacent protective parts 124 have grooves 126c and 126d with groove widths of W2 facing each other. The user inserts the side walls 92A to 92D from above into the spaces between the groove 126c of the push member 120d and the groove 126d of the push member 120a, between the groove 126c of the push member 120a and the groove 126d of the push member 120b, between the groove 126c of the push member 120b and the groove 126d of the push member 120c, and between the groove 126c of the push member 120c and the groove 126d of the push member 120d. Thus, the thin side walls 92A to 92D are attached to the transport trolley 3 by the protective parts 123 of the push members 120a to 120d.

[0072] In this way, the grooves 126a to 126d of the protective member 123 of the hand-pushing member 120 can accommodate side walls of different thicknesses. By fitting the side wall into the groove 126a to 126d that matches the thickness of the side wall, rattling between the side wall and the grooves 126a to 126d can be suppressed.

[0073] Although each embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the above embodiments are merely examples of how the present invention can be implemented. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and the embodiments may be combined. For example, the protective member 52 of the second embodiment may be attached to the upper end of the push member 60 of the third embodiment or the push member 100 of the fifth embodiment. The present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from its spirit, and these modifications are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0074] In the first embodiment described above, a case was described in which the protective member has a first protective part 44 and a second protective part 45. However, a configuration in which neither the first protective part 44 nor the second protective part 45 is provided is also possible. Furthermore, in the first to sixth embodiments, a case was described in which the protective part is substantially circular in plan view. However, the shape of the protective part in plan view is not limited to a circle. For example, it may be a polygon with rounded corners. In the fourth and sixth embodiments described above, the case in which the side wall is fitted into the groove of the protective part was explained, but the relationship between the groove and the part that is fitted into the groove may be reversed. That is, for example, a groove may be formed along the side edge of the side wall at the center of the plate thickness, and a projection that is fitted into the groove of the side wall may be formed on the protective part. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0075] 1-3: Transport cart 20: Cart body 30: Running section 40: Pushing member 41: Body member 42: Protective member 43: Grip section 44: First protective section 45: Second protective section 52: Protective member 54: Protective section 60: Pushing member 61: Body member 62: Grip section 63: Protective member 64: Protective section 70: Reinforcement member 80: Pushing member 83: Protective member 85a-85d: Protruding section 86a-86c: Groove section 87a-87d: Support section 90A-90D: Side wall 100: Pushing member 110: Body member 111a: First body section 111b: Second body section 112: Holding mechanism 120: Pushing member 123: Protective member 124: Protective section 126a~126d: Groove

Claims

1. A hand pusher that is attached to the rectangular body of the transport trolley by inserting it into upward-opening insertion holes provided at the four corners of the trolley body, and is used by the user to push the transport trolley when it is in motion. A pipe-shaped main body member that is straight from the bottom end to the top end and extends in the vertical direction, The system includes a protective member having a protective portion that protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the main body member to protect the user's hand that grasps the push member, The push member is characterized in that the protective member is rotatable relative to the main body member about the axis of a mounting hole for attaching it to the main body member.

2. The push member according to claim 1, A transport trolley characterized by comprising the aforementioned trolley body.

3. A protective member to be attached to a pipe-shaped rod-shaped member that is straight from its lower end to its upper end and oriented vertically, which is a hand-pushing member inserted into an upward-opening insertion hole provided at the four corners of the rectangular body of the transport trolley, The hand-pushing member has a protective portion that, when attached to the rod-shaped member, protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the rod-shaped member, protecting the hand of the user who grasps the hand-pushing member. A protective member characterized by being rotatable with respect to the rod-shaped member about the axis of a mounting hole for attaching to the rod-shaped member.

4. The protective member described in claim 3, The aforementioned rod-shaped member, A transport trolley characterized by comprising the aforementioned trolley body.

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