Loading platform lifting device

Abstract

To provide a loading platform lifting device which enables improvement of safety during operation of a vehicle including a loading platform.SOLUTION: A loading platform lifting device is installed at a vehicle 3 and has a loading platform 22 and a light radiation device 26. The loading platform 22 is provided so as to be movable upward or downward between an upper position and a lower position, and conducts an area specifying operation which indicates a position of at least a part of an overlapping region 60 which is a region overlapping with the lower side of the loading platform 22 disposed at the lower position. In the area specifying operation, the light radiation device 26 radiates light downward.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a loading platform lifting device for lifting and lowering a loading platform of a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, when loading and unloading goods on a vehicle having a loading platform, the loading platform is lifted and lowered by a loading platform lifting device attached to the vehicle body (the base portion of the vehicle). For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a retractable loading platform lifting device as such a loading platform lifting device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Here, if the loading platform is lifted and lowered without noticing that foreign objects such as stones exist in the movement range of the loading platform, the loading platform may come into contact with the foreign objects and be damaged.

[0005] That is, there is room for improvement in vehicles having a conventional loading platform from the viewpoint of further improving the safety when lifting and lowering the loading platform.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a loading platform lifting device capable of improving the safety during the operation of a vehicle having a loading platform.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems is a loading platform lifting device mounted on a vehicle, comprising a loading platform and a light illumination device, wherein the loading platform is provided to be able to move up and down between an upper position and a lower position, and performs a region indication operation to indicate the position of at least a part of an overlapping region which is an area on the ground or floor surface that overlaps with the lower side of the loading platform located in the lower position, and in the region indication operation, the light illumination device illuminates light downward.

[0008] This type of loading platform lifting device performs area indication operation that shows the position of at least a part of the superimposed area, so that people around the loading platform can understand where the loading platform is moving to as it moves from an upper position to a lower position. In other words, when the loading platform is lowered, people around the platform can understand where it will move to, so they can prevent people from approaching the platform's destination or move any foreign objects to another location beforehand. Therefore, the safety of vehicles equipped with loading platforms can be improved during operation.

[0009] A preferred configuration is that the light irradiation device is positioned below the loading platform positioned above, and above the loading platform positioned below.

[0010] In this configuration, the area indication operation described above is possible when the loading platform is positioned in an upper position, and the operation to illuminate the upper surface of the loading platform is possible when the loading platform is positioned in a lower position. In other words, since it is possible to illuminate the top surface of the loading platform, it becomes easier to place loads on the loading platform located at a lower position, even in dark conditions such as at night. In addition, since the same light illumination device positioned in the same location can perform both the area indication operation described above and the operation of illuminating the top surface of the loading platform, it does not require many light illumination devices, nor does it require a moving mechanism to change the position of the light illumination device. As a result, it is possible to reduce the number of parts, and the loading platform lifting device can be provided at a low cost.

[0011] A preferred configuration is that, when positioned in the lower location, the light irradiation device is capable of irradiating light in such a way that it forms an optical axis extending toward the tip of the loading platform.

[0012] In this configuration, when illuminating the top surface of the loading platform, it becomes possible to illuminate both the leading edge and the base end of the top surface of the loading platform with the same light illuminator. Therefore, it becomes possible to brightly illuminate a wide area on the loading platform while reducing the number of parts.

[0013] A preferred configuration includes a rail section and a sliding section that slides along the rail section, wherein the sliding section includes the loading platform and the light irradiation device, and as the sliding section slides, the loading platform and the light irradiation device slide together.

[0014] In this manner, when mounting a loading platform lifting device on a vehicle, only the rail section and the unitized sliding section need to be attached to the vehicle, thus simplifying the installation work of the loading platform lifting device. To explain in more detail, when the loading platform and the light irradiation device are attached to the vehicle separately, the loading platform components, including the loading platform itself, must be attached to the vehicle, and the light irradiation device must be attached to the vehicle while adjusting its mounting position so that the light is irradiated to the appropriate position when the loading platform slides from the stowed position to the operational position. Therefore, when installing a loading platform lifting device on various types of vehicles, it is necessary to adjust the mounting position of the light illumination device for each type of vehicle, making the installation work complicated. In contrast, with the above-described configuration, a sliding unit containing the loading platform and light illumination device can be pre-installed on the vehicle, simplifying the installation work. Furthermore, since both the loading platform and the light illumination device slide together, it is possible to slide the device while maintaining the relative position of the light illumination device with respect to the loading platform. Thus, even with a structure that allows the loading platform to slide, it is possible to simplify the installation work of the loading platform lifting device while illuminating the appropriate position with light. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The present invention provides a loading platform lifting device that can improve the safety of vehicles equipped with a loading platform during operation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a schematic side view of a vehicle equipped with a loading platform lifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the loading platform lifting device in its retracted position. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing how the loading platform lifting device transitions from the stowed position to the operational position, and the transition proceeds in the order of (a) to (c) following Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 2(c) is a schematic perspective view showing the loading platform lifting device. [Figure 4] Figure 3 shows the area around the light irradiation device, where (a) is a rear view of the mounting base, broken off at the rear portion, (b) is a perspective view of the light irradiation device, mounting members, and second connecting member shown in (a), and (c) is a side view of (b). [Figure 5] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the view from the rear side with the rear door of the cargo bed open, where (a) shows the cargo bed lifting device positioned in the upper position, and (b) shows the cargo bed lifting device positioned in the lower position. [Figure 6] (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the loading platform lifting device positioned above the vehicle and performing area marking operations, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of the vehicle in (a) viewed from above, in which part of the loading platform lifting device is transparent and the overlapping area is indicated by a thick dotted line. [Figure 7] (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the loading platform lifting device positioned at the bottom and the platform illumination operation in progress, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of the vehicle in (a) viewed from above. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram showing a different area declaration operation than that shown in Figure 6(b). [Figure 9]It is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a vehicle equipped with a loading platform lifting device different from that in FIG. 1. (a) shows the state in which the loading platform lifting device takes the traveling posture, and (b) shows the state in which the loading platform lifting device takes the use posture. [Figure 10] (a) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the state in which the loading platform lifting device is performing the area indication operation in the state shown in FIG. 9(a), and (b) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the state in which the loading platform lifting device is performing the on-platform illumination operation in the state shown in FIG. 9(b). [Figure 11] It is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a vehicle equipped with a loading platform lifting device different from that in FIGS. 1 and 9. (a) shows the state in which the loading platform lifting device takes the traveling posture, (b) shows the state in which the loading platform lifting device is arranged at the upper position as the use posture, and (c) shows the state in which the loading platform lifting device is arranged at the lower position as the use posture. [Figure 12] (a) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the state in which the loading platform lifting device is performing the area indication operation in the state shown in FIG. 11(b), and (b) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the state in which the loading platform lifting device is performing the on-platform illumination operation in the state shown in FIG. 11(c). [Figure 13] It is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the area indication operation is being performed in a vehicle equipped with a loading platform lifting device different from each of the above-described embodiments.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, the loading platform lifting device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the up-down, front-rear, and left-right directions are described based on the posture in FIG. 1. That is, the driver's seat side of the vehicle 3 is defined as the front side, and the opposite side is defined as the rear side.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, the loading platform lifting device 1 of the present embodiment is a device used in a state of being attached to the vehicle body 2 (vehicle main body), and constitutes a part of a transport vehicle 3 (cargo handling vehicle) for transporting goods. This transport vehicle 3 is formed by attaching a loading platform 4 and the loading platform lifting device 1 to the vehicle body 2.

[0019] The vehicle body 2 has a driver's cab formed by a driver's section 2a and a frame section 2b. In the vehicle 3, a cargo bed 4 is attached to the rear of the driver's section 2a and above the frame section 2b. A cargo bed lifting device 1 is attached to the lower side of the frame section 2b, near the rear end of the vehicle 3.

[0020] The loading platform lifting device 1 can change its position between the stored position (see Figure 1), which is the position when it is stored below the rear of the loading platform 4, and the operational position (see Figure 2(c)), which is the position when it is used for loading and unloading cargo (details will be described later). When the loading platform lifting device 1 is in the operational position, the loading platform 22 can be raised and lowered between an upper position (see Figures 5(a) and 6(a)) and a lower position (see Figures 5(b) and 7(a)). The stored position is also the position that the vehicle 3 takes when it is in motion (driving position).

[0021] As shown in Figure 3, the loading platform lifting device 1 includes a slide rail 10 (rail section), a slide section 11 that slides along the slide rail 10 in the front-rear direction, and a slide cylinder 12 that slides the slide section 11.

[0022] The slide rail 10 is composed of a pair of rail members 10a and 10b. The rail members 10a and 10b are arranged in parallel with a gap between them in the left-right direction (the width direction of the vehicle 3) and extend in the front-rear direction parallel to each other. The two rail members 10a and 10b are each attached to the frame portion 2b via mounting brackets (see Figure 1).

[0023] The sliding section 11 includes a pair of first arm sections 20 and second arm sections 21, a load receiving platform 22, a first connecting member 23, a second connecting member 24, a mounting base section 25, and a light irradiation device 26.

[0024] As shown in Figure 3, the first arm section 20 includes a support plate 30, support brackets 31 and 32, an upper arm section 35, a lower arm section 36, and a lift cylinder 37 (lifting drive device, see Figure 1).

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, the support plate 30 is a vertical plate-shaped portion that is slidably mounted on the slide rail 10. The support brackets 31 and 32 are located outward from the support plate 30 in the left-right direction (vehicle width direction) and are welded integrally with the first connecting member 23. The upper arm 35 and the lift cylinder 37 (see Figure 1) are rotatably mounted to the inner support bracket 31. The lower arm 36 is rotatably mounted to the outer support bracket 32.

[0026] Here, the upper arm portion 35 and the lower arm portion 36 form a parallel link where the rectangle connecting their fulcrum and point of application is a parallelogram, and their tip portions move up and down as the lift cylinder 37 extends and retracts.

[0027] The second arm portion 21 is formed at a position separate from the first arm portion 20, as shown in Figure 3. Since the second arm portion 21 has the same structure as the first arm portion 20, a detailed explanation is omitted. In other words, in this embodiment, the upper arm portion 35, lower arm portion 36, and lift cylinder 37 of the first arm portion 20 and the upper arm portion 35, lower arm portion 36 (not shown in Figure 3), and lift cylinder 37 (not shown in Figure 3) of the second arm portion 21 are provided in pairs on the left and right. These constitute an arm-type lifting device for raising and lowering the loading platform 22.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, the loading platform 22 has a base 40 attached to the tip side of the first arm portion 20 and the second arm portion 21, and a tip side portion 41 that is rotatably connected to the base 40. The loading platform 22 can change its orientation between a folded position in which at least a portion of the base 40 and the tip side portion 41 overlap in the vertical direction (see Figure 2(a)) and an unfolded position in which the tip side portion 41 is unfolded (see Figure 2(c)).

[0029] In other words, the tip portion of the base portion 40 and the base portion of the tip side portion 41 are connected via a connecting member such as a hinge, and the tip side portion 41 is rotatable around the connection point with the base portion 40. Therefore, in the folded position, as shown in Figure 2(a), the tip portion of the tip side portion 41 is positioned in front of the tip portion of the base portion 40. Then, as shown in Figure 2, the device transitions to the unfolded position by rotating the tip side portion 41 from this folded position and moving the tip portion of the tip side portion 41 backward.

[0030] When the loading platform 22 is in its unfolded position, a loading surface 22a is formed by the upper surface of the base 40 and the upper surface of the front end side 41, as shown in Figures 2(c) and 3. This loading surface 22a is the surface on which cargo is placed when loading and unloading cargo onto the vehicle 3. Therefore, when the loading platform 22 is in its folded position (see Figure 2(a)), a portion of the loading surface 22a faces another portion of the loading surface 22a.

[0031] The first connecting member 23 is a long, elongated member extending in the left-right direction, as shown in Figure 3. In detail, both ends in the longitudinal direction are constructed of two layers of square pipes, while the section in between is made up of a single square pipe. This first connecting member 23 extends through the left and right pair of support plates 30, which are formed by the support plate 30 of the first arm section 20 and the support plate 30 of the second arm section 21. This first connecting member 23 and the two support plates 30 are welded together as a single unit.

[0032] As shown in Figure 3, the second connecting member 24 is a long, elongated member extending in the left-right direction, and in this embodiment, a cylindrical (square pipe-shaped) member is used. This second connecting member 24 is the part that connects the lower rear ends of the pair of left and right support plates 30, with one end in the longitudinal direction being fixed integrally with one support plate 30 and the other end being fixed integrally with the other support plate 30.

[0033] The mounting base portion 25 has a flat plate-shaped portion 25a that forms the upper surface, and side wall portions 25b and 25c that hang down from both ends of the flat plate-shaped portion 25a in the left-right direction. The mounting base portion 25 is also provided with a mounting plate 45 on its upper surface. This mounting plate 45 is the part that fixes the tip of the piston rod 55, which will be described later. This mounting base portion 25 is integrally fixed to the central part in the longitudinal direction of the second connecting member 24.

[0034] The mounting base portion 25 has a roller mounting portion 47 on its rear side. This roller mounting portion 47 is the part on which the guide roller 48 is rotatably mounted. The guide roller 48 is the part on which the front end portion of the load receiving platform 22 (front end portion 41) rests when the load receiving platform 22 is in a folded position (see Figure 2(a)).

[0035] As shown in Figure 4(a), the light irradiation device 26 is fixed to the mounting base 25 via a mounting member 50.

[0036] The light irradiation device 26 is a light-emitting device capable of irradiating light to a predetermined position (details of which will be described later). In other words, in the vehicle 3, it is a light-emitting device that is installed separately from the lighting fixtures on the vehicle body 2, such as taillights and brake lights. In this embodiment, an LED lamp is used as the light irradiation device 26. However, the light irradiation device 26 only needs to be able to irradiate light to an appropriate illuminance, and a halogen lamp or an HID (High Intensity Discharge) lamp may also be used.

[0037] As shown in Figure 4(b), the mounting member 50 is composed of a pair of left and right mounting pieces 50a and 50b. As shown in Figure 4(a), the two mounting pieces 50a and 50b are in contact from the inside with the inner surfaces of different side wall portions 25b and 25c, and are integrally fixed to the different side wall portions 25b and 25c. Furthermore, the two mounting pieces 50a and 50b are in contact with the second connecting member 24, as shown in Figure 4(b). Specifically, the mounting pieces 50a and 50b have a cutout portion 53, and a part of the second connecting member 24 is inserted into a part of this cutout portion 53. The rear side surface of the second connecting member 24 (the right side in Figure 4(c)) is in contact with the second connecting member 24.

[0038] In this embodiment, the light irradiation device 26 is mounted in an inclined position so as to irradiate light in the rear and lower direction (diagonally downward with respect to the horizontal direction), as shown in Figure 4(c). More specifically, the light irradiation device 26 is mounted so that the direction of light irradiation is inclined at a predetermined angle θ1 (12 degrees in this embodiment) with respect to the horizontal plane. The "direction of light irradiation" here is also the optical axis direction (longitudinal direction of the optical axis) of the light source of the light irradiation device 26. Therefore, the predetermined angle θ1 is also the angle between the optical axis and the horizontal plane. In this embodiment, the light irradiation device 26 is rotatably mounted to two mounting members 50, and the direction of light irradiation can be changed.

[0039] As shown in Figure 3, the slide cylinder 12 is composed of a pair of left and right cylinders 12a and 12b. The cylinders 12a and 12b are, for example, double-acting hydraulic cylinders. The left and right cylinders 12a and 12b are arranged so that the front and rear ends of their main bodies face in opposite directions to each other, and are connected as a single unit. One cylinder 12a has the tip of its piston rod 55 attached to a mounting plate 45 fixed to a mounting base 25. The other cylinder 12b has the tip of its piston rod 55 (not shown) fixed to a frame member (not shown) which is integrally fixed to the front end of rail members 10a and 10b. When this slide cylinder 12 retracts, the slide part 11 slides along the slide rail 10 in the front-rear direction.

[0040] Next, we will explain the operation of the loading platform lifting device 1 when it changes its position from the stowed position (see Figure 1) to the operational position (see Figure 2(c)). When changing the orientation from the stowed position to the operational position, the slide cylinder 12 is operated to slide the slide part 11 backward, as shown in Figures 1 and 2(a). Then, as shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), the lift cylinder 37 is retracted, causing the upper arm part 35 and the lower arm part 36 to rotate downward, and a part of the loading platform 22 (base part 40) comes into contact with the ground or floor (hereinafter referred to as the ground, etc.) where the vehicle 3 is parked.

[0041] In this state, the front side portion 41 of the loading platform 22 is rotated to move the loading platform 22 from the folded state to the unfolded state, as shown in Figure 2(c). This moves the loading platform lifting device 1 from the stored position to the operational position.

[0042] Conversely, when transitioning from the operational position to the stowed position, the posture change is performed using the reverse procedure compared to transitioning from the stowed position to the operational position. Specifically, with the loading platform 22 positioned in a lower position (see Figure 2(c)), the front end portion 41 of the loading platform 22 is rotated to bring the front end portion 41 into contact with the guide roller 48, thereby raising the front end portion 41 (see Figure 2(b)). In this state, the upper arm portion 35 and the lower arm portion 36 are raised. As a result, the front end portion 41 is folded down by its own weight (see Figure 2(a)). Then, the slide cylinder 12 is retracted, and the slide portion 11 is slid forward.

[0043] In this configuration, when the loading platform lifting device 1 is in operation, the loading platform 22 can be raised and lowered between an upper position (see Figure 6(a)) and a lower position (see Figures 2(c) and 7(a)), as described above. That is, the loading platform 22 is raised and lowered by extending and retracting the lift cylinder 37.

[0044] When the loading platform 22 is positioned in an upper position, as shown in Figures 5(a) and 6(a), the loading surface 22a is at the same or approximately the same height as the floor of the loading platform 4 (cargo box) (the floor on which cargo is loaded and unloaded). In contrast, when the loading platform 22 is positioned in a lower position, as shown in Figure 7(a), at least a portion of the lower part of the loading platform 22 is in contact with the ground or other surface where the vehicle 3 is parked.

[0045] As shown in Figure 5, the light irradiation device 26 of this embodiment is positioned below the bottom portion of the loading platform 22 positioned above (see Figure 5(a)) and above the loading surface 22a of the loading platform 22 positioned below (see Figure 5(b)). The light irradiation device 26 is also positioned near the center in the vehicle width direction (left-right direction) of the vehicle 3.

[0046] A characteristic operation of the loading platform lifting device 1 of this embodiment is the area indication operation, as shown in Figure 6.

[0047] The area indication operation involves emitting light from the light irradiation device 26 when the loading platform 22 is in the usage position and positioned in the upper location, thereby informing people in the vicinity of the position where the loading platform 22 will be lowered. In this embodiment, the area indication operation indicates the position where the leading edge (near the rear end) of the loading platform 22 will be positioned when the loading platform 22 is positioned in the lower location.

[0048] To explain in more detail, if the loading platform 22 is moved from an upper position to a lower position without moving the vehicle 3, the loading platform 22 will be positioned adjacent to the upper side of the ground, as shown in Figure 7(a). At this time, the area of ​​the surface of the ground, etc. that overlaps with the loading platform 22 in the vertical direction will be called the overlapping area 60 (see Figure 6(b)). In other words, the overlapping area 60 will be an area surrounded by a continuous rectangular ring boundary portion. More specifically, the overlapping area 60 will be an area surrounded by a boundary portion formed by the rear boundary portion 60a, which is the rear boundary, the left boundary portion 60b and the right boundary portion 60c, which are the boundaries of one end and the other end in the vehicle width direction, and the front boundary portion 60d, which is the front boundary, forming a continuous ring.

[0049] In the area indication operation, the light illumination area 65 is illuminated by irradiating it with light from the light irradiation device 26. This light illumination area 65 is a part of the surface, such as the ground, and is the area that is hit by the irradiated light. In other words, in the area indication operation, light is irradiated in such a way that an optical axis is formed extending from the light irradiation device 26 toward the light illumination area 65. In this embodiment, the light irradiation region 65 is a region that includes the rear portion of the superimposed region 60, as shown in Figure 6(b). That is, it is a region that includes the rear boundary 60a, the rear portion of the left boundary 60b, and the rear portion of the right boundary 60c, and is a region that includes the regions adjacent to the inside and outside of each boundary.

[0050] From the above, when the loading platform 22 is positioned in the upper position, by performing the area indication operation, it is possible to determine where the rear part of the loading platform 22 will descend when the loading platform 22 moves from the upper position to the lower position while the vehicle 3 remains in the same position. In other words, the worker can understand where the rear part of the loading platform 22 will descend. By knowing where the rear part of the loading platform 22 will descend, it is also possible to infer where the front part of the loading platform 22 will descend. As a result, the position where the loading platform 22 will descend can be determined. This allows for safer loading and unloading operations by preventing people from approaching the area where the loading platform 22 will descend (overlapping area 60) and its surroundings, and by removing any foreign objects such as stones in advance.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, a tabletop illumination operation can be performed.

[0052] The on-table illumination operation is performed when the loading platform 22 is in the working position and positioned below, by irradiating light from the light irradiation device 26 to brightly illuminate the loading surface 22a.

[0053] The tabletop illumination operation in this embodiment is an operation in which light is irradiated from the light irradiation device 26 toward the rear end portion (front end portion) of the loading platform 22 (load receiving surface 22a). In other words, in the tabletop illumination operation, light is irradiated in such a way that an optical axis is formed extending from the light irradiation device 26 toward the rear end portion of the loading platform 22.

[0054] By irradiating with light in this manner, not only the rear end portion of the load-receiving surface 22a but also the portion located in front of it can be brightly illuminated. In other words, it is possible to brightly illuminate the entire or a wide area of ​​the load-receiving surface 22a without irradiating with light from various directions using multiple light-emitting devices.

[0055] In this embodiment, when the loading platform 22 is moved to a lower position from the state in which the area indication operation is being performed, the system transitions directly to the state in which the platform illumination operation is being performed. That is, the light irradiation device 26 that emits light is common to both the area indication operation and the platform illumination operation, the position of the light irradiation device 26 when emitting light is the same, and the direction of light irradiation is the same. By configuring the system to be able to perform both the area indication operation and the platform illumination operation in this way, the system can perform both operations with a simple structure without having to install or move multiple light irradiation devices 26, thereby reducing the number of parts.

[0056] In this embodiment, sliding the sliding part 11 causes both the loading platform 22 and the light irradiation device 26 to slide. As a result, even though the loading platform lifting device 1 is configured to change its posture between a stored position and a usage position, it is easy to mount it on the vehicle body 2. In other words, with a configuration in which the loading platform 22 and the light irradiation device 26 are attached to the vehicle body 2 separately, after attaching the loading platform 22 to the vehicle body 2, it is necessary to adjust the mounting position of the light irradiation device 26 so that light is irradiated to the appropriate position. Furthermore, there are various types (shapes) of vehicles to which the loading platform lifting device 1 is attached, and it is necessary to adjust the mounting position and orientation of the light irradiation device 26 according to the type of vehicle. In contrast, in the loading platform lifting device 1 of this embodiment, the sliding section 11 is a unit body including the loading platform 22 and the light irradiation device 26, and it can be mounted on the vehicle body 2 simply by fixing the sliding rail 10 etc. to the vehicle body 2. In other words, it is easy to install as there is no need to adjust the mounting position or orientation of the light irradiation device 26 when mounting it on the vehicle body 2. Furthermore, even if the loading platform 22 and the part connected to the loading platform 22 are configured to slide, the light can be irradiated to the appropriate position when the loading platform 22 is in the position for use.

[0057] In the embodiment described above, the light-irradiated area 65 during the area indication operation was defined as an area including a part of the rear side of the superimposed area 60, but the area to which light is irradiated during the area indication operation is not limited to this. It may be an area including another part of the superimposed area 60, an area that exactly or almost exactly overlaps with the superimposed area 60, or an area that partially includes the entire superimposed area 60. In addition, the area may be adjacent to the outside of the boundary of the superimposed area 60, or it may be an area close to the outside of the boundary of the superimposed area 60. Here, "an area close to the outside of the boundary" refers to an area located a small distance (a few centimeters) away from the boundary of the superimposed area 60. In other words, the area indication operation only needs to allow workers to grasp the exact or approximate position where at least a part of the loading platform 22 will descend by visually identifying the area illuminated by light.

[0058] The area indication operation described above may also be an operation to display characters in the light-illuminated area 65, as shown in Figure 8. In this case, a road surface drawing lamp may be used as the light illumination device 26. In addition to characters, the operation may also display numbers, symbols, figures, graphs, tables, pictures, or other symbols, or it may be an operation to display characters or a combination of these.

[0059] When illuminating with light in the area indication operation and tabletop illumination operation described above, the light may be continuously illuminated (on) or intermittently illuminated (flashing). Furthermore, the area indication operation and tabletop illumination operation may have different illumination cycles, such as flashing in the area indication operation and on in the tabletop illumination operation. In addition, the color of the light may be different in the area indication operation and tabletop illumination operation.

[0060] In the embodiments described above, an example was given in which the light irradiation device 26 is composed of a single light-emitting device, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The light irradiation device 26 only needs to be able to irradiate a specified area with light, and may be composed of multiple light-emitting devices. In this case, multiple light-emitting devices may be arranged in the left-right direction (vehicle width direction), and the direction of light irradiation from each light-emitting device may be the same or different. Furthermore, the light source of the light irradiation device 26 could be a point light source such as a point light source LED, or a surface light source such as an organic EL light-emitting device.

[0061] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and may also include, for example, a loading platform lifting device 100 as shown in Figure 9.

[0062] The loading platform lifting device 100 of this embodiment has a main body 101 and a light irradiation device 126, which are attached to the vehicle body 102 and the cargo box 104, respectively, for use. That is, in the loading platform lifting device 1 of the above embodiment, the main body (slide part 11) and the light irradiation device 26 are integrated into a single unit. Therefore, when mounting the loading platform lifting device 1, it is sufficient to attach the slide rail 10, slide part 11, and slide cylinder 12 to the vehicle body 2, and there is no need to attach the light irradiation device 26 separately. In contrast, in this embodiment, the main body 101 and the light irradiation device 126 are attached separately to form the vehicle 103.

[0063] The main body 101 is a so-called backpack-type loading platform lifting device, and has a loading platform 122 and a posture changing mechanism (detailed illustration omitted) for changing the posture of the loading platform 122. The loading platform 122 has a loading surface 122a on which cargo is placed when loading and unloading cargo. The light illumination devices 126 are attached to both ends in the vehicle width direction (one of which is not shown), and, as in the embodiment described above, use LED lamps.

[0064] The loading platform lifting device 100 (main body 101) of this embodiment can also change its orientation between the driving orientation (see Figure 9(a)) and the usage orientation. In the usage orientation, the loading platform 122 can be raised and lowered between an upper position and a lower position (see Figure 9(b)). When the loading platform 122 is positioned in an upper position (not shown), the loading surface 122a is at the same or approximately the same height as the floor of the loading platform 104 (cargo box) (the floor surface on which cargo is loaded and unloaded). In contrast, when the loading platform 122 is positioned in a lower position (see Figure 9(b)), at least a portion of the lower part of the loading platform 122 is in contact with the ground or the like.

[0065] The loading platform lifting device 100 of this embodiment also performs area indication operation (see Figure 10(a)) and platform illumination operation (see Figure 10(b)).

[0066] The area indication operation can be performed with the loading platform 122 positioned upward in the usage orientation, or it may be performed in the driving orientation, as shown in Figure 10(a). The area indication operation in this embodiment is also an operation that informs people in the surrounding area of ​​the position where the loading platform 122 will descend by illuminating it with light, and is an operation that indicates the position where the front end of the loading platform 122 will descend. The on-table illumination operation is performed with the loading platform 122 positioned downwards in its operational orientation, and is intended to brightly illuminate the loading surface 122a. In this embodiment as well, the operation is performed to irradiate light in such a way that an optical axis is formed extending from the light irradiation device 126 toward the rear end portion of the loading platform 122.

[0067] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and may also include, for example, a loading platform lifting device 200 as shown in Figure 11.

[0068] The loading platform lifting device 200 of this embodiment has a main body 201 and a light irradiation device 226, which are attached to the vehicle body 202 and the loading platform, respectively, for use. The loading platform lifting device 200 of this embodiment also forms a vehicle 203 by separately attaching the main body 201 and the light irradiation device 226.

[0069] The main body 201 is a loading platform lifting device known as a vertical lifting type, and has a loading platform 222 and a posture changing mechanism (detailed illustration omitted) for changing the posture of the loading platform 222. The loading platform 222 has a loading surface 222a on which cargo is placed when loading and unloading cargo. The light illumination devices 226 are attached to both ends in the vehicle width direction (one of which is not shown), and, as in the embodiment described above, use LED lamps.

[0070] The loading platform lifting device 200 (main body 201) of this embodiment can also change its orientation between the driving orientation (see Figure 11(a)) and the usage orientation. In the usage orientation, the loading platform 222 can be raised and lowered between an upper position (see Figure 11(b)) and a lower position (see Figure 11(c)). When the loading platform 222 is positioned in an upper position, the loading surface 22a is positioned at the same or approximately the same height as the floor of the cargo box (the floor on which cargo is loaded and unloaded) (see Figure 11(b)). In contrast, when the loading platform 222 is positioned in a lower position, at least a portion of the lower part of the loading platform 222 is in contact with the ground or the like (see Figure 11(c)).

[0071] The loading platform lifting device 200 of this embodiment also performs area indication operation (see Figure 12(a)) and platform illumination operation (see Figure 12(b)).

[0072] The area indication operation can be performed with the loading platform 222 positioned upward in the usage orientation, as shown in Figure 12(a), or it may be performed in the driving orientation (not shown). The area indication operation in this embodiment is also an operation that uses light to indicate the position where the loading platform 222 will descend, and an operation that indicates the position where the front end of the loading platform 222 will descend. The on-table illumination operation is performed with the loading platform 222 positioned downwards in its operational orientation, and is intended to brightly illuminate the loading surface 222a. In this embodiment as well, the operation is performed to irradiate light in such a way that an optical axis is formed extending from the light irradiation device 226 toward the rear end portion of the loading platform 222.

[0073] In the area indication operations of each embodiment described above, the operation of irradiating light onto a light-irradiated area which is a surface such as the ground that includes at least a part of the superimposed area 60, or an area adjacent to or near the superimposed area 60. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. As shown in Figure 13, the loading platform lifting device 300 may also operate by using light emitted from a light irradiating device 326 attached to the top of the vehicle (loading platform) to cast a shadow on a part of the ground or other area, indicating the position where the loading platform 322 will descend. In this case, the area where the shadow is formed is similar to the light irradiating area in the above embodiment, and includes at least a part of the superimposed area 60, or is an area adjacent to or near the superimposed area 60. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 1,100,200,300 Loading platform lifting device 3 vehicles 10. Slide rail (rail section) 11. Slide section 22,122,222,322 loading platform 26,126,226,326 Light irradiation device

Claims

1. A loading platform lifting device mounted on a vehicle, It has a loading platform and a light irradiation device, The loading platform is provided to be able to move up and down between an upper position and a lower position. This function indicates the location of at least a portion of the overlapping area, which is an area on the ground or floor that overlaps with the lower side of the loading platform located at the lower position. In the aforementioned area indication operation, the light irradiation device irradiates light downwards, moreover, The light irradiation device is positioned below the loading platform positioned above, and above the loading platform positioned below, By irradiating from the light irradiation device, whose position does not change during the raising and lowering process, in a direction in which the angle between its optical axis and the horizontal plane is a predetermined angle θ1, The area clarification operation is performed to illuminate the light-illuminated area, which is the area including the rear portion of the superimposed area that is the front end of the loading platform, Also, A loading platform lifting device characterized by performing a platform illumination operation to illuminate the loading surface on the upper surface of the loading platform, which is the surface on which cargo is placed when loading and unloading cargo onto the vehicle, while the loading platform is positioned in the lower position.

2. A loading platform lifting device according to Claim 1, A loading platform lifting device characterized in that, when positioned in the aforementioned lower position, the light irradiation device is capable of irradiating light in such a way that it forms an optical axis extending toward the tip of the loading platform.

3. A loading platform lifting device mounted on a vehicle, It has a loading platform and a light irradiation device, The loading platform is provided to be able to move up and down between an upper position and a lower position. This function indicates the location of at least a portion of the overlapping area, which is an area on the ground or floor that overlaps with the lower side of the loading platform located at the lower position. The light irradiation device performs the area indication operation by irradiating light downwards, Also, With the loading platform positioned in the lower location, the platform illumination operation is performed to illuminate the loading surface on the upper surface of the loading platform, which is the surface on which cargo is placed when loading and unloading cargo onto the vehicle, and further, It has a rail section and a sliding section that slides along the rail section. The sliding section comprises the loading platform and the light irradiation device, A loading platform lifting device characterized in that the loading platform and the light irradiation device both slide as the sliding portion slides.

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