Trailer securing device and trailer fastening method

Abstract

To provide a trailer-securing device and trailer-securing method capable of enhancing the freedom of arrangement of a trailer in a ship and readily inhibiting skidding of the trailer.SOLUTION: A trailer-securing device according to the present disclosure is installed between a trailer frame of a semi-trailer and a floor of a ship, and includes: a support base that supports a load of the trailer frame on the floor; and a magnetic force securing part that is secured to the support base and that can be attached to and detached from the floor by switching a magnetic force.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a trailer fixing device and a trailer fixing method.

Background Art

[0002] Vessels such as car ferries and RO-RO ships may carry only trailers among semi-trailers as cargo. The semi-trailer is towed by a tractor to the vehicle deck inside the ship, and the trailer is detached from the tractor at a predetermined position on the vehicle deck.

[0003] A landing gear for holding the height position of the front part of the trailer when the tractor is detached is provided on the trailer pedestal of the trailer. However, this landing gear is assumed to be used on land and may not have sufficient strength against the sway of the hull. Therefore, it is necessary to support the front part of the trailer mounted on the vehicle deck from below by a dedicated member such as a trailer bogie. In addition, the trailers of semi-trailers are fastened to the hull by lashing belts at multiple locations in order not to skid sideways during navigation. Such fastening work requires manpower and time.

[0004] On the other hand, Patent Document 1 proposes a technique for fixing the front part of a trailer to a vehicle deck using an inverted U-shaped trailer support. A coupler that can be connected to the kingpin of the trailer is provided at the upper part of the trailer support of this Patent Document 1, and twist locks are provided at the lower ends of the two legs of the trailer support, respectively. These multiple twist locks enable the legs of the trailer support to be fixed to the vehicle deck, thereby suppressing the sideways sliding of the front part of the trailer pedestal.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] However, in Patent Document 1, since grooves for fixing the twist locks must be formed in the vehicle deck, trailers cannot be placed anywhere other than where the grooves are formed, thus reducing the freedom of trailer placement. Furthermore, if one attempts to improve the freedom of trailer placement by providing multiple grooves, the structure of the vehicle deck becomes complicated, which presents a problem. Furthermore, Patent Document 1 presents the problem that, because it is necessary to precisely position the trailer support relative to the groove for fixing the twist lock, skilled operation of the tractor is required when loading the trailer onto the vehicle deck.

[0007] This disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances and provides a trailer securing device and a trailer securing method that improve the degree of freedom in positioning trailers on ships and can easily suppress lateral slippage of trailers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To address the above issues, the following configuration will be adopted. The trailer fixing device according to this disclosure comprises a support base provided between the trailer frame of a semi-trailer and the floor of a ship, which supports the load of the trailer frame on the floor, and a magnetic fixing part provided on the support base which is detachable from the floor by switching the magnetic force.

[0009] The trailer securing method according to this disclosure includes the steps of: placing a support base between the trailer frame of a semi-trailer and the floor of a ship, and having the support base support the load of the trailer frame on the floor; fixing the support base to the floor by magnetic force; and securing the trailer frame with lashing belts. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The trailer securing device and trailer securing method described herein improve the degree of freedom in positioning trailers on a ship and make it possible to easily suppress lateral slippage of trailers. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing the schematic configuration of a vessel according to the embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a side view showing the schematic configuration of a semi-trailer according to the embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a side view of a trailer fixing device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a side view showing the state in which the trailer frame is supported by the trailer fixing device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart showing a trailer securing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] This is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a trailer fixing device according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 7] This is a side view showing the state in which the trailer frame is supported by the trailer fixing device according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart of a trailer securing method according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] This is a side view of a semi-trailer used for loading into a vessel according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Hereinafter, a trailer securing device and a trailer fastening method according to the embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0013] <First Embodiment> (ship) The trailer fixing device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied to ships such as car ferries and RO-RO ships (roll-on / roll-off ships) that can carry automobiles and trucks as cargo. In this first embodiment, an RO-RO ship will be described as an example of the ship.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a ship according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, a ship 1 which is an RO-RO ship includes a hull 2 and a superstructure 3. The hull 2 has a side 4, a bottom 5, and a plurality of decks 10. The side 4 has a pair of side outer plates that respectively constitute the left and right sides. The bottom 5 has a bottom outer plate that connects these sides 4. The superstructure 3 is formed on the upper deck 10B of the hull 2 and includes a bridge 3A and a living area 3B.

[0015] The hull 2 in this embodiment includes two shore ramps 12 for loading and unloading cargo such as vehicles. The ship 1 is exemplified by the case where shore ramps 12 (stern ramp 12A, center ramp 12B) are provided at the stern 2A and the middle position in the bow-stern direction of the right side 4 respectively. These shore ramps 12 are connected to the freeboard deck 10A which is an embarkation deck arranged in the middle layer among the decks 10 of the hull 2 formed in a hierarchical manner.

[0016] When these shore ramps 12 are lowered and deployed, vehicles such as passenger cars and trucks can drive themselves from the shore through the shore ramps 12 and board the freeboard deck 10A. The boarded vehicle (not shown) is mounted and fixed at a predetermined position on the vehicle deck 10C of a predetermined layer via a rampway 13 which is an inclined road connecting the decks 10 adjacent to each other vertically. Here, at least the vehicle deck 10C of the hull 2 is formed of a ferromagnetic material such as steel.

[0017] (Semi-trailer) FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a semi-trailer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 2, the semi-trailer 20 comprises a towed vehicle (hereinafter simply referred to as trailer 21) that cannot travel on its own, a towing vehicle (hereinafter simply referred to as tractor 22), and a coupling section 30. The vessel 1 of this embodiment is capable of transporting the trailer 21 alone as cargo. The trailer 21 illustrated in this embodiment is a van-type trailer and comprises at least a trailer frame 24, a box body 25, trailer wheels 26, landing gear 27, and a kingpin 28. In the following description, the longitudinal direction of the semi-trailer 20 is referred to as the vehicle longitudinal direction Da, and the vertical direction of the semi-trailer 20 is referred to as the vertical direction Dc. In the following description, "front" and "rear" refer to "front" and "rear" in the vehicle longitudinal direction Da.

[0018] The trailer frame 24 supports the box body 25 from below. The trailer frame 24 extends in the vehicle's longitudinal direction Da. The box body 25 is a hollow rectangular parallelepiped with its longitudinal direction Da as its length, and has a space inside for storing cargo. The box body 25 is fixed on the trailer frame 24. The trailer wheels 26 support the rear of the trailer frame 24 from below and are rotatable around a pivot axis extending in the vehicle width direction (horizontal direction perpendicular to the vehicle's longitudinal direction Da). In this embodiment, the case in which two sets of trailer wheels 26 are arranged side by side at the front and rear is illustrated, but the configuration is not limited to this. The number and arrangement of the trailer wheels 26 may be changed as appropriate.

[0019] The landing gear 27 supports the trailer 21 from below and maintains the height of the front of the trailer 21 when the trailer 21 is detached from the tractor 22 (hereinafter simply referred to as "detachment"). The landing gear 27 is positioned on both sides of the trailer frame 24 in the vehicle width direction Db and is extendable and retractable in the vertical direction Dc. The landing gear 27 is in a retracted state when the tractor 22 and trailer 21 are connected (hereinafter simply referred to as "connection") and is in an extended state when the above-mentioned detachment occurs. In this embodiment, the landing gear 27 is positioned between the center of the trailer 21 and the kingpin 28 in the vehicle longitudinal direction Da. In Figure 2, the extended landing gear 27 is shown by a dashed line.

[0020] The kingpin 28 is designed to be connectable to a coupler 29 (described later) located on the upper rear surface of the tractor 22. The kingpin 28, together with the coupler 29, constitutes the connecting section 30. When connected, the kingpin 28 is columnar in shape, protruding downward from the lower front surface of the trailer frame 24, which is located above the rear of the tractor 22.

[0021] The tractor 22 of this embodiment includes at least a chassis 31, a cab 32, tractor wheels 33, and a coupler 29. The chassis 31 extends in the vehicle's longitudinal direction Da. The rear of the chassis 31 is positioned below the front of the trailer frame 24 when coupled. The cab 32 is located at the front of the chassis 31 and forms the driver's compartment. In this embodiment, the cab 32 of the tractor 22 is an example of a so-called cab-over type, positioned above the engine (not shown) for driving. The tractor wheels 33 are provided at the front and rear of the chassis 31, respectively. In this embodiment, one pair of tractor wheels 33 located at the front of the chassis 31 serve as steering wheels, and the other pair located at the rear serve as drive wheels.

[0022] The coupler 29, together with the kingpin 28 described above, constitutes the coupling section 30. The coupler 29 is located on the rear upper surface of the chassis 31. The coupler 29 allows the kingpin 28 to be inserted into and removed from the rear of the tractor 22. Furthermore, the coupler 29 can be locked into a state where the kingpin 28 cannot be removed by performing a predetermined operation while the kingpin 28 is inserted. In the locked state, the coupler 29 allows the kingpin 28 to rotate around its axis, while restricting the relative displacement of the kingpin 28 to the coupler 29 in the vehicle longitudinal direction Da, vehicle width direction Db, and vertical direction Dc.

[0023] The trailer 21, equipped with the above configuration, is brought into the ship 2 from the quay via the shore ramp 12 in the form of a semi-trailer 20 towed by a tractor 22. In this embodiment, the semi-trailer 20 moves via the rampway 13, which is an inclined walkway, to the vehicle deck 10C of a predetermined level among the multiple decks 10 on which the trailer 21 is loaded. When the semi-trailer 20 arrives at the vehicle deck 10C of the predetermined level, the trailer 21 is stopped at the predetermined loading position. Then, the landing gear 27 is extended from the retracted state and the lock of the coupling section 30 is released. Furthermore, in this state, the tractor 22 is moved forward. This separates the tractor 22 from the trailer 21, and the trailer 21 becomes self-supporting with the landing gear 27. The tractor 22, separated from the trailer 21, disembarks via the shore ramp 12.

[0024] (Trailer securing device) Figure 3 is a side view of a trailer fixing device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 3, the trailer securing device 40 of the first embodiment supports the load of a trailer 21 parked in a predetermined mounting position in place of the landing gear 27. The trailer securing device 40 comprises a support base 41 and a magnetic securing part 42.

[0025] Figure 4 is a side view showing the state in which the trailer frame is supported by the trailer fixing device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the support base 41 is installed between the trailer frame 24 of the semi-trailer 20 and the upper surface of the vehicle deck 10C (hereinafter referred to as the floor surface 14), and supports the load of the trailer frame 24 on the floor surface 14. The support base 41 has a configuration similar to that of what is generally called a trailer bogie. The support base 41 comprises an upper support section 44, a lower support section 45, a height adjustment section 46, and a running device 47.

[0026] The upper support portion 44 is the part of the support base 41 that contacts the lower surface of the trailer frame 24. In this embodiment, the top view contour of the upper support portion 44 is rectangular (not shown). In this embodiment, the trailer fixing device 40 is mounted so that the upper support portion 44 contacts the lower surface of the trailer frame 24 behind the kingpin 28. The trailer fixing device 40 may also be mounted so that the upper support portion 44 contacts the lower surface of the trailer frame 24 in front of the kingpin 28, or at the position of the kingpin 28. Furthermore, the upper surface 44u of the upper support portion 44 is not limited to a flat surface; for example, if there are irregularities on the lower surface of the trailer frame 24, the upper surface 44u may conform to these irregularities. In addition, the upper surface 44u of the upper support portion 44 may be made of a material with a high coefficient of friction, such as rubber or synthetic resin, or knurled, to prevent slippage against the lower surface of the trailer frame 24. Furthermore, the upper support portion 44 may be equipped with a coupler (not shown) that can be connected to a kingpin 28 provided on the lower surface of the trailer frame 24.

[0027] The lower support portion 45 is the part of the support base 41 that contacts the floor surface 14 when supporting the load of the trailer frame 24. In this embodiment, the lower support portion 45 has a rectangular shape (not shown) when viewed from above. Furthermore, the lower support portion 45 has a lower opening 48 on its inner side when viewed from above. Through this lower opening 48, the wheels 58 of the running gear 47, which will be described later, can be made to protrude below the lower surface of the lower support portion 45.

[0028] The height adjustment section 46 extends between the upper support section 44 and the lower support section 45. More specifically, the height adjustment section 46 connects the upper support section 44 and the lower support section 45 in the vertical direction Dc. The height adjustment section 46 is configured to be extendable and retractable in the vertical direction Dc. In other words, the height adjustment section 46 can adjust the height of the support base 41, which is the distance from the lower support section 45 to the upper support section 44. The height adjustment section 46 in this embodiment includes a base section 49 and an extendable / retractable mechanism section 50.

[0029] The base portion 49 comprises a plurality of column portions 51 and an upper annular portion 52. Each of the plurality of column portions 51 extends upward from the lower support portion 45. Specifically, the plurality of column portions 51 extend inclined so that the distance between them decreases as they extend upward. The upper ends of each of the plurality of column portions 51 are fixed to the upper annular portion 52. In this embodiment, the column portions 51 extend upward from the four corner portions 53 of the rectangular lower support portion 45. The upper annular portion 52 is an annular shape with a through hole 54 that penetrates in the vertical direction Dc on its inside. The telescopic mechanism portion 50 is supported in this upper annular portion 52.

[0030] The telescopic mechanism 50 comprises a main body 55 and a rod 56. The main body 55 has an upper opening (not shown) that opens upward. In this embodiment, the main body 55 is positioned vertically below the upper annular portion 52 and is attached so as not to move relative to the upper annular portion 52. The rod 56 is housed within the main body 55 through the upper opening (not shown) and extends upward from the upper opening (not shown) of the main body 55. The rod 56 is retractable relative to the main body 55. The rod 56 is fixed to the lower surface of the upper support portion 44 through a through hole 54 in the upper annular portion 52. The main body 55 is equipped with an operating lever 57, which allows adjustment of the length of the rod 56 that protrudes above the upper annular portion 52 by operating the operating lever 57. Examples of the telescopic mechanism 50 include a fluid pressure cylinder and a ball screw mechanism.

[0031] The running gear 47 is capable of traveling on the floor surface 14. The running gear 47 comprises a plurality of wheels 58, a wheel support 59 that rotatably supports these plurality of wheels 58, and a wheel lifting mechanism 60 that moves the wheel support 59 up and down. In this embodiment, the running gear 47 is arranged such that three or more wheels 58 protrude downward at intervals along the outer circumference of the wheel support 59, which is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from above.

[0032] The running gear 47 can raise and lower the wheel support 59 by operating the wheel lifting mechanism 60, thereby switching between a drivable state in which the wheels 58 are positioned below the lower support 45 through the lower opening 48, and a stowed state in which the wheels 58 are positioned above the lower support 45. The running gear 47 is in the drivable state when the trailer fixing device 40 is placed between the trailer frame 24 and the floor 14 of the vehicle deck 10C, or when it is removed from between the trailer frame 24 and the floor 14 of the vehicle deck 10C. On the other hand, the running gear 47 is in the stowed state when it is placed between the trailer frame 24 and the floor 14 of the vehicle deck 10C and the trailer frame 24 is supported by the support base 41. In this embodiment, the drivable state and the stowed state can be switched by operating the operating lever 60a of the wheel lifting mechanism 60.

[0033] The magnetic fixing part 42 is provided on the support base 41. The magnetic fixing part 42 is detachable from the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C by switching the magnetic force. The magnetic fixing part 42 of this embodiment comprises a mounting frame 61 and a magnetic fixing part body 62. The mounting frame 61 is a member for fixing the magnetic fixing part body 62 to the support base 41. The magnetic fixing part body 62 has an adsorption surface 63 that contacts the floor surface 14 when the lower support part 45 of the support base 41 is in contact with the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C.

[0034] The magnetic fixing unit body 62 illustrated in this embodiment comprises a permanent magnet 64 and a switching lever 65. The switching lever 65 can be switched between an ON state (adhesion state) in which the permanent magnet 64 generates a magnetic force to attract the adsorption surface 63 to the floor surface 14, and an OFF state (release state) in which the magnetic force that attracts the adsorption surface 63 to the floor surface 14 is disabled. In this embodiment, two magnetic fixing units 42 are provided, and these two magnetic fixing units 42 are arranged so as to sandwich the support base 41 between them. The magnetic fixing unit body 62 in this embodiment extends along two parallel sides of the lower support unit 45 which has a rectangular outline. In this embodiment, the case in which the two magnetic fixing units 42 are spaced apart in the vehicle's longitudinal direction Da is illustrated.

[0035] Furthermore, the switching lever 65 in this embodiment protrudes from the longitudinal end face of the magnetic fixing unit body 62 and extends upward. This switching lever 65 is pivotable around a pivot axis that extends longitudinally in the magnetic fixing unit body 62. For example, when the magnetic fixing unit body 62 is in the off state, the switching lever 65 extends vertically upward, and when switching from the off state to the on state, the upper end of the switching lever 65 is pivoted in a direction away from the support base 41. Note that the number of magnetic fixing units 42, the shape of the mounting frame 61, and the fixing points between the mounting frame 61, the magnetic fixing unit body 62, and the support base 41 are not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment and may be changed as appropriate.

[0036] (Trailer securing method) Next, a trailer securing method according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a trailer securing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 5, in the trailer securing method according to this embodiment, the trailer 21 is towed by a tractor 22 (see Figure 2) and driven onto the vehicle deck 10C inside the ship's hull 2 ​​from the quay. Then, the trailer 21 is parked at a predetermined loading position (step S01). At this time, wheel chocks (not shown) are attached to the trailer wheels 26 as appropriate.

[0037] Next, the tractor 22 is detached from the trailer 21 (step S02). At this time, just before detaching the tractor 22, the landing gear 27 of the trailer 21 is extended from the retracted state. With the landing gear 27 extended, the trailer 21 becomes self-supporting after the tractor 22 is detached. The tractor 22, having detached the trailer 21, disembarks, leaving the trailer 21 inside the ship.

[0038] Subsequently, the trailer fixing device 40 is moved and placed between the trailer frame 24 and the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C (step S03). Then, the support base 41 supports the load of the trailer frame 24 on the floor surface 14 (step S04). In this embodiment, for example, an operator moves the trailer fixing device 40, which was stored in a predetermined storage location on the ship, by hand. At this time, the operator switches the trailer fixing device 40 to a state where it can be moved by the travel device 47 and moves it by traveling it on the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C. Furthermore, the operator operates the travel device 47 of the trailer fixing device 40, which has been moved between the trailer frame 24 and the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C, to the retracted state. After that, the operator operates the telescopic mechanism 50 so that the upper surface of the upper support part 44 contacts the lower surface of the trailer frame 24. As a result, the lower surface of the lower support portion 45 contacts the floor surface 14, and the upper surface of the upper support portion 44 contacts the lower surface of the trailer frame 24, so that the load of the trailer frame 24 is supported on the floor surface 14 by the support base 41. In this state, the suction surface 63 of the magnetic fixing portion 42 of the trailer fixing device 40 also contacts the floor surface 14 (see Figure 4).

[0039] Next, the support base 41 is fixed to the floor surface 14 by magnetic force (step S05). This is done by the worker operating the switch lever 65 of the magnetic fixing part 42 from the off state to the on state. Subsequently, the trailer 21 is secured appropriately with lashing belts 70 (see Figure 4) (step S06). This involves, for example, a worker connecting multiple securing rings (not shown) provided on the trailer 21 to securing fittings at predetermined locations on the hull 2 ​​(for example, embedded fittings on the vehicle deck 10C; not shown) with the lashing belts 70, and then tightening each lashing belt 70. Although the explanation described the case where step S06 is performed after step S05, it is also possible to perform step S06 before step S05, or to have multiple workers perform steps S05 and S06 in parallel.

[0040] (Effects and Benefits) The trailer fixing device 40 of the first embodiment described above is positioned between the trailer frame 24 and the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C and includes a support base 41 that supports the load of the trailer frame 24 on the floor surface 14. Furthermore, the trailer fixing device 40 includes a magnetic fixing part 42 that is fixed to the support base 41 and is detachable from the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C by switching the magnetic force. This allows the support base 41 to be fixed to the floor 14 by switching the magnetic force of the magnetic fixing part 42 fixed to the support base 41 while the load of the trailer frame 24 is supported by the support base 41. Therefore, the support base 41 can be fixed to any location on the vehicle deck 10C as long as it can be fixed by magnetic force. Consequently, the degree of freedom in positioning the trailer 21 is improved, and the lateral slippage of the trailer 21 can be easily suppressed. In particular, the trailer fixing device 40 can suppress the lateral slippage of the front of the trailer 21, thereby reducing the number of lashing belts 70 that secure the front of the trailer frame 24, and thus reducing the burden on workers and shortening working time.

[0041] The support base 41 of the trailer fixing device 40 in the first embodiment described above includes an upper support portion 44 that contacts the lower surface of the trailer frame 24, a lower support portion 45 that contacts the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C, and a height adjustment portion 46 that extends between the upper support portion 44 and the lower support portion 45 and is extendable and retractable vertically. Furthermore, the magnetic fixing portion 42 of the trailer fixing device 40 in the first embodiment has an adsorption surface 63 that contacts the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C when the lower support portion 45 is in contact with the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C. With this configuration, the load of the trailer frame 24 can be supported by the support base 41, while the magnetic fixing part 42's suction surface 63 is in contact with the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C. Therefore, the support base 41 can be easily fixed to the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C.

[0042] Furthermore, the trailer securing device 40 of the first implementation form described above has a traveling device 47 that can travel on the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C, so that the support base 41 and the magnetic securing part 42 can be moved simultaneously, and the support base 41 and the magnetic securing part 42 fixed to the support base 41 can be easily moved. Therefore, the burden on workers performing the securing work of the trailer 21 can be reduced.

[0043] Furthermore, the magnetic fixing unit 42 is equipped with a permanent magnet 64 and a switch lever 65. The switch lever 65 allows switching between an ON state, in which the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 64 attracts the adsorption surface 63 to the vehicle deck 10C, and an OFF state, in which the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 64 releases the attraction. As a result, there is no need to supply power to the magnetic fixing unit 42 from an external source to generate the magnetic force, thus preventing the mobility of the trailer fixing device 40 from being impaired by power cables or the like.

[0044] The trailer securing method of the first embodiment described above includes the steps of: placing a support base 41 between the trailer frame 24 of the semi-trailer 20 and the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C, and having the support base 41 support the load of the trailer frame 24 on the floor surface 14; fixing the support base 41 to the floor surface 14 by magnetic force; and securing the trailer frame 24 with a lashing belt 70. In this way, the support base 41 can be prevented from sliding sideways due to the movement of the hull 2, thereby reducing the number of securing points where the front of the trailer frame 24 is secured with lashing belts 70. Consequently, the labor required for cargo handling by workers performing securing operations can be reduced. Furthermore, by reducing the number of securing points, the number of securing fittings to be installed on the hull 2 ​​can be reduced, thus preventing the structure of the hull 2 ​​from becoming overly complex.

[0045] <Second Embodiment> Next, a trailer securing device according to the second embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the second embodiment described below, the configuration of the trailer securing device differs from that of the first embodiment. Therefore, using Figures 1 and 2, the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in the first embodiment, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0046] The trailer securing device 140 according to the second embodiment can be applied to vessels such as car ferries and RO-RO ships (roll-on / roll-off ships) that can transport automobiles and trucks as cargo, similar to the first embodiment. In this second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, the vessel 1 transports the trailer 21 of the semi-trailer 20 by itself. The trailer 21 comprises at least a trailer frame 24, a box body 25, trailer wheels 26, landing gear 27, and a kingpin 28.

[0047] Figure 6 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of the trailer fixing device 140 according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 7 is a side view showing the trailer frame supported by the trailer fixing device according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the trailer fixing device 140 according to the second embodiment includes a support base 141 provided between the trailer frame 24 of the semi-trailer 20 and the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C, which supports the load of the trailer frame 24 on the floor surface 14, and a magnetic fixing part 42 fixed to the support base 141 and detachable from the floor surface 14 by switching the magnetic force. The support base 141 according to this second embodiment includes at least a support base coupler 80, an upper frame 81, leg parts 82, and a support base kingpin 83. The support base 141 of the second embodiment can also be referred to as, for example, a trailer support.

[0048] The support base coupler 80 is detachably connected to the kingpin 28 provided on the underside of the trailer frame 24. This support base coupler 80 may have the same configuration as the coupler 29 provided on the tractor 22, but is not limited to having the same configuration as the coupler 29 on the tractor 22, as long as it is detachably connected to the kingpin 28 of the trailer 21.

[0049] The upper frame 81 supports the support base coupler 80 from below. The upper frame 81 is formed to extend in the vehicle width direction Db of the trailer frame 24 with the support base coupler 80 connected to the kingpin 28. The legs 82 extend downward from both ends of the upper frame 81 which extends in the vehicle width direction Db as described above. The support base 141 is formed in an inverted U shape by this one upper frame 81 and the two legs 82, and is formed to be self-supporting on the floor surface 14 by the two legs 82. In this embodiment, the upper frame 81 and the legs 82 are formed with the same width dimension W1 and the same thickness dimension D1, and the case in which the width dimension W1 is larger than the thickness dimension D1 is illustrated.

[0050] The support base kingpin 83 protrudes downward from the underside of the upper frame 81. This support base kingpin 83 is formed to be connectable to a coupler 29 provided on the tractor 22 of the semi-trailer 20. In this embodiment, the support base kingpin 83 has the same shape as the kingpin 28 provided on the trailer 21, but it does not necessarily have to be the same shape as long as it can be connected to the coupler 29 of the tractor 22.

[0051] The magnetic fixing parts 42 are provided on each of the leg parts 82. The magnetic fixing parts 42 have an adsorption surface 63 that can be attracted to the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C by magnetic force. The adsorption surface 63 is in contact with the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C when the lower end of the leg part 82 is in contact with the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C. The magnetic fixing part 42 of the second embodiment is similar to the magnetic fixing part 42 of the first embodiment in that it comprises a mounting frame 61 and a magnetic fixing part body 62. In the second embodiment, two magnetic fixing parts 42 are provided on the trailer fixing device 140, and these two magnetic fixing parts 42 are fixed to the outer surfaces 84 of the leg parts 82, which are arranged back to back. The magnetic fixing part body 62 of the second embodiment is shown as an example in which it extends in the width direction of the leg part 82 and has the same length as the width dimension W1 described above. Note that the position where the magnetic fixing part 42 is fixed is not limited to the outer surface 84 of the leg part 82. The magnetic fixing portion 42 may be provided, for example, on the inner surface of the leg portion 82 or on the lower surface of the leg portion 82. Alternatively, the magnetic fixing portion 42 may be provided at multiple locations among, for example, the outer surface 84 of the leg portion 82, the inner surface of the leg portion 82, and the lower surface of the leg portion 82.

[0052] (Trailer securing method) Next, a trailer securing method according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 8 is a flowchart of a trailer securing method according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 9 is a side view of a semi-trailer being brought into the interior of a vessel 1 according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. In this second embodiment, the case in which a dedicated tractor 22 is used to bring the trailer 21 into the hull 2 ​​will be described as an example. That is, multiple trailers 21 are already placed on land individually, self-supporting by landing gear 27 (not shown).

[0053] As shown in Figure 8, in the trailer securing method according to the second embodiment, before the trailer 21 is towed by the tractor 22 onto the vehicle deck 10C inside the ship's hull 2 ​​from the quay, the trailer securing device 140 is connected to the tractor 22 (step S11). Specifically, the trailer securing device 140 is stored in a self-supporting state at a predetermined storage location on land. At this storage location, the rear of the tractor 22 is inserted below the upper frame 81 of the trailer securing device 140, and the coupler 29 of the tractor 22 is connected to the support base kingpin 83. In this state, the tractor 22 raises the coupler 29 to lift the trailer securing device 140 off the ground and transport it.

[0054] Next, the tractor 22 and trailer 21 are connected to form a semi-trailer 20, which is then loaded into the hull 2 ​​(step S12). Specifically, the rear of the tractor 22 is positioned below the front of the trailer 21, which is supported by the landing gear 27. Then, the coupler 29 of the tractor 22 is raised to raise the trailer fixing device 140, and as shown in Figure 9, the support base coupler 80 of the trailer fixing device 140 is connected to the kingpin 28 of the trailer 21. At this time, the landing gear 27 is retracted. As a result, the tractor 22 and trailer 21 are connected via the trailer fixing device 140 to form a semi-trailer 20, which is then loaded into the hull 2. After that, as in the first embodiment, the trailer 21 is parked at a predetermined loading position. At this time, wheel chocks (not shown) are attached to the trailer wheels 26 as appropriate.

[0055] Next, the support base 141 supports the load of the trailer frame 24 on the floor surface 14 (step S13). Specifically, the trailer fixing device 140 is lowered by lowering the coupler 29 of the tractor 22. As a result, the lower end of the legs 82 of the support base 141 comes into contact with the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C, and the front of the trailer 21 is supported from below by the support base 141, which stops the tractor 22 from lowering the coupler 29.

[0056] Next, the support base 141 is fixed to the floor surface 14 by magnetic force (step S14). This is done by the operator operating the switch lever 65 of the magnetic fixing unit 42 from the off state to the on state. Furthermore, the tractor 22 is detached from the trailer 21 (step S15). Specifically, the tractor 22 is moved forward with the coupler 29 unlocked, and the coupler 29 of the tractor 22 is detached from the support base kingpin 83.

[0057] Subsequently, the trailer 21 is secured appropriately with lashing belts 70 (see Figure 7) (step S16). This involves, for example, a worker connecting multiple securing rings (not shown) provided on the trailer 21 to securing fittings at predetermined locations on the hull 2 ​​(for example, embedded fittings on the vehicle deck 10C; not shown) with the lashing belts 70, and then tightening each lashing belt 70. Although the explanation described the case where step S15 is performed after step S14, it is also possible to perform step S15 before step S14, or to perform steps S15 and S16 in parallel with step S14.

[0058] (Effects and Benefits) The trailer fixing device 140 of the second embodiment described above is positioned between the trailer frame 24 and the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C and includes a support base 141 that supports the load of the trailer frame 24 on the floor surface 14. Furthermore, the trailer fixing device 140 includes a magnetic fixing part 42 that is fixed to the support base 141 and is detachable from the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C by switching the magnetic force. As a result, similar to the first embodiment, the load of the trailer frame 24 is supported by the support base 141, and the magnetic force of the magnetic fixing part 42 fixed to the support base 141 can be switched to fix the support base 141 to the floor surface 14. Therefore, the support base 141 can be fixed to any location on the vehicle deck 10C as long as it can be fixed by magnetic force. Thus, the degree of freedom in positioning the trailer 21 is improved, and the lateral slippage of the trailer 21 can be easily suppressed.

[0059] Furthermore, the support base 141 of the trailer fixing device 140 in the second embodiment includes a support base coupler 80, an upper frame 81, legs 82, and a support base kingpin 83. Furthermore, the magnetic fixing part 42 of the second embodiment is provided on each leg 82 and has an adsorption surface 63 that contacts the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C when the lower end of the leg 82 is in contact with the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C. With this configuration, the support base 141 can support the load of the trailer frame 24, while the magnetic fixing part 42's suction surface 63 can be in contact with the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C. Therefore, the support base 141 can be easily fixed to the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C. Furthermore, when separating the tractor 22 from the trailer 21 mounted on the vehicle deck 10C, it can be made to stand on its own using the support base 141 without using the landing gear 27. This reduces the amount of work required inside the hull 2, allowing the loading of the trailer 21 to be completed in a shorter time. Consequently, loading operations can be carried out smoothly, reducing the burden on workers and shortening the working time.

[0060] Furthermore, the magnetic fixing unit 42 of the second embodiment, like the first embodiment, can be switched between an ON state in which the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 64 attracts the adsorption surface 63 to the vehicle deck 10C, and an OFF state in which the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 64 is released, using a switching lever 65. Therefore, since there is no need to supply power to the magnetic fixing unit 42 from an external source to generate the magnetic force, it is possible to suppress the impairment of the mobility of the trailer fixing device 140 due to power cables, etc.

[0061] The trailer securing method of the second embodiment includes the steps of: placing a support base 141 between the trailer frame 24 of the semi-trailer 20 and the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C, and having the support base 141 support the load of the trailer frame 24 on the floor surface 14; fixing the support base 141 to the floor surface 14 by magnetic force; and securing the trailer frame 24 with lashing belts 70. In this way, the support base 141 can be prevented from sliding sideways due to the movement of the hull 2, thereby reducing the number of securing points where the front of the trailer frame 24 is secured with lashing belts 70. Consequently, the labor required for cargo handling by workers performing securing operations can be reduced. Furthermore, by reducing the number of securing points, the number of securing fittings to be installed on the hull 2 ​​can be reduced, thus preventing the structure of the hull 2 ​​from becoming overly complex.

[0062] (Other embodiments) Although embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments and may include design changes and the like that do not depart from the gist of this disclosure. For example, in the embodiments described above, a RO-RO ship was used as an example of vessel 1, but any vessel capable of transporting a trailer 21 on its own would suffice, such as a car ferry.

[0063] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiments used a van-type trailer as an example for the trailer 21, the trailer 21 may be any type of trailer other than a van.

[0064] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiments used a magnetic fixing section 42 equipped with a permanent magnet 64 as an example, the magnetic fixing section 42 may also be configured to use an electromagnet instead of the permanent magnet 64.

[0065] Furthermore, although the first embodiment described a case in which one trailer securing device 40 is used for one trailer 21, it is also possible to secure one trailer 21 using two or more trailer securing devices 40.

[0066] Furthermore, although the second embodiment described the case in which the landing gear 27 is kept in a retracted state on the vehicle deck 10C, the landing gear 27 may also be extended so that the load of the trailer frame 24 is supported by both the landing gear 27 and the trailer fixing device 140.

[0067] <Note> The trailer securing device and trailer securing method described in the embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0068] (1) According to the first embodiment, the trailer fixing device 40, 140 comprises a support base 41, 141 provided between the trailer frame 24 of the semi-trailer 20 and the floor surface 14 of the ship 1, which supports the load of the trailer frame 24 on the floor surface 14, and a magnetic fixing part 42 fixed to the support base 41, 141, which is detachable from the floor surface 14 by switching the magnetic force. Examples of vessel 1 include RO-RO ships and car ferries. Examples of support structures 41 and 141 include trailer trolleys and trailer supports.

[0069] This makes it possible to fix the support base 41 to any location on the vehicle deck 10C where it can be fixed by magnetic force. Therefore, it is possible to improve the degree of freedom in positioning the trailer 21 and easily suppress the lateral slippage of the trailer 21.

[0070] (2) According to the second embodiment, the trailer fixing device 40 is the trailer fixing device 40 of (1), wherein the support base 41 comprises an upper support portion 44 that contacts the lower surface of the trailer frame 24, a lower support portion 45 that contacts the floor surface 14 of the vessel 1, and a height adjustment portion 46 that extends between the upper support portion 44 and the lower support portion 45 and is extendable and retractable vertically, and the magnetic fixing portion 42 has an adsorption surface 63 that contacts the floor surface 14 of the vessel 1 when the lower support portion 45 is in contact with the floor surface 14 of the vessel 1. An example of a support base 41 is a trailer bogie.

[0071] This allows the support base 41 to support the load of the trailer frame 24 while the magnetic fixing part 42's suction surface 63 is in contact with the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C, thus making it easy to fix the support base 41 to the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C.

[0072] (3) According to the third embodiment, the trailer fixing device 40 is the trailer fixing device 40 of (2), wherein the support base 41 has a traveling device 47 that can travel on the floor surface 14 of the ship 1. This allows the support base 41 and the magnetic fixing part 42 fixed to the support base 41 to be moved simultaneously and easily, thereby reducing the burden on workers performing the securing work on the trailer 21.

[0073] (4) According to a fourth embodiment, the trailer fixing device 140 is the trailer fixing device 140 of (1), wherein the support base 141 comprises a support base coupler 80 detachably connected to a kingpin 28 provided on the lower surface of the trailer frame 24, an upper frame 81 extending in the vehicle width direction Db of the trailer frame 24 and supporting the support base coupler 80 from below, legs 82 extending downward from both ends of the upper frame 81 in the vehicle width direction Db and having their lower ends in contact with the floor surface 14 of the vessel 1, and a support base kingpin 83 protruding downward from the lower surface of the upper frame 81 and connectable to a coupler 29 provided on the tractor 22 of the semi-trailer 20, and the magnetic fixing part 42 is provided on each of the legs 82 and has an adsorption surface 63 that contacts the floor surface 14 of the vessel 1 when the lower end of the legs 82 is in contact with the floor surface 14 of the vessel 1. An example of a support base 141 is a trailer support.

[0074] This allows the support base 141 to support the load of the trailer frame 24, while the magnetic fixing surface 63 of the magnetic fixing part 42 is in contact with the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C. As a result, the support base 141 can be easily fixed to the floor surface 14 of the vehicle deck 10C. Furthermore, since the trailer 21 can be made self-supporting by the support base 141 without using the landing gear 27, the number of man-hours inside the hull 2 ​​can be reduced, and the loading of the trailer 21 can be completed in a shorter time. Therefore, loading operations can be carried out smoothly, and the burden on workers can be reduced.

[0075] (5) According to the fifth embodiment, the trailer fixing device 40,140 is any one of the trailer fixing devices 40,140 of (1) to (4), wherein the magnetic fixing part 42 has a permanent magnet 64 and a switching lever 65 that switches between an adsorption state in which the trailer is fixed to the floor surface 14 of the ship 1 by the permanent magnet 64 and an adsorption release state in which the trailer is not fixed to the floor surface 14 of the ship 1. As a result, there is no need to supply power to the magnetic fixing unit 42 from an external source in order to generate magnetic force, thus preventing the mobility of the trailer fixing device 140 from being impaired by power cables or the like.

[0076] (6) According to the sixth aspect, the trailer securing method includes the steps of: placing support bases 41, 141 between the trailer frame 24 of the semi-trailer 20 and the floor 14 of the ship 1, and having the support bases 41, 141 support the load of the trailer frame 24 on the floor 14; fixing the support bases 41, 141 to the floor 14 by magnetic force; and securing the trailer frame 24 with lashing belts 70. This improves the flexibility of the trailer 21's placement and makes it easier to suppress the trailer 21's lateral slippage. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0077] 1...Ship 2...Hull 3...Superstructure 3A...Bridge 3B...Accommodation 4...Side 5...Bottom 10...Deck 10A...Freeboard deck 10B...Upper deck 10C...Vehicle deck 12...Shore ramp 12A...Stern ramp 12B...Center ramp 13...Rampway 14...Floor 20...Semi-trailer 21...Trailer 22...Tractor 22R...Rear 24...Trailer frame 25...Box 26...Trailer wheels 27...Landing gear 28...Kingpin 29...Coupler 30...Coupling section 31...Chassis 32...Cab 33...Tractor wheels 40,140...Trailer fixing device 41,141...Support base 42...Magnetic fixing section 44...Upper support section 44u...Top surface 45...Lower support section 46...Height adjustment section 47...Running mechanism 48...Lower opening 49...Base section 50...Telescopic mechanism section 51...Column section 52...Upper ring section 53...Corner section 54...Through hole 55...Main body section 56...Rod section 57...Operating lever section 58...Wheel 59...Wheel support 60...Wheel lifting mechanism 61...Mounting frame 62...Magnetic fixing section body 63...Adsorption surface 64...Permanent magnet 65...Switching lever 70...Lashing belt 80...Support base coupler 81...Upper frame 82...Legs 83...Support base kingpin 84...Outer surface W1...Width dimension D1...Thickness dimension Da...Vehicle front-rear direction Db...Vehicle width direction Dc...Up-down direction

Claims

1. A support base is provided between the trailer frame of a semi-trailer and the floor of a ship, and supports the load of the trailer frame on the floor, A magnetic fixing part fixed to the support base and detachable from the floor surface by switching the magnetic force, A trailer securing device equipped with the following features.

2. The aforementioned support base is The upper support portion is in contact with the lower surface of the trailer frame, The lower support portion that contacts the floor surface of the aforementioned vessel, It includes a height adjustment section that extends between the upper support section and the lower support section and is extendable and retractable vertically, The magnetic force fixing part is, The lower support portion has an adsorption surface that contacts the floor surface of the vessel when it is in contact with the floor surface of the vessel. Trailer fixing device according to claim 1.

3. The support base has a traveling device that can travel on the floor surface of the ship. Trailer fixing device according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned support base is A support base coupler is detachably connected to a kingpin provided on the underside of the trailer frame, An upper frame extending in the vehicle width direction of the trailer frame and supporting the support base coupler from below, Legs extending downward from both ends in the vehicle width direction of the upper frame, with their lower ends in contact with the floor surface of the vessel, A support kingpin protrudes downward from the lower surface of the upper frame and is connectable to a coupler provided on the tractor of the semi-trailer, Equipped with, The magnetic force fixing part is, Each of the legs is provided with a suction surface that contacts the floor of the vessel when the lower end of the leg is in contact with the floor of the vessel. Trailer fixing device according to claim 1.

5. The magnetic force fixing part is, Permanent magnets and The vessel has a switching lever that switches between a state in which it is fixed to the floor surface of the vessel by the permanent magnet and a state in which it is not fixed to the floor surface of the vessel. A trailer fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A step of placing a support base between the trailer frame of the semi-trailer and the floor of the ship, and having the support base support the load of the trailer frame on the floor, A step of fixing the support base to the floor surface by magnetic force, The process of securing the aforementioned trailer frame with lashing belts, A method of securing a trailer, including the method of securing the trailer.

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