Transport cart

Abstract

To easily insert a claw of a forklift.SOLUTION: A transporting carrier 10 includes: a carrier body section 20; and casters 71A positioned at four corners of the carrier body section 20. The carrier body section 20 has a pair of supported sections which is positioned between a loading surface and a floor surface, is separated to front and rear sides and is supported by a pair of claws when a forklift lifts the transporting carrier 10. In a side view, a space S1 opened upward is provided so that the pair of claws of the forklift can be inserted from a side on an upper side of the pair of supported sections. In a side view, an auxiliary caster 81 having a wheel 82 smaller than a wheel 72 of the caster 71A is positioned between the pair of supported sections.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[[TECHNICAL FIELD]]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport carriage. [[BACKGROUND ART]]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a transport carriage that allows only a cargo to be lifted from the carriage body or the entire carriage to be lifted using a forklift. [[PRIOR ART DOCUMENT]] [[PATENT DOCUMENT]]

[0003] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-137690 [[SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION]] [[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]]

[0004] An object of the present invention is to enable easy insertion of forks of a forklift. [[Means for Solving the Problem]]

[0005] The transport carriage of the present invention is a transport carriage comprising a carriage main body and casters positioned at four corners of the carriage main body, wherein the carriage main body has a pair of supported parts spaced apart in the front-rear direction, the supported parts being positioned between a loading surface and a floor surface and supported by a pair of forks when the forklift lifts the transport carriage In a side view, between the pair of supported parts, there is an intermediate part located above the pair of supported parts, In a side view, a pair of forks of a forklift can be inserted from the side into the upper side of the pair of supported parts, and , positioned separately in front of and behind the aforementioned intermediate portion opening upward a pair space In a side view, below the pair of supported parts there is a pair of spaces into which a pair of forklift tines can be inserted from the side, and in a side view, The length of the intermediate portion in the front-to-back direction is shorter than the length of each of the pair of spaces opening upwards, and the length of the space between the pair of supported portions in the front-to-back direction is shorter than the length of each of the pair of supported portions in the front-to-back direction. between the pair of supported parts The intermediate portion is an auxiliary caster having a wheel smaller than the wheels of the casters is positioned It is installed in such a way. the wheel of the auxiliary caster is characterized in that an upper end thereof is positioned lower than lower ends of the pair of supported parts. [[Effect of the Invention]]

[0006] According to the present invention, the forks of a forklift can be easily inserted. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the transport cart according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of a transport cart. [Figure 3] This is a bottom view of a transport cart. [Figure 4] This is a plan view of a transport cart. [Figure 5] This is a view of the transport cart from the rear. [Figure 6] This is a side view of a transport cart. [Figure 7] This is a disassembled perspective view of the grounding unit. [Figure 8] This is a diagram showing the configuration of the grounding unit. [Figure 9] This is a side view showing the plasterboard loaded. [Figure 10] This diagram shows two transport carts stacked on top of each other. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view of the transport cart according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a perspective view of a transport cart. [Figure 13] This is a bottom view of a transport cart. [Figure 14] This is a plan view of a transport cart. [Figure 15] This is a side view of a transport cart. [Figure 16] This is a view of the transport cart from the rear. [Figure 17] This is a side view showing the plasterboard loaded. [Figure 18] This diagram shows two transport carts stacked on top of each other. [Figure 19] This is a perspective view of the transport cart according to the third embodiment. [Figure 20] This is a perspective view of a transport cart. [Figure 21] It is a side view showing a state where plaster boards are loaded. Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, the transport cart according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. <First Embodiment> The transport cart 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the transport cart 10 when viewed from above. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the transport cart 10 when viewed from below. Fig. 3 is a bottom view showing an example of the configuration of the transport cart 10. Fig. 4 is a plan view showing an example of the configuration of the transport cart 10. Fig. 5 is a rear view of the configuration of the transport cart 10. Fig. 6 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the transport cart 10. In each drawing, including the drawings described later, with the traveling direction of the transport cart 10 defined as the front-rear direction, the front side is indicated by Fr, the rear side by Rr, the right side by R, and the left side by L. Therefore, the side view of Fig. 6 is a view seen from a side orthogonal to the traveling direction of the transport cart 10. Note that the transport cart 10 of the present embodiment is not limited to traveling forward, and can travel in any direction including front, rear, left and right.

[0009] The transport cart 10 includes a cart body 20, a traveling unit 70, and grounding units 80a and 80b. The cart body 20 is configured by connecting a plurality of frame members and the like. When viewed in plan view, the cart body 20 is longer in the front-rear direction than in the left-right direction, and has a substantially rectangular shape including a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides. The dimensions of the long side × short side of the cart body 20 are, for example, approximately 1650 mm × approximately 750 mm. As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the cart body 20 includes a front frame portion 21a, a rear frame portion 21b, a right frame portion 22a, a left frame portion 22b, corner members 30, reinforcing frame portions (reinforcing portions) 42a, 42b, 51a, 51b, an intermediate horizontal frame portion 53, and mounting plates 55a to 55e.

[0010] The front frame section 21a and the rear frame section 21b are arranged horizontally along the left-right direction. The front frame section 21a and the rear frame section 21b are long, straight, rod-shaped members, and for example, hollow pipes made of aluminum alloy with a roughly rectangular cross-section can be used. The front frame section 21a and the rear frame section 21b have towing members 100a and 100b used when a towing vehicle tows the transport trolley 10. The towing members 100a and 100b are located approximately in the center of the front frame section 21a and the rear frame section 21b in the left-right direction, respectively. The towing members 100a and 100b protrude downward from the lower ends of the front frame section 21a and the rear frame section 21b, respectively. The towing vehicle can tow the transport trolley 10 by hooking an arm or wire onto either the towing member 100a or the towing member 100b.

[0011] The right frame section 22a and the left frame section 22b are arranged horizontally along the front-to-back direction. Since the right frame section 22a and the left frame section 22b have similar configurations, the right frame section 22a will be described here. The right-side frame section 22a is composed of multiple frames connected together. Specifically, the right-side frame section 22a includes a front end frame 23, a rear end frame 24, an intermediate frame 25, a first supported frame 26, a second supported frame 27, and a connecting member 29.

[0012] The front frame 23 and the rear frame 24 are long, straight, rod-shaped members, and can be made of, for example, a hollow pipe made of aluminum alloy with a roughly rectangular cross-section. The front frame 23 and the rear frame 24 are each arranged horizontally along the front-rear direction. The front frame 23 is the frame located in front of the right frame section 22a, and the rear frame 24 is the frame located behind the right frame section 22a. The upper surfaces of the front frame 23 and the rear frame 24 are at approximately the same height from the floor. The intermediate frame 25 is a long, straight, rod-shaped member, and can be made of, for example, an aluminum alloy hollow pipe with a roughly rectangular cross-section. The intermediate frame 25 is arranged horizontally along the front-rear direction. The intermediate frame 25 is located in the center of the right-side frame section 22a. The intermediate frame 25 is also located between the front end frame 23 and the rear end frame 24. The length of the intermediate frame 25 in the front-rear direction is shorter than the lengths of the front end frame 23 and the rear end frame 24 in the front-rear direction. The intermediate frame 25 constitutes a part of the intermediate section.

[0013] The first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27 are long, straight, rod-shaped members, and can be made of aluminum alloy, such as hollow pipes with a roughly rectangular cross-section. The first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27 are each arranged horizontally along the front-rear direction. The lower surfaces of the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27 are at approximately the same height from the floor. The front-rear lengths of the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27 are also approximately the same, and each is longer than the width of the forklift's tines. The lower surfaces of the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27 become supported parts that are supported by a pair of tines when the transport cart 10 is lifted by the forklift.

[0014] The first supported frame 26 is located below the front end frame 23 and the intermediate frame 25, and is a frame that spans between the front end frame 23 and the intermediate frame 25. Specifically, the front end of the first supported frame 26 is connected to the rear end and below of the front end frame 23, and the rear end is connected to the front end and below of the intermediate frame 25. The first supported frame 26 and the front end frame 23, and the first supported frame 26 and the intermediate frame 25 are fixed together using bolts, rivets, etc., while being sandwiched from the left and right by a roughly plate-shaped connecting member 29 that is bent in an L-shape, for example.

[0015] The second supported frame 27 is located below the intermediate frame 25 and the rear end frame 24, and is a frame that spans between the intermediate frame 25 and the rear end frame 24. Specifically, the front end of the second supported frame 27 is connected to the rear end and below of the intermediate frame 25, and the rear end is connected to the front end and below of the rear end frame 24. The second supported frame 27 and the intermediate frame 25, and the second supported frame 27 and the rear end frame 24 are fixed together using bolts, rivets, etc., while being sandwiched from the left and right by a roughly plate-shaped connecting member 29 that is bent in an L-shape, for example.

[0016] The corner member 30 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy and is formed by extrusion molding followed by post-processing. The front frame portion 21a, the rear frame portion 21b, the right frame portion 22a, and the left frame portion 22b are joined at the four corners by the corner member 30 to form a roughly rectangular frame frame on all four sides. The corner member 30 has an insertion hole 31 that opens upward and a stopper portion 32 that closes the bottom. A push member 15 can be inserted into the insertion hole 31 of the corner member 30. The lower end of the push member 15 inserted into the insertion hole 31 is supported by the stopper portion 32. The push member 15 is a member for the user to grasp when moving the transport cart 10.

[0017] The push member 15 has a main body member 16, a protective member 17, and a reinforcing member 18. The main body member 16 is a straight, long rod-shaped or elongated, pipe-shaped member. The main body member 16 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy and is formed by extrusion molding. The protective member 17 protects the user's hand from contacting surrounding objects when the user grasps the push member 15. The protective member 17 is fixed to the upper side of the main body member 16 at a predetermined distance from the upper end using bolts, rivets, etc. The part of the push member 15 above the protective member 17 functions as a grip portion for the user to grasp. The protective member 17 is disc-shaped and protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the main body member 16, and has a larger outer diameter than the main body member 16.

[0018] The reinforcing member 18 is fixed to the lower end of the main body member 16, specifically at a position close to the lower end, using bolts, rivets, etc. The reinforcing member 18 reinforces the strength of the main body member 16 and suppresses looseness between the main body member 16 and the insertion hole 31 of the corner member 30 when the main body member 16 is inserted into the insertion hole 31 of the corner member 30. The reinforcing member 18 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy and is formed by extrusion molding. The hand push member 15 is a straight member made of iron or aluminum alloy with a circular cross-section, and for example, a single pipe can be used.

[0019] The reinforcing frame sections 42a, 42b, 51a, and 51b can be made of, for example, hollow pipes with a roughly rectangular cross-section or plates with an uneven cross-section, made of aluminum alloy. The reinforcing frame sections 42a, 42b, 51a, and 51b are joined together in the front-rear, left-right, and right directions within the frame on all four sides, and are reinforced by being joined with bolts, rivets, welding, etc. In this embodiment, the reinforcing frame sections 42a and 42b are arranged along the front-rear direction so as to span between the front frame section 21a and the rear frame section 21b. Furthermore, the reinforcing frame sections 42a and 42b are arranged parallel to each other at positions separated to the left and right. Specifically, the reinforcing frame section 42a is located on the right frame section 22a side, and the reinforcing frame section 42b is located on the left frame section 22b side. The left-right distance between the reinforcing frame section 42a and the right frame section 22a, the left-right distance between the reinforcing frame section 42b and the left frame section 22b, and the left-right distance between the reinforcing frame sections 42a and 42b are substantially the same. Since the reinforcing frame sections 42a and 42b have similar configurations, only the reinforcing frame section 42a will be described here. The reinforcing frame section 42a has almost the same configuration as the right frame section 22a, and its description will be omitted as appropriate.

[0020] As shown in Figure 3, the reinforcing frame section 42a includes a front reinforcing frame 43, a rear reinforcing frame 44, an intermediate reinforcing frame 45, a first reinforcing frame 46, a second reinforcing frame 47, and a connecting member 29. The front reinforcing frame 43 and the rear reinforcing frame 44 have the same configuration as the front frame 23 and the rear frame 24, except that their width in the lateral direction is smaller. The front reinforcing frame 43 is joined to the front frame portion 21a, and the rear reinforcing frame 44 is joined to the rear frame portion 21b. The upper surfaces of the front reinforcing frame 43 and the rear reinforcing frame 44 are at approximately the same height as the floor. The intermediate reinforcing frame 45 has the same configuration as the intermediate frame 25, except that its width in the left-right direction is smaller.

[0021] The first reinforcing frame 46 and the second reinforcing frame 47 have the same configuration as the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27, except that their width in the left-right direction is smaller. The first reinforcing frame 46 and the front reinforcing frame 43, and the first reinforcing frame 46 and the intermediate reinforcing frame 45 are fixed together using bolts, rivets, etc., while being sandwiched from the left and right by the connecting member 29. The second reinforcing frame 47 and the intermediate reinforcing frame 45, and the second reinforcing frame 47 and the rear end reinforcing frame 44 are fixed together using bolts, rivets, etc., while being sandwiched from the left and right by the connecting member 29.

[0022] The reinforcing frame sections 51a and 51b are long, straight, rod-shaped members, and can be, for example, hollow pipes made of aluminum alloy with a roughly rectangular cross-section. The reinforcing frame sections 51a and 51b are arranged horizontally along the left-right direction. The reinforcing frame section 51a is fixed using bolts, rivets, etc., while being spanned between the right frame section 22a and the reinforcing frame section 42a, and between the left frame section 22b and the reinforcing frame section 42b. The reinforcing frame section 51b is fixed using bolts, rivets, etc., while being spanned between the reinforcing frame sections 42a and 42b. Multiple reinforcing frame sections 51a and 51b are arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the reinforcing frame portion 51a fixed to the first supported frame 26 or the second supported frame 27 is lower in height than the other reinforcing frame portions 51a, in accordance with the height of the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27. Similarly, the reinforcing frame portion 51b fixed to the first reinforcing frame 46 or the second reinforcing frame 47 is lower in height than the other reinforcing frame portions 51b, in accordance with the height of the first reinforcing frame 46 or the second reinforcing frame 47.

[0023] The intermediate horizontal frame section 53 is a long, straight, rod-shaped member, and can be made of aluminum alloy, for example, a hollow pipe with a roughly rectangular cross-section. The intermediate horizontal frame section 53 is arranged horizontally along the left-right direction. The length of the intermediate horizontal frame section 53 is approximately the same as the left-right length of the bogie body section 20. In this embodiment, a plurality of (four in this case) intermediate horizontal frame sections 53 are arranged in parallel in the front-rear direction, and are positioned to span the intermediate frame 25 of the right frame section 22a and the intermediate frame 25 of the left frame section 22b. Specifically, the four intermediate horizontal frame sections 53 are fixed using bolts, rivets, etc., in contact with the upper surface of the intermediate frame 25 of the right frame section 22a, the upper surface of the intermediate reinforcing frame 45 of the reinforcing frame section 42a, the upper surface of the intermediate reinforcing frame 45 of the reinforcing frame section 42b, and the upper surface of the intermediate frame 25 of the left frame section 22b, respectively. The intermediate horizontal frame section 53 constitutes a part of the intermediate section.

[0024] By joining the reinforcing frame sections 42a, 42b, 51a, 51b and the intermediate horizontal frame section 53 within the frame, multiple spaces are formed, divided in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions, as shown in the bottom view of Figure 3.

[0025] The mounting plates 55a to 55e are components for loading cargo. The mounting plates 55a to 55e are, for example, flat metal plates. In a plan view, the mounting plates 55a to 55e cover from above the space in the trolley body 20 where the mounting plate 60A, described later, is not attached. The mounting plates 55a to 55e are fixed to each frame section and each reinforcing frame section using bolts, rivets, etc.

[0026] The mounting plate 55a is located on the front side of the bogie body 20. The mounting plate 55a has a roughly convex shape in plan view. The mounting plate 55a is connected in contact with the upper surfaces of the front frame section 21a, the front end frame 23 of the right frame section 22a, the front end frame 23 of the left frame section 22b, the front end reinforcing frame 43 of the reinforcing frame section 42a, the front end reinforcing frame 43 of the reinforcing frame section 42b, and the reinforcing frame sections 51a and 51b. The mounting plate 55b is located on the rear side of the bogie body 20. The mounting plate 55b has a roughly convex shape in plan view. The mounting plate 55b is connected in contact with the upper surfaces of the rear frame section 21b, the rear end frame 24 of the right frame section 22a, the rear end frame 24 of the left frame section 22b, the rear end reinforcing frame 44 of the reinforcing frame section 42a, the rear end reinforcing frame 44 of the reinforcing frame section 42b, and the reinforcing frame sections 51a and 51b. The mounting plate 55a and the mounting plate 55b have a symmetrical shape in the front-to-back direction.

[0027] The mounting plate 55c is located in the center of the bogie body 20 in the front-rear direction. The mounting plate 55c has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view. The mounting plate 55c is connected in contact with the upper surfaces of the four intermediate horizontal frame sections 53. Furthermore, the upper surfaces of the mounting plates 55a, 55b, and 55c are at approximately the same height from the floor.

[0028] The mounting plate 55d is positioned off-center to the front of the bogie body 20 in the front-rear direction. The mounting plate 55d has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view. The mounting plate 55d is connected in contact with the upper surfaces of the first supported frame 26 of the right frame section 22a, the first supported frame 26 of the left frame section 22b, the first reinforcing frame 46 of the reinforcing frame section 42a, the first reinforcing frame 46 of the reinforcing frame section 42b, and the reinforcing frame sections 51a and 51b. The mounting plate 55e is positioned off-center to the rear in the front-rear direction of the bogie body 20. The mounting plate 55e has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view. The mounting plate 55e is connected in contact with the upper surfaces of the second supported frame 27 of the right frame section 22a, the second supported frame 27 of the left frame section 22b, the second reinforcing frame 47 of the reinforcing frame section 42a, the second reinforcing frame 47 of the reinforcing frame section 42b, and the reinforcing frame sections 51a and 51b. Mounting plates 55d and 55e are substantially identical in shape. Furthermore, the upper surfaces of mounting plates 55d and 55e are at approximately the same height from the floor.

[0029] Furthermore, the trolley body 20 has a mounting plate 60A and a guide portion 62 as mounting members. The mounting plate 60A is used to attach the casters 71A to the underside of the trolley body 20. Specifically, the mounting plate 60A is fixed to each frame section and each reinforcing frame section using bolts, rivets, etc., so as to close off the spaces on both the front and left / right sides, and the spaces on both the rear and left / right sides, from below. The mounting plate 60A has notched corners in a rectangular shape, and can be made of a metal plate, for example, an aluminum alloy plate.

[0030] The guide section 62 guides the sliding of the connecting member 86 of the grounding unit 80, which will be described later. The guide section 62 is located in the center of the bogie body 20 in the front-rear direction and is arranged along the left-right direction. The length of the guide section 62 in the left-right direction is shorter than the length of the bogie body 20 in the left-right direction. The guide section 62 is a hollow member with a substantially rectangular cross-section and is open at both ends. For example, the guide section 62 can be made of an aluminum alloy hollow pipe with a substantially rectangular cross-section. Guide mounting frames 64a and 64b, separated to the left and right, are connected to the lower surfaces of the four intermediate horizontal frame sections 53 to fix the guide section 62. The guide section 62 is fixed to the lower surfaces of the two guide mounting frames 64a and 64b, the intermediate reinforcing frame 45 of the reinforcing frame section 42a, and the intermediate reinforcing frame 45 of the reinforcing frame section 42b using bolts, rivets, etc.

[0031] The running section 70 travels on the running surface (floor) while supporting the load of the trolley body 20 and the cargo. The running section 70 has multiple (four) casters 71A positioned at the four corners of the trolley body 20. The casters 71A are attached to the trolley body 20 via mounting plates 60A. Since the casters 71A are positioned at the four corners of the underside of the trolley body 20, the transport trolley 10 can be moved in a stable state.

[0032] The caster 71A is capable of swiveling around the axis of the vertical pivot axis O1. The caster 71A is a braked caster that can be braked or released according to the user's operation. Specifically, the caster 71A has a wheel 72, a support part 73, a brake pedal 74, and a swivel part 75. The wheel 72 has a wheel portion with a bearing built inside and a tire portion fitted onto the outer circumference of the wheel portion. The support portion 73 rotatably supports the wheel 72 and holds the brake pedal 74 in a swingable manner.

[0033] The brake pedal 74 is pivotable vertically relative to the support portion 73. The brake pedal 74 has an operating portion 74a at its rear end. When the user operates the brake pedal 74 by pressing the operating portion 74a downward with their foot, the outer surface of the wheel 72 is pressed, and the brake is applied to the wheel 72. Furthermore, by pressing the operating portion 74a of the brake pedal 74 further, the wheel 72 is held in a braked state and functions as a stopper. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, when the transport trolley 10 is running, a part of the brake pedal 74 (operating portion 74a) of the rear caster 71A is located behind the rear end of the rear frame portion 21b and is exposed, so the user can easily press the brake pedal 74. The swivel portion 75 rotates the wheel 72, support portion 73, and brake pedal 74 around the swivel axis O1. In a plan view, the caster 71A is positioned so that the contact point of the wheel 72 and the pivot axis O1 are eccentric. Therefore, the caster 71A rotates around the pivot axis O1 such that the wheel 72 is at the rear relative to the front, which is the direction of travel.

[0034] The grounding units 80a and 80b function as outriggers. Grounding unit 80a is located close to the right frame section 22a, and grounding unit 80b is located close to the left frame section 22b. In a side view along the left-right direction, grounding units 80a and 80b overlap. Grounding units 80a and 80b have a symmetrical configuration and are referred to as grounding unit 80 when there is no need to distinguish between them.

[0035] The grounding unit 80 has auxiliary casters 81 and a connecting part 85. The auxiliary casters 81 are located outside the outer edge (outline) of the trolley body 20 and are in contact with the floor surface to prevent the transport trolley 10 from tilting. However, the auxiliary casters 81 may normally be lifted off the floor and come into contact with the floor when the transport trolley 10 tilts to prevent further tilting of the transport trolley 10. The auxiliary casters 81 correspond to an example of a contact point. In a plan view, the auxiliary casters 81 are positioned so as not to overlap with the trolley body 20. Specifically, the auxiliary casters 81 of the contact unit 80a are located to the right of the right frame section 22a, and the auxiliary casters 81 of the contact unit 80b are located to the left of the left frame section 22b.

[0036] Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view showing a portion of the grounding unit 80 disassembled. Figure 8(a) is a view of a portion of the grounding unit 80 cut off and seen from the rear, and Figure 8(b) is a bottom view of the grounding unit 80 shown in Figure 8(a). The auxiliary caster 81 is capable of swiveling around a pivot axis O2 that runs vertically. The auxiliary caster 81 is a different type of caster from the caster 71A described above. Specifically, unlike the caster 71A, the auxiliary caster 81 is a caster without a brake.

[0037] The auxiliary caster 81 has a wheel 82, a support part 83, and a swivel part 84. The wheel 82 has a diameter smaller than the wheel 72 of the caster 71A. The wheel 82 has a wheel portion with a bearing built inside and a tire portion fitted around the outer circumference of the wheel portion. The support portion 83 rotatably supports the wheel 82. The support portion 83 is integrally formed from a pair of side walls located on both sides of the wheel 82 and a circular top plate connecting the pair of side walls above the wheel 82. The top plate is held rotatably by a swivel portion 84. The swivel section 84 rotates the wheels 82 and the support section 83 around the swivel axis O2.

[0038] The auxiliary caster 81 is positioned so that, in a plan view, the contact point of the wheel 82 and the pivot axis O2 are eccentric. Therefore, the auxiliary caster 81 rotates around the pivot axis O2 such that the wheel 82 is at the rear relative to the front, which is the direction of travel.

[0039] The connecting portion 85 connects the auxiliary caster 81 to the bogie body 20 such that the auxiliary caster 81 is positioned outside the outer edge of the bogie body 20. The connecting portion 85 in this embodiment can slide relative to the bogie body 20. By sliding the connecting portion 85 relative to the bogie body 20, the auxiliary caster 81 can be transitioned between a first state in which it is positioned outside the outer edge of the bogie body 20 and a second state in which it is closer to the bogie body 20 than the first state.

[0040] As shown in Figure 7, the connecting portion 85 includes a connecting member 86, a mounting member 88, and a protective member 89. The connecting member 86 connects the auxiliary caster 81 to the trolley body 20. The connecting member 86 is elongated, with a length approximately half the length of the trolley body 20 in the left-right direction. The connecting member 86 is a hollow member with a roughly rectangular cross-section, and both ends are open. For example, the connecting member 86 can be made of an aluminum alloy hollow pipe with a roughly rectangular cross-section. The auxiliary caster 81 is attached to one end of the connecting member 86 in the longitudinal direction via a mounting member 88. The other end of the connecting member 86 in the longitudinal direction is fitted into the guide portion 62. The connecting member 86 is slidable along the longitudinal direction of the guide portion 62. In this embodiment, the connecting member 86 of the grounding unit 80a and the connecting member 86 of the grounding unit 80b are fitted into the same guide portion 62 from opposite sides. In addition, a plurality of engagement holes 87a to 87c are formed on the lower side wall of the connecting member 86 at intervals in the left-right direction.

[0041] The mounting member 88 attaches the auxiliary caster 81 to the connecting member 86. The mounting member 88 is a member with a roughly U-shaped cross-section. The mounting member 88 is formed, for example, by bending a steel plate. The mounting member 88 is integrally formed from a pair of side walls and a connecting wall formed by connecting the pair of side walls at their lower ends. The connecting member 86 is sandwiched from the front and back by the pair of side walls of the mounting member 88 and fixed with bolts, rivets, etc., thereby attaching the mounting member 88. The auxiliary caster 81 is attached to the mounting member 88 by screwing a bolt that protrudes upward from the swivel part 84 into a nut fixed to the connecting wall of the mounting member 88.

[0042] The protective member 89 prevents the connecting member 86 from being damaged by contact with an obstacle. The protective member 89 is a substantially plate-shaped member. The protective member 89 is made of, for example, synthetic resin. The protective member 89 is attached to the connecting member 86 by fitting into an opening at one end of the connecting member 86. When the protective member 89 is attached to the connecting member 86, the end of the connecting member 86 and the end of the mounting member 88 are covered from the outside by the protective member 89. Therefore, as shown in Figure 6, in a side view, the end of the connecting member 86 and the end of the mounting member 88 are hidden by the protective member 89 and are not visible.

[0043] Furthermore, the trolley body 20 of this embodiment has a stopper portion 90 that stops the sliding of the connecting member 86 so that the connecting member 86 cannot slide freely when the connecting member 86 is guided and slid by the guide portion 62. In this embodiment, a stopper portion 90 is attached to each of the grounding units 80a and 80b so that the sliding of each connecting member 86 of the grounding units 80a and 80b can be stopped. Specifically, two stopper portions 90 corresponding to the grounding unit 80a and the grounding unit 80b are attached to the guide portion 62.

[0044] The stopper portion 90 includes a housing 91, an engaging member 92, a biasing member 94, and a shaft member 95. The housing 91 pivotably supports the engaging member 92. The housing 91 is a member with a roughly U-shaped cross-section. The housing 91 is formed, for example, by bending a steel plate. The housing 91 is integrally formed from a pair of side walls and a connecting wall formed by connecting the pair of side walls at their lower ends. The guide portion 62 is attached to the housing 91 by being sandwiched from the front and rear by the pair of side walls of the housing 91 and fixed with bolts, rivets, etc.

[0045] The engaging member 92 advances into the guide portion 62 and engages with the connecting member 86, thereby stopping the sliding of the connecting member 86. It then retracts from the guide portion 62, releasing the engagement with the connecting member 86 and releasing the stopping of the sliding of the connecting member 86. The engaging member 92 is a roughly block-shaped member that is long in the left-right direction. The engaging member 92 is formed, for example, by bending a steel plate. The engaging member 92 is pivotable around a shaft member 95 supported by the housing 91, and is biased upward by a biasing member 94 so that the end opposite to the side where the shaft member 95 is supported always advances into the guide portion 62 through a hole 63 formed in the lower wall of the guide portion 62. When the engaging member 92 engages with one of the engagement holes 87a to 87c of the connecting member 86 that slides within the guide portion 62, the connecting member 86 is prevented from sliding freely along the guide portion 62.

[0046] Furthermore, the engaging member 92 has a knob 93 for the user to retract the engaging member 92 from the guide portion 62. The knob 93 corresponds to an example of a release portion that releases the stopping of the sliding of the connecting member 86. When the user pushes the knob 93 downward against the biasing force of the biasing member 94, the engaging member 92 swings and retracts from the guide portion 62. As the engaging member 92 retracts, the engagement with the engaging holes 87a to 87c of the connecting member 86 is released, allowing the connecting member 86 to slide freely along the guide portion 62 while the knob 93 is being pushed down.

[0047] Since the amount by which the connecting member 86 protrudes from the guide portion 62 differs depending on which of the engagement holes 87a to 87c of the connecting member 86 the engaging member 92 engages with, the user can independently adjust the amount by which the connecting member 86 protrudes from the guide portion 62 for each of the grounding units 80a and 80b.

[0048] When the engaging member 92 is engaged with the engaging hole 87a, the amount by which the connecting member 86 protrudes from the guide portion 62 is at its largest. This state corresponds to the first state in which the auxiliary caster 81 attached to the connecting member 86 is located outside the outer edge of the bogie body 20. Note that the connecting member 86 is configured so that it does not protrude further from the guide portion 62 than in the first state, by having a contact portion (not shown) of the connecting member 86 contact a contacted portion (not shown) of the guide portion 62. Here, the auxiliary caster 81 shown by the solid line in Figures 3 to 5 and Figure 8 is shown as being in the first state. In the first state, the auxiliary caster 81 does not overlap with the bogie body 20 in a plan view. Also, in Figure 8(b), the trajectory T of the component of the auxiliary caster 81 that is furthest from the pivot axis O2 (the outer surface of the wheel 82) when the auxiliary caster 81 rotates around the pivot axis O2 in the first state is shown by the dashed line. In the first state, the trajectory T of the auxiliary caster 81 does not overlap with the main body of the trolley 20.

[0049] In the first state, even when a load is loaded onto the trolley body 20 and the center of gravity of the transport trolley 10 including the load is raised, the wheels 82 of the auxiliary casters 81, which are located outside the outer edge of the trolley body 20, are in contact with the floor, thus preventing the transport trolley 10 from tipping over.

[0050] Furthermore, when the engaging member 92 is engaged with the engaging hole 87c, the amount of protrusion of the connecting member 86 is smallest as it enters the guide portion 62. This state corresponds to the second state in which the auxiliary caster 81 attached to the connecting member 86 is located closer to the bogie body 20 than the first state. The auxiliary caster 81 shown by the dashed line in Figures 3 to 5 and Figure 8 shows the case where it is located in the second state. In the second state, the auxiliary caster 81 overlaps with the bogie body 20 in a plan view. In the second state, the auxiliary casters 81 overlap with the main body of the trolley 20, so even when the transport trolley 10 is traveling down a walkway, it is possible to prevent the auxiliary casters 81 from colliding with the walls of the walkway or the like.

[0051] Furthermore, when the engaging member 92 is engaged with the engaging hole 87b, the amount of the connecting member 86 protruding from the guide portion 62 is intermediate between the maximum and minimum states. This state corresponds to the auxiliary caster 81 attached to the connecting member 86 being in a third state between the first and second states.

[0052] Next, a configuration in which only the load or the entire transport cart can be lifted using a pair of forklift forks will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 9. Figure 9 is a side view showing an example of a state in which multiple flat plasterboards B are stacked on the cart body 20 as load. In Figures 6 and 9, the surface F, which is a horizontal extension of the loading surface composed of the mounting plates 55a, 55b, and 55c, is shown by a dashed line. In this embodiment, the transport trolley 10 has the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27 positioned between the loading surface F and the floor. In a side view, the transport trolley 10 has a space S1 above the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27 that opens upward. More specifically, the space S1 is above the mounting plate 55d that abuts the upper surface of the first supported frame 26 and the mounting plate 55e that abuts the upper surface of the second supported frame 27. The transport trolley 10 also has a space S2 below the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27. In other words, spaces S1 and S2 are located above and below the first supported frame 26 or the second supported frame 27 between the loading surface and the floor.

[0053] As shown in Figure 6, the height H1 of the space S1, i.e., the vertical distance from the top surface of the first supported frame 26 (or mounting plate 55d) to the loading surface and the vertical distance from the top surface of the second supported frame 27 (or mounting plate 55e) to the loading surface, is greater than the thickness of the forklift tines. Furthermore, the height H2 of the space S2, that is, the vertical distance from the bottom surface of the first supported frame 26 to the floor and the vertical distance from the bottom surface of the second supported frame 27 to the floor, is greater than the thickness of the forklift's tines.

[0054] First, if you want to lift only the load with a forklift, insert the pair of forks of the forklift into the spaces S1 located at the front and rear of the transport cart 10 from the side (right or left side). At this time, in a side view, no parts of the transport cart 10 are placed in space S1 from the right frame section 22a to the left frame section 22b, so the forks inserted into space S1 will not come into contact with any parts of the transport cart 10. The pair of forks of the forklift are inserted into space S1, and then the pair of forks are raised. Since space S1 is open on the upper side, the raised forks will only support the load. Therefore, by raising the forks of the forklift, only the load can be lifted.

[0055] On the other hand, if you want to lift the entire transport cart 10 loaded with cargo using a forklift, insert a pair of forks into the spaces S2 located in front of and behind the transport cart 10 from the side (right or left side). The pair of forks of the forklift are raised from a state where each fork is inserted into space S2. Since the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27 are located above space S2, the raised forks support the lower surfaces of the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27. Therefore, the transport cart 10 can be lifted by raising the forklift forks. The first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27 of the right frame section 22a and the left frame section 22b, respectively, are supported by the pair of forklift forks. At this time, the first reinforcing frame 46 and the second reinforcing frame 47 of the reinforcing frame sections 42a and 42b, respectively, may also be configured to be supported by the forklift forks.

[0056] Furthermore, spaces S1 and S2 are located above and below the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27, respectively. Therefore, there is no need to adjust the distance between the pair of claws whether lifting only the load or lifting the entire transport trolley 10.

[0057] In this embodiment, the transport trolley 10 has an auxiliary caster 81 positioned between the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27 in a side view. Here, the wheel 82 of the auxiliary caster 81 is smaller than the wheel 72 of the caster 71. More specifically, the diameter of the wheel 82 of the auxiliary caster 81 is smaller than the diameter of the wheel 72 of the caster 71. The smaller diameter of the wheel 82 allows the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27 to be brought closer to each other. By bringing the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27 closer to each other, the lengths of the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27 in the front-rear direction can be increased. By increasing the lengths of the first supported frame 26 and the second supported frame 27 in the front-rear direction, the lengths L1 and L2 of the spaces S1 and S2 in the front-rear direction become longer, allowing the forks of a forklift to be easily inserted into space S1 or space S2.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the transport trolley 10 has the operating part 74a of the brake pedal 74 on the caster 71A located on the front side in a side view, positioned below the first supported frame 26. That is, the length of the first supported frame 26 in the front-rear direction is increased until it is positioned above the brake pedal 74 of the caster 71. By increasing the length of the first supported frame 26 in the front-rear direction, the length L1 of the space S1 above the first supported frame 26 in the front-rear direction is increased, allowing the forks of a forklift to be easily inserted into space S1 or space S2. Similarly, in a side view, when the caster 71 located on the rear side rotates 180 degrees, the brake pedal 74 is positioned below the second supported frame 27. Therefore, by increasing the length of the second supported frame 27 in the front-rear direction, the length of the space S1 above the second supported frame 27 in the front-rear direction is increased, allowing the forks of a forklift to be easily inserted into space S1 or space S2.

[0059] Furthermore, the auxiliary casters 81 are positioned so as not to overlap with the main body of the trolley 20 in a plan view. Therefore, even when cargo is loaded onto the main body of the trolley 20 and the center of gravity of the transport trolley 10 including the cargo is raised, the wheels 82 of the auxiliary casters 81, which are located outside the outer edge of the main body of the trolley 20, are in contact with the floor, thus preventing the transport trolley 10 from tipping over.

[0060] Figure 10 shows two transport carts 10 stacked together, with the auxiliary casters 81 positioned in the third state. Multiple transport carts 10 may be stacked when storing the transport carts 10 without using them, or when transporting the transport carts 10 themselves to and from the work site. In this case, by placing the casters 71A of the upper transport cart 10 on the mounting plates 60A of the lower transport cart 10, the overall height of the stacked transport carts 10 can be reduced by the height of the space on the mounting plates 55a to 55e compared to placing the casters 71A on the mounting plates 55a to 55e.

[0061] On the other hand, when stacking transport carts 10 with the auxiliary casters 81 in the first position, the auxiliary casters 81 protrude significantly to the left and right, causing the stacked transport carts 10 to be bulky in the left-right direction. Also, when stacking transport carts 10 with the auxiliary casters 81 in the second position, the auxiliary casters 81 of the upper transport cart 10 are placed on the upper surface of the right frame section 22a and the left frame section 22b, or on the upper surface of the mounting plate 55c, causing the stacked transport carts 10 to be bulky in the height direction. Therefore, as shown in Figure 10, by stacking transport carts 10 with the auxiliary casters 81 positioned in the third state, the auxiliary casters 81 can be prevented from protruding in the left-right direction. Furthermore, since the auxiliary casters 81 of the upper transport cart 10 do not overlap with the cart body 20 of the lower transport cart 10 and are not placed on the mounting plate 55c, the stacked transport carts 10 can be prevented from becoming bulky in the height direction. As a result, the stacked transport carts 10 can be stored and transported compactly.

[0062] <Second Embodiment> A transport trolley 110 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 11 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the transport trolley 110 when viewed from above. Figure 12 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the transport trolley 110 when viewed from below. Figure 13 is a bottom view showing an example of the configuration of the transport trolley 110. Figure 14 is a top view showing an example of the configuration of the transport trolley 110. Figure 15 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the transport trolley 110. Figure 16 is a rear view of the configuration of the transport trolley 110. In the following, the configurations that differ from the first embodiment will be described, and similar components will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0063] The transport trolley 110 comprises a trolley body 120, a running section 170, and mounting sections 180a to 180c. The bogie body 120 is constructed by connecting multiple frame sections, etc. The bogie body 120 has dimensions such as approximately 1200 mm x approximately 750 mm (long side x short side). As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the bogie body 120 includes a front frame section 121a, a rear frame section 121b, a right frame section 122a, a left frame section 122b, a corner member 30, reinforcing frame sections (reinforcement sections) 142a~142d, 151a~151d, mounting plates 155a, 155b, etc.

[0064] The front frame section 121a, the rear frame section 121b, the right frame section 122a, and the left frame section 122b are long, straight, rod-shaped members, and for example, hollow pipes made of aluminum alloy with a roughly rectangular cross-section can be used. The front frame section 121a, the rear frame section 121b, the right frame section 122a, and the left frame section 122b are joined at the four corners by the corner members 30 to form a roughly rectangular four-sided frame frame.

[0065] The reinforcing frame sections 142a-142d and 151a-151d can be made of, for example, hollow pipes with a roughly rectangular cross-section or plates with an uneven cross-section, made of aluminum alloy. The reinforcing frame sections 142a-142d and 151a-151d are joined together in the front-rear, left-right, and right directions within the frame on all four sides and reinforce the bogie body 120 by being joined with bolts, rivets, welding, etc. By joining the reinforcing frame sections 142a-142d and 151a-151d within the frame, multiple spaces are formed that are divided in the front-rear and left-right directions, as shown in Figure 13. In this embodiment, the bogie body section 120 has a housing section 165 that is elongated in the left-right direction and positioned slightly rearward from the center in the front-rear direction. The housing section 165 accommodates the mounting section 180c, which will be described later.

[0066] The mounting plates 155a and 155b are components for loading cargo. The mounting plates 155a and 155b are, for example, flat metal plates. In a plan view, the mounting plates 155a and 155b cover from above the space in the trolley body 120 where the mounting plates 160A and 160B, described later, are not attached. The mounting plates 155a and 155b are fixed to each frame section and each reinforcing frame section using bolts, rivets, etc.

[0067] The mounting plate 155a is located on the front side of the bogie body 120, extending from the center in the front-rear direction. The mounting plate 155a has a roughly cross shape in plan view. The mounting plate 155a is connected to the upper surfaces of the right frame section 122a, the left frame section 122b, the reinforcing frame sections 142a, 142b, and the reinforcing frame sections 151a, 151b, and 151c, respectively, in contact with each of them. The mounting plate 155b is located on the rear side of the bogie body 120. The mounting plate 155b has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view. The mounting plate 155b is connected to the rear frame portion 121b, the reinforcing frame portion 142c, the reinforcing frame portion 142d, and the reinforcing frame portion 151d, in contact with their respective upper surfaces.

[0068] Furthermore, the trolley body 120 has mounting plates 160A and 160B as mounting members. Mounting plates 160A and 160B are used to attach casters 171A and 171B to the underside of the trolley body 120. Specifically, mounting plate 160A is fixed to each frame and reinforcing frame using bolts, rivets, etc., so as to close off the spaces on both sides in the front and rear directions and the spaces on both sides in the rear direction from below. Mounting plate 160A has one corner of the rectangle cut out, and can be made of a metal plate made of aluminum alloy, for example. On the other hand, mounting plate 160B is fixed to each frame and reinforcing frame using bolts, rivets, etc., so as to close off the spaces in the center in the front-rear direction and on both sides in the left-right directions from below. Mounting plate 160B has two adjacent corners of the rectangle cut out, and can be made of a metal plate made of aluminum alloy, for example.

[0069] The running section 170 has a plurality (four) of casters 171A positioned at the four corners of the bogie body 120, and two casters 171B positioned in the center in the front-rear direction, spaced apart to the left and right. The casters 171A are attached to the bogie body 120 via mounting plates 160A. The casters 171B are also attached to the bogie body 120 via mounting plates 160B.

[0070] Caster 171A is capable of swiveling around the pivot axis O1, which is the vertical axis. Caster 171A is a caster with a brake that can be applied or released according to the user's operation. Caster 171A has the same configuration as caster 71A in the first embodiment. Caster 171B is rotatable around the pivot axis O2, which is the vertical axis. Caster 171B is a brakeless caster. Caster 171B has a wheel 72, a support part 73, and a swivel part 75. The diameter of the wheel 72 of caster 171B is approximately the same as the diameter of the wheel 72 of caster 171A.

[0071] The mounting sections 180a, 180b, and 180c can transition between a first state in which they are located on the upper surface of the bogie body 120 and a second state in which they are located away from the upper surface of the bogie body 120. The mounting sections 180a, 180b, and 180c are arranged horizontally along the left-right direction. The mounting sections 180a, 180b, and 180c are long, straight rods, and can be made of, for example, hollow pipes made of aluminum alloy with a roughly rectangular cross-section. The left-right length of each of the mounting sections 180a, 180b, and 180c is shorter than the left-right length of the bogie body 120.

[0072] Figures 11(a) and 12(a) are perspective views showing the mounting sections 180a to 180c in the first state. The mounting portion 180a is located at the front end of the bogie body 120 and overlaps with the bogie body 120 in a plan view. The mounting portion 180a rests on the upper side of the front frame portion 121a and the reinforcing frame portions 142a and 142b via the mounting plate 155a. The mounting portion 180a is also positioned to cover a portion of the space on the mounting plate 160A from above. In the first state, the upper surface of the mounting portion 180a is a flat loading surface 181 on which the load is placed. In a plan view, the mounting portion 180a is positioned so as not to protrude forward from the outer edge of the bogie body 120 and not to protrude in the left-right direction. However, in a plan view, the mounting portion 180a may protrude forward from the outer edge of the bogie body 120.

[0073] The mounting portion 180b is located at the rear end of the bogie body portion 120 and overlaps with the bogie body portion 120 in a plan view. The mounting portion 180b rests on the upper side of the rear frame portion 121b and the reinforcing frame portions 142c and 142d via the mounting plate 155b. The mounting portion 180b is also positioned to cover a portion of the space on the mounting plate 160A from above. In the first state, the upper surface of the mounting portion 180b is a flat loading surface 181 on which the load is placed. The mounting portion 180b is positioned so as not to protrude to the rear or to the left or right from the outer edge of the bogie body portion 120 in a plan view. However, the mounting portion 180b may protrude to the rear from the outer edge of the bogie body portion 120 in a plan view.

[0074] The mounting portion 180c is located on the central side of the bogie body 120 in the front-rear direction, and in a plan view, it overlaps with the bogie body 120. More specifically, the mounting portion 180c is located slightly rearward from the center of the bogie body 120 in the front-rear direction. The mounting portion 180c rests on the upper side of the reinforcing frame portions 142a, 142b, and 151c via the mounting plate 155a. The mounting portion 180c is also positioned to cover a portion of the space on the mounting plate 160B from above. In the first state, the upper surface of the mounting portion 180c is a flat loading surface 181 on which the load is placed. In a plan view, the mounting portion 180c is positioned so as not to protrude from the outer edge of the bogie body 120. The loading surfaces 181 of each of the mounting sections 180a, 180b, and 180c are at approximately the same height from the floor.

[0075] Here, with reference to Figures 15 and 17, a configuration in which the loading sections 180a to 180c can be lifted using a pair of forklift tines, either just the load or the entire transport trolley, will be described. Figure 17 is a side view showing an example of a state in which multiple flat plasterboards B are stacked and loaded as load on the trolley body 120. In Figures 15 and 17, the surface F, which is the horizontal extension of the loading surface 181 of the loading sections 180a, 180b, and 180c, is shown by a dashed line.

[0076] In this embodiment, the transport trolley 110 has spaces S3a and S3b above the trolley body 120, between the mounting sections 180a and 180c, and between the mounting sections 180c and 180b. Since the mounting section 180c is located off-center to the rear of the center in the front-rear direction of the trolley body 120, the length of space S3a in the front-rear direction is longer than the length of space S3b in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, in a side view, the transport trolley 110 has a space S4 below the trolley body 120 between the front caster 171A and the central caster 171B, and between the rear caster 171A and the central caster 171B. Here, the height H3 of spaces S3a and S3b, i.e., the vertical distance between the mounting sections 180a, 180b, and 180c, is greater than the thickness of the forklift's tines. Furthermore, the height H4 of the space S4, that is, the vertical distance from the bottom surface of the trolley body 120 to the floor, is greater than the thickness of the forklift's tines.

[0077] First, if you want to lift only the load with a forklift, insert the pair of forks of the forklift into the spaces S3a and S3b located at the front and rear of the transport cart 110 from the side. At this time, in a side view, no parts of the transport cart 110 are located in spaces S3a and S3b from the right frame section 122a to the left frame section 122b, so the forks inserted into spaces S3a and S3b will not come into contact with any parts of the transport cart 110. The pair of forks of the forklift are inserted into spaces S3a and S3b respectively, and then the pair of forks are raised. Since spaces S3a and S3b are open on the upper side, the raised forks will only support the load. Therefore, by raising the forks of the forklift, only the load can be lifted.

[0078] On the other hand, if you want to lift the transport cart 110 loaded with cargo using a forklift, you insert a pair of forks into the spaces S4 located at the front and rear of the transport cart 110 from the sides. The pair of forks of the forklift are raised from a state where each fork is inserted into space S4. Since the left frame portion 122b of the trolley body 120 is located above space S4, the raised forks support the lower surface of the left frame portion 122b. Therefore, by raising the forklift forks, the entire transport trolley 110 can be lifted.

[0079] Furthermore, spaces S3a, S3b, and S4 are located above and below the main body of the trolley 120. Therefore, there is no need to adjust the distance between the pair of claws whether lifting only the load or lifting the entire transport trolley 110.

[0080] Figures 11(b) and 12(b) are perspective views showing the case where the mounting sections 180a to 180c are in the second state. The mounting sections 180a to 180c transition from the first state to the second state by rotating relative to the trolley body 120. The mounting portion 180a is rotatably connected to the front frame portion 121a via a hinge portion 185a. The hinge portion 185a is mounted to straddle the front surface of the mounting portion 180a and the front surface of the front frame portion 121a in the first state. The pivot axis 186 of the hinge portion 185a is positioned so that its axial direction is aligned with the left-right direction. The axis U of the pivot axis 186 of the hinge portion 185a is located at the front end and upper end of the front frame portion 121a. By rotating the mounting portion 180a by approximately 90° via the hinge portion 185a, the mounting portion 180a is positioned in front of the front frame portion 121a. At this time, in a plan view, the mounting portion 180a is positioned so as to protrude outward from the outside of the bogie body portion 120, specifically from the outer peripheral edge of the bogie body portion 120. Furthermore, the loading surface 181, which was located on the top surface in the first state, is now located on the front surface.

[0081] The mounting portion 180b is rotatably connected to the rear frame portion 121b by a hinge portion 185b. The hinge portion 185b is mounted to straddle the rear surface of the mounting portion 180b and the rear surface of the rear frame portion 121b in the first state. The pivot axis 186 of the hinge portion 185b is positioned so that its axial direction is aligned with the left-right direction. The axis U of the pivot axis 186 of the hinge portion 185b is located at the rear end and upper end of the rear frame portion 121b. By rotating the mounting portion 180b by approximately 90° via the hinge portion 185b, the mounting portion 180b is positioned behind the rear frame portion 121b. At this time, in a plan view, the mounting portion 180b is positioned so as to protrude from the outside of the bogie body portion 120, specifically from the outer peripheral edge of the bogie body portion 120 to the rear. Furthermore, the loading surface 181, which was located on the top surface in the first state, is now located on the rear surface.

[0082] The mounting portion 180c is rotatably connected via a hinge portion 185c to a reinforcing frame portion 151c, which is located off-center to the rear of the center in the front-rear direction of the bogie body portion 120. The hinge portion 185c is mounted across the rear surface of the mounting portion 180c and the rear surface of the reinforcing frame portion 151c in the first state. The pivot axis 186 of the hinge portion 185c is positioned so that its axis is aligned with the left-right direction. The axis U of the pivot axis 186 of the hinge portion 185c is located at the rear end and upper end of the reinforcing frame portion 151c. By rotating the mounting portion 180c by approximately 90° via the hinge portion 185c, the mounting portion 180c is positioned within the housing portion 165 of the bogie body portion 120. In this state, the loading portion 180c is located inside the bogie body 120 in a plan view and does not protrude from the outer edge of the bogie body 120. Also, the loading surface 181, which was located on the upper surface in the first state, is now located on the rear surface.

[0083] In the second state, the mounting portions 180a to 180c are positioned so as not to protrude above the upper surface of the bogie body 120 and not to protrude below the lower surface of the bogie body 120. In the second state, the upper surfaces of the mounting portions 180a to 180c may be substantially flush with the upper surface of the bogie body 120, or they may be lower than the upper surface of the bogie body 120. Also, in the second state, the lower surfaces of the mounting portions 180a to 180c may be substantially flush with the lower surface of the bogie body 120, or they may be higher than the lower surface of the bogie body 120.

[0084] In this way, by transitioning the loading sections 180a to 180c to the second state, the upper surface of the trolley body 120 can be made flatter than in the first state when viewed from the side. By making the upper surface of the trolley body 120 flat in this way, loads that cannot be loaded or are difficult to load when the loading sections 180a to 180c are in the first state can be easily loaded.

[0085] The transport trolley 110 of this embodiment includes a loading section 180a and a loading section 180b located apart in the front-rear direction from the trolley body 120. The loading sections 180a and 180b can transition between a first state in which they are located on the upper surface of the trolley body 120 and capable of loading cargo, and a second state in which they are separated from the upper surface of the trolley body 120. In a side view, in the first state, there are spaces S3a and S3b between the loading sections 180a and 180b that open upward and into which a pair of forklift forks can be inserted from the side. Since the spaces S3a and S3b are formed between the loading sections 180a and 180b which are separated in the front-rear direction, a pair of forklift forks can be easily inserted into the spaces S3a and S3b.

[0086] Figure 18 is a side view showing two transport carts 110 stacked together, with the mounting sections 180a to 180c in the second state. By leaving the mounting sections 180a to 180c in the second state, the space on the mounting plates 160A and 160B is not covered by the mounting sections 180a to 180c, and the upper side of the mounting plates 160A and 160B can be left open. Therefore, the casters 171A and 171B of the transport cart 110 can be placed on the mounting plates 160A and 160B of the lower transport cart 110, so the overall height of the stacked transport carts 110 can be made lower than if they were stacked with the mounting sections 180a to 180c in the first state.

[0087] <Third Embodiment> A transport trolley 210 according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 19 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the transport trolley 210 when viewed from above. Figure 20 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the transport trolley 210 when viewed from below. In the following, the configurations that differ from the first and second embodiments will be described in detail, and similar components will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate. The transport trolley 210 of this embodiment differs from the transport trolley 110 of the second embodiment mainly in the size of the trolley body 220 and the configuration of the mounting section 280b.

[0088] The bogie body 220 has dimensions such as approximately 1500 mm x 750 mm (long side x short side). Because the bogie body 220 of this embodiment is larger than that of the second embodiment, a reinforcing frame 251 is added between the reinforcing frame 151c and the reinforcing frame 151d. Furthermore, the bogie body 220 of this embodiment has a housing section 265a between the reinforcing frame 151c and the reinforcing frame 251, and a housing section 265b between the reinforcing frame 251 and the reinforcing frame 151d. In the second state, the mounting section 180c is located within the housing section 265a, and the mounting section 280b of the second state, described later, is located within the housing section 265b.

[0089] The transport trolley 210 is equipped with mounting sections 180a, 280b, and 180c. Mounting sections 180a and 180c have the same configuration as in the second embodiment, while mounting section 280b differs from mounting section 180b in the second embodiment. Figures 19(a) and 20(a) are perspective views showing the first state of the mounting section 280b. Figure 21 is a side view showing an example of a state in which multiple flat plasterboards B are stacked and loaded as cargo on the trolley body 220. The mounting portion 280b is located on the rear side of the bogie body 220 and, in a plan view, overlaps with the bogie body 220. The mounting portion 280b rests on the upper side of the reinforcing frame portion 151d and reinforcing frame portions 142c and 142d via the mounting plate 155b. The mounting portion 280b is also positioned to cover a portion of the space on the mounting plate 160A from above. In the first state, the upper surface of the mounting portion 280b is a flat loading surface 181 on which the load is placed. In a plan view, the mounting portion 280b is positioned so as not to protrude from the outer edge of the bogie body 220. The mounting portion 280b can transition between a first state in which it is located on the upper surface of the bogie body 220 and a second state in which it is located away from the upper surface of the bogie body 220.

[0090] Here, with reference to Figure 21, a configuration in which the loading sections 180a, 280b, and 180c can be lifted using a pair of forklift tines, either just the load or the entire transport trolley, will be described. Figure 21 is a side view showing an example of a state in which multiple flat plasterboards B are stacked on top of each other as load on the trolley body 220. In Figure 21, the surface F, which is an extension of the loading surface 181 of the loading sections 180a, 280b, and 180c in the horizontal direction, is shown by a dashed line.

[0091] If you want to lift only the load with a forklift, insert the pair of forks of the forklift from the side of the transport cart 210 into the space S3a between the loading sections 180a and 180c, and the gap S5 between the loading section 180c and 280b, respectively, and raise the pair of forks.

[0092] Figures 19(b) and 20(b) are perspective views showing the mounting section 280b in the second state. The mounting portion 280b is rotatably connected via a hinge portion 285b to a reinforcing frame portion 151d, which is located off-center to the rear of the center in the front-rear direction of the bogie body portion 220. By rotating the mounting portion 280b by approximately 90° via the hinge portion 285b, the mounting portion 280b is positioned in the housing portion 265b of the bogie body portion 220. At this time, in a plan view, the mounting portion 280b is positioned so as not to protrude from the inside of the bogie body portion 220, specifically from the outer edge of the bogie body portion 220.

[0093] In this way, by transitioning the loading section 280b to the second state, the upper surface of the trolley body 220 can be made flatter than in the first state when viewed from the side. By making the upper surface of the trolley body 220 flatter in this way, loads that cannot be loaded or are difficult to load when the loading section 280b is in the first state can be easily loaded.

[0094] Although the present invention has been described above in conjunction with the embodiments described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, some components of one embodiment can be replaced with some components of another embodiment, or added to other embodiments.

[0095] The grounding unit 80 in the first embodiment described above is not limited to being an auxiliary caster 81, but may also be a grounding member that makes contact with the floor surface. The grounding member is normally lifted off the floor surface and makes contact with the floor when the transport trolley 10 tilts, preventing further tilting of the transport trolley 10. This corresponds to an example of the contact portion of the grounding member. The auxiliary caster 81 of the grounding unit 80 in the first embodiment described above may be fixed in a direction that allows the wheel 82 to rotate along the front-rear direction, without being able to swivel.

[0096] The first embodiment of the grounding unit 80 described above describes a case in which the auxiliary caster 81 can transition stepwise to a first state, a second state, and a third state, but it is not limited to this case. The auxiliary caster 81 may be able to transition to any position desired by the user between the first position and the second position, or it may be fixed in any of the first, second, or third states without being able to transition. Here, fixing the auxiliary caster 81 in any of the first, second, or third states without being able to transition can be achieved by omitting the guide portion 62 and directly or indirectly connecting the connecting member 86 to the trolley body portion 20. Furthermore, the auxiliary caster 81 may be able to transition stepwise to any two of the first, second, and third states, and not be able to transition stepwise to the remaining state. Furthermore, the auxiliary caster 81 may be able to transition to a fourth position different from the first to third positions.

[0097] In the second embodiment described above, one of the mounting sections 180a to 180c may be omitted, and the load may be loaded onto the loading surfaces 181 of the two mounting sections. In the third embodiment described above, one of the mounting sections 180a, 280b, and 180c may be omitted, and the load may be loaded onto the loading surfaces 181 of the two mounting sections.

[0098] The load may be loaded onto each frame section and reinforcing frame section by omitting some or all of the mounting plates 55a to 55e of the first embodiment described above. The load may be loaded onto each frame section and reinforcing frame section by omitting some or all of the mounting plates 155a and 155b of the second or third embodiment described above. The hinge portions 185a to 185c and 285b of the second or third embodiment described above only need to have a structure that can transition between a first state and a second state, and are not limited to a configuration having a pivot shaft 186. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0099] 10,110,210: Transport cart 20,120,220: Cart body 26: First supported frame (supported part) 27: Second supported frame (supported part) 53: Intermediate horizontal frame (intermediate part) 70: Running part 71A: Caster 72: Wheel 81: Auxiliary caster 82: Wheel 180a~180c: Mounting part 280b: Mounting part S1,S3a,S3b,S5: Space S2,S4: Space

Claims

1. A transport trolley comprising a trolley body and casters located at the four corners of the trolley body, The aforementioned bogie body is, A pair of supported parts, separated front to back, are located between the loading surface and the floor surface and are supported by a pair of claws when the transport trolley is lifted by a forklift, In a side view, between the pair of supported parts, there is an intermediate part located above the pair of supported parts, In a side view, a pair of forklift tines can be inserted from the side into the upper part of the pair of supported parts, and there are a pair of spaces opening upwards, located separated front to back with the intermediate part in between, In a side view, the lower side of the pair of supported parts has a pair of spaces into which a pair of forklift tines can be inserted from the side, In a side view, the length of the intermediate section in the front-to-back direction is shorter than the length of each of the pair of spaces opening upward, and the length of the space between the pair of supported parts in the front-to-back direction is shorter than the length of each of the pair of supported parts in the front-to-back direction. An auxiliary caster having a wheel smaller than the wheel of the caster is mounted between the pair of supported parts in the intermediate section. A transport trolley characterized in that the wheels of the auxiliary casters have their upper ends positioned below the lower ends of the pair of supported parts.

2. The transport trolley according to Claim 1, characterized in that, when the auxiliary caster is facing in the front-rear direction, in a side view, a vertical line passing through the outer circumference of the auxiliary caster's wheel at the position furthest from the pivot axis of the auxiliary caster intersects with one of the pair of supported parts.

3. The aforementioned auxiliary casters are The transport trolley according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, in a plan view, it is positioned so as not to overlap with the trolley body.

4. The aforementioned auxiliary casters are The transport trolley according to claim 3, characterized in that, in a plan view, it is possible to transition between a first state in which it does not overlap with the trolley body and a second state in which it overlaps with the trolley body.

5. The aforementioned caster has a brake pedal, The transport trolley according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the caster is facing in the front-to-back direction, a part of the brake pedal is located below one of the pair of supported parts in a side view.

6. The transport trolley according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the auxiliary caster is facing in the front-to-back direction, a part of the wheel of the auxiliary caster is located below one of the pair of supported parts in a side view.

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