Bumper devices and cargo handling vehicles

Abstract

To provide a bumper device which enables easy fixture of a bumper body side member.SOLUTION: A bumper device includes a base side member 2, a bumper body side member 3, and an expansion mechanism part 5. The expansion mechanism part has two front arms 60, 61, two rear arms 65, 66, and connection links 67, 68. Each member forming the expansion mechanism part changes its posture in conjunction with movement of the bumper body side member. The bumper device has a restriction member 6 which restricts movement of the bumper body side member. The restriction member has a rotary shaft, and a contact member and a first engagement part provided at the rotary shaft. The restriction member is attached to the base side member or the bumper body side member. When the rotary shaft is set at a predetermined restriction angle, the contact member is positioned contacting with a part of the expansion mechanism part and prevents posture change of the member forming the expansion mechanism part to prevent movement of the bumper body side member. The first engagement part engages with another member to fix the rotary shaft at the restriction angle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[[TECHNICAL FIELD]]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bumper device installed in a vehicle. In particular, the present invention relates to a bumper device installed in a cargo handling vehicle having a function of moving a part of a cargo bed or lowering a part of the cargo bed to the ground, such as a vehicle transporter, a container transporter, a dump truck, and the like. The present invention also relates to a cargo handling vehicle. [[BACKGROUND ART]]

[0002] Cargo handling vehicles having a function of changing the posture of a cargo bed or lowering the cargo bed to the ground are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a body loading and unloading vehicle. The body loading and unloading vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a vehicle transporter, which is used for transporting vehicles such as passenger cars and civil engineering machinery. The vehicle transporter described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a lift frame and a slidable body. In the vehicle disclosed in Patent Document 1, the lift frame can be tilted, and the body (cargo bed) can be slid to lower the body to the ground.

[0003] Freight vehicles are also required to be equipped with a rear bumper. To ensure safety when a pedestrian or another vehicle collides, the rear bumper must protrude rearward from the vehicle body to a certain extent. By the way, the above-mentioned vehicle transporters and the like functionally tilt the posture of the cargo bed portion rearward or lower the cargo bed portion from the rear to the ground, and the rear bumper is attached in a state protruding rearward of the vehicle. Therefore, the rear bumper becomes an obstacle when tilting the cargo bed or the like. Therefore, a structure for retracting the rear bumper when performing operations such as loading and unloading has been proposed (Patent Document 2).

[0004] In the bumper device disclosed in Patent Document 2, a measure for preventing the rear bumper from accidentally moving is provided. In other words, the bumper device disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a piston shaft and a hole in the vehicle side through which the piston shaft is inserted. In the bumper device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the piston shaft is inserted into the hole in the vehicle side and fixed so that the bumper body does not move unintentionally. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-108768 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5284236 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In the bumper device disclosed in Patent Document 2, a piston shaft must be inserted into a hole on the vehicle side in order to fix the bumper body. In the bumper device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the components that contribute to fixing the bumper body are a hole in the vehicle and a piston shaft. However, the bumper device disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a problem in that the tolerance for the relative position of the components that contribute to fixing the bumper body is small, making it difficult to align the two.

[0007] In other words, the bumper body has a degree of freedom in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, and the diameter of the hole on the vehicle side is only slightly larger than the diameter of the piston shaft, so even if the piston shaft is extended, it may not hit the hole. Thus, in conventional bumper devices, the tolerance for the relative position between the piston shaft and the hole when preventing the movement of the bumper body is small. In other words, in conventional bumper devices, the tolerance for the relative position of the two components that function to prevent the movement of the bumper body is small. Therefore, when fixing the bumper body, it is necessary to align the piston shaft with the hole, which can be time-consuming.

[0008] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and provides a bumper device that allows for easy fixing of the bumper body side member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] An embodiment for solving the above-mentioned problems is a bumper device to be attached to a vehicle, comprising a base side member, a bumper body side member, and an extension / retraction mechanism, wherein the base side member is attached to the vehicle, the bumper body side member is movable toward and toward the base side member, and the bumper body side member is capable of taking a retracted position close to the base side member and an extended position away from the base side member, wherein the extension / retraction mechanism comprises two front arms, two rear arms, and a connecting link, the two front arms each having one end rotatably engaged with the base side member, and the two rear arms each having one end rotatably engaged with the front arms The bumper device is characterized in that the connecting link is rotatably engaged with the other end of the connecting link, the other end of which is rotatably engaged with the two front arms or the two rear arms, each member constituting the telescopic mechanism changes its orientation in conjunction with the movement of the bumper body side member, and has a restricting member that restricts the movement of the bumper body side member, the restricting member having a pivot shaft, a contact member provided on the pivot shaft and a first engaging portion, the restricting member being attached to the base side member or the bumper body side member, and when the pivot shaft is at a predetermined restricting angle, the contact member is in a position to contact a part of the telescopic mechanism, thereby hindering the change in orientation of the members constituting the telescopic mechanism and preventing the movement of the bumper body side member, and the first engaging portion can engage with other members to fix the pivot shaft at the restricting angle.

[0010] In the bumper device of this embodiment, the members that contribute to fixing the bumper body side member are the contact member of the restricting member and a part of the telescopic mechanism, and the movement of the bumper body side member is prevented by positioning the contact member in contact with a part of the telescopic mechanism. The bumper device in this embodiment has an extension / retraction mechanism between the base member and the bumper body member. The extension / retraction mechanism has two front arms, two rear arms, and a connecting link, and these change their orientation in conjunction with the movement of the bumper body member. These orientation changes include oscillating movements and linear movements, and are mostly planar orientation changes. The bumper device in this embodiment has a structure in which a contact member is applied to the telescopic mechanism that changes its orientation in a planar manner, so the tolerance for the relative position of the members that contribute to fixing the bumper body side member is high. Therefore, alignment is easy. Furthermore, the bumper device of this embodiment has a first engaging portion on the restricting member. The first engaging portion can engage with other members to fix the pivot axis at the restricting angle. Therefore, the bumper device of this embodiment can be fixed so that the bumper body side member does not move.

[0011] In the above-described embodiment, the restricting member is attached to the base side member, and it is desirable that the contact member is in a position to contact a part of the connecting link when the pivot axis is at the restricting angle.

[0012] The connecting link changes its orientation linearly in response to the movement of the bumper body side member. Therefore, it is easy to bring the contact members into contact.

[0013] In the above-described embodiment, the restricting member is attached to either the base side member or the bumper body side member, and the base side member or the bumper body side member has an engaging portion, one of which is a pin, and the other of which is a hole, and it is desirable that the pin engages with the hole to fix the rotation angle of the pivot shaft.

[0014] According to the bumper device of this embodiment, the bumper body side member can be maintained in a retracted position or in an extended position.

[0015] In the aspect described above, the regulating member is attached to one of the base-side member or the bumper body-side member, and an engaged portion for expansion prevention is provided on the other of the base-side member or the bumper body-side member. When the bumper body-side member is in the stored position, it is preferable that the first engaging portion or another engaging portion can be engaged with the expansion-preventing engaged portion to prevent the bumper body-side member from moving to the deployed position.

[0016] According to the bumper device of this aspect, the state where the bumper body-side member is in the stored position close to the base-side member can be maintained.

[0017] In the aspect described above, it is preferable that a handle is attached to at least one of the front arm or the rear arm.

[0018] According to this aspect, when manually moving the bumper body-side member, the operation can be performed by holding the handle.

[0019] An aspect relating to a cargo handling vehicle is a cargo handling vehicle comprising a cargo bed portion movable relative to a vehicle body, characterized in that the cargo handling vehicle comprises the bumper device according to any one of the above.

Effects of the Invention

[0020] According to the bumper device of the present invention, the bumper body-side member can be easily fixed.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] It is a plan view of the bumper device according to the embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where the entire bumper device is extended to be in a deployed position. [Figure 2] It is a plan view of the bumper device with the base-side member and the bumper body-side member schematically illustrated from FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a plan view of the bumper device according to the embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where the entire bumper device is contracted to be in a stored position. [Figure 4]Figure 2 is a plan view of the bumper device, with the base side member and the bumper body side member omitted from the diagram. [Figure 5] This is a plan view of the bumper device components shown in Figure 1, with each component separated into its individual parts. [Figure 6] Figure 1 is a diagram of the bumper device mechanism, where (a) shows the deployed position and (b) shows the retracted position. [Figure 7] (a) shows the deployed position, (c) shows the retracted position, and (b) shows an intermediate position. Each left figure is a plan view showing the positions of the two front arms, the two rear arms, and the connecting link, and each right figure is a plan view showing the relationship between the base side member and the bumper body side member. [Figure 8] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the main part of the bumper device, showing the relationship between the connecting link and the restricting member within the base side member. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of the regulatory component. [Figure 10] (a) is a plan view of the base side member of the bumper device in Figure 1, showing the position of the lever portion and the first engaging portion of the restricting member when the rotation axis of the restricting member is maintained at the restricting angle and the restricting member is in the restricted position, and the bumper body side member is fixed in the deployed position; (b) is a plan cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the contact member of the restricting member and the first connecting link of the telescopic mechanism in that state; and (c) is a front cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the contact member of the restricting member and the first connecting link in that state. [Figure 11] (a) is a plan view of the base side member of the bumper device in Figure 1, showing the position of the lever portion and the first engaging portion of the restricting member when the rotation axis of the restricting member is maintained at an extendable angle to make the restricting member extendable and the bumper body side member movable; (b) is a plan cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the contact member of the restricting member and the first connecting link in that state; and (c) is a front cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the contact member of the restricting member and the first connecting link in that state. [Figure 12]Figure 1 is a plan view of the bumper device, where (a) is a plan view showing the relationship between the lever portion of the restricting member, the first engaging portion, and the bumper body side member when the bumper body side member is fixed in the retracted position, and (b) is a plan cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the contact member of the restricting member and the first connecting link of the telescopic mechanism in that state. [Figure 13] This is a side view of a cargo handling vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. The bumper device 1 of this embodiment is used, for example, as the rear bumper of a cargo handling vehicle 200 as shown in Figure 13. In the following explanation, the front and rear relationships are based on the front and rear of the cargo handling vehicle 200. That is, the front side refers to the driver's seat 201 side, and the rear side refers to the opposite side.

[0023] The bumper device 1 of this embodiment comprises a base-side member 2, a bumper body-side member 3, and an extension / retraction mechanism 5, as shown in each figure. The bumper device 1 has a base-side member 2 attached to the rear of a cargo handling vehicle 200, and the bumper body-side member 3 is movable in the direction of approaching and moving away from the base-side member 2. That is, the bumper device 1 can assume a stowed position in which the bumper body-side member 3 is close to the base-side member 2, as shown in Figures 3, 4, 6(b), and 7(c), and an extended position in which the bumper body-side member 3 is away from the base-side member 2, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 6(a), and 7(a).

[0024] Furthermore, the bumper device 1 of this embodiment has a restricting member 6 on the base side member 2 that restricts the movement of the bumper body side member 3. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the restricting member 6 has a pivot axis 7, and by setting the pivot axis 7 to a restricting angle, the restricting member 6 assumes a restricting position, allowing the bumper body side member 3 to be fixed in the deployed position. Furthermore, by making the pivot axis 7 extendable, the restricting member 6 can be extended or retracted, allowing the bumper body side member 3 to be moved manually. Furthermore, by positioning the pivot axis 7 at a predetermined angle, the regulating member 6 can be engaged with the bumper body side member 3, thereby fixing the bumper body side member 3 in its retracted position.

[0025] The base side member 2 has a "U" shaped cross-section and is a member with a certain length. That is, as shown in Figure 8, the base side member 2 has an upper wall 10, a lower wall 11, and a vertical wall portion 12 connecting the two. An engagement plate 17 is welded to the upper wall 10 of the base side member 2. The engaged plate 17 is a roughly pentagonal plate as shown in Figure 8, and is provided with a shaft insertion hole 20, a first engaged hole (engaged portion) 21, and a second engaged hole (engaged portion) 22. The shaft insertion hole 20 penetrates the upper wall 10 of the base side member 2. Additionally, a receiving hole 23 is provided in the lower wall 11 at a position corresponding to the shaft insertion hole 20. The first engagement hole 21 and the second engagement hole 22 are located 90 degrees apart from the shaft insertion hole 20. That is, the second engagement hole 22 is located directly to the side of the shaft insertion hole 20, and the first engagement hole 21 is located on the side of the vertical wall portion 12 of the shaft insertion hole 20. The distance between the shaft insertion hole 20 and the first engaged hole 21 is equal to the distance between the shaft insertion hole 20 and the second engaged hole 22.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, a cylinder mounting portion 25 is provided on the back surface of the vertical wall portion 12 of the base side member 2. The cylinder mounting portion 25 is a component used when attaching a cylinder as an option, and is not used in this embodiment.

[0027] As shown in Figure 9, the regulating member 6 has an operating lever 31, a positioning member 32, and a contact member 33 integrally fixed to the pivot shaft 7. The positioning member 32 is a plate-shaped member, and a first engaging portion 36 is provided on its back surface. The first engaging portion 36 is a pin, a part of which protrudes downward from the lower surface of the positioning member 32. The contact member 33 is a narrow, plate-shaped member. The operating lever 31 is fixed to the upper end of the pivot shaft 7. A positioning member 32 is attached below the operating lever 31 at a distance. A contact member 33 is further attached below the positioning member 32. The positioning member 32 and the contact member 33 are fixed at the same angle with respect to the pivot axis 7. The operating lever 31 is mounted at a 90-degree angle away from the positioning member 32, etc., with respect to the pivot axis 7. Note that the mounting angles of the positioning member 32, the contact member 33, and the operating lever 31 are arbitrary.

[0028] The regulating member 6 is rotatably supported by the base member 2, with the pivot shaft 7 inserted through the shaft insertion hole 20 and the receiving hole 23. The operating lever 31 and positioning member 32 of the regulating member 6 are located on the upper wall 10 of the base side member 2, and the contact member 33 is located in the space between the upper wall 10 and the lower wall 11. A spring 37 is attached to the pivot shaft 7. As shown in Figure 8, the spring 37 is located between the contact member 33 of the restricting member 6 and the upper wall 10 of the base side member 2, and the restricting member 6 is biased downward by the spring 37. Therefore, the positioning member 32 of the regulating member 6 is constantly pressed against the engaged plate 17 by the biasing force of the spring 37. However, the regulating member 6 is movable in the axial direction, and when the operating lever 31 is pulled up, the positioning member 32 moves away from the engaged plate 17 against the spring 37.

[0029] The bumper body side member 3 has a bumper body 15 and a connecting portion 16. The bumper body 15 is a bar-shaped or plate-shaped member having a length equivalent to the overall width of the cargo handling vehicle 200. Furthermore, the bumper body side member 3 is provided with a third engagement hole (expansion prevention engagement portion) 38, as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

[0030] The telescopic mechanism 5 includes two front arms 60 and 61, two rear arms 65 and 66, a front connecting link 67, and a rear connecting link 68.

[0031] The front arms 60 and 61, the rear arms 65 and 66, and the connecting links 67 and 68 all have a three-dimensional cross-sectional shape and possess considerable rigidity. The overall lengths of the front arms 60 and 61 and the rear arms 65 and 66 are approximately the same. The overall lengths of the front connecting link 67 and the rear connecting link 68 are approximately the same.

[0032] As shown in Figure 5, the front arm 60 has a vehicle-side engagement hole 70 that is rotatably supported by the base-side member 2, a rear arm-side engagement hole 71 that rotatably engages with the rear arm 65, and a connecting link-side engagement hole 72 that rotatably engages with the front-side connecting link 67. The connecting link-side engagement hole 72 is located off-center from the straight line 101 connecting the vehicle-side engagement hole 70 and the rear arm-side engagement hole 71. Furthermore, the connecting link-side engagement hole 72 is located further out than the vehicle-side engagement hole 70. When assembled as the telescopic mechanism 5, the connecting link-side engagement hole 72 protrudes outwards from the frame enclosed by each link.

[0033] The front arm 61 has a vehicle-side engagement hole 80 that is rotatably supported by the base-side member 2, a rear arm-side engagement hole 81 that rotatably engages with the rear arm 66, and a connecting link-side engagement hole 82 that rotatably engages with the front-side connecting link 67. The connecting link side engagement hole 82 is located off the straight line 102 connecting the vehicle side engagement hole 80 and the rear arm side engagement hole 81. Furthermore, the connecting link side engagement hole 82 is located inside the vehicle side engagement hole 80. In other words, when assembled as the telescopic mechanism 5, the connecting link side engagement hole 82 is located in a position that protrudes inward from the frame surrounded by each link. When assembled as the telescopic mechanism 5, the connecting link side engagement hole 72 of the front arm 60 and the connecting link side engagement hole 82 of the front arm 61 are located in positions that protrude in the same direction (downward in the drawing). In the assembled state as the telescopic mechanism 5, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, the connecting link side engagement hole 72 of the front arm 60 is located in front of the line connecting the vehicle side engagement hole 70 and the vehicle side engagement hole 80. On the other hand, the connecting link side engagement hole 82 of the front arm 61 is located behind the line connecting the vehicle side engagement hole 70 and the vehicle side engagement hole 80 (on the opposite side from the front and rear of the connecting link side engagement hole 72).

[0034] The mechanical lengths of the front arms 60 and 61 are approximately equal. That is, the distance between the vehicle-side engagement hole 70 of the front arm 60 and the rear arm-side engagement hole 71 is approximately equal to the distance between the vehicle-side engagement hole 80 of the front arm 61 and the rear arm-side engagement hole 81. Furthermore, the distance between the vehicle-side engagement hole 70 and the connecting link-side engagement hole 72 of the front arm 60 is approximately equal to the distance between the vehicle-side engagement hole 80 and the connecting link-side engagement hole 82 of the front arm 61. In addition, the acute angle (hereinafter referred to as the protrusion angle) of the angle formed by the straight line 101 of the front arm 60 and the connecting link-side engagement hole 72 is approximately equal to the protrusion angle between the straight line 102 of the front arm 61 and the connecting link-side engagement hole 82.

[0035] The rear arm 65 has a front arm side engagement hole 73 that rotatably engages with the front arm 60, a bumper side engagement hole 75 that is rotatably supported on the bumper body side, and a connecting link side engagement hole 76 that rotatably engages with the rear connecting link 68. The connecting link-side engagement hole 76 is located off-center from the straight line 103 connecting the bumper-side engagement hole 75 and the front arm-side engagement hole 73. Furthermore, the connecting link-side engagement hole 76 is located inward from the bumper-side engagement hole 75. When assembled as the telescopic mechanism 5, the connecting link-side engagement hole 76 protrudes inward from the frame enclosed by each link.

[0036] The rear arm 66 has a front arm-side engagement hole 83 that rotatably engages with the front arm 61, a bumper-side engagement hole 85 that is rotatably supported on the bumper body side, and a connecting link-side engagement hole 86 that rotatably engages with the rear connecting link 68. The connecting link side engagement hole 86 is located off-center from the straight line 105 connecting the bumper side engagement hole 85 and the front arm side engagement hole 83. Furthermore, the connecting link side engagement hole 86 is located further out than the bumper side engagement hole 85. In other words, when assembled as the telescopic mechanism 5, the connecting link side engagement hole 86 protrudes outwards from the frame enclosed by each link. When assembled as the telescopic mechanism 5, the connecting link side engagement hole 76 of the rear arm 65 and the connecting link side engagement hole 86 of the rear arm 65 protrude in the same direction (upwards in the drawing).

[0037] The mechanical lengths of the rear arms 65 and 66 are approximately equal. That is, the distance between the bumper-side engagement hole 75 of the rear arm 65 and the front arm-side engagement hole 73 is approximately equal to the distance between the bumper-side engagement hole 85 of the rear arm 66 and the front arm-side engagement hole 83. Furthermore, the distance between the bumper-side engagement hole 75 and the connecting link-side engagement hole 76 of the rear arm 65 is approximately equal to the distance between the bumper-side engagement hole 85 and the connecting link-side engagement hole 86 of the rear arm 66. The protrusion angle of the engagement hole 76 on the connecting link side of the rear arm 65 and the protrusion angle of the engagement hole 86 on the connecting link side of the rear arm 66 are also approximately equal.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mechanical lengths of the rear arms 65 and 66 and the mechanical lengths of the front arms 60 and 61 are approximately equal. The projection angles are also approximately equal. Handlebars 40 are attached to front arms 60 and 61.

[0039] The front connecting link 67 has an engagement hole 88 on one side that rotatably engages with one front arm 60, and an engagement hole 90 on the other side that rotatably engages with the other front arm 61. The front connecting link 67 is provided with a contact pin 77. Furthermore, a cylinder mounting portion 93 that protrudes outward is provided on the straight section of the front connecting link 67. A cylinder mounting hole 95 is provided in the cylinder mounting portion 93. The cylinder mounting portion 93 is a component used when a cylinder is optionally mounted, and is not used in this embodiment.

[0040] The rear connecting link 68 has one-side engagement hole 91 that rotatably engages with one rear arm 65, and the other-side engagement hole 92 that rotatably engages with the other rear arm 66. The mechanical lengths of the rear connecting link 68 and the front connecting link 67 are approximately equal. That is, the distance between the engagement hole 88 on one side and the engagement hole 90 on the other side of the front connecting link 67 is approximately equal to the distance between the engagement hole 91 on one side and the engagement hole 92 on the rear connecting link 68.

[0041] The telescopic mechanism 5 consists of the two front arms 60 and 61, the two rear arms 65 and 66, and the front connecting link 67 and the rear connecting link 68, all connected in a ring shape via pins. Specifically, the front arm 60, rear arm 65, rear connecting link 68, rear arm 66, front arm 61, front connecting link 67, and front arm 60 are rotatably connected in this order by pins 110, 111, 112, 113, 115, and 116.

[0042] Specifically, a rear arm-side engagement hole 71 provided at one end of the front arm 60 and a front arm-side engagement hole 73 provided at one end of the rear arm 65 are superimposed, and a pin 110 is inserted through them, so that the front arm 60 and the rear arm 65 are engaged in a way that allows them to rotate around the pivot center B.

[0043] The connecting link side engagement hole 76 provided in the rear arm 65 and the engagement hole 91 provided in the rear side connecting link 68 are superimposed and a pin 111 is inserted through them, so that the rear arm 65 and the rear side connecting link 68 are engaged so that they can rotate around the pivot center E.

[0044] An engagement hole 92 provided in the rear connecting link 68 and an engagement hole 86 provided in the rear arm 66 are superimposed and a pin 112 is inserted through them, so that the rear connecting link 68 and the rear arm 66 are engaged so that they can rotate around the pivot center e.

[0045] The engagement hole 83 on the front arm side provided in the rear arm 66 and the engagement hole 81 on the rear arm side provided in the front arm 61 are superimposed and a pin 113 is inserted through them, so that the rear arm 66 and the front arm 61 are engaged so that they can rotate around the pivot center b.

[0046] The connecting link side engagement hole 82 provided in the front arm 61 and the engaging hole 90 provided in the front side connecting link 67 are superimposed and a pin 115 is inserted through them, so that the front arm 61 and the front side connecting link 67 are engaged so that they can rotate around the pivot center c.

[0047] An engagement hole 88 provided in the front connecting link 67 and an engagement hole 72 provided in the front arm 60 are superimposed and a pin 116 is inserted through them, so that the front connecting link 67 and the front arm 60 are engaged so that they can rotate around the pivot center C.

[0048] Furthermore, a pin 117 is inserted through the vehicle-side engagement hole 70 of the front arm 60, and it is rotatably supported on a part of the base-side member 2. The front arm 60 is rotatably fixed to a part of the base-side member 2 with a pivot center A as its center. Similarly, a pin 118 is inserted through the vehicle-side engagement hole 80 of the front arm 61, and it is rotatably supported on a part of the base-side member 2. The front arm 61 is rotatably fixed to a part of the base-side member 2 with a pivot center a as its center.

[0049] In summary, one front arm 60 is fixed to the base member 2 and rotates about the pivot center A, the front arm 60 and the rear arm 65 are rotatably engaged about the pivot center B, and the front arm 60 is rotatably engaged with the front connecting link 67 about the pivot center C. Furthermore, the pivot center C of the front arm 60 and the front connecting link 67 is offset outward from the pivot center A.

[0050] The other front arm 61 is fixed to the base member 2 and rotates about the pivot center a. The front arm 61 and the rear arm 66 are rotatably engaged about the pivot center b. The front arm 61 is rotatably engaged with the front connecting link 67 about the pivot center c. The pivot center c between the front arm 61 and the front connecting link 67 is offset inward from the pivot center a. In other words, the pivot center c is offset in the opposite direction from the pivot center C.

[0051] On the other hand, the rear arm 65 is fixed to the bumper body side member 3 and engages so as to be rotatable about the pivot center D, and the rear arm 65 engages so as to be rotatable about the pivot center B with respect to the front arm 60, and the pivot center E of the rear arm 65 with respect to the rear connecting link 68 is offset inward from the pivot center D. The other rear arm 66 is fixed to a member belonging to the bumper body side member 3 and is rotatably engaged about a pivot center d. The rear arm 66 is rotatably engaged with the front arm 61 about a pivot center b, and the pivot center e of the rear arm 66 with respect to the rear connecting link 68 is offset outward from the pivot center d. In other words, the pivot center e is offset in the opposite direction from the pivot center E.

[0052] Next, we will explain the relationship between the bumper device 1 and the base side member 2. The bumper device 1 is attached to the rear end of the cargo handling vehicle 200, specifically to the lower part of the cargo bed frame 202. As described above, the bumper device 1 is directly and rotatably fixed to a part of the base side member 2 via vehicle-side engagement holes 70 and 80 provided on the front side of the two front arms 60 and 61. Therefore, the front arms 60 and 61 of the bumper device 1 are rotatable via the vehicle-side engagement holes 70 and 80 provided on the front side, but they do not move in the front-rear direction relative to the base-side member 2. In contrast, the other components are indirectly supported by the base-side component 2, giving them degrees of freedom, allowing for changes in orientation and movement.

[0053] Figure 1 shows the bumper device 1 when it is extended and in the deployed position, with the annular structure consisting of the front arm 60, rear arm 65, rear connecting link 68, rear arm 66, front arm 61, front connecting link 67, and front arm 60 being roughly rectangular in shape. In other words, one front arm 60 and the rear arm 65 are in a nearly straight line, and the other front arm 61 and the rear arm 66 are also in a nearly straight line, and the two straight sections are parallel with a gap between them. Furthermore, the rear connecting link 68 and the front connecting link 67 are parallel to each other with a gap between them. Therefore, the telescopic mechanism 5 becomes longer in overall length. Here, since the vehicle-side engagement holes 70 and 80 of the front arms 60 and 61 are fixed to the base-side member 2 and cannot move, the bumper body-side member 3 moves to the rear.

[0054] When the bumper device 1 is in the deployed position, one front arm 60 is pivotable about the pivot center A, which is the pivot point, and the front connecting link 67 engages with the front arm 60 at a position forward of the pivot center A. The other front arm 61 is pivotable about the pivot center a, which is the pivot point, and the front connecting link 67 engages with the front arm 61 at a position rearward of the pivot center a.

[0055] Furthermore, when the bumper device 1 is extended and in the deployed position, one rear arm 65 is pivotable about the pivot center D, which is the pivot point, and the rear connecting link 68 engages with the rear arm 65 at a position forward of the pivot center D, while the other rear arm 66 is pivotable about the pivot center d, which is the pivot point, and the rear connecting link 68 engages with the rear arm 66 at a position rearward of the pivot center d.

[0056] Figure 3 shows the bumper device 1 when it is retracted and in the stowed position, with the annular structure consisting of the front arm 60, rear arm 65, rear connecting link 68, rear arm 66, front arm 61, front connecting link 67, and front arm 60 being folded. In other words, one front arm 60 and the rear arm 65 bend around the pivot point B, and the front arm 60 and the rear arm 65 become nearly parallel. The other front arm 61 and the rear arm 66 also become nearly parallel. Furthermore, the rear connecting link 68 and the front connecting link 67 are parallel to each other with a gap between them. Therefore, the telescopic mechanism 5 becomes shorter in overall length. Here, since the vehicle-side engagement holes 70 and 80 of the front arms 60 and 61 are fixed to the base-side member 2 and cannot move, the bumper body-side member 3 moves forward.

[0057] Next, the movement of the bumper device 1 will be explained with reference to Figure 7. As shown in Figure 7(a), when the telescopic mechanism 5 is extended and in the deployed position, the worker grasps the handles 40 of the front arms 60 and 61 with their hands and pulls them diagonally forward. Here, the distance between the pivot centers A and a, which are the connection points between the front arms 60 and 61 and the base side member 2, remains constant. Therefore, the front arms 60 and 61 change their posture in a direction that spreads outward. Furthermore, the pivot centers B and b, which are the connection points between the front arms 60 and 61 and the rear arms 65 and 66, widen as the rear arms 65 and 66 swing in the direction of moving outwards from each other. However, since the distance between the pivot centers E and e, which are the connection points between the rear arms 65 and 66 and the bumper body side member 3, remains constant, the angle between the rear arms 65 and 66 also widens as the front arms 65 and 66 swing outwards, causing the rear arms 65 and 66 and the front arms 60 and 61 to change their posture so that they overlap. As a result, the bumper body side member 3 moves forward as shown in Figures 7(b) and 7(c). Also, because the mechanical lengths and protrusion angles of the front arms 60 and 61 and the rear arms 65 and 66 are approximately equal, the bumper body side member 3 moves in parallel.

[0058] One end of the front connecting link 67 is connected to one of the front arms 60 at the pivot center C. Meanwhile, the front arm 60 itself rotates about the pivot center A. Here, the pivot center C is offset outward (forward) from the pivot center A, which is the pivot point. Furthermore, the other end of the front connecting link 67 is connected to the other front arm 61 at the pivot center c. Meanwhile, the front arm 61 itself rotates around the pivot center a. Here, the pivot center c is offset inward (towards the rear) from the pivot center a, which is the pivot point. Therefore, the front arm 60 rotates clockwise with respect to the pivot point A, as shown by the arrow in Figure 6, and the front arm 61 rotates counterclockwise with respect to the pivot point a, as shown by the arrow in Figure 6. As a result, the front connecting link 67 moves linearly in the direction of the arrow in Figure 6. In other words, the front arms 60 and 61 swing in different directions, and as the angle between them widens, the front connecting link 67 moves linearly in the direction of the arrow in the drawing in conjunction with this movement. As the front connecting link 67 moves, the contact pin 77 also moves linearly. For similar reasons, when the rear arms 65 and 66 swing in different directions and the angle between them widens, the rear connecting link 68 moves linearly in the direction of the arrow in Figure 6 in conjunction with this movement.

[0059] As described above, in this embodiment, the bumper device 1 allows the regulating member 6 to assume a regulating position by setting the pivot axis 7 of the regulating member 6 to a regulating angle, thereby fixing the bumper body side member 3 in the extended position. Furthermore, by setting the pivot axis 7 to an extendable angle, the regulating member 6 assumes an extendable position, allowing the bumper body side member 3 to be moved manually. In addition, the bumper body side member 3 can be fixed in the retracted position by setting the pivot axis 7 to a predetermined angle. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 10(a), when the operating lever 31 is at the 9 o'clock position, the pivot axis 7 is at a restricting angle, and the restricting member 6 is in a restricting position. Also, as shown in Figure 11(a), when the operating lever 31 is at the 12 o'clock position, the pivot axis 7 is at an extendable angle, and the restricting member 6 is in an extendable position. The following explains this feature.

[0060] To fix the bumper body side member 3 in the deployed position, as shown in Figure 10(a), tilt the operating lever 31 of the restricting member 6 to the 9 o'clock position to set the rotation axis 7 to the restricting angle. Then, engage the pin, which is the first engaging portion 36 of the positioning member 32, with the first engaging hole 21 of the engaged plate 17. As a result, the restricting member 6 is in a restricted position as shown in Figure 10(b), with the contact member 33 of the restricting member 6 facing forward and the contact member 33 protruding from the side of the contact pin 77 provided on the front connecting link 67.

[0061] Here, as described above, when the bumper body side member 3 is moved in the storage direction, the connecting link 67 moves linearly toward the right in the drawing, and the contact pin 77 moves linearly to the right along with the connecting link 67. On the other hand, the contact member 33 of the regulating member 6 protrudes to the right of the contact pin 77. That is, the contact member 33 is on the movement trajectory of the contact pin 77. Furthermore, since the first engaging portion 36 of the positioning member 32 of the restricting member 6 engages with the first engaging hole 21 of the engaged plate 17, the pivot axis 7 of the restricting member 6 does not rotate even when subjected to external force, and the contact member 33 does not rotate even when subjected to external force from the contact pin 77. Therefore, the restricting member 6 is fixed in the restricting position. Furthermore, since the positioning member 32 is constantly pressed against the engaged plate 17 by the biasing force of the spring 37, even if the contact member 33 is pushed horizontally by the contact pin 77, the pin which is the first engaging portion 36 of the positioning member 32 will not come out of the first engaging hole 21 of the engaged plate 17. Therefore, when attempting to move the bumper body side member 3 in the retraction direction, the contact member 33 collides with the contact pin 77, preventing the contact pin 77 from moving. As a result, the movement of the bumper body side member 3 in the retraction direction is prevented.

[0062] When moving the bumper body side member 3 in the storage direction, the restricting member 6 is pulled up and rotated to change the orientation of the contact member 33. The pin, which is the first engaging portion 36 of the restricting member 6, is biased toward the first engaging hole 21 of the engaged plate 17 by a spring 37. However, the restricting member 6 is movable in the axial direction, and when the operating lever 31 is pulled up, the pin, which is the first engaging portion 36, disengages from the first engaging hole 21 of the engaged plate 17 against the spring 37, allowing the pivot shaft 7 to rotate. To move the bumper body side member 3 in the storage direction, the restricting member 6 is pulled up and rotated to the right, so that the pivot axis 7 is at the 12 o'clock position as shown in Figure 11(a), and the pivot axis 7 is extended to an extendable / retractable angle. Then, as shown in Figure 11(a), the pin which is the first engaging portion 36 of the positioning member 32 is engaged with the second engaging hole 22 of the engaged plate 17. As a result, the restricting member 6, as shown in Figure 11(b), has its contact member 33 facing sideways and is in an extendable position away from the movement trajectory of the contact pin 77 that connects the front connecting link 67 and the front arm 60. Therefore, even when the bumper body side member 3 is moved in the retraction direction, the contact member 33 does not collide with the contact pin 77, and the bumper body side member 3 can be moved in the retraction direction.

[0063] In the bumper device 1 of this embodiment, when the bumper body side member 3 is moved in the storage direction, the first engaging portion 36 of the positioning member 32 of the restricting member 6 engages with the second engaging hole 22 of the engaged plate 17. Therefore, the pivot axis 7 of the restricting member 6 does not rotate even when subjected to external force, and the restricting member 6 does not protrude into the movement trajectory of the contact pin 77 due to vibrations during operation. In other words, the restricting member 6 is fixed in an expandable / contractable position. This allows the bumper body side member 3 to move smoothly in the retraction direction.

[0064] To fix the bumper body side member 3 in the retracted position, the restricting member 6 is pulled up and rotated further to the 3 o'clock position, and as shown in Figure 12, the pin which is the first engaging portion 36 of the positioning member 32 is engaged with the third engaging hole (expansion prevention engaging portion) 38 of the bumper body side member 3. In other words, when the bumper body side member 3 is placed in the retracted position, the distance between the bumper body side member 3 and the base side member 2 becomes extremely small, allowing the first engaging portion 36 of the positioning member 32 to directly engage with the third engaging hole 38 of the bumper body side member 3. As a result, the bumper body side member 3 becomes unable to move backward.

[0065] In the embodiment described above, the regulating member 6 is provided on the base-side member 2, and the contact member 33 prevents the linear movement of the front-side connecting link 67, thereby preventing the bumper body-side member 3 from moving forward. As a variation, the restricting member 6 can also be provided on the bumper body side member 3. In the bumper device 1 of this embodiment, there is a rear connecting link 68 on the bumper body side member 3, and this rear connecting link 68 also moves linearly. Therefore, by providing the restricting member 6 on the bumper body side member 3 and preventing the linear movement of the rear connecting link 68 with the contact member 33, it is possible to prevent the bumper body side member 3 from moving forward. In this case, a third engagement hole (expansion prevention engagement portion) 38 is provided in the base side member 2, and when the bumper body side member 3 is in the retracted position, the first engagement portion 36 of the positioning member 32 is directly engaged with the third engagement hole 38 of the base side member 2.

[0066] In the embodiment described above, a contact pin 77 is provided on the front connecting link 67, and the contact pin 77 is brought into contact with a part of the restricting member 6. However, a component other than the pin may be brought into contact with a part of the restricting member 6. For example, a projection or notch protruding horizontally may be provided on the front connecting link 67, and this may be brought into contact with a part of the restricting member 6.

[0067] In the embodiment described above, the first engaging portion 36 of the restricting member 6 is engaged with the third engaging hole (expansion prevention engaging portion) 38 of the bumper body side member 3 or the base side member 2. However, the restricting member 6 may be provided with other engaging portions, and these other engaging portions may be engaged with either the bumper body side member 3 or the base side member 2.

[0068] In the embodiment described above, the pivot shaft 7 is maintained at an extendable angle by engaging the first engaging portion 36 with the second engaging hole 22 of the engaged plate 17. However, it is also possible to provide other engaging portions on the regulating member 6 and engage these other engaging portions with the second engaging hole 22 to maintain the pivot shaft 7 at an extendable angle.

[0069] In the embodiment described above, the movement of the entire telescopic mechanism 5 is prevented by extending the contact member 33 along the linear trajectory of the front connecting link 67 and the rear connecting link 68. In other words, each component constituting the telescopic mechanism 5 is linked to one another, so that when one component moves, the other components move in conjunction with it. That is, if one component changes its orientation, the other components also change their orientation in conjunction with it. Conversely, if the orientation change of one component is prevented, the other components cannot change their orientation either. In the bumper device 1 of this embodiment, the movement of the entire telescopic mechanism 5 is restricted by restricting the change in the posture of the front connecting link 67 or the rear connecting link 68, and the bumper body side member 3 is fixed in place. The reason for this is that the front connecting link 67 and the rear connecting link 68 move in a straight line, making it easy to place obstacles in their path. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the contact members 33 may be placed on the swing trajectories of the front arms 60, 61 and the rear arms 65, 66 to restrict the movement of the entire telescopic mechanism 5 and fix the bumper body side member 3.

[0070] In the embodiments described above, the first engaging portion provided on the telescopic mechanism 5 is a pin, and the engaged portion provided on the base side member 2 is a hole (first engaged hole 21, second engaged hole 22). However, the first engaging portion may be a hole and the engaged portion may be a pin. Furthermore, the first engaging portion and the engaged portion are not limited to a pin and a hole, but may also be a combination of a projection and a recess, or a combination of projections, etc.

[0071] The bumper device 1 described above is designed to be manually moved in the front-rear direction of the cargo handling vehicle 200 by holding the handle 40, but the bumper device 15 may also be moved using an actuator such as a cylinder. In the bumper device 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, a cylinder mounting portion 25 is provided on the back surface of the vertical wall portion 12 of the base side member 2. A cylinder mounting portion 93 is also provided on the front side connecting link 67. By attaching a cylinder to the cylinder mounting portion 25 of the base side member 2 and the cylinder mounting portion 93 of the front side connecting link 67, the bumper body 15 can be operated by power. In other words, when the front connecting link 67 is moved linearly by the cylinder, the other members of the telescopic mechanism 5 move in conjunction, causing the bumper body side member 3 to move.

[0072] The handlebars 40 may also be attached to the rear arms 65 and 66.

[0073] The cargo handling vehicle 200 in this embodiment is a vehicle transport vehicle, which lowers the slide body (cargo bed) 202 onto the vehicle and onto the ground to load automobiles, and then lifts the slide body (cargo bed) 202 onto the vehicle for transport. In the embodiments described above, a vehicle carrier was shown as an example of a cargo handling vehicle. However, the bumper device of the present invention is not limited to vehicle carriers, but can be widely used in vehicles where the cargo bed moves or changes its orientation, such as container trucks and dump trucks. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 1. Bumper device 2 Base side member 3. Bumper body side component 5 Telescopic mechanism section 6 Regulating members 7 rotational shafts 15 Bumper body 21 First engagement hole (engagement portion) 22 Second engagement hole (engagement portion) 31 Operating lever 32 Positioning member 33 Contact Member 36 First engagement portion 37 springs 38 Third engaging hole (engaging portion for preventing expansion) 40 handle 60, 61 Front Arm 65, 66 Rear Arm 67, 68 Linking links 68 Rear connecting link 77 Contact pin 200 cargo handling vehicles 202 Slide Body

Claims

1. A bumper device to be attached to a vehicle, comprising a base side member, a bumper body side member, and an extension / retraction mechanism, wherein the base side member is attached to the vehicle, the bumper body side member is movable in the direction of approaching and moving away from the base side member, and the bumper body side member is capable of taking a retracted position close to the base side member and an extended position away from the base side member, The aforementioned telescopic mechanism includes two front arms, two rear arms, and a connecting link. Both of the aforementioned front arms are rotatably engaged with the base member at one end. The two rear arms are rotatably engaged at one end with the front arm and rotatably engaged at the other end with the bumper body side member. The connecting link is rotatably engaged with the two front arms or the two rear arms, Each component constituting the aforementioned telescopic mechanism changes its orientation in conjunction with the movement of the bumper body side component. The bumper body side member has a restricting member that restricts the movement of the bumper body side member, The regulating member has a pivot shaft, a contact member and a first engaging portion provided on the pivot shaft, The regulating member is attached to the base side member or the bumper body side member. When the pivot axis is at a predetermined restricting angle, the contact member is in a position to contact a part of the telescopic mechanism, thereby hindering the change in posture of the members constituting the telescopic mechanism and preventing the movement of the bumper body side member. A bumper device characterized in that the first engaging portion can engage with other members to fix the pivot shaft at the regulated angle.

2. The bumper device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting member is attached to the base side member, and when the pivot axis is at the restricting angle, the contact member is in a position to contact a part of the connecting link.

3. The bumper device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting member is attached to either the base side member or the bumper body side member, the base side member or the bumper body side member has an engaging portion, one of the first engaging portion or the engaging portion is a pin, the other of the first engaging portion or the engaging portion is a hole, and the pin engages with the hole to fix the rotation angle of the pivot shaft.

4. The restricting member is attached to either the base side member or the bumper body side member, and the other of the base side member or the bumper body side member has an expansion prevention engaging portion. The bumper device according to claim 1, characterized in that when the bumper body side member is in a retracted position, the first engaging portion or another engaging portion provided on the restricting member can be engaged with the extension-preventing engaging portion to prevent the bumper body side member from moving to an extended position.

5. The bumper device according to claim 1, characterized in that a handle is attached to at least one of the front arm or the rear arm.

6. A cargo handling vehicle having a cargo bed that is movable relative to the vehicle body, characterized in that it is equipped with a bumper device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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