Dock Leveler For Side Loading And Unloading

Abstract

The present invention relates to a side loading / unloading dock leveler that is connected to a wing body truck in a logistics center or warehouse to compensate for the height difference between the loading space and the building, thereby increasing the efficiency of loading and unloading during logistics operations. This side loading / unloading dock leveler includes a fixed frame part installed in a groove of a side wall forming a floor surface on the upper side, a movable plate part pivotably hinged to the upper side of the fixed frame, a cylinder part that makes the movable plate part parallel to the fixed frame part when the piston rod advances and makes the movable plate part perpendicular to the fixed frame part when the piston rod retracts, and a control part connected to the cylinder part to supply hydraulic pressure to the cylinder part to advance or retract the piston rod.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a side loading / unloading dock leveler focused on automation and space optimization, as a technology for promoting efficient loading / unloading operations and safety. More specifically, the present invention relates to a side loading / unloading dock leveler that connects to a wing body truck in a logistics center or warehouse to compensate for the height difference between the loading space and the building, thereby increasing the efficiency of loading / unloading during logistics operations. Background Technology

[0002] In logistics centers and warehouses, safety, as well as speed and efficiency, are critical factors in cargo loading and unloading operations. During this process, the height difference between the building's loading area and the truck's loading platform is one of the major obstacles. To address this, various types of dock levelers have been developed and are in use.

[0003] Dock levelers are primarily composed of a fixed platform and a movable connecting plate, enabling the smooth movement of cargo by adjusting the height difference between the truck and the building floor. However, conventional dock levelers are often limited in their use depending on the type and structure of the truck. In particular, special vehicles such as wing body trucks have several significant limitations that reduce operational efficiency, as they have poor compatibility with existing devices due to the characteristics of their lateral structure and fail to provide suitable connection methods.

[0004] Furthermore, conventional dock levelers are primarily operated manually, requiring workers to perform the operation directly. This leads to increased working time and raises the risk of work delays or accidents caused by operational errors.

[0005] Furthermore, many existing dock levelers are designed to be installed on the floor, resulting in inefficient utilization of space within logistics centers or warehouses. Since wall installation is not considered, this causes problems that reduce work efficiency in limited spaces. These various issues place a significant burden on the working environment. In particular, wing body trucks are difficult to connect with standard dock levelers due to the unique structure of their side wings opening and closing, requiring a technical approach to resolve this issue. Prior art literature

[0006] Republic of Korea Published Patent No. 10-2010-0063476 'Dock Leveler' (Publication Date: June 11, 2010) The problem to be solved

[0007] The objective of the present invention, devised to solve the aforementioned problems, is to provide a side loading / unloading dock leveler that is connected to a wing body truck in a logistics center or warehouse to compensate for the height difference between the loading space and the building, thereby increasing the efficiency of loading / unloading during logistics operations.

[0008] In addition, the objective of the present invention is to provide a side loading / unloading dock leveler that enables stable loading / unloading operations even when the side wing is open by providing a connection method suitable for the special structure of a wing body truck.

[0009] In addition, the objective of the present invention is to provide a side loading / unloading dock leveler installed on a wall surface to increase the efficiency of the floor surface of the floor space of a logistics center.

[0010] The problems that the present invention aims to solve are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned technical problems will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0011] The side loading / unloading dock leveler of the present invention, for achieving the above-mentioned problem, comprises a fixed frame part installed parallel to a wall and installed in a groove of a side wall forming a floor surface on the upper side, a movable plate part rotatably hinged to the upper side of the fixed frame part, a cylinder body with its lower end rotatably hinged to the fixed frame part, and a piston rod installed in the cylinder body that moves linearly and has its upper end hinged to the lower surface of the movable plate part, wherein when the piston rod advances, the movable plate part becomes parallel to the fixed frame part and when the piston rod retracts, the movable plate part becomes perpendicular to the fixed frame part, and a control part connected to the cylinder part to operate the piston rod of the cylinder part to advance or retract.

[0012] The movable plate section includes a plate, a plurality of horizontal bars installed on the rear surface of the plate, and a plurality of vertical bars spaced apart between the plurality of horizontal bars.

[0013] The fixed frame section includes a floor horizontal module fixed to the bottom surface of the groove, a vertical module formed perpendicular to the floor horizontal module, and a horizontal-vertical connecting module connecting the floor horizontal module and the vertical module.

[0014] The fixed frame section includes a fixed reinforcement module comprising a reinforcement plate installed on the back of the vertical module and a plurality of fixing rings formed protruding outwardly from the reinforcement plate.

[0015] Multiple fixing rings include an upper fixing ring located at the top of the reinforcement plate, a middle fixing ring located in the middle of the reinforcement plate, and a lower fixing ring located at the bottom of the reinforcement plate. Effects of the invention

[0016] As explained above, the present invention provides a side loading / unloading dock leveler that is connected to a wing body truck in a logistics center or warehouse to compensate for the height difference between the loading space and the building, thereby increasing the efficiency of loading and unloading during logistics operations.

[0017] In addition, the present invention provides a side loading / unloading dock leveler that provides a connection method suitable for the special structure of a wing body truck, enabling stable loading / unloading operations even when the side wing is open.

[0018] In addition, the present invention provides a side loading and unloading dock leveler installed on a wall surface to increase the efficiency of the floor space of a logistics center. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a side loading / unloading dock leveler according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I-I' of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a diagram showing the rotational state of the movable plate according to the operation of the hydraulic actuator of Figure 2. FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the unfolded state of the movable plate of a side loading / unloading dock leveler according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a drawing showing the state in which a wing body truck enters a side loading / unloading dock leveler according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a drawing showing a state in which a side loading / unloading dock leveler, according to an embodiment of the present invention, operates to maintain a parallel state with a wing body truck. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0020] The advantages and features of the present invention and the apparatus for achieving them will become clear by referring to the embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited by the embodiments disclosed below. The limitation of the present invention may be limited solely by the claims. That is, the scope of the claims of the present invention is defined by the claims. Furthermore, the embodiments described in this specification are provided merely to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention, and the present invention may be implemented in various different forms.

[0021] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 1 and FIGS. 2, a side loading / unloading dock leveler according to an embodiment of the present invention is described in general terms and its components are described in detail so that the description of the present invention can be concise and clear. Subsequently, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 and the description provided, the operation of the side loading / unloading dock leveler according to an embodiment of the present invention is described in detail.

[0022] The side loading / unloading dock leveler (100) of the present invention is a device installed on a side wall (A) and connected to a wing body truck in a logistics center or warehouse to compensate for the height difference between the loading space and the building, thereby increasing the efficiency of loading and unloading operations in logistics. The side loading / unloading dock leveler (100) of the present invention provides a connection method suitable for the special structure of a wing body truck, enabling stable loading and unloading operations even when the side wing is open. The side loading / unloading dock leveler (100) includes a fixed frame part (110), a movable plate part (120), a cylinder part (130), and a control part (140), and is installed on the side of the side wall (A) in a direction parallel to the height direction of the side wall to increase the efficiency of the floor space of a logistics center or warehouse.

[0023] The components constituting the side loading / unloading dock leveler (100) having such characteristics are described in detail.

[0024] The fixed frame portion (110) is a frame installed on the side of the side wall (A) in a direction parallel to the height direction. This fixed frame portion (110) is connected to the movable plate (120) and acts as an axis to allow the movable plate (120) to move. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the fixed frame portion (110) is installed in a groove (B) formed on the side of a single step formed between the first side wall (A1) and the second side wall (A2), so that the movable plate (120) can rotate clockwise and counterclockwise while connected to the movable plate (120). Here, the groove (B) is a groove formed on a step formed at a certain height in a vertical direction from the bottom surface (C).

[0025] The fixed frame section (110) includes a floor horizontal module (111), a vertical module (112), a horizontal-vertical connecting module (113), a support module (114), and a fixed reinforcement module (115). Here, the floor horizontal module (111) is composed of an inner horizontal bar and an outer horizontal bar installed horizontally on the bottom surface of the groove as shown in FIG. 1, an end connecting bar connecting one end of the two horizontal bars, the inner horizontal bar and the outer horizontal bar, an end connecting bar connecting the other end of the two horizontal bars, and an intermediary bar located between the connecting bar and the end connecting bar.

[0026] The vertical module (112) is installed in a vertical direction from the inner horizontal bar and becomes a bar that is fixed to the side of the groove. This vertical module (112) allows the fixed frame part (110) to be firmly fixed to the side of the warehouse or logistics sensor unit at a certain height from the floor surface (C).

[0027] The horizontal-vertical connection module (113) has its lower end connected to the outer horizontal bar and its upper end connected to the vertical module (112), thereby increasing the overall rigidity of the fixed frame part (110).

[0028] The support module (114) is formed protruding from the upper side of the horizontal-vertical connection module (113) and supports the movable plate part (120) so that when the movable plate part (120) rotates, it rotates only to a position vertical to the vertical module (112).

[0029] The fixed reinforcement module (115) is connected to the rear surface of the vertical module (112) to fix the vertical module (112) to the concrete. This fixed reinforcement module (115) includes a reinforcement plate (1151) installed on the rear surface of the vertical module and a plurality of fixing rings (1152) formed protruding outwardly from the reinforcement plate (1151). At this time, the plurality of fixing rings (1152) It includes an upper fixing ring (11521) located at the top of the reinforcement plate (1151), a middle fixing ring (11522) located at the middle of the reinforcement plate (1151), and a lower fixing ring (11523) located at the bottom of the reinforcement plate (1151). As shown in FIG. 2, one end of the multiple fixing rings (1152) is bent or folded in a curved shape. When concrete is poured, these multiple fixing rings (1152) are inserted into the concrete and become integrated with the concrete during the hardening process, thereby being firmly fixed. Accordingly, the multiple fixing rings prevent the reinforcement module (115) from easily coming out of the concrete even if force is applied to the reinforcement module from the outside.

[0030] The movable plate portion (120) is hinged to the upper side of the fixed frame portion (110) so as to be rotatable. This movable plate portion (120) can rotate clockwise and be positioned parallel to the side of the side wall. Additionally, it can rotate counterclockwise and be positioned perpendicular to the side wall. This movable plate portion (120) includes a plate (121), a plurality of horizontal bars (122), a plurality of vertical bars (123), and a stopper (124).

[0031] The plate (121) becomes a plate that connects the floor of the logistics center or the floor of the warehouse with the wing body truck (D).

[0032] The rear surface of such a plate (121) includes a plurality of horizontal bars (122), a plurality of vertical bars (123), and a plurality of stoppers (124). Additionally, the movable plate portion (120) may include a plurality of vehicle sensors (not shown) installed at regular intervals on the front surface of the horizontal bars (122). At this time, the vehicle sensors detect the position of a vehicle on the front surface of the plate (121) and output different signals depending on whether detection is present.

[0033] The horizontal bar (122) is a first horizontal bar installed on one side of the rear of the plate (121), a second horizontal bar installed on the middle part of the rear of the plate (121), and a third horizontal bar installed on the other side of the rear of the plate (121). These horizontal bars (122) increase the rigidity of the plate (121). In addition, they are hinge-connected to the vertical module (112) to allow the plate (121) to rotate stably.

[0034] The vertical bar (123) is a bar installed vertically between the first to third horizontal bars spaced apart at regular intervals. This vertical bar (123) is installed between the first to third horizontal bars to prevent the plate (121) from being deformed by the load transmitted to the plate (121). In other words, it improves the rigidity of the plate.

[0035] The stopper (124) prevents the plate (121) from rotating below a vertical angle when it descends, by having one end contact the vertical module (112) and forming a vertical angle with respect to the vertical module (112). This stopper (124) is welded to the vertical bar (123) and rotates according to the rotation of the plate (121). For example, the stopper (124) is formed in the shape of a '┗' and is welded to the vertical bar (123) to rotate according to the rotation of the plate (121), thereby restricting the plate (121) from rotating below a vertical angle with respect to the vertical module (112). In other words, the stopper (124) limits the rotation angle of the plate.

[0036] The cylinder part (130) is a device that moves or controls the movable plate part (120). The cylinder part (130) can be a driving device that uses hydraulic pressure, compressed air, etc. The lower end of this actuator (130) is hinged to an outer horizontal bar and the upper end is hinged to a horizontal bar (122). This cylinder part (130) includes a cylinder body (131) hinged to an outer horizontal bar and a piston rod (132) hinged to a vertical bar (123). Here, the cylinder body (131) is formed in a cylindrical shape and rotates clockwise or counterclockwise by being hinged at the lower end. The piston rod (132) is installed in the cylinder body (131) and moves linearly, and its upper end is hinged to the lower surface of the movable plate part (120). The piston rod (132) advances to make the movable plate portion (120) parallel to the vertical module (123) of the fixed frame portion (110), and the piston rod (132) retracts to make the movable plate portion (120) perpendicular to the fixed frame portion (110).

[0037] The control unit (140) is connected to the cylinder unit (130) and operates the piston rod (132) of the cylinder unit (130) to move forward or backward. Such a control unit (140) includes a control module (not shown), a hydraulic motor (141), a lift valve (142), a hydraulic tank (143), a cooler (144), a heater (145), etc. Here, the control module is a device that outputs an electrical signal according to turn-on and turn-off to control the operation of the hydraulic motor (141), the cooler (144), and the heater (145). The hydraulic motor (141) is a motor that operates when an electrical signal is applied from the control module to draw up the hydraulic fluid stored in the hydraulic tank (143). The lift valve (142) adjusts the pressure when the hydraulic motor (141) draws up the fluid. The control unit (140) such as this causes the hydraulic motor (141) to operate when the control module is turned on to draw in hydraulic fluid stored inside the hydraulic tank and then supply it to the cylinder unit (130). At this time, the lift valve (142) regulates the pressure of the hydraulic fluid supplied from the hydraulic tank (143) to the cylinder unit (130), and when lowering, the magnet opens to send the hydraulic fluid to the tank. The cooler (144) and heater (145) regulate the temperature of the hydraulic fluid supplied from the hydraulic tank (143) to the cylinder unit (130).

[0038] The side loading / unloading dock leveler (100) is composed of a fixed frame part (110), a movable plate part (120), a cylinder part (130), and a control part (140), and operates through the organic connection of each component.

[0039] Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6, the operation of the side loading / unloading dock leveler will be explained in more detail.

[0040] FIG. 3 is a drawing showing the rotational state of a movable plate according to the operation of the hydraulic actuator of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a drawing showing the state in which the movable plate of a side loading / unloading dock leveler according to an embodiment of the present invention is unfolded, FIG. 5 is a drawing showing the state in which a wing body truck enters the side loading / unloading dock leveler according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a drawing showing the state in which the side loading / unloading dock leveler according to an embodiment of the present invention operates to maintain a parallel state with the wing body truck.

[0041] When the control unit (140) is operated and the piston rod (132) of the cylinder unit (130) protrudes forward, the movable plate unit (120) is positioned in a straight line with the fixed frame unit (110) as shown in (A) of FIG. 3. Additionally, when the control unit (140) is operated and the piston rod (132) of the cylinder unit (130) moves backward, the movable plate unit (120) is positioned in a vertical state with respect to the fixed frame unit (110) as shown in (B) of FIG. 3. At this time, when the plate (121) rotates and descends, one end of the stopper (124) contacts one surface of the vertical module (112) and prevents it from going beyond the vertical module (112). At this time, the movable plate unit (120) can descend vertically with respect to the fixed frame unit (110) as shown in FIG. 4. The side loading / unloading dock leveler (100) operating in this manner ensures that the movable plate section (120) is maintained in a completely straight line on the fixed frame section (110), as shown in FIG. 5. In this state, with the movable plate section (120) standing on the fixed frame section (110), the wing body truck (D) can enter the side loading / unloading dock leveler (100) forward. At this time, the movable plate section (120) of the side loading / unloading dock leveler (100) is not protruded to the outer surface of the side wall, so that when the wing body truck (D) enters, it does not collide with the wing body truck.

[0042] The side loading / unloading dock leveler (100) ensures that the movable plate part (120) is positioned parallel to the side wall (A).

[0043] After the wing body truck (D) is positioned in front of the side loading / unloading dock leveler (100), when the wing is opened, the side loading / unloading dock leveler (100) of the present invention operates so that the plate portion (121) becomes level with the warehouse of the truck (D) with the wing opened.

[0044] Through this, the side loading / unloading dock leveler (100) of the present invention connects the floor surface (C) of a logistics center with a wing body truck (D), allowing a forklift to move cargo from the logistics center to the wing body truck. Furthermore, the present invention is installed on a side wall (A) to increase the floor surface efficiency of the floor space of the logistics center.

[0045] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention may be implemented in other specific forms without changing its technical concept or essential features. Therefore, the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and should be understood as not limiting the scope of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0046] 100: Side loading / unloading dock leveler 110: Fixed frame part 111: Home 111: Floor leveling module 112: Vertical module 113: Horizontal / Vertical Connection Module 115: Fixing Overlay Module 1151: Reinforcement plate 1152: Fixing hook 11521: Upper fixing hook 11522: Middle fixing hook 11523: Bottom fixing hook 120: Movable plate section 121: Plate 122: Horizontal bar 123: Vertical bar 124: Stopper 130: Cylinder part 131: Cylinder body 132: Piston rod 140: Control unit 141: Hydraulic motor 142: Lift valve 143: Hydraulic tank 144: Cooler 145: Heater A: Side wall A1: First side wall A2: Second side wall B: Home C: Bottom surface D: Logistics center floor E: Wing body truck

Claims

Claim 1 A fixed frame part (110) installed on the side of the side wall (A) in a direction parallel to the height direction of the side wall; a movable plate part (120) rotatably hinged to the upper side of the fixed frame part (110); a cylinder body (131) whose lower end is rotatably hinged to the fixed frame part (110), and a piston rod (132) installed on the cylinder body (131) and moving linearly, whose upper end is hinged to the lower surface of the movable plate part (120), wherein when the piston rod (132) moves forward, the movable plate part (120) becomes parallel to the fixed frame part (110), and when the piston rod (132) moves backward, the movable plate part (120) becomes perpendicular to the fixed frame part (110); A side loading / unloading dock leveler (100) comprising a control unit (140) connected to a cylinder unit (130) and supplying hydraulic pressure to the cylinder unit (130) to move the piston rod (132) forward or backward. Claim 2 In claim 1, the movable plate section (120) comprises a plate (121), a plurality of horizontal bars (122) installed on the rear of the plate (121), and a plurality of vertical bars (123) spaced apart between the plurality of horizontal bars (122), for a side loading / unloading dock leveler (100). Claim 3 In claim 1, the fixed frame part (110) comprises a bottom horizontal module (111) fixed to the bottom surface of the groove, a vertical module (112) formed vertically to the bottom horizontal module (111), and a horizontal-vertical connecting module (113) connecting the bottom horizontal module (111) and the vertical module (112), a side loading / unloading dock leveler (100). Claim 4 In claim 1, the fixed frame part (110) comprises a fixed reinforcement module (115) including a reinforcement plate (1151) installed on the back of a vertical module and a plurality of fixing rings (1152) formed protruding outwardly from the reinforcement plate (1151), and a side loading / unloading dock leveler (100). Claim 5 In claim 4, the plurality of fixing rings (1152) include an upper fixing ring (11521) located at the upper end of the reinforcement plate (1151), a middle fixing ring (11522) located at the middle end of the reinforcement plate (1151), and a lower fixing ring (11523) located at the lower end of the reinforcement plate (1151), for a side loading / unloading dock leveler (100).

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