Transport object loading method, transport object loading pallet, and method for loading and unloading transport object

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a transport object loading method with which it is possible to reduce manual work in loading and unloading transport objects and to reduce the cost of recovering a pallet.　Provided is a transport object loading method for loading a plurality of transport objects on one pallet, the method comprising: stacking the plurality of transport objects on a plate-form body; packing the plurality of transport objects and the plate-form body to manufacture a package in which the plurality of transport objects and the plate-form body are integrated; and using, as the pallet, a pallet provided with an open groove that is opened upward and extends from one side surface of the pallet, and a fork insertion part that has a portion not opened upward and that extends from the same side surface as the one side surface, the package being loaded onto the pallet such that when the package is placed on the pallet and only the package loaded on the pallet is to be lifted, the fork of a forklift can be inserted into the open groove to lift only the package, and such that when both the package and the pallet are to be lifted, the fork of the forklift can be inserted into the fork insertion part to lift both the package and the pallet.

Description

Method for loading transported goods, pallet for transported goods, and method for loading and unloading transported goods

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for loading an object using a package, a pallet for loading an object, and a pallet for loading an object.The present invention also relates to a method for loading and unloading an object using a package, and a wing-body vehicle for use in the method.

[0002] When transporting goods, in order to facilitate the movement of the goods, loading onto trucks, etc., and unloading from trucks, etc., the goods are placed on pallets and moved, loaded, and unloaded together with the pallets using a forklift. Furthermore, when multiple goods are placed on a pallet, stretch film or shrink film is wrapped around the goods and the pallet to prevent the goods from collapsing, thereby integrating the goods and the pallet (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). However, when goods of various shapes are loaded onto a truck using pallets of various sizes, gaps are created, reducing loading efficiency. Furthermore, most trucks return home loaded with goods after unloading at their destination. Therefore, pallets that are transported to their destination with the goods and unloaded from the truck are left behind at the destination, and retrieving these pallets requires significant costs. To prevent a decline in loading efficiency and eliminate pallet recovery costs, pallets are often used only to lift the transported items onto the truck bed, where the driver or worker manually unloads the transported items from the pallet and stacks them on the bed. The empty pallet is then removed from the bed and left at the departure point. However, this work is extremely labor-intensive and time-consuming for the driver and worker. Therefore, a loading method that reduces the manual work involved in loading and unloading transported items and also reduces the cost of pallet recovery has been sought. There has also been a need for a loading and unloading method that reduces the manual work involved in loading and unloading transported items and also reduces the cost of pallet recovery.

[0003] Meanwhile, a pallet designed to allow for the use of multi-pronged forks to scoop up only the cargo has been proposed (see Patent Document 3). This pallet is constructed by arranging rectangular cross-section materials in parallel and attaching them to a base to form parallel groove-shaped recesses. These recesses allow for the use of multi-pronged forks to scoop up only the cargo. The rectangular cross-section materials are hollow, allowing for the forklift tines to be inserted into the hollows, or by providing rectangular elongated holes in the rectangular cross-section material along its length so that the forklift tines can be inserted perpendicular to the parallel recesses, allowing for the pallet to be moved. However, in order to scoop up the cargo on the pallet without dropping it, multi-pronged forks are required, and even with multi-pronged forks, it is difficult to scoop up and move a stack of multiple cargoes without breaking them. Furthermore, to scoop up and unload only the cargo at the destination, multi-pronged forks must also be available at the destination. Furthermore, because return cargo is typically different from outbound cargo, even if the outbound cargo is successfully loaded and unloaded, it is difficult to load the return cargo onto or remove it from the pallet left on the loading platform using multi-pronged forks in the same way as the outbound cargo. Therefore, it is possible to either remove the pallet from the loading platform and leave it at the destination, or, if the pallet is not removed from the loading platform, manually stack the return cargo on the pallet left on the loading platform. However, in this case, the pallet often has many depressions on the top, which can damage the cargo arranged on the pallet. Furthermore, working on a pallet with many depressions is dangerous for workers. Therefore, it is possible to clear the empty pallet after unloading, manually load the cargo onto the loading platform, and then place the pallet in a corner of the loading platform and return to the departure point, but this defeats the purpose of considering a method of scooping only the cargo from the pallet. Due to these problems, the above-mentioned pallets and loading methods using them have not been put into practical use and have not been used.

[0004] Furthermore, as described in Patent Documents 4 and 5, it has been proposed to lay sliding materials facing each other in parallel along the longitudinal direction of the truck bed, or to provide a concavely extending rail groove and a loader rail fitted into the rail groove, but both of these methods use pallets and are intended to facilitate the movement of pallets on the bed, and do not reduce the cost of recovering pallets.

[0005] Japanese Patent No. 6580351 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-37899 Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 5-92135 Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 3-42435 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-169048

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for loading and unloading goods that solves the above problems, reduces the manual work involved in loading and unloading goods, and reduces the cost of recovering pallets.Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for loading and unloading goods that solves the above problems, reduces the manual work involved in loading and unloading goods, and reduces the cost of recovering pallets. Means for solving the invention

[0007] The present inventors began to study a loading method for transported items that eliminates manual labor during loading and unloading and reduces pallet recovery costs even when pallets are used. During their research, the inventors discovered that, for example, when stacking multiple transported items, such as cardboard boxes containing products, on a pallet in two or more layers, a method for packaging the multiple transported items separately from the pallet and then combining them with a specific shaped pallet can reduce manual labor during loading and unloading and pallet recovery costs. Such a loading method combining a packaging form and a pallet had not been proposed before. The packaging method can be achieved by stacking the multiple transported items on a plate-like object, wrapping the plate-like object and the multiple transported items in an elastic film such as stretch film, or by wrapping the plate-like object and the multiple transported items in a heat-shrinkable film such as shrink film and then shrinking the film. Furthermore, the plate-like object used can be, for example, a cardboard sheet. It is sufficient that the plate-like object is thin and not very stiff, making it a very simple and easy-to-assemble package. In this way, a package incorporating multiple transported items and the plate-like object was produced.

[0008] Another packaging method involves stacking items in each tier (except the bottom tier) so that, relative to the items in the tier immediately below, at least half of the items in the upper tier overlap at least two of the items in the lower tier. Additionally, items are stacked in a specific manner, such that when the bottom of the item is placed on the forks of a forklift, it lies across the forks at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the forks. The stacked items can then be wrapped in an elastic film such as stretch film, or wrapped in a heat-shrinkable film such as shrink film and then shrunk, resulting in a very simple and easy packaging process. In this way, a package containing multiple items was produced.

[0009] The pallet may have an open groove extending from one side of the pallet, opening upward, for inserting forklift forks to lift only the package, and a fork insertion section extending from the same side as the one side, i.e., the side from which the open groove originates, and having a non-open portion for inserting forklift forks to lift both the package and the pallet. By using a pallet with this shape, multiple items can be integrated using a plate-like structure as described above, or by stacking the items in a specific manner without using a plate-like structure as described above, allowing the items to be picked up, moved, and placed on the pallet without causing collapse or damage. In particular, since the items can be picked up, moved, and placed on the pallet using two forks without using multiple prongs, it is possible to have two open grooves. Furthermore, by using a plate-like body to integrate multiple transported items as described above, or by stacking the items in a specific way without using a plate-like body to integrate multiple transported items, it is possible to reduce the number of open grooves on the pallet to two, thereby reducing the proportion of the grooved portion of the pallet and making it possible to increase the strength of the pallet and the ease and safety of working on the pallet.

[0010] Furthermore, the inventors began to study a method for loading and unloading goods that would eliminate manual labor during loading and unloading and reduce pallet recovery costs. As their research progressed, the inventors decided to eliminate pallets altogether, rather than improving the loading and unloading method using pallets. They then began to study a method for loading and unloading goods that would be similar to pallet-based loading and unloading. As a result, they discovered that by forming grooves on the left and right sides of the bed of a transport truck, such as a wing-body vehicle, for inserting forklift forks, creating a package that integrates multiple goods, and loading and unloading the package onto the bed with the grooves using a forklift, it is possible to load and unload goods without using a pallet, in the same way as using a pallet, or more efficiently than using a pallet. Since this invention does not use a pallet, naturally, pallet recovery costs are unnecessary. The present invention was thus completed. In this invention, loading and unloading refers to loading and unloading goods, i.e., cargo.

[0011] That is, the present invention is specified by the following features: (1) A method for loading a plurality of transported objects onto a single pallet, comprising stacking the plurality of transported objects on a plate-like body and packaging the plurality of transported objects and the plate-like body to produce a package in which the plurality of transported objects and the plate-like body are integrated, or arranging the plurality of transported objects in a lowermost tier so that, when the lower surface of the lowest transported object is placed on the forks of a forklift, the lowest transported object crosses at least one of the forks at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the forks, and stacking the objects in each tier except the lowest tier so that, in relation to the objects in each tier and the object in the tier immediately below each of the tiers, at least half of the objects in the upper tier overlap two or more of the objects in the lower tier, and then packaging the objects using a stretchable or shrinkable film to produce a package in which the plurality of transported objects are integrated, (2) A method of loading transported items, using a pallet having an open groove extending from one side of the pallet that opens upward and a fork insertion section having a portion extending from the same side as the one side that does not open upward, placing the package on the pallet, and loading the package onto the pallet so that when lifting only the package loaded on the pallet, forks of a forklift can be inserted into the open groove to lift only the package, and when lifting both the package and the pallet, forks of the forklift can be inserted into the fork insertion section to lift both the package and the pallet. (3) The method of loading transported items described above in (1), using cardboard sheets as plate-like bodies, and packaging multiple transported items and the cardboard sheet with a stretchable or shrinkable film to create a package in which the multiple transported items and the cardboard sheet are integrated.(3) A pallet carrying transported goods, comprising a package in which a plurality of transported goods are integrated, and a pallet on which the package is loaded, wherein the package is a package in which the plurality of transported goods are stacked on a plate-like body, and the plurality of transported goods and the plate-like body are packed together to form a package in which the plurality of transported goods and the plate-like body are integrated together, or a package in which the plurality of transported goods are integrated by arranging the lowest transported goods among the plurality of transported goods so that, when the lower surface of the lowest transported goods is placed on the forks of a forklift, the lowest transported goods cross at least one of the forks at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the forks, and stacking the goods in each tier except the lowest tier so that, in relation to the goods in each tier and the goods in the tier immediately below each tier, more than half of the goods in the upper tier overlap two or more of the goods in the lower tier, and then packaging the goods using a stretchable or shrinkable film, A pallet for carrying transported goods, the pallet having an open groove extending from one side of the pallet that opens upward and into which the forks of a forklift are inserted to lift only the package, and a fork insertion section having a portion that does not open upward and extending from the same side as the one side, into which the forks of the forklift are inserted to lift both the package and the pallet. (4) A pallet for loading goods to be transported, comprising two open grooves and two fork insertion sections, wherein the open groove extends linearly from one side of the pallet to the side opposite said one side, has a width greater than the width of the forks of a forklift, and is open upward; the fork insertion sections are provided on the pallet below the open groove, extend linearly from the same side as said one side to the side opposite said one side, have a width greater than the width of the forks of a forklift, and have a portion that is not open upward; and the open groove and the fork insertion sections are arranged so that the width of the portion where the open groove and the fork insertion sections overlap when viewed from above the pallet is greater than the width of the forks of a forklift.(5) The method for loading goods as described in (1) or (2) above, using the pallet for loading goods as described in (4) above. (6) The pallet for loading goods as described in (3) above, using the pallet for loading goods as described in (4) above. (7) Grooves for inserting the forks of a forklift truck are formed in the left and right directions of the loading platform of a transport truck, a plurality of transported items are stacked on a plate-like body, and the plurality of transported items and the plate-like body are packed together to produce a package in which the plurality of transported items and the plate-like body are integrated, or the plurality of transported items are arranged so that when the bottom surface of the lowest transported item is placed on the fork of a forklift, the lowest transported item crosses at least one of the forks at approximately right angles to the longitudinal direction of the fork, and the transported items of each tier other than the lowest tier are stacked so that, in relation to the items of the tier immediately below each tier, more than half of the transported items in the upper tier overlap two or more of the transported items in the lower tier, and then the package is packed using a stretchable or shrinkable film to produce a package in which the plurality of transported items are integrated, and the transported items are loaded by placing the package on the fork of a forklift and inserting the fork into the groove from above, A method for loading and unloading transported objects without using a pallet, in which the transported object is unloaded by inserting forks of a forklift into the groove from the side of the groove and then moving the forks to above the groove to place the package on the forklift forks. (8) A wing-body vehicle for use in the method for loading and unloading transported objects according to claim 7, in which grooves for inserting the forks of a forklift are formed in the left and right directions of the loading platform, and the grooves are grooves that open upward and laterally. (9) The wing-body vehicle of (8) above, further comprising a groove cover. (10) The wing-body vehicle of (8) above, in which the grooves are formed by lowering a part of the loading platform or by moving multiple movable platforms installed on the loading platform in the forward and backward directions.

[0012] The present invention is also characterized by the following features: (i) A method for loading and unloading transported objects without using a pallet, in which grooves for inserting the forks of a forklift truck are formed in the left-right direction of the bed of a transport truck, the transported objects are loaded by creating a package that integrates multiple transported objects, placing the package on the forks of a forklift and inserting the forks into the grooves from above, and the transported objects are unloaded by inserting the forks of the forklift truck into the grooves from the side of the grooves and then moving the forks to an upper position of the grooves to place the package on the forklift forks. (ii) The method for loading and unloading transported objects according to (i), in which the package is a package that integrates multiple transported objects only, or a package that integrates multiple transported objects and a plate-like object. (iii) A wing-body vehicle for use in the method for loading and unloading transported objects according to (i) or (ii), in which grooves for inserting the forks of a forklift truck are formed in the left-right direction of the bed, the grooves being grooves that open upward and laterally. (iv) The wing body vehicle of (iii) above, further comprising a cover for the groove. (v) The wing body vehicle of (iv) above, in which the groove is formed by lowering a portion of the loading platform.

[0013] The article loading method and article-loading pallet of the present invention reduce manual labor in loading and unloading articles and reduce pallet recovery costs. The article-loading pallet of the present invention is suitable as a pallet for use in the article loading method and article-loading pallet of the present invention. Furthermore, the article loading and unloading method of the present invention reduces manual labor in loading and unloading articles and, because a pallet is not used, eliminates pallet recovery costs.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a package using a plate-shaped material according to the present invention. FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are diagrams showing one embodiment of a pallet according to the present invention, and FIG. 2(c) is a diagram showing the positional relationship between an opening groove and a fork insertion portion according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a method of stacking transported objects according to the present invention. FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are diagrams showing one embodiment of a method of wrapping stretch film according to the present invention, and FIGS. 4(c) and 4(d) are diagrams showing one embodiment of a gluing location according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a method of stacking transported objects according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a groove and a loading platform according to the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another embodiment of a groove and a loading platform according to the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a method of arranging transported objects according to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another embodiment of a groove and a loading platform according to the present invention.

[0015] The method for loading transported items of the present invention is a method for loading multiple transported items onto a single pallet, which includes stacking the multiple transported items on plate-like bodies, packaging the multiple transported items and the plate-like bodies together to create a package in which the multiple transported items and the plate-like bodies are integrated, using a pallet as the pallet that has an open groove that opens upward extending from one side of the pallet and a fork insertion section that has a portion that does not open upward extending from the same side as the one side, placing the package on the pallet, and loading the package onto the pallet so that when only the package loaded on the pallet is to be lifted, forks of a forklift can be inserted into the open groove to lift only the package, and when both the package and the pallet are to be lifted, forks of the forklift can be inserted into the fork insertion section to lift both the package and the pallet. The type and shape of the goods to be transported in the present invention are not particularly limited, and the goods may be contained in a container such as a box or can. The shape of the container is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a rectangular parallelepiped, a cylinder, and a rectangular prism. The plate-like body in the present invention is not particularly limited, as long as the goods to be transported can be stacked on top of it, packaged with a stretchable or shrinkable film, or the like, and the integrated shape can be maintained. The material of the plate-like body is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include plastic, cloth, paper, wood, and metal. The plate-like body in the present invention may be any material that can maintain its plate shape, and may be elastic and flexible. Examples of the plate-like body in the present invention include corrugated cardboard sheets, plywood boards, thin steel plates, plastic corrugated cardboard, plastic boards, cardboard, and resin sheets. Corrugated cardboard sheets are preferred as the plate-like body in the present invention. The corrugated cardboard sheets used are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include A-flute, B-flute, C-flute, and W-flute, and the thickness can be approximately 3 to 10 mm. The plywood may be a single board or a plywood. The thickness of the plate-like body in the present invention may be, for example, 3 to 20 mm, 3 to 15 mm, or 5 to 10 mm.The sheet should preferably be as wide as the bottom of the stacked packages or slightly wider.

[0016] In the present invention, the method for packaging and integrating multiple transported objects and plate-like bodies is not particularly limited. However, it is preferable to package the multiple transported objects and plate-like bodies using a stretchable or shrinkable film. Examples of stretchable films include stretch films, and stretch films typically used for stretch films can be used. Examples of shrinkable films include films that shrink when exposed to heat, ultraviolet light, or the like. Examples of films that shrink when exposed to heat include shrink films, and shrink films typically used for shrink films can be used. As a packaging method, when a stretchable film such as a stretch film is used, the transported objects and plate-like bodies can be packaged and integrated by wrapping the film from the transported objects to the plate-like bodies. When a shrinkable film such as a shrink film is used, the transported objects and plate-like bodies can be wrapped in the film and then shrunk by heat or the like, thereby packaging and integrating the transported objects and plate-like bodies. In the present invention, it is preferable to package and integrate the multiple transported objects and plate-like bodies by wrapping the stretch film around them. By using stretch film, even if the transported item is in a weak box such as a cardboard box, the corners can be packed without being dented or crushed. Stretch film is usually wrapped horizontally, but it is also effective to wrap it vertically to tightly adhere the plate and the transported item together. Bands can also be used to pack and integrate the transported item and plate. For example, when the weight of the transported item is large, a strong plate such as plywood can be used as the plate, and a band such as a PP band can be used to bind the transported item and the plate.

[0017] A method for loading items using another packaging form of the present invention is as follows. This method involves stacking multiple items in two or more tiers and loading them onto a single pallet. The items in the lowest tier are arranged so that, when placed with their undersides on the forks of a forklift, they cross at least one of the forks at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the forks. Next, the items in each tier (excluding the lowest tier) are stacked such that, relative to the items in the tier immediately below each tier, more than half of the items in the upper tier overlap two or more of the items in the lower tier. The items are then packaged using a stretchable or shrinkable film to create a package incorporating the multiple items. In this way, a package incorporating only multiple items can be created without using a plate-shaped body. The pallet used includes a groove extending from one side of the pallet that opens upward and a fork insertion section extending from the same side as the groove that opens upward. The package is placed on the pallet, and when lifting only the package loaded on the pallet, the forks of the forklift are inserted into the opening groove to lift only the package. When lifting both the package and the pallet, the forks of the forklift are inserted into the fork insertion section to lift both the package and the pallet. In this manner, the package is loaded onto the pallet. The transported object in the present invention is not particularly limited in type or shape, but from the perspective of achieving the effects of the present invention, it is preferable that the shape be a rectangular parallelepiped (including a cube). A rectangular parallelepiped shape of the transported object includes cases where the transported products are rectangular parallelepiped and are stacked as is, and cases where rectangular parallelepiped containers are used to store products. When products are stored in containers, the shape of the products is not particularly limited. The material of the container is not particularly limited, and examples include paper such as cardboard, wood, and metal. Examples of containers include cardboard boxes, wooden boxes, and metal boxes.For example, in the case of a cardboard box or the like, even if it is a rectangular parallelepiped, some distortion occurs, but the rectangular parallelepiped in the present invention also includes a state in which distortion that generally occurs in containers such as cardboard boxes occurs.

[0018] In the packaging method of the present invention, which does not use plate-shaped bodies, the items are stacked in a specific manner such that, relative to the items in each tier (except the bottom tier) and the items in the tier immediately below, more than half (i.e., more than 50%) of the items in the upper tier overlap with two or more of the items in the lower tier. For example, relative to the second-lowest tier and the tier immediately below it (the first tier from the bottom), if six items are lined up in the upper tier (i.e., the second-lowest tier), more than half of the items in the upper tier, i.e., three or more items, overlap with two or more of the items in the lower tier. In other words, instead of stacking one item in the second-lowest tier on top of each of the items in the first tier from the bottom, at least three items in the second-lowest tier are stacked so that they are in contact with and overlap at least two of the items in the first tier. Similarly, when six items are lined up on the upper tier (i.e., the third tier from the bottom) in relation to the third tier from the bottom and the tier immediately below it, the items are stacked so that more than half of the items on the upper tier, i.e., three or more items, overlap with two or more items on the lower tier. In other words, instead of stacking one item on each of the items on the second tier from the bottom, at least three items on the third tier from the bottom are stacked so that they are in contact with at least two items on the second tier. The same applies to the fourth tier and above from the bottom. In the present invention, it is preferable to stack the items so that, in relation to the items on each tier except the bottom tier and the items on the tier immediately below each tier, 60% or more of the items on the upper tier overlap with two or more items on the lower tier.

[0019] 8(a) and 8(b), the items are arranged in the lowest tier so that when the bottom surface of the item is placed on the forks of a forklift, the items cross at least one of the forks at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the forks. By arranging the items in the lowest tier so that the items cross at least one of the forks at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the forks of the forklift inserted under the bottom surface of the lowest tier, the weight of the items is evenly distributed across the forks. Therefore, even if there is no support plate or pallet under the items in the lowest tier, the lowest tier can be stabilized when the package is lifted by the forks of the forklift by using only film, as described below. In the present invention, it is sufficient to arrange the items on the lowest tier so that, when their undersides are placed on the forks of a forklift, at least half of the items cross at least one of the forks at approximately right angles to the longitudinal direction of the forks. However, from the perspective of further stabilizing the lowest tier, it is preferable to arrange the items on the lowest tier so that, when their undersides are placed on the forks of a forklift, they cross at least one of the forks at approximately right angles to the longitudinal direction of the forks. Here, arranging the items so that they cross at least one fork means, in the case of two forks, arranging the items so that each item crosses one fork or both forks. In the present invention, by stacking the items on each tier except the bottom tier, i.e., the items on the second tier and beyond, as described above, the items support each other to prevent the load from shifting. In the present invention, the number of stacked tiers is not particularly limited as long as it is two or more, and can be determined appropriately depending on the height of the luggage compartment of the truck into which the items are loaded. In order to maximize the effects of the present invention, the number of layers in which the transported goods are stacked is preferably 3 or more, 4 or more, or 5 or more, and the stacking height is preferably 2 m or less or 3.5 m or less in order to ensure the stability of the stacked transported goods.

[0020] In the present invention, the stacked transported items are packaged and integrated using a stretchable or shrinkable film. Examples of stretchable films include stretch films, and stretch films typically used for stretch films can be used. Examples of shrinkable films include films that shrink when exposed to heat, ultraviolet light, or the like. Examples of films that shrink when exposed to heat include shrink films, and shrink films typically used for shrink films can be used. When using a stretchable film such as a stretch film, the stacked transported items can be integrated by wrapping the film around the sides of the stacked transported items. When using a shrinkable film such as a shrink film, the stacked transported items can be integrated by wrapping the sides of the stacked transported items with the film and shrinking them with heat or the like. The stretchable or shrinkable film need only be wrapped around the sides of the stacked transported items, but wrapping it so that it also covers part of the top surface can further stabilize the transported items. In the present invention, by using the specific stacking method described above, the packaging of the stacked items can be prevented from collapsing when the package is lifted with a fork, even without wrapping the bottom surface of the stacked items with film, making packaging with film extremely easy. However, the present invention does not exclude wrapping part or all of the bottom surface of the stacked items with film. In the present invention, it is preferable to package and integrate multiple stacked items by wrapping them with stretch film. Using stretch film allows the items to be packaged without denting or crushing the corners, even if they are in a weak box such as a cardboard box. Stretch film can be wrapped horizontally or diagonally around the sides of the stacked items to integrate them, for example.In the present invention, it is preferable that all of the transported items to be packaged have the same size and shape, but transported items of different sizes and shapes may be mixed among the transported items to the extent that the relationship between the transported items in each stage in the present invention is satisfied and a package can be produced that is integrated using a stretchable or shrinkable film. The transported items may also be adhered or bonded to each other as an auxiliary measure using a pressure-sensitive adhesive, adhesive, etc. The pressure-sensitive adhesive, adhesive, etc. is preferably a type that has a light adhesive or light bondability that allows the transported items to be easily separated with the application of a small amount of force, or a type that loses its adhesiveness or bondability when the transported items are separated, and it is preferable to use these for temporary adhesion or temporary bonding.

[0021] The pallet of the present invention includes an open groove extending from one side of the pallet and opening upward, and a fork insertion portion extending from the same side as the one side and having a portion not opening upward. The overall shape of the upper and lower surfaces of the pallet is preferably rectangular for loading efficiency when loading onto a truck or other loading platform, but can be appropriately selected depending on the shape of the object to be transported and the shape of the truck or other loading platform. The width of the pallet can also be appropriately selected depending on the size of the package to be placed on the pallet and the shape of the truck or other loading platform. The pallet material is not particularly limited, and examples include wood, resin, and metal. The open groove of the present invention has a width greater than the width of the forks of a forklift and a depth greater than the thickness of the forks, so that the forks of a forklift can be inserted from the side of the pallet when a package containing an object and a plate-like object or a package containing an object without a plate-like object is placed on the pallet. The open grooves are open upward so that inserted forks can be lifted when the package is removed from the pallet, and so that forks can be lowered into the open grooves from above when the package is placed on the pallet. The range of the open grooves facing upward may be the range of the fork insertion length or greater. In the present invention, two open grooves are sufficient to accommodate two forks, but three or more open grooves are also acceptable. However, from the viewpoints of minimizing the area of ​​the open grooves, making the top surface of the pallet as flat as possible, and increasing the strength of the pallet, two open grooves are preferred. The open grooves in the present invention have an open portion on one side surface and extend linearly from that point so that forks of a forklift can be inserted from the side of the pallet. The open grooves in the present invention may extend from the starting side surface to the opposite side surface and have an open portion on the opposite side surface, or they may not extend to the opposite side surface and have no open groove around the opposite side surface.From the viewpoint of minimizing the area of ​​the open groove, making the top surface of the pallet as flat as possible, and increasing the strength of the pallet, the length of the open groove need only be the length necessary to support the underside of the package with the forks of a forklift, and the area around the opposing side may be flat with no open groove formed thereon, or may have an open portion on the opposing side that penetrates all the way to the opposing side so that the forks of a forklift can reach the opposing side or penetrate through the opposing side and be inserted.

[0022] The fork insertion portion of the present invention extends linearly from the same side as the side where the open groove begins. Therefore, the direction in which the forklift forks are inserted when loading a pallet with packages onto the bed of a truck or the like and the direction in which the forklift forks are inserted when lifting and unloading the packages from the bed of the truck or the like, leaving the pallet behind, can be the same, facilitating loading and unloading. The fork insertion portion of the present invention may be a groove that opens downward or a hole that does not open downward, but it has an opening on the side where the forklift forks start. The fork insertion portion of the present invention may extend from the side where the fork insertion portion begins to the opposite side and have an opening on the opposite side, or it may not extend all the way to the opposite side, as long as it is long enough to support the underside of the pallet with the forklift forks. Because the fork insertion portion of the present invention has a portion that does not open upward, when the fork of the inserted forklift is raised, the fork hits the open portion and lifts the pallet. The portion of the fork insertion section that is not open upward, i.e., the portion that the fork contacts when the fork is raised, may be sufficient to support the underside of the pallet with the fork from the perspective of strength, etc. The portion of the fork insertion section that is not open upward does not have to be the entire upper surface of the fork insertion section; i.e., only a portion of the upper surface of the fork insertion section may be open upward, or it may be the entire upper surface of the fork insertion section; i.e., the fork insertion section does not have to have an open portion upward, but may be an insertion section with an upper surface that is not open upward. In this invention, the upper side when the pallet is placed on a flat surface with the open groove facing up is referred to as the "upper" side, and the lower side is referred to as the "lower" side. Furthermore, the upper side, lower side, upper surface, and lower surface are also referred to as the "upper" side and the lower side when the pallet is placed in the same manner. The width of the groove when the fork insertion section is groove-shaped, and the width or diameter of the hole when the fork insertion section is hole-shaped, are greater than the width of the fork of the forklift, and the depth of the groove when the fork insertion section is groove-shaped, and the height or diameter of the hole when the fork insertion section is hole-shaped, are greater than the thickness of the fork.

[0023] In the method for loading transported items of the present invention, a package is created in which multiple transported items and plate-like objects are integrated, or multiple transported items are stacked in a specific manner to create the integrated package described above. The package is then placed on the forks of a forklift and transported to a pallet placed in a warehouse or the like. The forks are then lowered into the open grooves of the pallet and pulled out of the open grooves, allowing the package to be placed on the pallet. When loading onto a truck or the like, the forks of the forklift are inserted into the fork insertion sections of the pallet and raised to lift the pallet. The pallet is then carried to the bed of the truck or the like and lowered onto the bed. In this state, the transported items and the pallet are transported to the destination. Upon arrival at the destination, the forks of the forklift are inserted into the open grooves of the pallet on the bed and raised to lift the package alone, and the package is then transported to the specified location. Despite the ease of packaging, the package of the present invention can be raised, lowered, and moved by itself on the forks without collapse, even when the underside of the package is supported by two forks in this way. In the present invention, various transported items can be packaged as in the present invention, and the package can be carried using a normal two-pronged fork and placed on a pallet. Therefore, even if the pallet on the loading platform is left as is, it is easy to load the return cargo onto the pallet on the loading platform, making it easy to transport the return cargo on the pallet. When the truck returns to the departure point, the package is unloaded using the same procedure as at the destination, and a new package is loaded in the same manner as above, and transported again to the destination. By using the method for loading transported items of the present invention, such transport can be repeated, eliminating manual labor and eliminating the need to retrieve the pallet. Even if manual labor is required for loading at the destination, using a pallet with two open grooves increases the flat surface on the pallet, improving workability and increasing work safety.

[0024] The article-loaded pallet of the present invention is a pallet that includes a package in which multiple articles are integrated and a pallet on which the package is loaded. The package is a package in which the multiple articles are stacked on a plate-like body and the plate-like body is packed together to integrate the multiple articles. Alternatively, the article-loaded pallet of the present invention is a pallet that includes a package in which multiple articles are stacked and integrated in two or more layers and a pallet on which the package is loaded. The package is stacked such that, with respect to the relationship between the articles in each layer except the bottom layer and the article in the layer immediately below each layer, more than half of the articles in the upper layer overlap with two or more of the articles in the lower layer, and is packaged using a stretchable or shrinkable film to integrate the multiple articles. The pallet has an open groove extending from one side of the pallet that opens upward, for inserting forks of a forklift to lift only the package, and a fork insertion section that extends from the same side as the one side and has a portion that does not open upward, for inserting forks of a forklift to lift both the package and the pallet.In the present invention, a pallet loaded with transported goods refers to a combination of a package in a state where the package is loaded on a pallet in the method for loading transported goods of the present invention and the pallet.

[0025] The pallet for loading goods of the present invention is a preferred embodiment of the pallet used in the method for loading goods of the present invention, and is a pallet for loading goods, comprising two open grooves and two fork insertion sections. The open groove extends linearly from one side of the pallet to the opposite side, has a width greater than the width of the forks of a forklift, and is open upward. The fork insertion sections are located below the open grooves, extend linearly from the same side as the one side to the opposite side, have a width greater than the width of the forks of a forklift, and have a portion that is not open upward. The open grooves and fork insertion sections are positioned so that the width of the overlapping portion between the open grooves and the fork insertion sections is greater than the width of the forks of the forklift when viewed from above the pallet. The pallet material, opening grooves, fork insertion sections, and other structure and materials of the pallet for loading transported goods of the present invention are the same as those of the pallet in the method for loading transported goods of the present invention, but the fork insertion sections are located lower on the pallet than the opening grooves, and are positioned so that the width of the area where the opening grooves and fork insertion sections overlap when viewed from above the pallet is wider than the width of the forks of a forklift.This means that there is no need to change the width of the forks when lifting only the package or when lifting both the package and the pallet, making the work easier and less labor-intensive.In addition, there is no need to change the position where the forks are inserted when lifting only the package or when lifting both the package and the pallet, so in both cases the forks can be inserted at the most stable points on the package, package, and pallet.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a package according to the present invention. In package A shown in FIG. 1, multiple rectangular parallelepiped boxes are stacked on a plate-like body 2 as the transported goods 1. FIG. 1( a) is a front view of package A, and FIG. 1( b) is a bottom view of package A. Although not shown in FIG. 1( a), package A has a stretch film 3 wrapped around the front, left and right sides, and back of package A, i.e., the entire periphery. The stretch film 3 is also wrapped around the sides and a portion of the bottom of the plate-like body 2. By wrapping the stretch film 3 around the bottom of the plate-like body 2 as well, as shown in FIG. 1( b), the transported goods 1 and the plate-like body 2 are packaged together by the stretch film 3 to form package A. When placing the transported goods 1 on the plate-like body 2, the plate-like body 2 and the transported goods 1 in contact with the plate-like body 2 may be adhered or bonded together with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, adhesive, or the like. This reduces the risk of the transported object 1 and the plate-like body 2 separating when packaged with stretch film 3 or the like or when package A is moved, making it easier to package or move package A. The adhesive, glue, etc. is preferably of a light adhesive or lightly bonded nature that allows the transported object 1 to be easily separated from the plate-like body 2 with a small amount of force, or of a type that loses its adhesiveness when the transported object 1 is separated from the plate-like body 2. Figure 1(c) is a schematic diagram showing the portion where the transported object 1 is adhered or bonded to the plate-like body 2 with adhesive 10, and the adhesion or bonding does not necessarily have to be applied to the entire transported object 1, but may be applied to only a portion.

[0027] 2(a) and 2(b) show an embodiment of a pallet according to the present invention. In pallets P1 and P2, the open grooves 4 and 6 extend linearly from the side where they originate to the opposite side, and are open on both sides. The fork insertion sections 5 and 7 are rectangular holes with closed top and bottom surfaces. They extend linearly from the same side as the side where the open grooves 4 and 6 originate to the opposite side, and are open on both sides. Furthermore, the fork insertion sections 5 and 7 are located below the open grooves 4 and 6, i.e., lower on the pallet than the open grooves 4 and 6, forming a two-layer structure. Here, "below" means that the fork insertion sections 5 and 7 are located in a position where the fork can be inserted simply by lowering the height of the fork without changing the width of the fork inserted into the open grooves 4 and 6. The widths of the open grooves 4 and 6 and the widths of the fork insertion sections 5 and 7 may be the same or different, and the centers of the widths of the open grooves 4 and 6 and the fork insertion sections 5 and 7 may be the same or different. Another way of expressing the positional relationship between the open groove and the fork insertion section is to say that the open groove and the fork insertion section are positioned so that the width of the overlapping part between the open groove and the fork insertion section when viewed from above the pallet is greater than the width of the forks of the forklift.

[0028] Figure 2(c) shows the positional relationship between the open groove and the fork insertion section. When viewed from above the pallet P3 in the direction of the arrow, the open groove and the fork insertion section are positioned so that the width W, which is the overlapping portion between the open groove 8 and the fork insertion section 9 located below the open groove 8 on the pallet P3, is greater than the width of the fork of the forklift. This allows the fork to be inserted into the fork insertion section 9 simply by lowering the height of the fork without changing the width of the fork inserted into the open groove 8. The width of the open groove and the width of the fork insertion section may be the same as shown in Figures 2(a) and 2(b), or the width of the fork insertion section may be greater as shown in Figure 2(c), or conversely, the width of the open groove may be greater. To prevent the package or pallet from shifting sideways on the fork during loading / unloading or transportation, the difference between the width of the open groove, the width of the fork insertion section, and the width of the fork is preferably not too large, but is sufficient to allow for smooth insertion and removal of the fork. It is preferable that the width of the open groove and the width of the fork insertion section are approximately the same. Pallet P1 in Figure 2(a) is an example in which two forks are used to load and unload packages and pallets loaded with packages, and the forks can be inserted from either of the two opposing sides. Pallet P2 in Figure 2(b) is also an example in which two forks are used to load and unload packages and pallets loaded with packages, but pallet P2 is an example in which the forks can be inserted from any of the four sides. The fork insertion sections 5 and 7 in Figures 2(a) and 2(b) are rectangular holes with closed top and bottom surfaces. However, a portion of the top surface of the fork insertion section may be open upward, i.e., a portion between the open groove and the fork insertion section may be open, or a portion of the bottom surface may be open downward. Furthermore, if the entire bottom surface is open to form a groove-like opening downward, the pallet can be used upside down in the same way as the front side.

[0029] Figure 3 shows one embodiment of a method for stacking packages according to the present invention. Figures 3(a) to 3(d) are top views of the arrangement of boxes for transported items in each tier, with (a) representing the first tier, (b) representing the second and fifth tiers, (c) representing the third and sixth tiers, and (d) representing the fourth tier. From the bottom, the boxes are stacked in the order of (a) → (b) → (c) → (d) → (b) → (c). In the following description, (a)1 refers to the box numbered 1 in Figure 3(a), and similarly for the others. Boxes (b)1 and (b)2 in the second tier overlap boxes (a)1 and (a)2 in the first tier, respectively, and boxes (b)5 and (b)6 in the second tier overlap boxes (a)5 and (a)6 in the first tier, respectively. That is, four of the six boxes (b)1 to 6 in the second row ((b)1, 2, 5, and 6) each overlap two of the boxes lined up in the first row. Box (c)1 in the third row overlaps boxes (b)1 and (b)2 in the second row, box (c)2 in the third row overlaps boxes (b)1 and (b)3 in the second row, box (c)3 in the third row overlaps boxes (b)2 and (b)5 in the second row, and box (c)5 in the third row overlaps boxes (b)3 and (b)5 in the second row. That is, four of the six boxes (c)1 to 6 in the third row ((c)1, 2, 3, and 5) each overlap two of the boxes lined up in the second row. Box (d)3 in the fourth row overlaps boxes (c)3 and (c)5 in the third row, box (d)4 in the fourth row overlaps boxes (c)3 and (c)4 in the third row, box (d)5 in the fourth row overlaps boxes (c)4 and (c)6 in the third row, and box (d)6 in the fourth row overlaps boxes (c)5 and (c)6 in the third row. In other words, four of the six boxes (d)1 to 6 in the fourth row ((d)3, 4, 5, and 6) each overlap two of the boxes lined up in the third row. Box (b)1 in the fifth row overlaps boxes (d)1 and (d)2 in the fourth row, box (b)2 in the fifth row overlaps boxes (d)1 and (d)3 in the fourth row, box (b)3 in the fifth row overlaps boxes (d)2 and (d)3 in the fourth row, box (b)4 in the fifth row overlaps boxes (d)4 and (d)5 in the fourth row, box (b)5 in the fifth row overlaps boxes (d)4 and (d)6 in the fourth row, and box (b)6 in the fifth row overlaps boxes (d)5 and (d)6 in the fourth row. In other words, each of the six boxes (b)1 to 6 in the fifth row overlaps two of the boxes lined up in the fourth row. The relationship between boxes (c)1 to 6 in the sixth row and boxes (b)1 to 6 in the fifth row is as described above.

[0030] Furthermore, when the boxes are stacked from the bottom up in the order of (a) → (b') → (c') → (b') → (c') → (b'), in the relationship between (a) and (b'), (b') 2, 3, 5, and 6 each overlap with two of the boxes in (a), in the relationship between (b') and (c'), (c') 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 each overlap with two of the boxes in (b'), and in the relationship between (c') and (b'), (b') 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 each overlap with two of the boxes in (c'). F in Figure 3(a) represents the forks of a forklift, and shows a state in which the underside of the first tier from the bottom (the lowest tier) is supported by two forks. In order to firmly support the undersides of the stacked items (i.e., the undersides of the bottom tier) with the forks, in Figure 3(a), all of the items on the bottom tier are arranged so that when their undersides are placed on the forks of a forklift, the longitudinal direction of the items crosses one fork at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the fork. This allows the forks to bear an even load on all items, and even without a support plate or pallet under the items on the bottom tier, the forks can support the undersides of the items on the bottom tier and stabilize the bottom tier when lifting them. It is preferable that the overlapping of items on an upper tier with two or more items on a lower tier occurs in both directions within the package: vertical overlapping, such as when (b)1 overlaps (a)1 and (a)2, and horizontal overlapping, such as when (c)1 overlaps (b)1 and (b)2. Furthermore, when an item on an upper tier overlaps two or more items on a lower tier, it is preferable that the overlapping area of ​​each of the two or more items on the lower tier is at least one-third or approximately one-half of the area of ​​the top surface of the overlapping items. It is also preferable that the package contains items placed side-by-side between two forks, such as (c) 3. Figure 4(a) shows a side view of package A, and Figure 4(b) shows a top view of package A. The package shown in Figure 4(a) has stretch film 3 wrapped around the entire side of package A. The diagonal lines in Figure 4(a) indicate that stretch film 3 is wrapped diagonally. Figure 4(b) shows that stretch film 3 is wrapped around the corners of the top surface of package A.Furthermore, when stacking the transported items, the top and bottom surfaces of the transported items facing each other may be adhered or bonded with a pressure-sensitive adhesive or adhesive. This reduces the risk of the load falling apart when the stretch film 3 or other packaging is used or when the package A is moved, making it easier to pack and move the package A. The pressure-sensitive adhesive or adhesive is preferably a lightly adhesive or lightly bonded type that allows the transported items to be easily separated with a small amount of force, or a type that loses its adhesiveness when the stretch film 3 is removed and the transported items are removed. Figures 4(c) and (d) are schematic diagrams showing examples of locations adhered or bonded with a pressure-sensitive adhesive or adhesive 10. The adhesion or bonding does not necessarily have to be applied to the entire transported item, but may be applied to only a portion.

[0031] Figure 5 shows another embodiment of a method for stacking packages according to the present invention. Figures 5(a) to 5(c) are top views of the arrangement of boxes for transported goods in each tier, with (a) representing the first tier (bottom tier), (b) representing the second, fourth, and sixth tiers, and (c) representing the third and fifth tiers, stacked from bottom to top in the order of (a) → (b) → (c) → (b) → (c) → (b). Boxes (b)3 and (b)4 in the second tier overlap boxes (a)3 and (a)4 in the first tier, respectively, and boxes (b)5 and (b)6 in the second tier overlap boxes (a)5 and (a)6 in the first tier, respectively. Furthermore, boxes (c)1 and (c)2 in the third tier overlap boxes (b)1 and (b)2 in the second tier, respectively; boxes (c)3 and (c)4 in the third tier overlap boxes (b)3 and (b)4 in the second tier, respectively; boxes (c)5 and (c)6 in the third tier overlap boxes (b)5 and (b)6 in the second tier, respectively; and boxes (c)7 and (c)8 in the third tier overlap boxes (b)7 and (b)8 in the second tier, respectively. The relationships in each tier thereafter are as described above. In Figure 5(a), F represents the forks of a forklift, and shows a state in which the underside of the first tier (the lowest tier) is supported by two forks. In order to firmly support the undersides of the stacked objects (i.e., the undersides of the bottom layer) with the forks, in Figure 5(a), all eight objects on the bottom layer are arranged so that when their undersides are placed on the forks of a forklift, the longitudinal direction of the objects crosses one fork at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the fork. This means that the load is evenly distributed across the forks for all objects on the bottom layer, and the bottom layer can be stabilized when the forks support the undersides of the objects and lift them up, even if there is no support plate or pallet underneath.

[0032] The method for loading and unloading transported objects of the present invention includes forming grooves in the left and right sides of the bed of a transport truck for inserting the forks of a forklift. The objects are loaded by creating a package that integrates multiple transported objects, placing the package on the forks of a forklift, and inserting the forks into the grooves from above. The objects are unloaded by inserting the forks of the forklift into the grooves from the side of the grooves and then moving the forks to an upper position to place the package on the forklift forks. This method allows for loading and unloading of transported objects without using a pallet. In this invention, the forward direction of the transport truck is referred to as "front," the backward direction as "rear," and the left side and right side when facing the forward direction of the transport truck are referred to as "left" and "right." In this invention, the grooves formed in the left and right directions have at least one of the left and right ends located at the edge of the bed and open. It is preferable that both the left and right ends of the grooves are located at the edge of the bed and open. Furthermore, the grooves formed in the left and right directions have an open top. The upper opening may be open enough to allow the forks of a forklift to be inserted to load and unload the package, but it is preferable that it be open from the left end to the right end of the groove. The transported objects in the present invention are not particularly limited in type or shape, and may be products stored in containers such as boxes or cans. The shape of the containers is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include rectangular parallelepipeds, cylinders, and prisms. The package in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a package in which multiple transported objects are packed and integrated, and specific examples include the package described below. The transport truck in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a truck capable of transporting transported objects, has a groove in the present invention, and is capable of performing the loading and unloading method of the present invention. The package in which multiple transported objects are integrated in the method for loading and unloading transported objects of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a package in which multiple transported objects are packed and integrated. For example, a package in which multiple transported objects and plate-like objects are packed and integrated in the method for loading transported objects of the present invention, and a package in which multiple transported objects alone are packed and integrated without using plate-like objects are preferred.

[0033] In this invention, a package containing multiple integrated transported items is placed on the forks of a forklift, and the forks are lowered from above into a groove formed in the left-right direction of the platform. The package comes into contact with a portion of the platform other than the groove and is released from the forks. The package released from the forks rests on a portion of the platform other than the groove and is supported by that portion. The forks are then withdrawn from the opening at the end of the groove. This allows the transported items to be loaded onto the platform without using a pallet or manual labor. When unloading the transported items, the forks of the forklift are inserted from the side of the groove, i.e., from the opening at the end of the groove into the groove, sufficiently far to lift the package. The forks are then raised, causing the forks to come into contact with the package. Further raising of the forks allows the package to be placed on the forks and lifted. This allows the transported items to be unloaded from the platform without using a pallet or manual labor. The lifted package can then be transported to the desired location by moving the forklift. If both the left and right ends of the groove are located at the ends of the loading platform and are open, then loading and unloading of transported goods can be performed from either the left or right side of the loading platform. The groove formed in the left-right direction of the loading platform only needs to be linear enough to allow the forks of a forklift to be inserted, and the left-right direction may be approximately perpendicular or inclined to the front-to-back direction of the loading platform. If the groove is approximately perpendicular, more rectangular parallelepiped packages can be loaded efficiently.

[0034] The grooves in the present invention may be provided with lids that cover the upper openings. Forming grooves in the loading platform creates unevenness on the platform. However, by covering the upper openings, the areas where forklift forks cannot be inserted are covered to support the package, leaving only the areas where forklift forks are inserted open, allowing fork insertion at various intervals. This allows fork insertion at the appropriate position on the package even when the package width varies, such as 1552 mm, 1414 mm, 1300 mm, 1098 mm, etc. Furthermore, by covering the lids, unevenness on the platform can be reduced, which is expected to improve safety and work efficiency on the platform. In the present invention, the platform is normally flat, but when using the loading / unloading method of the present invention, only the areas corresponding to the grooves may be lowered to form grooves. This allows the opening width between the fork insertion openings to be adjusted to any interval, allowing forklift forks to be inserted to fit a wide variety of package widths, allowing the package to be transported stably. In addition, in the present invention, grooves may be formed by moving multiple movable carriages installed on the platform in the forward / backward direction. Since these movable carriages support the packages, their shape, material, etc. are not particularly limited as long as they can support the packages. Examples of shapes include a plate-like shape with a substantially flat upper surface or a rectangular column-like shape, so that the packages can be stably placed on them. Examples of materials include metal and plastic. The horizontal length of the movable carriage is not particularly limited as long as it is long enough to support the packages. However, it is preferable that the length be approximately the same as the horizontal width of the platform or greater than the horizontal width of the package to be placed on it, so that the packages can be stably placed on it. The gaps between the movable carriages constitute the grooves in the present invention. Therefore, the vertical length of the movable carriages may be any length that can form a gap (groove) for inserting the forks of a forklift by appropriately moving the multiple movable carriages. This length can be determined depending on the length of the platform, the number of movable carriages, the size of the packages, the area of ​​the movable carriages supporting the packages, etc.In the present invention, multiple movable platforms that can be moved in the forward and backward directions are installed on the loading platform, and by moving these appropriately, it is possible to form a portion where the movable platforms support the package and a groove between the movable platforms.

[0035] FIG. 6 shows one embodiment of a groove formed in the left-right direction according to the present invention. In FIGS. 6(a) to 6(d), the left side is the front, and FIGS. 6(a) to 6(d) are side views viewed from the left side facing forward. The length of the loading platform is 9600 mm, but only a portion is shown. In FIGS. 6(a) to 6(d), the black portion is loading platform 1, and the white portion within the black portion is groove 2. While FIGS. 6(a) to 6(d) show the groove opening at the left end of the loading platform, the groove actually extends linearly from the left end to the right end of the loading platform, and is also open at the right end of the loading platform. Although the loaded package 3 will actually contact parts of the loading platform other than the groove, FIGS. 6(a) to 6(d) show the state before the package contacts parts other than the groove to make the groove easier to understand. In FIGS. 6(a) to 6(d), a cover 4 is placed over the grooves other than those into which the forks of a forklift are inserted. This increases the surface area supporting the package, preventing it from shifting during transport. The width of the groove is not particularly limited as long as it is wide enough for the forks of a forklift to be inserted, and the height of the groove is not particularly limited as long as it is high enough for the forks of a forklift to be inserted and to be able to separate from the package when lowered. Figures 6(a) to 6(d) show an example in which the groove width is 200 mm and the distance between the grooves is 100 mm. In this case, if the package width is 1552 mm ( Figure 6(a) ) or 1414 mm ( Figure 6(b) ), the distance between the forklift forks is 800 mm, and if the package width is 1300 mm ( Figure 6(c) ) or 1098 mm ( Figure 6(d) ), the distance between the forklift forks is 500 mm, allowing for convenient loading and unloading of the package. The groove width does not need to be changed depending on the package width, and the grooves can be formed at a constant distance to accommodate both cases. The width of the above-mentioned package is 1552 mm when two commonly used 776 mm long cardboard boxes are lined up, 1414 mm when two 707 mm long cardboard boxes are lined up, 1098 mm when a total of three boxes are lined up, including two 236 mm boxes and one 626 mm long cardboard box, and 1300 mm, the width of a typical JIS size pallet. Figure 8 shows how the boxes are lined up in the above cases. The upper row in each of Figures 8(a) to 8(c) represents the first row, and the lower row represents the second row.The numerical values ​​in the figure are the actual dimensions (unit: mm) of the cardboard box and package. For example, each arrangement is used for cored toilet rolls in Figure 8(a), coreless toilet rolls in Figure 8(b), towel paper in Figure 8(c), etc.

[0036] Figure 7 shows another embodiment of a groove formed in the left-right direction according to the present invention. In Figures 7(a) to (d), the left side is the front, and Figures 7(a) to (d) are side views viewed from the left side facing forward. The length of the loading platform is 9600 mm, but only a portion is shown. In Figures 7(a) to (d), the black portion is the loading platform 1, and each of the compartments 5, each 225.7 mm wide, is formed on the loading platform 1 and extends linearly from the left end to the right end of the platform. Each of these compartments can be lowered, and once lowered, the compartment can be raised back to its original position. In the example of Figure 7, the groove used in the loading method of the present invention can be formed by lowering the compartment to be used. In this case, when the width of the package is 1552 mm ( FIG. 7( a) ), 1414 mm ( FIG. 7( b) ), or 1300 mm ( FIG. 7( c) ), the distance between the forklift forks is set to 800 mm. When the width of the package is 1098 mm, the distance between the forklift forks is set to 550 mm ( FIG. 7( d) ). By lowering the appropriate sections to form grooves, loading can be performed in either case. In FIG. 7( a) , the second, sixth, ninth, and thirteenth sections from the left are lowered to form grooves. In FIG. 7( b) , the second, sixth, eighth, and twelfth sections from the left are lowered to form grooves. In FIG. 7( c) , the first, fifth, seventh, and eleventh sections from the left are lowered to form grooves. In FIG. 7( d) , the first, fourth, sixth, ninth, eleventh, and fourteenth sections from the left are lowered to form grooves. This allows grooves to be formed only in the necessary locations, allowing the forks to be inserted into the appropriate positions to accommodate various package widths.

[0037] FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of a groove formed in the left-right direction according to the present invention. In FIGS. 9(a) and (b), the left side corresponds to the front. FIG. 9(a) is a side view from the left side facing forward, and FIG. 9(b) is a top view. For illustrative purposes, FIGS. 9(a) and (b) show a portion of the loading platform. To explain the mechanism of the present invention, FIG. 9(a) shows a state in which one package A is loaded, and FIG. 9(b) shows a state in which no package A is loaded. In FIG. 9(a), multiple movable carriages 15 are installed on the loading platform 11. Each movable carriage 15 can move forward and backward (in the direction of the arrow). Package A is placed on five movable carriages 15 and is supported by these movable carriages 15. Furthermore, gaps exceeding the width of the forks of a forklift are formed between the first and second, and between the fourth and fifth, movable carriages 15 from the front. These gaps constitute the grooves of the present invention. Loading of the transported goods is performed by placing the package on the forks of a forklift and inserting the forks into the gap from above. Unloading of the package is performed by inserting the forks of the forklift into the gap from the side and then moving the forks up the gap to place the package on the forklift. In Figure 9(a), package A is placed on the second to fourth movable carriages 15 from the front and on part of the first and fifth movable carriages 15 from the front, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, package A may be supported by movable carriages at two locations, the front and rear ends, and no movable carriages may be placed between the two ends, with the wide gap between them serving as the groove in the present invention. Furthermore, the number of movable carriages 15 supporting the ends of package A other than the two ends may be increased or decreased. The front-to-rear lengths of the movable carriages may be different. For example, the second to fourth movable carriages 15 in Figure 9(a) may be combined to form a single movable carriage with a wide top surface area. 9(a) and (b), the movable platform 15 is held by a holding rail 16 and is configured to be able to move back and forth along the holding rail 16. The loading and unloading of the present invention can be performed by moving the movable platform 15 along the holding rail 16 and fixing it at an appropriate position. For example, one simple method is to attach a Π-shaped metal fitting to the underside of the movable platform 15.The width between the metal fittings can be made wider than the width of the holding rails 16, and the holding rails 16 can be passed between the metal fittings, allowing the movable platform 15 to slide on the holding rails 16. Furthermore, by making the holding rails 16 movable in the left-right direction and narrowing or widening the gap between the two holding rails 16, each holding rail 16 can be tightly attached to one wall of the metal fittings, thereby fixing the movable platform 15. The methods for moving and fixing the movable platform in the present invention are not limited to the above-described methods, and the movable platform may be moved and fixed manually or electrically. Furthermore, if the movable platform or the movable platform and the moving mechanism (for example, the holding rails 16 in Figures 9(a) and (b)) are made detachable, the platform can be returned to a normal platform by removing them.

[0038] A wing-body vehicle can be cited as an example of a transport truck suitable for the loading and unloading method of the present invention. The wing-body vehicle of the present invention is a wing-body vehicle with the above-described left-right grooves formed in the loading platform, and can be suitably used for the loading and unloading method of the present invention. The matters relating to the grooves are the same as those described for the loading and unloading method of the present invention. Other than the parts relating to the grooves in the loading platform, the structure of the vehicle may be that of a normal wing-body vehicle.

[0039] The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples of the present invention, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0040] Example 1: Rectangular cardboard boxes (40.6 cm long, 80.9 cm wide, 34.9 cm high) containing eight bags containing 12 rolls of toilet paper each were stacked on a cardboard sheet (125 cm long, 165 cm wide, 0.5 cm thick), with six boxes per layer, for a total of 42 cardboard boxes stacked in seven layers. These were wrapped in stretch film (Super Terito Slim, manufactured by Tsukasa Chemical Industries Co., Ltd.; thickness: 12 μm, width: 500 mm, length: 500 m) to create a package. One-touch glue (Rockin' Pop, manufactured by Jignode Co., Ltd.) was applied and glued between the bottom of the first layer of cardboard box and the cardboard sheet, as shown in Figure 1(c). The package was placed on the two forks of a forklift and moved, but the package did not collapse. Using a pallet similar to that shown in Figure 2(a), the forks of a forklift carrying the manufactured package were lowered into the open groove, and then the forks were pulled out of the open groove to place the package on the pallet. The forks of the forklift were inserted into the fork insertion section of the pallet carrying the package, and the pallet was moved and loaded onto the truck bed. The forks of the forklift were inserted into the open groove of the pallet loaded onto the truck bed, and the forks were raised to lift up only the package. During these processes, the package was able to be loaded and unloaded by the forklift without losing its shape.

[0041] Example 2: A total of 36 cardboard boxes were stacked in six tiers (40.6 cm long, 80.9 cm wide, 34.9 cm high) containing eight bags of toilet paper, each containing 12 rolls of toilet paper. Six boxes per tier were stacked in the order of (a) → (b) → (c) → (d) → (b) → (c) in Figure 3 . These boxes were wrapped in stretch film (Super Terito Slim, manufactured by Tsukasa Chemical Industries Co., Ltd.: thickness 12 μm, width 500 mm, length 500 m) to produce a package. One-touch glue (Rockin' Pop, manufactured by Jignode Co., Ltd.) was applied and glued between the upper and lower cardboard boxes in each tier, as shown in Figure 4 (c). The produced package was placed on the two forks of a forklift and moved, but the package did not collapse. Using a pallet similar to that shown in Figure 2(a), the forks of a forklift carrying the manufactured package were lowered into the open groove, and then the forks were pulled out of the open groove to place the package on the pallet. The forks of the forklift were inserted into the fork insertion section of the pallet carrying the package, and the pallet was moved and loaded onto the truck bed. The forks of the forklift were inserted into the open groove of the pallet loaded onto the truck bed, and the forks were raised to lift up only the package. During these processes, the package was able to be loaded and unloaded by the forklift without losing its shape.

[0042] Example 3: A total of 42 cardboard boxes were stacked, six per layer, in seven tiers, on a cardboard sheet (125 cm long, 165 cm wide, 0.5 cm thick). These boxes were wrapped in stretch film (Super Terito Slim, manufactured by Tsukasa Chemical Industries Co., Ltd.; thickness: 12 μm, width: 500 mm, length: 500 m). One-touch glue (Rockin' Pop, manufactured by Jignode Co., Ltd.) was applied between the bottom of the first tier of cardboard boxes and the cardboard sheet, as shown in Figure 1(c). The resulting package was moved on the two forks of a forklift, but the package did not collapse. A model of the loading platform similar to that shown in Figure 6(a) was created, and the forks of a forklift carrying a package were lowered from above the groove and inserted into the groove, and then the forks were pulled out through the opening at the end of the groove to place the package on the loading platform. The forks of the forklift were inserted into the opening at the end of the groove of the loading platform, and the forks were raised to lift up only the package. During this process, the package maintained its shape and could be loaded and unloaded by the forklift without using a pallet.

[0043] Example 4: A total of 36 cardboard boxes were stacked in six tiers (38.8 cm long, 77.6 cm wide, 34.9 cm high) containing eight bags of toilet paper, each containing 12 rolls of toilet paper. Six boxes per tier were stacked in the order of (a) → (b) → (c) → (d) → (b) → (c) in Figure 3 . These boxes were wrapped in stretch film (Super Terito Slim, manufactured by Tsukasa Chemical Industries Co., Ltd.: 12 μm thick, 500 mm wide, 500 m long) to produce a package. One-touch glue (Rockin' Pop, manufactured by Jignode Co., Ltd.) was applied and glued between the upper and lower cardboard boxes in each tier, as shown in Figure 4(c). The produced package was placed on the two forks of a forklift and moved, but the package did not collapse. A loading platform similar to that shown in Figures 7(a) to 7(d) was produced. A model of the loading platform similar to that shown in Figure 7(a) was created, and the forks of a forklift carrying a package were lowered from above the groove and inserted into the groove, and then the forks were pulled out through the opening at the end of the groove to place the package on the loading platform. The forks of the forklift were inserted into the opening at the end of the groove of the loading platform, and the forks were raised to lift up only the package. During this process, the package maintained its shape and could be loaded and unloaded by the forklift without using a pallet.

[0044] The loading method of the present invention can be used to load various transported objects, and can be suitably used for loading and unloading onto trucks including wing trucks, other transport vehicles and equipment, transporting within a warehouse, etc. Furthermore, the loading and unloading method of the present invention can be suitably used for loading and unloading various transported objects without using a pallet.

[0045] A: Package F: Fork (claw) W: Width of the overlapping portion of the opening groove and the fork insertion portion when viewed from above the pallet P1, P2, P3: Pallet 1: Transported object 2: Plate-like body 3: Stretch film 4: Opening groove 5: Fork insertion portion 6: Opening groove 7: Fork insertion portion 8: Opening groove 9: Fork insertion portion 10: Adhesive or adhesive 11: Loading platform 12: Groove 13: Lid 14: Lowering section 15: Moving platform 16: Holding rail

Claims

1. A method for loading a plurality of transported objects onto a single pallet, comprising stacking the plurality of transported objects on a plate-like body, packaging the plurality of transported objects and the plate-like body to produce a package in which the plurality of transported objects and the plate-like body are integrated together, or arranging the plurality of transported objects in a lowermost tier so that, when the lower surface of the lowest transported object is placed on the forks of a forklift, the lowest transported object crosses at least one of the forks at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the forks, and stacking the transported objects in each tier such that, in relation to the transported objects in each tier other than the lowest tier and the transported object in the tier immediately below each of the tiers, more than half of the transported objects in the upper tier overlap two or more of the transported objects in the lower tier, and then packaging the transported objects using a stretchable or shrinkable film to produce a package in which the plurality of transported objects are integrated together, A method for loading transported goods, comprising using a pallet as the pallet having an open groove extending from one side of the pallet that is open upward, and a fork insertion section having a portion extending from the same side as the one side that is not open upward, placing the package on the pallet, and loading the package onto the pallet such that when only the package loaded on the pallet is to be lifted, the forks of a forklift can be inserted into the open groove to lift only the package, and when both the package and the pallet are to be lifted, the forks of a forklift can be inserted into the fork insertion section to lift both the package and the pallet.

2. A method for loading transported items as described in claim 1, characterized in that a cardboard sheet is used as the plate-like body, and multiple transported items and the cardboard sheet are packaged using a stretchable or contractible film to create a package in which the multiple transported items and the cardboard sheet are integrated.

3. A pallet carrying transported goods, comprising a package in which a plurality of transported goods are integrated, and a pallet on which the package is loaded, wherein the package is a package in which the plurality of transported goods are stacked on a plate-like body, and the plurality of transported goods and the plate-like body are packed together to integrate the plurality of transported goods and the plate-like body, or a package in which the plurality of transported goods are integrated by arranging the lowest transported goods among the plurality of transported goods so that, when the lower surface of the lowest transported goods is placed on the forks of a forklift, the lowest transported goods cross at least one of the forks at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the forks, and stacking the goods in each tier such that, in relation to the goods in each tier other than the lowest tier and the goods in the tier immediately below each of the tiers, more than half of the goods in the upper tier overlap two or more of the goods in the lower tier, and then packaging the goods using a stretchable or shrinkable film, A pallet for carrying transported goods, the pallet comprising: an open groove extending from one side of the pallet and opening upward, for inserting the forks of a forklift to lift only the package; and a fork insertion section having a portion extending from the same side as the one side and not opening upward, for inserting the forks of the forklift to lift both the package and the pallet.

4. A pallet for loading transported goods, used for loading transported goods, comprising two open grooves and two fork insertion sections, the open groove extending in a straight line from one side of the pallet to the side opposite the one side, having a width greater than the width of the forks of a forklift and open upward, the fork insertion sections being provided on the pallet below the open grooves, extending in a straight line from the same side as the one side to the opposite side, having a width greater than the width of the forks of a forklift and having a portion that is not open upward, and the open grooves and the fork insertion sections being positioned so that the width of the portion where the open grooves and the fork insertion sections overlap when viewed from above the pallet is greater than the width of the forks of a forklift.

5. A method for loading goods as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the goods loading pallet as claimed in claim 4 is used as the pallet.

6. A pallet for carrying goods as claimed in claim 3, which uses the pallet for carrying goods as claimed in claim 4.

7. forming grooves in the left-right direction of the bed of a transport truck for inserting the forks of a forklift; stacking a plurality of transported items on a plate-like body, and packaging the plurality of transported items and the plate-like body to produce a package in which the plurality of transported items and the plate-like body are integrated; or arranging the plurality of transported items in the lowest tier so that when the bottom surface of the lowest transported item is placed on the fork of a forklift, it crosses at least one of the forks at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the fork, and stacking the transported items in each tier except the lowest tier so that more than half of the transported items in the upper tier overlap two or more of the transported items in the lower tier in relation to the transported items in each tier immediately below each of the tiers, and then packaging the transported items using an elastic or shrinkable film to produce a package in which the plurality of transported items are integrated; and loading the transported items is performed by placing the package on the fork of a forklift and inserting the fork into the grooves from above; The method for unloading the transported object without using a pallet includes inserting the forks of a forklift into the groove from the lateral direction of the groove, and then moving the forks to above the groove to place the package on the forks of the forklift.

8. A wing-body vehicle for use in the method for loading and unloading transported goods as set forth in claim 7, in which grooves for inserting the forks of a forklift are formed in the left and right directions of the loading platform, said grooves being grooves that open upward and laterally.

9. A wing body vehicle according to claim 8, further comprising a groove cover.

10. A wing-body vehicle as claimed in claim 8, in which the grooves are formed by lowering a portion of the loading platform, or by moving a plurality of movable platforms installed on the loading platform in the forward and backward directions.

Images