Flatcar

Abstract

A flatcar, comprising: a vehicle body (1), the vehicle body (1) having a bearing surface (11) for bearing cargo; and a ramp assembly (2), the ramp assembly (2) comprising a ramp (21) and a driving apparatus (22), and the ramp (21) being movably mounted at one end of the bearing surface (11). The ramp (21) has a deployed state and a stowed state. In the stowed state, the ramp (21) is stowed on the vehicle body (1). In the deployed state, the ramp (21) extends in the length direction of the flatcar (10) and is connected to the bearing surface (11), and the ramp (21) is adapted to be in contact with the ground. The driving apparatus (22) is mounted on the vehicle body (1) and comprises a cylinder assembly (221), and the cylinder assembly (221) is used for driving the ramp (21) to switch between the stowed state and the deployed state.

Description

A flatbed cart

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 2024118067334, filed on December 10, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to the field of flatcar technology, and more particularly to a flatcar. Background Technology

[0004] In related technologies, flatbed carts consist of a cart body and a ladder, with the ladder rotatably connected to the cart body. However, existing ladders are either hydraulically controlled or manually operated. Hydraulic control requires solenoid valves and a power supply; otherwise, the ladder cannot be deployed or retracted. Manual operation involves high labor intensity and poses safety risks. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure aims to at least address one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention proposes a flatbed cart that can control the ladder through pneumatic pressure, thus eliminating the need for solenoid valves and power supplies, resulting in a simple structure; moreover, it eliminates the need for manual raising and lowering of the ladder, reducing labor intensity and improving safety during use.

[0006] A flatcar according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a car body having a bearing surface for carrying goods; a ladder assembly including a ladder and a drive device, the ladder being movably mounted on one end of the bearing surface; the ladder having an extended state and a retracted state, in the retracted state the ladder is retracted into the car body, and in the extended state the ladder extends along the length of the flatcar and connects to the bearing surface, and the ladder is adapted to overlap with the ground; the drive device is mounted on the car body and includes a cylinder assembly for driving the ladder to switch between the retracted state and the extended state. Attached Figure Description

[0007] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0008] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a flatcar train according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0009] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a flatcar according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0010] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a flatcar according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0011] Figure 4 is a partial enlarged view of the ladder section of the flatcar according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0012] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the ladder of a flatcar according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the cylinder of a flatcar according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the cylinder assembly of a flatcar according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0015] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a flatcar reinforcement device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0016] The correspondence between the reference numerals and component names in the attached drawings is as follows:

[0017] 100. Flatcar assembly; 10. Flatcar; 101. Loading and unloading flatcar; 102. Transport flatcar; 1. Car body; 11. Load-bearing surface; 2. Ladder assembly; 21. Ladder; 211. Ladder bushing; 212. Steel frame side beam; 213. Steel frame crossbeam; 214. Steel frame center beam; 215. Anti-slip strip; 22. Drive unit; 221. Cylinder assembly; 2211. Cylinder; 2212. Front fork; 2213. Air tank; 2214. Cut-off ball valve; 2215. Connecting pipe; 2216. Mounting base; 3. Reinforcing device; 31. Adjusting component; 32. Chain; 33. Shackle; 4. Control cabinet. Embodiments of the present invention

[0018] To better understand the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this specification, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this specification will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the embodiments of this specification and the specific features in the embodiments are detailed descriptions of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this specification, rather than limitations on the technical solutions of this specification. In the absence of conflict, the embodiments of this specification and the technical features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0019] In this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, without necessarily requiring or implying any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element. The term "two or more" includes two or more cases.

[0020] In related technologies, the flatcar 10 includes a car body 1 and a ladder 21. The ladder 21 is rotatably connected to the car body 1. However, existing ladders 21 are either hydraulically controlled or manually operated. Hydraulic control requires solenoid valves and a power supply; otherwise, the ladder 21 cannot be deployed or retracted. Manual operation involves high labor intensity and poses safety risks.

[0021] This disclosure proposes a flatbed cart 10 equipped with a cylinder assembly 221 to drive a ladder 21 between a retracted state and an extended state. Since the ladder 21 can be controlled by air pressure, no solenoid valve or power supply is required, thus simplifying the structure of the flatbed cart 10. Furthermore, the ladder 21 can be retracted or extended manually, reducing labor intensity and improving safety.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, flatcars 10 can form a flatcar group 100. The flatcar group 100 can have multiple flatcars 10 connected sequentially. In some embodiments, the flatcars 10 located at the front and rear are loading / unloading flatcars 101; those located in the middle are transport flatcars 102. The flatcar 10 can be an NX70A type flatcar.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, the flatcar 10 includes a car body 1. The car body 1 has a bearing surface 11 for carrying goods. The bearing surface 11 may be flat. The car body 1 may be provided with steel plates to form the bearing surface 11 to enhance the stability of the bearing surface 11. The goods may be motor vehicles or containers, etc., and are not limited here.

[0024] In some implementations, a binding device may be provided on the bearing surface 11. The binding device is used to bind and secure the goods. The binding device may be a cable. Both ends of the cable may be slidably mounted on the bearing surface 11, so that the position of the cable can be changed by sliding it on the bearing surface 11, thereby better binding and securing the goods.

[0025] In some implementations, a limiting device may be provided on the bearing surface 11. The limiting device is detachably installed on the bearing surface 11 and is used to limit the movement of goods such as containers. The limiting device can be a bolt or other device, which is not limited here. In some embodiments, the limiting device and the bearing surface 11 can be connected by bolts, snap-fit, plug-in or other detachable means to facilitate flexible installation according to requirements.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the flatcar 10 also includes a ladder assembly 2. The ladder assembly 2 includes a ladder 21 and a drive device 22. The ladder 21 is movably mounted on one end of the bearing surface 11. The ladder 21 has an extended state and a retracted state; in the retracted state, as shown in Figure 2, the ladder 21 is retracted into the car body 1; in the extended state, as shown in Figure 3, the ladder 21 extends along the length of the flatcar 10 and connects with the bearing surface 11, and the ladder 21 is adapted to overlap with the ground.

[0027] In this way, the ladder 21 can be switched between the unfolded state and the retracted state by the drive device 22; and when the ladder 21 is in the retracted state, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, the ladder 21 is retracted into the vehicle body 1 to reduce the impact on the external dimensions of the vehicle body 1; for example, when the ladder 21 is in the retracted state, the projection of the ladder 21 on the vehicle body 1 in the height direction of the vehicle body 1 can fall on the vehicle body 1; in this way, the impact on the length or width of the vehicle body 1 can be reduced.

[0028] In some embodiments, when the ladder 21 is in the extended state, the ladder 21 extends along the length of the flatcar 10 and connects with the bearing surface 11, and the ladder 21 is adapted to overlap with the ground; at this time, the motor vehicle can climb to the bearing surface 11 through the ladder 21, thereby realizing the self-wheel loading and unloading of the motor vehicle, thereby reducing the difficulty of loading and unloading the motor vehicle.

[0029] It should be noted that in the relevant technologies, when motor vehicles are loaded onto the flatcar 10, a crane or a platform at the same height as the flatcar 10 is usually required, which makes loading motor vehicles quite difficult.

[0030] Therefore, this disclosure includes a ladder 21 to assist in the loading and unloading of motor vehicles, and the user's needs can be met by switching the state of the ladder 21.

[0031] Furthermore, the drive unit 22 is mounted on the vehicle body 1 and includes a cylinder assembly 221. The cylinder assembly 221 is used to drive the ladder 21 to switch between a retracted state and an extended state.

[0032] In other words, the power source for switching the ladder 21 between the retracted and extended states is the cylinder assembly 221. This allows the ladder 21 to be controlled by air pressure, eliminating the need for solenoid valves and power supplies, resulting in a simple structure. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for manual operation of the ladder 21, reducing labor intensity and improving safety.

[0033] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the flatcar 10 has a carriage body 1 with a bearing surface 11 for carrying goods. The bearing surface 11 may be planar. The ladder assembly 2 includes a ladder 21 and a drive device 22. The ladder 21 is movably mounted on one end of the bearing surface 11. The ladder 21 has an extended state and a retracted state; in the retracted state, the ladder 21 is retracted into the carriage body 1; in the extended state, the ladder 21 extends along the length of the flatcar 10 and connects to the bearing surface 11, and the ladder 21 is adapted to overlap with the ground. The drive device 22 is mounted on the carriage body 1 and includes a cylinder assembly 221. The cylinder assembly 221 is used to drive the ladder 21 to switch between the retracted state and the extended state. Thus, by providing the cylinder assembly 221, it is convenient to drive the ladder 21 to switch between the retracted state and the extended state. In this way, the ladder 21 can be controlled by air pressure, thus eliminating the need for solenoid valves and power supplies, resulting in a simple structure; and eliminating the need for manual raising and lowering of the ladder 21, which helps reduce labor intensity and improves safety.

[0034] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG5, the ladder 21 includes a ladder 21, a bushing 211, a steel frame side beam 212, a steel frame cross beam 213, a steel frame center beam 214, and anti-slip strips 215. The ladder 21, bushing 211, steel frame side beam 212, steel frame cross beam 213, and steel frame center beam 214 are connected to each other to form the main body of the ladder 21. The anti-slip strips 215 are disposed on the main body of the ladder 21 to prevent the motor vehicle from slipping during the process of loading and unloading the motor vehicle onto the flatcar 10, thereby ensuring the stability of the motor vehicle loading and unloading process.

[0035] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG6, the cylinder assembly 221 includes a cylinder 2211 and a front fork 2212. The cylinder 2211 is mounted on the vehicle body 1. One end of the front fork 2212 is connected to the output end of the cylinder 2211; the other end of the front fork 2212 is hinged to the ladder 21.

[0036] Therefore, the front fork 2212 can be driven by the cylinder 2211 to rotate around the vehicle body 1, thereby switching the ladder 21 between the retracted and extended states. This allows the ladder 21 to be controlled by air pressure, eliminating the need for a solenoid valve and power supply. The structure is simple, and manual operation of the ladder 21 is unnecessary, reducing labor intensity and improving safety.

[0037] In some embodiments, a mounting base 2216 is provided at the end of the cylinder 2211 away from the front fork 2212. The mounting base 2216 is used to hinge with the vehicle body 1. Since the front fork 2212 rotates synchronously with the ladder 21, in order to reduce the torque borne at the connection between the cylinder 2211 and the front fork 2212, the cylinder 2211 is hinged to the vehicle body 1 through the mounting base 2216, so that the cylinder 2211 can also rotate synchronously with the ladder 21, thereby ensuring the connection stability of the cylinder 2211 and the front fork 2212.

[0038] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG7, the drive unit 22 further includes an air tank 2213. The air tank 2213 is mounted on the vehicle body 1 and is used to supply air to the cylinder 2211. The air inlet of the air tank 2213 is connected to a connecting pipe 2215. The connecting pipe 2215 is adapted to connect to the brake main pipe of the flatcar 10.

[0039] Therefore, compressed air can be supplied to cylinder 2211 through the brake manifold, thus eliminating the need for a separate air intake for cylinder 2211, which simplifies the air intake setup for cylinder 2211 and reduces the difficulty of air intake for cylinder 2211.

[0040] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG7, a shut-off ball valve 2214 is provided on the connecting pipe 2215.

[0041] Therefore, by cutting off the ball valve 2214, the opening and closing of the connecting pipe 2215 can be controlled during the process of compressed gas entering the gas storage tank 2213 through the connecting pipe 2215, thereby controlling the operation of the cylinder 2211.

[0042] In some embodiments, a filter is provided within the connecting pipe 2215.

[0043] Therefore, the filter can remove impurities such as sand and moisture from the compressed air before the compressed gas enters the air tank 2213 through the connecting pipe 2215, so as not to affect the performance of the cylinder 2211.

[0044] In some embodiments, two ladder assemblies 2 are provided, and each ladder assembly 2 is provided with a corresponding air tank 2213. The two air tanks 2213 are connected to the brake main pipe through a three-way valve. This simplifies the structural design and improves integration.

[0045] In some embodiments, a one-way valve is provided in the connecting pipe 2215.

[0046] Therefore, the one-way flow of compressed air can be ensured by the one-way valve, that is, the compressed air can only enter the air tank 2213 from the brake main pipe, thereby ensuring the stability of the cylinder 2211 in use.

[0047] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG4, the flatcar 10 further includes a reinforcement device 3. One end of the reinforcement device 3 is connected to the car body 1 and the other end is adapted to be detachably connected to the ladder 21. The reinforcement device 3 is configured to be connected to the ladder 21 in the stowed state.

[0048] Therefore, when the ladder 21 is in the retracted state, the reinforcing device 3 is connected to the ladder 21 to limit the movement of the ladder 21 and reduce the shaking of the ladder 21, thereby preventing the ladder 21 from malfunctioning and improving the stability of the ladder 21 during transportation by the flatcar 10.

[0049] When the ladder 21 needs to be switched to the unfolded state, the reinforcement device 3 must be unlocked from the ladder 21 first, so as to ensure that the ladder 21 can be switched from the stored state to the unfolded state.

[0050] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, the reinforcement device 3 includes an adjusting member 31 and a chain 32. One end of the adjusting member 31 is connected to the vehicle body 1; the other end of the adjusting member 31 is retractably connected to the chain 32. The chain 32 is adapted to be detachably connected to the ladder 21.

[0051] Therefore, when the reinforcement device 3 needs to be connected to the ladder 21, the total length of the reinforcement device 3 can be adjusted by the extension and retraction of the adjusting member 31 to better match the ladder 21, thereby reducing the difficulty of connecting the reinforcement device 3 and the ladder 21.

[0052] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, a shackle 33 is provided at the end of the chain 32 away from the adjusting member 31. The shackle 33 is used to detachably connect to the ladder 21. Thus, when the ladder 21 is in the retracted state, the shackle 33 is connected to the ladder 21 so that the reinforcing device 3 can limit the movement of the ladder 21, thereby reducing the swaying of the ladder 21 and preventing malfunctions of the ladder 21, thereby improving the stability of the ladder 21 during transportation by the flatcar 10.

[0053] When the ladder 21 needs to be switched to the unfolded state, the shackle 33 needs to be unlocked from the ladder 21 first, so as to ensure that the ladder 21 can be switched from the stored state to the unfolded state.

[0054] In some embodiments, the connection between the shackle 33 and the ladder 21 can be a snap-fit, plug-in, or bolt connection, etc., which is not limited here.

[0055] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2, multiple ladder assemblies 2 are provided. The multiple ladder assemblies 2 are spaced apart in the width direction of the flatbed 10.

[0056] Therefore, by setting up multiple ladder components 2, the motor vehicle can climb to the bearing surface 11 more stably through multiple ladders 21 during self-loading and unloading, thereby reducing the difficulty of self-loading and unloading the motor vehicle.

[0057] For example, as shown in Figure 2, there are two ladder components 2, which are spaced apart in the width direction of the flatcar 10. The distance between the two ladder components 2 is usually the distance between the left and right wheels of the vehicle. In this way, when the vehicle is loading and unloading on its own wheels, the left and right wheels of the vehicle can travel on the corresponding ladder components 2, thereby climbing to the bearing surface 11 more stably and reducing the difficulty of loading and unloading the vehicle on its own wheels.

[0058] Therefore, by setting up multiple ladder components 2, the motor vehicle can more stably climb to the bearing surface 11 via multiple ladders 21 during self-loading and unloading.

[0059] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3, the flatcar 10 further includes a control cabinet 4. The control cabinet 4 is mounted on the car body 1 and connected to the drive device 22 of at least one ladder assembly 2. The control cabinet 4 is used to control the drive device 22 to open or close. In some embodiments, the control cabinet 4 may be equipped with a manual control valve, which allows the operator to control whether the cylinder 2211 is inflated, thereby controlling the unfolding and retraction of the ladder 21.

[0060] Therefore, by setting up a control cabinet 4, the drive unit 22 can be controlled, thereby controlling the ladder 21, improving the automation level of the flatcar 10, and reducing the difficulty of controlling the drive unit 22. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the control cabinet 4 is installed on the side of the car body 1 to avoid occupying the space above the bearing surface 11; it also reduces interference between the control cabinet 4 and the goods, and allows workers to control the drive unit 22 from the side of the flatcar 10. This enables control of the ladder 21, reducing control difficulty and minimizing safety risks during operation.

[0061] In some embodiments, two control cabinets 4 are provided. The two control cabinets 4 are respectively located on both sides of the flatcar 10 in the width direction.

[0062] This allows staff to control the drive unit 22 from any side of the flatbed 10 in the width direction, thereby controlling the ladder 21, which reduces the difficulty of control and helps to reduce safety risks during operation.

[0063] In some embodiments, each control cabinet 4 is equipped with a manual control valve, which allows the operator to control the unfolding and retraction of the ladder 21 from either side of the flatcar 10.

[0064] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the flatcar is equipped with a cylinder assembly to facilitate switching between a retracted state and an extended state of the ladder. This allows for ladder control via pneumatic pressure, eliminating the need for solenoid valves and power supplies, resulting in a simple structure. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for manual deployment and retraction of the ladder, reducing labor intensity and improving safety.

[0065] It should be noted that the descriptions of each embodiment in the above embodiments have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in other embodiments.

[0066] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure, and are not intended to limit it. Although this disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0067] Although preferred embodiments have been described in this specification, those skilled in the art, upon learning the basic inventive concept, can make other changes and modifications to these embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments as well as all changes and modifications falling within the scope of this specification.

[0068] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this specification without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if such modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims and their equivalents, this specification is also intended to include such modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A flatcar (10), comprising: The vehicle body (1) has a bearing surface (11) for carrying goods; as well as A ladder assembly (2) includes a ladder (21) and a drive device (22), wherein the ladder (21) is movably mounted on one end of the bearing surface (11); The ladder (21) has an unfolded state and a retracted state. In the retracted state, the ladder (21) is retracted into the vehicle body (1). In the unfolded state, the ladder (21) unfolds along the length of the flatcar (10) and connects with the bearing surface (11). The ladder (21) is adapted to overlap with the ground. The drive unit (22) is mounted on the vehicle body (1) and includes a cylinder assembly (221) for driving the ladder (21) to switch between the stowed state and the unfolded state.

2. The flatcar (10) according to claim 1, wherein, The cylinder assembly (221) includes a cylinder (2211) and a front fork (2212). The cylinder (2211) is mounted on the vehicle body (1). One end of the front fork (2212) is connected to the output end of the cylinder (2211), and the other end of the front fork (2212) is hinged to the ladder (21).

3. The flatcar (10) according to claim 2, wherein, The drive unit (22) also includes an air tank (2213), which is installed on the vehicle body (1) and used to supply air to the cylinder (2211). The air inlet of the air tank (2213) is connected to a connecting pipe (2215), which is adapted to be connected to the brake main pipe of the flatcar (10).

4. The flatcar (10) according to claim 3, wherein, A filter is provided inside the connecting pipe (2215).

5. The flatcar (10) according to claim 3, wherein, A one-way valve is provided inside the connecting pipe (2215).

6. The flatcar (10) according to claim 1 further comprises: A reinforcement device (3) is provided, one end of which is connected to the vehicle body (1) and the other end of which is adapted to be detachably connected to the ladder (21). The reinforcement device (3) is configured to be connected to the ladder (21) in the stowed state.

7. The flatcar (10) according to claim 6, wherein, The reinforcement device (3) includes an adjusting member (31) and a chain (32). One end of the adjusting member (31) is connected to the vehicle body (1), and the other end of the adjusting member (31) is retractably connected to the chain (32). The chain (32) is adapted to be detachably connected to the ladder (21).

8. The flatcar (10) according to claim 1, wherein, Multiple ladder components (2) are provided, and the multiple ladder components (2) are spaced apart in the width direction of the flatcar (10).

9. The flatcar (10) according to claim 8 further comprises: A control cabinet (4) is installed on the vehicle body (1) and connected to the drive device (22) of at least one of the ladder components (2). The control cabinet (4) is used to control the drive device (22) to open or close.

10. The flatcar (10) according to claim 9, wherein, There are two control cabinets (4), which are respectively located on both sides of the width direction of the flatcar (10).

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