GB2264284A - Robotized unit for transporting items on pallets - Google Patents

Description

1 6 4 2 8 4 ROBOTIZED UNIT FOR TRANSPORTING ITEMS ON PALLETS The present

invention relates to a robotized unit for transporting items on pallets.

It is known that in several manufacturing industries there is the need to transport various items, clustered on pallet-like support means, in the various processing stations.

Robotized units, essentially constituted by a self- propelled truck provided with appropriate pallet handling means, are often used for this purpose.

In said robotized units there is the problem of ensuring the stability of the load during transport, since the items are simply rested on the pallet, generally in multiple stacked layers.

The stability of the load can be compromised particularly in case of sudden changes in the speed or direction of the truck, for example as a consequence of collisions and the like.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a robotized unit capable of ensuring the stability of the load 20 which is picked up and transported at the various processing stations.

An object of the present invention is to provide a robotized unit for the transport of items on pallets which is simple in concept, safely reliable in operation and versatile in use.

According to the present invention, a robotized unit for the transport of items on pallets is provided which is characterized in that it comprises a truck which is provided 2 with support elements able to receive pallet-like support means for the items to be transported and is provided with oppositely arranged securing means, which are able to receive said pallets, said securing means being located above said support elements, at least in a front position and in a rear position with respect to the direction of motion of said truck, and are able to lock said items during transport.- The invention is now described with reference to the lo accompanying drawings, which illustrate a non-limitative embodiment thereof, wherein:

figure 1 is a plan view of the robotized unit according to the present invention; figure 2 is a corresponding side view thereof; figures 3 and 4 are respectively a plan view and a side view of a robotized unit provided with a double set of means able to receive said pallets and with means for securing said items; figure 5 is a detail view of said securing means; figure 6 is a perspective view of a different form of movement of said securing means; and figure 7 is a schematic plan view of a further embodiment of said securing means.

With particular reference to said figures, the numeral 1 generally designates the robotized unit for the transport of items 2 arranged on pallet-like support means 3.

The robotized unit 1 has a truck 4 which is selfpropelled on wheels 5 and is provided, at the front and at 3 the rear, with bumpers 6 which can move in contrast with elastic means 7, so as to actuate appropriate control devices in case of collision against any obstacles; said control devices are able to halt the truck in case of s collision.

The truck 4 supports a lifting device 8 which is substantially constituted by a pair of oppositely arranged frames 9; figures 3 and 4 illustrate a truck provided with two lifting devices 8 arranged side by side and executed in 10 similar manners. The frames 9 of the lifting device 8 respectively define an upper platform 10 and a lower platform 11 which extend transversely to the truck 4. The upper platform 10 is arranged at such a distance from the lower platform 11 as to allow the insertion of an empty pallet 3 between said platforms.

The oppositely arranged platforms 10 and 11 constitute support elements which are suitable to receive pallet-like support means and are arranged at such a mutual distance as to engage and support opposite lateral portions of a pallet 3.

The platforms 10 and 11 are provided with respective rollerways formed by parallel and co-planar rollers 12. The two rollerways defined respectively by the upper platforms 10 and by the lower platforms 11 extend so that they are horizontally transverse to the truck 4 and are arranged at such a mutual distance that in practice they engage and support opposite lateral portions of a pallet 3. The rollers arranged at the entry end of the rollerways are slightly lowered with respect to the pallet supporting surface, so as to act as guide for the insertion of said pallets.

4 The frames 9 have, at their ends, respective female threads 13 which are coupled to respective threaded shafts 14 which are rotatably vertically supported with respect to the truck 4, at the corners of a quadrilateral, by means of brackets 15. The shafts 14 are adapted for being actuated simultaneously by a common motor element, not shown, by means of appropriate transmission means; said motor element is of the reversible type, so that it can be actuated in both directions of rotation depending on whether one wishes to raise or lower the lifting device 8.

The frames 9 can therefore move synchronously, so that they remain facing each other, between a lowered position and a raised position.

A unit 16 for the actuation of a pair of upper and lower forks 17 and 18 is transversely rigidly coupled to the frames 9 on the side opposite to the entry side of the pallets 3; said forks are meant to transfer said pallets 3 between user or loading stations (not shown) and the platforms 10 and 11. The forks 17 and 18 can move 20 transversely to the truck 4 so as to shift to a position which protrudes laterally from said truck, which is shown by the broken line 19 in figure -1 for the sake of greater clarity.

The truck 4 is provided with means 20 for securing the items 2 which are arranged above the lifting device 8 for the pallets 3, on the front and to the rear with respect to the direction of motion of said truck, and are suitable to secure said items during transport.

Said securing means 20 essentially have a pair of panels 21 which are arranged mutually opposite on vertical planes which are transverse to the truck 4 and are suitable to be moved in opposite directions longitudinally with respect to said truck. For this purpose, the panels 21 are fixed to a respective supporting frame 22 which is rigidly coupled to a cross-member 23 which has a female thread element 24 at one end; said female thread 24 is coupled to a threaded shaft 25 which is able to be rotated by an appropriate actuation element 26, as shown in detail in figure 5. The actuators 26 are supported by the brackets 15 of the truck 4.

The face of the panels 21 which is opposite to the one for fixing to the respective supporting frames 22 is covered by a layer 27 of soft material, in order to avoid damaging the items 2 during securing.

The operation of the described robotized unit is as follows.

At a user station, not shown, the lifting device 8 is moved to a raised position, so that the related lower platforms 11 are arranged at the level of the working 20 surface of said station. By means of the forks 18, the truck removes from said user station an empty pallet 3 which is then transferred onto the lower platforms 11.

The lifting device 8 is then moved to a lowered position, so as to move the upper platforms 10 to the level of the working surface of the user station. In this position, the corresponding forks 17 transfer the pallet 3, loaded with the items 2, to the station which uses said items.

In order to facilitate the removal of the pallets 3 by the forks 17 and 18, said forks are raised slightly, by 6 means of the lifting device 8, after engaging said pallets. During transfer, the pallets slide on the rollers 12 of the platforms 10 and 11 and it is possible to motorize said rollers.

in a similar manner, at a loading station, not shown, the empty pallet is transferred and a pallet loaded with the items to be transported to the user station is picked up.

During transport, the items 2 are secured between the front and rear panels 21; the movement of the panels 21 is lo controlled by the simultaneous actuation of the respective actuators 26. The stability of the load is thus ensured.

The panels 21 are naturally opened upon arrival at the stations for the loading and use of the items, in order to allow the transfer of the pallets.

Figure 6 illustrates a different form of movement of the securing means, which provide for a frame 22 for supporting the panels 21 which is provided with female threads 24 at its corners. A drive element 28 is suitable to rotate, by means of a flexible transmission element 29, a 20 series of gears 30 which are rigidly coupled to the threaded elements 25 which engage the female threads 24; said threaded elements are rotatably supported by a frame 31 which is fixed to the truck 4.

The panel 21 can have a greater vertical extension than the supporting frame 22, and said extension is naturally such as to allow the securing of the entire stack of items 2 supported by the pallet 3.

Finally, figure 7 schematically illustrates the securing of the items 2 by means of L-shaped elements 32 30 which extend vertically and are suitable to be moved 7 longitudinally, transversely and diagonally with respect to the axis of the truck. For the sake of greater clarity, the figure shows the positions correspondingly assumed by one of said L- shaped elements by means of broken lines 32a, 32b and 32c.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept. All the details may furthermore be replaced with other technically equivalent 10 elements.

In practice, the material employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements.

8

Claims (7)

1 1. Robotized unit for transporting items onpallets, 2 characterized in that it comprises a truck which is 3 provided with support elements able toreceive 4 pallet-like support means for the items to be transported and is provided with oppositely arranged 6 securing means, which are able to receive said pallets 7, said securing means 8 support elements being located above said at least in a front position and 9 in a rear position with respect to the direction of motion of said truck and are able to secure said items 11 during transport.

1

2. Unit according to claim 1, characterized in that 2 said securing means have a pair of panels arranged 3 mutually opposite on vertical planes which are transverse to 4 said truck and are able to be moved in opposite directions longitudinally with respect to said truck 1

3. Unit according to claim 2, characterized in that 2 said panels are fixed to a respective supporting frame which is rigidly coupled to female thread means which are coupled to corresponding threaded shafts which are able to be rotated by actuation means 1

4. Unit according to claim 2, characterized in that 2 said panels are fixed to a respective supporting frame 3 which is provided with female thread means at the corners, said means threaded shafts being coupled to corresponding which are able to be rotated 6 simultaneously by a motor element by means of a 7 flexible transmission element 9 1

5. Unit according to claim 1, characterized in that 2 said securing means have a plurality of L-shaped 3 elements which are arranged vertically at thecorners 4 of the stack formed by said items on said pallet and are able to be moved longitudinally, transversely and 6 diagonally with respect to the axis of said truck 1

6. Unit according to claim 1, characterized in that it 2 comprises a lifting device which can move vertically in 3 a median position with respect to said securing means 4 and forms an upper platform and a lower platform which are arranged at such a mutual distance as to allow the 6 insertion, between them, of an empty pallet and are 7 associated with fork-like means which can move 8 transversely to said truck for the transfer of said 9 pallets 1

7. Robotized unit for the transport of items on 2 pallets, substantially as described with reference to the 3 accompanying drawings.