JP7465601B2 - Hand push members, transport carts and protective members - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a push member , a transport cart , and a protective member , and more particularly to a push member that protects a user's hands.

Some transport carts used at construction sites and the like have a configuration in which single pipes can be inserted into the four corners of the body of the transport cart. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a transport cart in which corner members are provided at the four corners into which single pipes can be inserted as a push bar. With this configuration, the user of the transport cart can use the single pipe inserted into the body of the transport cart as a push bar when moving the transport cart.

JP 2010-159054 A

Incidentally, when using the push bar to move the transport cart, there is a risk that the hand of the user holding (grabbing) the push bar may come into contact with a nearby object, such as a wall.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to protect the hands of a user.

The present invention is characterized in that it comprises a hand push member which is attached to the rectangular cart main body of the transport cart by inserting it into upward-opening insertion holes provided at the four corners of the cart main body, and which is pushed by a user's hand when the transport cart is moving, the hand push member comprising: a pipe-shaped rod member which is aligned in the up-down direction and is straight from its lower end to its upper end; and a protective member which is detachable from the rod member, and which protrudes outward beyond the outer circumferential surface of the rod member when attached to the rod member, and which has a protective portion which protects the hand of a user gripping the hand push member.

According to the present invention, the user's hands can be protected .

3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a transport cart and a push member according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing a schematic configuration example of a protection member. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration example of a protective member. FIG. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating the effect of a hand push member. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating the effect of a hand push member. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a protection member according to a second embodiment. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a transport cart and a push member according to a third embodiment. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating examples of configurations of a hand push member and a protective member. 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating an example of a configuration of a reinforcing member. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of a transport cart and a push member according to a fourth embodiment. 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating examples of configurations of a hand push member and a protective member. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a transport cart with a side wall attached. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the state in which the push members are stacked. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a push member according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a protection member according to a sixth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a transport cart with side walls attached. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a transport cart with side walls attached.

The transport cart and push member according to the embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. For ease of explanation, the up-down direction of the push member and protective member shown in each of the following embodiments is based on the direction when the push member is attached to the cart body. The front-to-rear direction of the transport cart is the longitudinal direction of the transport cart, and the left-to-right direction is the lateral direction of the transport cart. However, the transport cart of this embodiment can travel in any direction, including front-to-rear and left-to-right.

First Embodiment
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a transport cart and a push member according to the first embodiment.
The transport cart 1 comprises a cart body 20, a running section 30, and a push member 40.
First, the carriage body 20 will be described.
The trolley body 20 is configured by connecting a plurality of frame parts and the like, and is used to carry transported goods. The trolley body 20 is rectangular in shape with the longitudinal direction being the front-rear direction and the transverse direction being the short side direction in a plan view. The trolley body 20 has a front frame part 21a, a rear frame part 21b, a right frame part 21c, a left frame part 21d, corner members 22, a reinforcing frame part (reinforcing part) 25, a loading plate 26, and the like.

The front frame portion 21a, the rear frame portion 21b, the right frame portion 21c, and the left frame portion 21d may be, for example, hollow angular pipes made of an aluminum alloy. The corner member 22 is made of an aluminum alloy and formed, for example, by extrusion molding. The corner member 22 has an insertion hole 23 that opens upward and a stopper portion 24 (see Figure 8) that closes the downward side. A push member 40 is inserted into the insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22. The lower end of the push member 40 inserted into the insertion hole 23 is supported by the stopper portion 24.

The front frame portion 21a, the rear frame portion 21b, the right frame portion 21c, and the left frame portion 21d are joined at their four corners by corner members 22 to form a rectangular frame on all four sides. Within the frame, a plurality of reinforcing frame portions 25 are butted together in the front-rear and left-right directions and are formed into a lattice shape by being joined by screws, rivets, welding, etc. The reinforcing frame portions 25 can be, for example, angular hollow pipes made of aluminum alloy or plates with uneven cross sections.
The loading plate 26 is a flat plate for carrying objects to be transported, and is joined to each frame portion and each reinforcing frame portion 25 by rivets or screws.

The running section 30 runs on the running surface while supporting the load of the cart body 20 and the transported object. The running section 30 has a number of casters 31. In this embodiment, the running section 30 has six casters: four casters 31 arranged at the four corners of the cart body 20, and two casters 31 arranged in the center in the front-to-rear direction, spaced apart on the left and right. Each caster 31 is attached to the cart body 20 via a mounting plate.

The push member 40 is a member that is pushed by the user with his/her hand when the transport cart 1 is traveling. The push member 40 is long and has a length of about 1000 mm. The push member 40 is attached to the cart body 20 by inserting the lower end into the insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22. The transport cart 1 of this embodiment has four push members 40, which are inserted into the insertion hole 23 of each corner member 22. All four push members 40 have the same configuration. However, this is not limited to the case where four push members 40 are attached, and one, two or three push members 40 may be attached.

The push member 40 has a main body member 41 as a main body portion, and a protective member 42 .
The main body member 41 is a long, pipe-shaped member. For example, a single pipe (single-pipe) can be used as the main body member 41. A single pipe is a general structural carbon steel pipe as specified in JIS G 3444, and is a circular pipe having an outer diameter of 48.6 mm. However, the main body member 41 is not limited to a single pipe having the above dimensions, and various rod-shaped or tubular members can be used.

The protective member 42 protects the user's hands. The protective member 42 is removably attached to the upper end of the main body member 41. The user (construction worker, etc.) can move the transport cart 1 by grasping the protective member 42 attached to the main body member 41.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the exterior of the protective member 42, in which (a) is a view from diagonally above and (b) is a view from diagonally below. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the protective member 42.
2 and 3, the protective member 42 has a grip portion 43, a first protective portion 44, and a second protective portion 45, which are integrally formed. The protective member 42 also has an attachment hole 46 formed therein that opens downward (the opposite side to the first protective portion 44 in the vertical direction) and into which the upper end of the main body member 41 can be inserted. The protective member 42 is made of a resin material such as polyethylene, and is integrally formed by injection molding.

The grip portion 43 is generally cylindrical and has dimensions that allow the user to grasp (hold) it with one hand. For example, the length (vertical dimension) is preferably in the range of 100 to 200 mm, and more preferably in the range of 120 to 180 mm, so that the user can grasp it with one hand. Furthermore, when a single tube is used for the main body member 41, for example, the outer diameter is preferably in the range of 50 to 60 mm. However, the specific dimensions are not particularly limited. Furthermore, the surface of the grip portion 43 may be provided with an uneven pattern to prevent slipping.

The first protective portion 44 and the second protective portion 45 are provided adjacent to the grip portion 43. Specifically, the first protective portion 44 is provided at one end (upper side) of the grip portion 43 in the vertical direction (axial direction of the main body member 41), and the second protective portion 45 is provided at the other end (lower side) of the grip portion 43 in the vertical direction.
Both the first protective part 44 and the second protective part 45 protrude outward from the outer peripheral surface of the grip part 43 and have a larger outer diameter than the grip part 43. In particular, the outer diameters of the first protective part 44 and the second protective part 45 are set to a dimension such that the hand H (fingers) of the user gripping the grip part 43 does not overlap and protrude from the first protective part 44 and the second protective part 45 in a plan view (fits inside the outline in a plan view). Specifically, for example, the outer diameters of the first protective part 44 and the second protective part 45 are preferably in the range of 100 to 140 mm, and more preferably in the range of 110 to 130 mm. However, the specific dimensions are not particularly limited.

The first protective part 44 is substantially circular in plan view, and has a tapered shape in which the outer diameter becomes smaller toward the upper side (opposite side to the grip part 43). The side surface 47 (the surface on the radially outer side) of the first protective part 44 is formed as a curved surface that bulges outward in the radial direction and obliquely upward in side view. The upper surface 48 (the surface on the opposite side to the grip part 43) of the first protective part 44 is formed as a dome-shaped curved surface that bulges upward. The side surface 47 and the upper surface 48 of the first protective part 44 are smoothly connected by the curved surface. The lower surface 49 of the first protective part 44 may be a flat surface. However, it is preferable that the side surface 47 and the lower surface 49 of the first protective part 44 are smoothly connected by the curved surface. Thus, in side view, the contour lines of the side surface 47 and the upper surface 48 of the first protective part 44 are formed by curved lines.
However, the shape of the first protective portion 44 is not limited to the above-mentioned shape. For example, the shape of the first protective portion 44 may be a disk shape or a substantially hemispherical shape that bulges upward.

The second protective portion 45 has a shape obtained by inverting the first protective portion 44 in the up-down direction. However, the shape of the second protective portion 45 is not limited to the above-mentioned shape. For example, the shape of the second protective portion 45 may be a disk shape or a substantially hemispherical shape that bulges downward.
The mounting hole 46 is a hole (recess) into which the main body member 41 can be inserted, and is open on the lower side (the side of the second protective part 45). The inner diameter of the mounting hole 46 is set according to the outer diameter of the main body member 41. For example, the dimension is set such that the protective member 42 does not easily come off from the main body member 41 when the main body member 41 is inserted into the mounting hole 46. In addition, the depth of the mounting hole 46 is not particularly limited, but is set to at least a depth such that it does not come off when a lateral force is applied during use.

Therefore, the protective member 42 can be attached to the main body member 41 by inserting the upper end of the main body member 41 into the mounting hole 46 (see FIG. 1). The user can attach the push member 40, with the protective member 42 attached to the main body member 41, to the cart main body 20 by inserting the push member 40, with the protective member 42 attached to the main body member 41, into the insertion hole 23 of each corner member 22, and the user can move the transport cart 1 by grasping the grip portion 43 of the push member 40 with their hands.

The effect of the push member 40 according to the first embodiment will now be described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5. Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrams for explaining the effect of the push member 40. Specifically, Fig. 4 is a diagram that shows a state in which the upper end of the push member 40 approaches an object W such as a wall while the transport cart 1 is moving. Fig. 5 is a diagram that shows a state in which a plate material, which is an article B being transported by the transport cart 1, is leaning against the upper end of the push member 40.

As shown in FIG. 4, while the transport cart 1 is moving, the upper end of the push member 40 may approach an object W such as a wall. In this case, if the protective member 42 is not attached to the upper end of the main body member 41 and the user simply grasps the upper end of the main body member 41 directly, the user's hand H (fingers or back of the hand) may come into contact with the object W or be pinched between the main body member 41 and the object W. In contrast, as shown in FIG. 4, if the protective member 42 is attached to the upper end of the main body member 41 and the grip portion 43 of the protective member 42 is grasped (held), when the upper end of the push member 40 approaches the object W, the first protective portion 44 and the second protective portion 45 come into contact with the object W, preventing or suppressing the user's hand H grasping the grip portion 43 from coming into contact with the object W.

As shown in FIG. 5, when a plate-shaped material is transported by the transport cart 1, the plate-shaped material may be leaned against the upper end of the push member 40. In this case, by leaning the plate-shaped material, which is the transported object B, against the first protective part 44 of the protective member 42, a space for the user to grasp the push member 40 can be secured, and the user's hand H (particularly the fingers) can be prevented or suppressed from contacting the transported object B. Here, the side surface 47 of the first protective part 44 is a curved surface that bulges diagonally upward, and the top surface 48 is a curved surface that bulges upward, and the side surface 47 and the top surface 48 are smoothly connected by the curved surface. Therefore, when the transported object B leans against the first protective part 44 diagonally upward, the transported object B is received by the curved surface. Therefore, the formation of contact marks on the transported object B is prevented or suppressed.

In addition, the transported object B on the transport cart 1 may move during transport and approach the upper end of the push member 40. In this case, the moved transported object B comes into contact with the first protective portion 44 or the second protective portion 45, thereby preventing or suppressing the transported object B from coming into contact with the user's hand H holding the grip portion 43. In this case, since the first protective portion 44 and the second protective portion 45 do not have a sharp portion facing radially outward, the formation of contact marks on the transported object B that comes into contact with the first protective portion 44 or the second protective portion 45 is prevented or suppressed.

In this way, the push member 40 according to the first embodiment prevents or suppresses the hand H of the user holding the push member 40 of the transport cart 1 from coming into contact with an object W around the transport cart 1 or an item B being transported on the transport cart 1. Furthermore, even if the item B comes into contact with the protective member 42, the formation of a contact mark on the item B is prevented or suppressed.

Second Embodiment
Next, the configuration of a hand push member according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
6A and 6B are diagrams showing a schematic configuration example of the protective member 52 of the hand push member according to the second embodiment, where (a) is a diagram seen from above and (b) is a diagram seen from below. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and their explanations are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 6, the protective member 52 has an insertion portion 53 and a protective portion 54, which are integrally formed. The protective member 52 is made of a resin material such as polyethylene, and is integrally formed by injection molding.

The insertion portion 53 is a portion having a cylindrical or columnar configuration, and is inserted inside the upper end portion of the main body member 41. The outer diameter of the insertion portion 53 is set according to the inner diameter of the main body member 41 to which it is applied. For example, the dimensions are set so that when the insertion portion 53 is inserted into the main body member 41, the protective member 52 does not easily come off the main body member 41.

The protective portion 54 is a portion provided on the upper side of the insertion portion 53. The protective portion 54 protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface of the main body member 41 to which it is applied. The protective portion 54 is, for example, substantially circular in plan view. The outer diameter of the protective portion 54 is set to a dimension such that the fingers of a user gripping the upper end of the main body member 41 do not extend beyond the protective portion 54 in plan view (are within the outline of the protective portion 54 in plan view). Specifically, the outer diameter of the protective portion 54 is preferably in the range of 100 to 140 mm, and more preferably in the range of 110 to 130 mm. However, the specific dimensions are not particularly limited.

The protective portion 54 can have the same shape as the first protective portion 44 of the protective member 42 according to the first embodiment. That is, the protective portion 54 has a tapered shape in which the outer diameter becomes smaller toward the upper side (the side opposite the insertion portion 53). The side surface 57 of the protective portion 54 is formed as a curved surface that bulges outward in the radial direction and obliquely upward in side view. The upper surface 58 of the protective portion 54 (the surface opposite the insertion portion 53) is formed as a dome-shaped curved surface that bulges upward. The side surface 57 and the upper surface 58 of the protective portion 54 are smoothly connected by the curved surface. In this way, the contour lines of the side surface 57 and the upper surface 58 of the protective portion 54 are curved in side view. The lower surface 59 of the protective portion 54 (the surface facing the insertion portion 53) may be approximately flat. The side surface 57 and the lower surface 59 of the protective portion 54 are smoothly connected by the curved surface.

Therefore, the protective member 52 can be attached to the main body member 41 by inserting the insertion portion 53 into the upper end of the main body member 41. The user can attach the push member, with the protective member 52 attached to the main body member 41, to the cart main body 20 by inserting the push member to which the protective member 52 is attached, into the insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22, and the user can move the transport cart by grasping the main body member 41 adjacent to the protective portion 54 as a grip portion with their hand. According to the second embodiment, the same effect as the first embodiment can be achieved.

Third Embodiment
Next, the configuration of the transport cart and the push member according to the third embodiment will be described.
7 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a transport cart and a push member according to the third embodiment. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.
The transport cart 2 comprises a cart main body 20, a running section 30, and a push member 60.

The push member 60 has a main body member 61 as a main body portion, a protective member 63, and a reinforcing member 70.
The main body member 61 is a long, pipe-shaped member. Unlike the first embodiment, the main body member 61 of this embodiment is made of an aluminum alloy in order to reduce weight, and is formed by extrusion molding. In addition, the main body member 61 of this embodiment is given a color different from that of the trolley main body 20, specifically, the front frame portion 21a, the rear frame portion 21b, the right frame portion 21c, and the left frame portion 21d, in order to improve visibility. For example, when the front frame portion 21a, the rear frame portion 21b, the right frame portion 21c, and the left frame portion 21d are metallic in color, such as silver, the main body member 61 may be a color different from the metallic color, for example, a primary color such as red, green, and blue, or may be orange.
The main body member 61 of this embodiment is a circular tube having an outer diameter of, for example, 42 to 45 mm (here, 44 mm) so that it is easy for the user to grasp, which is smaller than that of the first embodiment. The main body member 61 of this embodiment is reinforced inside in a cross shape to improve its strength. However, the main body member 61 is not limited to the above-mentioned dimensions, and various rod-shaped or tubular members, the above-mentioned single tube, etc. can be used.

8A and 8B are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of the push member 60 and the protective member 63, in which (a) is a side view of the push member 60 and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II.
The protective member 63 protects the user's hands and also serves as an indicator showing the maximum loading height when transported goods are loaded. The protective member 63 is fixed to the upper side of the main body member 61 at a position a predetermined distance from the upper end with a bolt, rivet, or the like. The protective member 63 in this embodiment is preferably fixed to a position 100 to 200 mm away from the upper end of the main body member 61, and more preferably fixed to a position 120 to 180 mm away. The range of the main body member 61 from the upper end of the main body member 61 to the upper end of the protective member 63 functions as a grip portion 62.
The protective member 63 has a protective portion 64 and an attachment portion 65, which are integrally formed. The protective member 63 also has attachment holes 66 that open upward and downward to insert the main body member 61 inside. The protective member 63 is made of a resin material such as polyethylene, and is integrally formed by injection molding. In order to improve visibility, the protective member 63 is given a color different from that of the trolley main body 20, specifically, the front frame portion 21a, the rear frame portion 21b, the right frame portion 21c, and the left frame portion 21d. For example, when the front frame portion 21a, the rear frame portion 21b, the right frame portion 21c, and the left frame portion 21d are metallic in color such as silver, the protective member 63 may be a color different from the metallic color, for example, a primary color such as red, green, and blue, or may be orange. The protective member 63 is a color different from that of the main body member 61, but may be the same color.

The protective portion 64 is disc-shaped and protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the grip portion 62, and has an outer diameter larger than that of the grip portion 62. In particular, the outer diameter of the protective portion 64 is set to a dimension such that the hand of the user gripping the grip portion 62 does not overlap and protrude from the protective portion 64 in a plan view (contains inside the outline in a plan view). Specifically, the outer diameter of the protective portion 64 is preferably in the range of 100 to 140 mm, and more preferably in the range of 110 to 130 mm. However, the specific dimensions are not particularly limited.
The mounting portion 65 is cylindrical and extends downward from the lower end of the protective portion 64, and has an outer diameter that is larger than the main body member 61 and smaller than the protective portion 64. The length (vertical dimension) of the mounting portion 65 is not particularly limited, but is set to a length that allows the mounting portion 65 to be fixed to the main body member 61 with bolts, rivets, etc.

The mounting hole 66 is a hole into which the main body member 61 can be inserted. The inner diameter of the mounting hole 66 is set in accordance with the outer shape of the main body member 61.
Therefore, the protective member 63 can be fixed to the main body member 61 by inserting the main body member 61 into the mounting hole 66 and fixing the mounting portion 65 to the main body member 61 at a predetermined position from the upper end of the main body member 61 with a bolt, rivet, etc.

The reinforcing member 70 is fixed to the lower end of the main body member 61, specifically at a position close to the lower end, with bolts, rivets, etc. The reinforcing member 70 reinforces the strength of the main body member 61 and also suppresses rattling between the main body member 61 and the insertion hole 23 when the main body member 61 is inserted into the insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22. The reinforcing member 70 is made of, for example, an aluminum alloy.
9A and 9B are diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a reinforcing member 70, in which (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II shown in (a) of FIG. 8, and (b) is a diagram showing the insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 9A, the reinforcing member 70 is cylindrical and has an outer diameter larger than that of the main body member 61. The reinforcing member 70 has a plurality of (here, two) bulging portions 71a, 71b, in which a portion of the outer peripheral surface bulges in the radial direction. The bulging portions 71a, 71b protrude in the radial direction via a gentle inclination portion 72. The lower end of the reinforcing member 70 has a tapered shape in which the outer diameter decreases toward the lower side. The length (vertical dimension) of the reinforcing member 70 is not particularly limited, but is set to be approximately the same length as the depth of the insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22. The reinforcing member 70 also has mounting holes 73 that open up and down to insert the main body member 61 inside.
Therefore, the reinforcing member 70 can be fixed to the main body member 61 by inserting the main body member 61 into the mounting hole 73 and fixing the reinforcing member 70 to the main body member 61 at a predetermined position from the lower end of the main body member 61 with a bolt, rivet, etc.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9(b), the insertion hole 23 into which the reinforcing member 70 is inserted is surrounded by flat surfaces 75a, 75b, 75c and an arc surface 75d that has approximately the same radius of curvature as the circle of the reinforcing member 70. The insertion hole 23 also has spaces 76a, 76b as recesses that allow the insertion of the bulging portions 71a, 71b of the reinforcing member 70. Therefore, the hand push member 60 is positioned at a predetermined position by inserting the reinforcing member 70 fixed to the main body member 61 into the insertion hole 23 with the bulging portions 71a, 71b aligned with the spaces 76a, 76b.

The user can attach the push member 60, with the protective member 63 and reinforcing member 70 fixed to the main body member 61, to the cart main body 20 by inserting the push member 60 into each insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22. The user can move the transport cart 2 by holding the grip portion 62 of the push member 60 with their hands. According to the third embodiment, the same effect as the first embodiment can be achieved.

In addition, in this embodiment, since the main body member 61 has a smaller diameter than the single pipe, the user can easily grasp the grip portion 62 of the main body member 61. Meanwhile, in order to compensate for the loss in strength caused by the smaller diameter, a reinforcing member 70 is fixed to the lower end of the main body member 61. Therefore, the strength of the hand push member 60 can be improved. However, even if a single pipe or a member other than a single pipe is used for the main body member 61, the reinforcing member 70 may be fixed to the lower end of the main body member 61.
In this embodiment, when the reinforcing member 70 is inserted into the insertion hole 23, the inclined portion 72 of the reinforcing member 70 contacts the flat surfaces 75b, 75c and the arc surface 75d. Therefore, compared to the case where the circular main body member 61 is simply inserted, the contact area with the insertion hole 23 is increased by interposing the reinforcing member 70, so that rattle between the corner member 22 and the insertion hole 23 can be reduced.

In addition, in the plan view shown in FIG. 8(b), a part of the protective portion 64 overlaps with the trolley body 20 (see the two-dot chain line). Therefore, when the transported object is loaded onto the trolley body 20, the transported object and the protective portion 64 interfere with each other, so that the transported object can be prevented from being loaded higher than the protective portion 64. That is, the protective portion 64 serves as an indicator of the maximum loading height. Therefore, the user can prevent the center of gravity of the transport trolley 2 loaded with the transported object from becoming high, and the user can run the transport trolley 2 stably. Note that, in order to inform the user that the protective portion 64 is an indicator of the maximum loading height, a sticker or the like is attached to the push member 60 or the trolley body 20 to the effect that the transported object should not be loaded above the protective portion 64.
The protective member 63 may be disposed at a position a predetermined distance from the upper end of the main body member 61 so as to be rotatable relative to the main body member 61 about the axis of the mounting hole 66. In this case, when the protective portion 64 of the protective member 63 comes into contact with an object W such as a wall, the protective member 63 rotates, thereby suppressing the impact caused by the contact.

Fourth Embodiment
Next, the configuration of the transport cart and the push member according to the fourth embodiment will be described.
10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a transport cart and a push member according to the fourth embodiment. Note that the same components as those in the third embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.
The transport cart 3 comprises a cart body 20, a running section 30, and push members 80 (80a to 80d).

The hand push member 80 has a main body member 61 as a main body portion, a protective member 83, and a reinforcing member 70. The main body member 61 and the reinforcing member 70 can be made of the same materials as those in the third embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the push member 80 and the protective member 83, in which (a) is a side view of the push member 80 and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III.
The protective member 83 protects the user's hands and also functions as a side wall attachment portion for attaching a side wall. The protective member 83 is fixed to the main body member 61 at a plurality of (here, two) positions spaced apart vertically by bolts, rivets, or the like. Specifically, the first protective member 83 is fixed to the main body member 61 at a position on the upper side, a predetermined distance away from the upper end, by bolts, rivets, or the like. This position is a position close to the grip portion 62. On the other hand, the second protective member 83 is fixed to the main body member 61 at a position on the lower side, a predetermined distance away from the lower end, by bolts, rivets, or the like. This position is a position close to the reinforcing member 70.

The protective member 83 has a protective portion 84 and an attachment portion 65, which are integrally formed. The protective member 83 also has attachment holes 66 that open at the top and bottom to allow the main body member 61 to be inserted inside. The protective member 83 is made of a resin material such as polyethylene, and is integrally formed by injection molding. To improve visibility, the protective member 83 is colored in the same color as the protective member 63 of the third embodiment.

The protective portion 84 has a plurality of (four in this example) protruding portions 85a-85d that protrude outward from the outer peripheral surface of the grip portion 62. The protruding portions 85a-85d are equally spaced at 90° intervals from the axis (central axis) along the vertical direction of the mounting hole 66, and extend radially from the axis side of the mounting hole 66. The outer outline of the protruding portions 85a-85d is part of a substantially circular shape (hereinafter, referred to as the circle of the protruding portions 85a-85d). The circle of the protruding portions 85a-85d has an outer diameter larger than that of the grip portion 62. In particular, the outer diameter of the protruding portions 85a-85d is set to a dimension such that the hand of the user gripping the grip portion 62 does not overlap and protrude from the protective portion 84 in a plan view (fits inside the outline in a plan view). Specifically, the circular outer diameter of the protrusions 85a to 85d is preferably in the range of 100 to 140 mm, and more preferably in the range of 110 to 130 mm. However, the specific dimensions are not particularly limited.

The protective portion 84 also has grooves 86a-86d between adjacent protrusions 85a-85d, which are recessed from the outside toward the center of the protective portion 84, i.e., inward. The grooves 86a-86d are formed at equal intervals of 90° around the axis (center axis) of the mounting hole 66. The grooves 86a-86d penetrate the protective portion 84 from top to bottom. The groove width (W shown in FIG. 11(b)) of the grooves 86a-86d is set to a dimension that allows a side wall, described below, to be fitted into the grooves. The grooves 86a-86d also have inclined or arc-shaped support portions 87a-87d that open outward so that the groove width increases toward the outside.

The two protective members 83 can be fixed to the main body member 61 by inserting the main body member 61 into each mounting hole 66 of the first protective member 83 and the second protective member 83 and fixing each mounting portion 65 to the main body member 61 with bolts, rivets, etc. at a predetermined position from the top end and a predetermined position from the bottom end of the main body member 61. At this time, in a plan view of the hand push member 80, the two protective members 83 are fixed to the main body member 61 with their respective groove portions 86a to 86d overlapping.

The user can attach the push member 80, with the protective member 83 and reinforcing member 70 fixed to the main body member 61, to the cart main body 20 by inserting the push member 80 into each insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22. At this time, the reinforcing member 70 positions the push members 80 so that the grooves 86a to 86d in each push member 80 are oriented in the front-rear and left-right directions of the transport cart 3. In addition, in the plan view shown in Figure 11 (b), taking the push member 80b as an example, among the grooves 86a to 86d, the grooves 86a and 86b overlap the cart main body 20 (see the two-dot chain line).

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the transport cart 3 with the side walls 90A to 90D attached thereto.
The side walls 90A to 90D are rectangular plates, and cover the sides of the transport cart 3 from the front, back, left and right, respectively. The side walls 90A to 90D are made of, for example, plastic cardboard. Plastic cardboard is a plate-shaped member made of plastic with a hollow area, and is lightweight and has excellent rigidity. However, the side walls 90A to 90D may also be made of wood plywood or single boards.

The thickness of the side walls 90A-90D is set to a dimension that allows them to fit into the grooves 86a-86d. The height of the side walls 90A-90D is approximately the same as the distance from the mounting plate 26 to the protective portion 84 of the protective member 83 located above. The length (length in the left-right direction) of the side walls 90A, 90B is approximately the same as the length of the front frame portion 21a or the rear frame portion 21b. The length (length in the front-rear direction) of the side walls 90C, 90D is approximately the same as the length of the right frame portion 21c or the left frame portion 21d.

Next, a description will be given of the case where the side walls 90A to 90D are attached to the transport cart 3. For ease of explanation, when the side walls 90A to 90D are attached to the transport cart 3, the upper side of the four rectangular sides of the side walls 90A to 90D will be referred to as the top side, the lower side as the base side, and the two vertical sides as the side sides.
First, the user maintains the surfaces of the side walls 90A-90D vertically. Next, the user inserts each of the side walls 90A-90D from above between the push member 80d and the push member 80a, between the push member 80a and the push member 80b, between the push member 80b and the push member 80c, and between the push member 80c and the push member 80d. At this time, the side walls 90A-90D are inserted while fitting both sides of the side walls 90A-90D into the grooves 86a-86d of the push members 80a-80d. By inserting the side walls 90A-90D, the bottom sides of the side walls 90A-90D are supported by the upper surface of the mounting plate 26 (or the frame portion).

When the side walls 90A to 90D are supported on the mounting plate 26, each side edge of the side walls 90A to 90D is fitted into the groove portions 86a to 86d of the protective member 83 located above the push members 80a to 80d, and into the groove portions 86a to 86d of the protective member 83 located below.
Taking the push member 80b as an example, as shown in Figure 11 (b), for both the upper and lower protective members 83, one side edge of the side wall 90D is fitted into the groove 86a of the protective portion 84, and one side edge of the side wall 90B is fitted into the groove 86d of the protective portion 84. Similarly, for the push members 80a, 80b, and 80d, the side edges are fitted into the two grooves 86a to 86d at the upper and lower positions, respectively. Therefore, the side walls 90A to 90D are attached to the transport cart 3 by the protective portions 84 of the push members 80a to 80d.

The transport cart 3 with the side walls 90A-90D attached can store transported objects in the space surrounded by the side walls 90A-90D. By attaching the side walls 90A-90D so as to cover the sides of the transport cart 3, the transport cart 3 can be driven without dropping the transported objects. That is, a user can move the transport cart 3 by gripping the grip part 62 of the push member 80 with his/her hand. At this time, even if the user's hand H gripping the push member 40 of the transport cart 3 approaches an object W, the protective part 84 of the upper protective member 83 comes into contact with the object W, so that the user's hand H gripping the grip part 62 is prevented or suppressed from coming into contact with the object W.

Furthermore, the push member 80 of this embodiment can support a plurality of push members 80 in a stacked state when storing or transporting the push members 80.
13A and 13B are diagrams showing the state in which the push members 80 are stacked, in which (a) is a side view and (b) is a view seen from the direction of the arrow A shown in (a).
13(a), to stack the push members 80, they are stacked in multiple tiers so that they are parallel to each other with the longitudinal direction of each push member 80 horizontal. At this time, the push members 80 adjacent to each other in parallel are stacked by shifting them alternately in the longitudinal direction of the push members 80 so that the protective members 83 do not overlap in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 13(b), the first-tier hand push member 80 has two protrusions (here, protrusions 85b and 85c) of the protective portion 84 of the protective member 83 that are in contact with the floor surface. Therefore, the first-tier hand push member 80 is stably grounded to the floor surface. Next, the second-tier hand push member 80 is stacked, and the support portion (here, support portion 87c) formed between the two protrusions (here, protrusions 85b and 85c) of the protective portion 84 contacts the outer circumferential surface of the main body member 61 of the first-tier hand push member 80. Also, the first-tier hand push member 80 has a support portion (here, support portion 87a) formed between the two protrusions (here, protrusions 85a and 85d) of the protective portion 84 that contacts the outer circumferential surface of the main body member 61 of the second-tier hand push member 80, more precisely, the outer circumferential surface of the mounting portion 65. In this way, when multiple push members 80 are stacked, the protective portion 84 of the push member 80 has support portions 87a to 87d for supporting adjacent push members 80 in parallel. Therefore, multiple push members 80 can be stacked stably.

The push members 80 are not limited to being stacked in two layers, but may be stacked in three layers as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 13, or may be stacked in four or more layers. Furthermore, the support portions 87a to 87d are not limited to being inclined or arc-shaped so that the groove width increases toward the outside, and may have any shape that can support the main body members 61 of adjacent push members 80.

Fifth embodiment
Next, the configuration of the hand push member according to the fifth embodiment will be described.
14 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a push member according to the fifth embodiment. The push member 100 of this embodiment is an improvement of the push member 60 described in the third embodiment, and the same components as those of the push member 60 are given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

The push member 100 has a main body member 110, a protective member 63, and a reinforcing member 70, and is extendable and contractible in the longitudinal direction.
The main body member 110 has a first main body portion 111a and a second main body portion 111b. The first main body portion 111a and the second main body portion 111b are long, pipe-shaped members and are made of, for example, an aluminum alloy. The first main body portion 111a constitutes the upper side of the main body member 110, and the second main body portion 111b constitutes the lower side of the main body member 110.

A protective member 63 is fixed to a predetermined position from the upper end of the first body portion 111a. The range from the upper end of the first body portion 111a to the upper end of the protective member 63 functions as a grip portion 62. On the other hand, a reinforcing member 70 is fixed to a position adjacent to the lower end of the second body portion 111b by bolts, rivets, or the like.
Here, the first body portion 111a has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the second body portion 111b, and the second body portion 111b has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the first body portion 111a. That is, the lower end of the first body portion 111a can be inserted into the second body portion 111b from the upper end side of the second body portion 111b. Therefore, the length of the main body member 110 in the longitudinal direction can be expanded or contracted by changing the length by which the first body portion 111a is inserted into the second body portion 111b, i.e., the overlapping length.

The main body member 110 also has a holding mechanism 112 that holds the main body member 110 at the extended or contracted length at the position where the first main body portion 111a and the second main body portion 111b overlap. The holding mechanism 112 has a plurality of adjustment holes 113 formed in the outer peripheral surface of the first main body portion 111a, one insertion hole 114 formed in the outer peripheral surface of the second main body portion 111b, and an insertion pin 115 that is inserted into the adjustment hole 113 and the insertion hole 114. When the main body member 110 is to be held at a desired length, the main body member 110 can be extended or contracted and then the insertion pin 115 can be inserted into the insertion hole 114 and the adjustment hole 113 to hold the main body member 110 at the extended or contracted length.

In this way, the length of the hand push member 100 can be expanded or contracted by the main body member 110. By expanding or contracting the length of the main body member 110, the position of the protective part 64 of the protective member 63 can be adjusted in the vertical direction. Therefore, when the protective part 64 is used as an indicator of the maximum loading height, the position of the protective part 64 can be adjusted up or down as necessary. For example, since the maximum loading height at which the cart body 20 can run stably differs depending on the size of the cart body 20, the hand push member 100 can be expanded or contracted to change the protective part 64, which is an indicator of the maximum loading height, up or down depending on the size of the cart body 20 to be attached. Also, for example, since the standard for the maximum loading height may differ for each organization (or construction site) to which the user belongs, the manufacturer can manufacture the hand push member 100 by changing the protective part 64, which is an indicator of the maximum loading height, up or down for each organization (or construction site).

In this embodiment, the holding mechanism 112 holds the main body member 110 at the extended or contracted length by inserting the insertion pin 115 through the insertion hole 114 and the adjustment hole 113, but this is not limited to this case and any holding mechanism may be used as long as it can hold the length so as not to be inadvertently changed.
In this embodiment, the push member 100 is an extension of the push member 60 described in the third embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this case, and the push members of the other embodiments may be made extendable. If the push member 40 of the first embodiment is made extendable, the height of the grip portion 43 can be adjusted. If the push member 80 of the fourth embodiment is made extendable, side walls of a different height from the height of the side walls 90A to 90D described above can be attached.

Sixth embodiment
Next, the configuration of the hand push member according to the sixth embodiment will be described.
The push member 120 of this embodiment is an improvement over the push member 80 described in the fourth embodiment. Here, the improvements will be mainly described, and the same components as those of the push member 80 will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described as necessary.

The hand push member 120 has a main body member 61 as a main body portion, a protective member 123, and a reinforcing member 70. The main body member 61 and the reinforcing member 70 can be made of the same materials as those in the third embodiment.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the protection member 123. As shown in FIG.
The protective member 123 protects the user's hands and also functions as a side wall attachment portion for attaching a side wall. The protective member 123 has a protective portion 124.

The protective portion 124 has a plurality of (four in this embodiment) protruding portions 85 a to 85 d that protrude outward beyond the outer circumferential surface of the grip portion 62 .
Furthermore, the protective portion 124 has grooves 126a to 126d between adjacent protrusions 85a to 85d, which are recessed from the outside toward the center of the protective portion 84, i.e., toward the inside. The grooves 126a to 126d are formed at intervals of approximately 90° around the axis (central axis) of the mounting hole 66. The grooves 126a to 126d penetrate the protective portion 124 from top to bottom.

The grooves 126a to 126d of this embodiment are set so that two types of side walls with different thicknesses can be attached. Specifically, the groove width of the grooves 126a and 126b is set to a dimension W1 that allows a side wall with a thicker thickness to be fitted therein. The groove width of the grooves 126c and 126d is set to a dimension W2 that allows a side wall with a thinner thickness to be fitted therein. The relationship between the dimension W1 and the dimension W2 is W1>W2. Here, when one groove is focused on, the groove width of the focused groove is approximately the same as the groove width of one of the adjacent grooves, and is different from the groove width of the other groove.
At the boundary between each of the grooves 126a to 126d and the upper surface of the protective portion 124, there is an inclined portion 127 so that the groove width increases toward the upper side, so that the side wall can be easily fitted in from above.

Here, when the two protective members 123 are fixed to the main body member 61, they are fixed to the main body member 61 in a state in which the respective groove portions 126a to 126d overlap each other in a plan view of the hand push member 120.
A user can attach the push member 120, with the protective member 123 and the reinforcing member 70 fixed to the main body member 61, to the cart main body 20 by inserting the push member 120 into each insertion hole 23 of the corner member 22. At this time, the reinforcing member 70 positions the push members 120 so that the grooves 126a to 126d in each push member 120 are oriented in the front-rear and left-right directions of the cart 3, depending on the plate thickness of the side wall to be attached to the cart 3.

16 is a plan view for explaining the orientation of the push member 120 for positioning when thick side walls 91A to 91D are attached to the transport cart 3. Here, for example, plastic cardboard is used as the thick side walls 91A to 91D.
When attaching the side walls 91A to 91D having a thick plate thickness, the push members 120 are positioned on the corner members 22 so that the grooves 126a, 126b of the protective parts 124 overlap the cart body 20. Therefore, among the protective parts 124 located at the four corners in a plan view, the grooves 126a having a groove width of dimension W1 and the grooves 126b having a groove width of dimension W1 face each other between adjacent protective parts 124.
The user inserts each side wall 91A-91D from above between the groove 126a of the push member 120d and the groove 126b of the push member 120a, between the groove 126a of the push member 120a and the groove 126b of the push member 120b, between the groove 126a of the push member 120b and the groove 126b of the push member 120c, and between the groove 126a of the push member 120c and the groove 126b of the push member 120d. Therefore, the thick side walls 91A-91D are attached to the transport cart 3 by the protective parts 123 of the push members 120a-120d.

17 is a plan view for explaining the orientation of the push member 120 for positioning when the thin side walls 92A to 92D are attached to the transport cart 3. Here, the thin side walls 92A to 92D are made of, for example, plywood or single boards of wood.
When attaching the thin side walls 92A-92D, the push members 120 are positioned on the corner members 22 so that the grooves 126c, 126d of the protective parts 124 overlap the cart body 20. Therefore, among the protective parts 124 located at the four corners in a plan view, the grooves 126c, 126d, 126c having a groove width of dimension W2, face each other between adjacent protective parts 124.
The user inserts each side wall 92A-92D from above between the groove 126c of the push member 120d and the groove 126d of the push member 120a, between the groove 126c of the push member 120a and the groove 126d of the push member 120b, between the groove 126c of the push member 120b and the groove 126d of the push member 120c, and between the groove 126c of the push member 120c and the groove 126d of the push member 120d. Therefore, the thin side walls 92A-92D are attached to the transport cart 3 by the protective parts 123 of the push members 120a-120d.

In this way, the grooves 126a to 126d of the protective member 123 of the push member 120 can be used to attach side walls of different thicknesses, so by fitting the side walls into the grooves 126a to 126d that match the thickness of the side walls, rattling between the side walls and the grooves 126a to 126d can be reduced.

Although each embodiment of the present invention has been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the above-mentioned embodiments merely show specific examples of how the present invention can be put into practice. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to each of the above-mentioned embodiments, and each embodiment may be combined. For example, the protective member 52 of the second embodiment may be attached to the upper end of the push member 60 of the third embodiment or the push member 100 of the fifth embodiment. The present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention, and these modifications are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

In the above-described first embodiment, the protective member has the first protective portion 44 and the second protective portion 45, but the first protective portion 44 or the second protective portion 45 may not be provided. In addition, in the first to sixth embodiments, the protective portion is substantially circular in plan view, but the shape of the protective portion in plan view is not limited to a circle. For example, the protective portion may be polygonal with rounded corners.
In the fourth and sixth embodiments described above, the side wall is fitted into the groove of the protective part, but the relationship between the groove and the part fitted into the groove may be reversed. That is, for example, a groove may be formed in the center of the plate thickness along the side edge of the side wall, and a protrusion to be fitted into the groove of the side wall may be formed on the protective part.

1-3: Transport cart 20: Cart body 30: Running part 40: Push member 41: Main body 42: Protective member 43: Grip part 44: First protective part 45: Second protective part 52: Protective member 54: Protective part 60: Push member 61: Main body 62: Grip part 63: Protective member 64: Protective part 70: Reinforcing member 80: Push member 83: Protective member 85a-85d: Protruding part 86a-86c: Groove part 87a-87d: Support part 90A-90D: Side wall 100: Push member 110: Main body 111a: First main body 111b: Second main body 112: Holding mechanism 120: Push member 123: Protective member 124: Protective part 126a-126d: Groove section

Claims (19)

A hand push member is attached to the rectangular cart body part of the transport cart by being inserted into an insertion hole that opens upward and is provided at each of four corners of the cart body part, and is used by a user to push the cart by hand when the transport cart is to be traveled,
A pipe-like rod member that is linear from the lower end to the upper end and extends in the vertical direction;
A hand-pushing member characterized by comprising: a protective member which is detachable from the rod-shaped member, and which, when attached to the rod-shaped member, has a protective portion which protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the rod -shaped member to protect the hand of a user gripping the hand-pushing member. The protective member is
It has a grip part that a user holds with his/her hand,
The protective part is
The grip portion is formed so as to protrude outward from a lower end thereof.
2. The hand push member according to claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the protective portion is a surface perpendicular to an axis along the up-down direction of the grip portion. The protective member is
It has a grip part that a user holds with his/her hand,
The protective part is
an upper protective portion protruding outward from an upper end of the grip portion;
a lower protective portion protruding outward from a lower end of the grip portion,
2. The hand push member according to claim 1, wherein the lower surface of the upper protective portion and the upper surface of the lower protective portion are parallel to each other. 4. The hand push member according to claim 3, wherein the lower surface of the upper protective portion and the upper surface of the lower protective portion are each perpendicular to an axis along the up-down direction of the grip portion. The protective part is
2. The hand push member according to claim 1, wherein the protective member is attached to the rod-shaped member and positioned at an upper end of the hand push member. The protective part is
2. The push member according to claim 1, wherein the protective member is attached to the rod-shaped member so as to be spaced apart from an upper end of the push member. 7. The hand push member according to claim 1, wherein the protective portion is substantially circular in plan view. 7. The hand push member according to claim 1 , wherein the protective portion is polygonal with rounded corners when viewed in a plan view. 9. The hand push member according to claim 1 , wherein the protective member is colored differently from the rod-shaped member. A hand push member according to any one of claims 1 to 9 ;
The transport cart comprising: the cart main body. A protective member is attached to a pipe-shaped rod member that is linear from the lower end to the upper end and extends in the vertical direction among the hand push members that are inserted into the insertion holes that open upward and are provided at the four corners of the rectangular cart body of the transport cart,
A protective member which is detachable from the rod-shaped member and has a protective portion which, when attached to the rod-shaped member, protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the rod-shaped member to protect the hand of a user gripping the hand push member. It has a grip part that a user holds with his/her hand,
The protective part is
The grip portion is formed so as to protrude outward from a lower end thereof.
The protective member according to claim 11, wherein an upper surface of the protective portion is a surface perpendicular to an axis extending along a vertical direction of the grip portion. It has a grip part that a user holds with his/her hand,
The protective part is
an upper protective portion protruding outward from an upper end of the grip portion;
a lower protective portion protruding outward from a lower end of the grip portion,
The protective member according to claim 11 , wherein a lower surface of the upper protective portion and an upper surface of the lower protective portion are parallel to each other. The protective member according to claim 13, wherein a lower surface of the upper protective portion and an upper surface of the lower protective portion are surfaces that are perpendicular to an axis extending along the up-down direction of the grip portion. The protective part is
The protective member according to claim 11 , characterized in that the protective member is attached to the rod-shaped member and positioned at an upper end of the hand-operated member. The protective part is
The protective member according to claim 11 , characterized in that the protective member is attached to the rod-shaped member so as to be positioned below and away from an upper end of the push member. The protective part is
17. The protective member according to claim 11 , which has a substantially circular shape when viewed in a plan view. The protective part is
17. The protective member according to claim 11 , which has a polygonal shape with rounded corners when viewed in a plan view. A protective member according to any one of claims 11 to 18 ;
The rod-shaped member;
The transport cart comprising: the cart main body.

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