Abstract:
Apparatus for transporting products including a body having ground wheels ( 22, 122 ) and support structure ( 30, 130 ) for one or more crates or other containers holding products to be carried by the apparatus. At least one ground engageable member ( 40, 140 ) fixed to said support structure forms an assembly with the support structure that is mounted to the body for relative movement between a retracted position in which the apparatus is freely moveable on a ground surface by means of the ground wheels and a relatively downwardly extended position in which the ground engageable member engages an underlying ground surface at a predetermined location to stabilise the apparatus against movement from that location on the ground wheels. Releasable latching means ( 60, 190, 192 ) is provided to latch the ground engageable member in the retracted position, and there is at least one transverse opening ( 59, 159 ) in the ground engageable member to receive a fork or forks of a lifting device, for lifting the apparatus with the ground engageable member resting on the fork(s), whereby to facilitate transport of the apparatus and/or release and engagement of the latching means.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to the logistics of packing, distribution and merchandising of products, and more particularly is concerned with systems for transporting products and displaying them for sale. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Typically products are transported to retail stores in crates, trays or cardboard boxes, which provide an effective means by which to transport large quantities of product and also protect the product while in transit. At the store, the contents are removed from the container, placed on a trolley, pushed to the point of sale and placed one at a time on the shelf. The packaging is usually destroyed or recycled. As product is sold the older stock is pulled forward and new stock placed behind the older product. 
         [0003]    Maintaining full and faced up shelves requires considerable time and is very labour intensive. More recently, shelves have been fitted with dividers and/or a slip surface so that shelves can be angled to gravity feed. This reduces the time taken to manage product as stock does not need to be pulled forward as it is sold and can be rotated when new product is loaded at the rear. This has reduced the time taken to merchandise products in the store but has a number of disadvantages. In particular, the removal of product one by one from the packaging, placement on a trolley for transport to the shelf and subsequent loading onto the shelf remains a labour intensive task. It would be advantageous if the process of transport, unpacking, shelf filling and shelf maintenance could be streamlined and made less labour intensive. 
         [0004]    By way of example, milk is presently brought to stores in crates. Crates provide an effective means for transporting high volumes of milk and also protect the product while in transit. Large numbers of crates can be stacked on pallets for efficient handling by forklifts and pallet jacks at production plants and distribution centres. On arrival at the store, the milk cartons or bottles are taken one at a time out of the crates and placed on dairy case shelves. Empty crates are stacked on top of each other but do not nest so they consume valuable space in the retail store. Later they are collected by the supplier and cleaned on return to the factory. 
         [0005]    As milk is sold, new stock is loaded onto the shelf. The older dated stock is pulled forward so milk does not become outdated. Handling milk in this manner is labour intensive and costly. It is also difficult to keep the shelves clean. It would be desirable if the logistics involved a transport merchandising system which transported the milk to the store in shelf-ready packaging that could be placed straight on the shelf ready to gravity feed to the front of the shelf as forward product is taken by customers. 
         [0006]    One attempted improvement was to place the loaded milk crates on a mobile platform or dolly in front of cool room doors. Customers lifted the milk directly out of the crates. However, this system poorly presents the milk. It was difficult to remove the larger bottles of milk from the crates and stock rotation was a problem. 
         [0007]    More recently, some retailers have replaced crates on dollies with milk rear-loaded into gravity-feed shelves in milk racks or gravity-feed shelves in mobile trolleys. The shelves have dividers with slip surfaces to separate and gravity feed the milk. This system has superior milk presentation, better customer identification and selection and improved stock rotation of the milk. However, the system requires each milk pack to be lifted by hand out of the crate and individually loaded into the back of the shelf of the rack or trolley, which is also labour intensive. As well, dividers become soiled and are difficult to clean. 
         [0008]    The present applicant&#39;s international patent publication WO2005/112710 discloses a product merchandising system in which product crates are transported from a supplier or distribution centre in a stack on a dolly that is configured to tilt the stack at the retail store to provide a gravity-feed display on the dolly from which customers can take the product. The product is not separately handled between supplier or distribution centre and customer, significantly reducing labour costs. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,628,068 describes an elevating truck having a main frame provided with castor wheels, and a lifting platform positioned within the main frame. The lifting platform is adapted to support equipment and is movable between a raised position and a ground-engaging position using a lifting mechanism comprising rotatable shafts and a pivot action. 
         [0010]    International patent publication WO 98/19903 describes a portable cart that can be used to transport and move sensitive laser equipment. The portable cart includes a first frame support having spaced feet for selectively engaging the ground and a second frame support provided with wheels. The feet are outside the wheels. The first frame support is vertically movable relative to the second frame support by means of a motor. 
         [0011]    Reference herein to any specific prior product, document or practice is not to be construed as an admission that the product, document contents or practice is common general knowledge, in Australia or elsewhere. 
         [0012]    It is an object of this invention to contribute one or more improvements in the transport, distribution and merchandising of products in the retail supply chain. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The present invention stems from an appreciation that the transport and display of products in crates, cartons, trays and other containers that remain on dollies from supplier or distribution centre to retail stores can be further enhanced by providing apparatus that can be selectively configured as a dolly or handled collectively with conventional pallet systems. 
         [0014]    In a first aspect, the invention provides a dolly apparatus for transporting products, comprising:
       a body having ground wheels;   support structure for one or more crates or other containers holding products to be carried by the apparatus;   at least one ground engageable member fixed to said support structure, which member forms an assembly with said support structure that is mounted to said body for relative movement between a retracted position in which the apparatus is freely moveable on a ground surface by means of said ground wheels and a relatively downwardly extended position in which said at least one ground engageable member engages an underlying ground surface at a predetermined location to stabilise the apparatus against movement from that location on said ground wheels;   releasable latching means to latch said ground engageable member in said retracted position; and   at least one transverse opening in said ground engageable member to receive a fork or forks of a lifting device, for lifting the apparatus with said ground engageable member resting on the fork(s), whereby to facilitate transport of the apparatus and/or release and engagement of said latching means.       
 
         [0020]    Preferably, the body includes a chassis on which the ground wheels are mounted. The ground engageable member is preferably fixed to the support structure by linking structure extending through one or more openings in the chassis. In one arrangement, the linking structure is a plurality of spaced posts, in another a plurality of ribs. 
         [0021]    In one form of the invention, the latching means comprises hand operable latching means for selectively determining at which of said retracted and extended positions the ground engageable member is disposed. This latching means may conveniently comprise a slide member, slidable between respective positions in which it supports said ground engageable member in a relatively elevated position corresponding to the retracted position of the ground engageable member, and a second position in which the ground engageable member is able to fall to bring the ground engageable member to its downwardly extended position. Preferably, the slide member is easily slidable between its respective positions only when the support structure and its load are supported by the lifting device. 
         [0022]    In another form of the invention, the latching means comprises co-operable formations on one or more of said posts or ribs, and on a respective opening in said body, whereby sufficient relative lateral movement of the body and the ground engageable member while the apparatus is held off the ground by the lifting device is effective to engage and disengage the co-operable shoulders. 
         [0023]    Advantageously, the support structure includes a platform defining a seating plane for a crate, tray or other container that is inclined to the horizontal sufficiently for products thereon to slide forward in the crates under gravity as products at the front of the crate are removed from the crate. The platform may be adjustable between a first position in which it defines the inclined seating plane, and a second position in which it defines a generally horizontal seating plane. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a product transportation apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention shown in its freely moveable “dolly” condition, carrying one crate; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is a similar view to  FIG. 1  but from a slightly different position, showing the apparatus in its pallet transport configuration carrying several crates in a stacked configuration; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  is a disassembled view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  with the chassis viewed from above and the cradle separated and viewed from underneath; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is an underneath view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is another view of a stacked pair of the crates; 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is a view of a pair of the crates in a nested configuration; 
           [0031]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of product transportation apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention, shown with its cradle platform tilted; 
           [0032]      FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 7 , showing the cradle platform horizontal; 
           [0033]      FIGS. 9 and 10  are side views corresponding to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , respectively showing the assembly of the support structure and ground engageable member in their relatively elevated and lowered conditions; 
           [0034]      FIG. 11  is an underneath view of the second embodiment; and 
           [0035]      FIGS. 12 to 14  are corresponding cross-section views on the line  12 - 12  in  FIG. 11 , depicting successive operational conditions of the apparatus. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0036]    The product transportation apparatus  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 6  has three principal components, ie. a chassis  20 , crate support structure  30 , and a ground engageable member in the form of a footplate  40 . Chassis  20  has four ground wheels  22  supported in yokes  24  near its respective corners. Support structure  30  defines a peripherally lipped upper platform  32 , for supporting a stack of crates  50 . Platform  32  is sufficiently inclined for pre-determined products to be able to gravity-feed forwardly on the floors of crates  50 .  FIG. 2  illustrates two crates in the stack but there would typically be more.  FIG. 1  shows a single crate. The arrangement of the crates will be discussed further below. Ground wheels  22  may be variously fixed or swiveling and one or more may be fitted with a foot- or hand-actuated brake. 
         [0037]    As best seen in  FIG. 3 , chassis  20  is a simple flat platform to which yokes  24  are fitted by respective bolts, rivets or other suitable fasteners  25  and in which are formed three parallel longitudinally extending slots  26 ,  27 . These slots comprise a longer, centrally located slot  26  and a pair of slide slots  27 . Slots  26 ,  27  provide the means by which footplate  40  is fixedly mounted to support structure  30  by link ribs  46 ,  47  that project through slots  26 ,  27 , and by which the assembly of the footplate  40  and support structure  30  is able to move vertically between two positions (to be discussed). 
         [0038]    Platform  32  is a flat plate and the balance of support structure  30  comprises a cradle  33  that consists of a rectangular depending rim  34  and within the rim, an array of three ribs,  36 ,  37  ( FIG. 3 ) with slots  36   a ,  37   a  that receive ribs  46 ,  47 . Link ribs  46 ,  47  are welded, snapped or clipped in place in slots  36   a ,  37   a  to rigidify the connection. 
         [0039]    Footplate  40  comprises a baseplate  42 , with corner cutaways to accommodate wheels  22 , and three upstanding webs  48 , 49  that rigidly link the baseplate  42  to ribs  46 ,  47 . Web  48  extends transversely across the structure midway between the front and rear wheels  22 , while webs  49  are aligned longitudinally between the yoke pairs at each end. The inner upright edges of webs  49  are spaced from transverse web  48  to define a pair of transverse openings  59  across the footplate  40  for receiving the forks of a forklift or pallet jack. 
         [0040]    The assembly of cradle  33  and footplate  40  is moveable vertically in slots  26 ,  27  between a retracted or elevated position, depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , in which footplate  40  is clear of the ground and ground wheels  22  freely support the apparatus on the ground surface for movement thereon, and a lowered or extended position in which baseplate  42  engages the ground and acts as a form of brake to stabilise the apparatus against movement for a predetermined location: this condition is depicted in  FIG. 2 . The respective positions are determined and maintained by a sliding latch member  60  which is U-shaped and extends around the sides and front end of chassis  20  and cradle  33 . At the front, its crosspiece  62  may be grasped by hand for moving the latch member and this grasping is facilitated by recesses  21  and  31  in chassis platform  20  and cradle  33   
         [0041]    At the sides, longitudinally extending portions  64  of latch member  60  have a depending rib  65  by which it is retained in a matching slot  23  on platform  20 , and a pair of upstanding tabs  60 . These tabs  60  engage under complementary cleat  67  on cradle  33  in a rearward position of the latch member, thereby holding the assembly of the cradle  33  and footplate  40  in the retracted or elevated position. In a forward position of the latch member, tabs  66  are received into slots  68  situated alongside cleats  67 , thereby allowing the cradle and footplate to drop. The latch member  60  can be moved between its two positions when the assembly of the cradle, its load and footplate  40  are supported by one or more forklift forks disposed in openings  59  to either take the load off tabs  66 , or to lift the cradle to allow the tabs  66  to be brought under cleats  67 . 
         [0042]    It will be appreciated that when footplate  40  is in its retracted or elevated position, apparatus  10  is fully functional as a dolly, and the stack of crates is able to be freely moved about by pushing the dolly and its load on the ground wheels. However, when footplate  40  is descended to engage the ground, it acts as a brake and prevents the apparatus functioning as a dolly. Instead, it becomes a substantially stationary support for the crate stack, a kind of mini-pallet. With appropriate dimensioning of the apparatus, a set number eg. six of the mini-pallets may be transported within the dimensions of a standard pallet, but the pallet itself is not required. This will allow the individual mini-pallets to be loaded up with filled crates at a supplier or distribution centre, lifted by forklift and loaded into a truck for delivery to a distribution centre, supermarket or other store. At the retail outlet, the mini-pallets can be released to their dolly positions, by elevating the ground engageable members, and wheeled into position in a cold room or refrigerator. At this point, by virtue of the inclination of platform  32 , the crates  50  gravity-feed the products as they are taken from the front by store customers. The invention thus achieves truly “one touch” merchandising. 
         [0043]    Crates  50  are designed to be offset from each other vertically when stacked as depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 5  to ensure that gravity feed is achieved while having all the open fronts of the crates line up and retaining the stack within a standard footprint. By being moved slightly forwardly, each crate can then be dropped into and nested in the crate below, as depicted in  FIG. 6 . This is achieved by providing the side walls of the crates with vertically tapered flutes  52  that define ribs  52   a  on the outside receivable within correspondingly tapered recesses  52   b  defined by the flutes  52  on the inside of an underlying crate. At the top edge of each crate, just rearwardly of each flute, is a seat recess  54  to seat the bottom edge of a respective flute  52  and so define the offset stacked position ( FIG. 5 ). Crates  50  also are entirely symmetrical about a transverse centre line so that they can be orientated either way. They have large access openings  56  at each end to allow customers to reach in and retrieve product, and smaller underlying openings  58  for viewing brand or product information. The floor of each crate has a suitable rib and slip treatment to encourage gravity-feed of product. 
         [0044]    The angle of inclination of platform  32  depends on the nature of the product. For example, it is typically 7.5° for milk cartons. 
         [0045]    A second embodiment of product transportation apparatus  110  according to the invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 7 to 14 , in which like parts are indicated by like reference numerals preceded by a  1 . The principal functional difference in the structure of this embodiment relative to the first lies in the arrangements for latching the elevated position of the support structure  130  and the ground engageable member  140  with respect to the wheeled chassis  120 . 
         [0046]    In this embodiment, the link between the crate support structure  130  and the ground engageable member  140  comprises a number of spaced link posts  146  that project through complementary openings  126  in chassis  120  (best seen in  FIGS. 12 to 14 ). Ground engaging member  140  does not have a baseplate but instead the webs  48 ,  49  of the first embodiment are substituted by hollow depending beams  148 ,  149 . As best seen in  FIG. 11 , and in cross-section in  FIGS. 12 to 13 , central beam  148  extends from front to rear of the chassis and accommodates four of the link posts  146 , which extend upwardly from within matching tubular housings  146   a  within the beam structure. The outer beams  149  are shorter and accommodate only two of the posts. Removeable clips  194  retain posts  146  in beams  148 ,  149 . The bottom faces of beams  148 ,  149  are flat coplanar surfaces  142  that collectively rest on the ground in their lowered position. 
         [0047]    It will be seen that the beams  148 ,  149  in this embodiment define between them open-ended transverse openings  159  that extend across the ground engaging member  140  for receiving the forks of a forklift or pallet jack. In this case, these fork openings  159  are open at the bottom rather than closed as in the first embodiment for handling multiple apparatus on large pallet jacks. 
         [0048]    In the second embodiment, the cradle  133  provides additional flexibility to the use of the apparatus by having two positions for crate platform  132 . The crate platform is a loose flat grid plate which can rest either on the inclined floor  133   a  ( FIG. 12 ) of the cradle (the position depicted in  FIG. 7 ) to define an inclined seating plane on which the crates can gravity feed their product forward, or between the rear edge of floor  133   a  and a ledge  132   a  at the front of cradle  133  to define a generally horizontal and level seating plane. This is the position illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 12  to  14 , where it will be seen that the position is stabilised by engagement of a shallow central projection  132   b  on the underneath of the front edge of plate  132  with a complementary recess  132   c  in ledge  132   a.    
         [0049]    The latching configuration of this embodiment comprises complementary formations on link posts  146  and the openings  126  in chassis  120  through which the posts project. Each post has a rectangular cut-out  190  on a common side so that the chassis can be shifted front to rear and vice versa to engage and disengage the rims  192  of openings  126  in the cut-out  190 . When this engagement is effected ( FIG. 12 ), the assembly of ground engaging member  140  and cradle  133  is held in a relatively elevated position with respect to the chassis  120  and therefore off the underlying ground surface. If the cradle is shifted forwardly to disengage the rims  192  from within the cut-outs  190  (the position shown in  FIG. 13 ) the assembly of ground engaging member  140  and cradle  133  is able to fall because posts  146  can descend through openings  126 , to bring the assembly into contact with the ground ( FIG. 14 ). 
         [0050]    In this instance, it will usually be necessary to employ a forklift or pallet jack to insert its forks into openings  159  and to operate it to raise the whole apparatus  110  including the ground wheels  122  off the ground surface. The overlying load is then carried by the forks and it is an easy matter to manually shift chassis  120  between latching and unlatching position or vice versa. 
         [0051]    To recap, the illustrated embodiments would be utilised in their “mini-pallet” position as they are loaded with product-filled crates at the manufacturing plant, assembled in groups and transported by truck to a retailer&#39;s distribution centre, and then onto the individual retail stores or supermarkets. At the supermarket loading bay, a small forklift or pallet jack would be introduced into openings  59 ,  159  and the min-pallets elevated from the ground. The chassis will now be in the relatively lowered position and the appropriate latching arrangement can be activated to latch this position. On lowering the forks, the apparatus will be in its dolly configuration ready to be wheeled to the display cabinet or refrigerator, where it is stabilised by actuating the foot brake. 
         [0052]    Once the products have been taken by customers, the process is reversed for returning the apparatus to the manufacturing plant. The now empty crates will usually be nested and multiple mini-pallets  10 ,  110  may be stacked for optimum space utilisation. 
         [0053]    It will also be understood that the term “comprises” (or its grammatical variants) as used in this specification is equivalent to the term “includes” and should not be taken as excluding the presence of other elements or features.