Abstract:
A device for loading and/or unloading a freight transport compartment includes using at least one conveyer unit that is installed in a loading area, the conveyer unit being capable of conveying in particular several goods units simultaneously. The invention reduces the costs and increases the flexibility of a loading/unloading device by providing the conveyer unit with at least one element that can be guided into the freight transport compartment and that forms a positioning surface for the goods units.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of copending International Application No. PCT/EP02/04412, filed Apr. 22, 2002, which designated the United States and was not published in English. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The invention is based on an apparatus and method for loading and/or unloading a transport compartment.  
           [0004]    Apparatuses of the generic type for loading and unloading transport compartments of commercial motor vehicles, using conveyor belts, are known. The apparatuses have a first conveyor belt installed in a loading area and a second conveyor belt installed in the transport compartment. To load a transport compartment, a plurality of goods units to be transported is placed on the conveyor belt installed in the loading area. The conveyor belts in the loading area and transport compartment are, then, driven synchronously and the goods units are conveyed into the transport compartment. Furthermore, it is known to use lift trucks to load a transport compartment sequentially with individual or a few goods units. In such a case, the lift truck picks up a goods unit from goods-providing measures, moves forward with the goods unit into the transport compartment, sets down the goods unit, moves backward out of the transport compartment, and picks up a further goods unit for transport into the transport compartment, specifically, until the transport compartment has been loaded in the desired manner.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an apparatus and method for loading and/or unloading a transport compartment that overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and that provides an inexpensive apparatus of the generic type that can be used flexibly and is efficient.  
           [0006]    With the foregoing and other objects in view, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an apparatus for at least one of loading and unloading goods units to and from a transport compartment, including at least one conveying unit to be installed in a loading area, the conveying unit simultaneously conveying the goods units and having at least one insertion device adapted to be inserted into the transport compartment, the insertion device forming an area on which the goods units are to be placed.  
           [0007]    The invention is based on an apparatus and method for loading and/or unloading a transport compartment, in particular, of a commercial motor vehicle, with at least one conveying unit that is installed in a loading area and through which, in particular, a plurality of goods units can be conveyed simultaneously.  
           [0008]    It is proposed that the conveying unit have at least one device that can be inserted into the transport compartment and forms an area on which the goods units can be put. The transport compartment can be loaded and/or unloaded completely with a large number of goods units in a few operations, preferably, in one operation, in a short time. Waiting times in loading areas can be reduced, and the level of utilization of commercial motor vehicles can be increased and, in particular, costly re-equipment of transport compartments with additional special apparatuses can be avoided. Furthermore, advantageous loading and/or unloading of numerous different standard transport compartments and, as a result, particularly flexible use can be achieved. The apparatus according to the invention can be used in different areas of application appearing expedient to those skilled in the art, such as when loading and unloading rail containers, ship&#39;s containers, and so on, but, in particular, when loading and unloading commercial motor vehicle transport compartments, which can frequently be loaded only in their longitudinal direction.  
           [0009]    The loading/unloading measures can have various configurations appearing to be expedient to those skilled in the art, for example, they can be formed by a movable carrier plate, by movable plate segments or slats, and/or by rails and so on. If the measures can be lowered at least partly and, advantageously, completely in the loading area, it is, advantageously, possible to move onto these when setting down goods units, for example, with a lift truck.  
           [0010]    In accordance with another feature of the invention, supporting rollers can be mounted on the measures, through which the measures can be supported, in particular, in the transport compartment. Large moments acting on the measures because of long lever arms can be avoided and an inexpensive construction, in particular, mounting of the measures, can be achieved.  
           [0011]    In accordance with a further feature of the invention, there are provided a drive unit disposed at the insertion device and at least one conveyor connected to and driven by the drive unit.  
           [0012]    In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the drive unit drives the conveyor in a direction of the transport compartment at a higher speed than the insertion device in a direction facing away from the transport compartment.  
           [0013]    The goods units can be pushed or else lifted by the measures inserted into the transport compartment. However, the measures, particularly advantageously, has at least one conveying device that can be driven by a drive unit, for example, one or more conveyor belts, by which the goods units can be conveyed from the measures into the transport compartment. If the conveying device can be driven by the drive unit in the direction of the transport compartment at a higher speed than the measures in the direction facing away from the transport compartment, gap-free loading of the transport compartment in the loading direction can be achieved.  
           [0014]    To save components, installation space, expenditure on mounting, and costs, the drive unit of the conveying device can, advantageously, be implemented in one piece with a drive unit of the measures. The conveying device and the measures can, in this case, be driven in different directions and at different speeds through a gear unit.  
           [0015]    In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, there is provided a lifting unit connected to the insertion device for lifting the insertion device.  
           [0016]    If the measures can be lifted by a lifting unit, the measures can be moved in a lowered state to be loaded with goods units, and, then, the goods units can be lifted off an adjacent base so that a particularly narrow configuration of the measures is achieved and, nevertheless, friction between the goods units and an adjacent base can be avoided. Furthermore, instead of a platform, individually spaced, in particular, lowerable, plate segments can, advantageously, be used transversely with respect to the loading/unloading direction, it being possible for the plate segments to be produced with a low weight and with little expenditure on material as compared with a closed platform. Furthermore, to adapt to different boundary conditions, such as, in particular, transport compartments of different widths and/or, in the event of transverse loading, transport compartments of different lengths, a different number of plate segments can be used for loading and/or unloading.  
           [0017]    In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the conveying unit can have at least one retaining device that, during a movement of the measures out of the transport compartment, can be moved in front of the goods units, counter to the direction of movement of the measures. The goods units can be pushed off the measures in a constructionally simple manner as the measures are guided out of the transport compartment. If at least two measures are disposed transversely with respect to the loading/unloading direction, the retaining device can advantageously be disposed between the measures. In principle, however, it is also conceivable to guide retaining device in front of the goods units from the side or from above.  
           [0018]    If the measures are disposed beside a railroad track and configured such that they can be moved and, in particular, driven substantially transversely with respect to the railroad track, rail containers already standing on the railroad tracks can, advantageously, be loaded quickly and effectively.  
           [0019]    If the measures have at least a second degree of freedom of movement in addition to a first degree of freedom of movement, the apparatus can be matched flexibly to a position of the transport compartment and/or to a position of the goods units provided. The measures can be configured to be pivoted about one or more axes and moved translationally in one or more directions. It is also possible to mount the measures in a floating manner so that they can automatically adapt to a position of the transport compartment and/or to goods units provided.  
           [0020]    With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided an apparatus for at least one of loading and unloading goods units to and from a transport compartment, including at least one conveying unit to be installed in a loading area, the conveying unit simultaneously conveying the goods units and having at least one means inserting into the transport compartment, the inserting means forming an area on which the goods units are to be placed.  
           [0021]    With the objects of the invention in view, in a loading area having goods units and a transport compartment, there is also provided an apparatus for at least one of loading and unloading the goods units to and from a transport compartment in a loading and unloading direction, the apparatus including at least one conveying unit installed in the loading area, the conveying unit simultaneously conveying the goods units and having at least one insertion device insertable into the transport compartment, the insertion device forming an area on which the goods units are placed.  
           [0022]    With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided a method for at least one of loading and unloading goods units to and from a transport compartment, including the steps of installing at least one conveying unit at a loading area, providing a conveying unit with at least one insertion device adapted to be inserted into the transport compartment, the insertion device forming an area on which the goods units are to be placed, and simultaneously conveying the goods units with the conveying unit at least one of into and out from the transport compartment.  
           [0023]    With the objects of the invention in view, there is also provided a method for at least one of loading and unloading goods units to and from a transport compartment, including the steps of fixedly installing at least one conveying unit at a loading area, providing a conveying unit with at least one insertion device adapted to be inserted into the transport compartment, the insertion device forming an area on which the goods units are to be placed, and simultaneously conveying the goods units with the conveying unit at least one of into and out from the transport compartment by moving the insertion device at least one of into and out from the transport compartment.  
           [0024]    Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.  
           [0025]    Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in an apparatus and method for loading and/or unloading a transport compartment, it is, nevertheless, not intended to be limited to the details shown because various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.  
           [0026]    The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, partially cross-sectional and partially elevational side view of an apparatus according to the invention during a loading operation before a support platform is moved into a transport compartment;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, partially cross-sectional and partially elevational side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with the support platform raised;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, partially cross-sectional, partially hidden, and partially elevational side view of the apparatus of FIG. 2 with the support platform moved in;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, partially cross-sectional, partially hidden, and partially elevational side view of the apparatus of FIG. 3 during unloading of the support platform;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, partially cross-sectional and partially hidden view of the support platform of the apparatus of FIGS.  1  to  4 ;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, plan view of the support platform of FIGS.  1  to  4  with goods units;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, plan view of an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with floor slats for loading rail containers;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, partially cross-sectional, partially hidden, and partially elevational side view of the apparatus of FIG. 7 along section line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7 with the floor slats moved in and with goods units; and  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, partially cross-sectional, partially hidden, and partially elevational side view of the apparatus of FIG. 7 along section line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7 during the unloading of the floor slats and with the retaining device extended.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0036]    Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown an apparatus, illustrated schematically, for loading and unloading transport compartments  10 , specifically, commercial motor vehicles  33 . The apparatus has a conveying unit  13  that is installed in a loading area  12  and through which a plurality of goods units  15  can be conveyed simultaneously from the loading area into the transport compartment  10 .  
         [0037]    The conveying unit  13  has a support platform  18  that can be inserted into the transport compartment  10 , which has an integrated conveyor belt  21  that can be driven by an electric drive unit  22  (FIGS. 5 and 6), and forms a set-down area  16  for the goods units  15 . The support platform  18 , which is about 2.2 m wide and about 12 m long, can be lowered in a recess  27  in the loading area  12  and, with a floor of the loading area  12 , forms a plane in the lowered state so that it is, advantageously, possible to move onto the support platform  18  when setting down the goods units  15 .  
         [0038]    On the support platform  18 , supporting rollers  20  are mounted on an integrated hydraulic lifting unit  34 . Instead of a lifting unit  34  integrated in the support platform  18 , a lifting unit could also be integrated in the loading area  12 . Once the support platform  18  has been loaded with the goods units  15 , the support platform  18  and the goods units  15  set down on the latter are lifted by the lifting unit  34  and the supporting rollers  20  (FIG. 2). The support platform  18 , driven by the electric drive unit  22 , is, then, moved over the supporting rollers  20  into the transport compartment  10  (FIG. 3).  
         [0039]    To achieve as stepless a transition as possible between the support platform  18  and a floor of the transport compartment  10 , after the support platform  18  has been moved into the transport compartment  10 , a pivotably mounted  30  end piece  29  of a wedge-like area  28  formed by a free end of the support platform  18  is pivoted in the direction of the floor of the transport compartment  10  (FIG. 6). Then, the conveyor belt  21  is driven by the drive unit  22  and, at the same time, the support platform  18  is moved out of the transport compartment  10  (FIGS. 4 and 5), and to be specific, the conveyor belt  21  is driven by the drive unit  22  in the direction of the transport compartment  10  at a speed that is minimally higher than the support platform  18  is driven out of the transport compartment  10 . To reach the different speeds of the conveyor belt  21  and of the support platform  18 , these are connected to the drive unit  22  through a non-illustrated gear unit. The goods units  15  are conveyed by the conveyor belt  21  into the transport compartment  10  from the support platform  18  over the wedge-like region  28  and the end piece  29  of the support platform  18 , and, in the process, on account of the different speeds of the conveyor belt  21  and the support platform  18 , are positioned without gaps in the longitudinal direction of the transport compartment  10 .  
         [0040]    During the unloading operation of a transport compartment  10 , not specifically illustrated, the support platform  18  is pushed into the transport compartment  10  with the end piece  29  pivoted down under the goods units  15 , and the goods units  15  are drawn onto the support platform  18  by the conveyor belt  21 .  
         [0041]    An alternative apparatus for loading and unloading transport compartments  11  in rail containers  32  is illustrated in FIGS.  7  to  9 . Components that substantially remain the same are in principle numbered with the same reference symbols. Furthermore, with respect to features and functions that remain the same, reference can be made to the description relating to the exemplary embodiment in FIGS.  1  to  6 . The following description is restricted substantially to the differences from the exemplary embodiment in FIGS.  1  to  6 .  
         [0042]    In a loading area  12  of a railroad platform beside a railroad track  26 , the apparatus has ten floor slats  19  that are disposed beside one another transversely with respect to the loading/unloading direction  23 , which are mounted such that they can be driven transversely with respect to the railroad track  26  and form a set-down area  17  for goods units  15  to be transported. The individual floor slats  19  can be lowered in recesses  31  in the loading area  12  and, corresponding to the support platform  18  of the exemplary embodiment in FIGS.  1  to  6 , are configured such that they can be lifted by supporting rollers  20  and by a lifting unit  34 .  
         [0043]    Once the floor slats  19  with goods units  15  have been moved into the transport compartment  11 , transversely with respect to the railroad tracks  26 , retaining measures  24  disposed between the floor slats  19  on a wall of the railroad platform that points in the direction of the rail container  32  are moved vertically upward hydraulically so that the measures  24  come to lie in front of the goods units  15 , counter to a direction of movement  25  of the floor slats  19  out of the transport compartment  11  (FIG. 9). The floor slats  19  can, then, be moved out of the transport compartment  11  of the rail container  32 , and the goods units  15  can be stripped off the floor slats  19  by the retaining measures  24  and positioned in the transport compartment  11 . To achieve low sliding friction between the floor slats  19  and the goods units  15  as the latter are stripped off, the set-down area  17  of the floor slats  19  is treated appropriately, to be specific, it is coated with a specific plastic forming a sliding layer. Instead of a sliding layer, in principle, antifriction elements can also be used.