Patent Publication Number: US-2005135911-A1

Title: Loading device for a cargo space of a vehicle

Description:
The invention relates to a loading device according to the preamble of Claim  1 . Loading devices of this type are known, for example from EP-A 1332988. When used in the loading floor of a lorry, the known loading device has the drawback that the underside of the floorboards may be soiled with sand and mud while driving on the road and/or sandy roads and may also get wet. As a result of the floorboards being moved to and fro during loading and unloading, this dirt ends up between the floorboards and the stationary supports, where it causes wear. As a result of this wear, it may be necessary to renew the floorboards regularly which leads to additional costs.  
      In order to prevent this wear, the loading device is designed according to the feature of Claim  1 . As a result of installing guard means, the contact face gets less dirty and/or wet and there will be less wear of the floorboards.  
      In accordance with an improvement, the loading device is designed according to Claim  2 . In this embodiment, short contact planes are provided above the stationary supports which are effectively protected against dirt by the splash guards.  
      In accordance with one embodiment, the loading device is designed according to Claim  3 . This ensures soiling of the underside of the floorboards is prevented.  
      In accordance with one embodiment, the loading device is designed according to Claim  4 . This ensures soiling of the underside of the floorboards is prevented further.  
      In accordance with one embodiment, the loading device is designed according to Claim  5 . This ensures that the underside of the floorboard is protected against soiling over a sufficient distance.  
      In accordance with one embodiment, the loading device is designed according to Claim  6 . This ensures that the stationary support with splash guard can be manufactured in a simple manner with suitably matched dimensions.  
      In accordance with one embodiment, the loading device is designed according to Claim  7 . This allows a support for the floorboards to be produced in a simple manner which protects the underside of the floorboard over its entire length.  
      In accordance with one embodiment, the loading device is designed according to Claim  8 . In this way, a solid floor with high load-bearing capacity, in which the underside of the floorboard is protected over its entire length, is provided in a simple manner.  
      In accordance with one embodiment, the loading device is designed according to Claim  9 . In this way, installing the floorboards over the plastic profiled section is relatively simple while a good seal is ensured at the same time.  
      In accordance with one embodiment, the loading device is designed according to Claim  10 . In this way, the plastic profiled section is prevented in a simple manner from sliding over the stationary supports.  
      In accordance with one embodiment, the loading device is designed according to Claim  11 . In this way, the sliding piece can be attached to the supporting beam in a simple manner.  
      In accordance with one embodiment, the loading device is designed according to Claim  12 . In this way, the plastic component can be produced quickly and with little distortion.  
      In accordance with one embodiment, the loading device is designed according to Claim  13 . In this way, the mould for producing the plastic component can be constructed in a simple manner, while the apertures in the plastic produce a saving in material. 
    
    
      The invention will be explained below with reference to a number of exemplary embodiments of the loading device with the aid of a drawing, in which:  
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a vehicle with a loading device according to the invention,  
       FIG. 2  shows a rear view of the loading platform of the vehicle of  FIG. 1 ,  
       FIG. 3  shows a longitudinal section III-III of a first embodiment of a sliding piece of the loading device,  
       FIG. 4  shows a cross section IV-IV of the sliding piece of  FIG. 3 ,  
       FIG. 5  shows a perspective plan view of the sliding piece of  FIG. 3 ,  
       FIG. 6  shows a cross section of a floorboard according to a second embodiment of the loading device,  
       FIG. 7  shows a cross section of a floorboard according to a third embodiment of the loading device,  
       FIG. 8  shows a cross section of a floorboard according to a fourth embodiment of the loading device,  
       FIG. 9  shows a cross section of a floorboard according to a fifth embodiment of the loading device,  
       FIG. 10  shows a longitudinal section X-X of a sixth embodiment of the loading device, and  
       FIG. 11  shows a cross section XI-XI of the sixth embodiment of the loading device. 
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows a tractor unit  1  with a semitrailer  2 . The semitrailer  2  has a loading platform  3  having a floor comprising floorboards  4 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the floorboards are supported by a number of crossbeams  6  which are situated on two londitudinal beams  7 . The longitudinal beams  7  are supported by springs  8  which rest on an axle  9  and wheels  10 .  
      The floorboards  4  are moved to and fro in groups over a distance s by means of hydraulic cylinders (not shown) which are described inter alia in European patent application EP-A 1332988. The load is displaced if all groups of floorboards  4  are simultaneously moved in the same direction from a starting position. Subsequently, the floorboards  4  are returned to their starting position by moving a first group of floorboards  4 , for example comprising one third of the number of floorboards  4 , to the starting position and then, one after the other, moving the second and third groups to the starting position. Then, all groups are moved simultaneously out of the starting position again as a result of which the load moves ahead one step. The floorboards  4  rest on sliding pieces to be discusssed below, which are generally made from plastic. The illustrated loading device can be used for loading and unloading parcel goods, for example pallets, and also for loading and unloading bulk material. As transportation takes place over surfaced and unsurfaced roads, the underside of the floorboards  4  can become very dirty.  
       FIGS. 3, 4  and  5  show sliding pieces  13  for supporting floorboards  4  which are provided with a splash guard  17 . This splash guard  17  prevents a contact plane  12  on the underside of the floorboard  4 , which moves over a supporting plane  14  of the sliding piece  13  over a distance s, from becoming soiled by dirt splashing up from the road. To this end, the splash guard  17  is designed, at its end remote from the sliding piece  13 , with a gap  11  which functions as an air gap seal and which prevents dirt splashing up in the longitudinal direction from hitting the contact plane  12 . The splash guard  17  is provided with lips  20  at the sides which seal with a gap  19  in the longitudinal direction against the underside of the floorboard  4  and thus prevent dirt splashing up from the side from hitting the contact plane  12 . In order to prevent the ends of the floorboards  4  from bouncing up as a result of the load, retainers  18  have been installed on the sliding piece  13 . In the embodiment shown, use has been made of air gap seals, as a result of which the floorboards  4  do not experience any additional resistance due to the seals during movement to and fro. If desired, the seals may also comprise lips which rest against the floorboard  4 .  
      The sliding piece  13 , which is preferably made from a plastic suitable for the purpose, is attached, together with two other sliding pieces  13 , to a common base  15  to form an assembly  21 . The assembly  21  is attached to the crossbeam  6  by means of rivets  16 . This embodiment with three sliding pieces  13  is based on the fact that the floorboards  4  can move in three groups by means of three hydraulic cylinders, the number of floorboards  4  in each case being a multiple of three. In embodiments with more or fewer groups, or for other reasons, more or fewer sliding pieces  13  may be combined to form an assembly  21 .  
       FIG. 6  shows an embodiment, in which a longitudinal beam  23  is arranged over the crossbeams  6  under each floorboard  4 . This longitudinal beam  23  extends over the entire length of the loading floor, and is optionally interrupted in some places for the installation of the hydraulic cylinders used to move the floorboards  4  to and fro. The longitudinal beam  23  is, for example, attached to the crossbeams  6  by means of a welded joint  27 . Over the entire length of the longitudinal beam  23 , at the upper side thereof, a sliding profiled section  24  is attached by clamping using a snap closure  22 . The upper side of the sliding profiled section  24 , over the entire length of the longitudinal beam  23 , forms a supporting plane  14  under the floorboard  4  so that no surface is freely accessible to splashing dirt and the underside of the floorboard  4  cannot be soiled by splashing dirt. If desired, additional guard features may be provided at the end of the longitudinal beam  23  over the distance s to prevent the parts of the underside of the floorboard  4  protruding beyond the longitudinal beam  23  from becoming soiled. In order to prevent dirt from splashing against the underside of the floorboard  4  on the side next to the sliding profiled section  24 , an air gap seal  26  is formed on both sides which is formed by a part of the floorboard  4  and a lip  25  on the sliding profiled section  24 . The lip  25  with snap closure  22  also prevents the floorboard  4  from bouncing up.  
       FIG. 7  shows another embodiment of the design from  FIG. 6 . In this case, the sliding profiled section  24  is designed as a flat panel which is attached to the longtitudinal beam  23  with adhesive or rivets. The air gap seal  26  is formed by a lip  28  which forms part of the profiled section of the longitudinal beam  23 . As a result, the sliding profiled section  24  can be produced more easily.  
       FIG. 8  shows another adaptation of the design from  FIG. 6 . In this case, the snap closure  22  of the sliding profiled section  24  is mounted around a rib  29  which is fitted in the side walls of the longitudinal profiled section  23 . As a result, the gap  26  between the floorboard  4  and the sliding profiled section  24  is tall and narrow, which efficiently prevents dirt from getting in. In addition, the rib  29  forms a solid stop which prevents the floorboard  4  from bouncing up.  
       FIG. 9  shows an adaptation of the design from  FIG. 7 . The sliding profiled section  24  is provided with a lip which, together with a groove  30 , forms a clamping construction in the longitudinal profiled section  23  for attaching the sliding profiled section  24 . If desired, the groove may be provided in the sliding profiled section  24  and the longitudinal profiled section  23  is provided with the lip. For sealing, use is made of separate profiled sections  31  which are clamped on the lip  28  of the longitudinal profiled section  23  and form a gap  26  with the floorboard  4 . If desired, the sliding profiled section  24  may be made from a different plastic which has special sliding properties. The profiled section  31  can then be made from a relatively cheap material. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that combinations of the embodiments described above may also be employed.  
       FIGS. 10 and 11  show an embodiment, in which a number of supports  37  are combined to form a plastic component and are mounted on the crossbeam  6  by means of a base  38  in the manner described above with the aid of rivets  16 . Plastic profiled sections  32  are fitted on the supports  37  in the longitudinal direction of the loading space  3 , with the upper side of each plastic profiled section  32  supporting the underside of the floorboard  4  with a sliding plane  33 . The plastic profiled sections  32  are attached to the supports  37  by screws  34 , such as particleboard screws or self-tapping screws, so that sliding in the longitudinal direction is prevented. The screws  34  are preferably fitted at the side of the support  37  so that the sliding plane  33  can remain free from the heads of the screws  34 . The plastic profiled section  32  may also be attached to the support  37  by means of adhesive rather than screws  34 . In the region of the sliding plane  33 , the floorboards  4  can slide over the plastic profiled sections  32  and are supported by the crossbeam  6  at the location of the support  37 . The plastic profiled sections  32  have a sealing lip  35  which, with the floorboard  4 , forms a gap  36  and ensures that no dirt can get between the floorboard  4  and the plastic profiled section  32  or to the sliding plane  33  from underneath. During installation of the floorboard  4  over the plastic profiled section  32 , the sealing lips  35  provide guidance for the floorboards  4 , while, due to the elasticity of the sealing lip  35 , little resistance is generated when the floorboard  4  slides over the plastic profiled section  32 . The uninterrupted length of the plastic profiled section  32  also prevents dirt from reaching the sliding plane  33 .  
      The plastic support  37  is provided with apertures  39  which are positioned in such a manner that the plastic between the apertures  39  has a more or less constant wall thickness throughout. This makes it easier to produce the component by injection-moulding as the dissipation of heat during curing takes place more evenly. The walls of the apertures  39  are more or less parallel as a result of which the cores present during injection-moulding can be pulled from the cured component in a simple manner. This makes it possible to make the design of the mould simpler.