JP7721056B2 - Forklift work area visibility device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a working part visualization device for a forklift driven by an internal combustion engine, and more particularly to a working part visualization device that enables an operator aboard the vehicle body to easily visualize the loading and unloading working part (claws) of a forklift used for loading and unloading, for example.

Conventionally, with a typical forklift used for handling and moving cargo, the operator operates the working part while directly observing it, which creates blind spots for the operator, and there is a risk that the forklift may damage cargo or cause harm to other workers.

More specifically, with a forklift, the operator inserts the claws into a pallet and drives the forklift to move the goods placed on the pallet and perform cargo handling operations such as loading and unloading onto a truck.
In a typical forklift, an L-shaped claw for loading cargo is installed in front of the operator's seat, and if the cargo is large, the operator is left with a blind spot in front of the cargo, so the forklift must be reversed to move it.
However, driving a forklift in reverse not only reduces work efficiency but also poses safety problems.
Furthermore, even when the cargo is small, the claws that load the cargo are located at the bottom, and in multi-story warehouses, the cargo needs to be moved several meters upward, making it difficult to see from the operator's seat and making loading and unloading operations difficult.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2007-0000864

The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 describes a cable that transmits a video signal from the camera to the monitor, but does not describe at all a power line that supplies power to the camera to operate it, nor does it describe a battery that starts the forklift's internal combustion engine.

Even if it is suggested that the forklift is equipped with a battery for starting the internal combustion engine, it is highly likely that the camera is powered by a mobile battery rather than the battery for starting the internal combustion engine. In other words, the battery for starting the internal combustion engine and the camera are not connected by a power line.

Therefore, a mobile battery dedicated to the video camera must be attached to the moving parts such as the claws, and if the mobile battery is completely discharged and the power supply to the video camera is stopped, the image on the monitor will suddenly disappear, which may put the forklift operator or third parties in danger.

In some cases, when the power supply from the mobile battery is cut off, an image of the moment just before the power cut off may remain on the monitor, causing the forklift operator looking at the monitor to misjudge the situation, which could pose a greater risk than if the image were to disappear.

Of course, if you keep your mobile battery charged at all times, the above problems will not occur, but since mobile batteries are usually small and have a small capacity, they need to be charged all the time, which is a tedious and troublesome process, so there is a risk that you will forget to charge them, which could lead to the above problems.

(1) The present invention is a working part visual confirmation device for a forklift truck that includes a vehicle body driven by an internal combustion engine, a connecting rod fixed to a backrest that is attached so as to be movable relative to the vehicle body, and two loading and unloading claws attached to the connecting rod, for allowing an operator aboard the vehicle body to visually confirm the direction of the working part,
a battery mounted on the vehicle body to start the internal combustion engine;
a video camera attached to the connecting rod for capturing images of the working unit;
a power line for supplying power from the battery to the video camera;
a signal line for transmitting a video signal captured by the video camera;
a monitor mounted on the vehicle body for displaying the video signal transmitted from the video camera through the signal line;
The video camera and the monitor are connected by a signal line, and a battery for starting the internal combustion engine is connected to the monitor and the video camera by a power line.

In the present invention, the video camera and monitor are connected by a signal line, and the battery for starting the internal combustion engine, the monitor, and the video camera are connected in series by a power line, so there is no need to connect a mobile battery to the video camera, and the power supply to the video camera will not be stopped.
If the power supply from the battery for starting the internal combustion engine were to stop, the forklift itself would not operate, and the above-mentioned problem would not occur.
The internal combustion engine referred to here includes all internal combustion engines such as gasoline engines, diesel engines and hybrid engines with electricity.

(2) It is desirable that a switch for controlling the power from the battery to be on and off be provided between the battery and the monitor.
When the switch is provided, the monitor and video camera can be operated independently of the forklift's operation.

(3) It is desirable that a vertically extending mast be fixed to the front side of the vehicle body, the backrest be slidably attached to the mast, one end of the holder be fixed to the mast, and the other end of the holder be fixed to the backrest.
One end of the holder is fixed to the mast, and the other end of the holder is fixed to the backrest, and the holder is loaded on the movable part between the mast and the backrest, which move relative to each other, so there is little risk of signal lines or power lines being broken.

(4) It is desirable that the holder is formed by a plurality of blocks, each having a rectangular cross section and rectangular openings at both ends, which are not themselves flexible, and which are rotatably connected with the openings facing each other, and that the power lines and signal lines are stored inside.
The block is formed by connecting multiple blocks that are not flexible in themselves so that they can rotate, and the power lines and signal lines are stored inside the block. Therefore, the power lines and signal lines are robustly protected by the holder, and there is little risk of them breaking even if an external force is applied.

(5) It is desirable that the holder be configured to bend in only one direction.
If the holder is configured to bend only in one direction, it will not bend in the other direction, and the power line and the signal line are stably protected by the holder, with little risk of breakage even when an external force is applied.

In the forklift working part visualization device of the present invention, a video camera mounted on the working moving part is connected by wire to a monitor installed on the vehicle body in which the operator sits, and to a battery for starting the internal combustion engine, eliminating the need for a mobile battery dedicated to the video camera, preventing the monitor image from suddenly disappearing due to the mobile battery running out, and eliminating the risk of the forklift operator or third parties being in danger.
As such, a mobile battery is not required, and naturally there is no need to charge the mobile battery.
In addition, there is no need for equipment to send and receive video wirelessly, making it cheaper.

1 is an external perspective view of a forklift according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a front view, partially in section, of a claw of a forklift according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a right side view corresponding to FIG. 2 of the fork of the forklift according to the embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of an appearance of a holder according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a holder according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of an external appearance of a block constituting a holder according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic diagram showing wiring according to an embodiment of the present invention;

As an embodiment of the present invention, a forklift for handling and moving cargo will be described.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of a forklift truck.
In this figure, the vehicle body 1 consists of a chassis 2, a drive unit 3 mounted on the chassis 2, an operator's chair 4 provided on the drive unit 3, a head guard 5 provided above the head guard 5, and a handle 6 and a backrest operating lever 7 provided in front of the operator's chair 4.
A battery 17 for starting the internal combustion engine of the forklift is built in the rear.

A mast 8 is erected at the front of the vehicle body 1, and a backrest 9 that slides up and down is attached to the front of the mast 8, and an L-shaped claw 10 is fixed to the lower end of the backrest 9.
The claw 10 is composed of a vertical portion 10a extending vertically and a horizontal portion 10b extending horizontally.
With this configuration, the claw 10 moves up and down along the mast 8 together with the backrest 9.

A roller chain 11 operated by a hydraulic mechanism is attached to the mast 8, and the claw 10 is driven together with the backrest 9 by the hydraulic mechanism.
When transporting cargo, the horizontal portions 10b of the two claws 10 are inserted into the pallet 13 on which the cargo 12 is placed, and the claws 10 are lifted slightly and moved to transport the cargo to the specified position (Figure 2).
The above is the basic structure of a forklift and is well known.

A connecting rod 14 extending horizontally is provided on the vertical portion 10a of each of the claws 10 to connect the two claws 10, and a video camera 15 for filming the working portion is attached to the bottom of the connecting rod 14. The working portion here refers to the tip of the horizontal portion 10b of each of the claws 10 (the left end in FIG. 2).
4 is fixed to the upper part of the mast 8, and one end 16a of the holder 16 is fixed to the mast side fixing device 21. Also, a backrest side fixing device 20 of the holder 16 is fixed to the side surface of the backrest 9, and the other end 16b of the holder 16 is fixed to the backrest side fixing device 20.

A power line 22 and a signal line 23 are inserted inside the holder 16, and as shown in FIG. 7, a battery 17 built into the vehicle body 1 for starting the internal combustion engine that drives the forklift is connected to the monitor 19 and video camera 15 by the power line 22, and the video camera 15 is connected to the monitor 19 by the signal line 23.
A switch 27 is provided between the battery 17 and the monitor 19 or video camera 15 to control the power from the battery on and off.
The power line 22 that supplies power to the video camera 15 may be connected to the switch via the monitor 19 or may be connected directly to the switch 27 without going through the monitor 19 .

Therefore, power from the battery 17 for starting the internal combustion engine is supplied directly to the monitor 19 and the video camera 15 via a power line 22, and a video signal from the video camera 15 is supplied directly to the monitor 19 via a signal line 23.
In FIG. 7, A represents the main body (fixed side) of the forklift, and B represents the backrest and claws (movable side), and B moves up and down relative to A.
A gasoline engine 24 as an internal combustion engine, a starter 25 for starting the gasoline engine 24, and a dynamo 26 for obtaining electric power from the rotational force of the gasoline engine 24 are connected to the main body A of the forklift.

Power lines to the battery 17 are connected in parallel to the starter 25 and the dynamo 26, respectively.
Therefore, when the starter 25 receives power from the battery 17 and rotates, the gasoline engine 24 starts.
Furthermore, when the gasoline engine 24 is driven, the dynamo 26 generates electricity, which is used to charge the battery 17 .

Next, the holder 16 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the holder 16 is formed by a plurality of resin blocks that are not flexible themselves and have a rectangular cross section and rectangular openings 18 at both ends, and are rotatably connected with the openings 18 facing each other, and is configured to have an overall bellows-shaped tube shape as shown in FIG. 4 that is curved only in the X direction, and the power lines 22 and the signal lines 23 are stored inside.
Therefore, when the backrest 9 moves up and down relative to the mast 8, the holder 16 follows the movement while moving the curved portion.

1 vehicle body, 2 chassis, 3 drive unit, 4 operator chair, 5 head guard, 10a vertical section, 10b horizontal section, 10af front of vertical section, 11 roller chain, 12 luggage, 13 pallet, 14 connecting rod, 15 video camera, 16 holder, 17 battery, 18 opening, 19 monitor, 20 fixing device, 21 fixing device, 22 power line, 23 signal line, 24 engine, 25 starter, 26 dynamo, 27 switch.

Claims (1)

A working part visual confirmation device for a forklift truck that includes a vehicle body driven by an internal combustion engine, a connecting rod fixed to a backrest that is attached so as to be movable relative to the vehicle body, and two loading and unloading claws attached to the connecting rod, for allowing an operator aboard the vehicle body to visually confirm the direction of the working part,
a starter and a battery mounted on the vehicle body for starting the internal combustion engine;
a dynamo that obtains electric power from the power of the internal combustion engine and supplies it to the battery;
a video camera attached to the connecting rod for capturing images of the working unit;
a power line for supplying power from the battery to the video camera;
a signal line for transmitting a video signal captured by the video camera;
a monitor mounted on the vehicle body for displaying the video signal transmitted from the video camera through the signal line;
the video camera and the monitor are connected by a signal line, and the battery, the monitor, and the video camera are connected by a power line;
the starter is connected to the battery by a power line;
The dynamo is also connected to the battery by a power line,
When the power charged in the battery runs out and the monitor does not operate , power is not supplied to the starter of the internal combustion engine, making it impossible to start the internal combustion engine .