Transportation device and transportation system using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9856120-B2
Application number	US-201214383796-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2012
Priority date	Mar 9, 2012
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

Provided are a transportation device for transporting heavy plate-shaped cargoes such as thick plate products, and a transportation system using the transportation device. The transportation device may include: a device body unit; a device moving unit provided on the device body unit to move the transportation device; and a cargo loading unit provided on the device body unit for self-loading cargo. The transportation device is capable of rapidly loading and transporting plate-shaped heavy objects such as thick plate products of an iron mill without using additional lifting/unloading apparatuses and heavy pallets (cassettes) for markedly decreasing the total transportation (distribution) time necessary for lifting, transportation, and unloading of cargo, providing efficient transportation environments, improving productivity, and decreasing costs.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A transportation device comprising:
a device body unit;
a device moving unit provided on the device body unit for moving the transportation device;
a cargo loading unit provided on the device body unit for self-loading cargo,
wherein the device moving unit comprises:
a steering unit provided on the device body unit to control a moving direction of the transportation device; and
a tire provided on a connecting arm linked to the steering unit,
wherein at least a selected tire of the device moving unit receives power from a driving unit; and

a first lifting unit linked between the steering unit and the connecting arm to vary a height of the device body unit,
wherein the first lifting unit is a vertical cylinder comprising:
a casing; and
an actuation rod disposed in the casing and connected to the connecting arm at a lower end thereof, and

wherein the steering unit comprises:
a rotation support coupled to the actuation rod in the casing by a spline structure to apply rotational force to the actuation rod; and
at least one horizontal driving cylinder provided on the casing and linked to a rack part, the rack part being engaged with a gear portion formed on a portion of the rotation support protruding from the casing.

2. The transportation device of claim 1 , wherein the cargo loading unit is provided on the device body unit to load the cargo on a lower portion of the transportation device by self-loading.

3. The transportation device of claim 2 , wherein the cargo loading unit is movable on the device body unit in multiple directions for self-loading the cargo.

4. The transportation device of claim 1 , wherein the device body unit comprises:
a first body as a main body;
a second body provided on the first body and linked to the cargo loading unit; and
a third body attached to the second body and linked to the device moving unit.

5. The transportation device of claim 4 , wherein the cargo loading unit comprises:
cargo loading mechanisms movable in mutually-facing directions at both sides of a second body of the device body unit by means of a horizontally moving unit; and
a second lifting unit disposed between the horizontally moving unit and the cargo loading mechanisms,
wherein the cargo loading unit is configured to self-load the cargo on the lower portion of the transportation device through horizontal and vertical movements.

6. The transportation device of claim 5 , wherein the horizontally moving unit comprises:
a movable arm connected to a movable block capable of moving along the second body and linked to the cargo loading mechanisms; and
a horizontal driving cylinder connected between the movable block and the second body.

7. The transportation device of claim 6 , wherein the movable block comprises a movable wheel capable of moving along a rail provided on the second body.

8. The transportation device of claim 6 , wherein the second lifting unit is a vertical driving cylinder comprising an actuation rod and a cylinder body so as to vary a loading height of the cargo, the actuation rod being attached to the movable arm, the cylinder body being linked to the cargo loading mechanisms and coupled to the actuation rod.

9. The transportation device of claim 8 , wherein each of the cargo loading mechanisms comprises:
a lifting rod in which the cylinder body is inserted, the lifting rod having a predetermined length; and
at least one vertical cargo loading member provided on the lifting rod,
wherein cargo loading members cooperatively load the cargo while being moved at both sides of the cargo in mutually-facing directions.

10. The transportation device of claim 9 , wherein each of the cargo loading members comprises:
a member body fixed to the lifting rod; and
at least one fork part provided on a lower portion of the member body to load the cargo thereon.

11. The transportation device of claim 9 , further comprising a guide unit, the guide unit comprising:
a first guide bar disposed between the movable arm and the lifting rod and penetrating the lifting rod for guiding upward and downward movements of the lifting rod; and
a second guide bar inserted through the cargo loading members for guiding a horizontal movement of the cargo loading members.

12. The transportation device of claim 4 , further comprising:
a driver's cage provided on the first body; and
a control box provided on the first body and linked to the device moving unit and the cargo loading unit so as to supply electricity and hydraulic/pneumatic power to the device moving part and the cargo loading unit and control operations of the device moving unit and the cargo loading unit.

13. The transportation device of claim 1 , wherein the driving unit comprises:
a reduction gear assemble comprising a housing to which the connecting arm is fixed and a rotor linked to a wheel to which the tire is attached; and
a hydraulic motor attached to the housing and linked to the reduction gear assembly so as to provide power to the wheel linked to the rotor.

14. The transportation device of claim 1 , wherein the cargo is a plate-shaped weight loadable on the cargo loading unit.

Assignees

• Posco
• Kwangyang Marine Co Ltd
• Kilwoo Corp

Inventors

• Kim Tae-Han
• Lee Kyoung-Hee
• Yoon Jong-Won

Classifications

• B66C19/005 Primary

  Straddle carriers (B66C19/007 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B66C1/30

  and also arranged to grip the sides of the loads · CPC title

• B63B27/14

  of ramps, gangways or outboard ladders {; Pilot lifts} · CPC title

• B62D61/10

  with more than four wheels {(tractors of the low ground pressure type B62D49/002)} · CPC title

• B62D7/1509

  with different steering modes, e.g. crab-steering, or steering specially adapted for reversing of the vehicle · CPC title