TRANSPORT PALLET, TRANSPORT CONTAINER AND TRANSPORT VEHICLE WITH AT LEAST ONE OF SAME

Abstract

In a transport pallet (1) having an upper side (10), a lower side (11), and at least four side parts (12, 13, 14, 15) or side surfaces arranged between and/or adjacent to the upper side (10) and the lower side (11), the transport pallet (1) can be provided or is provided with at least one rechargeable energy store (2), wherein the at least one rechargeable energy store (2) is configured for supplying energy to at least one electrical or electronic component (9) of a transport vehicle (8), wherein the transport pallet (1) has at least one energy transfer device (4) for transferring energy from the at least one rechargeable energy store (2) to the at least one electrical or electronic component (9) of the transport vehicle (8) and/or from at least one energy source (6, 7) to the rechargeable energy store (2).

Claims

1. A transport pallet comprising: an upper side, a lower side, and at least four side parts or side surfaces arranged between and/or adjacent to the upper side and the lower side, wherein the transport pallet can be provided or is provided with at least one rechargeable energy store, wherein the at least one rechargeable energy store is configured to supply energy to at least one electrical or electronic component of a transport vehicle, wherein the transport pallet has at least one energy transfer device for transferring energy from the at least one rechargeable energy store to the at least one electrical or electronic component of the transport vehicle and/or from at least one energy source to the rechargeable energy store.

2. The transport pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one energy transfer device is configured for cabled energy transfer, in particular comprises at least one socket for energy transfer via a cable which can be plugged into the socket.

3. The transport pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one energy transfer device is configured for cable-free energy transfer, in particular for inductive energy transfer.

4. The transport pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one electronic charging unit is arranged in or in the inside of the transport pallet.

5. The transport pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transport pallet has at least one receiver in which the at least one rechargeable energy store is received or can be received, in particular at least one inner cavity.

6. The transport pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transport pallet is made of at least one plastics material, in particular at least one at least partially reinforced plastics material.

7. The transport pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one readable data carrier can be arranged or is arranged in and/or on the transport pallet, in particular at least one RFID transponder, for storing data of the at least one rechargeable energy store and/or data permitting the tracking and identification of the at least one rechargeable energy store and/or of the transport pallet.

8. The transport pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transport pallet has at least one device for connecting the transport pallet to one or more wall parts and/or door-like elements, in particular wall parts and/or door-like elements which are closed and/or provided with openings and/or lattice-like.

9. The transport pallet as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least four wall parts and/or door-like elements are connected to the transport pallet to form a box or a transport container, in particular a refrigerated container.

10. A transport container for transporting cargo, comprising: a base and a number of wall parts, wherein at least one transport pallet as claimed in claim 1 is provided as the base and can be connected or is connected to the number of wall parts and/or door-like elements.

11. The transport container as claimed in claim 10, wherein the transport container is in the form of a container, closed on all sides, having the at least one transport pallet as the base, side wall parts and/or door-like elements, and at least one lid part, in particular in the form of a refrigerated container.

12. A transport vehicle, comprising: at least one electrical or electronic component, such as at least one electric drive, and having at least one transport surface for the arrangement of at least one transport pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transport vehicle can be provided or is provided with at least one terminal device or connecting device for transferring energy from the at least one rechargeable energy store of the transport pallet to at least one electrical or electronic component of the transport vehicle.

13. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the transport pallet is in the form of a box or transport container, in particular a refrigerated container.

14. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one rechargeable energy store of the transport pallet is provided for supplying energy for a cooling device for cooling the interior of the transport vehicle or an air conditioning device of the transport vehicle.

15. The transport pallet as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one energy transfer device is configured for cable-free energy transfer, in particular for inductive energy transfer, and wherein at least one electronic charging unit is arranged in or in the inside of the transport pallet.

16. The transport pallet as claimed in claim 15, wherein the transport pallet has at least one receiver in which the at least one rechargeable energy store is received or can be received, in particular at least one inner cavity, and wherein the transport pallet is made of at least one plastics material, in particular at least one at least partially reinforced plastics material.

17. The transport pallet as claim in claim 16, wherein at least one readable data carrier can be arranged or is arranged in and/or on the transport pallet, in particular at least one RFID transponder, for storing data of the at least one rechargeable energy store and/or data permitting the tracking and identification of the at least one rechargeable energy store and/or of the transport pallet, wherein the transport pallet has at least one device for connecting the transport pallet to one or more wall parts and/or door-like elements, in particular wall parts and/or door-like elements which are closed and/or provided with openings and/or lattice-like, and wherein at least four wall parts and/or door-like elements are connected to the transport pallet to form a box or a transport container, in particular a refrigerated container.

18. A transport container for transporting cargo, comprising: a base and a number of wall parts, wherein at least one transport pallet as claimed in claim 17 is provided as the base and can be connected or is connected to the number of wall parts and/or door-like elements.

19. A transport vehicle, comprising: at least one electrical or electronic component, such as at least one electric drive, and having at least one transport surface for the arrangement of at least one transport pallet as claimed in claim 17, wherein the transport vehicle can be provided or is provided with at least one terminal device or connecting device for transferring energy from the at least one rechargeable energy store of the transport pallet to at least one electrical or electronic component of the transport vehicle.

20. A transport vehicle as claimed in claim 19, wherein the transport pallet is in the form of a box or transport container, in particular a refrigerated container, and wherein the at least one rechargeable energy store of the transport pallet is provided for supplying energy for a cooling device for cooling the interior of the transport vehicle or an air conditioning device of the transport vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to explain the invention in greater detail, exemplary embodiments thereof will be described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0019] FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of a first embodiment of a transport pallet according to the invention;

[0020] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the transport pallet according to FIG. 1;

[0021] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the transport pallet according to FIG. 1;

[0022] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the transport pallet according to FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a stack of pallets containing four transport pallets according to FIG. 1;

[0024] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a stack of pallets containing three stacked transport pallets according to the invention of different dimensions;

[0025] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a lattice box according to the invention having four lattice-like wall parts and a transport pallet according to FIG. 1 as the base;

[0026] FIG. 7a is an exploded view of the lattice box according to FIG. 7;

[0027] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a transport box according to the invention having four wall parts provided with slot-like openings and a transport pallet according to FIG. 1 as the base;

[0028] FIG. 8a is an exploded perspective view of the transport box according to FIG. 8;

[0029] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a transport container according to the invention having four wall parts, a lid part and a transport pallet according to FIG. 1 as the base;

[0030] FIG. 9a is an exploded perspective view of the transport container according to FIG. 9;

[0031] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a transport container according to the invention having three wall parts, two door-like elements, a lid part and a transport pallet according to FIG. 1 as the base;

[0032] FIG. 10a is a perspective view of the transport container according to FIG. 10 with the door-like elements open;

[0033] FIG. 11 is a side view in the form of a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a transport vehicle according to the invention with a transport container according to the invention having a transport pallet according to the invention received thereon;

[0034] FIG. 12 is a side view in the form of a schematic diagram of the transport vehicle according to FIG. 11 with a stack of nine stacked transport pallets according to the invention;

[0035] FIG. 13 is a side view in the form of a schematic diagram of a further embodiment of a transport vehicle with a stack of transport pallets according to the invention mounted on its transport surface;

[0036] FIG. 14 is a side view in the form of a schematic diagram of the transport vehicle according to FIG. 13 with further transport containers according to the invention positioned on its transport surface in addition to the stack of transport pallets;

[0037] FIG. 15 is a side view in the form of a schematic diagram of the transport vehicle according to FIG. 13 with transport containers according to the invention positioned in two layers on its transport surface;

[0038] FIG. 16 is a side view in the form of a schematic diagram of a further embodiment of a transport vehicle with a towing vehicle and a trailer, wherein, in addition to a stack of transport pallets according to the invention, further transport containers are arranged on its transport surface;

[0039] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a stack of pallets containing stacked transport pallets according to the invention, each of which has at least one cable-free energy transfer device, positioned at a charging station for the cable-free charging of energy stores of the transport pallets;

[0040] FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of a transport pallet according to the invention having an energy transfer device in the form of two sockets, one of which is connected via a cable to a charging station;

[0041] FIG. 18a is a perspective side view of the arrangement according to FIG. 18;

[0042] FIG. 18b is a further perspective view of the arrangement according to FIG. 18;

[0043] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a stack of pallets containing four stacked transport pallets according to FIG. 18, wherein the stacked transport pallets are connected together in the region of the sockets via cables; and

[0044] FIG. 19a is a detail of the uppermost transport pallet of the stack according to FIG. 19 and of the transport pallet arranged beneath it, in the region of the sockets and the cables plugged into the sockets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0045] FIGS. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of a transport pallet 1, comprising an upper side 10, a lower side 11, and four side parts 12, 13, 14, 15 arranged between or adjacent thereto. As is apparent in particular from the exploded view in FIG. 2, the transport pallet 1 is of multi-part or modular construction and has a housing lower part 16 provided with cavities, a lid part 17, which is attached thereto and closes it to the outside, and a carrier part 18 which can be inserted into the housing lower part 16 and carries a rechargeable energy store 2 and an electronic charging unit 3. The housing lower part 16 comprises the lower side 11 of the transport pallet 1 and its four side parts or surfaces 12, 13, 14, 15. The lid part 17 has the upper side 10 of the transport pallet 1, when it is attached to the housing lower part 16 or is connected thereto.

[0046] The electronic charging unit 3 is connected to the rechargeable energy store 2, this not being shown in detail in the embodiment variant of the transport pallet 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. As is apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3, the electronic charging unit 3 is arranged on the carrier part 18 directly adjacent to the rechargeable energy store 2, and the carrier part 18, together with the rechargeable energy store 2 arranged thereon and the electronic charging unit 3, is received in the inner cavity 19 of the housing lower part 16, and the transport pallet 1 is closed to the outside by fitting the lid part 17 to the housing lower part 16. The components of the energy store 2 and of the electronic charging unit 3 that are arranged in the inside of the transport pallet 1 can thereby be sealed to the outside and encapsulated. In particular, the housing lower part 16, the lid part 17 and optionally the carrier part 18 in the inside of the transport pallet 1 are made of at least one plastics material. At least the regions of the transport pallet that are subjected to static and/or dynamic loads can be made from a reinforced plastics material, for example fiber-reinforced plastics material. The shaping of the housing lower part 16 of the transport pallet 1 is suitably shaped for the engagement of forks of a fork lift truck. It has longitudinal ribs 160, 161, 162 which have transverse grooves 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168 arranged in the transverse direction of the transport pallet, that is to say approximately 90 to the longitudinal extent of the longitudinal ribs 160, 161, 162. The longitudinal ribs 160, 161, 162 can be seen particularly clearly in the bottom view of the transport pallet in FIG. 4. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the carrier part 18 comprises three carrier rails 180, 181, 182 on which the rechargeable energy store 2 and the electronic charging unit 3 are arranged and which are introduced into the inner cavities of the longitudinal ribs 160, 161, 162 of the housing lower part 16 and thus reinforce them.

[0047] As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 17 to 19a, the transport pallet 1 has at least one energy transfer device 4 for charging and for energy transfer in respect of the energy store 2. In the embodiment according to FIG. 17, the energy transfer device is of cable-free, for example inductive, form, while in the embodiments according to FIGS. 18, 18a and 18b and 19, 19a they are arranged in cabled form by the provision of a respective socket 40, 41 on the respective outer side of the side part 15 of the transport pallet 1. Of course, sockets 40, 41 can also or additionally be arranged on one of the other side parts of the transport pallet 1. Cables 5 with plugs 50, which permit connection, for example, to an energy source or charging station 6, can be plugged into the sockets 40, 41 of the energy transfer device 4. Likewise, a plurality of transport pallets 1 can be connected together via such cables 5, which are plugged into the respective sockets 40, 41 of the transport pallets arranged one above the other. This is shown by way of example in FIG. 19, 19a. A cable-free, or inductive, connection to a charging station 7 is shown by way of example in FIG. 17. The stacked transport pallets 1 can thereby be connected to one another and to the cable-free charging station 7 in a cable-free manner, for example inductively, in order to charge, or first discharge and then charge again, the respective rechargeable energy store 2 in the respective transport pallet 1.

[0048] Via the respective energy transfer devices 4 of the transport pallets 1 it is possible not only to charge the rechargeable energy stores 2 arranged inside the transport pallets but also to transfer their energy, for example, to an electric drive 9 of a transport vehicle 8 or other electrical or electronic components thereof, as is shown by way of example in FIGS. 11 to 16. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 11, the transport pallet 1, or the at least one rechargeable energy store 2 located therein, is electrically connected via the energy transfer device 4 of the transport pallet to the transport vehicle 8 via a terminal device 80 of the transport vehicle. In particular, a mechanical connection is also provided in this region, in order to avoid unintentional slipping of the transport pallet 1 on a transport surface 81 of the transport vehicle 8, on which the transport pallet 1 is positioned, in particular in the region of the terminal device 80. The terminal device 80 on the transport vehicle 8 is connected, for example, to the electric drive 9 of the transport vehicle 8, in order to supply the electric drive with energy via the rechargeable energy store 2. In the case of a stack of stacked transport pallets 1, as indicated in FIGS. 12, 13, 14, 16, a large amount of energy can be provided for the transport vehicle or the electric drive thereof. The range of the vehicle can thus be increased significantly. On the other hand, further devices of the transport vehicle that are to be supplied with energy can also be fed, such as, for example, an air conditioning device 82 for cooling the interior of the transport vehicle.

[0049] In addition to the stacking of the transport pallets 1, transport containers 100 which comprise the transport pallets 1 as bases can also be stacked, as is likewise apparent from FIGS. 14 to 16. The energy transfer devices 4 of the respective transport pallets 1 can be connected together via integrated lines, separate cables or also in a cable-free manner through the transport containers 100, or their lid parts 105, wall parts 101, 102, 103, 104 and/or door-like elements 106. In the transport vehicle according to FIG. 11, only one such transport container 100 is positioned on the transport surface 81 thereof. Such a transport container 100 can be formed by attaching wall parts 101, 102, 103, 104 and optionally at least one lid part 105 to the transport pallet forming the base of the transport container 100, as is shown by way of example in FIGS. 7 to 10a, The wall parts 101, 102, 103, 104 may thereby be in lattice form, in order to form lattice-box-like transport boxes as shown in FIGS. 7 and 7a, or may comprise wall parts 101, 102, 103, 104 provided with slot-like openings, as shown in FIGS. 8, 8a, or may have closed wall parts 101, 102, 103, 104 as can be seen in FIGS. 9, 9a. The lid part 105 is there attached to the upper side of the wall parts in order to close the transport container 100 at the top. In the embodiment variant of the transport container shown in FIGS. 10, 10a, two door-like elements 106, 107 are provided in place of one wall part, in order to allow the transport container 100 to be opened and closed. The wall parts 101, 102, 103, 104 or door-like elements 106, 107 can be positioned in grooves 110, 111, 112, 113 on the upper side 10 of the transport pallet 1 and fixed, for example locked or fixedly clamped, therein.

[0050] A transport container 100 provided in particular with door-like elements 106, 107 can in particular also be in the form of a refrigerated container for receiving refrigerated goods, which can be transported in the refrigerated state therein. The electrical energy required to operate a refrigerating unit can be provided by the at least one rechargeable energy store 2 of the transport pallet 1, so that the refrigerated container is not only independent of the power supply of the transport vehicle 8 but can continue to be supplied with power by the rechargeable energy store of the transport pallet 1 of the transport container 100 in the form of the refrigerated container even when it is being intermediately stored.

[0051] The transport pallets 1 can be stacked without difficulty, this being equally possible in the case of transport pallets 1 of the same dimensions and in the case of transport pallets 1 of different dimensions, as is apparent from FIGS. 5 and 6. In order to prevent the stacked transport pallets 1 from slipping, projections, recesses or other devices that prevent slipping, for example also surface roughness, optionally provided on only part of the surface, can be provided in particular on the upper side 10, but also on the lower side 11 of the transport pallets 1.

[0052] As is further apparent from FIG. 1, the transport pallet 1 is provided with a readable data carrier, here in the form of an RFID transponder 20, for storing the data of the rechargeable energy store 2, such as age, charging cycles, etc. The RFID transponder 20 can be read in a cable-free manner, so that the state of the rechargeable energy store 2 can be checked at any time and the rechargeable energy store can be replaced in good time with a new one if this appears necessary. The readable data carrier or RFID transponder 20 can be arranged in the inside of the transport pallet 1, integrated into the material thereof, or also arranged on the outside of the transport pallet 1. Instead of an RFID transponder, another type of readable data carrier can also be used, such as, for example, a mobile or permanently installed or installable SIM card, whereby the latter can in particular be suitable for machine-to-machine communication and in particular permits the transfer or exchange of even large amounts of data.

[0053] It is accordingly possible to provide any desired combinations of transport pallets 1 and transport containers 100 produced on the basis thereof. The amount of energy provided for the transport vehicle 8 can be determined by the number of rechargeable energy stores in the respective transport pallets 1 and thus also by the transport pallets 1, or transport containers 100 formed therefrom, that are also carried.

[0054] In addition to the embodiment variants of transport pallets, transport containers and transport vehicles described hereinabove and in the figures, it is possible also to form many further embodiment variants therewith, including any desired combinations of the above-mentioned features, wherein in each case at least one rechargeable energy store is arranged in or on the transport pallet, which energy store is configured or serves to supply energy to at least one electric drive or an electrical or electronic component of the transport vehicle and wherein the transport pallet is provided with at least one energy transfer device for transferring energy from the at least one rechargeable energy store to the electric drive or the at least one electrical or electronic component of the transport vehicle.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0055] 1 Transport pallet [0056] 2 Rechargeable energy store [0057] 3 Electronic charging unit [0058] 4 Energy transfer device [0059] 5 Cable [0060] 6 Energy source/charging station [0061] 7 Cable-free charging station [0062] 8 Transport vehicle [0063] 9 Electric drive [0064] 10 Upper side [0065] 11 Lower side [0066] 12 Side part/side surface [0067] 13 Side part/side surface [0068] 14 Side part/side surface [0069] 15 Side part/side surface [0070] 16 Housing lower part [0071] 17 Lid part [0072] 18 Carrier part [0073] 19 Inner cavity of 16 [0074] 20 RFID transponder/readable data carrier [0075] 40 Socket [0076] 41 Socket [0077] 50 Plug [0078] 80 Terminal device [0079] 81 Transport surface [0080] 82 Air conditioning device [0081] 100 Transport container [0082] 101 Wall part [0083] 102 Wall part [0084] 103 Wall part [0085] 104 Wall part [0086] 105 Lid part [0087] 106 Door-like element [0088] 107 Door-like element [0089] 110 Groove [0090] 111 Groove [0091] 112 Groove [0092] 113 Groove [0093] 160 Longitudinal rib [0094] 161 Longitudinal rib [0095] 162 Longitudinal rib [0096] 163 Transverse groove [0097] 164 Transverse groove [0098] 165 Transverse groove [0099] 166 Transverse groove [0100] 167 Transverse groove [0101] 168 Transverse groove [0102] 180 Carrier rail [0103] 181 Carrier rail [0104] 182 Carrier rail