Structure protector

Abstract

Structure protector (5), wherein these structures (5) are shelves, doors, pillars or similar and have support legs (6), which comprises a covering element (1) of the support legs (6), formed by a profile (1.1) with a C-shaped section suitable for being adjusted on the exterior lateral contour of said support legs (6) and with a support base (1.2) to the ground and at least one element with a hollow truncated pyramid shape (2), with three inclined sides (2.1) and one open side, an open lower base and an upper base, which is open towards the open side, which has a horizontal flat surface (2.2) in the contour corresponding to the three inclined sides (2.1), where the shape of the interior contour of this horizontal flat surface (2.2) is suitable for fitting the surface around the covering element (1).

Claims

1. Structure protector to prevent damage to support legs of warehouse shelf structure by forklift equipment, said structure protector comprising: a covering element (1) for a corresponding one of the support legs, said covering element (1) formed by a profile (1.1) with a C-shaped cross-section, said covering element suitable for being installed around an exterior lateral contour of the corresponding one of the support legs, said covering element (1) having a surface defined around said profile (1.1), said covering element having a height which covers a lower part of the corresponding one of the support legs, said covering element having a support base (1.2) fastened to the ground; and at least one of an element with a hollow truncated pyramid shape (2) having three inclined sides (2.1) and one open side, an open lower base and an upper base smaller than the lower base, said upper base open towards the open side, said upper base having a horizontal flat surface (2.2) in a contour corresponding to the same hollow truncated pyramid shape, said contour corresponding to the three inclined sides (2.1), said horizontal flat surface (2.2) having an interior contour shape suitable for fitting to said surface around said profile (1.1) of said covering element (1).

2. Structure protector (5) according to claim 1, comprising: at least two of said covering element (1), an equal number of said element with a hollow truncated pyramid shape (2), and a coupling element (3) fixed to lower parts of the at least two of said covering element (1), said coupling element (3) having an exterior inclined face (3.1) with inclination identical to the inclined sides (2.1) of said element with a hollow truncated pyramid shape (2), and said coupling element (3) having a length equal to distance between two of said elements with a hollow truncated pyramid shape.

3. Structure protector (5) according to claim 1, comprising: two of said covering elements and at least one support crossbeam (4) joined between said two covering elements.

4. Structure protector (5) according to claim 3, comprising: each of said covering element (1) comprising at least one hole (7) in at least one lateral portion of same; and elements for fixing each end of said at least one support crossbeam (4) to respective of said covering element (1).

5. Structure protector (5) according to claim 3, comprising: at least one of said at least one support crossbeam (4) arranged horizontally between said two of said covering element (1).

6. Structure protector (5) according to claim 3, comprising: at least one support crossbeam (4) arranged diagonally between said two of said covering element (1).

7. Structure protector (5) according to claim 1, comprising: said covering element (1) include holes in the support base (1.2); and screwing elements (10) received in said holes for fixation of the support base to the ground.

8. Structure protector (5) according to claim 1, comprising: said covering element (1) comprising reinforcement brackets (11) secured between a lower part of said profile (1.1) and said support base (1.2).

9. Structure protector (5) according to claim 2, comprising: said coupling element (3) comprising reinforcement ribs (12) along an interior area of said exterior inclined face (3.1).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) With the object of helping to better understand the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred practical embodiment thereof, said description is accompanied, as an integral part thereof, by a set of drawings where, in an illustrative and non-limiting manner, the following has been represented:

(2) FIGS. 1.1 and 1.2 show perspective views from a frontal angle and dorsal angle respectively, of a structure protection device for a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the parts forming the structure protection device for a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIGS. 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 show plan, elevation and profile views respectively of the element with a truncated pyramid shape of the structure protection device for a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIGS. 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 show plan, elevation and profile views respectively of the coupling element of the structure protection device for a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

(6) FIGS. 5.1 and 5.2 show plan and elevation views respectively of a support crossbeam of the structure protection device for a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

(7) FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a structure protection device for a second preferred embodiment of the invention.

(8) FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of the parts forming the structure protection device for a second preferred embodiment of the invention.

(9) FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a structure in which structure protection devices are used according to the first and second preferred embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(10) In view of the figures provided, it can be observed how in a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the structure protector, where the structures (5) are shelves, doors or similar and have support legs (6) proposed here, comprises a covering element (1) of the support legs (6) of the structure (5) formed by a profile (1.1) with a C-shaped section suitable for being adjusted on the exterior lateral contour of said support legs (6), with a height which covers the lower part of the legs and with a support base (1.2) to the ground.

(11) In this first preferred embodiment of the invention, the structure (5) considered is a shelf of which the support legs (6) are going to be protected.

(12) As is shown in FIGS. 1.1, 1.2 and 2, in this first preferred embodiment of the invention, the protection device also comprises two elements with a hollow truncated pyramid shape (2).

(13) In the FIGS. 3.1 to 3.3, it is shown that said elements with a truncated pyramid shape (2) have three inclined sides (2.1) and an open side, an open lower base and an upper base, smaller than the lower base, which is open towards the open side, which has a horizontal flat surface (2.2) in the contour of the same corresponding to the three inclined sides (2.1) wherein the shape of the interior contour of this horizontal flat surface (2.2) is suitable for fitting the surface around the covering element (1) of the support leg (2).

(14) In this first preferred embodiment of the invention, as can be observed in FIGS. 1.1, 1.2, and 2, the structure protector comprises a coupling element (3) fixed to the lower parts of the covering elements (1) which, as shown in FIGS. 4.1 to 4.3 has an exterior face (3.1) with the same inclination as the inclination of the two inclined sides (2.1) of the elements with a truncated pyramid shape (2) and a length equal to the distance between them.

(15) Similarly, as is shown in FIGS. 1.1, 1.2 and 2, in this first preferred embodiment of the invention, the protector comprises two support crossbeams (4) as a joint between two covering elements (1) of the support legs (6) of the structure (5) which have, at each of their ends, means for fixing to the covering element (1) of one of said support legs (6) respectively.

(16) In this first preferred embodiment of the invention, as is shown in FIGS. 1.1, 1.2 and 2, the support crossbeams (4) are arranged horizontally between the two covering elements (1) and only along one side of the same, but in other embodiments, the support crossbeams (4) could be arranged at both sides between the covering elements (1) and at one side be horizontal crossbeams (4) and at the other support crossbeams (4) arranged diagonally, either horizontal at both sides or diagonal at both sides.

(17) These support crossbeams (4) can be observed in FIGS. 5.1 and 5.2.

(18) In this first preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for fixing the support crossbeam (4) to the covering elements (1) where said covering elements (1) have a hole (7) in one of their laterals, are formed by a groove (8) arranged at each end of the support crossbeam (4) suitable for being situated to match a hole (7) respectively, and screwing means (9).

(19) Moreover, for improved fixing, in this first preferred embodiment of the invention, the covering elements (1) comprise means for fixing to the ground, formed by holes in the support base (1.2) to the ground and screwing elements (10), as is shown in FIG. 2.

(20) In this same FIG. 2, it can be observed that in this first preferred embodiment of the invention, these covering elements (1) also comprise reinforcement means formed by brackets (11) secured between the lower part of the profile (1.1) and the support base (1.2) to the ground.

(21) In this first preferred embodiment of the invention, as is shown in FIG. 2.2, the coupling element (3) comprises reinforcement ribs (12) along the interior area of the exterior inclined face (3.1).

(22) A second preferred embodiment of the invention is presented in this specification in which the protection device is formed by a covering element (1) and a truncated pyramid element (2), as is shown in FIG. 6.

(23) In this second preferred embodiment of the invention, as can be observed in FIG. 7, the covering element (1) comprises means for fixing to the ground, formed by holes in the support base (1.2) to the ground and screwing elements (10) as well as reinforcement means formed by brackets (11) secured between the lower part of the profile (1.1) and the support base (1.2) to the ground.

(24) In FIG. 8, a structure (5) can be observed formed by a shelf, in which the support legs (6) of the same are protected by means of various protection devices like those outlined both in the first and second embodiment, as the case may be.

(25) In this Figure, it can be observed that in the case of the protection device of the second preferred embodiment of the invention, in which more than one support leg (6) is protected by means of a covering element (1) and an element with a truncated pyramid shape (2), but between them there is no coupling element (3) fixed to said covering elements (1), in this case, at least one support crossbeam (4) can be arranged between said covering elements (1) which can be horizontal, diagonal or along one side of the covering elements (1) horizontal and along the other side be arranged diagonally.

(26) In this case, as is shown in FIG. 8, two support crossbeams (4) are arranged between said covering elements (1), diagonally, crossing each other.

(27) The embodiments described only constitute examples of the present invention, therefore, the specific details, terms and phrases used in this specification should not be considered as limiting, but rather be understood merely as a base for the claims and as a representative base which provides a comprehensible description as well as sufficient information for the person skilled in the art to implement.

(28) Using the structure protector presented here, significant improvements are achieved with respect to the prior art.

(29) A structure protector can be integrated into the structure itself which is capable of protecting both the structure and its load.

(30) Owing to the inclined faces of the protector, three sides of the legs of the structure exposed to the passage of the forklifts are protected.

(31) When a forklift contacts the protector, it ascends along the inclined surface of the same and does not end up colliding with the structure owing to the horizontal flat surface present in the upper base of the element with a truncated pyramid shape, thereby preventing it impacting the structure.

(32) A protection device is thus achieved which is easy and quick to install, and effectively prevents the collisions of forklifts with structures.