LOAD-LIFTING DEVICE

Abstract

A load-lifting device for mounting on a vehicle, including a platform for receiving a load which can be brought from a lowered into a raised working position, and back again, as well as a linking lever, a support element, a drive element and a connection element. The linking lever that is pivotally mounted on the platform is linked to the vehicle at a linking end region. The support element attached to the platform includes a foot end which braces the ground. The drive element brings the support element from a resting state associated with the resting position of the platform, into a working state in which the foot end is braced on the ground and the platform is raised into the working position. The connection element functions to control the rotational position of the linking lever and the pivot position of the platform according to the support element.

Claims

1. A load-lifting device for mounting on a vehicle, comprising: a platform which can be moved from a lowered rest position into a raised working position and back again in order to receive a load, a linking lever which is pivotably supported on the platform and which is intended to be articulated to the vehicle by means of a linking end region, a support element which is fitted to the platform and which has a base end which is provided for support on a substrate, a drive element which is intended to move the support element from a rest position which is associated with the rest position of the platform into a working position in which the base end his supported on the substrate and the platform is raised into the working position, and a connection element which is connected, on the one hand, to the linking lever and, on the other hand, to the support element in order to control the rotation position of the linking lever and the pivot position of the platform in accordance with the support element.

2. The load linking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the linking lever is constructed as a linear lever arm, as an angle lever or as a rocker.

3. The load-lifting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the linking lever is in the form of a torsion frame.

4. The load-lifting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support element is connected to the platform in an articulated manner.

5. The load-lifting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection element intersects a straight line between a first link location of the platform to the linking lever and a second link location of the platform to the support element.

6. The load-lifting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection element is adjustable in terms of length.

7. The load-lifting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base end of the support element is in the form of a roller.

8. The load-lifting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the load-lifting device comprises only one support element.

9. The load-lifting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive element is in the form of a hydraulic cylinder, pneumatic cylinder or a gear mechanism.

10. The load-lifting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive element drives the support element and/or the linking lever.

11. The load-lifting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the linking end region on the vehicle is a trailer coupling frame.

12. The load-lifting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the platform can be moved into a transport position which is located at least substantially vertically with respect to the working position.

13. The load-lifting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein it comprises a material which is selected from the group comprising metal; wood; composite carbon materials, composite glass fiber materials; plastics materials and admixtures thereof.

14. The load-lifting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the platform has a recess for receiving the support element in the rest position thereof.

15. A vehicle having a load-lifting device as claimed in claim 1.

Description

[0049] The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to a number of embodiments which are illustrated in the Figures. When alternative embodiments differ only in terms of individual features, the same reference numerals have been used for the features which remain the same. In the schematic drawings:

[0050] FIG. 1a is a perspective plan view of a load-lifting device according to the invention in a rest position;

[0051] FIG. 1b is a perspective plan view of the load-lifting device from FIG. 1a in the transition between the rest position and a working position;

[0052] FIG. 1c is a perspective plan view of the load-lifting device from FIG. 1b in the working position;

[0053] FIG. 1d is a perspective bottom view of the load-lifting device from FIG. 1a in the rest position;

[0054] FIG. 2a is a side view of the load-lifting device from FIG. 1a in the rest position;

[0055] FIG. 2b is a side view of the load-lifting device from FIG. 1b in the transition between the rest position and the working position;

[0056] FIG. 2c is a side view of the load-lifting device from FIG. 1c in the working position; and

[0057] FIG. 3 is a side view of the load-lifting device from FIG. 1a in a transport position.

[0058] The load-lifting device 1 according to the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1a to 1d comprises a platform 3, a linking lever 5, a support element 7, a drive element 9 and a connection element 11. The platform 3 comprises a closed surface which for better understanding is not illustrated in FIGS. 1a to 1c. The platform 3 comprises a first end 13 and a second end 15 which is spaced apart from the first end 13 and a longitudinal axis L and a transverse axis Q which extends at right-angles relative thereto. The linking lever 5 comprises a first end region 17 which is articulated to a linking end region 19 of a vehicle 21 (see FIG. 3). The linking lever 5 comprises a second end region 23 and a third end region 25 (see FIG. 2a) which are both spaced apart from the first end region 17. Via the second end region 23, the linking lever 5 is connected to the platform 3 in an articulated manner and via the third linking region 25 the linking lever 5 is connected to the connection element 11 in an articulated manner. For better load distribution, the platform 3 comprises struts 27 in the longitudinal and transverse direction L, Q of the platform 3. The drive element 9 is connected by means of connection means 29, 31, on the one hand, to the platform 3 and, on the other hand, to the support element 7. The connection means 29, 31 may, for example, be constructed as continuous bolts which preferably engage through the drive element 9 and the platform or the support element at the corresponding articulation or connection locations.

[0059] In the embodiment illustrated, the linking lever 5 is constructed as a torsion frame 33 with one or more transverse strut(s) 35, 37. However, it is also conceivable for the linking lever 5 to comprise only one lever arm 39 and in this instance for the first linking region 17 to be constructed to be stable in terms of torsion. Furthermore, the linking lever 5 is in the embodiment shown, when viewed in the transverse direction Q, not secured centrally to the platform 3. This is associated with the type of the vehicle to which the platform is secured and can be freely changed. It is particularly conceivable for the linking lever 5 to be constructed to be substantially narrower than the platform 3 in the transverse direction Q and to be fitted either centrally, laterally or in any intermediate position. It is also conceivable for the linking lever 5 to have the same width in the transverse direction Q as the platform 3.

[0060] The platform 3 further comprises a ramp 41 in order to bridge a profile height H of the platform 3. The support element 7 comprises a base end 43 which is facing away from the platform and which has a roller 45 and a connection end 47 opposite the base end. The connection end 47 comprises two link locations 49, 51 at which the connection element 11 and the platform 3 are connected to the support element 7.

[0061] FIGS. 2a to 2c show the load-lifting device 1 according to the invention in a rest position 53, wherein for greater clarity of the connection of the linking lever 5, platform 3, support element 7 and connection element 11, the struts 27 shown in FIGS. 1a-1c and the platform 3 are partially not illustrated. In the rest position 53, the second end 15 of the platform 3 in the embodiment shown is in contact with a substrate 55 so that a load (not illustrated) can be rolled, carried or pushed onto the platform 3. Even if this is the case in the variant shown, the support element 7 and in particular the roller 45 at the base end 43 of the support element 7 in the rest position 53 of the platform 3 do not necessarily have to be in contact with the substrate 55. From the rest position 53, the platform 3 is raised by the drive element 9 increasing the spacing between the link locations 29, 31 on the platform 3 and the support element 7 until the platform reaches the working position 57 (FIG. 2c). In the working position 57, the platform 3 is at the same height as a loading edge height Lh of the vehicle 21. A possible spacing 59 between a loading edge 61 of the vehicle 21 in the working position is where possible avoided or kept so small that it does not impede the transport of the load or where applicable can be bridged by means of an extendable (or alternatively unfoldable or attachable) element (not illustrated).

[0062] As a result of the arrangement of the link locations 49, 51 and the end regions 23, 25, the second end 15 of the platform 3 is lifted more quickly from the rest position than the first end 13 so that the platform moves as quickly as possible into a substantially horizontal position 63 (see FIG. 2b). From this substantially horizontal position 63, the platform 3 is subsequently displaced in a substantially parallel manner or raised into the working position 57 (see FIG. 2c).

[0063] For the transport, the load-lifting device 1 according to the invention can be pivoted from the working position 57 into a transport position 65. The transport position 65 is shown in FIG. 3. In the transport position 65, the load-lifting device 1 is secured to the vehicle 21 by means of the linking end region 19 and fixed by means of a fixing device 67.