U.S. patent application number 11/229972 was filed with the patent office on 2007-04-05 for order picker product platform.
Invention is credited to William F. Zahn.
Application Number | 20070074935 11/229972 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37900837 |
Filed Date | 2007-04-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070074935 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zahn; William F. |
April 5, 2007 |
Order picker product platform
Abstract
An order picker product platform which is designed to prevent
product and/or product containers from inadvertently falling from
the platform during maneuvering of the order picker. In the
preferred embodiment, the product platform hereof comprises a base
having the requisite fork receptacles and clamp bar as do
conventional order picker product platforms. However, the inventive
platform hereof provides a fixed vertical back wall and a pair of
foldable side gate assemblies which extend perpendicularly to the
base at edges thereof to prevent displacement of the product and/or
product containers beyond the edges of the base so that they are
extremely unlikely to fall off of the platform. The side gate
assemblies are designed to be folded up toward the back wall during
platform loading so that they don't interfere with intentional
movement of packages onto or off of the platform. In a preferred
embodiment of the invention, the side gate assemblies are provided
with spring or pneumatic-operated assist device to facilitate their
folding deployment and latches to secure them in their locked-down
positions so that they do not add significantly to the time
required to load and unload the product platform.
Inventors: |
Zahn; William F.; (Orange,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEONARD TACHNER, A PROFESSIONAL LAW;CORPORATION
17961 SKY PARK CIRCLE, SUITE 38-E
IRVINE
CA
92614
US
|
Family ID: |
37900837 |
Appl. No.: |
11/229972 |
Filed: |
September 19, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
182/141 ;
182/113 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B66F 9/07545
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
182/141 ;
182/113 |
International
Class: |
E04G 3/28 20060101
E04G003/28 |
Claims
1. A product platform for use with an order picker vehicle having a
pair of forks and a pallet clamp extending from an operator
platform; the product platform comprising: a base having fork
receptacles and a clamp bar for selective attachment to said
vehicle forks and pallet clamp in substantial abutment to said
operator platform; at least one product retaining wall extending
perpendicularly from a first edge of said base; and at least one
gate assembly extending perpendicularly from a second edge of said
base; said at least one retaining wall and said at least one gate
assembly forming at least a part of a vertical perimeter of said
product platform.
2. The product platform recited in claim 1 wherein said at least
one gate assembly is selectively foldable for interrupting said
vertical perimeter for gaining access to said base for loading
product thereon.
3. The product platform recited in claim 2 further comprising an
assist device for assistance in folding said gate assembly.
4. The product platform recited in claim 3 wherein said assist
device is connected between said at least one retaining wall and
said at least one gate assembly.
5. The product platform recited in claim 3 wherein said assist
device comprises a pneumatically operated push rod.
6. A product platform for selective attachment to an order picker
vehicle; the product platform comprising: a base for receiving
product for vertical movement and horizontal translation by said
order picker vehicle; a product restraining perimeter extending
from said base for preventing product on said base from
inadvertently falling from said base; at least a portion of said
perimeter being selectably openable and closeable for facilitating
movement of product onto and off of said base.
7. The product platform recited in claim 6 wherein said openable
and closeable perimeter portion comprises a gate assembly which is
raised to open said perimeter portion and is lowered to close said
perimeter portion.
8. The product platform recited in claim 7 wherein said gate
assembly comprises an assist device for mechanical assistance in
raising and lowering said gate assembly.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of
order pickers and more particularly to an improved platform
specifically configured for use with order pickers to enhance
safety for the order picker operator and for others who may be in
proximity to an order picker during its operation.
[0003] 2. Background Art
[0004] Order pickers are highly specialized vehicles typically used
in a warehouse or large storage facility to carry product from one
location to another in a three-dimensional environment (i.e., x, y
and z). Thus, they are often used to pick products from shelves of
various heights based upon a customer order. The products are
typically stored in a rack system along multiple aisles in a
massive enclosed room. Each order picker comprises a motorized
steerable vehicle having an operator platform, a pair of extending
forks and a pincer-type clamping mechanism. The operator platform
provides vehicle controls and permits the operator to both drive
the vehicle from place to place and to elevate the operator
platform to access product located on shelves above the floor
level. The extending forks and clamp mechanism are configured to
selectively engage a product platform so that it is always on the
same level and contiguous to the operator platform. The forks
engage receptacles on the order platform and the clamp mechanism
grasps a short vertical bar extending from the bottom surface of
the product platform midway between the fork receptacles.
[0005] Conventional order picker product platforms are typically
configured either as wooden pallets or other sideless planar
structures. While such simple platforms make it easy for the
operator to place product and product containers on the platform by
simply sliding the product or container onto the platform, the
absence of vertical side structure makes such platforms unsafe for
the operator and especially for others near the moving order
picker. Once the platform is loaded with product and/or product
containers, the motion of the order picker in either elevation or
in horizontal travel of the vehicle while such product is
transferred to another location, can readily cause product or
product containers to fall off of the conventional product platform
because there is typically no side structure to restrain the
products and/or product containers on the product platform.
[0006] There is therefore a need for an order picker product
platform structure which retains the conveyed products and/or
product containers within the border of the platform surface while
the order picker is in motion and which yet does not substantially
interfere with the ability of the order picker operator to move
product onto and off of the platform during product loading and
unloading.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention comprises an order picker product
platform which meets the aforementioned need with a configuration
which is designed to prevent product and/or product containers from
inadvertently falling from the platform during maneuvering of the
order picker. In the preferred embodiment, the product platform
hereof comprises a base having the requisite fork receptacles and
clamp bar as do conventional order picker product platforms.
However, the inventive platform hereof provides a fixed vertical
back wall and a pair of foldable side gate assemblies which extend
perpendicularly to the base at edges thereof to prevent
displacement of the product and/or product containers beyond the
edges of the base so that they are extremely unlikely to fall off
of the platform. The side gate assemblies are designed to be folded
up toward the back wall during platform loading so that they don't
interfere with intentional movement of packages onto or off of the
platform. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the side gate
assemblies are provided with spring or pneumatic-operated assist
device to facilitate their folding deployment and latches to secure
them in their locked-down positions so that they do not add
significantly to the time required to load and unload the product
platform.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The aforementioned objects and advantages of the present
invention, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof,
will be more fully understood herein after as a result of a
detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in
conjunction with the following drawings in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a preferred embodiment
of the order picker product platform shown in proximity of a
typical order picker vehicle and in position for being secured
thereto;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 but showing the
platform and order picker vehicle in their linked configuration,
the view also shows in phantom a side gate assembly being folded up
toward the back wall for loading the platform;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a front view of the product platform hereof
showing the fork receptacles and the grasping bar; and
[0012] FIG. 4 is a side view showing the order picker and attendant
product platform being employed for loading product thereon.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] Referring to the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that
an order picker product platform 10 of the present invention is
configured to mate with any conventional order picker vehicle 12 of
the type having an operator's position stand or platform 14, forks
16 and pallet clamp 18.
[0014] The inventive platform 10 comprises a base 20, a back wall
22 and a pair of foldable side gate assemblies 24. In the preferred
embodiment of the platform 10 as illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 4,
the side gate assemblies 24 are provided with optional piston
assist devices 25. Moreover, as shown best in FIG. 3, the platform
10 also comprises a pair of fork receptacles 26 and a pallet clamp
bar 28 to facilitate mating with conventional order picker vehicles
12.
[0015] As shown best in FIGS. 2 and 4, the mated product platform
10 is configured to permit an operator to enter from the order
picker vehicle 12 after the platform 10 has been positioned both
horizontally and vertically to be in proximity to product or
containers thereof such as containers 30 of FIG. 4. The operator
may then lift one or both side gate assemblies 24 into a folded
position (as shown in FIG. 2) to provide an unobstructed access to
the containers to move a selected number thereof onto the base 20.
The operator may then return one or both folded side gate
assemblies into a nominal position where they may be latched into a
locked condition. Thereafter, even with relatively swift motion of
the order picker vehicle and mated platform, the product containers
30 are restrained within the perimeter of the platform base 20 by
the back wall 22 and the deployed side gate assemblies 24, even in
a stacked arrangement of containers 30.
[0016] Having thus disclosed a preferred embodiment of the
invention, it will now be apparent to those of skill in the
relevant art that various modifications may be made to the
illustrated examples. By way of example, the specific configuration
of the back wall 22 and side gate assemblies 24 may be readily
altered to provide more or less protection of the
product/containers load or to accommodate differently shaped
product/container including for example smaller containers which
might require a finer matrix of side gate bars to assure retention
within the perimeter of the platform base. Accordingly, the scope
hereof is to be limited only by the appended claims and their
equivalents.
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