GB2410724A

GB2410724A - Load transporting road vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2410724A
Application number: GB0402475A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Owton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-02-04
Filing date: 2004-02-04
Publication date: 2005-08-10
Also published as: GB0402475D0

Abstract

A road vehicle 10, such as a van, lorry or trailer, having predetermined physical dimensions has a front end, rear end and opposing first and second sides. The vehicle has a modular load receiving space located towards its rear end, the space including a plurality of separate receiving locations 80 each for receiving an item having at least two predetermined physical dimensions. Each location is independently accessible from at least one opposing side of the vehicle so as to allow swift and selective loading and unloading of the vehicle. The vehicle may have a central divider (50, figure 2) so that load receiving locations are provided on both sides of the vehicle, and there may be more than the two upper and lower rows of locations illustrated. The central divider may house a drive chain for the rear wheels 75 of the vehicle.

Description

Road Vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION s

This invention relates to road vehicles, and in particular to vehicles for transporting items having predetermined dimensions.

Vehicles, such as vans or lorries which are used to transport items suffer from a 0 number ofdisadvantages.

These kinds of vehicle are usually loaded and unloaded from the rear, whereby selective loading and unloading of a particular item is difficult since, for example, to remove an item which is stowed away from the rear opening of the van or lorry, items i s stowed in-between the desired item and the rear opening must first be unloaded, and then reloaded on to the vehicle once the desired item has been retrieved.

Also, vehicles of this kind are often unnecessarily large since they do not make efficient use of space for carrying items. Larger vehicles are more cumbersome as a means of transport, especially on the smaller, more congested roads of built up areas in cities and towns.

Accordingly, this invention seeks to provide a vehicle for transporting items, which can be efficiently loaded and unloaded, and which makes efficient use of space.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Particular and preferred aspects of the invention are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. Combinations of features from the dependent claims s may be combined with features of the independent claims as appropriate and not merely as explicitly set out in the claims.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a road vehicle for transporting items having predetermined physical dimensions. The vehicle has a front l o end, a rear end and first and second opposing sides. The vehicle includes a modular receiving space located towards the rear end of the vehicle. The receiving space has a plurality of separate receiving locations each for receiving an item having at least two predetermined physical dimensions. Each receiving location is independently accessible from one of the opposing sides for loading and unloading the vehicle.

The provision of a modularised receiving space allows for efficient use of space (since carried items can be densely packed in the receiving space) whereby the overall size of the vehicle can be minimised. The provision of receiving spaces which are independently accessible from the sides of the vehicle allow swift and selective loading and unloading of the vehicle.

The vehicle may include receiving locations which are arranged in lower and upper rows, the receiving locations of the upper rows being disposed vertically above the receiving locations of the lower rows.

The receiving space may have a central divider substantially parallel to, and located between the opposing sides of the vehicle, a plurality of the receiving locations being disposed on either side of the divider. A lower row of one or more receiving locations and an upper row of one or more receiving locations may be arranged on either side of the central divider.

One or more further rows of receiving locations may be provided in addition to s the lower and upper rows, the further rows being disposed vertically above the upper and lower rows.

The vehicle may include receiving locations which are accessible from both opposing sides of the vehicle for loading and unloading the vehicle.

Respective dividers may be provided for separating adjacent receiving locations.

The central divider may accommodate a drive chain of the vehicle. The predetermined dimension may be horizontal or vertical dimensions of a load as it is received in a receiving location. The load may include pallets. One or more physical dimensions of one or more of the receiving spaces may be adjustable.

The vehicle may be a trailer attachable to a motor vehicle. Alternatively, the vehicle may be a motor vehicle. l

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like reference signs relate to like elements and in which: Figure I shows a side view of a motor vehicle with a modularised receiving space in accordance with an example of the invention; Figure 2 shows a rear view of the vehicle shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows a view from above of vehicle shown in Figure 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figures I to 3 show an example of a vehicle 10 according to the invention. In these examples, the vehicle is a motor vehicle able move under its own power.

Alternatively, the vehicle may be configured as a trailer to be attached to a separate, motorised vehicle.

At a front end of the vehicle 10 is a cab 20 for the driver. The vehicle 10 has front and rear 75 wheels. Behind the cab 20, and toward the rear end of the vehicle 10 is a receiving space for receiving items to be transported. The receiving space is modular and has twelve receiving locations 80 (one of which is indicated generally in Figures I and 2 by the dashed line). Each receiving location 80 is configured to receive an item having predetermined dimensions. The number of receiving locations provided in other examples of the invention may be less or more than twelve, but larger than two. For example, two, four, six, eight, ten, twelve or more receiving locations may be provided.

The item to be transported may, for example, be a standard freight container or a pallet bearing further items. Containers or pallets which are commonly used to transport items are typically provided in standard sizes and as such will have predetermined physical dimensions. By tailoring the size of each receiving location to the dimensions of an item to be transported, the capacity of the receiving space can be used as efficiently as possible. In some examples, and as described below, the size of the respective receiving locations may be adjustable according to the predetermined size of item which is to be transported.

The predetermined dimensions of interest may in some examples include two horizontal dimensions. For example, one standard pallet size is 1 00cmx 1 20cm.

Additionally, a vertical dimension of items to be received may be pertinent, especially in examples, such as this one, in which the receiving locations are located above each other.

It should be noted that in some examples, the physical dimensions of each receiving location may be tailored to receive a combination of more than one item have a predetermined size, whereby the effective predetermined physical dimension of interest is the combined physical dimensions of the more than one item to be received.

0 In the present example, the vehicle has a central divider 50 which divides the receiving space into two sections, one on either side of the vehicle. The vehicle also has a pair of lower receiving members 30 and a pair of upper receiving members 40. The upper receiving members 40 are each located vertically above a respective one of the lower receiving members 30. Each receiving member extends horizontally outward or away from the central divider 50. On each receiving member are arranged a number of dividers 60, which co-operate with the central divider 50 and the receiving members to divide the receiving space into rows of receiving locations (in this example there are four rows of three receiving locations). In some examples, the height of the upper receiving members on the central divider 50 may be adjustable. For example, the members 40 may be mounted on slides on the central divider 50 and a winching and locking mechanism may be provided for height adjustment. Similarly, the positions of the dividers 60 on the receiving members may be adjustable.

In the present example, the central divider 50 is formed by a frame with a number of cross bars 55 to provide a light yet strong structure. The receiving members may be similarly constructed. The receiving members may have flat upper surfaces for resting received items thereon. In some examples, the central divider may include apertures suitably large for items to be passed through when loading or unloading the vehicle. This would allow each receiving location to be accessible from both sides of the vehicle despite the presence of the central divider.

While the dividers 60 in Figures 1 to 3 are shown to protrude only a short way from the surfaces of the receiving members, in other examples, the dividers may extend further upwards. For example, the dividers may extend between the lower and upper receiving members.

In the present example, each receiving location is readily accessible from the I o sides of the vehicle. For example, a fork-lift truck has selective access to each receiving location, each receiving location 80 being accessible independent of the other receiving locations. Accordingly, there is no inherent order in which items must be loaded onto or off of the vehicle. This is in contrast to conventional vans, for example, in which carried items are only loadable or unloadable in order, via a door at rear the rear of the van.

While in the present example, the sides and rear end of the vehicle are completely open for ease of access, means such as doors, removable panels, or foldable barriers may be provided to prevent items from falling off. Means for covering the receiving space may be provided to protect received items from the elements. In one example, the vehicle has one or more members which extend horizontally from the top of the central divider and from which a skirt can be hung around the periphery of the receiving space.

It will be noted that in the example shown in Figures 1 to 3, the rear wheels 75 of the vehicle 10 partially obstruct access to the lower real receiving space from the sides of the vehicle. Nevertheless, this space is independently accessible from the rear end of the vehicle 10. This construction allows the lower receiving members 30 to ride lower to the ground, thereby reducing the size of the vehicle. In other examples, the lower receiving members may be located above the rear wheels 75 whereby all of the receiving locations in each lower row may be accessible from both sides of the vehicle.

For motor vehicles which have the engine situated toward the front thereof, the central divider may be configured to accommodate drive components for transmitting torque to the rear wheels 75. For example the central divider 50 may accommodate a s drive chain.

While in the present example, the cab 20 and rear end of the vehicle are unitary, it is also envisaged that the cab may be detachable.

0 Other arrangements for dividing the receiving space into a plurality of receiving locations are envisaged. For example, the receiving space may only have a single layer (or indeed three or more layers) of receiving locations as opposed to the two-layer arrangement shown in Figures I to 3. In some examples, no central divider may be present. Where no central divider is provided, each receiving space may be accessible from both sides of the vehicle for additional flexibility in loading and unloading.

The receiving space may be separated into separate receiving locations using dividers such as those described in the above example, and without the use of a central divider or of multiple layers. For example, the receiving space may include a single layer with a number of dividers forming a plurality of separate receiving locations.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be appreciated that many modifications/additions and/or substitutions may be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A road vehicle for transporting items having predetermined physical dimensions, the vehicle comprising: - a front end, a rear end and first and second opposing sides; and - a modular receiving space located towards the rear end of the vehicle, the receiving space comprising a plurality of separate receiving locations each for receiving an item having at least two predetermined physical dimensions, each receiving location being independently accessible from one of said opposing sides lo for loading and unloading the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of Claim 1, comprising receiving locations which are arranged in lower and upper rows, the receiving locations of the upper rows being disposed vertically above the receiving locations of the lower rows.

3. The vehicle of Claim l or Claim 2, wherein the receiving space comprises a central divider substantially parallel to, and located between the opposing sides of the vehicle, a plurality of said receiving locations being disposed on either side of the divider.

4. The vehicle of Claim 3 when dependent on Claim 2, having a lower row of one or more receiving locations and an upper row of one or more receiving locations on either side of the central divider.

5. The vehicle of any of Claims 2 to 4, comprising one or more further rows of receiving locations disposed vertically above the upper and lower rows of receiving locations.

6. The vehicle of any preceding claim, comprising receiving locations which are accessible from both opposing sides of the vehicle for loading and unloading the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of any of Claims 3 to 6' wherein at least some of the receiving locations are defined by one or more receiving members which extend horizontally outward from the central divider.

8. The vehicle of any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of dividers for lo separating adjacent receiving locations.

9. The vehicle of any preceding claim, wherein the central divider accommodates a drive chain of the vehicle.

l O. The vehicle of any preceding claim, wherein said predetermined dimensions include two horizontal predetermined dimensions.

1 1. The vehicle of Claim 10, wherein said predetermined dimensions further include a vertical predetermined dimension.

12. The vehicle of any preceding claim, wherein one or more physical dimensions of one or more of the receiving spaces is adjustable.

13. The vehicle of any preceding claim, wherein said items comprise pallets.

14. The vehicle of any preceding claim, and an item received in one of the receiving locations.

15. The vehicle of any preceding claim, wherein the vehicle is a trailer attachable to motor vehicle.

16. The vehicle of any preceding claim, wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle.

17. A road vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.