(19)
(11) EP 3 290 387 A1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(43) Date of publication:
07.03.2018 Bulletin 2018/10

(21) Application number: 16186651.2

(22) Date of filing: 31.08.2016
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
B66F 9/10(2006.01)
B66F 9/18(2006.01)
B66F 9/12(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR
Designated Extension States:
BA ME
Designated Validation States:
MA MD

(71) Applicant: Ingenieursbureau Wuylens BVBA
9070 Destelbergen (BE)

(72) Inventor:
  • Wuylens, Philippe
    9070 Destelbergen (BE)

(74) Representative: Plas, Axel Ivo Michel 
IP HILLS NV Hubert Frère-Orbanlaan 329
9000 Gent
9000 Gent (BE)

   


(54) A LOAD PROTECTOR


(57) A load protector (200; 600; 800; 900) for attachment to a fork back of a fork (101, 102) used for replacing a load or for attachment to a wheel plate (501) of a reach truck (500), comprises:
- a solid base (201; 601; 801; 901) made out of polymer or rubber; and
- a fibre structure (202; 602; 802; 902), also made out of polymer or rubber and comprising plural fibres having a height of at least 10 millimetres, preferably at least 15 millimetres, the plural fibres extending from a top surface of the solid base (201; 601; 801; 901).




Description

Field of the Invention



[0001] The present invention generally relates to a load protector for attachment to a fork back of a fork lift truck or for attachment to a wheel plate of a reach truck. Such fork lift truck or reach truck are used to replace loads. The invention more particularly concerns a device protecting a load or the packaging of the load from being damaged by the fork back or by the reach truck.

Background of the Invention



[0002] It is known that the vertical parts of forks, the so called fork back of fork lifts used to place loads in trucks, storage facilities, etc., and the vertical parts of reach trucks used in stores to lift and/or replace loads, often damage the load or its packaging. The reason is the limited visibility the driver of a lift truck or reach truck has on the load and the vertical surface of the fork back or reach truck that may damage the load. Also, drivers of such lift truck or reach truck tend to move their truck until they feel some resistance exercised by the load touching the fork back.

[0003] Load protectors for a fork lift that attempt to mitigate damage to loads resulting from fork lifts are known. UK patent application GB2478410A entitled "Load Protector for a Fork Lift Truck" for instance describes a load protector that consists of a resilient body with C-shaped cross section designed and dimensioned to encircle the vertical part of a fork arm. The load protector known from GB2478410A is held in position through straps that pass through apertures in the resilient body.

[0004] The load protector known from GB2478410A is made of a single body of hard rubber and therefore insufficiently protects a load from being damaged. The single body of hard rubber typically does not protect the packaging of a load, e.g. made out of paper or cardboard, from being damaged. In order to reduce this problem, GB2478410A suggests to provide some enhanced cushioning effect by relieving the surface of the load protector facing inward against the fork arm, e.g. through two or more grooves. The grooves improve the resiliency of the load protector slightly but still do not prevent the load protector from damaging sensitive loads or load packaging. Moreover, the load protector known from GB247841A is complex to attach to, to remove from or to replace along the fork arm because it requires opening and/or tensioning of straps. Further, the apertures required in the resilient body for the straps, are vulnerable to cracks or rifts, particularly when the straps are opened or tensioned frequently, hence reducing the lifetime of the load protector.

[0005] Further, anti-slip mats exist for forks. Such anti-slip mat is described for instance in United States patent application US 2013/0277151A1 entitled "Anti-Scratch and Anti-Slip Device for Lifting Loads, Preferably Through the Use of a Lift Fork". The anti-slip mat is a rather thin device, typically designed to cover the horizontal part of a fork arm, and having a rubber top layer. The rubber top layer has a high friction coefficient and therefore prevents a load that is picked-up by the fork lift from slipping off the fork. Since the top layer is made of rubber, the anti-slip mat also has anti-scratch properties, albeit limited. US 2013/0277151A1 describes embodiments of such anti-slip mat with magnetic bottom layer that enables to removably attach the anti-slip mat to the horizontal part of the fork. Japanese patent application JP10-291793 on the other hand describes embodiments of such anti-slip mat that are pressed onto the fork arm and consequently are not intended to be removed from the fork arm. Both, US 2013/0277151A1 (Fig. 9) and JP10-291793 (Fig. 3) show embodiments where the anti-slip mat is extended to also cover the lower vertical part of the fork arm. JP10-291793 (Fig. 5 and Fig. 6) also suggest to provide grooves or short protrusions, i.e. knobs, in the upper surface of the anti-slip mat to further improve the friction and consequently the anti-slip behaviour between fork arm and load.

[0006] Although anti-scratch properties are associated with the anti-slip mats known from US 2013/0277151A1 and JP10-291793, these devices are disadvantageous as load protectors in many aspects. Firstly, these anti-slip mats remain thin devices with an even thinner rubber top layer that remains hard, even if grooves or knobs are foreseen. The hardness of these anti-slip mats makes them unsuitable to prevent damage to load packaging. Secondly, anti-slip mats are designed to cover the horizontal part of the fork arm (where the load can slip off) and at best the lower vertical part of the fork arm. A load that extends beyond the pallet however typically is damaged by the higher part of the fork arm. The vertical part of the fork arm that most likely will damage the load or load packaging in order words is left uncovered through the known anti-slip / anti-scratch mats. Yet another drawback of the known anti-slip mats, is that although they may be attached magnetically to the fork arm, the magnetic force obtained from a thin magnetic layer in the mat is limited. As a consequence, touching a pallet while moving the fork into pallet openings may be sufficient to displace or fold the anti-slip mat.

[0007] A straightforward solution to prevent a load or load packaging from being damaged by fork arms resides in putting the load into a metal container and replacing the metal container with a fork lift. The fork arms may damage the metal container but will not touch or damage the load. This however requires metal containers and additional handling of the load to put it in the container and take it out of the container afterwards.

Summary of the Invention



[0008] It is an objective of the present invention to disclose an improved load protector, i.e. a device that enables to protect a load or its packaging from being damaged by the upright parts, e.g. the vertical or nearly vertical parts of a fork or reach truck, and that overcomes one or several of the above described shortcomings of existing devices. More particularly, it is an objective of the present invention to describe a load protector that also protects fragile loads and/or the packaging of loads in paper or cardboard from being damaged, and/or that protects loads that exceed the pallet size from being damaged by the higher vertical parts of the fork arm or reach truck, and/or that is more durable, and/or that is easily removable or displaceable, and/or that does not affect the load diagram of the fork.

[0009] According to the present invention, the above objective is realized by the load protector, adapted for attachment to a fork back of a fork used for replacing a load or to a wheel plate of a reach truck, defined by claim 1, the load protector comprising:
  • a solid base made out of polymer or rubber; and
  • a fibre structure, also made out of said polymer or rubber and comprising plural fibres having a height of at least 10 millimetres, preferably at least 15 millimetres, the plural fibres extending from a top surface of the solid base.


[0010] Thus, the load protector according to the present invention has a fibre structure extending from the top surface of the solid base, i.e. a resilient body made of natural or synthetic rubber. The fibre structure consists of (natural or synthetic) rubber fibres with a length of at least 1 centimetre. The fibre structure will not damage an approaching load or the packaging thereof while the driver of the fork lift truck or reach truck will experience increased resistance while the fibres are pressed and/or bended by the approaching load. With a length of at least 10 millimetres, the rubber fibres provide sufficient flexibility to slow down the approaching load without damaging it, while the driver gets sufficient time to notice the increasing resistance and anticipate thereon. In preferred embodiments of the load protector according to the present invention, the fibres have a length of at least 15 millimetres. The longer the fibres are, the more flexible they are as a consequence the risk they damage fragile loads or packaging of loads is further reduced. Longer fibres however provide less resistance as a result of which their signalling function to the driver of the fork lift truck or reach truck decreases.

[0011] Embodiments of the load protector according to the present invention, defined by claim 2, further comprise:
  • one or more magnets incorporated in the solid base.


[0012] One or more magnets incorporated in the bottom surface of the resilient rubber body, i.e. the surface opposite of the fibre structure, enable to take benefit of the magnetic properties of the fork back. Thanks to such magnets, the load protector can be attached to and detached from the fork back manually by the driver of the fork lift truck. The driver hence can remove the load protector, for instance if additional fork space is required to lift a certain load, and keep the load protector in or near the fork lift truck without having to store the load protector centrally. As soon as the driver desires to use the load protector again to avoid damage to new loads to be lifted, he can manually attach the load protector to the fork back without any tools.

[0013] According to an optional aspect of the load protector according to the present invention, defined by claim 3, a bottom surface of the solid base has an amount of openings provided with screw thread, each opening of which is dimensioned to hold one of the magnets.

[0014] Indeed, to ensure that magnets with sufficient magnetic power can be used, the bottom surface of the rubber body preferably is provided with openings foreseen with screw thread at their inner surface. Powerful magnets can then be screwed into the rubber body, enabling to attach the load protector to the fork back without risk for being displaced while driving or while picking up a load.

[0015] Embodiments of the load protector according to the present invention, defined by claim 4, further comprise:
  • a U-profile, mounted onto a back surface of the solid base and adapted to attach the load protector to the wheel plate of a reach truck.


[0016] Indeed, embodiments of the load protector according to the present invention that are destined to be attached to the wheel plate of a reach truck preferably rely on mechanical attachment rather than on magnetism because the wheel plate is too small to rigidly attach a load protector thereon via magnets. A U-profile, turned upside down and mounted onto the bottom surface of the rubber body may enable to attach the load protector to the wheel plate, provided the width of the U-profile is sized to correspond with the thickness of the wheel plate.

[0017] Alternate embodiments of the load protector according to the present invention, defined by claim 5, further comprise:
  • a first plate, mounted onto a back surface of the solid base;
  • a second plate connected to the first plate via screws, the first plate, second plate and screws being configured to clamp the load protector onto the wheel plate of a reach truck.


[0018] Indeed, as an alternative to the U-profile, a first plate may be mounted on the bottom surface of the rubber body. A second plate, for instance identical to the first plate, and held substantially parallel to the first plate, may be connected to the first plate through screws and bolts such that the wheel plate of the reach truck becomes clamped in between the first plate and second plate. Such embodiment of the load protector according to the present invention has the advantage that it can be used on any reach truck, independent of the thickness or height of the wheel plate, whereas the above described embodiment with U-profile can be used only on reach trucks with certain thickness of the wheel plate. Preferably, the lower ends of the first plate and second plate are provided with grooves such that one of the screws and bolts can be height adjusted to fit the height of the wheel plate whereon the load protector is mounted.

[0019] In embodiments of the load protector according to the present invention, defined by claim 6, the plural fibres each have a diameter in the range from 1 millimetre to 7 millimetres.

[0020] Indeed, the preferred diameter for the fibres extending from the top surface of the rubber body, preferably lies in the range from 3 to 7 millimetres, and is chosen as a trade-off between flexibility, i.e. reduced risk for damaging the load, and resistance, i.e. feedback to the driver that the load is approaching the fork back. For delicate loads, e.g. glasses, it may however be preferred to use load protectors whose fibres have even smaller diameters, in the range between 1 millimetre and 3 millimetres.

[0021] In embodiments of the load protector according to the present invention, defined by claim 7, the plural fibres are arranged in a pattern such that neighbouring fibres have an inter distance in the range from 3 millimetres to 10 millimetres.

[0022] Also the number of fibres and their inter distance is chosen as a trade-off between flexibility and resistance. A regular diamond pattern is preferred wherein fibres of a row are equidistantly spaced in between fibres of the previous row. The inter distance between two neighbouring fibres in a single row preferably is selected in the range from 3 millimetres to 10 millimetres, giving fibres sufficient space to bend when pressed by a load without damaging the load, while providing sufficient resistance to the load to signal the driver that the load is approaching the fork back or reach truck.

[0023] In embodiments of the load protector according to the present invention, defined by claim 8, the said solid base has a height of at most 30 millimetres.

[0024] Indeed, existing standards specify that the load diagram of fork lifts does not change when the load is positioned at 30 millimetres distance from the fork back. When the solid base of the load protector has a height of at most 30 millimetres, the driver can be instructed to drive against any load up to the point where the fibres are pressed completely and the load reaches the solid base. The load diagram of the fork lift will not change since the load will be at a distance of at most 30 millimetres of the fork back in such circumstances, and the driver can thus safely tilt any load up to the maximum load of the fork lift truck. Obviously, the solid base of the load protector according to the present invention may be higher than 30 millimetres when used on fork lifts that are over-dimensioned, i.e. fork lifts whose maximum capacity exceeds the loads that will be tilted.

[0025] In embodiments of the load protector according to the present invention, defined by claim 9, a bottom surface of the solid base is provided with a pair of side rims adapted to hold the load protector in position in case a force is applied with a horizontal component.

[0026] Thus, preferably, the bottom surface of the rubber body, i.e. the surface that is in touch with the fork back of the fork or that is in touch with the wheel plate, has side rims that avoid a horizontal displacement of the load protector when a horizontal force is applied to the fork, to the reach truck or to the load protector, or avoid a horizontal displacement of the load protector while the lift truck or reach truck moves.

[0027] In embodiments of the load protector according to the present invention, defined by claim 10, the side rims have a height in the range from 3 millimetres to 10 millimetres, preferably 5 millimetres.

[0028] Indeed, the height of the side rims must be sufficient to keep the load protector in position when a horizontal force is applied. For smaller load protectors, like for instance the ones used on wheel plates of reach trucks, a height of 3 millimetres may be sufficient. For bigger and heavier load protectors, like for instance the ones used on the fork back of fork lifts, a rim height of 5 millimetres up to 10 millimetres is preferred.

[0029] In embodiments of the load protector according to the present invention, defined by claim 11, the solid base has a width in the range from 50 millimetres to 145 millimetres.

[0030] Preferably, the rubber body with fibre structure has a width that slightly exceeds the width of the fork back or the width of the wheel plate whereon it will be used. The width of the load protector preferably corresponds to the width of the fork back (or wheel plate) plus twice the width of the side rim if side rims are foreseen at the bottom surface. For typical forks, this means that widths in the range from 50 millimetres to 145 millimetres are preferred. However, load protectors having a smaller width may also be manufactured. On wheel plates of reach trucks, it may for instance be desirable to have two smaller load protectors side by side.

[0031] In embodiments of the load protector according to the present invention, defined by claim 12, the solid base has a length in the range from 150 millimetres to 700 millimetres, preferably in the range of 400 millimetres to 600 millimetres.

[0032] Indeed, for fork lifts, it is desirable to produce load protectors having a length in the range from 400 millimetres to 600 millimetres to cover the entire part of the fork back that may possibly damage the load. Embodiments of the load protector that are used on wheel plates of reach trucks however must be smaller and shall have typical lengths of 150 millimetres to 300 millimetres, required to cover the wheel plate over its entire height.

[0033] According to a further aspect of the load protector according to the present invention, as defined by claim 13, the solid base and the fibre structure are integrally formed through injection moulding.
Indeed, an advantageous way to produce the rubber body with top fibre structure relies on injection moulding. Elements positioned in the mould will enable to create the fibre structure such that the fibre structure integrally forms part of a single rubber piece integrating the solid body and the fibres.

[0034] According to a further aspect of the load protector according to the present invention, as defined by claim 14, the openings with screw thread are formed in the solid base through vulcanisation.

[0035] Indeed, in order to create the openings, dimensioned to fit the magnets, and the screw thread, needed to fix the magnets in the rubber body, a vulcanisation technique may be applied. Since screw thread cannot be realized through injection moulding, an additional vulcanisation step may be required to create the openings for the magnets and form the screw thread therein.

[0036] Optionally, as defined by claim 15, the polymer or rubber in the load protector according to the present invention is reinforced through fiberglass.

[0037] This way, the strength and durability of the load protector are further improved.

[0038] In addition to a load protector as defined by claim 1, the present invention also concerns a related manufacturing method for a load protector adapted for attachment to a fork back of a fork used for replacing a load or to a wheel plate of a reach truck, the manufacturing method being defined by claim 16, comprising:
  • obtaining through injection moulding a solid base of polymer or rubber with top fibre structure of polymer or rubber comprising plural fibres having a height of at least 10 millimetres, preferably at least 15 millimetres, the plural fibres extending from a top surface of the solid base.


[0039] Embodiments of the manufacturing method according to the present invention, defined by claim 17, further comprise:
  • providing through vulcanisation one or more openings in a bottom surface of the solid base for incorporation of one or more magnets in the solid base.


[0040] Embodiments of the manufacturing method according to the present invention, defined by claim 18, further comprise:
  • mounting a U profile onto a back surface of the solid base for attaching the load protector to the wheel plate of a reach truck.


[0041] Embodiments of the manufacturing method according to the present invention, defined by claim 19, further comprise:
  • mounting a first plate onto a back surface of the solid base;
  • connecting a second plate to the first plate via screws, the first plate, second plate and screws being configured to clamp the load protector onto the wheel plate of a reach truck.

Brief Description of the Drawings



[0042] 

Fig. 1 illustrates a fork lift truck 100 equipped with a first embodiment 200 of the load protector according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the first embodiment 200 of the load protector according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the first embodiment 200 of the load protector according to the present invention;

Fig. 4 illustrates in detail the presence of magnets 400 in the first embodiment 200 of the load protector according to the present invention;

Fig. 5 illustrates a reach truck 500 equipped with a second embodiment 600 of the load protector according to the present invention;

Fig. 6 shows in more detail attachment of the second embodiment 600 of the load protector according to the present invention to a wheel plate of the reach truck;

Fig. 7 is a side view of the second embodiment 600 of the load protector according to the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a side view of a variant 800 for the second embodiment of the load protector according to the present invention;

Fig. 9 shows in more detail attachment of a third embodiment 900 of the load protector according to the present invention to a wheel plate of a reach truck; and

Fig. 10 is a top view of the third embodiment 900 of the load protector according to the present invention.


Detailed Description of Embodiment(s)



[0043] Fig. 1 shows a fork lift truck 100 that is used to tilt and replace loads, for instance from a storage space towards the trailer of a truck. The fork lift truck 100 has a fork with two fork arms 101 and 102. The fork arms 101 and 102 have horizontal parts that are dimensioned to fit into openings of a standard pallet whereon the load is placed, and vertical parts, also called fork backs. To avoid that the fork backs damage the load or packaging of a load that extends beyond the edges of the pallet, a load protector 200 is attached to each of the fork backs.

[0044] Fig. 2 shows in more detail the load protector 200 that is attached to the fork backs of the fork lift truck 100 of Fig. 1. The load protector 200 has a rubber cuboid base 201 with length of 600 millimetres, width of 120 millimetres and height of 30 millimetres. The load protector 200 further has a top fibre structure 202 that consists of rubber fibres, extending from the top surface of the rubber base 201. Each of the rubber fibres has a length (or height) of 20 millimetres and a diameter of 5 millimetres. The rubber fibres are positioned in a pattern of rows. The fibres on each row are positioned in the middle between the fibres of the previous row and consequently also in the middle between the fibres of the next row. The distance between neighbouring fibres in a row is 10 millimetres. The base 201 and fibre structure 202 are integrally formed via a single injection moulding step. Thereto a hole-pierced block is positioned in the mould during the polymer or natural rubber injection, to shape the fibres.

[0045] Fig. 3 shows the bottom surface of the rubber base 201 of load protector 200. Two side rims 204 are provided along the edges of the base 201. These side rims 204 have a height of 5 millimetres. The side rims 204 constitute a border that keeps the load protector 200 in horizontal position when attached to the fork back. The side rims 204 in other words avoid that the load protector 200 slides horizontally when forces are applied with a horizontal component, for instance as a result of movements made by the fork lift truck. The bottom surface of the base 201 further has five openings 203 for magnets. These openings have a diameter of 33 millimetres and are made in the solid rubber base 201 through a vulcanisation technique.

[0046] Fig. 4 shows in more detail a part of the bottom surface of the rubber base 201 of load protector 200. This drawing again shows the side rims 204 and one of the openings 203 sized to fit a magnet 400 with diameter of 32 millimetres. The depth of the opening 203 coincides with the thickness of the magnet 400. The magnet 400 further has a pin 401 with screw thread and the bottom surface of the magnet opening 203 further has a hole 205 the inner surface of which is provided with M6 screw thread enabling to fix the magnet 400 therein. The magnets 400 hence are tightened into the bottom surface of the rubber base 201 such that the top surface of the magnets 400 and the bottom surface of the base 201 form an integral fat surface that will be in touch with the surface of the fork back. The magnets 400 are preferably screwed into the base 201 because temperatures in the range of 300°C would damage the magnetic properties of the magnets 400 should one integrate the magnets in the base through a baking process. The magnets 400 are selected and dimensioned to enable attachment of the load protector 200 to the fork back and prevent vertical sliding thereof along the fork back when certain forces with vertical component are applied. Five magnets, each having a force of 40 kg, may for instance be adequate.

[0047] Fig. 5 shows a reach truck 500. Such reach truck 500 is used in shops to fill racks with pallets that carry a load. The reach truck has a fork to lift the pallets and has horizontal beams running parallel with the horizontal parts of the fork arms. On these horizontal beams, front wheels are mounted protected with respective wheel plates 501 and 502. When placing a lifted pallet high up in a rack, the horizontal beams extend into the lower region of the rack with risk of damaging loads that are stored in this lower region of the rack. To avoid damaging loads stored in the lower region of the rack, the wheel plates 501 and 502 of the reach truck 500 shown in Fig. 5 are each equipped with two identical load protectors 600.

[0048] Fig. 6 shows a single front wheel of the reach truck 500. The front wheel has a wheel plate 501 whereon two identical load protectors are mounted. Each of these load protectors comprises a solid, cuboid rubber base 601 with length of 50 millimetres, width of 25 millimetres and height of 20 millimetres. The load protector further comprises a rubber fibre structure 602 of fibres that each have a diameter of 1 millimetre and a length of 15 millimetres, extending from the top surface of the solid base 601. The distance between neighbouring fibres in a row is 3 millimetres. The load protector further comprises a metal U-profile 603, one leg of which is fixedly mounted onto the bottom surface of the rubber base 601 such that the U-profile 603 enables to attach the load protector to the wheel plate 501 by sliding the U-profile downward over the top edge of the wheel plate 501.

[0049] Fig. 7 represents a side view of the load protector 600, two samples of which are attached to a single wheel plate 501 in Fig. 6. Fig. 7 again shows the cuboid rubber base 601 and top fibre structure 602. Fig. 7 further shows the U-profile 603, the legs of which may have different lengths. One leg is mounted onto the bottom surface of the cuboid base 601, e.g. through two screws. The U-profile 603 is turned upside-down, i.e. with its base positioned near the upper edge of the base 601. The base of the U-profile 603 is dimensioned to fit the thickness of the wheel plate 503 whereto it will be attached through sliding the U-profile downward over the wheel plate 501. The load protector 600 can easily be placed onto and removed from the wheel plate 501 of the reach truck 500, and brings the advantage that it avoids damaging loads or packaging of loads that are stored in the lower region of racks while providing feedback to the driver of the reach truck through increased resistance.

[0050] Fig. 8 shows a variant 800 for the load protector 600 of Fig. 7 that is used on wheel plates of reach trucks. The variant load protector 800 depicted in Fig. 8 has a cuboid rubber base 801 and fibre structure 802 that are identical to the base 601 and fibre structure 602 of the load protector 600. The load protector 800 further comprises a U-profile 803 that differs from the U-profile 603 in that the base of the U-profile 803 is provided with a hole enabling a screw 804 to fixedly mount the load protector 800 onto a wheel plate that is provided with screw thread in its upper edge.

[0051] Fig. 9 shows the wheel plate 501 of reach truck 500, this time equipped with two samples of a third embodiment 900 of the load protector according to the present invention. The load protector 900 comprises a cuboid rubber base 901 and fibre structure 902 that are identical to the base 601 and fibre structure 602 of the above described second embodiment 600. The load protector 900 further comprises a first metal plate 903, a second metal plate 904, a first screw and bolt 905 and a second screw and bolt 906. The metal plates 903, 904, the first screw and bolt 905 and the second screw and bolt 906 enable to more rigidly attach the load protector 900 to the wheel plate 501.

[0052] Fig. 10 represents a side view of the third embodiment 900. The third embodiment comprises a solid rubber base 901 and rubber fibre structure 902, extending from the top surface of the solid base 901 and integrally formed with this solid base 901. A first metal plate 903 is attached to the bottom surface of the rubber base 901, for instance with two screws. This first metal plate 903 has an upper end that extends beyond the upper edge of the rubber base 901, and a lower end that extends beyond the lower edge of the rubber base 901. The upper end of the metal plate 903 is provided with a hole such that a first screw 905 can be inserted. The lower end of the metal plate 903 is provided with a groove in the length direction of the plate 903 such that a second screw 906 can be inserted and can be positioned at different heights. The third embodiment 900 further comprises a second metal plate 904 that is identical to the first metal plate 903. The second metal plate 904 is connected to the first metal plate 903 via the first screw 905 that engages with a first bolt, and the second screw 906 that engages with a second bolt. When mounted on the wheel plate 501, the upper ends of the first plate 903 and second plate 904, and the first screw and bolt 905 will be located above the wheel plate 501. Similarly, the lower ends of the first plate 903 and second plate 904, and the second screw and bolt 906 will be located below the wheel plate. The wheel plate 501 will be clamped between the first plate 903 and the second plate 904 to secure attachment of the load protector 900. The groove in the lower end of the first plate 903 and second plate 904 enables to adjust the height of the second screw and bolt 906 to the height of the wheel plate 501. This way, the third embodiment 900 can be tightly secured onto wheel plates of reach trucks, irrespective of the thickness and height of the wheel plates. Depending on the width of the wheel plate, one or several samples of the load protector 900 can be mounted on the wheel plate to cover its front surface.

[0053] Although the present invention has been illustrated by reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments, and that the present invention may be embodied with various changes and modifications without departing from the scope thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. In other words, it is contemplated to cover any and all modifications, variations or equivalents that fall within the scope of the basic underlying principles and whose essential attributes are claimed in this patent application. It will furthermore be understood by the reader of this patent application that the words "comprising" or "comprise" do not exclude other elements or steps, that the words "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality, and that a single element or an integrated unit may fulfil the functions of several means recited in the claims. Any reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the respective claims concerned. The terms "first", "second", third", "a", "b", "c", and the like, when used in the description or in the claims are introduced to distinguish between similar elements or steps and are not necessarily describing a sequential or chronological order. Similarly, the terms "top", "bottom", "over", "under", and the like are introduced for descriptive purposes and not necessarily to denote relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and embodiments of the invention are capable of operating according to the present invention in other sequences, or in orientations different from the one(s) described or illustrated above.


Claims

1. A load protector (200; 600; 800; 900) adapted for attachment to a fork back of a fork (101, 102) used for replacing a load or to a wheel plate (501) of a reach truck (500), said load protector (200; 600; 800; 900) comprising:

- a solid base (201; 601; 801; 901) made out of polymer or rubber; and

- a fibre structure (202; 602; 802; 902), also made out of said polymer or rubber and comprising plural fibres having a height of at least 10 millimetres, preferably at least 15 millimetres, said plural fibres extending from a top surface of said solid base (201; 601; 801; 901).


 
2. A load protector (200) according to claim 1, further comprising:

- one or more magnets (400) incorporated in said solid base (201).


 
3. A load protector (200) according to claim 2, wherein a bottom surface of said solid base (201) has an amount of openings (203) provided with screw thread (205), each opening (205) of which is dimensioned to hold one of said magnets (400).
 
4. A load protector (600; 800) according to claim 1, further comprising:

- a U-profile (603; 803), mounted onto a back surface of said solid base (601; 801) and adapted to attach said load protector (600; 800) to said wheel plate (501) of a reach truck (500).


 
5. A load protector (900) according to claim 1, further comprising:

- a first plate (903), mounted onto a back surface of said solid base (901);

- a second plate (904) connected to said first plate (903) via screws (905, 906), said first plate (903), second plate (904) and screws (905, 906) being configured to clamp said load protector (900) onto said wheel plate (501) of a reach truck (500).


 
6. A load protector (200; 600; 800; 900) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said plural fibres each have a diameter in the range from 1 millimetre to 7 millimetres.
 
7. A load protector (200; 600; 800; 900) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said plural fibres are arranged in a pattern such that neighbouring fibres have an inter distance in the range from 3 millimetres to 10 millimetres.
 
8. A load protector (200; 600; 800; 900) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said solid base (201; 601; 801; 901) has a height of at most 30 millimetres.
 
9. A load protector (200) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a bottom surface of said solid base (201) is provided with a pair of side rims (204) adapted to hold said load protector (200) in position in case a force is applied with a horizontal component.
 
10. A load protector (200) according to claim 9, wherein said side rims (204) have a height in the range from 3 millimetres to 10 millimetres, preferably 5 millimetres.
 
11. A load protector (200; 600; 800; 900) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said solid base has a width in the range from 50 millimetres to 145 millimetres.
 
12. A load protector (200; 600; 800; 900) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said solid base has a length in the range from 150 millimetres to 700 millimetres, preferably in the range of 400 millimetres to 600 millimetres.
 
13. A load protector (200; 600; 800; 900) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said solid base (201; 601; 801; 901) and said fibre structure (202; 602; 802; 902) are integrally formed through injection moulding.
 
14. A load protector (200) according to claim 13 and claim 3, wherein said openings (203) with screw thread (205) are formed in said solid base (201) through vulcanisation.
 
15. A load protector (200; 600; 800; 900) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said polymer or rubber is reinforced through fiberglass.
 
16. A manufacturing method for a load protector (200; 600; 800; 900) adapted for attachment to a fork back of a fork (101, 102) used for replacing a load or to a wheel plate (501) of a reach truck (500), said manufacturing method comprising:

- obtaining through injection moulding a solid base (201; 601; 801; 901) of polymer or rubber with top fibre structure (202; 602; 802; 902) of polymer or rubber comprising plural fibres having a height of at least 10 millimetres, preferably at least 15 millimetres, said plural fibres extending from a top surface of said solid base (201; 601; 801; 901).


 
17. A manufacturing method according to claim 16, further comprising:

- providing through vulcanisation one or more openings (203) in a bottom surface of said solid base (201) for incorporation of one or more magnets (400) in said solid base.


 
18. A manufacturing method according to claim 16, further comprising:

- mounting a U profile (603; 803) onto a back surface of said solid base (601; 801) for attaching said load protector (600; 800) to said wheel plate (501) of a reach truck (500).


 
19. A manufacturing method according to claim 16, further comprising:

- mounting a first plate (903) onto a back surface of said solid base (901);

- connecting a second plate (904) to said first plate (903) via screws (905, 906), said first plate (903), second plate (904) and screws (905, 906) being configured to clamp said load protector (900) onto said wheel plate (501) of a reach truck (500).


 




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Cited references

REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description