Login| Sign Up| Help| Contact|

Patent Searching and Data


Title:
LOAD HANDLING SYSTEM, AND A MOBILE LOAD GUIDE, A LOADING-UNLOADING DEVICE, A TRANSVERSE DISPLACEMENT DEVICE, A TRANSPORT VEHICLE AND DIVERSE METHODS FOR APPLYING SUCH A LOAD HANDLING SYSTEM
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2017/146575
Kind Code:
A2
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a load handling system, comprising: a fixedly disposed dock load guide; a mobile load guide arranged substantially in a transport area of a transport vehicle and comprising: at least one vehicle conveyor arranged in a longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle and configured to displace a load, particularly a rolling container, in the transport area in a longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle; and a loading-unloading device for carrying the load into and out of the transport area of the transport vehicle, wherein the loading-unloading device is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle between a first position of a transport state, in which the loading-unloading device is situated substantially inside the transport area of the transport vehicle, and at least one further position of a loading and unloading state, in which the loading-unloading device extends at least temporarily from the transport vehicle at least out of the transport area of the transport vehicle. The invention further relates to a mobile load guide, a loading-unloading device, a transverse displacement device and a transport vehicle, and diverse methods for taking a load handling system according to the invention into use.

Inventors:
BOEKEMA DONALD RENÉ FRANCISKUS (NL)
Application Number:
PCT/NL2017/050112
Publication Date:
August 31, 2017
Filing Date:
February 24, 2017
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
MERAKEL LOGISTIEK B V (NL)
International Classes:
B60P1/38; B60P1/44
Foreign References:
US3679074A1972-07-25
US20050226706A12005-10-13
FR2588807A11987-04-24
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
HAAN, Raimond Johannes Gerardus (NL)
Download PDF:
Claims:
Claims

1. Load handling system, comprising:

- a fixedly disposed dock load guide;

- a mobile load guide arranged substantially in a transport area of a transport vehicle and comprising:

- at least one vehicle conveyor arranged in a longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle and configured to displace a load, particularly a rolling container, in the transport area in a longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle; and

- a loading-unloading device for carrying the load into and out of the transport area of the transport vehicle, wherein the loading-unloading device is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle between a first position of a transport state, in which the loading- unloading device is situated substantially inside the transport area of the transport vehicle, and at least one further position of a loading and unloading state, in which the loading-unloading device extends at least temporarily from the transport vehicle at least out of the transport area of the transport vehicle.

2. Load handling system according to claim 1 , wherein the loading-unloading device comprises:

- a base which is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle;

- a first parallelogram construction which is arranged with a first side pivotally on the base;

- a second parallelogram construction which is arranged with a first side pivotally on a second side of the first parallelogram construction; and

- a lifting member which is arranged pivotally on a second side of the second

parallelogram construction.

3. Load handling system according to claim 2, wherein in the at least one further position of the loading-unloading state the first parallelogram construction of the loading-unloading device is situated at least largely outside the transport area of the transport vehicle.

4. Load handling system according to claim 3, wherein in the loading-unloading state the loading-unloading device is displaceable between at least two positions, and in at least one position is movable in a height direction for the purpose of lifting and lowering the load. 5. Load handling system according to claim 4, wherein in the loading and unloading state the lifting member is displaceable between an extended position in which the lifting member is situated outside the transport area of the transport vehicle and a retracted position in which the lifting member is situated substantially inside the transport area of the transport vehicle.

6. Load handling system according to any of the claims 2-6, wherein the at least one vehicle conveyor arranged in a longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle defines a loading surface on which the load can be carried, and wherein at least in the loading-unloading state the lifting member is movable in height direction, transversely of the loading surface.

7. Load handling system according to any of the claims 2-6, wherein the loading-unloading device is provided between or close to the at least one vehicle conveyor with an additional lifting member which is configured to lower a load onto the vehicle conveyor and lift it from the vehicle conveyor.

8. Load handling system according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the fixedly disposed dock load guide comprises a dock conveyor which is configured to transport a load in a supply and discharge direction.

9. Load handling system according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle conveyor arranged in the longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle is configured to co-act with the dock conveyor of the fixedly disposed load guide or with a further vehicle conveyor.

10. Load handling system according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein a transfer device can be placed between the fixedly disposed load guide and the mobile load guide, wherein the transfer device is configured to transfer the load from the fixedly disposed load guide to the mobile load guide, and vice versa.

11. Load handling system according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein a transfer device can be placed between the mobile load guide of a box truck and the mobile load guide of a transport trailer, wherein the transfer device is configured to transfer the load from the mobile load guide of the box truck to the mobile load guide of the transport trailer, and vice versa.

12. Load handling system according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the mobile load guide is provided with the transfer device and wherein the transfer device comprises a transfer conveyor which is displaceable at least partially out of the transport area of the transport vehicle.

13. Load handling system according to any of the foregoing claims, comprising at least two and preferably three vehicle conveyors arranged adjacently of each other in the longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle, wherein provided on the side of these vehicle conveyors remote from the loading-unloading device is a transverse displacement device which is configured to displace the load in a transverse direction of the vehicle from a vehicle conveyor to an adjacent vehicle conveyor.

14. Load handling system according to claim 13, wherein the transverse displacement device comprises:

- a transverse displacer which is configured to displace the load transversely of the longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle from a vehicle conveyor to an adjacent vehicle conveyor; and

- one or more than one carrier which is configured to transfer the load from the vehicle conveyor to the transverse displacer, and vice versa.

15. Load handling system according to claim 14, wherein the transverse displacer comprises a carriage.

16. Load handling system according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the transport vehicle in which the mobile load guide is arranged comprises a transport trailer and/or a box truck.

17. Mobile load guide comprising the measures of the mobile load guide as described for the load handling system according to any of the claims 1-16, the mobile load guide further comprising a frame which is configured to be retrofitted in a transport area of a transport trailer and/or of a box truck.

18. Loading-unloading device for carrying a load, particularly a rolling container, into and out of a transport vehicle, comprising the measures of the loading-unloading device as described for the load handling system according to any of the claims 1-16.

19. Transverse displacement device for displacing a load in a transverse direction of a transport vehicle from a vehicle conveyor to an adjacent vehicle conveyor, comprising the measures of the transverse displacement device as described for the load handling system according to any of the claims 13-16.

20. Transport vehicle comprising a transport area in which a mobile load guide is provided, the mobile load guide comprising the measures of the mobile load guide as described for the load handling system according to any of the claims 1-16, and the transport vehicle comprising a transport trailer or a box truck.

21. Method for transferring a load from a fixedly disposed dock load guide to a mobile load guide which is arranged substantially in a transport area of a transport vehicle, comprising the steps of:

- transporting the load in a supply direction using a dock conveyor of the fixedly disposed dock load guide;

- transferring the load from the fixedly disposed dock load guide to the mobile load guide; and

- displacing the load in a longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle away from the fixedly disposed dock load guide using at least one vehicle conveyor of the mobile load guide arranged in a longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle.

22. Method for transferring a load from a mobile load guide, which is arranged

substantially in a transport area of a transport vehicle, to a fixedly disposed dock load guide, comprising the steps of:

- displacing the load in a longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle using at least one vehicle conveyor of the mobile load guide arranged in a longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle;

- transferring the load from the mobile load guide to the fixedly disposed dock load guide; and

- transporting the load in a discharge direction away from the mobile load guide using a dock conveyor of the fixedly disposed dock load guide.

23. Method for transferring a load from a mobile load guide of a box truck to a mobile load guide of a transport trailer, and vice versa, comprising the steps of:

- displacing the load using the one mobile load guide with a vehicle conveyor arranged therein;

- transferring the load from the mobile load guide of the box truck to the mobile load guide of the transport trailer, or vice versa; and

- further displacing the load using the other mobile load guide with a vehicle conveyor arranged therein.

24. Method for loading a load into a transport vehicle, comprising the steps of:

- carrying a load into the transport area of the transport vehicle using a loading-unloading device, comprising the sub-steps of:

- engaging the load using a lifting member;

- lifting the load in a lifting step;

- displacing the lifted load by displacing the lifting member between an extended position in which the lifting member is situated outside the loading surface and a retracted position in which the lifting member is situated substantially inside or above the loading surface; and

- placing the load on a vehicle conveyor; and

- displacing the load in a longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle using the vehicle conveyor.

25. Method according to claim 24, comprising of repeating foregoing steps for loading of the transport vehicle once or more than once and then bringing the loading-unloading device into the first position of the transport state, wherein in the first position of the transport state the loading-unloading device is situated substantially inside the transport area of the transport vehicle.

26. Method for unloading a load from a transport vehicle, comprising the steps of:

- displacing the load in the direction of a loading and unloading device in a longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle using the vehicle conveyor;

- carrying a load out of the transport area of the transport vehicle using the loading- unloading device, comprising the sub-steps of:

- placing the load from the vehicle conveyor onto a lifting member;

- displacing the load by displacing the lifting member between a retracted position in which the lifting member is situated substantially inside or above the loading surface and an extended position in which the lifting member is situated outside the loading surface; and

- lowering the load using the lifting member.

27. Method according to claim 26, comprising of repeating foregoing steps for unloading of the transport vehicle once or more than once and then bringing the loading-unloading device into the first position of the transport state, wherein in the first position of the transport state the loading-unloading device is situated substantially inside the transport area of the transport vehicle.

28. Method according to any of the claims 21-27, wherein a load handling system according to any of the claims 1-16 is applied.

Description:
Load handling system, and a mobile load guide, a loading-unloading device, a transverse displacement device, a transport vehicle and diverse methods for applying such a load handling system The invention relates to a load handling system and to a mobile load guide, a loading- unloading device, a transverse displacement device, a transport vehicle and diverse methods for applying such a load handling system.

In conventional load handling systems it is usual for a transport vehicle, such as a box truck or a transport trailer, to be loaded and unloaded for the most part manually. At a dock of a logistics station a load is usually loaded into or unloaded from a transport area of the transport vehicle using suitable auxiliary means, such as a forklift truck. At an unloading location, such as a branch of a shop, it is usually the driver of the transport vehicle who manually unloads the load from the transport area of his or her transport vehicle and lowers it onto the ground with a height- adjustable liftgate of the transport vehicle before driving away. Possible reusable packaging is loaded by the driver into the transport area of the transport vehicle in reverse order, i.e. from the ground onto the liftgate and, after lifting thereof, from the liftgate into the transport area. Such a method is labour-intensive and time-consuming.

The American patent applications US-A-3,679,074 and US-A1-2005/226706 and the French patent application FR-A1-2 588 807 are recognized as prior art.

An object of the present invention is to provide a load handling system wherein said drawbacks do not occur, or at least do so to lesser extent.

Said object is achieved according to the invention with the load handling system according to the invention, comprising:

- a fixedly disposed dock load guide;

- a mobile load guide arranged substantially in a transport area of a transport vehicle and comprising:

- at least one vehicle conveyor arranged in a longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle and configured to displace a load, particularly a rolling container, in the transport area in a longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle; and

- a loading-unloading device for carrying the load into and out of the transport area of the transport vehicle, wherein the loading-unloading device is displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle between a first position of a transport state, in which the loading- unloading device is situated substantially inside the transport area of the transport vehicle, and at least one further position of a loading and unloading state, in which the loading-unloading device extends at least temporarily from the transport vehicle at least out of the transport area of the transport vehicle. Such a load handling system allows further automation of the handling of a load.

The invention further relates to a mobile load guide, a loading-unloading device, a transverse displacement device and a transport vehicle, and different methods for taking a load handling system according to the invention into use.

Particularly advantageous preferred embodiments form the subject of the dependent claims.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are further elucidated in the following description with reference to the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of a transport vehicle with a load handling system according to the invention;

Figure 2 A is a side view of a dock load guide according to the invention;

Figure 2B is a rear view of the dock load guide of figure 2A;

Figures 2C-2E are side views of successive steps of the transfer of a load from the dock load guide of figure 2A to a mobile load guide, wherein the dock load guide is provided according to a first preferred embodiment with a transfer member;

Figures 3A-3C are side views of successive steps of the transfer of a load from the dock load guide of figure 2A to a mobile load guide, wherein the mobile load guide is provided according to a second preferred embodiment with a transfer member;

Figure 3D is a side view of the transfer of a load from a dock load guide to a mobile load guide;

Figures 4A-4E are schematic top views of successive steps of the transfer of a load from a dock load guide to a mobile load guide;

Figure 5 A is a cut-away side view of a front side of a transport vehicle;

Figure 5B is a cut-away side view of a rear side of a transport vehicle;

Figures 6A-6E are cut-away side views of a rear side of a transport vehicle which show successive steps of the loading of a load from the ground;

Figure 6F is a cut-away side view of a rear side of a transport vehicle along a different sectional plane but in the same state as figure 6E;

Figures 6G-6J are cut-away side views of a rear side of a transport vehicle which show successive steps, following steps 6A-6E, of an additional lifting member during loading of a load from the ground;

Figures 7A-7B are cut-away side views of a front side of a transport vehicle in the same state but along two different sectional planes;

Figures 7C-7F are cut-away side views of a front side of a transport vehicle which show successive steps in which a load is transferred from the mobile load guide to a transverse displacement device; Figures 8A-8F are cut-away rear views showing successive steps in which a load is displaced in transverse direction of the transport vehicle by a transverse displacement device;

Figures 9A-9Q are schematic top views of successive steps of the use of the load handling system during unloading of the load and loading of reusable packaging on location;

Figures 1 OA- IOC are cut-away side views showing successive steps in which a transfer device for transferring a load between a box truck and a transport trailer, and vice versa, is positioned;

Figure 10D is a cut-away rear view of the transfer device in a transport vehicle;

Figures 10E-10F are cut-away side views showing successive steps of the transfer of a load between a box truck and a transport trailer, or vice versa;

Figures 11A-11V are schematic top views of successive steps of the exchange of load between a box truck and a transport trailer.

The top view of figure 1 shows a transport vehicle 4 in the form of a box truck 6 which is embodied with a mobile load guide 30 of a load handling system 1 according to the invention. Mobile load guide 30 is arranged in a transport area 2 of transport vehicle 4 and comprises at least one vehicle conveyor 32 arranged in a longitudinal direction L of transport vehicle 4 and configured to displace a load 10, particularly a rolling container 10, in transport area 2 in a longitudinal direction of transport vehicle 4.

Different components of mobile load guide 30 are a transfer device 90 (see particularly figures 2C-2E, 3A-3D and 10A-10F), a transverse displacement device 110 (see particularly figures 5A, 7A-7F and 8A-8F), a loading-unloading device 50 (see particularly figures 5B and 6A- 6J) and an additional lifting member 74 for loading-unloading device 50 (see particularly figures 6F-6J).

It is noted that transport vehicle 4 can also comprise a transport trailer 8. It is possible here to envisage that a transport trailer 8 lacks a loading-unloading device 50. Transport trailer 8 can in that case be utilized for transport of load 10, which is in each case carried to the unloading locations with a transport vehicle 4 in the form of a box truck 6.

Although mobile load guide 30 can be integrated into a transport vehicle 4, it is also possible to envisage mobile load guide 30 being arranged in a frame 38 (figures 5A and 5B) which can be placed on a loading floor of a conventional transport vehicle 4.

Figures 2A and 2B show a fixedly disposed dock load guide 20. Loads 10 are placed with a forklift truck 12 onto a dock conveyor 22, which is configured to transport loads 10 in a supply and discharge direction so that they can be loaded into a transport vehicle 4.

Figure 3D shows a vehicle conveyor 32 arranged in the longitudinal direction of transport vehicle 4 and configured to co-act with the dock conveyor 22 of the fixedly disposed load guide

20. Provided between the fixedly disposed load guide 20 and the mobile load guide 30 is a transfer device 90 which is configured to transfer load 10 from fixedly disposed load guide 20 to mobile load guide 30, and vice versa.

In cases in which a combination of a box truck 6 and transport trailer 8 is applied two vehicle conveyors 32 can mutually co-act, as shown in figures 10A-10F. A transfer device 90 can in that case likewise be placed between one or more than one mobile load guide 30 of box truck 6 and corresponding one or more than one mobile load guide 30 of transport trailer 8, wherein transfer device 90 is configured to transfer load 10 from mobile load guide 30 of box truck 6 to mobile load guide 30 of transport trailer 8, and vice versa.

It is noted that transfer device 90 is preferably arranged on mobile load guide 30 of transport vehicle 4 so that it can co-act with both a dock conveyor 22 and a vehicle conveyor 32 of another transport vehicle 4, as will be further elucidated below with reference to figures 10A-10F. In that case transfer device 90 comprises a transfer conveyor 92 which is displaceable at least partially out of transport area 2 of the transport vehicle.

It is alternatively possible to envisage transport trailer 8 comprising two transfer devices 90, i.e. one transfer device 90 which is configured to co-act with a fixedly disposed dock load guide 20 and one transfer device 90 which is configured to co-act with a box truck 6. In that case box truck 6 can lack a transfer device 90 and still be employed in a combination of a box truck 6 and transport trailer 8.

In figure 2C a transport vehicle 4 is positioned with its transport area 2 against a dock of a logistics station. A transfer device 90 is shifted from the fixedly disposed dock load guide 20 toward mobile load guide 30 of transport vehicle 4 (figure 2D) and brought into a transfer state (figure 2E), in which load 10 can be transferred from dock conveyor 22 to vehicle conveyor 32, and vice versa.

As already stated, it is particularly advantageous for transport vehicle 4 to be provided with a transfer device 90. This situation is shown in figures 3A-3C.

The schematic view of figures 4A-4C shows how a load 10 can be placed in the transport area 2 of transport vehicle 4 in one movement by simultaneous driving of dock conveyor 22 of the fixedly disposed dock load guide 20 and vehicle conveyor 32 of transport vehicle 4.

Figures 4D and 4E show the reverse movement, wherein a load 10 can be displaced from a transport area 2 of a transport vehicle 4 to a fixedly disposed load guide 20 in one continuous movement.

Transport vehicle 4 is further provided with a loading-unloading device 50 (see particularly figures 5B and 6A-6J). Loading-unloading device 50 is provided for carrying load 10 into and out of transport area 2 of transport vehicle 4, wherein loading-unloading device 50 is displaceable in the longitudinal direction L of transport vehicle 4 between a first position of a transport state, in which loading-unloading device 50 is situated substantially inside the transport area 2 of transport vehicle 4, and at least one further position of a loading and unloading state, in which loading-unloading device 50 extends at least temporarily from transport vehicle 4 at least out of transport area 2 of transport vehicle 4.

Loading-unloading device 50 comprises a base 52 which is displaceable in the longitudinal direction L of transport vehicle 4 so that loading-unloading device 50 is displaceable between the above stated first position of the transport state and the at least one further position of the loading and unloading state.

Loading-unloading device 50 further comprises a first parallelogram construction 56 which is arranged with a first side 58 pivotally on base 52, and a second parallelogram construction 66 which is arranged with a first side 68 pivotally on a second side 60 of first parallelogram construction 56. A lifting member 72 is arranged pivotally on a second side 70 of second parallelogram construction 66.

As shown in figures 5B, 6 A and 6B, in the at least one further position of the loading- unloading state first parallelogram construction 56 of loading-unloading device 50 is situated at least largely outside transport area 2 of transport vehicle 4. Loading-unloading device 50 hereby has sufficient freedom of movement to displace lifting member 72 to a position close to the ground. Loading-unloading device 50 is for this purpose displaceable in the loading-unloading state between at least two positions (for instance the position of figures 5B, 6 A and 6B as an extended position and the position of figures 6C-6F as a retracted position, and the position of figures 6G-6J as a further retracted position). In at least one position lifting member 72 of the loading-unloading device is movable in a height direction H for the purpose of lifting and lowering load 10 (at least the position of figures 5B, 6 A and 6B).

Lifting member 72 is displaceable in the loading and unloading state between an extended position in which lifting member 72 is situated outside the transport area 2 of transport vehicle 4 (for instance the positions of the figures), and a retracted position in which lifting member 72 is situated substantially inside the transport area 2 of transport vehicle 4 (for instance the positions of the figures). During loading a load 10 can hereby be carried into transport area 2, where load 10 can be placed on a vehicle conveyor 32, for instance via an additional lifting member 74. The reverse applies during unloading. Load 10 can here be picked up from vehicle conveyor 32 in transport area 2 when lifting member 72 is situated substantially inside transport area 2 of transport vehicle 4.

The at least one vehicle conveyor 32 arranged in the longitudinal direction L of transport vehicle 4 defines a loading surface on which load 10 can be carried, and at least in the loading- unloading state the lifting member is movable in height direction H, transversely of the loading surface. Loading-unloading device 50 is provided between or close to the at least one vehicle conveyor 32 with an additional lifting member 74 (figure 6F) which is configured to lower a load 10 onto vehicle conveyor 32 and lift it from vehicle conveyor 32. Figures 6G-6J show in successive steps how a load 10 is transferred from lifting member 72 to additional lifting member 74 (figure 6G), and is then displaced (figures 6H and 61) and transferred to vehicle conveyor 32 (figure 6J) by additional lifting member 74.

According to a preferred embodiment, load handling system 1 preferably comprises at least two and more preferably three (figure 1) vehicle conveyors 32 arranged adjacently of each other in the longitudinal direction of transport vehicle 4, wherein provided on the side of these vehicle conveyors 32 remote from loading-unloading device 50 is a transverse displacement device 110 which is configured to displace load 10 in a transverse direction D of transport vehicle 4 from a vehicle conveyor 32 to an adjacent further vehicle conveyor 32.

Transverse displacement device 110 comprises a transverse displacer 112 which is configured to displace load 10 transversely of the longitudinal direction L of transport vehicle 4 from a vehicle conveyor 32 to an adjacent vehicle conveyor 32.

One or more than one carrier 116 is provided (figure 7 A) in order to transfer load 10 from vehicle conveyor 32 to transverse displacer 112, and vice versa. Each vehicle conveyor 32 is preferably provided with an associated carrier 116. In figure 7C a load 10 is lifted from vehicle conveyor 32 by a lifting member 118 and picked up and carried to the position above transverse displacer 112 or above a support 120 shown in figure 7D by carrier 116. This creates space, which enables shifting of loads 10 on vehicle conveyor 32 (figure 7E). Finally, carrier 116 lowers load 10 onto transverse displacer 112 or support 120.

Figures 8A-8F show in rear view successive steps in which a load 10 is displaced in transverse direction D of transport vehicle 4 by a transverse displacement device 110. In figure 8 A load 10 is situated on the middle vehicle conveyor 32 of transport vehicle 4. Transverse displacer 112 is displaced from the left-hand vehicle conveyor 32 shown in figure 8 A to the middle vehicle conveyor 32 and lifts load 10 from support 120 (figure 8B). In order to prevent rolling containers 10 displacing in transverse direction in undesired manner a blocking in that direction is provided. Side partitions 122 are used for this purpose in this example. In figure 8C a side partition 122 is moved downward on the right-hand side of load 10 so that load 10 can be displaced to right-hand vehicle conveyor 32 with transverse displacer 112 (figure 8D). In figure 8E side partition 122 is moved upward again so that load 10 is confined in the transverse direction of transport vehicle 4. Finally, transverse displacer 112, which comprises in the shown embodiment a carriage with a jack construction, lowers load 10 back down (figure 8F) onto support 120. Load 10 can then be transferred with carrier 116 and lifting member 118 to a vehicle conveyor 32. Applying the three vehicle conveyors 32 in combination with the transverse displacement device 112 creates the option of handling load 10 in automated manner according to the principle shown in figures 9A-9Q. In the shown exemplary embodiment unloading takes place via the two outer vehicle conveyors 32 and loading (of reusable packaging) takes place via the middle vehicle conveyors 32. The starting situation is here a transport vehicle 4 which is completely filled with load of a first type 14, for instance full rolling containers. In figure 9A a full rolling container 10, 14 is removed from transport area 2 of transport vehicle 4. This creates an open space (figure 9B), and the remaining full rolling containers 10, 14 can be shifted in the direction of the discharge side of transport area 2 on left-hand vehicle conveyor 32. A full rolling container 10, 14 can then be displaced with transverse displacement device 110 from middle vehicle conveyor 32 to left-hand vehicle conveyor 32 (figure C), whereby an open space is created in middle vehicle conveyor 32. Full rolling containers 10, 14 on middle vehicle conveyor 32 can then be shifted into transport area 2 over one position (figure D), whereby a free space is created on the loading/unloading side of transport area 2 (figure E). A load 10 of a second type, for instance an empty rolling container 16 forming reusable packaging, can be loaded into transport area 2 at this space (figure F). Figures 9G-9P show possible successive steps in which full rolling containers 10, 14 can be unloaded and empty rolling containers 10, 16 can be loaded as reusable packaging until transport area 2 of transport vehicle 4 is completely filled with empty rolling containers 10, 16. It is noted that in the shown embodiment a full rolling container 10, 14 is unloaded from right-hand vehicle conveyor 32 in step G, but that it is also possible to envisage that the whole left-hand vehicle conveyor 32 is unloaded first, and only then is right-hand vehicle conveyor 32 unloaded. The skilled person will understand that many variations of loading/unloading are possible and that all this depends in particular on the desired order of unloading and the order in which load 10 was loaded.

Figures 10A-10F show that a transfer device 90 is arranged on mobile load guide 30 of a box truck 6, and how this can be used to co-act with a vehicle conveyor 32 of a transport trailer 8.

Figure 10A shows a starting situation in which a box truck 6 is coupled to a transport trailer 8 and they are both provided with a load 10. A spacer 124 ensures a desired distance between box truck 6 and transport trailer 8. As will be further elucidated below with reference to figures 11 A-l 1 V it is possible to envisage that box truck 6 has already travelled to a number of locations in order to unload full containers 10, 14, and has loaded empty containers 10, 16 as reusable packaging. Transport trailer 8, which has for instance been temporarily disconnected and parked in a parking area, can for instance contain additional full containers 10, 14. A transfer device 90 is provided in order to enable transfer of containers 10, 14 which are still full from transport trailer 8 to box truck 6 and to simultaneously enable transfer of empty containers 10, 16 from box truck 6 to transport trailer 8. It is noted that this transfer device 90 can be identical to the transfer device 90 discussed with reference to figures 2A-2E and 3A-3D. In figure 10B transfer device 90 is extended from transport trailer 8 to box truck 6 and then brought into a transfer state (figure IOC). Figure 10F shows a situation wherein a load 10 is situated on transfer conveyor 92 of transfer device 90.

It is noted that it is possible according to an alternative embodiment (not shown) that transfer device 90 is extended from box truck 6 to transport trailer 8 in the situation of figure 10B.

In figure 11 A transport area 2 of box truck 6 is fully loaded with load 10 of a second type 16, for instance empty rolling containers 16 which have been taken back as reusable packaging. Transport trailer 8 is fully loaded with load 10 of a first type 14, for instance full rolling containers 14. In the following example the different loads 10 will be treated as full rolling containers 14 and empty rolling containers 16. Unloading (reusable packaging 10, 16) of box truck 6 also takes place here via the two outer vehicle conveyors 32, and loading (full containers 10, 14) takes place via middle vehicle conveyor 32.

In figure 11 A the middle rear position, i.e. the middle position on the loading/unloading side of conveyor area 2 of box truck 6, has been left clear, whereby a full rolling container 14 can be transferred from transport trailer 8 to box truck 6 with a transfer device 90 (figure 1 IB). This creates a free space on the rear side of transport trailer 8, to which a full rolling container 14 can then be displaced from an adjacent vehicle conveyor 32 (figure 11C). In the shown example this results in a free space on the rear side in transport area 2 of transport trailer 8. By driving vehicle conveyor 32 of box truck 6, transfer device 90 and vehicle conveyor 32 of transport trailer 8 in rearward direction an empty rolling container 16 is transferred from box truck 6 to transport trailer 8 (figure 1 ID). Repeating this process according to the further steps shown in the further figures 11 A-l 1 V finally results in the situation shown in figure 1 IV, wherein box truck 6 is fully loaded with full rolling containers 14 which in figure 11 A were situated in a transport trailer 8. Empty rolling containers 16 are now situated in transport trailer 8, which can if desired be left in a parking area while box truck 6 sets off to unload full rolling containers 14 at one or more than one location.

Although they show preferred embodiments of the invention, the above described embodiments are intended solely to illustrate the present invention and not to limit the scope of the invention in any way. When measures in the claims are followed by reference numerals, such reference numerals serve only to contribute toward understanding of the claims, but are in no way limitative of the scope of protection. It is particularly noted that the skilled person can combine technical measures of the different embodiments. The rights described are defined by the following claims, within the scope of which many modifications can be envisaged.