U.S. patent application number 10/871816 was filed with the patent office on 2005-01-06 for construction equipment.
This patent application is currently assigned to KOMATSU LTD.. Invention is credited to Mori, Tadashi.
Application Number | 20050000121 10/871816 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32821719 |
Filed Date | 2005-01-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050000121 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mori, Tadashi |
January 6, 2005 |
Construction equipment
Abstract
Construction equipment of which protection structure for an
operator's cab when rolling over can be constituted to be favorable
in visibility, transportability, and assembling and disassembling
operability is provided. For this purpose, the construction
equipment includes an upper revolving superstructure frame (4)
rotatably loaded on a base carrier (3); and an operator's cab (7),
a working machine (5) and a counterweight (6) which are provided on
the upper revolving superstructure frame. Further, an operator's
cab protection frame (10A), which includes an operator's cab
protection member (11), supporting members (12A, 13A) for
supporting the operator's cab protection member and mounting
members (19, 19) with which base end portions of the supporting
members are mounted to a vehicle body, is mounted to the upper
revolving superstructure frame, and is provided upright behind the
operator's cab.
Inventors: |
Mori, Tadashi; (Settsu-shi,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FRISHAUF, HOLTZ, GOODMAN & CHICK, PC
767 THIRD AVENUE
25TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10017-2023
US
|
Assignee: |
KOMATSU LTD.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
32821719 |
Appl. No.: |
10/871816 |
Filed: |
June 17, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
37/347 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02F 9/24 20130101; E02F
9/163 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
037/347 |
International
Class: |
E02F 005/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 1, 2003 |
JP |
2003-270009 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Construction equipment comprising a base carrier; an upper
revolving superstructure frame rotatably loaded on said base
carrier; and an operator's cab, a working machine and a
counterweight which are provided on said upper revolving
superstructure frame, wherein an operator's cab protection frame,
which includes an operator cab protection member, supporting
members for supporting said operator's cab protection member, and
mounting members with which mounting base end portions of said
supporting members are mounted to a vehicle body, is mounted to
said upper revolving superstructure frame, and is provided upright
behind said operator's cab.
2. The construction equipment according to claim 1, wherein said
operator's cab protection frame is mounted to a vertical plate
member of said upper revolving superstructure frame.
3. The construction equipment according to claim 1, wherein said
operator's cab protection frame is mounted to an upper portion of
said counterweight.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to construction equipment, and
particularly relates to construction equipment having a protection
structure for an operator's cab at a time of rolling over.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Various kinds of means for preventing or restraining
deformation of an operator's cab to protect the operator when
construction equipment turns over (refers to the state in which the
construction equipment turns about 90 degrees) or rolls over
(refers to the state in which the construction equipment turns
about 180 degrees or more) are conventionally proposed in the
construction equipment. A structure in which a shock absorber is
attached to a side surface portion of the operator's cab provided
at an upper part of a vehicle body capable of being self-propelled
to relieve an impact load which acts on the operator's cab by the
shock absorber when the construction equipment turns over is
described on pages 2 to 3 and in FIG. 4 of Japanese Patent
Application Laid-open No. 11-61885 that is a first example of such
means. An operator's cab is loaded on one of the left and right
sides of an upper revolving superstructure frame rotatably loaded
on an upper part of a base carrier of the construction equipment,
on pages 2 to 3 and in FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Laid-open No.
2000-230255 which is a second example. Further, a structure, in
which a support member is placed on a side surface of the upper
revolving superstructure frame and by a side of the operator's cab
and the support member supports the construction equipment with the
base carrier in the state in which the operator's cab is not in
contact with the ground when the construction equipment turns over,
is described.
[0003] The first example and the second example have the structure
easily applicable to ordinary construction equipment, but the
consideration is not made for the case in which the construction
equipment goes beyond turning over and rolls over.
[0004] A structure, in which the periphery of an operator's cab is
surrounded by a cab guard constituted of a portal frame body to
protect the operator's cab by the cab guard when the construction
equipment rolls over, is described on pages 4 to 5 and FIG. 1 and
FIG. 4 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-173017
which is the third example. An example of the construction
equipment having an operator's cab protection structure relating to
the prior art will be explained based on FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. When
the left and right are mentioned hereinafter, they mean the left
and right facing to the front of the vehicle (see FIG. 1).
[0005] In FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, in a hydraulic shovel 80, an upper
revolving superstructure frame 82 is rotatably loaded on a base
carrier 81, and a boom 83 of a working machine is placed at a
central portion in the left and right direction of a front part,
and a counterweight 84 is placed at a rear part, and an operator's
cab 85 is placed at a left side of the front part, on the upper
revolving superstructure frame 82. A cab guard 90 is placed to
surround an operator's cab 85.
[0006] However, in the structure of a hydraulic excavator 80 shown
in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the following problems occur as a result that
the cab guard 90 is placed to surround the operator's cab 85.
[0007] (1) In order to make it possible to prevent or restrain
deformation of the operator's cab 85 by the cab guard 90 when the
hydraulic excavator 80 rolls over, it is necessary to make the cab
guard 90 have an extremely strong structure, and the number of
components of the cab guard 90 is large. This leads to an increase
in the entire weight of the vehicle due to an increase in the
weight of the operator's cab 85, and there arises the problem that
reduction in the driving performance of the vehicle is caused.
[0008] (2) Further, there arises the problem that visibility to the
front, to above and to the rear from the operator's cab 85 is
inhibited by a thick supporting column of the cab guard 90.
[0009] (3) When the cab guard 90 exceeds a regulation value of the
maximum vehicle width at the time of transportation when the
hydraulic excavator 80 is moved by being loaded on a transport
vehicle, or when the cab guard 90 is attached in an operation site
of the hydraulic shovel 80, it is necessary to detach or attach the
cab guard 90. However, the cab guard 90 has a number of mounting
portions to the upper revolving superstructure frame 82 and the
mounting portion space inside the vehicle body is small, thus
extremely complicating its detaching and attaching operations. As a
result, transportability and assembling and dissembling operability
of the hydraulic excavator 80 having the cab guard 90 are
reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention is made in view of the above-described
problems, and has its object to provide construction equipment of
which protection structure for an operator's cab when the
construction equipment rolls over can be constituted to be
favorable in visibility, and favorable in transportability, and
assembling and disassembling operability.
[0011] In order to attain the above-described object, the
construction equipment according to the present invention is
construction equipment comprising a base carrier; an upper
revolving superstructure frame rotatably loaded on the base
carrier; and an operator's cab, a working machine and a
counterweight which are provided on the upper revolving
superstructure frame, and an operator's cab protection frame, which
includes an operator's cab protection member, supporting members
for supporting the operator's cab protection member and mounting
members with which mounting base end portions of the supporting
members are mounted to a vehicle body, is mounted to the upper
revolving superstructure frame, and is provided upright behind the
operator's cab.
[0012] According to the above constitution, the following
operational effects can be obtained.
[0013] (1) When the construction equipment rolls over 180 degrees,
the construction equipment abuts to the ground with the working
machine and the operator's cab protection member, and therefore
deformation of the operator's cab located between the working
machine and operator's cab protection member can be prevented or
restrained. Accordingly, the operator space inside the operator's
cab can be secured by the working machine and the operator's cab
protection member.
[0014] (2) Since the operator's cab protection frame including the
operator's cab protection member has a simple structure, and is
only provided upright in the vertical direction behind the
operator's cab, the operator's cab protection frame can be applied
to compact to large construction equipment easily at low cost.
Since the number of components of the operator's cab protection
frame is small and the number of mounting locations is small,
attaching and detaching operations are facilitated.
[0015] (3) For the same reason as item (2), the operator's cab
protection member can be provided without increasing the outside
dimension of the construction equipment, and therefore
transportability of the construction equipment is not reduced.
[0016] (4) The operator's cab protection frame including the
operator's cab protection member is only provided behind the
operator's cab, and therefore the visibility to the front, to the
sides, and to above from the operator's cab can be enhanced.
[0017] In the construction equipment, the operator's cab protection
frame may be mounted to a vertical plate member of the upper
revolving superstructure frame. According to this constitution, the
operator's cab protection frame is mounted to the vertical plate
member of the vehicle body frame (the upper revolving
superstructure frame of the hydraulic shovel), and therefore the
attaching and detaching operations are easily performed from above
the construction equipment. As a result, assembling and
disassembling operability and attachability and detachability of
the operator's cab protection frame can be enhanced.
[0018] In the construction equipment, the operator's cab protection
frame may be mounted to an upper portion of the counterweight.
According to this constitution, the operator's cab protection
member can be provided by using the counterweight as the mounting
portion even when it is difficult to mount the operator's cab
protection frame on the upper revolving superstructure frame
because the area on the upper revolving superstructure frame is
small as in the rearward small revolving type hydraulic excavator
in which the revolving radius of the rear end portion is
approximately within the vehicle width, for example. As a result,
even in the case of the rearward small revolving type hydraulic
excavator, the assembling and disassembling operability and
transportability are not impaired. As a result, the strong
operator's cab protection frame can be also provided in the compact
construction equipment easily at low cost.
[0019] According to the above constitutions according to the
present invention, the construction equipment, which is capable of
realizing restraint on deformation of the operator's cab when the
construction equipment rolls over at low production cost with
favorable assembling and disassembling operability and favorable
transportability and visibility, can be provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of construction equipment
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an essential part of
construction equipment according to a first embodiment of the
present invention;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an essential part of
construction equipment according to a second embodiment of the
present invention;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an essential part of
construction equipment according to a third embodiment of the
present invention;
[0024] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an essential part of
construction equipment according to a fourth embodiment of the
present invention;
[0025] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an essential part of
construction equipment according to a fifth embodiment of the
present invention;
[0026] FIG. 7 is a side view of a hydraulic excavator as an example
of construction equipment described in the third example of the
prior art; and
[0027] FIG. 8 is a partially broken perspective view of an
essential part of the hydraulic excavator in FIG. 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] Preferred embodiments of construction equipment according to
the present invention will be described in detail below with a
hydraulic excavator as an example, with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG.
6.
[0029] Based on FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a first embodiment will be
explained. In FIG. 1, in a hydraulic excavator 1, an upper
revolving superstructure frame 4 is rotatably provided on a base
carrier 3. On the upper revolving superstructure frame 4, a working
machine 5 is placed at a central portion in a left and right
direction of a front part, a counterweight 6 is placed at a rear
part, an operator's cab 7 is placed at either one side (the left
side in this example) of the left or the right of the front part.
Machine rooms 8a and 8b are placed between the counterweight 6 and
the operator's cab 7. A portal frame 10A (an operator's cab
protection frame 10A, the first embodiment) or a portal frame 10B
(an operator's cab protection frame 10B, a second embodiment) are
placed in close vicinity to a rear surface of the operator's cab
7.
[0030] In FIG. 2, the operator's cab 7 is loaded on the left side
of the front part of the upper revolving superstructure frame 4 via
vibration isolators 7b. The portal frame 10A includes an operator's
cab protection member 11 which is placed in close vicinity to an
upper side 7a of the rear surface of the operator's cab 7 and
approximately in parallel to the upper side 7a, and a left and a
right supporting columns 12A and 13A (supporting members 12A and
13A) which are mounted to the left and the right of the operator's
cab protection member 11 and provided upright in the vertical
direction. A reinforcement member 14 is mounted in between
intermediate portions in the vertical direction of the left and the
right supporting columns 12A and 13A. The lower portions of the
left and the right supporting columns 12A and 13A are fastened to a
predetermined number of threaded holes 4a which are provided in an
upper surface of a mounting portion of the upper revolving
superstructure frame 4 with a predetermined number of bolts 19
(mounting members 19).
[0031] According to a constitution of the first embodiment, the
following operation and effects are obtained.
[0032] (1) When the hydraulic excavator 1 rolls over, the
operator's cab protection member 11 of the portal frame 10A and the
working machine 5 is in contact with the ground, whereby the
hydraulic excavator 1 is supported by the portal frame 10A and the
working machine 5, and therefore deformation of the operator's cab
7 which is located between the portal frame 10A and the working
machine 5 is prevented or restrained. As a result, the operator
space inside the operator's cab 7 is secured.
[0033] (2) At this time, the portal frame 10A is placed in close
vicinity to the rear surface of the operator's cab 7 to place the
operator's cab protection member 11. As a result, the strong
operator's cab protection frame 10A can be placed easily in small
to large construction equipment.
[0034] (3) The operator's cab protection frame 10A is placed in
close vicinity to the rear surface of the operator's cab 7, and
therefore the operator's cab protection frame 10A can be placed
without increasing the outer dimension of the hydraulic excavator
1. As a result, transportability and assembling and disassembling
operability of the hydraulic excavator 1 can be enhanced.
[0035] (4) The conventional cab guard does not exist at the front
part and the upper part of the operator's cab 7, and visibility to
the front, to the sides and to above can be enhanced. In addition,
the portal frame 10A provided in close vicinity to the rear surface
of the operator's cab 7 is located behind the rear surface wall of
the operator's cab 7, and therefore the portal frame 10A does not
inhibit visibility to the rear.
[0036] Based on FIG. 3, a second embodiment will be explained. A
portal frame 10B includes the operator's cab protection member 11
placed in close vicinity to the upper side 7a of the rear surface
of the operator's cab 7, the left and the right supporting columns
12A and 13B (supporting members 12A and 13B) which are mounted to
the left and the right of the operator's cab protection member 11
and are provided upright in the vertical direction, and a
reinforcement member 14 mounted in between the intermediate
portions in the vertical direction of the left and right supporting
columns 12A and 13B. A mounting seat 4c is placed on an outside
surface of the vertical plate member 4b at the side of the
operator's cab 7 among a pair of left and right vertical plate
members 4b and 4b which are provided at the upper revolving
superstructure frame 4 and support a base end portion of the
working machine 5 (see FIG. 1) to be swingable up and down. The
supporting column 13B placed at an inner side of the vehicle body
is fastened to a predetermined number of bolt holes 4d of the
mounting seat 4c with a predetermined number of bolts 19 from the
inner side of the vehicle body (namely, from the direction between
a pair of left and right vertical plate members 4b and 4b).
[0037] According to the constitution of the second embodiment, the
following operation and effects are obtained in addition to those
of the first embodiment.
[0038] (1) The supporting column 13B at the inner side of the
portal frame 10B is made shorter than the supporting column 12A at
the outer side, and is mounted to the mounting seat 4c located at a
high position of the upper revolving superstructure frame 4,
whereby the strength of the portal frame 10B can be made
higher.
[0039] (2) It is made possible for an operator to have an access to
the mounting portion of the supporting column 13B at the inner side
to the upper revolving superstructure frame 4 from above the center
of the upper revolving superstructure frame 4, namely, from above
the hydraulic excavator 1. As a result, access is facilitated, and
a large working space can be secured around the mounting portion,
whereby the assembling and disassembling operability of the portal
frame 13B can be further enhanced.
[0040] Based on FIG. 4, a third embodiment will be explained. A
portal frame 10C (an operator's cab protection frame 10C) includes
the operator's cab protection member 11 placed in close vicinity to
the upper side 7a of the rear surface of the operator's cab 7, left
and right supporting columns 12B and 13C (supporting members 12B
and 13C) which are mounted to the left and the right of the
operator's cab protection member 11 and are provided upright in the
vertical direction, and the reinforcement member 14 mounted in
between the intermediate portions in the vertical direction of the
left and the right supporting columns 12B and 13C. The portal frame
10C is placed to straddle the machine room 8b adjacent to a rear
side of the operator's cab 7. The left and the right supporting
columns 12B and 13C of the portal frame 10C are respectively
fastened to a predetermined numbers of threaded holes 4f of a
mounting seat 4e which is placed at the outside surface of the
upper revolving superstructure frame 4 and to a predetermined
number of bolt holes 4h of a mounting seat 4g which is provided
upright on the upper surface of the vertical plate member 4b at the
side of the operator's cab among a pair of left and right vertical
plate members 4b and 4b, with a predetermined number of bolts
19.
[0041] According to the constitution of the third embodiment, the
following operation and effects can be obtained in addition to
those of the second embodiment. It is made possible to mount the
portal frame 10C without having an influence on the machine room 8b
(see FIG. 1 and FIG. 4) adjacent to the rear side of the operator's
cab 7, whereby the portal frame 10C can be additionally mounted to
the existing construction equipment. As a result, the portal frame
10C can be easily mounted to the construction equipment of the
basic specifications as an option. Further, the portal frame 10C
can be easily attached and detached in accordance with the
circumstances.
[0042] Based on FIG. 5, a fourth embodiment will be explained. The
hydraulic excavator 2 is a rear small revolving type hydraulic
excavator in which the turning radius of the rear portion is
approximately within the vehicle width. A guard frame 20A (an
operator's cab protection frame 20A) provided to project obliquely
toward the upper side 7a of the rear surface of the operator's cab
7 is mounted to a top surface of the counterweight 6 of the
hydraulic excavator 2 with a predetermined number of bolts 19. The
guard frame 20A includes the operator's cab protection member 11
which is placed to be in close vicinity to the upper side 7a of the
rear surface of the operator's cab 7 and approximately parallel to
the upper side 7a, a pair of arm-shaped members 21 and 22
(supporting members 21 and 22) at the left and right which are
mounted to the left and the right portions of the operator's cab
protection member 11 to face obliquely downward to the rear, and a
flange member 23 which connects lower end portions of the left and
the right arm-shaped members 21 and 22, and is mounted to the
counterweight 6.
[0043] According to the constitution of the fourth embodiment, the
following operation and effects are obtained.
[0044] (1) When the hydraulic excavator 2 rolls over, the hydraulic
excavator 2 is supported by the operator's cab protection member 11
of the guide frame 20A and the working machine 5, and therefore
deformation and damage of the operator's cab 7 which is located
between the operator's cab protection member 11 and the working
machine 5 are prevented or restrained, thus securing the operator
space inside the operator's cab 7.
[0045] (2) At this time, the operator's cab protection member 11
can be placed in close vicinity to the upper side 7a of the rear
surface of the operator's cab 7 by placing the guard frame 20A at
the counterweight 6, the strong operator's cab protection frame can
be easily placed in small to large construction equipment.
[0046] (3) Since the guard frame 20A is placed on the counterweight
6, the operator's cab protection frame 20A can be provided without
increasing the outer dimension of the hydraulic excavator 2. As a
result, transportability and assembling and disassembling
operability of the hydraulic excavator 2 can be enhanced.
[0047] (4) The conventional cab guard does not exist at the front
part and the upper part of the operator's cab 7, and therefore
visibility to the front, to the sides and to above can be
enhanced.
[0048] (5) When the area on the upper revolving superstructure
frame 4 is small as in the rear small revolving type hydraulic
excavator 2, and thereby it is difficult to place the portal frame
10A (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 2) as shown in the first embodiment on the
upper revolving superstructure frame 4, the operator's cab
protection frame (guard frame 20A) can be placed with the
counterweight 6 as the base bottom. Accordingly, transportability
and assembling and disassembling operability of the rear small
revolving type hydraulic excavator 2 are not impaired. As a result,
the operator's cab protection frame can be also easily provided in
the compact construction equipment.
[0049] (6) Since the guard frame 20A is mounted to the
counterweight 6, this mounting does not have an influence on the
placement of the other devices. As a result, the guard frame 20A
can be mounted to the construction equipment of the basic
specifications as an option. The guard frame 20A can be easily
attached and detached in accordance with the circumstances.
[0050] Based on FIG. 6, a fifth embodiment will be explained. A
guard frame 20B (an operator's cab protection frame 20B) which is
provided to project toward the upper side 7a of the rear surface of
the operator's cab 7 is mounted to the upper surface of the
counterweight 6 of the hydraulic excavator 2 with a predetermined
number of bolts 19. The guard frame 20B includes the operator's cab
protection member 11 which is placed in close vicinity to the upper
side 7a and approximately parallel to the upper side 7a, a pair of
left and right arm-shaped members 21 and 22 which are mounted to
the left and the right of the operator's cab protection member 11
toward the rear, and a portal frame 24, to which rear end portions
of a pair of left and right arm-shaped members 21 and 22 are
mounted to support the members 11, 21 and 22. In the portal frame
24, upper ends of the left and the right support columns 25 and 26
(support members 25 and 26) are connected with a beam 27, and
flanges 25a and 26a are provided at respective lower end portions
of the supporting columns 25 and 26.
[0051] According to the constitution of the fifth embodiment, the
guard frame 20B is also mountable when the thickness in the
longitudinal direction of the central portion of the counterweight
6 is small. Otherwise, the operation and the effects are the same
as those in the fourth embodiment.
[0052] In each of the constitutions shown in the first to the fifth
embodiments, the operator's cab 7 and the operator's cab protection
member 11 do not overlap each other in the side view, but the
present invention is not limited to this, and for example, parts
such as upper parts of them may overlap each other. Further, for
example, the operator's cab 7 and the operator's cab protection
member 11 may be connected via a vibration isolator (not shown)
having an elastic member such as rubber. This makes it possible to
easily prevent the excessive swing of the operator's cab 7 which is
loaded on the upper revolving superstructure frame 4 via the
vibration isolators 7b (see FIG. 2) with the above-described
vibration isolators between the operator's cab 7 and the operator's
cab protection member 11.
[0053] The portal frames 10A, 10B and 10C each have the
reinforcement member 14, but the present invention is not limited
to this. For example, presence and absence and the shape of the
reinforcement member may be optionally selected in consideration of
the machine to which the portal frame is applied, necessary
strength, outer appearance and the like. Further, as the members
which are used for the portal frames 10A, 10b and 10C, and the
guard frames 20A and 20B, a square bar, a round bar, a pipe member
and the like can be used, and the members may be constituted of not
only the welded structure but also a pipe member for which bent
work is performed, the combination of these and the like.
[0054] As explained thus far, according to the present invention,
the operator's cab protection frame (the portal frames 10A, 10B and
10c, and the guard frames 20A, 20B and the like in the embodiments)
having the operator's cab protection member provided in close
vicinity to the upper part of the rear surface of the operator's
cab of the construction equipment is mounted on the upper revolving
superstructure frame or on the counterweight. When the construction
equipment rolls over, the operator's cab is supported by the
operator's cab protection frame, and the working machine which is
provided at the front part of the vehicle body frame (the upper
revolving superstructure frame in the embodiments). As a result,
the number of components of the operator's cab protection frame is
reduced, and the number of mounting locations is small, thus making
it possible to enhance operability at the time of assembly and
disassembly.
[0055] Since the operator's cab protection frame is provided only
behind the operator's cab, visibility to the front and to above
from the operator's cab can be enhanced. The mounting portion at
the inner side of the vehicle body for the operator's cab
protection frame is mounted to the working machine supporting frame
of the vehicle body frame, whereby assembling and disassembling
operability of the operator's cab protection frame can be further
enhanced. Further, since the operator's cab protection frame can be
provided within the turning range of the upper revolving
superstructure when the operator's cab protection frame is applied
to a hydraulic excavator, the turning range and the maximum vehicle
width are not increased, and transportability of the hydraulic
excavator is not impaired.
[0056] The present invention is applicable to the construction
equipment in which the working machine and the operator's cab are
provided on the vehicle body frame, and the present invention can
be applied to, for example, a crane truck, forestry equipment
(timber transporting vehicle and the like) and the like other than
the hydraulic excavators.
* * * * *