Construction machine having top door for improved ingress/egress

A construction machine having a flip roof top to provide space for improved ingress into and egress from the cab of the construction machine. The construction machine includes a chassis, a construction tool coupled to the chassis, and a cab mounted on the chassis. The cab has a frame that supports a back panel, a pair of opposing side panels, a front door panel and a roof panel. The back, side and front door panels cooperate to define an interior cab space. Operator controls are disposed in the interior cab space and are operatively coupled to the construction tool. The roof panel has opposing first and second edges. The first edge is pivotally coupled to the frame. The roof panel is pivotal between a closed position, wherein the second edge is proximal the frame, and an open position wherein the second edge is pivoted upward away from the frame.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to construction machines, such as skid steers and compact loaders, and, more particularly, to mechanisms for gaining access to the cab of such construction machines.

Construction machines or vehicles, such as skid steers and compact loaders, generally include a chassis and a traction device coupled to the chassis and adapted to move the chassis along the ground. The chassis supports a cab in which the operator sits and operates the construction machine. A construction tool, such as a bucket, forklift or grapple, is movably coupled to the chassis by lift arms, and is operated by the operator using controls located in the cab. The lift arms of many construction machines move alongside the cab and have major pivot points behind the operator. Due to the operator's proximity to the moving lift arms, pivot points and construction tools, fully enclosed cabs have been employed to protect the operator from injury.

In some construction machines, it is desirable to employ a compact cab having a small interior space, just large enough for the operator to sit and operate the controls. This is particularly applicable in the case of skid steers. Skid steers use a four-wheel drive traction device with left-side and right-side drive wheels, which are independent of one another. The independent drive wheels make the skid steer especially agile. By coupling this agility with a compact overall size, skid steers can operate in areas that are otherwise off limits to larger equipment. Accordingly, such skid steers have a compact cab having a pivoting front door panel, which provides a front door opening through which the operator may enter and exit the small interior space. Due to the small interior space of such cabs, the operator must duck down and virtually crawl through the front door opening and into the interior space of the cabin. In addition, the small interior space of such cabs do not permit the operator to stand up inside the cab. Accordingly, if the operator wants to survey the ground in the area of the construction tool, he must exit the cab.

It would be beneficial to provide a construction machine or vehicle having an improved mechanism for entering and exiting the cab, such that the operator could more comfortably and easily enter and exit the cab. It would be of further benefit if such mechanism also allowed the operator to stand up and survey the work area without having to exit the cab.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a construction machine having a flip roof top to provide additional space for ingress into and egress from the cab of the construction machine. In one form, the construction machine includes a chassis, a construction tool coupled to the chassis, and a cab mounted on the chassis. The cab has a frame that supports a back panel, a pair of opposing side panels, a front door panel and a roof panel. The back, side and front door panels cooperate to define an interior cab space. The cab includes operator controls, which are disposed in the interior cab space and are operatively coupled to the construction tool. The roof panel has a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge. The first edge is pivotally coupled to the frame proximal the back panel. The roof panel is pivotal between a closed position, wherein the second edge is proximal the frame, and an open position wherein the second edge is pivoted upward away from the frame and toward the back panel.

In another form, the present invention provides a construction vehicle including a chassis, a construction tool coupled to the chassis and a cab mounted on the chassis. The cab has a frame, which defines an interior cab space and supports a roof panel. The cab includes operator controls disposed in the interior cab space and operatively coupled to the construction tool. The roof panel has a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge. The first edge is pivotally coupled to the frame such that the roof panel is pivotal between a closed position and an open position, wherein when the roof panel is in the open position, the roof panel is pivoted upward away from the interior cab space to provide access to the interior cab space.

In yet another form, the construction vehicle includes a chassis, a construction tool coupled to the chassis and a cab mounted on the chassis. The cab has a frame defining an interior cab space and supporting a back panel, a pair of opposing side panels, a front door panel and a roof panel. The cab includes operator controls disposed in the interior cab space and operatively coupled to the construction tool. The roof panel has a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge. The first edge is pivotally coupled to the frame proximal the back panel. The roof panel is pivotal between a closed position and an open position. The front door panel has an upper edge and an opposing lower edge. The upper edge is pivotally coupled to the second edge of the roof panel. When the roof panel is in the open position, the second edge is pivoted upward away from the interior cab space and the front door panel is raised therewith in a direction away from the frame. When the roof panel is in the closed position, the second edge of the roof panel is proximal to and extends between the pair of side panels.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the drawings represent embodiments of the present invention, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in order to better illustrate and explain the present invention. Although the exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the invention, in several forms, the embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to the precise forms disclosed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments hereinafter disclosed are not intended to be exhaustive or limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following description. Rather the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize its teachings.

Referring first toFIG. 1, construction machine10according to one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Construction machine10is illustrated as a skid steer. However, it should be understood that the concepts described herein may be adapted for incorporation into any suitable construction, agricultural and forestry equipment including, for example, compact track loaders, backhoes, dozers and other equipment. Skid steer10generally includes chassis12, traction device14coupled to chassis12, construction tool or attachment16coupled to chassis12and cab18supported on chassis12. Traction device14is illustrated as a set of wheels, but may be any device capable of moving chassis12relative to the ground. For instance, traction device14may be in the form of a track drive. Construction tool attachment16is operatively coupled to chassis12and is adapted to perform work such as digging, scraping, excavating or hauling. As illustrated inFIG. 1, tool attachment16may be in the form of a bucket. Alternatively, the tool attachment may be in the form of any known tool, such as a broom, auger, grapple or forklift.

Turning now to FIGS.1and2A-2C, cab18includes frame22supported on chassis12. Cab18further includes back panel24, pair of opposing side panels26, front door panel28and top roof panel30, each of which is supported on frame22. Each of back panel24, side panel26, front door panel28and roof panel30is illustrated as being formed of a solid material, such as glass or plastic, but may be formed of any material including a mesh or caging material. Although not necessary, it may be desirable to form one or more of panels24,26and30from a material through which an operator can see.

Referring particularly toFIGS. 2A-2C, back panel24, side panels26, front door panel28and roof panel30cooperate to form interior space32. Seat34is disposed in interior space32along with operator controls36, which are operatively coupled to traction device14and/or tool attachment16. Top roof panel30includes first front edge30aand opposing second back edge30b. First edge30ais pivotally coupled to frame22proximal back panel24by hinge mechanism31. Hinge mechanism31may be any suitable hinge device including, for example, a continuous hinge, spring hinge, pin and barrel hinge, bearing hinge and knuckle hinge. Furthermore, hinge mechanism31need not be a discrete component but rather may be formed from integral parts of roof panel30and frame22. As described in further detail below, roof panel30is pivotable between a closed position, shown inFIG. 2Aand an open position shown inFIGS. 2B and 2C. Optional hydraulic springs38may be coupled at one end to roof panel30and at the opposite end to side panels26of frame22and are adapted to hold roof panel30in an open position, as is discussed in further detail below. Hydraulic springs38may be placed in alternative positions and coupled to alternative components. Roof panel30includes handle40protruding from second edge30b.

Referring still toFIGS. 2A-2C, front door panel28includes upper edge28a, opposing lower edge28b, and opposing side edges28cand28d. Front door panel28is pivotally coupled to second edge30bof roof panel30by a hinge mechanism (not shown). The hinge mechanism (not shown) coupling upper edge28ato second edge30bmay be of any type, such as those described above with respect to hinge mechanism31. Lower edge28bof front door panel28includes cut-out42extending upwardly toward upper edge28a. Flap44is hingedly connected by hinges46to lower edge28bat cut-out42and is configured to fit within and cover cut-out42. Hinges46may be any known hinge mechanism, such as those discussed above with respect to hinge mechanism31. Flap44is pivotable between a closed position, shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B, and an open position shown inFIG. 2C.

Referring still toFIGS. 2A-2C, cab18also includes latch mechanism48adapted to releasably latch lower edge28bof front door panel28to frame22. Latch mechanism48includes a first latch component48acoupled to frame22and second latch component48bcoupled to front door panel28. First latch component48ais configured to engage with second latch component48bto lock front door panel28and roof panel30in the closed position of FIG.2A, as discussed in further detail below. Latch mechanism48may be any known latch mechanism capable of locking one object to another. As described in further detail below, it may be desirable to employ a quick release latch mechanism that may be activated by a user's foot.

Referring toFIGS. 2A-2C, operation of cab18will now be described. A user operates skid steer10(FIG. 1) from seat34using operator controls36. Accordingly, the user must be able to enter and exit interior space32, in which seat34and operator controls36are located. To gain entry access to interior space32, the user engages/activates latch mechanism48, thereby disengaging first latch component48bfrom second latch component48aand allowing roof panel30and front door panel28to move relative to frame22. Once latch48is released, hydraulic springs38urge roof panel30to pivot from the closed position ofFIG. 2Ato the open position ofFIGS. 2B and 2C. More particularly, roof panel30pivots at first edge30asuch that second edge30bmoves upward and away from interior space32. As roof panel30pivots to the open position, roof panel30via its hinged coupling to front door panel28draws front panel28upward. The user can then enter interior space32of cab18from the front area of cab18where front door panel28was formerly located.

Additional head room to ease the user's entry into interior space32may be provided by pivoting flap44from the closed position shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B, to the open position shown inFIG. 2C. When flap44is in the open position, cut-out42provides additional space for user to enter cab18. Once inside cab18, the user moves flap44to the closed position ofFIGS. 2A and 2B. Then, the user moves roof panel30and front door panel to the closed position ofFIG. 2Aby grasping a handle (not shown) on the interior side of either front door panel28or roof panel30and pulling roof panel30and front door panel28down to the closed position. Latch component48bthen engages latch component48ato lock roof panel30and front door panel28in the closed position. Latch component48may be adapted such that latch component48aautomatically engages latch component48bin a locked arrangement. Alternatively, latch component48may be adapted such that the user must manually lock latch component48ato latch component48b.

Referring still toFIGS. 2A-2C, to exit cab18, the user activates latch mechanism48causing latch component48bto disengage latch component48a. Roof panel30and front door panel28are urged upward away from frame22by hydraulic springs38. Flap44is pivoted open and user exits cab18. Once outside of cab18, the user may close flap44, and then close door panel28and roof panel30by grasping handle40and pulling down until latch component48blockingly engages latch component48a.

The present invention further contemplates a safety mechanism to help prevent injury. For instance, latch mechanism48may be operatively coupled to operator controls36such that operator controls36are disabled when latch component48ais disengaged from latch component48b. In this configuration, the user is prevented from operating traction device14and/or tool attachment16unless latch mechanism48has effectively locked roof panel30and front door panel28in the closed position. It should be understood that latch mechanism48may be positioned at alternative locations on cab18. For instance, latch component48bmay be positioned on side30cof roof panel, while latch component48amay be located on side panel26or on frame22proximal side panel26.

As demonstrated above, cab18provides for greater space through which a user may enter or exit cab18. In addition, cab18provides additional headroom allowing the user to stand up inside cab18. This permits the user to pause work, stand up and survey the area of work by looking through raised front door panel28and/or flap44.

Referring now toFIG. 3, the front door to the cab need not be coupled to and move with the roof panel. As illustrated inFIG. 3, cab118includes frame122, which supports back panel124, side panels126, front door panel128and roof panel130. Roof panel130includes first edge130apivotably coupled to frame122by hinge mechanism and opposing second edge130b. Roof panel130is adapted to pivot at first edge130afrom a closed position (not shown) to an open position, shown inFIG. 3. Roof panel130also includes handle140. Hydraulic springs138are coupled at one end to roof panel130and at the opposite end to side panel126. Hydraulic spring138is adapted to hold roof panel130in the open position. Latch mechanism includes first latch component148acoupled to frame122and second latch component148bcoupled to roof panel30. Latch components148a,148bare adapted to releasably engage with one another as described with respect to latch mechanism48(FIG. 2A).

Front door panel128includes opposing upper and lower edges128a,128band opposing side edges128c,128d. Side edge128dis pivotably coupled to either frame122proximal side panel126or side panel126. Front door panel128is pivotable between a closed position (not shown) to an open position, shown inFIG. 3. Front door panel128includes handle129.

To enter cab118, the user pivots front door panel128to the open position shown inFIG. 3. Then, the user activates the latch mechanism, disengaging first latch component148afrom second latch component148b. Roof panel130is then urged upward by hydraulic springs138to the open position shown inFIG. 3. The user, then, may enter cab18.

The embodiments described above illustrate the roof panel as pivoting at the back edge such that the front edge moves upward and away from the frame. However, it should be understood that in the embodiment ofFIG. 3, the roof panel may be adapted to pivot at one side such that the opposite side moves upward away from the frame.