Door escape

A door escape includes a hinge member securable to a door pivotably movable between an open position and a closed position relative to an enclosure. A first securing device secures the hinge member to the door. The first securing device is manually removable from the hinge member from exterior of the enclosure, permitting removal of the door from the enclosure. A second securing device secures the hinge member to the door. The second securing device is manually removable from the hinge member from interior of the enclosure, permitting removal of the door from the enclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Work vehicles, such as skid steer loaders or compact track loaders, include a cab structure to protect the operator. The cab structures fully enclosure the operator and include an elongated door that is pivotably connected to the cab structure. During operation, it may be possible for the lifting structure associated with the work vehicle that manipulates an attachment such as a bucket, to stall in a position that prevents the door from pivoting sufficiently with respect to the cab structure, thereby trapping an operator inside of the cab structure. Moreover, in case the operator is incapacitated or otherwise unable to operate egress equipment accessible only from interior of the cab structure, extreme measures, such as removing the attachment from the work vehicle, which may not be possible, or otherwise damaging the cab structure to extricate the operator may be required.

Accordingly, it would be desirable for a door assembly having features permitting easy manual removal of the door assembly from exterior (as well as interior) of the work vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a door escape includes a hinge member securable to a door pivotably movable between an open position and a closed position relative to an enclosure. A first securing device secures the hinge member to the door. The first securing device is manually removable from the hinge member from exterior of the enclosure, permitting removal of the door from the enclosure. A second securing device secures the hinge member to the door. The second securing device is manually removable from the hinge member from interior of the enclosure, permitting removal of the door from the enclosure.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a door escape includes a hinge member securable to a door pivotably movable between an open position and a closed position relative to an enclosure. A first securing device secures the hinge member to the door. The first securing device is manually removable from the hinge member from exterior of the enclosure, permitting removal of the door from the enclosure. A second securing device secures the hinge member to the door. The second securing device is manually removable from the hinge member from interior of the enclosure, permitting removal of the door from the enclosure. Mating support features are formed in corresponding portions of the hinge member and the door.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method for removing a door from an enclosure including providing a hinge member secured to a door pivotably movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the enclosure. The method further includes providing a first securing device for securing the hinge member to the door, the first securing device being manually removable from the hinge member from exterior of the enclosure. The method further includes providing a second securing device for securing the hinge member to the door, the second securing device being manually removable from the hinge member from interior of the enclosure. The method further includes manually removing the first securing device or the second securing device.

An advantage of the door escape of the present invention is an ability to manually access and remove a door from either a position interior or exterior of an enclosure (i.e., from either side of the door).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1shows a work vehicle10having a lifting structure12that includes an arrangement of structural members and actuators controllable by an operator (not shown) to manipulate an implement14to perform work. Work vehicle10further includes an enclosure or enclosed space, such as a cab structure15to surround and protect the operator. As further shown inFIG. 1, cab structure15supports a door assembly16that is pivotably connected along one side of the door assembly about a pair of hinge assemblies22(FIG. 2A) to cab structure15to provide operator ingress/egress to work vehicle10. Door assembly16includes a handle and latch to maintain the door assembly in a closed position in a manner that is well known and will not be further discussed herein.FIGS. 2A and 2Bshow different views of an exterior surface52of a substantially transparent door20of the door assembly.FIGS. 3A and 3Bshow different views of an interior surface54of substantially transparent door20of the door assembly. As further shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B, the door assembly includes a pair of hinge assemblies22that are secured to substantially transparent door20.

For purposes of the disclosure, the terms door and door assembly may be used interchangeably.

FIGS. 4A and 4Bshow respective exploded views of the door assemblies ofFIGS. 2B and 3B. For purposes of clarity, two exemplary embodiments will be discussed based fromFIG. 5, which is taken from region5ofFIG. 4A.

In one embodiment, As shown inFIG. 5, which permits an operator to manually remove the door assembly from interior of cab structure15(FIG. 1), facing an interior surface54of door20is securing device28, such as a thumb screw or threaded fastener with a knurled and/or otherwise easily grasped head for manual installation or removal of the securing device with respect to the door. It is to be understood that the term manual, manually and the like, such as manual installation, manually removeable and the like refers to the ability of an individual to install, remove and the like of the securing device without requiring hand tools. Securing device28includes a shank portion or shank29that extends through a washer30and a resilient spacer50that is positioned in an opening48formed in substantially transparent door20. Shank29further extends through an aperture40formed in a resilient member38that abuts exterior surface52of door20and then is threadedly inserted into a threaded opening36formed in receiving member32. In another embodiment, shank29can engage opening36such as in the form of a ball-lock or other type of manually actuated engagement therebetween, i.e., without either shank29or opening36being threaded. Although threaded opening36may extend through receiving member32, shank29is sized so as to only partially extend into (and not entirely through) receiving member32. In a yet further embodiment, shank29may extend through receiving member32and threadedly engage an aperture27formed in a hinge member24, also commonly referred to as a hinge wing. As will be discussed in further detail below, it is to be understood that with this further embodiment, the door assembly would be manually removable only from interior of cab structure15.

FIG. 5shows hinge wing or hinge member24that is included as part of hinge assembly22. One end of hinge wing or hinge member24includes a hollow cap46that pivotably engages a hinge pin (not shown) forming a hinged connection that is well known and not further discussed herein. As further shown inFIG. 5, hinge member24includes a support feature42A, such as an opening that corresponds with a mating support feature42B, such as a protrusion configured to receive the opening formed in frame18of door assembly16(FIG. 1). In another embodiment, support features42A and42B may be reversed. The purpose of support features42A and42B is to support the weight of the door assembly in response to inadvertent removal of at least one of securing device28(i.e., having respective heads positioned interior and/or exterior of the cab structure). That is, in order for the door to be removed or separated from the cab structure subsequent to removal of securing device28, sufficient force, typically applied in a direction parallel to the protruding portion of support features42A and42B, is required.

FIG. 5shows an embodiment that permits removal of the door from exterior of cab structure15(FIG. 1). In this embodiment, securing device28having a shank29, such as previously discussed is inserted through a washer30and then through an aperture26formed in hinge member24. Shank29further extends and is threadedly engaged with a threaded opening34formed in receiving member32. In another embodiment, shank29can engage opening34such as in the form of a ball-lock or other type of manually actuated engagement therebetween, i.e., without either shank29or opening34being threaded. Similar to a previous embodiment, shank29is of insufficient length to extend through threaded opening34of receiving member32. Hinge member24includes support features42A and42B as previously discussed above.

In operation, to remove the door from exterior of the cab structure without actuating the door handle from its latched position, shank29of each of the pair of securing devices28having respective heads positioned exterior of the cab structure and facing exterior surface52of door20is sufficiently rotated in a direction to remove the securing device28from threaded opening34, followed by a sufficient force directed at least partially, if not substantially parallel to the direction of a protrusion of support features42A and42B, resulting in separation of hinge member24from both frame18and receiving member32.

Similarly, to remove the door from interior of the cab structure without actuating the door handle from its latched position, shank29of each of the pair of securing devices28having respective heads positioned interior of the cab structure and facing interior surface54of door20is sufficiently rotated in a direction to remove the securing device28from threaded opening36, followed by application of a sufficient force directed at least partially, if not substantially parallel to the direction of a protrusion of support features42A and42B, resulting in separation of receiving member32from door20and separation of support features42A and42B between hinge member24and frame18.

It is to be realized that in view of the above, one having ordinary skill in the art would recognize that for an embodiment in which each shank29of respective securing devices28having respective heads positioned interior of the cab structure, extending through threaded opening36and then threadedly engaging apertures27of hinge member24, removal of securing devices28having respective heads positioned exterior of the cab structure would not result in removal of the door.