Patent Publication Number: US-2016244945-A1

Title: Tread plate assembly for machine

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a machine, and more particularly to a tread plate assembly for the machine. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Machines, such as off-highway vehicles employed in industries, such as agriculture, mining, construction, and transportation are provided with fender assemblies to prevent mud, dirt, or other types of debris from being thrown from tracks or wheels of the machines towards a door of the machine during an operation thereof. The fender assemblies include a number of plate assemblies located around an operator cabin to provide access to an operator ingress and egress the operator cabin of the machine. During operation of the machine in various work conditions, the mud and the debris may get accumulated on the plate assemblies and may prevent smooth opening and closing of door of the operator cabin, and thereby may cause discomfort during the ingress and egress of the operator cabin. Further, accumulation of the mud and the debris on the plate assemblies may cause lack of traction during ingress or egress the operator cabin of the machine by the operator. 
     European Patent Number 2,975,253 hereinafter referred to as the &#39;253 patent describes a work vehicle. The work vehicle includes an air cleaner provided with a vacuator, a planar portion located below the air cleaner, and an emission receiver provided to the planar portion at a position under the vacuator. The emission receiver is recessed downward while having an upper opening. The emission receiver includes a bottom surface, a discharge channel having a base end that is in communication with the emission receiver through a communication opening, and a distal end that is opened to an outside of the work vehicle through a discharge port. The discharge channel has a surface inclined downward from the communication opening towards the discharge port. However, the &#39;253 patent does not disclose an effective way to remove the debris through a fender assembly of the work vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, a tread plate assembly for a machine is provided. The tread plate assembly includes a support plate having a first end and a second end distal to the first end. The first end of the support plate is adapted to couple with a frame of the machine. The support plate includes a first surface. The support plate also includes a second surface opposite to the first surface. The support plate further includes at least one cutout extending between the first surface and the second surface of the support plate. The tread plate assembly also includes a tread plate. The tread plate is coupled to the first surface of the support plate. The tread plate includes a first contact surface and a second contact surface opposite to the first contact surface. The tread plate further includes a plurality of treads. Each of the plurality of the treads includes an annular portion extending from the first contact surface. The tread plate includes a plurality of holes extending between the first contact surface and the second contact surface. The plurality of holes is adapted to align with the area of the at least one cutout of the support plate. Each of the plurality of holes is surrounded by at least one pair of diametrically opposite treads of the plurality of treads. 
     Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a machine having a fender assembly disposed adjacent to an operator cabin: 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a portion of the fender assembly of  FIG. 1  having a tread plate assembly, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure: 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the tread plate assembly of  FIG. 2 : 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of the tread plate assembly; and 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a tread plate of the tread plate assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary machine  10 . The machine  10  is embodied as a track type machine, such as a track type tractor. Alternatively, the machine  10  may be a backhoe loader, a skid steer loader, a wheel loader, a motor grader, an excavator, a scraper, an agricultural tractor, a wheel loader, and a haul truck. It should be understood that the machine  10  may embody any wheeled or tracked machine associated with mining, agriculture, forestry, construction, and other industrial applications. 
     The machine  10  includes a frame  12  and an engine enclosure  14 . The engine enclosure  14  may house a power source, such as an engine to propel the machine  10 . The machine  10  further includes ground engaging members  16 , such as tracks for moving the machine  10  over a work surface  17 . The machine  10  includes an operator cabin  18  that may accommodate a number of input devices (not shown) for controlling and monitoring operations of the machine  10 . The input devices may include, but are not limited to, a push-button, a control lever, and a steering wheel. The machine  10  includes a fender assembly  20  disposed above the ground engaging members  16  of the machine  10 . The fender assembly  20  acts as a support aiding ingress or egress of an operator  19  from the operator cabin  18 . The fender assembly  20  is connected to the frame  12  of the machine  10 . The fender assembly  20  serves as a guard member above the ground engaging members  16  to restrain mud, debris or any other material from the work surface  17  to entrance of or in front of a door  21  of the operator cabin  18 . 
     The fender assembly  20  includes a pair of tread plate assemblies, individually referred to as a first tread plate assembly  22  and a second tread plate assembly (not shown). Each of the pair of tread plate assemblies is disposed on either sides of the operator cabin  18 . The first tread plate assembly  22 , hereinafter referred to as ‘the tread plate assembly  22 ’, is described in detail below for illustration purpose of the present disclosure. The tread plate assembly  22  includes a tread plate  26 . The tread plate  26  removes the mud, the debris or any other material present on feet of the operator  19  before entering the operator cabin  18 . The tread plate  26  includes a number of treads  27  to provide desired grip to the feet of the operator  19 , when the operator  19  steps on to the tread plate  26 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the fender assembly  20  includes a fender frame  28  having a leading end  32  and a trailing end  34  opposite to the leading end  32 . The tread plate assembly  22  is coupled to the leading end  32  of the fender frame  28 . The fender frame  28  includes a first frame  28 A, a second frame  28 B that extends from the first frame  28 A, and a third frame  28 C that extends from the first frame  28 A. The second frame  28 B (shown in  FIG. 4 ) and the third frame  28 C are coupled to the frame  12  of the machine  10 . Similarly, the fender assembly  20  may further include an additional fender frame (not shown) to support the second tread plate assembly. The additional fender frame may also have similar constructional features of the fender frame  28 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded view of the tread plate assembly  22 .  FIG. 3  is further illustrated in conjunction with  FIG. 4 , which is a bottom perspective of the fender frame  28  of the fender assembly  20 . The tread plate assembly  22  includes a support plate  40 , hereinafter referred to as ‘the first support plate  40 ’. The first support plate  40  includes a first end  42  and a second end  44 . The second end  44  is coupled with the fender frame  28  of the fender assembly  20 , which in turn is coupled to the frame  12  of the machine  10 . The first support plate  40  also includes a number of side edges  30 . In the present example, the first support plate  40  is coupled to the fender frame  28  by welding. More specifically, the second end  44  of the first support plate  40  is welded to the first frame  28 A and the side edges  30  of the first support plate  40  are welded to the second and third frames  28 B,  28 C (shown in  FIG. 4 ). 
     The first support plate  40  further includes a first surface  46  and a second surface  48  (shown in  FIG. 4 ). The first support plate  40  further includes a number of cutouts  50  that extends between the first surface  46  and the second surface  48 . Each of the cutouts  50  defines an area “A” that allows materials, such as the mud and the debris to pass therethrough. In the illustrated example, the first support plate  40  includes three cutouts  50 , in which two of the cutouts  50  are in rectangular shape and one of the cutouts  50  is in triangular shape. The rectangular shape and the triangular shape of the cutouts  50  in the first support plate  40  define an optimum area for the mud, and the debris to pass therethrough. Further, the three cutouts  50  are placed such that they enable the first support plate  40  to have the desired structural strength. In another example, the first support plate  40  may include any number of the cutouts  50  that may have any other geometric shapes including, but not limited to, square, oval, or polygonal. 
     The tread plate assembly  22  further includes a second support plate  52 . The second support plate  52  is coupled with the second surface  48  (shown in  FIG. 4 ) of the fender frame  28 , thereby to provide structural strength to the first support plate  40  after assembly. More specifically, the second support plate  52  includes a bending portion  51 . The bending portion  51  allows the second support plate  52  to dispose at a distance from the first support plate  40  and thereby to provide structural strength to the first support plate  40 . In the present embodiment, the bending portion  51  of the second support plate  52  is welded to the first support plate  40  and side edges  53  of the second support plate  52  are welded to the second and third frames  28 B,  28 C of the fender frame  28 . Alternatively, the second support plate  52  may be coupled to the first support plate  40  and the fender frame  28  by a variety of coupling methods known in the art. A size and a shape of the second support plate  52  may be defined to provide desired structural stability to the first support plate  40 . The second support plate  52  may be manufactured from variety of materials including, but not limited to, metal, alloys or any other materials known in the art. 
     The second support plate  52  further includes a number of openings  54 . Each of the openings  54  defines an area “B”. The area “B” of each of the openings  54  of the second support plate  52  is equal to or greater than the area “A” of each of the plurality of cutouts  50  of the first support plate  40 . In the illustrated example, the second support plate  52  includes three openings  54 . Two openings  54  are in rectangular shape corresponding to the two rectangular cutouts  50  and one opening  54  is in triangular shape corresponding to the triangular cutout  50 . The rectangular shape and the triangular shape of the openings  54  may define an optimum area in the second support plate  52  for the mud, and the debris to pass therethrough thereby to provide desired structural strength to the second support plate  52 . Alternatively, the second support plate  52  may include any number of openings  54  in any other geometric shapes including, but not limited to, a circular, a square, a polygon or any other geometric shape known in the art. 
     The tread plate assembly  22  includes a support member  56  (shown in  FIG. 4 ). The support member  56  is coupled to the second surface  48  of the first support plate  40  at the first end  42  thereof. The support member  56  provides structural strength to the first support plate  40 . In one example, the support member  56  may be welded to the first support plate  40  and the second support plate  52 . Alternatively, the support member  56  may be coupled by other coupling methods, such as bolts and nuts known in the art. 
     The tread plate  26  of the tread plate assembly  22  is coupled to the first surface  46  of the first support plate  40  via a number of fastening members  57 . The tread plate  26  acts as a support and facilitates removing and draining of the mud, the debris or any other materials from the feet of the operator  19  and prevents the mud or the debris or any other material entering to the operator cabin  18  through the feet of the operator  19 . The fastening members  57  may include, but not limited to, rivets, nuts and bolts, screws, or any other fastening members known in the art. 
     The tread plate assembly  22  further includes a floor plate  58 . The floor plate  58  is coupled to the first surface  46  of the first support plate  40  via a number of fastening members  59 . The fastening members  59  may include, but not limited to, rivets, nuts and bolts, screws, or any other fastening members known in the art. The floor plate  58  includes a number of treads  61 . The treads  61  may have a star shape profile. Alternatively, the treads  61  may have any profile known in the art to provide anti-skidding properties. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of the tread plate  26  of the tread plate assembly  22 . The tread plate  26  includes a first contact surface  60  and a second contact surface  62 . The treads  27  of the tread plate  26  are disposed in a spaced relationship from one another in multiple rows  66  and multiple columns  68  on a plane X defined by the first contact surface  60  of the tread plate  26 . Each of the treads  27  includes an annular portion  70  extending from the first contact surface  60  of the tread plate  26 . In the illustrated example, the annular portion  70  extends from the first contact surface  60  such that it forms a star shape profile for the tread  27  as shown. When the operator  19  walks on the tread plate assembly  22 , the star shape profile of the treads  27  provides anti-skid properties that prevent the operator  19  from slipping. In another example, the annular portion  70  may be in different geometric profiles including, but not limited to, circular, oval, elliptical or any other geometric profiles known in the art. 
     The tread plate  26  further includes a number of holes  72 . The holes  72  extend between the first contact surface  60  and the second contact surface  62  of the tread plate  26 . The holes  72  are aligned with the area “A” of each of the cutouts  50  of the first support plate  40  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). Each of the holes  72  is surrounded by at least one of a pair of diametrically opposite treads arranged in one of the multiple rows  66  and a pair of diametrically opposite treads arranged in one of the multiple columns  68 . A hole  72 A is discussed in detail for illustration purposes of the present disclosure. The hole  72 A is surround by a pair of diametrically opposite treads  27 A arranged in a row  66 A and a pair of diametrically opposite treads  27 B arranged in a column  68 A. In another example, a hole may be surrounded by at least one of a pair of diametrically opposite treads arranged in a row and a pair of diametrically opposite treads arranged in a column. The treads  27  and the holes  72  of the tread plate  26  may be made by a variety manufacturing techniques including, but not limited to, punching, drilling or any other manufacturing techniques known in the art. 
     The treads  27  and the holes  72  are defined in the tread plate  26  such that the mud and the debris accumulated in front of the door  21  of the operator cabin  18  passes through the holes  72  and then through the cutouts  50 . Thereafter, the material passes through the openings  54  of the second support plate  52  and is disposed outside the machine  10 . 
     Although only the tread plate assembly  22  is explained in detail, it is to be understood that construction of the tread plate assembly  22  is merely exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this disclosure. It is to be understood that the constructional features of a tread plate of the second tread plate assembly is similar to the tread plate  26  of the tread plate assembly  22 . 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     During the operation of the machine  10  in various conditions, material such as the mud, the dirt and other types of debris gets accumulated in front of the door  21  of the operator cabin  18 . Accessing the operator cabin  18  becomes troublesome for the operator  19  ingress or egress of the operator cabin  18  of the machine  10 . The present disclosure finds applicability to reduce any risk of injury to the operator  19 . The present disclosure also facilitates in removal of mud, debris in front of the door  21  of the operator cabin  18 . 
     The present disclosure relates to the tread plate assembly  22  that facilitates in removal/reduction of mud, debris in front of the operator cabin  18 . More particularly, material such as mud and debris collected in front of the operator cabin  18  falls off through the holes  72  and the treads  27  present in the tread plate  26  of the tread plate assembly  22 . The material then passes through the cutouts  50  of the first support plate  40  and the openings  54  of the second support plate  52  and is then discharged outside. Accordingly, the present configuration of the tread plate assembly  22  facilitates in easy opening and closing of the door  21  of the operator cabin  18 . 
     Further, the tread plate assembly  22  reduces the effort of the operator  19  to clear the mud, the debris or any other material off the fender assembly  20 . The tread plate assembly  22  provides improved anti-skid properties and is cost effective. The tread plate  26  of the tread plate assembly  22  may be used in surface or components such as step groups, floor panels of the machine  10 , which requires anti-skid properties. 
     While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.