Patent ID: 12246781

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments or implementations disclosed in the above drawings and the following detailed description are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to these embodiments or implementations.

FIG.1shows a detail of an agricultural vehicle10in the form of a tractor with a supporting structure12and a rear axle14. A coupling system16is fastened to the supporting structure12. The coupling system serves for a movable coupling of a vehicle cab18to the supporting structure12.

The coupling system16may contain different (for example mechanical and/or hydraulic) components for a coupling or suspension of the vehicle cab18onto the supporting structure12. According to the disclosure, in the following description a spring-elastic (for example rubber-like) bearing element20, a bearing device22and a connecting bracket24are important as constituent parts of the coupling system16.

The connecting bracket24is fixedly or rigidly connected to the supporting structure12, for example by means of a screw connection. To this end, the connecting bracket is penetrated by screw holes25.

In a cab region26on the ground side the vehicle cab18has a plurality of connecting braces28which are assigned in each case in pairs to a spring-elastic bearing element20(FIG.2). These connecting braces28are arranged in a region of the vehicle cab18on the front side, in front of the rear axle14in a vehicle longitudinal direction30.

The connecting braces28each include a mounting hole32for a clamping element34in the form of a clamping screw. The clamping element34has an external thread which cooperates with a clamping nut36having a corresponding internal thread. In the mounted state shown inFIG.2, transversely to a vertical vehicle axis38the clamping element34penetrates two connecting braces28and the bearing element20arranged therebetween. As a result, the two connecting braces28and the assigned bearing element20are releasably clamped together in a transverse direction40. Thus, the vehicle cab18is releasably connected via the clamping element34to the bearing element20.

It may be derived fromFIG.2that two connecting points42which are spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction40are provided in the cab region26of the vehicle cab18, on the front side and ground side, for coupling the vehicle cab18to the supporting structure12. The transverse direction40in turn runs parallel to a horizontal vehicle transverse axis44.

The construction of the bearing device22according toFIG.2can be identified more clearly inFIG.3atoFIG.6. The bearing device22has a bearing frame46which is open in the transverse direction40. The bearing frame has an annular cross section but tapers in a conical or frustoconical manner starting from a mounting inlet48in the transverse direction40.

A sleeve-like intermediate frame50, which is also annular in cross section, initially receives the substantially cylindrical bearing element20(FIG.3a,FIG.3b). It is also derived fromFIG.3bthat the bearing element20is penetrated by an axial through-hole52for receiving the clamping element34. The intermediate frame50is inserted together with the bearing element20in the mounting inlet48of the bearing frame46and then moved axially or in the transverse direction40further into the bearing frame46(FIG.4).

An accurate seat of the intermediate frame50and the bearing element20inside the bearing frame46is automatically achieved with low mounting effort and low force expenditure by a plurality of bearing screws54being used (FIG.5). The external threads thereof cooperate in each case with an internal thread56on the bearing frame46. During the mounting, the bearing screws54initially penetrate plate holes58of an annular cover plate60and then the intermediate holes62of the intermediate frame50. Then the external threads of the bearing screws54engage in the internal threads56of the bearing frame46. When the bearing screws54are screwed in further, the intermediate frame50and the bearing element20are automatically and accurately pulled into the bearing frame46. For achieving this accurate bearing (for example in the manner of a press fit) of the bearing element20inside the bearing device46, the spring-elastic properties of the bearing element20can be beneficial, as are a plurality of sleeve portions64on an intermediate lateral surface66of the intermediate frame50.

Moreover, an installation of the bearing element20in the bearing frame46, in a manner which is simple in terms of mounting technology, is promoted by a bearing lateral surface68of the bearing frame46having a conically tapered internal cross section70—as already mentioned—and cooperating with a conically tapered external cross section72of the intermediate lateral surface66(FIG.6).

In the bearing device22according toFIG.2toFIG.6two bearing projections74which are spaced apart from one another in a manner which is plane-parallel, axially or in the transverse direction40, are provided, said bearing projections being fixedly connected to the connecting bracket24(for example welded). The bearing projections74protrude radially beyond the bearing lateral surface68and in each case are located in a plane arranged at right-angles to the central longitudinal axis of the bearing lateral surface68.

FIG.7shows a further embodiment of the bearing device22. In this case, the bearing frame46does not have a bearing projection74. Rather, a single bearing projection74is provided, said bearing projection protruding radially beyond the intermediate lateral surface66and being located in a plane arranged at a right-angles to the central longitudinal axis of the intermediate lateral surface66. The bearing projection74in turn is fixedly connected to the connecting bracket24(for example welded). The assembly of the bearing device22is different from the embodiment inFIG.3atoFIG.6to the extent that the bearing frame46is moved toward the intermediate frame50.

InFIG.8a further embodiment of the bearing device22is shown. The bearing device has two bearing jaws76,78which are releasably connected together. The bearing jaws are screwed together and, as a result, may receive and fixedly clamp the bearing element20therebetween in the manner of two clamping jaws. A first bearing jaw76is connected to two approximately plane-parallel supporting webs80. The supporting webs80in turn are fixedly connected to the connecting bracket24(for example welded). For example, the supporting webs80and the bearing jaws76are produced as a common integral component.

FIG.9shows a connecting bracket24, the two bearing portions82thereof which are spaced apart in the transverse direction40in each case bearing a bearing device22according to a further embodiment. In this embodiment, the second bearing jaw78is screwed to the first bearing jaw76with the interposition of the bearing element20. The first bearing jaw76is, however, configured here as an integral constituent part of the bearing portion82of the connecting bracket24(FIG.10).

The first bearing jaw76according toFIG.10bears a fixing pin84which is oriented in the direction of the second bearing jaw78and which engages approximately positively in a corresponding fixing recess86of the bearing element20(FIG.11). As a result, the bearing element20is effectively protected from undesired positional changes both in the transverse direction40and in a rotational direction88.

FIG.12shows a further embodiment of the connecting bracket24with two bearing portions82, with one bearing portion82being visible. The first bearing jaw76is shown as a constituent part of the bearing device22, said first bearing jaw being implemented in this case on a square profile90. The square profile is fixedly connected to the bearing portion82(for example welded) and penetrated by two through-holes92which permit a screw connection, which is simple in terms of mounting, between the first bearing jaw76and the respective second bearing jaw78.

Overall, the various embodiments of the bearing device22and the connecting bracket24permit a functionally reliable and efficient coupling of the vehicle cab18to the supporting structure12with low mounting effort, low mounting forces and without the use of an elaborate special tool.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing example embodiments or implementations and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the any use of the terms “has,” “includes,” “comprises,” or the like, in this specification, identifies the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that terms such as “above,” “below,” “upward,” “downward,” “top,” “bottom,” etc., are used descriptively for the figures, and do not represent limitations on the scope of the present disclosure, as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, the teachings may be described herein in terms of functional and/or logical block components or various processing steps, which may include any number of hardware, software, and/or firmware components configured to perform the specified functions.

Terms of degree, such as “generally,” “substantially,” or “approximately” are understood by those having ordinary skill in the art to refer to reasonable ranges outside of a given value or orientation, for example, general tolerances or positional relationships associated with manufacturing, assembly, and use of the described embodiments or implementations.

As used herein, “e.g.,” is utilized to non-exhaustively list examples and carries the same meaning as alternative illustrative phrases such as “including,” “including, but not limited to,” and “including without limitation.” Unless otherwise limited or modified, lists with elements that are separated by conjunctive terms (e.g., “and”) and that are also preceded by the phrase “one or more of” or “at least one of” indicate configurations or arrangements that potentially include individual elements of the list, or any combination thereof. For example, “at least one of A, B, and C” or “one or more of A, B, and C” indicates the possibilities of only A, only B, only C, or any combination of two or more of A, B, and C (e.g., A and B; B and C; A and C; or A, B, and C).

While the above describes example embodiments or implementations of the present disclosure, these descriptions should not be viewed in a restrictive or limiting sense. Rather, there are several variations and modifications which may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.