Joystick controlled scraper blade assembly
First Claim
1. A scraper blade assembly for a vehicle comprising:
- a frame mountable to the vehicle, the frame having a socket with a pivotable ball for connection to the vehicle, the pivotable ball configured to permit pivoting movement of the frame about a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis and a vertical axis of the vehicle when the frame is mounted to the vehicle;
a scraper blade for engagement with a soil surface to be graded, the blade attached to a blade portion of the frame;
a left hydraulic cylinder attached to a left side of the blade portion of the frame and to a left vehicle mount configured to be attached to the vehicle;
a right hydraulic cylinder attached to a right side of the blade portion of the frame and to a right vehicle mount configured to be attached to the vehicle, the left and right hydraulic cylinders configured to vertically move the blade portion of the frame and/or tilt the blade portion of the frame relative to horizontal;
a third hydraulic cylinder for angling the blade with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle by pivoting the blade portion about the vertical axis;
electrically actuated valves for controlling extension and retraction of the left and right hydraulic cylinders;
a control system for electrically actuating the valves, the control system comprising a single joystick configured so that movement of the joystick actuates the left hydraulic cylinder, the right hydraulic cylinder or simultaneously both the left and right hydraulic cylinders; and
,a mounting hitch configured to be rigidly mounted to the vehicle and configured to pivotally mount the socket with the pivotable ball to permit the pivoting movement of the frame,wherein the socket with the pivotable ball for connection to the vehicle is situated behind the blade, the blade is situated forward on the frame and all other structures of the assembly are behind or above the blade, the frame comprises a pair of longitudinal frame members meeting at the socket and connected to the blade portion at transversely spaced-apart locations on the blade portion, the frame is triangular and the socket with a pivotable ball is a single socket with a pivotable ball at an apex of the triangular frame.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A scraper blade assembly for a vehicle such as a tractor or skid-steer vehicle has a frame having a socket with a pivotable ball for connection to the vehicle. The pivotable ball permits pivoting movement of the frame about a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis and a vertical axis of the vehicle. Tilt of a scraper blade mounted on the frame is controlled by left and right hydraulic cylinders and angle of the scraper blade is controlled by a third hydraulic cylinder. A control system has a single joystick which is capable actuating the left and right hydraulic cylinders independently or simultaneously. The combination of the pivotable ball mount to permit three degrees of freedom of movement of the frame and the ability of a single joystick to independently or simultaneously control the left and right hydraulic cylinders results in smooth and accurate blade placement for finer control over earth moving operations.
27 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A scraper blade assembly for a vehicle comprising:
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a frame mountable to the vehicle, the frame having a socket with a pivotable ball for connection to the vehicle, the pivotable ball configured to permit pivoting movement of the frame about a longitudinal axis, a transverse axis and a vertical axis of the vehicle when the frame is mounted to the vehicle; a scraper blade for engagement with a soil surface to be graded, the blade attached to a blade portion of the frame; a left hydraulic cylinder attached to a left side of the blade portion of the frame and to a left vehicle mount configured to be attached to the vehicle; a right hydraulic cylinder attached to a right side of the blade portion of the frame and to a right vehicle mount configured to be attached to the vehicle, the left and right hydraulic cylinders configured to vertically move the blade portion of the frame and/or tilt the blade portion of the frame relative to horizontal; a third hydraulic cylinder for angling the blade with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle by pivoting the blade portion about the vertical axis; electrically actuated valves for controlling extension and retraction of the left and right hydraulic cylinders; a control system for electrically actuating the valves, the control system comprising a single joystick configured so that movement of the joystick actuates the left hydraulic cylinder, the right hydraulic cylinder or simultaneously both the left and right hydraulic cylinders; and
,a mounting hitch configured to be rigidly mounted to the vehicle and configured to pivotally mount the socket with the pivotable ball to permit the pivoting movement of the frame, wherein the socket with the pivotable ball for connection to the vehicle is situated behind the blade, the blade is situated forward on the frame and all other structures of the assembly are behind or above the blade, the frame comprises a pair of longitudinal frame members meeting at the socket and connected to the blade portion at transversely spaced-apart locations on the blade portion, the frame is triangular and the socket with a pivotable ball is a single socket with a pivotable ball at an apex of the triangular frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification