TILT APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR OPERATING IT

• US 20090314566A1
• Filed: 07/23/2007
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Felix Edward Joseph Rust
• Original Assignee: Felix Edward Joseph Rust
• Inventors: Rust, Felix Edward Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,028,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/89.140
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/067 tiltable
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/028 with arrangements for levelling the machine hydraulic drives therefor E02F9/2257

Abstract

A tilt apparatus and method for operating it is disclosed. The tilt apparatus for a cab of a construction vehicle comprises a support frame attached to a chassis of said vehicle, the horizontal plane of said support frame being parallel to that of said chassis, a mounting attached to said cab and connected with said support frame, and configured so that the horizontal plane of said mounting can tilt about any direction of said chassis, at least one actuator having one end connected with said support frame and the other end connected with said mounting, and operating so as to tilt said mounting, at least two inclination sensors comprising at least one top sensor installed on said mounting and at least one bottom sensor installed on said support frame or said chassis and a CPU installed in said cab and receiving the continual slope information from said top and bottom sensors and controlling the operation of said actuator on the basis of said continual slope information and the relative tilted angle information between the horizontal plane of said mounting and that of said support frame or chassis. The tilt apparatus of the invention is able automatically to level the cab of vehicle whilst the vehicle is in transit.

Claims

1. A tilt apparatus for a cab of a construction vehicle, comprising:

a support frame attached to a chassis of said vehicle, the horizontal plane of said support frame being parallel to that of said chassis;

a mounting attached to said cab and connected with said support frame, and configured so that the horizontal plane of said mounting can tilt about any direction of said chassis;

at least one actuator having one end connected with said support frame and the other end connected with said mounting, and operating so as to tilt said mounting;

at least two inclination sensors comprising at least one top sensor installed on said mounting and at least one bottom sensor installed on said support frame or said chassis; and

a CPU installed in said cab and receiving the continual slope information from said top and bottom sensors and controlling the operation of said actuator on the basis of said continual slope information and the relative tilted angle information between the horizontal plane of said mounting and that of said support frame or chassis.

2. A tilt apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mounting is hinge-connected with said support frame in ball type and said at least one actuator comprises at least two actuators.

3. A tilt apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mounting have a rotatable joint member and said cab is attached to said rotatable joint member and can rotate with respect to said chassis.

4. A tilt apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mounting has a centre distribution joint member attached to the upper part of said mounting and connected with a hole of a lower part of said cab, and wherein cables connected between said top and bottom sensors and said CPU and lines connected to said actuators pass through said centre distribution joint member.

5. A tilt apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said actuator comprises two pairs of actuators respectively located oppositely at the longitudinal and transverse axes of said vehicle, and wherein when the one of each pair of said actuators pushes one side of said mounting the other pulls the opposite side of it at the same time.

6. A tilt apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said top and bottom sensors comprise at least one two-axis inclination sensor, respectively.

7. A tilt apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said construction vehicle is an excavator.

8. A tilt apparatus for a cab of a vehicle, comprising:

a support frame attached to a chassis of the vehicle and connected with a tilt frame, the horizontal plane of said support frame being parallel to that of said chassis;

a mounting attached to said cab and connected with said tilt frame, and configured so that the horizontal plane of said mounting can tilt about any direction of said chassis;

actuators respectively having one end connected with said support frame and the other end connected with said mounting, and operating so as to tilt said mounting;

at least two inclination sensors comprising at least one top sensor installed on said mounting and at least one bottom sensor installed on said support frame or said chassis; and

a CPU installed in said cab and receiving the continual slope information from said top and bottom sensors and controlling the operation of said actuators on the basis of said continual slope information and the relative tilted angle information between the horizontal plane of said mounting and that of said support frame or chassis.

9. A tilt apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said mounting has a rotatable joint member and said cab is attached to said rotatable joint member and can rotate with respect to said chassis.

10. A tilt apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said mounting swings at the first horizontal pivot axis passed through said tilt frame and said tilt frame swings at the second horizontal pivot axis passed through said support frame, and wherein said two horizontal pivot axes are perpendicular to each other when viewed in plane view.

11. A tilt apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said tilt frame is substantially ring-shaped frame when viewed in plan view, and wherein said tilt frame shapes a U-type or concave-curve figure of which both end sides widen outwardly when said tilt frame viewed in front view, and shapes reversely when viewed in left or right view.

12. A tilt apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said mounting has a centre distribution joint member attached to the upper part of said mounting and connected with a hole of a lower part of said cab, and wherein cables connected between said top and bottom sensors and said CPU and lines connected to said actuators pass through said centre distribution joint member.

13. A tilt apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said actuators are two pairs respectively located oppositely at the longitudinal and transverse axes of said vehicle, and wherein when the one of each pair of said actuators pushes one side of said mounting the other pulls the opposite side of it at the same time.

14. A tilt apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said construction vehicle is an excavator.

15. A tilt apparatus for a cab of a vehicle, comprising:

a support frame attached to a chassis of the vehicle and connected with a tilt frame, the horizontal plane of said support frame being parallel to that of said chassis;

a mounting attached to said cab and connected with said tilt frame, and configured so that the horizontal plane of said mounting can tilt about any direction of said chassis;

actuators comprising at least one top actuator having one end connected with said support frame and the other end connected with said tilt frame and at least one bottom actuator having one end connected with said tilt frame and the other end connected with said mounting;

at least two inclination sensors comprising at least one top sensor installed on said mounting and at least one bottom sensor installed on said support frame or said chassis; and

a CPU installed in said cab and receiving the continual slope information from said top and bottom sensors and controlling the operation of said actuators on the basis of said continual slope information and the relative tilted angle information between the horizontal plane of said mounting and that of said support frame or chassis.

16. A tilt apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said mounting has a rotatable joint member and said cab is attached to said rotatable joint member and can rotate with respect to said chassis.

17. A tilt apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said mounting swings at the first horizontal pivot axis passed through said tilt frame and said tilt frame swings at the second horizontal pivot axis passed through said support frame, and wherein said two horizontal pivot axes are perpendicular to each other when viewed in plane view.

18. A tilt apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each of said mounting and said support frame is ring-shaped frame when viewed in plan view and comprises at least one cross strut.

19. A tilt apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said tilt frame is substantially ring-shaped frame when viewed in plan view, and wherein said tilt frame shapes a U-type or concave-curve figure of which both end sides widen outwardly when said tilt frame viewed in front view, and shapes reversely when viewed in left or right view.

20. A tilt apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said mounting has a centre distribution joint member attached to the upper part of said mounting and connected with a hole of a lower part of said cab, and wherein cables connected between said top and bottom sensors and said CPU and lines connected to said actuators pass through said centre distribution joint member.

21. A tilt apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said actuators are two pairs respectively located oppositely at the longitudinal and transverse axes of said vehicle, and wherein when the one of each pair of said actuators pushes one side of said mounting the other pulls the opposite side of it at the same time.

22. A tilt apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said actuators are hydraulic rams, pneumatic rams or motor assemblies.

23. A tilt apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said top and bottom sensors comprise at least one two-axis inclination sensor, respectively.

24. A tilt apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said actuators are two pairs respectively located oppositely at the longitudinal and transverse axes of said vehicle, and wherein when the one of each pair of said actuators pushes one side of said mounting and other pulls the opposite side of it at the same time.

25. A tilt apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said sensors are liquid filled or solid state sensors.

26. A tilt apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said CPU is connected to a graphic display apparatus located in the driving booth of said cab.

27. A tilt apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said construction vehicle is an excavator.

28. A method of operating a tilt apparatus comprising:

a support frame attached to a chassis of a construction vehicle, the horizontal plane of said support frame being parallel to that of said chassis;

a mounting attached to a cab of said vehicle and connected with said support frame, and configured so that the horizontal plane of said mounting can tilt about any direction of said chassis;

actuators having one end connected with said support frame and the other end connected with said mounting;

at least two inclination sensors comprising at least one top sensor installed on said mounting and at least one bottom sensor installed on said support frame or said chassis; and

a CPU installed in said cab, the method comprising the steps of;

a) sensing the slope gradients and slope directions of said mounting and said support frame or chassis by said top and bottom sensors;

b) receiving continually said slope information from said top and bottom sensors at said CPU;

c) calculating the relative tilted-angle and -direction information between the horizontal plane of said mounting and that of said support frame or chassis by said CPU;

d) determining the slope angle of the horizontal plane of said mounting being to tilt about that of said chassis;

e) controlling the operation of said actuators by said CPU on the basis of said determined slope angle; and

thereafter

f) operating said actuators so as to tilt said mounting to the extent of said determined slope angle.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein said d) step is performed by said CPU according to set program.

30. A method according to claim 28, wherein said d) step is performed by manual setting of an operator.

31. A method according to claim 28, wherein said e) step is performed by said CPU according to manual operating of an operator.