EXCAVATOR AND PROCESS FOR ASSEMBLING OR DISSASSEMBLING SUCH EXCAVATOR

• US 20130025170A1
• Filed: 04/12/2010
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Compact Equipement SAS (Volvo AB)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Compact Equipement SAS (Volvo AB)
• Inventors: Caillieret, Roger, Arnal, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 8,807,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 37/425
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/08 Superstructures; Supports for superstructures arrangements for travelling gear, e.g. undercarriages for wheels, crawlers, caterpillars E02F9/02; for motor vehicles B62D25/00, B62D33/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2004 Control mechanisms, e.g. control levers control levers per se G05G
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2267 Valves or distributors position of valves arrangements on upper-structures E02F9/0875
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2271 Actuators and supports therefor and protection therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2275 Hoses and supports therefor and protection therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2285 Pilot-operated systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An excavator includes a frame, and a platform on top of the frame. A hydraulic distribution system is received on top of the frame but below the platform. A pilot valve unit is at least partly received on top of the platform. The platform includes a dedicated hole capable of receiving therethrough at least that part of the pilot valve unit which is received on top of the platform. The pilot valve unit is fixed, directly or indirectly, on the platform. The pilot valve unit can be mounted from below the platform, through the dedicated hole, and is fixed on the platform from above the platform.

Claims

1. Excavator comprising at least:

a frame,

a platform on top of the frame,

a hydraulic circuit assembly including at least;

a main pump delivering pressurized fluid

a number of hydraulic actuators

a hydraulic distribution system for distributing pressurized fluid from the main pump to the various hydraulic actuators according at least to a hydraulic pilot circuit comprising at least one manually operated hydraulic pilot valve unit connected to the hydraulic distribution device and wherein;

the hydraulic distribution system is received on top of the frame but below the platform, while the pilot valve unit is at least partly received on top of the platform,

the pilot valve unit is hydraulically connected to the hydraulic distribution system by hydraulic pipes;

the platform comprises a dedicated hole capable of receiving therethrough at least that part of the pilot valve unit which is received on top of the platform;

the pilot valve unit is fixed, directly or indirectly, on the platform such that the unit or the hydraulic pipes extend through the hole;

wherein the pilot valve unit can be mounted from below the platform, through the dedicated hole, and is fixed on the platform from above the platform.

2. Excavator according to claim 1, wherein the pilot valve unit is blocked downwardly with respect to the platform by a key part which can be inserted from above the platform between a downwardly facing surface of the unit and an upwardly facing surface of the platform.

3. Excavator according to claim 2, wherein the key part is substantially U shaped so as to be inserted along a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the dedicated hole.

4. Excavator according to claim 2, wherein the pilot valve unit is fixed on the key part and the key part is independently fixed on the platform.

5. Excavator according to claim 2, wherein the pilot valve unit is fixed by fasteners which extend through the unit, through the key part and through the platform.

6. Excavator according to claim 5, wherein the pilot valve unit is fixed by screws which extent through the unit, through the key part and through the platform, the head of the screw lying, directly or indirectly on an upwardly facing surface of the unit.

7. Excavator according to claim 1, wherein the pilot valve unit (66) comprises an upwardly facing fixing surface which cooperates directly or indirectly with a downwardly facing surface of the platform.

8. Excavator according to claim 7, wherein the unit is fixed by screws which extend through the unit and the platform, the head of the screws lying directly or indirectly on an upwardly facing surface of the platform.

9. Excavator according to claim 1, wherein the pilot valve unit is fixed, directly or indirectly, on the edge of the dedicated hole of the platform.

10. Excavator according to claim 1, wherein the pilot valve unit comprises a valve body and a mounting bracket which is integral with the valve body.

11. Excavator according to claim 1, wherein the pilot valve unit comprises a valve body and a mounting bracket which is separate from the valve body but affixed to the valve body.

12. Excavator according to claim 1, wherein the pilot valve unit (66) comprises at least two parts which may be displaced one with respect to the other, one of the parts being affixed to the pilot valve body and the other part being fixed on the platform from above the platform.

13. Excavator according to claim 1, wherein it comprises several manually operated hydraulic pilot valve units which are connected to the hydraulic distribution device and which are at least partly received on top of the platform, and in that all of the units can be mounted from below the platform, through a dedicated hole in the platform, and are fixed on the platform from above the platform.

14. Process for assembling an excavator according to claim 1, comprising

preassembling the hydraulic distribution system on the frame, and hydraulically connecting the pilot valve unit to the hydraulic distribution system so that no further hydraulic connection is needed;

subsequent to the preassembling step, placing the platform on top of the frame, including passing at least part of the pilot valve unit through a dedicated hole in the platform.

subsequent to the placing step, fixing, from above the platform, the pilot valve unit directly or indirectly on the platform.

15. Process for disassembling the platform from the frame of an excavator claim 1, comprising

releasing, from above the platform, the pilot valve unit from the platform;

subsequent from the releasing step, removing the platform from the frame, including passing at least part of the pilot valve unit through a dedicated hole in a platform without disconnecting the pilot valve from the hydraulic distribution system.