CONTROL LEVER FOR OPERATING A WORKING MACHINE

• US 20130074645A1
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment AB (Volvo AB)
• Original Assignee: Jon Hakansson
• Inventors: Lindblom, Jonny, Hkansson, Jon
• Application Number:
  US13/516,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20130074645A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/523
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2004 Control mechanisms, e.g. control levers control levers per se G05G
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/06 Details of their grip parts G05G1/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04707 with ball joint
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04781 with additional rotation of the controlling member
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20612 Hand

Abstract

A control lever is provided for operating a working machine. The control lever includes a base portion intended to be mounted to a working machine, and a top portion which is pivotally connected to the base portion for pivoting about a geometrical X-axis. The top portion is further adapted to be gripped and pivoted by an operator in order to operate the working machine, and the top portion has an outer gripping surface for receiving the palm of the hand of an operator. At least a part of the gripping surface is arranged adjacent to the geometrical X-axis in such a way that the geometrical X-axis is situated inside the hand and adjacent to the center part of the palm of the operator when the top portion is properly gripped by the operator.

Claims

1. A control lever for operating a working machine, comprising a base portion intended to be mounted to a working machine, and a top portion which is pivotally connected to the base portion for pivoting about a geometrical X-axis, and adapted to be gripped and pivoted by an operator in order to operate the working machine, the top portion having an outer gripping surface for receiving the palm of the hand of an operator, wherein at least a part of the gripping surface is arranged adjacent to the geometrical X-axis in such a way that the geometrical X-axis is situated inside the hand and adjacent to the centre part of the palm of the operator when the top portion being properly gripped by the operator.

2. A control lever according to claim 1, wherein the gripping surface is convex and the surface extends at least partly around the pivot point of the X-axis when the control lever is viewed in the X-axis direction.

3. A control lever according to claim 1, wherein the gripping surface has a front finger grip portion to be gripped by the fingers of an operator and a rear palm portion for supporting the palm of an operator.

4. A control lever according to claim 3, wherein a centre part of the rear palm portion is arranged closer to the geometrical X-axis compared to the front finger grip portion.

5. A control lever according to claim 3, wherein the front finger grip portion and the rear palm portion are arranged at such a distance from each other that the centre part of the palm of the operator is situated substantially at the centre part of the rear palm portion when the top portion being properly gripped.

6. A control lever according to claim 1, wherein the base portion has a ball at the top thereof and the top portion has a corresponding recess for receiving the ball so as to provide the geometrical X-axis.

7. A control lever according to claim 1, wherein the base portion is designed as a pillar, one first end of which is adapted to be mounted to a working machine and the other second end of which is pivotally connected to the top portion.

8. A control lever according to claim 1, wherein the gripping surface is adapted to support substantially the entire palm including the fingers of the hand of an operator.

9. A working machine comprising a control lever according to claim 1.

10. A control lever for operating a working machine, comprising a base portion intended to be mounted to a working machine, and a top portion which is pivotally connected to the base portion for pivoting about a geometrical Y-axis, and adapted to be gripped and pivoted by an operator in order to operate the working machine, the top portion having an outer gripping surface for receiving the palm of the hand of an operator, wherein at least a part of the gripping surface is arranged adjacent to the geometrical Y-axis in such a way that the geometrical Y-axis is situated inside the hand and adjacent to the centre part of the palm of the operator when the top portion being properly, gripped by the operator.

11. An arm support arrangement for a working machine, comprising an arm rest with a support surface for supporting an arm of an operator and a control lever for operating a working machine, the control lever having a base portion arranged at the arm rest and a top portion which is pivotally connected to the base portion for pivoting about a geometrical X-axis and adapted to be gripped and pivoted by an operator in order to operate the working machine, wherein the support surface of the arm rest and the geometrical X-axis are arranged at such a distance from each other that the forearm of an operator is situated substantially in line with the pivot point of the geometrical X-axis when the forearm resting against the support surface and the top portion being properly gripped by the operator.

12. A working machine comprising an arm support arrangement according to claim 11.