Linkage arrangement for a multi-purpose vehicle
First Claim
1. A linkage arrangement adapted for connecting a work implement to a frame of a vehicle comprising:
- a pair of lift arms having a first end portion connected to the vehicle frame and a second end portion connected to the work implement, said lift arms being positioned in spaced, parallel relation to each other on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline defined by the vehicle;
a lifting means for providing movement of the lift arms about the first end portions thereof in a generally vertical plane, said lifting means being positioned in generally vertical alignment with each of the respective lift arms;
a pair of first tilt links having a first end portion pivotally mounted to the work implement and a second end portion, said first tilt links being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane as that of the respective lift arms;
a pair of second tilt links having a first end portion pivotally connected to the respective lift arms and a second end portion pivotally mounted to the first tilt links at a location that is intermediate the first and second end portions of the first tilt links, said second tilt links being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane as that of the respective lift arms;
a tilting means for providing rotation of the work implement about its mounting to the lift arms, said tilting means having a pair of fluid actuated cylinders pivotally connected directly between the respective second end portions of the first tilt links and the vehicle frame and positioned in substantially the same vertical plane as that of the respective lift arms; and
electronic control means for measuring the actual angular relationship of the work implement with respect to the lift arms, calculating the variance between said actual angular relationship of the work implement to that of a predetermined angular relationship of the work implement with respect to the vehicle and controlling the tilting means to achieve and maintain said predetermined angular relationship of the work implement throughout the movement of the lift arms.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Construction vehicles of the type having a pair of lift arms extending from the frame to support a work implement, have generally been restricted to operating one specific tool. The attempt to combine the operation of several different work implements has been met with severe functional restrictions since some work implements have specific requirements not found in the operation of others. In order to provide a lift arm linkage arrangement that incorporates the functional requirements necessary to operate a plurality of work implements while maintaining a simple, yet efficient construction, an electronic controller has been included in the design. The electronic controller includes a plurality of sensors that are operatively associated with the lift and tilt linkage of the lift arm arrangement. The sensors enable the electronic controller to constantly monitor the current position of the lift arms and the work implement and compare them with a programmed sequence of movements. The electronic controller is further able to automatically adjust the position of the lift arms and the work implement in accordance with the programmed sequence.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A linkage arrangement adapted for connecting a work implement to a frame of a vehicle comprising:
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a pair of lift arms having a first end portion connected to the vehicle frame and a second end portion connected to the work implement, said lift arms being positioned in spaced, parallel relation to each other on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline defined by the vehicle; a lifting means for providing movement of the lift arms about the first end portions thereof in a generally vertical plane, said lifting means being positioned in generally vertical alignment with each of the respective lift arms; a pair of first tilt links having a first end portion pivotally mounted to the work implement and a second end portion, said first tilt links being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane as that of the respective lift arms; a pair of second tilt links having a first end portion pivotally connected to the respective lift arms and a second end portion pivotally mounted to the first tilt links at a location that is intermediate the first and second end portions of the first tilt links, said second tilt links being positioned in substantially the same vertical plane as that of the respective lift arms; a tilting means for providing rotation of the work implement about its mounting to the lift arms, said tilting means having a pair of fluid actuated cylinders pivotally connected directly between the respective second end portions of the first tilt links and the vehicle frame and positioned in substantially the same vertical plane as that of the respective lift arms; and electronic control means for measuring the actual angular relationship of the work implement with respect to the lift arms, calculating the variance between said actual angular relationship of the work implement to that of a predetermined angular relationship of the work implement with respect to the vehicle and controlling the tilting means to achieve and maintain said predetermined angular relationship of the work implement throughout the movement of the lift arms. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In a vehicle having a frame and being adapted to utilize a plurality of work implements, a linkage arrangement adapted to attach said implements to said frame, comprising:
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a pair of lift arms having first and second end portions, said lift arms being mounted in spaced, parallel relation to one another with the first end portions thereof being pivotally mounted to the frame and the second end portion thereof being pivotally mounted to one of said work implements; a tilt linkage associated with each lift arm having a first tilt link having a first end portion pivotally mounted to the work implement and second end portion, and a second tilt link having a first end portion pivotally connected to the lift arm and a second end portion pivotally mounted to the first tilt link at a location that is intermediate the end portions of the first tilt link, said tilt linkage being positioned in generally vertical alignment with the respective lift arms and being sufficient to provide rotational movement of the work implement about its mounting with the lift arms; a first fluid actuator pivotally connected directly between the vehicle frame and each of the respective lift arms to provide movement of the lift arms in a generally vertical plane, each of said first fluid actuators being positioned to be generally in vertical alignment with the respective lift arm and its mounting to the vehicle frame; a second fluid actuator pivotally connected between each tilt linkage and the vehicle frame, said fluid actuator being positioned so as to be generally in vertical alignment with the respective lift arms and tilt linkage; and means for sensing the current position of the respective lift arms with respect to the vehicle, and the work implement with respect to the lift arms and providing coordinated manipulation of the first and second fluid actuators to move the lift arms and the work implement through a preselected sequence of maneuvers to a preselected position. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In a vehicle having a frame and being of a construction sufficient for manipulating a plurality of work implements, a linkage arrangement adapted to mount the work implement to the vehicle comprising:
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a pair of lift arms, each having a first end portion pivotally mounted to the frame and a second end portion pivotally mounted to the work implement, said lift arms being spaced from one another on a lift cylinder operatively associated with each lift arm, said lift cylinders having a first end portion pivotally mounted to the frame, and a second end portion pivotally mounted to one of the respective lift arms, said lift cylinders being positioned in general alignment with the respective lift arms and being operable for moving the lift arms in a generally vertical plane about the mounting of the first end portion of the lift arms; a first tilt link operatively associated with each lift arm and having a first and second end portion, said first end portion being pivotally mounted to the work implement in spaced, generally vertical alignment with the mounting of the second end portion of each lift arm; a pair of second tilt links operatively associated with each lift arm, each having a first end portion pivotally connected to the lift arm on opposite sides thereof and a second end portion pivotally mounted to the first tilt link on opposite sides thereof at a location that is intermediate the first and second end portions of the first tilt link to form an extension between the point of attachment between the first and second tilt links; a tilt cylinder operatively associated with each lift arm and having a first end portion mounted directly to the frame and a second end portion mounted to the second end portion of each first tilt link, said tilt cylinder being positioned to be spaced vertically above and in general vertical alignment with each of the respective lift arms; and electronic control means for sensing the actual position of the lift arms with respect to the vehicle frame and the work implement with respect to the lift arms, calculating the variance between the respective actual positions and that of one of a plurality of preselected, programmable positions, and actuating the lift and tilt cylinders to reuse the movement of the lift arms and work implement in accordance with the preselected positions. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A linkage arrangement adapted for connecting a work implement to the frame of a vehicle comprising:
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a pair of lift arms having a first end portion connected to the vehicle frame and a second end portion connected to the work implement, said lift arms being positioned in spaced, parallel relation to each other on opposite sides of a longitudinal centerline (X) defined by the vehicle; a pair of lift cylinders having first and second end portions, said first end portions being connected to the vehicle frame at spaced locations that are generally in vertical alignment with and beneath the respective mountings of the first end portions of the lift arms and said second end portions being connected to the respective lift arm at a central portion thereof, said lift cylinders being so constructed and adapted to provide rotational movement of said lift arms about said first end portions, said movement being in a substantially vertical plane; a pair of first links having first and second end portions, said first links being laterally spaced from one another and positioned in generally vertical alignment with the lift arms, said first end portion of each first link being pivotally connected to said work implement; a pair of second links having first and second end portions, each of said second links being associated with opposing ones of the lift arms and the first links so as to be laterally spaced from one another in generally vertical alignment with the lift arms said first end portion of each second link being pivotally connected to the respective lift arm, said second end portion of each second link being pivotally connected to the respective first link at a point that is intermediate it end portions a pair of tilt cylinders having first and second end portions, said first end portion being pivotally connected directly to said frame, said second end portion of each tilt cylinder being pivotally connected to the second end portion of the respective first link, said tilt cylinders being positioned in generally vertical alignment with the lift arms in a manner sufficient to provide rotational movement of said work implement about said lift arms; means for sensing the actual position of the lift arm with respect to the frame and responsively producing a first position signal; means for sensing the actual position of the work implement with respect to the lift arm and responsively producing a second position signal; and electronic control means receiving said first and second position signals and responsively actuating said lift cylinder and said tilt cylinder in accordance with a set of predetermined steps. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification