Cab for construction machinery

• US 6,450,284 B1
• Filed: 12/12/2000
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Takashi, Takeuchi, Akitaka, Hiraoka, Kazuhiko, Sakyo, Tsuyoshi, Hirata, Toichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US09/719,417
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 180/89.12, 180/89.13, 180/326, 180/329, 180/334, 296/190.01, 340/525, 340/684, 340/685
• US Class Current: 180/329
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/16 Cabins, platforms, or the like, for drivers for motor vehicles in general B62D33/06, for cranes B66C13/54
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2004 Control mechanisms, e.g. control levers control levers per se G05G
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence

Abstract

A cab for a construction machine includes an operator'"'"'s seat within a cab box. Consoles are provided on the left and right sides of the operator'"'"'s seat, respectively, and a switch box is provided on an outer side of an operating lever of the right console. Provided on the switch box are a control dial for variably controlling rotational speed of an engine, a working mode selector switch, and a vehicle drive mode selector switch. An operator who is seated on the operator'"'"'s seat can manipulate the switches on the switch box by stretching a right arm toward the operating lever and by blind touch.

Claims

1. A cab for a construction machine including a cab box mounted on a frame structure of a construction machine and internally defining an operating room, an operator'"'"'s seat provided on a floor panel of said cab box, and right and left consoles located respectively on right and left sides of said operator'"'"'s seat, each one of said consoles having an operating lever at its front portion to be pivotally shifted by an operator, characterized in that said cab comprises:

a switch box having a base end portion supported on one of said right and left consoles at a position in the proximity of said operating lever and having a fore end portion extended forward of said console, said base end portion of said switch box being pivotally connected to said console in the fashion of a cantilever;

said switch box being disposed in a slanting direction and inclined upwardly toward the front side of said operating lever with respect to said operator'"'"'s seat position; and

a plural number of switches provided on said switch box for manipulation by said operator when said construction machine is in a vehicular drive mode or in a working mode.

2. A cab for a construction machine as defined in claim 1, further comprising an indicator located in a position spaced forwardly of said console and switch box and within a forward field of view of an operator on said operator'"'"'s seat to display thereon operating conditions and modes set or selected by said switches.

3. A cab for a construction machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said switch box is located in a position on the outer side of said operating lever with respect to a position of said operator'"'"'s seat.

4. A cab for a construction machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said operator'"'"'s seat is adjustably mounted for straight back and forth movement on a floor panel of said cab box, and said switch box is arranged to follow a shift in position of said operator'"'"'s seat together with said console.

5. A cab for a construction machine including a cab box mounted on a frame structure of a construction machine and internally defining an operating room, an operator'"'"'s seat provided on a floor panel of said cab box, and right and left consoles located respectively on right and left sides of said operator'"'"'s seat, each one of said consoles having an operating lever at its front portion to be pivotally shifted by an operator, characterized in that said cab comprises:

a switch box having a base end portion supported on one of said right and left consoles at a position in the proximity of said operating lever and having a fore end portion extended forward of said console;

said base end portion of said switch box being pivotally connected to said console in the fashion of a cantilever; and

a plural number of switches provided on said switch box for manipulation by said operator when said construction machine is in a vehicular drive mode or in a working mode.