Work machine vehicle having seat mounted controls with nested seatbar

• US 7,971,677 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2009
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clark Equipment Company (Doosan Enerbility Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Clark Equipment Company (Doosan Enerbility Company Limited)
• Inventors: Ekren, Jeremy W., Hill, Aaron G., Maus, Joshua F., Asche, Jason J., Tuhy, Lance S., Koch, Rodney
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coker; Robert A
• Application Number:
  US12/360,272
• Publication Number:
  US 20100187858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 180/326, 180/329, 180/330, 180/331, 180/333, 280/748, 297/411.32
• US Class Current: 180/329
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/24 for particular purposes or particular vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/773 Longitudinal adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/797 for use as electrical control means, e.g. switches
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/163 Structures to protect drivers, e.g. cabins, doors for cabins; Falling object protection structure [FOPS]; Roll over protection structure [ROPS] for handrails mounted on cabins E02F9/0833 takes precedence; for vehicles in general B60R21/11, B60R21/13, for fork-lift trucks B66F9/07545
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2004 Control mechanisms, e.g. control levers control levers per se G05G

Abstract

Disclosed are work machine vehicles having an operator protective structure with a seat mounted in the operator protective structure. In disclosed embodiments, first and second adjustable armrest assemblies are mounted to a structure of the seat such that the first and second armrest assemblies can be adjusted in fore and aft directions relative to a seatback of the seat. Vehicle controls are integrated with the first and second adjustable armrest assemblies such that adjustment of the first and second adjustable armrest assemblies adjusts positions of the vehicle controls relative to an operator sitting on the seat. After adjustment, the vehicle controls and the operator sitting on the seat are maintained at constant relative positions with respect to each other even as the work machine vehicle moves over rough terrain and the seat moves up and down. A nested seatbar is pivotably mounted to a structure of the work machine vehicle such that the nested seatbar can be moved to a down position in which portions of the nested seatbar are located between the first and second adjustable armrests.

Claims

1. A work machine vehicle comprising:

an operator protective structure;

a seat positioned in the operator protective structure;

first and second adjustable armrest assemblies mounted to a structure of the seat such that the first and second armrest assemblies can be adjusted in fore and aft directions relative to a seatback of the seat, but such that the first and second adjustable armrest assemblies are restricted from movement in directions other than the fore and aft directions;

vehicle controls integrated with the first and second adjustable armrest assemblies such that adjustment of the first and second adjustable armrest assemblies adjusts positions of the vehicle controls relative to an operator sitting on the seat, and such that after adjustment the vehicle controls and the operator sitting on the seat are maintained at constant relative positions with respect to each other even as the work machine vehicle moves over rough terrain and the seat moves up and down; and

a nested seatbar pivotably mounted to a structure of the work machine vehicle, the nested seatbar being moveable to a down position in which the nested seatbar is located substantially between the first and second adjustable armrests.

2. The work machine vehicle of claim 1, wherein the nested seatbar is pivotably mounted to a portion of the operator protective structure rearward of the seat.

3. The work machine vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second adjustable armrest assemblies includes a slide mechanism which allows the armrest assembly to be adjusted in the fore and aft directions.

4. The work machine vehicle of claim 3, wherein the vehicle controls comprise joystick vehicle controls.

5. The work machine vehicle of claim 1, and further comprising torque inhibiting mechanisms, separate from the slide mechanisms, coupled to each of the first and second armrest assemblies, each torque inhibiting mechanism allowing the coupled armrest assembly to be adjusted in the fore and aft directions, but inhibiting torque motions of the armrest assembly up and down or side to side relative to the fore and aft directions.

6. The work machine vehicle of claim 5, and further comprising first and second armrest brackets, each of the first and second armrest brackets fixedly mounting one of the first and second armrest assemblies to the structure of the seat.

7. The work machine vehicle of claim 6, wherein each torque inhibiting mechanisms comprises:

a slot formed in one of the armrest brackets;

an aperture formed in one of the armrest assemblies;

a spacer positioned in the slot such that the spacer can slide in the slot in the fore and aft directions;

first and second washers positioned on opposite sides of the spacer; and

a fastener extending through the aperture, the spacer positioned in the slot, and the first and second washers, the fastener coupling the one of armrest brackets, the one of the armrest assemblies, the spacer and the first and second washers together to allow fore and aft movement of the one of the armrest assemblies, but inhibiting torque motions of the armrest assembly up and down or side to side relative to the fore and aft directions.

8. The work machine vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises a loader.

9. A work machine vehicle comprising:

an operator protective structure;

a seat positioned in the operator protective structure;

first and second adjustable armrest assemblies mounted to the seat such that the first and second armrest assemblies can be adjusted in fore and aft directions relative to the seat;

vehicle controls integrated with the first and second adjustable armrest assemblies such that adjustment of the first and second adjustable armrest assemblies adjusts positions of the vehicle controls relative to an operator sitting on the seat, and such that after adjustment the vehicle controls and the operator sitting on the seat are maintained at constant relative positions with respect to each other even as the work machine vehicle moves over rough terrain and the seat moves up and down; and

a nested seatbar mounted to a structure of the work machine vehicle, the nested seatbar being moveable to a down position in which portions of the nested seatbar are located between the first and second adjustable armrests.

10. The work machine vehicle of claim 9, wherein the nested seatbar is mounted to a portion of the operator protective structure rearward of the seat.

11. The work machine vehicle of claim 10, wherein the nested seatbar is pivotably mounted to the portion of the operator protective structure rearward of the seat.

12. The work machine vehicle of claim 11, wherein each of the first and second adjustable armrest assemblies includes a slide mechanism which allows the armrest assembly to be adjusted in the fore and aft directions.

13. The work machine vehicle of claim 12, and further comprising torque inhibiting mechanisms, separate from the slide mechanisms, coupled to each of the first and second armrest assemblies, each torque inhibiting mechanism allowing the coupled armrest assembly to be adjusted in the fore and aft directions, but inhibiting torque motions of the armrest assembly up and down or side to side relative to the fore and aft directions.

14. The work machine vehicle of claim 13, and further comprising first and second armrest brackets, each of the first and second armrest brackets fixedly mounting one of the first and second armrest assemblies to the structure of the seat.

15. The work machine vehicle of claim 14, wherein each torque inhibiting mechanisms comprises:

a slot formed in one of the armrest brackets;

an aperture formed in one of the armrest assemblies;

a spacer positioned in the slot such that the spacer can slide in the slot in the fore and aft directions;

first and second washers positioned on opposite sides of the spacer; and

a fastener extending through the aperture, the spacer positioned in the slot, and the first and second washers, the fastener coupling the one of armrest brackets, the one of the armrest assemblies, the spacer and the first and second washers together to allow fore and aft movement of the one of the armrest assemblies, but inhibiting torque motions of the armrest assembly up and down or side to side relative to the fore and aft directions.

16. The work machine vehicle of claim 13, wherein the vehicle controls comprise joystick vehicle controls.

17. The work machine vehicle of claim 16, wherein the vehicle comprises a loader.