Rollover protection system

• US 7,971,904 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2006
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: David, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Freedman; Laura
• Application Number:
  US11/471,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20070290493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 180/89.12, 280/756, 296/102, 296/190.03
• US Class Current: 280/756
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/13 Roll-over protection electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01

Abstract

A rollover protection system for an off road vehicle includes a pair of lower legs, each lower leg having an arced portion and a horizontal portion connected to the vehicle frame. The upper section of the rollover protection system is pivotably connected to the lower legs, so that it may pivot to a lowered position in which the upper section fits around the rear mounted engine and is within the rear dimensions of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A rollover protection system for a riding mower, comprising:

a pair of lower legs, each lower leg having an arced portion between an upright portion and a horizontal portion, with only the horizontal portion fixedly mounted to the riding mower;

an upper section connected to the lower legs and having a pair of upright portions and a cross bar;

wherein the upper section is pivotably connected to the lower legs; and

wherein the riding mower has a rear mounted engine, the upper section is pivotable to a lowered position in which the upright portions of the upper section are on each side of the rear mounted engine.

2. A rollover protection system for a riding mower, comprising:

a pair of lower legs, each lower leg having an arced portion between an upright portion and a horizontal portion, with only the horizontal portion fixedly mounted along a longitudinal frame member of the riding mower by a plurality of fasteners; and

an upper section connected to the lower legs and having a pair of upright portions and a cross bar;

wherein the upper section is pivotably connected to the lower legs; and

wherein the upper section is pivotable to a lowered position such that the cross bar is below the horizontal portion of the lower legs.

3. A rollover protection system for a riding mower comprising:

a pair of bent tubular steel lower legs, each leg being a one-piece tubular steel member having a horizontal portion mounted parallel to a frame of the riding mower on either side of an operator station, a curved portion integral with the horizontal portion, and a plurality of fasteners extending horizontally between only the horizontal portion of the one-piece tubular steel member and the frame;

a tubular steel upper section pivotably connected to the lower legs and foldable to a lowered position.

4. The rollover protection system of claim 3 wherein the upper section is foldable to a lowered position within the dimensions of a rear end of the riding mower.

6. The rollover protection system of claim 3 wherein the upper section includes a pair of upright portions and a crossbar.

5. A rollover protection system for a riding mower comprising:

a pair of bent tubular steel lower legs, each leg having a horizontal portion mounted parallel to a frame of the riding mower on either side of an operator station, a curved portion integral with the horizontal portion, and a plurality of fasteners extending between only the horizontal portion and the frame;

a tubular steel upper section pivotably connected to the lower legs and foldable to a lowered position;

wherein the riding mower has an operator seat with a seat back, and the upper section is pivotably connected to the lower legs below the top of the seat back.

7. A rollover protection system for a riding mower comprising:

a pair of bent tubular steel lower legs, each leg having a horizontal portion mounted parallel to a frame of the riding mower on either side of an operator station, a curved portion integral with the horizontal portion, and a plurality of fasteners extending between only the horizontal portion and the frame;

a tubular steel upper section pivotably connected to the lower legs and foldable to a lowered position;

wherein the upper section includes a pair of upright portions and a crossbar; and

wherein the upper section is foldable to a lowered position in which the crossbar is below the horizontal portions of the lower legs.

8. A rollover protection system for a riding mower comprising:

a pair of bent tubular steel lower legs, each leg having a horizontal portion on either side of an operator station, a curved portion integral with the horizontal portion, and a plurality of fasteners extending between only the horizontal portion and the riding mower;

a tubular steel upper section pivotably connected to the lower legs and foldable to a lowered position;

wherein the upper section includes a pair of upright portions and a crossbar;

the riding mower having a rear mounted engine, and wherein the upright portions of the upper section are on each side of the rear mounted engine in the lowered position.

9. A rollover protection system for a riding mower comprising:

a pair of lower legs on each side of an operator station, each lower leg including a horizontal portion and an arced portion extending from the horizontal portion, and a plurality of fasteners securing only the horizontal portion to the riding mower;

an upper section pivotably connected to the lower legs with a pair of brackets, the upper section foldable to a lowered position around a rear mounted engine behind the operator station, the upper section including a crossbar below the lower legs in the lowered position.

10. The rollover protection system of claim 9 wherein the total length of the upper section is greater than the total combined lengths of the pair of lower legs.

11. The rollover protection system of claim 9 wherein the upper section has a pair of upright portions;

the measurement between at least part of the upright portions being greater than the width of the engine at the lowered position.

12. The rollover protection system of claim 9 wherein the lower legs are bent tubular steel.