Operator's cab for a work machine

• US 20050280286A1
• Filed: 12/09/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Baltes, Michael T., Menges, Ashley D., Brush, Jeffrey Alan, Kelley, Craig Baker
• Granted Patent: US 7,243,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/190.08
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0617 for tractors or off-the-road vehicles protective devices for drivers in case of overturning of tractors B60R21/131
• 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

Abstract

An operator'"'"'s cab for a work machine includes a ceiling structure and a floor structure. An operator'"'"'s station is disposed between the ceiling structure and the floor structure, and is configured to position an operator in a driving position. First and second vertical support bars extend from the ceiling structure to the floor structure. The first and second vertical support bars are disposed forwardly of the operator'"'"'s station and are spaced a substantially equal distance from a longitudinal axis of the work machine. Third and fourth vertical support bars also extend from the ceiling structure to the floor structure. The third and fourth vertical support bars are spaced a substantially equal distance from the longitudinal axis. The distance from the first and second vertical support bars to the longitudinal axis is less than the distance from the third and fourth vertical support bars to the longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. An operator'"'"'s cab for a work machine, comprising:

a ceiling structure;

a floor structure;

an operator'"'"'s station disposed between the ceiling structure and the floor structure, and configured to position an operator in a driving position;

first and second vertical support bars extending from the ceiling structure to the floor structure, the first and second vertical support bars being disposed forwardly of the operator'"'"'s station, and being spaced a substantially equal distance from a longitudinal axis of the work machine; and

third and fourth vertical support bars extending from the ceiling structure to the floor structure, the third and fourth vertical support bars being spaced a substantially equal distance from the longitudinal axis,

wherein the distance from the first and second vertical support bars to the longitudinal axis is less than the distance from the third and fourth vertical support bars to the longitudinal axis.

2. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 1, wherein the operator'"'"'s station is a seat, and wherein the third and fourth vertical support bars are disposed adjacent a front of the seat on opposing sides of the seat.

3. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 1, including fifth and sixth vertical support bars extending from the ceiling structure to the floor structure, the fifth and sixth vertical support bars being disposed at a rear of the cab and being spaced a substantially equal distance from the longitudinal axis,

wherein the distance from the first and second vertical support bars to the longitudinal axis is less than the distance from the fifth and sixth vertical support bars to the longitudinal axis.

4. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 1, including fifth and sixth vertical support bars extending from the ceiling structure to the floor structure, the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth vertical support bars defining a substantially rectangular shape, the operator'"'"'s station being substantially disposed within the rectangular shape.

5. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 1, including a door disposed in at least one of a first area between the first and third support bars and a second area between the second and fourth vertical support bars.

6. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 1, wherein the floor structure is beveled to be more narrow between the first and second vertical support bars than between the third and fourth vertical support bars.

7. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 1, wherein the first and second vertical support bars are disposed at an incline such that a top portion of the first and second vertical support bars is positioned farther away from the operator'"'"'s station than a bottom portion of the vertical support bars.

8. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 1, wherein an area between the first and third support bars and an area between the second and fourth vertical support bars is unobstructed by any other support bar.

9. An operator'"'"'s cab for a work machine, comprising:

a ceiling structure;

a floor structure;

a first and a second vertical support bar extending between the ceiling structure and the floor structure;

an operator'"'"'s station in the operator'"'"'s cab configured to position an operator in a driving position, a central region of the operator'"'"'s station defining an index axis extending substantially perpendicular to a seating area of the operator'"'"'s station;

a first index angle defined between a longitudinal axis of the work machine and a line extending from the index axis to the first vertical support bar; and

a second index angle defined between the longitudinal axis and a line extending from the index axis to the second vertical support bar,

wherein the first vertical support bar is disposed such that the first index angle is less than about 30 degrees, and wherein the second vertical support bar is disposed such that the second index angle is greater than about 70 degrees, and wherein the difference between the first index angle and the second index angle defines a viewing angle, the viewing angle being unobstructed by a vertical support bar.

10. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 9, wherein the first vertical support bar is disposed such that the first index angle is less than about 20 degrees.

11. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 9, wherein the first vertical support bar is disposed such that the first index angle is less than about 15 degrees.

12. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 9, wherein the first vertical support bar is disposed such that the first index angle is less than about 10 degrees and wherein the second vertical support bar is disposed such that the second index angle is greater than about 80 degrees.

13. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 9, wherein the operator'"'"'s station is a seat having a front edge, and wherein the second vertical support bar is disposed rearward of the seat front edge.

14. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 9, wherein a door is disposed within the viewing angle.

15. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 9, wherein the floor structure is beveled so that a portion of the floor structure in front of the operator'"'"'s station is more narrow than a portion of floor structure behind the operator'"'"'s station.

16. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 9, wherein a cross-section of at least one of the first and second vertical support bars includes a trapezoidal cross-section.

17. The operator'"'"'s cab of claim 9, wherein the first vertical support bar is disposed at an incline such that a top portion of the first vertical support bar is positioned farther away from the operator'"'"'s station than a bottom portion of the first vertical support bar.

18. A motor grader, comprising:

a front frame;

a rear frame disposed adjacent the front frame;

an operator'"'"'s cab disposed on the front frame, the operator'"'"'s cab including a ceiling structure, a floor structure, a first vertical support bar, and a second vertical support bar, the first and second vertical support bars extending between the ceiling structure and the floor structure; and

an operator'"'"'s station in the operator'"'"'s cab configured to position an operator in a driving position, a central region of the operator'"'"'s station defining an index axis extending substantially perpendicular to a seating area of the operator'"'"'s station;

a first index angle defined between a longitudinal axis of the motor grader and a line extending from the index axis to the first vertical support bar; and

a second index angle defined between the longitudinal axis and a line extending from the index axis to the second vertical support bar,

wherein the first vertical support bar is disposed such that the first index angle is less than about 30 degrees, and wherein the second vertical support bar is disposed such that the second index angle is greater than about 70 degrees, and wherein the difference between the first index angle and the second index angle defines a viewing angle, the viewing angle being unobstructed by a vertical support bar.

19. The motor grader of claim 18, wherein the first vertical support bar is disposed such that the first index angle is less than about 15 degrees.

20. The motor grader of claim 18, wherein the first vertical support bar is disposed such that the first index angle is less than about 10 degrees and wherein the second vertical support bar is disposed such that the second index angle is greater than about 80 degrees.

21. The motor grader of claim 18, wherein the operator'"'"'s station is a seat having a front edge, and wherein the second vertical support bar is disposed rearward of the seat front edge.

22. A motor grader, comprising:

an operator'"'"'s cab having a ceiling structure and a floor structure;

a chair disposed in the operator'"'"'s cab and configured to position an operator in a driving position;

a blade disposed forward of the operator'"'"'s cab; and

front vertical support bars extending from the ceiling structure to the floor structure, the front vertical support bars being disposed forwardly of the chair, and being spaced a substantially equal distance from a longitudinal axis of the motor grader, the front vertical support bars being configured to render both edges of the blade visible to an operator seated in the chair.

23. The motor grader of claim 22, including front wheels, the front vertical support bars being configured to render at least a portion of the front wheels visible to an operator seated in the chair.