WO2006095239A1

WO2006095239A1 - Stabilizing device for a heavy work vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2006095239A1
Application number: PCT/IB2006/000487
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stefano Baiardo
Original assignee: Stefano Baiardo
Priority date: 2005-03-08
Filing date: 2006-03-07
Publication date: 2006-09-14
Also published as: ATE469096T1; EP1861330A1; EP1861330B1; DE602006014515D1; ITUD20050033A1

Abstract

Stabilizing device (10) for a heavy work vehicle (11) provided with a supporting frame (16) having at least an upper element (22) and a lower element (23) substantially parallel to each other. The device (10) comprises a plurality of stabilizing arms (17, 19) disposed between the upper element (22) and the lower element (23), and pivoted to the upper and lower elements (22, 23) around a vertical axis of rotation (X). Each of the stabilizing arms (17, 19) comprises at least an upper wall (36) pivoted by means of a first pin (25) to the upper element (22) and a lower wall (37) pivoted by means of a second pin (26) to the lower element (23). Each pin (25, 26) is associated with retaining means (27, 29, 30) which keep with a determinate pressure the upper wall (36) in contact with the upper element (22) and the lower wall (37) in contact with the lower element (23).

Description

"STABILIZING DEVICE FOR A HEAVY WORK VEHICLE"

* * * * *

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a stabilizing device to stabilize, with respect to the ground or to the road surface, a heavy work vehicle, such as for example a truck on which a concrete mixer is mounted, a pumpmixer or other equipment for the building sector. To be more exact, the stabilizing device according to the present invention comprises a plurality of stabilizing arms pivoted to the frame of the truck, and selectively rotatable on a substantially horizontal plane so as to be disposed radially in order to ensure the stability of the vehicle during its operating steps. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heavy work vehicles are known, used in the building sector, normally consisting of a lorry or truck, on which one or more building devices are installed, such as for example pumpmixers, concrete pumps or others. It is also known that the truck usually comprises a stabilizing device consisting of four stabilizing arms, each of which is pivoted, around a substantially vertical axis of rotation, to respective lateral elements, upper and lower, of a frame of the truck. To be more exact, the stabilizing arms can be of the telescopic type and are hollow inside in order to allow actuator members to be housed inside them, so as to effect the selective extension thereof. Each of the telescopic arms is pivoted to the frame by means of two cylindrical pins disposed coaxial to the axis of rotation, inserted rotatably on opposite sides in the relative arm, and attached to the respective upper and lower lateral elements . In this way, each arm is pivoted above the upper lateral profile, and below the lower lateral profile.

The arms can thus be selectively rotated on a substantially horizontal plane so as to be taken between an inactive position, wherein they allow the heavy vehicle to be moved on the road, and a working position, wherein they are disposed radially, and contact the ground or road surface, with their supporting feet, in order to keep the heavy vehicle stable during the operating steps of its building equipment.

One of the main disadvantages of known stabilizing devices, having two cylindrical pins coaxial with the axis of rotation, is that when the arms are in the work position, the vertical components of the reaction forces that develop on each of them due to the fact that the equipment is working, are applied mainly on the pin attached to the upper lateral profile.

However, this mechanical distribution of the components of the forces determines a greater stress on the structure in correspondence with the upper pin, which all alone has to support the vertical load, thus making a structural oversizing necessary.

This oversizing of the parts, however, entails an increase in the times and costs of production, and also in the overall bulk of the vehicle, with possible limitations to its free circulation on the road.

One purpose of the present invention is to achieve a stabilizing device for a heavy work vehicle which, apart from guaranteeing the necessary stable positioning of the heavy vehicle during the steps when its equipment is operating, allows to reduce the times and costs of production, and also the overall structural bulk. The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the main claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea. In accordance with the above purpose, a stabilizing device for a heavy work vehicle according to the present invention comprises a plurality of stabilizing arms pivoted around a substantially vertical axis of rotation, between an upper element and a lower element, substantially parallel to each other, of the supporting frame of the heavy work vehicle. To be more exact, each of the stabilizing arms comprises at least an upper wall pivoted by means of a first pin to the upper element, and a lower wall pivoted by means of a second pin to the lower element. According to a characteristic feature of the present invention, a retaining means is associated with each of the pins, which allows to keep, with a determinate pressure, the upper wall in contact with the upper element and the lower wall in contact with the lower element. In this way, structural continuity is established between the relative stabilizing arm and the upper and lower element of the supporting frame, thus allowing to share the force components in a uniform and equivalent manner on both pins. Therefore, since the forces are shared in a uniform and equivalent manner on both pins, it is possible to provide reductions in the thickness and bulk of the supporting frame, especially in correspondence with the upper element, consequently reducing the overall bulk of the heavy- vehicle.

According to a preferential form of embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the stabilizing arms is of the telescopic type and consists of a plurality of tubular elements able to slide reciprocally between a packed position in which they are inside each other and occupy minimum bulk in length, and an extended position in which they are substantially following one after the other and occupy maximum bulk in length.

In this preferential embodiment, inside the tubular elements there is a telescopic actuator that actuates the passage between the packed position and the extended position. To be more exact, the telescopic actuator comprises a plurality of segments of rod reciprocally sliding with respect to each other, and each of which comprises an eyelet element connected mechanically to a corresponding tubular element. In this way it is possible to guide the passage of every single tubular element between the packed position and the extended position, reducing to a minimum the risk of malfunctions and blockages of the tubular elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a lateral view of a heavy work vehicle on which the stabilizing device according to the present invention is installed;

- fig. 2 is a view from above of the stabilizing device in fig. 1;

- fig. 3 is a lateral view of an enlarged and partly sectioned detail of the stabilizing device in fig. 1, in a first operating condition;

- fig. 4 is a section from IV to IV of fig. 3;

- fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of fig. 3; - fig. 6 is a view from above of an enlarged detail of fig. 3;

- fig. 7 is an enlarged view of fig. 3, in a second operating condition. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT With reference to fig. 1, a stabilizing device 10 according to the present invention is shown, able to stabilize with respect to the ground or road surface a heavy work vehicle 11, in this case provided with a distribution arm, also known as a placing boom, 12 for the casting of concrete during the construction of buildings.

The heavy vehicle 11 also comprises a truck 13 mobile on wheels 14 and provided with a cabin 15, a supporting frame 16 on which the distribution arm 12 is mounted.

The stabilizing device 10 comprises four stabilizing arms, respectively two front arms 17, telescopic, and two rear arms 19, normally extended, all of tubular shape and pivoted around a substantially horizontal axis of rotation X (fig. 2), along the sides of the frame 16.

To be more exact, the two front arms 17, telescopic, comprise a plurality of elements 18 (figs. 3 and 7) reciprocally sliding, to be positioned between a packed position (fig. 7), in which they one inside the other and occupy minimum bulk, and an extended position (fig. 3), in which they are disposed substantially one following after the other and occupy maximum possible bulk. Each of the elements 18 has at least an upper wall 36 and a lower wall 37, substantially parallel. The movement between the packed position and the extended position is effected by means of a telescopic actuator 24 of a substantially known type attached to the first element 18 by means of a pin 34.

In this case, the telescopic actuator 24 has a plurality of segments of rod 38 each of which is mechanically connected to a corresponding one of the elements 18 of the stabilizing arm 17, by means of respective eyelets 28, so that each of the elements 18 is moved individually and not drawn by the others, so as to reduce the risk of blockages.

As shown in fig. 2, an oil-dynamic actuator 20 is associated with each stabilizing arm 17, 19, and allows the rotation thereof on a substantially horizontal plane, between an inactive position, in which it is disposed inside the bulk of the frame 16, and a working position, shown by a line of dashes, in which it protrudes laterally from the frame 16 and contacts the ground with its supporting feet 21, in order to partly lift the wheels 14 and stabilize the position of the heavy vehicle 11.

For simplicity of description, fig. 3 shows the pivoting system of one of the two front arms 17 of the telescopic type, but it must be understood that the system can be referred in the same way also to the two rear arms 19.

As shown, the frame 16 comprises laterally an upper plate 22 and a lower plate 23, substantially parallel and distanced so as to allow to house the front arm 17 inside them.

To be more exact, the front arm 17 is pivoted with the upper wall 36 of its first element 18 to the upper plate 22 by means of an upper pin 25, and with the lower wall 37 of its first element 18 to the lower plate 23 by means of a lower pin 26.

The upper pin 25 and the lower pin 26 are identical and, as shown in fig. 5 with reference to the upper pin 25, each of them comprises, starting from the lower end, an abutment wall 27 substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation X, and a circumferential housing seating 29 in which a pincer plate 30 is able to be disposed (fig. 6); the latter is provided with an attachment notch 31 which allows it to cooperate with the circumferential seating 29.

The abutment wall 27 (figs 3 and 4) contacts an inner surface 32 relatively of the upper wall 36, or the lower wall 37, while the circumferential seating 29 is disposed outside the relative upper plate 22 or lower plate 23. The cooperation between the circumferential seatings 29 of the two pins 25 or 26 with the relative pincer plates 30 determines an axial traction towards the outside of both pins 25 or 26, so that the relative abutment walls 27 adhere with pressure to the inner surface 32. This pressure determines the adherence, respectively, between the upper wall 36 and the upper plate 22, and between the lower wall 37 and the lower plate 23, so as to define a structural continuity of the stabilizing arm 17, 19 with the two upper 22 and lower 23 plates of the frame 16, and thus give the advantage of a uniform distribution of the force components .

As shown in fig. 3 and in the section in fig. 4, the same force components in play act on both pins 25 and 26 and on the plates 22 and 23 of the frame 16; the forces are shown with black arrows, and have substantially the same intensity, thus allowing a constant and uniform wear of the parts, and do not need any oversizing.

Advantageously, between each pincer plate 30 and the upper surface of the respective upper plate 22, or lower plate 23, an axial brass 33 is provided, whereas between each pin 25, 26 and the relative stabilizing arm 17, 19 a radial brass 35 is provided. In this way, the sliding of the parts is facilitated during the rotation of the arm 17 between the inactive position and the working position.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the device 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

For example, it comes within the field of the invention to provide that threaded clamping means can be provided instead of the pincer plate 30, or other means able to keep the upper wall 36 in contact with the upper plate 22, and the lower wall in contact with the lower plate 23, fractioning the relative pins 25 and 26 axially.

It also comes within the field of the invention to provide that ball bearings, roller bearings or other types can be provided instead of the axial brasses 33 and the radial brasses 35, depending on structural requirements.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of stabilizing device, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

Claims

1. Stabilizing device for a heavy work vehicle (11) provided with a supporting frame (16) having at least an upper element (22) and a lower element (23) substantially parallel to each other, said device comprising a plurality of stabilizing arms (17, 19) disposed between said upper element (22) and said lower element (23), and pivoted to said upper and lower elements (22, 23) around a vertical axis of rotation (X), wherein each of said stabilizing arms (17, 19) comprises at least an upper wall (36) pivoted by means of a first pin (25) to said upper element (22) and a lower wall (37) pivoted by means of a second pin (26) to said lower element (23), characterized in that retaining means (27, 29, 30) is associated with each of said pins (25, 26) to keep with a determinate pressure said upper wall (36) in contact with said upper element (22) and said lower wall (37) in contact with said lower element (23).

2. Device as in claim 1, characterized in that said retaining means comprises: an abutment wall (27) substantially perpendicular to said axis of rotation (X) and able to contact an inner surface (32) of the relative upper wall (36) or lower wall (37); a housing seating (29) able to be disposed outside the relative upper wall (36) or lower wall (37); and clamping means (30) able to cooperate with said housing seating (29) in order to exert an axial traction of the relative upper pin (25) or lower pin (26), and to maintain said abutment wall (27) pushed against the respective inner surfaces (32).

3. Device as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one of said stabilizing arms (17) is of the telescopic type and comprises a plurality of tubular elements (18) able to slide with respect to each other and able to be positioned between a packed position in which said tubular elements (18) are one inside the other and occupy minimum bulk in length, and an extended position in which said tubular elements (18) are substantially following one after the other and occupy maximum bulk in length.

4. Device as in claim 3, characterized in that it also comprises a telescopic actuator (24) disposed inside said tubular elements (18) and able to determine the passage of said tubular elements (18) between said packed position and said extended position.

5. Device as in claim 4, wherein said telescopic actuator (24) comprises a plurality of segments of rod (38) reciprocally sliding with respect to each other, characterized in that each of said segments of rod (38) comprises at least an eyelet element (28) connected mechanically with a corresponding one of said tubular elements (18) .

6. Device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it also comprises a plurality of linear actuators (20) associated with each of said stabilizing arms (17, 19) in order to rotate said stabilizing arms (17, 19) around said axis of rotation (X) between an inactive position substantially comprised in the bulk of said supporting frame (16) and a working position at least partly protruding from said supporting frame (16).

7. Device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it also comprises a plurality of sliding means (33, 35) disposed in cooperation with said pins (25, 26) or with said retaining means (27, 29, 30), in order to facilitate the rotation of each of said stabilizing arms (17, 19) with respect to said supporting frame (16).