WO2010030888A2

WO2010030888A2 - Lift arm and machine equipped with the lift arm

Info

Publication number: WO2010030888A2
Application number: PCT/US2009/056672
Authority: WO
Inventors: Karthik Kaliappan; Jagadesan Ramamoorthy
Original assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
Priority date: 2008-09-12
Filing date: 2009-09-11
Publication date: 2010-03-18
Also published as: WO2010030888A3; CN101672047A

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a lift arm and a machine equipped with the lift arm. The lift arm (1) includes a first arm (2) and a second arm (3), on which deflecting plates (5, 6) are respectively disposed.

Description

LIFT ARM AND MACHINE EQUIPPED WITH THE LIFT ARM

Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a lift arm and a machine equipped with the lift arm.

Background

In an existing machine, for example a loader and in particular a backhoe loader (BHL), loadings in a loader bucket may spill out of the bucket during the loading operation due to various reasons when the loader bucket is in a raised position, for example spilling due to overload or shake. In this case, the spilled loadings may fall onto the cab or the engine, thus damaging cab components or the engine and other parts of the machine. In particular, the guide function of the lift arm per se will aggravate the falling of loadings toward the cab.

Summary of the Disclosure

An object of the present disclosure is to overcome the above problems existing in the known loaders and to provide a lift arm which may prevent loadings spilled out of a bucket from falling on a cab or an engine, thus effectively preventing damages to the operator and apparatuses. The present disclosure further provides a machine equipped with the lift arm, in particular a loader.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a lift arm of a machine is provided, having a first arm and a second arm, characterized in that deflecting plates are respectively provided on the first arm and the second arm. In an embodiment, the first arm and the second arm are configured to attach pivotably to a machine body at one end thereof and to attach pivotably to a loading bucket at the other end thereof.

In an embodiment, the first arm and the second arm comprise bending portions respectively, and the deflecting plates are respectively disposed at the side of the bending portions close to the loading bucket.

Preferably, the deflecting plates are designed to make the spilled loadings divert to the outside of the machine. In a preferable embodiment, the deflecting plates are arranged to slant, i.e. obtuse angles are respectively formed between the deflecting plates and portions of the first arm and the second arm close to the loading bucket.

In an embodiment, the deflecting plates per se are formed in a "T" shape.

In an embodiment, the deflecting plates are respectively welded to the first arm and the second arm.

In an embodiment, a connecting rod is disposed between the first arm and the second arm.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a machine equipped with the lift arm having various features mentioned above or the combination thereof is provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The objectives and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent with reference to the accompanying figures illustrating the preferable embodiments, wherein: Fig. 1 schematically shows a machine equipped with a lift arm according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

Fig. 2 schematically shows a lift arm according to an embodiment;

Fig. 3 is a side view of a lift arm according to an embodiment; Fig. 4 is a top view of a lift arm;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a deflecting plate according to an embodiment; and

Fig. 6 is a dimensional diagram of a deflecting plate according to an embodiment.

Detailed Description of the Embodiments

In the accompanying drawings, the same reference signs indicate the same components.

In Fig. 1, there is shown a lift arm 1 mounted on a machine according to an embodiment, which is in a raised position. The lift arm 1 is employed to pivotably manipulate a loading bucket. Specific structures of an exemplary lift arm 1 will be described in details below.

Referring to Fig. 2, a lift arm 1 includes a first arm 2 and a second arm 3 both extending out of a machine body. In the lift arms shown in Figs. 2-4, through-holes are respectively provided on both ends of the first arm 2 and the second arm 3. By virtue of through-holes at the left ends of the arms, the first arm 2 and the second arm 3 may be pivotably attached to the machine body, and such attachment allows the upward and downward rotation of the lift arm 1 having the first arm 2 and the second arm 3. By virtue of the through-holes at the right ends of the arms, the first arm 2 and the second arm 3 may be pivotably attached to a loading bucket. It should be noted that "left" and "right" mentioned herein are defined by reference to the orientations in the drawings.

The first arm 2 and the second arm 3 are both bent arms as shown in Fig. 2, wherein the first arm 2 has a bending portion 21 and the second arm 3 has a bending portion 31. Generally, the first arm 2 and the second arm 3 are not parallel, but arranged in a structure as shown in Fig. 4, i.e. the distance between the two arms increases from the machine body to the loading bucket. Of course, such structure is not one and only, and the -A-

first arm 2 and the second arm 3 may also be arranged in parallel. Besides, to improve the structural strength of the lift arm 1 and facilitate driving of the first arm 2 and the second arm 3, a connecting rod 4 is typically disposed between the first arm 2 and the second arm 3 at a position between the above bending portions and the loading bucket. Certainly, one or more connecting rod(s) 4 may also be disposed at other suitable position(s).

During loading operation, particularly when the loading bucket is in a lifted position, loadings in the bucket generally may spill out due to various reasons. Such spilled loadings may often fall onto the cab or engine, thus causing risk to the cab, the operator therein and the engine. To avoid or decrease to the utmost the occurrence of the above situation, the present disclosure provides a deflecting plate 5 on the first arm 2 and a deflecting plate 6 on the second arm 3, thereby the spilled loadings from the loading bucket are guided to sides when bumping onto the deflecting plates, thus falling off outside of the cab and machine body.

Preferably, the deflecting plates 5 and 6 are respectively disposed at the side of the bending portions 21 and 31 close to the loading bucket side, as shown in Figs. 1-4. In the figures, there are only exemplarily shown positions of the deflecting plates 5 and 6, but it should be understood that the positions are not one and only, and the figures are not drawn strictly according to dimensional proportion. By virtue of the deflecting plates 5 and 6, the spilled loadings from the loading bucket may be barred from falling on the cab and engine, meanwhile not affecting the operator's sight.

Preferably, to make the loadings barred by the deflecting plates 5 and 6 fall outside of the machine, the deflecting plates 5 and 6 are generally configured to guide the loadings outside of the machine. According to an embodiment, deflecting plates are arranged to slant outwardly, which means, the respective angles G₁ and θ₂ formed by the deflecting plates 6 and 5 relative to the portions of the arms close to the bucket are obtuse angles, as shown in Fig. 4. Thus it may easily guarantee the diversion of the loadings falling on the deflecting plates 5 and 6 to both sides of the machine. The angles G₁ and θ₂ may either be different or identical. Of course, the orientations of deflecting plates 5 and 6 are not limited to the above mentioned, and the angles θ 1 and Θ2 may be either right angles or acute angles, as long as it is enough to make the loadings barred from falling onto the cab or engine.

Figs. 5 and 6 show schematically a deflecting plate 5. The deflecting plate 5 is formed in a "T" shape and mounted by for example welding to the arm through a vertical portion 7 thereof. Referring to Fig. 6, the "T"-shaped deflecting plate 5 has a symmetrical structure, and the length Li of the top of "T" shape may be twice of the length L₂ of the vertical portion 7. In order to facilitate the installation and guarantee the diversion, the height hi of the top may be greater than the height h₂ of the vertical portion 7. It should be understood that the size and shape in the figures are totally exemplary, not restrictive. The shape and size of the deflecting plates may be designed in consideration of the structure of the lift arm so as to facilitate installation. For example, the deflecting plate may be rectangular or round or in any usable shape, even in a curved shape. It may also be attached to the arms by means of bolts, riveting or any other ways conceivable by the skilled in the art. It should also be understood that the shape and size of deflecting plates 5 and 6 may be either identical or different respectively.

The above description is only directed against the circumstance that the lift arm is a bent arm. It should be appreciated that the principle of the present disclosure may still apply to the circumstance that the lift arm has no bending portion. That is to say, the deflecting plate according to the present disclosure may be mounted on a lift arm having no bending portion to prevent the spilled loadings from falling onto the cab and engine. If the lift arm has no bending portion or a lift arm with the bending portions is not arranged as shown in the figures, the deflecting plate does not have to be close to the loading bucket.

Industrial Applicability

During the operating process of a machine equipped with a lift arm, its loading bucket constantly rises and descends, and during the moving process, the fully-loaded loading bucket may have the operation of transverse moving. Those operations may cause loadings to be spilled out of the loading bucket.

The present disclosure provides deflecting plates on the first arm and second arm of the lift arm, and loadings spilled out of the loading bucket are diverted when bumping onto the deflecting plates, thus are guided outside of the machine. Particularly, by virtue of the slanting arrangements of the deflecting plates on the lift arm, loadings are enabled to be diverted to the outside of the machine once bumping onto the deflecting plates, thus are prevented them from falling onto the cab or engine. It further effectively prevents damages to the operator and apparatuses.

Such deflecting plates may be disposed on a bent lift arm, or on a straight lift arm. In fact, such deflecting plates may be applied to a lift arm in any shape. The purpose of arranging deflecting plates close to the loading bucket is to enable the spilled loadings from the loading bucket to bump onto the deflecting plates as early as possible and divert and fall outside of the machine, so as to avoid that the loadings escape from the lift arm before bumping onto the deflecting plates and then fall onto the cab or other important parts of the machine. The deflecting plates 5 or 6 are not limited within the width of the first arm or the second arm of the lift arm. The deflecting plates may extend a suitable length beyond the arms, and may even be connected together, thus barring the fallen loadings.

The above description on the present disclosure is only for illustrative, not for restrictive purposes, and any changes and variations derived from the principle of the present disclosure fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

Cl aims

1. A lift arm (1) of a machine, comprising a first arm (2) and a second arm (3), characterized in that deflecting plates (5, 6) are respectively disposed on said first arm (2) and said second arm (3).

2. The lift arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, said first arm (2) and said second arm (3) are configured to attach pivotably to a machine body at one end thereof and to attach pivotably to a loading bucket at the other end thereof.

3. The lift arm according to claim 2, characterized in that, said first arm (2) and said second arm (3) comprise bending portions (21, 31) respectively, and said deflecting plates (5, 6) are respectively disposed at the side of said bending portions (21, 31) close to the loading bucket.

4. The lift arm according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, obtuse angles are respectively formed between said deflecting plates (5, 6) and portions of said first arm (2) and said second arm (3) close to said loading bucket.

5. The lift arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, said deflecting plates (5, 6) per se are formed in a "T" shape.

6. The lift arm according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, said deflecting plates (5, 6) are respectively welded to said first arm (2) and said second arm (3).

7. The lift arm according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, a connecting rod (4) is disposed between said first arm (2) and said second arm (3).

8. A machine having the lift arm of any one of claims 1 to

7.