WO2016113466A1

WO2016113466A1 - Construction machine and cabin of construction machine

Info

Publication number: WO2016113466A1
Application number: PCT/FI2016/050012
Authority: WO
Inventors: Reijo SAUKKO
Original assignee: Saukko Reijo
Priority date: 2015-01-13
Filing date: 2016-01-12
Publication date: 2016-07-21
Also published as: FI126801B; EP3245119A4; EP3245119A1; FI20155021A

Abstract

The invention relates to a road-legal construction machine (1), which comprises a carriage (3) supported by wheels provided with tyres (2), and a cabin (4) provided with a steering wheel and having its inside laterally extending over the top surface of the tyres (2). The cabin (4) has a first cross-sectional area (A) in the horizontal direction at a first distance from the bottom (6) of the cabin (4) between the wheels, and a second cross-sectional area (B) in the horizontal direction at a second distance from the bottom at the same level as or above the top surface (2a) of the tyre (2). The bottom (6) of the cabin (4) has a mounting (5, 18) allowing the rotation of the cabin (4) and for mounting to the carriage (3), and the first cross-sectional area (A) of the cabin (4) is smaller than the second cross-sectional area (B). The invention also relates to a cabin provided with a steering wheel.

Description

CONSTRUCTION MACHINE AND CABIN OF CONSTRUCTION MACHINE

Background of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a road-legal construction machine comprising a carriage supported by wheels provided with tyres, and a cabin provided with a steering wheel. The inside of the cabin extends over the top surface of the tyres in its lateral direction. The cabin has a first cross-sectional area in the horizontal direction at a first distance from the bottom of the cabin between the wheels, and a second cross-sectional area in the horizontal direction at a second distance from the bottom at the same level as or above the top surface of the tyre. The invention additionally relates to a cabin provided with a steering wheel and having a first cross-sectional area in the horizontal direction at a first distance from its bottom, and a second cross-sectional area in the horizontal direction at a second distance from its bottom, the second distance being larger than the first distance.

[0002] The construction machine described in the above is usually used in property maintenance tasks, such as lawn mowing, spreading of soil, or snow ploughing. The problem is that the construction machine needs to be used in cramped places and placed with other activities, or pedestrians, for example. In such cases, good visibility is needed out of the cabin in order to avoid danger situations.

[0003] An option to improve visibility and also working efficiency is to arrange the cabin to rotate, but in a construction machine having the inside of the cabin extending laterally over the top surface of the tyres, the rotation of the cabin is impossible to arrange with the current structure.

Brief description of the invention

[0004] It is thus an object of the invention to develop a construction machine so as to solve the aforementioned problems. The object of the invention is reached by means of a construction machine and cabin, which are characterised in that the bottom of the cabin has a mounting allowing the rotation of the cabin and for mounting to the carriage, and the first cross-sectional area of the cabin is smaller than the second cross-sectional area. Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims. [0005] The benefit of the construction machine according to the invention is that a rotating cabin allows good visibility out of the cabin, efficient working, and an ergonomic working position under all circumstances. There is no need to reverse the construction machine, but the cabin may be turned and driven forward. Rotation is made possible by the first cross-sectional area of the cabin being smaller than the second cross-sectional area. With such a shape of the lower part of the cabin, the maximum amount of space in the lower part of the cabin is achieved. In addition, the center of gravity of the cabin will be located lower.

[0006] The portion between the tyres in the construction machine according to the invention becomes narrower towards the carriage so that turning the cabin is possible. The lower part of the cabin may have the shape of a cut cone, opening upward, or a cut pyramid, opening upward.

[0007] Between the cabin and the carriage there is a mounting piece that has a turning mechanism. The turning mechanism makes it possible to turn the cabin by a motor connected to the turning mechanism, for example. The position of the cabin is monitored by data obtained from a sensor. A control system controls operations based on the data, whereby when the cabin is turned in the opposite direction, the operation of the front and rear lights and the left and right of the turn-signal lights on the chassis of the construction machine, when compared to the normal position, are taken into account and reversed.

[0008] The construction machine according to the invention may have brakes so that there are separate left and right pedals. When driving in a first direction and the first (right-hand side) brake pedal is pressed, the brakes of the wheel (the brakes at the front, rear, or both) on the right are activated, and correspondingly when the second brake pedal (on the left side) is pressed, the brakes of the wheel on the left-hand side are activated (the brakes at the front, rear, or both). The construction machine may thus be turned while driving, if brakes are applied unevenly.

[0009] When driving in a second direction with the cabin turned (here, the direction of view is as per the first direction), and the first (right-hand side) brake pedal is pressed, the brakes of the wheel (the brakes at the front, rear, or both) on the left are activated, and correspondingly when the second brake pedal (on the left side) is pressed, the brakes of the wheel on the right- hand side are activated (the brakes at the front, rear, or both). Often, the left and right pedals are placed side-by-side.

[0010] The construction machine according to the invention is road- legal, in other words, it complies with the legal requirements for driving on a public road. This is of importance in premises maintenance tasks so that it is possible to go from one site to the next.

Brief description of the figures

[0011] The invention will now be described in greater detail in the context of preferred embodiments and with reference to the attached drawings, of which:

[0012] Figure 1 a shows a cross section of the construction machine according to the invention;

[0013] Figure 1 b shows the construction machine according to the invention from behind;

[0014] Figure 1 c shows a cross section of the construction machine according to the invention at the top level of the tyres;

[0015] Figures 2a to 3a are cross-sectional views of the construction machine according to the invention in its longitudinal direction;

[0016] Figures 2b and 3b show a cross section of the construction machine according to the invention at the top level of the tyres;

[0017] Figures 2c to 3c are cross-sectional views of the construction machine according to the invention in its lateral direction;

[0018] Figure 4a shows the construction machine according to the invention from the front;

[0019] Figure 4a shows the construction machine according to the invention as seen from behind;

[0020] Figures 5a - 6c show the lights arrangement of a construction machine according to the invention;

[0021] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of mounting the cabin to a mounting piece.

Detailed description of the invention [0022] Figure 1 a shows a cross section of the construction machine according to the invention; A construction machine 1 comprises a carriage 3 supported by tyres 2. A cabin 4 is mounted, by its bottom 6, to the carriage 3 by a mounting 5 arranged to rotate. As shown in Figure 1 b, the inside of the cabin 4 extends laterally over the top surface 2a of the tyres 2. The first cross- sectional area A is at a first distance from the bottom 6 of the cabin between the wheels 2, at a place shown in Figure 1 b, for example. The second cross- sectional area B is at a second distance from the bottom at the top level 2a of the tyre 2, or above it, at the place shown in Figure 1 b, for example. When the lower part 7 of the cabin 4 becomes wider in the upward direction, the first cross-sectional area A of the cabin 4 is smaller than the second cross- sectional area B of the cabin 4. Such a structure for the lower part 7 allows the cabin 4 to rotate around the mounting 5. Between the cross-sectional areas A and B, a wall 8 of the cabin 4 may be, for example, of the shape of a cut cone opening upward, or a cut pyramid opening upward. It is additionally possible that the wall 8 of the cabin 4 is shaped in such a manner that its rotation is possible between the tyres 2, but the space in question is maximally utilized whereby the shape of the cabin wall may be more irregular than set forth in the above.

[0023] Figures 2a - 3c show the operation of the construction machine 1 according to the invention. In Figures 2a - 2c, the direction of travel of the construction machine is according to the arrow shown in Figure 2a, whereby a steering wheel 9 is in front of a seat 10 in the direction of travel. In Figures 3a - 3c, the direction of travel of the construction machine 1 is according to the arrow shown in Figure 3a, so in this case the cabin 4 has been rotated by 180° so that the steering wheel 9 is still in front of the seat 10 in the direction of travel.

[0024] Figures 4a and 4b illustrate lights arrangements 1 1 and 12 of the construction machine 1 . The front and rear of the construction machine 1 have identical rows of lights: front lights 13, rear lights 14, and turn-signal lights 15. When the cabin 4 of the construction machine 1 is turned in the opposite direction, the driving direction of the construction machine 1 changes and the lights arrangement is arranged to be controlled in accordance with the data that it receives from the control system on the direction of the cabin 4. In other words, the front lights 13 are arranged to operate when the end containing the front lights 13 is ahead. The operation of the rear lights 14 is similarly ar- ranged. The operation of the turn-signal lights 15 is so arranged that they always work the right way from the construction machine operator's viewpoint, even if the direction of travel of the construction machine 1 had changed.

[0025] Figures 5a - 6c show the lights arrangement of the construction machine 1. Figures 5a and 6a show an arrow to represent the driving direction at any one time. The driving lights 16 turn with the cabin 4. At the rear of the cabin 4, there are the turn-signal lights 17.

[0026] Figure 7 shows the mounting of the cabin 4 to the carriage 3. The mounting of the cabin 4 to the carriage 3 is implemented with a mounting piece 18, which comprises a fixed portion 19 mounted to the carriage 3, and a mounting 5 arranged to rotate, which in the case of Figure 7 is a flange arranged to rotate. Between the fixed portion 19 mounted to the carriage 3 and the mounting 5 arranged to rotate there is typically a bearing and a flange structure which prevents the cabin from disengaging, wobbling, and tilting. The portion 19 and/or mounting 5 advantageously also feature gears, whereby the cabin may be turned by a motor connected to the gears. Hydraulic and control cables 20 enter from the middle of the mounting piece 18. Gear levers (not shown in the figure) may be mechanically connected straight to the gearbox, or they may be electrically controlled. The cabin 4 is turned by means of the mounting 5 arranged to rotate, and to turn the cabin 4, the structure includes a motor which has a rotating mechanism to the gears in the flange. The mounting piece 18 also has a turning recognition sensor 21 . The sensor 21 recognises when the cabin has been turned in the opposite direction, whereby the control system reverses the operation of the various actuators. The operation of the actuators may be arranged to be reversed when the cabin 4 has turned by more than 100°, for example. In other words, the cabin 4 may be turned in the transverse direction without the actuators being reversed. The control system reverses the functioning of the controls, such as the brake that has a separate control for each side, and the steering wheel, so that when the steering wheel is turned left, for example, the construction machine turns left. In the different positions of the cabin, the turning wheels of the construction machine may be at the front or back in relation to travel. By means of the arrangement, the construction machine operator need not take this into account. The control system in addition reverses the rear and back lights of the driving lights. The driving direction is taken into account in the control of the turn-signal lights. The mount- ing piece 18 has structures for the pedals, seat, steering wheel and controls, or they may be mounted to the cabin.

[0027] It is possible to mount a cabin structure with a safety glass to the edge of the top part of the mounting piece 18, which further enhances visibility out of the cabin. On top of the mounting piece 18 there is a bottom structure, which may be a fibreglass structure. The bottom structure forms the floor and bottom of the cabin and covers the flange and the rest of the mounting area. There may also be a shield at the bottom of the cabin, covering the opening of the hydraulic and control cables and the rotating mechanism. The shield material may be polyvinyl chloride (PVC), fibreglass, or curved sheet metal.

[0028] It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that as technology advances, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in many different ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not restricted to the examples described above but may vary within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A road-legal construction machine (1), which comprises a carriage (3) supported by wheels provided with tyres (2), and a cabin (4) provided with a steering wheel, the inside of the cabin extending over the top surface of the tyres (2) in its lateral direction, the cabin (4) having a first cross-sectional area (A) in the horizontal direction at a first distance from the bottom (6) of the cabin (4) between the wheels, and a second cross-sectional area (B) in the horizontal direction at a second distance from the bottom at the same level as or above the top surface (2a) of the tyre (2), characterised in that the bottom (6) of the cabin (4) has a mounting (5, 18) allowing the rotation of the cabin (4) and mounting to the carriage (3), and the first cross-sectional area (A) of the cabin (4) is smaller than the second cross-sectional area (B).

2. A construction machine as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the lower part (7) of the cabin (4) has the shape of a cut cone, opening upward, between the first cross-sectional area (A) and the second cross-sectional area (B).

3. A construction machine as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the lower part (7) of the cabin (4) has the shape of a cut pyramid, opening upward, between the first cross-sectional area (A) and the second cross-sectional area (B).

4. A construction machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises, between the cabin (4) and the carriage (3), a mounting piece (18) that has a mounting (5) arranged to rotate.

5. A construction machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the mounting piece (18) has a sensor (21 ) arranged to send data on the position of the cabin (4) to the control system of the construction machine (1).

6. A construction machine as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the control system of the construction machine (1 ) is arranged to adjust the actuators of the construction machine (1) based on the data obtained from the sensors (21).

7. A construction machine as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that at least one of the following actuators of the construction machine (1) is arranged to be adjusted based on the data obtained from the sen- sor (21): a steering wheel (9), brakes, driving lights (13, 14), or turn-signal lights (15).

8. A cabin (4) provided with a steering wheel and having a first cross-sectional area (A) in the horizontal direction at a distance from its bottom (6) and a second cross-sectional area (B) in the horizontal direction at a second distance from its bottom (6), the second distance (B) being larger than the first distance (A), characterised in that the bottom (6) of the cabin (4) has a mounting (5, 18) allowing the rotation of the cabin (4) and mounting to the carriage (3), and the first cross-sectional area (A) of the cabin (4) is smaller than the second cross-sectional area (B).

9. A cabin as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the lower part (7) of the cabin (4) has the shape of a cut cone, opening upward, between the first cross-sectional area (A) and the second cross-sectional area (B).

10. A cabin as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the lower part (7) of the cabin (4) has the shape of a cut pyramid, opening upward, between the first cross-sectional area (A) and the second cross-sectional area (B).