Engine compartment side panel with toolless mounting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10266209-B2
Application number	US-201715657877-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2017
Priority date	Jul 24, 2017
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

An engine compartment side panel is configured for toolless mounting and includes a main body having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a bottom edge. The side panel further includes at least one tab disposed at a location along a length of the bottom edge of the main body. In addition, a handrail is coupled to an outer surface of the main body at a plurality of handrail mounting locations and at least one mounting arm is coupled to an inner surface of the main body at a respective one of an at least one mounting arm mounting locations. Each mounting arm is configured to be removably coupled to an engine compartment support frame. Further, each of the at least one mounting arm mounting location is aligned with a respective one of the plurality of handrail mounting locations.

First claim

We claim:

1. An engine compartment side panel comprising:
a main body having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a bottom edge;
at least one tab disposed at a respective at least one location along a length of the bottom edge of the main body;
a handrail coupled to the outer surface of the main body at a plurality of handrail mounting locations;
at least one mounting arm coupled to the inner surface of the main body at a respective one of an at least one mounting arm mounting locations, each mounting arm being configured to be removably coupled to an engine compartment support frame; and
wherein the at least one mounting arm mounting location aligns with a respective one of the plurality of handrail mounting locations.

2. The engine compartment side panel of claim 1 wherein each of the at least one mounting arm includes a bracket and a locking assembly.

3. The engine compartment side panel of claim 2 wherein each locking assembly includes a threaded protrusion configured to pass through a respective slot formed in the engine compartment support frame; and
wherein a nut is configured to interfit with the threaded protrusion and removably couple the engine compartment side panel to the engine compartment support frame.

4. The engine compartment side panel of claim 3 wherein each locking assembly further includes an inner element having an outer contour and an outer element having an inner contour; and
wherein the outer contour and the inner contour are configured to interlock when the inner element is disposed within the outer element.

5. The engine compartment side panel of claim 1 further comprising a flange extending from at least one of a top edge and a side edge of the main body.

6. The engine compartment side panel of claim 1 wherein the main body includes a wall portion and a tank portion.

7. The engine compartment side panel of claim 1 further comprising a mounting disk disposed at each handrail mounting location between the handrail and the outer surface of the main body.

8. The engine compartment side panel of claim 1 further comprising a mounting disk disposed at each mounting arm mounting location between the mounting arm and the inner surface of the main body.

9. A method of manufacturing an engine compartment side panel comprising:
providing a main body;
coupling at least one tab adjacent a bottom edge of the main body;
coupling a handrail to an outer surface of the main body at a plurality of outer surface mounting locations;
coupling at least one mounting arm to an inner surface of the main body at at least one inner surface mounting location, the at least one inner surface mounting location being aligned with a respective one of the plurality of outer surface mounting locations; and
wherein each of the at least one mounting arm is configured to be removably coupled to an engine compartment support frame.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising disposing at least one mounting disk between the handrail and the outer surface of the main body at a respective one of the plurality of outer surface mounting locations.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising disposing at least one mounting disk between a respective one of the at least one mounting arm and the inner surface of the main body at a respective one of the at least one inner surface mounting locations.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein coupling the at least one mounting arm to an inner surface of the main body comprises;
coupling a bracket to the inner surface of the main body; and
coupling a locking assembly to the bracket, the locking assembly having a threaded protrusion configured to pass through a respective slot formed in the engine compartment support frame.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein coupling a locking assembly to the bracket comprises:
coupling an inner element to the bracket; and
disposing the inner element within an outer element, the inner element having an outer contour configured to interlock with an inner contour of the outer element.

14. An engine compartment of a piece of agricultural product application equipment, comprising:
a support frame disposed within the engine compartment; and
a side panel comprising:
a main body;
at least one tab disposed adjacent a bottom edge of the main body;
a handrail coupled to an outer surface of the main body, the handrail including a plurality of mounting portions disposed at a respective one of a plurality of outer surface mounting locations;
at least one mounting arm coupled to an inner surface of the main body at at least one inner surface mounting locations, each of the at least one mounting arm being configured to be removably coupled to the support frame; and
wherein the at least one inner surface mounting location aligns with a respective one of the plurality of outer surface mounting locations.

15. The engine compartment of claim 14 wherein each of the at least one mounting arm comprises:
a bracket coupled to the inner surface of the main body; and
a locking assembly coupled to the bracket.

16. The engine compartment of claim 1 wherein the locking assembly comprises:
an outer element;
an inner element secured within the outer element and coupled to the bracket;
a threaded portion disposed within the outer element and extending outward to interfit with a respective slot formed in the support frame; and
a nut configured to interfit with the threaded protrusion and removably couple the side panel to the support frame.

17. The engine compartment of claim 14 wherein the inner element includes a contour, the outer element includes a contour, and the contour of the inner element is configured to interlock with the contour of the outer element when the inner element is disposed within the outer element.

18. The engine compartment of claim 14 wherein the side panel further comprises a mounting disk disposed at each outer surface mounting location between the respective one of a plurality of mounting portion and the outer surface of the main body.

19. The engine compartment of claim 14 wherein the side panel further comprises a mounting disk disposed at each inner surface mounting location between the respective one of the at least one mounting arm and the inner surface of the main body.

20. The engine compartment of claim 14 further comprising a chassis frame having at least one slot;
wherein the at least one tab of the side panel is configured to interfit with a respective one of the at least one slot of the chassis frame.

Assignees

• Cnh Ind America Llc

Inventors

• Schwalbe Blaine
• Christiansen Ross
• Winkel Steven N

Classifications

• B60Y2200/22

  Agricultural vehicles · CPC title

• B60Y2304/07

  Facilitating assembling or mounting · CPC title

• B62D25/12 Primary

  Parts or details thereof (locks E05B, {E05B83/16; devices for holding open E05C17/00, e.g. while carrying oversize objects E05C17/042}; hinges E05D; counterbalancing means E05F; {checks, stops, buffers E05F5/00; } springs, {e.g. pneumatic springs} F16F) · CPC title

• B62D25/082

  Engine compartments · CPC title

• B62D27/065

  using screwthread (connection of crossbeam to A- pillars B62D25/147; mounting load bearing surfaces B62D21/09; securing mudguards B62D25/163; connections for synthetic parts B62D29/048) · CPC title