Frame assembly for supporting an implement on a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10604902-B2
Application number	US-201715840773-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2017
Priority date	Dec 13, 2016
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

A frame assembly for supporting an implement on a vehicle includes a support frame attachable to the vehicle, a lever pivotable on the support frame between a first and second positions, and a biasing assembly connecting the lever to the support frame. The implement is connectable to the lever via an implement support frame. The biasing assembly is movable between an extended position and a compressed position and is biased toward the extended position. The lever and the biasing assembly define an acute angle that opens toward the vehicle when the support frame is removably attached to the vehicle and the lever is in the first position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A frame assembly for supporting an implement on a vehicle, comprising:
a) a support frame being structured to removably attach to the vehicle;
b) a lever being pivotably connected to the support frame to pivot about a first pivot axis between a first position and a second position, the lever including,
i) a first attachment portion, and
ii) a second attachment portion, the second attachment portion being structured to connect to the implement to support the implement on the second attachment portion; and

c) a biasing assembly having a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end defining a length of the biasing assembly, the biasing assembly being movable between an extended position and a compressed position, the length of the biasing assembly being greater in the extended position than in the compressed position, the biasing assembly being biased from the compressed position toward the extended position, the first end being supported against the first attachment portion to pivot about a second pivot axis, the second pivot axis being parallel to the first pivot axis and being at a lower elevation than the first pivot axis when the support frame is removably attached to the vehicle and the first attachment portion is in the first position, the second end being supported against the support frame to pivot about a third pivot axis when the first attachment portion pivots about the first pivot axis, the third pivot axis being parallel to the first pivot axis and being rearward of the first pivot axis when the support frame is removably attached to the vehicle;
i) the first attachment portion being in the first position when the biasing assembly is in the extended position,
ii) the first attachment portion being in the second position when the biasing assembly is in the compressed position,
iii) the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis defining a first plane,
iv) the second pivot axis and the third pivot axis defining a second plane,
v) the first and second planes defining an angle therebetween, and
vi) the angle being acute and opening toward the vehicle when the support frame is removably attached to the vehicle and the first attachment portion is in the first position.

2. The frame assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second pivot axis is at a higher elevation than the third pivot axis when the support frame is removably attached to the vehicle and the first attachment portion is in the first position.

3. The frame assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second pivot axis is forward of the first pivot axis when the support frame is removably attached to the vehicle and the first attachment portion is in the first position.

4. The frame assembly of claim 1 , wherein the angle is acute when the biasing assembly is in the compressed position.

5. The frame assembly of claim 4 , wherein the compressed position defines a compression limit of the biasing assembly.

6. The frame assembly of claim 4 , wherein:
a) the compressed position is a first compressed position;
b) the biasing assembly is movable to a second compressed position in which the length of the biasing assembly is smaller than in the first compressed position;
c) the first attachment portion is pivotable about the first pivot axis from the second position to a third position that is rearward of the second position;
d) the biasing assembly is in the second compressed position when the first attachment portion is in the third position;
e) the biasing assembly is biased from the second compressed position toward the first compressed position; and
f) the angle is obtuse and opens toward the vehicle when the support frame is removably attached to the vehicle and the first attachment portion is in the third position.

7. The frame assembly of claim 6 , wherein the second compressed position defines a compression limit of the biasing assembly.

8. The frame assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
a) the first attachment portion is spaced from the first pivot axis by a first distance, the first distance being measured normal to the first pivot axis;
b) the second attachment portion is spaced from the first pivot axis by a second distance, the second distance being measured normal to the first pivot axis; and
c) the second distance is larger than the first distance.

9. The frame assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second attachment portion is at a lower elevation than the first attachment portion when the support frame is removably attached to the vehicle and the first attachment portion is in the first position.

10. The frame assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second attachment portion is rearward of the first attachment portion when the support frame is removably attached to the vehicle and the first attachment portion is in the first position.

11. The frame assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second attachment portion is structured to connect to the implement to pivotably support the implement on the second attachment portion about a fourth pivot axis, the fourth pivot axis being parallel to the first pivot axis.

12. The frame assembly of claim 11 , wherein the fourth pivot axis is at a lower elevation than the second pivot axis when the support frame is removably attached to the vehicle and the first attachment portion is in the first position.

13. The frame assembly of claim 11 , wherein the fourth pivot axis is rearward of the second pivot axis when the support frame is removably attached to the vehicle and the first attachment portion is in the first position.

14. The frame assembly of claim 1 , wherein the biasing assembly has a preload and the lever is dimensioned and shaped such that when,
a) the second attachment portion is connected to the implement,
b) the first attachment portion is in the first position, and
c) the implement applies a rearward force to the second attachment portion that results in a compression force being applied to the biasing assembly and the compression force exceeds the preload of the biasing assembly,

the first end of the biasing assembly pivots downward relative to the third pivot axis.

15. The frame assembly of claim 1 , wherein the biasing assembly includes a spring extending between the first and second ends of the biasing assembly.

16. The frame assembly of claim 15 , wherein the spring is a first spring, and the biasing assembly includes a second spring extending between the first and second ends of the biasing assembly.

17. The frame assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a limiting member defined by a u-shaped structure having two ends, and wherein:
a) the first end of the biasing assembly is connected to the first attachment portion to pivot about the second pivot axis;
b) the two ends of the u-shaped structure are connected to the first end of the biasing assembly;
c) the u-shaped structure slidably straddles the second end of the biasing assembly and defines an aperture between the second end of the biasing assembly and the u-shaped structure;
d) the support frame includes a frame member that is positioned transversely relative to the vehicle when the support frame is removably attached to the vehicle;
e) the frame member is received through the aperture;
f) the extended position of the biasing assembly is a first extended position;
g) the biasing assembly is movable to a second extended position when the biasing assembly is removed from the frame assembly, the length of the biasing assembly being greater than in the second extended position than in the first extended position; and
h) a length of the limiting m

Assignees

• Soucy Int Inc

Inventors

• Aubin-Marchand Jeremie
• Provencher Karen
• Roy Normand
• Bergeron Michael
• Roger yan

Classifications

• E02F3/8157

  Shock absorbers; Supports, e.g. skids, rollers; Devices for compensating wear-and-tear, or the like · CPC title

• E02F3/7645

  with the scraper blade being pivotable about a horizontal axis disposed parallel to the blade · CPC title

• E01H5/06

  dislodging essentially by non-driven elements, e.g. scraper blades {, snow-plough blades, scoop blades} · CPC title

• E01H5/062 Primary

  by scraper blades displaceable for shock-absorbing purposes · CPC title

• E02F9/0808

  Improving mounting or assembling, e.g. frame elements, disposition of all the components on the superstructures (for disposition of specific components, E02F9/0858) · CPC title