Space frame center lower frame connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11292530-B2
Application number	US-201916663892-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2019
Priority date	Oct 25, 2019
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

A center lower frame connection for a space frame comprising an outer lift cylinder connection boss, an inner drop tube connection boss, a center cylinder between the outer lift cylinder connection boss and the inner drop tube connection boss, a suspension connection boss, an outer rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss, an inner rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss, a vertical center lower frame tube connection boss, a forward angular center lower frame tube connection boss, an outer forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss, and an inner forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss. The outer lift cylinder connection boss, the inner drop tube connection boss, and the center cylinder can have a common center axis. The center lower frame connection can also have a rearward angular beam and a forward horizontal beam.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A space frame for an off-highway rear haul truck comprising:
a first center lower frame connection casting; and
a second center lower frame connection casting spaced from the first center lower frame connection casting in a width direction of the space frame,
wherein each of the first and second center lower frame connection castings includes:
an outer lift cylinder connection boss,
an inner drop tube connection boss,
a center cylinder between the outer lift cylinder connection boss and the inner drop tube connection boss, the outer lift cylinder connection boss and the inner drop tube connection boss being integrally attached to the center cylinder, and the outer lift cylinder connection boss, the inner drop tube connection boss, and the center cylinder sharing a common center axis,
a suspension connection boss, the suspension connection boss being integrally attached to the center cylinder,
an outer rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss,
an inner rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss,
a vertical center lower frame tube connection boss,
a forward angular center lower frame tube connection boss,
an outer forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss,
an inner forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss,
a rearward angular beam having an outer rearward angular beam member connecting the outer rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss to the center cylinder, and an inner rearward angular beam member connecting the inner rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss to the center cylinder, the outer rearward angular beam member and the inner rearward angular beam member being integrally joined at the center cylinder and orientated at a first acute angle with respect to each other, and
a forward horizontal beam having an outer forward horizontal beam member connecting the outer forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss to the center cylinder, and an inner forward horizontal beam member connecting the inner rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss to the center cylinder, the outer forward beam member and the inner forward beam member being integrally joined at the center cylinder and orientated at a second acute angle with respect to each other.

2. The space frame according to claim 1 , wherein, for each of the first and second center lower frame connection castings, acute angles are formed between each of the suspension connection boss and the outer rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss, the outer rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss and the vertical center lower frame tube connection boss, the vertical center lower frame tube connection boss and the forward angular center lower frame tube connection boss, and the forward angular center lower frame tube connection boss and the outer forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss.

3. The space frame according to claim 1 ,
wherein, for each of the first and second center lower frame connection castings, the outer lift cylinder connection boss is coupled to a lift cylinder, the inner drop tube connection boss is coupled to a drop tube, the suspension connection boss is coupled to a rear suspension link, the inner rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss is coupled to a first frame tube, the outer rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss is coupled to a second frame tube, the vertical center lower frame tube connection boss is coupled to a third frame tube, the forward angular center lower frame tube connection boss is coupled to a fourth frame tube, the outer forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss is coupled to a fifth frame tube, and the inner forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss is coupled to a sixth frame tube, and
wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth frame tubes are different frame tubes.

4. The space frame according to claim 1 , wherein the outer rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss and the inner rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss are positioned at a third acute angle relative to each other.

5. The space frame according to claim 1 , wherein the outer forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss and the inner forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss are positioned at a third acute angle relative to each other.

6. The space frame according to claim 1 ,
wherein the suspension connection boss, the inner rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss, and the outer rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss extend rearward in a length direction of the space frame, and
wherein the forward angular center lower frame tube connection boss, the outer forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss, and the inner forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss extend forward in the length direction of the space frame.

7. The space frame according to claim 1 , wherein each said outer rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss, inner rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss, vertical center lower frame tube connection boss, forward angular center lower frame tube connection boss, outer forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss, and inner forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss tapers from thick to thin toward the center cylinder.

8. A center lower frame connection casting for a space frame comprising:
an outer lift cylinder connection boss;
an inner drop tube connection boss;
a center cylinder between the outer lift cylinder connection boss and the inner drop tube connection boss, the outer lift cylinder connection boss, the inner drop tube connection boss, and the center cylinder having a common center axis;
a suspension connection boss;
an outer rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss;
an inner rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss;
a vertical center lower frame tube connection boss;
a forward angular center lower frame tube connection boss;
an outer forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss;
an inner forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss;
a rearward angular beam having an outer rearward angular beam member connecting the outer rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss to the center cylinder, and an inner rearward angular beam member connecting the inner rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss to the center cylinder; and
a forward horizontal beam having an outer forward horizontal beam member connecting the outer forward horizontal center lower frame tube connection boss to the center cylinder, and an inner forward horizontal beam member connecting the inner rearward angular center lower frame tube connection boss to the center cylinder.

9. The center lower frame connection casting according to claim 8 ,
wherein the outer lift cylinder connection boss and the inner drop tube connection boss are integrally attached to the center cylinder,
wherein the suspension connection boss is integrally attached to the center cylinder,
wherein the outer rearward angular beam member and the inner rearward angular beam member are integrally joined at the center cylinder and orientated at a first acute angle with respect to each other, and
wherein the outer forward beam member and the inner forward beam member are integrally joined at the center cylinder and orientated at a second acute angle with respect to each other.

10. The center lower frame connection casting according

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Miller Tad W
• Zalanka David O
• Harman Timothy D

Classifications

• B62D27/023 Primary

  Assembly of structural joints · CPC title

• B62D21/186 Primary

  for building site vehicles or multi-purpose tractors (tracked vehicles B62D55/10; tractors in general B62D49/00; building site vehicles in general E02F; lift-trucks B66F) · CPC title

• B62D21/152

  Front or rear frames · CPC title

• B62D21/08

  built up with interlaced cross members · CPC title

• B60P1/483

  using pivoted arms shifting the load-transporting element in a fore or aft direction · CPC title