Extendable lift arm assembly for a front end loading refuse vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11338995-B2
Application number	US-202017013041-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2020
Priority date	Dec 21, 2017
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle includes a chassis, a body coupled to the chassis, and a lift assembly coupled to at least one of the chassis or the body. The lift assembly includes a first lift arm and a second lift arm. The first lift arm includes a first arm portion, a second arm portion interfacing with the first arm portion, a first actuator positioned to facilitate repositioning the second arm portion relative to the first arm portion, and a second actuator positioned to pivot the first arm portion. The second lift arm includes a third arm portion, a fourth arm portion interfacing with the third arm portion, a third actuator positioned to facilitate repositioning the fourth arm portion relative to the third arm portion, and a fourth actuator positioned to pivot the second arm portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refuse vehicle comprising:
a chassis;
a body coupled to the chassis; and
a lift assembly including:
a first lift arm including:
a first arm portion having (i) a first pivot end pivotally coupled to the body and (ii) a first interface end;
a second arm portion having (i) a second interface end that interfaces with the first interface end of the first arm portion and (ii) a first implement end configured to interface with an implement;
a first coupler positioned proximate the first interface end of the first arm portion of the first lift arm; and
a second coupler positioned proximate the second interface end of the second arm portion of the first lift arm;

a second lift arm including:
a third arm portion having (i) a second pivot end pivotally coupled to the body and (ii) a third interface end; and
a fourth arm portion having (i) a fourth interface end that interfaces with the third interface end of the third arm portion and (ii) a second implement end configured to interface with the implement;

a first actuator positioned to facilitate repositioning the second arm portion relative to the first arm portion, wherein the first actuator extends between the first coupler and the second coupler; and
a second actuator positioned to facilitate repositioning the fourth arm portion relative to the third arm portion.

2. The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is positioned internally within the first lift arm and the second actuator is positioned internally within the second lift arm.

3. The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is positioned externally relative to the first lift arm and the second actuator is positioned externally relative to the second lift arm.

4. The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the second lift arm includes a third coupler positioned proximate the third interface end of the third arm portion of the second lift arm, wherein the second lift arm includes a fourth coupler positioned proximate the fourth interface end of the fourth arm portion of the second lift arm, and wherein the second actuator extends between the third coupler and the fourth coupler.

5. The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third actuator coupled to the first arm portion of the first lift arm; and
a fourth actuator coupled to the third arm portion of the second lift arm.

6. The refuse vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the third actuator and the fourth actuator are positioned to facilitate pivoting the first lift arm and the second lift arm between a stowed position and a working position.

7. The refuse vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are configured to extend in response to the third actuator and the fourth actuator pivoting the first lift arm and the second lift arm between the stowed position and the working position such that the lift assembly clears a portion of the refuse vehicle.

8. The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising the implement, wherein the implement is coupled to the first implement end of the second arm portion of the first lift arm and the second implement end of the fourth arm portion of the second lift arm.

9. The refuse vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the implement includes at least one of a fork assembly, a quick attach assembly, or plow attachment.

10. The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , wherein (i) one of the first interface end of the first arm portion of the first lift arm and the second interface end of the second arm portion of the first lift arm includes a first protrusion and (ii) the other of the first interface end of the first arm portion of the first lift arm and the second interface end of the second arm portion of the first lift arm defines a first cavity that slidably receives the first protrusion, and wherein (i) one of the third interface end of the third arm portion of the second lift arm and the fourth interface end of the fourth arm portion of the second lift arm includes a second protrusion and (ii) the other of the third interface end of the third arm portion of the second lift arm and the fourth interface end of the fourth arm portion of the second lift arm defines a second cavity that slidably receives the second protrusion.

11. The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first pivot end of the first arm portion is pivotally coupled to a first side of the body and the second pivot end of the third arm portion is pivotally coupled to an opposing second side of the body.

12. A lift assembly for a vehicle, the lift assembly comprising:
a first lift arm including:
a first arm portion having (i) a first pivot end and (ii) a first interface end;
a second arm portion having (i) a second interface end that interfaces with the first interface end of the first arm portion and (ii) a first implement end;
a first coupler positioned proximate the first interface end of the first arm portion of the first lift arm; and
a second coupler positioned proximate the second interface end of the second arm portion of the first lift arm;

a second lift arm including:
a third arm portion having (i) a second pivot end and (ii) a third interface end;
a fourth arm portion having (i) a fourth interface end that interfaces with the third interface end of the third arm portion and (ii) a second implement end;
a third coupler positioned proximate the third interface end of the third arm portion of the second lift arm; and
a fourth coupler positioned proximate the fourth interface end of the fourth arm portion of the second lift arm;

a first actuator positioned to facilitate repositioning the second arm portion of the first lift arm relative to the first arm portion of the first lift arm, wherein the first actuator extends between the first coupler and the second coupler; and
a second actuator positioned to facilitate repositioning the fourth arm portion of the second lift arm relative to the third arm portion of the second lift arm, wherein the second actuator extends between the third coupler and the fourth coupler.

13. The lift assembly of claim 12 , wherein (i) one of the first interface end of the first arm portion of the first lift arm and the second interface end of the second arm portion of the first lift arm includes a first protrusion and (ii) the other of the first interface end of the first arm portion of the first lift arm and the second interface end of the second arm portion of the first lift arm defines a first cavity that slidably receives the first protrusion, and wherein (i) one of the third interface end of the third arm portion of the second lift arm and the fourth interface end of the fourth arm portion of the second lift arm includes a second protrusion and (ii) the other of the third interface end of the third arm portion of the second lift arm and the fourth interface end of the fourth arm portion of the second lift arm defines a second cavity that slidably receives the second protrusion.

14. The lift assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first actuator is positioned externally relative to the first lift arm and the second actuator is positioned externally relative to the second lift arm, or wherein the first actuator is positioned internally within the first lift arm and the second actuator is positioned internally within the second lift arm.

15. The lift assembly of claim 12 , further comprising:
a third actuator coupled to the first arm portion of the first lift arm; and
a fourth actuator coupled to the third arm portion of the second lift arm;
wherein the third actuator and the fourth actuator are configured to facilitate pivoting the first lif

Assignees

• Oshkosh Corp

Inventors

• Rocholl Joshua D
• Deinema Matt
• Hoefker Jarud H
• Wilmes Justin

Classifications

• B65F3/046 Primary

  with additional means for assisting the tipping of the receptacle after or during raising · CPC title

• B65F3/041 Primary

  Pivoted arms or pivoted carriers · CPC title

• B65F2003/0279

  the discharging means mounted at the front of the vehicle · CPC title

• B65F2003/0276

  capable of moving towards or away from the vehicle · CPC title

• B60P1/50

  loading from in front of the vehicle · CPC title