Front loader, support frame for a front loader and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016333545-A1
Application number	US-201615098848-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 14, 2016
Priority date	May 14, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A support for and/or a front loader includes a first main frame fixed to one of a left and right side of a vehicle body and a second main frame fixed to the other of the left and right sides of the vehicle body. A rear end of the second main frame is positioned further forward than a rear end of the first main frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A front loader comprising:
a first fixing frame fixed to a first side of a vehicle body; and a second fixing frame fixed to a second side of the vehicle body, wherein a rear end of the second fixing frame is positioned further forward than a rear end of the first fixing frame.

2 . The front loader of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first support frame configured to supporting a boom; said first support frame being located on an exterior side of the first fixing frame; and a first coupling frame coupling the first fixing frame to the first support frame, wherein the first fixing frame comprises:
a forward group of through-holes located forward of the coupling frame and being configured to receive bolts adapted to fix the first fixing frame to the vehicle body; and
a rear group of through-holes located rearward of the coupling frame and in a lower position than the forward group of through-holes, the rear group of through-holes configured to receive bolts adapted to fix the first fixing frame to the vehicle body.

3 . The front loader of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second support frame configured to supporting a boom; said second support frame being located on an exterior side of the second fixing frame; and a second coupling frame coupling the second fixing frame to the second support frame, wherein the second fixing frame comprises:
a forward group of through-holes located forward of the second coupling frame and being configured to receive bolts adapted to fix the second fixing frame to the vehicle body; and
a rear group of through-holes located rearward of the second coupling frame and in a lower position than the forward group of through-holes, the rear group of through-holes configured to receive bolts adapted to fix the second fixing frame to the vehicle body.

4 . The front loader of claim 3 , wherein the rear group of through-holes is located at a position lower than a vertical direction center axis of the second coupling frame.

5 . The front loader according to claim 3 , wherein the rear group of through-holes includes a smaller-diameter through-hole having a diameter smaller than other of the rear through-holes and being located at a position higher than at least one of the other rear through-holes and forward of at least one of the other rear through-holes, said smaller-diameter through-hole being configured to receive therein a stud bolt adapted to fix the second fixing frame to the vehicle body.

6 . The front loader of claim 5 , wherein the rear group of through-holes is located at a position lower than a vertical direction center axis of the second coupling frame.

7 . The front loader of claim 1 , wherein the first fixing frame comprises:
a front plate-shaped portion having a surface oriented generally perpendicular to a left/right direction of the vehicle body; and a rear plate-shaped portion located rearward of the front plate-shaped portion and having a surface oriented generally perpendicular to the left/right direction, wherein the rear plate-shaped portion is shifted further outward than the front plate-shaped portion by a first predetermined width.

8 . The front loader of claim 1 , wherein the second fixing frame comprises:
a front plate-shaped portion having a surface oriented generally perpendicular to a left/right direction of the vehicle body; and a rear plate-shaped portion located rearward of the front plate-shaped portion and having a surface oriented generally perpendicular to the left/right direction, wherein the rear plate-shaped portion is shifted further outward than the front plate-shaped portion by a first predetermined width.

9 . The front loader of claim 1 , wherein:
the first fixing frame comprises:
a front plate-shaped portion having a surface oriented generally perpendicular to a left/right direction of the vehicle body; and
a rear plate-shaped portion located rearward of the front plate-shaped portion and having a surface oriented generally perpendicular to the left/right direction,
wherein the rear plate-shaped portion is shifted further outward than the front plate-shaped portion by a first predetermined width; and
the second fixing frame comprises:
a front plate-shaped portion having a surface oriented generally perpendicular to a left/right direction of the vehicle body; and
a rear plate-shaped portion located rearward of the front plate-shaped portion and having a surface oriented generally perpendicular to the left/right direction,
wherein the rear plate-shaped portion is shifted further outward than the front plate-shaped portion by a second predetermined width that is greater than the first predetermined width.

10 . The front loader of claim 1 , further comprising an indirect frame member configured to connect the rear end of the second fixing frame to one of:
a transmission case; and the vehicle body.

11 . A vehicle mountable support structure for a front loader, comprising:
a first fixing frame removably fixable to a first side of a vehicle body and comprising a front connecting portion and at least one of:
an inclined portion; and
an side-outwardly shifted rear connecting portion; and
a second fixing frame removably fixable to a second side of a vehicle body and comprising a front connecting portion and at least one of:
an inclined portion; and
an side-outwardly shifted rear connecting portion,
wherein a rear end of the second fixing frame is located further forward than a rear end of the first fixing frame.

12 . The support structure of claim 11 , further comprising an indirect frame member configured to connect the rear connecting portion of the second fixing frame to one of
a transmission case; and the vehicle body.

13 . The support structure of claim 11 , wherein the first fixing frame is fixed to a first support frame and the second fixing frame is fixed to a second support frame.

14 . A method of installing the support structure of claim 11 on a vehicle body, the method comprising:
connecting the front connecting portions to the vehicle body; and
connecting the rear connecting portions to at least one of:
an indirect frame member;
a transmission case; and
the vehicle body.

15 . A vehicle mountable support structure for a front loader, comprising:
a first main frame comprising:
a first fixing frame fixable to a first side of a vehicle body and comprising a front connecting portion and an side-outwardly shifted rear connecting portion;
a first support frame connectable to a boom; and
a first coupling frame connecting the first fixing frame to the first support frame;
a second main frame comprising:
a second fixing frame fixable to a second side of a vehicle body and comprising a front connecting portion and an side-outwardly shifted rear connecting portion;
a second support frame connectable to a boom; and
a second coupling frame connecting the second fixing frame to the second support frame,
wherein a rear end of the second fixing frame is located further forward than a rear end of the first fixing frame.

16 . The support structure of claim 15 , further comprising an indirect frame member configured to connect the rear connecting portion of the second fixing frame to one of:
a transmission case; and the vehicle body.

17 . A method of installing the support structure of claim 15 on a vehicle body, the method comprising:
connecting the front connecting portions to the vehicle body; and
connecting the rear connecting portions to at least one of:
an indirect fr

Assignees

• Kubota Kk

Inventors

• Ozeki Yuta
• Mori Akihiko
• Takagi Masataka

Classifications

• E02F3/3695 Primary

  Arrangements for connecting dipper-arms to loaders or graders · CPC title

• B62D65/02

  Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components · CPC title

• E02F3/34

  with bucket-arms {, i.e. a pair of arms, e.g. manufacturing processes, form, geometry, material of bucket-arms (with a single arm E02F3/283)} directly pivoted on the frames of tractors or self-propelled machines · 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

• E02F9/006

  Pivot joint assemblies (in general F16C11/04) · CPC title