Hvac ducting for work machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024191465-A1
Application number	US-202318533470-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 8, 2023
Priority date	Dec 12, 2022
Publication date	Jun 13, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A compact work machine, such as a compact track loader and/or a compact utility loader, which can carry and operate a wide range of attachments while maintaining a reduced operating footprint

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A loader comprising:
a loader frame; an HVAC unit operably supported relative to the loader frame, said HVAC unit including a supply plenum operable to discharge supply air from the HVAC unit and a return plenum operable to receive return air from the operator cab; and an operator cab supported relative to the loader frame and presenting a cab interior configured to receive an operator during loader use, a manifold associated with the operator cab that presents supply air and return air passages that fluidly communicate with the supply plenum and return plenum, respectively, said supply air and return air passages fluidly communicating with the cab interior, said supply plenum and said supply air passage being operably engaged relative to one another along an interface when the operator cab is in the operating position to provide fluid communication between the HVAC unit and the operator cab.

2 . The loader as claimed in claim 1 ,
said manifold including a supply air manifold section and a return air manifold section that define respective supply air and return air passages, with at least one of the manifold sections defining a wall that separates the supply air and return air passages from one another.

3 . The loader as claimed in claim 2 ,
said wall defining at least part of the interface.

4 . The loader as claimed in claim 3 ,
said manifold including a seal that extends along the interface to engage at least one of the supply plenum and the return plenum for restricting fluid communication therebetween.

5 . The loader as claimed in claim 2 ,
said manifold sections cooperatively forming a unitary manifold structure.

6 . The loader as claimed in claim 1 ,
said operator cab being shiftably connected relative to the loader frame and shiftable into and out of an operating position, in which the operator cab is configured to receive an operator during loader use.

7 . The loader as claimed in claim 6 ,
said operator cab including a supply duct operable to receive supply air discharged from the supply plenum via the supply air passage and direct the supply air into the operator cab.

8 . The loader as claimed in claim 7 ,
said supply plenum and said supply duct being fluidly engaged relative to one another in the operating position and being fluidly disengaged when the operator cab is shifted out of the operating position.

9 . The loader as claimed in claim 8 ,
said supply plenum and said manifold being in abutting engagement with one another in the operating position to facilitate fluid communication between the supply plenum and the supply duct.

10 . The loader as claimed in claim 6 ,
said operator cab including a return structure operable to receive air from the operator cab and direct return air toward the return plenum.

11 . The loader as claimed in claim 10 ,
said return plenum and said manifold being in abutting engagement with one another in the operating position to facilitate fluid communication between the return plenum and the return structure.

12 . The loader as claimed in claim 6 ,
said operator cab being swingably attached relative to the loader frame at a cab pivot joint and configured to swing into and out of the operating position.

13 . The loader as claimed in claim 12 ,
said cab pivot joint defining a horizontal pivot axis permitting the operator cab to swing vertically when moving into and out of the operating position.

14 . The loader as claimed in claim 12 ,
said supply plenum and said supply duct being fluidly engaged relative to one another in the operating position and being fluidly disengaged when the operator cab is shifted out of the operating position.

15 . The loader as claimed in claim 14 ,
said supply plenum and said manifold being in abutting engagement with one another in the operating position to facilitate fluid communication between the supply plenum and the supply duct.

16 . The loader as claimed in claim 12 ,
said operator cab at least partly overlying and positioned adjacent to the frame compartment in the operating position.

17 . The loader as claimed in claim 16 ,
said operator cab being swingable into and out of an access position in which at least part of the operator cab is shifted away from the loader frame to expose the frame compartment, with the supply plenum and the supply duct being disengaged from each other along the interface when the operator cab is in the access position.

18 . The loader as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a loader frame that presents a frame compartment, said HVAC unit operably supported by the loader frame and located at least partly within the frame compartment.

19 . The loader as claimed in claim 18 ,
said operator cab at least partly overlying and positioned adjacent to the frame compartment in the operating position.

20 . The loader as claimed in claim 19 ,
said operator cab being shiftable into and out of an access position in which at least part of the operator cab is shifted away from the loader frame to expose the frame compartment, with the supply plenum and the supply duct being fluidly disengaged from each other along the interface when the operator cab is in the access position.

Assignees

• Great Plains Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Roehlk Cameron
• Takemura Toshihiko

Classifications

• E05D15/22

  allowing an additional movement {(E05D15/20 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E05F15/53

  for swinging wings · CPC title

• E05Y2900/531

  Doors · CPC title

• E05Y2900/518

  for working vehicles · CPC title

• E02F9/22

  Hydraulic or pneumatic drives {(for dipper or bucket arm position control E02F3/43, for blade position control for graders E02F3/844; for turntables E02F9/121; for fork-lift trucks B66F9/22)} · CPC title