Quick coupler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9903091-B2
Application number	US-201515123389-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2015
Priority date	Jun 26, 2014
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A quick coupler includes a coupler body having a first hook, a lock member, a slidable second hook, a hydraulic cylinder, and a connecting pin connecting the cylinder and coupler body. The lock member is movable between locking and unlocking positions in which the lock member protrudes into and retracts from an opening of the first hook. The cylinder includes first and second end portions connected to the coupler body and the second hook, respectively. The cylinder extends and contracts to cause the second hook to slide away from and towards the first hook, respectively. The coupler body includes a support hole moveably supporting the connecting pin in an extension and contraction direction of the cylinder. The first end portion of the cylinder moves away from the second end portion within a movability range of the connecting pin to move the lock member from the unlocking to locking position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A quick coupler comprising:
a coupler body including a first hook;
a lock member provided movable to a locking position in which the lock member protrudes into an opening of the first hook, and an unlocking position in which the lock member retracts from the locking position;
a second hook provided slidably with respect to the coupler body;
a hydraulic cylinder including a piston rod, a first end portion, and a second end portion, the first end portion being connected to the coupler body and the second end portion connected to the second hook, the hydraulic cylinder extending to cause the second hook to slide away from the first hook, the hydraulic cylinder contracting to cause the second hook to slide towards the first hook;
a connecting pin connecting the first end portion of the hydraulic cylinder and the coupler body; and
an urging member urging the second end portion to be moved away from the first end portion, the urging member being disposed within an internal space of the piston rod,
the coupler body including a support hole moveably supporting the connecting pin in an extension and contraction direction of the hydraulic cylinder, and
the first end portion of the hydraulic cylinder moving away from the second end portion within a movability range of the connecting pin and thereby moving the lock member from the unlocking position to the locking position.

2. The quick coupler according to claim 1 , wherein
the support hole is an elongated hole that extends in the extension and contraction direction of the hydraulic cylinder.

3. The quick coupler according to claim 1 , wherein
the quick coupler is a member configured to attach an attachment via a first pin and a second pin,
the coupler body further includes a pin retaining portion disposed facing an opening of the second hook, and
a width of a gap between a tip of the second hook and the pin retaining portion is less than a diameter of the second pin while the second hook is locked with the second pin.

4. The quick coupler according to claim 1 , further comprising
an elastic member inserted into the support hole.

5. The quick coupler according to claim 1 , wherein
the lock member includes
a proximal end portion rotatably supported on the coupler body,
a distal end portion protruding into the opening of the first hook in the locking position, and
a recessed portion positioned between the proximal end portion and the distal end part,

the first end portion of the hydraulic cylinder includes a convex portion protruding towards the lock member, and
the lock member is positioned in the unlocking position when the convex portion is positioned in the recessed portion.

6. The quick coupler according to claim 5 , wherein
the lock member includes an inclined surface connected to the recessed portion,
the inclined surface is disposed in a direction from the second end portion toward the first end portion with respect to the recessed portion, and
the convex portion moves from the recessed portion to the inclined surface and presses against the inclined surface in order to move the lock member from the unlocking position to the locking position.

7. The quick coupler according to claim 1 , wherein
the coupler body includes a wall portion disposed facing the first end portion in the extension and contraction direction of the hydraulic cylinder.

8. The quick coupler according to claim 1 , wherein
the first end portion of the hydraulic cylinder moves toward the second end portion within the movability range of the connecting pin in order to move the lock member from the locking position to the unlocking position.

9. The quick coupler according to claim 1 , wherein
the second hook includes a protruding portion,
the coupler body includes a groove in which the protruding portion is disposed,
the protruding portion moves along the groove in order to slide the second hook with respect to the coupler body, and
a stopper member is attached to the groove to retain the second hook.

Assignees

• Komatsu Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tsukada Takuya
• Higuchi Kenichi
• Hashimoto Akira
• Asada Hisao
• Yoshida Tsuyoshi
• Ito Daijiro

Classifications

• E02F3/3622

  with a hook and a locking element acting on a pin · CPC title

• E02F3/365

  with redundant latching means, e.g. for safety purposes · CPC title

• E02F3/3618 Primary

  with two separating hooks · CPC title

• E02F3/3663

  hydraulically-operated · CPC title

• E02F3/3627

  with a hook and a longitudinal locking element · CPC title