Operator cab for machine having door with swing controlling hinge mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9995069-B2
Application number	US-201615187725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2016
Priority date	Jun 20, 2016
Publication date	Jun 12, 2018
Grant date	Jun 12, 2018

Abstract

An operator cab for a machine such as a motor grader includes an access door coupled to a frame by way of a hinge mechanism. The hinge mechanism has abutting cam and follower surfaces with geometry to control the swinging of the access door such as under the force of gravity. The cam surface has a double-sloped profile of rotation about the pivot axis of the hinge mechanism so that the access door swing is controlled in either of a first or a second swing direction toward a dwell location of the access door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An operator cab for a machine, the operator cab comprising:
a frame including a roof, a floor positioned vertically below the roof, sides extending between the roof and the floor, and at least one of the sides having an access opening formed therein;
an access door coupled to the frame and being pivotable in a swing range from a closed position blocking the access opening, to an open position;
a hinge mechanism defining a pivot axis, the hinge mechanism including a first hinge element mounted to the frame and a second hinge element mounted to the access door to guide pivoting of the access door;
the pivot axis being oriented diagonally relative to a vertical axis extending between the roof and the floor;
the hinge mechanism further including a cam surface and a follower surface abutting the cam surface and rotatable relative to the cam surface during the pivoting of the access door; and
the cam surface including an opening ramp surface contacted by the follower surface in a first portion of the swing range to control the pivoting of the access door between the closed position and a dwell position, and a closing ramp surface contacted by the follower surface in a second portion of the swing range to control the pivoting of the access door between the open position and the dwell position.

2. The operator cab of claim 1 wherein the door is biased by the force of gravity to pivot outwardly from either of the closed position or the open position toward the dwell position, and wherein the cam surface is located on the first hinge element, and the follower surface is located on the second hinge element.

3. The operator cab of claim 1 wherein the opening ramp surface has an axially advancing orientation in a first circumferential direction, and the closing ramp surface has an axially advancing orientation in a second circumferential direction.

4. The operator cab of claim 3 wherein the cam surface includes a dwell surface extending circumferentially between the opening ramp surface and the closing ramp surface.

5. The operator cab of claim 4 wherein the pivot axis and the vertical axis define a plane, and the plane intersects the dwell surface.

6. The operator cab of claim 4 wherein the dwell surface is located at a first axial position, and the cam surface further includes a base surface opposite the dwell surface and located at a second axial location.

7. The operator cab of claim 1 wherein the pivot axis is oriented at an angle relative to the vertical axis that opens in a vertically upward direction.

8. The operator cab of claim 1 wherein the swing range is greater than 180 degrees.

9. The operator cab of claim 8 wherein the dwell position is about half-way between the closed position and the open position.

10. A hinge mechanism for coupling an access door to a frame of an operator cab in a machine, the hinge mechanism comprising:
a first hinge element including a first hinge leaf having a first plurality of peripheral edges defining a first hinge leaf footprint, and a first hinge hub protruding from one of the first plurality of peripheral edges, such that the first hinge hub is positioned at least partially outside of the first hinge leaf footprint, and the first hinge hub including a follower surface;
a second hinge element including a second hinge leaf having a second plurality of peripheral edges defining a second hinge leaf footprint, and a second hinge hub protruding from one of the second plurality of peripheral edges such that the second hinge hub is positioned at least partially outside of the second hinge leaf footprint, and the second hinge hub including a cam surface abutting the follower surface;
the first hinge hub and the second hinge hub being pivotable relative to one another in a swing range, such that the cam surface and the follower surface rotate relative to one another about a pivot axis; and
the cam surface having a double-sloped profile formed by an opening ramp surface contacted by the follower surface in a first portion of the swing range corresponding to swinging the access door between a closed position and a dwell position, and a closing ramp surface contacted by the follower surface in a second portion of the swing range corresponding to swinging the access door between an open position and the dwell position,
wherein one of the first hinge hub or the second hinge hub forms a cup, and
wherein the corresponding cam surface or follower surface of the other one of the first hinge hub or the second hinge hub is recessed within the cup.

11. The hinge mechanism of claim 10 further comprising a pin assembly including a pin extending at least partially through each of the first hinge hub and the second hinge hub, and a biasing spring positioned about the pin and held in compression so as to bias the cam surface and the follower surface in contact with one another.

12. The hinge mechanism of claim 11 wherein the pin assembly includes an adjustment nut threadedly engaged with the pin, and rotatable to adjust a compression state of the biasing spring.

13. The hinge mechanism of claim 12 wherein the double-sloped profile includes a profile of rotation about the pivot axis, and wherein the cam surface extends circumferentially around the pin and includes a dwell surface extending circumferentially between the opening ramp surface and the closing ramp surface.

14. The hinge mechanism of claim 12 wherein a base surface extends circumferentially between the opening ramp surface and the closing ramp surface, and wherein the base surface is located opposite the dwell surface.

15. The hinge mechanism of claim 14 wherein a circumferential extent of the dwell surface is less than a circumferential extent of the base surface, and wherein the opening ramp surface and the closing ramp surface each extend at an angle, equal to about 45 degrees, between the dwell surface and the base surface.

16. A method of controlling swinging of a door to an access opening in an operator cab of a machine, the method comprising:
pivoting the door about a hinge mechanism in a first portion of a swing range between a closed position where the door closes the access opening, and a dwell position;
pivoting the door about the hinge mechanism in a second portion of the swing range between an open position and the dwell position,
wherein the pivoting of the door in the first portion of the swing range and the pivoting of the door in the second portion of the swing range each include, reducing a tendency of the door to fall under the force of gravity toward the dwell position, and pivoting the door about a pivot axis that is oriented diagonally relative to a vertical axis extending between a roof and a floor of the operator cab;

contacting a follower surface in a first hinge element of the hinge mechanism with a first ramp surface of a cam surface in a second hinge element of the hinge mechanism, during pivoting the door in the first portion of the swing range; and
contacting the follower surface with a second ramp surface of the cam surface during pivoting the door in the second portion of the swing range.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising opposing the tendency of the door to fall under the force of gravity from the closed position toward the dwell position and from the open position toward the dwell position by way of a spring force of a biasing spring held in compression within the hinge mechanism.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the pivoting of the door in the first portion of the swing range and the pivoting of t

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Ghantous Emile
• Higdon Dale
• Castro Pedro Urias
• Frazier Brent
• Stremlau Kevin
• Dunaway Aaron
• Stibs Jason

Classifications

• E05D11/0054

  Covers, e.g. for protection · CPC title

• E05D5/14

  Construction of sockets or sleeves · CPC title

• B62D33/0617 Primary

  for tractors or off-the-road vehicles (protective devices for drivers in case of overturning of tractors B60R21/131) · CPC title

• E05D11/06 Primary

  Devices for limiting the opening movement of hinges · CPC title

• E02F9/163

  Structures to protect drivers, e.g. cabins, doors for cabins; Falling object protection structure [FOPS]; Roll over protection structure [ROPS] (for handrails mounted on cabins E02F9/0833 takes precedence; for vehicles in general B60R21/11, B60R21/13, for fork-lift trucks B66F9/07545) · CPC title