Granted Patent B2

US 7,878,288 · App. 12/049,073 · Granted Feb 1, 2011

Abstract

Claims (34)

1. An operator control assembly for a construction vehicle, the operator control assembly comprising:

an operator manipulable control;

a first armrest movably coupling the operator manipulable control to a frame of a construction vehicle, the first armrest being movable from a first vertical orientation to a second vertical orientation and from a first horizontal orientation to a second horizontal orientation, wherein when the first armrest is in the second horizontal orientation, the first armrest is positioned within a footprint of the vehicle; and

a coupling assembly for coupling the first armrest to the frame, the coupling assembly including a first spring and a pin, the coupling assembly configured such that when the first armrest is moved into the second horizontal orientation the pin and the aperture are substantially in alignment such that the first spring biases the pin into the aperture to inhibit movement of the first armrest from the second horizontal orientation until the first armrest is moved upward to disengage the pin from the aperture.

2. The operator control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the operator control is operable to control operation of the construction vehicle when the first armrest is in the first and second horizontal orientations, and when the first armrest is in the first vertical orientation, but the operator control is not operable to control operation of the construction vehicle when the first armrest is in the second vertical orientation.

3. The operator control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first armrest is in the first horizontal orientation for construction vehicle work and is in the second horizontal orientation for construction vehicle travel.

4. The operator control assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second armrest coupled to the frame of the construction vehicle, the second armrest being movable from a first vertical orientation to a second vertical orientation and from a first horizontal orientation to a second horizontal orientation.

5. The operator control assembly of claim 4 , wherein a first end of the first armrest and a first end of the second armrest are spaced apart a first horizontal distance in the first horizontal orientation and a second horizontal distance in the second horizontal orientation.

6. The operator control assembly of claim 4 , wherein in the first horizontal orientation the first armrest is angled relative to the second armrest, and in the second horizontal orientation the first armrest is substantially parallel to the first armrest.

7. The operator control assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second spring that biases the first armrest into the first horizontal orientation and wherein the first armrest is coupled to an operator support at a rear portion of the armrest and is pivotable about the rear portion of the armrest.

8. A seating assembly for a construction vehicle, the seating assembly comprising:

an operator seat;

a frame supporting the operator seat;

a first armrest movably coupled to the frame, the first armrest being movable from a first vertical orientation to a second vertical orientation and from a first horizontal orientation to a second horizontal orientation;

an operator manipulable control coupled to the first armrest; and

a coupling assembly for coupling the first armrest to the frame, the coupling assembly including a first spring and a pin, the coupling assembly configured such that when the first armrest is moved into the second horizontal orientation the pin and the aperture are substantially in alignment such that the first spring biases the pin into the aperture to inhibit movement of the first armrest from the second horizontal orientation until the first armrest is moved upward to disengage the pin from the aperture.

9. The seating assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a second armrest movably coupled to the frame on an opposite side of the operator seat as the first armrest, the second armrest being movable from the first vertical orientation to the second vertical orientation and from the first horizontal orientation to the second horizontal orientation.

10. The seating assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first armrest and the second armrest are horizontally spaced apart from one another a first distance in the first horizontal orientation and a second distance different from the first distance in the second horizontal orientation.

11. The seating assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first armrest is angled relative to the second armrest in the first horizontal orientation, and the first armrest is parallel to the second armrest in the second horizontal orientation.

12. The seating assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first armrest and second armrest extend outside a footprint of the frame in the first horizontal orientation, and the first armrest and the second armrest are positioned within the footprint of the frame in the second horizontal orientation.

13. The seating assembly of claim 9 , wherein a first free end of the first armrest and a first free end of the second armrest are spaced apart a first horizontal distance in the first horizontal orientation and a second horizontal distance in the second horizontal orientation, the first horizontal distance being greater than the second horizontal distance.

14. The seating assembly of claim 8 , further comprising a second spring that biases the first armrest into the first horizontal orientation and wherein the first armrest is coupled to an operator support at a rear portion of the armrest and is pivotable about the rear portion of the armrest.

15. The seating assembly of claim 8 , wherein the operator manipulable control is operable to control operation of the construction vehicle when the first armrest is in the first and second horizontal orientations, and when the first armrest is in the first vertical orientation, but the operator manipulable control is not operable to control operation of the construction vehicle when the first armrest is in the second vertical orientation.

16. A method of adjusting an armrest on a construction vehicle, the method comprising:

pivoting the armrest upward from a first vertical orientation into a second vertical orientation prior to entering the vehicle;

disengaging controls from the armrest when in the second vertical orientation;

pivoting the armrest downwards into the first vertical orientation;

engaging the controls and the armrest when in the first vertical orientation;

pivoting the armrest horizontally inward from a first horizontal orientation into a second horizontal orientation;

inserting a pin into an aperture in the armrest;

retaining the armrest in the second horizontal orientation using the pin inserted into the aperture in the armrest to inhibit movement of the armrest toward the first horizontal orientation;

pivoting the armrest upward;

removing the pin from the aperture in the armrest as a result of pivoting the armrest upward to disengage the pin from the aperture to allow movement of the armrest toward the first horizontal orientation; and

biasing the armrest outward into the first horizontal orientation after removing the pin from the aperture by pivoting the armrest upward.

Assignments (15)