IP Library Granted Patent US 9,783,962
Granted Patent B1
US 9,783,962 · App. 15/254,566 · Granted Oct 10, 2017

Front loader

Inventor: Daniel Hitchcock (Adairsville, GA)
Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
E02F9/264E02F3/3408E02F3/3417
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,783,962
App. No.
15/254,566
Granted
Oct 10, 2017
Kind
B1
Abstract

A front loader comprises an arm, a work implement supported to a tip portion of the arm, and an angle display device. The angle display device includes a gauge member, an indicator, a shaft member, and a conversion mechanism. The gauge member has a scale indicating an angle of the work implement relative to the arm. The indicator is movable relative to the gauge member according to variations of the angle of the work implement. The shaft member is movable along the arm according to variations of the angle of the work implement. The conversion mechanism changes a relative position of the gauge member and the indicator according to the movement of the shaft member. The conversion mechanism is configured so as to cause the indicator to rotate relative to the gauge member around a rotation axis being parallel to an axis of the shaft member in one direction or another direction according to the movement of the shaft member.

Claims (32)

1. A front loader comprising:

an arm having an upper lift arm and a lower lift arm and formed in a chevron shape in a side view;

a work implement supported by a tip portion of the arm; and

an angle display device including:

a gauge member having a scale indicating an angle of the work implement relative to the arm;

an indicator being movable relative to the gauge member according to variations of the angle of the work implement;

a shaft member being movable along the upper lift arm according to variations of the angle of the work implement;

a lower link rod being movable along the lower lift arm according to variations of the angle of the work implement;

a relay plate disposed between the shaft member and the lower link rod and rotatably supporting the shaft member and the lower link rod; and

a conversion mechanism changing a relative position of the gauge member and the indicator according to the movement of the shaft member;

wherein, the conversion mechanism is configured so as to cause the indicator to rotate relative to the gauge member around a rotation axis being parallel to an axis of the shaft member in one direction or another direction according to the movement of the shaft member, and

wherein the shaft member, lower link rod and the relay plate are arranged within a width of the upper lift arm and the lower lift arm in the side view.

2. The front loader according to claim 1 ,

wherein the shaft member includes a guide tube;

wherein the conversion mechanism includes a rotation rod and a guide member;

wherein the rotation rod includes a helical protrusion;

wherein a part of the rotation rod having the helical protrusion having a transverse section in the shape of a polygon:

wherein the guide member is provided integrally with the guide tube so as to close partly an opening of an end surface of the guide tube;

wherein the guide member is formed with two contact surfaces;

wherein one end portion of the rotation rod is inserted into the guide tube from the end surface so that the helical protrusion contacts two contact surfaces of the guide member; and

wherein the indicator is attached to another end portion of the rotation rod integral with the rotation rod.

3. The front loader according to claim 2 ,

wherein the other end portion of the rotation rod is restricted to move linearly along an axial direction of the rotation rod relative to the arm and is supported so as to be rotatable relative to the arm around a prescribed rotation axis with the gauge member and the indicator.

4. The front loader according to claim 1 ,

wherein the shaft member includes a guide tube;

wherein the conversion mechanism includes a rotation rod and a guide member;

wherein the rotation rod includes a helical protrusion;

wherein a part of the rotation rod having the helical protrusion having a transverse section in the shape of a polygon;

wherein the guide member is provided integrally with the guide tube so as to close partly an opening of an end surface of the guide tube;

wherein the guide member is formed with a plurality of projections;

wherein one end portion of the rotation rod is inserted into the guide tube from the end surface so that the plurality of projections of the guide member contact respective different sides of the polygonal transverse section; and

wherein the indicator is attached to another end portion of the rotation rod integrally with the rotation rod.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 26, 2020
From: YANMAR CO., LTD.
To: YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054162/0112 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2016
From: HITCHCOCK, DANIEL
To: YANMAR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 039689/0251 →