Patent Application
20190284779
The present invention relates to an attachment holder for construction equipment, such as a power shovel, and also relates to a construction machine.
There have been proposed several mechanisms for a stationary-side jaw and a movable-side jaw of an attachment holder to be used for mounting an attachment such as a bucket on a construction machine such as a power shovel. The attachment has two coupling pins disposed with a predetermined spacing therebetween, and the stationary-side jaw and the movable-side jaw have respective open portions to be engaged with the coupling pins. After the engagement, one of the proposed mechanisms urges the movable-side jaw to move away from the stationary-side jaw by using, for example, a regulation member and a coil spring (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-231505). Another mechanism drives a screw and thereby urges the movable-side jaw to move away from the stationary-side jaw (for example, see Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3134696). Another mechanism uses a dedicated bucket cylinder that urges the movable-side jaw to move away from the stationary-side jaw (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-169886). Another mechanism is configured to close a movable-side pin accommodation portion and a stationary-side pin accommodation portion by using a stationary-side closer portion and a movable-side closer portion (for example, see Japanese Patent 6211324).
However, the attachment holders for construction equipment described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-231505, Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3134696, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-169886, have a disadvantage. In other words, after the engagement of the coupling pins with the stationary-side jaw and the movable-side jaw having the opening portions, these attachment holders need to use a regulation mechanism that urges the movable-side jaw to move away from the stationary-side jaw by using, for example, the regulation member and coil spring, the screw mechanism, or the bucket cylinder, which leads to an increase in cost.
In addition, in the case of the screw mechanism or the bucket cylinder or the like that urges the movable-side jaw to move away from the stationary-side jaw, the coupling pins may be slipped off from the opening portions of the movable-side jaw and the stationary-side jaw.
On the other hand, the attachment holder for construction equipment described in Japanese Patent No. 6211324 is configured such that the opening portions of the stationary-side jaw and the movable-side jaw are closed by the stationary-side closer portion and the movable-side closer portion, respectively, and the coupling pins are not likely to disengage. However, it requires skills to accommodate the coupling pins appropriately in the stationary-side jaw and the movable-side jaw.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an attachment holder for construction equipment and a construction machine that do not require a costly regulation mechanism, such as a screw mechanism or a bucket cylinder, that regulates opening operation or an opening angle of a movable-side jaw with respect to a stationary-side jaw and that can prevent coupling pins from being detached from the stationary-side jaw and the movable-side jaw.
According to an aspect of the invention, an attachment holder for construction equipment is provided for mounting an attachment such as a bucket on a construction machine such as a power shovel in such a manner that a stationary-side coupling pin and a movable-side coupling pin that are disposed on the attachment with a predetermined spacing therebetween are accommodated respectively in a stationary-side pin accommodation portion of a stationary-side jaw that is joined to an end of an arm of the construction machine and in a movable-side pin accommodation portion of a movable-side jaw that is joined, via a movable-side jaw link, to an end of a piston that retractably extends from a bucket cylinder disposed in the arm of the construction machine, and subsequently an opening of the stationary-side pin accommodation portion and an opening of the movable-side pin accommodation portion are closed respectively by a stationary-side closer portion and by a movable-side closer portion. The attachment holder for construction equipment includes a movable-side pin guidance surface that is disposed outside the opening of the movable-side pin accommodation portion of the movable-side jaw and that comes into contact with the movable-side coupling pin and guides the movable-side coupling pin until the movable-side coupling pin is accommodated in the movable-side pin accommodation portion whether the movable-side coupling pin is a movable-side coupling pin of an attachment for construction equipment that has a minimum pin-to-pin spacing between the stationary-side coupling pin and the movable-side coupling pin or a maximum pin-to-pin spacing. The attachment holder for construction equipment also includes an excessive closure prevention portion that prevents the movable-side jaw from closing excessively with respect to the stationary-side jaw to enable the movable-side coupling pin to come into contact with the movable-side pin guidance surface, whether the movable-side coupling pin is a movable-side coupling pin of an attachment for construction equipment that has a minimum pin-to-pin spacing between the stationary-side coupling pin and the movable-side coupling pin or a maximum pin-to-pin spacing, in a case in which the movable-side coupling pin is to be accommodated in the movable-side pin accommodation portion of the movable-side jaw by actuating a hydraulic cylinder or the like of the construction machine so as to move the movable-side jaw closer to the movable-side coupling pin after the stationary-side coupling pin is accommodated in the stationary-side pin accommodation portion of the stationary-side jaw.
Accordingly, the attachment holder for construction equipment does not require the regulation mechanism, such as the screw mechanism or the bucket cylinder, that regulates opening operation and the opening angle of the movable-side jaw with respect to the stationary-side jaw. This leads to cost reduction. In addition, the attachment holder can reliably prevent the coupling pins accommodated in the stationary-side jaw and the movable-side jaw from being detached.
The attachment holder for construction equipment may further include an excessive opening prevention portion. In the attachment holder for construction equipment, the stationary-side jaw and the movable-side jaw may be configured to pivotally move about a pivot shaft, and the excessive opening prevention portion may prevent the movable-side pin accommodation portion of the movable-side jaw from excessively opening pivotally about the pivot shaft with respect to the stationary-side pin accommodation portion of the stationary-side jaw. The stationary-side jaw and the movable-side jaw may pivotally move about the pivot shaft relative to each other by actuating the bucket cylinder disposed in the arm of the construction machine and thereby cause the stationary-side pin accommodation portion and the movable-side pin accommodation portion to move closer to, and away from, each other and enable the stationary-side pin accommodation portion to accommodate the stationary-side coupling pin and also enable the movable-side pin accommodation portion to accommodate the movable-side coupling pin.
In the attachment holder for construction equipment, the excessive closure prevention portion may be part of a stopper that is welded to the stationary-side jaw at a position near the pivot shaft and that is contactable with a base portion of the movable-side jaw near the pivot shaft. Whether the movable-side coupling pin is a movable-side coupling pin of an attachment for construction equipment that has a minimum pin-to-pin spacing between the stationary-side coupling pin and the movable-side coupling pin or a maximum pin-to-pin spacing, the movable-side coupling pin may be brought into contact with the movable-side pin guidance surface in a case in which the movable-side coupling pin is to be accommodated in the movable-side pin accommodation portion of the movable-side jaw by actuating a hydraulic cylinder or the like of the construction machine so as to move the movable-side jaw closer to the movable-side coupling pin while the base portion of the movable-side jaw near the pivot shaft is in contact with the stopper of the stationary-side jaw after the stationary-side coupling pin is accommodated in the stationary-side pin accommodation portion of the stationary-side jaw.
In the attachment holder for construction equipment, the excessive closure prevention portion may include respective body portions of the stationary-side jaw and the movable-side jaw, the body portions opposing each other. Whether the movable-side coupling pin is a movable-side coupling pin of an attachment for construction equipment that has a minimum pin-to-pin spacing between the stationary-side coupling pin and the movable-side coupling pin or a maximum pin-to-pin spacing, the movable-side coupling pin may be brought into contact with the movable-side pin guidance surface in a case in which the movable-side coupling pin is to be accommodated in the movable-side pin accommodation portion of the movable-side jaw by actuating a hydraulic cylinder or the like of the construction machine so as to move the movable-side jaw closer to the movable-side coupling pin while the body portion of the stationary-side jaw and the body portion of the movable-side jaw are in contact with each other after the stationary-side coupling pin is accommodated in the stationary-side pin accommodation portion of the stationary-side jaw.
A construction machine according to another aspect of the invention includes the attachment holder for construction equipment configured as described above.
An attachment holder for construction equipment and a construction machine according to an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that embodiments described below are examples of the invention, and accordingly the invention is not limited to the embodiments below and may be modified and altered within the technical scope of the invention.
As illustrated in
In
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The stationary-side hook plate 1a3 includes a semicircular engaging portion 1a31, a locking pin hole 1a32, a first semicircular pivotal closer member 1a35 and a second semicircular pivotal closer member 1a36, and a handle 1a38. The semicircular engaging portion 1a31 has a substantially semicircular cross section with a partially open portion and is shaped so as to fit the outer periphery of the stationary-side coupling pin 2a. The semicircular engaging portion 1a31 defines a stationary-side pin accommodation portion 1a30 and engages the stationary-side coupling pin 2a. The locking pin hole 1a32 receives a locking pin 1a33. The first semicircular pivotal closer member 1a35 and the second semicircular pivotal closer member 1a36, which are rotatably connected to each other about a pivot pin 1a37, move pivotally about a pivot shaft 1a34 and thereby close the opening of the stationary-side pin accommodation portion 1a30 so as to join the stationary-side coupling pin 2a to the stationary-side jaw 1a and to lock the stationary-side coupling pin 2a. The first semicircular pivotal closer member 1a35 and the second semicircular pivotal closer member 1a36 serve as a stationary-side closer portion of the invention.
A base portion of the first semicircular pivotal closer member 1a35 is pivotally joined to an end portion of the second semicircular pivotal closer member 1a36 via the pivot pin 1a37, which will be described later. The first semicircular pivotal closer member 1a35 has a semicircular abutting portion 1a35a at an end thereof, and the semicircular abutting portion 1a35a is shaped so as to fit the outer periphery of the stationary-side coupling pin 2a. The semicircular abutting portion 1a35a and the semicircular engaging portion 1a31 of the stationary-side jaw 1a hold and support the stationary-side coupling pin 2a.
While the end portion of the second semicircular pivotal closer member 1a36 is pivotally joined to the base portion of the first semicircular pivotal closer member 1a35 via the pivot pin 1a37, the base portion of the second semicircular pivotal closer member 1a36 is pivotally joined to the stationary-side jaw la via the pivot shaft 1a34. When the stationary-side coupling pin 2a is held and supported between the semicircular abutting portion 1a35a of the first semicircular pivotal closer member 1a35 and the semicircular engaging portion 1a31 of the stationary-side jaw 1a and the locking pin 1a33 is inserted in the locking pin hole 1a32, a portion of the inner periphery 1a36a of the second semicircular pivotal closer member 1a36 between the pivot pin 1a37 and the pivot shaft 1a34 abuts against the outer periphery 1a31a of the semicircular engaging portion 1a31. The second semicircular pivotal closer member 1a36 thereby receives forces acting on the stationary-side coupling pin 2a via the semicircular engaging portion 1a31. Note that when the stationary-side coupling pin 2a is held and supported, end portions of both sides of the first semicircular pivotal closer member 1a35 may be in contact with end portions of both sides of the semicircular engaging portion 1a31 of the stationary-side jaw 1a. In the present embodiment, however, the end portions of both sides of the first semicircular pivotal closer member 1a35 are not in contact with the end portions of both sides of the semicircular engaging portion 1a31 of the stationary-side jaw 1a, which will be described later with reference to
In the embodiment, a stopper 1d is joined to the stationary-side link plate 1a1 of the stationary-side jaw 1a by welding, bolt connection, or the like. The stopper 1d has respective corner portions that function as an excessive closure prevention portion 1d1 and an excessive opening prevention portion 1d2.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
The movable-side hook plate 1b3 includes a semicircular engaging portion 1b31, a locking pin hole 1b32, a first semicircular pivotal closer member 1b35 and a second semicircular pivotal closer member 1b36, and a handle 1b38. The semicircular engaging portion 1b31 has a substantially semicircular cross section with a partially opening portion and is shaped so as to fit the outer periphery of the movable-side coupling pin 2b. The semicircular engaging portion 1b31 defines a movable-side pin accommodation portion 1b30 and engages the movable-side coupling pin 2b. The locking pin hole 1b32 receives a locking pin 1b33. The first semicircular pivotal closer member 1b35 and the second semicircular pivotal closer member 1b36, which are rotatably connected to each other by a pivot pin 1b37, move pivotally about a pivot shaft 1b34 and thereby close the opening of the movable-side pin accommodation portion 1b30 so as to join the movable-side coupling pin 2b to the movable-side jaw 1b and to lock the movable-side coupling pin 2b. The first semicircular pivotal closer member 1b35 and the second semicircular pivotal closer member 1b36 serve as a movable-side closer portion of the invention. Note that the first semicircular pivotal closer member 1b35 and the second semicircular pivotal closer member 1b36 of the movable-side hook plate 1b3 are formed similarly to the first semicircular pivotal closer member 1a35 and the second semicircular pivotal closer member 1a36 of the stationary-side hook plate 1a3. When the movable-side coupling pin 2b is held and supported between the semicircular abutting portion of the first semicircular pivotal closer member 1b35 and the semicircular engaging portion 1b31 of the movable-side jaw 1b, a portion of the inner periphery of the second semicircular pivotal closer member 1b36 between the pivot pin 1b37 and the pivot shaft 1b34 abuts against the outer periphery of the semicircular engaging portion 1b31. The second semicircular pivotal closer member 1b36 thereby receives forces acting on the movable-side coupling pin 2b via the semicircular engaging portion 1b31.
Moreover, in the embodiment, as illustrated in
The length of the movable-side pin guidance surface 1b39 is provided such that the movable-side coupling pin 2b can come into contact with the movable-side pin guidance surface 1b39 when an attachment is attached even if the attachment to be attached to a construction machine has a minimum pin-to-pin spacing between the stationary-side coupling pin 2a and the movable-side coupling pin 2b or has a maximum pin-to-pin spacing, which will be described below.
Next, among attachments to be used for a construction machine, cases of attaching a bucket 2′ with the minimum pin-to-pin spacing and a crusher 2″ with the maximum pin-to-pin spacing by using the above-configured attachment holder 1 for construction equipment will be described. For example, the pin-to-pin spacing of the bucket 2′ between the stationary-side coupling pin 2a and the movable-side coupling pin 2b is approximately 320 mm, and the pin-to-pin spacing of the crusher 2″ is approximately 580 mm.
First, an operator actuates the bucket cylinder 3b of a construction machine so as to extend the piston 3b1 (see
Next, in the state of the stationary-side pin accommodation portion 1a30 engaging the stationary-side coupling pin 2a of the bucket 2′, the operator actuates, for example, the arm cylinder (not illustrated) and the boom cylinder (not illustrated) and lowers the movable-side jaw 1b while lifting the bucket 2′ or swinging the entire arm 3a with the excessive closure prevention portion 1d1 of the stopper 1d being in contact with the bottom portion of the movable-side link plate 1b1 of the movable-side jaw 1b near the pivot shaft 1c.
In the attachment holder 1 for construction equipment according to the embodiment, as illustrated in
Next, the operator opens the movable-side jaw 1b with respect to the stationary-side jaw 1a by actuating the bucket cylinder 3b of the construction machine so as to retract the piston 3b1 (see
Subsequently, in the case in which the bucket 2′ having a minimum pin-to-pin spacing is to be mounted on the attachment holder 1 for construction equipment, the movable-side jaw 1b opens with respect to the stationary-side jaw 1a while the movable-side coupling pin 2b of the bucket 2′ being in contact with the movable-side pin guidance surface 1b39. Consequently, as illustrated in
Thus, the movable-side coupling pin 2b of the bucket 2′ is accommodated in the movable-side pin accommodation portion 1b30 of the movable-side jaw 1b while the stationary-side coupling pin 2a of the bucket 2′ is accommodated in the stationary-side pin accommodation portion 1a30 of the stationary-side jaw 1a.
Next, as is similar to the case described in Japanese Patent No. 6211324, the operator pulls out the locking pin 1a33 and the locking pin 1b33 from the respective locking pin holes 1a32 and 1b32 of the stationary-side hook plate 1a3 and the movable-side hook plate 1b3. The operator manually rotates the first semicircular pivotal closer members 1a35 and 1b35 and the second semicircular pivotal closer members 1a36 and 1b36 about the respective pivot shafts 1a34 and 1b34 of the stationary-side jaw 1a and the movable-side jaw 1b by turning the handle 1a38 of the stationary-side jaw 1a clockwise in
Lastly, as illustrated in
By using the attachment holder 1 for construction equipment according to the embodiment, the bucket 2′ can be securely mounted on and used by the construction machine even in the case in which the attachment holder is not equipped with a regulation mechanism of the known art, such as a screw mechanism or a hydraulic cylinder 3b that regulates opening operation or the opening angle of the movable-side jaw 1b with respect to the stationary-side jaw 1a.
In the case of mounting the crusher 2″ with the maximum pin-to-pin spacing, an operator first actuates the bucket cylinder 3b of a construction machine so as to extend the piston 3b1 (see
Next, in the state of the stationary-side pin accommodation portion 1a30 engaging the stationary-side coupling pin 2a of the crusher 2″, the operator actuates, for example, the arm cylinder (not illustrated) and the boom cylinder (not illustrated) and lowers the movable-side jaw 1b while lifting the crusher 2″ or swinging the entire arm 3a with the excessive closure prevention portion 1d1 of the stopper 1d being in contact with the bottom portion of the movable-side link plate 1b1 of the movable-side jaw 1b near the pivot shaft 1c.
As illustrated in
Next, the operator opens the movable-side jaw 1b with respect to the stationary-side jaw 1a by actuating the bucket cylinder 3b of the construction machine so as to retract the piston 3b1 (see
Subsequently, in the attachment holder 1 for construction equipment according to the embodiment, the movable-side jaw 1b opens with respect to the stationary-side jaw 1a while the movable-side coupling pin 2b of the crusher 2″ being in contact with the movable-side pin guidance surface 1b39. Consequently, as illustrated in
Thus, the movable-side coupling pin 2b of the crusher 2″ is accommodated in the movable-side pin accommodation portion 1b30 of the movable-side jaw 1b while the stationary-side coupling pin 2a of the crusher 2″ is accommodated in the stationary-side pin accommodation portion 1a30 of the stationary-side jaw 1a.
Next, as is similar to the case described in Japanese Patent No. 6211324, the operator pulls out the locking pin 1a33 and the locking pin 1b33 from the respective locking pin holes 1a32 and 1b32 of the stationary-side hook plate 1a3 and the movable-side hook plate 1b3. The operator manually rotates the first semicircular pivotal closer members 1a35 and 1b35 and the second semicircular pivotal closer members 1a36 and 1b36 about the respective pivot shafts 1a34 and 1b34 of the stationary-side jaw 1a and the movable-side jaw 1b by turning the handle 1a38 of the stationary-side jaw 1a clockwise in
Lastly, as illustrated in
By using the attachment holder 1 for construction equipment according to the embodiment, the crusher 2″ with the maximum pin-to-pin spacing can be securely mounted on and used by the construction machine even in the case in which the attachment holder is not equipped with a regulation mechanism of the known art, such as a screw mechanism or a hydraulic cylinder 3b, that regulates opening operation or the opening angle of the movable-side jaw 1b with respect to the stationary-side jaw 1a.
Thus, whether the attachment is the bucket 2′ having the minimum pin-to-pin spacing between the stationary-side coupling pin 2a and the movable-side coupling pin 2b or is the crusher 2″ having the maximum pin-to-pin spacing, the attachment can be securely mounted on and used by the construction machine by using the attachment holder 1 for construction equipment according to the embodiment even in the case in which the attachment holder is not equipped with the regulation mechanism of the known art, such as the screw mechanism or the hydraulic cylinder 3b, that regulates opening operation or the opening angle of the movable-side jaw 1b with respect to the stationary-side jaw 1.
As described above, the attachment holder 1 for construction equipment according to the embodiment includes the movable-side pin guidance surface 1b39 that is disposed outside the opening of the movable-side pin accommodation portion 1b30 of the movable-side jaw 1b and that comes into contact with the movable-side coupling pin 2b and guides the movable-side coupling pin 2b until the movable-side coupling pin 2b is accommodated in the movable-side pin accommodation portion 1b30. The attachment holder 1 also includes the excessive closure prevention portion 1d1 of the stopper 1d that prevents the movable-side jaw 1b from closing excessively with respect to the stationary-side jaw 1a to enable the movable-side coupling pin 2b to come into contact with the movable-side pin guidance surface 1b39, whether the movable-side coupling pin 2b is a movable-side coupling pin of an attachment for construction equipment that has a minimum pin-to-pin spacing between the stationary-side coupling pin 2a and the movable-side coupling pin 2b or a maximum pin-to-pin spacing, in a case in which the movable-side coupling pin 2b is to be accommodated in the movable-side pin accommodation portion 1b30 of the movable-side jaw 1b by actuating a hydraulic cylinder or the like disposed in the arm 3a of the construction machine so as to move the movable-side jaw 1b closer to the movable-side coupling pin 2b after the stationary-side coupling pin 2a is accommodated in the stationary-side pin accommodation portion 1a30 of the stationary-side jaw 1a.
Accordingly, the attachment holder 1 for construction equipment according to the embodiment does not require the regulation mechanism, such as the screw mechanism or the hydraulic cylinder 3b, that regulates opening operation and the opening angle of the movable-side jaw 1b with respect to the stationary-side jaw 1a. This leads to cost reduction. The coupling pins can be accommodated in the respective pin accommodation portions of the stationary-side jaw 1a and the movable-side jaw 1b and can be prevented from being detached from the stationary-side jaw 1a and the movable-side jaw 1b.
In addition, in the attachment holder 1 for construction equipment according to the embodiment, the stationary-side jaw 1a and the movable-side jaw 1b are configured to pivotally move about the pivot shaft 1c, and the excessive opening prevention portion 1d2 is disposed in the stopper 1d to prevent the movable-side jaw 1b from excessively opening pivotally about the pivot shaft 1c with respect to the stationary-side jaw 1a.
Accordingly, the attachment holder 1 for construction equipment according to the embodiment can prevent the movable-side jaw 1b from opening excessively with respect to the stationary-side jaw 1a even if the attachment holder 1 does not include the regulation mechanism, such as a screw mechanism or a hydraulic cylinder 3b, that regulates opening operation or the opening angle of the movable-side jaw 1b with respect to the stationary-side jaw 1a. This leads to a reduction in cost and to an improvement in workability in mounting the attachment.
In the above-described embodiment, the corner portions of the single stopper 1d disposed on the stationary-side link plate 1a1 of the stationary-side jaw 1a function as the excessive closure prevention portion 1d1 and the excessive opening prevention portion 1d2. However, as illustrated in
Alternatively, as illustrated in
In the above-described embodiment, the excessive closure prevention portion 1d1 and the excessive opening prevention portion 1d2 are disposed in the attachment holder 1. However, the excessive opening prevention portion 1d2 may be omitted in the case in which the bucket cylinder 3b of the arm 3a, the arm cylinder (not illustrated), the boom cylinder (not illustrated), or the like, of the construction machine can prevent the movable-side jaw 1b from excessively opening pivotally about the pivot shaft 1c with respect to the stationary-side jaw 1a.
In the above-described embodiment, the stationary-side closer portion that closes the stationary-side pin accommodation portion 1a30 is a two-piece device formed of the first semicircular pivotal closer member 1a35 and the second semicircular pivotal closer member 1a36, and the movable-side closer portion that closes the movable-side pin accommodation portion 1b30 is also a two-piece device formed of the first semicircular pivotal closer member 1b35 and the second semicircular pivotal closer member 1b36. However, the stationary-side closer portion and the movable-side closer portion are not limited to these forms. For example, the stationary-side closer portion and the movable-side closer portion may be formed as single piece members that rotate about respective pivot shafts and close the stationary-side pin accommodation portion 1a30 and the movable-side pin accommodation portion 1b30. Alternatively, the stationary-side pin accommodation portion 1a30 and the movable-side pin accommodation portion 1b30 may be closed in such a manner that, for example, closer cylinders, each having a semicircular cross section, rotate respectively along the inside surfaces of the stationary-side pin accommodation portion 1a30 and the movable-side pin accommodation portion 1b30 so as to close the stationary-side and the movable-side pin accommodation portions 1a30 and 1b30.
In the above-described embodiment, the stationary-side jaw 1a and the movable-side jaw 1b open and close by pivotally moving about the pivot shaft 1c with respect to each other. However, the invention may be applied to an attachment holder in which the stationary-side jaw la and the movable-side jaw 1b open and close so as to slide against each other, which is described, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 6211324.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-47417 | Mar 2018 | JP | national |
