The disclosure relates to an excavator shovel assembly with an excavator shovel and a shovel arm connected to it by a shovel swivel joint. In addition, the disclosure relates to an excavator structure for a toy with such an excavator shovel assembly and a toy with such an excavator structure.
Toys with excavator structures are known, for example, from EP1121965B1, EP1693093B1 and EP3047887B1.
It is an object of the present invention to fix different basic positions of an excavator shovel safely, but at the same time in a manner that is easily changeable, in order to elevate the playing experience.
This object is achieved by an excavator shovel assembly having an excavator shovel. A shovel arm is connected via a shovel swivel joint to the excavator shovel. A shovel swivel locking device locks the excavator shovel relative to the shovel arm. The shovel swivel locking device includes a shovel connecting lever that is connected to the excavator shovel via a shovel connecting joint. It further includes a shovel arm connecting lever that is connected to the shovel arm via a shovel arm connecting joint. It also includes a rocker connecting lever that is connected, at one end, to the shovel connecting lever via a shovel rocker connecting joint and, at an opposite end, to the shovel arm connecting lever via a shovel arm rocker connecting joint.
The shovel connecting joint and the two rocker connecting joints are arranged in such a manner that the rocker connecting lever is displaceable between a shovel lifting position, in which the excavator shovel is in a raised lifting swivel position relative to the shovel arm, and a shovel delivery position, in which the excavator shovel lies relative to the shovel arm in a delivery swivel position pivoted downwards in comparison with the shovel lifting position. To switch between the two position the rocket connecting lever moves through a dead center position in which one of the two shovel arm rocker connecting joints passes through a dead center joint plane which is defined by the shovel connecting joint and the other of the two rocker connecting joints.
A shovel swivel locking device with a rocker connecting lever, which can overcome a dead center position, represents a configuration that is sufficiently safe and sufficiently easy to overcome for the specification of different basic positions of the excavator shovel relative to the shovel arm.
The delivery swivel position of the excavator shovel can be achieved after overcoming the dead center of the rocker connecting lever under a dead weight of the excavator shovel.
An operating handle that is attached to the shovel connecting lever facilitates handling of the shovel swivel locking device. The operating handle can be integrally formed on the shovel connecting lever, in particular in one piece. The operating handle can be arranged in such a manner that one-hand operation of the shovel swivel locking device is possible. The operating handle may be arranged in such a manner that it can be operated in the same manner by both right-handed and left-handed persons.
A configuration in which the operating handle is configured to exert tensile and compressive forces on the shovel connecting lever facilitates the operation of the shovel swivel locking device.
An excavator structure for a toy comprises the excavator shovel assembly, a frame component, and an actuating component that is guided in a displaceable manner relative to the shovel arm between a locking position, in which a locking element connected to the frame component interacts with a stop of the shovel arm to hold the shovel arm in a shovel arm lifting position and a release position in which the actuating component displaces the locking element such that it comes out of engagement with the stop of the shovel arm, such that the shovel arm is displaceable into a shovel arm lowering position. The advantages of such an excavator structure are the same as those explained above with reference to the excavator shovel assembly. The shovel arm lowering position can be achieved under a dead weight of the shovel arm after the changeover of the actuating component to the release position. The actuating component can be designed as an actuating knob.
The actuating component may be pretensioned in the locking position. A preload of the actuating component ensures a safe and reproducible positioning of the actuating component. The preload can be applied via a spring component, which is attached to the shovel arm, for example, and which can in particular be an integral or one-piece component of the shovel arm.
The locking element may be connected to the frame component via a locking connecting joint. A hinge connection between the locking element and the frame component results in an approximation of the kinematics of the excavator structure when the shovel arm moves to a real excavator model.
The advantages of a toy with the described excavator structure are the same as those explained above in connection with the excavator structure and excavator shovel. The toy may be a toy vehicle. In particular, the toy may be made entirely of plastic. Some or all of the components of the toy may be injection molded parts.
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background or the following detailed description.
An excavator shovel assembly 1 is shown in
A shovel swivel locking device 5 is used to lock or fix the position of the excavator shovel 2 relative to the shovel arm 3. Such device has a shovel connecting lever 6, which is connected to the excavator shovel 2 via a shovel connecting joint with joint axis 7. An operating handle 8 for the excavator shovel assembly 1 is attached to the shovel connecting lever 6. The operating handle 8 is integrally formed in one piece on the shovel connecting lever 6. The operating handle 8 is designed in such a manner that both tensile and compressive forces can be exerted on the shovel connecting lever 6.
Furthermore, the shovel swivel locking device 5 has a shovel arm connecting lever 9. The latter is connected to the shovel arm 3 via a shovel arm connecting joint with a joint axis 10 (see
A rocker connecting lever 11 also belongs to the shovel swivel locking device 5. The rocker connecting lever 11 is connected, at one end, to the shovel connecting lever 6 via a shovel rocker connecting joint with joint axis 12 and, at an opposite end, to the shovel arm connecting lever 9 via a shovel arm rocker connecting joint with joint axis 13.
The joint axes 7, 12 and 13 are arranged parallel to one another and at a distance from one another.
The shovel connecting joint 7 and the two rocker connecting joints 12, 13 are arranged relative to each other in such a manner that the rocker connecting lever can be displaced between the shovel lifting position shown in
The dead center joint plane 14 is indicated by the joint axes 7, 12 on the one hand of the shovel connecting joint, and on the other hand of the shovel rocker connecting joint.
In the position shown in
The shovel dead center position is shown in
In the shovel lifting position, the excavator shovel 2 is in a raised lifting swivel position relative to the shovel arm 3. In the shovel delivery position, the excavator shovel 2 lies relative to the shovel arm 3 in a delivery swivel position swiveled downwards relative to the shovel lifting position.
After overcoming the shovel dead center position, starting from the shovel lifting position, the shovel delivery position can be reached under the dead weight of the excavator shovel 2. The dead center of the rocker connecting lever 11 is overcome, starting from the shovel lifting position, by pulling on the operating handle 8, such that the shovel connecting lever 6 pivots around the shovel connecting joint 7, until, starting from the locking position of the shovel swivel locking device 5, for example according to
An excavator structure 15, of which the excavator shovel assembly 1 is a part, also includes a frame component 16, which is a part of a frame of the excavator structure 15. The shovel arm 3 is connected to the frame component 16 via a shovel arm swivel joint with joint axis 17.
The excavator structure 15 also includes an actuating component 18, which is designed as an actuating knob. The actuating component 18 is guided relative to the shovel arm 3 and can be displaced between a locking position shown for example in
The locking element 19 is designed in the form of a stylized piston. The locking element 19 is connected to the frame component 16 via a bolt connecting joint with joint axis 19a. As with the shovel arm 3, the locking element 19 is also available with a double design.
In the locking position, one end face of the locking element 19 interacts with the stop 20 of the shovel arm 3. In the locking position, a section 21 of the actuating component 18 rests against a jacket wall of the locking element 19 (see
In the release position of the actuating component 18 (see
In the release position, the locking element 19 is out of engagement with the stop 20 of the shovel arm 3, such that the shovel arm 3 can be displaced into the shovel arm lowering position.
Via a spring component 22 designed as a spring tongue (see
The excavator structure 15 is part of a toy, in particular a toy vehicle, which may be designed as an excavator in its entirety.
The excavator shovel assembly 1, the excavator structure 15 and the entire toy can be manufactured of plastic. The individual components can be manufactured as injection molded parts.
When playing with a toy having the excavator structure 15, the operator can switch between the different shovel positions and the different shovel arm positions shown in the figures with the assistance of, on the one hand, the operating handle 8 and, on the other hand, the operating component 18. Due to the shovel swivel locking device 5, the excavator shovel 2 remains fixed in the shovel lifting position independently of the shovel arm position, unless the operator causes an active changeover of the shovel.
When the excavator shovel 2 is fixed in the shovel lifting position, the shovel arm connecting lever 9 functions as a part of a parallelogram guide, which ensures that, when the shovel arm 3 moves between the lifting and lowering positions, the excavator shovel 2 remains at the correct angle in the shovel lifting position, such that there is no unwanted emptying of the excavator shovel 2. Part of this parallelogram guide is a coupling rod 23. The coupling rod 23 is connected to the shovel arm connecting lever 9 via a connecting coupling joint with joint axis 23a. The coupling rod 23 is connected to the frame component 16 of the excavator structure 15 via an additional shovel arm coupling joint. This function of the parallelogram guide, which includes not only the shovel arm connecting lever 9 but also the other levers of the shovel swivel locking device, can be illustrated by comparing
In the same manner, the shovel arm 3 remains in the shovel arm lifting position, for example, upon the changeover of the excavator shovel 2. If the excavator shovel 2 is shifted from the shovel lifting position to the shovel delivery position with the shovel arm 3 lowered, this leads, depending on the height of the ground on which a lower edge 2a of the excavator shovel 2 comes to rest, where applicable to the lifting of the shovel arm 3 from the shovel arm lowering position shown in
In the shovel delivery position, the rocker connecting lever 11 is swiveled around the shovel rocker connecting joint 12 by approximately 180° in comparison with the shovel lifting position, for example according to
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the disclosed or illustrated embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover numerous other modifications, substitutions, variations and broad equivalent arrangements that are included within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10 2019 201 054.7 | Jan 2019 | DE | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2563974 | Thierry | Aug 1951 | A |
2812869 | Nisperly | Nov 1957 | A |
2896802 | Norris | Jul 1959 | A |
2985983 | Konstenius | May 1961 | A |
3161987 | Decker | Dec 1964 | A |
3462874 | Pauly | Aug 1969 | A |
3539063 | Masura | Nov 1970 | A |
3624957 | Good | Dec 1971 | A |
3744181 | Gagnon | Jul 1973 | A |
4712968 | Manning | Dec 1987 | A |
6508320 | Huntsberger | Jan 2003 | B2 |
7347763 | Ewringmann | Mar 2008 | B2 |
7976356 | Bruder | Jul 2011 | B2 |
9643098 | Schneider | May 2017 | B2 |
20080207086 | Ewringmann | Aug 2008 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
29800336 | Mar 1998 | DE |
202005001824 | May 2005 | DE |
1121965 | Sep 2004 | EP |
1693093 | Mar 2008 | EP |
3047887 | Jul 2018 | EP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20200238187 A1 | Jul 2020 | US |