Patent Application
20170335543
The present disclosure relates to guard rails used with earth moving machinery, construction machinery, and the like. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to guard rails that use structural members that have open configurations.
Traditional guard rails that are used on earth moving machinery, construction machinery and the like typically use structural members that have closed configurations such as circular shaped tubes. However, these structural members may be more expensive than desirable. As a result, many customers request lower cost guard rails.
One way to provide guard rails at a lower cost involves providing structural members that have an open configuration. For example, the vertical structural members that extend upwardly from the platform of machinery may have an open configuration that provides a channel or opening along its vertical length. This may create a potential snag or pinch point.
An insert for use with a support member of a guard rail system is provided. The insert may comprise a main wall portion that defines a longitudinal axis, a first end and a second end disposed along the longitudinal axis, a first edge and a second edge that extend generally along the longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end, and a tail portion that extends from the main wall portion and forms an included angle with the main wall portion that is less than 180°. At least one sidewall portion extends from an edge of the main wall portion and forms a first snap feature that points outwardly from the sidewall portion.
A guard rail system for use with a machine is provided. The guard rail system comprises a handrail member, a support member that defines a longitudinal axis and an open channel that extends along the longitudinal axis and a snap receiving aperture that is in communication with the channel, and an insert that includes a snap feature that is configured to fit within the channel and the snap feature is configured to be disposed in the snap receiving aperture.
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. In some cases, a reference number will be indicated in this specification and the drawings will show the reference number followed by a letter for example, 100a, 100b or a prime indicator such as 100′, 100″ etc. It is to be understood that the use of letters or primes immediately after a reference number indicates that these features are similarly shaped and have similar function as is often the case when geometry is mirrored about a plane of symmetry. For ease of explanation in this specification, letters or primes will often not be included herein but may be shown in the drawings to indicate duplications of features discussed within this written specification.
This concept provides a filler piece or insert that is configured to prevent items from catching in the channel of the vertical guard rail support. In some embodiments, the insert may have a reflective aspect added to it. This provides a higher visibility to the machine with the new guard rail system. This feature may be added at no extra cost. The insert may also have integrated support and attachment features. This provides a method of assembling the guard rail system without the need of fasteners and the like.
Looking at
A platform 110 is also provided that has a substantially flat top 112 that allows the operator to walk on the top 112 of the machine 100 when mounting or dismounting the machine 100 using the ladder 114. A cab 116 is also provided that includes a plurality of windows 118 and controls, operator's seat, etc. that are disposed inside the cab 116.
As is well known and understood, movement around the operator's platform 112 is required, initially for the operator to get from the ladder 114 into the operator's cab 116, and later for maintenance. A guard rail system 120 is provided to help the operator or other personnel from falling off the machine. The guard rail system 120 may comprise a plurality of subassemblies. One such assembly is provided and depicted by the area designated by rectangle 2 in
Referring now to
For this particular embodiment, the support member 124 includes a generally u-shaped or c-shaped configuration that includes a pair of sidewalls 130, a rear wall 132 and transition walls 134 that connect the sidewalls to the rear wall 132. In some embodiments, the transitional walls 134 may be straight walls or curved, e.g. radiused walls. In other embodiments, the sidewalls 130 may be connected to each other by a continuously curved wall such as a wall that approximates the shape of a semi-circle, etc. As can be best seen in
Furthermore, while the vertical support member is obviously oriented vertically, it is contemplated that the orientation of the support member 124, handrail 122 and insert 200 may be altered as needed or desired.
As shown in
As best seen in
Looking at the handrail 122 in
For the guard rail system 120 depicted in
Focusing now on
As used herein, the term “generally” with reference to angles or directions means that a feature or angle is 0°-5° range of a reference direction or feature knowing that such deviations are routine for a number of reasons including manufacturing tolerances, draft angles, flare angles, etc. Also, the term “outwardly” means in a direction that is away from the interior of the channel 126 of a support member 124 or its longitudinal axis L or the longitudinal axis LA of the insert 200 while the term “inwardly” means in a direction that is toward the interior of the channel 126 of a support member 124 or its longitudinal axis L or the longitudinal axis LA of the insert 200.
Referring back to
As best seen in
Looking at both
The insert 200 further includes a support portion 208 that includes a contact surface 234 that is spaced inwardly away from the sidewall portion 212 a predetermined distance D234 along a direction L122 that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LA. The support portion 208 includes a generally c-shaped or u-shaped configuration that is formed by a back wall 236 that runs generally parallel to the longitudinal axis LA and ribs 238 that extend from the sidewall 212 to the rear wall in a direction L122 generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LA. The free end of the support feature 208 includes chamfered surfaces 240 adjacent either sides of the contact surface 234. The contact surface 234 and chamfered surfaces 240 are configured to match the contour of the inner surface of the transitional wall 134 of the support member 124 (see
The support portion 208 provides support to the insert 200 once it is snapped into place so that the insert 200 will not buckle inwardly if pressed upon in a direction that is parallel to the direction of assembly 302 as will be discussed momentarily. The support portion 208 is disposed between the first and second snap features 221, 221′ along a direction that is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis LA.
For the embodiment of the insert shown in
For the embodiment shown in
In practice, a machine 100 may be sold or retrofitted with any of the embodiments of a guard rail system 120 or insert 200, 300 as described herein.
The various embodiments of the apparatus described herein may be manufactured and assembled as will now be described. The support member 124 may be made using a stamping or forming process that creates the snap receiving apertures 128 in a piece of sheet metal and then bends the sheet metal into the desired shape. The handrail 122 may be made from tube stock and the insert 200, 300 may be made using a plastic injection molding process.
As may be understood by looking at
With reference to
More specifically, the use of rectroflectivity may be employed to improve the visibility of machines to others at nighttime. Retroreflectivity is an optical phenomenon where light rays are reflected in a direction that is substantially parallel and opposite to the direction that they hit a retroreflector. This may occur at angles other than purely a horizontal direction, allowing a machine to be visible to sources of light at various positions around the machine. Examples of retroreflectors that might be used include cube corners and microspheres of glass or plastic, etc.
The effectiveness of the use of retroreflectivity for an insert may be expressed in terms of the coefficient of retroreflection, RA. This may be measured per ASTM Standard E808-91. RA is defined as the coefficient of luminous intensity, RI, of a plane retroreflecting surface to its area. The metric unit for RA is candelas per lux per square meter (cd/lx/m2). RI is the ratio of the luminous intensity of the retroreflector in the direction of observance, E, to the illuminance at the retroreflector on a plane perpendicular to the direction of the incident light.
The insert may have a RA value that ranges from 7 to 250 or more cd/lx/m2. When yellow on a black background is used, it is contemplated that the RA may range from 50 to 75 cd/lx/m2.
It will be appreciated that the foregoing description provides examples of the disclosed assembly and technique. However, it is contemplated that other implementations of the disclosure may differ in detail from the foregoing examples. All references to the disclosure or examples thereof are intended to reference the particular example being discussed at that point and are not intended to imply any limitation as to the scope of the disclosure more generally. All language of distinction and disparagement with respect to certain features is intended to indicate a lack of preference for those features, but not to exclude such from the scope of the disclosure entirely unless otherwise indicated.
Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments of the apparatus and methods of assembly as discussed herein without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention(s). Other embodiments of this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the various embodiments disclosed herein. For example, some of the equipment may be constructed and function differently than what has been described herein and certain steps of any method may be omitted, performed in an order that is different than what has been specifically mentioned or in some cases performed simultaneously or in sub-steps. Furthermore, variations or modifications to certain aspects or features of various embodiments may be made to create further embodiments and features and aspects of various embodiments may be added to or substituted for other features or aspects of other embodiments in order to provide still further embodiments.
Accordingly, this disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
