Patent Application
20250043532
The invention concerns a quick-change system for changing attachments on a construction machine.
Such quick-change systems are used on excavators or other comparable construction machines between an attachment of the construction machine and the tool as a rotational and/or pivot unit to expand the movement capabilities. Such quick-change systems typically contain a quick coupler which is arranged on a connecting part so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation by means of a hydraulic rotary drive and pivotable about a pivot axis orthogonal to the axis of rotation, as well as receptacles and at least one locking element for releasable securing of an attachment connected to the quick coupler. By means of such a quick-change system, the attachments connected to the quick coupler, such as a tilt bucket, grippers, shears, compactors, magnets, hydraulic hammers or the like can be rotated not only about a pivot axis arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of an excavator arm, but also about an axis of rotation orthogonal to this pivot axis. Such a quick-change system is known from DE 10 2020 127 313 B3.
There are also quick-change systems of the initially mentioned type in which the pivot and tilting position of a quick coupler is monitored via electrical sensors and transmitted to display devices within a driver's cab. However, such a sensor mechanism is relatively delicate and costly. A corresponding power supply is also required for the sensor mechanism.
One aspect of the invention relates to a quick-change system of the initially mentioned type that also permits simple and robust monitoring of a rotational or tilting position of the quick coupler relative to a carrier without a separate power supply.
Expedient embodiments and advantageous refinements of the quick-change system according to the invention are disclosed herein.
The quick-change system according to the invention for changing attachments on a construction machine contains a quick coupler arranged to pivot about an additional pivot axis by means of a pivot drive and rotatable about an axis of rotation by means of a rotary drive on a carrier, which, for coupling a tool or attachment, has first receptacles on one side for accommodating and securing a first bolt-shaped coupling element on the tool side, and second receptacles on the other side for accommodating and securing a second bolt-shaped coupling element on the tool side. A mechanical rotation and pivot indicator is arranged on the quick-change system, which contains a first indicator element with a corresponding first marking to monitor the rotation position of the quick coupler, and a second indicator element with a corresponding second marking to monitor the tilting position of the quick coupler. The mechanical rotation and pivot indicator allows the position of the quick coupler to be checked quickly and reliably without an additional power supply. For example, it is possible to check whether the quick coupler is in an unrotated and un-tilted initial position (0 position) without the need for a costly sensor mechanism.
In a structurally simple and cost-effective implementation, the indicator elements can be designed in the form of a pointer with a pointer tip.
In another advantageous embodiment, the indicator elements can contain a slot-like recess covering the associated marking in an initial position of the quick coupler. The marking is therefore readily apparent within the slot-like recess in the initial position of the quick coupler.
In the case of a combined rotation and pivot indicator, both the first and second indicator elements can be arranged in a common carrier plate. The common carrier plate can be arranged, for example, on a drive housing and the two markings arranged on the quick coupler and a crosspiece of the carrier.
The first indicator element and the second indicator element, however, can also be arranged on separate carrier plates. The second indicator element, for example, can be arranged on a crosspiece of the carrier and the corresponding marking on a bearing pin of a drive housing. Alternatively, the second indicator element can be arranged on a bearing pin of a drive housing and the corresponding marking on a crosspiece of the carrier.
In a cost-effective implementation, the carrier plates with the indicator elements can be designed as a sheet metal part.
Additional details and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following description of preferred embodiment examples with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:
The quick-change system 1, designed here as a tilt rotator, contains a drive housing 8 in which the quick coupler 3 is mounted to rotate through 360° about the axis of rotation 5, which is shown here vertically aligned. A hydraulic rotary lead-through, not visible here, is also arranged in drive housing 8 with a rotationally fixed stator arranged relative to it in drive housing 8 and a rotor mounted to rotate within the stator to supply hydraulic fluid to the quick coupler 3. The rotary drive 4 contains a hydraulic motor 9 designed as a hydraulic drive, through which the quick coupler 3 can be mechanically rotated 360° about the axis of rotation 5 via a gear mechanism with a worm wheel arranged inside the drive housing 8 and a drive worm that can be rotated by the hydraulic motor 9 relative to drive housing 8.
The drive housing 8 is arranged to pivot on the carrier 2 about the pivot axis 7 orthogonal to the axis of rotation 5 via laterally projecting bearing pins 10 within two bearing lugs 11 separated from each other and can be pivoted via the hydraulic pivot drive 6 relative to carrier 2 about the pivot axis 7 by about +45° relative to the position shown in
The carrier 2 in the embodiment example shown has two parallel side walls 12 as well as front and rear crosspieces 13 with the bearing lugs 11 arranged thereon. The drive housing 8 is mounted to pivot about the pivot axis 7 via the two bearing pins 10 in the bearing lugs 11 of the front and rear crosspieces 13. Openings to accommodate two parallel bolt-shaped coupling elements 14 and 15 separated from each other for connection to a quick coupler on the excavator side are formed in the two side walls 12 of the depicted carrier 2. The carrier 2, however, can also be mounted directly on an arm and a coupling of an excavator even without intermediate connection of, e.g., a hydraulically operated quick coupler.
The pivot drive 6 in the embodiment shown is formed by two double-acting positioning cylinders each with a cylinder housing 16 or 17 fastened on the corresponding side wall 12 of carrier 2 and a hydraulically movable piston rod 18 or 19 arranged to move in cylinder housing 1916 or 17. The free ends of the piston rods 18 and 19 are each connected via an articulated lug 20 and a corresponding mount 21 to the drive housing 8. The drive housing 8 with the quick coupler 3 mounted to rotated therein can thus be tilted relative to the carrier 2 by corresponding retraction and extension of the two piston rods 18 and 19 on the control cylinder. The pivot drive 6, however, can also be formed by a hydraulic motor or another appropriate hydraulic drive.
As can be seen from
A mechanical rotation and pivot indicator 26 is arranged on the quick-change system 1 to monitor a rotation and tilting position of the quick coupler relative to the carrier. A combined mechanical rotation and pivot indicator 26 is provided in the embodiment depicted in
As follows especially from
On the other hand, if the quick coupler 3 is rotated according to
If the quick coupler 3 is tilted about the pivot axis 7 orthogonal to the axis of rotation 5 according to
As shown in
The second indicator element 28, however, can of course also be arranged on the bearing pin 10 and the corresponding marking 30 on the cross piece 13 of carrier 2, as shown in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2023 120 316.9 | Jul 2023 | DE | national |
