Cover device for a work machine, movable between an open and closed position

Abstract

A cover device (24) for a working machine (10) that is movable between an open and closed position, comprising: a panel (38) for covering an area of ​​the working machine (10), a support (32) for attachment to a supporting frame (12) of the working machine (10), a pivot arm (44) which is connected to the panel (38) by a first pivot bearing (46) and to the support (32) by a second pivot bearing (48), and a guide arm (50) which is connected to the panel (38) and the support (32) by a third pivot bearing (52) and a fourth pivot bearing (66), wherein the axes of rotation of the pivot bearings (46, 48, 52, 66) are oriented parallel to each other, characterized in that the fourth pivot bearing (66) is designed as a combined sliding and pivot bearing (66).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a cover device for a machine which is movable between an open and closed position. Technological background

[0002] Working machines, which within the scope of this disclosure include, among others, agricultural machinery, forestry machinery, and construction machinery, often have covers behind which components or parts are located that must be accessible to an operator for maintenance or refilling purposes. These covers are therefore adjustable between open and closed positions. In many cases, spatial constraints must be taken into account, which limit the possible degrees of freedom of movement of the cover. An example of a cover can be found in EP 2 742 792 A2, which shows a forage harvester with an engine compartment cover that can be pivoted about two different axes.

[0003] In addition to pure pivoting movements, sliding movements of the covering devices, analogous to sliding doors in passenger cars, or movements controlled by parallelogram guides have also been described, for which reference is made to the disclosure of DE 10 2013 007 876 A1, which shows a vehicle door mounted on two pivot arms. Task

[0004] The covering device according to DE 10 2013 007 876 A1 moves along a path that describes a circular arc, i.e., the movement in the forward direction is equal to the movement of the covering device in the transverse direction. However, in some installation situations, it is more advantageous to limit the movement in the transverse direction, usually for spatial reasons. invention

[0005] The present invention is defined by the claims.

[0006] A cover device for a working machine, movable between an open and closed position, comprises a panel for covering an area of ​​the working machine, a support for mounting on a supporting frame of the working machine, a pivot arm connected to the panel by a first pivot bearing and to the support by a second pivot bearing, and a guide arm connected to the panel and the support by a third pivot bearing and a fourth combined sliding and pivot bearing, the axes of rotation of the pivot bearings being oriented parallel to each other.

[0007] In other words, the panel, during its movement between the open and closed positions, does not follow a circular motion via the fourth, combined sliding and swivel bearing, but rather a parabolic path. This facilitates adaptation of this path to the spatial constraints of a machine. In particular, the path can be longer in the longitudinal direction of the panel's movement than in the transverse direction.

[0008] The covering device can be located above a platform accessible by a ladder, the platform being laterally bounded by a railing extending along the forward direction of the machine, and the longitudinal movement of the panel between the open and closed positions occurring along the forward direction. The machine can be a forage harvester, and the area of ​​the machine covered by the panel can include a tank with a removable lid. Example of implementation

[0009] The illustrations explain an exemplary implementation. They show: Fig. 1. A perspective view of a work machine in the form of a forage harvester with a closed cover device. Fig. 2 a vertical top view of the cover device in the closed position, Fig. 3 the view after Fig. 2 with the cover open, Fig. 4 a perspective view of the cover mechanism from the inside, Fig. 5 a perspective view of the closed cover device, and Fig. 6 a perspective view of the open cover device.

[0010] The Fig. Figure 1 shows an agricultural machine 10 in the form of a forage harvester. The machine 10 comprises a supporting frame 12, which rests on driven front wheels 14 and steerable rear wheels 16. A cab 18 is attached to the front end of the machine 10, which is accessible via a ladder 22 and a platform 20. The platform 20 is enclosed on the outside by a railing 26. A cover 24 is in its closed position, in which it Fig. Figure 1 shows the area immediately above and behind the rear section of platform 20, i.e., above the access steps 20. Within the context of this disclosure, directional terms such as front, rear, left, right, below, and above refer to the forward direction V of the working machine 10, which is shown in Fig. 1 runs to the right.

[0011] The cover device 24 is in the Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 in closed position and in the Fig. 3 and Fig. Figure 6 shows the cover in the open position. In the open position, the cover device 24 (along a longitudinal direction of its movement between the closed and open positions) is displaced forward and outward (to the right) along a parabolic path 68, transverse to the forward direction V, as shown in the Fig. 3 and Fig. Figure 6 shows and provides access to a coverable area of ​​the working machine 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the coverable area contains a tank 28, which can, for example, hold silage additives and is closed by a lid 30 that can be opened to fill the tank 28.

[0012] It will now be referred to as Fig. Reference is made to Figure 4, which shows a perspective view of the cover device 24, viewed from the inside. The cover device 24 comprises a panel 38, which can be made of plastic or sheet metal and is convexly curved. A part 62 is provided on the top of the panel 38, having an external appearance similar to ventilation slots on the rear of the cover device 24. Part 62 is therefore closed (not slotted) but designed so that the panel 38 matches the appearance of the machine 10. The panel 38 is connected to and supported by a support frame 42. A vertically extending support 32 is provided on the side of the working machine 10, which is rigidly coupled at its lower end to a flange 34. This flange is rigidly connected to the supporting frame 12 of the working machine 10 by means of screw connections.A bracket 36 is attached to the inside of the panel 38, to which a strut 39 is fastened. This strut interacts with another strut 41, which is attached to the support 32. A magnet is positioned between the struts 39 and 41, which locks the panel 38 in the closed position. A further bracket 40 is provided for future use. Another magnetic holder for securing the closed panel 38 to the frame 12 may be provided at the rear end of the panel 38.

[0013] The panel 38 is suspended from the support 32 by a pivot arm 44, which is articulated to the support frame 42 by a first pivot bearing 46 with a vertical pivot axis. A second pivot bearing 48 with a vertical pivot axis connects the pivot arm 44 to a support plate 58, which is attached to the support 32. In the illustrated embodiment, two pivot arms 44 and support plates 58 are arranged one above the other, and the two pivot arms 44 are connected to each other by a stiffening element 64 extending along the pivot arms 44 and in a vertical direction. The lower pivot arm 44 is further connected by a stiffening element 64 in the Fig. 4. A concealed, second pivot bearing is mounted about the vertical axis on the associated support plate 58, wherein the axes of rotation of the two second pivot bearings 48 are coaxial, which applies analogously to the two first pivot bearings 46. The pivot arm 44 is therefore pivotably connected about the vertical axis to the panel 38 at the first pivot bearing 46 and pivotably connected about the vertical axis to the support 32 at the second pivot bearing 48.

[0014] On the other hand, the panel 38 is coupled to the support 32 by a guide arm 50 (via a retaining plate 60 and the lower support plate 58). In particular, the retaining plate 60 and the two support plates 58 can be formed as a single unit, i.e., the retaining plate 60 and the two support plates 58 can be formed as a bent component that is bolted to the support 32 between the support plates 58. The guide arm 50 is pivotally coupled to the support frame 42 of the panel 38 about the vertical axis by a third pivot bearing 52. At its other end, the guide arm 50 is connected to the retaining plate 60, which in turn is attached to the support 32, via a fourth, combined sliding and pivot bearing 66. The sliding and swivel bearing 66 comprises a swivel pin 54 connected to the guide arm 50, which is rotatably mounted about the vertical axis in an elongated hole 56 of the retaining plate 60. The elongated hole 56 extends parallel to the forward direction V.Although the guide arm 50 is arranged below the pivot arm 44 in the illustrated embodiment, it could also be arranged above it or vertically between the two pivot arms 44. The positions of the fourth sliding and pivot bearing 66 and the third pivot bearing 52 could also be interchanged.

[0015] The first pivot bearing 46 and the third pivot bearing 52 lie on an imaginary line that runs parallel to the forward direction V and to the longitudinal direction of movement of the panel 38 on its track 68 between the closed and open positions. The second pivot bearing 48 and the pivot axis of the guide arm 50 at the elongated hole 56 also lie on an imaginary line that runs parallel to the forward direction V and to the longitudinal direction of movement of the panel 38 on its track 68 between the closed and open positions.

[0016] The described support of the panel 38 on the support 32 does not result in a purely circular arc path for the panel 38 on its way between the open position and the closed position, but rather a parabolic path 68 (cf. Fig.3), which results in the smallest distance achieved on track 68 between the panel 38 and the railing 26 remaining larger than it would be for a circular arc track achieved by a pure parallelogram guide, as provided in the prior art. This behavior is achieved by the elongated slot 56 of the fourth, combined sliding and pivot bearing 66, because this allows only a transverse movement of the panel 38, which is limited by the length of the pivot arm 44 and the guide arm 50 (i.e., the distance between the first and second pivot bearings 46, 48 and the distance between the third pivot bearing 52 and the pivot pin 54), while the movement in the forward direction V (which coincides with the longitudinal direction of the movement of the panel 38) is longer due to the elongated slot 56 in which the pivot pin 54 can move along the forward direction V. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 2 742 792 A2

[0002] DE 10 2013 007 876 A1 [0003, 0004]

Claims

[1] Cover device (24) for a working machine (10) movable between an open and closed position, comprising: a panel (38) for covering an area of ​​the working machine (10), a support (32) for attachment to a supporting frame (12) of the working machine (10), a pivot arm (44) which is connected to the panel (38) by a first pivot bearing (46) and to the support (32) by a second pivot bearing (48), and a guide arm (50) which is connected to the panel (38) and the support (32) by a third pivot bearing (52) and a fourth pivot bearing (66), wherein the axes of rotation of the pivot bearings (46, 48, 52, 66) are oriented parallel to each other, characterized by , that the fourth pivot bearing (66) is designed as a combined sliding and pivot bearing (66). [2] Covering device (24) according to claim 1, wherein the fourth, combined sliding and pivot bearing (66) comprises a pivot pin (54) connected to the guide arm (50), which is rotatably and slidably mounted in an elongated hole (56). [3] Covering device (24) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fourth sliding and pivoting bearing (66) achieves a movement of the panel (38) along a parabolic path (68). [4] Covering device (24) according to claim 3, wherein the movement of the panel (38) in the longitudinal direction of the movement of the panel (38) between open and closed position is greater than in the transverse direction. [5] Covering device (24) according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the elongated hole (56) extends along the longitudinal direction of the movement of the panel (38) between the open and closed positions. [6] Covering device (24) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the third pivot bearing (52) is located between the panel (38) and the guide arm (50) and the fourth sliding and pivot bearing (66) is located between the guide arm (50) and the support (32) or vice versa. [7] Covering device (24) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first pivot bearing (46) and the third pivot bearing (52) lie on an imaginary line that runs parallel to the longitudinal direction of the movement of the panel (38) on its track (68) between closed and open positions and / or the second pivot bearing (48) and the pivot axis of the guide arm (50) on the elongated hole (56) lie on an imaginary line that runs parallel to the longitudinal direction of the movement of the panel (38) on its track (68) between closed and open positions. [8] Working machine (10) with a covering device (24) according to one of the preceding claims. [9] Working machine (10) according to claim 8, wherein the cover device (24) is located above a platform (20) which is accessible by a ladder (22), the platform (24) is bounded laterally by a railing (26) extending along a forward direction (V) of the working machine (10) and the longitudinal direction of movement of the panel (38) between open and closed position is along the forward direction (V). [10] Working machine (10) according to claim 8 or 9, which is designed as a forage harvester, wherein the area covered by the panel (38) of the covering device (24) includes a tank (28) with a removable lid (30).

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