Sunshade apparatus for cabs of operating machines

Abstract

The sunshade apparatus (1) for cabs of operating machines comprises: - two guiding rods (5) extending parallel to each other along non-vertical directions of extension (B); - a roll-up curtain element (7) comprising: - a first side (8) placed in a fixed position with respect to the guiding rods (5); and - a second side (9) movable with respect to the guiding rods (5); wherein at least one of either the first side (8) or the second side (9) is adapted to roll the curtain element (7) around itself; - a maneuvering bar (10) associated with the second side (9) and provided with two eyelet elements (11) placed around the guiding rods (5); - at least one supporting rod (12) associated with an intermediate portion (13) of the curtain element (7) and provided with at least two creeping bodies (14) placeable in simple creeping support on the guiding rods (5).

Description

[0001] SUNSHADE APPARATUS FOR CABS OF OPERATING MACHINES Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to a sunshade apparatus for cabs of operating machines such as agricultural machines, excavators, cranes, and the like.

[0003] Background Art

[0004] This type of machines is provided with special driver’s cabs wherein the operator can perform the operations to control and use the vehicle.

[0005] In particular, some of these machines, such as the excavators, have a tilting arm at the end of which a bucket or another tool is operable.

[0006] In order for the operator to be able to see and therefore control the arm at any time and at any position, the aforementioned cabs, in addition to being provided with a windshield, have a transparent roof, so that the arm can be observed from the cab itself even when it extends upwards.

[0007] In order to ensure an unobstructed view, adequate protection from sunlight must be provided, i.e., adequate shading.

[0008] In this regard, the use is well known of special devices provided with roll-up sunshades, which can be used as needed.

[0009] Some types of known devices particularly use a single roller blind on a corresponding winding roller, while other types have two sunshades and two relevant winding rollers.

[0010] Blinds with a single winding roller are designed to cover both the roof and the windshield and prismatically slide inside a pair of C-shaped cross sectioned tracks attached to the cab of the operating machine.

[0011] Blinds with two winding rollers, on the other hand, comprise a first blind to cover the roof and a second blind to cover the windshield of the operating machine; in this case too, the blinds slide within C-shaped cross sectioned tracks, wherein a first pair of tracks is intended to guide the first blind and a second pair of tracks is intended to guide the second blind.

[0012] Usually, the winding rollers are located in the proximity of the roof, either at the junction between the roof and the windshield or further back, so that the operator can adjust the shade while working by manually pulling and unrolling the blind(s).These well-known devices do have some drawbacks.

[0013] One drawback is related to the use of C-shaped tracks wherein the sunshades are inserted in a sliding maimer.

[0014] Tracks of this type, in fact, involve significant manufacturing costs which inevitably affect the retail price, with the risk of making the products less attractive to customers.

[0015] Furthermore, the tracks of known type are difficult to use, because the relevant guiding mechanism can be subject to jamming, which can cause malfunctions and make it difficult to unroll the relevant blind.

[0016] These drawbacks are particularly noticeable when the C-shaped tracks are not straight and are shaped so as to follow the profile of the roof and / or of the windshield, which further complicates the manufacture and use thereof even more; if the C-shaped tracks follow the profile of the driver’s cab, with a connecting curve in the proximity of the junction between the roof and the windshield, the curved shape creates a critical point in the proximity of which the device may become misaligned.

[0017] Under these conditions, the operator may be forced to divert their attention from the controls of the operating machine to try to release the mechanism or to displace the sunshade, reducing the productivity thereof and / or forcing them to work under unfavorable conditions from the point of view of personal safety and of the vehicle.

[0018] Furthermore, when the tracks have curved shapes, another drawback of known devices is related to the difficulty of giving the sunshades the same curved shape as the tracks themselves; sunshades, in fact, are made in the form of flexible sheets which, after being unrolled from the winding roller, naturally tend to acquire a flat shape that does not correspond to the shape of the curved tracks, thus showing an unsightly appearance and reducing the operator’s useful space for moving inside the driver’s cab.

[0019] Description of the Invention

[0020] The main aim of the present invention is to devise a sunshade apparatus for cabs of operating machines that is easy to make and can be manufactured at a very low cost, so as to make it more attractive to potential customers than competingproducts.

[0021] Another object of the present invention is to devise a sunshade apparatus that allows the shading in the cab to be adjusted with simple, quick, and safe manual operations.

[0022] A further object of the present invention is to devise a sunshade apparatus that allows the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art to be overcome with a simple, rational solution that is also easy and effective to use.

[0023] The aforementioned objects are achieved by the present sunshade apparatus for cabs of operating machines having the characteristics of claim 1.

[0024] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a sunshade apparatus for cabs of operating machines, illustrated by way of an indicative, yet non-limiting example, in the attached drawings, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 is an axonometric view of a cab structure on which the sunshade apparatus according to the invention is mounted;

[0027] Figure 2 is an axonometric view of the sunshade apparatus according to the invention in the closing configuration;

[0028] Figure 3 is an axonometric view of the sunshade apparatus according to the invention in the opening configuration;

[0029] Figure 4 is a front view, on an enlarged scale, of a detail of the sunshade apparatus according to the invention;

[0030] Figure 5 is an axonometric view, on an enlarged scale, of another detail of the sunshade apparatus according to the invention;

[0031] Figure 6 is an axonometric view, on an enlarged scale, of a further detail of the sunshade apparatus according to the invention.

[0032] Embodiments of the Invention

[0033] With particular reference to these figures, reference numeral 1 globally denotes a sunshade apparatus for the cabs of operating machines, such as e.g. agricultural machinery, excavators, cranes, and the like.

[0034] In particular, the sunshade apparatus 1 is intended to be mounted on a cab structure 2 of an operating machine, i.e., the driver’s cab that accommodates theoperator during the driving and operation of the operating machine.

[0035] The cab structure 2 is provided, e.g., with at least one windshield element 3 and one roof element 4.

[0036] In this regard, it should be noted that in the context of this disclosure, the windshield element 3 refers to a portion of the cab structure 2 that comprises both the windshield itself and the portion of frame on which the windshield itself is mounted.

[0037] The roof element 4, on the other hand, refers to a portion of the cab structure 2 located above the operator and comprising both the transparent roof portion, necessary for viewing bodies or parts of the machine which are arranged above the cab structure 2, and the surrounding frame portion.

[0038] The sunshade apparatus 1 comprises:

[0039] at least two guiding rods 5 which are associable with the cab structure 2 and extending parallel to each other along non-vertical directions of extension B;

[0040] at least one roll-up curtain element 7 comprising:

[0041] at least a first side 8, substantially orthogonal to the directions of extension B and placed in a fixed position with respect to the guiding rods 5; and

[0042] at least a second side 9 substantially parallel to the first side 8 and movable with respect to the guiding rods 5;

[0043] wherein at least one of either the first side 8 or the second side 9 is adapted to roll the curtain element 7 around itself;

[0044] - at least one manoeuvring bar 10 associated with the second side 9 and provided with at least two eyelet elements 11 placed around the guiding rods 5;

[0045] - at least one supporting rod 12 associated with an intermediate portion 13 of the curtain element 7, substantially parallel to the second side 9 and provided with at least two creeping bodies 14 placeable in simple creeping support on the guiding rods 5.

[0046] Preferably, the guiding rods 5 consist of circular section bars made of metallic material; this allows giving the guiding rods 5 high strength and mechanicalresistance, even when the same are very long and / or have a rather small thickness (the diameter of the circular section of the metal bars is advantageously of between 4 and 8 mm, better still of between 5 and 7 mm, and e.g. equal to 6 mm).

[0047] Usefully, the guiding rods 5 comprise at least a first end 15 placed in the proximity of the first side 8; the first end 15, e.g., comprises one end bracket 16 configured to be attached to the roof element 4, e.g. by means of screws or other fastening systems.

[0048] Furthermore, the guiding rods 5 comprise at least one second end 17, opposite the first end 15, which is advantageously configured to be attached to the windshield element 3 by means of a fastening system not shown in the figures. Preferably, the guiding rods 5 are at least partly curved; for example, the guiding rods 5 have at least one first stretch 18, which extends substantially horizontal in the proximity of the roof element 4, and at least one second stretch 19, which is curved and / or oblique with respect to the first stretch 18 and extends to the windshield element 3.

[0049] Alternative embodiments of the present invention cannot however be ruled out wherein the guiding rods 5 have a different shape, such as in the case where they are entirely curved (for example, defining an arc of a circumference, parabola, or the like) or have several straight portions in succession to each other and / or connected by means of curved portions; the shape of the guiding rods 5 can be advantageously determined according to the shape of the cab structure 2, of the windshield element 3, and / or of the roof element 4.

[0050] The curtain element 7 is, e.g., made of opaque material or of filtering material. In this context, the terms “opaque” and “filtering” refer to the ability of a material to allow or prevent visibility through it, thus ensuring a level of shading that allows the correct performance of the operating machine’s control operations.

[0051] In actual facts, “opaque material” means a shading material that prevents the operator from seeing through it.

[0052] “Filtering material”, on the other hand, refers to a shading material that allows the operator to see through it.The material used to make the curtain element 7may consist, e.g., of a fabric, a non-woven fabric, a sheet with micro-holes, or the like.

[0053] By moving the second side 9 with respect to the first side 8 along the guiding rods 5, it is possible to move the curtain element 7 between a closed configuration and an open configuration.

[0054] In this regard, it should be noticed that in the context of this disclosure, “closed configuration” means the situation in which the curtain element 7 is completely rolled on itself (Figure 2), while “open configuration” means the situation in which the curtain element 7 is completely stretched out and unrolled (Figure 3). It should also be noted that the curtain element 7 can also be advantageously placed in a plurality of intermediate configurations wherein the curtain element 7 is partly rolled and not completely unrolled.

[0055] In the embodiment shown in the figures, the curtain element 7 is rolled around the first side 8; alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out, wherein the second side 9 can be rolled around itself.

[0056] The sunshade apparatus 1 particularly comprises at least one winding device 20 which is associated with the cab structure 2 and is provided with a winding roller 21 associated with the first side 8 and rotatable around an axis of winding A parallel to the second side 9.

[0057] Advantageously, the winding device 20 also comprises supporting brackets 23, which are configured to be attached to the roof element 4, e.g. by means of screws or other fastening systems, and which carry the winding roller 21 in a rotatable maimer.

[0058] One or more spring elements, not shown in the figures, are placed between the supporting brackets 23 and the winding roller 21, which are configured to pull the curtain element 7 to the closed configuration when the curtain element is unrolled, so as to keep it taut.

[0059] Advantageously, the winding roller 21 is at least partly arranged at a higher level than the first end 15 of the guiding rods 5 (figure 4).

[0060] In this disclosure, the term “height” of a component relates to its distance from the ground.

[0061] In other words, the end brackets 16 and the supporting brackets 23 are intendedto be attached to the cab structure 2 in close proximity to each other, but with the end brackets 16 slightly lower than the supporting brackets 23.

[0062] In this way, when the curtain element 7 is unrolled, the creeping bodies 14 of the supporting rod 12 can be placed on the guiding rods 5 automatically and in a practical and easy manner.

[0063] To facilitate the unrolling of the curtain element 7, the manoeuvring bar 10 is conveniently provided with a gripping handle 24.

[0064] The movement of the second side 9 along the guiding rods 5 is carried out manually by the operator, who pushes the manoeuvring bar 10 counteracting the force produced by the spring elements of the winding device 20; once the desired position has been reached, the manoeuvring bar 10 can be released by the operator without the curtain element 7 rewinding.

[0065] For this purpose, in fact, the eyelet elements 11 advantageously comprise at least one through hole 25 into which one of the guiding rods 5 is inserted, at least one surface portion 26 of the through hole 25 being made of a non-slip material.

[0066] The non-slip material consists e.g. of rubber, silicone, PVC, or other plastics, and is possibly knurled or otherwise shaped to increase the creeping friction so as to maximize the frictional force created between the eyelet elements 11 and the guiding rods 5 which, as mentioned, are preferably made of metal.

[0067] This creates a braking system that prevents the curtain element 7 from returning towards the winding roller 21 under the action of the elastic force of the spring elements.

[0068] Therefore, by manually moving the manoeuvring bar 10 along the guiding rods 5, the curtain element 7 can switch from one configuration to another thanks to the eyelet elements 11 which, located around the guiding rods 5, slide back and forth; on the other hand, when the manoeuvring bar 10 is released, the non-slip material of the surface portion 26 keeps it blocked and the curtain element 7 is kept taut by the winding device 20, but not rewound.

[0069] During the movement of the manoeuvring bar 10 along the guiding rods 5, the supporting rod 12 which, as mentioned, is associated with the intermediate portion 13, may slide in simple support on the guiding rods 5 themselves.In this regard, it should be noted that, in the context of this disclosure, the term “intermediate portion” relates to a portion of the curtain element 7 located between the first side 8 and the second side 9.

[0070] On the other hand, the term “simple creeping support” relates to the condition in which the supporting rods 12 and the relevant creeping bodies 14 are arranged above the guiding rods 5 without any type of prismatic coupling or guiding track; in other words, the creeping bodies 14 remain on the guiding rods 5 as a result of the weight of the supporting rod 12 and of the curtain element 7 and as a result of the elastic force produced by the winding device 20.

[0071] Preferably, the sunshade apparatus 1 comprises at least one pocket element 27 associated with the intermediate portion 13 and defining a cavity 28 between the pocket element 27 and the intermediate portion 13, the supporting rod 12 being at least partly housed within the cavity 28.

[0072] Usefully, the pocket element 27 comprises a sheet elongated along a longitudinal direction C substantially parallel to the sides 8, 9 and provided with longitudinal edges 31 attached to the intermediate portion 13, the cavity 28 being defined between the longitudinal edges 31.

[0073] The longitudinal edges 31 are attached to the intermediate portion 13, e.g., by ultrasonic welding, sewing, or application of a double-sided adhesive sheet or by a layer of glue.

[0074] Preferably, each of the creeping bodies 14 comprises:

[0075] at least one cylindrical portion 32, which is associated with the supporting rod 12, has a diameter of the cylinder DI and is configured to slide on one of the guiding rods 5; and

[0076] at least one shoulder portion 34, which is associated with the cylindrical portion 32, has a greater transverse dimension D2 than the diameter of the cylinder DI and is located cantilevered from one of the guiding rods 5. In the present disclosure, the term “cantilevered” means that the shoulder portions 34 of the creeping bodies 14 protrude from the guiding rods 5 without resting on the latter.

[0077] The function of the shoulder portions 34 is to keep the supporting rod 12 above the guiding rods 5, preventing it from accidentally falling; in fact, when thesupporting rod 12 is placed on the guiding rods 5, any forces directed parallel to the second side 9 push one of the shoulder portions 34 into lateral contact with one of the guiding rods 5, preventing further movement and / or removal from the cavity 28 defined by the pocket element 27.

[0078] Preferably, the shoulder portion 34 has a disk shape with a disk diameter defining the transverse dimension D2.

[0079] In the particular embodiment shown in the figures, the sunshade apparatus 1 comprises a plurality of supporting rods 12 associated with a plurality of intermediate portions 13, wherein:

[0080] in the opening configuration, the supporting rods 12 are placed at predefined distances d; and

[0081] in the closing configuration, the supporting rods 12 are placed around the winding roller 21 and angularly offset from the axis of winding A.

[0082] In actual facts, in the opening configuration, the presence of several supporting rods 12 allows the curtain element 7 to be placed so as to roughly reproduce the curved shape of the guiding rods 5, thus making better use of the space available inside the cab structure 2 and, at the same time, resulting in a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.

[0083] Furthermore, in the closing configuration, the presence of several supporting rods 12 does not hinder the winding of the curtain element 7, as the supporting rods 12 are also wound around the winding roller 21 and arranged so as not to overlap to each other, i.e., so that the creeping bodies 14 protruding from the curtain element 7 do not touch each other.

[0084] In other words, the predefined distances d between the supporting rods 12 in the opening configuration are selected so that, once the curtain element 7 has been wound around the winding roller 21, the creeping bodies 14 are angularly offset from the axis of winding A and do not touch each other.

[0085] Usefully, there are three guiding rods 5; this choice is motivated by the need to reconcile an economic criterion (i.e., the production and assembly of the smallest number of parts) with the need to obtain a quality product which, as mentioned, makes better use of the space inside the cab structure 2 and is more aesthetically pleasing.It has, in practice, been ascertained that the described invention achieves the intended objects and, in particular, the fact should be emphasized that the present sunshade apparatus allows minimizing production costs, thanks to the rod structure, made of cheap materials and without guides or pins, and to the presence of creeping bodies that are simply placed on the rods (i.e., not engaged in cumbersome and expensive guides).

[0086] Furthermore, the sunshade apparatus according to the invention is also very practical to open and close, since the simple forward and backward movement of the manoeuvring bar allows the curtain element to be unrolled / rolled up; in this regard, it should be noted that, in the closing configuration, the supporting rods are positioned around the axis of winding A while, during opening, they are dragged by the manoeuvring bar and by the curtain element towards the guiding rods, on which they automatically rest as the curtain element is unrolled.

Claims

CLAIMS1) Sunshade apparatus (1) for cabs of operating machines, characterized by the fact that it comprises:at least two guiding rods (5) which are associable with at least one cab structure (2) of operating machines and extending parallel to each other along non- vertical directions of extension (B);at least one roll-up curtain element (7) comprising:at least a first side (8), substantially orthogonal to said directions of extension (B) and placed in a fixed position with respect to said guiding rods (5); andat least a second side (9) substantially parallel to said first side (8) and movable with respect to said guiding rods (5);wherein at least one of either said first side (8) or said second side (9) is adapted to roll said curtain element (7) around itself;- at least one maneuvering bar (10) associated with said second side (9) and provided with at least two eyelet elements (11) placed around said guiding rods (5);- at least one supporting rod (12) associated with an intermediate portion (13) of said curtain element (7), substantially parallel to said second side (9) and provided with at least two creeping bodies (14) placeable in simple creeping support on said guiding rods (5).2) Sunshade apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said guiding rods (5) comprise at least a first end (15) placed in the proximity of said first side (8).3) Sunshade apparatus (1) according to one or more preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said guiding rods (5) are at least partly curved. 4) Sunshade apparatus (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises at least one winding device (20) which is associated with said cab structure (2) and is provided with a winding roller (21) associated with said first side (8) and rotatable around an axis of winding (A) substantially parallel to said second side (9).5) Sunshade apparatus (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims,characterized by the fact that said winding roller (21) is arranged at least partly at a higher level than said first end (15) of the guiding rods (5).6) Sunshade apparatus (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said eyelet elements (11) comprise at least one through hole (25) wherein one of said guiding rods (5) is inserted, at least one surface portion (26) of said through hole (25) being made of a non-slip material.7) Sunshade apparatus (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises at least one pocket element (27) associated with said intermediate portion (13) and defining a cavity (28) between said pocket element (27) and said intermediate portion (13), said supporting rod (12) being at least partly housed within said cavity (28).8) Sunshade apparatus (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said pocket element (27) comprises a sheet elongated along a longitudinal direction (C) substantially parallel to said sides (8,9) and provided with longitudinal edges (31) attached to said intermediate portion (13), said cavity (28) being defined between said longitudinal edges (31).9) Sunshade apparatus (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that each of said creeping bodies (14) comprises:at least one cylindrical portion (32), which is associated with said supporting rod (12), has a diameter of the cylinder (DI) and is configured to slide on one of said guiding rods (5);at least one shoulder portion (34), which is associated with said cylindrical portion (32), has a greater transverse dimension (D2) than said diameter of the cylinder (DI) and is located cantilevered from one of said guiding rods (5).10) Sunshade apparatus (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said shoulder portion (34) has a disk shape with a disk diameter defining said transverse dimension (D2).11) Sunshade apparatus (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises a plurality of said supporting rods (12) associated with a plurality of said intermediate portions (13), wherein:in an opening configuration of said sunshade apparatus (1), said supporting rods (12) are placed at predefined distances (d);in a closing configuration of said sunshade apparatus (1), said supporting rods (12) are placed around said winding roller (21) and angularly offset from said axis of winding (A).

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