Excavator Cab Floor Plate Design for Operator Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing hydraulic excavator designs with a double floor plate structure create a stepped entrance way, making it difficult for operators to get on and off due to increased height dimensions and complexity in assembly, and require additional space for components like air conditioners.
Innovation Solution
A construction machine design with a flat operator's seat front plate and a downward plate that extends to form a footstep plate at a lower position, allowing easy access and incorporating the air conditioner unit in the space created between the seat and footstep plates, reducing the overall height and part count.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a double floor plate structure is adopted with the upper floor plate disposed upwardly of the lower floor plate, then the indoor unit of air conditioner can be mounted in the space between the floor plates, but the height dimension from the lower traveling structure to the stepped portion increases, making it difficult to get on or off
Solution Approach 1:
The floor plate is extended in the horizontal direction (another dimension) rather than vertically, creating a stepped portion that protrudes horizontally from the cab box. This allows the air conditioner to be mounted on the stepped portion without increasing the vertical height dimension, thus resolving the contradiction between providing mounting space and maintaining ease of access.
2Ease of operation
If the upper floor plate is bent diagonally downward to form a stepped portion, then the operator can put foot on the stepped portion, but the number of parts increases and much time and trouble is required in assembly operation
Solution Approach 1:
The floor plate is divided into a main body portion and a separately formed stepped portion. The stepped portion is created by providing a reinforcing plate on the lower surface of the floor plate at the stepped position, rather than bending the entire floor plate. This segmentation simplifies manufacturing and assembly while still providing the necessary footrest function.
3Ease of operation
If the footstep plate is provided at a low position to facilitate getting on or off, then ease of operation improves, but the space for mounting the air conditioner is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The floor plate protrudes horizontally from the cab box to form a stepped portion, creating mounting space for the air conditioner in the horizontal dimension rather than the vertical dimension. This allows the footstep plate to remain at a low position for easy access while the air conditioner is mounted on the horizontally extended stepped portion, resolving the spatial conflict.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An upper revolving structure (3) is provided on a lower traveling structure (2), and a floor member (9) and a cab box (21) are provided on a revolving frame (5) of this upper revolving structure (3). A rear side of the floor member (9) serves as an operator's seat mounting section (10) for mounting an operator's seat (16), and a front side thereof serves as a footrest section (11) for resting an operator's feet, a front side of the footrest section (11) being formed as a lever/pedal mounting section (15). The footrest section (11) is constituted by a flat operator's seat front plate (12) which is provided on a front side of the operator's seat (16) and on which the operator rests his or her feet, a downward plate (13) which is set downward from a left side end portion (12A) of the operator's seat front plate (12) on a left side of the cab box (21), and a flat footstep plate (14) which extends in a left side from a lower portion of the downward plate (13) toward a door (21F) and on which the operator puts his or her foot when getting into or out of an operating room (22).