Pivoting Operator Station for Construction Machine Visibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Construction machines, such as road pavers and tandem rollers, require improved operator stations with enhanced visibility and comfort to manage the complexity and precision of their operations.

Innovation Solution

The support structure of the operator's station, including the driver's seat and control console, is designed to pivot about a vertical axis positioned in front of the driver's seat, allowing for transverse movement along a guide rail and adjustable pivoting to enhance visibility and comfort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the operator's station is designed with a fixed support structure, then the structural simplicity is maintained, but the operator's visibility and comfort are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperator visibility and comfortVSAvoidsupport structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The support structure is designed to pivot about a vertical axis, transforming it from a static fixed structure to a dynamic adjustable one. This allows the operator's station to change its orientation relative to the construction machine, enabling the operator to view different areas (such as the material hopper or compaction drums) by rotating the support structure, thereby improving visibility and comfort without requiring multiple fixed stations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the driver's seat and control console are fixed in position, then the structural complexity is reduced, but the operator's ability to maintain comprehensive overview is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperational accuracy and safetyVSAvoidoperator station structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The driver's seat and control console are merged into a single integrated support structure that pivots together as one unit. This ensures that the relative positions of the seat and controls remain constant while the entire assembly can rotate to provide different viewing angles, maintaining operational accuracy while improving the operator's ability to survey the construction site

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If the operator's station door is positioned far from the pivot axis, then the door opening space is increased, but the structural compactness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedoor opening spaceVSAvoidoperator station footprint
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The operator's station utilizes the rotational dimension about the vertical pivot axis to create door opening space. Instead of expanding the station footprint in the horizontal plane, the design allows the station to rotate, creating dynamic clearance space when the door is opened. This enables adequate door opening space while maintaining a compact stationary footprint when the door is closed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4353905B1Construction machine, in particular paver or tandem roll
Publication Date: 2025.06.18 BOMAG GMBH
  • EP4353905B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4353905B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4353905B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Construction machine (1), in particular a road paver or tandem roller, for processing soil in a working direction (a), comprising a machine frame (3), a driver's cab (2) with at least one cab door (26) and at least one drive mechanism (6), and a control unit (29), the control unit (29) comprising a driver's seat (8) for a driver of the construction machine (1), an operating console (9) with controls for controlling the construction machine (1) by the driver, a support structure (30) on which both the driver's seat (8) and the operating console (9) are arranged, and a transverse guide (31) with at least one guide rail (18), wherein the support structure (30) is movably mounted on the at least one guide rail (18), so that the support structure (30) together with the driver's seat (8) and the operating console (9) are movably designed along the at least one guide rail (18), wherein the support structure (30) together with the driver's seat (8) and the operating console (9) is movably designed to move along a,in particular, the pivot axis (S) extending vertically is designed to be pivotable, wherein the pivot axis (S) is arranged in the working direction (a) in front of the driver's seat (8).