Vehicle cab assembly

Abstract

A vehicle cab assembly includes an internal frame including multiple rigid members that are secured rigidly one to another. The vehicle cab assembly also includes multiple cladding panels that obscure the internal frame and enclose it uninterruptedly in at least one plane. The cladding panels are supported on an exterior of the internal frame and define mutually abutting panel edges along which the cladding panels are sealed one to another to define weather-proof joints of the vehicle cab assembly.

Claims

1. A vehicle cab assembly comprising: an internal frame including a plurality of rigid members that are secured rigidly to each other; and a plurality of interconnected cladding panels that obscure the internal frame and enclose the internal frame in at least one plane, the plurality of cladding panels being supported on an exterior of the internal frame and defining a plurality of mutually abutting panel edges, wherein adjacent cladding panels of the plurality of cladding panels are interconnected along their respective mutually abutting panel edges to define a plurality of weather-proof joints of the vehicle cab assembly, wherein at least one cladding panel of the plurality of cladding panels includes formed therein an openable aperture; a door panel that is moveably securable in the openable aperture such as to permit conversion between closed and open configurations; and one or more hinges moveably supporting the door panel relative to the openable aperture, wherein the one or more hinges extend through an aperture in the at least one cladding panel and are secured to the internal frame.

2. The vehicle cab assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least a majority of the plurality of rigid members are metal tubular members each of the same cross-section.

3. The vehicle cab assembly according to claim 2, wherein rigid members of the plurality of rigid members are welded one to another, are unpainted, and are electrophoretically coated.

4. The vehicle cab assembly according to claim 1, wherein each cladding panel of the plurality of cladding panels is secured to the internal frame using one or more fixing members.

5. The vehicle cab assembly according to claim 1, wherein mutually abutting panel edges of adjacent cladding panels are interconnected by a sealing bi-adhesive tape.

6. The vehicle cab assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of cladding panels define at least four upstanding side walls of the cab, a roof panel, and a bottom panel.

7. The vehicle cab assembly according to claim 6, wherein the at least four upstanding side walls are interconnected so as to enclose the internal frame in a region between uppermost and lowermost parts of the at least four upstanding side walls.

8. The vehicle cab assembly according to claim 6, wherein the at least four upstanding side walls include a front wall, a rear wall, opposite the front wall, and respective side walls disposed on opposite sides of the vehicle cab assembly interconnecting the front and rear walls.

9. The vehicle cab assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of cladding panels includes formed therein an aperture that is closed by a transparent glazing panel that is secured at edges of the aperture to the at least one cladding panel.

10. The vehicle cab assembly according to claim 8, wherein the respective side walls each have formed therein a wheelarch.

11. The vehicle cab assembly according to claim 6, further comprising a void defined above the bottom panel.

12. The vehicle cab assembly according to claim 11, including one or more vehicle subsystems in the void.

13. The vehicle cab assembly according to claim 1, wherein each cladding panel of the plurality of cladding panels is made from or includes a sheet-moulded (SMC) composite material.

14. A method of assembling the vehicle cab assembly according to claim 1, comprising: forming the internal frame from metal; securing the plurality of cladding panels to the internal frame using respective fixings interconnecting the plurality of cladding panels and the internal frame; sealing using a sealing medium the plurality of mutually abutting panel edges; and using one or more hinges each extending respectively through an aperture formed in a respective cladding panel of the plurality of cladding panels to secure at least one moveable door panel to the internal frame so as to be moveable between closed and open configurations.

15. The method according to claim 14, including securing at least one transparent glazing panel in an aperture formed in at least one cladding panel of the plurality of cladding panels using a sealing adhesive compound to bond edges of the at least one transparent glazing panel to edges of the aperture.

16. A vehicle including the vehicle cab assembly according to claim 1.

17. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the internal frame is a roll-over protection structure (ROPS) and/or a falling object protection structure (FOPS) for an interior of the vehicle cab assembly.

Description

(1) There now follows a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an internal frame of a vehicle cab assembly according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the frame of FIG. 1 surrounded by a number of cladding panels, showing the positions in which the cladding panels are offered up to the frame during manufacture of the cab assembly;

(4) FIG. 3 shows in perspective view the completed cab assembly; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a vehicle, in the form of a tractor, including a cab assembly such as that of FIG. 3.

(6) Referring to the drawings there is shown in FIG. 1 an internal frame 10 of a cab assembly 60 that is shown in an assembled form in FIG. 3.

(7) Internal frame 10 consists of a series of rigid members that are secured one to another at their ends.

(8) The rigid members in the illustrated embodiment of the invention are formed as square or rectangular section metal (e.g. automotive steel grade) tubes that are welded together, although other methods of rigidly securing the rigid members one to another may be adopted if required. Furthermore while steels are preferred materials from which to form the rigid members they can be formed from other materials, including some non-metals, as will occur to the worker of skill in the art.

(9) The rigid members 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22 and 23 while of differing shapes are all formed with essentially the same cross section that may be a standard profile in the sense of being readily available in the vehicle manufacturing industry.

(10) The functions of these rigid members are described below. The fact that most of the rigid members making up the internal frame 10 have the same profile means that significant economies can be made in the construction of a cab assembly 60 in accordance with the invention compared with the prior art. As further explained herein, the use of members of the same profile is made possible because in the cab assembly 60 of the invention the internal frame 10 performs no function in providing sealing surfaces for cladding panels described below. Therefore there is no need to provide customised profiles for the purpose of providing sealing surfaces as part of the internal frame. Furthermore the majority of the rigid members are straight as there is no requirement for them to follow closely the shapes or contours of the cladding panels.

(11) Rigid members 11 and 12 respectively are right hand and left hand front uprights of the internal frame; and members 13 and 14 respectively are right and left hand rear uprights. These members define the vertically extending corner edges of an essentially cuboidal space defined by the internal frame 10.

(12) In the embodiment shown the members 11, 12, 13 and 14 are curved and do not extend exclusively vertically. These features however are primarily concerned with the styling of the cab assembly. It is not therefore necessary for these members to have the same degree of curvature as those shown (or indeed any curvature at all), or to extend inclinedly upwardly. The precise shapes of many of the rigid members of the internal frame 10 indeed can be chosen by the vehicle designer to suit the aesthetics of the vehicle in which the cab assembly is to be installed.

(13) A front lower crossmember 16 extends horizontally to interconnect the right and left front uprights 11, 12 at their lowermost ends.

(14) A roof perimeter brace 17 interconnects the upper ends of the uprights 11, 12, 13 and 14. Roof perimeter brace 17 defines the sides and rear of the roof of the cab assembly and in the illustrated embodiment has curved corners, although this is a feature that need not necessarily be present in other cab assemblies in accordance with the invention.

(15) The roof perimeter brace 17 is discontinuous in the region between the right hand and left hand uprights 11, 12. In this region the top ends of the uprights 11, 12 are interconnected by a front upper crossmember 27 that has a different profile than the rigid members described thus far. In some embodiments of the invention however the roof perimeter brace can be continuous and can have the same cross-section all the way round. In any event the purpose of the roof perimeter brace is to rigidify the upper part of the internal frame 10.

(16) The lower ends of the right hand and left hand uprights 11, 12 are secured to respective right hand and left hand lower side members 18, 19 that extend rearwardly and assist to define the lower part of the internal frame 10. The side members 18, 19 in the preferred embodiment shown initially recess inwardly at an angle to the sides of the internal frame 10 before extending generally straight towards the rear of the cab assembly.

(17) At their rear ends the side members 18, 19 are secured to the lower ends of respective right hand and left hand wheelarch braces 22, 23 that as shown from the side members extend initially upwardly before turning outwardly at right angles to intersect the lowermost ends of the right hand and left hand rear uprights 13, 14 respectively.

(18) It will be apparent therefore that at its lower part the internal frame 10 is somewhat narrower in the side to side direction than the roof section. This is because the internal frame must accommodate the rear wheels of the tractor, that intrude somewhat into the space that would otherwise be available in a pure cuboid. The wheelarch braces 22, 23 are shaped accordingly.

(19) A roof crossmember 24 extends from one lateral side of the roof perimeter brace 24 to the other part way between the front and the rear of the roof part of the internal frame 10 and is rigidly secured at either end. A series of in the embodiment shown four (although in other embodiments other numbers are possible) roof rear braces 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d extends rearwardly from the roof crossmember 24 to intersect the rearmost edge of the roof perimeter brace. The rear roof braces 26a-26d provide falling object protection for the underlying part of the cab assembly 60, which is the space occupied by the vehicle operator most of the time.

(20) This arrangement provides for an extremely strong upper part of the internal frame, that provides good roll-over and falling object protection while providing in the internal frame an un-braced area between the roof crossmember 24 and the front upper crossmember 27. This un-braced area permits the inclusion of an openable sunroof 52 in a roof panel 43 described in more detail below. The sunroof as a result of the arrangement of the rigid members in the vicinity of the roof part of the internal frame 10 is capable of opening fully without any rigid members interrupting its opening space.

(21) Rear and intermediate floor crossmembers 28 and 29 transversely interconnect the lower side members 18 and 19. The crossmembers 28, 29 perform a bracing function and also can be used to support a floor panel or other floor member described in more detail below. The crossmembers 28, 29 act as the mounting points for the operator's seat that subsequently is installed, during fitting out of the interior of the cab assembly 60. The crossmembers 28, 29 must provide a secure attachment as they perform an important function when a seat belt test is performed, or if an operator seat belt becomes used in an accident situation.

(22) Protruding from front lower crossmember 16 is a steering assembly brace hoop 31. This is formed as a bar both ends of which are secured as shown to the forward face of crossmember 16. The brace hoop 31 protrudes initially forwardly and then bends through ninety degrees to extend upwardly, before bending again at ninety degrees to define a hoop-like shape. Brace hoop 31 is used for supporting and locating parts of the steering assembly and pedals of the tractor.

(23) The internal frame 10 may in addition to the foregoing parts include fillets, such as those indicated by numerals 32 and 33, for strengthening the joints between the rigid members described; and a range of further, rigidly secured features such as footwell braces 34, 36. The fillets 32, 33 assist the cab assembly 60 to pass a roll-over protection test, part of which involves applying a pushing force at the rear of the assembly 60.

(24) Protruding from the internal frame at various locations are various brackets the designs of which are not all the same but that for convenience are designated by numeral 37. Notwithstanding the variations in the bracket designs their purpose is to provide for attachment of a series of cladding panels described in more detail in relation to FIGS. 2 and 3 hereof. The basic function of each bracket is to provide an attachment point for part of a cladding panel, that is secured to the bracket on the exterior of the frame 10 by way of a fastening such as a screw or nut and bolt combination.

(25) The accuracy of location of the cladding panels is achieved through a two-stage process of constructing the internal frame 10.

(26) In this process the rigid members excluding the brackets 37 are welded together to form the basic shape of the internal frame 10. The thus-welded members are then allowed to cool and de-stress before welding attachment of the brackets 37, in positions to suit the selection of cladding panels to be attached, occurs. In this second stage the positions of the brackets are determined accurately by the welding tool which may be, for example, a robot arm.

(27) The holes in the cladding panels in some cases are relatively small, in which case the tolerancing in the positioning of the panels is minimal; and in some cases, depending on the cladding panel design, the holes may be larger giving rise to a greater range of possible panel positions. These aspects of the design of the cab assembly 60 normally would be carefully controlled during development of the vehicle in which the assembly 60 would be installed.

(28) As noted the metal of the internal frame is electrophoretically, preferably cataphoretically, coated but otherwise requires no further finishing once the rigid members are welded together.

(29) FIG. 2 shows a series of the cladding panels being offered up to the frame 10 prior to being secured at the brackets 37. In a practical method of assembling the cab assembly of the invention the panels probably would not all be offered up simultaneously for fitting as illustrated, and instead would be presented and secured one by one, or perhaps (depending on the number of fitters available to assemble the assembly and the layout of any production line or assembly area available) two at a time.

(30) The cladding panels visible in FIG. 2 are right hand and left hand side wall panels 38, 39; a front bulkhead panel 41; a rear wall panel 42; a roof panel 43; a bottom panel 44 and a windscreen top rail 46.

(31) As explained these panels are secured to the various brackets 37 using appropriate fastenings and to this end are formed with screw holes such as those exemplified by numeral 47 in FIG. 2. The screw holes may be formed in the material of the cladding panels or in lugs 48 or other formations intended to act as anchor points on fixing of the cladding panels in place.

(32) At least the side wall panels 38, 39, the rear wall panel 42 and the front bulkhead panel 41 between them are intended to enclose the internal frame 10 over at least part of the height of the latter, and from front to back. Where the internal frame is so enclosed it is obscured as described herein, giving rise to the advantages also described herein. In the embodiment shown the cladding panels illustrated in FIG. 2 enclose all the rigid members of the internal frame except parts of uprights 11 and 12. These latter are fully enclosed when a windscreen 64 is later added to the assembly 10.

(33) In other embodiments of the invention different arrangements of cladding panels are possible. The cladding panels thus may for example enclose the internal frame over a greater proportion of its height than in the example shown. Moreover the cladding panels do not have to adopt the essentially cuboidal arrangement of the preferred embodiment; and indeed the vehicle designer has considerable latitude, for example by adjusting the numbers and locations of the brackets 37 and adjusting the numbers, shapes and sizes of the cladding panels, to vary the appearance of the cab assembly without necessarily altering the fundamental design of the internal frame. Among other things this provides the benefit for a vehicle manufacturer responsible for more than one vehicle brand of being able to use the same underlying structure (the internal frame 10) to support different external cab appearances that match the styles of different brands within the ranges offered.

(34) This offers numerous advantages in terms of the economy of manufacture of the cab assembly. Equally, however, as explained herein the design of the internal frame may also be varied significantly within the scope of the invention.

(35) Regardless of the exact designs adopted it will be apparent that as the panels are fixed at the brackets 37 they present mutually abutting panel edges.

(36) Preferably the panels are made from one or more types of sheet moulded composite (SMC) the specifications of which are known in the automotive design art. Such composites can be moulded with very high precision. As a result the abutting edges of the cab assembly can be aligned very accurately. This makes sealing the edges a more reliable step than the sealing in the prior art of panel edges to members of the cab assembly frame.

(37) As a result of the accuracy of alignment of the panel edges it is possible rapidly to seal them using preferably a bi-adhesive tape that can be quickly applied. One method of applying the bi-adhesive tape is to fix a first panel (say right hand side wall 38) via the screw holes 47, brackets 37 and appropriate screws or other fasteners; and then apply the tape along an edge such as the top edge.

(38) This leaves one adhesive side of the adhesive tape exposed on the top edge. When subsequently (following similar fitting of the left hand side wall panel 39, rear wall panel 42 and windscreen top rail 46) the roof panel 43 is added, as long as it is accurately positioned on top of the internal frame 10 its periphery will align with and contact the exposed surface of the tape. When therefore the fastenings for the roof panel 43 are secured the periphery of the latter automatically and accurately becomes sealed to the edges at the tops of the upstanding panels by that stage already secured in place.

(39) Similar sealing processes can take place with respect to other edges of the cladding panels. Consequently the steps of sealing the cab assembly are greatly superior to those of the prior art.

(40) As an alternative to the bi-adhesive tape other sealing media may be used. Examples include liquid or paste-like compounds that may be dispensed into the gaps between panel edges using a dispenser such as a caulking gun.

(41) As best illustrated in FIG. 2 several of the cladding panels include formed therein window apertures such as apertures 49, 50 and 51 visible in panels 38, 39 and 42.

(42) As illustrated in FIG. 3 which shows the cab assembly 60 in completed form these apertures are filled by respective glazing panels such as panel 53 visible in FIG. 3 that preferably are made from a transparent polymer material or composite.

(43) Such glazing panels may be formed with a comparable degree of tolerancing accuracy to the various cladding panels and therefore may be very precisely fitted into the apertures 49, 50 and 51. Sealing of the edges of the glazing panels to the apertures may be achieved in similar manner to the sealing of the cladding panel edges as described above; or alternatively a more conventional automotive windscreen construction can be adopted in which an elastomeric glazing seal is retained in grooves in the cladding panels and glued to the glazing panels about their peripheries.

(44) Of course other patterns of the window apertures and the glazing panels may be provided in order to suit the design of the cab assembly 60. The glazing panels moreover may if desired be tinted or may include other visual features; they may include one or more electrical components such as demisting/defrosting heater elements, radio antennae and other elements that usefully can be added them or incorporated in their structures; and they may include hinges and latches permitting their opening and closing.

(45) The front of the cab assembly 60 as shown in FIG. 3 is glazed from top to bottom and side to side by a single transparent windscreen panel 64. This is similar to the glazing panel 53 and is secured similarly about its periphery to the internal frame members 11, 12, 16 and 27. The windscreen panel 64 may if desired before installation be pre-fitted with for example windscreen wipers and their associated mechanisms plus for example direction indicator and running lights. The windscreen panel also may include electrical sub-systems such as demister/defroster heaters and/or antennae as described above, together with one or more gas struts, hinges and latches permitting tilting of an openable section to an open position from the closed position shown in FIG. 3. The struts, hinges and latches may be secured to the internal frame 10 by way of brackets 37.

(46) The windscreen panel 64 may be made from the same material as the other glazing panels; or it may be of a different material. In one option the glazing panels at the sides of the tractor, which panels tend to be openable, may be made from a polymer in order to confer lightness; and the front and rear windows may be formed from glass or a glass-polymer laminate.

(47) As is visible in FIG. 3 windscreen panel 64 includes formed therein at its bottom edge a cut-out 66. This follows the shape of the steering assembly brace hoop 31 and thereby allows a steering column to protrude from the inside of the cab towards front steerable wheels of the vehicle.

(48) A slightly different type of glazing panel 52 is present in roof panel 43, in the form of a slideable and tiltable sunroof 52. This may be retained moveably captive on a system of rails that allow it to move forwardly and rearwardly as desired in order to open and close a sunroof aperture 54 a clear opening for which is left by the arrangement of the frame elements 24, 26 described above.

(49) Preferably the roof panel 43 is formed to include the parts permitting operation of the sunroof before the roof panel 43 is fitted onto the tops of the upstanding walls defined by the cladding members 38, 39, 42 and 46.

(50) A particular feature of the left hand side wall panel 39 is an openable door aperture 56 in which on assembly of the cab assembly 60 is fitted a door panel 57 that is moveably securable in the openable aperture 56 such as to permit its conversion between closed and open configurations. The door panel 57 permits operator access into and out of the cab assembly 60 when the latter is assembled into a vehicle.

(51) To this end the door panel 57 is hingedly secured by way of top and bottom hinges, the lower 58 of which is visible in FIG. 3, to the internal frame 10. In hinge 58 a hinge pin 59 secured to door panel 57 is rotatably received in a hasp 61 that is bolted by way of bolts extending through the material of left hand side wall panel 39 to hinge bracket 37 that protrudes outwardly from left hand lower side member 19. However other ways of arranging hinging of the door panel 57 are possible within the scope of the invention.

(52) It is conventional in some agricultural tractors to provide an openable door on only one side of the cab assembly, in order to minimise the risk of accidents occurring when operators are entering and leaving the cab. For this reason no direct counterpart of the door panel 57 is present in right hand side wall cladding panel 38, and instead this panel is glazed from front to back and top to bottom by a glazing panel that may include openable window portions but is in use essentially fixed in place, preferably in like manner to the fixing of glazing panel 53.

(53) However when the cab assembly 60 is designed for use in a vehicle other than a tractor one or more further openable door panels such as panel 57 may be provided.

(54) Panel 57 also may be glazed and may include one or more openable windows.

(55) As best seen in FIG. 2 each of the side wall panels 38, 39 includes formed therein a respective wheelarch 62. This optional feature may beneficially be formed in each panel 38, 39 as the panels are manufactured and thereby provide on completion of the cab assembly 60 conveniently located left and right mudguards for the rear wheels of the tractor. Immediately in front of the wheelarch on each side of the cab assembly the panels 38, 39 are shaped to accommodate a footwell 63 that is defined by a floor member that while not visible in the drawings is positioned parallel to and above bottom member 44, overlying and supported on the frame members 28, 29.

(56) The footwells respectively are occupied by the footstep braces 34 and 36 of the internal frame 10, thereby providing for a strong structure underlying the floor member described above.

(57) The floor member as noted extends essentially parallel to and overlies the bottom member 44 and thereby defines with bottom member a void inside which one or more sub-systems of the vehicle may be secured. The preferred sub-system in the case of an agricultural tractor is an air conditioner the fan, chiller and ducts of which may readily and neatly be accommodated in this void. During manufacture of the cab assembly 60 the air conditioner including air conditioning gas after installation in the void may be connected to a test jig or other testing apparatus and provided with electrical power. It thus advantageously is possible to check, before final assembly of the vehicle, that the air conditioner is working correctly.

(58) Other sub-systems may of course be substituted for the air conditioner depending on the expected usage of the vehicle. Regardless of the exact sub-system type installed however it is desirable for the floor member while being sufficiently rigid as to support the people and objects likely to be carried inside the cab also to include an openable hatch or removable panel permitting maintenance access to the sub-system.

(59) In addition to the features described above the invention resides in a method of manufacturing a cab sub-assembly as described herein; and to a vehicle 67 including such a cab assembly 60. Such a vehicle 67 is illustrated in FIG. 4.

(60) The assembly 60 gives rise to numerous advantages, as set out above, compared with the prior art. It is expected to make a significant contribution both to the economics of cab construction and also the flexibility of vehicle designers to alter the appearances of vehicles while the underlying engineering remains unchanged.

(61) The listing or discussion of an apparently prior-published document in this specification should not necessarily be taken as an acknowledgement that the document is part of the state of the art or is common general knowledge.