WORKING VEHICLE ATTACHMENT TOWER, WORKING VEHICLE ATTACHMENT DEVICE, SET OF A PLURALITY OF WORKING VEHICLE ATTACHMENT TOWERS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A WORKING VEHICLE ATTACHMENT TOWER

Abstract

The present invention relates to a working vehicle attachment tower which comprises a front loader mounting body and a supporting body. The front loader mounting body and the supporting body are manufactured as separate parts and welded to each other by at least one weld seam. The supporting body is manufactured by use of a massive forming process. Furthermore, the invention relates to a set of a plurality of working vehicle attachment towers and a method for manufacturing a working vehicle attachment tower.

Claims

1. A working vehicle attachment tower comprising a front loader mounting body and a supporting body, a) the front loader mounting body and the supporting body being manufactured as separate parts, b) the front loader mounting body and the supporting body being welded to each other by at least one weld seam and c) the supporting body being manufactured by use of a massive forming process in which a three-dimensional blank is deformed three-dimensionally.

2. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 1, wherein in a region of the weld seam by which the front loader mounting body is welded to the supporting body the supporting body comprises a chamfered edge or a portion having a reduced thickness, the weld seam being arranged in a region of the chamfered edge or the portion having a reduced thickness.

3. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 1, wherein a) the supporting body comprising a first front face being shaped in the massive forming process with or without a subsequent post processing, b) the front loader mounting body comprising a second front face and c) the front loader mounting body and the supporting body being welded to each other by a weld seam connecting the first front face and the second front face, the weld seam being welded to the first front face being a massive forming front face which has been shaped in the massive forming process with or without a subsequent post processing.

4. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 2, wherein a) the supporting body comprising a first front face being shaped in the massive forming process with or without a subsequent post processing, b) the front loader mounting body comprising a second front face and c) the front loader mounting body and the supporting body being welded to each other by a weld seam connecting the first front face and the second front face, the weld seam being welded to the first front face being a massive forming front face which has been shaped in the massive forming process with or without a subsequent post processing.

5. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 1, wherein that also the front loader mounting body is manufactured by a massive forming process or a forging process.

6. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 3, wherein the first front face and the second front face are manufactured in the massive forming process with a tolerance of ±1 mm.

7. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 4, wherein the first front face and the second front face are manufactured in the massive forming process with a tolerance of ±1 mm.

8. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 1, wherein in an end region facing away from the front loader mounting body the supporting body comprises a frame element mounting portion.

9. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 8, wherein the frame element mounting portion comprises a larger extension in longitudinal direction of a working vehicle than an adjacent sub-portion of the supporting body.

10. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 8, wherein the frame element mounting portion comprises one of a convex shaped edge, a concave shaped edge, a curved edge or a meandering edge.

11. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 1, wherein the supporting body comprises at least one stiffening rib.

12. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 8, wherein the supporting body comprises at least one stiffening rib.

13. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 12, wherein at least one stiffening rib extends from the frame element mounting portion towards the front loader mounting body.

14. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 11, wherein two stiffening ribs are arranged with an offset relative to each other in horizontal direction.

15. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 11, wherein at least one stiffening rib comprises a rounded cross section.

16. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 1, wherein due to a) a chosen material and/or b) a used manufacturing process and/or process parameters used during a manufacturing process a hardness and/or strength of the front loader mounting body is higher than a hardness and/or strength of the supporting body.

17. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 1, wherein the supporting body comprises a positioning aid for defining a relative position of a) the supporting body relative to the front loader mounting body and/or b) the supporting body relative to a frame element.

18. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 1, wherein a holding element for a component is welded to the supporting body.

19. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 1, wherein the supporting body is manufactured by use of a massive forming process from one of a rod-shaped blank, an extruded profile cut to length, a cuboidal blank and a cast blank.

20. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 1, wherein the supporting body comprises at least one crank or offset.

21. The working vehicle attachment tower of claim 1, wherein the supporting body is not embodied as a cast component.

22. A working vehicle attachment device comprising a) a working vehicle attachment tower comprising a front loader mounting body and a supporting body, aa) the front loader mounting body and the supporting body being manufactured as separate parts, ab) the front loader mounting body and the supporting body being welded to each other and ac) the supporting body being manufactured by use of a massive forming process and b) a frame element.

23. The working vehicle attachment device of claim 22, wherein the frame element is manufactured together with the supporting body.

24. The working vehicle attachment device of claim 22, wherein the frame element is manufactured separately from the supporting body and the frame element is a) screwed and/or b) welded and/or c) riveted and/or d) connected by means of a positive form lock and/or e) adhered to the supporting body.

25. Set of a plurality of working vehicle attachment towers, the working vehicle attachment towers of the set each comprising a front loader mounting body and a supporting body, the front loader mounting body and the supporting body being manufactured as separate parts, the front loader mounting body and the supporting body being welded to each other and the supporting body being manufactured by use of a massive forming process, wherein a) the working vehicle attachment towers of the set comprise identical supporting bodies and b) the working vehicle attachment towers of the set comprise different front loader mounting bodies, the different front loader mounting bodies differing in that they have a specific design such that the different front loader mounting bodies are designated for working vehicles or front loaders of different types.

26. A method for manufacturing a working vehicle attachment tower, the method comprising a) forming a supporting body by a massive forming process in which a three-dimensional blank is deformed three-dimensionally; b) providing a front loader mounting body manufactured separately from the supporting body; and c) welding the front loader mounting body to the supporting body.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the supporting body comprises a first front face shaped in the massive forming process, wherein the front loader mounting body comprising a second front face and wherein the step of welding the front loader mounting body to the supporting body comprises welding the first front face to the second front face by a weld seam.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0057] FIG. 1 shows a lateral view of a working vehicle attachment device comprising a working vehicle attachment tower and a frame element.

[0058] FIG. 2 shows a view of the working vehicle attachment device of FIG. 1 with a viewing direction inclined from above.

[0059] FIG. 3 shows the working vehicle attachment device of FIGS. 1 and 2 in a top view.

[0060] FIG. 4 shows a subsection of the working vehicle attachment tower of FIGS. 1 to 3 at the mounting portion between a front loader attachment body and an upper end of the supporting body.

[0061] FIGS. 5 and 6 show alternatives for the design of the weld seams and the adjoining surfaces in the attachment portion between the supporting body and the front loader attachment body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] In the present application (when not explicitly described in a different way) descriptions for the orientations as “in longitudinal direction”, “in transverse direction”, “in lateral direction”, “vertical” and the like refer to the orientations of the working vehicle to which the inventive working vehicle attachment device is attached. This descriptions also cover orientation which differ by ±10°, ±20° or ±30° from the exact aforementioned orientations.

[0063] FIG. 1 shows a working vehicle attachment device 1. The working vehicle attachment device 1 comprises a working vehicle attachment tower 2 and a frame element 3. The working vehicle attachment tower 2 again comprises a supporting body 4 and front loader attachment body 5 which are welded to each other.

[0064] In FIG. 1 the front loader attachment body 5 is shown in an embodiment which is colloquially denoted as bone 6. The front loader attachment body 5 comprises two accommodations 7, 8 wherein a corresponding accommodation body of the front loader can be arranged and can preferably be locked so that a rigid fixation of an end region of the front loader on the front loader attachment body 5 is provided.

[0065] On the lower side the front loader attachment body 5 comprises a front face 9. The front face 9 comprises a centered flat subportion and curve-shaped end portions. The front loader attachment body 5 is in particular manufactured by a massive forming process or forging.

[0066] The supporting body 4 comprises a vertical portion 10 and a horizontal portion 11. For the embodiment shown here the vertical portion 10 and the horizontal portion 11 in the side view form a (mirrored) L. Here, the horizontal portion 11 might extends towards the front or towards the back. However, it is also possible that the horizontal portion 11 extends on both sides of the vertical portion 10 so that the supporting body has the shape of an inverted T.

[0067] In the region of the vertical portion 10 the extension of the vertical portion 10 in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the working vehicle changes wherein this extension continuously increases from the horizontal portion 11 towards the front loader attachment body 5. This change of the extension considers the mechanical bias of the supporting body 4 due to the forces applied by the front loader on the same.

[0068] In the upper end region the vertical portion 10 comprises a front face 12 where the front face 9 contacts the supporting body 4. Here, the contour of the front face 12 in the side view corresponds to the contour of the front face 9.

[0069] In the region of the vertical portion 10 stiffening ribs 13, 14 extend in vertical direction. The stiffening ribs 13, 14 also continue in the horizontal portion 11 as shown. In the lower subsection of the vertical portion 10 the stiffening ribs 13, 14 have an orientation approximately parallel to each other whereas in the upper subsection of the vertical portion 10 the stiffening ribs 13, 14 diverge V-shaped in upper direction. Here, the stiffening ribs 13, 14 preferably follow the course of the associated front and rear edges of the vertical portion 10. The stiffening ribs 13, 14 here comprise the same or changing cross sectional geometries. Preferably, the stiffening ribs 13, 14 transit via roundings 15 to a base body 16 of the supporting body 4.

[0070] The supporting body 4 manufactured by use of a massive forming process. Here, it is possible that the front face 12 is already manufactured in the massive forming process without any post-processing of the front face 12 being required. Also the stiffening ribs 13, 14 and/or the horizontal portion 11 are manufactured in the massive forming process preferably from a blank without an additional post-processing being required.

[0071] The horizontal portion 11 of the supporting body 4 forms a frame element attachment portion 17. The frame element 3 is fixed to the frame element attachment portion 17 which might be provided by providing a welding along the edge of the frame element mounting portion 17 or might be provided by screwing, in this case (differing from the shown embodiment) corresponding bores being provided in the frame element attachment portion 17 and the frame element 3.

[0072] As can be seen in FIG. 1 the frame element 3 comprises a plurality of mounting bores 18. By means of the mounting bores 18 it is possible to fix the frame element 3 on the working vehicle.

[0073] It is optionally possible that the supporting body 4 comprises a positioning aid 19 on the frame element attachment portion 17. The positioning aid 19 interacts with a counter element 20 of the frame element 3. For the shown embodiment the positioning aid 19 is a semi-cylindrical recess wherein the counter element 20 embodied as a cylindrical pin can be accommodated. Prior to the attachment of the supporting body 4 at the frame element 3 it is possible to define the relative positon and/or orientation of the supporting body 4 relative to the frame element 3 by means of the interaction between the positioning aid 19 and the counter element 20. It is possible that a plurality of positioning aids 19 can be provided on to supporting body 4. In this case, different positioning aids 19 can be used for connecting the supporting body 4 to different frame elements 3. Alternatively or cumulatively it is possible that frame elements 3 having different geometries for the connection with working vehicles of different type comprise a counter element 20 at a suitable location which then each interact with the same positioning aid 19 of the supporting element 4 for then specially defining the relative position and/or orientation of the respective frame element 3 relative to the supporting body 4. For the shown embodiment the interaction between the positioning aid 19 and the counter element 20 still allows a remaining degree of freedom between the supporting body 4 and the frame element 3 prior to the connection of the same. It will be understood that also other positioning aid 19 and counter elements 20 might be provided for further defining the relative position and/or orientation.

[0074] FIGS. 2 and 3 show that the vertical portion 10 of the supporting body 4 is cranked or has an offset in lateral direction with cranks or offsets 21, 22. The cranks or offsets 21, 23 might have any curved shape or also offsets. An upper end region 23 of the supporting body 4 transits via the crank or offset 21 to a connecting portion 24 which again transits via the crank 4 or offset 22 to a lower end region 25 which preferably has an orientation parallel to the end region 23. It is possible to provide a lateral offset of the end regions 23, 25 by the cranks or offsets 21, 22 and the connecting portion 24. In this way a lateral offset of the front loader attachment 5 relative to the frame element attachment portion 17 and so relative to the frame element 3 and the working vehicle can be provided.

[0075] If the frame element attachment portion 17 is welded to the frame element 3, differing from FIG. 1 an edge 26 of the frame element attachment portion 17 might not have a straight design but might have any curved shape in order to increase the length of the weld seam.

[0076] FIG. 4 shows the working vehicle attachment device of FIGS. 1 to 3 in a subsection at an attachment portion 27.

[0077] In the plan view of the attachment portion 27 of FIG. 5 it can be seen that in the attachment portion 27 the front loader attachment body 5 has a larger lateral extension than the supporting body 4. Here, the lateral extension of the supporting body 4 in the attachment portion 27 might correspond to the wall thickness of the base body 16 of the supporting body 4. For nevertheless allowing that weld seams 28, 29 having a large cross section (in some cases also with a plurality of weld seams arranged one above the other) can be used, in the transitional region to the front face 12 the supporting body 4 comprises a chamfered edge 30 on both sides or a portion 31 of reduced thickness. Accordingly, on both sides of the separating gap between the front faces 9, 12 or of the contact area between these (e.g. V-shaped) recesses 23, 33 are formed between the supporting body 4 and the front loader attachment body. The weld seams 28, 29 can then be arranged in this recesses 32, 33. The weld seams 28, 29 laterally protrude from the upper end region of the supporting body 4 without protruding laterally beyond the front loader attachment body 5.

[0078] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment wherein no chamfered edge 30 or no portion 31 is required because the difference of the lateral extension of the supporting body 4 and the lateral extension of the front loader attachment body 5 in the region of the front faces 9, 12 is so large that a weld seam 28, 29 having a sufficient cross section can be applied in the region of the resulting step without any protrusion of the weld seam 28, 29 laterally beyond the front loader attachment body 5.

[0079] It is possible that at least one stiffening rib 13, 14 is arranged only on one side of the supporting 4. However, it is also possible that on both sides of the supporting body 4 at least one stiffening 13, 14 is arranged.

[0080] For fixing the frame element attachment portion 17 to the frame element 3 and/or for fixing the frame element 3 to the working vehicle also cone-shaped connecting and/or centering bodies known from the prior art can be used.

[0081] Preferably, the weld seams 28, 29 comprise two, three, four, five or more weld seam layers.

[0082] FIG. 1 shows the further optional feature that the supporting body 4 might comprise a holding element 34 for the fixing of another component on the supporting body. Here, the holding element 34 can be manufactured by the massive forming process for manufacturing the supporting body 4. However, it is also possible that a holding element 34 of this type is subsequently welded to the supporting body 4.

[0083] It is possible that components of the working vehicle attachment device 1 which have to be connected to each other do not only (as for the shown embodiment) contact each other and are not only fixed to each other by means of weld seams or screwings but that there is an additional shaping of the contact and connection points in a way such that at least parts of the forces are transmitted by a positive form lock of the contact surfaces.

[0084] The frame element 3 is preferably embodied as a metal sheet component which can also be shaped by a metal sheet deformation process. It is also possible that the frame element 3 is manufactured as a welded constructional group. It is possible that the metal sheet which forms the frame element 3 or metal sheets which then form the frame element 3 being a welded constructional group are cut in a plasma cutting process.

[0085] It is possible that the frame element 3 also comprises jog notches or recess areas.

[0086] It is furthermore possible that the supporting body 4, the working vehicle attachment device 1 and the working vehicle attachment towers 2 and/or the frame elements 3 have the same or different designs on different sides of the working vehicle.

[0087] Many variations and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the following claims.