Loader with improved arm path

A stand-on compact utility loader (CUL) configured for connection to and operation of a variety of attachments, the CUL comprising:

• a frame;
• a control station positioned at a rear of the frame and including a control panel and a platform coupled to the frame and configured to support a user while operating the CUL;
• a pair of tracks positioned on opposite sides of the frame;
• a front idler wheel and a rear idler wheel associated with each of the pair of tracks and horizontally spaced from one another by a first length;
• a pair of loader arms coupled to opposite sides of the frame and shiftable relative to the frame between a lowered position and a raised position;
• a pair of front links associated with each of the pair of loader arms and coupling the pair of loader arms to opposite sides of the frame;
• a pair of hydraulic cylinders each associated with one of the pair of loader arms and configured to shift the pair of loader arms between the lowered and raised positions;
• a pair of pivot pins each associated with one of the pair of loader arms and configured to connect attachments to the loader arms;
• wherein
• a center of gravity of the CUL is positioned rearward of a first midpoint situated evenly between the front idler wheel and the rear idler wheel;
• the pair of pivot pins follow a curved travel path from a base position to a maximum height position when the loader arms are shifted from the lowered position to the raised position or from a raised position to the lowered position;
• the curved travel path has an inflection point at an intermediate height between the base position and the maximum height position, wherein, at the inflection point, the curved travel path transitions from moving horizontally away from the base position as the pair of loader arms are raised toward the intermediate height to moving horizontally closer to the base position as the pair of loader arms are raised above the intermediate height;
• the frame includes two spaced apart vertical panels with the control station positioned therebetween;
• a side cover is located outside of the vertical panels and the control station, at least a portion of the side cover located rearward of the pair of tracks;
• and
• a metal body is attached to the frame by a pin and is located between one of the vertical panels and the side cover in a lateral direction, and the metal body is separate from the frame and the side cover and is located rearward of the control panel.

A stand-on compact utility loader (CUL) configured for connection to and operation of a variety of attachments, the CUL comprising:

• a frame;
• a control station positioned at a rear of the frame and including a control panel and a platform coupled to the frame and configured to support a user while operating the CUL;
• a pair of tracks positioned on opposite sides of the frame;
• a front idler wheel and a rear idler wheel associated with each of the pair of tracks and horizontally spaced from one another by a first length;
• a pair of loader arms coupled to opposite sides of the frame and shiftable relative to the frame between a lowered position and a raised position;
• a pair of front and rear links associated with each of the pair of loader arms and coupling the pair of loader arms to opposite sides of the frame;
• a pair of hydraulic cylinders each associated with one of the pair of loader arms and configured to shift the pair of loader arms between the lowered and raised positions;
• a pair of pivot pins each associated with one of the pair of loader arms and configured to connect attachments to the loader arms;
• wherein
• a center of gravity of the CUL is positioned rearward of a first midpoint situated evenly between the front idler wheel and the rear idler wheel;
• the pair of pivot pins follow a curved travel path from a base position to a maximum height position when the loader arms are shifted from the lowered position to the raised position or from a raised position to the lowered position;
• the curved travel path has an inflection point at an intermediate height between the base position and the maximum height position, wherein, at the inflection point, the curved travel path transitions from moving horizontally away from the base position as the pair of loader arms are raised toward the intermediate height to moving horizontally closer to the base position as the pair of loader arms are raised above the intermediate height;
• the frame includes two spaced apart vertical panels with the control station positioned therebetween;
• a side cover is located outside the vertical panels and the control station;
• at least a portion of the side cover is located rearward of the pair of tracks;
• and
• the control panel includes a master switch that is beneath and guarded by a shield that is attached to the control panel.

A stand-on compact utility loader (CUL) configured for connection to and operation of a variety of attachments, the CUL comprising:

• a frame;
• a control station positioned at a rear of the frame and including a control panel and a platform coupled to the frame and configured to support a user while operating the CUL;
• a pair of tracks positioned on opposite sides of the frame;
• a front idler wheel and a rear idler wheel associated with each of the tracks and horizontally spaced from one another by a first length;
• a pair of loader arms coupled to opposite sides of the frame and shiftable relative to the frame between a lowered position and a raised position;
• a pair of front and rear links associated with each of the pair of loader arms and coupling the pair of loader arms to opposite sides of the frame;
• a pair of hydraulic cylinders each associated with one of the pair of loader arms and configured to shift the loader arms between the lowered and raised positions;
• a pair of pivot pins each associated with one of the pair of loader arms and configured to connect the variety of attachments to the pair of loader arms;
• wherein
• a center of gravity of the CUL is positioned rearward of a first midpoint situated evenly between the front idler wheel and the rear idler wheel;
• the pair of pivot pins follow a curved travel path from a base position to a maximum height position when the loader arms are shifted from the lowered position to the raised position or from a raised position to the lowered position;
• the curved travel path has an inflection point at an intermediate height between the base position and the maximum height position, wherein, at the inflection point, the curved travel path transitions from moving horizontally away from the base position as the pair of loader arms are raised toward the intermediate height to moving horizontally closer to the base position as the pair of loader arms are raised above the intermediate height;
• the frame includes two spaced apart vertical panels with the control station positioned therebetween;
• a side cover is located outside the vertical panels and the control station;
• at least a portion of the side cover is located rearward of the pair of tracks;
• the platform is disposed laterally between the vertical panels;
• the platform includes a base and a sheet disposed on the base;
• the sheet includes a plurality of protrusions;
• the platform further includes at least one pin that extends through the base so as to fasten the sheet to the base, and the at least one pin protrudes below a bottom surface of the base;
• a top surface of the plurality of protrusions is at or above a top surface of the at least one pin;
• and
• a brand name is formed on the sheet by at least a portion of the plurality of protrusions.