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US 2026/0152985 A1Published application
Hinge Assembly
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsLloyd Michael Becker, Erik E. Knowles
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hinge arrangement allowing a gate on a construction machine to move between a closed and an open position is disclosed. The hinge arrangement includes an upper hinge member and a lower hinge member. The hinge members each include a flat segment and an arcuate segment connected to the flat segment. The arcuate segments of each hinge member each have an engagement surface opposite another, and the arcuate segments are each separated into three sections each having an engagement surface which is opposite another surface. Each engagement surface both slopes towards or away from the other surface as well as pitches either inward or outward.
Claims20
A hinge arrangement allowing a gate on a construction machine to move between a closed and open position, comprising:
- an upper hinge member, including:
- an upper flat segment, including:
- a first upper surface and a first lower surface opposite one another;
- a first front surface and a first back surface opposite one another;
- a first upper flat section extending from an end of the upper flat member to a second upper flat section;
- and
- the second upper flat section extending from the first upper flat section to a first upper arcuate section, the first lower surface of the second upper flat section sloping towards the first upper surface;
- and
- an upper arcuate segment connected to the upper flat section, including:
- a first top surface and a first engagement surface opposite one another;
- a first inner surface and a first outer surface opposite one another;
- the first upper arcuate section extending from the second upper flat section to a second upper arcuate section, the first engagement surface of the first upper arcuate section sloping towards the first upper surface and pitching towards the first inner surface;
- a second upper arcuate section extending from the first upper arcuate section to a third upper arcuate section, the first engagement surface of the second upper arcuate section sloping away from the first upper surface and pitching towards the first inner surface;
- and
- a third upper arcuate section extending from the second upper arcuate section to an end of the upper arcuate member, the first engagement surface of the third upper arcuate section sloping towards the first upper surface and pitching towards the first inner surface;
- and
- a lower hinge member, including:
- a lower flat segment, including:
- a second upper surface and a second lower surface opposite one another;
- a second front surface and a second back surface opposite one another;
- a first lower flat section extending from an end of the lower flat member to a second lower flat section;
- and
- the second lower flat section extending from the first lower flat section to a first lower arcuate section, the second upper surface of the second lower flat section sloping towards the second lower surface;
- and
- a lower arcuate segment connected to the lower flat member, including:
- a second engagement surface and a second bottom surface opposite one another;
- a second inner surface and a second outer surface opposite one another;
- the first lower arcuate section extending from the second lower flat section to a second lower arcuate section, the second engagement surface of the first lower arcuate section sloping towards the second lower surface and pitching towards the second outer surface;
- a second lower arcuate section extending from the first lower arcuate section to a third lower arcuate section, the second engagement surface of the second lower arcuate section sloping away from the second lower surface and pitching towards the second outer surface;
- and
- a third lower arcuate section extending from the second lower arcuate section to an end of the lower arcuate member, the second engagement surface of the third lower arcuate section sloping towards the second lower surface and pitching towards the second outer surface.
28 more elements
A gate assembly for a construction machine, comprising:
- a support member;
- a gate;
- a hinge assembly connecting the support member to the gate, including:
- an upper hinge member, including:
- an upper flat segment, including:
- a first end, the first end connected to one of the support member or gate;
- a first upper surface and a first lower surface opposite one another;
- a first front surface and a first back surface opposite one another;
- a first upper flat section extending from an end of the upper flat member to a second upper flat section;
- and
- the second upper flat section extending from the first upper flat section to a first upper arcuate section, the first lower surface of the second upper flat section sloping towards the first upper surface;
- and
- an upper arcuate segment connected to the upper flat section, including:
- a first top surface and a first bottom surface opposite one another;
- a first inner surface and a first outer surface opposite one another;
- the first upper arcuate section extending from the second upper flat section to a second upper arcuate section, the first bottom surface of the first upper arcuate section sloping towards the first upper surface and pitching towards the first inner surface;
- a second upper arcuate section extending from the first upper arcuate section to a third upper arcuate section, the first bottom surface of the second upper arcuate section sloping away from the first upper surface and pitching towards the first inner surface;
- and
- a third upper arcuate section extending from the second upper arcuate section to an end of the upper arcuate member, the first bottom surface of the third upper arcuate section sloping towards the first upper surface and pitching towards the first inner surface;
- and
- a lower hinge member, including:
- a lower flat segment, including:
- a second end, the second end connected to the other of the support member or gate;
- a second upper surface and a second lower surface opposite one another, the second upper surface configured to engage the first lower surface;
- a second front surface and a second back surface opposite one another;
- a first lower flat section extending from an end of the lower flat member to a second lower flat section;
- and
- the second lower flat section extending from the first lower flat section to a first lower arcuate section, the second upper surface of the second lower flat section sloping towards the second lower surface;
- and
- a lower arcuate segment connected to the lower flat member, including:
- a second top surface and a second bottom surface opposite one another;
- a second inner surface and a second outer surface opposite one another;
- the first lower arcuate section extending from the second lower flat section to a second lower arcuate section, the second bottom surface of the first lower arcuate section sloping towards the second lower surface and pitching towards the second outer surface;
- a second lower arcuate section extending from the first lower arcuate section to a third lower arcuate section, the second upper surface of the second lower arcuate section sloping away from the second lower surface and pitching towards the second outer surface;
- and
- a third lower arcuate section extending from the second lower arcuate section to an end of the lower arcuate member, the second upper surface of the third lower arcuate section sloping towards the second lower surface and pitching towards the second outer surface.
33 more elements
A hinge arrangement, comprising:
- an upper hinge member, including:
- an upper flat segment, including:
- a first upper surface and a first lower surface opposite one another;
- a first front surface and a first back surface opposite one another;
- a first upper flat section extending from an end of the upper flat member to a second upper flat section;
- and
- the second upper flat section extending from the first upper flat section to a first upper arcuate section, the first lower surface of the second upper flat section sloping towards the first upper surface;
- and
- an upper arcuate segment connected to the upper flat section, including:
- a first top surface and a first bottom surface opposite one another;
- a first inner surface and a first outer surface opposite one another;
- the first upper arcuate section extending from the second upper flat section to a second upper arcuate section, the first bottom surface of the first upper arcuate section sloping towards the first upper surface at an angle between 38-42 degrees, and pitching towards the inner surface at an angle between 28-32 degrees;
- a second upper arcuate section extending from the first upper arcuate section to a third upper arcuate section, the first bottom surface of the second upper arcuate section sloping away from the first upper surface at an angle between 38-42 degrees and pitching towards the inner surface at an angle between 28-32 degrees;
- and
- a third upper arcuate section extending from the second upper arcuate section to an end of the upper arcuate member, the first bottom surface of the third upper arcuate section sloping towards the first upper surface at an angle between 38-42 degrees and pitching towards the inner surface at an angle between 28-32 degrees;
- and
- a lower hinge member, including:
- a lower flat segment, including:
- a second upper surface and a second lower surface opposite one another, the second upper surface configured to engage the first lower surface;
- a second front surface and a second back surface opposite one another;
- a first lower flat section extending from an end of the lower flat member to a second lower flat section;
- the second lower flat section extending from the first lower flat section to a third lower flat section, the second upper surface of the second lower flat section sloping towards the second lower surface;
- and
- the third lower flat section extending from the second lower flat section to a first lower arcuate section, the second upper surface of the third flat section sloping away from the second lower surface;
- and
- a lower arcuate segment connected to the lower flat member, including:
- a second top surface and a second bottom surface opposite one another;
- a second inner surface and a second outer surface opposite one another;
- the first lower arcuate section extending from a third lower flat section to a second lower arcuate section, the second bottom surface of the first lower arcuate section sloping towards the second lower surface at an angle between 38-42 degrees and pitching towards the second outer surface at an angle between 28-32 degrees;
- a second lower arcuate section extending from the first lower arcuate section to a third lower arcuate section, the second upper surface of the second lower arcuate section sloping away from the second lower surface at an angle between 38-42 degrees and pitching towards the second outer surface at an angle between 28-32 degrees;
- and
- a third lower arcuate section extending from the second lower arcuate section to an end of the lower arcuate member, the second upper surface of the third lower arcuate section sloping towards the second lower surface at an angle between 38-42 degrees and pitching towards the second outer surface at an angle between 28-32 degrees,
- wherein when the intersection of the first upper arcuate section and the second upper arcuate section is in contact with the intersection of the second lower arcuate section and the third lower arcuate section, the hinge member is in a closed position, and when the intersection of the second upper arcuate section and the third upper arcuate section is in contact with the intersection of the second lower arcuate section and the third lower arcuate section, the hinge member is in a fully open position, and
- wherein while moving between the closed position and the fully open position, either the first bottom surface of the first and third arcuate sections each engage the second upper surface of the first and third arcuate sections, or the first bottom surface of the second upper arcuate section engages the second upper surface of the second lower arcuate section, the other sections separating from one another.
31 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.