Ergonomic tractor seat armrest and hand control
AssigneeDeere & Company
InventorsJohn R. Arthur, Russell W. Strong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An armrest having an elbow-supporting portion and an associated control panel for a utility vehicle is arranged such that the operator's forearm can be supported on a fulcrum position on the elbow-supporting portion and can be pivoted in a swinging direction to reach plural controls. A hand rest is also provided on the control panel and located such that an operator can span his forearm from the elbow at the fulcrum position of the elbow-supporting portion, to the hand rest located on the control panel.
Claims14
In a utility vehicle having an operator's seat and a control panel adjacent the operator's seat, the improvement comprising:
- an armrest located adjacent the operator's seat, said armrest including an armrest portion having a forearm support surface extending substantially horizontally, and arranged to support the operator's forearm when the forearm is resting in a rear to front orientation, and an elbow-supporting portion extending laterally of said forearm support surface and having an elbow support surface sloping down and away from said armrest portion;
- and
- said control panel arranged in front of and laterally of said armrest portion and spaced from the elbow-supporting portion a sufficiently close distance such that an operator's forearm, between elbow and fingertips, is capable of spanning between the elbow-supporting portion and the control panel;
- and
- a plurality of controls are located on said control panel and are arranged to be actuatable by said operator without lifting his elbow from the elbow support surface.
In a utility vehicle having an operator's seat and a control panel adjacent the operator's seat, the improvement comprising:
- an armrest located adjacent the operator's seat, said armrest including an elbow-supporting portion extending in a rearward to forward direction and in a lateral direction, said elbow-supporting portion having an elbow support surface;
- and
- said control panel arranged adjacent to the elbow-supporting portion a sufficiently close distance such that an operator's forearm, between elbow and fingertips, is capable of spanning between the elbow-supporting portion and the control panel, said elbow support surface of said elbow supporting position substantially sloped in a direction when projected into a horizontal plane that is oblique to the rearward-to-forward direction;
- and
- controls on said control panel are arranged to be actuatable by said operator without lifting his elbow from the elbow-supporting portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.