Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Tops – Roof structure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-23
2001-04-24
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Tops
Roof structure
C296S190030, C296S190100, C296S218000, C049S501000, C052S204620, C052S801100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220656
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to improvements in cabs for land vehicles such as lift trucks.
PRIOR ART
Lift trucks and other commercially used non-highway vehicles such as tractors, loaders, excavators, cranes and the like are frequently fitted with a cab to protect the driver or operator from hostile environments created by adverse weather, noise, dust and the like. It is important that the cab provide adequate strength to protect the operator in the case of a roll-over or from falling objects and, at the same time, provide as much visibility for the operator as is practical. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,079,985, Des.249,254, 4,205,874, 4,392,669, Des.274,276, 4,702,516 and 5,286,081 illustrate examples of lift truck cabs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides an improved rigid cab construction which affords both overhead protection and excellent vision for the operator. The disclosed cab construction, in addition to its performance characteristics, is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and is durable in service.
In accordance with the invention, the cab achieves a high level of overhead protection, meeting that specified by national standards, with a combination of impact resistant glazing and associated rigid bar-like elements.
Still further, the disclosed cab is relatively light in weight particularly in its roof construction so that it does not adversely affect the center of gravity of the vehicle on which it is installed.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the cab door structure is simplified over conventional arrangements by a step member that eliminates the need for a step down door profile while still enabling the door to adequately seal the cab.
Another aspect of the invention involves a frame stiffening gusset, preferably located at the cab corners adjacent the roof that serves as a convenient mounting surface for an air circulating fan.
In the illustrated embodiment, a sheet of glazing material is sandwiched between underlying rigid frame members and an overlying metal roof sheet having an expansive opening to permit overhead vision. The roof panel, which is preferably metal, serves to retain the glazing sheet in place on the frame members. In the illustrated construction, the roof panel is relatively large such that its front to back dimension is about twice as long as the vision opening. This permits the roof panel to shade the operator's space. After an extended period of service, the roof panel is temporarily removed and the glazing sheet is rotated 180° about a vertical axis to dispose a previously covered half of the sheet to be located under the vision opening. In this way, the viewed area of the sheet is effectively renewed. The glazing eliminates the need for a safety grille of small openings and thereby avoids a corresponding obstruction to overhead vision by a multitude of grill elements.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 249254 (1978-09-01), Martin, Sr.
patent: D. 274276 (1984-06-01), Martin, Jr.
patent: 3954150 (1976-05-01), Cole et al.
patent: 4079985 (1978-03-01), Martin
patent: 4095839 (1978-06-01), Lawrence et al.
patent: 4119340 (1978-10-01), Wolfe
patent: 4205874 (1980-06-01), Martin
patent: 4392669 (1983-07-01), Martin, Jr.
patent: 4702516 (1987-10-01), Martin, Jr.
patent: 4940280 (1990-07-01), Templeton
patent: 5286081 (1994-02-01), Martin, Jr.
patent: 623571 (1961-07-01), None
patent: 813492 (1959-05-01), None
“Year-round convertible”, Technology & Trends, p. 181, Ward''s Auto World, Mar. 1989.
Chenevert Paul
Dayoan D. Glenn
Martin Sheet Metal, Inc.
Pearne & Gordon LLP
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