Claims:WE CLAIM:
1. A foldable cabin (110) for a vehicle (100), said cabin (110) comprising:
• a support stand (120) rigidly mounted on a structural component of the vehicle (100);
• a wind screen frame (112) configured to support a wind screen, an operative lower end of said wind screen frame (112) hingeably coupled to an unmounted end of said support stand (120);
• a roof frame (114) configured to support a roof, an operative front end of said roof frame (114) hingeably coupled to the operative upper end of said wind screen frame (112);
• a rear window frame (116) configured to support a rear window, an operative top end of said rear window frame (116) hingeably coupled to the operative rear end of said roof frame (114);
• a rear stand (118) having one end thereof rigidly mounted on a structural component of the vehicle (100), and the other end of said rear stand (118) hingeably coupled to the operative lower end of said rear window frame (116),
wherein
the plurality of moving links of said cabin (110), including said wind screen frame (112), said roof frame (114), said rear window frame (116),
together with the fixed link of said cabin (110) defined by said support stand (120), said rear stand (118) and the structure of the vehicle (100),
form a multi-bar linkage mechanism that facilitates collapsing of said cabin (110) for lowering the height of the roof of the vehicle (100).
2. The foldable cabin (110) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said multi-bar linkage mechanism is configured to collapse by undergoing a frontward angular displacement of the moving links.
3. The foldable cabin (110) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said multi-bar linkage mechanism has ratio of lengths of the four links, including first link AB, the second link BC, the third link CD and the fourth link DA, equal to 0.80:0.98:0.80:1, the first link AB defined by said wind screen frame (112), the second link BC defined by said roof frame (114), the third link CD defined by said rear window frame (116), and the fourth link AD defined by the fixed ends of said support stand (120) and said rear stand (118), said lengths of the links obtained by measuring distances between pairs of the moving points A, B, C, D in a lateral view of said cabin.
4. The foldable cabin (110) as claimed in claim 1, which includes a locking pin (122) that is, in an inserted state thereof, configured to lock at least one moving link in an unfolded position of said cabin (110), and in a removed state thereof, configured to allow folding of said cabin (110).
5. The foldable cabin (110) as claimed in claim 4, wherein said pin (122) is detachably provided at the junction of said support stand (120) and said wind screen frame (112), said pin (122) configured to lock the cabin in the unfolded position on being inserted in said wind screen frame (112).
6. The foldable cabin (110) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frames of the cabin (110) are manufactured from the group consisting of hollow bars and solid bars.
7. The foldable cabin (110) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cabin (110) can be folded and unfolded using a hydraulic or an electromechanical mechanism.
8. The foldable cabin (110) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle (100) is a boom sprayer.
, Description:FIELD
The present invention relates to the field of foldable cabin. More particularly, the present invention relates to foldable cabin for a self-propelled boom sprayer.
BACKGROUND
The background information herein below relates to the present disclosure but is not necessarily prior art.
In vehicles such as a self-propelled boom sprayer, a cabin is required to protect operator from hazardous chemicals used for protecting crops from weeds, insects, weather conditions and so on. Usually, these vehicles are designed with a fixed cabin that cannot be modified by the vehicle operator. When the vehicle has to be transported from one place to another, the vehicle is loaded on to a truck or a trailer. This increases the overall height of the truck during transportation. The increased height may cause obstruction during transportation. Transportation height is a major concern from safety and cost point-of-view.
There is, therefore, felt a need to for a foldable cabin for a self-propelled boom sprayer or a similar agricultural vehicle, for alleviating the aforementioned drawbacks of prior art.
OBJECTS
Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows:
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a foldable cabin for a vehicle.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide the foldable cabin for the vehicle that is easy folded and unfolded without using special tools.
Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide the foldable cabin for the vehicle, that provides low transportation height when loaded on to a truck or a trailer.
Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure envisages a foldable cabin for a vehicle. The foldable cabin having a support stand rigidly mounted on a structural component of the vehicle. A wind screen frame is configured to support a wind screen. An operative lower end of said wind screen frame is hingeably coupled to an unmounted end of said support stand. A roof frame is configured to support a roof. An operative front end of said roof frame is hingeably coupled to the operative upper end of said wind screen frame. A rear window frame having an operative top end hingeably coupled to the operative rear end of said roof frame. A rear stand having one end thereof rigidly mounted on a structural component of the vehicle. The other end of said rear stand is hingeably coupled to the operative lower end of said rear window frame. The plurality of moving links of said cabin includes said wind screen frame said roof frame said rear window frame. Together with the fixed link of said cabin defined by said support stand said rear stand and the structure of the vehicle, form a multi-bar linkage mechanism that facilitates collapsing of said cabin for lowering the height of the roof of the vehicle.
In a preferred embodiment, said multi-bar linkage mechanism is configured to collapse by undergoing a frontward angular displacement of the moving links.
Preferably, said multi-bar linkage mechanism has ratio of lengths of the multi links, including first link AB, the second link BC, the third link CD and the fourth link DA, equal to 0.80:0.98:0.80:1. The first link AB is defined by said wind screen frame. The second link BC is defined by said roof frame. The third link CD defined by said rear window frame and the fourth link AD defined by the fixed ends of said support stand and said rear stand. The lengths of the links obtained by measuring distances between pairs of the moving points A, B, C, D in a lateral view of said cabin.
In a preferred embodiment, the foldable cabin includes a locking pin that is, in an inserted state thereof is configured to lock at least one moving link in an unfolded position of said cabin, and in a removed state thereof is configured to allow folding of said cabin. In an embodiment, said pin is detachably provided at the junction of said support stand and said wind screen frame said pin configured to lock the cabin in the unfolded position on being inserted in said wind screen frame.
Typically, the frames of the cabin are manufactured from the group consisting of hollow bars and solid bars.
Typically, the cabin can be folded and unfolded using a hydraulic or an electromechanical mechanism.
The cabin includes a wind screen supported on the wind screen frame, a roof supported on the roof frame and a rear window supported on the rear window frame.
Typically, the vehicle is a boom sprayer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
The foldable cabin of the present disclosure will now be described with the help of the accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates a foldable cabin mounted on a vehicle in an unfolded position;
Figure 2 illustrates the foldable cabin of Figure 1 in a folded position;
Figure 3 illustrates an isometric view of the foldable cabin in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
Figure 4 illustrates an exploded view of the foldable cabin of Figure 3;
Figure 5 illustrates a rotational direction of joints of the foldable cabin of Figure 3; and
Figure 6A, 6B, 6C and 6D illustrates a close-up view of joints of the foldable cabin of Figure 5.
Figure 7 illustrates multi multi-bar linkage mechanism having a four-bar linkage in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
100 – Vehicle
110 – Foldable cabin
112 – Wind screen frame
114 – Roof frame
116 – Rear window frame
118 – Rear stand
120 – Support stand
122 – locking pin
A, B, C, D, E, F – Linkage mounting points
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiments are provided so as to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to the person skilled in the art. Numerous details, are set forth, relating to specific components, and methods, to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, well-known processes, well-known apparatus structures, and well-known techniques are not described in detail.
The terminology used, in the present disclosure, is only for the purpose of explaining a particular embodiment and such terminology shall not be considered to limit the scope of the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure, the forms "a,” "an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly suggests otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," “including,” and “having,” are open ended transitional phrases and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, modules, units and/or components, but do not forbid the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The particular order of steps disclosed in the method and process of the present disclosure is not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance as described or illustrated. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element is referred to as being "mounted on," “engaged to,” "connected to," or "coupled to" another element, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element. As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed elements.
In vehicles such as a self-propelled boom sprayer, a cabin is required to protect operator from hazardous chemicals used for protect crops from weeds, insects and so on. Usually, these vehicles are designed with fixed cabin and are unable to modify. When these vehicles have to be transported from one place to another, the vehicles are loaded on to a truck or a trailer. This increases the overall height of the truck during transportation. The increased height may cause obstruction during transportation since transportation height is the major concern for safety & cost parameter.
The present disclosure envisages a foldable cabin 110 for a vehicle. The cabin 110 comprises a wind screen frame 112, a roof frame 114, a rear window frame 116, a rear stand 118 and a support stand 120. The rear stand 118 and the support stand 120 is rigidly mounted on a structural component of the vehicle. The wind screen frame 112 is configured to support a wind screen, an operative lower end of the wind screen frame 112 hingeably coupled to an unmounted end of the support stand 120. The roof frame 114 is configured to support a roof. An operative front end of the roof frame 114 is hingeably coupled to the operative upper end of the wind screen frame 112. An operative top end of the rear window frame 116 is hingeably coupled to the operative rear end of the roof frame 114. The rear stand 118 has one end thereof rigidly mounted on a structural component of the vehicle, and the other end of the rear stand 118 is hingeably coupled to the operative lower end of the rear window frame 116. The foldable cabin 110 comprises a multi-bar linkage mechanism. In the illustrated, non-limiting embodiment, the three moving links of the cabin 110 include the wind screen frame 112, the roof frame 114 and the rear window frame 116. The fixed link of the cabin 110 is defined by the support stand 120, the rear stand 118 and the structure of the vehicle. The three moving links and the fixed link together form a multi-bar linkage mechanism that facilitates collapsing of the cabin 110 for lowering the height of the roof of the vehicle. The number of moving links in the multi-bar linkage mechanism of the foldable cabin 110 could be four or more.
The cabin 110 includes a wind screen supported on the wind screen frame 112, a roof supported on the roof frame 114 and a rear window supported on the rear window frame 116.
The multi-bar linkage mechanism is configured to collapse by undergoing a frontward angular displacement of the moving links.
In a preferred embodiment, the foldable cabin 110 includes a locking pin 122 that is, in an inserted state thereof, configured to lock at least one moving link in an unfolded position of the cabin, and in a removed state thereof, configured to allow folding of the cabin 110.
In an embodiment, the frames of the cabin are manufactured from the group consisting of hollow bars and solid bars.
In an embodiment, the cabin can be folded and unfolded using a hydraulic or an electromechanical mechanism.
In the embodiments of the present disclosure illustrated through Figures 1-2, the vehicle is a boom sprayer.
Referring to Figure 1, the foldable cabin 110, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, is mounted on to the vehicle chassis and is in an unfolded position. Referring to Figure 2, the foldable cabin is in folded position. In this position the total height of the truck carrying the vehicle is reduced and provides ease for transportation.
Referring to Figure 3-6 discloses a foldable cabin. The foldable cabin 110 consists of a support stand 120 and a rear stand 118 mounted rigidly on the chassis of the vehicle. A wind screen frame 112 having four ends is provided. Two ends of the wind screen frame 112 is connected to the unmounted end of the support stand 120 such that the wind screen frame 112 has a single rotational degree of freedom or a swing motion with respect to the support stand 120. Further a roof frame 114 having four ends is provided. Two ends of the roof frame 114 is connected to the unconnected ends of the wind screen frame 112 such that the roof frame also has a single rotational degree of freedom or a swing motion with respect to the wind screen frame 112. A rear window frame 116 having four ends is provided. Two ends of the rear window frame 116 is connected to the unconnected ends of the roof frame 114 such that the rear window frame 116 has a single rotational degree of freedom or a swing motion with respect to the roof frame 114. A rear stand 118 having four ends is provided. Two ends of the rear stand 118 is connected to the unconnected ends of the rear window frame 116 such that the rear window frame 116 has a single rotational degree of freedom or a swing motion with respect to the rear stand 118.
Referring to Figure 5, direction of rotation of links with respect to each is illustrated. The ends F of the support stand 120 are rigidly mounted on to the chassis of the vehicle. The wind screen frame 112 is connected to the support stand 120 using hinges that provide swing motion to the wind screen frame 112 with respect to the support stand. The wind screen frame 112 has a rotational motion on the axis A-A with respect to the support stand. Similarly, the ends E of the rear stand 118 is rigidly mounted on to the chassis of the vehicle. The other end of the rear stand 118 is connected to the rear window frame 116 using hinges that provide swing motion to the rear window frame 116 with respect to the rear stand 118. The rear window frame 116 has a rotational motion on the axis D-D with respect to the rear stand 118. One end of the roof frame 114 is connected to the wind screen frame 112 using hinges that provide swing motion to the roof frame 114 with respect to wind screen frame 112. The other end of the roof frame 114 is connected to the rear window frame 116. The roof has a rotational motion on the axis B-B with respect to the wind screen frame 112 and rotational motion on the axis C-C with respect to the rear window frame 116.
In an embodiment, the joints between the various links are hinge joints.
Referring to Figs. 6A-D, the connections between the frames and the stands are illustrated. Specifically referring to Figure 6A, a locking pin 122 is illustrated. The locking pin 122 is provided at the junction of support stand 120 and wind screen frame 112. The locking pin 122 locks the cabin 110 in unfolded position. Removal of the locking pin 122 facilitates the cabin 110 to folding position. Just by de-mounting of the locking pin 122, an operator will be able to easily fold the cabin without any difficulty.
Referring to Fig 7, a multi-bar linkage mechanism is shown. The multi-bar linkage mechanism has ratio of lengths of the four links, including first link AB, the second link BC, the third link CD and the fourth link DA, equal to 0.80:0.98:0.80:1, the first link AB defined by the wind screen frame 112, the second link BC defined by the roof frame 114, the third link CD defined by the rear window frame 116, and the fourth link AD defined by the fixed ends of the support stand 120 and the rear stand 118. The lengths of the links are obtained by measuring distances between pairs of the moving points A, B, C, D in a lateral view of the cabin.
The cabin 110 is designed based on the multi-linkage mechanism for easy operation of the cabin. Further the frames and stand of the cabin can be manufactured using a hollow bars or solid bars of metals line steel or aluminum for sturdiness.
In an embodiment the cabin folded and unfolded using a hydraulic or an electromechanical mechanism.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Individual components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, are interchangeable. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure.
TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS
The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages including, but not limited to, the realization of a foldable cabin that:
• can be folded to reduce the overall height of the vehicle;
• is easy to operate;
• is economical; and
• has low maintenance.
The foregoing disclosure has been described with reference to the accompanying embodiments which do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.
The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.
The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like that has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this application.
While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.