Lifting Arrangement For Wheel Loader

Abstract

Provided is a lifting arrangement mountable to a frame arrangement of a vertical lift wheel loader. The lifting arrangement comprises a main arm support element, a main arm, and a guiding arrangement. The main arm support element comprises at least two longitudinal members interconnected by at least one connecting element.

1 . A lifting arrangement mountable to a frame arrangement of a vertical lift wheel loader, the lifting arrangement comprising:
 a main arm support element;   a main arm; and   a guiding arrangement;   wherein:
 the main arm support element comprises a frame arrangement side end portion and a main arm side end portion; 
 the main arm support element is pivotably mountable at the frame arrangement side end portion to the frame arrangement of the vertical lift wheel loader such that the main arm side end portion of the main arm support element is movable in a direction which includes at least a component in a front-rear direction of the vertical lift wheel loader; 
 the main arm is pivotably mounted at a mounting portion of the main arm to the main arm side end portion of the main arm support element and comprises an equipment connector at an equipment connector portion of the equipment connector located opposite to the mounting portion; 
 the guiding arrangement is mountable to the frame arrangement of the vertical lift wheel loader for determining a movement of the main arm support element upon a pivot movement of the main arm such that upon pivoting the main arm between a lowered position and a lifted position, the equipment connector is guided along a predetermined path; and 
 the main arm support element comprises at least two longitudinal members which are interconnected by at least one connecting element. 
   
     
     
         2 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the main arm support element has a substantially H shape. 
     
     
         3 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the main arm support element is formed as a welded structure. 
     
     
         4 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two longitudinal members and/or the at least one connecting element are formed in a box shape. 
     
     
         5 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two longitudinal members comprises a pair of side plates and a connecting plate, and wherein the pair of side plates are connected by the connecting plate such that each of the at least two longitudinal members have a substantially closed profile. 
     
     
         6 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two longitudinal members and the at least one connecting element form a rigid body for transferring forces from the main arm to the frame arrangement. 
     
     
         7 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two longitudinal members comprises:
 a frame arrangement side bearing portion in the frame arrangement side end portion for mounting the main arm support element to the frame arrangement; and   a main arm side bearing portion in the main arm side end portion for mounting the main arm support element to the main arm.   
     
     
         8 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 7 , wherein the frame arrangement side bearing portions are axially spaced by a frame arrangement side distance and the main arm side bearing portions are axially spaced by a main arm side distance, the main arm side distance being greater than the frame arrangement side distance. 
     
     
         9 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 8 , wherein the main arm side distance is at least twice the frame arrangement side distance. 
     
     
         10 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the longitudinal members is formed with a cranked configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting element is formed by a plurality of sheet metal elements, and wherein the plurality of sheet metal elements form a substantially closed space inside the plurality of sheet metal elements. 
     
     
         12 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the main arm comprises a pair of arms and a connecting portion, and wherein the pair of arms are formed by substantially flat sheet metal members which are spaced from each other by the connecting portion connecting the pair of arms to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the guiding arrangement comprises:
 at least one guiding link;   at least one first guiding link mount; and   at least one second guiding link mount;   wherein:
 the at least one first guiding link mount is provided at an arm element; 
 the at least one second guiding link mount is provided at the frame arrangement; and 
 the at least one guiding link comprises a first guiding link mount end portion and a second guiding link mount end portion, the at least one guiding link being pivotably connected to the at least one first guiding link mount at the first guiding link mount end portion and to the second guiding link mount at the second guiding link mount end portion. 
   
     
     
         14 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the main arm support element further comprises a center plate which is integrated in the connecting element and arranged between the longitudinal members. 
     
     
         15 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 14 , wherein the center plate comprises a mount for mounting a link mechanism for actuating an equipment mountable to the equipment connector. 
     
     
         16 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the main arm support element is configured such that a torsional strength thereof is higher than a torsional strength of the main arm. 
     
     
         17 . A frame arrangement comprising:
 a front frame portion comprising a mounting structure, wherein:   a lifting arrangement is mounted to the front frame portion via the mounting structure; and   the lifting arrangement comprises:
 a main arm support element; 
 a main arm; and 
 a guiding arrangement; 
 wherein:
 the main arm support element comprises a frame arrangement side end portion and a main arm side end portion; 
 the main arm support element is pivotably mountable at the frame arrangement side end portion to the frame arrangement such that the main arm side end portion of the main arm support element is movable in a direction which includes at least a component in a front-rear direction of the frame arrangement; 
 the main arm is pivotably mounted at a mounting portion of the main arm to the main arm side end portion of the main arm support element and comprises an equipment connector at an equipment connector portion of the equipment connector located opposite to the mounting portion; 
 the guiding arrangement is mountable to the frame arrangement for determining a movement of the main arm support element upon a pivot movement of the main arm such that upon pivoting the main arm between a lowered position and a lifted position, the equipment connector is guided along a predetermined path; and 
 the main arm support element comprises at least two longitudinal members which are interconnected by at least one connecting element. 
 
   
     
     
         18 . The frame arrangement according to  claim 17 , wherein each of the at least two longitudinal members comprises:
 a frame arrangement side bearing portion in the frame arrangement side end portion for mounting the main arm support element to the frame arrangement; and   a main arm side bearing portion in the main arm side end portion for mounting the main arm support element to the main arm,   wherein the main arm support element is mounted pivotably to the mounting structure via the frame arrangement side bearing portion.   
     
     
         19 . The frame arrangement according to  claim 17 , wherein the guiding arrangement comprises:
 at least one guiding link;   at least one first guiding link mount; and   at least one second guiding link mount;   wherein:
 the at least one first guiding link mount is provided at an arm element; 
 the at least one second guiding link mount is provided at the frame arrangement; 
 the at least one guiding link comprises a first guiding link mount end portion and a second guiding link mount end portion, the at least one guiding link being pivotably connected to the at least one first guiding link mount at the first guiding link mount end portion and to the second guiding link mount at the second guiding link mount end portion; and 
 the second guiding link mount is connected to the front frame portion. 
   
     
     
         20 . The frame arrangement according to  claim 17 , further comprising a main arm actuator connected at one end portion to the front frame portion and connected at another end portion to the main arm for lifting the main arm. 
     
     
         21 . The frame arrangement according to  claim 17 , wherein the guiding arrangement is configured to guide movements of the main arm support element and movements of the main arm such that the equipment connector follows the predetermined path at least in sections of the movement upon moving the main arm between a lowered position and a lifted position and between the lifted position and the lowered position, and wherein the predetermined path is a vertical path. 
     
     
         22 . The frame arrangement according to  claim 17 , wherein the front frame portion comprises a pair of front wheels. 
     
     
         23 . A vertical lift wheel loader comprising:
 an equipment;
 a rear frame portion; and 
 an articulating mechanism; 
 wherein:
 the equipment is mounted to a frame arrangement via an equipment connector of a main arm of a lifting arrangement of the frame arrangement; 
 the rear frame portion comprises a pair of rear wheels; and 
 the frame arrangement and the rear frame portion are connected via the articulating mechanism to each other such that the frame arrangement and the rear frame portion are relatively pivotably to each other; and 
 the frame arrangement comprises a front frame portion comprising a mounting structure, wherein the lifting arrangement is mounted to the front frame portion via the mounting structure, and wherein the lifting arrangement comprises:
 a main arm support element; 
 the main arm; and 
 a guiding arrangement; 
 wherein: 
  the main arm support element comprises a frame arrangement side end portion and a main arm side end portion; 
  the main arm support element is pivotably mountable at the frame arrangement side end portion to the frame arrangement such that the main arm side end portion of the main arm support element is movable in a direction which includes at least a component in a front-rear direction of the frame arrangement; 
  the main arm is pivotably mounted at a mounting portion of the main arm to the main arm side end portion of the main arm support element and comprises the equipment connector at an equipment connector portion of the equipment connector located opposite to the mounting portion; 
  the guiding arrangement is mountable to the frame arrangement for determining a movement of the main arm support element upon a pivot movement of the main arm such that upon pivoting the main arm between a lowered position and a lifted position, the equipment connector is guided along a predetermined path; and 
  the main arm support element comprises at least two longitudinal members which are interconnected by at least one connecting element.