Vertical lifting arrangement for construction machine

Abstract

A lifting arrangement for a construction machine includes a frame arrangement with a front frame portion and a rear frame portion. The lifting arrangement is mountable to the front frame portion and comprises a main arm including a pivot connector and an equipment connector and a main arm support means for pivotably supporting the pivot connector. The main arm support means is movable in a front-rear direction with respect to the frame arrangement. The equipment connector, upon pivoting the main arm between a lowered position and a lifted position, follows a substantially vertical path. The lifting arrangement comprises a tilting arrangement for tilting an equipment mounted to the equipment connector. The tilting arrangement comprises a kinematic chain for attachment to a tilting connector of the equipment mounted to the equipment connector. The kinematic chain comprises a tilting link and a connecting link pivotably connected to each other.

1 . A lifting arrangement for a construction machine having a frame arrangement including a front frame portion and a rear frame portion, the lifting arrangement being mountable to the front frame portion, the lifting arrangement comprising:
 a main arm provided with a pivot connector at a proximate end thereof and an equipment connector at a distal end thereof; and   a main arm support means for pivotably supporting the pivot connector of the main arm, wherein the main arm support means is movable in a direction which includes at least a component in a front-rear direction with respect to the frame arrangement;   wherein the lifting arrangement is configured such that the equipment connector, upon pivoting the main arm between a lowered position and a lifted position, follows a substantially vertical path;   the lifting arrangement further comprising:
 a tilting arrangement for tilting an equipment mounted to the equipment connector of the main arm, the tilting arrangement comprising a kinematic chain for attachment to a tilting connector of the equipment mounted to the equipment connector of the main arm, a tilting actuator, and a connector connecting the kinematic chain and the tilting actuator, 
 wherein the kinematic chain is positioned above the main arm in the lowered position and the tilting actuator is positioned below the main arm in the lowered position, and 
 wherein the kinematic chain comprises a tilting link and a connecting link pivotably connected to each other. 
   
     
     
         2 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the connector is a lever pivotably supported by the main arm, the lever comprising an upper connector provided above the main arm and a lower connector provided below the main arm. 
     
     
         3 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 2 , wherein the tilting link connects the tilting connector of the equipment to the connecting link connected to the upper connector of the lever. 
     
     
         4 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 3 , wherein the tilting arrangement further comprises a guiding link, and wherein one end of the guiding link is pivotably supported by the main arm and another end of the guiding link is pivotably supported by the kinematic chain. 
     
     
         5 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 4 , wherein the guiding link is pivotably connected to the tilting link of the kinematic chain. 
     
     
         6 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein the equipment includes a bucket comprising:
 a main arm connector connected to the equipment connector of the main arm; and   the tilting connector connected to the tilting link of the tilting arrangement, wherein the tilting connector is situated above the main arm connector.   
     
     
         7 . The lifting arrangement according  claim 1 , wherein the tilting actuator comprises a tilting cylinder for actuation of a tilting movement of the equipment connected to the equipment connector of the main arm. 
     
     
         8 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 7 , wherein the tilting cylinder is situated below the main arm in all normal operating conditions of the lifting arrangement. 
     
     
         9 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 7 , wherein the connector is a lever pivotably supported by the main arm, the lever comprising an upper connector provided above the main arm and a lower connector provided below the main arm, and
 wherein the tilting cylinder is connected to the lower connector of the lever.   
     
     
         10 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 7 , wherein the tilting cylinder is connectable to the front frame portion of the frame arrangement or the main arm support means. 
     
     
         11 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , further comprising a first self-level link and a second self-level link longer than the first self-level link, wherein the first self-level link is attached to the main arm support means, the second self-level link, and the tilting actuator; and wherein the second self-level link is attached to the front frame portion, the first self-level link, and the tilting actuator. 
     
     
         12 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , further comprising a guiding means engaged to the main arm at a guided portion of the main arm positioned between the pivot connector and the equipment connector, wherein upon pivoting the main arm between the lowered position and the lifted position, the guiding means guides the main arm such that the equipment connector follows a substantially vertical path. 
     
     
         13 . The lifting arrangement according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a main arm actuating element engaged to the main arm and an auxiliary actuating element engaged to the main arm support means for moving the equipment connector between the lowered position and the lifted positions;   a determining means for determining a lifting related quantity reflecting a position of the equipment connector with respect to the front frame portion; and   a control means for controlling an operation of the main arm actuating element and the auxiliary actuating element based on a determined lifting related quantity, such that a path of the equipment connector upon moving between the lowered position and the lifted position follows a substantially vertical path.   
     
     
         14 . A construction machine having an articulating frame arrangement consisting of a front frame portion and a rear frame portion articulatingly interconnected for providing an articulating steering, the construction machine comprising:
 a lifting arrangement comprising:
 a main arm provided with a pivot connector at a proximate end thereof and an equipment connector at a distal end thereof; 
 a main arm support means for pivotably supporting the pivot connector of the main arm
 wherein the main arm support means is movable in a direction which includes at least a component in a front-rear direction with respect to the articulating frame arrangement, and 
 wherein the lifting arrangement is configured such that the equipment connector, upon pivoting the main arm between a lowered position and a lifted position, follows a substantially vertical path; and 
 
 a tilting arrangement for tilting an equipment mounted to the equipment connector of the main arm, the tilting arrangement comprising a kinematic chain for attachment to a tilting connector of the equipment mounted to the equipment connector of the main arm, a tilting actuator, and a connector connecting the kinematic chain and the tilting actuator,
 wherein the kinematic chain is positioned above the main arm in the lowered position and the tilting actuator is positioned below the main arm in the lowered position, and 
 wherein the kinematic chain comprises a tilting link and a connecting link pivotably connected to each other. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The construction machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the lifting arrangement is supported by the front frame portion of the articulating frame arrangement and is articulated together with the front frame portion with respect to the rear frame portion upon steering. 
     
     
         16 . The construction machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the connector is a lever pivotably supported by the main arm, the lever comprising an upper connector provided above the main arm and a lower connector provided below the main arm. 
     
     
         17 . The construction machine according to  claim 16 , wherein the tilting link connects the tilting connector of the equipment to the connecting link connected to the upper connector of the lever. 
     
     
         18 . The construction machine according to  claim 17 , wherein the tilting arrangement further comprises a guiding link, and wherein one end of the guiding link is pivotably supported by the main arm and another end of the guiding link is pivotably supported by the kinematic chain. 
     
     
         19 . The construction machine according to  claim 18 , wherein the guiding link is pivotably connected to the tilting link of the kinematic chain. 
     
     
         20 . The construction machine according to  claim 14 , wherein the equipment includes a bucket comprising:
 a main arm connector connected to the equipment connector of the main arm; and   the tilting connector connected to the tilting link of the tilting arrangement, wherein the tilting connector is situated above the main arm connector.