초록 ▼

A cab suspension and repositioning system (110) for a truck includes a control arm assembly (130) having two control arms (134, 136) with distal ends pivotably attached to a truck chassis (112) and proximal ends pivotably attached to a cab (102), and one or more follower control arms (144, 146) havi

A cab suspension and repositioning system (110) for a truck includes a control arm assembly (130) having two control arms (134, 136) with distal ends pivotably attached to a truck chassis (112) and proximal ends pivotably attached to a cab (102), and one or more follower control arms (144, 146) having a distal end pivotably attached to the chassis (112) and a proximal end pivotably attached to the cab (102). Cab suspension assemblies (114, 170) releasably lock the cab (102) to the chassis (112) during operation. The control arm assembly (130) further provides motion control to the cab (102). Hydraulic cylinders (140) engage the control arm assembly (130) and are operable to move the cab (102) between an operating position adjacent the chassis and an access position away from the chassis (112) substantially without rotating the cab (102). A control system (200) powers the cylinders (140) and controls the transition between the operating and access positions.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A cab suspension and repositioning system for a truck having a cab and a chassis, the system comprising: a control arm structure comprising (i) a first control arm having a distal end configured to be pivotably attached to the chassis and a proximal end configured to be pivotably attached to the

1. A cab suspension and repositioning system for a truck having a cab and a chassis, the system comprising: a control arm structure comprising (i) a first control arm having a distal end configured to be pivotably attached to the chassis and a proximal end configured to be pivotably attached to the cab, (ii) a second control arm having a distal end configured to be pivotably attached the chassis and a proximal end configured to be pivotably attached to the cab, and (iii) a torsion member fixedly connecting the first control arm to the second control arm, wherein the control arm structure is configured to control cab sway during operation of the truck;a third control arm having a distal end configured to be pivotably attached to the chassis and a proximal end configured to be pivotably attached to the cab;a first hydraulic cylinder having a distal end configured to be pivotably attached to the chassis and a proximal end pivotably attached to the first control arm, and a second hydraulic cylinder having a distal end configured to be pivotably attached to the chassis and a proximal end pivotably attached to the second control arm; anda hydraulic pump operably connected to the first and second hydraulic cylinders, and operable to selectively extend the first and second hydraulic cylinders;wherein extending the first and second hydraulic cylinders moves the control arm structure from a first position wherein the cab is adjacent the chassis to a second position wherein the cab is disposed away from the chassis, without pivoting the cab; andfurther wherein the first, second, and third control arms are parallel and remain parallel when the first and second hydraulic cylinders move the control arm structure from the first position to the second position. 2. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 1, further comprising a fourth control arm having a distal end configured to be pivotably attached to the chassis and a proximal end configured to be pivotably attached to the cab. 3. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of air springs configured to be attached to the chassis and positioned to support the cab on the chassis. 4. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 3, further comprising at least one latch that is fixed to an associated one of the plurality of air springs, wherein the latch is configured to releasably secure the cab to the associated air spring. 5. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 3, further comprising a plurality of latches, wherein each of the plurality of latches is associated with one of the plurality of air springs, and wherein the plurality of latches are configured to releasably secure the cab to the chassis. 6. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of shock absorbers, wherein each of the plurality of shock absorbers is associated with one of the plurality of air springs. 7. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 1, wherein the first control arm defines a first elongate slot, and the proximal end of the first cylinder extends through the first elongate slot, and further wherein the second control arm defines a second elongate slot and the proximal end of the second cylinder extends through the second elongate slot. 8. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 1, further comprising a rear suspension assembly comprising a lower cross member comprising left and right attachment brackets configured to attach the lower cross member to the chassis, a left air spring attached to a left side of the lower cross member and a right air spring attached to a right side of the lower cross member, and an upper cross member attached to the left and right air springs and disposed above the lower cross member. 9. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 8, further comprising a left shock absorber that engages a left side of the upper cross member and a right shock absorber that engages a right side of the upper cross member. 10. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 8, further comprising a track bar having a first end pivotably connected to the lower cross member and a second end pivotably connected to the upper cross member. 11. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 1, further comprising a computerized control system having a processor, wherein the control system operates the pump to selectively control extending the first and second hydraulic cylinders to move the control arm structure from the first position to the second position. 12. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 11, wherein the control system further comprises a plurality of sensors configured to provide status information to the processor regarding a transmission and a parking brake. 13. A method for moving a cab on a cab-over-engine truck from an operating position wherein the cab is adjacent a truck chassis to an access position wherein the cab is disposed away from the chassis thereby providing access to an engine compartment, the method comprising: attaching the cab to the chassis with a U-shaped control arm assembly having a first control arm connected to a second control arm with a transverse torsion member, wherein the U-shaped control arm assembly is pivotably attached to the chassis and to the cab and is operable to control the cab sway during operation of the truck;attaching at least one drive cylinder to the U-shaped control arm assembly and to the chassis, wherein the at least one drive cylinder is configured to move the U-shaped control arm assembly between the operating position wherein the cab is adjacent the chassis and the access position wherein the cab is disposed away from the chassis; andfurther attaching the cab to the chassis with at least one additional control arm that is pivotably attached to the chassis and pivotably attached to the cab such that moving the U-shaped control arm assembly between the operating position and the access position does not rotate the cab;using a computerized control system to selectively energize the at least one drive cylinder to move the U-shaped control arm assembly between the operating position and the access position;providing at least one latch that releasably latches the cab in the operating position, and using the computerized control system to selectively move the latch between a secure position and a release position; andproviding a sensor that is operable to detect a status of a transmission on the cab-over-engine truck and to provide the detected status to the computerized control system, and wherein the computerized control system is configured to move the latch from the secure position to the release position only if the transmission status indicates the transmission is in neutral. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the computerized control system further comprises a transmission lockout control that is operable to prevent the transmission from being shifted out of neutral if the at least one latch is not in the secure position. 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a sensor that is operable to detect a status of a parking brake on the cab-over-engine truck and to provide the detected status to the computerized control system, and wherein the computerized control system is configured to move the latch from the secure position to the release position only if the parking brake status indicates the parking brake is set. 16. A cab suspension and repositioning system for a truck having a cab and a chassis, the system comprising: a U-shaped front control arm structure comprising (i) a front-left control arm having a distal end pivotally attached to a left side of the chassis and a proximal end pivotally attached to the cab, (ii) a front-right control arm having a distal end pivotally attached to a right side of the chassis and a proximal end pivotally attached to the cab, and (iii) a lateral torsion member joining the proximal end of the front-right control arm with the proximal end of the front-left control arm;a rear-left control arm having a distal end pivotally attached to the left side of the chassis and a proximal end pivotally attached to the cab, and a rear-right control arm having a distal end pivotally attached to the right side of the chassis and a proximal end pivotally attached to the cab;a left hydraulic cylinder having a distal end pivotally attached to the left side of the chassis and a proximal end pivotally attached to the front-left control arm, and a right hydraulic cylinder having a distal end pivotally attached to the right side of the chassis and a proximal end pivotally attached to the front-right control arm; anda hydraulic pump operably connected to the left and right hydraulic cylinders and operable to selectively extend the left and right hydraulic cylinders;wherein extending the left and right hydraulic cylinders will move the cab from a first position adjacent the chassis to a second position disposed above and forward of the first position, without pivoting the cab. 17. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 16, further comprising four springs consisting of a forward-left spring, a forward-right spring, a rear-left spring, and a rear-right spring, and wherein the four springs are fixed to the chassis and positioned to engage the cab when the cab is in the first position. 18. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 17, wherein the four springs comprise air springs. 19. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the four springs further comprise a hydraulic latch movable between an engage position wherein the hydraulic latch secures the cab to the at least one spring, and a release position wherein the hydraulic latch does not secure the cab. 20. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of sensors including a transmission position sensor and a parking brake position sensor, and a processor operably connected to receive data from the plurality of sensors and operably connected to control the hydraulic latch, and wherein the processor is configured to maintain the hydraulic latch in the engage position unless the transmission position sensor data indicates the transmission is in a neutral position and the parking brake sensor data indicates the parking brake is in an applied position. 21. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 16, wherein the front control arm structure rotates through at least ninety degrees when the cab moves from the first position to the second position. 22. The cab suspension and repositioning system of claim 16, wherein the left and right hydraulic cylinders are double-acting cylinders. 23. A cab suspension and repositioning system for a truck having a cab and a chassis, the system comprising: a control arm structure comprising (i) a first control arm having a distal end pivotably attached to the chassis and a proximal end pivotably attached to the cab, (ii) a second control arm having a distal end pivotably attached the chassis and a proximal end pivotably attached to the cab, and (iii) a torsion member fixedly connecting the first control arm to the second control arm, wherein the control arm structure is configured to control cab sway during operation of the truck;a third control arm having a distal end pivotably attached to the chassis and a proximal end pivotably attached to the cab;a first hydraulic cylinder having a distal end pivotably attached to the chassis and a proximal end pivotably attached to the first control arm, and a second hydraulic cylinder having a distal end pivotably attached to the chassis and a proximal end pivotably attached to the second control arm; anda hydraulic pump operably connected to the first and second hydraulic cylinders, and operable to selectively extend the first and second hydraulic cylinders;wherein extending the first and second hydraulic cylinders moves the control arm structure from a first position wherein the cab is adjacent the chassis to a second position wherein the cab is disposed away from the chassis, without pivoting the cab; andfurther wherein the first control arm defines a first elongate slot, and the proximal end of the first cylinder extends through the first elongate slot, and further wherein the second control arm defines a second elongate slot and the proximal end of the second cylinder extends through the second elongate slot.