| CPC E02F 3/382 (2013.01) [B60K 5/12 (2013.01); B62D 51/02 (2013.01); B62D 55/06 (2013.01); B62D 55/10 (2013.01); B62D 55/12 (2013.01); B62D 55/125 (2013.01); B62D 55/18 (2013.01); E02F 3/34 (2013.01); E02F 3/3414 (2013.01); E02F 3/3417 (2013.01); E02F 3/342 (2013.01); E02F 3/422 (2013.01); E02F 9/02 (2013.01); E02F 9/08 (2013.01); E02F 9/0866 (2013.01); E02F 9/0891 (2013.01); E02F 9/2004 (2013.01); E02F 9/2037 (2013.01); E02F 9/22 (2013.01); E02F 9/2221 (2013.01); E02F 9/2267 (2013.01); E02F 9/26 (2013.01); F16D 63/006 (2013.01); E02F 9/2264 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A stand-on compact utility loader (CUL) configured for connection to and operation of a variety of attachments, the CUL comprising:
a frame;
a control station positioned at a rear of the frame and including a control panel and a platform coupled to the frame and configured to support a user;
a pair of tracks positioned on opposite sides of the frame;
a front idler wheel and a rear idler wheel associated with each of the pair of tracks and horizontally spaced from one another by a first length;
a pair of loader arms coupled to opposite sides of the frame and shiftable relative to the frame between a lowered position and a raised position;
a pair of front and rear links associated with each of the pair of loader arms and coupling the pair of loader arms to opposite sides of the frame;
a pair of hydraulic cylinders each associated with one of the pair of loader arms and configured to shift the pair of loader arms between the lowered and raised positions;
a pair of pivot pins each associated with one of the pair of loader arms and configured to connect the variety of attachments to the loader arms; wherein
a center of gravity of the CUL is positioned rearward of a first midpoint situated evenly between the front idler wheel and the rear idler wheel;
the pivot pins follow a curved travel path from a base position to a maximum height position when the loader arms are shifted from the lowered position to the raised position or from the raised position to the lowered position, the maximum height position being horizontally forward of the base position;
the curved travel path has an inflection point at an intermediate height between the base position and the maximum height position, wherein, at the inflection point, the curved travel path transitions from moving horizontally away from the base position as the loader arms are raised toward the intermediate height to moving horizontally closer to the base position as the loader arms are raised above the intermediate height;
the pivot pins have a maximum horizontal reach at the inflection point;
the frame includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion including two spaced apart vertical upper panels, the platform is disposed laterally between the vertical upper panels;
the control station includes a lining that is provided on at least a portion of an interior side of the vertical upper panels and that extends along a portion of a rear edge of the vertical upper panels.
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15. A stand-on compact utility loader (CUL) configured for connection to and operation of a variety of attachments, the CUL comprising:
a frame defining an interior compartment;
a control station positioned at a rear of the frame and including a control panel and a platform coupled to the frame and configured to support an operator;
a pair of tracks positioned on opposite sides of the frame;
a front idler wheel and a rear idler wheel associated with each of the tracks and horizontally spaced from one another by a first length;
a pair of loader arms coupled to opposite sides of the frame and shiftable relative to the frame between a lowered position and a raised position;
a pair of front and rear links associated with each of the pair of loader arms and coupling the pair of loader arms to opposite sides of the frame;
a pair of hydraulic cylinders each associated with one of the pair of loader arms and configured to shift the loader arms between the lowered and raised positions;
a pair of pivot pins each associated with one of the pair of loader arms and configured to connect the variety of attachments to the pair of loader arms;
a drive sprocket associated with each of the pair of tracks and positioned vertically above and horizontally between the front idler wheel and the rear idler wheel; and
a hydraulic motor associated with each of the pair of tracks and configured to power the drive sprocket of each track; wherein
a center of gravity of the CUL is positioned rearward of a first midpoint situated evenly between the front idler wheel and the rear idler wheel;
the pair of pivot pins follow a curved travel path from a base position to a maximum height position when the loader arms are shifted from the lowered position to the raised position or from a raised position to the lowered position, the maximum height position being horizontally forward of the base position;
the curved travel path has an inflection point at an intermediate height between the base position and the maximum height position, wherein, at the inflection point, the curved travel path transitions from moving horizontally away from the base position as the pair of loader arms are raised toward the intermediate height to moving horizontally closer to the base position as the pair of loader arms are raised above the intermediate height;
the frame includes an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion includes two spaced apart vertical lower panels, the platform is disposed laterally between the vertical lower panels;
the pair of tracks are positioned on opposite sides of the lower portion of the frame;
a platform support is provided between the platform and the lower portion of the frame; and
the platform support is arranged to absorb, in an up-down direction, a downward force from a shift in the operator's weight caused by bouncing or shaking of the CUL.
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