	US 11,885,095 B1
	Loader with improved arm path
Jason Carlson, Lindsborg, KS (US); John Relph, Abilene, KS (US); Matthew Shobe, Salina, KS (US); and Jeff Welsh, Abilene, KS (US)
Assigned to Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., Salina, KS (US)
Filed by Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc., Salina, KS (US)
Filed on Oct. 16, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/487,858.
Application 18/487,858 is a continuation of application No. 16/942,441, filed on Jul. 29, 2020, granted, now 11,788,250.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/984,476, filed on Mar. 3, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/879,796, filed on Jul. 29, 2019.
Int. Cl. E02F 3/38 (2006.01); E02F 9/22 (2006.01); E02F 3/42 (2006.01); E02F 3/34 (2006.01); B62D 55/06 (2006.01); E02F 3/342 (2006.01); E02F 9/08 (2006.01); E02F 9/20 (2006.01); E02F 9/26 (2006.01); B62D 55/10 (2006.01); B62D 55/125 (2006.01); E02F 9/02 (2006.01); F16D 63/00 (2006.01); B60K 5/12 (2006.01); B62D 55/18 (2006.01); B62D 51/02 (2006.01); B62D 55/12 (2006.01)

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 3/342 (2013.01); E02F 3/3414 (2013.01); E02F 3/3417 (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)]

29 Claims

1. A stand-on compact utility loader (CUL) configured for connection to and operation of a variety attachments, the CUL comprising:

a frame;

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 pivot pins each associated with one of the loader arms, wherein the pivot pins are configured to connect the attachments to the front of the loader arms, wherein 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, wherein the curved travel path is approximated by a function f(x)=4.641e^0.34x, wherein “x” represents a horizontal distance, in inches, from the base position and f(x) represents a vertical distance, in inches, from the ground, wherein the curved travel path deviates from the function by not more than 1.5 inches in the horizontal direction between the base position and the maximum height position;

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, wherein a center of gravity of the CUL is positioned rearward of a midpoint situated evenly between the front and rear idler wheels;

a drive sprocket associated with each of the tracks and positioned vertically above and horizontally between the front and rear idler wheels of each track; and

a hydraulic motor associated with each of the tracks and configured to power the drive sprocket of each track.

8. A stand-on compact utility loader (CUL) configured for connection to and operation of a variety attachments, the CUL comprising:

a frame;

a platform coupled to the frame near a bottom rear of the frame and configured to support a user while operating the CUL;

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,

wherein a first midpoint is positioned evenly between the front and rear idler wheels,

wherein a center of gravity of the CUL is positioned rearward of the first midpoint by at least 15% of the 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 loader arm and coupling the loader arms to opposite sides of the frame;

a pair of hydraulic cylinders each associated with one of the loader arms and configured to shift the loader arms between the lowered and raised positions; and

a pair of pivot pins each associated with one of the loader arms and configured to connect attachments to the loader arms,

wherein 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,

wherein the curved travel path meets one or both more of the following criteria (i) and

(ii)

(i) wherein the curved travel path is approximated by a function f(x)=4.641e0.34x, wherein “x” represents a horizontal distance, in inches, from the base position and f(x) represents a vertical distance, in inches, from the ground, wherein the curved travel path deviates from the function by not more than 1.5 inches in the horizontal direction between the base position and the maximum height position,

(ii) wherein 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.

17. A stand-on compact utility loader (CUL) configured for connection to and operation of a variety attachments, the CUL comprising:

a frame;

a platform coupled to the frame near a bottom rear of the frame and configured to support a standing operator of the CUL

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 loader arm and coupling each loader arm to the frame;

a pair of hydraulic cylinders each associated with one of the loader arms and configured to shift the loader arms between the lowered and raised positions;

a pair of tracks positioned on opposite sides of the frame; and

a front idler wheel and a rear idler wheel associated with each of the tracks, wherein a center of gravity of the CUL is horizontally positioned between the front and rear idler wheels, wherein the ratio of the horizontal distance between the front idler wheel and the center of gravity and the horizontal distance between the rear idler wheel and the center of gravity is 65:35 or more.

23. A stand-on compact utility loader (CUL) configured for connection to and operation of a variety attachments, the CUL comprising:

a frame defining an interior space;

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 pivot pins each associated with one of the loader arms, wherein the pivot pins are configured to connect attachments to the front of the loader arms, wherein 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, wherein the maximum height position is horizontally forward of the base position, wherein the curved travel path has an inflection point at an intermediate height between the base position and the maximum height position, wherein the maximum horizontal reach of the pivot pin is at the intermediate height;

a pair of tracks positioned on opposite sides of the frame;

a drive sprocket associated with each of the tracks and positioned vertically above and horizontally between the front and rear idler wheels;

a hydraulic motor associated with each track and configured to power rotation of the drive sprocket; and

at least one hydraulic line associated with each track and configured to provide hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic drive motor,

wherein the at least one hydraulic line is laterally shielded by a physical structure of the CUL.