US 11,919,708 B2
Electrically actuated side loader arm designs for electric refuse vehicle
Joshua D. Rocholl, Rochester, MN (US); Derek A. Wente, Austin, MN (US); John T. Kellander, Oronoco, MN (US); Cody D. Clifton, Mapleton, MN (US); Vincent Hoover, Byron, MN (US); Zachary L. Klein, Rochester, MN (US); Clinton T. Weckwerth, Pine Island, MN (US); Skylar A. Wachter, Doge Center, MN (US); Andrew Kotloski, Oshkosh, WI (US); Wallace Buege, West Bend, WI (US); Caleb Binder, Oshkosh, WI (US); and Martin J. Schimke, Red Granite, WI (US)
Assigned to Oshkosh Corporation, Oshkosh, WI (US)
Filed by Oshkosh Corporation, Oshkosh, WI (US)
Filed on Oct. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/972,793.
Application 17/972,793 is a continuation of application No. 16/851,557, filed on Apr. 17, 2020, granted, now 11,505,404.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/843,072, filed on May 3, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0039974 A1, Feb. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. B65F 3/04 (2006.01); B65F 3/02 (2006.01)
CPC B65F 3/041 (2013.01) [B65F 3/0203 (2013.01); B65F 2003/023 (2013.01); B65F 2003/025 (2013.01); B65F 2003/0266 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A refuse vehicle comprising:
a chassis;
a body assembly coupled to the chassis and defining a refuse compartment configured to store refuse material;
a battery system configured to be charged via at least one of an on-board electrical energy generator, an external power source, or a power regenerative braking system; and
an automated reach arm comprising:
a grabber mechanism configured to selectively engage a refuse container, the grabber mechanism including grabber fingers and a grabber motor configured to selectively move the grabber fingers between a receiving position, where the grabber mechanism is configured to receive the refuse container, and a grasping position, where the grabber mechanism is configured to engage the refuse container;
a first articulating arm segment hingedly coupled to the body assembly;
a second articulating arm segment hingedly coupled to the first articulating arm segment and the grabber mechanism, wherein the automated reach arm is configured to extend in a first direction from a retracted position to an extended position, the first articulating arm segment is configured to rotate with respect to the second articulating arm segment about a first axis, and the first axis is perpendicular to the first direction; and
at least one electrically driven actuation mechanism powered by the battery system and configured to selectively rotate the first articulating arm segment and the second articulating arm segment with respect to one another to selectively actuate the automated reach arm between the extended position, the retracted position, and a refuse-dumping position, the at least one electrically driven actuation mechanism comprising:
a first articulation motor configured to selectively rotate the first articulating arm segment with respect to the body assembly about a second axis, the second axis being parallel to the first axis;
a second articulation motor configured to selectively rotate the second articulating arm segment with respect to the first articulating arm segment about the first axis;
a first slew motor configured to selectively swing the automated reach arm with respect to the body assembly about a third axis that is perpendicular to both the first direction and the first axis; and
a second slew motor configured to selectively swing the grabber mechanism with respect to the second articulating arm segment about a fourth axis that is parallel to the third axis.