TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to space frames, and more particularly to space frame front upper body support and frame connections, and systems, components, and methods thereof.

BACKGROUND

Conventional haul trucks, such as off-highway rear haul trucks, may use welded steel frames that can be extremely heavy and may require many meters of welding to fabricate a completed frame. Space frames offer a lighter and stronger alternative to traditional welded steel frames, since far less steel is required. As a result, space frames offer considerable benefits in terms of cost, manufacturability, and performance. For example, haul trucks with space frames comparatively can haul larger payloads and consume less fuel.

Conventional space frame structures may use fabricated nodal connections. Such nodal connections may be used to create space frame structures associated with static applications. However, vehicular applications are, at least in part, dynamic in nature, and haul trucks can represent a particularly difficult application because of loads applied to the space frame as well as bending, twisting, and/or flexing that can occur as the haul truck travels on various types of terrain, such as off highway terrain. Carefully designed high-strength castings and fabrications can be required to provide appropriate stiffness and flexibility characteristics while insuring proper load transfer from the dump body to the wheels.

U.S. Pat. No. 10,183,706 (“the '706 patent”) describes a node for interconnecting frame members of a frame. According to the '706 patent, a plurality of cup-shaped node connectors are disposed on the node body, where each of the node connectors includes a closed end attached to the node body and an open end opposite the closed end and extending away from the node body. The '706 patent also describes that a sidewall extends between and connects the closed end to the open end and a tenon is formed on the open end. According to the '706 patent, the tenon is shaped and sized to fit within a frame member, and a transition is formed between the sidewall and the tenon defining a peripheral, radially outward facing groove in cooperation with the frame member, where the groove is shaped and sized to receive a weld.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one aspect, a front upper frame connection for a space frame is disclosed. The front upper frame connection can comprise a top surface; a bottom surface opposite the top surface; a right-side surface; a left-side surface opposite the right-side surface and parallel to the right-side surface; a front surface; a rear surface opposite the front surface; a pair of forward support plates provided on the front surface; a pair of forward flat mounting surfaces; and a pair of rocker attachment interfaces located on the top surface adjacent to the rear surface and respectively the right-side surface and the left-side surface. The front surface and the forward support plates can define a cutout section. Each of the forward support plates is curved such that a first portion is parallel to the rear surface and a second portion is perpendicular to the rear surface, the first portion being closer to a transverse centerline of the top surface than the second portion.

In another aspect, a front upper body support and frame connection fabrication for a space frame of a rear haul truck is disclosed. The front upper body support and frame connection fabrication can be comprised of a top surface; a bottom surface opposite the top surface; a right-side surface; a left-side surface opposite the right-side surface; a pair of forward support plates configured to support a pair of front upper suspension connection fabrications; a pair of forward flat mounting surfaces configured to respectively fixedly attach to the front upper suspension connection fabrications; a cutout section positioned between and integral to the pair of forward support plates; a rear left-side mounting surface located at a rear of the left-side surface and configured to weldably attach a cab support frame tube; a rear right-side mounting surface located at a rear of the right-side surface and configured to weldably attach a horizontal frame support fabrication; a pair of outer bottom mounting surfaces located at a rear of the bottom surface and orientated toward the left-side surface and right-side surface, respectively, and configured to weldably attach a pair of front upper frame connection castings; a pair of inner bottom mounting surfaces located at the rear of the bottom surface and orientated away from the left-side surface and right-side surface, respectively, and configured to weldably attach a pair of angled front frame tubes; a pair of rocker attachment interfaces located at a rear of the top surface and positioned toward the left-side surface and right-side surface, respectively, and configured to pivotably attach a pair of support rockers; and a truck cab mounting point located on the top surface and configured to receive a cab isolation mount.

And in yet another aspect, a space frame of a rear haul truck is disclosed. The space frame can comprise a front upper body support and frame connection fabrication having a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface, a right-side surface, and a left-side surface opposite the right-side surface; a pair of support rockers attached to the top surface of the front upper body support and frame connection fabrication via respective rocker attachment interfaces on the top surface of the front upper body support and frame connection fabrication; a pair of front upper frame connections attached to the bottom surface of the front upper body support and frame connection fabrication via respective outer bottom mounting surfaces on the bottom surface of the front upper body support and frame connection fabrication; and a pair of angled front frame tubes attached to the bottom surface of the front upper body support and frame connection fabrication via respective inner bottom mounting surfaces on the bottom surface of the front upper body support and frame connection fabrication. The front upper body support and frame connection fabrication can further include a pair of forward support plates, a pair of forward flat mounting surfaces, and a cutout section between the forward support plates.

Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

