Tiltable Cab?

[EhM8]

Am reading on the deere website that some of their tractors have tiltable cabs. Can't for the life of me figure out how that would work, unless all your levers and footpedals were electronic or hydraulic. Has anyone tilted a tiltable cab?

 

[jdbower]

Know which model it was? Deere has a patent on something like this. From the picture it looks like they take a rear wheel off and then the top part of the cab flips to one side for maintenance work but it doesn't seem to have any operational value. Since it's only the glass and north that flips up the pedals and such stay where they are.

 

[EhM8]

Know which model it was? Deere has a patent on something like this. From the picture it looks like they take a rear wheel off and then the top part of the cab flips to one side for maintenance work but it doesn't seem to have any operational value. Since it's only the glass and north that flips up the pedals and such stay where they are.

Hmm, sounds... not very useful. I was reading it for the 5020 series made in Germany, which I don't think is sold in the states yet. I think the 6030 and 7030 premiums also have it.

Gee, you have better eyes than I do to make out that drawing!

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

Its just absolutly dumb that its possible to get somthing like that patented. Its such a basic concept.

 

[jdbower]

I don't necessarily disagree, but looking at the text it seems very specific for a patent (indicating things like the angle it opens and fairly specific dimensions). I'm hardly an expert, but to me it looks like it's a patent mostly there to prevent anyone from cloning the specific tractor Deere designed rather than to protect the fundamental concept. It also adds to the list for marketing, a few years ago all the car manufacturers were touting that their new model had 4,052,635 patents associated with it - now you know where they come from!

I also see "tiltable cab" on the description for some construction equipment, I don't know if that's the same concept or something that's actually useful during operation.

 

[shot_gun]

I tilted an old 6400 cab to the side. The trans is cable operated from levers inside the cab. It made things nice to work on underneath.

Neil, you should know this from your NH SSL's they tilt forward. Ask Walter he'll tell you.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

Neil, you should know this from your NH SSL's they tilt forward. Ask Walter he'll tell you.

Oh I know. A day probably does not go by that they don't have one of those flipped open.

The patent thing gets under my skin somtimes, I see it as somthing that's been used to stiefel competition rather than protect true inovation.

 

[gamble77]

Part of true innovation is making sure everybody else doesn't copy what you are doing because then where does that give you an advantage? Should Deere be the one to put all the money into R&D just to have others copy? Deere has IVT transmissions, titlable cabs, full frame's, ILS, 4-valve motors w/variable geometry turbos that get the best fuel economy of any large tractors...I could go on, but you get the point...they are protecting their business and you would do the same if you were in their shoes.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

Your missing my point... I was trying to point out that they seem to be patenting the obvious. I'm not blaming Deere for that, its the system thats screwed up. You know it is when there are whole companies that hoard patents and do nothing with them... just waiting for someone to sue.

 

[jdbower]

In some cases that's true, but this particular patent is too specific to stifle competition - it's more to prevent clones (which aren't competition, they're stealing). For example, based on a quick scan of the patent text you can have a tiltable cab if:

You don't need to remove the rear wheel
You use a single hinge
You can tilt the cab beyond 110 degrees
The hinge pins are not removeable
You hinge the cab forward or backwards

There are dozens of other ways to get around the patent legally if you're not building a clone of a Deere, it's the equivalent of patenting the "look and feel" of Deere's implementation rather than the fundamental concept of a tiltable cab.

Patents are interesting creatures, too specific like this one and they can't be used to protect invention. Too general and they won't pass the patent search (especially this one which has no real innovation). Ironically a patent's primary purpose isn't to protect intellectual property, but to share it. By publishing a patent everyone knows how to perform the magic you've invented, once the patent expires it's free for anyone to use. This means of expiration is geared towards driving research further because the proprietary design of today becomes the public domain of tomorrow.

 

[tjkadar]

Your missing my point... I was trying to point out that they seem to be patenting the obvious. I'm not blaming Deere for that, its the system thats screwed up. You know it is when there are whole companies that hoard patents and do nothing with them... just waiting for someone to sue.

Monster Cables is a company that immediately jumps to mind.

 

[WilliamBos]

Part of true innovation is making sure everybody else doesn't copy what you are doing because then where does that give you an advantage? Should Deere be the one to put all the money into R&D just to have others copy? Deere has IVT transmissions, titlable cabs, full frame's, ILS, 4-valve motors w/variable geometry turbos that get the best fuel economy of any large tractors...I could go on, but you get the point...they are protecting their business and you would do the same if you were in their shoes.

They are not innovators when it comes to IVT. Fendt will have a say in that. And the fuel economy could be argued too.

I do agree about patents tho', they are wonderful things. Without them, I do not think companies like JD would invest millions into R&D, what would be the point?