Construction machinery

Abstract

To provide a construction machine capable of ensuring satisfactory maintenance for a plurality of hydraulic hoses extending from a control valve.SOLUTION: A drilling work machine includes: a hydraulic oil tank 15 placed in a tank room 20 and accommodating hydraulic oil for operating a plurality of hydraulic actuators; a control valve 60 for controlling the flow of pressure oil to be supplied from the hydraulic oil tank 15 to each of the hydraulic actuators; and a plurality of hydraulic hoses 330 each extending from the control valve 60 and connected to each of the hydraulic actuators. The plurality of hydraulic hoses 330 are arranged along a back face 15b of the hydraulic oil tank 15.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 26

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a construction machine equipped with a control valve for controlling the flow of pressure oil supplied from an operating oil tank to various hydraulic actuators.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in construction machines such as excavation work machines, there are provided an operating oil tank for storing operating oil for operating hydraulic actuators such as hydraulic cylinders, and a control valve for controlling the flow of pressure oil supplied from the operating oil tank to various hydraulic actuators (see, for example, Patent Document 1). A plurality of hydraulic hoses for supplying pressure oil to each hydraulic actuator extend from the control valve.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which, regarding the arrangement of a plurality of hydraulic hoses extending from a control valve, an operating oil tank is arranged behind a fuel tank and a control valve is arranged on the side surface of the operating oil tank, and the gap between the fuel tank and the operating oil tank and the gap below the operating oil tank and the control valve are used as spaces for laying the plurality of hydraulic hoses.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 presents the following problems: Multiple hydraulic hoses extend from the control valve in different directions and are arranged in spaces on different sides around the control valve, making maintenance such as replacing the hydraulic hoses difficult. In particular, the gap between the fuel tank and the hydraulic oil tank, and the gap below the hydraulic oil tank and the control valve are limited spaces. Therefore, if these gaps are used as spaces for arranging hydraulic hoses, it is difficult to secure working space around the hydraulic hoses, which is undesirable in terms of maintainability.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a construction machine that can achieve good maintainability for multiple hydraulic hoses extending from a control valve. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The construction machine according to the present invention comprises a hydraulic oil tank located in a tank chamber and containing hydraulic oil for operating a plurality of hydraulic actuators; a control valve for controlling the flow of pressurized oil supplied from the hydraulic oil tank to each of the hydraulic actuators; and a plurality of hydraulic hoses extending from the control valve and connected in communication with each of the hydraulic actuators, wherein the plurality of hydraulic hoses are arranged along the side surface of the hydraulic oil tank.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention is a construction machine comprising a driver's seat located to the side of the tank chamber, wherein the control valve is located on the side opposite to the driver's seat relative to the hydraulic oil tank.

[0009] In another aspect of the present invention, the construction machine is such that the side surface of the hydraulic oil tank is the rear side surface.

[0010] In another aspect of the present invention, a construction machine is provided in which each hydraulic hose is connected at one end to the left and right outer side surfaces of the control valve via a connecting member, and the connecting member is configured to cause the hydraulic hose to extend from the left and right outer side surfaces toward the rear.

[0011] In another aspect of the present invention, a construction machine is provided on the side of the hydraulic oil tank, which holds the middle portion of the hydraulic hose against the side of the hydraulic oil tank.

[0012] In another aspect of the present invention, the construction machine is characterized in that the holding portion is provided at multiple locations in the upper and lower parts of the machine.

[0013] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a construction machine which includes a fuel tank positioned in front of the hydraulic oil tank, and the fuel tank is provided with equipment mounting sections on the left and right outer sides for mounting hydraulic equipment provided for the path of hydraulic oil contained in the hydraulic oil tank or the path of fuel contained in the fuel tank.

[0014] In another aspect of the present invention, the construction machine is characterized in that the tank chamber is covered by a cover member that is provided to be openable and closable, and the machine is equipped with an operation pattern switching device that switches the operation pattern of the control valve in response to the operation of an operation unit provided in front of the fuel tank in the tank chamber and near the driver's seat, wherein the operation pattern switching device is positioned so as to be switchable when the cover member is open. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, good maintainability can be obtained for multiple hydraulic hoses extending from the control valve. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a left front perspective view of an excavation work machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a left side view of an excavation work machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a plan view of an excavation work machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a plan view showing the arrangement configuration of devices on the base plate of an excavation work machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a right upper front perspective view showing the arrangement configuration of devices on the base plate of an excavation work machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a right front perspective view showing the state where the upper cover of the tank housing part of an excavation work machine according to an embodiment of the present invention is opened. [Figure 7] It is a left front perspective view showing the arrangement configuration in the tank chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a left rear perspective view showing the arrangement configuration in the tank chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a right side view showing the arrangement configuration in the tank chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a left side view showing the arrangement configuration in the tank chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a left rear perspective view showing the level gauge and the configuration in its vicinity according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] It is a left side view showing the level gauge and the configuration in its vicinity according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] It is a right front perspective view showing the fuel tank and the configuration around it according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] It is a right front exploded perspective view showing the fuel tank and the configuration around it according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] It is a plan view showing the fuel tank and the configuration around it according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16]This is a right front perspective view showing a fuel supply pump and support member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] This is a right side view showing the configuration of a fuel gauge according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] This is a right front perspective view showing the configuration of the rear fixing portion of a fixed retaining plate according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] This is a right-side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the rear fixing portion of a fixing and holding plate according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] This is a right front perspective view showing the configuration of the front fixing portion of a fixed retaining plate according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] This is a right front perspective view showing an example of the arrangement of other functional components according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] This is a right side view showing an example of the arrangement of other functional components related to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] This is a plan view showing an example of the arrangement of other functional components according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 24] This is a right front perspective view showing a multi-valve and support member according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 25] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electrically controlled hydraulic system relating to a cross-sectional view. [Figure 26] This is a right rear perspective view showing the configuration of a hydraulic fluid tank, control valve, and surrounding area according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 27] This is a right side view showing the configuration of a hydraulic fluid tank, control valve and its surroundings according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 28] This is a plan view showing the configuration of a hydraulic fluid tank, a control valve, and its surrounding area according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 29] This is a right rear perspective view showing a hydraulic fluid tank and control valve according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 30] This is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of a hydraulic fluid tank, a control valve, and its surroundings according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 31]This is a right side view showing the configuration of a hose clamp according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 32] This is a right rear perspective view showing the configuration of a support stay for hydraulic equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] In the embodiments of the present invention, a slewing work vehicle, specifically an excavating work machine (shovel), will be used as an example of the construction machinery according to the present invention. However, the construction machinery according to the present invention is not limited to excavating work machines, but can be broadly applied to other construction machinery such as bulldozers, crane work machines, compact track loaders, skid steer loaders, and wheel loaders.

[0018] The overall configuration of the excavation machine 1 according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to Figures 1 to 3. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the excavation machine 1 comprises a traveling device 2 as a self-propelled vehicle body, and an excavation device 3 and a soil removal device 4 as working parts attached to the traveling device 2.

[0019] The traveling device 2 is the main body of the excavation work machine 1 and has a pair of left and right crawler-type traveling sections 5, 5, a machine frame 6 which serves as a base and is interposed between the left and right traveling sections 5, 5, and a swivel frame 7 which is provided on the machine frame 6.

[0020] The running section 5 has a configuration in which tracks are wound around multiple rotating bodies such as sprockets and rollers supported by the machine frame 6. The running section 5 has a drive sprocket 5a, which is a drive wheel, at its rear end. The machine frame 6 has a center frame section 6a located in the middle between the left and right running sections 5, 5, and side frame sections 6b provided on both the left and right sides of the center frame section 6a.

[0021] Each running section 5 is equipped with a hydraulic motor 11 for driving. The hydraulic motor 11 is mounted on a predetermined part of the machine frame 6, such as the side frame portion 6b, in each running section 5, and is configured to rotate the drive sprocket 5a. The left and right hydraulic motors 11, 11 drive the running sections 5, enabling the running device 2 to move forward and backward in a straight line and to turn left and right.

[0022] The slewing frame 7 is connected to the aircraft frame 6 via a slewing support section 8, which includes a slewing bearing, located on the upper side of the center frame section 6a, and is designed to slewing in either the left or right direction around its vertical axis. The slewing frame 7 rotates by the drive of a slewing motor (not shown), which is a hydraulic motor for rotation.

[0023] An operating unit 10 is provided on the slewing frame 7. A prime mover unit, including an engine 12 and other components, is provided at the rear of the slewing frame 7. To the right of the operating unit 10 is a tank housing 13, which constitutes a tank chamber 20 containing a fuel tank 14 and a hydraulic oil tank 15 (see Figure 3).

[0024] The driver's unit 10 is for operating the traveling device 2, the excavating device 3, and the soil removal device 4, and is located inside a cabin 16 that is mounted on the slewing frame 7. The cabin 16 has a frame that forms its outer shape and multiple window sections made of transparent material such as glass, and is generally constructed in a box shape. The cabin 16 has an opening / closing door 16a on the left side that opens and closes an entrance / exit for the operator to enter and exit the driver's unit 10.

[0025] Inside the cabin 16, a driver's seat 17 is provided on a driver's seat support platform located on the floor. Around the driver's seat 17 are a control panel with various controls, including a travel lever for operating the vehicle, a work control lever for operating the excavation device 3 and the soil removal device 4, and switches.

[0026] Regarding the operation section, a left-side operation lever 18 is provided on the left side of the driver's seat 17, and a right-side operation lever 19 is provided on the right side of the driver's seat 17 (see Figure 3). The excavation device 3 is operated using these left and right operation levers. Both the left-side operation lever 18 and the right-side operation lever 19 have their bases covered with bellows-shaped lever boots and are configured to be tiltable at least in the forward, backward, left, and right directions.

[0027] An excavation device 3 is attached to the front of the slewing frame 7. The excavation device 3 has a boom 21 that forms its base end, an arm 22 connected to the tip of the boom 21, and a bucket 23 attached to the tip of the arm 22. The excavation device 3 also has a boom cylinder 24 that rotates the boom 21, an arm cylinder 25 that rotates the arm 22, and a bucket cylinder 26 that rotates the bucket 23.

[0028] The base end of the boom 21 is supported by a boom support bracket 27. The boom support bracket 27 is supported by a bracket mounting portion 28 protruding from the left and right center of the front end of the slewing frame 7 via a swing axis with the vertical direction as the rotation axis. The excavation device 3 is designed to swing left and right around the swing axis relative to the slewing frame 7 by the extension and retraction of a swing cylinder 29 provided between the boom support bracket 27 and the slewing frame 7. The boom support bracket 27 has a portion that supports the base end of the boom 21 so that it can rotate with the left and right direction as the rotation axis, a portion that supports the lower end of the boom cylinder 24, and a portion that receives the connection of the tip of the rod, which is the front end of the swing cylinder 29.

[0029] The boom cylinder 24, arm cylinder 25, and bucket cylinder 26 that make up the excavation device 3, as well as the swing cylinder 29 that swings the excavation device 3, are all hydraulic cylinders that are operated by pressurized oil discharged by a hydraulic pump 58 (see Figure 4). In the excavation device 3, the bucket 23 is detachably connected to the tip of the arm 22 as a work attachment, and other attachments such as a grapple or breaker can be attached in place of the bucket 23 depending on the work to be done.

[0030] A soil removal device 4 is attached to the front of the machine frame 6. The soil removal device 4 includes a support frame 31 which includes a pair of left and right arms that extend in the front-rear direction between the left and right running sections 5, 5, a blade 32 which is a soil removal plate provided at the tip of the support frame 31, and a blade cylinder 33 which raises and lowers the blade 32 via the support frame 31. The blade cylinder 33 is a hydraulic cylinder which is operated by pressurized oil discharged by a hydraulic pump 58.

[0031] The support frame 31 is mounted to the machine frame 6 so as to be able to move up and down, with the rear ends of the left and right arms supported by support brackets provided on the front of the machine frame 6 so as to be able to move left and right with respect to the axis of rotation. The blade 32 is mounted supported on the front end of the support frame 31. The blade cylinder 33 is mounted between the machine frame 6 and the blade 32, with its rear end supported by a support bracket provided on the front of the machine frame 6 and its front end supported by a support bracket provided on the back of the blade 32 so as to be able to move left and right with respect to the axis of rotation. The extension and retraction of the blade cylinder 33 causes the support frame 31 and the blade 32 to rotate up and down as a single unit.

[0032] The excavation work machine 1 has a lower traveling body consisting of a machine frame 6 and traveling sections 5, 5 supported on both its left and right sides, and an upper rotating body mounted on the lower traveling body so as to be rotatable. The upper rotating body consists of a rotating frame 7 and an operating section 10, engine 12, tank housing 13, etc., which are provided on the rotating frame 7.

[0033] In the excavation machine 1 having the above configuration, the desired operation and work are performed by an operator seated in the driver's seat 17, who appropriately operates the travel lever, work operation lever, etc. Specifically, for example, by operating the travel lever, the travel device 2 is moved forward and backward in a straight line or left and right by operating the left and right travel sections 5. In addition, by operating the work operation lever, excavation work is performed by the excavation device 3, or soil removal work and leveling work is performed by the soil removal device 4.

[0034] [Configuration of the tank housing] The configuration of the tank housing section 13 will be explained using Figures 4 to 10. The tank housing section 13 is located on the base plate 40 that constitutes the slewing frame 7, in the right-hand portion of the area on the base plate 40 that is divided into approximately three equal parts in the left-right direction. The base plate 40 is a horizontally arranged plate-shaped frame member and forms the bottom surface of the slewing frame 7. The base plate 40 has a flat top surface 40a.

[0035] The tank housing section 13 is a part that houses a fuel tank 14, a hydraulic oil tank 15, etc., within a tank chamber 20 partitioned on the base plate 40. The rear side of the tank chamber 20 is spatially continuous with the engine room 30, which houses the engine 12 located at the rear of the base plate 40.

[0036] On the slewing frame 7, a cabin 16 with a driver's seat 17 (see Figure 3) is provided to the left of the tank compartment 20. In other words, the tank compartment 20 housing the hydraulic oil tank 15 and the driver's seat 17 are arranged side by side on the slewing frame 7.

[0037] The tank chamber 20 is partitioned from the left and right central portions on the base plate 40 by a partition wall 42 which includes a part of a vertical plate 41 provided on the base plate 40. The partition wall 42 forms the side portion of the tank chamber 20 that is on the driver's section 10 side (left side). The partition wall 42 also faces the right wall portion 16b of the cabin 16 via a space 36 behind the bracket mounting portion 28 on the slewing frame 7. The space 36 is a concave space between the cabin 16 and the tank housing 13 to secure the range of motion of the drilling device 3 to the rear.

[0038] The vertical plate 41 is fixed to the base plate 40 and constitutes part of the swivel frame 7. The vertical plate 41 is located slightly to the right of the left-right center on the base plate 40, with the left-right direction being the thickness direction, and extends over approximately the entire front-rear range of the base plate 40. The vertical plate 41 has a shape in which its front portion 41a gradually decreases in height from the front to the rear.

[0039] The vertical plate 41, with its front portion 41a, forms the lower part of the partition wall portion 42. An upper front frame 44, which forms the edge of the partition wall portion 42, is provided above the front portion 41a of the vertical plate 41. The upper front frame 44 has a downward sloping shape, and its front end is fixedly supported against the upper side of the front end of the vertical plate 41. A plate-shaped flange portion 44a, which forms a support portion for the vertical plate 41, is provided at the front end of the upper front frame 44. The upper front frame 44 is fixed to the support plate portion 41b, which is provided above the support plate portion 41b, by overlapping the flange portion 44a from above and using fixing bolts 45 or the like that that pass through the flange portion 44a.

[0040] The rear of the upper front frame 44 is connected to and supported by the upper end of the rear frame 43, which is a frame portion erected perpendicularly to the upper surface 40a of the base plate 40. The rear frame 43 has a plate-shaped flange portion 43a at its lower end and is fixed to the base plate 40 by bolts 46 or the like that pass through the flange portion 43a.

[0041] The upper front frame 44 has a first inclined frame portion 44b that makes up the majority of the rear side of the upper front frame 44, and a second inclined frame portion 44c which is the front part of the first inclined frame portion 44b and has a steeper incline than the first inclined frame portion 44b. A flange portion 44a is provided at the lower end of the second inclined frame portion 44c.

[0042] The front portion 41a of the vertical plate 41 and the upper front frame 44, which form the bulkhead portion 42, together with the rear frame 43 form a frame-shaped portion, and the majority of the front portion of the area enclosed by this frame-shaped portion is closed off by the partition plate 47 (see Figure 10). Note that the partition plate 47 is not shown in Figures 7 and 8. The partition plate 47 is provided to close off the portion of the area enclosed by the vertical plate 41, the upper front frame 44, and the rear frame 43 that is in front of the downward sloping surface portion 35 (see Figure 6) which forms part of the bottom of the space portion 36 between the cabin 16 and the tank housing portion 13.

[0043] As shown in Figure 10, the partition plate 47 has a curved shape that follows the curved shape of the upper front frame 44 on its upper and front sides, with the left-right direction being the thickness direction. In addition, the partition plate 47 has a horizontal shape at the lower edge of its front part that follows the horizontal upper surface portion 41c formed on the front end side of the vertical plate 41. The partition plate 47 covers most of the rear upper part of the fuel tank 14 and most of the front upper part of the hydraulic oil tank 15 from the left side.

[0044] The partition plate 47 is fixed at multiple points by bolts 48, which are fastening members, and nut-shaped fastening parts 49 provided on the right side of the support surface 44d to receive the bolts 48, with the upper and front edges of the partition plate 47 in contact with the rib-shaped support protrusions 44d that are projecting from the inside of the bent shape of the upper front frame 44, that is, from the lower side of the first inclined frame portion 44b and the rear side of the second inclined frame portion 44c, from the left side (see Figures 10 and 11). Holes 44e are formed in the support surface 44d through which the bolts 48 pass.

[0045] In the tank housing section 13, the portion to the right of the partition wall section 42 on the base plate 40 is covered by a plurality of exterior covers, which are covering members, thereby forming a tank chamber 20 that constitutes the housing space. Each of the plurality of exterior covers has a shape and size corresponding to the shape of the slewing frame 7 and the arrangement of the components on the slewing frame 7.

[0046] As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the tank housing 13 has an exterior cover consisting of a right rear cover 51 that covers the right rear side of the tank chamber 20, a right front cover 52 that covers the right front side of the tank chamber 20, a right lower cover 53 that covers the lower right side of the tank chamber 20, and a front cover 54 that covers the front of the tank chamber 20. These covers are, for example, made of metal. The tank housing 13 also has an exterior cover consisting of a bonnet 55, which is a cover member that covers the upper side of the tank chamber 20. The bonnet 55 is, for example, a resin cover.

[0047] The right rear cover 51 and the right front cover 52 form a continuous curved peripheral wall on the right side of the tank housing 13, following the arc-shaped curve on the right side of the base plate 40 in a plan view. The upper edges of the right rear cover 51 and the right front cover 52 are inclined so that, in a right side view, the upper edge follows the downward sloping shape of the upper front frame 44. In other words, the peripheral wall consisting of the right rear cover 51 and the right front cover 52 gradually decreases in height from the rear to the front.

[0048] The lower right cover 53 is a narrow cover provided below the cover portion along the lower edge of the cover portion formed by the rear right cover 51 and the front right cover 52, and has a curved shape that follows the arc-shaped curve on the right side of the base plate 40 in a plan view. The front cover 54 is provided between the front edges of the front right cover 52 and the lower right cover 53 and the front edge of the bulkhead portion 42, and covers the front side of the tank chamber 20 at approximately the same height as the front edge of the front right cover 52.

[0049] In the tank housing section 13, the right rear cover 51, the right front cover 52 and the front cover 54, and the bulkhead section 42 form an opening 50 that opens to the front upper side (see Figure 6). The opening 50 is the upper opening portion of the tank chamber 20, and the upper edges of the right rear cover 51, the right front cover 52 and the front cover 54, and the bulkhead section 42 form an opening edge that slopes downwards towards the front, and in a plan view, the front-to-back direction is the longitudinal direction of the opening. Schematically, in a plan view, the opening 50 has an opening shape in which the left edge is a roughly straight shape along the front-to-back direction due to the bulkhead section 42, the right edge is a curved shape that is convex to the right due to the right rear cover 51 and the right front cover 52, and the front edge is a roughly straight shape along the left-to-right direction due to the front cover 54.

[0050] The bonnet 55 is an upper cover that covers the tank compartment 20 from above by covering the opening 50 from above. The bonnet 55 has a shape that matches the shape of the opening 50 and is installed to completely cover the opening 50. The bonnet 55 has a downward-sloping surface that follows the shape of the opening 50.

[0051] The bonnet 55 is provided to open and close by two hinges 57 located at the front and rear, which are attached to the first inclined frame portion 44b of the upper front frame 44. The bonnet 55 rotates so that the right side is raised by the front and rear hinges 57 on the left side, thereby opening the opening 50 of the tank compartment 20 (see Figure 6). In this way, the tank compartment 20 is covered by the bonnet 55, which is provided to open and close.

[0052] Within the tank chamber 20, a fuel tank 14 is provided at the front, and a hydraulic oil tank 15 is provided behind the fuel tank 14. The fuel tank 14 is a fuel oil tank that contains fuel oil supplied to the engine 12, and its configuration corresponds to the tank according to the present invention. The hydraulic oil tank 15 is a tank that contains hydraulic oil that operates the various hydraulic actuators provided by the excavating work machine 1, and its configuration corresponds to the other tank according to the present invention. The various hydraulic actuators that operate by receiving pressurized oil supplied by the hydraulic oil include hydraulic cylinders such as the boom cylinder 24, arm cylinder 25, bucket cylinder 26 and swing cylinder 29, as well as a travel hydraulic motor 11 and a slewing motor (see Figure 1).

[0053] The hydraulic oil tank 15 is located behind the fuel tank 14 and is positioned approximately in the center of the tank chamber 20 in the front-to-back direction. The fuel tank 14 and the hydraulic oil tank 15 are mounted and supported on the upper surface 40a of the base plate 40. The fuel tank 14 and the hydraulic oil tank 15 have approximately the same dimensions in the left-to-right direction and are positioned adjacent to each other front to back, and are positioned so that most of them are located within the outer shape of the bulkhead 42 when viewed from the left side. The fuel tank 14 and the hydraulic oil tank 15 also have approximately the same height.

[0054] Within the tank chamber 20, a control valve 60 is positioned adjacent to the hydraulic oil tank 15 on its right side. The control valve 60 is a device for controlling the flow of pressurized oil supplied from the hydraulic oil tank 15 to multiple hydraulic actuators.

[0055] The control valve 60 controls the flow of pressurized oil to each hydraulic actuator. The control valve 60 is configured as a valve unit that includes multiple directional control valves corresponding to each hydraulic actuator, and controls the flow rate and destination (flow direction) of the pressurized oil supplied from the hydraulic oil tank 15 by the drive of the hydraulic pump 58 by controlling the operation of the directional control valves. The operation of the drilling machine 3 and the travel machine 2 are performed by controlling the supply of pressurized oil to each hydraulic actuator.

[0056] On the base plate 40, a heat exchange unit 61 and an engine 12 are provided in the engine compartment 30 connected to the rear of the tank compartment 20 (see Figure 4). The heat exchange unit 61 is a device configuration that has a heat exchange function for cooling the engine 12, and includes a radiator, an oil cooler, and an exhaust fan that rotates in conjunction with the engine 12. The exhaust fan discharges hot air from inside the engine compartment 30 through an opening 51a formed in the right rear cover 51 (see Figure 6).

[0057] The engine 12 is mounted on the base plate 40 at the rear, with the axial direction of the output shaft approximately oriented left to right. The engine 12 is a diesel engine that receives fuel from the fuel tank 14. Combustion gases generated in the combustion chamber of the engine 12 are discharged outside the engine room 30 via the exhaust system 62 and muffler 63. A hydraulic pump 58 is provided on the left side of the engine 12.

[0058] The hydraulic pump 58 has its rotating shaft connected to the drive shaft of the engine 12 via a coupling. The hydraulic pump 58 is driven in conjunction with the rotation of the drive shaft of the engine 12 and sends hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid tank 15 to various hydraulic actuators via the control valve 60.

[0059] [Configuration related to the level gauge] The excavation machine 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a level gauge 70, which is a liquid level gauge for determining the amount of oil in the hydraulic oil tank 15 (see Figure 7). The level gauge 70 displays the amount of hydraulic oil in the hydraulic oil tank 15. Regarding the arrangement of the level gauge 70, in a configuration comprising a hydraulic oil tank 15 located in a tank chamber 20 and a driver's seat 17 located to the left of the tank chamber 20, the level gauge 70 is located on the driver's seat 17 side of the tank chamber 20, i.e., on the left side. The arrangement configuration of the hydraulic oil tank 15 and the level gauge 70 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 7 to 12.

[0060] The hydraulic oil tank 15 has a rectangular prism-shaped outer shape in its tank body when viewed from above, and its outer surface consists of a front surface 15a, a rear surface 15b, a left side surface 15c, a right side surface 15d, an upper surface 15e, and a lower surface 15f. The hydraulic oil tank 15 is installed on the base plate 40 such that, in a plan view, the front surface 15a and the rear surface 15b are aligned in the left-right direction, and the left side surface 15c and the right side surface 15d are aligned in the front-rear direction.

[0061] The hydraulic fluid tank 15 is fixed to the base plate 40 via a fixing plate portion 71 provided on the lower side of the tank body. The fixing plate portion 71 has multiple protruding pieces 71a that project outward from the plan view outer shape of the tank body of the hydraulic fluid tank 15. The hydraulic fluid tank 15 is fixed to the base plate 40 by fixing bolts 72 or the like that pass through each of the protruding pieces 71a.

[0062] The hydraulic oil tank 15 is positioned directly behind the fuel tank 14, with its front portion 15a facing the rear portion 14a of the fuel tank 14 with a small gap between them. The hydraulic oil tank 15 is also positioned close to the bulkhead 42, with its left side portion 15c facing the right side of the bulkhead 42 with a small gap between them.

[0063] The hydraulic oil tank 15 has the lower part of its left side surface 15c close to the vertical plate 41 that constitutes the bulkhead 42, and the upper part of its left side surface 15c close to the partition plate 47 that constitutes the bulkhead 42. The fuel tank 14's left side surface 14b is located slightly to the left of the hydraulic oil tank 15's left side surface 15c, and is closer to the vertical plate 41 and the partition plate 47 than the left side surface 15c.

[0064] Regarding the placement of the level gauge 70, in a configuration that includes a fuel tank 14 located in front of the hydraulic oil tank 15, the level gauge 70 is located to the side of the fuel tank 14. In this embodiment, the level gauge 70 is located to the left of the fuel tank 14, supported and fixed to the front of the bulkhead 42, which is the side of the tank chamber 20 that is closer to the driver's seat 17 (left side).

[0065] The level gauge 70 is connected to the hydraulic oil tank 15 via two connecting hoses (74, 75) that form a connecting pipe section. The level gauge 70 is provided with two connecting hoses: an upper connecting hose 74, which is a first connecting hose, and a lower connecting hose 75, which is a second connecting hose located below the upper connecting hose 74. In this way, the level gauge 70 is connected to the hydraulic oil tank 15 by the upper connecting hose 74 and the lower connecting hose 75, which are piping members that communicate with the inside of the hydraulic oil tank 15.

[0066] The level gauge 70 has a support block portion 76 having a rectangular prism shape and a gauge portion 77 provided on one side of the support block portion 76. The support block portion 76 has a front side portion, a rear side portion, a left side portion, and a right side portion as its side portions. The gauge portion 77 has a rectangular prism shape having approximately the same length as the support block portion 76, and is fixed to the support block portion 76 with its right side portion aligned with the left side portion of the support block portion 76. The level gauge 70 as a whole has a roughly rectangular prism shape due to the support block portion 76 and the gauge portion 77.

[0067] The gauge section 77 has a gauge passage 77a that movably houses a spherical float 78. The gauge passage 77a is formed in a straight line along the longitudinal direction of the gauge section 77. The gauge section 77 is made of a transparent material, making the position of the float 78 within the gauge passage 77a visible from the outside.

[0068] The upper connecting hose 74 and the lower connecting hose 75 are each connected at one end to the hydraulic oil tank 15 and at the other end to the support block portion 76 of the level gauge 70. The upper connecting hose 74 and the lower connecting hose 75 are arranged to extend forward from the left side surface portion 15c of the hydraulic oil tank 15 and are connected to the level gauge 70. The connection portions of the upper connecting hose 74 and the lower connecting hose 75 to the hydraulic oil tank 15 are located near the front edge of the upper part of the left side surface portion 15c.

[0069] The upper connecting hose 74 is connected at one end to the left side surface 15c of the hydraulic oil tank 15 via an L-shaped joint 81, so as to communicate with the storage space of the hydraulic oil tank 15. The height position of the connection point of the upper connecting hose 74 in the hydraulic oil tank 15, that is, the height position of the joint 81, is the first height position H1 at the top of the hydraulic oil tank 15 (see Figure 10).

[0070] The upper connecting hose 74 is connected at its other end to a cylindrical upper connecting port 82 that protrudes from the upper end of the rear side portion 76a of the support block portion 76. The upper connecting hose 74 is fixed to the upper connecting port 82 by a hose band 91 with the other end of the upper connecting hose 74 inserted into the upper connecting port 82. The other end of the upper connecting hose 74 communicates with the upper end of the gauge passage 77a via an upper internal passage provided inside the upper ends of the support block portion 76 and the gauge portion 77, respectively. The upper internal passage includes a passage portion formed by the upper flow path forming bolt 83. The upper flow path forming bolt 83 has a flow path in its shaft portion and penetrates the gauge portion 77 from the left side of the gauge portion 77 and is screwed into the support block portion 76.

[0071] The lower connecting hose 75 is connected at one end to the left side surface 15c of the hydraulic oil tank 15 via an L-shaped joint 84, so as to communicate with the storage space of the hydraulic oil tank 15. The height position of the connection point of the lower connecting hose 75 in the hydraulic oil tank 15, that is, the height position of the joint 84, is the second height position H2 at the top of the hydraulic oil tank 15 (see Figure 10).

[0072] The lower connecting hose 75 is connected at its other end to a cylindrical lower connecting port 85 that protrudes from the lower end of the rear side portion 76a of the support block portion 76. The lower connecting hose 75 is fixed to the lower connecting port 85 by a hose band 92 with the other end of the lower connecting hose 75 inserted into the lower connecting port 85. The other end of the lower connecting hose 75 communicates with the lower end of the gauge passage 77a via a lower internal passage provided inside the lower ends of the support block portion 76 and the gauge portion 77, respectively. The lower internal passage includes a passage portion formed by a lower flow path forming bolt 86. The lower flow path forming bolt 86 has a flow path in its shaft portion and penetrates the gauge portion 77 from the left side of the gauge portion 77 and is screwed into the support block portion 76.

[0073] The level gauge 70 is attached to the rear side of the second inclined frame portion 44c of the upper front frame 44. The second inclined frame portion 44c has a mounting surface 88 on its rear side, which is a flat portion that follows the inclination of the second inclined frame portion 44c in a side view. The mounting surface 88 is a straight line in a side view and faces downward and rearward.

[0074] The level gauge 70 is fixed to the second inclined frame section 44c at two points by fixing bolts 89, with the front side surface of the support block section 76 in contact with the mounting surface 88. The fixing points by the two fixing bolts 89 are located in the intermediate part between the upper connection port 82 and the lower connection port 85 in the longitudinal direction of the support block section 76. The fixing bolts 89 penetrate the support block section 76 from the rear side surface 76a side and are screwed into the second inclined frame section 44c.

[0075] Thus, the level gauge 70 is provided such that the extension direction of the gauge passage 77a, which is the longitudinal direction of the rectangular prism-shaped outer form and the direction in which the float 78 moves, is aligned with the downward slope of the second inclined frame section 44c. This is just one example, but the inclination angle θ1 (see Figure 12) of the level gauge 70 with respect to the vertical direction in the longitudinal direction is approximately 25°.

[0076] As shown in Figures 10 to 12, the level gauge 70 is positioned so as to overlap with the partition plate 47 that constitutes the bulkhead 42 in the left-right direction, and the gauge portion 77 is exposed to the left of the partition plate 47. The partition plate 47 has a notch 47a at a position corresponding to the level gauge 70 to avoid interference with the level gauge 70, and the notch 47a exposes the gauge portion 77 to the left. The support projection 44d of the upper front frame 44 that receives the attachment of the partition plate 47 from the left side is positioned so as to overlap with the gauge portion 77 in the left-right direction (see Figure 11), and the partition plate 47 is positioned so as to overlap with the gauge portion 77 in the left-right direction.

[0077] The level gauge 70 is installed with the gauge section 77 exposed to the left from the partition plate 47 that constitutes the bulkhead section 42, so that the gauge section 77 is exposed to the outside. In other words, the level gauge 70 is installed with the gauge section 77 facing the space 36 between the cabin 16 and the bulkhead section 42.

[0078] Furthermore, the partition plate 47 covers the upper connecting hose 74 and the lower connecting hose 75, as well as the connections between these hoses and the level gauge 70 and the hydraulic oil tank 15, respectively, from the left. In other words, the upper connecting hose 74 and the lower connecting hose 75 have a piping space provided in the gap between the fuel tank 14 and the hydraulic oil tank 15 and the partition plate 47.

[0079] According to the above arrangement of the level gauge 70, in a configuration that includes a slewing frame 7 with a tank compartment 20 and a driver's seat 17, the level gauge 70 is positioned above the front of the slewing frame 7. The level gauge 70 shares or is approximately the same position in the left-right direction as the upper connecting hose 74 and the lower connecting hose 75, and is positioned above the front of the base plate 40.

[0080] In particular, in this embodiment, the level gauge 70 is positioned above the front end of the base plate 40. More specifically, the level gauge 70 is located to the right of the left-right center of the base plate 40 and above the front end of the base plate 40. The level gauge 70 has a notch 47a that exposes the gauge portion 77 to the left of the partition plate 47, so that the position of the float 78 can basically only be seen from the left side of the partition plate 47.

[0081] According to the level gauge 70, the liquid level in the gauge passage 77a, which is connected to the storage space of the hydraulic oil tank 15 by the upper connecting hose 74 and the lower connecting hose 75, etc., is equal to the liquid level of the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic oil tank 15. Therefore, the level gauge 70 displays the liquid level of the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic oil tank 15 as the position (height) of the float 78 in the gauge passage 77a, which is located between the first height position H1 and the second height position H2 (see Figure 10). If the liquid level of the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic oil tank 15 is higher than the first height position H1, the float 78 will be at the upper end, and if the liquid level is lower than the second height position H2, the float 78 will be at the lower end.

[0082] The level gauge 70 is used to confirm that the specified amount of hydraulic fluid is present in the hydraulic fluid tank 15. The level gauge 70 is also used to check for any malfunctions such as hose damage that could cause hydraulic fluid leakage, based on the rate at which the amount of hydraulic fluid in the tank 15 decreases.

[0083] Furthermore, the excavation machine 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a level gauge 100 in addition to the level gauge 70 as a liquid level gauge for determining the amount of oil in the hydraulic oil tank 15 (see Figure 9). In other words, in the hydraulic oil tank 15, if the level gauge 70 is considered the first level gauge, then the level gauge 100 is provided as a second level gauge.

[0084] The level gauge 100, like the level gauge 70, displays the amount of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic fluid tank 15. The level gauge 100 is located within the tank chamber 20 by being mounted on the side of the hydraulic fluid tank 15. The level gauge 100 is installed on the side of the hydraulic fluid tank 15 opposite to the driver's seat 17 side (bulkhead 42 side).

[0085] As shown in Figure 9, the level gauge 100 is located on the upper rear side of the right side portion 15d of the hydraulic oil tank 15. The level gauge 100 has the same configuration as the level gauge 70 and is located at the same or approximately the same height as the level gauge 70, with its longitudinal direction being the vertical direction.

[0086] The level gauge 100 has a support block portion 101 corresponding to the support block portion 76 of the level gauge 70, and a gauge portion 102 provided on one side of the support block portion 101. The level gauge 100, by clamping the wall portion forming the right side portion 15d of the hydraulic oil tank 15 with the support block portion 101 and the gauge portion 102, positions the support block portion 101 inside the hydraulic oil tank 15 and the gauge portion 102 outside the tank.

[0087] The gauge section 102 has a gauge passage 102a that movably houses a spherical float 103. The gauge passage 102a is formed in a straight line along the longitudinal direction of the gauge section 102. The gauge section 102 is made of a transparent material, making the position of the float 103 within the gauge passage 102a visible from the outside.

[0088] The upper end of the gauge passage 102a communicates with the inside of the hydraulic oil tank 15 via an upper internal passage provided inside the upper ends of the gauge section 102 and the support block section 101, respectively. The upper internal passage includes a passage portion formed by the upper passage forming bolt 104. The upper passage forming bolt 104 has a passage in its shaft and penetrates the walls of the gauge section 102 and the hydraulic oil tank 15, and is screwed into the support block section 101. The height position H3 of the upper passage forming bolt 104 is the same as or approximately the same as the first height position H1 (see Figure 10) for the level gauge 70.

[0089] The lower end of the gauge passage 102a communicates with the inside of the hydraulic oil tank 15 via a lower internal passage provided inside the lower ends of the gauge section 102 and the support block section 101, respectively. The lower internal passage includes a passage portion formed by the lower passage forming bolt 105. The lower passage forming bolt 105 has a passage in its shaft, penetrates the walls of the gauge section 102 and the hydraulic oil tank 15, and is screwed into the support block section 101. The height position H4 of the lower passage forming bolt 105 is the same as or approximately the same as the second height position H2 (see Figure 10) for the level gauge 70.

[0090] According to the level gauge 100 attached to the tank body of the hydraulic oil tank 15, the height of the liquid level in the gauge passage 102a, which communicates with the storage space of the hydraulic oil tank 15, is equal to the height of the hydraulic oil liquid level in the hydraulic oil tank 15. Therefore, the level gauge 100 indicates that the liquid level of the hydraulic oil liquid in the hydraulic oil tank 15, which is located between the third height position H3 and the fourth height position H4 (see Figure 9), is the position (height) of the float 103 in the gauge passage 102a. Note that if the liquid level of the hydraulic oil liquid in the hydraulic oil tank 15 is higher than the third height position H3, the float 103 will be at the upper end, and if the liquid level is lower than the fourth height position H4, the float 103 will be at the lower end.

[0091] With the arrangement of the level gauge 100 as described above, the level gauge 100 is positioned in a location that is visible when the bonnet 55 of the tank chamber 20 is open. That is, as shown in Figure 6, when the bonnet 55 is open, the upper part of the right side portion 15d of the hydraulic oil tank 15 is exposed, and the level gauge 100 provided on the upper part of the right side portion 15d becomes visible when the bonnet 55 is opened.

[0092] With the arrangement of the level gauge 70 in the excavation work machine 1 according to this embodiment described above, the level gauge 70 of the hydraulic oil tank 15 can be easily seen from the driver's seat 17, making it easy to check the amount of oil in the hydraulic oil tank 15 and resulting in good work efficiency.

[0093] According to the level gauge 70, the operator can check the oil level in the hydraulic oil tank 15 by visually inspecting the level gauge 70, for example, as part of the pre-operation check of the excavating machine 1. Here, the operator can visually inspect the level gauge 70 from the window 16c (see Figure 6) that forms the right wall of the cabin 16 while seated in the driver's seat 17 inside the cabin 16. Furthermore, the level gauge 70 can be seen regardless of whether the bonnet 55 is open or closed, that is, even when the bonnet 55 is closed. Therefore, the oil level in the hydraulic oil tank 15 can be checked without having to get out of the cabin 16 or open the bonnet 55, resulting in good workability and maintainability.

[0094] Furthermore, since the level gauge 70 is installed in an exposed state outside the tank chamber 20, it can be easily seen even from a distance. Therefore, it is possible to check the level gauge 70 while performing other tasks, such as refueling the hydraulic oil tank 15.

[0095] Furthermore, the level gauge 70 is positioned above the front of the slewing frame 7. With this configuration, the level gauge 70 is easily visible to the operator seated in the driver's seat 17 inside the cabin 16, making it easy to see the level gauge 70 from inside the cabin 16.

[0096] Furthermore, the level gauge 70 is positioned at a distance from the hydraulic fluid tank 15 via an upper connecting hose 74 and a lower connecting hose 75. This configuration allows for a high degree of freedom in the positioning of the level gauge 70. This makes it easy to position the level gauge 70 in a location that is easily visible from the driver's seat 17.

[0097] Furthermore, the level gauge 70 is located to the left of the fuel tank 14. In particular, in this embodiment, the level gauge 70 is located close to the left of the upper front part of the left side surface 14b of the fuel tank 14. With this configuration, in a configuration in which the fuel tank 14 is located in front of the hydraulic oil tank 15 within the tank chamber 20, the level gauge 70 provided against the bulkhead 42 can be positioned in a location that is easily visible from the driver's seat 17, and good visibility of the level gauge 70 can be obtained.

[0098] Furthermore, the fuel tank 14, which requires more frequent refueling than the hydraulic fluid tank 15, can be positioned in front of the hydraulic fluid tank 15. The level gauge 70 of the hydraulic fluid tank 15 can also be positioned in front of the hydraulic fluid tank 15 in the same way as the fuel tank 14. This allows for good workability in tasks such as refueling the fuel tank 14 and checking the level gauge 70 from the driver's seat 17, resulting in a configuration with good maintainability.

[0099] Furthermore, the excavation machine 1 has a configuration in which, regarding the arrangement of the level gauge 70, only the gauge portion 77 is exposed to the outside of the tank chamber 20 by a partition plate 47, and the upper connecting hose 74 and the lower connecting hose 75 and their connecting portions are covered by the partition plate 47. With this configuration, it becomes easier for the operator inside the cabin 16 to concentrate their gaze on the level gauge 70, and good visibility of the level gauge 70 can be obtained, as well as good aesthetic design.

[0100] Furthermore, the excavation machine 1 is equipped with another level gauge 100 located in the tank chamber 20, in a position visible when the bonnet 55 is open, to indicate the amount of oil in the hydraulic oil tank 15. With this configuration, hydraulic oil can be supplied to the hydraulic oil tank 15 while checking the level gauge 100, thus providing good maintainability.

[0101] In particular, the level gauge 100 is located on the right side (right side) of the hydraulic oil tank 15, which is opposite to the side where the level gauge 70 is located in the left-right direction. In other words, the level gauge 100 is located on the side of the hydraulic oil tank 15 opposite to the driver's seat 17.

[0102] With this configuration, the amount of oil in the hydraulic oil tank 15 can be checked using either the level gauge 70 or the level gauge 100 when the bonnet 55 is open, thus expanding the range of positions from which the amount of oil in the hydraulic oil tank 15 can be checked. This results in improved maintainability.

[0103] [Fuel tank and its surrounding components] The configuration of the fuel tank 14 and its surroundings will be explained using Figures 4 to 10 and Figures 13 to 18. The fuel tank 14 has, in general terms, a rear surface 14a facing the front surface 15a of the hydraulic oil tank 15, a left surface 14b that is substantially flush with the left surface 15c of the hydraulic oil tank 15, a right surface 14c, an upper surface 14d, and a lower surface 14e as its outer surface. The fuel tank 14 also has a front surface 14f, a sloping surface 14g, and a right front surface 14h on its front side.

[0104] Furthermore, the fuel tank 14 has a stepped portion 110 at its front. The stepped portion 110 is formed as a concave portion on the upper right side, which is on the left and right outer sides of the fuel tank 14. The stepped portion 110 is a recess that forms a space 111 with the upper, front, and right sides open. The stepped portion 110 is formed in such a way that the upper right corner of the front of the fuel tank 14 is cut out. The stepped portion 110 generally has a rear side surface portion 110a that faces forward, a left side surface portion 110b that faces right, and a bottom surface portion 110c that faces upward, forming the bottom of the stepped portion 110, and is a notched portion that forms the space 111 with these surfaces.

[0105] In the fuel tank 14, the inclined portion 14g is a downward sloping portion, and is formed on approximately the left half and upper half of the fuel tank 14 in the left-right direction. This is just one example, but the angle of inclination of the inclined portion 14g with respect to the vertical direction is approximately 30°.

[0106] In the stepped section 110, the rear side section 110a forms a ridge line together with the upper section 14d and the right side section 14c. The left side section 110b forms a ridge line together with the slope section 14g. The bottom section 110c forms a ridge line together with the front section 14f and the right front section 14h.

[0107] As described above, in the configuration in which the fuel tank 14 has a stepped portion 110, functional components are provided in a space 111 formed above the stepped portion 110 within the tank chamber 20. The functional components are arranged within the tank chamber 20 such that at least a portion of them are located within the space 111 formed by the stepped portion 110. In this embodiment, as an example of a functional component, a fuel supply pump 120 for supplying fuel to the fuel tank 14 is provided within the stepped portion 110. The fuel supply pump 120 is located within the stepped portion 110 and is provided on the front side of the fuel tank 14 within the tank chamber 20.

[0108] The fuel supply pump 120 is an electric suction pump that draws fuel from a container such as a plastic tank or drum and supplies it to the fuel tank 14. The fuel supply pump 120 has a pump body 120a with a substantially cylindrical outer shape, and is installed in the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14 with the cylindrical axis of the pump body 120a oriented in the left-right direction. A suction hose 121 for drawing fuel by the fuel supply pump 120 and a supply hose 122 to the fuel tank 14 extend from the fuel supply pump 120.

[0109] The downstream base end of the suction hose 121 is connected to the suction port 120b of the fuel supply pump 120. A filter 121a is provided at the upstream end of the suction hose 121. The upstream base end of the supply hose 122 is connected to the discharge port 120c of the fuel supply pump 120. The downstream end of the supply hose 122 is connected to a supply port 123 provided on the upper surface 14d of the fuel tank 14. The supply port 123 is located on the right side of the upper surface 14d, behind the stepped portion 110.

[0110] The fuel supply pump 120 is positioned entirely within the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14. Specifically, in a front view, the fuel supply pump 120 is positioned entirely within the outer shape of the rear side portion 110a of the stepped portion 110; in a right side view, it is positioned entirely within the outer shape of the left side portion 110b of the stepped portion 110; and in a top view, it is positioned entirely within the outer shape of the bottom portion 110c of the stepped portion 110.

[0111] The fuel supply pump 120 is provided in a configuration that includes a slewing frame 7 on which the fuel tank 14 is installed, and is supported by a support bracket 130 which is attached to the slewing frame 7. The support bracket 130 is a bent plate-shaped mounting member, which is made by bending a metal plate-shaped member into a predetermined shape.

[0112] The support bracket 130 is positioned to rest against the lower right front side of the fuel tank 14, which is mounted on the base plate 40 that constitutes the slewing frame 7. The support bracket 130 is shown in Figure 1. 3 and Figure 1 4 As shown, the fuel tank 14 has a front surface 131 that is along the front surface 14f of the fuel tank 14 and covers the front surface 14f, a sloped surface 132 that is along the right front surface 14h of the fuel tank 14 and covers the right front surface 14h, and an upper surface 133 that is along the bottom surface 110c of the fuel tank 14 and covers the bottom surface 110c.

[0113] Of the support bracket 130, the front portion 131 and the inclined portion 132 are in contact with or slightly separated from (approximately in contact with) the front portion 14f and the right front portion 14h of the fuel tank 14, respectively. In addition, the upper portion 133 of the support bracket 130 is spaced apart from the bottom portion 110c of the fuel tank 14 and is located above the bottom portion 110c.

[0114] The support bracket 130 is provided fixed to the base plate 40. The support bracket 130 has a fixing surface portion 134 that is bent inward at a right angle to each of the front portion 131 and the inclined portion 132, which serve as the fixing portion to the base plate 40. The support bracket 130 is fastened and fixed to the base plate 40 at two points by bolts 136 that penetrate the base plate 40 and the fixing surface portion 134 from below, and by nuts 137 that are located on the fixing surface portion 134 and receive the screws of the bolts 136.

[0115] The fuel supply pump 120 is fixedly supported to the support bracket 130 via a mounting plate 140. The mounting plate 140 is a flat plate-shaped member that overlaps the upper surface 133 of the support bracket 130 and is fastened and fixed to the support bracket 130 at two points, front and rear, by bolts 141 or the like that pass through the mounting plate 140 and the upper surface 133.

[0116] The fuel supply pump 120 is mounted on the mounting plate 140 and fixed to the mounting plate 140. The fuel supply pump 120 has a mounting bracket portion 120d on the lower side of the pump body portion 120a, and the mounting bracket portion 120d serves as a fixed support portion to the mounting plate 140, and is fastened and fixed to the mounting plate 140 at two points, front and rear, by bolts 142 and nuts 143 (see Figures 15 and 16).

[0117] As shown in Figures 6 and 15, a hose housing section 145 for housing the suction hose 121 extending from the fuel supply pump 120 is provided in the tank chamber 20. The hose housing section 145 is provided around the fuel tank 14 as a gap between the fuel tank 14 and the outer cover forming the tank chamber 20.

[0118] In this embodiment, the hose housing section 145 is formed between the outer cover and the front lower part of the fuel tank 14. That is, the hose housing section 145 uses the space between the front part 14f of the fuel tank 14 and the front edge of the right front cover 52 and the front cover 54, which are outer covers, as its housing space. Therefore, the suction hose 121 housed in the hose housing section 145 is located in the tank chamber 20, behind the front cover 54 and in front of the front part 131 of the support bracket 130.

[0119] The hose housing section 145 is a narrow, flattened space in the front-to-back direction, and the suction hose 121 is wound or bent to form a flat shape and housed within the hose housing section 145. In the examples shown in Figures 6 and 15, the suction hose 121, with its base end connected to the suction port 120b of the fuel supply pump 120, is housed within the hose housing section 145 with most of its tip end spiral-shaped. Furthermore, with the bonnet 55 open, the spiral-shaped portion of the suction hose 121 housed within the hose housing section 145 is exposed above the upper edge of the front cover 54 (see Figure 6).

[0120] However, the storage configuration of the suction hose 121 in the hose storage section 145 is not particularly limited. When the bonnet 55 is closed with the suction hose 121 stored in the hose storage section 145, the suction hose 121 is stored inside the tank compartment 20.

[0121] In the configuration described above, in which the fuel supply pump 120 is located within the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14, an operation switch 150 for turning the fuel supply pump 120 on and off is provided in the vicinity of the fuel supply pump 120 in the fuel tank 14. The operation switch 150 is located on the rear side surface portion 110a of the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14 within the tank chamber 20, facing the space portion 111.

[0122] The operating switch 150 is installed in a switch mounting recess 112 formed on the upper right side of the rear side portion 110a that forms the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14. The switch mounting recess 112 is a relatively shallow recess formed by partially positioning the upper right portion of the rear side portion 110a towards the rear relative to the rest of the portion.

[0123] The operating switch 150 has a flat, box-shaped exterior and is installed in a switch mounting recess 112 along the rear side portion 110a. The operating switch 150 is fixed to the fuel tank 14 by fasteners 152 (see Figure 15) such as bolts that pass through a flange portion 151 formed on its periphery.

[0124] The operation switch 150 is electrically connected to the fuel supply pump 120 by connecting a signal wire 154 extending from its right side to a signal wire 124 extending from the upper side of the pump body 120a of the fuel supply pump 120. The signal wires 124 and 154 are connected to each other by connectors (not shown) provided at their respective ends. An operation button 155 is provided on the front of the operation switch 150. Pressing the operation button 155 turns the fuel supply pump 120 on or off. The fuel supply pump 120 and the operation switch 150 constitute an automatic refueling device that automatically supplies fuel oil from a poly tank or the like to the fuel tank 14.

[0125] Furthermore, in the fuel tank 14, a fuel gauge 160 is provided on the rear side surface 110a of the stepped portion 110 within the tank chamber 20, facing the space 111, to indicate the amount of fuel in the fuel tank 14. The fuel gauge 160 is located on the upper left vertical flat portion 113 of the rear side surface 110a of the fuel tank 14. In other words, the fuel gauge 160 is located on the flat portion 113 of the rear side surface 110a, which is to the left of the switch mounting recess 112. Therefore, the fuel gauge 160 is located to the left of the operation switch 150.

[0126] The fuel gauge 160 is a liquid level gauge for determining the amount of oil in the fuel tank 14. As shown in Figure 17, the fuel gauge 160 has an upper connection port 161 and a lower connection port 162 provided on the flat surface 113 of the fuel tank 14 so as to communicate with the storage space of the fuel tank 14, and a main pipe portion 163 that connects these connection ports to each other.

[0127] The upper connection port 161 is a cylindrical opening projecting forward at a first height position near the upper end of the flat portion 113 of the fuel tank 14. The lower connection port 162 is a cylindrical opening projecting forward at a second height position, which is vertically below the upper connection port 161 and lower than the first height position on the upper part of the flat portion 113.

[0128] The main pipe section 163 is a tubular member having a roughly "U"-shaped bend. An upper connection port 161 is inserted into one end, and a lower connection port 162 is inserted into the other end. The upper connection port 161 and the lower connection port 162 are connected to each other, forming a gauge passage that communicates with the inside of the tank. The main pipe section 163 is fixed to the upper connection port 161 and the lower connection port 162 by hose clamps or the like (not shown).

[0129] The main pipe section 163 has a straight section running vertically in the intermediate part between the connection points to the upper connection port 161 and the lower connection port 162, and a spherical float 164 is movably housed in the internal passage 163a. ​​The main pipe section 163 is made of a transparent material, making the position of the float 164 within the internal passage 163a visible from the outside.

[0130] According to the fuel gauge 160, the height of the liquid level in the gauge passage is the level of the fuel in the fuel tank 14. liquid fuel This becomes equal to the liquid level. Therefore, the fuel gauge 160 displays the liquid level of the liquid fuel in the fuel tank 14 as the position (height) of the float 164 in the gauge passage, which is the liquid level located between the upper connection port 161 and the lower connection port 162.

[0131] The fuel gauge 160 confirms that the specified amount of fuel is present in the fuel tank 14. The fuel gauge 160 also allows for checking the rate at which the fuel level in the fuel tank 14 decreases, and whether there are any malfunctions such as hose damage that could cause fuel leaks.

[0132] Next, the fixing structure of the fuel tank 14 on the base plate 40 will be described. The excavation work machine 1 is equipped with a fixing plate 170 and a support bracket 130 as fixing members for fixing the fuel tank 14 to the base plate 40 of the slewing frame. That is, the excavation work machine 1 has a fixing plate 170, which is a first fixing member, and a support bracket 130, which is a second fixing member that also serves as a support member, as fixing members.

[0133] The fuel tank 14 is mounted on the base plate 40. Two support brackets 165 are interposed between the fuel tank 14 and the base plate 40, positioned at the front and rear (see Figures 9 and 10). The support brackets 165 are bent plate-shaped members with their longitudinal direction in the left-right direction and a flat gate shape when viewed from the front, forming a horizontal support surface 165a at a higher position than the upper surface 40a of the base plate 40. The fuel tank 14 is mounted on the base plate 40 with its lower surface 14e supported by the support surface 165a. A cushioning material such as a rubber sheet is interposed between the support surface 165a and the lower surface 14e.

[0134] The fixing plate 170 is a strip-shaped bent member having a substantially constant width overall and a predetermined bent shape when viewed from the side. The fixing plate 170 is positioned with its width in the left-right direction and its length in the front-rear direction when viewed from above, and is fixed to the hydraulic oil tank 15 and the support bracket 130 respectively, with the fixing plate 170 positioned against the fuel tank 14 from the upper front side.

[0135] The fixed retaining plate 170 is fixed at its rear end to the hydraulic oil tank 15 fixed on the base plate 40, and at its front end to the support bracket 130 fixed on the base plate 40. In other words, the fixed retaining plate 170 is fixed at its rear end to the base plate 40 via the hydraulic oil tank 15, and at its front end to the base plate 40 via the support bracket 130. With the fixed retaining plate 170 fixed to the hydraulic oil tank 15 and the support bracket 130, it indirectly fixes the fuel tank 14 to the base plate 40 by pressing down on the fuel tank 14 from above. The fixing portion of the fixed retaining plate 170 to the hydraulic oil tank 15 is designated as the rear fixing portion 180, and the fixing portion of the fixed retaining plate 170 to the support bracket 130 is designated as the front fixing portion 190.

[0136] The fixed retaining plate 170 comprises a retaining plate body 171 formed from a metal plate-shaped member, and an elastic sheet 172 formed from an elastic material such as a rubber sheet, which serves as a cushioning member and is attached to the back (bottom) side of the retaining plate body 171. The retaining plate body 171 and the elastic sheet 172 have substantially the same shape and dimensions, forming an integrated bent shape as the fixed retaining plate 170. The elastic sheet 172 can be interposed between the fuel tank 14 and the retaining plate body 171. For this reason, the elastic sheet 172 may be attached to the fuel tank 14 side, for example. In this case, the retaining plate body 171 itself becomes the fixed retaining plate 170.

[0137] The fixed retaining plate 170 has a bent shape in side view, consisting of a horizontal surface portion 173 that follows the upper surface portion 14d of the fuel tank 14, a downward-sloping inclined surface portion 174 that follows the inclined surface portion 14g of the fuel tank 14, and a vertical surface portion 175 that follows the front surface portion 14f of the fuel tank 14. In the fixed retaining plate 170, the horizontal surface portion 173, the inclined surface portion 174, and the vertical surface portion 175 have approximately the same length. The fixed retaining plate 170 has a double structure consisting of a retaining plate body 171 and an elastic sheet 172, and the retaining plate body 171 and the elastic sheet 172 have portions corresponding to the horizontal surface portion 173, the inclined surface portion 174, and the vertical surface portion 175.

[0138] In the fuel tank 14, a concave groove 114 corresponding to the outer shape of the fixing plate 170 is formed as a part that receives the fixing plate 170 (see Figure 14). In the fuel tank 14, the groove 114 is formed in the middle part in the left-right direction. More specifically, in the fuel tank 14, the groove 114 is formed in the central part of the left side of the stepped portion 110 in the left-right direction.

[0139] The groove 114 has a width that is approximately the same as or slightly wider than the width of the fixing plate 170. The fixing plate 170 has a width dimension of, for example, about 1 / 7 to 1 / 5 of the left-right dimension of the fuel tank 14. The groove 114 also has a depth that is approximately the same as or slightly shallower than the thickness of the fixing plate 170.

[0140] The groove 114 has a horizontal first surface 114a formed on the upper surface 14d and in contact with the horizontal surface 173, an inclined second surface 114b formed on the inclined surface 14g and in contact with the inclined surface 174, and a vertical third surface 114c formed on the front surface 14f and in contact with the vertical surface 175 (see Figure 14). The fixing and holding plate 170 is attached with the elastic sheet 172 in contact with each surface of the groove 114, and by fitting into the groove 114, it mainly receives positioning in the left-right direction.

[0141] As shown in Figures 18 and 19, in the rear fixing portion 180, the fixing retaining plate 170 has its rear end fixed to a support stay 181 provided on the front portion 15a of the hydraulic oil tank 15. The support stay 181 is provided near the upper end of the left and right intermediate portion of the front portion 15a. The support stay 181 is provided by fixing an L-shaped metal fitting to the front portion 15a, and has a fixing surface portion 181a that follows the front portion 15a and a support surface portion 181b that protrudes horizontally forward from the front portion 15a, and these surfaces form an L shape in side view. In the support stay 181, the fixing surface portion 181a is fixed to the front portion 15a by welding or the like.

[0142] The rear end of the fixing plate 170 is provided with a rear fixing surface portion 177, which is formed in a stepped manner with respect to the horizontal surface portion 173 via an inclined surface portion 176. The inclined surface portion 176 is bent relative to the horizontal surface portion 173 so as to form a downward-sloping surface from the rear edge of the horizontal surface portion 173. The rear fixing surface portion 177 is bent horizontally relative to the inclined surface portion 176 from the lower edge of the inclined surface portion 176 toward the rear. The section from the horizontal surface portion 173 to the inclined surface portion 176 is a double-layered structure consisting of the fixing plate body 171 and the elastic sheet 172, while the rear fixing surface portion 177 is formed by the fixing plate body 171 alone.

[0143] The fixing plate 170 is fastened to the support stay 181 at two points on the left and right by bolts 182 and nuts 183, with the rear fixing surface portion 177 overlapping the support surface portion 181b of the support stay 181 from above. The bolts 182 pass through the rear fixing surface portion 177 and the support surface portion 181b from above and are screwed into the nuts 183 on the underside of the support surface portion 181b. Holes 177c and 181c are formed in the rear fixing surface portion 177 and the support surface portion 181b, respectively, through which the bolts 182 pass. As described above, in the rear fixing portion 180, the fixing plate 170 is fixed to the main body of the hydraulic oil tank 15 via the support stay 181.

[0144] As shown in Figure 20, at the front fixing portion 190, the fixing plate 170 is fixed at its front end (lower end) to the retaining plate support surface portion 191, which is part of the support bracket 130, via a threaded rod 192. The retaining plate support surface portion 191 is formed by bending horizontally forward from the upper edge of an extension portion 131a that extends to the left at the lower part of the front portion 131 of the support bracket 130. The retaining plate support surface portion 191 has a rectangular outer shape in plan view.

[0145] The threaded rod 192 is a straight rod-shaped member having a threaded portion on its outer circumference, and is fixed to the support bracket 130 in an axial direction of vertical. In the support bracket 130, a notched opening 193 is formed at the corner of the extension portion 131a and the retaining plate support surface portion 191, through which the threaded rod 192 passes. The threaded rod 192 is fixed to the support bracket 130 by welding or the like, in a manner that it passes through the retaining plate support surface portion 191 by fitting into the opening 193. The threaded rod 192 extends upward from the retaining plate support surface portion 191. In the threaded rod 192, at least the portion above the retaining plate support surface portion 191 is a male threaded portion with a threaded portion formed on its outer circumference.

[0146] The lower end of the fixing plate 170 is provided with a front fixing surface portion 178, which is formed perpendicular to the vertical surface portion 175. The front fixing surface portion 178 is formed by bending horizontally forward from the lower edge of the vertical surface portion 175. Up to the lower end of the vertical surface portion 175, it is a double-layered structure consisting of the fixing plate body 171 and the elastic sheet 172, while the front fixing surface portion 178 is formed by the fixing plate body 171 alone.

[0147] The fixed retaining plate 170 is fastened to the threaded rod 192 by upper nuts 194 and lower nuts 195 located above and below the front fixed retaining plate 178, with the front fixed retaining plate 178 facing the retaining plate support retaining plate 191 from above, and the threaded rod 192 passing through the front fixed retaining plate 178. The upper nuts 194 and lower nuts 195 are screwed onto the threaded rod 192, and by clamping the front fixed retaining plate 178, the fixed retaining plate 170 is fixed to the threaded rod 192. The front fixed retaining plate 178 has a hole 178a through which the threaded rod 192 passes (see Figure 14). As described above, in the front fixed retaining portion 190, the fixed retaining plate 170 is fixed to the support bracket 130 via the threaded rod 192.

[0148] At the front fixing portion 190, the fixing position of the fixing plate 170 in the axial direction of the threaded rod 192 is adjusted by the positions of the upper nut 194 and the lower nut 195 on the threaded rod 192. Therefore, by tightening the upper nut 194 against the lower nut 195 so that the front fixing surface portion 178 approaches the holding plate support surface portion 191, a clamping force can be applied between the fixing plate 170 and the base plate 40 as a downward pressing force on the fuel tank 14. As a result, the fuel tank 14 is fixed to the base plate 40. Regarding the fixing of the fuel tank 14 by the fixing plate 170, the lateral movement of the fuel tank 14 on the base plate 40 is restricted by the fitting action of the fixing plate 170 with respect to the groove portion 114 of the fuel tank 14.

[0149] Furthermore, the fuel tank 14 is restricted from moving forward and to the right on the base plate 40 by a support bracket 130 fixed to the base plate 40. The movement of the fuel tank 14 to the left and rear on the base plate 40 is restricted by a vertical plate 41 and a hydraulic oil tank 15, respectively, which are positioned close to the fuel tank 14.

[0150] With the fuel tank 14 fixed to the base plate 40 as described above, the fuel tank 14 is movably mounted on the base plate 40 of the slewing frame 7 by releasing the fixing plate 170 and the support bracket 130. In other words, the fuel tank 14 can be removed from the base plate 40 by removing the fixing plate 170 and the support bracket 130.

[0151] Specifically, the fixing plate 170 is removed from its operational state with respect to the fuel tank 14 by removing the bolt 182 and nut 183 at the rear fixing part 180 to release the fixing by the rear fixing part 180, and by removing the upper nut 194 at the front fixing part 190 to release the fixing by the front fixing part 190 (see Figure 14, arrow D1). The support bracket 130 is removed from the base plate 40 by removing the bolt 136 screwed into the nut part 137 (see Figure 14, arrow D2).

[0152] To remove the support bracket 130, the support bracket 130 can be removed together with the fuel supply pump 120 fixed on it. When removing the fuel supply pump 120 while it is fixed to the support bracket 130, the connection of the supply hose 122 to the supply port 123 of the fuel tank 14, and the electrical connection of the signal lines 124 and 154 to the operation switch 150 of the fuel supply pump 120 are disconnected.

[0153] As described above, by removing the fixed retaining plate 170 and the support bracket 130, the fuel tank 14 becomes movable on the base plate 40 in the front and right directions. In this state, for example, the fuel tank 14 can be removed from the slewing frame 7 by sliding it forward on the base plate 40 (see Figure 14, arrow D3). The fuel tank 14 can also be removed from the slewing frame 7 by lifting it upwards, for example. When removing the fuel tank 14, the fuel tank 14 is freed from the outer cover by opening or removing the outer cover that forms the tank chamber 20.

[0154] According to the configuration of the fuel tank 14 and its surroundings in the excavation work machine 1 of this embodiment described above, good maintainability can be obtained for the fuel supply pump 120.

[0155] The fuel tank 14, located within the tank chamber 20, has a stepped portion 110, and a fuel supply pump 120 is installed within the space 111 formed by the stepped portion 110. With this configuration, by opening the bonnet 55 of the tank chamber 20, the fuel supply pump 120 is exposed facing the opening 50, making it easy to see. This provides good access to the fuel supply pump 120 and facilitates maintenance of the fuel supply pump 120.

[0156] Furthermore, the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14 for arranging the fuel supply pump 120 only needs to be a portion formed to create a space with at least the upper side open. Therefore, the stepped portion 110 may be, for example, a notched portion that creates a space with the upper and front sides open, or a hole-shaped portion that creates a space with only the upper side open.

[0157] Furthermore, the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14 is formed as a notched portion that creates a space 111 by the rear side portion 110a, the left side portion 110b, and the bottom portion 110c. In other words, the stepped portion 110 is provided as a portion that forms a space 111 with the top, front, and side (right) sides being open. With this configuration, good accessibility and maintainability of the fuel tank 14 can be obtained when the bonnet 55 is open.

[0158] Furthermore, the fuel supply pump 120 is supported by a support bracket 130 attached to the base plate 40. With this configuration, there is no need to directly attach the fuel supply pump 120 to the fuel tank 14, so the fuel tank 14 can be appropriately made of a material suitable for forming stepped sections 110, such as a resin tank. In addition, by fixing and supporting the fuel supply pump 120 on the support bracket 130 fixed to the base plate 40, higher vibration damping can be obtained for the fuel supply pump 120 compared to a configuration in which the fuel supply pump 120 is directly attached to the fuel tank 14.

[0159] Furthermore, the fuel tank 14 is mounted so as to be movable relative to the base plate 40 by releasing the fixing plate 170 and the support bracket 130. With this configuration, the fuel tank 14 can be easily removed from the slewing frame 7 by the simple operation of removing the fixing plate 170 and the support bracket 130. This makes it easy to remove the fuel tank 14 from the slewing frame 7 when cleaning the fuel tank 14, for example, if improper fuel has been put in, or when performing maintenance on the fuel tank 14, thus providing good workability.

[0160] Furthermore, a fixing plate 170 and a support bracket 130 are provided as fixing members for the fuel tank 14. With this configuration, the fixing plate 170 can be supported and fixed with a simple structure using the hydraulic oil tank 15 and the support bracket 130 which are fixed on the base plate 40. In addition, the fixing plate 170 provides the main fixing function for the fuel tank 14 on the base plate 40, and the support bracket 130 can restrict the movement of the fuel tank 14 in a predetermined direction, thereby achieving a stable fixed state on the base plate 40.

[0161] Furthermore, since the fuel tank 14 has a groove 114 into which the fixing plate 170 is fitted, lateral displacement of the fuel tank 14 on the base plate 40 can be suppressed, thus providing a more stable fixed state. The fixing plate 170 has a structure in which an elastic sheet 172 is attached to the back side of the fixing plate body 171. With this configuration, scratches and other damage caused by attaching the fixing plate 170 to the fuel tank 14 can be suppressed, and the fixing plate 170 can be made in close contact with the fuel tank 14, resulting in good holding performance by the fixing plate 170.

[0162] Furthermore, an operating switch 150 for turning the fuel supply pump 120 on and off is provided on the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14. With this configuration, when the bonnet 55 of the tank compartment 20 is opened, the operating switch 150, along with the fuel supply pump 120, is exposed facing the opening 50, allowing both the fuel supply pump 120 and the operating switch 150 to be viewed simultaneously. This provides good access to the fuel supply pump 120 and the operating switch 150, making maintenance of these devices easier.

[0163] Furthermore, since good operability can be obtained for the operation switch 150, fuel can be easily supplied to the fuel tank 14 by the fuel supply pump 120. In particular, with a configuration in which the fuel supply pump 120 is placed above the bottom surface 110c of the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14, and the operation switch 150 is placed on a side surface such as the rear side surface 110a, the fuel supply pump 120 and the operation switch 150 can be placed close to each other, the operability of the operation switch 150 can be improved, and good workability can be obtained for refueling the fuel tank 14.

[0164] Furthermore, a fuel gauge 160 for the fuel tank 14 is provided on the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14. With this configuration, when the bonnet 55 of the tank compartment 20 is opened, the fuel gauge 160, along with the operation switch 150, etc., is exposed facing the opening 50, so that the fuel supply pump 120, the operation switch 150, and the fuel gauge 160 can be viewed simultaneously. This makes it easy to check the fuel gauge 160 while operating the operation switch 150, thus providing good workability for refueling the fuel tank 14.

[0165] In particular, with the configuration in which the operation switch 150 and the fuel gauge 160 are arranged adjacent to each other on the side surface, such as the rear side surface 110a of the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14, as in this embodiment, it is possible to easily check the fuel gauge 160 while operating the operation switch 150, and good workability can be obtained when refueling the fuel tank 14.

[0166] Furthermore, a hose housing section 145 for accommodating the suction hose 121 of the fuel supply pump 120 is provided on the front side of the fuel tank 14. With this configuration, the suction hose 121 can be housed inside the tank chamber 20 while still connected to the fuel supply pump 120, so the suction hose 121 can be easily used by opening the bonnet 55. This makes it possible to obtain good workability for refueling the fuel tank 14 without, for example, providing a housing section for the suction hose 121 outside the tank chamber 20.

[0167] In the embodiment described above, the fuel supply pump 120 is located within the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14. However, the functional components located within the stepped portion 110 are not limited to the fuel supply pump 120. Functional components such as auxiliary equipment for work machines, such as multi-valves, can be located within the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14.

[0168] Figures 21 to 24 show an example of the arrangement of other functional components within the stepped section 110 of the fuel tank 14, including a configuration in which a multi-valve 200, an example of a functional component of the excavation work machine 1, is placed. The multi-valve 200 is positioned within the stepped section 110, and is located on the front side of the fuel tank 14 within the tank chamber 20.

[0169] The multi-valve 200 is located in the path of pressurized oil (pilot circuit) from the left and right pilot valves (not shown) to the switching valve (directional control valve) of the control valve 60, and is a switching valve device for changing the path of pilot pressure leading to the control valve 60 (see Figure 5). The pilot valves are provided for each of the left and right operation levers 18 and 19 (see Figure 3) of the driver's seat 17, and are operated by each lever. Each pilot valve is located in an operation box from which the left and right operation levers 18 and 19 protrude.

[0170] By operating the left and right control levers 18 and 19, the control valve 60, which controls the boom cylinder 24, arm cylinder 25, bucket cylinder 26, and slewing motor (not shown), is operated by pilot pressure. This controls the operation of each part of the excavation device 3 and the slewing movement of the slewing frame 7.

[0171] Then, the operation pattern of the left and right operating levers 18 and 19 is switched by operating the multi-valve 200. The multi-valve 200 is configured to switch the operation pattern of the left and right operating levers 18 and 19 to one of several (for example, four) operation patterns. In this way, the multi-valve 200, as an operation pattern switching device, switches the operation pattern of the left and right operating levers 18 and 19 by switching the hydraulic pressure input to the control valve 60 in response to the operation of the left and right operating levers 18 and 19, which are operating parts located near the driver's seat 17.

[0172] The multi-valve 200 has a valve body 201 with a substantially cylindrical outer shape, and is installed in the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14 with the cylindrical axis of the valve body 201 oriented vertically. Around the valve body 201, there are fittings 202 that communicate with each of the multiple ports of the valve body 201, and hydraulic hoses 203 that constitute a pilot circuit extend from each fitting 202.

[0173] A handle 204 for switching the multi-valve 200 is provided on the upper surface 201a of the valve body 201. The handle 204 extends radially outward from the center of the circular shape of the upper surface 201a of the valve body 201, which is the plan view shape, and is provided so as to be rotatable with the cylindrical axis of the valve body 201 as the axis of rotation.

[0174] By rotating the handle 204, the operating patterns of the left-side operation lever 18 and the right-side operation lever 19 are switched by positioning the handle 204 to the switching position corresponding to each operating pattern. Rotating the handle 204 changes the path of pressurized oil (pilot pressure) from the left and right pilot valves to the switching valve of the control valve 60, thereby switching the operating patterns of the left and right operation levers 18 and 19.

[0175] Specifically, for example, in the first operation pattern, the left-side work operation lever 18 is used to operate the arm 22 with forward and backward movements, and to rotate the slewing frame 7 left and right with left and right movements. The right-side work operation lever 19 is used to operate the boom 21 with forward and backward movements, and to operate the bucket 23 with left and right movements. Also, for example, in the second operation pattern, the left-side work operation lever 18 is used to operate the boom 21 with forward and backward movements, and to operate the bucket left and right with left and right movements. The right-side work operation lever 19 is used to operate the arm 22 with forward and backward movements, and to rotate the slewing frame 7 left and right with left and right movements.

[0176] The handle 204 is provided with a lock knob 205 for locking the handle 204 in each switching operation position. The lock knob 205 has a knob body that serves as a gripping portion positioned on the handle 204, and a threaded portion 205a on the lower side of the knob body that penetrates the handle 204 vertically (see Figure 22). The lock knob 205 locks the handle 204 to the valve body 201 by screwing the threaded portion 205a into a threaded hole 201b formed in the upper surface 201a of the valve body 201 (see Figure 23) when the handle 204 is in each switching operation position. If there are four switchable operation patterns, four threaded holes 201b are formed in the upper surface 201a corresponding to each switching operation position of the handle 204.

[0177] The multi-valve 200 is positioned so that its entirety or substantially its entirety is located within the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14. Specifically, in a front view, the multi-valve 200 is positioned entirely within the outer shape of the rear side portion 110a of the stepped portion 110; in a right side view, it is positioned substantially entirely within the outer shape of the left side portion 110b of the stepped portion 110; and in a top view, it is positioned entirely within the outer shape of the bottom portion 110c of the stepped portion 110.

[0178] The multi-valve 200 is installed in a state supported by a support bracket 130, similar to the fuel supply pump 120. The multi-valve 200 is fixedly supported by the support bracket 130 via a mounting plate 210.

[0179] The mounting plate 210 is a bent plate-like member that is roughly L-shaped, and has a horizontal plate-like portion, which is a fixing surface portion 211, and a vertical plate-like portion, which is a support surface portion 212, and these surfaces form an L-shape when viewed from the side. The mounting plate 210 is fastened and fixed to the support bracket 130 at two points, front and back, by bolts 215 or the like that pass through the fixing surface portion 211 and the upper surface portion 133 of the support bracket 130, with the fixing surface portion 211 overlapping the upper surface portion 133 of the support bracket 130.

[0180] The mounting plate 210 has its support surface 212 positioned behind the fixed surface 211, with the support surface 212 facing the front of the rear side surface 110a of the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14. The multi-valve 200 is mounted on the front side of the support surface 212, supported by the support surface 212. The multi-valve 200 is supported by the support surface 212 with the valve body 201 fixed to the support surface 212 at three points by bolts 217. The bolts 217 pass through the support surface 212 from the rear and are screwed into threaded holes that open on the rear surface of the valve body 201. The multi-valve 200 is supported by the support surface 212 of the mounting plate 210 in a state where the valve body 201 is floating above the fixed surface 211.

[0181] As described above, the multi-valve 200 is located within the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14 and is positioned so that it can be switched while the bonnet 55 is open. By locating the multi-valve 200 within the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14, good maintainability and operability of the multi-valve 200 can be obtained. Specifically, by opening the bonnet 55 of the tank chamber 20, the multi-valve 200 is exposed facing the opening 50, so the multi-valve 200 can be easily seen, and maintenance and switching of the operating pattern of the multi-valve 200 can be easily performed.

[0182] In particular, by forming a stepped portion 110 to position the multi-valve 200 at the front of the fuel tank 14, the multi-valve 200 can be installed using the installation space and height of the fuel tank 14 within the tank chamber 20. This allows the multi-valve 200 to be placed in a relatively accessible location within the tank chamber 20, resulting in good maintainability and operability.

[0183] Furthermore, by configuring the stepped portion 110 of the fuel tank 14 as shown in this embodiment, with the top, front, and side (right) being open sides, it becomes easier to secure operating space for the handle 204 and lock knob 205, and good operability can be obtained for switching the multi-valve 200. Regarding the removal of the support bracket 130 from the fuel tank 14, the support bracket 130 can be removed together with the multi-valve 200 fixed on the support bracket 130, similar to the case of the fuel supply pump 120.

[0184] [Configuration related to the control valve] The configuration of the control valve 60 will be explained using Figures 25 to 32.

[0185] First, the hydraulic system of the excavation work machine 1 will be explained using Figure 25. The excavation work machine 1 controls the operation of multiple hydraulic actuators by electrical control. In Figure 25, the hydraulic actuator 220 is one of various hydraulic actuators such as the boom cylinder 24, arm cylinder 25, bucket cylinder 26 and swing cylinder 29, travel hydraulic motor 11 and slewing motor.

[0186] As shown in Figure 25, in addition to the hydraulic pump 58, a pilot pump 221 is connected to the engine 12. The pilot pump 221 is connected to the engine 12 in the same way as the hydraulic pump 58 and is driven in conjunction with the rotation of the drive shaft of the engine 12.

[0187] The hydraulic pump 58 supplies hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid tank 15 to the hydraulic actuator 220 via the directional control valve 222 of the control valve 60. The hydraulic pump 58 is connected to the hydraulic fluid tank 15 via predetermined piping. The hydraulic pump 58 and the directional control valve 222 are connected to each other by a supply pipe 223. The supply pipe 223 is equipped with a pressure sensor 224 for detecting the discharge pressure of the hydraulic fluid discharged from the hydraulic pump 58. The detection signal from the pressure sensor 224 is input to the controller 225 of the excavation work machine 1 via a signal line (not shown).

[0188] The pilot pump 221 is for supplying pilot pressure to the directional control valve 222 via the solenoid proportional valve 226 of the control valve 60. The pilot pump 221 is connected to the hydraulic oil tank 15 via predetermined piping. The pilot pump 221 and the solenoid proportional valve 226 are connected to each other by pilot pressure supply piping 227.

[0189] The control valve 60 controls the flow rate and direction of the hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic system and selectively supplies the hydraulic fluid discharged from the hydraulic pump 58 to a plurality of hydraulic actuators 220. The control valve 60 includes a plurality of directional control valves 222 and solenoid proportional valves 226, each corresponding to one of the plurality of hydraulic actuators 220.

[0190] The directional control valve 222 is a pilot-operated directional control valve, and is configured, for example, as a 4-port, 3-position hydraulic pilot-operated directional control valve. Each directional control valve 222 is provided with multiple connection ports to which hydraulic piping, such as tubes, is connected. Each connection port of the directional control valve 222 is connected to a supply pipe 223, which is the discharge line of the hydraulic pump 58; a return pipe 228, which is the return line to the hydraulic oil tank 15; and a supply / discharge pipe 300, which is the supply line to the hydraulic actuator 220 or the discharge line from the hydraulic actuator 220. In addition, a pilot pressure supply pipe 227, which is the discharge line of the pilot pump 221, is connected to the connection port of the solenoid proportional valve 226.

[0191] The operation of the control valve 60 is controlled by the controller 225. The controller 225, also called an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), consists of a computer device including an arithmetic unit and memory, and a communication module, etc. The controller 225 receives electrical signals corresponding to the operation of the operating device 229 provided in the operating unit 10, and outputs a command signal based on the received signal to the electromagnetic proportional valve 226. Here, the controller 225 outputs a current to the electromagnetic proportional valve 226 corresponding to the amount of operation of the operating device 229. The electromagnetic proportional valve 226 outputs a pilot pressure proportional to the input current to the input port of the directional control valve 222, causing the spool of the directional control valve 222 to slide.

[0192] In this way, the pilot pressure supplied from the electromagnetic proportional valve 226 to the directional control valve 222 is adjusted, and the flow rate and direction of the hydraulic fluid by the directional control valve 222 are controlled. The operating device 229 is an operating device corresponding to each hydraulic actuator 220, among the various operating devices such as levers and pedals provided in the operating unit 10.

[0193] With the hydraulic system having the above configuration, the supply of hydraulic fluid to the various hydraulic actuators 220 via the control valve 60 is controlled, and the operation of each part of the excavation work machine 1 is controlled.

[0194] Next, the fixing structure of the control valve 60 on the base plate 40 will be described. The control valve 60 has a block-like outer shape with a predetermined longitudinal direction, and is installed on the right side of the hydraulic oil tank 15 with its longitudinal direction oriented vertically. In other words, the control valve 60 is installed vertically on the base plate 40 at the right side of the hydraulic oil tank 15. The upper end of the control valve 60 is positioned at a height slightly lower than the upper surface 15e of the tank body of the hydraulic oil tank 15.

[0195] Around the control valve 60, there are joint members 301 and 302 that communicate with each of the multiple connection ports of the directional switching valves 222, and one end of various pipes connected to the control valve 60 is connected to each joint member 301 and 302.

[0196] Multiple joint members 301 and 302 are provided in a predetermined arrangement on the front, right, and rear sides of the control valve 60, extending substantially along its entire vertical length. Each joint member 301 and 302 constitutes a connection point for various pipes to the control valve 60. Depending on the location of the joint members 301 and 302, those provided on the right side of the control valve 60 are designated as joint members 301, and those provided on the front and rear sides of the control valve 60 are designated as joint members 302.

[0197] The control valve 60 is supported in an upright position on the base plate 40 via the valve support base 310. In other words, the control valve 60 is fixedly supported to the base plate 40 via the valve support base 310.

[0198] The valve support base 310 is a bent plate-shaped member that is roughly L-shaped, and has a fixed surface portion 311 which is a horizontal plate-shaped part and a support surface portion 312 which is a vertical plate-shaped part, and these surfaces form an L shape when viewed from the rear. The valve support base 310 is fastened and fixed to the base plate 40 at two points, front and rear, by bolts 315 or the like, which are fixing members, with the fixed surface portion 311 positioned above the base plate 40.

[0199] The bolt 315 penetrates the fixing surface portion 311 from above and is screwed into a threaded hole formed in the base plate 40. In the fixing portion by the bolt 315, a vibration-damping rubber 316 is interposed between the base plate 40 and the fixing surface portion 311.

[0200] The vibration-damping rubber 316 has a roughly cylindrical outer shape and a hole in its center through which the bolt 315 passes. The vibration-damping rubber 316 has an outer circumferential groove at its upper end, which is a reduced diameter portion. The edge of the hole formed in the fixing surface portion 311 is fitted into this outer circumferential groove, and the upper end protrudes above the fixing surface portion 311. A washer is interposed between the head of the bolt 315 and the upper end of the vibration-damping rubber 316.

[0201] Furthermore, the valve support base 310 has its support surface 312 fixedly supported to the hydraulic oil tank 15. Specifically, the upper end of the support surface 312 of the valve support base 310 is fastened and fixed to the hydraulic oil tank 15 via a support bracket 320 using bolts 319 or the like.

[0202] As shown in Figures 29 and 30, the support bracket 320 is a bent plate-shaped member that forms a roughly U-shape with the left side open in a plan view. The roughly U-shaped surface portion has a fixed surface portion 321 and support surface portions 322 formed perpendicular to both the front and rear sides of the fixed surface portion 321. The support bracket 320 is fixed to the upper surface portion 15e by welding or the like near the right rear corner of the upper surface portion 15e.

[0203] The valve support base 310 has a support surface 312 whose upper edge extends above the upper surface 15e of the hydraulic oil tank 15, and a bolt 319 is passed through the rear end of the upper edge of the support surface 312. The bolt 319 passes through the support surface 312 and the fixed surface 321 of the support bracket 320, and is screwed into a nut 324 provided on the left side of the fixed surface 321. At the fixed portion by the bolt 319, a vibration-damping rubber 326 is interposed between the support bracket 320 and the support surface 312 (see Figure 30).

[0204] The vibration-damping rubber 326 has a roughly cylindrical outer shape and a hole in its center through which the threaded portion of the bolt 319 passes. The vibration-damping rubber 326 has an outer circumferential groove, which is a reduced diameter portion, on its right side. The edge of the hole formed in the support surface 312 is fitted into this outer circumferential groove, and the right end protrudes to the right of the support surface 312. A washer is interposed between the head of the bolt 319 and the right end of the vibration-damping rubber 326.

[0205] The valve support base 310 is positioned with its support surface 312 to the right of the right side surface 15d of the hydraulic oil tank 15, separated by a predetermined gap, and covers most of the right side surface 15d from the right. The control valve 60 is mounted on the right side of the support surface 312, supported by the support surface 312. The control valve 60 is fixed to the support surface 312 at multiple points by bolts 317 (see Figure 30). The bolts 317 pass through the support surface 312 from the left side and are screwed into threaded holes opening on the left side of the control valve 60. The control valve 60 is supported on the support surface 312 with respect to the valve support base 310, slightly floating above the fixed surface 311.

[0206] As described above, the control valve 60 is supported by the valve support base 310, and the valve support base 310 is vibration-damped by three fixing points: two points on the base plate 40 and one point on the hydraulic fluid tank 15.

[0207] With the control valve 60 arranged as described above, in a configuration that includes a driver's seat 17 located to the side of the tank chamber 20, the control valve 60 is positioned on the opposite side of the hydraulic oil tank 15 from the driver's seat 17. That is, on the base plate 40, the driver's seat 17 is positioned to the left of the left-right center, the hydraulic oil tank 15 is positioned to the right of the left-right center, and the control valve 60 is positioned to the right of the hydraulic oil tank 15 (see Figure 3). Therefore, in relation to the driver's seat 17, the control valve 60 is positioned on the right side of the hydraulic oil tank 15, which is the opposite side of the driver's seat 17 (left side) in the left-right direction.

[0208] Next, the layout configuration of the piping extending from the control valve 60 will be described. As mentioned above, one end of the supply pipe 223, the pilot pressure supply pipe 227, and the supply and discharge pipe 300 are connected to the control valve 60, and these pipes are included in the piping extending from the control valve 60.

[0209] The piping extending from the control valve 60 is composed of hydraulic hoses 330, with one end connected to each connection port via joint members 301 and 302. In other words, multiple hydraulic hoses 330 extend from the control valve 60, forming one of the following pipes: supply pipe 223, pilot pressure supply pipe 227, and supply / discharge pipe 300.

[0210] Thus, the excavation work machine 1 is equipped with multiple hydraulic hoses 330, which include multiple hydraulic hoses 330A extending from the control valve 60 and connected to each hydraulic actuator 220, and multiple hydraulic hoses 330B extending from the control valve 60 and connected to the hydraulic pump 58 or pilot pump 221. These multiple hydraulic hoses 330 are arranged along the side of the hydraulic oil tank 15.

[0211] In this embodiment, multiple hydraulic hoses 330 are arranged along the rear surface portion 15b of the hydraulic oil tank 15, which is the rear side surface portion. Hereafter, the rear surface portion 15b of the hydraulic oil tank 15 will be referred to as "tank rear surface portion 15b".

[0212] Furthermore, one end of each of the multiple hydraulic hoses 330 is connected to the right side surface 60a, which is the left and right outer side surface of the control valve 60, via a connecting member, which is a joint member 301. In the control valve 60, the joint member 301 is connected in communication with the connection ports of each directional switching valve 222 facing the right side surface 60a. In other words, the joint member 301 constitutes the connection part of the hydraulic hose 330 to the control valve 60 on the right side surface 60a of the control valve 60.

[0213] The joint member 301 is configured to allow the hydraulic hose 330 to extend rearward from the right side surface 60a of the control valve 60. The joint member 301 is configured as an elbow-shaped piping member having an L-shape that protrudes to the right from the right side surface 60a of the control valve 60 and is bent rearward.

[0214] Therefore, the joint member 301 has a first pipe section 301a that protrudes to the right from the right side surface 60a of the control valve 60 with the left-right direction as the pipe axis, a second pipe section 301b that is bent backward at a right angle to the first pipe section 301a with the front-rear direction as the pipe axis, and a curved rectangular pipe section that is between these pipe sections and forms the corner of the joint member 301 (see Figures 29 and 30). The joint member 301 is attached to the control valve 60 with the second pipe section 301b facing backward, forming an L-shape in plan view. One end of the hydraulic hose 330 is connected to the rear side of the second pipe section 301b of the joint member 301.

[0215] All or almost all of the multiple joint members 301 located on the right side surface 60a of the control valve 60 have an L-shape so as to extend the hydraulic hose 330 toward the rear. The group of hydraulic hoses 330 extending toward the rear from the right side surface 60a of the control valve 60 wraps around to the rear from the right side of the hydraulic oil tank 15, and is arranged along the rear surface 15b of the tank. From near the rear left corner of the hydraulic oil tank 15, multiple hoses branch off in groups according to the connection destination of the other end of each hydraulic hose 330.

[0216] As described above, the group of hydraulic hoses 330 extending from the right side portion 60a of the control valve 60 has the following routing section as a routing section around the hydraulic oil tank 15 and the control valve 60. That is, as shown in Figure 30, the group of hydraulic hoses 330 has a right-side routing section 331 extending rearward on the right side of the control valve 60, a curved routing section 332 that curves to the left from the rear side of the right-side routing section 331, and a rear-side routing section 333 that extends to the left from the left side of the curved routing section 332 and is arranged to follow the rear surface portion 15b of the tank. The group of hydraulic hoses 330 is routed adjacent to the rear surface portion 15b of the tank in the rear-side routing section 333.

[0217] As shown in Figure 28, the hydraulic hose group 330 having such a route section branches out from the end portion (left end portion) of the rear route section 333 located near the rear left corner of the hydraulic oil tank 15, and is mainly arranged into a first hydraulic hose group 341, a second hydraulic hose group 342, and a third hydraulic hose group 343, depending on the connection destination of the other end of each hydraulic hose 330.

[0218] The first hydraulic hose group 341 is connected to each hydraulic cylinder, such as the boom cylinder 24, that constitutes the excavation device 3. Each hydraulic hose 330 of the first hydraulic hose group 341 corresponds to the supply and discharge piping 300 shown in Figure 25. The first hydraulic hose group 341 extends from near the left rear corner of the hydraulic oil tank 15, passing to the left of the vertical plate 41, toward the front where the excavation device 3 is located.

[0219] The second hydraulic hose group 342 is connected to a substantially cylindrical swivel joint 335 located in the center of the swing frame 7. Each hydraulic hose 330 of the second hydraulic hose group 342 is connected to a connection port provided at a predetermined location on the swivel joint 335 via a connecting member. The second hydraulic hose group 342 branches off to the left rear from near the left rear corner of the hydraulic oil tank 15, separate from the first hydraulic hose group 341, and extends toward the swivel joint 335 located to the left of the hydraulic oil tank 15.

[0220] The third hydraulic hose group 343 is connected to the hydraulic pump 58 or pilot pump 221 located on the left rear of the base plate 40. Each hydraulic hose 330 of the third hydraulic hose group 343 corresponds to the supply piping 223 or pilot pressure supply piping 227 shown in Figure 25. The third hydraulic hose group 343 branches off to the rear from the left rear of the hydraulic oil tank 15, separate from the first hydraulic hose group 341 and the second hydraulic hose group 342, and extends to the left, extending to the left at the rear of the base plate 40 where the hydraulic pump 58 and pilot pump 221 are located.

[0221] A hose clamp 350 is provided on the rear surface 15b of the tank along which the hydraulic hoses 330 are routed, serving as a retaining part to hold the middle portion of the hydraulic hoses 330 against the rear surface 15b of the tank. The hose clamp 350, together with the rear surface 15b of the tank, holds the hydraulic hoses 330, which are arranged in the left-right direction at the rear of the hydraulic oil tank 15, in a predetermined position, and guides the routing position of the hydraulic hoses 330 at the rear of the hydraulic oil tank 15.

[0222] The hose clamps 350 are provided at multiple locations both vertically and horizontally. Specifically, as shown in Figure 29, the hose clamps 350 are provided at three locations along the vertical direction on the rear surface 15b of the tank. That is, the hose clamps 350 consist of an upper hose clamp 350A, a middle hose clamp 350B, and a lower hose clamp 350C. These three hose clamps 350 have substantially the same configuration.

[0223] The hose clamp 350 has a configuration in which a pair of left and right retaining rods 351, which hold the hydraulic hose 330 between themselves and the rear surface 15b of the tank, are supported against the rear surface 15b of the tank. The retaining rods 351 are provided in a state where they are supported by a support plate 352 fixed to the rear surface 15b of the tank. Note that the middle hose clamp 350B and the lower hose clamp 350C share the same support plate 352.

[0224] As shown in Figures 29 and 31, the support plate 352 is a rectangular plate-shaped member with the front-to-back direction as the thickness direction, and is fixed to the mounting seat portion 353 fixed to the rear surface portion 15b of the tank by bolts 354. The mounting seat portion 353 is a portion that protrudes from the rear surface portion 15b of the tank by a predetermined thickness, and forms a mounting surface 353a which is a vertical surface. The mounting seat portion 353 has an elongated shape with the left-to-right direction as the longitudinal direction, and has screw holes on both the left and right sides into which the bolts 354 are screwed.

[0225] The support plate 352 is fastened and fixed to the mounting seat portion 353 by a bolt 354 that passes through the support plate 352 and is screwed into a screw hole in the mounting seat portion 353, while in contact with the mounting surface 353a of the mounting seat portion 353. A gap 355 is formed between the rear surface portion 15b of the tank and the support plate 352, equal to the thickness of the mounting seat portion 353 (the dimension of protrusion from the rear surface portion 15b).

[0226] Each of the left and right retaining rods 351 has a lower rod portion 351a that protrudes rearward from the support plate 352, and a vertical rod portion 351b that is bent upward at a right angle from the rear side of the lower rod portion 351a and extends in the vertical direction. These rod portions form a roughly L-shape in side view (see Figure 31). The left and right retaining rods 351 are formed by bending or curving a single rod-shaped member to form a predetermined shape. In other words, the left and right retaining rods 351 penetrate the support plate 352 from the rear side and are connected to each other via a curved portion 351c located in the gap 355 on the front side of the support plate 352. The left and right retaining rods 351 may also be provided by fixing separate rod materials to the support plate 352.

[0227] A roof plate 357 is provided at the upper ends of the left and right retaining rods 351. The roof plate 357 is a rectangular plate-shaped member with its thickness in the vertical direction, and is fixed to the retaining rods 351 by nuts 358 screwed onto the retaining rods 351 or by welding, with the upper ends of the retaining rods 351 passing through it. The roof plate 357 is provided with a small gap between it and the rear surface 15b, and has a portion located above the lower rod portion 351a of the retaining rods 351. In plan view, the roof plate 357 is provided to cover the entire area where the left and right retaining rods 351 are installed.

[0228] In the hose clamp 350 having the above configuration, the support plate 352, the left and right holding rods 351, and the roof plate 357 form a hose holding space 359, which is roughly rectangular in shape when viewed from the side, between the support plate 352, the left and right holding rods 351, and the roof plate 357, to hold the hydraulic hose 330. The hydraulic hose 330 passes through the hose holding space 359 in the left-right direction, so that the portion located on the rear side of the hydraulic oil tank 15 is held by the hose clamp 350. The hose clamp 350 is configured so that the hydraulic hose 330 does not come off the hose clamp 350 due to machine vibrations, etc., by making the hose holding space 359 a space enclosed on all four sides when viewed from the side.

[0229] The support plate 352 has an inclined surface portion 352a, which is bent forward at its upper edge. The inclined surface portion 352a is located on the front side of the lower end of the hose holding space 359, and gradually widens the front-to-back distance between it and the vertical bar portion 351b from bottom to top, functioning as a guide for the hydraulic hose 330 supported on the lower bar portion 351a. Note that for the support plate 352 shared by the middle hose clamp 350B and the lower hose clamp 350C, the inclined surface portion 352a is provided only for the middle hose clamp 350B. The roof plate 357 has an inclined surface portion 357a, which is bent upward at both the left and right edges. The inclined surface portion 357a is located on the upper edges on both the left and right sides of the hose holding space 359, and functions as a guide for the hydraulic hose 330 arranged within the hose holding space 359.

[0230] Regarding the arrangement of the three-tiered hose clamps 350 on the rear surface 15b of the tank, the upper hose clamp 350A and the middle hose clamp 350B are positioned slightly to the right of the center in the left-right direction, while the lower hose clamp 350C is positioned in the center in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the length of the vertical rod portion 351b of the retaining rod portion 351 of the lower hose clamp 350C is shorter compared to the upper hose clamp 350A and the middle hose clamp 350B. Consequently, the hose retaining space 359 in the lower hose clamp 350C is narrower in the vertical direction compared to the other two hose clamps 350.

[0231] In this embodiment, the hydraulic hoses 330 held by the upper hose clamp 350A and the middle hose clamp 350B include some of the hydraulic hoses 330 from the first hydraulic hose group 341 and the second hydraulic hose group 342, respectively. The hydraulic hoses 330 held by the lower hose clamp 350C include the hydraulic hoses 330 that constitute the supply piping 223 and the pilot pressure supply piping 227. However, the type (connection destination) of the hydraulic hoses 330 held by each hose clamp 350 is not particularly limited.

[0232] Furthermore, in a configuration in which the fuel tank 14 is positioned in front of the hydraulic oil tank 15, a hydraulic equipment support stay 370 is provided on the right side, which is the outer left and right side of the fuel tank 14, as an equipment mounting part for attaching hydraulic equipment of the excavating work machine 1. The hydraulic equipment attached to the hydraulic equipment support stay 370 is provided for the path of hydraulic oil contained in the hydraulic oil tank 15 or the path of fuel contained in the fuel tank 14.

[0233] As shown in Figures 30 and 32, the hydraulic equipment support stay 370 is a bent plate-shaped member having a lateral surface 371 which is a first support surface and a vertical surface 372 which is a second support surface, and these surfaces form a substantially L-shape when viewed from the front. The lateral surface 371 is a horizontal plate-shaped portion and is provided as a bent portion relative to the front of the vertical surface 372. The vertical surface 372 is a vertical plate-shaped portion and extends further back than the lateral surface 371 in the front-rear direction.

[0234] The hydraulic equipment support stay 370 is provided such that its vertical surface portion 372 is aligned with the right side portion 14c of the fuel tank 14, and its horizontal surface portion 371 protrudes to the right from the right side portion 14c. The hydraulic equipment support stay 370 is provided in the middle of the fuel tank 14 in the vertical direction. The hydraulic equipment support stay 370 is provided in a state where it is fixedly supported to the support surface portion 312 of the valve support base 310 that supports the control valve 60 via a mounting plate 380.

[0235] As shown in Figures 30 and 32, the mounting plate 380 is a bent plate-shaped member having a predetermined bend shape, and has a fixed surface portion 381 with the left-right direction as the thickness direction, an arm surface portion 382 that is bent to the right and forward at an obtuse angle from the front side of the fixed surface portion 381, and a support surface portion 383 that is bent forward at an obtuse angle from the right side of the arm surface portion 382 with the left-right direction as the thickness direction. The mounting plate 380 has a roughly crank shape when viewed from above due to these surfaces.

[0236] The mounting plate 380 is fixed to the valve support base 310 by welding or other means to the right side 312a of the front edge of the support surface 312 of the valve support base 310, by fixing the fixed surface portion 381 to the valve support base 310. The hydraulic equipment support stay 370 is fixed to the support surface portion 383 of the mounting plate 380.

[0237] The hydraulic equipment support stay 370 is fastened to the mounting plate 380 at two points, top and bottom, by bolts 385 and nuts 386, with the rear edge of the vertical surface portion 372 overlapping the support surface portion 383 of the mounting plate 380 from the right side. The bolt 385 passes through the vertical surface portion 372 and the support surface portion 383 from the right side and is screwed into the nut 386 on the left side of the support surface portion 383.

[0238] As described above, a hydraulic equipment support stay 370, which is supported on the valve support base 310 via a mounting plate 380, has an oil-water separator 400 and two electromagnetic proportional valves 401 and 402 attached to it as hydraulic equipment.

[0239] The oil-water separator 400 is a device for separating water from the fuel in the fuel tank 14. The oil-water separator 400 is installed in the fuel supply path from the fuel tank 14 to the engine 12. The fuel in the fuel tank 14 is supplied to the engine 12 after the water has been removed by the oil-water separator 400.

[0240] The oil-water separator 400 has a substantially cylindrical outer shape and is fixedly supported to the vertical surface portion 372 of the hydraulic equipment support stay 370 with its cylindrical axis oriented vertically. The oil-water separator 400 is positioned to the right of the vertical surface portion 372 and below the horizontal surface portion 371, and is fixed to the vertical surface portion 372 at multiple points by fasteners such as bolts. The oil-water separator 400 is provided with multiple boss portions 400a through which the fasteners pass (see Figure 27).

[0241] The electromagnetic proportional valves 401 and 402 correspond to the electromagnetic proportional valve 226 (see Figure 25) described above, and are provided in conjunction with one of the multiple hydraulic actuators 220.

[0242] The solenoid proportional valves 401 and 402 are fixedly supported to the side surface 371 of the hydraulic equipment support stay 370. The solenoid proportional valves 401 and 402 are mounted on the upper side of the side surface 371 and are fixed to the side surface 371 at multiple points by fasteners such as bolts. One solenoid proportional valve 401 is positioned on the front part of the side surface 371, and the other solenoid proportional valve 402 is positioned on the rear part of the side surface 371.

[0243] According to the piping configuration of the hydraulic hose 330 of the control valve 60 in the excavation work machine 1 of this embodiment described above, good maintainability can be obtained for the multiple hydraulic hoses 330 extending from the control valve 60.

[0244] The hydraulic hoses 330 extending from the control valve 60 are arranged along the rear surface 15b of the hydraulic oil tank 15, which is one of the side surfaces of the hydraulic oil tank 15. With this configuration, the hydraulic hoses 330 can be concentrated around the hydraulic oil tank 15, making maintenance such as replacing the hydraulic hoses 330 easier. When performing maintenance on the control valve 60 and the hydraulic hoses 330, the control valve 60 and the hydraulic hoses 330 can be opened or removed from the outer cover that forms the tank chamber 20, thereby freeing them from the outer cover.

[0245] Regarding the piping configuration of the hydraulic hose group 330, the side surface of the hydraulic oil tank 15 can be any of the vertical surfaces of the tank body of the hydraulic oil tank 15. In a configuration in which the fuel tank 14 is positioned directly in front of the hydraulic oil tank 15, as in this embodiment, at least one of the rear surface 15b, left side surface 15c, and right side surface 15d of the hydraulic oil tank 15 is used as the side surface of the hydraulic oil tank 15 along which the hydraulic hose group 330 is routed. With such a configuration, it becomes easy to secure working space around the hydraulic hoses 330, and good maintainability can be obtained.

[0246] In particular, in this embodiment, the hydraulic hoses 330 are arranged along the rear portion 15b of the side surface of the hydraulic oil tank 15. With this configuration, it is easier to secure working space around the hydraulic hoses 330 compared to the front side of the hydraulic oil tank 15 where the fuel tank 14 is located, and good maintainability can be obtained.

[0247] Furthermore, regarding the placement of the control valve 60, the control valve 60 is located on the right side, which is opposite to the driver's seat 17 side relative to the hydraulic oil tank 15. With this configuration, the control valve 60 and the hydraulic hose group 330 can be placed in a position that is easily accessible from outside the machine, thereby improving the maintainability of the control valve 60 and the hydraulic hose group 330.

[0248] Furthermore, the joint member 301 that connects the hydraulic hose 330 on the right side, which is the outer left and right side of the control valve 60, has a configuration that faces rearward so that the hydraulic hose 330 extends backward. With this configuration, the group of hydraulic hoses 330 can be routed straight from the right side of the control valve 60 toward the rear, so the group of hydraulic hoses 330 can be placed in a relatively easily accessible location, and good maintainability for the group of hydraulic hoses 330 can be obtained. Also, for example, if the group of hydraulic hoses 330 extends forward from the control valve 60, the presence of the fuel tank 14 in front of the hydraulic oil tank 15 makes it difficult to secure working space around the group of hydraulic hoses 330. However, with the configuration in which the group of hydraulic hoses 330 extends backward from the right side of the control valve 60, it becomes relatively easy to secure working space around the group of hydraulic hoses 330, and good maintainability can be obtained.

[0249] Furthermore, in a configuration where the fuel tank 14 is positioned in front of the hydraulic oil tank 15, for example, if the hydraulic hose group 330 extends forward from the control valve 60 toward the fuel tank 14, it becomes difficult to secure space for hydraulic equipment such as an oil-water separator 400 installed in relation to the fuel tank 14, and to position the hydraulic equipment in a location that is easy to maintain. However, with a configuration in which the hydraulic hose group 330 extends from the right side of the control valve 60 toward the rear, it is possible to easily secure space for equipment that requires relatively frequent maintenance, such as an oil-water separator 400, in a location that is easy to maintain, for example, around the fuel tank 14 in front of the hydraulic oil tank 15, thereby improving the maintainability of the equipment in the tank chamber 20.

[0250] Furthermore, the rear surface 15b of the hydraulic oil tank 15 is provided with hose clamps 350 for holding multiple hydraulic hoses 330. With this configuration, multiple hydraulic hoses 330 can be securely aligned with the rear surface 15b of the tank, and vibrations of the hydraulic hoses 330 caused by machine vibrations can be suppressed, thereby protecting the hydraulic hoses 330.

[0251] Furthermore, the hose clamp 350 allows the groups of hydraulic hoses 330, which are routed to various hydraulic actuators 220 located at different positions in the excavation work machine 1, to be bundled together at their base ends against the rear surface 15b of the tank. This improves the maintainability of the hydraulic hoses 330.

[0252] Furthermore, the hose clamps 350 are provided at multiple locations (3 locations) both vertically and horizontally. With this configuration, the hydraulic hoses 330 can be grouped together with respect to each hose clamp 350, for example, based on their connection destination, thus providing good maintainability for the hydraulic hoses 330. In particular, with a configuration in which multiple hose clamps 350 are arranged vertically, it becomes easier to group the hydraulic hoses 330 arranged horizontally along the rear surface 15b of the tank with respect to each hose clamp 350, thus providing good routing for the hydraulic hoses 330.

[0253] Furthermore, a hydraulic equipment support stay 370 for mounting hydraulic equipment such as an oil-water separator 400 is provided on the right outer side of the fuel tank 14. With this configuration, hydraulic equipment that requires relatively frequent maintenance can be placed in a relatively easily accessible position in front of the hydraulic oil tank 15. This allows for good maintainability of the hydraulic equipment installed on the hydraulic oil tank 15 and the fuel tank 14. In addition, since the hydraulic equipment support stay 370 is provided in an exposed position on the left and right outer sides of the fuel tank 14, good mounting is possible for the hydraulic equipment supported by the hydraulic equipment support stay 370, thereby improving productivity.

[0254] In particular, with a configuration in which the hydraulic equipment support stay 370 is supported on the support surface portion 312 of the valve support base 310 via a mounting plate 380, the hydraulic equipment support stay 370 can be supported using the valve support base 310 fixed on the base plate 40. As a result, the hydraulic equipment support stay 370 can be firmly supported with a simple configuration, and the hydraulic equipment can be installed in a stable state.

[0255] As described above using the embodiments, the construction machinery according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various forms can be adopted within the scope consistent with the spirit of the present invention.

[0256] This technology can take the following configurations. Note that the configurations described below can be selected and combined as desired.

[0257] (A1) A hydraulic fluid tank is provided inside the tank chamber and contains the hydraulic fluid used to operate the hydraulic actuator, A driver's seat is provided on the side of the aforementioned tank compartment, The tank chamber is provided on the driver's side and includes a level gauge that indicates the amount of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic fluid tank. Construction machinery. (A2) The tank compartment and the driver's seat are provided on a rotating frame, The level gauge is positioned above the front of the slewing frame. The construction machinery described in (A1) above. (A3) The level gauge is connected to the hydraulic fluid tank via a connecting hose. The construction machinery described in (A1) or (A2) above. (A4) The system includes a fuel tank located in front of the aforementioned hydraulic fluid tank, The level gauge is located on the side of the fuel tank. A construction machine as described in any one of (A1) to (A3) above. (A5) The tank chamber is covered by a cover member that is provided to be openable and closable. The tank chamber is provided with another level gauge that indicates the amount of hydraulic oil in the hydraulic oil tank, The other level gauge is positioned so that it can be seen when the cover member is open. A construction machine as described in any one of (A1) to (A4) above.

[0258] (B1) A construction machine equipped with a tank located at the front of a tank chamber covered by a cover member that is designed to be openable and closable, The tank has a stepped section at the front, Function components are provided in a space formed above the stepped portion in the tank chamber. Construction machinery. (B2) The stepped portion has a rear side surface portion, a side surface portion, and a bottom surface portion, and is a notch-shaped portion that forms the space portion by these surface portions. The construction machinery according to (B1). (B3) It includes a swing frame on which the tank is installed. The function components are provided in a state of being supported by a support member attached to the swing frame. The construction machinery according to (B1) or (B2). (B4) It includes a fixing member for fixing the tank to the swing frame. The tank is provided so as to be movable with respect to the swing frame by releasing the fixing by the fixing member. The construction machinery according to (B3). (B5) It includes another tank provided in the tank chamber and arranged behind the tank. As the fixing member, a first fixing member fixed to the other tank and the support member respectively, and a second fixing member also serving as the support member. The construction machinery according to (B4). (B6) The tank is a fuel tank that stores fuel supplied to a drive source. The function component is a fuel supply pump for supplying fuel to the fuel tank. An operation switch for turning on and off the operation of the fuel supply pump is provided on the rear side surface portion of the stepped portion. The construction machinery according to (B2). (B7) A fuel gauge for displaying the amount of fuel in the fuel tank is provided on the rear side surface portion of the stepped portion. The construction machinery according to (B6). (B8) The tank compartment is provided with a hose housing for a suction hose used to draw fuel from a fuel supply pump. The construction machinery described in (B6) or (B7) above.

[0259] (C1) A hydraulic fluid tank located inside the tank chamber, which contains hydraulic fluid to operate multiple hydraulic actuators, A control valve for controlling the flow of pressurized oil supplied from the hydraulic oil tank to each of the hydraulic actuators, The system comprises a plurality of hydraulic hoses extending from the control valve and connected to each of the hydraulic actuators, The plurality of hydraulic hoses are arranged along the side of the hydraulic fluid tank. Construction machinery. (C2) The tank compartment is equipped with a driver's seat located to the side, The control valve is located on the side opposite to the driver's seat relative to the hydraulic fluid tank. The construction machinery described in (C1) above. (C3) The side portion of the hydraulic fluid tank is the rear side portion. The construction machinery described in (C1) or (C2) above. (C4) Each of the aforementioned hydraulic hoses is connected at one end to the left and right outer side surfaces of the control valve via a connecting member. The connecting member is configured to allow the hydraulic hose to extend from the left and right outer side portions toward the rear. A construction machine as described in any one of (C1) to (C3) above. (C5) The side surface of the hydraulic fluid tank is provided with a retaining portion that holds the middle portion of the hydraulic hose against the side surface of the hydraulic fluid tank. A construction machine as described in any one of (C1) to (C4) above. (C6) The aforementioned holding part is provided in multiple locations, both vertically and horizontally. The construction machine according to (C5). (C7) It includes a fuel tank arranged in front of the hydraulic oil tank, On the left and right outer sides of the fuel tank, there are equipment mounting parts for mounting hydraulic equipment provided for the path of the hydraulic oil stored in the hydraulic oil tank or the path of the fuel stored in the fuel tank. The construction machine according to any one of (C1) to (C6). (C8) The tank chamber is covered by a cover member provided to be openable and closable, An operation pattern switching device is provided in front of the fuel tank in the tank chamber and switches the operation pattern of the operation part by switching the pattern of the hydraulic pressure input to the control valve according to the operation of the operation part provided near the driver's seat, The operation pattern switching device is arranged at a position where switching operation is possible with the cover member open. The ( C7 ) described construction machine.

Explanation of symbols

[0260] 1 Excavation working machine (construction machine) 7 Swing frame 11 Travel hydraulic motor 12 Engine (drive source) 14 Fuel tank (tank) 15 Hydraulic oil tank (other tank) 15b Rear part (side part) 16 Cab 17 Driver's seat 18 Left working operation lever (operation part) 19 Right working operation lever (operation part) 20 Tank chamber 24 Boom cylinder 25 Arm cylinder 26 Bucket cylinder 29 Swing cylinder 40 Base plate 42 Bulkhead 44 Upper front frame 47 Partition Plate 50 openings 55. Hood (cover component) 60 Control Valve 60a Right side part 70 Level Gauge 74 Upper connection hose 75 Lower connection hose 100 Other level gauges 110 Multilayered section 110a Rear side 110b Left side part (side part) 110c Bottom part 111 Space section 120 Fuel supply pump (functional component) 121 Suction Hose 130 Support bracket (support member, fixing member, second fixing member) 145 Hose housing 150 Operating switches 160 Fuel Gauge 170 Fixing and holding plate (fixing member, first fixing member) 200 Multi-valve (functional component, operation pattern switching device) 220 Hydraulic Actuator 301 Joint members (connecting members) 310 Valve support base 330 Hydraulic Hose 350 Hose clamp (holding part) 370 Hydraulic equipment support bracket (equipment mounting part) 400 Oil / water separator (hydraulic equipment) 401 Solenoid proportional valve (hydraulic equipment) 402 Solenoid proportional valve (hydraulic equipment)

Claims

1. A hydraulic fluid tank located inside the tank chamber, which contains hydraulic fluid to operate multiple hydraulic actuators, A control valve for controlling the flow of pressurized oil supplied from the hydraulic oil tank to each of the hydraulic actuators, The system comprises a plurality of hydraulic hoses extending from the control valve and connected to each of the hydraulic actuators, The plurality of hydraulic hoses are arranged along the rear side of the hydraulic fluid tank. Construction machinery.

2. A hydraulic fluid tank located inside the tank chamber, which contains hydraulic fluid to operate multiple hydraulic actuators, A control valve for controlling the flow of pressurized oil supplied from the hydraulic oil tank to each of the hydraulic actuators, The system comprises a plurality of hydraulic hoses extending from the control valve and connected to each of the hydraulic actuators, The plurality of hydraulic hoses are arranged along the side of the hydraulic fluid tank, Each of the aforementioned hydraulic hoses is connected at one end to the left and right outer side surfaces of the control valve via a connecting member. The connecting member is configured to allow the hydraulic hose to extend from the left and right outer side portions toward the rear. Construction machinery.

3. A hydraulic fluid tank located inside the tank chamber, which contains hydraulic fluid to operate multiple hydraulic actuators, A control valve for controlling the flow of pressurized oil supplied from the hydraulic oil tank to each of the hydraulic actuators, Multiple hydraulic hoses extending from the control valve and connected to each of the hydraulic actuators, The system includes a fuel tank positioned in front of the hydraulic fluid tank, The plurality of hydraulic hoses are arranged along the side of the hydraulic fluid tank, On the left and right outer sides of the fuel tank, there are mounting sections for attaching hydraulic equipment that is provided for the hydraulic fluid passage contained in the hydraulic fluid tank or the fuel passage contained in the fuel tank. Construction machinery.

4. The tank compartment is equipped with a driver's seat located to the side, The control valve is located on the side opposite to the driver's seat relative to the hydraulic fluid tank. A construction machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The side surface of the hydraulic fluid tank is provided with a retaining portion that holds the middle portion of the hydraulic hose against the side surface of the hydraulic fluid tank. A construction machine according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The aforementioned holding part is provided in multiple locations, both vertically and horizontally. The construction machine according to claim 5.

7. The tank chamber is covered by a cover member that is provided to be openable and closable. The tank chamber is provided with an operation pattern switching device that switches the operation pattern of the control valve by switching the hydraulic pressure pattern input to the control valve in response to the operation of the control unit located in front of the fuel tank and near the driver's seat, The operation pattern switching device is positioned so that it can be switched while the cover member is open. The construction machine according to claim 3.

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