Work vehicle

Abstract

To achieve improvement in maintainability of maintenance object components, in a work vehicle which includes an electric motor as a driving source of a work device.SOLUTION: A work vehicle 1 includes: an upper turning body 2; a lower travelling body 10; work devices 12, 14 actuating by a hydraulic pressure; an electric motor 20 serving as a driving source therefor; a battery pack 60 for supplying power for driving the electric motor 20; a battery pack room 30 on which the battery pack 60 is loaded; and a battery cover 32 for openably / closably covering an opening part 30a of the battery pack room 30. In the battery pack 60, at least a battery management unit substrate 91, a self management unit substrate 93, a fuse 92 for charging, and a service plug 94 are arranged as maintenance object components at a position reachable for a maintenance operator from the opening part 30a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a work vehicle equipped with a hydraulically operated working device and an electric motor that serves as a drive source for the working device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Known examples of working vehicles include hydraulic excavators and track loaders, which have a lower traveling body having crawlers or tires, and a hydraulically operated working device attached to an upper rotating body or the like.

[0003] Recently, work vehicles have been developed that are equipped with electric motors instead of conventional engines as a drive source for work implements (see Patent Literature 1: JP 2023-23324 A). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-23324 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In a work vehicle equipped with an electric motor as a drive source for a work implement, as exemplified by Patent Document 1, there are provided electrical and control system components (sometimes simply referred to as "maintenance target components" in this application) that require regular or irregular maintenance (specifically, replacement, inspection, etc.), such as a battery management unit board, a cell management unit board, a charging fuse, a main fuse, a contactor, a service plug, etc.

[0006] Here, in the work vehicle exemplified in Patent Document 1, for example, maintenance of the battery management unit board, cell management unit board, etc. was performed by opening the cover (battery cover) of the battery pack room provided at the rear of the upper rotating body. On the other hand, maintenance of the charging fuse, service plug, etc. was performed by sliding the seat of the driver's cab provided at the center of the upper rotating body forward and reclining the backrest, and opening the maintenance cover provided on the floor plate exposed in that state. In this way, there was a nuisance that the cover to be opened differed depending on the part to be maintained. In particular, when the maintenance cover at the center of the upper rotating body was opened, it was a troublesome task that took time and effort. Furthermore, there were some parts that could not be maintained (replaced) unless the large battery pack was removed from the upper rotating body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a work vehicle equipped with an electric motor as a drive source for a working device, which is capable of improving the maintainability of parts that require maintenance.

[0008] The present invention solves the above problems by the means described below.

[0009] The work vehicle of this embodiment is a work vehicle equipped with an upper rotating body, a lower running body, a hydraulically operated working device, and an electric motor that serves as the drive source for the working device, and is equipped with a battery pack having a battery and a battery management system that supplies power to drive the electric motor, a battery pack room in which the battery pack is mounted, and a battery cover that covers an opening of the battery pack room in an openable and closable manner, and the battery pack is required to have at least a battery management unit board, a cell management unit board, a charging fuse, and a service plug arranged as maintenance target parts in a position reachable by a maintenance worker from the opening.

[0010] According to the above configuration, maintenance of the above-mentioned maintenance target parts can be performed extremely easily and in a short time without having to expose the floor plate or remove the battery pack from the upper rotating body, as is the case with conventional work vehicles.

[0011] It is also preferable that the battery pack is provided, on the surface facing the opening, with an inlet to which an external power cable for charging the battery is connected, as well as a first maintenance opening for performing maintenance on a specific component among the components to be maintained and a first maintenance cover covering the first maintenance opening in an openable and closable manner, a second maintenance opening and a second maintenance cover covering the second maintenance opening in an openable and closable manner, and a third maintenance opening and a third maintenance cover covering the third maintenance opening in an openable and closable manner.

[0012] It is also preferable that the specified components for which maintenance is performed through the first maintenance opening by opening the first maintenance cover are components having a relatively high average maintenance frequency and include at least the battery management unit board, that the specified components for which maintenance is performed through the second maintenance opening by opening the second maintenance cover are components having a relatively medium average maintenance frequency and include at least the charging fuse, and that the specified components for which maintenance is performed through the third maintenance opening by opening the third maintenance cover are components having a relatively low average maintenance frequency and include at least the cell management unit board.

[0013] It is also preferable that the first maintenance opening of the battery pack is formed on a plate surface of the second maintenance cover, the first maintenance cover is removably fixed to the plate surface, and the third maintenance cover is positioned in a position that cannot be opened unless a counterweight fixed to the upper rotating body is removed.

[0014] It is also preferable that the service plug, which is one of the components subject to maintenance, is disposed adjacent to the inlet on the left or right or above or below. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the ease of maintenance of parts that are subject to maintenance in a work vehicle that is equipped with an electric motor as a drive source for a work implement. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of an upper rotating body of the work vehicle shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a battery pack room (with the battery cover open) of the work vehicle shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a battery pack of the work vehicle shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of a first maintenance opening (with the first maintenance cover open) of the battery pack shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of a second maintenance opening (with the second maintenance cover open) of the battery pack shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of the third maintenance opening (with the third maintenance cover open) of the battery pack shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram (perspective view from above the left rear) showing an example of a working vehicle 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view (perspective view from above the right front) showing an example of an upper rotating body 2 of the working vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view (perspective view from above the left rear) showing an example of a battery pack room 30 (with the battery cover 32 open) of the working vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view (perspective view from the same direction as FIG. 3) showing an example of a battery pack 60 of the working vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1. For convenience of explanation, arrows may be used in the drawings to indicate up-down, left-right, and front-rear directions. In all drawings for explaining the embodiment, members having the same functions are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations thereof may be omitted.

[0018] First, a description will be given of the overall configuration of the work vehicle 1. A hydraulic excavator will be taken as an example of the work vehicle 1. However, the work vehicle 1 is not limited to a hydraulic excavator.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 1, the work vehicle 1 is equipped with an upper rotating body 2. The work vehicle 1 also has a lower traveling body 10 that travels on the vehicle. The work vehicle 1 also has working devices 12, 14 that operate hydraulically (hydraulic oil at a predetermined pressure). The work vehicle 1 also has a driver's cab 16 that is provided with operating devices in which an operator sits and operates the vehicle for traveling and working.

[0020] An example of the lower traveling body 10 includes a pair of left and right crawlers 18. However, the lower traveling body 10 is not limited to the crawlers 18, and may include tires (not shown) instead of the crawlers 18. The crawlers 18 are driven by a traveling hydraulic motor (not shown).

[0021] An example of the working device 12 is equipped with a blade 40. The blade 40 is attached to the lower traveling body 10 so as to be swingable up and down (including front and rear components). The blade 40 is driven by a hydraulic cylinder (blade cylinder) (not shown). However, the working device 12 is not limited to the above configuration.

[0022] Examples of the working device 14 include a boom 42, an arm 44, and an attachment (a bucket in this embodiment) 46. However, the attachment 46 is not limited to the bucket. The boom 42 is attached to the upper rotating body 2 so as to be swingable up and down (including the front-rear component) (note that a boom bracket may or may not be interposed). The arm 44 is attached to the boom 42 so as to be swingable up and down (including the front-rear component). The attachment 46 is attached to the arm 44 so as to be swingable up and down (including the front-rear component). The boom 42 is driven by a hydraulic cylinder (boom cylinder) 52. The arm 44 is driven by a hydraulic cylinder (arm cylinder) 54. The attachment 46 is driven by a hydraulic cylinder (bucket cylinder) 56. However, the working device 14 is not limited to the above configuration.

[0023] 2, the work vehicle 1 is equipped with a drive source 20, a hydraulic pump 22 driven by the drive source 20, a control valve, etc., as a drive mechanism for driving the above-mentioned traveling hydraulic motor and each hydraulic cylinder. One or more hydraulic pumps 22 are provided depending on the configuration and load of the working implements 12, 14 and the undercarriage 10, etc.

[0024] In summary, the operator operates the control device to operate the control valve, thereby controlling the supply of hydraulic oil at a predetermined pressure from the hydraulic pump 22 to the traveling hydraulic motor and each hydraulic cylinder. This allows the undercarriage 10 to travel and the work devices 12, 14 to perform work.

[0025] In this embodiment, an electric motor is provided as the driving source 20. One or more electric motors constituting the driving source 20 are provided depending on the number of the hydraulic pumps 22, the rated output, etc. As another example of the driving source 20, an engine may be used in addition to the electric motor (not shown).

[0026] 3, the work vehicle 1 is provided with a battery pack room 30 at the rear of the upper rotating body 2, and a battery cover 32 that opens and closes an opening 30a of the battery pack room 30. A battery pack 60 that supplies power to drive the electric motor 20 is mounted in this battery pack room 30.

[0027] 4 to 7, the battery pack 60 includes an inlet 62 to which an external power cable is detachably connected. The battery pack 60 also includes a battery (a lithium ion battery, for example) 64 that stores power supplied from an external power source or an on-board charger (not shown). The battery pack 60 also includes a battery management system 66 that controls charging and power supply to the battery 64.

[0028] The battery pack 60 also includes electrical and control system maintenance target parts (which can also be expressed as maintenance-target parts) that require (or are expected to require) regular (specifically, after a specified time has elapsed) or irregular (specifically, when a failure occurs) maintenance (specifically, replacement, inspection, etc.), such as a battery management unit board 91, a cell management unit board 93, a charging fuse 92, a main fuse 95, a contactor 96, and a service plug 94. These maintenance target parts are parts that constitute the battery management system 66, or parts that are incorporated into the charge / discharge circuit of the battery 64. The service plug 94 is a part that turns the charge / discharge circuit of the battery 64 on and off by inserting and removing it.

[0029] Here, of the above-mentioned maintenance target components, at least the battery management unit board 91, the cell management unit board 93, the charging fuse 92, and the service plug 94 are located within reach (distance) of the maintenance worker from the opening 30a of the battery pack room 30.

[0030] According to the above configuration, it is possible to solve the problems related to the maintenance of the parts to be maintained in the conventional work vehicle. That is, all of the parts to be maintained of the battery pack 60 are arranged within the range that can be accessed by opening the battery cover 32. In particular, it is not necessary to slide the seat of the driver's cab 16 and tilt the backrest to expose the floor plate. Moreover, it is not necessary to remove the large and heavy battery pack 60 from the upper rotating body 2. Therefore, the maintenance of the parts to be maintained can be performed extremely easily and in a short time, and the maintainability can be significantly improved.

[0031] Furthermore, as a configuration characteristic of this embodiment, the battery pack 60 is provided with the following configuration on the surface 60a (surface facing the rear of the upper rotating body 2) on the opening 30a side. Specifically, the inlet 62 described above is provided on the surface 60a. Also, a first maintenance opening 71 for performing maintenance on a predetermined maintenance target part (described later) and a first maintenance cover 81 for opening and closing and covering the first maintenance opening 71 are provided on the surface 60a (see Figs. 4 and 5). Also, a second maintenance opening 72 for performing maintenance on a predetermined maintenance target part (described later) and a second maintenance cover 82 for opening and closing and covering the second maintenance opening 72 are provided on the surface 60a (see Figs. 5 and 6). Also, a third maintenance opening 73 for performing maintenance on a predetermined maintenance target part (described later) and a third maintenance cover 83 for opening and closing and covering the third maintenance opening 73 are provided on the surface 60a (see Figs. 6 and 7).

[0032] Here, the above-mentioned "predetermined maintenance target parts" are as follows. First, the maintenance target parts for which maintenance is performed through the first maintenance opening 71 by opening the first maintenance cover 81 are parts whose average maintenance frequency is relatively high. This includes at least the battery management unit board 91. Next, the maintenance target parts for which maintenance is performed through the second maintenance opening 72 by opening the second maintenance cover 82 are parts whose average maintenance frequency is relatively medium. This includes at least the charging fuse 92. Next, the maintenance target parts for which maintenance is performed through the third maintenance opening 73 by opening the third maintenance cover 83 are parts whose average maintenance frequency is relatively low. This includes at least the cell management unit board 93.

[0033] According to the above configuration, maintenance of parts having a relatively high average maintenance frequency can be performed through the first maintenance opening 71, which is relatively the easiest to access. Maintenance of parts having a relatively medium average maintenance frequency can be performed through the second maintenance opening 72, which is relatively the second easiest to access. Maintenance of parts having a relatively low average maintenance frequency can be performed through the third maintenance opening 73, which is relatively the third easiest to access. Note that ease of access here refers to the location where maintenance work is performed and the ease of attaching and detaching the maintenance cover.

[0034] Generally, a work vehicle is required to be compact, and it is important to mount various devices on the upper rotating body in a space-saving and efficient manner. Therefore, it is practically difficult to mount all of the maintenance target parts of the electrical and control systems exemplified above in one place. In addition, the maintenance occurrence frequency of the maintenance target parts is not uniform. However, according to the above configuration, it is possible to arrange multiple types of maintenance target parts in appropriate positions taking into consideration the average maintenance frequency of each part. In other words, the arrangement is realized so that the parts with higher average maintenance frequency can be more easily maintained. Therefore, the maintenance workability can be significantly improved compared to conventional work vehicles.

[0035] In particular, in this embodiment, the third maintenance cover 83 is disposed in a position that cannot be opened unless the counterweight 24 fixed to the upper rotating body 2 is removed. According to normal design concepts, it is preferable to avoid providing a maintenance opening (in this case, the third maintenance opening 73) in a position where maintenance cannot be performed without removing the counterweight 24, as this reduces workability. However, as described above, by selecting parts with a low average maintenance frequency and disposing them in that position, it is possible to effectively utilize the inner space of the counterweight 24 while avoiding frequent maintenance, and to achieve space saving in the upper rotating body 2.

[0036] In this embodiment, the first maintenance opening 71 is formed on the plate surface of the second maintenance cover 82, and the first maintenance cover 81 is detachably fixed to the plate surface. More specifically, a frame body 68 that protrudes rearward is provided on the plate surface of the second maintenance cover 82, and the first maintenance cover 81 is fixed so as to cover the tip of the frame body 68. With this configuration, insertion holes, connectors, etc. (not shown) for wiring can be provided on the circumferential surface of the frame body 68, thereby making it possible to reduce the space for wiring provided around the battery pack 60. However, a configuration in which the frame body 68 is not provided may also be used.

[0037] The service plug 94 is disposed at a position adjacent to the inlet 62 on the left side (or on the right side, upper side, or lower side). This configuration makes it possible to effectively utilize the space around the inlet 62 that protrudes from the battery pack 60. The service plug 94 is basically a part that is removed when performing maintenance on parts of the electrical and control systems that require maintenance, and a configuration can be realized in which the service plug 94 is disposed at a position that can be accessed simply by opening the battery cover 32.

[0038] Other mechanisms for travel and work in the work vehicle 1 according to this embodiment are similar to those of known work vehicles (hydraulic excavators), and therefore detailed description will be omitted.

[0039] As described above, according to the present invention, maintenance of electrical and control system components that require specific maintenance can be performed extremely easily and in a short time without having to expose the floor plate or remove the battery pack from the upper rotating body as in conventional work vehicles. Therefore, maintainability can be significantly improved compared to the conventional technology.

[0040] The present invention is not limited to the above example (hydraulic excavator), and can be similarly applied to other work vehicles (for example, track loaders, carriers, etc.). [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1. Work vehicles 2 Upper rotating body 10 Undercarriage 12, 14 Working equipment 20 Drive source (electric motor) 30 Battery pack room 32 Battery cover 60 Battery Pack 71 First maintenance opening 72 Second maintenance opening 73 Third Maintenance Opening 81 No. 1 maintenance cover 82 No. 2 maintenance cover 83 3rd maintenance cover

Claims

1. A work vehicle including an upper rotating body, a lower traveling body, a hydraulically operated working device, and an electric motor serving as a drive source for the working device, a battery pack including a battery and a battery management system for supplying power for driving the electric motor; a battery pack room in which the battery pack is mounted; a battery cover that covers an opening of the battery pack room in an openable and closable manner, The battery pack has at least a battery management unit board, a cell management unit board, a charging fuse, and a service plug disposed as maintenance target parts within reach of a maintenance worker through the opening. A work vehicle characterized by:

2. The battery pack is provided, on a surface facing the opening side, with an inlet to which an external power cable for charging the battery is connected, as well as a first maintenance opening for performing maintenance on a predetermined component among the maintenance target components and a first maintenance cover for opening and closing the first maintenance opening, a second maintenance opening and a second maintenance cover for opening and closing the second maintenance opening, and a third maintenance opening and a third maintenance cover for opening and closing the third maintenance opening.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1,

3. the predetermined component for which maintenance is performed through the first maintenance opening by opening the first maintenance cover is a component having a relatively high average maintenance frequency, and includes at least the battery management unit board; the predetermined component for which maintenance is performed through the second maintenance opening by opening the second maintenance cover is a component having a relatively medium average maintenance frequency and includes at least the charging fuse; The predetermined component for which maintenance is performed through the third maintenance opening by opening the third maintenance cover is a component having a relatively low average maintenance frequency, and includes at least the cell management unit board.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 2,

4. The battery pack includes: the first maintenance opening is formed in a plate surface of the second maintenance cover, and the first maintenance cover is detachably fixed to the plate surface, The third maintenance cover is disposed in a position that cannot be opened unless the counterweight fixed to the upper rotating body is removed.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 3,

5. The service plug among the maintenance target parts is disposed adjacent to the left and right or above and below the inlet. The work vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that

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