Construction machine
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023164046
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-09-26
- Publication Date
- 2025-04-08
AI Technical Summary
【0007】 本発明によれば、水素タンクが高温になった際に安全に車体外に水素を排出することができる。
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Figure 2025054858000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a construction machine equipped with a fuel cell that generates electricity using hydrogen. [Background technology]
[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a construction machine which includes a main body and a traveling device that travels on the main body, a first rotating section that rotates the main body, a working device connected to the main body, and a storage section that can be rotated by a second rotating section different from the first rotating section, the storage section housing a hydrogen tank for storing hydrogen and a fuel cell that generates electricity using hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen tank, and the main body has a hydraulic device disposed therein that drives the working device. Normally, when hydrogen is used for fuel cells from a hydrogen tank, the hydrogen tank is filled with high-pressure hydrogen. In such cases, in anticipation of the possibility that the temperature of the hydrogen tank may rise excessively due to fire or exposure to high temperatures, a fusible plug valve may be provided that melts at a specified temperature and opens to release the pressure inside the tank. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-180565 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] When the fusible plug valve is opened, hydrogen is generated inside the vehicle body, and the operator of the construction machine is surrounded by a large amount of hydrogen gas, which may lead to oxygen deficiency due to the low oxygen concentration in the vicinity. In addition, since hydrogen is flammable, even if it ignites and a fire breaks out, it is necessary to keep the flame as far away from the operator as possible. In Patent Document 1, such consideration is not necessarily sufficient, and hydrogen cannot be safely discharged outside the vehicle body when the hydrogen tank becomes hot.
[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has an object to provide a construction machine that can safely discharge hydrogen outside the vehicle body when the hydrogen tank becomes hot. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a construction machine having a body frame, a driver's seat arranged on one side of the body frame in a left-right direction and on one side in a front-to-rear direction, and a plurality of onboard devices mounted on the body frame, the plurality of onboard devices comprising a hydrogen tank for storing hydrogen, a fuel cell that generates electricity from the hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen tank, an electric motor driven by the electricity supplied from the fuel cell, and a hydraulic pump driven by the electric motor, the construction machine having a fusible plug valve that is provided in a hydrogen supply path from the hydrogen tank to the fuel cell and melts and opens at a predetermined temperature, a hydrogen discharge pipe connected to the fusible plug valve, and a hydrogen discharge port provided in the hydrogen discharge pipe, the hydrogen discharge port being arranged on the other side of the body frame in the left-right direction and on the other side in the front-to-rear direction. Effect of the Invention
[0007] According to the present invention, hydrogen can be safely discharged outside the vehicle body when the hydrogen tank becomes hot. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a left side view showing an external structure of a hydraulic excavator as an example of a construction machine. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the external structure of the hydraulic excavator, seen from the left rear. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a hydraulic circuit diagram showing a drive system of a hydraulic excavator. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective plan view showing an example of the layout of mounted equipment on a rotating frame. [Diagram 5]FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an outline of the external appearance of the vicinity of the right rear end of the upper rotating body where the hydrogen system is located. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a main part of a hydrogen discharge pipe in a modified example in which the hydrogen discharge pipe is collapsible. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the upright position of a tiltable portion of the hydrogen discharge pipe. [Figure 9] 13 is an enlarged view of a main part illustrating details of the switching guide mechanism when the tiltable portion is in a tilted position. FIG. [Figure 10] 13 is an enlarged view of a main part illustrating details of the switching guide mechanism when the tiltable portion is in an upright position. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the up-down direction, the front-rear direction, and the left-right direction correspond to the directions of arrows appropriately shown in each drawing such as FIG.
[0010] 1 and 2 show the overall configuration of a hydraulic excavator 50 as an example of a construction machine. In the following, the present specification will be described taking the hydraulic excavator as an example.
[0011] 1 and 2, a hydraulic excavator 50 has a self-propelled lower traveling body 1 and an upper rotating body 2 provided so as to be rotatable relative to the lower traveling body 1 via a slewing ring 3. The upper rotating body 2 has a rotating frame 2A (vehicle body frame) at its lower part.
[0012] An operator's cab 8 is disposed on the left side (one of the left / right sides) and front side (one of the front / rear sides) of the revolving frame 2A, and a counterweight CW is disposed at the rear. The operator's cab 8 is provided with a driver's seat (not shown) where an operator sits and operates each part of the hydraulic excavator 50. In addition, a plurality of on-board devices (described in detail later), such as an electric motor 13 and a hydraulic pump 10, are mounted on the revolving frame 2A, and these multiple on-board devices are covered by an exterior cover 9.
[0013] A front working machine 4 (working device) for performing work such as excavating earth and sand is provided on the upper rotating body 2 so as to be capable of being raised and lowered. The front working machine 4 includes a boom 5, an arm 6, and a bucket 7. The bucket 7 can be used as a front attachment, interchangeably with another working tool.
[0014] The hydrogen discharge pipe 111 will be described later.
[0015] <Hydraulic circuit> Next, the circuit configuration of the drive system of the hydraulic excavator is shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3, a boom cylinder 5a for driving the boom 5, an arm cylinder 6a for driving the arm 6, and a bucket cylinder 7a for driving the bucket 7 are provided as hydraulic actuators. Furthermore, traveling motors 1a, 1b for driving a pair of left and right crawlers of the lower traveling body 1, and a swing motor 3a for swinging the upper swing body 2 are provided as hydraulic actuators.
[0016] These hydraulic cylinders 5a, 6a, 7a and hydraulic motors 3a, 1a, 1b are driven by pressurized oil supplied from a hydraulic pump 10 via a control valve 11, and return oil from each hydraulic actuator is returned to a hydraulic oil tank 12. Therefore, the hydraulic oil tank 12, hydraulic pump 10, control valve 11 and each hydraulic actuator form a hydraulic circuit consisting of a closed circuit.
[0017] This hydraulic excavator 50 is configured as an electric hydraulic excavator that uses power from a fuel cell 60, and the hydraulic pump 10 is driven by an AC electric motor 13. An inverter 15 is electrically connected to the electric motor 13, and a battery 14 and a fuel cell 60 are electrically connected to the inverter 15. The inverter 15 controls the drive of the electric motor 13 using power from the fuel cell 60 and the battery 14. In addition, a hydrogen tank 70 is connected to the fuel cell 60 via hydrogen piping 112. High-pressure hydrogen is stored in the hydrogen tank 70, and the fuel cell 60 generates electricity using hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen tank 70 via the hydrogen piping 112. The electric motor 13 drives the hydraulic pump 10 using the electricity generated by the fuel cell 60.
[0018] <Layout inside the upper rotating body> FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective plan view showing an example of the layout of the above-mentioned mounted devices mounted on the revolving frame 2A while being covered with an exterior cover 9. 4, in this example, in the right region of the revolving frame 2A of the upper revolving body 2, an electric motor 13, a hydraulic pump 10, and a hydraulic oil tank 12 are arranged from front to rear, and are mechanically connected to the hydraulic pump 10 by a coupling member 16. Meanwhile, an inverter 15 is arranged behind the operator's cab 8 arranged on the left side of the revolving frame 2A, and the inverter 15 and the electric motor 13 are connected by electrical wiring 17. Also, in this example, a battery 14 is arranged at the rear of the revolving frame 2A in the center in the left-right direction, and the battery 14 and the inverter 15 are connected by electrical wiring 17.
[0019] In this example, a heat exchanger 18 that cools the battery 14 is disposed in front of the electric motor 13, and the control valve 11 is disposed approximately in the center of the revolving frame 2A, in other words, on the left side of the hydraulic oil tank 12. A hydrogen system 100 including a fuel cell 60 and a hydrogen tank 70 is provided on the right (the other side in the left-right direction) and rear (the other side in the front-rear direction) end of the revolving frame 2A. In other words, the on-board equipment includes at least the electric motor 13, hydraulic pump 10, hydraulic oil tank 12, fuel cell 60, and hydrogen tank 70.
[0020] <Hydrogen system> Figure 5 shows a schematic oblique view corresponding to the view taken along arrow A in Figure 2, illustrating the general appearance of the area near the right rear end of the upper rotating body 2 where the above-mentioned hydrogen system 100 is arranged, and Figure 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view taken along arrow BB in Figure 5.
[0021] 5 and 6, in the hydrogen system 100, the hydrogen tank 70 is arranged so that its axial direction is the left-right direction. The hydrogen tank 70 is provided with a hydrogen outlet 108 (see FIG. 3), and hydrogen piping 112 (see FIG. 3) that supplies hydrogen to the fuel cell 60 is connected to the hydrogen outlet 108. Under normal circumstances, hydrogen from the hydrogen tank 70 is supplied to the fuel cell 60 via the hydrogen piping 112.
[0022] The hydrogen outlet 108 is also provided with a fusible plug valve 109. The fusible plug valve 109 is a valve that opens when a metal shield melts at a predetermined temperature when the hydrogen tank 70 is exposed to high temperatures due to a fire or the like, thereby releasing the pressure inside the hydrogen tank 70. Note that the fusible plug valve 109 is not limited to being provided at the hydrogen outlet 108 of the hydrogen tank 70, and it is sufficient to provide the valve at an appropriate location leading to the hydrogen supply path from the hydrogen tank 70 to the fuel cell 60.
[0023] The fusible plug valve 109 is connected to a hydrogen discharge pipe 111 via a hose 110. In this example, the hydrogen discharge pipe 111 is provided on the right side and rear side of the revolving frame 2A, which is opposite the driver's cab 8 in the front-rear and left-right directions of the upper revolving body 2, and extends vertically (see also Figs. 1 and 2). When the fusible plug valve 109 melts as described above, hydrogen in the hydrogen tank 70 is guided into the hydrogen discharge pipe 111 via the hose 110. In this example, a hydrogen discharge port 114 (hydrogen discharge port) is provided at the tip of the hydrogen discharge pipe 111, which is located at the top of the exterior cover 9. In other words, the hydrogen discharge port 114 is provided on the right side (the other side in the left-right direction) and rear side (the other side in the front-rear direction) of the revolving frame 2A. The hydrogen introduced into the hydrogen discharge pipe 111 is discharged into the atmosphere from the hydrogen discharge port 114. In this example, the hydrogen discharge direction from the hydrogen discharge port 114 is approximately vertically upward.
[0024] <Effects of the embodiment> As described above, in the hydraulic excavator 50 of this embodiment, hydrogen stored in the hydrogen tank 70 is introduced to the fuel cell 60, and electricity is generated using the hydrogen in the fuel cell 60. The electric motor 13 is driven by the electricity generated by the fuel cell 60, and the electric motor 13 drives the hydraulic pump 10.
[0025] In preparation for an emergency in which the temperature of the hydrogen tank 70 rises excessively due to fire or exposure to high temperatures, in this embodiment, a fusible plug valve 109 is provided in communication with the hydrogen supply path from the hydrogen tank 70 to the fuel cell 60. The fusible plug valve 109 melts and opens at a predetermined temperature, releasing the pressure within the hydrogen tank 70, causing the hydrogen within the hydrogen tank 70 to pass through hydrogen discharge piping 111 and be discharged from hydrogen discharge port 114 to the outside of the vehicle.
[0026] At this time, in this embodiment, the operator's cab 8 is disposed on one side of the revolving frame 2A in the left-right direction (the left side in the above example; the same applies below) and on one side in the front-rear direction (the front side in the above example; the same applies below), while the hydrogen discharge port 114 is disposed on the other side of the revolving frame 2A in the left-right direction (the right side) and on the other side in the front-rear direction (the rear side). That is, in the revolving frame 2A, the hydrogen discharge port 114 is provided on the opposite side to the operator's cab 8. In this way, by positioning the hydrogen discharge port 114 as far away from the operator's cab 8 as possible, it is possible to keep it as far away from the operator as possible. As a result, when hydrogen is discharged through the fusible plug valve 109 as described above, the risk of the operator of the hydraulic excavator 50 being surrounded by hydrogen gas (including during evacuation after escaping from the operator's cab 8) and becoming oxygen-deficient or a fire breaking out near the operator is reduced, and hydrogen can be safely discharged outside the vehicle body.
[0027] Moreover, particularly in this embodiment, the hydrogen release port 114 is provided in the upper part of the exterior cover 9. This makes it possible to guide the hydrogen gas to a high position as far away from the ground as possible when hydrogen is released via the fusible plug valve 109 as described above. As a result, it is possible to reliably reduce the risk of the operator of the hydraulic excavator 50 suffering from oxygen deficiency or the outbreak of a fire in a location close to the operator, and also to reduce similar risks to workers around the hydraulic excavator 50.
[0028] In addition, because hydrogen can be released at a position higher than the area inside the exterior cover 9 where a heat source may exist, the possibility of hydrogen gas igniting can be suppressed, particularly when the vehicle body is on fire, and the risk of people being caught in an explosion can be reduced. Furthermore, hydrogen has a light specific gravity, and by releasing hydrogen gas upward, the released hydrogen moves into the sky, further reducing the risk of the hydrogen gas falling to the ground surface and igniting.
[0029] In particular, in this embodiment, the hydrogen discharge port 114 is provided so that the hydrogen discharge direction faces upward. This allows the hydrogen gas to be guided toward a high position as far away from the ground as possible when hydrogen is released through the fusible plug valve 109 as described above. As a result, the risk of the operator of the hydraulic excavator 50 suffering from oxygen deficiency or the outbreak of a fire near the operator can be reliably reduced, and similar risks to workers around the hydraulic excavator 50 can also be reduced.
[0030] In addition, because hydrogen can be released toward a position higher than an area inside the exterior cover 9 where a heat source may exist, the possibility of hydrogen gas igniting can be suppressed, particularly when the vehicle body is on fire, and the risk of people being caught in an explosion can be reduced. Furthermore, hydrogen has a light specific gravity, and by releasing hydrogen gas upward, the released hydrogen moves into the sky, further reducing the risk of the hydrogen gas falling to the ground and igniting.
[0031] In particular, in this embodiment, the hydraulic excavator 50 of this embodiment is a hydraulic excavator 50 in which an upper rotating body 2 is provided on a lower traveling body 1. A counterweight CW is provided at the rear of the upper rotating body 2 to balance the weight with a front working machine 4 provided on the front side of the upper rotating body 2 so as to be able to be raised and lowered. In this embodiment, a hydrogen discharge port 114 is provided on the right side and rear side of the upper rotating body 2 in correspondence with the fact that a cab 8 is provided on the left side and front side of the upper rotating body 2. This reliably positions the hydrogen discharge port 114 away from the cab 8, thereby reducing the risk of an operator suffering from oxygen deficiency or a fire occurring near the operator. In this case, by arranging the hydrogen release port 114 forward of the counterweight CW, it is possible to avoid interference with the counterweight CW arranged as described above in terms of layout.
[0032] <Modification> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit and technical concept of the present invention. Such modifications will be described below in order.
[0033] (1) When the hydrogen exhaust pipe is collapsible FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of a main part of the hydrogen discharge pipe 111 in this modified example, which corresponds to FIG. 2 described above.
[0034] 7, in this modification, hydrogen discharge pipe 111 has a divided structure, and a portion of hydrogen discharge pipe 111 that is exposed, for example, at the upper part of exterior cover 9, is configured as tiltable section 111A. That is, tiltable section 111A is connected to fixed section 111B (not shown) of hydrogen discharge pipe 111 other than tiltable section 111A by hose 115 made, for example, of a heat-resistant material.
[0035] As shown in FIG. 7, under normal circumstances, the hose 115 is bent into a substantially L-shape, so that the tiltable portion 111A is disposed in a substantially horizontal state in the left-right direction. This state of the tiltable portion 111A is the tilted position. When the fusible plug valve 109 is opened and high-pressure hydrogen gas is released into the fixed portion 111B of the hydrogen discharge pipe 111 as described above, the hose 115, which was substantially L-shaped, stretches substantially vertically as shown in FIG. 8 due to the flow of the released high-pressure hydrogen gas. As a result, the tiltable portion 111A stands upright (standing position). That is, the tiltable portion 111A is selectively switched between the standing position and the lying position depending on whether high-pressure hydrogen gas is guided to the hose 115 or not.
[0036] 9 and 10 show the switching guide mechanism 200 that functions when the tiltable portion 111A is switched between the tilted position and the upright position. In these FIGS. 9 and 10, the switching guide mechanism 200 has a connecting rod 117 whose one end 117A is rotatably connected to the tiltable portion 111A, and a guide rail member 118 (guide rail). The guide rail member 118 has a horizontal groove portion 118a and a lock groove portion 118b (lock groove), and the other end 117B of the connecting rod 117 is configured to be movable while sliding within the horizontal groove portion 118a and the lock groove portion 118b. In this example, the lock groove portion 118b is a substantially L-shaped groove having a base end portion 118b1 and a tip end portion 118b2, and the base end portion 118b1 is connected to the end portion 118a1 of the horizontal groove portion 118a on the lock groove portion 118b side.
[0037] When the tiltable part 111A moves from the tilted position shown in FIG. 9 to the upright position shown in FIG. 10, the other end 117B of the connecting rod 117 moves along the horizontal groove 118a toward the lock groove 118b (see the dashed arrow in FIG. 9). That is, when the other end 117B of the connecting rod 117 slides and moves to the end 118a1 of the horizontal groove 118a, the other end 117B enters the lock groove 118b from the base end 118b1 and moves toward the inner side of the approximately L-shaped shape, and stops when it hits the tip end 118b2 (see FIG. 10). As a result, the other end 117B of the connecting rod 117 is locked in the lock groove 118b. As a result, when the fusible plug valve 109 is opened and the tiltable portion 111A stands upright as described above, it is possible to impose a restriction so that the tiltable portion 111A does not face in an unexpected direction.
[0038] 10, when the tiltable part 111A is in the upright position, the other end 117B of the connecting rod 117 moves to the sliding limit of the horizontal groove 118a and then fits into the lock groove 118b. This allows the tiltable part 111A to maintain the upright position, and makes it possible to continue stably releasing hydrogen gas into the atmosphere.
[0039] <Effects of modified versions> As described above, in this modified example, by keeping the tiltable part 111A in the tilted position shown in Fig. 7 under normal circumstances, it is possible to prevent the rear visibility from being obstructed during normal work. Also, by connecting the tiltable part 111A and the fixed part 111B with the hose 115, the high pressure of the released hydrogen gas automatically stretches the hose 115, automatically switching the tiltable part 111A from the tilted position to the upright position and raising it up, so that the discharge direction of hydrogen from the hydrogen release port 114 can be directed approximately vertically upward.
[0040] In particular, in this modified example, by providing the guide rail member 118, the tiltable part 111A can be smoothly raised from the tilted position to the upright position as shown in Figures 9 and 10. Furthermore, by providing the lock groove part 118b, the raised tiltable part 111A can be stably held in the upright position.
[0041] (2)Other In the above, a so-called cab-type configuration in which the driver's seat is located inside the driver's cab 8 has been used as an example, but this is not limited to this, and the present invention can also be applied to a configuration in which the driver's seat is exposed to the outside, and similar effects can be obtained in this case as well. In the above description, the hydrogen discharge pipe 111 connected to the fusible plug valve 109 is extended in the vertical direction on the right side and rear side of the revolving frame 2A, so that the hydrogen discharge port 114 is provided on the right side and rear side of the revolving frame 2A, but this is not limited to the above. In other words, as long as the hydrogen discharge port 114 is provided on the right side and rear side of the revolving frame 2A, the hydrogen discharge pipe 111 may be extended from another part of the revolving frame 2A, for example, from the front or left side of the revolving frame 2A to the right side and rear side of the revolving frame 2A. In this case, the extension direction of the hydrogen discharge pipe 111 is not limited to the vertical direction, but may be provided approximately horizontally or obliquely, or may be bent midway. In addition, in the above, an example has been described in which the hydrogen discharge port 114 is provided at the tip of the hydrogen discharge pipe 111, but this is not limited to this, and the hydrogen discharge port 114 may be provided in the middle of the hydrogen discharge pipe 111 as long as the hydrogen discharge port 114 is positioned to the right and rear of the rotating frame 2A. Furthermore, although the above description has been given with reference to an example in which the driver's seat is provided on the left and front side of the revolving frame 2A, the present invention can also be applied to a case in which the driver's seat is provided on the right and front side of the revolving frame 2A. In this case, the hydrogen release port 114 is provided on the left and rear side of the revolving frame 2A, far from the driver's seat.
[0042] The above has been described using the hydraulic excavator 50 as an example of a construction machine, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be applied to other construction machines such as wheel loaders, dump trucks, and crawler cranes, with the same effects being obtained in these cases. [Explanation of symbols]
[0043] 1 Undercarriage 2 Upper rotating body 2A Swing frame (body frame) 8. Cab 9 Exterior cover 10 Hydraulic pump (onboard equipment) 12 Hydraulic oil tank (onboard equipment) 13 Electric motor (onboard equipment) 50 Hydraulic excavator (construction machinery) 60 Fuel cell (installed equipment) 70 Hydrogen tank (onboard equipment) 100 Hydrogen System 108 Hydrogen outlet 109 Fusible plug valve 111 Hydrogen exhaust piping 111A Folding part 114 Hydrogen outlet (hydrogen exhaust outlet) 117 Connecting rod 118 Guide rail components (guide rails) 118a Horizontal groove 118b Lock groove 200 Switching guide mechanism
Claims
1. The vehicle frame, a driver's seat disposed on one of the left and right sides of the vehicle body frame and on one of the front and rear sides; A plurality of mounted devices mounted on the vehicle body frame; having The plurality of on-board devices include: A hydrogen tank for storing hydrogen; a fuel cell that generates electricity using the hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen tank; an electric motor driven by power supplied from the fuel cell; a hydraulic pump driven by the electric motor; In a construction machine equipped with a fusible plug valve that is provided in a hydrogen supply path from the hydrogen tank to the fuel cell and that melts and opens at a predetermined temperature; A hydrogen discharge pipe connected to the fusible plug valve; a hydrogen discharge port provided in the hydrogen discharge pipe; having The hydrogen outlet is The other side of the vehicle body frame in the left / right direction and in the front / rear direction is disposed on the other side. A construction machine characterized by:
2. an exterior cover for covering the plurality of mounted devices on the vehicle body frame; The hydrogen outlet is Provided on the upper part of the exterior cover 2. The construction machine according to claim 1.
3. The hydrogen outlet is The hydrogen discharge direction is approximately vertically upward.
2. The construction machine according to claim 1.
4. The hydrogen discharge pipe is Including a reclining portion that can be selectively switched between an upright position and a reclined position 2. The construction machine according to claim 1.
5. a guide rail that guides the tiltable portion of the hydrogen discharge pipe in switching between the upright position and the tilted position; a lock groove for maintaining the upright position of the tiltable portion; 5. The construction machine according to claim 4, further comprising:
6. A self-propelled lower traveling body; An upper rotating body that is rotatably provided with respect to the lower traveling body and has a rotating frame as the vehicle body frame at a lower portion thereof; A counterweight provided at the rear of the upper rotating body; having The driver's seat is The upper rotating body is disposed on the left side and the front side of the upper rotating body, The hydrogen outlet is The counterweight is disposed on the right side and rear side of the upper rotating body and forward of the counterweight.
2. The construction machine according to claim 1.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Construction machinery
JP2022180565A