Work vehicle

Abstract

To provide a work vehicle which enables hydrogen gas filling work to be easily performed.SOLUTION: A work vehicle comprises: a vehicle body; a fuel battery mounted on the vehicle body; a tank that accommodates a fuel to be supplied to the fuel battery; and a first filling port 26 and a second filling port 26 for filling the tank with the fuel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a work vehicle driven by a fuel cell.

Background Art

[0002] In work vehicles such as tractors, from the perspective of global environmental protection, instead of using an internal combustion engine powered by fossil fuel, a fuel cell that generates electricity using hydrogen gas is used, and a traveling device and a working device are operated by an electric motor driven by the generated electricity (see Patent Document 1). This work vehicle is equipped with a tank for storing hydrogen gas. In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses a gas filling system including a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell and a tank, and a gas station. The gas station is equipped with a filling nozzle connected to a hydrogen gas supply source, the vehicle is equipped with a filling port (receptacle) to which the filling nozzle is connected, and the filling port is connected to the tank via a pipe. The tank of the vehicle is filled with hydrogen gas from the hydrogen gas supply source through the filling nozzle, the filling port, and the pipe.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Among work vehicles such as tractors, there are very large ones with a total height of, for example, up to 3 m. Therefore, when filling hydrogen gas from the filling port into the tank, it may be difficult to maneuver the work vehicle to bring the filling port of the work vehicle close to the filling nozzle of the gas station, or the hydrogen gas filling operation may become complicated.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a work vehicle that can easily perform a fuel filling operation.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] The work vehicle of the present disclosure includes a vehicle body, a fuel cell mounted on the vehicle body, a tank that stores fuel supplied to the fuel cell, and a first filling port and a second filling port for filling fuel into the tank.

Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a work vehicle that can easily perform a fuel filling operation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11A

Figure 11B

Figure 11C

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] <Summary of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> Hereinafter, the summary of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described. (1) The work vehicle according to the present embodiment includes a vehicle body, a fuel cell mounted on the vehicle body, a tank for storing fuel supplied to the fuel cell, and a first filling port and a second filling port for filling the tank with fuel.

[0010] According to the above configuration, since the work vehicle is provided with the first and second filling ports, depending on the installation status of the fuel supply machine such as a gas station and the structure of the work vehicle, etc., either filling port can be selectively brought close to the filling nozzle of the fuel supply machine for use, or both filling ports can be used, and it is possible to perform a fuel filling operation according to the situation. Therefore, the convenience of the fuel filling operation is improved, and the filling operation can be easily performed. Note that the present disclosure does not prevent the work vehicle from having other filling ports other than the first filling port and the second filling port. Therefore, the work vehicle may be provided with three or more filling ports.

[0011] (2) In the work vehicle described in (1) above, the first filling port is disposed on one side surface of the vehicle body in the left - right direction, and the second filling port is disposed on the other side surface of the vehicle body in the left - right direction. According to this configuration, when bringing the filling port close to the filling nozzle of the fuel supply machine, it is possible to reduce the movement of the work vehicle such as turning.

[0012] (3) In the work vehicle described in (1) above, the first filling port is disposed on one side surface of the vehicle body in the front - rear direction, The second filling port is arranged on the other side surface of the vehicle body in the front-rear direction. According to this configuration, when bringing the filling port closer to the filling nozzle of the fuel dispenser, the movement of the work vehicle such as turning can be reduced.

[0013] (4) In the work vehicle according to (1) above, the first filling port is arranged on one side surface of the vehicle body in the left-right direction, and the second filling port is arranged on one side surface of the vehicle body in the front-rear direction. According to this configuration, when bringing the filling port closer to the filling nozzle of the fuel dispenser, the movement of the work vehicle such as turning can be reduced.

[0014] (5) In the work vehicle according to (1) above, the first filling port and the second filling port are arranged on a common surface of the vehicle body.

[0015] According to this configuration, when bringing the filling port closer to the filling nozzle of the fuel dispenser, the movement of the work vehicle such as forward and backward movement can be reduced. Also, the operation of filling fuel into both filling ports simultaneously can be easily performed.

[0016] (6) In the work vehicle according to any one of (1) to (5) above, the vehicle body includes a cover that covers the mounted equipment, and at least one of the first filling port and the second filling port is arranged inside or outside the cover.

[0017] (7) In the work vehicle according to any one of (1) to (7) above, the tank includes a first tank and a second tank, and pipes connecting both the first filling port and the second filling port to the first tank and the second tank are provided.

[0018] According to this configuration, fuel can be filled into the first and second tanks from either the first or second filling port. Note that the present disclosure does not prevent the work vehicle from including tanks other than the first and second tanks. Therefore, the work vehicle may include three or more tanks.

[0019] (8) In the work vehicle according to (7) above, the pipe includes a first branch portion having one end connected to the first filling port, a second branch portion having one end connected to the second filling port, and a confluence portion that joins the other ends of the first branch portion and the second branch portion. The first branch portion and the second branch portion are provided with check valves that allow the flow of fuel in the direction toward the confluence portion and block the reverse flow of fuel.

[0020] According to this configuration, it is possible to suppress the fuel supplied from one filling port from flowing to the other filling port.

[0021] (9) In the work vehicle according to any one of (1) to (6) above, the tank includes a first tank and a second tank, and includes a first pipe connecting the first filling port to the first tank and a second pipe connecting the second filling port to the second tank.

[0022] According to this configuration, fuel can be individually filled into the first and second tanks from the first and second filling ports, respectively. Also, by filling fuel from both filling ports simultaneously, the fuel can be filled in a short time.

[0023] <Details of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, the details of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described. [Overall Structure of Work Vehicle] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a work vehicle. FIG. 2 is a front view of the work vehicle. FIG. 3 is a rear view of the work vehicle. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the work vehicle. FIG. 5 is a left side view of the work vehicle. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the work vehicle. In this specification, the direction in which the work vehicle 1 moves forward is defined as the front, the direction in which the work vehicle 1 moves backward is defined as the rear, the left side when the work vehicle 1 faces forward is defined as the left, and the right side when the work vehicle 1 faces forward is defined as the right. In FIGS. 2 to 7, the directions of front, rear, left, right, up, and down are indicated by arrows X1, X2, Y1, Y2, Z1, and Z2, respectively.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the work vehicle 1 is a vehicle used for agricultural work, specifically a tractor. However, the work vehicle 1 is not limited to a tractor and may be a moving body such as an agricultural machine, a construction machine, and a utility vehicle.

[0025] The work vehicle 1 includes a vehicle body 11, a traveling device 12 that supports the vehicle body 11, a driver's seat 15, a cabin 16, and the like. The vehicle body 11 includes a chassis 41, a bonnet 34, a cover 111, a cabin 16, a fender 47 for the rear wheel 12B, and the like. On the chassis 41 of the vehicle body 11, a bonnet 34 and a cover 111 are mounted in order from the front to the rear, and a cabin 16 is disposed behind the cover 111. The bonnet 34, the cover 111, and the cabin 16 all function as covers for covering the devices (such as a fuel cell 24, radiators 48, 49, a seat 15A, etc., described later) mounted on the vehicle body 11.

[0026] The work vehicle 1 further includes a tank unit 21 having a plurality of tanks 13 (see FIG. 4) for storing fuel, and a drive device 14 driven by the stored fuel. The tank unit 21 includes a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped case 21A whose vertical length (height) is smaller than the lengths in the front-rear, left-right directions, and the plurality of tanks 13 are arranged and housed in the case 21A. The tank unit 21 includes various valves 74 to 78 (see FIG. 9). The tank unit 21 is disposed above the driver's seat 15 and the cabin 16 by a mounting frame 17.

[0027] The fuel is in a liquid or gaseous state, such as hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide (CO), etc. In this embodiment, the tank 13 stores hydrogen gas. Therefore, the work vehicle 1 is a fuel cell vehicle (FCV: Fuel Cell Vehicle), and it runs using the electric power generated by the chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen in the fuel cell 24 as an energy source. The fuel cell 24 generates electric power using hydrogen. The fuel cell 24 may generate electric power using methane or carbon monoxide (CO).

[0028] The drive device 14 includes a fuel cell 24, a battery unit 30, and an electric motor 31 (see Figure 3; hereinafter also referred to as "motor 31"). The battery unit 30 incorporates at least one battery pack 30A (see Figure 9) that stores the output power of the fuel cell 24.

[0029] As shown in Figure 3, the work vehicle 1 has a pipe 22 and a filling section 25. In this embodiment, the pipe 22 allows hydrogen gas to pass through. Note that the pipe 22 may be a pipe that allows methane or carbon monoxide (CO) to pass through. The filling section 25 has a filling port (receptacle; hereinafter simply referred to as "filling port") 26 to which a filling nozzle 401 is connected. Hydrogen gas is filled into the filling port 26 from the filling nozzle 401. Note that methane or carbon monoxide (CO) may be filled into the filling port 26 from the filling nozzle 401. In this embodiment, the filling section 25 is filled with hydrogen gas from a hydrogen gas supply machine (fuel supply machine) 400 (see Figure 9), such as a gas station, which is separate from the work vehicle 1, into the filling port (gas filling port) 26. The hydrogen gas is supplied to the tank 13 through the pipe 22 (22A). The hydrogen gas in the tank 13 is supplied to the fuel cell 24 through the pipe 22 (22B). The specific configurations of the filling section 25 and the pipe 22 will be described later.

[0030] The cab 16 is a compartmentalized driver's cab having front pillars, rear pillars, and a roof, and surrounds the driver's seat 15. The driver's seat 15 includes a seat 15A and a control device 15B. The control device 15B includes a steering wheel, levers, instruments, etc. The front pillars of the cab 16 are arranged on the left and right sides in front of the driver's seat 15, and the rear pillars are arranged on the left and right sides behind the driver's seat 15. The cab 16 is provided with a front panel 165 (see FIG. 2) between the left and right front pillars, a rear panel 161 (see FIG. 3) between the left and right rear pillars, and side panels 166 between the front pillars and the rear pillars. The side panel 166 includes an openable door. The front panel 165, the rear panel 161, and the side panel 166 are formed of a transparent material such as glass or a synthetic resin material, and it is possible to visually recognize from the inside to the outside and from the outside to the inside of the cab 16. The work vehicle 1 may have a canopy or a rollover protective structure (ROPS) instead of the cab 16.

[0031] The traveling device 12 is composed of front wheels 12A and rear wheels 12B. Both of these are arranged symmetrically with respect to the vehicle body 11. One or both of the front wheels 12A and the rear wheels 12B rotate by the power of the motor 31. One or both of the wheels 12A, 12B (drive wheels) that rotate by the power of the motor 31 may be crawlers (endless tracks). The upper and front sides of the rear wheels 12B are covered by a fender 47.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, on the portion of the chassis 41 corresponding to the front wheels 12A, a first radiator 48, a fuel cell 24, and a second radiator 49 are mounted in order from the front side to the rear side. The first radiator 48 and the fuel cell 24 are covered by a bonnet (cover) 34, and the second radiator 49 is covered by a cover 111.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4, the upper surface 111a of the cover 111 is higher than the uppermost end of the bonnet 34, but lower than the uppermost end of the steering wheel 15B of the driver's seat 15. Also, the rear end portion of the bonnet 34 is at a position lower than the cover 111, and the upper surface 34a of the bonnet 34 is formed in a tapered shape that gradually becomes lower from the rear end portion toward the front end portion. For this reason, the structure is such that it is difficult to obstruct the forward visibility from the operator sitting in the driver's seat 15.

[0034] [Internal Structure of the Work Vehicle] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of the internal structure of the work vehicle. As shown in FIG. 7, the chassis 41 that constitutes the vehicle body 11 is made of a steel frame that is long in the front-rear direction and has a front frame 32 and a transmission case 33. The transmission case 33 is connected to the rear portion of the front frame 32, and the skeleton of the vehicle body 11 is formed from the transmission case 33 and the front frame 32.

[0035] A mounting frame 17 for arranging the tank unit 21 above the cabin 16 is connected to the chassis 41. The mounting frame 17 includes a substantially rectangular ceiling frame 17A whose front-rear direction is longer than the left-right direction, a plurality of pillars 17B that support the ceiling frame 17A from below, and a pair of left and right reinforcing frames 17C that are connected to the front end portion of the ceiling frame 17A. Also, the mounting frame 17 includes a base frame 17D to which the lower ends of the left and right pillars 17B on the rear side are connected, and a pair of left and right lower frames 17E that extend downward from the base frame. The base frame 17D is arranged substantially horizontally and extends in the left-right direction.

[0036] The tank unit 21 is placed and connected to the ceiling frame 17A. As shown in FIG. 2, the ceiling frame 17A is at a position higher than the roof of the cabin 16. Therefore, the tank unit 21 is arranged above the roof of the cabin 16.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 7, the reinforcing frame 17C is a reinforcing diagonal member that slopes downward from the front end of the ceiling frame 17A to the front frame 32. Therefore, the rigidity of the mounting frame 17 in the front-rear direction is enhanced compared to the case where the ceiling frame 17A and the tank unit 21 are supported only by the pillar 17B.

[0038] A support frame 37 for supporting the battery unit 30 on the vehicle body 11 is connected to the chassis 41 of the work vehicle 1. Specifically, a motor 31 is mounted on the front frame 32 of the chassis 41, and the support frame 37 is attached to the portion of the front frame 32 corresponding to the motor 31. The support frame 37 is composed of, for example, a metal frame member and is attached in a cantilever state so as to protrude to the right from the front frame 32.

[0039] The transmission case 33 located behind the motor 31 has a power transmission mechanism inside. The power transmission mechanism includes a transmission, a clutch, and a differential gear, and decelerates or accelerates the rotation of the output shaft of the motor 31 and transmits it to the traveling device 12. The power transmission mechanism inside the transmission case 33 includes a branching mechanism that outputs a part of the power of the motor 31 to the PTO shaft 334 (see FIG. 9). The PTO shaft 334 is an output shaft that protrudes rearward from the transmission case 33.

[0040] A connecting device 44 (see FIG. 6), which is composed of, for example, a three-point link mechanism, for connecting a work device 335 (see FIG. 9; also referred to as an "implement") for performing a desired agricultural work to the rear of the vehicle body 11 is attached to the transmission case 33. The work device 335 is, for example, a tiller and a baler.

[0041] The rotational movement of the PTO shaft 334 is transmitted to the input shaft of the work device 335 connected to the connecting device 44, for example, while the traveling device 12 is being driven. Therefore, the work vehicle 1 can drive the work device 335 by the power of the motor 31 while traveling on a farm field or the like.

[0042] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the periphery of the filling port of the work vehicle. The work vehicle 1 of this embodiment includes two filling parts 25. The two filling parts 25 are arranged at the rear of the work vehicle 1 (the vehicle body 11). Each filling part 25 has a filling port 26 and a housing 28 that houses the filling port 26. The filling port 26 faces rearward, and the filling nozzle 401 of the hydrogen gas supply machine 400 is inserted from the rear. The housing 28 has a case 28a and a lid 28b. The case 28a has walls on the top, bottom, left, right, and front, and is open at the rear. The lid 28b is an opening / closing type and can close the opening of the case 28a. The pipe 22A is connected to the filling part 25 (the filling port 26) from the front of the housing 28.

[0043] With this configuration, the filling port 26 is protected by the housing 28. The pipe 22A is connected to the filling part 25 from the space formed between the housing 28 and the rear part of the vehicle body 11. The connection part 29 between the pipe 22A and the housing 28 is not exposed to the wide space at the rear of the vehicle, and the connection part 29 is protected.

[0044] The two filling parts 25 are located behind the cabin 16 and between the rear wheels 12B on both sides in the left-right direction. The two filling parts 25 are protected from the left and right by the rear wheels 12B and from the front by the cabin 16.

[0045] The two filling parts 25 are arranged under the base frame 17D of the mounting frame 17. The two filling parts 25 are both supported by the base frame 17D via brackets 27. The filling part 25 is protected from above by the base frame 17D. The two filling parts 25 are arranged between the left and right lower frames 17E.

[0046] One filling part 25 and the other filling part 25 are arranged side by side left and right. One filling part 25 is arranged on the left side of the center of the work vehicle in the left-right direction, and the other filling part 25 is arranged on the right side of the center of the work vehicle in the left-right direction. Therefore, when the filling nozzle 401 of the hydrogen gas supply machine 400 is on the left side of the work vehicle 1, it is easier to fill hydrogen gas using the left filling part 25, and when the filling nozzle 401 of the hydrogen gas supply machine 400 is on the right side of the work vehicle 1, it is easier to fill hydrogen gas using the right filling part 25.

[0047] The two filling parts 25 are arranged at the same height. However, the two filling parts 25 may be arranged at different heights. The two filling parts 25 may be arranged side by side in the vertical direction. Due to the different heights of the two filling parts 25, it is possible to select a filling part 25 that is easy to work according to the height, posture, etc. of the operator and fill hydrogen gas.

[0048] [Functional Configuration of Work Vehicle] FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the work vehicle. As shown in FIG. 9, the functional system of the work vehicle 1 includes a fuel system FS, a power system PS, and a temperature control system TS.

[0049] The components of the fuel system FS include at least one tank (hydrogen tank) 13, valves 74 to 78, and sensors 81, 82, etc. The components of the temperature control system TS include a plurality of radiators 48, 49, and an air conditioner 50, etc. The components of the power system PS include a fuel cell 24, a boost circuit 61, an inverter 62, a motor 31, a transmission case 33, DC / DC converters 64, 65, and a battery unit 30, etc.

[0050] The work vehicle 1 of this embodiment includes a plurality of tanks 13, for example, three tanks 13. Each tank 13 is connected to pipes 22A and 22B. Pipe 22A is a gas pipe that connects the filling port 26 and each tank 13. Hydrogen gas is introduced into the filling port 26 from a hydrogen gas supply device 400 such as a gas station. Pipe 22A guides the hydrogen gas introduced into the filling port 26 to each tank 13.

[0051] Pipe 22A has a plurality of downstream branch portions 22A1, a confluence portion 22A2, and a plurality of upstream branch portions 22A3. The number of upstream branch portions 22A3 is the same as the number of filling ports 26 (two in the illustrated example). Each filling port 26 is connected to one end (upstream end) of each upstream branch portion 22A3. One end (downstream end) of the two upstream branch portions 22A3 is connected to one end (upstream end) of the confluence portion 22A2.

[0052] The other end (downstream end) of the confluence portion 22A2 is connected to one end (upstream end) of a plurality of downstream branch portions 22A1. The number of downstream branch portions 22A1 is the same as the number of tanks 13 (three in the illustrated example). The other end (downstream end) of each downstream branch portion 22A1 is connected to each tank 13. Therefore, the hydrogen gas introduced from the filling port 26 flows through each upstream branch portion 22A3, then converges at the confluence portion 22A2, and then branches at each downstream branch portion 22A1 before being filled into each tank 13.

[0053] A check valve 74 is provided in the upstream branch portion 22A3. The check valve 74 allows the flow of hydrogen gas from the filling port 26 toward the confluence portion 22A2 and blocks the flow of hydrogen gas in the reverse direction. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the hydrogen gas introduced from one filling port 26 from flowing into the other filling port 26.

[0054] A check valve 75 is also provided in the downstream branch portion 22A1. The check valve 75 allows the flow of hydrogen gas from the confluence portion 22A2 toward the tank 13 and blocks the flow of hydrogen gas in the reverse direction. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the hydrogen gas in the tank 13 from flowing backward into the downstream branch portion 22A1.

[0055] As described above, for the work vehicle 1 of the present embodiment, hydrogen gas can be filled into all the tanks 13 regardless of which of the two filling ports 26 supplies the hydrogen gas. Also, even when hydrogen gas is supplied simultaneously from both filling ports 26, hydrogen gas can be filled into all the tanks 13.

[0056] The pipe 22B is a gas pipe that connects the fuel cell 24 and the tank 13. The pipe 22B guides the hydrogen gas stored in each tank 13 to the fuel cell 24. The pipe 22B has a branch portion 22B1 and a confluence portion 22B2. The number of branch portions 22B1 provided is the same as the number of tanks 13 (three in the illustrated example). One end (upstream end) of the branch portion 22B1 is connected to the tank 13, and the other end (downstream end) is connected to the confluence portion 22B2. Therefore, the hydrogen gas released from each tank 13 flows through the branch portion 22B1, then converges at the confluence portion 22B2, and thereafter is guided to the fuel cell 24.

[0057] An on-off valve 76 is provided at each branch portion 22B1 of the pipe 22B. Each on-off valve 76 switches between the release and the stop (shut-off) of the hydrogen gas in each tank 13. A pressure reducing valve 77 and a main on-off valve 78 are provided at the confluence portion 22B2 of the pipe 22B. The pressure reducing valve 77 reduces the pressure of the hydrogen gas released from the tank 13. The pressure of the hydrogen gas in the tank 13 is, for example, 35 megapascals or more, whereas the pressure of the hydrogen gas after being reduced by the pressure reducing valve 77 is, for example, about 2 atmospheres. The main on-off valve 78 switches between the supply of the hydrogen gas reduced by the pressure reducing valve 77 to the fuel cell 24 and the stop (shut-off) of the supply. The on-off valves 76 and 78 are constituted by solenoid-operated electromagnetic valves, motor-operated motor valves, or the like.

[0058] A pressure sensor 81 is provided between the plurality of on-off valves 76 and the pressure reducing valve 77. The pressure sensor 81 is provided at the confluence 22B2 of the pipe 22B. The pressure sensor 81 detects the pressure of the hydrogen gas discharged from the plurality of tanks 13. The pressure detected by the pressure sensor 81 corresponds to the pressure of the hydrogen gas in the tank 13 that is discharging the hydrogen gas through the on-off valve 76. Further, a temperature sensor 82 is provided in each tank 13. The temperature sensor 82 detects the temperature of the hydrogen gas in the tank 13.

[0059] The hydrogen gas discharged from the tank 13 and flowing through the pipe 22B is supplied to the fuel cell 24. The fuel cell 24 is, for example, a battery module configured by arranging a plurality of single cells having a positive electrode and a negative electrode in a stacked state. The fuel cell 24 aggregates the electric power generated in each single cell and generates the electric power necessary for driving the electric motor 31.

[0060] The fuel cell 24 is connected to the second radiator 49 through the cooling flow path H2. The electrodes of the fuel cell 24 are adjusted to a predetermined temperature by the coolant circulated from the second radiator 49. Thereby, the fuel cell 24 can maintain high power generation efficiency.

[0061] The fuel cell 24 is electrically connected to the input side of the boost circuit 61, and the output side of the boost circuit 61 is electrically connected to the DC side of the inverter 62. The boost circuit 61 raises the voltage input from the fuel cell 24 and outputs it to the inverter 62 and the battery unit 30.

[0062] The inverter 62 is electrically connected to the motor 31. The inverter 62 converts the DC input from the boost circuit 61 into three-phase AC and outputs it to the motor 31. Therefore, the electric power generated by the fuel cell 24 is boosted and converted into AC and transmitted to the motor 31.

[0063] The motor 31 has a rotor and a stator having a plurality of coils, and drives the output shaft at a predetermined torque and rotational speed. In the work vehicle 1, for example, only one motor 31 is mounted, and the output shaft of the motor 31 is coupled to the transmission case 33. A plurality of motors 31 may be mounted. For example, when providing two types of motors 31 for the front wheels 12A and the rear wheels 12B, the power of each motor 31 may be output to the front wheels 12A and the rear wheels 12B, respectively.

[0064] The power transmission mechanism of the transmission case 33 outputs all or part of the power of the motor 31 to the traveling device 12. Further, when operating the work device 335, the power transmission mechanism also outputs the power of the motor 31 to the PTO shaft 334.

[0065] The battery unit 30 is a power storage device that absorbs the load fluctuations of the fuel cell 24. Specifically, the battery unit 30 temporarily charges the power supplied from the boost circuit 61, discharges during high load, and supplies the drive power to the motor 31 to the inverter 62. The battery unit 30 includes a battery pack 30A and a monitoring unit 30B. The battery pack 30A includes at least one cell. The cell is a charge and discharge type such as a lithium ion battery cell, for example. The output voltage of the battery unit 30 is, for example, 24V.

[0066] The monitoring unit 30B includes a processor that performs switching control of the operation (charging or discharging) of the battery pack 30A and measurement of the state of charge (for example, SOC).

[0067] The work vehicle 1 has a plurality of electrical components that operate at a voltage lower than that of the motor 31. DC power stepped down by a step-down circuit is supplied to these electrical components. The plurality of electrical components include, for example, an auxiliary battery 63, radiators 48, 49, and an air conditioner 50. The step-down circuit is, for example, a plurality of DC / DC converters 64, 65 having different output voltages (hereinafter also referred to as the "first converter 64" and the "second converter 65").

[0068] The first converter 64 steps down the DC voltage input from the boost circuit 61 to a first voltage (for example, 12 volts) and supplies it to the auxiliary battery 63, the air conditioner 50, and the like. The second converter 65 steps down the DC voltage input from the boost circuit 61 to a second voltage (for example, 24 volts) and supplies it to the radiators 48 and 49. The inverter 62 and both converters 64 and 65 are disposed at a portion corresponding to the driver's seat 15 in the chassis 41. Note that the second voltage of the second converter 65 may be supplied to the battery unit 30.

[0069] As described above, the first radiator 48 is disposed in front of the fuel cell 24, and the second radiator 49 is disposed behind the fuel cell 24 (see FIG. 2). These radiators 48 and 49 constitute a cooling system that cools electrical components such as the fuel cell 24, the boost circuit 61, the inverter 62, the motor 31, and the first and second converters 64 and 65 with a coolant (refrigerant).

[0070] A cooling flow path H1 through which the coolant is circulated by a pump 66 is connected to the first radiator 48, and the coolant is cooled by heat exchange with the outside air. The first radiator 48 has a first fan 35 for promoting heat exchange with the outside air. The objects to be cooled by the cooling flow path H1 of the first radiator 48 are electrical components (heat-generating components) such as the boost circuit 61, the inverter 62, the motor 31, and the first and second converters 64 and 65, for example.

[0071] A cooling flow path H2 through which the coolant is circulated by a pump 67 is connected to the second radiator 49, and the coolant is cooled by heat exchange with the outside air. The second radiator 49 has a second fan 36 for promoting heat exchange with the outside air. The objects to be cooled by the cooling flow path H2 of the second radiator 49 are electrical components such as the fuel cell 24, for example.

[0072] The auxiliary battery 63 is a power storage device that supplies power to the display and communication devices mounted on the driver's seat 15 and the like. The auxiliary battery 63 is, for example, a charge-discharge type lead-acid battery. The output voltage of the auxiliary battery (second battery) 63 is, for example, 12V, which is lower than the output voltage of the battery unit (first battery) 30 (for example, 24V). The auxiliary battery 63 can also be used as an auxiliary power source that supplies power to the control device 70 described later when the fuel cell 24 is stopped.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 9, the work vehicle 1 further includes a control device 70. The control device 70 can be configured by, for example, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that communicates with various electrical components by a communication protocol such as CAN (Controller Area Network). For example, the control device 70 is an ECU that comprehensively controls the operation of the entire system from the filling of hydrogen gas into the tank 13 to the output of power from the power generation by the fuel cell 24, and an ECU related to the individual control of the tank unit 21 including the tank 13, valves 74 to 78, and sensors 81, 82. Therefore, the control device 70 performs opening and closing control of the valves 76 to 78 included in the tank unit 21, acquisition of the detection values of the pressure sensor 81 and the temperature sensor 82, and processing of the acquired detection values.

[0074] [Arrangement example of filling ports] In the above-described embodiment (see FIGS. 3 and 8), two filling ports 26 (filling portions 25) were arranged at the rear (rear surface) of the work vehicle 1. However, it is not limited to this. For example, the two filling ports 26 can be arranged on the side surface, upper surface, and / or front surface of the work vehicle 1. The two filling ports 26 can be arranged at positions close to each other or at positions away from each other. The two filling ports 26 are not limited to the common surface of the work vehicle 1 and can also be arranged on different surfaces from each other.

[0075] Hereinafter, an arrangement example of the filling port 26 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6. In FIGS. 2 to 6, the arrangement example of the filling port 26 is indicated by the reference symbol Q.

[0076] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the two filling ports 26 can be arranged on both left and right side surfaces of the bonnet 34 indicated by reference sign Q1. In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the filling port 26 may be arranged inside the bonnet 34. Specifically, a part of the side surface of the bonnet 34 can be used as the lid 28b of the housing 28, the case 28a of the housing 28 can be arranged inside the lid 28b, and the filling port 26 can be arranged inside the housing 28. The filling port 26 is arranged to face the outside in the left-right direction. The filling port 26 and the housing 28 can also be arranged outside the bonnet 34.

[0077] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the two filling ports 26 may be arranged on both left and right side surfaces of the cover 111 indicated by reference sign Q2. Alternatively, the filling port 26 can be provided on both left and right side surfaces of the fender 47 indicated by reference signs Q3 and Q4. Reference sign Q3 shows an example in which the filling port 26 is arranged closer to the front of the fender 47, and reference sign Q4 shows an example in which the filling port 26 is arranged closer to the rear of the fender 47. In any case (Q2 to Q4), the filling port 26 can be arranged inside or outside the cover 111 or the fender 47.

[0078] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the two filling ports 26 may be arranged on both left and right side surfaces of the cabin 16 indicated by reference signs Q5 and Q6. Reference sign Q5 shows an example in which the filling port 26 is arranged closer to the front of the cabin 16, and reference sign Q6 shows an example in which the filling port 26 is arranged closer to the rear of the cabin 16. In any case, the filling port 26 can be arranged inside or outside the cabin 16.

[0079] As described above, by distributing and arranging the two filling ports 26 on the left and right sides of the work vehicle 1 (vehicle body 11), for example, when approaching the filling port 26 to the hydrogen gas supply machine 400 such as a gas station, the movement such as turning of the work vehicle 1 can be reduced. Therefore, the labor required for the filling operation can be reduced, and the filling operation can be easily performed.

[0080] In FIGS. 4 and 5, two filling ports 26 can be arranged by selecting any two of Q1 to Q6. For example, one of the two filling ports 26 can be arranged on the bonnet (Q1), and the other can be arranged on the fender 47 (Q3, Q4). Also, both of the two filling ports 26 can be arranged on the left or right side surface of the work vehicle 1 (vehicle body 11). In this case, the two filling ports 26 can be arranged at positions separated from each other in the front-rear direction and / or in the vertical direction. For example, one of the two filling ports 26 can be arranged on the left side surface of the bonnet 34 (Q1), and the other can be arranged on the left side surface of the fender 47 (Q3, Q4). By arranging the two filling ports 26 on a common surface of the work vehicle 1, the operation of filling hydrogen gas simultaneously from both of the two filling ports 26 can be easily performed. Also, when the two filling ports 26 are arranged at positions separated from each other in the front-rear direction, when bringing the filling port 26 closer to the hydrogen gas supply machine 400 such as a gas station, the movement of the work vehicle 1 in the front-rear direction can be reduced. Therefore, the labor involved in the filling operation can be reduced, and the filling operation can be easily performed.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 2, one or both of the two filling ports 26 can be arranged on the front surface of the work vehicle 1 (vehicle body 11). For example, the filling port 26 can be arranged on the front surface of the bonnet 34 indicated by reference sign Q7. Also in this case, the filling port 26 can be arranged inside or outside the bonnet 34. When the two filling ports 26 are arranged on the front surface of the work vehicle 1, the two filling ports 26 can be arranged at positions separated from each other in the vertical direction and / or in the left-right direction. When one of the filling ports 26 is arranged on the front surface of the work vehicle 1, the other filling port 26 can be arranged at another position of the work vehicle 1 (for example, the rear surface (see FIG. 8), the left and right side surfaces Q1 to Q6 (see FIGS. 4 and 5), the upper surface Q8 to Q10 (see FIG. 6)).

[0082] As shown in Fig. 6, one or both of the two filling ports 26 can be arranged on the upper surface of the work vehicle 1 (vehicle body 11). Specifically, the filling port 26 can be arranged on the upper surface of the bonnet 34 indicated by reference sign Q8, the upper surface of the cover 111 indicated by reference sign Q9, the upper surface of the fender 47 indicated by reference sign Q10, etc. When arranging the two filling ports 26 on the upper surface of the work vehicle 1, the two filling ports 26 can be arranged at positions separated from each other in the front-rear direction and / or in the left-right direction. When arranging one filling port 26 on the upper surface (Q9, Q10) of the work vehicle 1, the other filling port 26 can be arranged at other positions of the work vehicle 1 (for example, the front surface Q7 (see Fig. 2), the rear surface (see Fig. 8), the left and right side surfaces Q1 to Q6 (see Figs. 4 and 5)).

[0083] As shown in Fig. 3, one or both of the two filling ports 26 can be arranged on the rear surface of the fender 47 indicated by reference sign Q10 and the rear surface of the cab 16 indicated by reference sign Q11. When arranging one filling port 26 on the rear surface (Q10, Q11, see Fig. 3) of the work vehicle 1, the other filling port 26 can be arranged at other positions of the work vehicle 1 (for example, the front surface (see Fig. 2), the left and right side surfaces Q1 to Q6 (see Figs. 4 and 5), the upper surface Q8 to Q10 (see Fig. 6)).

[0084] In addition to the above, the filling port 26 can be arranged on the chassis 41 of the vehicle body 11 of the work vehicle 1. For example, one or both of the filling ports 26 can be arranged on the left and right side surfaces of the front frame 32 and the left and right side surfaces of the transmission case 33. Alternatively, one or both of the filling ports 26 can also be arranged on the lower surface of the chassis 41.

[0085] [Modification example of piping] Figs. 11A to 11C are schematic views showing a modification example of the connection form between the tank and the filling port. In other words, Figs. 11A to 11C show a modification example of the pipe 22A connecting the tank 13 and the plurality of filling ports 26.

[0086] The modified example shown in Fig. 11A has two tanks 13 and two filling ports 26. One tank 13 and one filling port 26 are directly connected by a pipe 22A4, and the other tank 13 and the other filling port 26 are directly connected by another pipe 22A4. A check valve 74 is provided in each pipe 22A4. Therefore, the hydrogen gas supplied from one filling port 26 is filled only in one tank 13, and the hydrogen gas supplied from the other filling port 26 is filled only in the other tank 13. In this modified example, for example, by supplying hydrogen gas simultaneously from both filling ports 26, the tank 13 can be filled with hydrogen gas in a short time.

[0087] The modified example shown in Fig. 11B, similar to the modified example shown in Fig. 11A, has two filling ports 26 and two tanks 13 individually connected by pipes 22A4 respectively. Further, the two pipes 22A4 are connected by a connecting pipe 22A5. An on-off valve 79 is provided in the connecting pipe 22A5. The on-off valve 79 switches between a form that allows the flow of hydrogen gas in the connecting pipe 22A5 by opening and closing, and a form that shuts off. In this modified example, by closing the on-off valve 79, similar to the modified example shown in Fig. 11A, the hydrogen gas supplied from one filling port 26 is filled only in one tank 13, and the hydrogen gas supplied from the other filling port 26 is filled only in the other tank 13. Also, by opening the on-off valve 79, the two pipes 22A4 communicate with each other, and the hydrogen gas supplied from each filling port 26 will be filled in both tanks 13. Therefore, by opening and closing the on-off valve 79, hydrogen gas can be filled in two modes.

[0088] The modified example shown in FIG. 11C is connected by a pipe 22A having two (the upper two) tanks 13 and two (the upper two) filling ports 26, a downstream branch portion 22A1, a confluence portion 22A2, and an upstream branch portion 22A3, in the same manner as the embodiment shown in FIG. 9. Further, one (the lowermost one) tank and one (the lowermost one) filling port 26 are connected by a pipe 22A4. The confluence portion 22A2 and the pipe 22A4 are connected by a connecting pipe 22A5 provided with an on-off valve 79, in the same manner as the modified example shown in FIG. 11B. In this modified example, by closing the on-off valve 79, the hydrogen gas filled from the upper two filling ports 26 is filled into the upper two tanks 13, and the hydrogen gas supplied from the lowermost one filling port 26 is filled only into the lowermost one tank 13. Further, by opening the on-off valve 79, the hydrogen gas supplied from each filling port 26 is filled into the three tanks 13. Therefore, by opening and closing the on-off valve 79, the hydrogen gas can be filled in two modes.

[0089] [Other Modified Examples] The embodiments disclosed this time are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the rights of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes all modifications within the scope equivalent to the configurations described in the claims.

[0090] In the above embodiment, the case where the work vehicle 1 mainly includes two filling ports 26 has been described, but it may include three or more filling ports 26. In this case, two filling ports (a first filling port and a second filling port) 26 can be arranged at the positions shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 and FIG. 8, and the other filling ports 26 can be arranged at arbitrary positions. Further, the number of the tanks 13 is not limited either.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0091] 1: Work vehicle 11: Vehicle body 13: Tank 22A: Pipe 22A2: Confluence portion 22A3: Upstream branch portion 24: Fuel cell 74: Check valve 111: Cover

Claims

1. A vehicle body, a fuel cell mounted on the vehicle body, a tank for storing fuel supplied to the fuel cell, and a first filling port and a second filling port for filling the tank with fuel, a work vehicle.

2. The first filling port is arranged on one side surface of the vehicle body in the left - right direction, and the second filling port is arranged on the other side surface of the vehicle body in the left - right direction. The work vehicle according to Claim 1.

3. The first filling port is arranged on one side surface of the vehicle body in the front - rear direction, and the second filling port is arranged on the other side surface of the vehicle body in the front - rear direction. The work vehicle according to Claim 1.

4. The first filling port is arranged on one side surface of the vehicle body in the left - right direction, and the second filling port is arranged on one side surface of the vehicle body in the front - rear direction. The work vehicle according to Claim 1.

5. The first filling port and the second filling port are arranged on a common surface of the vehicle body. The work vehicle according to Claim 1.

6. The vehicle body includes a cover for covering the mounted equipment, and at least one of the first filling port and the second filling port is arranged inside or outside the cover. The work vehicle according to Claim 1.

7. The tank includes a first tank and a second tank, and a pipe connecting both the first filling port and the second filling port to the first tank and the second tank. The work vehicle according to any one of Claims 1 to 6.

8. The pipe includes a first branch portion with one end connected to the first filling port, a second branch portion with one end connected to the second filling port, and a confluence portion for joining the other ends of the first branch portion and the second branch portion. The first branch portion and the second branch portion are provided with check valves that allow the flow of fuel in the direction towards the confluence portion and block the reverse flow of fuel. The work vehicle according to Claim 7.

9. The tank includes a first tank and a second tank, and a first pipe connecting the first filling port to the first tank and a second pipe connecting the second filling port to the second tank. The work vehicle according to any one of Claims 1 to 6.

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