Work vehicle

Abstract

To provide a work vehicle capable of preferably supporting a tank mounting frame on a vehicle body.SOLUTION: A work vehicle according to one embodiment of the disclosure comprises a vehicle body, a fuel battery attached to the vehicle body, a tank which supplies hydrogen to the fuel battery; a mounting frame supporting the tank; a cabin forming a partitioned operator cab; and a support mechanism for supporting the cabin on the vehicle body. The support mechanism further supports the mounting frame.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a work vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a work vehicle (for example, an agricultural tractor) having a tank for storing hydrogen gas, a fuel cell, and a motor. The fuel cell generates electric power from the hydrogen gas supplied from the tank, and the motor rotates by the electric power supplied from the fuel cell. Therefore, the work vehicle can travel by rotating drive wheels using the rotation of the motor as a driving force.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the agricultural tractor exemplified in Patent Document 1, a mounting structure is adopted in which the tank is disposed above the internal space of the cabin. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, for example, when adopting a mounting frame for mounting the tank outside the cabin, how to support the mounting frame on the vehicle body is not assumed in terms of manufacturing cost and the like.

[0005] In view of such conventional problems, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a work vehicle capable of appropriately supporting a mounting frame of a tank on a vehicle body.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A work vehicle according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a vehicle body, a fuel cell attached to the vehicle body, a tank that supplies hydrogen to the fuel cell, a mounting frame that supports the tank, a cabin that constitutes a partitioned driver's cab, and a support mechanism for supporting the cabin on the vehicle body, and the support mechanism further supports the mounting frame.

Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a work vehicle that can suitably support the mounting frame of the tank on the vehicle body.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] <Outline of Embodiment of the Present Disclosure> Hereinafter, the outline of the embodiment 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 attached to the vehicle body, a tank that supplies hydrogen to the fuel cell, a mounting frame that supports the tank, a cabin that constitutes a partitioned driver's cab, and a support mechanism for supporting the cabin on the vehicle body, and the support mechanism further supports the mounting frame.

[0010] According to the work vehicle of the present embodiment, since the support mechanism further supports the mounting frame for supporting the cabin on the vehicle body, there is no need to separately provide a support mechanism for supporting only the mounting frame on the vehicle, and the number of parts and the manufacturing man-hours can be reduced. Therefore, according to the work vehicle of the present embodiment, the mounting frame of the tank can be supported on the vehicle body in an appropriate manner from the viewpoint of manufacturing cost.

[0011] (2) In the work vehicle of the above (1), the mounting frame may support the tank above the cabin. In this way, it is possible to secure a placement space for a tank with a sufficient volume in a place that does not interfere with the boarding and alighting of the operator.

[0012] (3) In the work vehicle of the above (1) or (2), the support mechanism may include a support member having a first support portion that supports the cabin and a second support portion that supports the mounting frame at a position separated from the first support portion, and a reinforcing member that strengthens the bending moment resistance of the second support portion.

[0013] In this case, since the first support portion and the second support portion are at separated positions, it is possible to secure a sufficient area capable of supporting both the cabin and the mounting frame. Also, since the reinforcing member strengthens the bending moment resistance of the second support portion, even if the area of the support member is expanded by providing the second support portion, the supporting force of the mounting frame by the support member can be strengthened.

[0014] (4) In the work vehicle of the above (3), the vehicle body has a wheel support body (for example, a support cylinder protruding from a transmission case) that supports wheels, and the first support portion may be attached to the wheel support body. In this way, since the first support portion is attached to the wheel support body, which is a skeletal element of the vehicle body, the first support portion can be firmly fixed to the vehicle body.

[0015] (5) In the working vehicle of (4) above, the reinforcing member may include a first reinforcing portion attached to the lower surface of the second support portion, a second reinforcing portion extending downward from the lower surface or side surface of the wheel support, and a connecting portion connecting the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion to each other. In this way, the bending moment generated in the second support portion can be offset by the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion, so that the supporting force of the second support portion can be effectively ensured.

[0016] (6) In the working vehicle of (4) above, the working vehicle may further include a connecting device for connecting a working device, and the second reinforcing portion may be capable of attaching a tension member for pulling the connecting device. In this way, the component force of the pulling force from the tension member is added to the reaction force of the first reinforcing portion, and the bending moment for offsetting the bending moment of the second support portion increases. Therefore, the supporting force of the second support portion can be more effectively ensured.

[0017] <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. Note that at least a part of the embodiments described below may be arbitrarily combined.

[0018] 〔Overall Structure of Working Vehicle〕 FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the overall structure of the working vehicle 1. FIG. 2 is a right side view of the working vehicle 1 with some exterior parts (such as the bonnet 34 and the cover 51) removed. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the working vehicle 1 is a vehicle used for agricultural work, specifically a tractor. However, the working 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.

[0019] The working 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 51, a cabin 16, and a fender for the rear wheel 12B. Specifically, on the chassis 41 of the vehicle body 11, a bonnet 34 and a cover 51 are mounted in order from the front to the rear, and a cabin 16 is arranged behind the cover 51.

[0020] The work vehicle 1 further includes a tank unit 21 having a plurality of tanks 13 (see FIG. 2) for storing fuel, and a drive device 14 driven by the stored fuel. The fuel is liquid or gas, 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 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 by hydrogen. The fuel cell 24 may generate electric power by methane or carbon monoxide (CO).

[0021] The drive device 14 includes a fuel cell 24, a battery unit 30, and an electric motor 31 (see FIG. 3; hereinafter also referred to as "motor 31"). The battery unit 30 incorporates at least one battery pack 30A (see FIG. 4) for storing the output power of the fuel cell 24. The work vehicle 1 has a hydrogen gas pipe 22. The hydrogen gas is supplied from a gas filling port (not shown) connected to the end of the pipe 22 and filled into each tank 13. The hydrogen gas in the tank 13 is supplied to the fuel cell 24 through the pipe 22.

[0022] The cabin 16 is a box structure forming a partitioned driver's cab, and has front pillars, rear pillars, and a roof. The front pillars 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. Instead of the cabin 16, the work vehicle 1 may have a canopy or a rollover protective structure (ROPS). When the work vehicle 1 does not mount the cabin 16, the tank unit 21 is arranged above the driver's seat 15 by a mounting frame 17 described later.

[0023] The traveling device 12 is composed of a front wheel 12A and a rear wheel 12B. Both of these are arranged symmetrically with respect to the vehicle body 11. One or both of the front wheel 12A and the rear wheel 12B rotate by the power of the motor 31. One or both of the wheels 12A and 12B (drive wheels) that rotate by the power of the motor 31 may be crawlers (endless tracks).

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, on the portion of the chassis 41 corresponding to the front wheel 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 the bonnet 34, and the second radiator 49 is covered by the cover 51.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the upper surface of the cover 51 is higher than the uppermost end of the bonnet 34, but lower than the uppermost end of the steering of the driver's seat 15. Also, the rear end portion of the bonnet 34 is at a position lower than the cover 51, and the upper surface 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 view from the operator sitting in the driver's seat 15.

[0026] 〔Internal Structure of the Work Vehicle〕 FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of the internal structure of the work vehicle 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the chassis 41 constituting the vehicle body 11 is made of a steel frame having a long shape 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.

[0027] A mounting frame 17 for arranging the tank unit 21 above the cabin 16 is connected to the chassis 41 of the vehicle body 11. The mounting frame 17 includes a substantially rectangular ceiling frame 17A that is long in the front-rear direction, a rear frame 17B that supports the rear end of the ceiling frame 17A, a front pillar 17C that supports the front end of the ceiling frame 17A, and a rear pillar 17D that supports the rear frame 17B. The tank unit 21 is connected to the ceiling frame 17A in a horizontally placed state.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, the ceiling frame 17A is located at a position higher than the roof of the cabin 16. Therefore, the tank unit 21 is disposed above the roof of the cabin 16. The mounting frame 17 further has a reinforcing frame 17E. The reinforcing frame 17E is a reinforcing diagonal member that slopes downward toward the front. The upper end portion of the reinforcing frame 17E is connected to the front end portion of the ceiling frame 17A, and the lower end portion of the reinforcing frame 17E is connected to the front end portion of the chassis 41. A more detailed support structure of the mounting frame 17 will be described later.

[0029] A support frame 37 for supporting the battery unit 30 is connected to the chassis 41 of the vehicle body 11. 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 made 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.

[0030] 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 52 (see FIG. 4). The PTO shaft 52 is an output shaft that protrudes rearward from the transmission case 33.

[0031] The mission case 33 is attached with a connecting device 44 (see FIG. 4) constituted by, for example, a three-point link mechanism for connecting a working device (also referred to as an "implement") for performing a desired farming operation behind the vehicle body 11. The connecting device 44 constituted by the three-point link mechanism may be composed of, for example, an upper arm 44A protruding rearward from the mission case 33 and a pair of left and right lower arms 44B. The working device is, for example, a tiller and a baler.

[0032] The rotational movement of the PTO shaft 52 is transmitted to the input shaft of the working device connected to the connecting device 44, for example, during the driving of the traveling device 12. Therefore, the work vehicle 1 can drive the working device by the power of the motor 31 while traveling on a farm field or the like.

[0033] 〔Support Structure of Mounting Frame〕 FIG. 4 is a left side view of the work vehicle 1 with the rear wheel 12B removed. As shown in FIG. 4, the mounting frame 17 that supports the tank unit 21 is connected to the chassis 41 at the following three types of connection positions in the front-rear direction, and each connection position is symmetric left and right. Therefore, the mounting frame 17 is supported by the chassis 41 of the vehicle body 11 at a total of six locations.

[0034] First position P1: The position where the reinforcing frame 17E of the mounting frame 17 is connected to the front end portion of the chassis 41 (for example, the front portion of the front frame 32) Second position P2: The position where the front pillar 17C of the mounting frame 17 is connected to the middle portion of the chassis 41 (for example, the rear portion of the front frame 32) Third position P3: The position where the rear pillar 17D of the mounting frame 17 is connected to the rear end portion of the chassis 41 (for example, the wheel support 101 of the mission case 33)

[0035] Specifically, a front bracket 53 protrudes at the first position P1 of the front frame 32, and the lower end flange of the reinforcing frame 17E is bolted to the front bracket 53. Further, an intermediate bracket 54 protrudes from the second position P2 of the front frame 32, and the lower flange of the front pillar 17C is bolted to the intermediate bracket 54.

[0036] On the other hand, a support mechanism 100 for supporting the cabin 16 on the chassis 41 of the vehicle body 11 is configured in the transmission case 33. The support mechanism 100 has a structure that supports both the cabin 16 and the mounting frame 17, and the lower flange of the rear pillar 17D of the mounting frame 17 is bolted to the components of the support mechanism 100. Hereinafter, a specific example of the support mechanism 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

[0037] 〔Specific Example of Support Mechanism〕 FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the rear part of the work vehicle 1 with the rear wheel 12B removed. As shown in FIG. 5, the support mechanism 100 includes a wheel support 101 which is a kind of component of the chassis 41, and a support member 102 attached to the wheel support 101. The wheel support 101 is, for example, a support cylinder integrally formed with the transmission case 33. Inside the support cylinder, the drive shaft of the rear wheel 12B is rotatably accommodated.

[0038] The support member 102 is, for example, a steel mounting bracket that is longer in the front-rear direction than the wheel support 101, and both the cabin 16 and the mounting frame 17 are supported on the chassis 41 via the support member 102. That is, the support member 102 has a first support portion 103 that is a portion for supporting the cabin 16 and a second support portion 104 that is a portion for supporting the mounting frame 17.

[0039] Among the two support portions 103 and 104, the first support portion 103 is attached to the wheel support 101 by means of bolt fastening or the like. On the upper surface of the first support portion 103, a support fitting 105 having a U-shaped cross section is fixed by welding or the like. On the upper surface of the support fitting 105, a mounting stay 106 protruding from the lower rear portion of the cabin 16 is bolted. In this way, the cabin 16 is supported by the wheel support 101 via the mounting stay 106, the support fitting 105, and the first support portion 103.

[0040] Among the two support portions 103 and 104, the second support portion 104 is composed of a plate member that protrudes cantilever-like rearward from the first support portion 103. On the upper surface of the second support portion 104, the rear pillar 17D of the mounting frame 17 is fixed. This fixing is performed, for example, by bolting the lower flange of the rear pillar 17D to the second support portion 104.

[0041] As described above, since the second support portion 104 is composed of a plate member that protrudes cantilever-like rearward from the first support portion 103, a downward bending moment based on the axial force of the rear pillar 17D is constantly generated at the root portion of the second support portion 104. Therefore, there is a concern that the second support portion 104 may bend downward or break due to aging deterioration due to vertical vibration during field work. Therefore, the support mechanism 100 has a reinforcing member 107 that strengthens the bending moment resistance of the second support portion 104.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 5, the reinforcing member 107 is a member that also has a function of connecting the second support portion 104 to the wheel support 101. Specifically, the reinforcing member 107 includes a first reinforcing portion 108 attached to the lower surface of the second support portion 104, a second reinforcing portion 109 extending downward from the lower surface of the wheel support 101, and a connecting portion 110 that connects the first reinforcing portion 108 and the second reinforcing portion 109 to each other. Note that the second reinforcing portion 109 may be a member that extends downward from the side surface of the wheel support 101.

[0043] The first reinforcing part 108 is made of a steel plate material that protrudes downward in a state of being inclined forward from the lower surface of the second support part 104. The protruding direction of the first reinforcing part 108 is, for example, a direction substantially parallel to the rear pillar 17D. The second reinforcing part 109 is made of a steel plate material that protrudes downward in a state of being inclined rearward from the lower surface or side surface of the wheel support 101. The degree of inclination of the second reinforcing part 109 is set to such an extent that an overlapping portion with the tip of the first reinforcing part 108 can occur.

[0044] The connecting part 110 is a member that connects the overlapping portions of the first reinforcing part 108 and the second reinforcing part 109, and is composed of, for example, a bolt and a nut for bolt tightening that penetrates the overlapping portion. However, the connecting part 110 is not limited to the above bolt and nut, and may be a part that connects the overlapping portion by other fixing methods such as arc welding or welding. Further, the first reinforcing part 108 and the second reinforcing part 109 may be formed of a single steel plate material formed in a substantially V shape. In this case, the bent portion in the V-shaped steel member corresponds to the connecting part 110.

[0045] The connecting device (three-point link mechanism) 44 further includes a tension member 44C with adjustable length that applies tension to the lower arm 44B. The tension member 44C is made of, for example, a turnbuckle. The front end portion of the tension member 44C is connected to the rear end portion of the second reinforcing part 109, and the rear end portion of the member 44C is connected to the middle portion of the lower arm 44B. Therefore, the second reinforcing part 109 also has a function as an attachment portion of the tension member 44C of the connecting device 44.

[0046] 〔Mechanical Characteristics of the Support Mechanism〕 FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the mechanical characteristics of the support mechanism 100. The meanings of the parameters shown in FIG. 6 are as follows. N: Axial force applied from the rear pillar 17D to the second support part 104 R: Reaction force applied from the first reinforcing part 108 to the second support part 104 F: Tensile force acting from the tension member 44C to the second reinforcing part 109

[0047] Mn: Bending moment (downward) generated in the second support portion 104 due to the axial force N Mr: Bending moment (upward) generated in the second support portion 104 due to the reaction force R As shown in FIG. 6, when the second support portion 104 is a cantilever member protruding rearward, a downward bending moment Mn associated with the axial force N is generated in the second support portion 104, and this bending moment Mn is canceled out by an upward bending moment Mr associated with the reaction force R.

[0048] Therefore, even though the second support portion 104 that supports the rear pillar 17D is configured as a cantilever member, the supporting force of the second support portion 104 can be effectively ensured. Further, when the second support portion 104 receives a traction force F from the tension member 44C, the component force of the traction force F is added to the reaction force R, and the upward bending moment Mr for canceling the bending moment Mn increases. Therefore, the supporting force of the second support portion 104 can be ensured more effectively.

[0049] 〔Other Modification 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. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the tank unit 21 is mounted on the mounting frame 17 is illustrated, but at least one non-unitized tank (hydrogen tank) 13 may be mounted on the mounting frame 17.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0050] 1 Work vehicle 11 Vehicle body 12 Traveling device 12A Front wheel 12B Rear wheel 13 Tank (hydrogen tank) 14 Driving device 15 Driver's seat 16 Cabin 17 Mounting Frame 17A Ceiling Frame 17B Rear Frame 17C Front Pillar 17D Rear Pillar 17E Reinforcement Frame 21 Tank Unit 22 Pipe 24 Fuel Cell 30 Battery Unit 30A Battery Pack 31 Motor (Electric Motor) 32 Front Frame 33 Transmission Case 34 Bonnet 37 Support Frame 41 Chassis 44 Linkage Device 44A Upper Arm 44B Lower Arm 44C Tension Member 48 First Radiator 49 Second Radiator 51 Cover 53 Front Bracket 54 Intermediate Bracket 100 Support Mechanism 101 Wheel Support 102 Support Member 103 First Support Portion 104 Second Support Portion 105 Support Fitting 106 Mounting Stay 107 Reinforcement Member 108 First Reinforcement Portion 109 Second Reinforcement Portion 110 Connection Portion

Claims

1. A vehicle body, a fuel cell attached to the vehicle body, a tank for supplying hydrogen to the fuel cell, a mounting frame for supporting the tank, a cabin constituting a compartmentalized driver's cab, and a support mechanism for supporting the cabin on the vehicle body, the work vehicle further comprising a support mechanism for further supporting the mounting frame. The support mechanism, is a work vehicle that further supports the mounting frame.

2. The mounting frame, supports the tank above the cabin, and the work vehicle according to Claim 1.

3. The support mechanism, includes a support member having a first support portion for supporting the cabin and a second support portion for supporting the mounting frame at a position separated from the first support portion, and a reinforcing member for strengthening the bending moment resistance of the second support portion, and the work vehicle according to Claim 1 or Claim 2.

4. The vehicle body, has a wheel support for supporting wheels, and the first support portion, is attached to the wheel support, and the work vehicle according to Claim 3.

5. The reinforcing member, includes a first reinforcing portion attached to the lower surface of the second support portion, a second reinforcing portion extending downward from the lower surface or side surface of the wheel support, and a connecting portion connecting the first reinforcing portion and the second reinforcing portion to each other, and the work vehicle according to Claim 4.

6. The work vehicle, further includes a connecting device for connecting a working device, and the second reinforcing portion, is capable of attaching a tension member for towing the connecting device, and the work vehicle according to Claim 4.

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