Work vehicle

Abstract

To provide a work vehicle which enables easy removal of a tank.SOLUTION: A work vehicle comprises a vehicle body, a fuel battery mounted on the vehicle body, a tank for storing a fuel to be supplied to the fuel battery, a supply pipe that is connected to the tank and that supplies the fuel to the tank, and a frame on which the tank and the supply pipe are mounted and which can be removed from the vehicle body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

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 that uses fossil fuels, 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. The tank is housed inside the ceiling of the cabin that surrounds the driver's seat. Pipes for flowing hydrogen gas into the tank and pipes for flowing hydrogen gas from the tank to the fuel cell are connected to the tank.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The tank for storing hydrogen gas may need to be removed for maintenance or replacement. However, since accessory equipment such as pipes is connected to the tank, the removal work is complicated.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a work vehicle that can easily remove the tank.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The work vehicle of the present disclosure includes a vehicle body, a fuel cell mounted on the vehicle body, a tank for storing fuel to be supplied to the fuel cell, A supply pipe connected to the tank and for supplying fuel to the tank, and a frame to which the tank and the supply pipe are attached and which is detachable from the vehicle body.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a work vehicle capable of easily removing a tank.

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 11

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] <Outline of Embodiment of the Present Disclosure> Hereinafter, an outline of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be listed and described. (1) The work vehicle according to the present embodiment includes a vehicle body, The fuel cell mounted on the vehicle body, a tank for storing fuel to be supplied to the fuel cell, a supply pipe connected to the tank and for supplying fuel to the tank, and a frame to which the tank and the supply pipe are attached and which is detachable from the vehicle body.

[0010] According to the above configuration, by removing the frame from the vehicle body, the tank and the supply pipe can be removed from the vehicle body integrally. Therefore, the removal work of the tank can be easily performed.

[0011] (2) The work vehicle according to (1) above includes a filling port that is detachable from the vehicle body together with the frame. According to this configuration, the filling port can also be removed from the vehicle body together with the tank.

[0012] (3) The work vehicle according to (1) or (2) above includes a valve that is connected to the supply pipe or the tank and is detachable from the vehicle body together with the frame. According to this configuration, the valve can also be removed from the vehicle body together with the tank.

[0013] (4) The work vehicle according to any one of (1) to (3) above includes a case in which the tank is housed and which is detachable from the vehicle body together with the frame. According to this configuration, the case in which the tank is housed can be removed from the vehicle body.

[0014] (5) The work vehicle according to any one of (1) to (4) above includes a driver's seat on the vehicle body, and the frame arranges the tank above the driver's seat. According to this configuration, it is possible to facilitate the removal of the tank upward together with the frame.

[0015] <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 the Working Vehicle] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the working vehicle. FIG. 2 is a front view of the working vehicle. FIG. 3 is a rear view of the working vehicle. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the working vehicle. FIG. 5 is a left side view of the working vehicle. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the working vehicle. In this specification, the direction in which the working vehicle 1 advances is defined as the front, the direction in which the working vehicle 1 retreats is defined as the rear, the left side when the working vehicle 1 faces forward is defined as the left, and the right side when the working vehicle 1 faces forward is defined as the right. In FIGS. 2 to 7, the directions of the front, rear, left, right, up, and down are indicated by arrows X1, X2, Y1, Y2, Z1, and Z2, respectively.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, 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.

[0017] 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 111, a cabin 16, a fender 47 for the rear wheel 12B, and the like. On the chassis 41 of the vehicle body 11, the bonnet 34 and the cover 111 are mounted in order from the front to the rear, and the 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 (the fuel cell 24, radiators 48, 49, the seat 15A, etc., which will be described later) mounted on the vehicle body 11.

[0018] 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 this case 21A. The tank unit 21 includes various valves 75 to 78 and sensors 81, 82 (see FIG. 9). The tank unit 21 is disposed above the driver's seat 15 and the cabin 16 by a mounting frame 17.

[0019] The fuel is a liquid or a 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 travels using, as an energy source, electric power generated by a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen in the fuel cell 24. The fuel cell 24 generates electric power using hydrogen. The fuel cell 24 may generate electric power using methane or carbon monoxide (CO).

[0020] 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. 9) that stores the output power of the fuel cell 24.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3, the work vehicle 1 has a pipe 22 and a filling unit 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 unit 25 has a filling port (receptacle; hereinafter, simply referred to as "filling port") 26 to which a filling nozzle 401 is connected. The filling port 26 is filled with hydrogen gas from the filling nozzle 401. Note that the filling port 26 may be filled with methane or carbon monoxide (CO) from the filling nozzle 401. In this embodiment, the filling unit 25 is filled with hydrogen gas from a hydrogen gas supply device (fuel supply device) 400 (see FIG. 9) such as a gas station that 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 unit 25 and the pipe 22 will be described later.

[0022] The cabin 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, and the like. The front pillars of the cabin 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 cabin 16 includes 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 cabin 16. The work vehicle 1 may have a canopy or a rollover protective structure (ROPS) instead of the cabin 16.

[0023] The traveling device 12 is composed of a front wheel 12A and a rear wheel 12B. Both of them 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). The upper and front sides of the rear wheel 12B are covered by a fender 47.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, 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 a bonnet (cover) 34, and the second radiator 49 is covered by a cover 111.

[0025] 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 handle 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 view from the operator sitting in the driver's seat 15.

[0026] [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 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 by 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. The mounting frame 17 includes a substantially rectangular ceiling frame 17A whose longitudinal direction is longer than its lateral direction, a plurality of pillars 17B1 and 17B2 that support the ceiling frame 17A from below, and a pair of left and right reinforcing frames 17C connected to the front end portion of the ceiling frame 17A. Further, the mounting frame 17 includes a base frame 17D to which the lower ends of the left and right pillars 17B2 on the rear side are connected, and a pair of left and right lower frames 17E extending downward from the base frame 17D. The base frame 17D is arranged substantially horizontally and extends in the lateral direction.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the tank unit 21 is placed on and connected to the ceiling frame 17A. The ceiling frame 17A is located 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.

[0029] The reinforcing frame 17C is a reinforcing diagonal member that inclines downward from the front end portion of the ceiling frame 17A to the front frame 32. Therefore, compared with the case where the ceiling frame 17A and the tank unit 21 are supported only by the pillars 17B1 and 17B2, the rigidity of the mounting frame 17 in the longitudinal direction is strengthened. The detailed structure of the mounting frame 17 will be described later.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, 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 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.

[0031] 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 branch mechanism that outputs a part of the power of the motor 31 to the PTO shaft 334 (see FIGS. 3 and 9). The PTO shaft 334 is an output shaft that protrudes rearward from the transmission case 33.

[0032] A connecting device 44 (see FIG. 6), which is constituted by, for example, a three-point link mechanism, for connecting a working device 335 (also referred to as an "implement", see FIG. 9) for performing a desired farm work to the rear of the vehicle body 11 is attached to the transmission case 33. The working device 335 is, for example, a tiller and a baler.

[0033] The rotational movement of the PTO shaft 334 is transmitted to the input shaft of the working 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 working device 335 by the power of the motor 31 while traveling in a field or the like.

[0034] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the periphery of the filling port of the work vehicle. The work vehicle 1 of the present embodiment includes a filling unit 25. The filling unit 25 is disposed on the rear surface of the work vehicle 1 (vehicle body 11). The filling unit 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 of an openable and closable type and can close the opening of the case 28a. The pipe 22 is connected to the filling unit 25 (filling port 26) from the front of the housing 28.

[0035] With this configuration, the filling port 26 is protected by the housing 28. The pipe 22A is connected to the filling section 25 from the space formed between the housing 28 and the rear part of the vehicle body 11. The connection portion 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 portion 29 is protected.

[0036] The filling section 25 is located behind the cabin 16 and between the rear wheels 12B on both sides in the left - right direction. The filling section 25 is protected from the left - right direction by the rear wheels 12B and from the front by the cabin 16.

[0037] The filling section 25 is disposed below the base frame 17D of the mounting frame 17. Each of the filling sections 25 is supported by the base frame 17D via brackets (attachment members) 27. The brackets are plate - shaped members extending downward from the base frame 17D. The filling section 25 is protected from above by the base frame 17D. The filling section 25 is disposed between the left and right lower frames 17E.

[0038] [Functional Configuration of the 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 systems of the work vehicle 1 include a fuel system FS, a power system PS, and a temperature control system TS.

[0039] The components of the fuel system FS include the tank unit 21. The tank unit 21 has at least one tank (hydrogen tank) 13, valves 75 - 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.

[0040] 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. The pipe (supply pipe) 22A is a gas pipe that connects the filling port 26 and each tank 13. The filling port 26 is where hydrogen gas is introduced from a hydrogen gas supply machine 400 such as a gas station. The pipe 22A guides the hydrogen gas introduced into the filling port 26 to each tank 13.

[0041] One end (upstream end) of the pipe 22A is connected to the filling port 26. The other end (downstream end) of the pipe 22A is branched into a plurality of parts. These branch parts 22A1 are provided in the same number as the tanks 13 (three in the illustrated example). The other end (downstream end) of each branch part 22A1 is connected to the tank 13. Therefore, the hydrogen gas introduced from the filling port 26 flows through the pipe 22A, is branched at the branch part 22A1, and then fills each tank 13.

[0042] A check valve 75 is provided at the branch part 22A1. The check valve 75 suppresses the reverse flow of the hydrogen gas in the tank 13 through the branch part 22A1 into the pipe 22A.

[0043] 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 plurality of branch parts 22B1 and a confluence part 22B2. The branch part 22B1 is provided at one end (upstream end) of the pipe 22B. This branch part 22B1 is provided in the same number as the tanks 13 (three in the illustrated example). One end (upstream end) of the branch part 22B1 is connected to the tank 13. The other end (downstream end) of the branch part 22B1 is connected to one end (upstream end) of the confluence part 22B2. The other end (downstream end) of the confluence part 22B2 is connected to the fuel cell 24. Therefore, the hydrogen gas released from each tank 13 flows through the branch part 22B1, converges at the confluence part 22B2, and then is guided to the fuel cell 24.

[0044] 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 of hydrogen gas in each tank 13 and the stop (shut-off) of the release. A pressure reducing valve 77 and a main on-off valve 78 are provided in 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, for example, a solenoid-operated electromagnetic valve or an electric valve operated by a motor.

[0045] A pressure sensor 81 is provided between the plurality of on-off valves 76 and the pressure reducing valve 77. The pressure sensor 81 detects the pressure of the hydrogen gas released 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 from which the hydrogen gas is being released 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.

[0046] A connector (joint) 22C is provided in the pipe 22B (confluence portion 22B2). The pipe 22B has a portion on the tank unit 21 side and a portion on the fuel cell 24 side, and both portions are connected by the connector 22C. In other words, the pipe 22B is separable into the tank unit 21 side and the fuel cell 24 side via the connector 22C.

[0047] The hydrogen gas released 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 by each single cell and generates the electric power necessary for driving the electric motor 31.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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 stepped up and converted into AC and transmitted to the motor 31.

[0051] 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. For example, only one motor 31 is mounted on the work vehicle 1, 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 two types of motors 31 for the front wheels 12A and the rear wheels 12B are provided, the power of each motor 31 may be output to the front wheels 12A and the rear wheels 12B, respectively.

[0052] 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.

[0053] 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 and discharges it during high load to supply 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-discharge type such as a lithium-ion battery cell, for example. The output voltage of the battery unit 30 is, for example, 24V.

[0054] 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 (e.g., SOC).

[0055] 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 with different output voltages (hereinafter also referred to as the "first converter 64" and the "second converter 65").

[0056] The first converter 64 steps down the DC voltage input from the boost circuit 61 to a first voltage (e.g., 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 (e.g., 24 volts) and supplies it to the radiators 48, 49. The inverter 62 and both converters 64, 65 are arranged in a portion of the chassis 41 corresponding to the driver's seat 15. Note that the second voltage of the second converter 65 may be supplied to the battery unit 30.

[0057] 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, 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, the first and second converters 64, 65 with a coolant (refrigerant).

[0058] A cooling flow path H1 through which a coolant is circulated by a pump 66 is connected to the first radiator 48, and the coolant is cooled by heat exchange with outside air. The first radiator 48 has a first fan 35 for promoting heat exchange with outside air. The components to be cooled by the cooling flow path H1 of the first radiator 48 are electrical components (heat generating components) such as, for example, a boost circuit 61, an inverter 62, a motor 31, and first and second converters 64, 65.

[0059] A cooling flow path H2 through which a coolant is circulated by a pump 67 is connected to the second radiator 49, and the coolant is cooled by heat exchange with outside air. The second radiator 49 has a second fan 36 for promoting heat exchange with outside air. The components to be cooled by the cooling flow path H2 of the second radiator 49 are electrical components such as, for example, a fuel cell 24.

[0060] The auxiliary battery 63 is a power storage device that supplies power to a display and communication devices mounted on the driver's seat 15, etc. The auxiliary battery 63 is, for example, a charge-discharge type lead battery. The output voltage of the auxiliary battery (second battery) 63 is, for example, 12V, which is lower than the output voltage (e.g., 24V) of the battery unit (first battery) 30. The auxiliary battery 63 can also be used as an auxiliary power source that supplies power to a control device 70, which will be described later, when the fuel cell 24 is stopped.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 9, the work vehicle 1 further includes a control device 70. The control device 70 can be constituted by 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 includes an ECU that comprehensively controls the operation of the entire system from power generation by the fuel cell 24 to power output, and an ECU related to individual control of a tank unit 21 including a tank 13, valves 75 to 78, and sensors 81 and 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 detection values of the pressure sensor 81 and the temperature sensor 82, and processing of the acquired detection values.

[0062] [Specific Configuration of Mounting Frame 17] The mounting frame 17 (see FIG. 7) is a member for mounting a tank 13 for storing hydrogen gas on the vehicle body 11. The mounting frame 17 is fixed to the vehicle body 11. For this purpose, the vehicle body 11 has a first front support portion 51, a second front support portion 53, and a rear support portion 52 (see FIG. 3) as support portions of the mounting frame 17.

[0063] The first front support portion 51 (see FIG. 7) is located on both sides in the left - right direction on the front side of the vehicle body 11. The second front support portion 53 is in front of the first front support portion 51 and is located on both sides in the left - right direction of the vehicle body 11. The first front support portion 51 and the second front support portion 53 are beam - shaped members protruding from the front frame 32 to both sides in the left - right direction. The first front support portion 51 is disposed behind the front wheel 12A, and the second front support portion 53 is disposed in front of the front wheel 12A. The first front support portion 51 and the second front support portion 53 are disposed below the upper end of the front wheel 12A.

[0064] The transmission case 33 of the vehicle body 11 has axle cases 33A for the rear wheels 12B on both the left and right sides of the rear portion. The rear support portion 52 (see FIG. 3) is constituted by plate - shaped brackets fixed on the left and right axle cases 33A.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 7, the mounting frame 17 includes a ceiling frame 17A, a pair of left and right front pillars 17B1, a pair of left and right rear pillars 17B2, a pair of left and right reinforcing frames 17C, a base frame 17D, and a pair of left and right lower frames 17E.

[0066] The ceiling frame 17A is a rectangular frame composed of four linear members in the front, rear, left, and right directions. The ceiling frame 17A supports the tank 13. In the present embodiment, the case 21A of the tank 13 is attached to the ceiling frame 17A, and the tank 13 is housed inside the case 21A.

[0067] The front pillar 17B1 is composed of a linear member. The lower ends of the left and right front pillars 17B1 are respectively connected to the first front support portions 51 on the same side on the left and right, and extend upward from the first front support portions 51. The upper ends of the left and right front pillars 17B1 are connected to both sides in the left - right direction at the front part of the ceiling frame 17A. The front pillar 17B1 supports the front part of the ceiling frame 17A from below on both sides in the left - right direction.

[0068] The front pillar 17B1 has a connecting plate (connecting member) 18a at the upper end, and the ceiling frame 17A has a connecting plate (connecting member) 18b on the lower surface of the front part. Both connecting plates 18a and 18b are formed in a flat plate shape and are overlapped with each other. Both connecting plates 18a and 18b are detachably connected by a connector 20 composed of a bolt 20a passing through them and a nut 20b fastened to the bolt 20a. However, both connecting plates 18a and 18b may be detachably connected by known connecting means such as a connecting pin passing through them and a locking fitting.

[0069] The pair of rear pillars 17B2 are composed of linear members. The lower ends of the rear pillars 17B2 are connected to the base frame 17D. The rear pillars 17B2 extend upward from the base frame 17D. The upper ends of the rear pillars 17B2 are connected to both left and right sides in the lateral direction at the rear part of the ceiling frame 17A. The rear pillars 17B2 support the rear part of the ceiling frame 17A from below on both left and right sides. The rear pillars 17B2 and the ceiling frame 17A are connected by connectors such as bolts and nuts, or by welding etc.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 8, the base frame 17D is a linear member extending in the lateral direction. The base frame 17D is supported from below by the left and right lower frames 17E. The lower frames 17E are composed of linear members. The lower ends of the left and right lower frames 17E are connected to the rear support parts 52 on the same side on the left and right, and extend upward from the rear support parts 52.

[0071] The lower frame 17E has a connecting plate (connecting member) 18f at the upper end, and the base frame 17D has a connecting plate (connecting member) 18e on the lower surface. Both connecting plates 18f and 18e are formed in a flat plate shape and are overlapped with each other. Both connecting plates 18f and 18e are detachably connected by a connector 20 composed of a bolt 20a passing through them and a nut 20b fastened to the bolt 20a. However, both connecting plates 18f and 18e may be detachably connected by known connecting means such as a connecting pin passing through them or a locking fitting etc.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 7, the reinforcing frame 17C extends obliquely from the front end of the ceiling frame 17A to the front end of the front frame 32 of the vehicle body 11. The front end (lower end) of the reinforcing frame 17C is connected to the second front support part 53. The rear end (upper end) of the reinforcing frame 17C is connected to both left and right sides in the lateral direction at the front part of the ceiling frame 17A.

[0073] The reinforcing frame 17C has a connecting plate (connecting member) 18d at the rear end, and the ceiling frame 17A also has a connecting plate (connecting member) 18c at the front end. Both connecting plates 18d and 18c are formed in a flat plate shape and are overlapped with each other. Both connecting plates 18d and 18c are detachably connected by a connector 20 composed of a bolt 20a passing through them and a nut 20b fastened to the bolt 20a. However, both connecting plates 18d and 18c may be detachably connected by known connecting means such as a connecting pin passing through them or a locking fitting.

[0074] The connecting plate 18d of the reinforcing frame 17C and the connecting plate 18a of the front pillar 17B1 may be connected to each other or may be integrated. The rear end of the reinforcing frame 17C may be connected to the upper part of the front pillar 17B1 instead of the ceiling frame 17A. In this case, the rear end of the reinforcing frame 17C may be fixed to the upper part of the front pillar 17B1 by welding or the like instead of being detachable.

[0075] The front pillar 17B1 and the reinforcing frame 17C are fixed to the front frame 32 which is a part of the chassis 41 via a first front support portion 51 and a second front support portion 53. On the other hand, the rear pillar 17B2, the base frame 17D, and the lower frame 17E are fixed to an axle case 33A of a transmission case 33 which is another part of the chassis 41 via a rear support portion 52 (bracket).

[0076] The chassis 41 forms a skeleton for mounting the bonnet 34, the driving device 14, etc., has a strong structure, and has high rigidity. The tank 13 is supported on such a chassis 41 via a mounting frame 17, and the work vehicle 1 can run stably.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 7, the mounting frame 17 has a pair of inclined frames 17F. The inclined frames 17F are composed of linear members. The inclined frames 17F obliquely extend rearward and upward from the front pillar 17B1 and are connected to the ceiling frame 17A. Due to this inclined frame 17F, the rigidity of the mounting frame 17 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is increased.

[0078] The inclined frame 17F has a connecting plate 18g at its upper end, and the ceiling frame 17A has a connecting plate 18h on its lower surface. Both connecting plates 18g and 18h are formed in a flat plate shape and are overlapped with each other. Both connecting plates 18g and 18h are detachably connected by a connector composed of a bolt passing through them and a nut fastened to the bolt. However, both connecting plates 18g and 18h may be detachably connected by known connecting means such as a connecting pin passing through them and a locking fitting.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 1, the ceiling frame 17A is located above the bonnet 34 and the cover 111 of the vehicle body 11. The ceiling frame 17A is located above the driver's seat 15 and the cabin 16 mounted on the vehicle body 11. The front end of the ceiling frame 17A is located in front of the driver's seat 15 (cabin 16). The front end of the ceiling frame 17A is located above the cover 111. The front end of the ceiling frame 17A is located behind the bonnet 34. The connecting portions (connecting plates 18a to 18d) of the ceiling frame 17A with the front pillar 17B1 and the reinforcing frame 17C are located above the bonnet 34, the cover 111, the driver's seat 15, and the cabin 16, and are located in front of the driver's seat 15 and the cabin 16. Also, the connecting portions 18a to 18d are located above the cover 111 and behind the bonnet 34.

[0080] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the base frame 17D is located behind the driver's seat 15 (cab 16). The base frame 17D is located above the fender 47 and the rear wheel 12B. The base frame 17D is located behind the axle of the rear wheel 12B and in front of the rear end of the rear wheel 12B. The connecting portions (connecting plates 18e, 18f) between the base frame 17D and the lower frame 17E are located behind the driver's seat 15 (cab 16) and above the fender 47 and the rear wheel 12B. The connecting portions (connecting plates 18e, 18f) between the base frame 17D and the lower frame 17E are located behind the axle of the rear wheel 12B and in front of the rear end of the rear wheel 12B.

[0081] [Arrangement of Pipes] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 9, the pipe 22 includes a pipe 22B (hereinafter also referred to as "front pipe") that connects the tank 13 and the fuel cell 24, and a pipe 22A (hereinafter also referred to as "rear pipe") that connects the tank 13 and the filling port 26. The front pipe 22B is drawn out from the bottom surface on the front side of the case 21A in the tank unit 21 and is connected to the fuel cell 24. The rear pipe 22A is drawn out from the rear surface of the case 21A and is connected to the filling port 26 (see FIG. 8).

[0082] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the front pipe 22B is arranged along the front pillar 17B1 on one side (left) of the mounting frame 17 and the inclined frame 17F on one side (left), and is mounted on the front pillar 17B1 and the inclined frame 17F using mounting tools such as clamp members and bands. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the rear pipe 22A is arranged along the rear pillar 17B2 on one side (right), and is mounted on the rear pillar 17B2 using mounting tools such as clamp members and bands. Therefore, the ceiling frame 17A of the mounting frame 17 is used as a member for mounting the tank unit 21, the front pillar 17B1 and the inclined frame 17F of the mounting frame 17 are used as members for mounting the front pipe 22B, and the rear pillar 17B2 of the mounting frame 17 is used as a member for mounting the rear pipe 22A.

[0083] Note that each member constituting the mounting frame 17 is a hollow tubular member. Therefore, the pipe 22 may be mounted on the mounting frame 17 by passing all or a part of the pipe through the inside of the tubular member.

[0084] The base frame 17D of the mounting frame 17 is used as a member for mounting the filling portion 25 (filling port 26). Therefore, the ceiling frame 17A, the rear pillar 17B2, and the base frame 17D of the mounting frame 17 constitute a mounting frame 19 for mounting the tank unit 21, the rear pipe 22A, and the filling portion 25.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 7, the connecting plates 18b, 18c, 18e, 18h in the mounting frame 19 (17A, 17B2, 17D) can be attached to and detached from the connecting plates 18a, 18d, 18f, 18g in the other members 17B1, 17C, 17E of the mounting frame 17. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, the mounting frame 19 can be removed from the vehicle body 11. Further, the tank unit 21, the rear pipe (supply pipe) 22B, and the filling port 26 mounted on the mounting frame 19 can also be removed from the vehicle body 11 together with the mounting frame 19.

[0086] The tank 13 of the tank unit 21 requires periodic inspection and maintenance, and may need to be replaced due to failure or aging deterioration. Therefore, there are cases where the tank 13 is removed from or attached to the vehicle body 11 of the work vehicle 1. However, piping 22 and valves 75-78 and other accessories are connected to the tank 13. When only the tank 13 is removed from or attached to the vehicle body 11, it is necessary to attach and detach these accessories to and from the tank 13, which makes the work very complicated. In particular, since high-pressure hydrogen gas flows from the filling port 26 toward the tank 13 in the rear pipe 22A, when the rear pipe 22A removed from the tank 13 is attached to the tank 13 again, it is necessary to apply a sufficient seal to prevent leakage.

[0087] In the present embodiment, a tank unit 21, a rear pipe 22A, and a filling portion 25 (filling port) 26 are mounted on a mounting frame 19, and these components can be removed from the vehicle body 11 together with the mounting frame 19. Therefore, the work can be easily performed as compared with the case where only the tank 13 is removed from the vehicle body 11.

[0088] Of the pipes 22, the front pipe 22B can be separated into a fuel cell 24 side and a tank unit 21 side by a connector 22C. Therefore, even if the mounting frame 19 is removed from the vehicle body 11, the front pipe 22B mounted on the front pillar 17B1 and the inclined frame 17F together with these can be left on the vehicle body 11 side. Further, since the hydrogen gas after being decompressed by the pressure reducing valve 77 flows through the front pipe 22B, the possibility of hydrogen gas leakage is lower than that of the rear pipe 22A. Therefore, there are few problems even if the tank unit 21 is configured to be detachable via the connector 22C.

[0089] In the mounting frame 17, the mounting frame 19 and other members (front pillar 17B1, reinforcing frame 17C, inclined frame 17F, lower frame 17E) left on the vehicle body 11 side are connected in front of or behind the driver's seat 15 (cab 16). That is, the front portion of the mounting frame 19 is connected in front of the driver's seat 15 (cab 16) with respect to the vehicle body 11 side, and the rear portion of the mounting frame 19 is connected behind the driver's seat 15 (cab 16) with respect to the vehicle body 11 side.

[0090] In the mounting frame 17, the mounting frame 19 is connected above the driver's seat 15 (cab 16) to other members (front pillar 17B1, reinforcing frame 17C, inclined frame 17F) left on the front side of the vehicle body 11, and the mounting frame 19 is connected above the fender 47 and the rear wheel 12B to other members (lower frame 17E) left on the rear side of the vehicle body 11. That is, the front part of the mounting frame 19 is connected above the driver's seat 15 (cab 16) with respect to the vehicle body 11 side, and the rear part of the mounting frame 19 is connected above the fender 47 and the rear wheel 12B with respect to the vehicle body 11 side. From the above, the work of removing and attaching the mounting frame 19 can be easily performed without interference from the driver's seat 15 (cab 16), the fender 47, the rear wheel 12B, etc.

[0091] The mounting frame 19 can be lifted and removed from the vehicle body 11 using a moving device such as a crane. The mounting frame 19 may be provided with suspension fittings 102 (see FIG. 10) such as eye bolts and eye nuts for connecting the moving device. Further, the mounting frame 19 removed from the vehicle body 11 may be placed on a gantry 100 that supports the ceiling frame 17A and the base frame 17D from below, as shown in FIG. 11 for example. By using such a gantry 100, the mounting frame 19 can be supported while maintaining its posture, or the mounting frame 19 can be moved via the wheels 101.

[0092] The mounting frame 19 is disposed above and behind the driver's seat 15 (cab 16), and the tank 13 (tank unit 21), the rear pipe 22A, and the filling port 26 (filling portion 25) are disposed above or behind the driver's seat 15 (cab 16). Therefore, the mounting frame 19 can be removed from the vehicle body 11 toward the upper or rear side of the driver's seat 15 (cab 16) where a relatively wide attachment / detachment space can be secured, and conversely, the mounting frame 19 can be attached to the vehicle body 11 from above or behind the driver's seat 15 (cab 16).

[0093] [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.

[0094] In the above embodiment, the tank unit 21, the rear pipe 22A, and the filling portion 25 were configured to be detachable from the vehicle body 11 together with the mounting frame 19. However, the front pipe 22B may also be configured to be detachable together with the mounting frame 19. In this case, among the mounting frames 17, the front pillar 17B1 and the inclined frame 17F to which the front pipe 22B is mounted can also be configured to be detachable from the vehicle body 11 (particularly the first front support portion 51) together with the ceiling frame 17A, the rear pillar 17B2, and the base frame 17D. Alternatively, the entire mounting frame 17 including the reinforcing frame 17C and the lower frame 17E can be configured to be detachable from the vehicle body 11.

[0095] As another embodiment, the fuel cell 24 can be mounted on a frame integrally connected to the mounting frame 17, and the fuel cell 24 can also be configured to be detachable from the vehicle body 11 together with the tank 13, the pipe 22, and the filling portion 25.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0096] 1: Work vehicle 11: Vehicle body 13: Tank 15: Driver's seat 19: Mounting frame 21A: Case 22A: Rear pipe (supply pipe) 24: Fuel cell 26: Filling port 75: Check valve 76: On-off valve 77: Pressure reducing valve 78: Main on-off valve

Claims

1. A vehicle body, a fuel cell mounted on the vehicle body, a tank for storing fuel to be supplied to the fuel cell, a supply pipe connected to the tank and for supplying fuel to the tank, and a frame to which the tank and the supply pipe are attached and which is removable from the vehicle body. The work vehicle is provided with these components.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a filling port that is removable from the vehicle body together with the frame.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a valve that is connected to the supply pipe or the tank and is removable from the vehicle body together with the frame.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a case in which the tank is housed and which is removable from the vehicle body together with the frame.

5. The work vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a driver's seat on the vehicle body, wherein the frame arranges the tank above the driver's seat.

Images