Work machine

Abstract

To provide a compact work machine with a limited space around an operating unit that can communicate with the outside by installing an antenna as a communication device.SOLUTION: A work machine comprises a work device supported in front of an operating unit, a protective member erected between the operating unit and the work device to protect the operating unit, and an antenna attached to the protective member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a work machine. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a rotating work machine equipped with a communication device. The communication device has a built-in communication antenna. The communication device is located behind a console located to the side of the driver's seat. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-148596 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a small work machine known as an ultra-mini excavator, it is difficult to secure space for placing communication devices around the driver's section including the driver's seat (for example, behind the driver's seat). In this respect, the configuration of Patent Document 1 leaves room for improvement.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its object is to provide a work machine that can be equipped with an antenna as a communication device and can communicate with the outside, even if it is a small-sized construction with limited space around the driver's section. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A work machine according to one aspect of the present invention is a work machine equipped with a work implement supported in front of a driving section, and is equipped with a protective member erected between the driving section and the work implement to protect the driving section, and an antenna attached to the protective member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] Even in small work machines with limited space around the driver's section, an antenna can be installed to enable communication with the outside world. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a hydraulic excavator, which is an example of a work machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hydraulic excavator as viewed obliquely from the front. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of an electrical system and a hydraulic system of the hydraulic excavator. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a ROPS frame provided in the hydraulic excavator. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the upper frame is tilted forward relative to the lower frame. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the location where the antenna is attached to the ROPS frame. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of part A in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the hydraulic excavator. [Figure 9] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic diagram of the positional relationship between the ROPS frame and the antenna in a plan view. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a side view showing another mounting position of the antenna in the hydraulic excavator. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a side view showing still another mounting position of the antenna in the hydraulic excavator. [Figure 12] 10 is a side view showing the position of the antenna when the upper frame is folded forward relative to the lower frame. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 14 is an enlarged perspective view showing the attachment position of the antenna in FIG. 13. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the hydraulic excavator. [Figure 15] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another configuration of the hydraulic excavator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

[0010] [1. Work Machinery] FIG. 1 is a side view showing the general configuration of a hydraulic excavator (electric excavator) 1, which is an example of an electric work machine according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hydraulic excavator as seen obliquely from the front. The hydraulic excavator 1 comprises a lower traveling body 2, a work implement 3, and an upper rotating body 4. Note that hereinafter, the hydraulic excavator 1 may also be referred to as the "machine body."

[0011] Here, directions are defined as follows: The direction in which the operator (operator, driver) seated in the driver's seat 41a of the upper rotating body 4 faces forward is defined as the forward direction, and the opposite direction is defined as the rearward direction. Therefore, when the upper rotating body 4 is not rotating relative to the undercarriage 2 (swing angle 0°), the fore-and-aft direction of the upper rotating body 4 coincides with the direction in which the undercarriage 2 moves forward and backward. Also, the left side as seen from the operator seated in the driver's seat 41a is defined as the "left," and the right side is defined as the "right." Furthermore, the direction of gravity, which is perpendicular to the fore-and-aft direction and the left-and-right direction, is defined as the up-and-down direction, with the upstream side of the direction of gravity defined as the "up" and the downstream side as the "down." In the drawings, the hydraulic excavator 1 is shown in a state in which the upper rotating body 4 is not rotating relative to the undercarriage 2. Also, in the drawings, the forward direction is indicated by the symbols "F," the rearward by the symbol "B," the left by the symbol "L," the right by the symbol "R," the upward by the symbol "U," and the downward by the symbol "D."

[0012] The lower traveling structure 2 includes a pair of left and right crawlers 21 and a pair of left and right traveling motors 22. Each traveling motor 22 is a hydraulic motor. The left and right traveling motors 22 drive the left and right crawlers 21, respectively, to move the hydraulic excavator 1 forward and backward. The lower traveling structure 2 further includes a blade 23 for performing ground leveling work, and a blade cylinder 23a for rotating the blade 23 in the up and down direction.

[0013] The work implement 3 includes a boom 31, an arm 32, and a bucket 33. By independently driving the boom 31, the arm 32, and the bucket 33, it is possible to perform excavation work for earth and sand, etc. Furthermore, instead of the bucket 33, an attachment can be attached as appropriate. For example, if a breaker is attached as an attachment, it is possible to perform crushing or demolition work using the breaker.

[0014] The boom 31, the arm 32, and the bucket 33 are driven by a boom cylinder 31a, an arm cylinder 32a, and a bucket cylinder 33a, respectively. The boom cylinder 31a, the arm cylinder 32a, and the bucket cylinder 33a are configured by hydraulic cylinders.

[0015] The base end of the boom 31, i.e., the end of the boom 31 opposite the side connected to the arm 32, is swingably connected to the tip end 42a of the revolving frame 42 via a boom bracket 34. That is, the hydraulic excavator 1 of this embodiment has a boom swing function in which the boom 31 swings left and right from the tip end 42a. The revolving frame 42 is provided with a swing cylinder 42b (see FIG. 2). The swing cylinder 42b is formed by a hydraulic cylinder, and swings the boom 31 by extending and retracting.

[0016] The boom 31 has a shape that is bent forward at an obtuse angle and is rotated up and down by the extension and retraction of the boom cylinder 31a. The boom cylinder 31a is located behind (rearward of) the boom 31. The base end of the boom cylinder 31a is supported by a boom bracket 34, and the tip end is connected to a bent portion of the boom 31 so as to move telescopically. The arm 32 is rotatably connected to the tip end of the boom 31. The arm 32 is rotated up and down by the extension and retraction of the arm cylinder 32a. The base end of the arm cylinder 32a is supported by the boom 31, and the tip end is connected to the base end of the arm 32 so as to move telescopically. The bucket 33 is connected to the tip end of the arm 32 via a link mechanism 35 and is rotated up and down by the extension and retraction of the bucket cylinder 33a. The base end of the bucket cylinder 33a is supported by the arm 32, and the tip end is connected to the link mechanism 35 so as to move telescopically.

[0017] In this way, the work implement 3 is supported at the tip end 42a of the revolving frame 42 of the upper revolving body 4. As a result, the work implement 3 is located in front of the driving section 41 (described later) of the upper revolving body 4. In other words, the hydraulic excavator 1 is provided with the work implement 3 supported in front of the driving section 41.

[0018] A work light 31P (see FIG. 2) is attached to the right side of the boom 31. When performing work using the hydraulic excavator 1, the operator can turn on the work light 31P to brightly illuminate the area ahead by operating a work light switch (not shown) as necessary.

[0019] The upper rotating body 4 is located above the lower traveling body 2 and is provided so as to be able to rotate relative to the lower traveling body 2. A driving unit 41, a rotating frame 42, a rotating motor 43, and a machine room 44 are arranged on the upper rotating body 4. The upper rotating body 4 rotates via a rotating bearing (not shown) by driving the rotating motor 43, which is a hydraulic motor.

[0020] A driver's seat 41a is disposed in the driver's section 41. An operating section 41b is disposed around the driver's seat 41a. The operating section 41b includes levers, buttons, pedals, etc. When an operator sits on the driver's seat 41a and operates the operating section 41b, a hydraulic actuator 73 (see FIG. 3), which will be described later, is driven. This allows the lower traveling body 2 to travel, the work implement 3 to perform excavation work, the upper rotating body 4 to rotate, etc.

[0021] In particular, the operation unit 41b includes an operation lever 411. The operation lever 411 includes various levers such as a travel lever and a cut-off lever. The travel lever is provided to protrude upward from the top surface of an operation box 400 disposed in front of the driver's seat 41a. The operation box 400 is provided upright in front of the floor 41F of the driver's unit 41. The operator can travel the hydraulic excavator 1 by operating the travel lever. The cut-off lever is disposed to the side of the driver's seat 41a. The operator can switch between enabling and disabling the drive of the hydraulic actuator 73 (see FIG. 3) by operating the cut-off lever. In this way, the driver's unit 41 includes the operation lever 411 for operating the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0022] A machine room 44 is disposed below the driver's seat 41a. A battery unit 51 is disposed within the machine room 44. The battery unit 51 is configured, for example, as a lithium-ion battery unit. The battery unit 51 stores electric power and supplies the electric power to an electric motor 61 (see FIG. 3) to drive the electric motor 61.

[0023] A lead battery 52 is also disposed in the machine room 44. The lead battery 52 outputs a low-voltage (e.g., 12 V) DC voltage. The output from the lead battery 52 is supplied as a control voltage to, for example, a system controller 67 (see FIG. 3) or the like.

[0024] The upper rotating body 4 further includes a ROP frame 45. The ROP frame 45 is a protective member provided to protect the driver's section 41 and the operator seated in the driver's seat 41a in the unlikely event that the hydraulic excavator 1 overturns. The ROP frame 45 is fixed to the front wall 41F1 of the upper rotating body 4 and extends upward. The front wall 41F1 is a wall extending downward from the front end of the floor 41F. The tip end 42a protrudes forward from the center of the front wall 41F1 in the left-right direction. Therefore, the ROP frame 45 fixed to the front wall 41F1 extends upward from between the driver's section 41 and the work implement 3. In other words, the hydraulic excavator 1 includes the ROP frame 45, which stands between the driver's section 41 and the work implement 3 and serves as a protective member to protect the driver's section 41. Details of the ROP frame 45 will be described later.

[0025] Indicator lights 46 are attached to the ROPs frame 45. The indicator lights 46 are configured as, for example, rotating lights, but may also be configured as LED lamps. The indicator lights 46 include a first indicator light 46a and a second indicator light 46b. The first indicator light 46a and the second indicator light 46b are arranged side by side in the left-right direction on a rear frame 45B of the ROPs frame 45, which will be described later.

[0026] When the operator sits in the driver's seat 41a and fastens the seat belt, the first indicator light 46a lights up in green. This allows workers working around the hydraulic excavator 1 to see the first indicator light 46a and know that the operator has fastened the seat belt.

[0027] When starting work using the hydraulic excavator 1, the operator can turn on the second indicator light 46b by operating a beacon switch (not shown) provided on the operation box 400. Furthermore, when work is completed, the operator can turn off the second indicator light 46b by operating the beacon switch. This allows workers around the hydraulic excavator 1 to see whether the second indicator light 46b is on or off and to recognize whether or not work is being performed by the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0028] [2. Electrical and hydraulic system configuration] 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the electrical system and hydraulic system of the hydraulic excavator 1. For convenience, in the figure, paths through which current or electrical signals flow are indicated by solid lines, and paths through which hydraulic oil flows are indicated by dashed lines.

[0029] The hydraulic excavator 1 includes, in the machine room 44, an electric motor 61, a normal charger 62, an inverter 63, a PDU (Power Distribution Unit) 64, a junction box 65, a DC-DC converter 66, and a system controller 67. The system controller 67 is configured as an electronic control unit also called an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), and performs electrical control of each part of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0030] The electric motor 61 is driven by electric power supplied from the battery unit 51 via a junction box 65 and an inverter 63. The electric motor 61 is configured as a permanent magnet motor or an induction motor.

[0031] The normal charger 62 (also called a power supply) converts AC voltage supplied from an external power source via a cable (not shown) into DC voltage. The voltage (DC voltage) output from the normal charger 62 is supplied to the battery unit 51 via the junction box 65 and the PDU 64. This charges the battery unit 51. Charging the battery unit 51 at this time is called normal charging. The hydraulic excavator 1 may also be provided with a quick-charging connector to which a quick-charging cable is connected. In this case, the battery unit 51 can be quick-charged.

[0032] The inverter 63 converts the DC voltage supplied from the battery unit 51 into AC voltage and supplies it to the electric motor 61. This causes the electric motor 61 to rotate. The supply of AC voltage (current) from the inverter 63 to the electric motor 61 is performed based on a rotation command output from a system controller 67.

[0033] The PDU 64 is a battery control unit that controls an internal battery relay to control the input and output of the battery unit 51. The junction box 65 includes a charger relay, an inverter relay, a fuse, etc. The voltage output from the battery unit 51 is supplied to the inverter 63 via the PDU 64 and the junction box 65.

[0034] The DC-DC converter 66 reduces a high voltage (e.g., 300 V) DC voltage supplied from the battery unit 51 via the PDU 64 and the junction box 65 to a low voltage (e.g., 12 V). The voltage output from the DC-DC converter 66 is supplied to the system controller 67 and the like, similar to the output from the lead battery 52.

[0035] A plurality of hydraulic pumps 71 are connected to a rotary shaft (output shaft) of the electric motor 61. The plurality of hydraulic pumps 71 include variable displacement pumps and fixed displacement pumps. In FIG. 3, only one hydraulic pump 71 is shown as an example. Each hydraulic pump 71 is connected to a hydraulic oil tank 74.

[0036] When the hydraulic pump 71 is driven by the electric motor 61, hydraulic oil in the hydraulic oil tank 74 is supplied to the hydraulic actuator 73 via the control valve 72. This drives the hydraulic actuator 73. The control valve 72 is a directional switching valve that controls the flow direction and amount of hydraulic oil supplied to the hydraulic actuator 73. The hydraulic actuator 73 includes a hydraulic motor (for example, the left and right travel motors 22 and the swing motor 43 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) and a hydraulic cylinder (for example, the boom cylinder 31a, arm cylinder 32a, and bucket cylinder 33a in FIG. 1).

[0037] The control valve 72 has a spool for adjusting the amount of hydraulic oil discharged to the hydraulic actuator 73. The spool is connected to an operating lever 411 (e.g., a travel lever) disposed in the driving unit 41 via a link mechanism. This allows the amount of hydraulic oil discharged from the control valve 72 to be mechanically controlled by operating the operating unit 41b. Note that other control methods for the control valve 72, such as a pilot type or an electromagnetic type, may also be used.

[0038] The control valve 72 is disposed inside the operation box 400 shown in FIGS.

[0039] [3. About the Rops Frame] Next, the details of the ROPs frame 45 will be described. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the ROPs frame 45 is made up of a left frame 45L and a right frame 45R connected by a rear frame 45B. The ROPs frame 45 is made up of, for example, a metal pipe with a circular cross section. The left frame 45L and the right frame 45R form a pair of support frames.

[0040] The left frame 45L and the right frame 45R are connected to left and right positions of the front wall 41F1 of the floor 41F of the driver's section 41. The left frame 45L and the right frame 45R have an L-shape that extends upward from the floor 41F and then bends rearward. The rear frame 45B extends in the left-right direction, with one end and the other end connected to the rear ends of the left frame 45L and the right frame 45R, respectively. The bent portions and connecting portions of each frame are curved.

[0041] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the ROPS frame 45. For convenience, an antenna 47, which will be described later, is omitted from FIG. 4. The left frame 45L and the right frame 45R each have an upper frame 45U and a lower frame 45D. The upper frame 45U is located above the lower frame 45D. A lower end 45D1 of the lower frame 45D is fastened and fixed to the front wall 41F1 (see FIG. 2) of the driver's section 41 with bolts or the like. The upper frame 45U and the lower frame 45D are connected via hinges 45a so as to be rotatable relative to each other in the front-to-rear direction.

[0042] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a state in which the upper frame 45U is tilted forward relative to the lower frame 45D. For convenience, the antenna 47 is also omitted from Fig. 5. For example, when the hydraulic excavator 1 is transported loaded on the bed of a truck or the like, the upper frame 45U is rotated forward relative to the lower frame 45D, with the rotation axis of the hinge 45a as the fulcrum. This allows the ROPS frame 45 to be folded, thereby reducing the maximum height of the hydraulic excavator 1 during transportation.

[0043] Thus, the ROPS frame 45 as a protective member includes a lower frame 45D supported on the front wall portion 41F1 of the driver's section 41, and an upper frame 45U supported on the upper part of the lower frame 45D so as to be able to tilt forward via a hinge 45a as a support portion.

[0044] A reinforcing frame 451 and a reinforcing plate 452 are fixed to each of the lower frames 45D of the left frame 45L and the right frame 45R. The reinforcing frame 451 and the reinforcing plate 452 are provided for the purpose of reinforcing the ROPS frame 45. The reinforcing frame 451 is located higher than the reinforcing plate 452. The reinforcing frame 451 extends in the left-right direction, and each of its left-right ends is fixed to the upper part of each of the left and right lower frames 45D by welding or the like. The reinforcing plate 452 is a plate that extends in the up-down and left-right directions, and each of its left-right ends is fixed to the lower part of each of the left and right lower frames 45D by welding or the like.

[0045] In this embodiment, each lower frame 45D is formed in a shape such that the left-right spacing is constant above the vertical center and narrows downward from the vertical center. The shape of each lower frame 45D can be set as appropriate. For example, each lower frame 45D may be formed in a shape such that the left-right spacing is constant throughout the entire vertical direction. Alternatively, each lower frame 45D may be formed in a shape such that the left-right spacing changes continuously in the vertical direction.

[0046] Each upper frame 45U of the left frame 45L and the right frame 45R has an upper protective frame 453. The upper protective frame 453 of the left frame 45L is also referred to as the left upper protective frame 453L, and the upper protective frame 453 of the right frame 45R is also referred to as the right upper protective frame 453R. The left upper protective frame 453L and the right upper protective frame 453R are positioned apart in the left-right direction. Each upper protective frame 453 extends in the front-to-rear direction above the driver's unit 41. Thus, the ROPs frame 45 as a protective member has the upper protective frame 453 extending from front to rear above the driver's unit 41 as an upper protective portion. The upper protective frame 453 includes a left upper protective frame 453L (left upper protective portion) disposed relatively to the left, and a right upper protective frame 453R (right upper protective portion) disposed relatively to the right.

[0047] The rear end of the upper left protective frame 453L is connected to the left end of the rear frame 45B, and the rear end of the upper right protective frame 453R is connected to the right end of the rear frame 45B.

[0048] Each of the left and right upper frames 45U further includes a connecting frame 454. Each connecting frame 454 extends in the vertical direction. The front end of each upper protective frame 453 is bent (curved) downward and connected to the upper end of the connecting frame 454. The lower end of the connecting frame 454 is rotatably connected to the hinge 45a via a connecting stay 454a.

[0049] [4. Antenna] 1 and 2, an antenna 47 is attached to the ROPs frame 45. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the attachment location of the antenna 47 on the ROPs frame 45. Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of part A in Fig. 6.

[0050] The antenna 47 is a device for transmitting (emitting) or receiving (absorbing) radio waves, and is also called a communication device or a communication unit. The antenna 47 includes at least one of a positioning antenna and a communication antenna. The positioning antenna acquires position information of the vehicle (hydraulic excavator 1) by receiving radio signals transmitted from positioning satellites. The positioning antenna includes a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) antenna or the like. The communication antenna is provided for wireless communication with an external remote monitoring device. The transmission and reception of radio waves via the antenna 47 is controlled by a system controller 67 (see FIG. 3).

[0051] The antenna 47 and the system controller 67 are connected via a cable (not shown). The cable is routed through a metal pipe that constitutes the ROPS frame 45. The housing 47a, which is the exterior cover of the antenna 47, is made of resin. This ensures that communication between the antenna 47 and the outside is not impeded by the housing 47a.

[0052] The antenna 47 is attached to the upper protective frame 453 of the upper frame 45U via a first bracket 48. The antenna 47 is fastened to the first bracket 48 using a fastening member such as a bolt. The first bracket 48 is fixed by welding to the side surface (outer periphery) of the upper frame 45U (the upper-left protective frame 453L in FIGS. 6 and 7). The first bracket 48 may also be fixed to the upper frame 45U using a fastening member such as a bolt. In this way, the hydraulic excavator 1 is provided with the antenna 47 attached to the ROPs frame 45 serving as a protective member. In FIGS. 2, 6, and 7, the antenna 47 is attached to the left frame 45L of the ROPs frame 45, but it may also be attached to the right frame 45R or the rear frame 45B (see FIG. 9).

[0053] By mounting the antenna 47 on the ROPS frame 45 rising from the front of the driver's section 41, there is no need to secure a separate space for installing a communication unit around the driver's seat 41a. In other words, the antenna 47 can be installed even in a small hydraulic excavator 1 in which the space around the driver's seat 41a is narrow. Therefore, even in a small hydraulic excavator 1, it becomes possible to communicate with the outside using the antenna 47.

[0054] Furthermore, by mounting the antenna 47 on the ROPS frame 45, the antenna 47 can be positioned at a predetermined distance or more from the operator seated in the driver's seat 41a. This reduces the impact on the human body of radio waves transmitted and received by the antenna 47. In other words, even an antenna 47 that needs to be spaced apart from the operator can be easily mounted on the hydraulic excavator 1. Furthermore, the antenna 47 is not surrounded by a metal wall such as a hood, which blocks the propagation of radio waves. This makes it easier to establish good communication.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 1, the driver's seat 41a of the driver's unit 41 is located rearward of the antenna 47. That is, the driver's unit 41 includes the driver's seat 41a, which is located rearward of the antenna 47. In this configuration, when the operator sits in the driver's seat 41a, the antenna 47 is located forward of the operator. In this case, the operator can see the antenna 47 (for example, diagonally upward). Therefore, the operator can easily check whether the antenna 47 will come into contact with any obstacles in the surrounding area (for example, above) while working with the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0056] 1, the antenna 47 is disposed at a position higher than the control lever 411 of the driving section 41. Such an arrangement of the antenna 47 reduces the risk that the antenna 47 will interfere with the operation of the control lever 411 by the operator. Furthermore, by placing the antenna 47 at a higher position, it is possible to achieve good communication with the outside. Therefore, as in this embodiment, the antenna 47 can be used not only as a communication antenna but also as a positioning antenna that accurately measures the position information of the aircraft.

[0057] As described above, the antenna 47 is attached to the upper frame 45U of the ROPS frame 45 via the first bracket 48. By using the first bracket 48, the antenna 47 can be stably supported relative to the upper frame 45U. Furthermore, by attaching the antenna 47 to the upper frame 45U, the antenna 47 can be positioned as high as possible, making it easy to achieve good communication with the outside.

[0058] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the hydraulic excavator 1. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram that schematically shows the positional relationship between the ROPS frame 45 and the antenna 47 in the plan view of FIG. 8. As shown in FIG. 8, the antenna 47 is disposed inside the machine body of the hydraulic excavator 1 relative to the outer end of the machine body in a plan view. Note that the "outside of the machine body" and the "inside of the machine body" may refer to the outside of the machine body (hydraulic excavator 1) (opposite the driver's unit 41) and the inside of the machine body (the driver's unit 41 side) in the left-right direction when viewing the hydraulic excavator 1 from above, or may refer to the outside and inside of the machine body in the front-rear direction. Specifically, these can be considered as follows.

[0059] 8 and 9, when the antenna 47 is attached to the left upper protective frame 453L via the first bracket 48 (see FIGS. 6 and 7), "more inward than the outer end of the machine body of the hydraulic excavator 1" refers to the right of the left end 21LE of the left crawler 21. Therefore, in this case, the antenna 47 is disposed to the right of the left end 21LE of the left crawler 21 in a plan view. In other words, the antenna 47 is disposed inside the machine body more than the end (e.g., the left end 21LE) in the machine body width direction (left-right direction) of the undercarriage 2 disposed below the driving unit 41.

[0060] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 9, when the antenna 47 is attached to the upper right protective frame 453R of the ROPS frame 45, the antenna 47 may be arranged inward (leftward) of the machine body in the left-right direction from the right end 21RE (see Fig. 8) of the right crawler 21. Also, when the antenna 47 is attached to the rear frame 45B of the ROPS frame 45, the antenna 47 may be arranged inward (forward) of the machine body in the front-rear direction from the rear end 4a of the upper rotating body 4.

[0061] In this way, by arranging the antenna 47 inside the machine body of the hydraulic excavator 1 relative to the outer end of the machine body, the antenna 47 does not protrude from the hydraulic excavator 1 in a plan view. This reduces the risk of the antenna 47 coming into contact with surrounding obstacles (for example, walls) and being damaged when the hydraulic excavator 1 is traveling or the upper rotating body 4 is rotating.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the antenna 47 is disposed in the left-right direction further inside the aircraft body than the outer end of the upper protective frame 453. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, when the antenna 47 is attached to the left upper protective frame 453L via the first bracket 48, the antenna 47 is disposed to the right of the left end 453LE (see FIG. 9) of the left upper protective frame 453L in a plan view. When the antenna 47 is attached to the right upper protective frame 453R via the first bracket 48, the antenna 47 only needs to be disposed to the left of the right end 453RE (see FIG. 9) of the right upper protective frame 453R in a plan view. In either case, the antenna 47 is disposed between the left end 453LE (outer end of the aircraft body) of the left upper protective frame 453L and the right end 453RE (outer end of the aircraft body) of the right upper protective frame 453R in a plan view.

[0063] 8 and 9, antenna 47 is arranged so as to partially overlap upper protective frame 453 in plan view, but antenna 47 may be arranged so as not to overlap upper protective frame 453, that is, further inward in the airframe than upper protective frame 453. Such an arrangement can be easily achieved, for example, by shifting the attachment position of antenna 47 relative to first bracket 48 inward in the airframe, or by changing the shape or size of first bracket 48 to which antenna 47 is attached.

[0064] In this way, by arranging the antenna 47 inside the machine body relative to the machine body outer end of the upper protective frame 453 in the left-right direction, in the unlikely event that the hydraulic excavator 1 were to tip over, the upper protective frame 453 would come into contact with the ground or a surrounding obstacle (such as a wall) before the antenna 47. This reduces the risk of the antenna 47 being damaged in the event of tipping over. From the perspective of ensuring reliable protection of the antenna 47 in the event of tipping over, it is desirable that the antenna 47 be arranged between the left end 453LE and the right end 453RE in a plan view, as in this embodiment.

[0065] From a similar perspective, when the antenna 47 is attached to, for example, the rear frame 45B via the first bracket 48, it is desirable that the antenna 47 be positioned forward (inside the aircraft) of the rear end 45BE (see Figure 9), which is the outer end of the aircraft of the rear frame 45B, in a plan view.

[0066] Incidentally, the frames to which the antenna 47 is attached in the ROPS frame 45 are not limited to the above-mentioned upper protection frame 453 and rear frame 45B.

[0067] 10 is a side view showing another mounting position of the antenna 47 on the hydraulic excavator 1. The antenna 47 may be mounted on either the left or right connecting frame 454, or on either the left or right lower frame 45D. When the antenna 47 is mounted on the lower frame 45D, the antenna 47 may be disposed at the upper front of the lower frame 45D.

[0068] When the upper frame 45U rotates forward relative to the lower frame 45D, the rotation of the upper frame 45U beyond a predetermined angle is restricted by the hinge 45a. Therefore, even if the antenna 47 is disposed on the upper front side of the lower frame 45D as shown in Fig. 10, it is possible to prevent the antenna 47 from coming into contact with the upper frame 45U when the upper frame 45U rotates forward.

[0069] Fig. 11 is a side view showing yet another mounting position of the antenna 47 in the hydraulic excavator 1. Fig. 12 is a side view showing the position of the antenna 47 in a state where the upper frame 45U is bent forward relative to the lower frame 45D. Fig. 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing the mounting position of the antenna 47 in Fig. 12. As shown in these figures, the antenna 47 may be mounted to the lower frame 45D via a second bracket 49. In Fig. 13, the antenna 47 is mounted to the lower frame 45D of the left frame 45L, but it may also be mounted to the lower frame 45D of the right frame 45R.

[0070] The antenna 47 is fastened to the second bracket 49 using a fastening member such as a bolt. The second bracket 49 is fixed to the side surface (outer peripheral surface) of the lower frame 45D by welding. The second bracket 49 may also be fixed to the lower frame 45D using a fastening member such as a bolt.

[0071] By using the second bracket 49, the antenna 47 can be stably supported relative to the lower frame 45D. Furthermore, in a configuration in which the antenna 47 is attached to the lower frame 45D, the antenna 47 remains stationary even when the upper frame 45U is tilted forward relative to the lower frame 45D. Therefore, even when the upper frame 45U is tilted, there is no need to worry about bending the cable (not shown) connected to the antenna 47. Therefore, damage to the cable due to bending is avoided.

[0072] 11 to 13, it is desirable to place antenna 47 rearward relative to lower frame 45D. In this case, even if upper frame 45U is tilted forward relative to lower frame 45D, there is no risk of antenna 47 coming into contact with upper frame 45U, and damage to antenna 47 is reliably avoided.

[0073] 10, the antenna 47 may be disposed in front of the lower frame 45D. Therefore, in summary of the mounting position of the antenna 47 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, it can be said that the antenna 47 may be disposed facing the ROPS frame 45 in the front-rear direction.

[0074] Fig. 14 is a plan view of the hydraulic excavator 1 shown in Fig. 11. Even in a configuration in which the antenna 47 is attached to the lower frame 45D as shown in Fig. 14, it is desirable that the antenna 47 be disposed closer to the inside of the machine body than the outer end of the machine body of the hydraulic excavator 1 (for example, the left end 21LE of the left crawler 21) in a plan view. This reduces the risk of the antenna 47 coming into contact with surrounding obstacles and being damaged when the hydraulic excavator 1 is traveling or the upper rotating body 4 is rotating.

[0075] Fig. 15 is a perspective view schematically showing another configuration of the hydraulic excavator 1. The hydraulic excavator 1 shown in Fig. 15 has the same configuration as that shown in Fig. 1, etc., except that a wire harness WH is used as a support member instead of the first bracket 48 and the second bracket 49, and the antenna 47 is attached (supported) to the ROPS frame 45 by the wire harness WH. The wire harness WH is formed by bundling cables connecting the antenna 47 and the system controller 67 (see Fig. 3) with a rigid tube. The above-mentioned cables include electric wires used for power supply and wiring used for signal communication.

[0076] In this way, it is possible to extend the wire harness WH from inside the metal pipe that constitutes the ROPs frame 45 to the outside and support the antenna 47 from below by the wire harness WH. In other words, it is possible to attach the antenna 47 to the ROPs frame 45 without using the first bracket 48 and the second bracket 49.

[0077] [5. Supplementary Information] In this embodiment, the hydraulic excavator 1 is described as having an electric motor 61 as a prime mover, but the prime mover may be an engine.

[0078] The hydraulic excavator 1 may be configured to use hydraulic equipment such as the hydraulic actuator 73 (e.g., a hydraulic motor or a hydraulic cylinder) in combination with an actuator driven by electricity. Examples of the actuator driven by electricity include an electric travel motor, an electric cylinder, and an electric swing motor.

[0079] In this embodiment, a hydraulic excavator 1, which is a construction machine, has been described as an example of the work machine, but the work machine is not limited to the hydraulic excavator 1 and may be other construction machines such as a wheel loader, a compact track loader, etc. Furthermore, the work machine may be agricultural machinery such as a combine harvester, a tractor, etc.

[0080] [6. Notes] The work machine described in this embodiment can also be expressed as follows:

[0081] The work machine in Appendix (1) is A work machine having a work implement supported in front of a driving section, a protective member that stands between the driving unit and the work machine and protects the driving unit; and an antenna attached to the protective member.

[0082] The work machine of supplementary note (2) is the work machine of supplementary note (1), The antenna is disposed, in plan view, inside the machine body of the work machine relative to the outer end of the machine body.

[0083] The work machine of supplementary note (3) is a work machine according to supplementary note (1) or (2), The driver's section includes a driver's seat disposed behind the antenna.

[0084] The work machine of supplementary note (4) is a work machine according to any one of supplementary notes (1) to (3), the driving section includes an operation lever for operating the work machine, The antenna is disposed at a position higher than the operating lever.

[0085] The work machine of supplementary note (5) is a work machine according to any one of supplementary notes (1) to (4), The protective member has an upper protective portion extending from the front to the rear above the driving portion, The antenna is disposed inside the fuselage body relative to the outer end of the upper protection section in the left-right direction.

[0086] The work machine of supplementary note (6) is the work machine according to supplementary note (5), the upper protection portion includes a left upper protection portion disposed relatively to the left side and a right upper protection portion disposed relatively to the right side, The antenna is disposed between the outer end of the left upper protection portion and the outer end of the right upper protection portion in a plan view.

[0087] The work machine of supplementary note (7) is a work machine according to any one of supplementary notes (1) to (6), The protective member is a lower frame supported by a front wall portion of the driving section; an upper frame supported on an upper portion of the lower frame via a support portion so as to be tiltable forward, The antenna is attached to the upper frame via a first bracket.

[0088] The work machine of supplementary note (8) is a work machine according to any one of supplementary notes (1) to (4), The antenna is disposed opposite the protective member in the front-rear direction.

[0089] The work machine of supplementary note (9) is a work machine described in any one of supplementary notes (1) to (4) or (8), The protective member is a lower frame supported by a front wall portion of the driving section; an upper frame supported on an upper portion of the lower frame via a support portion so as to be tiltable forward, The antenna is attached to the lower frame via a second bracket.

[0090] The work machine of supplementary note (10) is the work machine according to supplementary note (9), The antenna is disposed rearward relative to the lower frame.

[0091] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these, and the invention can be expanded or modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0092] The present invention can be used in work machines such as construction machines and agricultural machines. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 1 Hydraulic excavator (work machine, machine body) 3 Work equipment 21LE Left side end (outside end of the aircraft) 21RE Right side edge (outside edge of the fuselage) 41 Driving Department 41F1 Front wall 41a Driver's seat 45 Rops frame (protective material) 45D lower frame 45U upper frame 45a Hinge (support part) 47 Antenna 48 First Bracket 49 Second Bracket 411 Operating lever 453 Upper protective frame (upper protective part) 453L Upper left protective frame (upper left protective part) 453R Upper Right Protective Frame (Upper Right Protective Part) 453LE left end (outer end of the fuselage) 453RE right end (external end of the fuselage)

Claims

1. A work machine having a work implement supported in front of a driving section, a protective member that stands between the driving unit and the work machine and protects the driving unit; an antenna attached to the protective member.

2. The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein the antenna is disposed inside the machine body of the work machine relative to an outer end of the machine body in a plan view.

3. The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein the driver's section includes a driver's seat that is positioned rearward of the antenna.

4. the driving section includes an operation lever for operating the work machine, The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein the antenna is disposed at a position higher than the operating lever.

5. The protective member has an upper protective portion extending from the front to the rear above the driving portion, The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein the antenna is disposed inside the machine body relative to an outer end of the upper protection section in the left-right direction.

6. the upper protection portion includes a left upper protection portion disposed relatively to the left side and a right upper protection portion disposed relatively to the right side, The work machine according to claim 5 , wherein the antenna is disposed between an outer end of the left upper protection section and an outer end of the right upper protection section in a plan view.

7. The protective member is a lower frame supported by a front wall portion of the driving section; an upper frame supported on an upper portion of the lower frame via a support portion so as to be tiltable forward, The work machine of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is mounted to the upper frame via a first bracket.

8. The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein the antenna is disposed opposite the protective member in the front-rear direction.

9. The protective member is a lower frame supported by a front wall portion of the driving section; an upper frame supported on an upper portion of the lower frame via a support portion so as to be tiltable forward, The work machine of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is attached to the lower frame via a second bracket.

10. The work machine of claim 9 , wherein the antenna is positioned rearwardly relative to the lower frame.

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