Construction machinery

Abstract

To provide construction machinery that minimizes the impact of controller heat on the operator. [Solution] The hydraulic excavator 1 comprises a floor member 21, an air conditioning unit 29, an internal air passage 30, and a controller 32. The floor member 21 is provided on the slewing frame 7 of the upper slewing body 4. The floor member 21 has a footrest 22 on which the operator places their feet, a rising section 23 that rises upward from the rear of the footrest 22, and a driver's seat mounting section 24 that extends rearward from the upper part of the rising section 23. An internal air passage 30 is provided on the front side of the rising section 23, and a controller 32 is attached to the rear side of the rising section 23.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present disclosure relates to construction machinery such as hydraulic excavators used at various work sites such as civil engineering, demolition, and underground construction work.

Background Art

[0002] A hydraulic excavator, which is a representative example of construction machinery, includes a controller that controls electric equipment mounted on the vehicle body. On the other hand, in a hydraulic excavator, it is required that an operator can work comfortably in a cab with limited space. Here, Patent Document 1 discloses a construction machine in which a controller is mounted beside the driver's seat in the cab.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, when the controller is arranged beside the operator's driver's seat, the operator may be affected by the heat generated by the controller. That is, along with the heat generation of the controller, the operator may feel hot air, and the comfort of the operator may be reduced.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a construction machine that can make it difficult for an operator to be affected by the heat generation of the controller.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention preferably comprises a floor member provided on the frame of a vehicle body and to which a driver's seat is attached, an air conditioning unit that supplies conditioned air around the driver's seat, an interior air passage through which air flowing into the air conditioning unit circulates, and a controller that controls electrical equipment mounted on the vehicle body, wherein the floor member has a footrest portion on which an operator places their feet, a rising portion that rises upward from the rear of the footrest portion, and a driver's seat mounting portion that extends rearward from the upper part of the rising portion and on which the driver's seat is mounted, the interior air passage is provided on the front side of the rising portion, and the controller is mounted on the rear side of the rising portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the effects of heat generated by the controller on the operator can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a left side view showing a hydraulic excavator (construction machine) according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a left side view showing a hydraulic excavator with the cab tilted up. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the cab interior (i.e., floor components, driver's seat, various control levers, pedals, etc.) from the left front side. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the floor material from the front left side. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view from the same position as Figure 4, showing the interior air filter (filter) with its front cover removed to expose it. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view from the same position as Figure 5, which shows the interior air filter removed. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the floor components and driver's seat from the right rear side. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view from the same direction as Figure 7, which shows the floor member and swivel frame (frame) to which the controller is attached. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view from the same position as Figure 8, which shows the controller covered with an insulating cover. [Figure 10] This is a top-down plan view of the floor components. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view taken from the direction indicated by the arrow XI-XI in Figure 10. [Figure 12] This is a view from the direction indicated by arrow (XII) in Figure 10, with the front cover and interior air filter removed. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] In the following, a crawler-type hydraulic excavator will be used as an example of a construction machine according to the embodiment, and will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0010] Furthermore, in the following explanation, the front-to-back direction of the hydraulic excavator 1 is defined as the side with the working device 6 being the front, and the side with the counterweight 8, which is opposite the working device 6, being the rear. The left-to-right direction of the hydraulic excavator 1 is defined as being perpendicular to the front-to-back direction. That is, the side with the working device 6, which is on the left side of Figure 1, is the front of the hydraulic excavator 1, and the side with the counterweight 8, which is on the right side of Figure 1, is the rear of the hydraulic excavator 1. The left-to-right direction of the hydraulic excavator 1 corresponds to the front-to-back direction of Figure 1. That is, the front side (foreground) of Figure 1 is the left side of the hydraulic excavator 1, and the back side (back) of Figure 1 is the right side of the hydraulic excavator 1. In addition, the up-to-down direction of the hydraulic excavator 1 corresponds to the up-to-down direction of Figure 1.

[0011] As a construction machine, the hydraulic excavator 1 is widely used in work sites such as civil engineering, forestry, demolition, and underground construction. The hydraulic excavator 1 of this embodiment is configured as a small hydraulic excavator (for example, with a machine weight of about 1 to 6 tons) suitable for work in narrow work sites such as street alleys (mini excavator, small hydraulic excavator). More specifically, the hydraulic excavator 1 of this embodiment corresponds to a rear ultra-short swing hydraulic excavator or a rear short swing hydraulic excavator. Furthermore, the hydraulic excavator 1 of this embodiment is configured as a cab-type hydraulic excavator 1.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the hydraulic excavator 1 includes a crawler-type lower traveling body 2 capable of traveling, and an upper revolving body 4 mounted on the lower traveling body 2 via a slewing device 3 so as to be capable of revolving. The lower traveling body 2 and the upper revolving body 4 constitute the vehicle body of the hydraulic excavator 1. The vehicle body is capable of traveling (self-propelled). Also, the vehicle body is capable of revolving.

[0013] On the front side of the lower traveling body 2, a blade 5, also called an earth discharge plate, is provided so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. The hydraulic excavator 1 can perform earth discharge work and the like using the blade 5. Also, on the front side of the upper revolving body 4, a swing-type working device 6 is provided so as to be rotatable. The hydraulic excavator 1 can perform earth excavation work and the like using the working device 6.

[0014] The working device 6, also called a front device, includes a swing post 6A, a boom 6B, an arm 6C, and a bucket 6D as a working tool. The swing post 6A is provided on the front side of the upper revolving body 4 (more specifically, the swing frame 7) so as to be swingable in the left-right direction. The boom 6B is rotatably attached to the swing post 6A.

[0015] The arm 6C is rotatably attached to the tip of the boom 6B. The bucket 6D is rotatably attached to the tip of the arm 6C. Also, the working device 6 includes a swing cylinder (not shown) for swinging the swing post 6A, a boom cylinder 6E for rotating the boom 6B, an arm cylinder 6F for rotating the arm 6C, and a bucket cylinder 6G as a working tool cylinder for rotating the bucket 6D.

[0016] The upper revolving body 4 includes a revolving frame 7 that serves as a support structure (base frame, main frame). The revolving frame 7 is composed of a flat bottom plate (not shown) attached to the lower traveling body 2 via the revolving bearing 3A of the revolving device 3, and a horizontal plate 7A erected on this bottom plate and extending in the left - right direction. An operating device 6 is attached to the front side of the revolving frame 7. A counterweight 8 for weight balance with the operating device 6 is mounted on the rear side of the revolving frame 7.

[0017] The counterweight 8 is formed to be curved in an arc shape so as to cover the rear side of the engine 9. That is, the outer peripheral surface 8A of the counterweight 8 has an arc shape with the central part in the left - right direction protruding rearward. Thus, when the upper revolving body 4 revolves, the outer peripheral surface 8A of the counterweight 8 is configured to be within a certain revolving radius. Also, when the upper revolving body 4 is revolved, the outer peripheral surface 8A of the counterweight 8 is set to be within the left - right width dimension of the lower traveling body 2. Thereby, the hydraulic excavator 1 realizes a rear - small revolution.

[0018] Also, an engine 9 as a prime mover is mounted on the revolving frame 7, located on the front side of the counterweight 8. The engine 9 is configured as, for example, a diesel engine. Note that the prime mover of the hydraulic excavator 1 may be, in addition to the engine 9 which is an internal combustion engine, a hybrid prime mover combining an engine and an electric motor, or an electric motor alone. The engine 9 rotationally drives a hydraulic pump 10. The hydraulic pump 10, together with an oil tank not shown, constitutes the hydraulic source (hydraulic drive source) of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0019] The hydraulic pump 10 is rotationally driven by the engine 9, drawing in hydraulic fluid stored in the hydraulic fluid tank and supplying (discharging) this drawn-in hydraulic fluid as pressurized oil to a control valve device (not shown). The control valve device is a group of control valves consisting of multiple directional control valves. The control valve device supplies the pressurized oil discharged from the hydraulic pump 10 to hydraulic actuators (hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic motors) such as the cylinders 6E, 6F, 6G of the work device 6, the travel motor (not shown) of the lower travel body 2, and the slewing motor (not shown) of the slewing device 3, in accordance with the operation of the travel lever / pedal 13 and the work lever 14 in the cab 11. As a result, the hydraulic excavator 1 can travel, slewing, excavate, etc.

[0020] The cab 11 is located on the left side of the slewing frame 7. The cab 11 consists of the floor member 21 and the cab box 28, which will be described later, and forms the operator's cabin. Inside the cab 11 is a driver's seat 12 where the operator sits. As a result, the driver's seat 12 is located on the left side of the slewing frame 7 (one side in the left-right direction of the upper slewing body 4).

[0021] Furthermore, the driver's seat 12 is covered by the cab 11 (more specifically, the cab box 28). In front of the driver's seat 12 are the travel levers and pedals 13, which are operated when moving the lower travel body 2, and the work levers 14, which are operated when operating the slewing device 3 and the work device 6. In addition, a monitor device (not shown) is provided inside the cab 11 to inform the operator of necessary information. Furthermore, a gate lock lever 15 is provided below the left work lever 14, at a position corresponding to the entrance / exit of the cab 11.

[0022] The gate lock lever 15 rotates between an unlocked position (restricted entry / exit position) that blocks the entry / exit door of the cab 11 and a locked position (permitted entry / exit position) that opens the entry / exit door. The unlocked position that blocks the entry / exit door corresponds to the gate lock lever 15 being lowered, and the locked position that opens the entry / exit door corresponds to the gate lock lever 15 being raised. Figures 1 to 3 show the gate lock lever 15 in the lowered position (unlocked position).

[0023] The gate lock lever 15 can be switched between a locked position (up position) and an unlocked position (down position) by the operator. When the gate lock lever 15 is in the locked position, the hydraulic actuators of the hydraulic excavator 1, i.e., the various hydraulic actuators such as the cylinders 6E, 6F, 6G, the travel motor, and the swing motor, are not driven. At this time, the electromagnetic switching valve (not shown), which is switched based on the operation of the gate lock lever 15, is switched by the controller 32 (described later) to a position that shuts off the supply of pilot pressure to the control valve device. Conversely, when the gate lock lever 15 is in the unlocked position, the driving of the hydraulic actuators is permitted. At this time, the electromagnetic switching valve is switched by the controller 32 to a position that allows the supply of pilot pressure to the control valve device.

[0024] Next, the floor member 21 and the cab box 28 that make up the cab 11 will be described.

[0025] The floor member 21 constitutes the bottom of the cab 11. The floor member 21 is covered around and above by the cab box 28. The floor member 21 is located on the left side of the slewing frame 7. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the floor member 21 is supported at its front position so as to be tiltable at the front of the slewing frame 7, and at its rear position it is supported on top of the counterweight 8.

[0026] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the floor member 21 can be tilted up (Figure 2) and tilted down (Figure 1) with its front position as a pivot point, together with the driver's seat 12, cab box 28, air conditioning unit 29, controller 32, etc. When tilted down, the mounting portion 24C at the rear position of the floor member 21 is supported on the counterweight 8 in a vibration-damped state.

[0027] The floor member 21 has a footrest 22 on which the operator places their feet, a rising portion 23 that rises upward from the rear of the footrest 22, and a driver's seat mounting portion 24 that extends rearward from the upper part of the rising portion 23. The footrest 22 is on which the operator, seated in the driver's seat 12, places their feet. The footrest 22 is provided at the lower end of the rising portion 23 and extends forward from this lower end.

[0028] An air conditioning unit 29 is attached to the underside of the footrest 22. The left end of the footrest 22 is a step-shaped footrest 22A for the operator to place their feet on when getting on or off. The front of the footrest 22 is a lever / pedal mounting section 22B. The lever / pedal mounting section 22B is where the driving levers and pedals 13, etc., are attached.

[0029] The rising section 23 is a wall (partition) located below the driver's seat 12 and extending vertically. As shown in Figures 5, 10, and 11, an internal air filter 25 for removing dust from the air (internal air) supplied to the air conditioning unit 29 is provided on the front side of the rising section 23. Specifically, a filter support section 31 is provided on the front side of the rising section 23 as a vertical plate that extends horizontally and is spaced apart from the rising section 23 in the front-rear direction. The internal air filter 25 is mounted on this filter support section 31. As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 11, the front side of the internal air filter 25 is covered by a front cover 26. As shown in Figures 1, 2, 8, 10, 11, and 12, a controller 32 for controlling electrical equipment mounted on the hydraulic excavator 1 is provided on the rear side of the rising section 23.

[0030] The driver's seat 12 is mounted on the driver's seat mounting section 24. The driver's seat mounting section 24 includes a driver's seat mounting section 24A that extends horizontally from the top of the rising section 23 toward the rear, a rear section 24B that extends upward from the rear of the driver's seat mounting section 24A, a mounting section 24C that extends toward the rear from the top of the rear section 24B, and a left side section 24D that extends toward the rear from the left edge of the rising section 23 along the left edge of the driver's seat mounting section 24A and the left edge of the rear section 24B.

[0031] At the front of the driver's seat mounting section 24A, an interior air inlet 24A1 is provided for drawing in air from inside the cab 11 (interior air) toward the interior air filter 25. Conversely, at the left side surface 24D of the driver's seat mounting section 24A, an exterior air inlet 24D1 is provided for taking in air from outside the cab 11 (outside air). Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8, 9, and 10, an exterior air intake duct 27 is attached to the inner surface of the left side surface 24D, connecting the exterior air inlet 24D1 to the inlet 29A1 of the air conditioning unit 29. In Figures 10 to 12, the airflow, i.e., the flow of interior air and the flow of exterior air, are indicated by arrows.

[0032] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cab box 28 is provided to cover the perimeter and above the driver's seat 12. The cab box 28 is formed in a box shape by a front surface 28A, a rear surface 28B, a left side surface 28C, a right side surface (not shown), and a top surface 28D, and its lower end is attached to the floor member 21. The inside of the cab box 28 is the operator's cabin. In addition, a door 28E is provided on the left side surface 28C of the cab box 28 to open and close the entrance for entering and exiting the cabin.

[0033] The air conditioning unit 29 is attached to the underside of the footrest portion 22 of the floor member 21. The air conditioning unit 29 draws in internal air which becomes the air inside the cab 11 and external air which becomes the air (atmosphere) outside the cab 11, and supplies conditioned air adjusted to the desired temperature and humidity into the cab 11. The air conditioning unit 29 houses a blower fan, evaporator, heater core, etc. (none of which are shown) within a box-shaped casing 29A.

[0034] The casing 29A of the air conditioning unit 29 is attached, for example, to the underside of the floor member 21 (footrest 22). As shown in Figures 10 and 12, the casing 29A is provided with an inlet 29A1 through which indoor and outdoor air flow in. The downstream side of the indoor air passage 30 and the downstream side of the outdoor air intake duct 27 are connected to the inlet 29A1. As a result, indoor and outdoor air merge upstream of the inlet 29A1. In other words, the upstream side of the inlet 29A1 is a confluence point where indoor and outdoor air merge. The air (indoor and outdoor air) that merges upstream of the inlet 29A1 is then taken into the air conditioning unit 29 via the inlet 29A1.

[0035] The interior air passage 30 circulates the air inside the cab 11 as interior air toward the air conditioning unit 29. The interior air passage 30 is composed of a rising portion 23 of the floor member 21 and a filter support portion 31 which is a vertical plate provided on the front side of the rising portion 23. That is, the interior air passage 30 corresponds to a conduit (interior air circulation chamber, interior air circulation space) formed between the front surface of the rising portion 23 and the rear surface of the filter support portion 31. The downstream side of the interior air passage 30 is connected to the inlet 29A1 of the air conditioning unit 29. An interior air filter 25 is mounted on the filter support portion 31.

[0036] As shown in Figures 5, 6, 10, 11, and 12, the filter support portion 31 is formed as a long rectangular member extending in the left-right direction, located below the driver's seat 12 and in front of the rising portion 23. The filter support portion 31 has a frame-shaped filter mounting portion 31A for mounting the interior air filter 25. Also, as shown in Figures 6 and 12, the filter support portion 31 has an intake opening 31B as an upstream opening. The intake opening 31B corresponds to the upstream opening of the interior air passage 30. The interior air filter 25 is attached to the filter mounting portion 31A of the filter support portion 31 so as to close the intake opening 31B.

[0037] The outside air intake duct 27 circulates outside air from the cab 11 towards the air conditioning unit 29. As shown in Figures 7 to 10, the upstream side of the outside air intake duct 27 is connected to the outside air inlet 24D1 on the left side surface 24D. The downstream side of the outside air inlet 24D1, i.e., the upstream side of the outside air intake duct 27, is a filter housing section 27A. An outside air filter (not shown) is housed in the filter housing section 27A so as to block the outside air inlet 24D1. On the other hand, the downstream side of the outside air intake duct 27 is connected to the inlet 29A1 of the air conditioning unit 29.

[0038] As shown in Figures 5, 10, and 11, the interior air filter 25 is provided on the front side of the riser portion 23. More specifically, the interior air filter 25 is attached to a filter support portion 31 provided on the front side of the riser portion 23 and is removable. The space between the front surface of the riser portion 23 and the rear surface of the filter support portion 31 is an interior air passage 30 through which the air that has passed through the interior air filter 25 (interior air) flows toward the inlet 29A1 of the air conditioning unit 29.

[0039] The interior air filter 25 collects dust and other foreign matter, such as fine sand and soil, from the air inside the cab 11 that is drawn in by the air conditioning unit 29, and supplies clean air. The interior air filter 25 is formed, for example, in a rectangular shape and is arranged extending in the left-right direction. The interior air filter 25 is covered by a front cover 26. Of the front cover 26, an opening / closing plate 26C1 that can be opened and closed by a hinge mechanism is provided in the part of the front cover 26 that is close to the door 28E side of the cab box 28.

[0040] When the opening / closing plate 26C1 of the front cover 26 is opened, the left side of the interior air filter 25 is exposed. In this state, the interior air filter 25 can be removed from the filter support 31 by pulling it out along its longitudinal direction. Conversely, the cleaned interior air filter 25 or a new interior air filter 25 can be attached to the filter support 31 in the reverse order of removal. Thus, the interior air filter 25 is provided in a replaceable manner on the inside (rear side) of the front cover 26.

[0041] Figures 3 and 4 show the floor member 21 with the front cover 26 attached, and Figure 5 shows the floor member 21 with the front cover 26 removed. Figure 6 also shows the interior air filter 25 removed from the filter support 31. The front cover 26 is located in front of the rising portion 23 and the filter support 31 and covers the front of the interior air filter 25 and the filter support 31. The front cover 26 is formed as a long rectangular plate (panel member) that extends horizontally below the driver's seat 12.

[0042] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the front cover 26 is formed by a horizontally elongated rectangular vertical surface 26A located in the middle of the left-right direction and extending in the left-right and up-down directions, a trapezoidal inclined surface 26B that slopes downward from the lower edge of the vertical surface 26A toward the rear on the side of the internal air filter 25, a left surface 26C extending diagonally to the left rear from the left edge of the vertical surface 26A and the left edge of the inclined surface 26B, and a right surface 26D extending diagonally to the right rear from the right edge of the vertical surface 26A and the right edge of the inclined surface 26B. An opening / closing plate 26C1 is provided on the left surface 26C so as to be openable and closable.

[0043] By the way, in the hydraulic excavator described in Patent Document 1 mentioned above, the controller is mounted next to the operator's seat. In such a configuration, if the controller generates heat, this heat can be transferred to the operator, potentially causing them to feel the heat. This could reduce the operator's comfort. For this reason, in small hydraulic excavators, also known as mini excavators, it is preferable to place the controller in a location where it is less likely to affect the operator with heat generation.

[0044] Considering this point, one might consider, for example, placing the controller on the slewing frame. However, in this case, the harness connecting the electrical equipment inside the cab (monitor device, lever device, etc.) to the controller would need to be bent at the front, which is the pivot point when the cab is tilted, and this part would need to bend and extend as the cab tilts down and up. In particular, the harness connecting the electrical equipment inside the cab (monitor device, lever device, etc.) to the controller would be thick. For this reason, it is not desirable to arrange such a thick harness so that it spans between the slewing frame and the cab.

[0045] Therefore, in this embodiment, the controller is positioned on the rear side of the bulkhead located below the driver's seat, in other words, on the opposite side of the bulkhead from the internal air passage (internal air duct) located in front of the bulkhead. That is, in this embodiment, the controller is positioned on the rear side of the rising portion of the floor member that forms the bulkhead. Furthermore, if the controller is directly attached to the bulkhead (rising portion), the heat from the controller will be transferred to the internal air passage, potentially reducing the cooling performance and compromising the operator's comfort. Therefore, in this embodiment, the controller is attached to the bulkhead (rising portion) via a base so that there is a gap between the controller and the bulkhead (rising portion). These points will be explained in detail below.

[0046] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the hydraulic excavator 1, as a construction machine, has a body composed of a lower traveling body 2 and an upper rotating body 4. Also, as shown in Figures 1 to 12, the hydraulic excavator 1 is equipped with a floor member 21, an air conditioning unit 29, an internal air passage 30, and a controller 32. The hydraulic excavator 1 is also equipped with an internal air filter 25 as a filter. The floor member 21 is mounted on a slewing frame 7, which is the frame of the upper rotating body 4. The driver's seat 12 is attached to the floor member 21. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the floor member 21 is configured so that its rear side can rotate vertically with its front side as a pivot point. The air conditioning unit 29 supplies conditioned air around the driver's seat 12.

[0047] As shown in Figures 5, 10, and 11, the interior air filter 25 is supported by a filter support portion 31 located in front of the rising portion 23 of the floor member 21. The interior air filter 25 is positioned upstream of the interior air passage 30. The interior air filter 25 collects dust and debris from the air. More specifically, the interior air filter 25 collects (captures) dust and debris from the interior air that flows into the filter pre-chamber 36 between the interior air filter 25 and the front cover 26 from the interior air inlet 24A1 located in front of the driver's seat mounting portion 24 (driver's seat mounting portion 24A) of the floor member 21.

[0048] The interior air passage 30 is through which air flowing into the air conditioning unit 29 circulates. In other words, the interior air passage 30 is through which air that has passed through the interior air filter 25 (interior air) circulates. The interior air passage 30 is an airflow passage formed between the rising section 23 and the filter support section 31, and connects the intake opening 31B of the filter support section 31 to the inlet 29A1 of the air conditioning unit 29. The controller 32 controls, for example, electrical equipment mounted on the upper rotating body 4. For this purpose, the controller 32 is connected via harness 33 to electrical equipment such as the monitoring device in the cab 11, the driving levers and pedals 13, the work levers 14, the gate lock lever 15, various switches, as well as the control unit (ECU) of the engine 9 and various sensors.

[0049] The controller 32 controls solenoid valves and the like in response to the operator's operation of, for example, the travel lever / pedal 13, the work lever 14, the gate lock lever 15, etc. In other words, the controller 32 controls the drive of hydraulic equipment (working device 6 including attachments) based on the operation of the work lever 14, such as a proportional control lever or an auxiliary function lever (AFL). The controller 32 also controls the drive of hydraulic equipment based on the operation of the gate lock lever 15, also called a shut-off lever. In other words, the controller 32 controls the solenoid proportional valve and solenoid switching valve for performing these controls. The solenoid proportional valve corresponds to a solenoid valve for adjusting the flow rate of the main oil passage by operating the work lever 14. The solenoid switching valve corresponds to a solenoid valve for controlling the pilot oil passage by operating the gate lock lever 15. In other words, the work lever 14 and the gate lock lever 15 correspond to input devices that provide input to the controller 32, and the solenoid proportional valve and solenoid switching valve correspond to output devices that are the output destinations of the controller 32. The controller 32 consists of a microcomputer (not shown) made up of many electronic components, which is enclosed in a box-shaped case 32A. A harness 33, which bundles several cables together, is connected to the right side 32B of the case 32A.

[0050] The floor member 21 has a footrest 22 on which the operator places their feet, a rising section 23 that rises upward from the rear of the footrest 22, and a driver's seat mounting section 24 that extends rearward from the top of the rising section 23 and on which the driver's seat 12 is mounted. An interior air passage 30 is provided on the front side of the rising section 23. On the rear side of the rising section 23, a controller 32 is attached. In this case, the controller 32 is attached to the rear side of the rising section 23 via a base 34.

[0051] In other words, the hydraulic excavator 1 is equipped with a base 34 for fixing the controller 32 to the rear side of the riser section 23. The base 34 is provided on the rear side of the riser section 23 so as to protrude toward the counterweight 8 side, which is behind the riser section 23. As shown in Figures 7 and 11, the base 34 is equipped with a pair of bases 34A, 34A that are spaced apart in the vertical direction and each has a substantially U-shaped cross-section and extends in the horizontal direction, and a mounting plate 34B that connects the upper base 34A and the lower base 34A. The controller 32 is detachably fixed to the base 34 using fasteners such as bolts and nuts 35. The controller 32 is attached to the riser section 23 via the base 34 so as to be spaced apart from the riser section 23 and the driver's seat mounting section 24.

[0052] The harness 33 is connected to the right side 32B of the case 32A of the controller 32. This ensures that the side of the controller 32 to which the harness 33 is connected (right side 32B) faces inward towards the vehicle body. In other words, the controller 32 has a connector portion 32C to which the harness 33 is connected. The connector portion 32C is located on the side of the controller 32 that faces inward towards the vehicle body, i.e., the right side 32B. As a result, one end of the harness 33 is connected to the right side 32B of the controller 32. The harness 33 extends from the right side 32B of the controller 32 toward the right side of the vehicle body, and a portion of it is fixed to the rear surface (back) of the rising portion 23 using a clip band 37. The portion of the harness 33 curves toward the front of the vehicle body and extends to the front of the rising portion 23 through the opening 23A on the right side of the rising portion 23.

[0053] Specifically, as shown in Figures 4 to 7, an opening 23A is provided on the right side of the rising portion 23 in the left-right direction of the vehicle body, relative to the filter support portion 31 that supports the interior air filter 25. The harness 33 is arranged through the opening 23A of the rising portion 23, from the rear side to the front side. The other end of the harness 33 is connected to electrical equipment such as the driving levers and pedals 13, work levers 14, and monitoring devices inside the cab 11. Also, for example, a part of the harness 33 extends downward from the footrest portion 22 of the floor member 21 toward the slewing frame 7 and is connected to electrical equipment for hydraulic control such as solenoid valves mounted on the slewing frame 7.

[0054] Furthermore, a filter support portion 31 is provided on the front side of the riser portion 23, spaced apart from the front surface of the riser portion 23. As shown in Figure 5, the internal air filter 25 is detachably supported in the filter support portion 31. Also, as shown in Figures 6 and 12, the filter support portion 31 is provided with an intake opening 31B that connects the "filter pre-chamber 36 between the rear surface of the front cover 26 and the front surface of the filter support portion 31" and the "internal air passage 30 between the rear surface of the filter support portion 31 and the front surface of the riser portion 23".

[0055] The intake opening 31B of the filter support section 31 corresponds to the outlet (filter outlet) of the air (interior air) that has passed through the interior air filter 25, in other words, the upstream opening of the interior air passage 30. Thus, the interior air passage 30 has an intake opening 31B as the upstream opening through which air that has passed through the interior air filter 25 flows. The air conditioning unit 29 also has an inlet 29A1 connected to the interior air passage 30. As shown in Figure 12, the intake opening 31B, the controller 32, and the inlet 29A1 of the air conditioning unit 29 are arranged in order from the inside (left side of Figure 12) to the outside (right side of Figure 12) in the width direction of the vehicle body. The width direction of the vehicle body corresponds to the left-right direction of the upper rotating body 4, that is, the left-right direction from the viewpoint of the operator seated in the driver's seat 12. In this case, using the operator seated in the driver's seat 12 as the reference point, the left side of Figure 12 corresponds to the right side of the operator, and the right side of Figure 12 corresponds to the left side of the operator.

[0056] As shown by the arrows in Figure 11, the interior air that becomes the air inside the cab 11 flows from the interior air inlet 24A1 provided at the front of the driver's seat mounting portion 24A into the filter pre-chamber 36 between the rear surface of the front cover 26 and the front surface of the interior air filter 25. The interior air that flows into the filter pre-chamber 36 passes through the interior air filter 25 from the front side to the rear side and flows into the interior air passage 30 through the suction opening 31B of the filter support portion 31.

[0057] As shown by the arrows in Figure 12, the interior air flowing into the interior air passage 30 from the intake opening 31B of the filter support section 31 flows through the interior air passage 30 from the inside (left side in Figure 12) to the outside (right side in Figure 12) in the width direction of the vehicle body. The interior air in the interior air passage 30 then flows into the air conditioning unit 29 from the inlet 29A1 of the air conditioning unit 29, together with the outside air (outside air) introduced from the outside air intake duct 27. The relationship between the amount of interior air and the amount of outside air flowing into the air conditioning unit 29 can be set by the size of the intake opening 31B of the filter support section 31. For example, by making the intake opening 31B of the filter support section 31 smaller, it is made more difficult to draw in interior air, and the ratio of the amount of interior air and the amount of outside air flowing in can be restricted to a predetermined ratio.

[0058] In this embodiment, an interior air filter 25, which is a filter, and an interior air passage 30, which is an interior air conduit, are provided at the foot of the seat placed on the floor member 21, that is, at the foot of the driver's seat 12. A base 34 is provided on the rear side of the rising portion 23 of the floor member 21 that partitions the interior air passage 30, that is, on the side opposite to the interior air passage 30, with the rising portion 23 acting as a partition wall in between. A controller 32 is attached to this base 34.

[0059] When the controller 32 operates, it generates heat. At this time, air flows through the internal air passage 30. In addition, the presence of the base 34 creates a gap between the controller 32 and the rising section 23. Therefore, even when the controller 32 operates and generates heat, the heat from the controller 32 is less likely to affect the internal air passage 30 on the opposite side of the rising section 23 from the controller 32. This allows the controller 32 to be positioned in a location that minimizes the impact of heat on the operator.

[0060] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the controller 32 is covered by a separate heat insulating cover 38. Figure 9 shows the controller 32 covered by the heat insulating cover 38, and Figure 8 shows the controller 32 with the heat insulating cover 38 removed. As shown in Figures 7, 8, 10, and 11, a plurality (four) of cover support brackets 39 are provided on the rear side of the rising portion 23. The cover support brackets 39 protrude from the rear side of the rising portion 23 toward the counterweight 8.

[0061] The cover support bracket 39 has its base end attached to the rear surface of the rising portion 23, and its intermediate portion 39A extends horizontally from the rising portion 23 toward the rear. The tip end of the cover support bracket 39, which is the protruding end, is a bent portion 39B that is bent at a 90-degree angle to the intermediate portion 39A. The heat insulating cover 38 is screwed to the bent portion 39B.

[0062] The insulation cover 38 is constructed as a bottomed cylindrical box with a rectangular bottom 38A and side sections 38B surrounding the four sides of the bottom 38A. The bottom 38A is screwed to the bent portion 39B of the cover support bracket 39. The side section 38B is provided with a harness outlet 38B1 (Figure 9) for passing the harness 33 from the inside to the outside of the insulation cover 38.

[0063] In this embodiment, the heat insulating cover 38 has aluminum tape, which acts as an insulating material (insulator), attached to its bottom 38A and side 38B. The controller 32, which is attached to the rear (back) surface of the rising section 23, faces the engine 9 located in front of the counterweight, but the heat insulating cover 38 prevents the heat from the engine 9 from being directly transferred to the controller 32. That is, the hydraulic excavator 1 comprises an engine 9 as a prime mover provided on the slewing frame 7 of the upper slewing body 4, and an engine housing chamber 16 as a prime mover housing chamber in which this engine 9 is housed. The controller 32 is located in the engine housing chamber 16. The heat insulating cover 38 is provided between the controller 32 and the engine 9.

[0064] The hydraulic excavator 1 according to this embodiment has the configuration described above, and its operation will now be explained.

[0065] When performing excavation work using the hydraulic excavator 1, the operator sits in the driver's seat 12 inside the cab 11, starts the engine 9, and drives the hydraulic pump 10. In this state, when the operator operates the travel lever / pedal 13, pressurized oil is supplied from the hydraulic pump 10 to the travel hydraulic motor of the lower travel body 2 via the control valve device. This allows the hydraulic excavator 1 to move.

[0066] Furthermore, when the operator operates the work lever 14, pressurized oil is supplied from the hydraulic pump 10 to the slewing hydraulic motor, swing cylinder, boom cylinder 6E, arm cylinder 6F, and bucket cylinder 6G via the control valve device. This allows the upper slewing body 4 to be rotated while excavation work such as soil and sand is performed using the work device 6.

[0067] During operation of the hydraulic excavator 1, the operator activates the air conditioning unit 29 as needed to maintain a good environment inside the cab 11. The air conditioning unit 29 draws in air from inside the cab 11 (internal air) and air from outside the cab 11 (external air), cools this air with its evaporator or heats it with its heater core to create conditioned air. By blowing this conditioned air into the cab 11, the air conditioning unit 29 can adjust the temperature inside the cab 11 to a suitable level.

[0068] In this embodiment, an interior air passage 30 is provided on the front side of the rising section 23. Furthermore, a controller 32 is mounted on the rear side of the rising section 23. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the controller is placed next to the driver's seat, the heat from the controller 32 is less likely to be transferred to the operator. As a result, the effects of the heat generated by the controller 32 on the operator can be reduced, improving the operator's comfort.

[0069] Furthermore, since the controller 32 is attached to the rear side of the riser section 23, it is positioned below the driver's seat mounting section 24. Therefore, as shown in Figure 2, when the floor member 21 is tilted up (rotated upwards at the rear with the front as the pivot point), it is possible to prevent raindrops from falling on the controller 32.

[0070] According to this embodiment, the controller 32 is mounted on the riser portion 23 via a base 34 so as to be separated from the riser portion 23 and the driver's seat mounting portion 24. This allows for a gap between the controller 32 and the rear surface of the riser portion 23, making it difficult for heat from the controller 32 to be transferred to the interior air passage 30. This suppresses the rise in the temperature of the air introduced into the air conditioning unit 29 through the interior air passage 30 due to the heat generated by the controller 32. As a result, for example, a decrease in cooling performance can be suppressed, and operator comfort can be improved from this perspective as well. Furthermore, since the controller 32 is also separated from the driver's seat mounting portion 24, it is difficult for heat to be transferred to the driver's seat mounting portion 24, which is the surface in close proximity to the operator seated in the driver's seat 12. This also improves operator comfort from this perspective as well.

[0071] According to the embodiment, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the controller 32 has a connector portion 32C to which the harness 33 is connected, and this connector portion 32C is located on the right side surface 32B which is located on the inside of the vehicle body. Therefore, it is difficult to pinch the harness 33 between the rising portion 23 of the floor member 21 and the lateral plate 7A of the slewing frame 7 located below the rising portion 23. That is, since the harness 33 is connected to the right side surface 32B, it can be arranged so that the harness 33 does not hang down from the controller 32. This prevents the harness 33 from being pinched between the rising portion 23 of the floor member 21 and the lateral plate 7A of the slewing frame 7 located below the rising portion 23.

[0072] According to the embodiment, as shown in Figure 12, the intake opening 31B, which is the upstream opening of the interior air passage 30, the controller 32, and the inlet 29A1 of the air conditioning unit 29 are arranged in order from the inside (left side of Figure 12) to the outside (right side of Figure 12) in the width direction of the vehicle body. Therefore, even if heat from the controller 32 is transferred to the rising section 23 facing the controller 32, the air (interior air) in the interior air passage 30 actively flows from the intake opening 31B to the inlet 29A1 of the air conditioning unit 29, thereby suppressing the retention of heat in the interior air passage 30. This suppresses the rise in temperature inside the cab 11, and from this perspective as well, it makes it less likely for the operator to be affected by the heat generated by the controller 32.

[0073] According to this embodiment, a heat insulating cover 38 is provided between the controller 32 and the engine 9, which acts as the prime mover. Therefore, the heat insulating cover 38 can suppress the direct transfer of heat from the engine 9 to the controller 32. This prevents the temperature of the controller 32 from falling outside the allowable temperature range (rising above the allowable temperature). In other words, the temperature of the controller 32 can be maintained at an appropriate temperature.

[0074] In this embodiment, the controller 32 was described as being attached to the rear side of the rising section 23 via a base 34. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration, and for example, the controller may be directly attached to the rear side of the rising section.

[0075] In this embodiment, the example described was one in which the connector portion 32C to which the harness 33 is connected is located on the right side 32B of the controller 32. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the connector portion to which the harness is connected may be located on a side other than the right side, such as the left side, top side, or bottom side of the controller. Furthermore, the connector portion does not have to be located inside the vehicle body.

[0076] In this embodiment, the suction opening 31B, which is the upstream opening of the interior air passage 30, the controller 32, and the inlet 29A1 of the air conditioning unit 29 are arranged in order from the inside to the outside in the width direction of the vehicle body. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and for example, the upstream opening, the controller, and the inlet of the air conditioning unit may be arranged in order from the outside to the inside in the width direction of the vehicle body.

[0077] In this embodiment, the case in which a heat insulating cover 38 is provided between the controller 32 and the engine 9 was described as an example. However, the invention is not limited to this, and for example, the heat insulating cover may be omitted. More specifically, for example, the controller case may be made of a highly heat insulating material, or a heat insulating material (insulator) such as aluminum tape may be attached to the controller case.

[0078] In the embodiment, the case in which an internal air filter 25 is provided at the intake opening 31B of the internal air passage 30 was described as an example. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and for example, the filter may be omitted. Also, in the embodiment, the case in which the floor member 21 is configured to be rotatable was described as an example. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and for example, the floor member may be configured not to rotate.

[0079] In this embodiment, a hydraulic excavator 1 equipped with a swing-type working device 6 was used as an example. However, the invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to hydraulic excavators equipped with other types of working devices (front devices), such as a hydraulic excavator equipped with a monoboom type working device or a hydraulic excavator equipped with an offset type working device. Furthermore, although the invention was described using the example where the working tool of the working device 6 is a bucket 6D, a working device equipped with other working tools, such as a crusher, may also be used.

[0080] In this embodiment, a cab-type hydraulic excavator 1 equipped with a cab 11 was used as an example. However, the invention is not limited to this, and for example, a canopy-type hydraulic excavator may also be used.

[0081] In the embodiment, a small hydraulic excavator 1 was used as an example for explanation. However, it is not limited to this, and may also be applied to medium-sized, large, or other hydraulic excavators that are larger than the small one. Furthermore, although the example of a vehicle body consisting of a lower traveling body 2 and an upper rotating body 4 was used for explanation, a vehicle body without a rotating body (for example, an articulated vehicle body in which a front vehicle body having front wheels and a rear vehicle body having rear wheels are flexibly connected via a connecting shaft) may also be used.

[0082] In this embodiment, a hydraulic excavator 1 equipped with a crawler-type lower travel body 2 was used as an example. However, it is not limited to this, and may also be applied to a hydraulic excavator equipped with a wheeled lower travel body, for example. In addition, it can be broadly applied to various construction machines (including work vehicles), such as hydraulic cranes and forklifts. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1. Hydraulic excavator (construction machinery) 2. Lower running body (vehicle body) 4. Upper rotating body (vehicle body) 6. Working equipment 7. Swivel frame (frame) 9. Engine (prime mover) 16. Engine housing (prime mover housing) 12 Driver's seat 21 Flooring components 22 Footrest 23. Rising section 24. Driver's seat mounting section 29 Air conditioning unit 29A1 Inlet 25 Interior air filter (filter) 30 Interior air passage 31B Suction opening (upstream opening) 32 controllers 32B Right side (side located on the inside of the vehicle body) 32C connector section 33 Harness 34 Pedestal

Claims

1. A floor member mounted on the frame of the vehicle body, to which the driver's seat is attached, An air conditioning unit that supplies conditioned air around the driver's seat, An internal air passage through which air flows into the aforementioned air conditioning unit, The vehicle body includes a controller for controlling electrical equipment mounted on the vehicle body, The floor member is The footrest where the operator places their feet, A rising portion that extends upward from the rear of the footrest, In a construction machine having a driver's seat mounting section that extends from the upper part of the rising section toward the rear and on which the driver's seat is mounted, The front side of the rising portion is provided with the internal air passage. A construction machine characterized in that the controller is attached to the rear side of the rising portion.

2. The controller is provided with a base for fixing it to the rear side of the rising portion, The construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller is mounted via the base so as to be separated from the rising portion and the driver's seat mounting portion.

3. The aforementioned floor member is configured to be able to rotate vertically at its rear side, with its front side acting as a pivot point. The controller has a connector portion to which the harness is connected. The construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the connector portion is located on the side of the controller that is located on the inside of the vehicle body.

4. It is located upstream of the aforementioned internal air passage and includes a filter for capturing dust in the air, The air conditioning unit has an inlet connected to the internal air passage, The aforementioned internal air passage has an upstream opening through which air that has passed through the filter flows in. The construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the upstream opening, the controller, and the inlet of the air conditioning unit are arranged in order from the inside to the outside in the width direction of the vehicle body.

5. A prime mover is provided on the frame of the vehicle body, The system comprises a prime mover housing chamber in which the prime mover is housed, The controller is located in the engine housing chamber. The construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that an insulating cover is provided between the controller and the prime mover.

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