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, 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. On the front side of the rising section 23, there is a controller housing chamber 36 for housing the controller 32, and an opening 31B that serves as an outlet for the air conditioning unit 29 to draw in air from the controller housing chamber 36.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , , ,

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

Background Art

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

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, the air around the controller is warmed as the controller generates heat. In contrast, in the prior art, air does not circulate around the controller. For this reason, the air warmed by the heat generation of the controller stays, which may increase the temperature around the operator's feet and impair the comfort of the operator's feet. That is, along with the heat generation of the controller, there is a possibility that the operator feels hot air and the comfort of the operator decreases.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a construction machine that can make it difficult for the 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 to which a driver's seat is attached, an air conditioning unit that supplies conditioned air around the driver's seat, and a controller that controls electrical equipment mounted on the vehicle body, wherein the floor member has a footrest for the operator to place their feet on, a rising portion that rises upward from the rear of the footrest, and a driver's seat mounting portion that extends rearward from the top of the rising portion and on which the driver's seat is mounted, wherein the front of the rising portion is provided a controller housing chamber for housing the controller and an outlet for the air conditioning unit to draw in air from the controller housing chamber. [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 driver's seat installed on the floor member, with the front cover that covers the front of the interior air filter and controller removed to expose the interior air filter and controller. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view corresponding to section (VI) in Figure 5. [Figure 7] This is a front view from the same position as Figure 6. [Figure 8] This is a top-down plan view of the floor components. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view taken from the direction indicated by the arrow IX-IX in Figure 8. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view from the same position as in Figure 9. [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 Figure 1, the hydraulic excavator 1 comprises a crawler-type lower vehicle 2 that is mobile, and an upper rotating vehicle 4 that is rotatably mounted on the lower vehicle 2 via a slewing device 3. The lower vehicle 2 and the upper rotating vehicle 4 constitute the body of the hydraulic excavator 1. The body is mobile (self-propelled). The body is also rotatable.

[0013] On the front side of the lower traveling body 2, a blade 5, also called an earth discharging plate, is provided so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. The hydraulic excavator 1 can perform earth discharging work and the like using the blade 5. Further, 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. A boom 6B is rotatably attached to the swing post 6A.

[0015] An arm 6C is rotatably attached to the tip of the boom 6B. A bucket 6D is rotatably attached to the tip of the arm 6C. Further, 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 swing frame 7 that serves as a support structure (base frame, main frame). The swing frame 7 is attached onto the lower traveling body 2 via a swing bearing 3A of the swing device 3. The working device 6 is attached to the front side of the swing frame 7. A counterweight 8 for balancing the weight with the working device 6 is mounted on the rear side of the swing 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 portion in the left-right direction protruding rearward. Thereby, when the upper swing body 4 swings, the outer peripheral surface 8A of the counterweight 8 is configured to be within a certain turning radius. Also, when the upper swing body 4 is swung, 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 small rear swing.

[0018] Further, an engine 9 as a prime mover is mounted on the swing frame 7 at a position in front 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 a prime mover of an electric motor alone. The engine 9 rotationally drives a hydraulic pump 10. The hydraulic pump 10 constitutes a hydraulic source (hydraulic drive source) of the hydraulic excavator 1 together with an oil hydraulic tank (not shown).

[0019] When the hydraulic pump 10 is rotationally driven by the engine 9, it sucks in the hydraulic oil stored in the oil hydraulic tank and supplies (discharges) the sucked hydraulic oil as pressure oil to a control valve device (not shown). The control valve device is a control valve group composed of a plurality of direction control valves. The control valve device supplies the pressure oil discharged from the hydraulic pump 10 to hydraulic actuators (hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic motors) such as each cylinder 6E, 6F, 6G of the working device 6, a traveling motor (not shown) of the lower traveling body 2, and a swing motor (not shown) of the swing device 3 according to the operations of the traveling lever / pedal 13 and the working lever 14 in the cab 11. Thereby, the hydraulic excavator 1 can perform traveling, swinging, excavation, 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 portion 22 on which the operator places their feet, a rising portion 23 that rises upward from the rear of the footrest portion 22, and a driver's seat mounting portion 24 that extends rearward from the upper part of the rising portion 23. The footrest portion 22 is on which the operator, seated in the driver's seat 12, places their feet. As shown in Figures 1, 2, 9, and 10, the footrest portion 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. As shown in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 8, 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 lever / pedal 13 and the like are attached.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1, 2, 8, 9, and 10, the rising section 23 is a wall (partition) located below the driver's seat 12 and extending in the vertical direction. Also, as shown in Figures 5 to 10, an internal air filter 25 for removing dust from the air (internal air) supplied to the air conditioning unit 29, and a controller 32 for controlling the electrical equipment mounted on the hydraulic excavator 1 are provided on the front side of the rising section 23.

[0030] Specifically, a filter support portion 31 is provided on the front side of the rising portion 23, extending in the left-right direction and spaced apart from the rising portion 23 in the front-rear direction. The interior air filter 25 and controller 32 are mounted on this filter support portion 31. As shown in Figures 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10, the front side of the interior air filter 25 and controller 32 is covered by a front cover 26.

[0031] 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.

[0032] 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, on 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). As shown in Figure 8, 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 7 to 10, the airflow, i.e., the flow of interior air and the flow of exterior air, are indicated by arrows.

[0033] 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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 7 and 8, 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 merging 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.

[0036] 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 in front 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. A controller 32 is also mounted on the front surface of the filter support portion 31. As a result, the space between the filter support portion 31 and the front cover 26 is a controller housing chamber 36 that houses the controller 32.

[0037] As shown in Figures 5 to 10, 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 Figure 7, the filter support portion 31 has an opening 31B that serves as an air outlet. The 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 opening 31B.

[0038] As shown in Figure 8, the outside air intake duct 27 circulates outside air from the cab 11 towards the air conditioning unit 29. The upstream side of the outside air intake duct 27 is connected to the outside air inlet 24D1 on the left side surface 24D. Downstream of the outside air inlet 24D1, i.e., the upstream side of the outside air intake duct 27, is a filter housing (not shown). An outside air filter (not shown) is housed in the filter housing 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.

[0039] As shown in Figures 5 to 10, 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] 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. The front cover 26 is located in front of the rising portion 23 and the filter support portion 31 and covers the front of the filter support portion 31 to which the interior air filter 25 and controller 32 are attached. The front cover 26 is formed as a long rectangular plate (panel member) that extends horizontally below the driver's seat 12.

[0043] 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.

[0044] By the way, in the hydraulic excavator described in Patent Document 1 mentioned above, the controller is positioned around the operator's feet. However, in this conventional technology, air does not circulate around the controller. Therefore, air heated by the heat generated by the controller may stagnate around it. As a result, the operator may be affected by the heat generated by the controller, potentially reducing the operator's comfort.

[0045] Therefore, in this embodiment, the air outlet and controller are installed on a vertical plate located around the operator's feet. Specifically, the air outlet (opening) and controller are installed on the filter support part (vertical plate) located on the front side of the rising part of the floor member. In this case, the outlet (opening) corresponds to the upstream opening of the internal air conduit (internal air passage). An internal air filter is also provided at the outlet (opening).

[0046] The air outlet and interior filter are installed on the door side of the cab to capture dust that enters through the door when the operator gets in and out. In contrast, the controller is positioned to the side of the air outlet (interior filter), away from the door, in order to minimize the impact of dust entering through the door. The orientation of the controller's connector is also oriented away from the door to minimize the impact of dust.

[0047] Furthermore, slits (indoor air inlets) are provided at the top of the controller and the outlet (indoor air filter). Therefore, by drawing air in through these upper slits towards the outlet (indoor air filter), air from around the controller can also be drawn towards the outlet (indoor air filter). This eliminates the stagnation of air heated by the heat generated by the controller. These points will be explained in detail below.

[0048] 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 10, the hydraulic excavator 1 is equipped with a floor member 21, an air conditioning unit 29, and a controller 32. The floor member 21 is mounted on a slewing frame 7, which is the frame of the upper rotating body 4. A driver's seat 12 is attached to the floor member 21. The perimeter and top of the floor member 21 are covered by a cab box 28 having an openable and closable door 28E. Thus, the hydraulic excavator 1 is equipped with a cab box 28.

[0049] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the floor member 21, together with the cab box 28, is pivotable at the front and vertically at the rear. 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 from the top of the rising section 23 toward the rear and on which the driver's seat 12 is mounted. The air conditioning unit 29 supplies conditioned air around the driver's seat 12.

[0050] As shown in Figures 5 to 10, the controller 32 is attached to the filter support portion 31 located in front of the rising portion 23 of the floor member 21, that is, in front of the rising portion 23. In this case, the controller 32 is attached to the front of the filter support portion 31. As a result, the space between the filter support portion 31 and the front cover 26 becomes a controller housing chamber 36 that houses the controller 32.

[0051] 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 travel levers and pedals 13, the work levers 14, the gate lock lever 15, various switches, as well as the engine control unit (ECU) of the engine 9 and various sensors.

[0052] The controller 32 controls solenoid valves, etc., in response to the operator's operation of the travel lever / pedal 13, work lever 14, gate lock lever 15, etc. Specifically, 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.

[0053] In other words, the controller 32 controls the solenoid proportional valve and the 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 the solenoid switching valve correspond to output devices that are the output destinations of the controller 32.

[0054] 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.

[0055] Furthermore, the hydraulic excavator 1 is equipped with an internal air filter 25 as a filter and an internal air passage 30. As shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10, the internal air filter 25 is supported by a filter support 31 located in front of the rising portion 23 of the floor member 21. The internal air filter 25 is located upstream of the internal air passage 30. The internal air filter 25 collects dust and debris from the air. More specifically, the internal air filter 25 collects (captures) dust and debris in the internal air that flows into the controller housing 36 from the internal 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.

[0056] The controller housing 36 corresponds to the controller housing space that houses the controller 32 between the internal air filter 25 and the front cover 26. That is, the controller housing 36 is separated from the internal air passage 30 at the rear by the filter support 31. The controller housing 36 is separated from the space where the operator's feet are placed (operator's room) at the front by the front cover 26. The controller housing 36 is separated from the space where the driver's seat 12 is mounted (operator's room) at the top by the front end of the driver's seat mounting section 24 (driver's seat mounting section 24A). The controller housing 36 is separated from the space where the air conditioning unit 29 is housed (air conditioning unit room) at the bottom by the rear end of the footrest section 22. The controller housing 36 corresponds to the filter pre-chamber located in front of the internal air filter 25, that is, the airflow passage (upstream airflow passage) through which the air (internal air) flows before passing through the internal air filter 25.

[0057] The internal air passage 30 is through which air flowing into the air conditioning unit 29 circulates. In other words, the internal air passage 30 is through which air that has passed through the internal air filter 25 (internal air) circulates. The internal air passage 30 is an airflow passage (downstream airflow passage) formed between the riser section 23 and the filter support section 31, and connects the opening 31B of the filter support section 31 to the inlet 29A1 of the air conditioning unit 29. The opening 31B of the filter support section 31 corresponds to an outlet that allows air from inside the controller housing chamber 36 to flow out. Thus, the front side of the riser section 23 is provided with a controller housing chamber 36 that houses the controller 32, and an opening 31B that serves as an outlet for the air conditioning unit 29 to draw in air from inside the controller housing chamber 36.

[0058] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the controller 32 is detachably fixed to the front of the filter support 31 at the right side of the opening 31B using fasteners such as bolts and nuts 35. The harness 33 is connected to the right side 32B of the case 32A of the controller 32. As a result, the side of the controller 32 to which the harness 33 is connected (right side 32B) faces inward towards the vehicle body. That is, the controller 32 has a connector section 32C to which the harness 33 is connected. The connector section 32C is located on the side of the controller 32 opposite to the door 28E of the cab box 28.

[0059] 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 filter support 31 using a clip band 37. 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 portion of the harness 33 extends downward from the footrest 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.

[0060] Furthermore, a filter support portion 31 is provided on the front side of the riser portion 23, spaced forward from the front of the riser portion 23. The filter support portion 31 corresponds to a partition plate (vertical plate) that separates the controller housing chamber 36 from the internal air passage 30. As shown in Figures 5 to 7, an internal air filter 25, which acts as a filter to capture dust in the air, is detachably supported in the filter support portion 31. In this case, the filter support portion 31 is provided with an opening 31B that connects the "controller housing 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". The opening 31B is formed in the filter support portion 31 as a roughly rectangular or roughly circular through-hole.

[0061] The opening 31B is covered by an internal air filter 25. Thus, the internal air filter 25 is provided in the opening 31B. The opening 31B corresponds to the air outlet in the controller housing 36. In other words, the opening 31B corresponds to the filter outlet, which is the outlet for the air (internal air) that has passed through the internal air filter 25. The opening 31B is located on the door 28E side of the cab box 28, closer to the controller 32. The opening 31B is connected to the inlet 29A1, which is the air intake of the air conditioning unit 29, via an internal air passage 30 through which the air that has passed through the opening 31B flows.

[0062] Furthermore, the upper part of the controller housing chamber 36 is partitioned by the front part of the driver's seat mounting section 24 (driver's seat mounting section 24A). That is, the front part of the driver's seat mounting section 24 (driver's seat mounting section 24A) corresponds to the upper plate that forms the upper surface of the controller housing chamber 36. An internal air inlet 24A1 is provided on this upper plate, i.e., the front part of the driver's seat mounting section 24 (driver's seat mounting section 24A), which serves as an inlet for introducing air into the controller housing chamber 36. The internal air inlet 24A1 is located above the controller 32 and the opening 31B. In this case, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, a canopy 38 is provided above the controller 32 and below the front part of the driver's seat mounting section 24 (driver's seat mounting section 24A) for the internal air inlet 24A1. In other words, within the controller housing chamber 36, a canopy 38 is provided above the controller 32 and below the front of the driver's seat mounting section 24 (driver's seat mounting section 24A), covering the top of the controller 32.

[0063] As indicated by the arrows in Figures 9 and 10, the interior air that becomes the air inside the cab 11 flows from the interior air inlet 24A1 located at the front of the driver's seat mounting portion 24A into the controller housing chamber 36 between the rear surface of the front cover 26 and the front surface of the interior air filter 25. As indicated by the arrows in Figure 8, the interior air that has flowed into the controller housing 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 opening 31B of the filter support portion 31.

[0064] As shown by the arrows in Figures 7 and 8, the interior air flowing into the interior air passage 30 from the opening 31B of the filter support section 31 flows through the interior air passage 30 from the inside (left side in Figures 7 and 8) to the outside (right side in Figures 7 and 8) 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 in Figures 7 and 8 corresponds to the operator's right side, and the right side in Figures 7 and 8 corresponds to the operator's left side. The interior air in the interior air passage 30 flows into the air conditioning unit 29 from the inlet 29A1 of the air conditioning unit 29, along with the outside air (outside air) introduced from the outside air intake duct 27. The relationship between the amount of interior air flowing into the air conditioning unit 29 and the amount of outside air flowing in can be set by the size of the opening 31B of the filter support section 31. For example, by making the opening 31B of the filter support portion 31 smaller, it becomes more difficult for internal air to be drawn in, and the ratio of the amount of internal air flowing in to the amount of external air flowing in can be restricted to a predetermined ratio.

[0065] As described above, in this embodiment, a controller housing chamber 36 for housing the controller 32 is provided at the foot of the seat placed on the floor member 21, that is, at the foot of the driver's seat 12. Furthermore, the filter support portion 31, which is a vertical plate that partitions the controller housing chamber 36, is provided with an opening 31B as an outlet for the air to flow out of the controller housing chamber 36. An internal air filter 25, which is a filter, is provided in the opening 31B. The controller 32 is mounted on the front of the filter support portion 31 next to the internal air filter 25 (i.e., next to the opening 31B). The opening 31B is also in communication with an internal air passage 30, which is an internal air pipe.

[0066] Furthermore, an interior air inlet 24A1, which acts as a slit, is provided above the controller 32 and the interior air filter 25, that is, at the front of the driver's seat mounting portion 24 (driver's seat mounting portion 24A) that forms the upper surface of the controller housing chamber 36. When the controller 32 operates, it generates heat. This warms the air around the controller 32. At this time, air enters the controller housing chamber 36 through the interior air inlet 24A1. The air inside the controller housing chamber 36 flows into the interior air passage 30 through the interior air filter 25 and the opening 31B. This circulates the air around the controller 32. Therefore, even if the controller 32 operates and generates heat, the accumulation of warmed air around the controller 32 can be suppressed, and the heat from the controller 32 is less likely to affect the operator.

[0067] The hydraulic excavator 1 according to this embodiment has the configuration described above, and its operation will now be explained.

[0068] 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.

[0069] 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.

[0070] 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.

[0071] In this embodiment, the front side of the rising section 23 is provided with a controller housing chamber 36 for housing the controller 32, and an opening 31B which serves as an outlet for the air conditioning unit 29 to draw in the air from the controller housing chamber 36. That is, a filter support section 31 which is a vertical plate is provided on the front side of the rising section 23. The controller 32 is attached to this filter support section 31, and the filter support section 31 is provided with an opening 31B which serves as an air outlet.

[0072] Therefore, the air inside the controller housing chamber 36, which has been heated by the heat generated by the controller 32, flows out through the opening 31B. This prevents the air heated by the heat generated by the controller 32 from accumulating around the operator's feet, and reduces the impact of the heat generated by the controller 32 on the operator. As a result, operator comfort can be improved.

[0073] According to this embodiment, an internal air filter 25 is provided in the opening 31B for drawing in air from the controller housing chamber 36, acting as a filter to collect dust and debris from the air. Therefore, dust and debris (for example, fine sand, soil, and other foreign matter) in the air inside the controller housing chamber 36 can be collected by the internal air filter 25. This allows the air around the controller 32 to be kept clean.

[0074] According to this embodiment, the floor member 21 is covered around and above by a cab box 28 having an openable and closable door 28E. Furthermore, the opening 31B, which serves as the air outlet for the controller housing chamber 36, is located on the door 28E side of the controller 32. Therefore, dust that enters the cab box 28 from the door 28E side reaches the opening 31B before reaching the controller 32. In other words, dust that enters the controller housing chamber 36 is captured by the internal air filter 25 before reaching the controller 32. This prevents dust from reaching the controller 32.

[0075] According to the embodiment, an internal air inlet 24A1 is provided on the upper plate forming the upper surface of the controller housing chamber 36, that is, at the front of the driver's seat mounting portion 24 (driver's seat mounting portion 24A), as an inlet for introducing air into the controller housing chamber 36. Specifically, the internal air inlet 24A1 is provided at the front of the driver's seat mounting portion 24 (driver's seat mounting portion 24A) in a portion that extends forward of the upper end of the rising portion 23, and is located above the controller 32 and the internal air filter 25 (opening 31B).

[0076] Therefore, the air flowing into the controller housing chamber 36 from the internal air inlet 24A1 flows from top to bottom near the controller 32. This allows the air heated around the controller 32 by the air flowing in from the internal air inlet 24A1 to be actively diffused.

[0077] According to this embodiment, a canopy 38 is provided above the controller 32 and below the internal air inlet 24A1, covering the top of the controller 32. Therefore, even if water droplets or other moisture enter the controller housing chamber 36 from the internal air inlet 24A1, the canopy 38 prevents this moisture from directly falling on the controller 32.

[0078] According to the embodiment, 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 32B of the cab box 28, opposite to the door 28E. Therefore, the connector portion 32C of the controller 32 can be kept away from the door 28E of the cab box 28. This reduces the controller 32 from being affected by dust.

[0079] According to this embodiment, the air outlet of the controller housing chamber 36, i.e., the opening 31B of the filter support section 31, is connected to the inlet 29A1, which is the air intake of the air conditioning unit 29, via an internal air passage 30 through which the air that has passed through the opening 31B flows. Therefore, the heated air around the controller 32 can be actively circulated from the controller housing chamber 36 through the opening 31B and the internal air passage 30 to the inlet 29A1 of the air conditioning unit 29. This makes it possible to more reliably suppress the stagnation of heated air around the controller 32.

[0080] In this embodiment, the case in which the internal air filter 25 is provided at the air outlet of the controller housing chamber 36, i.e., at the opening 31B of the filter support section 31, was described as an example. However, the invention is not limited to this, and it is not necessary to provide a filter (internal air filter) at the air outlet (opening) of the controller housing chamber. For example, the filter (internal air filter) at the opening may be omitted, and a filter may be provided in the middle of the internal air passage, or on the outlet side of the internal air passage (the inlet which becomes the air intake of the air conditioning unit). Alternatively, for example, a filter may be provided at the inlet (internal air inlet) of the driver's seat mounting section (driver's seat mounting section).

[0081] In this embodiment, the case in which the air outlet of the controller housing chamber 36, i.e., the opening 31B of the filter support portion 31, is located closer to the door 28E of the cab box 28 than the controller 32 was described as an example. However, the invention is not limited to this, and for example, the controller may be located closer to the door of the cab box, while the air outlet of the controller housing chamber is located further from the door than the controller. Also, for example, the controller and the air outlet may be arranged vertically.

[0082] In this embodiment, the internal air inlet 24A1, which serves as an inlet for introducing air into the controller housing chamber 36, was described as being provided in the front part of the driver's seat mounting section 24 (driver's seat mounting section 24A), which is the upper plate. However, the invention is not limited to this, and for example, the inlet (internal air inlet) may be provided in the front plate (front cover) that forms the front surface of the controller housing chamber.

[0083] In this case, the inlet (internal air inlet) can be positioned above the controller and outlet, for example. Alternatively, the inlet (internal air inlet) may be located opposite the controller and outlet, for example. Alternatively, the inlet (internal air inlet) may be positioned below the controller and outlet, for example. Furthermore, the overhang covering the top of the controller may be omitted.

[0084] 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 of the controller, such as the left side, top side, or bottom side. The connector portion may also be located on the door side of the cab box.

[0085] In this embodiment, the case described is one in which the air outlet of the controller housing chamber 36, i.e., the opening 31B of the filter support portion 31, is in communication with the internal air passage 30. That is, in this embodiment, the opening 31B is connected to the inlet 29A1 of the air conditioning unit 29 via the internal air passage 30. However, this is not the only example, and the air outlet of the controller housing chamber does not have to be connected to the intake (inlet) of the air conditioning unit. For example, the air outlet of the controller housing chamber may be connected to the outside of the cab box directly or via an air passage.

[0086] In this embodiment, the floor member 21 was described as being configured to be rotatable. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration; for example, the floor member may be configured not to rotate.

[0087] 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.

[0088] In the embodiment, a hydraulic excavator 1 equipped with a cab 11 was used as an example. However, the hydraulic excavator is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a hydraulic excavator without a cab box, i.e., a hydraulic excavator with a canopy.

[0089] 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.

[0090] 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]

[0091] 1. Hydraulic excavator (construction machinery) 2. Lower running body (vehicle body) 4. Upper rotating body (vehicle body) 6. Working equipment 7. Swivel frame (frame) 21 Flooring components 22 Footrest 23. Rising section 24. Driver's seat mounting section 24A Driver's seat mounting section (upper plate) 24A1 Internal air inlet (inlet) 29 Air conditioning unit 25 Interior air filter (filter) 26 Front cover (front panel) 28 Cab Box 28E Door 30 Interior air passage 31 Filter support section (vertical plate) 31B Opening (Outlet) 32 controllers 32B Right side (the side opposite the door) 32C connector section 33 Harness 36 Controller Housing Room 38. Eaves

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, The vehicle body includes a controller for controlling electrical equipment mounted on the vehicle body, The aforementioned 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, A construction machine characterized in that, on the front side of the rising portion, there is a controller housing chamber for housing the controller, and an outlet for the air conditioning unit to draw in air from the controller housing chamber.

2. The construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the outlet is provided with a filter for capturing dust and debris in the air.

3. It has a door that can be opened and closed, and is equipped with a cab box that covers the perimeter and above the floor member, The construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the outlet is located on the door side of the controller.

4. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the upper plate forming the upper surface of the controller housing chamber, or the front plate forming the front surface of the controller housing chamber, is provided with an inlet located above the controller and the outlet, for allowing air to flow into the controller housing chamber.

5. The inlet is provided in the upper plate, The construction machine according to claim 4, wherein the controller housing is provided with an overhang that covers the top of the controller, located above the controller and below the top plate.

6. It has a door that can be opened and closed, and is equipped with a cab box that covers the perimeter and above the floor member, 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 opposite to the door.

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