Work vehicles

Abstract

To suppress fuel in a fuel tank from varying during work.SOLUTION: A fuel tank 40 is arranged below a seat 22 and has a central tank part 410 and a pair of side tank parts arranged at both sides in a width direction of the central tank part 410. Between the seat 22 and the fuel tank 40 is arranged a flow control valve 38 for adjusting hydraulic pressure against a lifting cylinder for lifting a work machine. A lower surface of the fuel tank 40 is formed so that a lower surface of one side tank part is lower than a lower surface of the other side tank part. A recessed portion 412 recessed downward more than the other portions of an upper wall part 413 of the central tank part 410 is formed on the upper wall part 413 constituting the central tank part 410. The flow control valve 38 is arranged to penetrate through a space formed of the recessed part 412.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a work vehicle equipped with a fuel tank below a driver's seat. [Background technology]

[0002] A configuration has been proposed for a work vehicle such as a tractor that has a fuel tank below the driver's seat (Patent Document 1). The fuel tank described in Patent Document 1 is composed of a main tank section that is located in the center of the vehicle in the width direction, and side tank sections that are located on both sides of the main tank section in the width direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-72401 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As described in Patent Document 1, in the case where a fuel tank is configured with side tank portions on both widthwise sides of a main tank portion, for example, if a work vehicle tilts to one side in the width direction during work, the fuel inside will move to one side in the width direction, and there is a risk that the fluctuation of the fuel at this time will be large. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present invention relates to a work vehicle having a traveling machine body having a driver's seat and a lifting cylinder for lifting and lowering a work machine connected to the traveling machine body, a fuel tank disposed under the driver's seat, the fuel tank having a central tank section disposed in a width direction intersecting the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body, and a pair of side tank sections disposed on both sides of the central tank section and communicating with the central tank section, the fuel tank storing fuel in the central tank section and the pair of side tank sections; an operating member extending in the travel direction and for adjusting hydraulic pressure for the lift cylinder; a lower surface of the fuel tank is shaped such that a lower surface of one of the pair of side tank portions is located lower than a lower surface of the other side tank portion, a recess formed in an upper wall portion constituting the central tank portion, the recess being recessed lower than other portions of the upper wall portion of the central tank portion; The operating member is disposed between the driver's seat and the fuel tank so as to penetrate through a space formed by the recess. The present invention relates to a work vehicle.

[0006] For example, a fuel gauge is provided in the fuel tank to detect the amount of fuel remaining in the fuel tank, the fuel gauge includes a float that floats on fuel, a support member that supports the float, and a rotation support portion that supports the support member on the upper wall portion so that the support member can rotate freely, The float is disposed closer to the recess than the rotation support portion.

[0007] For example, a fuel filler port is provided on an upper surface of the other side tank portion and serves to supply fuel into the fuel tank, The other side tank portion is located above the rear wheel of the traveling body, a recess that is recessed more than other portions of the upper surface of the other side tank portion is formed in at least a portion around the fuel filler opening, A bottom surface of the recess is inclined downward as it moves further forward in the traveling direction than the fuel filler opening.

[0008] For example, a cover that covers an upper portion of the other side tank portion; a tray that is disposed on the upper surface of the other side tank portion so as to surround the fuel filler opening and that temporarily collects fuel that overflows from the fuel filler opening; The cover has an opening through which the fuel filler port penetrates from below and is located directly above the tray, and an inclined portion inclined from above downward toward the opening, The tray is partially cut out to allow fuel accumulated in the tray to flow toward the recess. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention as set forth in claim 1, the upper wall constituting the central tank is formed with a recess that is recessed lower than the other parts of the upper wall of the central tank, so that even if the work vehicle tilts in any direction in the width direction and the fuel inside moves, the waves that occur when the work vehicle moves quickly disappear, the fuel level tends to stabilize, and large fluctuations in the fuel can be suppressed. Also, since the operating member is arranged to penetrate the space formed by the recess, the arrangement efficiency of this operating member can be improved and the size of the work vehicle can be suppressed.

[0010] According to the present invention as set forth in claim 2, the float of the fuel gauge is disposed closer to the recess than the rotation support portion. This makes it possible to reduce fluctuations in fuel movement, thereby enabling the fuel gauge to stably detect the remaining amount of fuel.

[0011] According to the present invention as defined in claim 3, the bottom surface of the recess formed in at least a portion around the fuel filler opening is inclined downwardly as it approaches further forward in the direction of travel than the fuel filler opening, so that fuel overflowing from the fuel filler opening can flow forward along the recess, making it less likely for fuel to splash onto the rear wheels.

[0012] According to the present invention as set forth in claim 4, the tray arranged around the fuel filler opening is partially cut out to allow fuel to flow toward the recess, so that fuel that overflows from the fuel filler opening and temporarily accumulates in the tray can be efficiently directed to the recess. Also, the cover has an opening through which the fuel filler opening penetrates from below, an opening located directly above the tray, and an inclined portion that inclines from above downward toward the opening, so that even if fuel overflows from the fuel filler opening onto the cover, the fuel can be efficiently directed to the tray. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a work vehicle to which the present invention can be applied. [Diagram 2]FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] Front view of the fuel tank. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view of the fuel tank as seen from the right in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the portion where the fuel tank is arranged, taken along the direction of travel. [Figure 9] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the fuel tank taken along the width direction. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the portion in which the fuel tank is arranged, with some parts omitted, as seen from below for an operator; [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fuel tank as viewed from above for an operator, with some parts omitted. [Figure 12] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a side view of a tractor 10 as a work vehicle. The tractor 10 has a machine body frame 13 supported by front wheels 11 and rear wheels 12 and arranged along the traveling direction (front-rear direction) of the tractor 10. An engine 15 covered by a bonnet 14 is mounted on the front half of the machine body frame 13, and a control unit 20 is arranged on the rear half of the machine body frame 13. These components form a traveling machine body 30, and a working machine (not shown) such as a rotary cultivator is connected to the rear of the traveling machine body 30 via a lifting link 31 so that it can be lifted and lowered.

[0015] A steering wheel 21 for steering and a seat 22 for a driver (operator) are arranged in a control section 20 behind the bonnet 14. The seat 22 is arranged approximately in the center of the left and right fender covers 16, 17 that cover above the rear wheels 12 in the width direction (left-right direction) that intersects with the traveling direction of the tractor 10.

[0016] A floor step 23 on which the driver places his / her feet is disposed in front of the seat 22 in the traveling direction, and a clutch pedal 24 is disposed so as to extend upward from the step surface of the floor step 23. A transmission case 18 in which a transmission is disposed is disposed below the seat 22, sandwiching a fuel tank 40. The power of the engine 15 is transmitted to the transmission case 18 via a first propeller shaft, and an auxiliary transmission mechanism for traveling, for example, in the transmission case 18 is operated by an auxiliary transmission lever 33 to change speed, and the power is transmitted to the left and right rear wheels 12 via each gear in the rear axle case, and the power branched off from the auxiliary transmission mechanism is transmitted to the left and right front wheels 11 via a second propeller shaft and gears in the front axle case.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 2, various operating members are disposed around the seat 22. Specifically, a main shift lever 32, an auxiliary shift lever 33, an external hydraulic lever 34, etc. are provided on the right fender cover 16 so as to protrude from the fender cover 16. Also, a PTO (Power Take Off) switch 35 and a PTO shift lever 36 are provided on the left fender cover 17 so as to protrude from the fender cover 17. A fuel filler port 400 for supplying fuel into the fuel tank is provided to the left of the PTO shift lever 36 (on the outside of the vehicle).

[0018] In addition, a four-wheel drive switching lever 37 for switching between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive, a flow control valve 38, and the like are provided below the seat 22. The flow control valve 38 is a valve for adjusting the hydraulic pressure for lifting and lowering the working machine. That is, the tractor 10 has a lifting cylinder for lifting and lowering the working machine connected to the rear of the traveling machine body 30, and the flow control valve 38 is an operating member for adjusting the hydraulic pressure for the lifting cylinder. The lifting cylinder is inside the hydraulic mechanism 19. Such a flow control valve 38 has a shaft portion 38a arranged in the front-rear direction below the seat 22 and a handle 38b provided at the tip of the shaft portion 38a. In addition, a differential lock pedal 39 is provided below the seat 22 and near the floor step 23.

[0019] As described above, in the tractor 10 of this embodiment, the fuel tank 40 is disposed below the seat 22. The transmission case 18 is disposed further below the fuel tank 40. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the seat 22 and its surroundings, and shows an exploded view of the machine frame 13 on which the left and right fender covers 16, 17, the fuel tank 40, the hydraulic mechanism 19 of the work machine, and the transmission case 18 are mounted. As will be described in detail later, the fuel tank 40 is disposed between the machine frame 13 and the left and right fender covers 16, 17, and the hydraulic mechanism 19 is disposed behind the fuel tank 40.

[0020] [Fuel tank] The configuration of the fuel tank 40 will be described in detail with reference to Figs. 4 to 9. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the fuel tank 40 has a central tank portion 410 arranged in the center in the width direction, and a pair of side tank portions 420, 430 arranged on both sides of the central tank portion 410 and communicating with the central tank portion 410. Fuel is stored in the central tank portion 410 and the pair of side tank portions 420, 430. In this embodiment, the central tank portion 410 and the pair of side tank portions 420, 430 are integrally molded from resin or the like, and fuel is stored therein. In this embodiment, for example, the mold is formed by a rotational molding method in which a thermoplastic resin is placed in a mold and heated while the mold is rotated to obtain a molded product. However, the molding method is not limited to this, and other molding methods such as blow molding may be used.

[0021] The pair of side tank portions 420, 430 are connected to the outside by a pipe 45. The pipe 45 is connected to the upper surfaces of each of the pair of side tank portions 420, 430, and connects the spaces of the pair of side tank portions 420, 430. As shown in Fig. 5, the fuel tank 40 has a shape that is approximately symmetrical in the width direction when viewed from above.

[0022] Fig. 6 is a view of the fuel tank 40 as seen from the front. The bottom surface of the fuel tank 40 is shaped such that the bottom surface of one of the pair of side tank portions 420, 430 (the right side when mounted on the tractor 10, the left side in Fig. 6) is located lower than the bottom surface of the other side tank portion 430 (the left side when mounted on the tractor 10, the right side in Fig. 6). That is, the bottom surface of one side tank portion 420 is formed to protrude downwards than the bottom surface of the other side tank portion 430, and the bottom surface of the central tank portion 410 is formed to slope downwards from approximately the center position in the width direction toward the bottom surface of one side tank portion 420.

[0023] A joint 421 is provided at the bottom of one side tank section 420, the lower surface of which is lower, to be connected to a suction hose 421a (see FIG. 10) which is a pipe for supplying fuel from the fuel tank 40 to the engine 15, and a joint 422 is provided at the bottom of a return hose 422a (see FIG. 10) which is a pipe for returning fuel from the engine 15 to the fuel tank 40. Specifically, a part of the lower surface of one side tank section 420 is protruded downward to form a supply side fuel reservoir 423, and the joint 421 is provided at the tip of the fuel reservoir 423. On the other hand, the joint 422 is provided at the tip of a return side fuel reservoir 424 which is provided so as to protrude downward from the lower surface of the side tank section 420 adjacent to the fuel reservoir 423. The supply side fuel reservoir 423 is formed so as to protrude downward more than the return side fuel reservoir 424, and the tip of the supply side fuel reservoir 423 to which the joint 422 is connected is positioned at the lowest position when the fuel tank 40 is in a horizontal state.

[0024] In this embodiment, the joint 421 connected to the suction hose 421a for supplying fuel to the engine 15 is provided on the lower surface of one side tank portion 420. As described above, the lower surface of one side tank portion 420 is lower than the lower surface of the other side tank portion 430, and further, the lower surface of the central tank portion 410 between the pair of side tank portions 420, 430 is inclined downward on the side of one side tank portion 420. Therefore, the fuel in the fuel tank 40 tends to collect on the lower surface side of one side tank portion 420. In addition, the supply side fuel reservoir 423 connected to the joint 421 is provided on the lower surface of one side tank portion 420 so as to protrude downward. Therefore, even if the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank 40 approaches the lower limit, the fuel tends to collect in the supply fuel reservoir 423.

[0025] Here, if the lower surface (bottom surface) of the fuel tank 40 is formed, for example, almost flat, when the fuel in the fuel tank 40 becomes low and the tractor 10 tilts, causing an imbalance in the fuel in the fuel tank 40, the fuel in the fuel supply reservoir 423 may run out or become too low. In this case, there is a risk that problems such as fuel supply to the engine 15 stopping or air getting into the fuel supply path to the engine 15 may occur easily. In contrast, in this embodiment, since the lower surface of the fuel tank 40 is formed as described above, the fuel supply reservoir 423 is easily filled with fuel even if the tractor 10 tilts. As a result, the occurrence of problems such as those described above can be suppressed.

[0026] These joints 421, 422 may be provided on the other side tank part depending on the positional relationship with the piping connected to the engine 15. In short, it is sufficient to provide them on either one of the side tank parts. However, it is preferable to provide the joints 421, 422 on a side tank part other than the side tank part on which the fuel filler port 400 described below is provided.

[0027] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, fuel filler port 400 is provided on the upper surface of the other side tank portion 430. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the other side tank portion 430 cut at the fuel filler port 400 portion. As shown in Figures 6 to 8, a fuel filler pipe portion 401 is integrally formed on part of the upper surface of side tank portion 430 so as to protrude upward. The upper surface of this fuel filler pipe portion 401 is opened to form fuel filler port 400. Fuel filler port 400 is closed by a detachable cap 402. A detailed configuration of the periphery of fuel filler port 400 will be described later.

[0028] In addition, the fuel tank 40 has a pair of side tank sections 420, 430 with a larger capacity than the central tank section 410. The pair of side tank sections 420, 430 are formed to extend further rearward than the rear end of the central tank section 410, and as shown in Fig. 7, the lower surfaces of the side tank sections 420, 430 are substantially horizontal from the substantially front end to the substantially central section in the front-rear direction, and are curved so as to incline upward from the substantially central section toward the rear. This is because, as will be described later, the pair of side tank sections 420, 430 are disposed above the left and right rear wheels 12, and therefore interference with the rear wheels 12 is prevented, and the amount of fuel that can be stored is increased.

[0029] In this embodiment, the underside of the side tank portions 420, 430 is formed to follow the outer circumferential shape of the rear wheel 12, and the supply side fuel reservoir 423, the return side fuel reservoir 424, and the joints 421, 422 are provided in a low position on the underside of one of the side tank portions 420. As a result, the supply side fuel reservoir 423, the return side fuel reservoir 424, and the joints 421, 422 are positioned to follow the outer circumferential shape of the rear wheel 12, making it difficult for mud or grass to get caught on them.

[0030] As for the upper surface of the fuel tank 40, the pair of side tank portions 420, 430 are disposed below the left and right fender covers 16, 17 as described below, and therefore the upper surfaces of the pair of side tank portions 420, 430 are formed to conform to the shape of the fender covers 16, 17. In other words, the upper surfaces of the pair of side tank portions 420, 430 are approximately horizontal from approximately the rear end to approximately the center in the front-to-rear direction, and are curved so as to incline downward from approximately the center toward the front.

[0031] As described below, unlike the pair of side tanks 420, 430, the central tank portion 410 is disposed above the transmission case 18 and below the seat 22. For this reason, the lower surface of the central tank portion 410 has a flat plane portion 411 that allows the central tank portion 410 to be easily placed above the transmission case 18. The upper surface of the central tank portion 410 is formed such that the rear portion protrudes upward in the front-rear direction more than the front portion. In addition, a substantially V-shaped recess 412 is formed in the widthwise center of the upper surface of the central tank portion 410 so as to penetrate in the front-rear direction. The recess 412 may be substantially U-shaped.

[0032] 2, the recess 412 is formed in a part of the upper wall 413 constituting the central tank part 410 at a position where the flow control valve 38 serving as an operating member is disposed. The recess 412 is recessed downwardly relative to other parts of the upper wall 413 of the central tank part 410, and allows at least a part of the flow control valve 38 to enter. In this embodiment, a hydraulic mechanism 19 that outputs hydraulic pressure to the lifting cylinder is disposed behind the central tank part 410, and a flow control valve 38 for operating this hydraulic mechanism 19 is disposed so as to extend from the hydraulic mechanism 19 in the traveling direction.

[0033] The flow control valve 38 is disposed between the seat 22 and the fuel tank 40 so as to penetrate the space formed by the recess 412. That is, the flow control valve 38 has its shaft portion 38a disposed in the recess 412 so that its handle 38b protrudes forward of the central tank portion 410. In other words, the flow control valve 38 is disposed from the rear to the front of the central tank portion 410 via the recess 412. In this embodiment, the shaft portion 38a is inserted into the recess 412 so that the shaft portion 38a does not protrude from the upper surface of the central tank portion 410.

[0034] In this manner, the recess 412 is provided in the fuel tank 40 below the seat 22, and the flow control valve 38 is disposed within this recess 412, thereby making it easier for the driver to operate the handle 38b of the flow control valve 38. Furthermore, if the flow control valve 38 were provided above the central tank portion 410 without entering the recess 412, it would be necessary to ensure a space for disposing the flow control valve 38 between the seat 22 and the central tank portion 410. In contrast, in this embodiment, the flow control valve 38 is disposed within the recess 412, making it unnecessary to ensure this space, which increases the efficiency of disposing the flow control valve 38 and prevents the tractor 10 from becoming larger.

[0035] In this embodiment, as described above, the recess 412 is formed by recessing the approximately central portion in the width direction of the upper wall portion 413 of the central tank portion 410 downward, so that the recess 412 intrudes into the internal space of the central tank portion 410, as shown in Fig. 9. The recess 412 is formed over the entire area of ​​the central tank portion 410 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, part of the internal space of the fuel tank 40 formed by the central tank portion 410 and the pair of side tank portions 420, 430 is blocked by the recess 412.

[0036] Here, the tractor 10 may travel while swinging largely from side to side or tilting in one direction during work. At this time, the fuel in the fuel tank 40 also moves inside due to the swinging or tilting of the tractor 10. As a result, there is a risk that the fuel fluctuation in the fuel tank 40 will be large. If the fuel fluctuation is large, it will affect the left and right weight balance of the tractor 10. In addition, if the fuel moves in the fuel tank 40 and hits the inner wall, there is a risk that the fuel tank 40 will be impacted. In contrast, in this embodiment, since the recess 412 is provided in the upper wall portion 413 of the central tank portion 410, even if the tractor 10 swings or tilts largely during work and the fuel moves inside, the waves caused by the movement disappear immediately, and the fuel level is easily stabilized, so that large fuel fluctuation in the fuel tank 40 can be suppressed and impact to the fuel tank 40 can also be suppressed.

[0037] In addition, the shaking of the tractor 10 may cause a rippling phenomenon of fuel in the fuel tank 40. As described later, a fuel gauge 46 for detecting the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank is disposed in the fuel tank 40. If a rippling phenomenon of fuel occurs in the fuel tank 40, there is a risk of false detection by the fuel gauge 46. In contrast, in this embodiment, the recess 412 is provided in the upper wall 413 of the central tank portion 410, so that the waves of the movement of the fuel can be reduced as described above, and the occurrence of the rippling phenomenon of the fuel can be suppressed. In addition, in this embodiment, the recess 412 is substantially V-shaped, so that when a wave collides with the wall of the recess 412, the direction of the force applied to the wall is dispersed, and the force applied to the recess 412 can be reduced.

[0038] The arrangement of the fuel gauge 46 will be described with reference to FIG. 9. The fuel gauge 46 has a float 46a that floats on the fuel, a support member (arm) 46b that supports the float 46a, and a rotation support part 46c that supports the support member 46b rotatably on the upper wall part 413. That is, the support member 46b with the float 46a at its tip is configured to swing with respect to the rotation support part 46c fixed to the upper wall part 413 of the fuel tank 40. For example, a sensor capable of detecting the angle of the support member 46b is arranged on the rotation support part 46c, and the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank 40 is detected by changing the angle of the support member 46b due to the movement of the float 46a. For example, when the liquid level drops and the float 46a drops to a predetermined lower limit position, it is detected that the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank 40 is low. In this state, the empty lamp on the control part 20 of the tractor 10 is turned on, for example, to notify the driver that the remaining amount of fuel is low.

[0039] Float 46a of fuel gauge 46 is disposed closer to recess 412 than pivot support portion 46c. As described above, in this embodiment, recess 412 can reduce waves in the movement of fuel inside fuel tank 40, so that the rippling phenomenon in the fuel is less likely to occur due to shaking or tilting of tractor 10, and fuel gauge 46 can stably detect the remaining amount of fuel.

[0040] The lower wall portion 414 of the fuel tank 40 has a first lower surface 414a on which the supply fuel reservoir 423 and the return fuel reservoir 424 of one side tank portion 420 are formed, a second lower surface 414b which is a part of the lower surface of the central tank portion 410, and a third lower surface 414c between the first lower surface 414a and the second lower surface 414b. The first lower surface 414a generally forms the lower surface of one side tank portion 420, and the second lower surface 414b generally forms the lower surface of the lower surface of the central tank portion 410 on the side of one side tank portion 420. The third lower surface 414c is disposed between the first lower surface 414a and the second lower surface 414b. Of these lower surfaces, the first lower surface 414a is the lowest, the second lower surface 414b is the highest, and the third lower surface 414c is at an intermediate height between these lower surfaces 414a and 414b. In other words, the third lower surface 414c is a step surface between the first lower surface 414a and the second lower surface 414b. The float 46a of the fuel gauge 46 is disposed so as to abut against or be close to the third lower surface 414c when there is no fuel in the fuel tank 40.

[0041] The fuel gauge 46 is configured to issue a signal to the driver that the remaining amount of fuel is low when the fuel in the fuel tank 40 becomes low and the float 46a abuts against or approaches the third lower surface 414c. At this time, since the amount of fuel remaining in the fuel tank 40 is an amount equivalent to the difference in height between the first lower surface 414a and the third lower surface 414c, the tractor 10 can be operated for a while even if a signal to the effect that the remaining amount of fuel is low is issued.

[0042] Furthermore, if the bottom surface of the fuel tank is flat, the fuel is likely to ripple due to the rocking of the tractor 10 during work, which can affect the remaining fuel level detection by the fuel gauge. In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the bottom surface of the fuel tank 40 has the first lower surface 414a, the second lower surface 414b, and the third lower surface 414c, which are different in height, and the float 46a is disposed so as to abut or be close to the second lower surface 414b. This makes it less susceptible to the ripple effect of the fuel, and makes it easier to ensure the detection accuracy of the fuel gauge 46.

[0043] [Fuel tank support structure] Next, the support structure of the fuel tank 40 will be described with reference to Figures 2, 3, 10 and 11. As described above, the fuel tank 40 is disposed below the seat 22, and the central tank section 410 is located above the transmission case 18. In this embodiment, the fuel tank 40 disposed in this manner is supported on the aircraft frame 13 as follows. First, the central tank section 410 is held down by four plate sections 510, 520, 530 and 540 from four sides, namely, the front and rear of the central tank section 410 in the traveling direction, and the top and bottom of the central tank section 410.

[0044] That is, the front plate portion 510 holds the front surface of the central tank portion 410, the rear plate portion 520 holds the rear surface of the central tank portion 410, the upper plate portion 530 holds the upper surface of the central tank portion 410, and the lower plate portion 540 holds the lower surface of the central tank portion 410. As shown in FIG. 3, the front plate portion 510 connects the left and right fender covers 16 and 17 at the front side. The front plate portion 510 has a notch 511 formed at a position that matches the recessed portion 412 of the central tank portion 410, and the flow control valve 38 that has passed through the recessed portion 412 further passes through the notch 511. Meanwhile, the rear plate portion 520 is provided on the frame 19a that supports the hydraulic mechanism 19. The central tank portion 410 is fixed in the front-rear direction by being sandwiched between the plate portions 510 and 520 from the front and rear.

[0045] The upper plate portion 530 is provided so as to be bent forward from the upper end of the rear plate portion 520. As shown in FIG. 11 , the flow control valve 38 is led out from between the upper plate portion 530 and a recess 412 formed in the upper surface of the central tank portion 410 to the front of the central tank portion 410.

[0046] On the other hand, the lower plate portion 540 is fixed above the transmission case 18. The central tank portion 410 is sandwiched between the plate portions 530 and 540 from above and below, and is fixed in the vertical direction. The lower plate portion 540 also has the function of supporting the central tank portion 410 from below. For this reason, the central tank portion 410 is placed on the lower plate portion 540 via rubber. A convex portion is formed on the lower surface of the central tank portion 410, and a concave portion is formed on the upper surface of the lower plate portion 540. By engaging these convex portions and concave portions, the central tank portion 410 is positioned in the front-rear and left-right directions relative to the lower plate portion 540.

[0047] In this embodiment, as described above, the central tank portion 410 is fixed by pressing the central tank portion 410 in the front-rear and left-right directions with the four plate portions 510-540. This makes it easy to ensure the strength required to fix the central tank portion 410. In particular, when the fuel tank 40 is made of resin, it is difficult to form holes for fixing with bolts or the like, but by pressing the central tank portion 410 with the four plate portions 510-540, it becomes possible to fix the central tank portion 410 without drilling such holes.

[0048] For example, a band may be used as a method for fixing the fuel tank, but when a band is used, it is difficult to ensure the strength required for fixing. On the other hand, when fixing the fuel tank with a bolt or the like, it is necessary to drill holes in the fuel tank for fixing the bolts, but if the fuel tank is made of resin, it is difficult to drill such holes. In contrast, in this embodiment, the central tank part 410 is fixed by pressing down in the front-rear and left-right directions with the four plate parts 510 to 540, so that it is easy to ensure the strength required for fixing, and the central tank part 410 can be fixed without drilling holes for fixing the bolts.

[0049] Here, as described above, fuel is returned from the engine 15 to the central tank portion 410 via the return hose 422a. Since the fuel returned from the engine 15 is high temperature, the temperature of the fuel tank 40 itself also rises. Since the fuel tank 40 has the side tank portions 420, 430 on both sides of the central tank portion 410 in the width direction, if the side tank portions 420, 430 are not supported, the fuel tank 40 may be deformed by heat and sag downward. Therefore, in this embodiment, a pair of support portions 550, 560 that support the pair of side tank portions 420, 430 from below are provided. One (right) support portion 550 of the pair of support portions 550, 560 supports one side tank portion 420. The other (left) support portion 560 supports the other side tank portion 430.

[0050] A more detailed description will be given with reference to Figs. 3 and 10. Fig. 10 shows a state in which the fuel tank 40 is supported and fixed, as viewed from below. One of the support parts 550 is provided on the aircraft frame 13, and supports the lower surface of one of the side tank parts 420 via the supply-side fuel reservoir 423 formed on the lower surface of one of the side tank parts 420. One of the support parts 550 is formed with an engagement hole 551 as an engagement part, and a protrusion 423a protruding to attach a fitting 421 to the lower surface of the supply-side fuel reservoir 423 enters the engagement hole 551. That is, one of the side tank parts 420 has a protrusion 423a that protrudes downward from the lower surface and has a fitting 421 provided at its tip. The engagement hole 551 provided in one of the support parts 550 engages with the protrusion 423a to position the fuel tank 40. Incidentally, the engagement hole 551 may be a circular or elliptical hole without a notch, or may be a circular or elliptical hole with a partial notch.

[0051] In this manner, in this embodiment, the position of the fuel tank 40 can be achieved by engaging the protrusion 423a provided on the supply-side fuel reservoir 423 with the engaging hole 551 provided on the support portion 550 that supports one of the side tank portions 420. Therefore, the position of the fuel tank 40 can be achieved while supporting the supply-side fuel reservoir 423 in which the last of the fuel remains, and the supporting and positioning configurations can be consolidated, resulting in lower costs and a smaller size than when these are provided separately.

[0052] On the other hand, the other support portion 560 is provided so as to protrude upward from the vehicle frame 13. That is, since the other side tank portion 430 has a lower surface higher than the one side tank portion 420, the other support portion 560 supporting the other side tank portion 430 is positioned higher than the one support portion 550.

[0053] In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the pair of side tanks 420, 430 are disposed in the space between the pair of fender covers 16, 17 and the rear wheels 12, respectively, and are positioned forward of the axle 12a of the rear wheels 12 in the traveling direction. This allows the fuel capacity of the fuel tank 40 to be increased while effectively utilizing the space between the pair of fender covers 16, 17 and the rear wheels 12. In addition, by disposing the pair of side tanks 420, 430 inside the pair of fender covers 16, 17, the impact on the appearance caused by providing the pair of side tanks 420, 430 can be suppressed. Furthermore, by disposing the pair of side tanks 420, 430 forward of the axle 12a of the rear wheels 12, the impact on the front-rear weight balance of the tractor 10 can be suppressed.

[0054] 1, a floor step 23 for the driver to place his / her feet is disposed in front of the seat 22 in the traveling direction. The plate portion 510 that holds down the front side of the central tank portion 410 is located above the transmission case 18 and behind the rear end of the floor step 23 in the traveling direction. Therefore, the space for the floor step 23 can be efficiently secured.

[0055] [Fuel filler port] The configuration of the fuel filler 400 and its surroundings will be described with reference to FIG. 2, FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG. 12. As described above, the fuel filler 400 is provided on the upper surface of the other side tank portion 430. At least a part of the upper surface of the other side tank portion 430 around the fuel filler 400 is formed with a recess 403 that is recessed more than other parts. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the fuel filler 400 is disposed on the outer side of the other side tank portion 430. This is because the fuel filler 400 is disposed to avoid the PTO shift lever 36. When fuel is filled into the fuel filler 400, there is a risk that the fuel will spill around the fuel filler 400 or overflow from the fuel filler 400. If the fuel overflowing from the fuel filler 400 falls on the rear wheel 12, the rear wheel 12 will be deteriorated.

[0056] Therefore, in this embodiment, the bottom surface of the recess 403 is inclined downward as it approaches the front of the fuel filler port 400 in the traveling direction. In addition, the recess 403 is formed inward relative to the outer end face in the width direction of the other side tank portion 430, making it difficult for the fuel that has flowed into the recess 403 to flow from the outer side in the width direction to the outside. This allows the fuel that has overflowed from the fuel filler port 400 to flow forward along the recess 403, making it difficult for the fuel to splash on the rear wheel 12.

[0057] 2 and 8, the fuel filler port 400 is provided so as to protrude from a part of the fender cover 17 that covers the upper side of the other side tank portion 430. The fender cover 17 is cut outward in the width direction and has a through hole 17a that penetrates vertically. Furthermore, a tray 404 is provided around the fuel filler port 400, which is disposed on the upper surface of the other side tank portion 430 so as to surround the periphery of the fuel filler port 400 and temporarily stores fuel that overflows from the fuel filler port 400. The tray 404 is provided around the fuel filler pipe portion 401 below the through hole 17a.

[0058] The fender cover 17 has an opening 17c that is located directly above the tray 404 and through which the fuel filler port 400 penetrates from below. The opening 17c is an opening at the lower end of the through hole 17a. The through hole 17a is formed with an inclined portion 17b that inclines from above to below toward the opening 17c. That is, a part of the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 17a is made into an inclined surface that inclines in a direction in which the diameter becomes smaller as it goes from above to below, and the opening 17c at the lower end of the through hole 17a is located above the tray 404. Therefore, the fuel that overflows from the fuel filler port 400 flows along the inclined portion 17b and is efficiently collected in the tray 404.

[0059] 12, a portion of the tray 404 is cut out so that the fuel accumulated in the tray 404 flows toward the recess 403. That is, a cutout 404a is formed in a portion of the tray 404 located above the recess 403 so that the fuel flowing from the cutout 404a falls into the recess 403. In this embodiment, the cutout 404a is formed toward the front and toward the inside in the width direction with respect to the fuel filler port 400.

[0060] As described above, since the fender cover 17 has the inclined portion 17b inclined from above to below around the fuel filler opening 400 so that the lower end is located above the tray 404, even if fuel overflows from the fuel filler opening 400 onto the fender cover 17, the fuel can be efficiently directed toward the tray 404. Furthermore, since the tray 404 has the cutout 404a formed therein, the fuel that overflows from the fuel filler opening 400 and temporarily accumulates in the tray 404 can be efficiently directed into the recess 403. The fuel that has flowed into the recess 403 flows down to the front side of the fender cover 17 along the inclination of the bottom surface of the recess 403. As a result, the rear wheel 12 is less likely to be splashed with fuel, and deterioration of the rear wheel 12 can be suppressed.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the tractor 10 is described as the work vehicle, but the work vehicle is not limited to this. The work vehicle may be, for example, a rice transplanter, a combine harvester, or another work vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 10 Tractor (work vehicle) 12 Rear wheel 16, 17 Fender cover 17a Through hole 17b Slope 18 Mission Case 22 Seat (driver's seat) 23 Floor Step 30 Running vehicle 38 Flow control valve (operating member) 40 Fuel Tank 46 Fuel Gauge 46a Float 46b Support member 46c Rotation support part 400 Fuel filler 403 Hollow 404 Tray 404a Cutout 410 Central Tank Section 412 Recess 413 Upper wall section 420, 430 Side tank section 421 Joint 423 Supply side fuel puddle 423a Protrusion 510, 520, 530, 540 Plate section 550, 560 support part 551 Engagement hole (engagement part)

Claims

1. A work vehicle including a traveling machine body having a driver's seat and a lifting cylinder for lifting and lowering a work machine connected to the traveling machine body, a fuel tank disposed under the driver's seat, the fuel tank having a central tank section disposed in a width direction intersecting the traveling direction of the traveling vehicle body, and a pair of side tank sections disposed on both sides of the central tank section and communicating with the central tank section, the fuel tank storing fuel in the central tank section and the pair of side tank sections; an operating member extending in the travel direction and for adjusting hydraulic pressure for the lift cylinder; a lower surface of the fuel tank is shaped such that a lower surface of one of the pair of side tank portions is located lower than a lower surface of the other side tank portion, a recess formed in an upper wall portion constituting the central tank portion, the recess being recessed lower than other portions of the upper wall portion of the central tank portion; The operating member is disposed between the driver's seat and the fuel tank so as to penetrate through a space formed by the recess. A work vehicle characterized by:

2. a fuel gauge disposed in the fuel tank and configured to detect a remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank; the fuel gauge includes a float that floats on fuel, a support member that supports the float, and a rotation support portion that supports the support member on the upper wall portion so that the support member can rotate freely, The float is disposed closer to the recess than the rotation support portion.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1 .

3. a fuel filler port provided on an upper surface of the other side tank portion for supplying fuel into the fuel tank; The other side tank portion is located above the rear wheel of the traveling body, a recess that is recessed more than other portions of the upper surface of the other side tank portion is formed in at least a portion around the fuel filler opening, A bottom surface of the recess is inclined downward toward the front of the fuel filler opening in the traveling direction.

3. A work vehicle according to claim 1 or 2.

4. a cover that covers an upper portion of the other side tank portion; a tray that is disposed on the upper surface of the other side tank portion so as to surround the fuel filler opening and that temporarily collects fuel that overflows from the fuel filler opening; The cover has an opening through which the fuel filler port penetrates from below and is located directly above the tray, and an inclined portion inclined from above downward toward the opening, The tray is partially cut out so that fuel accumulated in the tray can flow toward the recess.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 3.

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