Work vehicles

Abstract

To achieve improvement in maintainability of maintenance object components, in a work vehicle which includes an electric motor as a driving source of a work device.SOLUTION: A work vehicle 1 includes: an upper turning body 2; a lower travelling body 10; work devices 12, 14 actuating by a hydraulic pressure; an electric motor 20 serving as a driving source therefor; a battery pack 60 for supplying power for driving the electric motor 20; a battery pack room 30 on which the battery pack 60 is loaded; and a battery cover 32 for openably / closably covering an opening part 30a of the battery pack room 30. In the battery pack 60, at least a battery management unit substrate 91, a self management unit substrate 93, a fuse 92 for charging, and a service plug 94 are arranged as maintenance object components at a position reachable for a maintenance operator from the opening part 30a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a work vehicle equipped with a hydraulically operated working device and an electric motor that serves as a drive source for the working device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally known examples of working vehicles include hydraulic excavators and track loaders, each of which has a lower traveling body having crawlers or tires and a hydraulically operated working device attached to an upper rotating body or the like.

[0003] Recently, work vehicles have been developed that are equipped with electric motors instead of conventional engines as the drive source for work equipment (see Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2023-23324). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-23324 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In a work vehicle equipped with an electric motor as a drive source for a work device, as exemplified in Patent Document 1, electrical and control system components (sometimes simply referred to as "maintenance target components" in this application) that require regular or irregular maintenance (specifically, replacement, inspection, etc.) include a battery management unit board, a cell management unit board, a charging fuse, a main fuse, a contactor, a service plug, etc.

[0006] In the work vehicle exemplified in Patent Document 1, for example, maintenance of the battery management unit board, cell management unit board, etc. is performed by opening a cover (battery cover) of the battery pack room located at the rear of the upper rotating body. Meanwhile, maintenance of the charging fuse, service plug, etc. is performed by sliding the driver's cab seat located in the center of the upper rotating body forward and reclining the seatback, and then opening a maintenance cover located on the floor plate that is exposed in this state. This creates a hassle because different covers need to be opened depending on the part to be maintained. In particular, opening the maintenance cover in the center of the upper rotating body is a time-consuming and cumbersome task. Furthermore, some parts cannot be maintained (replaced) without removing the large battery pack from the upper rotating body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a work vehicle equipped with an electric motor as a drive source for a work device, which is capable of improving the maintainability of parts that require maintenance.

[0008] The present invention solves the above problems by the means described below.

[0009] The work vehicle according to this embodiment is a work vehicle that includes an upper rotating body, a lower traveling body, a hydraulically operated working device, and an electric motor that serves as a drive source for the working device. The work vehicle also includes a battery pack having a battery and a battery management system that supplies power to drive the electric motor, a battery pack room in which the battery pack is mounted, and a battery cover that opens and closes an opening of the battery pack room. The battery pack is accessible for maintenance through the opening. Do The parts to be maintained include at least the battery management unit board, cell management unit board, charging fuse, and service plug. The battery pack is provided on the opening side with a first maintenance opening for performing maintenance on a predetermined component among the maintenance target components, a first maintenance cover that opens and closes the first maintenance opening, and a second maintenance opening and a second maintenance cover that opens and closes the second maintenance opening, the first maintenance opening being formed on a plate surface of the second maintenance cover, and the first maintenance cover being detachably fixed to the plate surface. .

[0010] According to the above configuration, maintenance of the above-mentioned maintenance target parts can be performed extremely easily and in a short time without exposing the floor plate or lowering the battery pack from the upper rotating body, as is the case with conventional work vehicles.

[0012] Furthermore, the predetermined component for which maintenance is performed through the first maintenance opening by opening the first maintenance cover is a component with a relatively high average maintenance frequency, and includes at least the battery management unit board, and the predetermined component for which maintenance is performed through the second maintenance opening by opening the second maintenance cover is a component with a relatively medium average maintenance frequency, and includes at least the charging fuse. Re It is preferable that

[0013] Also, the battery pack is provided, on a surface facing the opening, with a third maintenance opening for performing maintenance on a predetermined component among the components to be maintained, and a third maintenance cover that opens and closes the third maintenance opening, the predetermined component for which maintenance is performed through the third maintenance opening by opening the third maintenance cover is a component with a relatively low average maintenance frequency, and includes at least the cell management unit board; The battery pack ,before It is preferable that the third maintenance cover be disposed in a position where it cannot be opened without removing a counterweight fixed to the upper rotating body.

[0014] Also, the battery pack is provided with an inlet on a surface facing the opening, to which an external power cable for charging the battery is connected; The service plug, which is one of the components subject to maintenance, is preferably disposed adjacent to the inlet on the left and right or above and below. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the maintainability of parts that require maintenance in a work vehicle that is equipped with an electric motor as a drive source for a work device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of an upper rotating body of the work vehicle shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a battery pack room (with the battery cover open) of the work vehicle shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a battery pack of the work vehicle shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of the first maintenance opening of the battery pack shown in FIG. 4 (with the first maintenance cover open). [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of the second maintenance opening of the battery pack shown in FIG. 4 (with the second maintenance cover open). [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of the third maintenance opening of the battery pack shown in FIG. 4 (with the third maintenance cover open). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram (perspective view from above the left rear) showing an example of a work vehicle 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view (perspective view from above the right front) showing an example of an upper rotating body 2 of the work vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view (perspective view from above the left rear) showing an example of a battery pack room 30 (with the battery cover 32 open) of the work vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a perspective view (perspective view from the same direction as FIG. 3) showing an example of a battery pack 60 of the work vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1. For ease of explanation, arrows may be used in the drawings to indicate up / down, left / right, and front / rear directions. In all drawings used to explain the embodiment, members having the same functions are designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations thereof may be omitted.

[0018] First, a description will be given of the overall configuration of the work vehicle 1. A hydraulic excavator will be used as an example of the work vehicle 1. However, the work vehicle 1 is not limited to a hydraulic excavator.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, the work vehicle 1 is equipped with an upper rotating body 2. The work vehicle 1 also has a lower traveling body 10 that travels on the vehicle. The work vehicle 1 is also equipped with working devices 12, 14 that are operated by hydraulic pressure (hydraulic oil at a predetermined pressure). The work vehicle 1 is also equipped with a driver's cab 16 that is equipped with operating devices in which the operator sits and operates the vehicle to travel and perform work operations.

[0020] An example of the lower traveling body 10 includes a pair of left and right crawlers 18. However, the lower traveling body 10 is not limited to the crawlers 18, and may be configured to include tires (not shown) instead of the crawlers 18. The crawlers 18 are driven by a traveling hydraulic motor (not shown).

[0021] An example of the working device 12 is provided with a blade 40. The blade 40 is attached to the lower traveling body 10 so as to be swingable up and down (including forward and backward). The blade 40 is driven by a hydraulic cylinder (blade cylinder) (not shown). However, the working device 12 is not limited to the above configuration.

[0022] An example of the working device 14 includes a boom 42, an arm 44, and an attachment (a bucket in this embodiment) 46. However, the attachment 46 is not limited to a bucket. The boom 42 is attached to the upper rotating body 2 so as to be swingable up and down (including a front-to-back component) (note that a boom bracket may or may not be interposed). The arm 44 is attached to the boom 42 so as to be swingable up and down (including a front-to-back component). The attachment 46 is attached to the arm 44 so as to be swingable up and down (including a front-to-back component). The boom 42 is driven by a hydraulic cylinder (boom cylinder) 52. The arm 44 is driven by a hydraulic cylinder (arm cylinder) 54. The attachment 46 is driven by a hydraulic cylinder (bucket cylinder) 56. However, the working device 14 is not limited to the above configuration.

[0023] 2, the work vehicle 1 is equipped with a drive source 20, a hydraulic pump 22 driven by the drive source 20, a control valve, etc. as a drive mechanism for driving the above-mentioned traveling hydraulic motor and each hydraulic cylinder. One or more hydraulic pumps 22 may be provided depending on the configuration and load of the working devices 12, 14 and the undercarriage 10.

[0024] In operation, the operator operates the control device to activate the control valve, which controls the supply of hydraulic oil at a predetermined pressure from the hydraulic pump 22 to the traveling hydraulic motor and each hydraulic cylinder. This allows the undercarriage 10 to travel and the working devices 12, 14 to perform work.

[0025] In this embodiment, an electric motor is provided as the drive source 20. One or more electric motors constituting the drive source 20 are provided depending on the number of hydraulic pumps 22, the rated output, etc. As another example of the drive source 20, an engine may be used in addition to the electric motor (not shown).

[0026] 3, the work vehicle 1 is provided with a battery pack room 30 at the rear of the upper rotating body 2, and a battery cover 32 that opens and closes an opening 30a of the battery pack room 30. A battery pack 60 that supplies power to drive the electric motor 20 is mounted in this battery pack room 30.

[0027] 4 to 7, the battery pack 60 includes an inlet 62 to which an external power cable is detachably connected. The battery pack 60 also includes a battery (a lithium-ion battery, for example) 64 that stores power supplied from an external power source or an on-board charger (not shown). The battery pack 60 also includes a battery management system 66 that controls charging and power supply to the battery 64.

[0028] The battery pack 60 also includes electrical and control system maintenance target parts (which can also be referred to as maintenance target parts) that require (or are expected to require) periodic (specifically, after a specified time has elapsed, etc.) or irregular (specifically, when a malfunction occurs, etc.) maintenance (specifically, replacement, inspection, etc.), such as a battery management unit board 91, a cell management unit board 93, a charging fuse 92, a main fuse 95, a contactor 96, and a service plug 94. These maintenance target parts are components that make up the battery management system 66, or components incorporated into the charge / discharge circuit of the battery 64, etc. The service plug 94 is a component that turns the charge / discharge circuit of the battery 64 on and off by inserting and removing it.

[0029] Here, of the above-mentioned maintenance target components, at least the battery management unit board 91, cell management unit board 93, charging fuse 92, and service plug 94 are located within reach (distance) of the maintenance worker from the opening 30a of the battery pack room 30.

[0030] The above configuration solves the problems associated with maintaining the maintenance-required parts of conventional work vehicles. That is, all of the maintenance-required parts of the battery pack 60 are located within an area accessible by opening the battery cover 32. In particular, there is no need to slide the seat in the operator's cab 16 and tilt the backrest to expose the floor plate. Furthermore, there is no need to remove the large and heavy battery pack 60 from the upper rotating body 2. Therefore, maintenance of the maintenance-required parts can be performed extremely easily and in a short time, significantly improving maintainability.

[0031] Furthermore, as a configuration characteristic of this embodiment, the battery pack 60 has the following configuration provided on its surface 60a (the surface facing rearward of the upper rotating body 2) on the opening 30a side. Specifically, the inlet 62 described above is provided on the surface 60a. Also, a first maintenance opening 71 for performing maintenance on predetermined maintenance target parts (described below) and a first maintenance cover 81 for opening and closing and covering the first maintenance opening 71 are provided on the surface 60a (see FIGS. 4 and 5). Also, a second maintenance opening 72 for performing maintenance on predetermined maintenance target parts (described below) and a second maintenance cover 82 for opening and closing and covering the second maintenance opening 72 are provided on the surface 60a (see FIGS. 5 and 6). Also, a third maintenance opening 73 for performing maintenance on predetermined maintenance target parts (described below) and a third maintenance cover 83 for opening and closing and covering the third maintenance opening 73 are provided on the surface 60a (see FIGS. 6 and 7).

[0032] Here, the above-mentioned "predetermined maintenance target components" are as follows. First, the maintenance target components that are maintained through the first maintenance opening 71 by opening the first maintenance cover 81 are components with a relatively high average maintenance frequency. This includes at least the battery management unit board 91. Next, the maintenance target components that are maintained through the second maintenance opening 72 by opening the second maintenance cover 82 are components with a relatively medium average maintenance frequency. This includes at least the charging fuse 92. Next, the maintenance target components that are maintained through the third maintenance opening 73 by opening the third maintenance cover 83 are components with a relatively low average maintenance frequency. This includes at least the cell management unit board 93.

[0033] According to the above configuration, maintenance of parts with a relatively high average maintenance frequency can be performed through the first maintenance opening 71, which is relatively the easiest to access. Maintenance of parts with a relatively medium average maintenance frequency can be performed through the second maintenance opening 72, which is relatively the second easiest to access. Maintenance of parts with a relatively low average maintenance frequency can be performed through the third maintenance opening 73, which is relatively the third easiest to access. Note that ease of access here refers to the location where maintenance work is performed and the ease of attaching and detaching the maintenance cover.

[0034] Generally, work vehicles are required to be compact, and it is important to mount various equipment on the upper rotating body in a space-saving and efficient manner. Therefore, it is practically difficult to centrally mount all of the electrical and control system maintenance-required components listed above in one location. Furthermore, the maintenance frequency of each maintenance-required component varies. However, the above-described configuration makes it possible to arrange multiple types of maintenance-required components in appropriate locations, taking into account their respective average maintenance frequencies. In other words, the arrangement allows for easier maintenance of components with higher average maintenance frequencies. Therefore, maintenance workability can be significantly improved compared to conventional work vehicles.

[0035] In particular, in this embodiment, the third maintenance cover 83 is disposed in a position where it cannot be opened without removing the counterweight 24 fixed to the upper rotating body 2. According to normal design concepts, it is preferable to avoid providing a maintenance opening (in this case, the third maintenance opening 73) in a position where maintenance cannot be performed without removing the counterweight 24, as this reduces workability. However, as described above, by selecting parts with a low average maintenance frequency and arranging them in that position, it is possible to avoid frequent maintenance while making effective use of the space inside the counterweight 24, thereby saving space in the upper rotating body 2.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first maintenance opening 71 is formed in the plate surface of the second maintenance cover 82, and the first maintenance cover 81 is detachably fixed to this plate surface. More specifically, a frame body 68 that protrudes rearward is provided on the plate surface of the second maintenance cover 82, and the first maintenance cover 81 is fixed so as to cover the tip of the frame body 68. With this configuration, wiring insertion holes, connectors, etc. (not shown) can be provided on the circumferential surface of the frame body 68, thereby reducing the space required for wiring installation around the battery pack 60. However, a configuration without the frame body 68 is also possible.

[0037] The service plug 94 is located on the left side (or the right side, upper side, or lower side) adjacent to the inlet 62. This configuration makes it possible to effectively utilize the space around the inlet 62, which protrudes from the battery pack 60. The service plug 94 is basically a component that is removed when performing maintenance on components that require maintenance in the electrical and control systems, and it can be located in a position that allows access by simply opening the battery cover 32.

[0038] Other mechanisms for travel and work in the work vehicle 1 according to this embodiment are similar to those of known work vehicles (hydraulic excavators), and therefore detailed description will be omitted.

[0039] As described above, according to the present invention, maintenance of electrical and control system components that require specific maintenance can be performed extremely easily and in a short time without having to expose the floor plate or remove the battery pack from the upper rotating body, as is the case with conventional work vehicles. Therefore, maintainability can be significantly improved compared to conventional vehicles.

[0040] The present invention is not limited to the above example (hydraulic excavator), but can be similarly applied to other work vehicles (for example, track loaders, carriers, etc.). [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1. Work vehicles 2 Upper rotating body 10 Undercarriage 12, 14 Work equipment 20 Drive source (electric motor) 30 Battery pack room 32 Battery cover 60 Battery Pack 71 First Maintenance Opening 72 Second maintenance opening 73 Third Maintenance Opening 81 First maintenance cover 82 Second maintenance cover 83 Third maintenance cover

Claims

1. A work vehicle including an upper rotating body, a lower traveling body, a hydraulically operated working device, and an electric motor that serves as a drive source for the working device, a battery pack including a battery and a battery management system for supplying power to drive the electric motor; a battery pack room in which the battery pack is mounted; a battery cover that covers the opening of the battery pack room in an openable and closable manner, the battery pack is provided with at least a battery management unit board, a cell management unit board, a charging fuse, and a service plug as maintenance target components that can be maintained through the opening; The battery pack a first maintenance opening for performing maintenance on a predetermined component among the maintenance target components, a first maintenance cover for opening and closing and covering the first maintenance opening, and a second maintenance opening and a second maintenance cover for opening and closing and covering the second maintenance opening are provided on the surface on the opening side, The first maintenance opening is formed in a plate surface of the second maintenance cover, and the first maintenance cover is detachably fixed to the plate surface. A work vehicle characterized by:

2. the predetermined component for which maintenance is performed through the first maintenance opening by opening the first maintenance cover is a component with a relatively high average maintenance frequency, and includes at least the battery management unit board; The predetermined component for which maintenance is performed through the second maintenance opening by opening the second maintenance cover is a component with a relatively medium average maintenance frequency, and includes at least the charging fuse.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1,

3. The battery pack is provided, on the surface facing the opening, with a third maintenance opening for performing maintenance on a specific part among the maintenance target parts, and a third maintenance cover that can be opened and closed to cover the third maintenance opening; the predetermined component for which maintenance is performed through the third maintenance opening by opening the third maintenance cover is a component with a relatively low average maintenance frequency, and includes at least the cell management unit board; The battery pack is disposed in a position where the third maintenance cover cannot be opened unless the counterweight fixed to the upper rotating body is removed.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

4. The battery pack has an inlet on the surface facing the opening to which an external power cable for charging the battery is connected, The service plug, which is one of the maintenance target parts, is arranged adjacent to the left and right or above and below the inlet.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

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