Work vehicles

Abstract

To secure a visual field of a worker even when a tank is disposed in an engine hood.SOLUTION: A work vehicle 1 of the invention includes: a vehicle body 2 to which a work device 49 may be coupled; a travel device 4 having a left front wheel 18L disposed at a left front part of the vehicle body 2 and a right front wheel 18R disposed at a right front part of the vehicle body 2; a drive device 5 which drives the travel device 4; a tank 7 in which a gas for driving the drive device 5 is stored; an engine hood 9 disposed at a front part of the vehicle body 2 and between the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R; and an imaging device 50 provided at the vehicle body 2. The tank 7 is housed in the engine hood 9 and the imaging device 50 captures images of an area including the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a work vehicle that runs on gas stored in a tank. [Background technology]

[0002] As described in Patent Document 1, the tractor has a hood at the front of the vehicle body. Inside the hood, an engine, a radiator, a fuel tank, a battery, etc. are housed.

[0003] On the other hand, in order to achieve decarbonization, development is underway for vehicles that are powered by electricity supplied from hydrogen-fueled fuel cells, power generation devices, batteries, etc. These vehicles are equipped with tanks (hydrogen tanks) that contain (store) hydrogen gas. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-128483 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Among the components that make up a fuel cell-based drive system, the tank is a relatively large component and requires a large storage space. Therefore, if the tank were to be stored inside the hood instead of the engine of a conventional tractor, the hood would also need to be larger in size, which could get in the way and impair the operator's visibility (downward and forward), particularly the visibility of the front wheels' contact points.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a work vehicle that can ensure visibility for the worker even when the tank is installed inside the hood. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The technical means adopted by the present invention to solve the above problems are characterized by the following points.

[0008] The work vehicle of the present invention comprises a body to which a work implement can be coupled, a traveling device having a left front wheel disposed on the left front part of the body and a right front wheel disposed on the right front part of the body, a drive device that drives the traveling device, a tank that stores gas for driving the drive device, a bonnet that is disposed on the front part of the body and between the left front wheel and the right front wheel, and an imaging device provided on the body, the tank being housed in the bonnet, and the imaging device being capable of imaging an area including the left front wheel and / or the right front wheel. The bonnet has a storage portion for storing the tank, and the storage portion is extended outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the vehicle body and protrudes above the left front wheel and / or the right front wheel. .

[0009] The imaging device may capture an image of an area including an area between the left front wheel and the hood.

[0010] The imaging device may capture an image of an area including an area between the right front wheel and the hood.

[0012] The vehicle may include a cabin that houses a driver's seat provided in the vehicle body, and a display device that is provided around the driver's seat and displays an image captured by the imaging device.

[0013] The imaging device may capture an image of an area including the vehicle body.

[0014] The vehicle may include a cabin that accommodates a driver's seat provided on the vehicle body, the cabin being arranged behind the hood, and the outer end of the hood in the vehicle body width direction overlapping a straight line connecting the driver's seat and the left front wheel and / or a straight line connecting the driver's seat and the right front wheel, and the imaging device may capture an image of an area below the hood and including the left front wheel and / or the right front wheel.

[0015] The imaging device may capture an image of the ground contact portion of the left front wheel and / or the right front wheel from a position above the axis of the left front wheel and the right front wheel.

[0016] The vehicle may include a cabin that accommodates a driver's seat provided on the vehicle body, the cabin being located behind the hood, multiple hydrogen tanks being arranged in a vertical line inside the hood, the upper end of the hood being located above the backrest of the driver's seat, and the imaging device may include a first imaging device that images an area below the hood and including the left front wheel and / or the right front wheel, and a second imaging device that images an area including the front of the hood.

[0017] The tanks housed in the hood may be arranged in a plurality of rows in the width direction of the vehicle body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the work vehicle of the present invention, visibility for the worker can be ensured even when the tank is installed inside the hood. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a work vehicle according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a front view of a work vehicle according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a left side view of a work vehicle according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a work vehicle according to a first embodiment. [Figure 5] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an imaging device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the tank unit of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 3 is a left side view showing the installation position and irradiation angle of the imaging device in the work vehicle of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8] 3 is a plan view showing a comparison of a first area, a second area, and a third area imaged by an imaging device. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the driver's seat, the front wheels, and the hood, which requires the placement of an imaging device. [Figure 10] 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an imaging device in the work vehicle of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a work vehicle according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a front view of a work vehicle according to a second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a work vehicle according to a second embodiment. [Figure 14] 10 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between an expansion storage section, a vehicle body, and tires in a work vehicle according to a second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 15] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing an example of how the tank is accommodated in the accommodation section and the expansion accommodation section of the work vehicle of the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] [First embodiment] A first embodiment of a work vehicle 1 according to the present invention will now be described.

[0021] The work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment is provided with an imaging device 50 as a measure to address the "deterioration of forward visibility and downward visibility" that can occur when the tank 7 is stored in the hood 9. As a result, the work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment can store multiple tanks 7 in the hood 9, while the imaging device 50 can compensate for the visibility that is blocked by the hood 9 (visibility to areas located in front of and below the hood 10 when viewed from the driver's seat 10).

[0022] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tractor (work vehicle 1) of the first embodiment. The work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment is a vehicle in which a tank 7 that stores gas for driving a drive unit 5 is arranged on a hood 9. An example of a vehicle that is equipped with such a tank 7 is a fuel cell vehicle (FCV), which stores hydrogen gas, which is the fuel for the electrode reaction, in the tank 7. The work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment is also a fuel cell vehicle.

[0023] Note that fuel cell vehicles may use fuel other than hydrogen, such as methane, as a fuel, and therefore fuel cell vehicles that store methane or the like in tank 7 are also included in the work vehicle 1 of the present invention. Additionally, vehicles that store hydrogen, methane, or natural gas, petroleum gas, biomass gas, or the like that contains methane as a main component in tank 7 and use the gas stored in tank 7 as fuel to drive an internal combustion engine (such as a diesel engine) are also included in the work vehicle 1 of the present invention.

[0024] In the first embodiment and the second embodiment described below, a tractor is used as an example of the work vehicle 1. However, the work vehicle 1 according to the present invention is not limited to a tractor. The vehicle may be an agricultural machine, a construction machine, a utility vehicle, or the like.

[0025] In the following explanation, the direction indicated by arrow A1 in Figure 3 (the forward direction of the work vehicle 1) will be referred to as the front, the direction indicated by arrow A2 (the reverse direction of the work vehicle 1) will be referred to as the rear, and the direction indicated by arrow A3 will be referred to as the fore-and-aft direction. The directions A1 to A3 are also shown appropriately in figures other than Figure 3.

[0026] Additionally, the horizontal direction (left-right direction), which is perpendicular to the fore-and-aft direction A3, will be described as the vehicle body width direction K1 or width direction (see Figures 2 and 4). The vehicle body width direction K1 is the width direction of the work vehicle 1. The direction from the center of the work vehicle 1 in the width direction to the right or left will be described as the outward side of the vehicle body width direction K1 (outward side in the width direction). In other words, the outward side in the width direction is the direction away from the center of the work vehicle 1 in the width direction in the vehicle body width direction K1. The direction opposite to the outward side in the width direction will be described as the inward side of the vehicle body width direction K1 (inward side in the width direction). In other words, the inner side in the width direction is the direction approaching the center of the work vehicle 1 in the width direction in the vehicle body width direction K1.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment includes a vehicle body 2 to which a working device 49 can be coupled, a traveling device 4 that supports the vehicle body 2 and allows it to travel, a drive unit 5 that drives the traveling device 4, and a tank 7 that stores gas for driving the drive unit 5. The traveling device 4 described above has a left front wheel 18L disposed on the left front portion of the vehicle body 2 and a right front wheel 18R disposed on the right front portion of the vehicle body 2. A hood 9 is disposed in the front portion (upper front portion) of the vehicle body 2, between the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R. A cabin 3 is disposed in the rear portion (upper rear portion) of the vehicle body 2, and a driver's seat 10 is housed in the cabin 3. The vehicle body 2 is also provided with an imaging device 50 to ensure forward visibility and visibility of the contact points of the front wheels.

[0028] In the following, the vehicle body 2, traveling device 4 (left front wheel 18L and right front wheel 18R), cabin 3, and bonnet 9 provided on the work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment will first be described.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, traveling devices 4 are provided at both ends of the vehicle body 2 in the vehicle body width direction. A transmission case 29 that transmits power from the drive unit 5 to the traveling devices 4 is provided at the rear of the vehicle body 2. The front of the vehicle body 2 is formed by combining metal frame materials and the like to provide high rigidity. In other words, the vehicle body 2 can also be said to be a support frame with the transmission case 29 integrally provided at the rear.

[0030] Specifically, a traveling device 4 is provided at both ends in the width direction (left-right direction) of the vehicle body 2. A drive unit 5 is provided on the upper part of the vehicle body 2. A cabin 3 is mounted on the upper rear part of the vehicle body 2, and a bonnet 9 is provided on the upper front part of the vehicle body 2. The drive unit 5 of the first embodiment is provided across the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle body 2. In other words, the drive unit 5 of the first embodiment is provided so as to straddle both the cabin 3 and the bonnet 9. The vehicle body 2 of this embodiment supports the traveling device 4, drive unit 5, cabin 3, etc. from below.

[0031] 2 to 4, the cabin 3 is a box-shaped body mounted on the upper rear portion of the vehicle body 2, and has a driver's seat 10 inside. The cabin 3 has front, rear, left, and right panels, and pillars arranged between adjacent panels. Specifically, in the case of the cabin 3 of this embodiment, the panels provided in the cabin 3 include a front panel 11 arranged in front of the driver's seat 10, door panels 12L and 12R arranged on the left and right sides of the driver's seat 10, respectively, and a rear panel 13 arranged behind the driver's seat 10.

[0032] The pillars provided in the cabin 3 include a left front pillar 14 provided between the front panel 11 and the left door panel 12L, a right front pillar 15 provided between the front panel 11 and the right door panel 12R, a left rear pillar 16 provided between the rear panel 13 and the left door panel 12L, and a right rear pillar provided between the rear panel 13 and the right door panel 12R.

[0033] The bonnet 9 is a cover mounted on the upper front portion of the vehicle body 2. The bonnet 9 is formed using a metal plate or the like so that the rear and bottom are open and the front, left, right, and top are closed.

[0034] The work vehicle 1 has a tank 7 (tank 7 and fuel stack 8) inside the hood 9. If such a storage section 62 is provided inside the hood 9, the drive unit 5 and the tank 7 stored in the storage section 62 are covered by the hood 9, and the hood 9 can protect the drive unit 5 and the tank 7 from wind, rain, sludge, and dust during running.

[0035] The traveling devices 4 support the vehicle body 2 on the road surface (ground) and allow it to travel. In other words, the traveling devices 4 provide propulsion force to the vehicle body 2. In the first embodiment, the traveling devices 4 are front wheel tires 18L, 18R and rear wheel tires 19L, 19R formed of rubber or the like. In the traveling devices 4 of this embodiment, power is transmitted from the drive unit 5 to either the front wheel tires 18L, 18R or the rear wheel tires 19L, 19R, or to both the front wheel tires 18L, 18R and the rear wheel tires 19L, 19R. Note that the traveling devices 4 may use crawlers or the like instead of rubber tires.

[0036] The drive unit 5 provided in the work vehicle 1 of the present invention is a device that generates drive force for driving the traveling device 4, and generates the drive force using gas stored in the tank 7. The drive unit 5 of the first embodiment generates electricity using a fuel cell system that causes an electrode reaction between hydrogen, which is fuel, and oxygen, and uses the generated electricity to drive the drive motor 6 to generate drive force. However, as described above, the drive unit 5 of the present invention may also generate drive force using a method other than the fuel cell system. For example, the drive unit 5 may generate drive force by driving an internal combustion engine (such as a diesel engine) using gas such as methane stored in the tank 7 as fuel.

[0037] The work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment is an FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle), and the drive device 5 of the first embodiment is a mechanism that generates electricity in a fuel cell using hydrogen stored in a tank 7 as fuel, and uses the generated electricity to drive a drive motor 6 to generate driving force.

[0038] Figure 5 is a block diagram of a drive unit 5 provided in a work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 5, the drive unit 5 of the first embodiment has a fuel cell stack 8 that generates electricity by causing an electrode reaction between hydrogen, which is fuel, and oxygen, and a drive motor 6 that is driven using the power (electricity) generated by the fuel cell stack 8. The drive unit 5 of the first embodiment is also provided with a battery 20 that stores the power supplied from the fuel cell stack 8.

[0039] The drive unit 5 of the first embodiment employs a mechanism in which the drive force generated by one drive motor 6 is sent to the transmission case 29, which then divides the drive force into four and sends them to the traveling unit 4 (left and right front wheel tires 18L, 18R and left and right rear wheel tires 19L, 19R). However, the drive unit 5 of the present invention may have a different number of built-in drive motors 6 installed, as appropriate.

[0040] Hereinafter, the drive motor 6, fuel cell stack 8, battery 20, and hydrogen tank 7 that constitute the drive device 5 of the first embodiment will be described.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the drive motor 6 is, for example, a permanent magnet embedded DC synchronous motor or a wound field synchronous motor. One drive motor 6 is provided behind the fuel cell stack 8. The drive motor 6 has an output shaft 6a extending rearward, and drives the output shaft 6a to rotate. The rear end of the output shaft 6a is connected to a transmission case 29.

[0042] The transmission case 29 is equipped with a transmission, clutch, differential gear, etc. that change the speed of the power transmitted to the output shaft 6a. The transmission case 29 reduces or increases the speed of the power input from the output shaft 6a, and outputs the reduced or increased speed power to the front tires 18L, 18R and / or rear tires 19L, 19R of the traveling device 4. For example, if the work vehicle 1 is rear-wheel drive, the power output to the traveling device 4 is transmitted only to the rear tires 19L, 19R, and if the work vehicle 1 is four-wheel drive, the power is transmitted to both the front tires 18L, 18R and the rear tires 19L, 19R.

[0043] In the work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment, the transmission case 29 not only transmits the decelerated or accelerated power to the traveling device 4, but also transmits a portion of the power to the work device. Specifically, a PTO shaft 30 (power take-off shaft) is provided at the rear of the work vehicle 1 (at the rear end of the transmission case 29). ) is provided, and the power transmitted (input) to the transmission case 29 is output not only to the traveling device 4 but also to the PTO shaft 30. In this way, it is also possible to operate a working device (implement) using the power generated by the fuel cell.

[0044] Furthermore, in the work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment, not only the PTO shaft 30 but also a coupling device (three-point linkage) is provided at the rear of the vehicle body 2 (the rear end of the transmission case 29). Providing such a three-point linkage makes it possible to attach various implements (working implements 49) to the rear of the work vehicle 1 and change its position or drive it, allowing the work vehicle 1 to perform a variety of tasks. The working implements 49 are implements such as cultivators, rotary tillers, mulchers, hammer knife mowers, ridgers, transporters, seed sowers, harrows, or ridge makers.

[0045] It should be noted that the above-mentioned PTO shaft 30 and three-point linkage mechanism are not necessarily provided. They may not be provided in work vehicles 1 such as agricultural machinery, such as combine harvesters and rice transplanters, or construction machinery. Furthermore, in addition to the drive motor 6 described above, a hydraulic pump driven by the power output by the drive motor 6 or an electric motor separate from the drive motor 6 may be provided, and the work device (implement) may be operated hydraulically or electrically.

[0046] 5, a boost circuit 25 is provided downstream of the drive motor 6 (downstream in the power transmission path) to boost the power generated in the fuel cell stack 8. As a result, the boost circuit 25 boosts the power generated in the fuel cell stack 8, thereby ensuring the voltage required to start the drive motor 6.

[0047] The boost circuit 25 includes a circuit that boosts the power generated in the fuel cell stack 8, and the boosted power is sent to the drive motor 6 to drive it. Some electrical components used in the work vehicle 1 operate at an even lower voltage than the drive motor 6. Such electrical components that operate at a low voltage are supplied with power that has been stepped down by a step-down circuit including the first DC-DC converter 26 and the second DC-DC converter 27. In the case of the first embodiment, examples of electrical components that operate at a low voltage include the radiator (first radiator 22 and / or second radiator 24), the battery 20, and the air conditioner 28. The battery 20 and the air conditioner 28 are supplied with power that has been stepped down by the first DC-DC converter 26, and the radiator is supplied with power that has been stepped down by the second DC-DC converter 27.

[0048] The fuel cell stack 8 is a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) that causes an electrode reaction between hydrogen, which serves as fuel, and oxygen, and generates electricity as a result of the electrode reaction. Hydrogen, which is supplied as fuel to the fuel cell, is stored (reserved) or occluded in a tank 7. The fuel cell stack 8 has multiple layers of electrodes stacked on top of each other. When hydrogen gas is supplied to the fuel cell stack 8, an electrode reaction occurs in the stacked electrodes. The fuel cell stack 8 is configured to drive the drive motor 6 of the drive unit 5 using electricity extracted by the electrode reaction of the fuel cell. The electrode reaction in the fuel cell stack 8 does not emit carbon dioxide, which is always emitted by combustion reactions in internal combustion engines, etc. Therefore, the work vehicle 1 of the present invention, which is powered by electricity generated by a fuel cell, is promising for achieving decarbonization.

[0049] Specifically, the fuel cell stack 8 of the first embodiment includes a plurality of stacked unit cells, each having two types of electrodes, a positive electrode and a negative electrode, inside a box-shaped cell casing. The positive electrode and negative electrode are formed in a sheet or film shape using a positive electrode material and a negative electrode material, respectively. Each unit cell includes one positive electrode and one negative electrode, and adjacent unit cells are separated by a separator. Hydrogen gas from a tank 7 is supplied to the positive electrode, and oxygen gas (oxidizing gas) compressed by a compressor or the like is supplied to the negative electrode, and a cell reaction (power generation) occurs in each unit cell. The fuel cell stack 8 aggregates the power generated by each unit cell to generate power at a voltage and current sufficient to drive the drive device 5.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 5, a coolant for adjusting the electrode temperature is supplied to the fuel cell stack 8, and the temperature of the electrodes provided inside can be adjusted to a temperature at which power generation efficiency is high (a temperature of about 70°C in the case of a hydrogen fuel cell). The coolant circulates between the inside of the fuel cell stack 8 and a radiator (first radiator 22) provided at the front of the vehicle body 2, and the flow rate is adjusted using pumps and valves (not shown) to adjust the temperature inside the fuel cell stack 8. The temperature can be adjusted.

[0051] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, in the first embodiment, the fuel cell stack 8 is housed inside a hood 9 arranged above the front of the vehicle body 2. Hydrogen gas is supplied to the fuel cell stack 8 from a tank 7 through a gas pipe 23. A first radiator 22 is arranged inside the hood 9 behind the fuel cell stack 8 to cool a coolant for regulating the electrode temperature.

[0052] In the work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment, a radiator is also provided inside the hood 9, in front of the fuel cell stack 8. The radiator located in front of the fuel cell stack 8 is provided separately from the first radiator 22 provided behind it, and is called the second radiator 24. In the case of the first embodiment, the second radiator 24 is not used to adjust the electrode temperature, but is used to adjust the temperature of components other than the fuel cell stack 8 that require temperature adjustment (for example, an air conditioning device 28 that cools the interior of the cabin 3).

[0053] The battery 20 stores electricity generated by the fuel cell stack 8. In the first embodiment, the battery 20 is supplied with and stores electric power that has been stepped down by the first DC-DC converter 26. The battery 20 may be a lithium ion battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, a lead storage battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, or the like.

[0054] In the work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment, the battery 20, together with the first DC-DC converter 26 and the second DC-DC converter 27, is disposed between the right front tire 18R and the right rear tire 19R (to the right of the center in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 2). The air conditioning unit 28 is disposed below the driver's seat 10 in the cabin 3. The installation positions of the battery 20 and the air conditioning unit 28 are not limited to the example in the first embodiment.

[0055] 5, gas pipes 23 are provided for each of the multiple tanks 7, and guide the hydrogen gas from each tank 7 to the valve unit 33. The gas pipes 23 are made of a composite hose that combines a synthetic resin that can prevent hydrogen gas from passing through with a flexible metal wire.

[0056] The valve unit 33 collects the hydrogen gas sent from each tank 7 through the gas piping 23 and mixes it appropriately. The valve unit 33 is equipped with an electromagnetic valve that can adjust the pressure and flow rate of the hydrogen gas, and sends the hydrogen gas to the fuel cell stack 8 after adjusting the pressure and flow rate to be suitable for generating electricity in the fuel cell stack 8.

[0057] The valve unit 33 is preferably disposed to the side of the multiple tanks 7 and below the cabin 3. By disposing the valve unit 33 to the side of the multiple tanks 7, the heights of the tanks 7 and the valve unit 33 become approximately equal, and the valve unit 33 can be disposed at a closer distance to the tanks 7 since there is no difference in height between the tanks 7 in the up-down direction. As a result, the length of the gas piping 23 can be shortened.

[0058] Furthermore, if the valve unit 33 is installed below the cabin 3, the gas piping 23 can be arranged using the space formed between the cabin 3 and the vehicle body 2, so that the gas piping 23 can be arranged without physically interfering with other components, thereby increasing the design freedom of the device layout.

[0059] In the first embodiment, the drive motor 6 is provided in only one location on the upper part of the vehicle body 2, and the power generated by the single drive motor 6 is distributed to the front tire 18 and / or rear tire 19L, 19R.

[0060] 6, the hydrogen tanks 7 are long, cylindrical cylinders made of a hard synthetic resin reinforced with carbon fiber or glass fiber. In the first embodiment, the tanks 7 (cylinders) are all arranged with their axes oriented in the front-to-rear direction, and a total of six tanks 7 are housed in the tank casing 32, four aligned widthwise and two rows vertically.

[0061] A neck 7a is formed at the front end of the tank 7. A gas pipe 23 is connected to the neck 7a of the tank 7 via a safety valve (solenoid valve) not shown.

[0062] The tank casing 32 can accommodate one tank 7 in each of the left and right lower casings 54 and four tanks 7 in the upper casing 56. By accommodating the tanks in the upper and lower casings 56 and 54, the tanks are protected from vibration and heat. It is considered possible.

[0063] 2 and 4, in the first embodiment, the width W1 of the bonnet 9 along the vehicle body width direction is wider than the distance W2 along the width direction between the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R. Note that the distance W2 refers to the horizontal distance between the widthwise inner end (right end) of the left front wheel 18L and the widthwise inner end (left end) of the right front wheel 18R.

[0064] Furthermore, the hood 9 is formed so that its width W1 is wider in the vehicle body width direction than the width W3 of the vehicle body 2. The hood 9 protrudes the same distance to the left and right from the vehicle body 2. Therefore, it can also be expressed that the hood 9 protrudes leftward from the left end of the vehicle body 2 by a width ΔW, and protrudes rightward from the right end of the vehicle body 2 by a width ΔW.

[0065] Furthermore, the storage space 62 of the first embodiment is extended outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the vehicle body 2, and protrudes above the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R. Therefore, the end of the bonnet 9 in the vehicle width direction, in other words, the end of the storage space 62 in the vehicle width direction, overlaps with the upper parts of the left front wheel 18L and the upper parts of the right front wheel 18R (they intersect at an interval in the vertical direction).

[0066] 2, the bonnet 9 is at approximately the same height as the upper ends of the front tires 18, but its width in the left-right direction varies, and this height is the dividing line between an upper section and a lower section. In other words, the upper section of the bonnet 9 is located above the upper ends of the front tires 18, and the lower section of the bonnet 9 is located below the upper ends of the front tires 18.

[0067] By providing the storage section 62 that is expanded outward in the vehicle width direction in this manner, it becomes possible to store a large number of tanks 7 inside the bonnet 9 described above.

[0068] The upper part of the bonnet 9 in the first embodiment may be formed so that the vertical height is large enough to accommodate two tanks 7 lined up in the vertical direction. In other words, the horizontal width is large enough to accommodate four tanks 7 lined up in the horizontal direction. In other words, the upper part of the bonnet 9 can accommodate a total of six tanks 7. Note that the bonnet 9 provided on the work vehicle 1 of the present invention may have three tanks 7 lined up in the width direction, or five or more tanks 7 lined up.

[0069] The lower part of the bonnet 9 in the first embodiment is formed with dimensions that allow it to accommodate the above-described vehicle body 2 and the lower half of the fuel cell stack 8. In other words, the lower part of the bonnet 9 accommodates the fuel cell stack 8 with its upper half protruding upward, and the upper part of the bonnet 9 has six tanks 7 arranged around the periphery of the upper half of the fuel cell stack 8 that protrudes upward.

[0070] The positional relationship between the hood 9 and the cabin 3 will now be described.

[0071] As described above, the cabin 3 is provided with a front panel 11 that allows the operator to check the front. As shown in FIG. 4, the left end of the front panel 11 is L and the right end of the front panel 11 is P R This left end P L From the right end P RThe distance along the width direction from the left front wheel 18L to the right front wheel 18R is the width W4 of the front panel 11. The width W4 of the front panel 11 is approximately the same length as the distance W2 along the width direction between the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R. In addition, the width W1 of the bonnet 9 is longer than the width W4 of the front panel 11 and the distance W2 along the width direction between the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R.

[0072] In addition, since the operator is seated in the driver's seat 10, the operator's position is P0, which is the center of the driver's seat 10. When the operator is seated in the driver's seat 10 and visually checks the ground contact points of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R, the distance from the center P0 of the driver's seat 10 to the ground contact points of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R (the center P W ) indicate the operator's line of sight. In the case of the work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment, the outline of the bonnet 9 (the two-dot chain line showing the outline in FIG. 4) overlaps with lines L1 and L2, so the operator's line of sight is blocked by the bonnet 9. In other words, the operator seated in the driver's seat 10 cannot see the ground contact points of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R.

[0073] As described above, the front panel 11 has a left end P L From the right end P R Therefore, it is necessary to consider the line of sight when the operator leans to the left or right. L From the contact point P of the left front wheel 18L W The line L1' extending from the left to the right also overlaps with the outer shape of the bonnet 9, just like the line L1. The contact points of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R are not visible or are difficult to see.

[0074] Furthermore, the height of the seat surface of the driver's seat 10 is higher than the heights of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R, and higher than the height of the bottom edge of the front panel 11. However, the height of the hood 9 is even higher than the height of the seat surface of the driver's seat 10. In the example of FIG. 2, about half of the area of ​​the front panel 11 is hidden by the hood 9 when viewed from the front. Therefore, depending on the operator's physique and the terrain on which the vehicle is traveling, the hood 9 may get in the way and make it difficult to see forward or downward. In particular, forward visibility is significantly restricted.

[0075] As described above, the bonnet 9 has an outer shape that limits the field of view of the operator, but has a large capacity as the storage section 62.

[0076] That is, the storage portion 62 (bonnet 9) has a length along the width direction from the left front wheel 18L to the right front wheel 18R, or more precisely, a length corresponding to the center P of the ground contact point of the left front wheel 18L. W From the center of the ground contact point of the right front wheel 18R, P W The width of the storage compartment 62 in the illustrated example is longer than the width W4 of the front panel 11 and the distance W2 along the width direction from the right end of the left front wheel 18L to the left end of the right front wheel 18R. The width of the storage compartment 62 can be expanded to a dimension equivalent to the distance along the width direction from the left end of the left front wheel 18L to the right end of the right front wheel 18R (the maximum width between the tires). In other words, the storage compartment 62 stores the tank 7 by making maximum use of the space from the left front wheel 18L to the right front wheel 18R. By providing the storage section 62 with a width equal to or less than the distance in the width direction from the left end of the left front wheel 18L to the right end of the right front wheel 18R in this way, the outer side surfaces in the width direction of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R are positioned outward in the width direction from the left and right ends of the storage section 62, which prevents the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R from touching the ground and the storage section 62 from touching the ground directly. Therefore, even when a tank 7 filled with gas or the like is stored in the storage section 62, damage to the tank 7 can be prevented.

[0077] The storage section 62 has a length along the front-to-rear direction that extends from slightly in front of the second radiator 24 to slightly in front of the first radiator 22. The length along the front-to-rear direction of the storage section 62 is longer than the length along the front-to-rear direction of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R, and is sized to be able to easily accommodate a tank 7 with a length approximately the same as the diameter of the front wheels 18.

[0078] The tanks 7 are arranged inside the hood 9 as a tank unit 31 containing the tanks 7. The tank unit 31 includes a tank casing 32 that can house a plurality of the tanks 7, and the plurality of tanks 7 are supported by the tank casing 32. In the case of the first embodiment, the tank casing 32 is formed in a box shape that opens upward and is made of a thick steel material or the like that can thermally and physically protect the tanks 7 from the outside. The tank casing 32 houses six tanks 7 stacked in two tiers.

[0079] 6, the tank casing 32 is provided with tank support beams 53 arranged to intersect with the vehicle body 2. The tank support beams 53 are plate-shaped members extending in the left-right direction, and are arranged at the front and rear of the tank casing 32.

[0080] The tank casing 32 includes a lower casing 54 and the above-mentioned fuel cell stack 8 on top of the tank support beam 53. Specifically, the fuel cell stack 8 is disposed in the center in the left-right direction above the tank support beam 53, and the lower casings 54 are disposed on the left and right sides of the fuel cell stack 8.

[0081] 6, the lower casing 54 has a bottom 54a formed in the shape of a rectangular plate that is longer in the front-to-rear direction than in the width direction of the vehicle body, a front wall 54b formed in an upright shape along the vertical direction at the front edge of the bottom 54a, a left wall 54c formed in an upright shape along the vertical direction at the left edge of the bottom 54a, a rear wall 54d formed in an upright shape along the vertical direction at the rear edge of the bottom 54a, and a right wall 54e formed in an upright shape along the vertical direction at the right edge of the bottom 54a. The bottom 54a of the lower casing 54 is fixed (rigidly fixed) to the upper surface of the tank support beam 53 by means of fastening with bolts or welding or the like.

[0082] The upper edges of the front wall 54b and rear wall 54d of the lower casing 54 are formed with notches 55 recessed in an arc shape facing downward. One notch 55 is formed in each of the front wall 54b and rear wall 54d. The neck 7a of the tank 7 is fitted into the recessed portion of each notch 55, so that one hydrogen tank 7 can be accommodated in each notch 55. Notch By fitting neck 7a into the recessed portion of portion 55, lower casing 54 accommodates one tank 7 without causing lateral shaking of the tank 7. In other words, lower casing 54 supports one tank 7 in the lower casing 54 on the left side of fuel cell stack 8, and one tank 7 in the lower casing 54 on the right side of fuel cell stack 8.

[0083] The tank casing 32 includes a lower casing 54 and an upper casing 56 above the fuel cell stack 8 .

[0084] 6, the upper casing 56 has a rectangular plate 56a that is longer in the front-to-rear direction than in the width direction of the vehicle body, a front wall 56b that is formed upright along the vertical direction at the front edge of the bottom 56a, a left wall 56c that is formed upright along the vertical direction at the left edge of the bottom 56a, a rear wall 56d that is formed upright along the vertical direction at the rear edge of the bottom 56a, and a right wall 56e that is formed upright along the vertical direction at the right edge of the bottom 56a. The bottom 56a of the upper casing 56 is fixed to the top of the lower casing 54 by means of fastening or fitting using bolts or the like.

[0085] Notches 57 recessed in an arc shape downward are formed in the upper edges of the front wall 56b and the rear wall 56d of the upper casing 56. Four notches 57 are formed in each of the front wall 56b and the rear wall 56d to match the number of tanks 7 to be accommodated. Each notch 57 accommodates one tank 7 by fitting the neck 7a of the tank 7 into the recessed portion. By fitting the neck 7a into the recessed portion of the notch 57, the tank casing 32 accommodates the tank 7 without causing lateral shaking. In other words, the upper casing 56 supports four tanks 7 lined up in the left-right direction.

[0086] The tank unit 31 is equipped with a gas pipe that guides hydrogen gas from the tank 7 (not shown), a valve unit that mixes the hydrogen gas introduced through the gas pipe 23, adjusts it to a predetermined flow rate, and sends it to the fuel cell stack 8.

[0087] Furthermore, although the tank casing 32 in the first embodiment is formed in a box shape, the tank casing 32 of the present invention may be a shelf or rack capable of accommodating the tank 7.

[0088] If the tank 7 described above is provided inside the hood 9, the external dimensions of the hood 9 will be large, reducing visibility forward of the work vehicle 1. In particular, if the work vehicle 1 is for agricultural use, it is common to check the contact points of the front tire 18 when working. In other words, when working with the work vehicle 1, it is necessary to check the area including the left front wheel 18L, the area including the right front wheel 18R, or the area including both the left and right front wheels 18L and 18R.

[0089] Therefore, the work vehicle 1 of the present invention has an imaging device 50 that images an area including the left front wheel 18L, an area including the right front wheel 18R, or an area including both the left and right front wheels 18L and 18R. By providing such an imaging device 50, the imaging device 50 can capture an image of the area including the left front wheel 18L, the area including the right front wheel 18R, or an area including both the left and right front wheels 18L and 18R and display it to the worker, so that multiple tanks 7 can be installed inside the hood 9 (the storage section 62 can be sufficiently expanded outward in the width direction) without worrying about reduced visibility. As a result, it is possible to install multiple tanks 7 inside the hood 9 and sufficiently drive the drive unit 5 using an abundant supply of fuel.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 10, the imaging device 50 has an imaging unit (camera) 58 that images an area including the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R, a control unit 60 that receives data captured by the imaging unit 58 and outputs signals for display and notification, a display device 61 that displays based on the display signals output from the control unit 60, and a notification unit 62 that notifies based on the notification signals output from the control unit 60.

[0091] The imaging unit 58 captures an image of an area including the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R. In other words, the imaging unit 58 captures an image of an area including the left front wheel 18L, an area including the right front wheel 18R, or an area including both the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R.

[0092] When performing work such as plowing by making a left turn with a work vehicle 1 such as a tractor, the work vehicle 1 needs to be driven so that the left front wheel 18L passes immediately adjacent to the ground that has already been worked on (plowed). In other words, when working on a job that involves a left turn, the worker will visually check the area including the left front wheel 18L. Also, when working on a job that involves making a right turn with the work vehicle 1, the worker will naturally visually check the area including the right front wheel 18R. Furthermore, when working on a job that involves both left and right turns, the worker will visually check the area including both the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R.

[0093] For this reason, the imaging unit 58 can improve visibility while the work vehicle 1 is traveling by capturing an image of the area including the front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R.

[0094] When the imaging unit 58 is used to image an area including the left front wheel 18L, the imaging angle of the imaging unit 58 is set to an angle at which the area including the space between the left front wheel 18L and the hood 9 can be imaged. When the imaging unit 58 is used to image an area including the space between the right front wheel 18R, the imaging angle of the imaging unit 58 is set to an angle at which the area including the space between the right front wheel 18R and the hood 9 can be imaged. For example, if the imaging unit 58 is directed from the vehicle body 2 (near the center in the width direction) toward the area including the space between the left front wheel 18L and the hood 9 or the area including the space between the right front wheel 18R and the hood 9, it becomes possible to reliably include the ground contact points of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R (ground contact points of the front wheel tires 18) in the image data, and optimal and advantageous image data can be obtained for steering the work vehicle 1 to perform work in a field.

[0095] The imaging device 50 (imaging section 58) may also capture an image of an area including the vehicle body 2. In other words, the imaging data captured by the imaging device 50 (imaging section 58) does not have to be an image of only the ground. The imaging data may include an image of an object other than the ground, such as the front wheel tires 18, or the vehicle body 2. If the imaging device 50 (imaging section 58) captures an image of an area including the vehicle body 2 in this way, imaging data such as the distance between the vehicle body 2 and the ground may be obtained, and more diverse information can be obtained by the imaging device 50.

[0096] As shown in FIG. 7, the imaging device 50 is positioned at the axis C of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R. R The axis C of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R in FIG. R Line segment L extends horizontally at the same height as C In this case, the imaging unit 58 of the imaging device 50 is located on the line L C In this way, the line segment L C When the image pickup unit 58 installed above the ground contact points of the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R located below is imaged, the image data obtained is a bird's-eye view of the ground contact points, and it is possible to obtain a lot of information (such as information about the distance between the vehicle body 2 and the ground) from the image pickup unit 58. R (Line segment L C By installing the imaging unit 58 above the ground, the imaging unit 58 is positioned at a sufficient distance from the ground, which makes it possible to prevent sludge and the like that is scattered during driving from adhering to the lens surface, etc., and to protect the imaging unit 58 from dirt.

[0097] The following regions can be specifically selected as the region to be imaged by the imaging unit 58. Furthermore, it is preferable to provide the following imaging unit 58 corresponding to the region to be imaged.

[0098] Next, as examples of areas imaged by the imaging unit 58, as shown in FIG. 8, a "first area VA1," a "second area VA2," and a "third area VA3" are given, and specific examples of the imaging unit 58 that image these areas are given as a "first imaging unit 63," a "second imaging unit 64," and a "third imaging unit 65," and specific examples of the imaging unit 58 are described.

[0099] As shown in FIG. 8, the first area VA1 is an area including the left front wheel 18L, an area including the right front wheel 18R, or an area combining these two areas.

[0100] The region including the left front wheel 18L is an elliptical region that is long in the front-to-rear direction and extends from the contact point where the left front wheel 18L touches the ground (approximately the center of the contact area of ​​the left front wheel 18L with the ground). The size (area) of the region including the left front wheel 18L is set so that, when the left front wheel 18L is viewed from above in a state where there is no steering angle (a state where the left front wheel 18L is moving straight forward and backward), the outline of the left front wheel 18L is included within the region in both the front-to-rear and width directions. Note that there is no problem if the area of ​​the region including the left front wheel 18L is large as long as the outline of the left front wheel 18L is included within the region. However, the larger the area of ​​the region to be imaged, the more likely it is that a wide-angle lens will be required for the imaging unit 58, which will result in greater aberration and distortion in the obtained image data. Therefore, it is preferable to set the area of ​​the region taking into account the amount of aberration and distortion that is acceptable for the image data.

[0101] The area including the right front wheel 18R is an elliptical area that is long in the front-to-rear direction, similar to the area including the left front wheel 18L, and extends from the contact point where the right front wheel 18R touches the ground (approximately the center of the contact area of ​​18R with the ground). Similar to the front wheel 18L, the area (size) is set so that when the right front wheel 18R is viewed from above, the outline of the right front wheel 18R without a steering angle is within the area in both the front-to-rear and width directions.

[0102] The combined area including the left front wheel 18L and the area including the right front wheel 18R is a broad area that encompasses the above-mentioned "area including the left front wheel 18L" and "area including the right front wheel 18R."

[0103] The first area VA1 is imaged using a first imaging unit 63 (first camera). The first imaging unit 63 captures an image of the axis C of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R. R Line segment L extends horizontally at the same height as C Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, in the work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment, the CThe vehicle body 2 is located above the vehicle body 2, and the hood 9 is located on top of the vehicle body 2. The first imaging unit 63 is fixed to the vehicle body 2 (more precisely, to the metal frame that constitutes the vehicle body 2). In other words, the first imaging unit 63 is located below the hood 9 and is positioned between the axis C of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R. R It is attached at a position higher than the first area VA1 and is deployed in a position overlooking (overlooking) the first area VA1.

[0104] The first imaging units 63 may be provided on the left and right sides. That is, when the first imaging units 63 are provided on the left and right sides, a left first imaging unit 63L that images an area of ​​the first area VA1 including the left front wheel 18L and a right first imaging unit 63R that images an area including the right front wheel 18R are provided separately. The left first imaging unit 63L is provided on the left side of the vehicle body 2 (the metal frame that constitutes the vehicle body 2), and the right first imaging unit 63R is provided on the right side of the vehicle body 2. In this way, the area including the left front wheel 18L can be imaged with the left first imaging unit 63L, and the area including the right front wheel 18R can be imaged with the right first imaging unit 63R, so that the first area VA1 can be reliably imaged with the left and right first imaging units 63L and 63R.

[0105] Alternatively, the first imaging unit 63 may be provided with a wide-angle field of view that can simultaneously capture an image of an area including the left front wheel 18L and an area including the right front wheel 18R. One wide-angle first imaging unit 63 is provided that has a wide imaging area in the left-right direction, from an area including the left front wheel 18L to an area including the right front wheel 18R. The first imaging unit 63 is then disposed on the underside of the vehicle body 2, for example, and images of an area including the left front wheel 18L and an area including the right front wheel 18R are captured simultaneously. This also ensures that the first area VA1 can be reliably captured by the first imaging unit 63.

[0106] For the same reason as in the case of the size (area) of the imaging region described above, when using the wide-angle first imaging unit 63, it is necessary to consider the magnitude of aberration and distortion that is allowable for imaging data.

[0107] By imaging the first area VA1 with the first imaging unit 63 in this way, it becomes possible to image the contact points where the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R touch the ground, and the captured image data can be used to operate the work vehicle 1. As a result, even if visibility deteriorates due to the hood 9 (storage section 62) being expanded outward in the width direction, driving of the work vehicle 1 is not hindered, and it becomes possible to ensure space within the hood 9 (storage section 62) that is sufficient to accommodate the tank 7.

[0108] Incidentally, there are situations in which it is necessary to install the first imaging unit 63 to check the ground contact points of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R, in other words, it is necessary to install the first imaging unit 63, when there is the following relationship between the hood 9, the driver's seat 10, and the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R.

[0109] As shown in FIG. 9(a), the center of the seating surface of the driver's seat 10 is designated as "P0", and the center of the part where the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R are placed on the ground is designated as "P W In a plan view of the work vehicle 1 seen from above, "P0" of the driver's seat 10 and "P" of the left front wheel 18L are W In the same plan view, a line L1 is drawn connecting "P0" of the driver's seat 10 and "P" of the right front wheel 18R. W For example, a line L2 is created by connecting a point on the outer edge of the bonnet 9 in the vehicle width direction with "C" on both the left and right ends. A "

[0110] As shown in Figure 9(a), "P0" and "P W The outer end "C" of the bonnet 9 in the vehicle width direction is located on the line L1 connecting the lines L1 and C. A " exists, in other words, even if the position is changed in the forward and backward directions, "C A When the line L1 overlaps with the line L1, the outer edge of the bonnet 9 in the vehicle width direction is Since the view of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R from the seat 10 may be obstructed, it is preferable to provide the first imaging unit 63 at the ground contact points of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R to capture images.

[0111] The positional relationship between the outer end of the bonnet 9 in the vehicle width direction and the line L1 in FIG. 9(a) remains true even when the bonnet 9 is wider outward in the vehicle width direction.

[0112] As shown in FIG. 9(b), a case will be considered in which the hood 9 protrudes outward in the vehicle width direction, and the outer edges of the hood 9 in the vehicle width direction slightly overlap the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R. B " is "P0" and "P W If the bonnet 9 overlaps the line L1 connecting the left and right front wheels 18L and 18R, the outer edge of the bonnet 9 in the vehicle width direction may obstruct the view of the left and right front wheels 18L and 18R from the driver's seat 10.

[0113] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9(c), a case will be considered in which the bonnet 9 protrudes further outward in the vehicle width direction than in FIG. 9(b), and the outer edges of the bonnet 9 in the vehicle width direction almost completely overlap the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R. C If " overlaps with the line L1, the view from the driver's seat 10 to the front wheels 18 will be obstructed.

[0114] Therefore, in cases such as those shown in FIGS. 9(a) to 9(c), it is preferable to provide the first imaging unit 63 at the ground contact points of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R and take images.

[0115] 9(a) to 9(c) described above show the relationship in a plan view (planar relationship) of the work vehicle 1 as viewed from above. In contrast, the positional relationship in the vertical direction may be such that the upper end of the hood 8 is located above the backrest of the driver's seat 10, for example. If the upper end of the hood 8 is located above the backrest of the driver's seat 10 in this way, the upper end of the hood 8 gets in the way, making it difficult to confirm the ground contact points of the front wheels 18 located below. For this reason, if the upper end of the hood 8 is located above the backrest of the driver's seat 10, it is preferable to provide a first imaging unit 63 to take an image.

[0116] The second area VA2 is set for a different imaging purpose from the first area VA1. That is, the first area VA1 is set to prevent a decrease in visibility by capturing images of the ground contact points of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R, thereby enabling an improvement in the storage capacity of the hood 9 (capacity for storing the tank 7). In contrast, the second area VA2 is set for the purpose of checking the condition of the ground below the vehicle body 2. That is, by capturing an image of the space formed between the vehicle body 2 and the ground, it is possible to check for unevenness in the ground or whether an obstacle is coming into contact with the vehicle body 2, or to monitor the contact of an obstacle with the first imaging unit 63, the second imaging unit 64, and the third imaging unit 65, which are arranged at approximately the same height. By adding the second area VA2 to the first area VA1, it is possible to not only check the ground contact points of the front wheels 18, but also to monitor for damage to the vehicle body 2 and the imaging unit 58, thereby enabling the imaging device 50 to perform stably.

[0117] As shown in FIG. 8 , the second area VA2 is an area formed between the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R, and is centered on the ground below the midpoint of the hood 9 in the longitudinal direction. The second area VA2 is an elliptical area that is elongated in the longitudinal direction, similar to the areas including the left front wheel and the right front wheel in the first area VA1. The second area VA2 extends elliptical with the ground below the midpoint of the hood 9 in the longitudinal direction as its base (center). The size (area) of the second area VA2 is similar to the size (area) of the areas including the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R in the first area VA1. That is, the size (area) of the second area VA2 is set within a range surrounded by four points: a point located between the left front wheel 18L and the hood 9, a point located slightly forward of the first radiator 22, a point located between the right front wheel 18R and the hood 9, and a point located slightly rearward of the second radiator 24.

[0118] The second area VA2 is imaged using a second imaging unit 64 (second camera). The second imaging unit 64, like the first imaging unit 63, captures an image of the line segment L C7, the second imaging unit 64 is disposed above the center line C of the front left wheel 18L and the front right wheel 18R. R It is attached to the body 2 located above It is positioned so as to overlook (overlook) the second area VA2 formed on the ground.

[0119] Furthermore, the mounting position of the second imaging unit 64 along the fore-and-aft direction is set to a position offset rearward or forward with respect to the midpoint of the hood 9 in the fore-and-aft direction. If the mounting position of the second imaging unit 64 were set directly above the second area VA2, the second imaging unit 64 would face directly downward, making it impossible to confirm the space formed between the vehicle body 2 and the ground. Therefore, the second imaging unit 64 is set to a position offset rearward or forward with respect to the midpoint of the hood 9 in the fore-and-aft direction so that the second area VA2 can be confirmed not only from above but also from the side.

[0120] In this way, by capturing an image of the second area VA2 with the second imaging unit 64, it is possible to capture an image of the space formed between the vehicle body 2 and the ground. As a result, it is possible to check whether the vehicle body 2 is in contact with unevenness in the ground or an obstacle, or to monitor whether an obstacle is coming into contact with the first imaging unit 63, the second imaging unit 64, and the third imaging unit 65, which are arranged at approximately the same height.

[0121] It should be noted that an area including the first area VA1 and the second area VA2 described above, in other words, an area that is long in the left-right direction including the left front wheel 18L to the right front wheel 18R, can also be imaged by a single wide-angle imaging unit 58. When using such a wide-angle imaging unit 58, whether or not to use it is determined in the same way as in the above case, taking into account the magnitude of aberration and distortion that is allowable in the imaging data.

[0122] The third area VA3 is set for an imaging purpose that is different from the first area VA1 and the second area VA2. That is, the first area VA1 is set for the purpose of imaging the ground contact points of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R, and the second area VA2 is provided for the purpose of checking the space between the vehicle body 2 and the ground. In contrast to these, the third area VA3 is set for the purpose of imaging the ground ahead of the work vehicle 1, in other words, the ground ahead of which the work vehicle 1 is about to move.

[0123] As shown in Fig. 8, the third area VA3 in the first embodiment is set on the ground in front of the vehicle body 2, that is, midway in the left-right direction of the work vehicle 1, and located approximately 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 forward of the overall length of the work vehicle 1 in the front-rear direction. The third area VA3 in this embodiment is an elliptical area that is long in the front-rear direction, similar to the first area VA1 and the second area VA2. The size (area) of the third area VA3 is similar to the size (area) of the first area VA1 and the second area VA2. Note that the setting position and size (area) of the third area VA3 are not limited to those described above.

[0124] For example, the third area VA3 may be set in front of the left front wheel 18L or the right front wheel 18R so that the ground ahead of the wheels can be confirmed.Alternatively, the third area VA3 may be set to include the ground up to two or three times the total length of the work vehicle 1, so that a further forward field of view can be confirmed.

[0125] The third area VA3 is imaged using a third imaging unit 65 (third camera). The third imaging unit 65, like the first imaging unit 63 and the second imaging unit 64, captures an image of the line segment L C 7, the third imaging unit 65 is disposed above the center line C of the front left wheel 18L and the front right wheel 18R. R It is attached to the vehicle body 2 located above the ground and is deployed in a position overlooking (overlooking) the second area VA2 formed on the ground.

[0126] Furthermore, the mounting position of the third imaging unit 65 along the fore-and-aft direction is set to the front of the hood 9, for example, below the second radiator 24. By installing the third imaging unit 65 in the above-mentioned position, it becomes possible to check the third area VA3 in a bird's-eye view and to capture images of the ground ahead of the work vehicle 1. As a result, it becomes possible to recognize that the work vehicle 1 is approaching the end of a ridge and notify the operator of the need to turn, or to recognize the presence of a foreign object or the like in its path and notify the operator of the need to stop the vehicle.

[0127] 10 , the control unit 60 processes the image data captured by the imaging unit 58 described above to convert the image data into a signal that can be displayed on the display device 61 and to output a signal that can be notified by the notification unit 62. Specifically, the control unit 60 is configured with a mobile terminal, a computer, or the like, and is preferably provided inside the air-conditioned driver's seat 10. The control unit 60 and the imaging unit 58 (first imaging unit 63, second imaging unit 64, and third imaging unit 65) are capable of data communication by wired or wireless means (for example, Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark)), and the image data is input to the control unit 60 from the imaging unit 58.

[0128] The control unit 60 processes the imaging data, converts the imaging data into a video signal or the like, and outputs the converted signal to the display device 61. The control unit 60 also processes the imaging data, and when the notification unit 62 determines that a notification is necessary, outputs a notification signal to the notification unit 62. Examples of "when the notification unit 62 determines that a notification is necessary" include when it is confirmed in the imaging data captured by the first imaging unit 63 that the front wheels 18 are in contact with the ground outside of a predetermined contact position, when it is confirmed in the imaging data captured by the second imaging unit 64 that there is a large protrusion or foreign object on the ground below the vehicle body 2, or when it is confirmed in the imaging data captured by the third imaging unit 65 that the ridge in front of the work vehicle 1 has reached its end.

[0129] The display device 61 displays the captured image captured by the imaging device 58, or more precisely, the video signal converted by the control unit 60. The display device 61 is preferably provided near the driver's seat 10 in the cabin 3. The display device 61 of the first embodiment is composed of three monitors: monitor A, monitor B, and monitor C. Monitor A displays the captured image data captured by the first imaging unit 63, monitor B displays the captured image data captured by the second imaging unit 64, and monitor C displays the captured image data captured by the third imaging unit 65. Each monitor constituting the display device 61 may display only the captured image data, or the control unit 60 may superimpose auxiliary lines, scales, etc. on the captured image data screen. The display device 61 of the present invention may also be configured to divide the screen of a single monitor into multiple sections and display the image at predetermined locations on the divided screens. The display device 61 of the present invention does not need to be fixed to the driver's seat 10 in the cabin 3. A mobile terminal such as a smartphone or tablet may be used as the display device 61 to display the information in the vicinity of the driver's seat 10, or may be displayed at a location remote from the work vehicle 1 via a network.

[0130] When an alarm signal is input from the control unit 60, the alarm unit 62 issues an alarm using sounds such as voice, electronic sounds, buzzers, sirens, etc., and / or lights such as flashlights, light bulbs, diodes, etc.

[0131] For example, if it is confirmed in the image data captured by the first imaging unit 63 that the front wheels 18 are touching the ground away from a predetermined contact position, a voice message such as "Your driving position has shifted" may be emitted to notify the driver. Also, if it is confirmed in the image data captured by the second imaging unit 64 that there is a large protrusion or foreign object on the ground below the vehicle body 2, a voice message such as "There is an obstacle on the ground. Please stop traveling" or a buzzer may be emitted to notify the driver.

[0132] In the above-described embodiment, an example was shown in which the first imaging unit 63 (63L, 63R), the second imaging unit 64, and the third imaging unit 65 were provided, but it is sufficient that the work vehicle 1 be able to image an area including the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R, and it is sufficient that the work vehicle 1 has at least one of the first imaging unit 63 (63L, 63R), the second imaging unit 64, and the third imaging unit 65. Furthermore, the arrangement positions of the first imaging unit 63 (63L, 63R), the second imaging unit 64, and the third imaging unit 65 are not limited to those in the above-described embodiment.

[0133] The work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment comprises a body 2 to which a work device 49 can be coupled, a traveling device 4 having a left front wheel 18L arranged on the left front part of the body 2 and a right front wheel 18R arranged on the right front part of the body 2, a drive unit 5 that drives the traveling device 4, a tank 7 that contains gas for driving the drive unit 5, a bonnet 9 arranged on the front part of the body 2 between the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R, and an imaging device 50 provided on the body 2, the tank 7 being housed in the bonnet 9, and the imaging device 50 imaging an area including the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R.

[0134] In this way, by capturing an image of the area including the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R with the imaging device 50, it is possible to capture an image of the contact points where the left front wheel 18L or the right front wheel 18R touches the ground, and the captured image data can be used to operate the work vehicle 1. As a result, even if visibility deteriorates due to the hood 9 (storage section 62) expanding outward in the width direction, this does not impede operation of the work vehicle 1, and it is possible to ensure space within the hood 9 (storage section 62) that is sufficient to accommodate the tank 7.

[0135] In the work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment, the imaging device 50 may image the area including the space between the left front wheel 18L and the hood 9, or the area including the space between the right front wheel 18R and the hood 9. By pointing the imaging device 50 toward these areas, it becomes possible to reliably include in the imaging data the contact points of the left front wheel 18L or the right front wheel 18R (contact points of the front wheel tires 18 on the ground), thereby obtaining imaging data that is optimal and advantageous for steering the work vehicle 1 to perform work in a field.

[0136] In the work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment, the bonnet 9 has a storage section 62 that stores the tank 7, and the storage section 62 may be extended outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the vehicle body 2 and may protrude above the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R. By providing a storage section 62 that is extended outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the vehicle body 2 in this manner, it is possible to increase the number of tanks 7 that can be stored in the bonnet 9 (improving the storage capacity of the tanks 7).

[0137] The work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment may include a cabin 3 that houses a driver's seat 10 provided in the vehicle body 2, and a display device 61 that is provided near the driver's seat 10 and displays images captured by the imaging device 50. If such a display device 61 is provided in the driver's seat 10, it becomes possible to operate the work vehicle 1 while visually checking the image data of the ground contact points of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R displayed on the display device 10.

[0138] In the work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment, the imaging device 50 may capture an image of an area including the vehicle body 2. By acquiring imaging data that includes the vehicle body 2, it becomes possible to obtain information such as the space (distance in the vertical direction) between the vehicle body 2 and the ground. As a result, it becomes possible to check whether the vehicle body 2 is in contact with unevenness in the ground or an obstacle, or to monitor whether an obstacle is coming into contact with the first imaging unit 63, second imaging unit 64, and third imaging unit 65, which are arranged at approximately the same height.

[0139] The work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment is equipped with a cabin 3 that accommodates a driver's seat 10 provided on the vehicle body 2, the cabin 3 being arranged behind the bonnet 9, and the outer end of the bonnet 9 in the vehicle body width direction overlapping a straight line connecting the driver's seat 10 and the left front wheel 18L and / or a straight line L1 connecting the driver's seat 10 and the right front wheel 18R, and the imaging device 50 may image the area below the bonnet 9 and including the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R.

[0140] If the outer end of the hood 9 in the vehicle width direction is located on the line L1 connecting the driver's seat 10 and the left front wheel 18L, or if the outer end of the hood 9 in the vehicle width direction is located on the line L1 connecting the driver's seat 10 and the right front wheel 18R, the outer edge of the hood 9 in the vehicle width direction may obstruct the view of the left front wheel 18L or the right front wheel 18R from the driver's seat 10, so it is preferable to install an imaging device 50 to capture an image of the area below the hood 9 and including the left front wheel 18L and / or right front wheel 18R.

[0141] In the work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment, the imaging device 10 may capture an image of the ground contact point of the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R from a position above the axle centers of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R. If the imaging device 10 provided above captures an image of the ground contact point while looking down (overlooking) it becomes possible to obtain not only image data of the ground contact point but also information such as the space (distance in the vertical direction) between the vehicle body 2 and the ground. As a result, it becomes possible to check whether the ground is uneven or whether an obstacle is coming into contact with the vehicle body 2, or to monitor whether an obstacle is coming into contact with the first imaging unit 63, the second imaging unit 64, and the third imaging unit 65, which are arranged at approximately the same height.

[0142] The work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment is equipped with a cabin 3 that accommodates a driver's seat 10 provided on the vehicle body 2, the cabin 3 being arranged behind the hood 9, multiple tanks 7 being arranged in a vertical line inside the hood 9, the upper end of the hood 9 being located above the backrest of the driver's seat 10, and the imaging device 50 may include a first imaging unit 63 that images the area below the hood 9 and including the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R, and a second imaging unit (third imaging unit 65) that images the area including the front of the hood 9.

[0143] In this way, when the upper end of the bonnet 8 is positioned above the backrest of the driver's seat 10, the upper end of the bonnet 8 gets in the way and makes it difficult to check the ground contact points of the front wheels 18 located below. If the object is located in the above position, it is preferable to provide a first imaging unit 63 to take an image.

[0144] Furthermore, if a second imaging unit (third imaging unit 65) is provided that images an area including the front of the hood 9, it becomes possible to image the ground ahead of the work vehicle 1. As a result, it becomes possible to recognize that the work vehicle 1 is approaching the end of a ridge and notify the operator of the need to turn, or to recognize the presence of a foreign object in the path and notify the operator of the need to stop the vehicle.

[0145] The tanks 7 housed in the hood 9 may be arranged in a row in the vehicle width direction. By arranging a plurality of tanks 7 in a row in the vehicle width direction, the tank storage capacity of the hood 9 can be increased, and the work vehicle 1 can be operated using an ample amount of fuel from the plurality of tanks 7 housed in the hood 9. [Second embodiment] A work vehicle 1 according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 15. The work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment described above is designed to enable the work vehicle 1 to be operated even in situations where forward visibility is poor by using image data captured by the imaging device 50, and has the effect of further expanding the bonnet 9 to improve the storage capacity of the tank 7 in the bonnet 9.

[0146] In contrast to the first embodiment, the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment is characterized by a storage structure for how the tank 7 is actually stored within the hood 9. In other words, the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment is characterized by having a hood 8 in front of the driver's seat 10 that stores the tank 7.

[0147] Specifically, the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment comprises a body 2 to which a work device 49 can be connected, a driver's seat 10 provided on the body 2, a running device 4 that supports the body 2 and allows it to travel, a drive device 5 that drives the running device 4, a tank 7 that contains gas for driving the drive device 5, and a bonnet 8 that is arranged in front of the driver's seat 10 and that contains the tank 7.

[0148] The components of the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment, such as the vehicle body 2, driver's seat 10, traveling device 4, and drive device 5, are the same as those provided in the work vehicle 1 of the first embodiment. Therefore, hereinafter, a description of these components will be omitted.

[0149] As shown in Figures 11 to 15, particularly Figure 12, the bonnet 9 of the second embodiment is formed in a shape such that the upper part is wider in the left-right direction than the lower part when viewed from the front, similar to the first embodiment, and the upper part has a higher storage capacity than the lower part.

[0150] Specifically, as clearly shown in the front view of FIG. 12 , the lower part of the bonnet 9 in the second embodiment is formed with a width that is approximately the same as the width of the vehicle body 2. A fuel cell stack 8 having approximately the same width as the vehicle body 2 is disposed on the lower part of the bonnet 9 above the vehicle body 2. Furthermore, the upper part of the bonnet 9 in the second embodiment is made wider outward in the width direction on each of the left and right sides by an amount equal to two tanks 7. In other words, the width of the bonnet 9 in the left-right direction changes midway up and down. The height at which this width changes is approximately the same as the top of the front tires 18.

[0151] In the second embodiment, a plurality of tanks 7 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction on the top of the bonnet 9, and six tanks 7 can be accommodated. In the bonnet 9 of the second embodiment, the tanks 7 are not stacked vertically (they are configured in one layer).

[0152] As shown in Fig. 14, the six tanks 7 described above are arranged inside the hood 9 as a tank unit 31. The tank unit 31 of the second embodiment includes a support frame 66 that can accommodate multiple tanks 7. The support frame 66 has a tower-like (three-dimensional) structure made of metal bars or the like, and supports the multiple tanks 7.

[0153] Other than the above-mentioned points, the positional relationship, dimensions, etc. between the bonnet 9 and the front wheels 18 in the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0154] The support frame 66 has a first horizontal frame member 66a arranged on the top surface of the vehicle body 2 so as to extend in the left-right direction, a left vertical frame member 66b extending upward from the left end of the first horizontal frame member 66a, a right vertical frame member 66c extending upward from the right end of the first horizontal frame member 66a, a second horizontal frame member 66d connecting the vertical middle portion of the left vertical frame member 66b to the vertical middle portion of the right vertical frame member 66c in the left-right direction, and a third horizontal frame member 66e connecting the upper end of the left vertical frame member 66b to the upper end of the right vertical frame member 66c in the left-right direction. The left ends of the second horizontal frame member 66d and the third horizontal frame member 66e extend outward (to the left) in the width direction beyond the left vertical frame member 66b, and an outer left vertical frame member 66f is provided between the left end of the second horizontal frame member 66d and the left end of the third horizontal frame member 66e to vertically connect both members. Furthermore, the right ends of the second horizontal frame member 66d and the third horizontal frame member 66e extend outward (to the right) in the width direction beyond the right vertical frame member 66c, and an outer right vertical frame member 66g is provided between the right end of the second horizontal frame member 66d and the right end of the third horizontal frame member 66e to vertically connect both members. Behind the above-mentioned frame members 66a to 66g, frame members 66a to 66g made up of combinations of the same metal rods or the like are provided, and front and rear frame members 66h are arranged at the intersections of the frame members 66a to 66g to connect the intersections of the front and rear frame members 66a to 66g in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, the support frame 66 is formed in a three-dimensional lattice shape (tower shape) by having frame members 66a to 66h made of metal rods or the like intersect in the up-down direction, left-right direction, and front-to-rear direction.

[0155] The support frame 66 has gaps between the frame members that allow tanks 7 and fuel cell stacks 8 to be inserted, making it possible to support the weight of multiple tanks 7. Specifically, two tanks 7 can be accommodated side by side between the left vertical frame member 66b and the outer left vertical frame member 66f (between the left and right sides) and between the second horizontal frame member 66d and the third horizontal frame member 66e (between the top and bottom sides). Two tanks 7 can also be accommodated side by side between the left vertical frame member 66b and the right vertical frame member 66c (between the left and right sides) and between the second horizontal frame member 66d and the third horizontal frame member 66e (between the top and bottom sides). Two tanks 7 can also be accommodated side by side between the right vertical frame member 66c and the outer right vertical frame member 66g (between the left and right sides) and between the second horizontal frame member 66d and the third horizontal frame member 66e (between the top and bottom sides). A fuel cell stack 8 can be accommodated between the left vertical frame member 66b and the right vertical frame member 66c (left and right) and between the first horizontal frame member 66a and the second horizontal frame member 66d (top and bottom).

[0156] By using the support frame 66 described above, the tank 7 can be supported safely and reliably inside the hood 9 so that it will not be damaged even if vibrations or impacts are applied.

[0157] Like the first embodiment, the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment also has a storage section 62 for storing the tank 7 (tank 7 and fuel stack 8) inside the hood 9. In the case of the second embodiment, the storage section 62 extends outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the vehicle body 2, and protrudes above the left front wheel 18L and / or right front wheel 18R. By providing a storage section 62 that extends outward in the vehicle width direction in this manner, it becomes possible to store a large number of tanks 7 inside the hood 9 described above.

[0158] 14, the storage section 62 of the second embodiment has a main body storage section 67 arranged above the vehicle body 2, and an extended storage section 68 arranged on one and / or the other side in the vehicle body width direction. In the case of the second embodiment, the extended storage section 68 is composed of two sections: a left extended storage section 68L arranged on the left of the main body storage section 67, and a right extended storage section 68R arranged on the right of the main body storage section 67. However, in the storage section 62 of the present invention, the extended storage section 68 may be provided on only either the left or right side of the main body storage section 67.

[0159] The main body accommodating section 67 is formed between the left vertical frame member 66b and the right vertical frame member 66c, and is a vertically long space. A second horizontal frame member 66d is disposed in the middle of the main body accommodating section 67 in the vertical direction, and two tanks 7 are accommodated side by side in the main body accommodating section 67 above the second horizontal frame member 66d. In addition, a fuel stack 8 is accommodated in the main body accommodating section 67 below the second horizontal frame member 66d.

[0160] The left expansion storage section 68L is formed between the left vertical frame member 66b and the outer left vertical frame member 66f, and its vertical dimension is slightly longer than the vertical thickness (outer diameter) of the tank 7. The right expansion storage section 68R is formed between the right vertical frame member 66c and the outer right vertical frame member 66g, and its vertical dimension is slightly longer than the vertical thickness (outer diameter) of the tank 7. The left expansion storage section 68L and the right expansion storage section 68R store four tanks 7, two on each side.

[0161] The above-mentioned expansion accommodating section 68 (left expansion accommodating section 68L and right expansion accommodating section 68R) is the accommodating section 6 The expanded storage section 68 expands the storage volume of the storage section 62 outward in the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the widthwise ends of the expanded storage section 68 are located outward from the outer sides of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R. In other words, the expanded storage section 68 protrudes outward from the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R. By providing the expanded storage section 68 and expanding the storage volume of the storage section 62 outward in the vehicle width direction, the storage capacity of the tank 7 can be greatly improved. The expanded storage section 68 is located above the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R, and effectively utilizes the space above the top end of the left front wheel 18L or the right front wheel 18R. By storing a portion of the tank 7 in this space, it can be said that the storage capacity of the storage section 62 for the tank 7 is greatly improved.

[0162] Note that the expanded storage section 68 effectively utilizes the space above the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R, and therefore the left front wheel 18L, the right front wheel 18R and the expanded storage section 68 are arranged in the same position in a plane. That is, in the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment, the expanded storage section 68 of the storage section 62 overlaps with the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R in a plan view.

[0163] Furthermore, the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment can also be said to utilize the space above the fuel cell stack 8 in the accommodation section 62 formed inside the hood 9 to accommodate the tank 7. In other words, the tank 7 in the main body accommodation section 67 is disposed above the fuel cell stack 8, and the space above the fuel cell stack 8 is used to accommodate the tank 7.

[0164] Furthermore, the lower end of the expanded accommodating portion 68 is located below the upper end of the accommodating portion 62 and above the upper end of the left front wheel 18L or the upper end of the right front wheel 18R. As shown in Fig. 14, the lower end of the expanded accommodating portion 68 is disposed at a position such that the distance D formed between the lower end of the expanded accommodating portion 68 and the upper end of the left front wheel 18L or the upper end of the right front wheel 18R is 1 / 10 to 1 / 3 of the outer diameter of the left front wheel 18L or the right front wheel 18R.

[0165] In addition, when the distance D is 1 / 10 to 1 / 3 of the outer diameter of the left front wheel 18L or the right front wheel 18R, the tanks 7 may be stacked in two levels, as shown in Figures 15(a) and 15(b). Stacking the tanks 7 in two levels in this way makes it possible to narrow the width of the hood 9 in the left-right direction compared to the second embodiment while still being able to store the same number of tanks as in the second embodiment, as shown in Figure 15(a). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 15(b), it becomes possible to further increase the number of tanks that can be stored in the tank 7.

[0166] As shown in FIG. 14 , similar to the first embodiment, the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment preferably includes an imaging device 50 on the vehicle body 2 that captures images of an area including the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R. Furthermore, when the imaging device 50 is provided on the vehicle body 2, it is preferable to also include a display device 61 near the driver's seat that displays images (image data) captured by the imaging device 50. In the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment, the width in the left-right direction of the hood 9 is increased by the amount of the expansion storage section 68 provided, and there is a possibility that the forward and downward fields of view will be obscured by the hood 9. Therefore, it is preferable to provide the imaging device 50 and the display device 61 on the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment as well, so that the operator can check the forward and downward fields of view as image data.

[0167] The work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment comprises a body 2 to which a work device 49 can be connected, a driver's seat 10 provided on the body 2, a running device 4 that supports the body 2 and allows it to travel, a drive device 5 that drives the running device 4, a tank 7 that contains gas for driving the drive device 5, and a bonnet 9 that is arranged in front of the driver's seat 10 and that contains the tank 7.

[0168] With such a work vehicle 1, a sufficient amount of the tank 7, which requires storage space, can be stored inside the hood 9, making it possible to use an abundant amount of gas to drive the drive unit 5 with ample capacity.

[0169] In the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment, the bonnet 9 is provided with a storage section 62 that stores the tank 7, and the storage section 62 is expanded outward in the width direction of the vehicle body 2 beyond the vehicle body 2. By providing the bonnet 9 with a storage section 62 that is expanded outward in the width direction of the vehicle body 2 in this way, the storage capacity of the storage section 62 increases by the amount of expansion outward in the width direction, so that a sufficient amount of the tank 7 can be stored within the bonnet 9.

[0170] In the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment, the traveling device 4 is a left front wheel 1 provided at the left front part of the vehicle body 2. The storage compartment 62 overlaps with the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R in a plan view. By arranging the storage compartment 62 in a position that overlaps with the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R in a plan view, it is possible to effectively use the "space above the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R," which has not been used in the past, and it is possible to increase the storage capacity of the tank 7 in the hood 9.

[0171] In the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment, the tank 7 is disposed above the upper ends of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R. By disposing the tank 7 above the upper ends of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R in this way, it is possible to effectively utilize the "space above the left front wheel 18L and / or right front wheel 18R," which has not been used in the past, and the storage capacity of the tank 7 in the hood 9 can be increased.

[0172] In the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment, the drive device 5 is equipped with a fuel cell stack 8 that generates electricity using gas in the tank 7, a battery 20 that stores the electricity generated by the fuel cell stack 8, and a drive motor 6 that is driven by the electricity generated by the fuel cell stack 8. By selecting a fuel cell vehicle that is driven by electricity generated by the fuel cell stack 8 as the work vehicle 1, it is possible to solve the problem of where to store the tank 7, which has been an issue with fuel cell-powered work vehicles 1, and it is possible to increase the convenience of the fuel cell-powered work vehicle 1.

[0173] In the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment, the fuel cell stack 8 may be housed in the hood 9, and the tank 7 may be disposed on top of the fuel cell stack 8. By arranging the fuel cell stack 8 and the tank 7 one above the other in this manner, it is possible to house the fuel cell stack 8 and the tank 7, which require the most storage space, entirely within the hood 9.

[0174] In the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment, the storage section 62 has an expanded storage section 68 on one and / or the other side in the vehicle body width direction that expands the storage volume of the storage section 62 outward in the vehicle body width direction, and the expanded storage section 68 is disposed above the upper end of the left front wheel 18L or the right front wheel 18R, and may store at least a portion of the tank 7. By providing such an expanded storage section 68, the storage capacity of the storage section 62 increases by the volume of the expanded storage section 68, so that a sufficient amount of the tank 7 can be stored within the hood 9.

[0175] In the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment, the lower end of the expanded storage section 58 is preferably located below the upper end of the storage section 62 and above the upper end of the left front wheel 18L or the upper end of the right front wheel 18R. By determining the installation height and size of the expanded storage section 68 so that the lower end of the expanded storage section 58 is located between the upper end of the storage section 62 and the upper end of the left front wheel 18L or the upper end of the right front wheel 18R, it becomes possible to position the expanded storage section 58 in a position that does not interfere with the turning or rolling of the left front wheel 18L and the right front wheel 18R.

[0176] As in the first embodiment, the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment also preferably has the vehicle body 2 equipped with an imaging device 50 that captures images of an area including the left front wheel 18L and / or the right front wheel 18R. The vehicle body 2 also preferably has a cabin 3 that houses a driver's seat 10, and a display device 61 that is provided near the driver's seat 10 and displays images (image data) captured by the imaging device 50. In the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment, the hood 9 accommodates a large number of tanks 7 and fuel cell stack 8, which may result in an enlarged external shape of the hood 9. In other words, even in the work vehicle 1 of the second embodiment, the enlarged external shape of the hood 9 may impair downward and forward visibility. Therefore, the imaging device 50 and display device 61 described above ensure downward and forward visibility. This configuration makes it possible to assist the operator in driving and performing tasks.

[0177] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0178] 1. Vehicles in motion 2. Body 3 Cabins 4 Running gear 5. Drive unit 6 Drive motor 6a Drive motor output shaft 7 Hydrogen Tank 8. Fuel Cell Stack 10 Driver's seat 20 Battery 29 Mission Case 33 Valve unit 48 Storage section 49 Work equipment 50 Imaging device

Claims

1. a vehicle body to which a work device can be connected; a traveling device having a left front wheel disposed at the left front portion of the vehicle body and a right front wheel disposed at the right front portion of the vehicle body; a drive device that drives the traveling device; a tank containing gas for driving the driving device; a hood disposed at a front portion of the vehicle body and between the left front wheel and the right front wheel; an imaging device provided on the vehicle body; Equipped with The tank is housed in the hood, the imaging device captures an image of an area including the left front wheel and / or the right front wheel, the bonnet has a housing portion that houses the tank, The storage section extends outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the vehicle body and protrudes above the left front wheel and / or the right front wheel.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging device captures an image of an area including an area between the left front wheel and the hood.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging device captures an image of an area including an area between the right front wheel and the hood.

4. a cabin that accommodates a driver's seat provided in the vehicle body; 4. The work vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: a display device provided in the vicinity of the driver's seat and configured to display an image captured by the imaging device.

5. 4. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the imaging device images an area including the vehicle body.

6. a cabin that accommodates a driver's seat provided in the vehicle body, the cabin is disposed behind the hood, an outer end of the hood in the vehicle body width direction overlaps with a straight line connecting the driver's seat and the left front wheel and / or a straight line connecting the driver's seat and the right front wheel, The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the imaging device captures an image of an area below the hood and including the left front wheel and / or the right front wheel.

7. The work vehicle according to claim 6 , wherein the imaging device images the ground contact points of the left front wheel and / or the right front wheel from a position above the axles of the left front wheel and the right front wheel.

8. a cabin that accommodates a driver's seat provided in the vehicle body, the cabin is disposed behind the hood, The tanks are arranged in a plurality of rows vertically inside the hood, an upper end of the hood is located above a backrest of the driver's seat, The imaging device is a first imaging device that images an area under the hood and including the left front wheel and / or the right front wheel; The work vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising: a second imaging device that images an area including a front portion of the hood.

9. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the tanks housed in the hood are arranged side by side in the width direction of the vehicle body.

Images