Engine equipment

Abstract

To achieve compactification of an engine.SOLUTION: A fuel supply pump and a common rail are disposed on one corner of an engine device 1, and a fuel filter 202 is disposed on a corner of a cylinder head. A pump surplus fuel return pipe, an injector surplus fuel return pipe and an upstream-side fuel return pipe are connected to a fuel return pipe connection portion for returning surplus fuel, which is provided at one end (front end) of the common rail. The fuel return pipes, fuel supply pump, common rail and fuel filter are intensively disposed on one corner of the engine, and the pipe length of piping connecting them (fuel supply low-pressure pipe, fuel supply high-pressure pipe and common rail surplus fuel return pipe) is made short and simple.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an engine device equipped with a common rail. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, common rails have come to be used in diesel engines due to increased injection pressures in response to exhaust gas regulations and increased demand for low fuel consumption (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). The common rail stores fuel supplied from a fuel tank at high pressure. The pressure inside the common rail is adjusted by a pressure reducing valve attached to the common rail. The fuel discharged from the pressure reducing valve is returned to the fuel tank via a fuel return pipe (also called a leak pipe) connected to the pressure reducing valve. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4074860 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-139098 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In common rails, fuel is used to lubricate the sliding parts of the pressure reducing valve. Conventionally, in order to immerse the sliding parts of the pressure reducing valve in fuel, the mounting angle of the common rail on the engine device (the protruding direction of the fuel return pipe connection part) is ensured to be in the range of 45 to 90 degrees upward from the horizontal. Furthermore, when the mounting angle is in the range of 0 to 45 degrees, the fuel return pipe is attached to the fuel return pipe connection part facing upward. As such, there are restrictions on the connecting direction of the fuel return pipe to the common rail, which has been a problem in that it places restrictions on the mounting conditions of the common rail.

[0005] The present invention has as its technical object to provide an engine device that has been improved by examining the current situation as described above. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The engine device of the present invention is an engine device equipped with a common rail that stores fuel supplied from a fuel supply pump at high pressure, and a fuel return pipe that returns fuel in the common rail to the fuel supply pump is connected to the common rail, and the fuel return pipe is fixed at a position higher than the common rail and connected to the fuel supply pump that is located below the common rail.

[0007] In the engine device of the present invention, an intake manifold may be provided in the cylinder head, and the fuel return pipe may be arranged below the intake manifold.

[0008] Furthermore, an exhaust gas recirculation device that mixes a portion of the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust manifold into fresh air may be connected to the intake manifold, and the fuel return pipe may be attached to the exhaust gas recirculation device at a position higher than the common rail.

[0009] In the engine device of the present invention, a fuel pipe may be connected to the common rail on the side opposite to the side to which the fuel return pipe is connected, and the fuel pipe may be connected to the fuel supply pump.

[0010] Furthermore, an oil cooler may be disposed below the intake manifold, and the fuel return pipe may be disposed in front of the oil cooler. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The engine device of the present invention relaxes the conditions for mounting the common rail, improving the degree of freedom in designing the engine device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic front view of an embodiment of an engine system; [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic left side view of the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic right side view of the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the same embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a fuel system according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] 2 is an enlarged schematic front view showing the common rail and its periphery in the embodiment; FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic left side view showing the common rail and its surroundings. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic plan view showing the common rail and its surroundings. [Figure 10] 10 is a schematic rear view of the embodiment taken along the line AA in FIG. 9. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a schematic front view showing an enlarged view of the periphery of the right front corner of the same embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing an enlarged view of the periphery of the right front corner of the embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an enlarged view of the periphery of the right front corner of the same embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a schematic rear view of another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, the overall structure of an engine 1 as an example of an engine device will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5. In this embodiment, the engine 1 is a diesel engine. In the following description, both sides parallel to the crankshaft 5 (both sides sandwiching the crankshaft 5) will be referred to as the left and right, the side where the flywheel housing 7 is installed will be referred to as the front side, and the side where the cooling fan 9 is installed will be referred to as the rear side, and for convenience, these will be used as the basis for the positional relationship between the four sides and the top and bottom of the engine 1.

[0014] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, an intake manifold 3 is disposed on one side of an engine 1 parallel to a crankshaft 5, and an exhaust manifold 4 is disposed on the other side. In this embodiment, the intake manifold 3 is molded integrally with the right side of the cylinder head 2. The exhaust manifold 4 is disposed on the left side of the cylinder head 2. The cylinder head 2 is mounted on a cylinder block 6 that houses the crankshaft 5 and pistons (not shown).

[0015] The front and rear ends of the crankshaft 5 protrude from both the front and rear side surfaces of the cylinder block 6. A flywheel housing 7 is fixed to one side of the engine 1 that intersects with the crankshaft 5 (in this embodiment, the front side of the cylinder block 6). A flywheel 8 is disposed within the flywheel housing 7. The flywheel 8 is fixed to the front end of the crankshaft 5 and is configured to rotate integrally with the crankshaft 5. Power from the engine 1 is extracted via the flywheel 8 to a working unit of a work machine (for example, a hydraulic excavator or a forklift). A cooling fan 9 is provided on the other side of the engine 1 that intersects with the crankshaft 5 (in this embodiment, the rear side of the cylinder block 6). Rotational force is transmitted from the rear end of the crankshaft 5 to the cooling fan 9 via a belt 10.

[0016] An oil pan 11 is disposed on the underside of the cylinder block 6. Lubricating oil is stored in the oil pan 11. The lubricating oil in the oil pan 11 is sucked by a lubricating oil pump (not shown) located on the right side of the cylinder block 6, at the connecting portion between the cylinder block 6 and the flywheel housing 7, and is supplied to each lubricated part of the engine 1 via an oil cooler 13 and an oil filter 14 located on the right side of the cylinder block 6. The lubricating oil supplied to each lubricated part is then returned to the oil pan 11. The lubricating oil pump is configured to be driven by the rotation of the crankshaft 5.

[0017] As shown in Figure 4, a fuel supply pump 15 for supplying fuel is attached to the right side of the engine 1 at the connection point between the cylinder block 6 and the flywheel housing 7. The fuel supply pump 15 is located below an EGR device (exhaust gas recirculation device) 24. A common rail 16 is located between the intake manifold 3 of the cylinder head 2 and the fuel supply pump 15. The common rail 16 is fixed to a position near the front of the upper right side of the cylinder block 6. Injectors 17 (see Figure 6) for each of the four cylinders, each having an electromagnetically controlled fuel injection valve, are provided on the top surface of the cylinder head 2, which is covered with a cylinder head cover 18.

[0018] Each injector 17 is connected to a fuel tank 201 (see FIG. 6) mounted on the work vehicle via a fuel supply pump 15 and a generally cylindrical common rail 16. Fuel in the fuel tank 201 is pumped from the fuel supply pump 15 to the common rail 16, and the high-pressure fuel is stored in the common rail 16. By controlling the opening and closing of a fuel injection valve of each injector 17, the high-pressure fuel in the common rail 16 is injected from each injector 17 into each cylinder of the engine 1.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, a blow-by gas reduction device 19 is provided on the upper surface of a cylinder head cover 18 that covers an intake valve and an exhaust valve (not shown) provided on the upper surface of the cylinder head 2. The blow-by gas reduction device 19 takes in blow-by gas that has leaked from the combustion chamber of the engine 1 to the upper surface side of the cylinder head 2. A blow-by gas outlet of the blow-by gas reduction device 19 is connected to the intake part of the two-stage turbocharger 30 via a return hose 68. The blow-by gas from which the lubricating oil components have been removed in the blow-by gas reduction device 19 is returned to the intake manifold 3 via the two-stage turbocharger 30, etc.

[0020] As shown in Figure 3, an engine starter 20 is attached to the flywheel housing 7 on the left side of the engine 1. The engine starter 20 is disposed below the exhaust manifold 4. The engine starter 20 is attached to the left side of the rear side of the flywheel housing 7, below the joint between the cylinder block 6 and the flywheel housing 7.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, a cooling water pump 21 for lubricating the cooling water is disposed at a position near the left of the rear side of the cylinder block 6. Furthermore, an alternator 12 serving as a generator that generates electricity using power from the engine 1 is provided to the left of the cooling water pump 21. Rotational power is transmitted from the front end of the crankshaft 5 via a belt 10 to the cooling fan 9, alternator 12, and cooling water pump 21. Cooling water in a radiator (not shown) mounted on the work vehicle is supplied to the cooling water pump 21 by being driven by the cooling water pump 21. Cooling water is then supplied into the cylinder head 2 and the cylinder block 6, cooling the engine 1.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 3, the cooling water pump 21 is disposed at a height lower than the exhaust manifold 4, and a cooling water inlet pipe 22 that communicates with the cooling water outlet of the radiator is fixed to the left side surface of the cylinder block 6 at approximately the same height as the cooling water pump 21. On the other hand, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the cooling water outlet pipe 23 that communicates with the cooling water inlet of the radiator is fixed to a position near the right rear of the top surface of the cylinder head 2. The cylinder head 2 has a cooling water drainage section 35 in its right rear corner, and the cooling water outlet pipe 23 is installed on the top surface of the cooling water drainage section 35.

[0023] 4 and 5, the EGR device 24 is disposed on the right side of the cylinder head 2. The EGR device 24 has a collector 25 as a relay pipe that mixes recirculated exhaust gas (EGR gas from the exhaust manifold 4) of the engine 1 with fresh air (external air from the air cleaner) and supplies the mixture to the intake manifold 3, an intake throttle member 26 that connects the collector 25 to the air cleaner, a recirculated exhaust gas pipe 28 that forms part of a reflux pipe that connects to the exhaust manifold 4 via an EGR cooler 27, and an EGR valve member 29 that connects the collector 25 to the recirculated exhaust gas pipe 28.

[0024] In this embodiment, the collector 25 of the EGR device 24 is connected to the right side surface of the intake manifold 3, which is molded integrally with the cylinder head 2 and forms the right side surface of the cylinder head 2. That is, the outlet opening of the collector 25 is connected to the inlet opening of the intake manifold 3, which is provided on the right side surface of the cylinder head 2. Also, the EGR gas inlet of the recirculation exhaust gas piping 28 is connected to the EGR gas outlet of the EGR gas passage provided in the cylinder head 2, at a position near the front of the right side surface of the cylinder head 2. By attaching the collector 25 to the intake manifold 3 and attaching the recirculation exhaust gas piping 28 to the cylinder head 2, the EGR device 24 is fixed to the cylinder head 2.

[0025] In the EGR device 24, the intake manifold 3 and an intake throttle member 26 for introducing fresh air are connected in communication via a collector 25. The collector 25 is connected in communication with an EGR valve member 29 that is connected to the outlet side of a recirculated exhaust gas pipe 28. The collector 25 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape that is longitudinal in the front-to-rear direction. The intake throttle member 26 is bolted to the intake air intake side (front side in the longitudinal direction) of the collector 25. The intake air discharge side of the collector 25 is bolted to the inlet side of the intake manifold 3. The EGR valve member 29 adjusts the opening of an EGR valve located therein, thereby adjusting the amount of EGR gas supplied to the collector 25.

[0026] Fresh air is supplied to the collector 25, and EGR gas (a portion of the exhaust gas discharged from the exhaust manifold 4) is supplied to the collector 25 from the exhaust manifold 4 via the EGR valve member 29. The fresh air and the EGR gas from the exhaust manifold 4 are mixed in the collector 25, and then the mixed gas in the collector 25 is supplied to the intake manifold 3. In other words, by returning a portion of the exhaust gas discharged from the engine 1 to the exhaust manifold 4 from the intake manifold 3 to the engine 1, the maximum combustion temperature during high load operation is lowered and the amount of NOx (nitrogen oxides) emitted from the engine 1 is reduced.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to 5, the EGR cooler 27 is fixed to the front side of the cylinder head 2. Coolant and EGR gas flowing through the cylinder head 2 flow in and out of the EGR cooler 27, and the EGR gas is cooled in the EGR cooler 27. A pair of left and right EGR cooler connectors 33, 34 that connect the EGR cooler 27 protrude from the front side of the cylinder head 2. The left EGR cooler connector 33 protrudes forward from the left front corner of the cylinder head 2. The right EGR cooler connector 34 protrudes forward from the right front corner of the cylinder head 2, spaced apart from the left EGR cooler connector 33. The EGR cooler 27 is connected to the front sides of the EGR cooler connectors 33, 34. That is, the EGR cooler 27 is disposed above the flywheel housing 7 and in front of the cylinder head 2, with the rear side of the EGR cooler 27 spaced apart from the front side of the cylinder head 2.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 5, a two-stage turbocharger 30 is disposed on the left side of the cylinder head 2. The two-stage turbocharger 30 includes a high-pressure stage turbocharger 51 and a low-pressure stage turbocharger 52. The high-pressure stage turbocharger 51 includes a high-pressure stage turbine case 53 incorporating a turbine wheel (not shown) and a high-pressure stage compressor case 54 incorporating a blower wheel (not shown). The low-pressure stage turbocharger 52 includes a low-pressure stage turbine case 55 incorporating a turbine wheel (not shown) and a low-pressure stage compressor case 56 incorporating a blower wheel (not shown).

[0029] In the exhaust path of the two-stage turbocharger 30, the high-pressure stage turbine case 53 is connected to the exhaust manifold 4, the high-pressure stage turbine case 53 is connected to the low-pressure stage turbine case 55 via a high-pressure exhaust gas pipe 59, and the low-pressure stage turbine case 55 is connected to an exhaust connecting pipe 119. The high-pressure exhaust gas pipe 59 is formed of a flexible pipe. In this embodiment, a portion of the high-pressure exhaust gas pipe 59 is formed in a bellows shape.

[0030] A tail pipe (not shown) is connected to the exhaust manifold 119 via an exhaust gas purification device (not shown), etc. Exhaust gas discharged from each cylinder of the engine 1 to the exhaust manifold 4 passes through the two-stage turbocharger 30 and the exhaust gas purification device, etc., and is then released to the outside from the tail pipe.

[0031] In the intake path of the two-stage turbocharger 30, the low-pressure stage compressor case 56 is connected to the air cleaner via an intake pipe 62, the high-pressure stage compressor case 54 is connected to the low-pressure stage compressor case 56 via a low-pressure fresh air passage pipe 65, and the intake throttle member 26 of the EGR device 24 is connected to the high-pressure stage compressor case 54 via an intercooler (not shown). Fresh air (outside air) sucked into the air cleaner is cleaned and purified by the air cleaner, and then sent to the intake manifold 3 via the two-stage turbocharger 30, the intercooler, the intake throttle member 26, the collector 25, etc., and is then supplied to each cylinder of the engine 1.

[0032] Next, the fuel system structure of the common rail system 200 and the engine 1 will be described with reference to Figure 6. A fuel tank 201 is connected to each of the injectors 17 for four cylinders provided in the engine 1 via the fuel supply pump 15 and the common rail system 200. Each injector 17 has an electromagnetically controlled fuel injection valve 17a. The common rail system 200 has a generally cylindrical common rail 16.

[0033] The suction side of the fuel supply pump 15 is connected to the fuel tank 201 via a fuel supply pipe 210, a fuel filter 202, and a low-pressure fuel supply pipe 203. On the other hand, the discharge side of the fuel supply pump 15 is connected to the common rail 16 via a high-pressure fuel supply pipe 204. A high-pressure pipe connection portion 205 is provided near one longitudinal end of the common rail 16. An end of the high-pressure fuel supply pipe 204 is connected to the high-pressure pipe connection portion 205 by threading a high-pressure pipe connector nut 206. Fuel in the fuel tank 201 is sucked into the fuel supply pump 15 via the fuel filter 202 and the low-pressure fuel supply pipe 203, and is pressure-fed from the fuel supply pump 15 to the common rail 16 via the high-pressure fuel supply pipe 204.

[0034] Furthermore, the injectors 17 for each of the four cylinders are connected to the common rail 16 via four fuel injection pipes 207. Fuel injection pipe connection sections 208 for each of the four cylinders are provided at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical common rail 16. Ends of the fuel injection pipes 207 are connected to the fuel injection pipe connection sections 208 by screwing injection pipe connector nuts 209.

[0035] A pressure reducing valve 211 is attached to the other end face of the common rail 16 opposite to the one end mentioned above. The pressure reducing valve 211 discharges fuel in the common rail 16 from a fuel return pipe connection part 212 provided on the outer circumferential surface of the common rail 16 at the other end side via a fuel return pipe connecting member 213 to a common rail surplus fuel return pipe 214. The common rail surplus fuel return pipe 214 connects the fuel return pipe connecting member 213 to a return pipe joint member 215 for discharging surplus fuel from the fuel supply pump 15.

[0036] A return pipe joint member 216 for returning surplus fuel is provided on the end face of the one end of the common rail 16. Fuel discharged from the common rail 16 by operation of the pressure reducing valve 211 and surplus fuel from the fuel supply pump 15 are sent to the return pipe joint member 216 via the return pipe joint member 215 and a pump surplus fuel return pipe 217. In addition, surplus fuel from each injector 17 is sent to the return pipe joint member 216 via an injector surplus fuel return pipe 218. The surplus fuel joined at the return pipe joint member 216 is recovered to the fuel tank 201 via a fuel return pipe 219. Although not shown in FIG. 6, a midpoint of the fuel return pipe 219 is connected to a return pipe connection part 220 (see FIG. 12) provided above the fuel filter 202.

[0037] A fuel pressure sensor 601 is attached to the common rail 16 to detect the fuel pressure in the common rail 16. Under the control of the engine controller 600, the fuel pressure in the common rail 16 is monitored from the output of the fuel pressure sensor 601, and the opening of the intake metering valve 602 of the fuel supply pump 15 is adjusted. Then, while the fuel intake amount of the fuel supply pump 15, and therefore the fuel discharge amount, is adjusted, fuel from the fuel tank 201 is pressure-fed to the common rail 16 by the fuel supply pump 15, and the high-pressure fuel is stored in the common rail 16.

[0038] The engine controller 600 controls the opening and closing of each fuel injection valve 17a, thereby injecting high-pressure fuel in the common rail 16 from each injector 17 into each cylinder of the engine 1. That is, by electronically controlling each fuel injection valve 17a, the injection pressure, injection timing, and injection period (injection amount) of the fuel supplied from each injector 17 can be controlled with high precision. This makes it possible to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted from the engine 1 and to reduce noise and vibration of the engine 1. The engine controller 600 is also electrically connected to an electromagnetically driven pressure reducing valve 211 that adjusts the fuel pressure in the common rail 16 and a fuel temperature sensor 604 that detects the fuel temperature in the fuel supply pump 15. Although not shown, the engine controller 600 is also electrically connected to other devices, such as various sensors provided in the engine 1.

[0039] Next, the layout of the common rail 16 and its surroundings will be described with reference to Figures 7 to 13, etc. The generally cylindrical common rail 16 is attached to the upper front portion of the right side surface of the cylinder block 6, with its longitudinal direction aligned with the axial direction of the crankshaft 5 (see Figure 1, etc.). The common rail 16 is located below the intake manifold 3, which is molded integrally with the right side surface of the cylinder head 2. A pressure reducing valve 211 is attached to the rear end of the common rail 16.

[0040] A high-pressure pipe connection 205, four fuel injection pipe connections 208, and a fuel return pipe connection 212 protrude from the right side of the outer circumferential surface of the common rail 16. These connections 205, 208, and 212 protrude toward the right side, and in this embodiment, protrude approximately horizontally. That is, in this embodiment, the common rail 16 is attached to the engine 1 at an installation angle of 0 degrees. The high-pressure pipe connection 205 is located near the front of the common rail 16. The fuel return pipe connection 212 is located near the rear of the common rail 16. The four fuel injection pipe connections 208 are arranged at equal intervals between the fuel return pipe connections 212.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 10 , one end (the upstream end in the fuel flow direction) of a common rail surplus fuel return pipe 214 is connected to the fuel return pipe connection portion 212 via a fuel return pipe connection member 213. The fuel return pipe 214 is led horizontally to the right from the fuel return pipe connection portion 212, then curved diagonally upward to the right, and led to a position higher than the pressure reducing valve 211. In this embodiment, the fuel return pipe 214 is led to the vicinity of a lower front portion of the collector 25 of the EGR device 24 and attached to a lower right corner of the rear surface of a front flange portion 25a of the collector 25 by a pipe attachment member 221. Furthermore, the fuel return pipe 214 is curved diagonally downward from a position near the lower front portion of the collector 25 and connected to a return pipe joint member 215 provided on the right side of the fuel supply pump 15. The fuel return pipe connection member 213 is attached to the fuel return pipe connection portion 212 so as to protrude approximately horizontally to the right from the fuel return pipe connection portion 212.

[0042] In this embodiment, the common rail surplus fuel return pipe 214 is led from the pressure reducing valve 211 to a position higher than the pressure reducing valve 211, and then led to a position lower than the pressure reducing valve 211. Therefore, regardless of the mounting angle of the common rail 16 and the connecting direction of the fuel return pipe 214 to the common rail 16, fuel can be stored between the pressure reducing valve 211 and the portion of the fuel return pipe 214 located higher than the pressure reducing valve 211. This ensures that the pressure reducing valve 211 is immersed in fuel, preventing abnormal wear of the sliding parts of the pressure reducing valve 211. Furthermore, the mounting conditions for the common rail 16 are relaxed, and the degree of freedom in designing the engine 1 is improved.

[0043] Furthermore, since the middle portion of the fuel return pipe 214 is attached to the collector 25 of the EGR device 24 at a position higher than the pressure reducing valve 211, there is no need to provide the engine 1 with a dedicated part for supporting the middle portion of the fuel return pipe 214, which can suppress an increase in the manufacturing cost of the engine 1. Furthermore, by arranging the common rail 16 below the highly rigid intake manifold 3, the common rail 16 can be arranged compactly and can be physically protected by preventing foreign objects from coming into contact with the common rail 16 from above.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 , the front end of the common rail 16 is disposed on the flywheel housing 7. A return pipe joint 216 for returning excess fuel, which joins multiple fuel return paths, is attached to the front end of the common rail 16. The return pipe joint 216 is disposed on the flywheel housing 7. By disposing one end (front end) of the common rail 16 above the flywheel housing 7, the area occupied by the common rail 16 on the right side of the cylinder block 6 can be reduced compared to a configuration in which the entire common rail 16 is disposed on the right side of the cylinder block 6. This allows for greater flexibility in the layout of other components on the right side of the cylinder block 6. For example, in the engine 1 of this embodiment, the oil cooler 13 is disposed rearward of the common rail 16, and the oil cooler 13 is disposed close to the intake manifold 3 and the EGR device 24, allowing for a compact arrangement of these components.

[0045] 7, the return pipe joint member 216 includes a connection part 217a to which one end of the pump surplus fuel return pipe 217 is connected, a connection part 218a to which one end of the injector surplus fuel return pipe 218 is connected, and a connection part 219a to which one end of the fuel return pipe 219 (see FIG. 12) is connected. Inside the return pipe joint member 216, there is provided an internal flow path (not shown) that connects the connection parts 217a, 218a, and 219a, and a fuel pressure regulating valve (not shown) that is arranged between the internal flow path and the internal space of the common rail 16.

[0046] Furthermore, the cylinder head 2 is provided with an excess fuel outlet 218b (see FIG. 7) near the corner where the right side surface and front side surface of the cylinder head 2 intersect. The excess fuel outlet 218b is provided near the upper front end of the right side surface of the cylinder head 2 and constitutes a part of the injector excess fuel return pipe 218. The excess fuel outlet 218b discharges excess fuel from the injectors 17 (see FIG. 6) arranged inside the cylinder head 2 to the outside of the cylinder head 2. An injector excess fuel return pipe 218c is connected between the excess fuel outlet 218b and a connecting portion 218a of the return pipe joint member 216. The excess fuel outlet 218b is connected to the surplus fuel outlets 218b of each injector 17 (see FIG. 6) via an excess fuel passage (not shown) formed inside the side wall of the cylinder head 2.

[0047] 7 to 10, the four fuel injection pipes 207 attached to the four fuel injection pipe connecting portions 208 by the injection pipe connector nuts 209 are each led horizontally to the right from the fuel injection pipe connecting portion 208 below the EGR device 24. Each fuel injection pipe 207 is then curved toward the cylinder block 6 below the EGR device 24, and then curved upward to pass between the cylinder head 2 and the EGR device 24 and be led to the right side surface of the cylinder head cover 18. As shown in FIGS. 8, 9, and 13, the midpoints of the four fuel injection pipes 207 are attached to the cylinder head 2 by a pair of front and rear fuel injection pipe fixing devices 614, 614 attached to the right side surface of the cylinder head 2.

[0048] Two fuel injection pipes 207 are fixed to each fuel injection pipe fixture 614, 614. The midpoints of the two fuel injection pipes 207 on the front side of the engine 1 are fixed by the front fuel injection pipe fixture 614 to an end face of a protrusion 615 that protrudes rightward from the right side of the cylinder head 2 in front of the intake manifold 3. The midpoints of the two fuel injection pipes 207 on the rear side of the engine 1 are fixed by the rear fuel injection pipe fixture 614 to the right side of the intake manifold 3 that is integrally molded with the right side of the cylinder head 2.

[0049] Since each fuel injection pipe 207 passes between the cylinder head 2 and the EGR device 24, the fuel injection pipe 207 can be protected by the EGR device 24. This prevents the fuel injection pipe 207 from coming into contact with other components or being deformed by falling foreign objects when transporting the engine 1, and prevents problems such as fuel leakage caused by damage to the fuel injection pipe 207.

[0050] Furthermore, by fixing the midpoints of the fuel injection pipes 207 to the cylinder head 2, vibration of the fuel injection pipes 207 is reduced, and damage to the fuel injection pipes 207 due to vibration is prevented. Furthermore, in this embodiment, of the four fuel injection pipes 207, the midpoints of the two fuel injection pipes 207 on the rear side of the engine 1 are fixed to the robust intake manifold 3 by the rear fuel injection pipe fixing device 614, so these fuel injection pipes 207 can be firmly fixed. In this embodiment, the intake manifold 3 is integrally molded with the cylinder head 2, so the fuel injection pipes 207 can be fixed more firmly.

[0051] 7 to 10 , one end of a high-pressure fuel supply pipe 204 connected to the common rail 16 is connected to the upper right side surface of the fuel supply pump 15. The high-pressure fuel supply pipe 204 is led from the upper right side surface of the fuel supply pump 15 toward the right, then curved diagonally upward and forward, and further curved toward a portion of the upper front right side surface of the cylinder block 6. The high-pressure fuel supply pipe 204 then passes below the EGR device 24 and is led to a high-pressure pipe connection portion 205 of the common rail 16. The other end of the high-pressure fuel supply pipe 204 is connected to the high-pressure pipe connection portion 205 by a high-pressure pipe connect nut 206.

[0052] The fuel supply high-pressure pipe 204, the four fuel injection pipes 207, and the common rail surplus fuel return pipe 214 pass below the EGR device 24, and are therefore protected by the EGR device 24 from contact with foreign matter from above. This reduces damage to the fuel supply high-pressure pipe 204, the fuel injection pipes 207, and the fuel return pipe 214, and improves the reliability of the engine 1.

[0053] 7 to 10, the high-pressure pipe connection 205, the four fuel injection pipe connections 208, and the fuel return pipe connection 212 are provided to protrude substantially horizontally rightward from the right side of the outer circumferential surface of the common rail 16. No connections for connecting piping are provided on the upper or left side of the outer circumferential surface of the common rail 16. Therefore, the common rail 16 can be disposed close to the lower surface of the intake manifold 3 and the right side of the cylinder block 6, which allows the common rail 16 to be protected by the intake manifold 3 and for the common rail 16 to be disposed compactly in the engine 1.

[0054] As shown in Figures 5 and 11 to 13, a fuel filter 202 is provided in the upper right front region of the engine 1. The fuel filter 202 is disposed above the right side of the flywheel housing 7, and is attached to the right front corner of the cylinder head 2 via a filter mounting bracket 231. By arranging the fuel filter 202 in the empty space above the flywheel housing 7, the fuel filter 202 can be arranged compactly in the engine 1, and the engine 1 can be made more compact.

[0055] An upper left edge portion of the fuel filter 202 is fixed to a right front portion of the top surface of a filter mounting bracket 231 with two front and rear bolts 232, 233. The filter mounting bracket 231 is fixed to the right EGR cooler connecting portion 34 with bolts 234, 235 attached to bolt mounting holes 234a, 235a (see FIG. 9) on the top surface of the right EGR cooler connecting portion 34 and a bolt 2346 attached to a bolt mounting hole 236a (see FIG. 7) on the front side surface of the right edge portion 34a of the right EGR cooler connecting portion 34. Fixing the filter mounting bracket 231 to the top surface and front side surface of the right EGR cooler connecting portion 34 of the cylinder block 6 allows the filter mounting bracket 231 to be firmly fixed to the cylinder block 6, and therefore the fuel filter 202 to be firmly fixed to the cylinder block 6.

[0056] 11 to 13, a return pipe joint member 215 provided on the right side of the fuel supply pump 15 is connected to a connection portion 217a of a return pipe joint 216 attached to the front end of the common rail 16 via a pump surplus fuel return pipe 217. A connection portion 218a of the return pipe joint 216 is connected to an surplus fuel outlet 218b (see FIG. 7) provided at the right front corner of the cylinder head 2 via an injector surplus fuel return pipe 218c extending in the vertical direction. A connection portion 219a of the return pipe joint 216 is connected to a fuel tank 201 (see FIG. 6) via an upstream fuel return pipe 219b, a return pipe connecting portion 220 provided above the fuel filter 202, and a downstream fuel return pipe 219c. In addition, a fuel supply pipe 210 connected to the fuel tank 201 and a low-pressure fuel supply pipe 203 connected to the lower right side of the fuel supply pump 15 are also connected to the upper part of the fuel filter 202.

[0057] In the engine 1 of this embodiment, the fuel supply pump 15, the common rail 16, and the fuel filter 202 are disposed in one corner of the engine 1 (here, the right front corner). A pump surplus fuel return pipe 217, an injector surplus fuel return pipe 218c, and an upstream fuel return pipe 219b are connected to a fuel return pipe connection portion 216 for returning surplus fuel, which is provided at one end (front end) of the common rail 16. This allows the fuel return pipes 217, 218c, and 219b to be concentrated in one corner of the engine 1, thereby shortening and simplifying the lengths of these pipes. Furthermore, by concentrating the fuel supply pump 15, the common rail 16, and the fuel filter 202 in one corner of the engine 1, the lengths of the pipes connecting these pipes (the low-pressure fuel supply pipe 203, the high-pressure fuel supply pipe 204, and the common rail surplus fuel return pipe 214) can be shortened and simplified.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 10, the engine 1 is an engine device equipped with a common rail 16 that stores fuel supplied from a fuel supply pump 15 at high pressure. The common rail 16 is equipped with a pressure reducing valve 211 that discharges fuel from the common rail 16 to a fuel return pipe 214. The fuel return pipe 214 is led from the pressure reducing valve 211 to a position higher than the pressure reducing valve 211 and then to a position lower than the pressure reducing valve 211. Therefore, regardless of the mounting angle of the common rail 16 and the connecting direction of the fuel return pipe 214, fuel can be stored between the part of the fuel return pipe 214 that is higher than the pressure reducing valve 211 and the pressure reducing valve 211, ensuring that the pressure reducing valve 211 is immersed in fuel and preventing abnormal wear of the sliding parts of the pressure reducing valve 211. This relaxes the mounting conditions of the common rail 16 and improves the design freedom of the engine 1.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the connection portion of the fuel return pipe 214 in the common rail 16 (the fuel return pipe connection portion 212 and the fuel return pipe connection member 213) protrudes substantially horizontally from the outer circumferential surface of the common rail 16, but the protruding direction of the connection portion is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 14 , the connection portion 212 and the connection member 213 may protrude diagonally downward to the right from the outer circumferential surface of the common rail 16. In this embodiment, the fuel return pipe 214 extends diagonally downward from the common rail 16. In this embodiment, too, the fuel return pipe 214 is led from the pressure reducing valve 211 to a position higher than the pressure reducing valve 211, and then led to a position lower than the pressure reducing valve 211. This allows fuel to accumulate between the pressure reducing valve 211 and the portion of the fuel return pipe 214 that is higher than the pressure reducing valve 211, ensuring that the pressure reducing valve 211 is immersed in fuel. As another modification, the fuel return pipe 214 may be extended diagonally downward from the common rail 16, then led to a position higher than the pressure reducing valve 211, and then led to a position lower than the pressure reducing valve 211.

[0060] 1 to 10, engine 1 is configured such that common rail 16 is disposed below intake manifold 3 provided in cylinder head 2, and EGR device 24, which mixes a portion of exhaust gas discharged from exhaust manifold 4 into fresh air, is connected to intake manifold 3, and the middle portion of fuel return pipe 214 is attached to EGR device 24 at a position higher than pressure reducing valve 211, so there is no need to provide engine 1 with a dedicated part for supporting the middle portion of fuel return pipe 214, thereby suppressing an increase in manufacturing costs for engine 1. Furthermore, by disposing common rail 16 below highly rigid intake manifold 3, common rail 16 can be disposed compactly and can be physically protected by preventing foreign objects from coming into contact with common rail 16 from above.

[0061] 1 to 10, the fuel injection pipe 207 extending from the common rail 16 toward the cylinder head 2 passes between the cylinder head 2 and the EGR device 24, and therefore the fuel injection pipe 207 can be protected by the EGR device 24. This prevents the fuel injection pipe 207 from coming into contact with other components or being deformed by falling foreign objects when the engine 1 is transported, and eliminates problems such as fuel leakage caused by damage to the fuel injection pipe 207.

[0062] The configuration of each part in the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1 Engine (engine equipment) 2. Cylinder head 3. Intake manifold 4 exhaust manifold 15 Fuel supply pump 16 Common rail 24 EGR device (exhaust gas recirculation device) 207 Fuel injection pipe 211 Pressure reducing valve 214 Common rail surplus fuel return pipe (fuel return pipe)

Claims

1. Equipped with a cylinder head, fuel filter and common rail, The fuel filter is attached to a corner of the cylinder head, An engine apparatus, wherein, in a side view, a horizontal position of the fuel filter overlaps a horizontal position of the common rail.

2. 2. The engine system according to claim 1, wherein the fuel filter is attached to the cylinder head via a bracket.

3. 3. The engine device according to claim 2, wherein the bracket is fixed to a connection portion of an EGR cooler.

4. 2. The engine arrangement of claim 1, wherein the fuel filter is located above a flywheel housing.

5. 2. The engine arrangement of claim 1, wherein the fuel filter is adjacent to an EGR cooler.

6. The engine device according to claim 1 , wherein the common rail is disposed below the fuel filter.

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