Work vehicles

Abstract

To provide a work vehicle which can prevent an operator from kicking and braking a lower louver with their heels, in a constitution in which the lower louver is installed at the position of the height of feet below a seat.SOLUTION: A work vehicle 1 includes: a travel device 10; work devices 12, 13, 14 actuating by a hydraulic oil pressure; and an operation chamber 16 for performing operation of travel and work. The operation chamber 16 includes: a seat 15 where an operator is seated; and an upper louver 19 and a lower louver 20 for feeding at least one of warm air and cool air into the chamber. The lower louver 20 is constituted using a harder material than that of the upper louver 19, and is disposed at the height of the operator's feet below the seat 15.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a work vehicle equipped with a work device operated by hydraulic pressure.

Background Art

[0002] As an example of a work vehicle, a hydraulic excavator, a wheel loader, etc. are conventionally known, which include a lower body to which traveling tires or crawlers are attached, an upper body disposed on the lower body, and a work device attached to the lower body or the upper body and operated by hydraulic pressure (i.e., hydraulic oil at a predetermined pressure).

[0003] For example, in a work vehicle equipped with an enclosed cab, a configuration including a heater unit capable of sending warm air into the cab is known. Further, a configuration including an air conditioner unit capable of sending cold air into the cab is also known (see Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-132134).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In a conventional work vehicle, as a mechanism for sending warm air or cold air into the cab, an upper louver installed in the upper part of the cab and mainly sending air toward the operator's hand or the front glass, etc., and a lower louver installed in the lower part of the cab and mainly sending air toward the operator's feet, etc., are provided (see Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-044877).

[0006] Here, if the lower louvers are to be installed at a position below the seat, at the operator's feet (more specifically, at foot height), as exemplified in Patent Document 2, it may be necessary to configure them to be positioned behind the foot switch, for example. However, it has become clear that in this configuration, there is a problem in that the lower louvers may be damaged when the operator kicks them with their heel while stepping on the foot switch. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a work vehicle in which the lower louvers are installed at foot height below the seat, and which prevents the operator from kicking and damaging the lower louvers with their heel.

[0008] The present invention solves the above problem by a solution described below as one embodiment.

[0009] (1) A work vehicle according to one embodiment comprises a running gear, a hydraulically operated work device, and a driver's cab for operating the vehicle and performing work, wherein the driver's cab has a seat on which the operator sits, and an upper louver and a lower louver that send at least one of cold air or warm air into the cabin, and the lower louver is made of a harder material than the upper louver. Formed from a metallic material and It has a sliding shutter type opening and closing structure, It is positioned below the seat at the height of the operator's feet.

[0010] According to the above configuration, it is possible to prevent the lower louvers from being damaged if the operator kicks them with their heel.

[0011] (2) In the work vehicle according to the embodiment of (1) above, it is preferable that the lower louvers are thinner overall than the upper louvers. For example, known upper louvers installed at the operator's working position have a certain thickness, and if this configuration were to be applied as is to the lower louvers installed at the operator's foot height, there would be a problem of narrowing the legroom in the driver's cab. The above configuration can solve this problem.

[0012] (3) The above (1) As stated above Preferably, the lower louvers have a sliding shutter type opening and closing structure. This makes it possible to realize a lower louver that is thin overall. Therefore, the problem of narrowing the legroom in the driver's cab can be solved.

[0013] (4) In the work vehicle according to the embodiment of (1) or (2) above, it is preferable that the lower louver has a blade-rotating opening and closing structure. This is easier to manufacture because, compared to the case in which a slide shutter type configuration is adopted, there is no need to provide a moving mechanism for sliding it.

[0014] (5) In the work vehicle according to the embodiment of (3) above, the lower louver preferably comprises a bracket having a first ventilation hole formed therein, and a shutter having a second ventilation hole formed at a position corresponding to the first ventilation hole and slidably mounted on the back side of the bracket, and is fixed in a state in which the shutter is pressed against the bracket by a biasing member. This prevents the shutter from opening and closing unintentionally due to vibration or the like, or from easily coming off.

[0015] (6) In the work vehicle according to the embodiment of (5) above, the vehicle further comprises a duct that guides the cold air or the warm air to the lower louver, wherein the duct is arranged to abut against or be close to the bracket such that the first ventilation hole of the bracket is located on the inside of the front view of the tip opening, the lower louver is arranged to be on at least one side to the right or left of the seat, and the shutter is provided with a guide plate that extends into the duct to guide the blown air toward the other side to the seat. For example, when attempting to install an air conditioning unit and duct in a seat box to which the seat is fixed, the lower louver may have to be positioned to the right or left of the seat due to constraints on the equipment layout. However, when arranged in this way, there is a problem that the heating and cooling effect in the driver's cab becomes uneven on the left and right sides. The above configuration can solve this problem.

[0016] (7) In the work vehicle according to the embodiment of (6) above, it is preferable that the shutter is arranged such that the operating knob is located on the outside of the front view of the tip opening of the duct when it is in the open state. This allows the area of ​​the second ventilation hole of the shutter to be made larger by arranging the part of the shutter that fixes the operating knob on the outside of the tip opening of the duct, thereby increasing the amount of airflow.

[0017] (8) The above (1) As stated above Preferably, the lower louver is formed from a metal material. This allows the lower louver to be made from a harder material compared to the upper louver, which is generally made from a resin material. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the lower louver from being damaged if an operator kicks it with their heel.

[0018] (9) In the work vehicle according to any one of the aspects (1) to (8) above, it is preferable that the blower and the evaporator constituting the air conditioner unit are arranged in the seat box to which the seat is fixed. According to this, the space in the seat box to which the seat is fixed can be effectively utilized as an installation space for the devices constituting the air conditioner unit. Further, since the evaporator can be arranged closer to the lower louvers, the cooling efficiency can be enhanced.

Advantages of the Invention

[0019] According to the work vehicle according to one embodiment, in the configuration in which the lower louvers are installed at the height of the feet below the seat, it is possible to prevent the operator from kicking and damaging the lower louvers with the heels.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the cab of the work vehicle of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory view for explaining the configuration inside the seat box of the cab of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the lower louvers and ducts of the cab of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a front view showing an example of the lower louvers of the cab of FIG. 2. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of the lower louvers of the cab of FIG. 2. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another example of the cab of the work vehicle of FIG. 1.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram (perspective view from the upper left front) showing an example of a work vehicle 1 according to this embodiment. For convenience of explanation, arrows may be used in the figure to indicate the up / down, left / right, and front / back directions. In addition, in all figures used to explain the embodiments, the same reference numerals are used for members having the same function, and repeated explanations may be omitted.

[0022] First, let's explain the overall configuration of work vehicle 1. We will use a hydraulic excavator as an example of work vehicle 1. However, work vehicle 1 is not limited to a hydraulic excavator.

[0023] As shown in Figure 1, the work vehicle 1 comprises a lower body 2 and an upper body 3 disposed on top of the lower body 2 as the vehicle body.

[0024] The work vehicle 1 is equipped with work devices 12, 13, and 14 attached to the lower body 2 and upper body 3, which are operated by hydraulics (hydraulic fluid at a predetermined pressure). The lower body 2 is equipped with a travel device 10 for movement. The upper body 3 is equipped with a driver's cab 16 that has a seat 15 for the operator and various operating devices. The driver's cab 16 in this embodiment is a sealed cabin.

[0025] As an example of the running gear 10, it is equipped with four running wheels 11 positioned on the left and right sides of the front and left and right sides of the rear. The running wheels 11 have tires 11B fitted around the outer circumference of the wheel 11A (they may be single or double). However, the running gear 10 is not limited to running wheels 11. As a modification, the work vehicle 1 may be configured to have tracks (crawlers) instead of running wheels 11 (not shown). The running wheels 11 are driven (driven) by a hydraulic motor (not shown).

[0026] An example of the work device 12 is a dozer blade 40. The dozer blade 40 is mounted on the lower body 2 so as to be able to swing up and down (including the front and back components). The dozer blade 40 is driven by a hydraulic cylinder (dozer blade cylinder) 50.

[0027] As an example of the work device 13, it is equipped with outriggers 60. The outriggers 60 are attached to the lower body 2 so that they can extend to the left and right and touch the ground. The outriggers 60 are driven by hydraulic cylinders (not shown). Note that when crawlers are used for the travel device 10, the configuration usually does not include outriggers (not shown).

[0028] An example of the working device 14 includes a boom 42, an arm 44, and an attachment 46 (a bucket, for example). The boom 42 is mounted on the upper body 3 so as to be able to swing up and down (including a front-to-back component). In this embodiment, a boom bracket 48 is provided between the upper body 3 and the boom 42. The boom bracket 48 allows the boom 42 to swing left and right (including a front-to-back component) relative to the upper body 3. The boom bracket 48 may be omitted. The arm 44 is mounted on the boom 42 so as to be able to swing up and down (including a front-to-back component). The attachment 46 is mounted on the arm 44 so as to be able to swing up and down (including a front-to-back component). The boom 42 is driven by a hydraulic cylinder (boom cylinder) 52. The arm 44 is driven by a hydraulic cylinder (arm cylinder) 54. The attachment 46 is driven by a hydraulic cylinder (bucket cylinder) 56. However, the attachment 46 is not limited to a bucket, and various types such as breakers and augers can be used (not shown). Alternatively, a quick hitch may be interposed between the arm 44 and the attachment 46 (not shown).

[0029] The drive mechanism for driving the above-mentioned travel hydraulic motor and each hydraulic cylinder consists, for example, of a hydraulic pump (main hydraulic pump, etc.) driven by a drive source, a control valve, etc. (not shown). By operating a predetermined control device, the operator activates the control valve, which controls the supply of hydraulic fluid at a predetermined pressure from the hydraulic pump to the travel hydraulic motor and each hydraulic cylinder. This enables travel by the travel device 10 and work by the work devices 12, 13, and 14. The hydraulic pumps constituting the drive mechanism are provided one or more times, depending on the configuration and load of the travel device 10 and the work devices 12, 13, and 14.

[0030] The work vehicle 1 is equipped with an engine (an internal combustion engine that burns fuel) as the power source. Alternatively, as another example of a power source, an electric motor (one or more, depending on the number of hydraulic pumps, rated output, etc.) may be provided in place of, or in conjunction with, the engine (not shown).

[0031] Furthermore, since the other mechanisms for driving and working in the work vehicle 1 according to this embodiment are the same as those of known work vehicles (hydraulic excavators), a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0032] Next, the configuration of the driver's cab 16 will be described. Here, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the interior of the driver's cab 16 (a perspective view from the upper left front). The driver's cab 16 is equipped with various operating devices 61 to 65 (representative devices are indicated by reference numerals) for operating the running gear 10, work devices 12, 13, 14, etc. Note that the operating device 65 in the figure is a "foot switch" that is operated by the operator stepping on it with their foot. As a specific example of operation, if the operating device (for example, the right lever) is operated without stepping on the foot switch 65, the dozer blade 40 can be moved up and down. On the other hand, if the operating device (for example, the right lever) is operated with the foot switch 65 stepped on, as an example, in the case of the work vehicle 1 according to this embodiment, an attachment (not shown) connected to the service circuit can be activated, and as another example, in the case of a work vehicle equipped with crawlers (not shown), the distance between the left and right crawlers (i.e., the width in the left-right direction) can be changed.

[0033] As described above, the driver's cab 16 according to this embodiment is a sealed cabin and is equipped with both a heater unit capable of supplying warm air to the cabin and an air conditioner unit capable of supplying cool air. However, the configuration is not limited to the above, and a configuration with only one of the units is also possible.

[0034] In this configuration, a seat box 17, which serves as a base, is attached to the floor plate 4 inside the driver's cab 16, and a seat 15 is fixed on top of the seat box 17. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the configuration inside the seat box 17 (arrangement of equipment in a front view) (the front panel of the seat box 17 is not shown so that the interior can be seen). In this embodiment, the fan 28 and evaporator 29, which constitute the air conditioning unit, are arranged inside the seat box 17. Note that one fan 28, which blows air, is provided in common for both the air conditioning unit and the heater unit.

[0035] With the above configuration, the space within the seat box 17 to which the seat 15 is fixed can be effectively utilized as installation space for the components that make up the air conditioning unit. In addition, the evaporator 29 can be positioned closer to the lower louvers 20 described later, thereby improving cooling efficiency.

[0036] Furthermore, the driver's cab 16 is equipped with multiple (or one) upper louvers 19 installed in the upper part of the cabin, which are mainly directed towards the operator's hands and the front glass 18, as a mechanism for supplying warm or cool air into the cabin, and one (or more) lower louvers 20 installed in the lower part of the cabin, which are mainly directed towards the operator's feet. In addition, there are ducts (not shown) that guide the cool or warm air supplied by the fan 28 located in the seat box 17 to the upper louvers 19, and ducts 24 that guide it to the lower louvers 20. Here, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the lower louvers 20 and ducts 24 in a plan view.

[0037] Here, the lower louvers 20 are constructed from a harder material than the upper louvers 19 and are positioned below the sheet 15 at the height of the operator's feet. Note that "the height of the operator's feet" refers to the height range from the floor surface (the top surface of the floor plate 4 or the top surface of the mat (not shown) laid on the floor plate 4) to around the operator's ankles (approximately 20 cm).

[0038] As mentioned above, in conventional work vehicles, if the lower louvers are to be placed at foot height, they are positioned behind the foot switch, and there is a risk that the operator may kick and damage the lower louvers with their heel when stepping on the foot switch. In contrast, with the above configuration according to this embodiment, even if the same arrangement as in the conventional model is adopted, the lower louvers 20 are made of a hard material, so damage caused by the operator kicking the lower louvers 20 with their heel when stepping on the foot switch 65 can be prevented.

[0039] As an example, the lower louver 20 is formed from a metal material (e.g., stainless steel alloy, aluminum alloy, etc.). With this configuration, the lower louver 20 can be formed from a harder material compared to the upper louver 19, which is generally formed from a resin material. In addition to metal materials, a resin material that is relatively harder than the material used to form the upper louver 19 may also be used.

[0040] Furthermore, the lower louver 20 is thinner overall compared to the upper louver 19. With this configuration, for example, the known upper louver 19, which is installed at the operator's workspace, has a certain thickness, and if this configuration were to be applied to the lower louver 20 installed at the operator's feet, it would reduce the foot space inside the cab 16, but this problem can be solved.

[0041] As an example, the lower louver 20 has a sliding shutter type opening and closing structure. Here, Figure 5 is a front view showing the configuration of the lower louver 20, and Figure 6 is a perspective view from the lower left rear. Specifically, it comprises a bracket 21 in which a first ventilation hole 31 is formed, and a shutter 22 that is slidably mounted on the back side of the bracket 21 and has a second ventilation hole 32 formed at a position corresponding to the first ventilation hole 31. The configuration in which "the second ventilation hole 32 is formed at a position corresponding to the first ventilation hole 31" means that, depending on the sliding position of the shutter 22, when the second ventilation hole 32 coincides with the first ventilation hole 31, it becomes an open state where air can be blown (the opening area changes depending on the degree of coincidence), and when the second ventilation hole 32 does not coincide with the first ventilation hole 31, it becomes a closed state where air cannot be blown. Furthermore, an operating knob 35, which the operator grasps and operates when sliding the shutter 22 from side to side, is erected on the front of the shutter 22. A corresponding bracket 21 has an elongated knob insertion hole 33 through which the operating knob 35 is inserted, causing it to protrude from the front side of the bracket 21 and allowing it to move from side to side.

[0042] As described above, the above configuration allows for ample legroom in the driver's cab 16, thus improving operator comfort. Furthermore, compared to the case where a rotating blade type opening and closing structure is adopted, a larger opening area (i.e., the area of ​​the first ventilation hole 31 and the second ventilation hole 32) can be secured, thereby increasing the airflow. In addition, because the operating knob 35 protrudes forward, the operator seated in the seat 15 can operate the operating knob 35 by pinching it (moving it left and right), that is, by sliding the shutter 22 to open and close the ventilation hole (switching between open and closed states), without having to see the knob 35.

[0043] Furthermore, the lower louver 20 is equipped with a biasing member 38 to fix the shutter 22 in a state where it is pressed against the bracket 21. In this embodiment, the biasing member 38 (for example, a disc spring is used) is fitted onto a bolt 37 through which the bracket 21 and shutter 22 are inserted and fastened with a nut 39 (for example, a double nut is used to prevent rotation), thereby fixing the shutter 22 in a state where it is pressed against the bracket 21 (however, the configuration is not limited to this).

[0044] With the above configuration, it is possible to prevent the shutter 22 from opening or closing unintentionally due to vibration or other factors, or from easily coming off. In addition, by changing the fixing position of the nut 39, it is possible to adjust the pressing force of the biasing member (disc spring) 38.

[0045] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the duct 24 is positioned so as to be in contact with or close to the bracket 21, such that the first ventilation hole 31 of the bracket 21 is located on the inside of the tip opening 24a of the duct 24 when viewed from the front (the position of the duct 24 in Figure 5 is shown by a dashed line).

[0046] Furthermore, the lower louvers 20 are positioned on either the right or left side (or both) of the sheet 15, that is, on the left-right center line of the sheet 15 (in this embodiment, on the right side). As shown in Figure 4, the shutter 22 is provided with a guide plate 34 that extends into the duct 24 to guide the blown air toward the other position (in this embodiment, on the left side) of the sheet 15.

[0047] As in this embodiment, if an air conditioning unit and duct 24 are to be installed inside the seat box 17 to which the seat 15 is fixed, the lower louvers 20 must be positioned to the right or left of the seat 15 due to constraints on the equipment layout. However, if they are positioned in this way, the problem arises that the heating and cooling effect inside the driver's cab 16 will be uneven on the left and right sides. The above configuration solves this problem.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the shutter 22 is arranged such that the operating knob 35 is located on the outside of the front view of the tip opening 24a of the duct 24 when it is in the open state. With this configuration, by positioning the part of the shutter 22 that fixes the operating knob 35 on the outside of the tip opening 24a of the duct 24, the area of ​​the second ventilation hole 32 of the shutter 22 can be made larger (wider), and thus the amount of ventilation can be increased.

[0049] Next, another example of the lower louver 20 will be described. Here, Figure 7 is a perspective view of the interior of the driver's cab 16 (perspective view from the upper left front). The lower louver 20 in the other example has a wing-rotating opening and closing structure. With this configuration, compared to the case where a slide shutter type configuration is adopted, it is not necessary to provide a moving mechanism (rail, guide, groove, etc.) for sliding movement, so it can be easily manufactured.

[0050] As explained above, with the above-mentioned work vehicle, the configuration in which the lower louvers are installed at foot height below the seat prevents the operator from kicking and damaging the lower louvers with their heel.

[0051] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment (hydraulic excavator). The present invention can also be similarly applied to work vehicles (such as truck loaders) in which the upper body does not rotate relative to the lower body. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0052] 1. Work vehicles 10. Traveling device 12, 13, 14 Working equipment 15 sheets 16 Driver's cab 19 Upper louvers 20 Lower Louvers 21 Brackets 22 shutters

Claims

1. A work vehicle comprising a running gear, a hydraulically operated work device, and a driver's cab for operating the vehicle and its operations, The driver's cab comprises a seat on which the operator sits, and an upper louver and a lower louver that send at least one of cold air or warm air into the cabin. The lower louver is made of a metal material which is harder than the upper louver, has a sliding shutter type opening and closing structure, and is positioned below the seat at the height of the operator's feet. A work vehicle characterized by the following:

2. The lower louver is constructed to be thinner overall compared to the upper louver. A work vehicle according to claim 1, characterized by the following:

3. The lower louver comprises a bracket having a first ventilation hole formed therein, and a shutter having a second ventilation hole formed at a position corresponding to the first ventilation hole and slidably mounted on the back side of the bracket, and is fixed in a state in which the shutter is pressed against the bracket by a biasing member. A work vehicle according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by the following:

4. The system further comprises a duct that guides the cold air or the warm air to the lower louver. The duct is arranged to abut against or be close to the bracket such that the first ventilation hole of the bracket is located on the inside of the front view of the tip opening. The lower louvers are positioned at least one of the right or left sides relative to the sheet, and the shutter is provided with a guide plate that extends into the duct to guide the airflow so that it is directed to the other side relative to the sheet. A work vehicle according to claim 3, characterized by the following:

5. The shutter is arranged such that, when open, the operating knob is located on the outside of the front view of the tip opening of the duct. A work vehicle according to claim 4, characterized by the following:

6. The driver's cab has a fan and evaporator that constitute the air conditioning unit located within a seat box to which the seat is fixed. A work vehicle according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by the following:

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