Work vehicles

Abstract

To provide a work vehicle having a large-capacity battery for ultra-rapid charging in order to shorten charging time and improve work efficiency since a work vehicle such as a battery-powered forklift has a battery with a larger capacity.SOLUTION: A work vehicle 1 comprises: a battery 23 as a power source; a counterweight 20 arranged at a rear end of a vehicle body 10; and a charging port 50 provided in the counterweight 20 and having a plurality of insertion ports. A larger current is supplied to a charging circuit than when one charger is connected. This allows the battery 23 to be charged very rapidly.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a work vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] In a battery-powered work vehicle, a technology having a normal charging coupler and a rapid charging coupler at a charging port is known. In the technology described in Patent Document 1, the end of the normal charging coupler and the end of the rapid charging coupler are arranged to face each other in the parallel arrangement direction of the normal charging coupler and the rapid charging coupler.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In work vehicles such as battery-powered forklifts, the capacity of the battery is increasing. A large-capacity battery is desired to support ultra-rapid charging in order to shorten the charging time and improve work efficiency.

[0005] An aspect of the present invention aims to support ultra-rapid charging.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to the present disclosure, there is provided a work vehicle including a battery as a power source, a counterweight disposed at a rear end of the vehicle body, and a charging port provided on the counterweight and having a plurality of insertion ports.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to support ultra-rapid charging.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the forklift according to this embodiment, seen from the left rear. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the charging port, showing it with the cover open. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the charging port, showing it in the closed position. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view of an example of a charging port. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a side cross-sectional view of another example of a charging port. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following describes embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The components of the embodiments described below can be combined as appropriate. In addition, some components may not be used.

[0010] [forklift] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a forklift according to an embodiment, viewed from the left rear. In this embodiment, the work vehicle 1 is a forklift 1. In this embodiment, the forklift 1 is a battery-powered forklift driven by electricity from a battery 23. The forklift 1 is operated by an operator seated in a driver's seat 41 located in a driver's cab 40.

[0011] In the following description, the forklift 1 has its front on the side where the forks 31 are located and its rear on the side where the counterweight 20 is located. In this embodiment, left and right refer to left and right with respect to the front. The left and right direction is the width direction of the vehicle body 10 as the main body of the forklift 1. The upper direction is perpendicular to the plane (ground plane) that contacts at least three of the front wheels 21 and rear wheels 22, and is the side that moves from the ground plane toward the rotation axis of the front wheels 21 or rear wheels 22. The lower direction is the side that moves from the rotation axis of the front wheels 21 or rear wheels 22 toward the ground plane. The axis that moves in the front-rear direction of the vehicle body 10 and passes through the center of the vehicle body 10 in the width direction is called the front-rear axis, and the axis that is perpendicular to the front-rear axis, parallel to the installation plane, and moves toward the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body 10 is called the left-right axis. The axis that moves in the up-down direction of the vehicle body 10 is called the up-down axis. The up-down axis is perpendicular to both the front-rear axis and the left-right axis. The front-rear axis is the X axis, the up-down axis is the Y axis, and the left-right axis is the Z axis.

[0012] The vehicle body 10 includes a frame 11, a driver's cab 40 supported by the frame 11, and a housing member 12 that forms a battery compartment in which a battery 23, also supported by the frame 11, is housed.

[0013] Front wheels 21 are positioned at the left and right ends of the front of the vehicle body 10, and rear wheels 22 are positioned at the left and right ends of the rear of the vehicle body 10.

[0014] A fork 31 for loading, unloading, or moving cargo is positioned at the front of the vehicle body 10. The fork 31 is supported by a mast 32 that is positioned vertically. The fork 31 moves up and down along the mast 32 by the drive of a lift cylinder 33 positioned between the fork 31 and the mast 32. The lower end of the mast 32 is attached to the vehicle body 10 so as to be rotatable around a left-right axis. The mast 32 can assume a forward-tilting or backward-tilting position relative to the vehicle body 10 by the drive of a tilt cylinder 34 positioned between the mast 32 and the vehicle body 10.

[0015] A battery compartment containing the battery 23 is located at the lower rear of the vehicle body 10. The battery 23 is the power source for the forklift 1. The battery 23 is a rechargeable battery. The battery 23 is a battery that does not generate hydrogen during charging and is easy to maintain. The battery 23 is, for example, a nickel-metal hydride battery or a lithium-ion battery. The battery 23 can be charged by a charger connected to the charging port 50, which will be described later. The battery 23 can be charged very quickly, for example, to about 1C. The battery 23 is charged periodically or as needed.

[0016] A counterweight 20 is positioned at the rear end of the vehicle body 10. Forklift 1 is described as a counterbalanced forklift, but is not limited to this. The counterweight 20 is a weight that balances the load when the forks 31 support it.

[0017] [Charging port] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the charging port with the cover open. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the charging port with the cover closed. Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view of an example of a charging port. The charging port 50 is located at the upper rear of the vehicle body 10. The charging port 50 is located in the middle of the vehicle body 10 in the left-right direction. More specifically, the charging port 50 is located on the counterweight 20. More specifically, the charging port 50 is located in the center of the counterweight 20 in the left-right direction, which is the width direction. The charging port 50 is located on the top of the counterweight 20. The charging port 50 is provided on the part of the surface of the counterweight 20 that slopes from top to bottom as it goes from front to rear. The charging port 50 is located at a height H of approximately 1m from the ground, around the operator's waist. Charging wiring (not shown) is drawn out from the bottom of the charging port 50. The charging port 50 includes a recess 51, a cover 52, a socket 53, a socket 54, a switch 55, and an operation lamp 56. In this embodiment, it is described as having two sockets 53 and a socket 54, but it is not limited to this.

[0018] The recess 51 is formed to be recessed inward from the surface of the counterweight 20. The recess 51 has the insertion port 53 and the insertion port 54 arranged therein. The recess 51 includes a wall portion 511 and a wall portion 512.

[0019] The wall portion 511 defines the bottom surface of the recess 51. The wall portion 511 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane. The wall portion 511 is inclined downward from above as it extends from the front to the rear.

[0020] The wall portion 512 defines one side surface of the recess 51. The wall portion 512 stands upright upward from the front end portion of the wall portion 511. The insertion port 53 and the insertion port 54 are arranged in the wall portion 512. The wall portion 512 is arranged to be inclined with respect to the vertical direction. The wall portion 512 is inclined downward from above as it extends from the front to the rear. The angle θ of the wall portion 512 with respect to the wall portion 511 is, for example, about 70° to 80°.

[0021] The cover 52 is arranged to be openable and closable with respect to the recess 51. In the embodiment, the cover 52 rotates about a rotation axis (not shown) provided at the upper part of the recess 51 and extending in the left - right direction. The cover 52 is closed to cover the recess 51, for example, except when charging the battery 23 during traveling or working. In the state where the cover 52 is closed, the recess 51 is not exposed. In the state where the cover 52 is closed, the cover 52 does not protrude from the surface of the counterweight 20. The cover 52 is opened with respect to the recess 51 when charging the battery 23. In the state where the cover 52 is opened with respect to the recess 51, the insertion port 53 and the insertion port 54 are exposed.

[0022] The sockets 53 and 54 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction on the wall portion 512 of the recess 51. The sockets 53 and 54 are arranged so that the battery 23 can be charged simultaneously. The plugs at the end of the cable of a charger (not shown) can be connected to each of the sockets 53 and 54. The plugs of the charger can be connected to each of the sockets 53 and 54 simultaneously. The sockets 53 and 54 are spaced apart so that the plugs of the chargers connected to each do not interfere with each other. The sockets 53 and 54 have a waterproof structure.

[0023] In this embodiment, the central axis C of the socket 53 and the central axis C of the socket 54 are arranged parallel to each other, or in directions that move away from each other as they are further apart from the sockets 53 and 54.

[0024] Since the socket 53 and socket 54 are configured similarly, the following description will focus on the configuration of socket 53 unless otherwise specified. In this embodiment, the central axis C of socket 53 is positioned to face diagonally upward and backward. The central axis C of socket 53 is, for example, angled diagonally upward and backward by about 10° to 20°. The charger cable is inserted into socket 53 from the diagonally upward and backward of the vehicle body.

[0025] The socket 53 is located, for example, at a height H of about 1 meter from the ground. The socket 53 is located around the operator's waist.

[0026] When the plugs of the chargers are connected to the sockets 53 and 54 configured in this way, the charging circuit of the battery 23 is supplied with current from both chargers. A larger current is supplied to the charging circuit compared to when only one charger is connected. This enables the battery 23 to be charged very quickly.

[0027] Switch 55 is located on the wall portion 512 of the recess 51. Switch 55 is located midway between socket 53 and socket 54. Switch 55 is located above the operation lamp 56. Switch 55 is the power switch for the battery 23. Each time switch 55 is pressed, it switches the battery 23 ON and OFF.

[0028] The operation lamp 56 is located on the wall portion 512 of the recess 51. The operation lamp 56 is located midway between the socket 53 and the socket 54. The operation lamp 56 is located below the switch 55. The operation lamp 56 is an operation lamp that indicates the charging status. For example, the operation lamp 56 lights up when the battery 23 is operating and blinks when charging.

[0029] In Figure 4, K indicates the mold splitting line of the counterweight 20 casting, and M indicates the draft angle of the counterweight 20 casting. The mold splitting line K is located in front of the recess 51. The mold splitting line K is aligned in the vertical direction. The draft angle M slopes from top to bottom as it moves backward from the lower end of the mold splitting line K.

[0030] Figure 5 is a side cross-sectional view of another example of the charging port. In the example shown in Figure 5, the space S in which the battery 23 is housed is located further forward than the space S shown in Figure 4. The distance from the wall 512 of the recess 51 to the space S is longer than the distance from the wall 512 of the recess 51 to the space S shown in Figure 4. In the example shown in Figure 5, there is a draft angle M1 that slopes from top to bottom as it moves from the lower end of the mold splitter K towards the rear, and a draft angle M2 that slopes from top to bottom as it moves from the lower end of the mold splitter K towards the front.

[0031] [effect] As described above, in this embodiment, the charging port 50 provided on the counterweight 20 has multiple charging ports. According to this embodiment, having multiple charging ports makes it possible to support ultra-fast charging of the battery 23.

[0032] In this embodiment, multiple charging ports are provided to allow simultaneous charging of the battery 23. In this embodiment, the plugs of chargers can be connected to multiple charging ports simultaneously. According to this embodiment, current can be supplied to the charging circuit of the battery 23 from multiple chargers. According to this embodiment, ultra-fast charging of the battery 23 can be supported.

[0033] In this embodiment, conventional chargers can be connected to multiple outlets.

[0034] In one embodiment, the charging port 50 is located in the center of the counterweight 20 in the vehicle width direction. In another embodiment, the charging port 50 is located on the upper part of the counterweight 20. According to this embodiment, since the charging port 50 does not protrude from the vehicle body 10, the minimum turning radius of the forklift 1 can be reduced. According to this embodiment, rearward visibility can be ensured.

[0035] In this embodiment, the charging port 50 does not protrude outward from the vehicle body 10. According to this embodiment, the charger cable connected to the charging port 50 does not spread out in the vehicle width direction, and the area occupied by the forklift 1 during charging can be reduced. According to this embodiment, it is possible to easily secure a parking space for the forklift 1 and a charging space.

[0036] In this embodiment, the charging port 50 is provided with a cover 52. According to this embodiment, the charging ports 53 and 54 can be protected from external impacts. According to this embodiment, the intrusion of rainwater or mud into the charging ports 53 and 54 can be reduced. According to this embodiment, waterproofing and water resistance can be improved.

[0037] In this embodiment, the charging port 50 is located at a height H of approximately 1 meter from the ground, at the operator's waist height. According to this embodiment, the operator can connect the charger cable plug to the charging port 50 without bending their legs or waist. According to this embodiment, operability during charging can be improved.

[0038] In this embodiment, the wall portion 511 of the recess 51 has a draft angle M. According to this embodiment, water that has entered the interior of the recess 51 through the gap between the cover 52 and the recess 51 can be discharged.

[0039] In the above-described embodiment, the work vehicle 1 is assumed to be a forklift 1. The components described in the above-described embodiment are applicable to work vehicles powered by a battery. For example, the work vehicle 1 may be a wheel loader, a hydraulic excavator, or a dump truck powered by a battery. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0040] 1...Forklift (work vehicle), 10...Body, 11...Frame, 12...Storage component, 20...Counterweight, 21...Front wheel, 22...Rear wheel, 23...Battery, 31...Fork, 32...Mast, 33...Lift cylinder, 34...Tilt cylinder, 40...Driver's cab, 41...Driver's seat, 50...Charging port, 51...Recess, 511...Wall section, 512...Wall section, 52...Cover, 53...Inlet, 54...Inlet, 55...Switch, 56...Operation lamp, K...Cutting line, M...Draft angle.

Claims

1. The power source is the battery, A counterweight positioned at the rear end of the vehicle body, A charging port is provided in a recess that is recessed inward from the surface of the counterweight, and has multiple insertion slots. Equipped with, The aforementioned recess is The bottom surface of the recess is defined by a wall portion that slopes from top to bottom as it moves from front to back, The wall portion having the insertion opening is erected upward from the front end of the wall portion that defines one side surface of the recess and defines the bottom surface, and is arranged to be inclined from top to bottom as it moves from front to rear, The aforementioned socket has a cover that can be opened and closed over the recess. Work vehicle.

2. The aforementioned multiple charging ports are provided so that the battery can be charged simultaneously. The work vehicle according to claim 1.

3. The charging port is located in the center of the counterweight in the vehicle width direction. A work vehicle according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The charging port is located on the upper part of the counterweight. A work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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