Fenders for special-purpose vehicles

Abstract

To provide a specially-equipped vehicle fender capable of being mounted suitably with a simple structure on variable specially-equipped vehicles.SOLUTION: A specially-equipped vehicle fender is a fender for specially-equipped vehicle with a tank-type installed object covering wheels from the above, and includes: a bearing member 30; and a cover member 21 supported by the support member directly or indirectly. The cover member includes a flexible part 71 with elasticity and a rigidity part 70 with higher rigidity than the flexible part, and is formed by at least a part thereof with the flexible part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[[Technical Field]]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fender for a specially equipped vehicle, which is used in a specially equipped vehicle provided with a tank-type body. [[Background Art]]

[0002] Specially equipped vehicles such as tank trucks (tank vehicles), powder and granular material transport vehicles, and mixer trucks are widely known. Such a specially equipped vehicle is formed by attaching a body to the vehicle, and more specifically, the body is attached (mounted) at a position behind the cab and above the chassis frame, either directly or via a mounting member such as a sub-frame (tank frame).

[0003] A tank truck is a specially equipped vehicle having a tank for storing solids, liquids, or gases attached as a body. A powder and granular material transport vehicle is a specially equipped vehicle having a tank for storing powder and granular materials such as mineral products and resin pellets attached as a body. Further, a mixer truck is a specially equipped vehicle having a mixing drum, which is a rotatable cylindrical container, attached as a body. That is, all of these are specially equipped vehicles formed by attaching to the vehicle a body that functions as a container capable of storing at least one of gas, liquid, and solid therein.

[0004] Here, when manufacturing a specially equipped vehicle, in addition to the above-described main bodies such as tanks and mixing drums, accessories (secondary bodies) such as fenders and side bumpers may be attached to a vehicle having a cab and a chassis frame. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a fender mounting structure for a mixer truck. The "main body" referred to herein is a body that determines the type of the specially equipped vehicle.

[0005] In the fender mounting structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, a plurality of support frames are provided that protrude laterally from the vehicle body, and a portion of the support frames is positioned above the rear wheel located below the mixing drum. A main fender that covers the area above the rear wheel is attached to these support frames. An auxiliary fender is provided to close the gap between the main fender and the vehicle body, and an elastic member is interposed in the overlapping portion of the main fender and the auxiliary fender.

[0006] With this structure, even if the wheels kick up mud or pebbles while driving, they will hit the main fender or auxiliary fender, preventing them from hitting the mixing drum. Also, even if the main fender vibrates while driving, the elastic members interposed between the main fender and auxiliary fender prevent gaps from forming between them. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 2517724 (Publication) [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Here, the conventional fender mounting structure had room for improvement in terms of being easily attachable to various special-purpose vehicles. To explain in detail, the size and shape of the bodywork (main bodywork) such as tanks and mixing drums vary from vehicle to vehicle. Furthermore, on vehicles with large bodywork, attempting to install fenders can be difficult because the bodywork can obstruct the installation, sometimes requiring the fenders to be bent or otherwise modified to avoid part of the bodywork. In other words, the fenders may need to be bent or modified to match the shape of the bodywork. This complicates the installation process.

[0009] Furthermore, in specially equipped vehicles with large bodywork, parts of the bodywork may be positioned very close to the fenders. In this case, the auxiliary fenders are positioned in a recessed location, making it difficult to attach and detach the fenders. Similarly, if piping or other components are positioned above the main and auxiliary fenders, the auxiliary fenders will also be positioned in a recessed location, making it difficult to attach and detach the fenders.

[0010] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a fender for special-purpose vehicles that has a simple structure and can be suitably attached to various special-purpose vehicles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems is a fender for a special vehicle that covers the wheels from above in a special vehicle equipped with a tank-type body, comprising a support member and a cover member directly or indirectly supported by the support member, wherein the cover member has an elastic flexible portion and a rigid portion that is more rigid than the flexible portion, and at least a part of it is formed by the flexible portion. In this context, a "tank-type body" refers to any body capable of containing at least one of gas, liquid, or solid. Therefore, a "special vehicle equipped with a tank-type body" includes not only tank trucks but also powder and granular material transport vehicles and mixer trucks.

[0012] According to this design, even in cases where mounting structures or piping would normally obstruct installation (making installation difficult), the flexible section deforms to avoid these obstacles, allowing for easy installation. Therefore, it can be suitably installed on a variety of specialized vehicles.

[0013] In the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the cover member has a wheel side surface which is the side facing the wheel, and a reverse side surface which is the side opposite to the wheel side, and that at least a portion of the portion of the reverse side surface that faces the mounting structure is formed by the flexible portion. In this context, "facing" includes cases where the object is in contact with a part of the structure, cases where the object is in contact with a part of the structure, and cases where there is a gap between the object and the structure.

[0014] In this configuration, the recessed portion adjacent to the tank-shaped bodywork is formed by a flexible section, allowing this section to deform during installation, thus facilitating the installation process. Furthermore, because the flexible section deforms during installation, the fender for special-purpose vehicles can be installed without the need for processing to accommodate various special-purpose vehicles with different shapes and sizes of bodywork. As a result, it can be suitably installed on a variety of special-purpose vehicles.

[0015] In the above-described configuration, it is preferable that the support member has a horizontal portion extending substantially horizontally and an inclined portion extending diagonally, and that the cover member has a rigid portion formed in the portion adjacent to the horizontal portion, and at least a part of the portion adjacent to the inclined portion formed by the flexible portion. Furthermore, "approximately horizontal" does not refer only to a perfectly horizontal direction, but also includes a state inclined by a predetermined allowable angle relative to the horizontal direction, for example, a state inclined by plus or minus 5 degrees relative to the horizontal direction.

[0016] In the above-described configuration, the support members are arranged at positions separated in the front-rear direction, and it is preferable that the extension member is positioned between the separated support members in the front-rear direction and adjacent to the inside of the portion formed by the flexible part.

[0017] In this manner, it is possible to prevent at least a portion of the flexible member from unintentionally approaching the wheel. In other words, it is possible to prevent at least a portion of the flexible member from becoming entangled in the wheel. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, a fender for special-purpose vehicles can be provided that has a simple structure and can be suitably attached to various special-purpose vehicles. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a side view schematically showing a specially-equipped vehicle provided with a fender according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing the fender of Fig. 1 and the periphery thereof. [Figure 3] It is a plan view showing the fender of Fig. 2, wherein a skeleton member located on the lower side of a cover member is shown by a dotted line. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view schematically showing the skeleton member of Fig. 3. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view schematically showing the support column portion of Fig. 4. [Figure 6] It is a view schematically showing a part of the support column portion of Fig. 5, wherein (a) is a perspective view shown with the support column main body omitted, and (b) is a front view shown with most of the support column main body omitted and shown through the support column main body. [Figure 7] It is an explanatory view schematically showing the periphery of the proximal end portion of the support column portion of Fig. 3, shown with most of the support column main body omitted. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view schematically showing the cover member of Fig. 2 viewed from another direction. [Figure 9] It is a side view schematically showing the periphery of the fender of Fig. 1. [Figure 10] It is a view schematically showing the fender of Fig. 9 cut along the A-A plane and viewed in the arrow direction, and is an explanatory view shown with portions other than the essential parts omitted. [Figure 11] It is a view schematically showing the fender of Fig. 9 cut along the B-B plane and viewed in the arrow direction, and is an explanatory view shown with portions other than the essential parts omitted. [Figure 12] It is an explanatory view showing a fender according to an embodiment different from that of Fig. 1. [Figure 13] It is an explanatory view showing a fender according to an embodiment different from those of Fig. 1 and Fig. 12. Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, a fender 1 (fender for special-purpose vehicles) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the front-rear direction will be defined as the driver's side being the front and the opposite side being the rear. Furthermore, the vertical and horizontal directions will be based on the posture shown in Figure 1, with the front side of Figure 1 being the left and the back side being the right.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, the fender 1 of this embodiment forms part of the special-purpose vehicle 2. The special-purpose vehicle 2 of this embodiment is a so-called tank truck formed by mounting (attaching) a tank 4 (bodywork) to the vehicle body 3.

[0022] The vehicle body 3 has a driver's cab 10, a chassis frame 11 (body frame) that forms the skeleton of the vehicle body 3, front wheels 12, and rear wheels 13, and is capable of self-propulsion.

[0023] Tank 4 is a component that functions as a container capable of containing at least a portion of a solid, liquid, or gas inside, for example, a component capable of containing liquefied natural gas. This tank 4 is attached to the chassis frame 11 via a tank frame 5 (mounting component for the chassis). Therefore, the tank frame 5, which is a mounting component for tank 4, is interposed between tank 4 and the chassis frame 11.

[0024] Therefore, the tank 4 is positioned behind the driver's cab 10 and above the chassis frame 11. Also, the tank 4 is positioned above the rear wheels 13 for most of the way (more than 80 percent) or all of the way.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle body 3 of this embodiment has two axles with rear wheels 13 arranged in the front-to-back direction, and two tires 13a (wheels) are mounted on one side in the longitudinal direction (left-to-right direction) of each axle, for a total of four tires 13a on both sides. In other words, the rear wheels 13 of the vehicle body 3 have four tires 13a arranged in a 2x2 matrix on one side and the other side in the left-to-right direction (the four tires 13a located at the far end of Figure 1 are not shown).

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the fender 1 of this embodiment is a member that covers the rear wheels 13 from above on both sides in the left-right direction (the fender 1 located at the far end of Figure 1 is not shown). In other words, the fender 1 is a rear fender and is a member that covers multiple tires 13a arranged in a 2x2 matrix (multiple rows and multiple columns) from above. Note that the fender 1 on one side (port side) and the fender 1 on the other side (starboard side) in the left-right direction are symmetrical members.

[0027] As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the fender 1 of this embodiment has a frame member 20 and a cover member 21, and is formed by attaching the cover member 21 to the frame member 20. In other words, the cover member 21 is supported by the frame member 20.

[0028] The skeletal member 20 is a metallic member in which each part is made of metal, and as shown in Figures 3 and 4, it has a plurality (three in this embodiment) of support columns 30 (support members), a connecting portion 31, a front support portion 32, and a rear support portion 33. As mentioned above, the fender 1 on one side and the fender 1 on the other side in the left-right direction are symmetrical components. Therefore, the skeletal member 20 of the fender 1 on one side and the skeletal member 20 of the fender 1 on the other side are also symmetrical components. In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, the explanation will focus on the left-side skeletal member 20 shown in Figures 3 and 4, and a detailed explanation of the right-side skeletal member 20 will be omitted.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, the support column 30 includes a support column body 40, a mounting piece member 41, and a base end member 42 interposed between the support column body 40 and the mounting piece member 41. The main support column 40 is a member that extends with a roughly U-shaped cross-section, and is integrally formed with an inclined portion 50 extending in the diagonal direction and a horizontal portion 51 extending in the horizontal direction. That is, the main support column 40 has two vertical wall portions 40a, 40a that are spaced apart and facing each other in the front-rear direction, and an upper plate portion 40b that extends between the upper portions of the two vertical wall portions 40a, 40a.

[0030] The inclined portion 50 is the part that extends upward as it moves outward in the left-right direction. The horizontal portion 51 is the part that extends from the part of the inclined portion 50 that is located furthest outward in the left-right direction, and extends outward in the left-right direction (away from the vehicle body 3 and the tank 4).

[0031] The mounting piece member 41 has a flat base plate portion 41a and a vertical plate portion 41b, and these are formed continuously in a substantially L-shape.

[0032] As shown in Figure 6, the base end member 42 has a roughly rectangular cylindrical main body portion 42a with a hollow interior and a vertical plate-shaped portion 42b. The vertical plate-shaped portion 42b is integrally formed with the outer end of the main body portion 42a in the left-right direction, and its upper end portion is located above the upper end portion of the main body portion 42a. In other words, the upper portion of the vertical plate-shaped portion 42b is a portion that protrudes above the main body portion 42a.

[0033] In this embodiment, the base end member 42 is fixed to the mounting piece member 41 by appropriate fixing means such as welding. Specifically, a part of the main body portion 42a is placed on the upper side of the base plate portion 41a, and the inner ends of the main body portion 42a in the left-right direction (the ends opposite to the ends that are continuous with the vertical plate portion 42b) are fixed in contact with the vertical plate portion 41b.

[0034] Furthermore, the lower end portion (base end portion in the extension direction) of the main support column 40 (inclined portion 50) is fixed to the base end member 42 by appropriate fixing means such as welding. At this time, a part of the base end member 42 is positioned between the two vertical wall portions 40a of the main support column 40 (see Figures 5 and 6(b)). More specifically, a portion of the base end member 42 is sandwiched between the two vertical wall portions 40a. At this time, the inner surface of one vertical wall portion 40a is in contact with the front surface of the base end member 42 (the left front surface in Figure 5), and the inner surface of the other vertical wall portion 40a is in contact with the rear surface of the base end member 42. Then, the front portion of the base end member 42 is fixed to one vertical wall portion 40a, and the rear portion of the base end member 42 is fixed to the other vertical wall portion 40a.

[0035] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, there are three support sections 30 consisting of a first support section 30a, a second support section 30b, and a third support section 30c, which are arranged in a line with a gap between them in the front-to-back direction (see Figure 1). Rod-shaped members 55 (extension members) are fixed to these support sections 30, as shown in Figure 7.

[0036] The rod-shaped member 55 is an elongated, round rod-shaped member that extends (is extended) along the front-to-back direction. In this embodiment, each of the four rod-shaped members 55, consisting of the first rod-shaped member 55a to the fourth rod-shaped member 55d, is attached to one or two support columns 30 selected from the three support columns 30.

[0037] Specifically, the first rod-shaped member 55a is cantilevered to the first support column 30a and extends forward from the portion where the first support column 30a is located. That is, the rear end portion (fixed end portion) of the first rod-shaped member 55a is fixed to the first support column 30a, and the front end of the first rod-shaped member 55a is a free end. The second rod-shaped member 55b is attached by being stretched across the first support column 30a and the second support column 30b. That is, one end (front end) of the second rod-shaped member 55b in the longitudinal direction is fixed to the first support column 30a, and the other end (rear end) is fixed to the second support column 30b. The third rod-shaped member 55c is attached by being stretched across the second support column 30b and the third support column 30c. That is, one end (front end) of the third rod-shaped member 55c in the longitudinal direction is fixed to the second support column 30b, and the other end (rear end) is fixed to the third support column 30c. The fourth rod-shaped member 55d is cantilevered to the third support column 30c and extends rearward from the position of the third support column 30c. That is, the front end portion (fixed end portion) of the fourth rod-shaped member 55d is fixed to the third support column 30c, and the rear end of the fourth rod-shaped member 55d is a free end.

[0038] In this embodiment, the rod-shaped member 55 has its longitudinal end fixed to the base end member 42 of the support column 30. More specifically, the end of the rod-shaped member 55 is fixed to the front or rear portion of the base end member 42. Furthermore, the four rod-shaped members 55 in this embodiment are arranged so that their positions in the left-right and up-down directions are the same (or substantially the same), and they are aligned in a straight line in the front-back direction.

[0039] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the connecting portion 31 is a member that extends in the front-rear direction between the two support columns 30. That is, one end in the front-rear direction is fixed to one support column 30, and the other end is fixed to the other support column 30. As a result, the two support columns 30 are connected by the connecting portion 31. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 31 extends between the horizontal portions 51 belonging to each of the two support columns 30, and the two horizontal portions 51 are connected by the connecting portion 31. More specifically, the inner ends of the two horizontal portions 51 in the left-right direction (up-down direction in Figure 3) are connected by the connecting portion 31. In this embodiment, two connecting parts 31 are provided, one of which connects the first support part 30a and the second support part 30b, and the other which connects the second support part 30b and the third support part 30c.

[0040] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the front support portion 32 has two support pieces 32a, a support piece connecting portion 32b, and an auxiliary piece 32c. The two support pieces 32a are portions that extend forward from the front portion of the horizontal section 51 of the first support column 30a, and more specifically, as shown in Figure 4, they are portions that extend diagonally downward as they move forward (to the left front in Figure 4). These two support pieces 32a extend parallel to each other.

[0041] The support piece connecting portion 32b is a portion that extends in the left-right direction, with one end in the longitudinal direction fixed to one support piece portion 32a and the other end fixed to the other support piece portion 32a. In other words, the support piece connecting portion 32b extends between the two support piece portions 32a and connects these two support piece portions 32a. The auxiliary piece 32c is a portion that extends cantileveredly inward from one of the support pieces 32a in the left-right direction.

[0042] As shown in Figure 3, the rear support portion 33 has two support pieces 33a, a support piece connecting portion 33b, and an auxiliary piece portion 33c. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the rear support portion 33 is substantially the same as the front support portion 32, so a detailed explanation will be omitted. However, the front support portion 32 is inclined downwards as it moves towards the front, whereas the rear support portion 33 is inclined downwards as it moves towards the rear. In other words, the rear support portion 33 is the portion that extends downwards and rearward from the rear part of the horizontal portion 51 of the third support column 30c.

[0043] As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 8, the cover member 21 has a top plate portion 60 (rigid portion), a front plate portion 61 (rigid portion), a rear plate portion 62 (rigid portion), and an inner inclined portion 63. In addition, as shown in Figure 2, the cover member 21 of this embodiment has a folded wall portion 67 and a rear auxiliary portion 68. This cover member 21 is a component that forms the main body portion of the fender 1. In this embodiment, the cover member 21 is formed by appropriately bending a metal plate to create the top plate portion 60, the front plate portion 61, the rear plate portion 62, a part of the inner inclined portion 63 (the inner rigid plate portion 70, which will be described later), the folded wall portion 67, and the rear auxiliary portion 68.

[0044] The top plate portion 60 is a metal part made of an appropriate metal such as iron or aluminum, and is a flat plate-shaped portion with its thickness in the vertical direction, forming the upper end portion of the cover member 21. In addition, the top plate portion 60 in this embodiment is a portion that has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view that extends in the front-to-back direction. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the top plate portion 60 has its lower surface (lower main surface) facing the tire 13a of the rear wheel 13, which is the wheel side (inner surface). The upper surface, which is the main surface located on the opposite side in the thickness direction from the lower surface, is the opposite side (outer surface) from the tire 13a. The top plate portion 60 is positioned close to the upper (outer) side of the horizontal portion 51 of the support column portion 30. The top plate portion 60 is attached to the horizontal portion 51 via mounting members (temporary fastening elements) such as bolts and nuts (detailed illustration is omitted). In other words, the top plate portion 60 is the part of the frame member 20 that is positioned in a location corresponding to the horizontal portion 51. In this context, "temporary fastening elements" refer to a type of fastening element, a general term for mechanical components that connect fastened objects in a way that allows them to be removed, such as screws, bolts and nuts, etc.

[0045] The front plate portion 61 is a metal part made of an appropriate metal such as iron or aluminum, and as shown in Figures 2 and 8, it is continuous with the front end portions of the top plate portion 60 and the inner rigid plate portion 70, and is a plate-like portion that extends downward and forward from these portions. The upper surface (outer surface) and lower surface (inner surface) of this front plate portion 61, located on both sides in the thickness direction, are inclined surfaces that slope downward as they move towards the front. In addition, the lower surface of the front plate portion 61 is the wheel side (inner surface), and the upper surface is the opposite side (outer surface). As shown in Figure 3, the front plate portion 61 is positioned close to the upper (outer) side of the front support portion 32 and is attached to the front support portion 32 via mounting members such as bolts and nuts (detailed illustration is omitted). In other words, the front plate portion 61 is the part of the skeletal member 20 that is positioned in a location corresponding to the front support portion 32.

[0046] The rear plate portion 62 is a metal part made of an appropriate metal such as iron or aluminum, and as shown in Figures 2 and 8, it is continuous with the rear end portions of the top plate portion 60 and the inner rigid plate portion 70, and is a plate-like portion that extends downward and rearward from these portions. The upper surface (outer surface) and lower surface (inner surface) of this rear plate portion 62, located on both sides in the thickness direction, are inclined surfaces that slope downward as they move towards the rear. In addition, the lower surface of the rear plate portion 62 is the wheel side (inner surface), and the upper surface is the opposite side (outer surface). As shown in Figure 3, this rear plate portion 62 is positioned close to the upper side (outer side) of the rear support portion 33 and is attached to the rear support portion 33 via mounting members such as bolts and nuts (detailed illustration is omitted). In other words, the rear plate portion 62 is a part that is positioned in a location corresponding to the rear support portion 33 of the skeletal member 20.

[0047] As shown in Figure 2, the folded wall portion 67 is a part that is continuous with the outer ends (the front end in Figure 2) of the top plate portion 60, the front plate portion 61, and the rear plate portion 62 in the left-right direction, and is formed by folding these downwards. In other words, it extends along these outer ends. Specifically, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, a portion that extends diagonally downwards toward the outside in the left-right direction (left side in Figures 10 and 11) and a portion that extends downwards from its lower end are continuously formed. In the folded wall portion 67, in the portion that extends diagonally, the lower surface (the lower main surface which becomes an inclined surface) becomes the wheel side (inner surface), and the upper surface (the upper main surface which becomes an inclined surface) becomes the opposite side (outer surface). In the vertical, plate-like section that extends downward, the main surface on the inside in the left-right direction (right side in Figure 10, etc.) becomes the wheel side (inner surface), and the main surface on the outside in the left-right direction (left side in Figure 10, etc.) becomes the opposite side (outer surface).

[0048] The rear auxiliary section 68 is a vertical plate-shaped portion located below the rear plate section 62, as shown in Figures 2 and 8. In the rear auxiliary section 68, the front (front main surface) is the wheel side (inner surface), and the rear (rear main surface) is the opposite side (outer surface).

[0049] As shown in Figure 3, the inward inclined portion 63 is formed inward (upward in Figure 3) from the center position in the width direction of the fender 1 (cover member 21). The width direction of the fender 1 is the left-right direction, and also the width direction of the special-purpose vehicle 2. As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 8, this inclined portion 63 is a part whose height decreases as it moves inward (towards the tank 4) in the left-right direction. As shown in Figures 3 and 8, the inclined portion 63 of this embodiment is composed of an inclined rigid plate portion 70 (rigid portion) which has relatively high rigidity and a flexible portion 71 which has lower rigidity compared to the inclined rigid plate portion 70.

[0050] The inner rigid plate portion 70 is a metal plate-like part made of an appropriate metal such as iron or aluminum, and its shape in plan view is roughly trapezoidal. That is, the inner rigid plate portion 70 has an upper surface (outer surface) and a lower surface (inner surface) located on both sides in the thickness direction, and both are inclined surfaces that slope downwards towards the inside in the left-right direction, and the length in the front-rear direction increases as it goes downwards. In the inner rigid plate portion 70, the lower surface is the side of the wheel, and the upper surface is the opposite side. The outer surface, excluding the part that overlaps with the upper plate portion 71a of the flexible portion 71 (details will be described later), becomes the outer surface (opposite side) of the inner inclined portion 63.

[0051] The flexible portion 71 is an elastically deformable part formed of an appropriate resin material such as elastic rubber, and has an upper plate portion 71a and a lower plate portion 71b, as shown in Figures 8 and 10. Both the upper plate portion 71a and the lower plate portion 71b are plate-like sections that slope downwards as they move inward in the left-right direction. More specifically, the lower plate portion 71b has a steeper slope than the upper plate portion 71a. In other words, the lower plate portion 71b has a larger angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal plane than the upper plate portion 71a. The "angle of inclination" referred to here is the angle between the inclination direction of the upper plate portion 71a and the lower plate portion 71b and the horizontal plane, and also the angle between the outer surface or inner surface of the upper plate portion 71a and the lower plate portion 71b and the horizontal plane.

[0052] Therefore, in the flexible portion 71, the upper plate portion 71a and the lower plate portion 71b are bent and extended at the boundary. In addition, the length of the lower plate portion 71b in the direction of inclination is longer than the length of the upper plate portion 71a in the direction of inclination.

[0053] As shown in Figures 8 and 10, the flexible portion 71 of this embodiment is constructed by overlapping a part of the inner rigid plate portion 70 with a part of the upper plate portion 71a, and these are attached via temporary fastening elements such as bolts and nuts. As a result, the flexible portion 71 is cantilevered to the inner rigid plate portion 70, and the lower end portion located diagonally downward is the free end.

[0054] Therefore, a portion of the flexible portion 71 is located outside the inner rigid plate portion 70, forming the outer surface (opposite side) of the inner inclined portion 63 outside the inner rigid plate portion 70. More specifically, a portion of the upper plate portion 71a forms the outer surface (opposite side) of the inner inclined portion 63 outside the inner rigid plate portion 70. In the portion where a part of the inner rigid plate portion 70 and a part of the upper plate portion 71a overlap, the outer surface (upper surface) of the inner rigid plate portion 70 and the inner surface (lower surface) of the upper plate portion 71a are in surface contact and tightly adhered to each other. Therefore, the inclination angle of the inner rigid plate portion 70 and the inclination angle of the upper plate portion 71a are the same (approximately the same) angle.

[0055] Furthermore, another portion of the flexible portion 71 forms the outer surface (opposite side) of the inner inclined portion 63, located inward in the left-right direction from the inner rigid plate portion 70. Specifically, a portion of the upper plate portion 71a and the lower plate portion 71b form the outer surface (opposite side) of the inner inclined portion 63, located inward in the left-right direction from the inner rigid plate portion 70. Thus, the lower surface of the inner rigid plate portion 70, a portion of the lower surface of the upper plate portion 71a (the main surface that becomes an inclined surface on the lower side), and the lower surface of the lower plate portion 71b (the main surface that becomes an inclined surface on the lower side) form the wheel side of the inner inclined portion 63. In other words, as shown in Figure 10, the lower end portion of the upper plate portion 71a is located inward in the left-right direction and below the lower end portion of the inner rigid plate portion 70. Therefore, the diagonally lower portion of the upper plate portion 71a forms the outer surface (opposite side) of the inner inclined portion 63, inward in the left-right direction from the inner rigid plate portion 70. Furthermore, the lower plate portion 71b forms the outer surface (opposite side) of the inner inclined portion 63, even further inward in the left-right direction from the diagonally lower portion of the upper plate portion 71a. As described above, the inner inclined portion 63 is formed by the inner rigid plate portion 70 in the diagonally upper part and by the flexible portion 71 in the diagonally lower part, and as a whole it is inclined downwards as it moves inward in the left-right direction. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, a part of the outer surface of the inner rigid plate portion 70, a part of the outer surface of the upper plate portion 71a, and a part of the outer surface of the lower plate portion 71b face the tank 4.

[0056] Here, most of the inner inclined portion 63 (more than half) is positioned close to the upper (outer) side of the inclined portion 50 of the support column 30. More specifically, the inner rigid plate portion 70 and a part of the upper plate portion 71a are positioned close to the upper (outer) side of the inclined portion 50. A part of the inner inclined portion 63 (a part of the inner rigid plate portion 70 and a part of the upper plate portion 71a) is attached to the inclined portion 50 via mounting members (temporary fastening elements) such as bolts and nuts (detailed illustration omitted). In other words, the inner inclined portion 63 is the part positioned in a location corresponding to the inclined portion 50 of the skeletal member 20. In this embodiment, the inclination angles of the inner rigid plate portion 70 and the upper plate portion 71a are the same (or approximately the same) as the inclination angle of the inclined portion 50.

[0057] As shown in Figure 8, the flexible portion 71 is provided with a plurality of notches 75 (three in this embodiment). In this embodiment, there are three notches 75: the first notch 75a, the second notch 75b, and the third notch 75c.

[0058] The notch 75 has a vertically elongated portion 76 that extends vertically when viewed from the side, and a horizontally elongated portion 77 that partially extends in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the side, with one vertically elongated portion 76 and two horizontally elongated portions 77 formed in a continuous manner. The vertically elongated portion 76 extends downward from the upper end of the upper plate portion 71a, passing through the lower end of the upper plate portion 71a and the upper end of the lower plate portion 71b, and extending to the lower end portion of the lower plate portion 71b. The horizontal section 77 is continuous with the lower portion of the lower plate section 71b, with one end extending forward and the other extending backward (in Figure 8, one end extends to the right rear and the other extends to the left front).

[0059] In this embodiment, each notch 75 is formed between the upper and lower ends of the flexible portion 71. Therefore, the flexible portion 71 is divided into four formed pieces by the three notches 75. In other words, the flexible portion 71 is formed by four formed pieces that are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction. As shown in Figure 9, the notches 75 become voids into which the lower portion of the support column 30 is located.

[0060] As shown in Figures 1 and 9, the fender 1 of this embodiment has a mounting piece member 41 (see Figure 4, etc.) fixed to the chassis frame 11, and a skeletal member 20 attached to the chassis frame 11. The cover member 21 is then attached to the skeletal member 20. In other words, the fender 1 of this embodiment is attached to the chassis frame 11.

[0061] In the fender 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 9, 10, and 11, the rod-shaped member 55 is located inside the lower plate portion 71b. Therefore, even if the length of the lower plate portion 71b in the inclined direction is increased, it is possible to prevent (suppress) the occurrence of problems such as the free end portion of the lower plate portion 71b unexpectedly moving toward the tire 13a and getting caught in the tire 13a.

[0062] In the special-purpose vehicle 2 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, when L is the distance from the outer surface of the inner inclined portion 63 to the tank 4, the distance L is smaller in the front portion of the inner inclined portion 63 (see Figure 10) than in the rear portion (see Figure 11). That is, the inner inclined portion 63 is positioned so that the outer surface of the front portion is closer to the tank 4 than that of the rear portion.

[0063] In this embodiment, a cushioning member 80 is provided at a position on the inside (tire 13a side) of the front portion of the inner rigid plate portion 70. Specifically, the cushioning member 80 is provided on the inside of the gap between the support column body 40 (inclined portion 50) and the inner inclined portion 63 (inner rigid plate portion 70), in the portion where the outer surface of the inner inclined portion 63 is in close proximity to the tank 4. This cushioning member 80 is made of rubber and is positioned between the inner rigid plate portion 70 and the support column body 40 (inclined portion 50). Therefore, even if foreign matter gets into the gap between the inner rigid plate portion 70 and the tank 4, causing the inner rigid plate portion 70 to deform and sink inward (towards the tire 13a), the inner rigid plate portion 70 and the inclined portion 50 will not come into direct contact, thus preventing damage to the components.

[0064] In the above-described embodiment, an example was given in which the inner inclined portion 63 is formed by an inner rigid plate portion 70 (rigid portion) and a flexible portion 71, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 12, the entire inner inclined portion 163 may be formed by the flexible portion 171, as in the fender 101 (fender for special-purpose vehicles).

[0065] This flexible portion 171 is formed of an appropriate resin material such as elastic rubber, similar to the flexible portion 71 described above. In this embodiment, the entire portion of the fender 101 that is close to the outside of the inclined portion 50 is formed by a flexible portion 171. With this configuration, when attaching the fender 101 to the vehicle body 3, even if a part of the tank 4 (not shown in Figure 12, see Figure 10, etc.) is located closer to the inclined portion 50 side (tire 13a side) and interferes with the attachment, it can be easily attached. That is, by deforming the flexible portion 171 to conform to the outer surface of the tank 4, it can be easily attached without having to process the metal part of the fender 101 to avoid the tank 4 or cut off a part of the fender 101.

[0066] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13, the majority of the inwardly inclined portion 263 may be formed by the flexible portion 271. In this embodiment, the upper end portion of the inner inclined portion 263 is formed by the inner rigid plate portion 270 (rigid portion), and more than 90 percent of the portion excluding the upper end portion is formed by the flexible portion 271. Specifically, the outer surface of the portion slightly diagonally downward from the upper end of the inner inclined portion 263 (the portion located slightly inward and downward in the left-right direction) is formed by the outer surface of the inner rigid plate portion 270. Furthermore, the outer surface of the portion of the inner inclined portion 263 where the inner rigid plate portion 270 and the upper portion of the flexible portion 271 overlap in the thickness direction, and the portion located inward from the inner inclined portion 263 in the left-right direction, are formed by the flexible portion 271. Even in this configuration, the fender 201 can be easily attached to the vehicle body 3 by the deformation of the flexible portion 271. Furthermore, compared to the configuration in which the entire inner inclined portion 163 is formed by the flexible portion 171, the strength of the inner inclined portion 263 can be increased.

[0067] In the embodiment described above, an example was given in which the flexible portion 71 is divided into four formed pieces by three notches 75, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The upper portion of the flexible portion may be connected in the front-to-back direction (the upper end of the notch is lower than the upper end of the flexible portion), and the diagonally lower portion of the inwardly inclined portion may be formed by a single flexible portion.

[0068] In the embodiments described above, an example was shown in which the fender 1 is attached to the chassis frame 11, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The fender 1 may also be attached to the tank frame 5.

[0069] In this embodiment, an example in which a round rod-shaped member 55 is used as the extending member has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be a cylindrical member instead of a rod-shaped member. That is, it is a member that extends in a direction that includes a predetermined direction (front-rear direction), and it is sufficient that it can prevent a part of the flexible portion 71 from moving toward the tire 13a. Therefore, for example, it may extend diagonally so as it moves forward, either upward or downward.

[0070] In the embodiment described above, an example was described in which the longitudinal end of the rod-shaped member 55 is fixed to the base end member 42, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the end portion of the rod-shaped member 55 may be fixed to other parts of the support column 30, such as the support column body 40 or the mounting piece member 41. Furthermore, the rod-shaped member 55 is not limited to extending in a straight line, but may also extend while bending. In this case, the end portion of the rod-shaped member 55 may be attached to either the tank frame 5 or the chassis frame 11. For example, the rod-shaped member may extend in a roughly U-shape in plan view, and the end portions in the two extension directions may be fixed to the chassis frame 11. The rod-shaped member may then extend linearly outward in the left-right direction, bend to extend linearly along the front-rear direction, and then bend again to extend linearly inward in the left-right direction. In this case, the end portion of the rod-shaped member 55 may be attached to either the tank frame 5 or the chassis frame 11, or it may be attached to both the tank frame 5 and the chassis frame 11 so as to straddle both of them.

[0071] In the embodiment described above, an example was given in which the four rod-shaped members 55 are arranged in a straight line in the front-to-back direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. The positions of each rod-shaped member 55 may differ in the left-to-right direction and / or in the up-to-down direction. They should be located outside the flexible portion 71 (outside in the left-to-right direction and on the tire 13a side) and should be able to prevent accidental movement of a part of the flexible portion 71 toward the tire 13a side.

[0072] In the embodiment described above, the lower plate portion 71b is structured to extend further inward and downward from the lower end of the upper plate portion 71a in the left-right direction. With such a structure, at least the lower portion of the lower plate portion 71b is in contact with (or close to) the chassis frame 11 (vehicle body 3), so that no gap is formed between them (or the gap between them is very small). Therefore, even if the special-purpose vehicle 2 drives and kicks up mud or pebbles, the chassis frame 11 (vehicle body 3), etc. will not be damaged, which is preferable. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the lower plate portion may extend vertically downward from the lower end of the upper plate portion 71a. That is, the lower end of the lower plate portion may be positioned closer to the tire 13a. In this case, a gap-closing member may be provided to close the gap formed between the outer surface of the lower plate portion (the surface facing the chassis frame 11) and the chassis frame 11 (vehicle body 3). This gap-closing member may be a flexible (elastic) member made of a suitable resin material such as rubber. The gap-closing member may be attached to the outer surface of the lower plate portion or to the chassis frame 11 (vehicle body 3).

[0073] In the embodiment described above, the rigid parts of the cover member 21 (top plate portion 60, front plate portion 61, rear plate portion 62, inner rigid plate portion 70) were made of metallic material, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The rigid parts may be formed of a hard resin. In other words, the rigid parts only need to be more rigid than the flexible portion 71. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 1,101,201 Fender (Fender for special-purpose vehicles) 2 Specialized Vehicles 4. Tank (bodywork) 13a Tire (wheel) 21 Cover component 30 Support column section 30 (support member) 50 Slope 51 Horizontal part 55. Rod-shaped member (extended member) 60 Top plate section (rigid section) 61 Front plate part (rigid part) 62 Rear plate part (rigid part) 70,270 Inner rigid plate part (rigid part) 71,171,271 Flexible part

Claims

1. A fender for a special vehicle that covers the wheels from above in a special vehicle equipped with a tank-type body, The device comprises a support member and a cover member that is directly or indirectly supported by the support member. The cover member has an elastic flexible portion and a rigid portion that is more rigid than the flexible portion, and at least a part of it is formed by the flexible portion. The cover member has an inwardly sloping portion that slopes downward as it moves inward in the vehicle width direction. The flexible portion has a plate-like section that slopes downward as it moves inward in the vehicle width direction. The rigid portion includes an inner rigid plate portion which slopes downward as it moves inward in the vehicle width direction. A fender for a special-purpose vehicle, characterized in that the inner inclined portion is formed by the flexible portion and the rigid portion.

2. A fender for a special vehicle that covers the wheels from above in a special vehicle equipped with a tank-type body, The device comprises a support member and a cover member that is directly or indirectly supported by the support member. The cover member has an elastic flexible portion and a rigid portion that is more rigid than the flexible portion, and at least a part of it is formed by the flexible portion. The cover member has an inwardly sloping portion that slopes downward as it moves inward in the vehicle width direction. The flexible portion has a plate-like section that slopes downward as it moves inward in the vehicle width direction. A fender for a special-purpose vehicle, characterized in that the entire inner inclined portion is formed by the flexible portion.

3. A fender for a special vehicle that covers the wheels from above in a special vehicle equipped with a tank-type body, The device comprises a support member and a cover member that is directly or indirectly supported by the support member. The cover member has an elastic flexible portion and a rigid portion that is more rigid than the flexible portion, and at least a part of it is formed by the flexible portion, and the cover member has a wheel side surface which is the side facing the wheel and a reverse side surface which is the side opposite to the wheel side, and at least a part of the portion of the reverse side surface that faces the mounting structure is formed by the flexible portion, The support members are arranged at positions separated in the front-rear direction, A fender for a special-purpose vehicle, characterized in that an extended member is positioned between the support members that are separated in the front-rear direction, and adjacent to the inside of the portion formed by the flexible part.

4. The fender for a special vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the portion of the cover member formed by the flexible portion of the inner inclined portion faces the mounting object.

5. The support member has a horizontal portion that extends substantially horizontally and an inclined portion that extends diagonally. The fender for a special vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cover member has a portion adjacent to the horizontal portion formed by the rigid portion, and at least a portion adjacent to the inclined portion formed by the flexible portion.

6. The support members are arranged at positions separated in the front-rear direction, The fender for a special vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the extending member is positioned between the support members that are separated in the front-rear direction, and adjacent to the inside of the portion formed by the flexible portion.

7. The fender for a special vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flexible portion has a plurality of notches and is divided by the plurality of notches into a plurality of formed pieces that are spaced apart in the front-rear direction.

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