Work vehicle

Abstract

A work vehicle 10 comprising: a vehicle body 11; a fuel cell 24; a motor 31 driven by power generated by the fuel cell 24; a battery unit 30 having a battery 300 for storing power to be supplied to the motor 31; and a support structure 37 for attaching the battery unit 30 at a position towards the outside of the vehicle body 11 in the vehicle width direction, wherein the support structure 37 has a lower support body 38 for supporting the battery unit 30 from below and a horizontal support body 39 for holding a side wall 301 of the battery unit 30 in the vehicle width direction.

Description

Work vehicles

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-107641, filed on June 30, 2023, and incorporates the entire contents of said Japanese application by reference.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a work vehicle having a tank for storing hydrogen gas, a fuel cell, and a motor. The fuel cell generates electricity using the hydrogen gas in the tank, and the motor rotates using that electricity. The work vehicle runs using the rotational force of the motor as driving force.

[0003] JP 2023-13186 A

[0004] A work vehicle according to one aspect of the present disclosure has a vehicle body, a fuel cell, a motor driven by power generated by the fuel cell, a battery unit having a battery that stores power to be supplied to the motor, and a support structure for mounting the battery unit at a position near the outside in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body, the support structure having a lower support that supports the battery unit from below and a lateral support that holds the side walls of the battery unit in the vehicle width direction.

[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a work vehicle of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a front view of the work vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a rear view of the work vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a side view of the work vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a side view of the work vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the work vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the work vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the work vehicle shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is a side view of the work vehicle with the hood and other components removed. FIG. 10 is a perspective view with the right rear wheel removed from the vehicle body. FIG. 11 is a side view of the work vehicle shown in FIG. 5 with the rear wheel and front frame removed. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the filling section attached to a bracket and its surroundings. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the fuel cell and the discharge path. FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the battery unit and discharge pipe supported by the support structure. FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of the battery unit, discharge pipe, and support structure. Fig. 16 is a front view of the battery unit and discharge pipe supported by the support structure, and Fig. 17 is a front view showing the battery unit separated from the support structure.

[0006] <Problem to be Solved by the Present Disclosure> A work vehicle that runs using the rotational force of a motor as a driving force has a battery unit containing a battery that stores the power to be supplied to the motor. Drivetrain devices such as the motor and a device for reducing the rotational speed of the motor are installed in the center of the vehicle body in the vehicle width direction. The battery unit needs to be attached to the vehicle body so that these devices do not interfere with the battery unit.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a work vehicle having a support structure for attaching a battery unit to the vehicle body.

[0008] Effect of the Present Disclosure According to the work vehicle of the present disclosure, the battery unit can be easily attached to the vehicle body.

[0009] <Outline of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> The following is a list and description of outlines of embodiments of the present disclosure: (1) A work vehicle of this embodiment includes a vehicle body, a fuel cell, a motor driven by power generated by the fuel cell, a battery unit having a battery that stores power to be supplied to the motor, and a support structure for attaching the battery unit to a position near the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body, and the support structure includes a lower support that supports the battery unit from below and a lateral support that holds a side wall of the battery unit in the vehicle width direction.

[0010] In a work vehicle having the above configuration, the battery unit is located on the outer side of the vehicle body in the vehicle width direction. The battery unit is attached to the vehicle body while being supported from below by the lower support body and held in the vehicle width direction by the lateral support body.

[0011] (2) Preferably, the lateral support includes a fixed frame fixed to the vehicle body, a detachable frame fixed to the side wall, and removable fastening members that fasten the detachable frame to the fixed frame from above, below, or from the outside in the vehicle width direction. The lateral support is divided into a fixed frame and a detachable frame. The fastening members fasten the detachable frame fixed to the side wall of the battery unit to the fixed frame fixed to the vehicle body. Fastening using the fastening members is performed from above, below, or from the outside in the vehicle width direction, rather than from the center in the vehicle width direction. This facilitates attachment of the battery unit to the vehicle body. By removing the fastening members, the battery unit can be removed from the vehicle body together with the detachable frame, facilitating maintenance work on the battery unit.

[0012] (3) Preferably, in the work vehicle of (2), the detachable frame has a bracket located on the fixed frame, and the fastening member can fasten the bracket to the fixed frame from above. When the battery unit is placed on the lower support, the bracket of the detachable frame is located above the fixed frame. With this configuration, the fastening member can be fastened from above the bracket.

[0013] (4) Preferably, in the work vehicle of (3), the fixed frame includes a fixed member fixed to the vehicle body and a first side pillar integral with the fixed member and extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the detachable frame includes a second side pillar provided along the side wall and fixed to the side wall, and a plurality of brackets integral with the second side pillar and mounted on the first side pillar, and the fastening members are capable of fastening the brackets to the first side pillar from above the plurality of brackets. According to this configuration, the first side pillar of the fixed frame fixed to the vehicle body and the second side pillar of the detachable frame fixed to the battery unit are each long in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. Even if the side wall of the battery unit is long in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, the fastening members fasten the detachable frame to the fixed frame at the plurality of brackets integral with the second side pillar depending on the length of the side wall.

[0014] (5) Preferably, in the work vehicle of any one of (1) to (4), the lower support body has a mounting frame on which the battery unit is placed and removable second fastening members that fasten the lower wall of the battery unit to the mounting frame. According to this configuration, the battery unit is fixed to the lower support body by the second fastening members while placed on the lower support body. The second fastening members can be fastened from below.

[0015] (6) Preferably, in the work vehicle of (5), the battery unit is positioned so that it is fastened to the mounting frame by the second fastening members, and the detachable frame fixed to the side wall is positioned so that it can be fastened to the fixed frame fixed to the vehicle body by the fastening members. According to this configuration, when the battery unit is placed on the mounting frame of the lower support and fastened by the second fastening members, the fixed frame and the detachable frame are aligned for fastening the fastening members, facilitating the fastening operation of the fastening members.

[0016] (7) Preferably, in the work vehicle of any one of (1) to (6), the vehicle body has a chassis that is long in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and is located in the center of the vehicle width direction, the lower support body has a lower fixing member fixed to the chassis, a plurality of arms extending outward in the vehicle width direction from a portion of the lower fixing member, and a lower pillar connecting the plurality of arms in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and one or both of the lower pillar and the arm have a mounting surface for the battery unit on their upper surface. According to this configuration, the load of the battery unit, which is a heavy object, is supported by the chassis via the lower support body.

[0017] (8) Preferably, in the work vehicle of (7), the lower fixing member has a mounting frame fixed to the chassis and a connecting pole extending downward from the mounting frame and connecting to the arm, the arm extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the connecting pole. With this configuration, the position of the arm is lowered by the connecting pole, making it possible to lower the position of the battery unit.

[0018] (9) Preferably, the work vehicle according to any one of (1) to (8) above further comprises a fuel cell that generates power using hydrogen gas as fuel, and an exhaust pipe that exhausts water or water vapor generated by the operation of the fuel cell to the outside, and the lower support has an auxiliary member for attaching the exhaust pipe next to the battery unit in the vehicle width direction. This configuration allows the lower support to support the exhaust pipe in addition to the battery unit. The lower support effectively utilizes the space next to the battery unit as an installation location for the exhaust pipe.

[0019] (10) Preferably, the work vehicle of any one of (1) to (9) has a junction box mounted on the battery unit, and the junction box is detachable from the battery unit. According to this configuration, the junction box is mounted to the vehicle body together with the battery unit by a support structure. By detaching the junction box from the battery unit, fastening members can be easily fastened from the space above the battery unit.

[0020] (11) Preferably, in the work vehicle of any one of (2) to (4), the fastening member is a bolt, and a nut that engages with the bolt is fixed to the stationary frame. According to this configuration, even if the bolt is removed, the nut remains on the stationary frame. This makes it easy to re-tighten the bolt.

[0021] <Details of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure> Hereinafter, details of embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that at least some of the embodiments described below may be combined in any manner.

[0022] [Overall Configuration of Work Vehicle] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a work vehicle according to the present disclosure. Figs. 2 to 7 are a front view, a rear view, a side view (left side view), a side view (right side view), a plan view, and a bottom view of the work vehicle shown in Fig. 1. The work vehicle 10 of this embodiment is a vehicle that can be used for agricultural work, and the work vehicle 10 shown in Fig. 1 is a tractor. The work vehicle is not limited to a tractor. For example, the work vehicle according to the present invention may be an agricultural machine, a construction machine, a utility vehicle, or the like other than a tractor.

[0023] The directions of the work vehicle 10 of the present disclosure are defined below. The direction in which the work vehicle 10 moves forward is defined as "front," the direction in which the work vehicle 10 moves backward is defined as "back," the left side when facing forward is defined as "left," and the right side when facing forward is defined as "right." The left-right direction perpendicular to the fore-aft direction is defined as the vehicle width direction. The direction perpendicular to both the fore-aft direction and the vehicle width direction (left-right direction) is defined as the up-down direction. The up-down direction is also called the height direction. In each figure, orthogonal three-dimensional coordinates are shown, with the forward direction indicated by arrow X1 and the backward direction indicated by arrow X2. The left direction is indicated by arrow Y1 and the right direction is indicated by arrow Y2. The up direction is indicated by arrow Z1 and the down direction is indicated by arrow Z2.

[0024] 1 includes a vehicle body 11, a traveling device 12 that supports the vehicle body 11 so that it can travel, a driver's seat 15, a cabin 16, a tank unit 21 having a tank 13 that stores fuel, and a drive device 14 that is powered by the fuel stored in the tank 13. The fuel is hydrogen, and the tank 13 is a hydrogen tank that stores hydrogen gas. The work vehicle 10 of this embodiment is a fuel cell vehicle (FCV) that travels using electricity generated by a fuel cell (fuel cell module) 24 using hydrogen and oxygen.

[0025] The work vehicle 10 has a fuel cell 24, a battery unit 30, and an electric motor 31 as the drive device 14. The battery unit 30 has a battery 300 that stores power generated by the fuel cell 24 and supplies the stored power to the motor 31. The work vehicle 10 has a hydrogen gas piping (hydrogen piping) 22 and a filling unit 25 (see FIG. 3 ). The filling unit 25 has a filling port (receptacle) 26 to which a filling nozzle of a hydrogen gas supply device (not shown) separate from the work vehicle 10 is connected. Hydrogen gas is supplied from the filling port 26 and supplied to the tank 13 through the piping 22 (rear piping 22r). The hydrogen gas in the tank 13 is supplied to the fuel cell 24 through the piping 22 (front piping 22f). The specific configurations of the filling unit 25 and the piping 22 will be described later.

[0026] The work vehicle 10 (see FIG. 1) has a mounting frame 17 and a support structure 37. The mounting frame 17 is a frame for mounting the tank unit 21 (tank 13) on the vehicle body 11. The support structure 37 is a component for supporting the battery unit 30 on the vehicle body 11. The work vehicle 10 (see FIG. 7) has an exhaust path 35. The exhaust path 35 exhausts water or water vapor generated by operation of the fuel cell 24 to the outside. The specific configurations of the mounting frame 17, the support structure 37, and the exhaust path 35 will be described later.

[0027] [Vehicle Body 11] The vehicle body 11 has a chassis 41, a hood 34, a cover 111, and a fender 47 that covers the rear wheels 122 from above. The chassis 41 supports the traveling device 12, the drive device 14, and the cabin 16. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the work vehicle 10 shown in FIG. 1. The chassis 41 is located at the center in the vehicle width direction and has a shape that is long in the vehicle front-rear direction. The chassis 41 has a front frame 32 that forms the front portion of the chassis 41, and a gear case 33 that forms the rear portion of the chassis 41. The front frame 32 is formed by combining metal frame materials and the like, and has high rigidity. The gear case 33 has a metal box body. The gear case 33 is connected to the rear portion of the front frame 32, and the gear case 33 and the front frame 32 form the framework of the vehicle body 11.

[0028] The front frame 32 carries the motor 31. The gear case 33 has a power transmission mechanism 333 therein, such as a transmission, a clutch, and a differential gear. The power transmission mechanism 333 reduces or increases the rotation of the output shaft of the motor 31 and outputs the rotation to the traveling device 12 (one or both of the front wheels 121 and the rear wheels 122). The gear case 33 has a main case 337 located in the center in the vehicle width direction, and axle cases 335 for the rear wheels 122 located behind the main case 337 on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The main case 337 and the axle cases 335 are made of, for example, cast steel and have high rigidity.

[0029] The power transmission mechanism 333 outputs a portion of the power of the motor 31 to a PTO shaft 334 (see FIG. 3 ). The PTO shaft 334 is an output shaft provided at the rear of the gear case 33. The work vehicle 10 has a coupling device 43 for coupling another device to the rear of the vehicle body 11. The PTO shaft 334 transmits the power of the motor 31 to the other device coupled to the coupling device 43. The other device is a work device (not shown), also called an implement. The work device is operated by the power of the motor 31. The work device is, for example, a tiller.

[0030] Figure 9 is a left side view of the work vehicle 10, showing the hood 34, cover 111, and a portion of the tank case 211 of the tank unit 21 removed. Starting from the front of the vehicle, the first radiator 48, fuel cell 24, and second radiator 49 are mounted on the chassis 41 in this order. As shown in Figures 4 and 9, the hood 34 and cover 111 cover the mounted components located near the front of the vehicle body 11. The hood 34 covers the fuel cell 24 and first radiator 48 from above and on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The cover 111 covers the second radiator 49 located behind the fuel cell 24 from above and on both sides in the vehicle width direction.

[0031] The upper surface 48a of the first radiator 48 is lower than the upper surface 24a of the fuel cell 24. The upper surface 24a of the fuel cell 24 is lower than the upper surface 49a of the second radiator 49. The upper surface 111a of the cover 111 is higher than the upper surface 34a of the hood 34, but lower than the upper end of the steering wheel 151 that is operated by an operator sitting in the driver's seat 15 to steer the vehicle. The upper surface 34a of the hood 34 becomes lower toward the front. This makes it less likely that the field of vision of the operator sitting in the driver's seat 15 will be obstructed.

[0032] [Driver's Seat 15 and Cabin 16] The driver's seat 15 and the cabin 16 are provided on the chassis 41 at a rearward position (see FIG. 1). The cabin 16 has the driver's seat 15 inside. The cabin 16 has front pillars 162 located in front of the driver's seat 15, rear pillars 163 located behind the front pillars 162, and a roof 164 located above the driver's seat 15. The front pillars 162 are provided on the left front and right front of the driver's seat 15. The rear pillars 163 are provided on the left rear and right rear of the driver's seat 15. The roof 164 is supported by the front pillars 162 and the rear pillars 163.

[0033] The cabin 16 has a windshield 165 located in front of the driver's seat 15. The windshield 165 is provided between the left and right front pillars 162. The cabin 16 has openable and closable doors 166 on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The doors 166 are provided between the front pillars 162 and the rear pillars 163.

[0034] A step 167 is provided on one side (left side) of the cabin 16 in the vehicle width direction (see FIG. 5). The step 167 is a member on which an operator places their feet when getting in and out of the cabin 16. A cover 111 and a bonnet 34 are provided in front of the cabin 16. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the dimensions of the cover 111 and the bonnet 34 in the vehicle width direction are each smaller than the dimension of the cabin 16 in the vehicle width direction. The dimension of the bonnet 34 in the vehicle width direction is smaller than the dimension of the cover 111 in the vehicle width direction.

[0035] The work vehicle 10 of this embodiment has a cabin 16, but it does not have to have the cabin 16. The work vehicle 10 may have a canopy or ropes instead of the cabin 16. If the work vehicle 10 does not have a cabin 16, the tank unit 21 is supported by the mounting frame 17 and is located above the driver's seat 15.

[0036] [Traveling device 12] The traveling device 12 has front wheels 121 and rear wheels 122 (see FIG. 6). The front wheels 121 are provided on the left and right sides of the front part of the vehicle body 11. The rear wheels 122 are provided on the left and right sides of the rear part of the vehicle body 11. The maximum dimension in the vehicle width direction of the left and right rear wheels 122 is greater than the maximum dimension in the vehicle width direction of the left and right front wheels 121. The maximum dimension in the vehicle width direction of the left and right rear wheels 122 is the maximum vehicle width dimension of the work vehicle 10. One or both of the front wheels 121 and the rear wheels 122 rotate by the power of the motor 31. One or both of the front wheels 121 and the rear wheels 122 (drive wheels) that rotate by the power of the motor 31 may be crawlers (crawlers).

[0037] [Drive unit 14] As described above, the drive unit 14 is configured to include the fuel cell 24, the battery unit 30, and the motor 31. The fuel cell 24 is located on the chassis 41 near the front of the vehicle body 11 (see FIG. 9). The motor 31 is located behind the fuel cell 24 (see FIG. 8). The battery unit 30 is located near the outer side of the vehicle body 11 in the vehicle width direction (see FIG. 1). The battery unit 30 is attached to the chassis 41 by a support structure 37.

[0038] The fuel cell 24 generates electricity using hydrogen gas as fuel. That is, the fuel cell 24 generates electricity using hydrogen gas to obtain the electricity to rotate the motor 31. The fuel cell 24 (see FIG. 9 ) has a battery casing 241 in the shape of a substantially rectangular box and a fuel cell stack 242 provided inside the battery casing 241. The fuel cell stack 242 has multiple battery cells. Each battery cell has a positive electrode and a negative electrode. Multiple unit cells are stacked. The electricity generated by each battery cell is collected and output to the battery unit 30.

[0039] The motor 31 has a rotating rotor and a stator having a plurality of coils. The output shaft of the motor 31 is connected to a power transmission mechanism 333 in a gear case 33 (see FIG. 8). The motor 31 is located behind the fuel cell 24 and below the second radiator 49 (see FIG. 9).

[0040] [Tank Unit 21] The tank unit 21 has a tank 13 and a tank case 211 that houses the tank 13. The tank 13 is a substantially cylindrical high-pressure container. The tank 13 is made of fiber-reinforced resin reinforced with carbon fiber or glass fiber, or the like. In the present embodiment, three tanks 13 are fixed to the tank case 211 with the axial direction of their cylindrical portions parallel to the vehicle width direction. The number of tanks 13 is not limited to three.

[0041] The tank case 211 is a box that can accommodate one or more tanks 13. The tank case 211 has a box shape that completely covers the tanks 13 that it accommodates. The tank case 211 has an opening / closing door 213 (see FIG. 1 ) on one or both sides in the vehicle width direction, and is open in the vehicle width direction. The tank case 211 is installed above the roof 164 with a gap between it and the roof 164 in the vertical direction. The tank case 211 is fixed to the upper frame portion 171 of the mounting frame 17. The tank case 211 is made of metal such as aluminum or steel, and protects the tanks 13 from external thermal and physical influences.

[0042] The tank 13 is located above the cabin 16 (driver's seat 15). This allows for a high degree of freedom in the placement of the fuel cell 24, filling section 25, motor 31, and battery unit 30 in the vehicle body 11. When a conventional work vehicle with an internal combustion engine is modified to have a work vehicle 10 equipped with a fuel cell 24 and motor 31 as in this embodiment, there is no need to significantly change the placement and configuration of the various devices.

[0043] The tank 13 is connected to a rear pipe 22r and a front pipe 22f via a valve unit 212 (see FIG. 9). The rear pipe 22r (see FIG. 3) is a gas inlet pipe connecting the hydrogen gas fill port 26 and the valve unit 212, and guides hydrogen gas introduced into the fill port 26 to the tank 13. The front pipe 22f (see FIG. 2) is a gas outlet pipe connecting the fuel cell 24 and the valve unit 212, and guides hydrogen gas stored in the tank 13 to the fuel cell 24. The tank 13 stores hydrogen gas introduced into the fill port 26 from outside the vehicle and supplies it to the fuel cell 24. The valve unit 212 has an on-off valve, a pressure reducing valve, etc., and adjusts the hydrogen gas stored in the tank 13 to a predetermined flow rate and guides it to the fuel cell 24 through the front pipe 22f.

[0044] [Mounting Frame 17] The mounting frame 17 (see FIG. 1) is a frame structure for mounting the tank 13 on the vehicle body 11. The mounting frame 17 is made of steel. The mounting frame 17 in this embodiment has an upper frame portion 171 that supports the tank 13, and a first front frame portion 172, a second front frame portion 175, and a rear frame portion 173 that serve as frames for supporting the upper frame portion 171. A tank case 211 is attached to the upper frame portion 171. In other words, the upper frame portion 171 supports the tank 13 via the tank case 211. The specific configuration of the mounting frame 17 will be described later.

[0045] A filling section 25 (see FIG. 3) is provided on the rear frame section 173. The filling section 25 has a filling port 26 to which a gas filling nozzle of a hydrogen gas supply device (not shown) installed outside the vehicle is connected when filling the tank 13 with hydrogen gas.

[0046] [Radiator] The work vehicle 10 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) has a cooling system that uses coolant to cool the fuel cell 24, motor 31, boost circuit 80, inverter 81, DC / DC converters 82, 83, etc. As part of the cooling system, the work vehicle 10 has a first radiator 48 and a second radiator 49. As shown in FIG. 9, the first radiator 48 is located in front of the fuel cell 24, and the second radiator 49 is located behind the fuel cell 24.

[0047] The first radiator 48 is a radiator for cooling devices other than the fuel cell 24. The second radiator 49 is a radiator for cooling the fuel cell 24. The first radiator 48 is connected to electrical components (heat-generating components) that require cooling, such as the motor 31, the boost circuit 80 (see FIG. 5), the inverter 81, and the DC / DC converters 82 and 83, via a first cooling flow path (not shown) having a circulation pump. The first radiator 48 cools the coolant supplied through the first cooling flow path by heat exchange with external air. The second radiator 49 is connected to the fuel cell 24 via a second cooling flow path (not shown) having a circulation pump. The second radiator 49 cools the coolant supplied through the second cooling flow path by heat exchange with external air.

[0048] The first radiator 48 has a first fan 481 (see FIG. 9 ). The second radiator 49 has a second fan 491. The first fan 481 and the second fan 491 rotate to pass air through the first radiator 48 and the second radiator 49, facilitating heat exchange with the coolant.

[0049] [Battery Unit 30] The battery unit 30 stores the power generated by the fuel cell 24 and supplied to the motor 31. The battery unit 30 has a battery (battery pack) 300 and a housing 307 that houses the battery 300. The battery 300 temporarily stores the power generated by the fuel cell 24 and outputs the stored power to electrical devices such as the motor 31. The battery 300 is composed of multiple battery cells. The battery 300 is a charge-discharge type secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery or a lead-acid battery.

[0050] [Electrical System] The work vehicle 10 has a junction box 75. The junction box 75 is an electrical connection box for relaying and distributing the power output from the battery unit 30. The fuel cell 24 is connected to an inverter 81 (see FIG. 5 ) via a boost circuit. The battery unit 30 is connected to the inverter 81 through the junction box 75. The inverter 81 is electrically connected to the motor 31. The inverter 81 converts the DC power output from the boost circuit into three-phase AC power and outputs it to the motor 31.

[0051] The work vehicle 10 has low-voltage electrical equipment that operates at a lower voltage than the motor 31. Electric power that has been stepped down by a step-down circuit is supplied to the low-voltage electrical equipment through a junction box 75. In the work vehicle 10 of this embodiment, the low-voltage electrical equipment (see FIG. 9) is the battery unit 30, radiators 48, 49, and air conditioning unit 74. The work vehicle 10 has a first DC / DC converter 82 and a second DC / DC converter 83 as the step-down circuit (see FIG. 5).

[0052] The work vehicle 10 has a positioning device 65 (see FIG. 2). The positioning device 65 receives satellite signals transmitted from a plurality of GNSS satellites and performs positioning based on the satellite signals. GNSS is a general term for satellite positioning systems such as GPS (Global Positioning System), QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System: for example, "Michibiki"), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (Europe), and BeiDou (China).

[0053] The positioning device 65 has a receiver 65a that receives satellite signals, and an arithmetic processing unit 65b. The receiver 65a has an antenna that receives signals from GNSS satellites. The arithmetic processing unit 65b calculates and determines the position (coordinates) of the work vehicle 10 based on the signals received by the receiver 65a. In this way, the positioning device 65 obtains position information that indicates the position of the work vehicle 10.

[0054] [Specific Configuration of Mounting Frame 17] The mounting frame 17 (see FIGS. 1 and 8) is a member for mounting the tank 13, which stores hydrogen gas, on the vehicle body 11. The mounting frame 17 is fixed to the vehicle body 11. To this end, the vehicle body 11 has a first front support portion 51, a second front support portion 53, and a rear support portion 52 (see FIG. 10) as support portions. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the vehicle body 11 with the right rear wheel 122 removed.

[0055] The first front support portions 51 (see FIGS. 1 and 8) are located on both sides in the vehicle width direction at the front side of the vehicle body 11. The second front support portions 53 are located on both sides in the vehicle width direction in front of the front support portions 51. The first front support portions 51 and the second front support portions 53 are beam-shaped members that protrude from the front frame 32 on both sides in the vehicle width direction.

[0056] As described above (see FIG. 8 ), the vehicle body 11 has the front frame 32 and the gear case 33. The gear case 33 has a main case 337 located in the center in the vehicle width direction, and an axle case 335 for the rear wheel 122. The axle case 335 is fixed to the main case 337. The rear support parts 52 (see FIG. 10 ) are located on both sides in the vehicle width direction at the rear side of the vehicle body 11. In this embodiment, the rear support parts 52 are connecting brackets 46 fixed onto the axle case 335.

[0057] The mounting frame 17 (see FIGS. 1 and 8 ) has an upper frame portion 171, a pair of left and right first front frame portions 172, a pair of left and right second front frame portions 175, and a set of rear frame portions 173. The upper frame portion 171 is a rectangular frame made up of four straight members on the front, rear, left and right sides. The upper frame portion 171 supports the tank 13. In this embodiment, a tank case 211 is attached to the upper frame portion 171, and the tank 13 is housed inside the tank case 211.

[0058] The first front frame portions 172 are pillar members and extend upward from the front support portions 51 on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The pair of first front frame portions 172 are connected to both sides in the vehicle width direction of the front portion 171f of the upper frame portion 171. The pair of first front frame portions 172 support the front portion 171f of the upper frame portion 171 from below on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The first front frame portions 172 have a linear shape extending from the front support portions 51 toward the upper frame portion 171.

[0059] The rear frame portion 173 is composed of a plurality of straight members. The rear frame portion 173 extends upward from each of the rear support portions 52 (connecting brackets 46 shown in FIG. 10 ) on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The rear frame portion 173 is connected to both sides in the vehicle width direction of the rear portion 171r of the upper frame portion 171. The rear frame portion 173 supports the rear portion 171r of the upper frame portion 171 from below on both sides in the vehicle width direction.

[0060] The upper frame portion 171 that supports the tank 13 is supported on both sides in the vehicle width direction by the chassis 41 via the first front frame portion 172 and the rear frame portion 173. The load of the tank 13 is supported by the chassis 41 through the mounting frame 17. A portion of the weight of the tank 13 is supported by the first front frame portion 172. The first front frame portion 172 is a long member, but has a linear shape with no bends along the way, making it less likely to buckle even when a compressive force is applied.

[0061] The second front frame portions 175 (see FIGS. 1 and 8) are pillar members that extend upward and rearward from each of the second front support portions 53 on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The pair of second front frame portions 175 are connected to both sides in the vehicle width direction of the front portion 171f of the upper frame portion 171. The second front frame portions 175 may be connected to the upper portion of the first front frame portion 172 instead of the upper frame portion 171. When the work vehicle 10 accelerates or decelerates, the inertial force of the tank 13 acts on the mounting frame 17. The second front frame portions 175 are able to resist this inertial force.

[0062] The first front frame portion 172 and the second front frame portion 175 are fixed to the front frame 32, which is part of the chassis 41, via a first front support portion 51 and a second front support portion 53, respectively. The rear support portion 52 is fixed to an axle case 335 of the gear case 33, which is another part of the chassis 41, via a rear support portion 52 (connecting bracket 46). The chassis 41 forms a framework for mounting the hood 34, drive unit 14, etc., and has a strong structure and high rigidity. The tank 13 is supported on this chassis 41 via a mounting frame 17, allowing the work vehicle 10 to travel stably.

[0063] The mounting frame 17 has a pair of inclined frame portions 174. The inclined frame portions 174 extend rearward and upward from a portion 172p of the first front frame portion 172 and are connected to a portion 171b of the upper frame portion 171. The inclined frame portions 174 are straight members. The inclined frame portions 174 increase the rigidity of the mounting frame 17 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0064] The rear frame portion 173 (see FIG. 10 ) has a pair of first frame members 173a, beam members 173b, and a pair of second frame members 173c. The pair of first frame members 173a extend upward from each of the rear support portions 52 (connecting brackets 46) on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The beam members 173b connect the pair of first frame members 173a in the vehicle width direction. The pair of second frame members 173c extend upward from positions on both sides of the beam members 173b in the vehicle width direction and connect to the rear portions 171r of the upper frame portion 171. The rear frame portion 173 is reinforced by the beam members 173b.

[0065] The spacing between the pair of first frame members 173a and the spacing between the pair of second frame members 173c are different. The pair of first frame members 173a are located between the rear wheels 122 on both sides in the vehicle width direction, and the spacing between them is narrow. In contrast, the pair of second frame members 173c are located behind the driver's seat 15, and the spacing between them is wide to ensure visibility. The cabin 16 has a rear window 161 that opens rearward with its upper part as a fulcrum. The pair of second frame members 173c are spaced widely apart in the vehicle width direction, and are located on both sides in the vehicle width direction of the rear window 161 when it is open. Opening and closing of the rear window 161 is not obstructed by the rear frame portion 173.

[0066] The first frame member 173a extends upward and rearward from the rear support portion 52. In contrast, the second frame member 173c extends upward and frontward from the beam member 173b. With this configuration, the rear frame portion 173 has a shape that follows the shape of the rear portion of the work vehicle 10.

[0067] The driver's seat 15 is mounted on a mount portion 168 of the cabin 16. As described above, the gear case 33 that forms the rear part of the chassis 41 has an axle case 335 for the rear wheels 122. A connecting bracket 46 is fixed onto the axle case 335. The connecting bracket 46 has an elastic bushing 45. The mount portion 168 on which the driver's seat 15 is placed is attached to the connecting bracket 46 via the elastic bushing 45. In other words, the driver's seat 15 is mounted on the chassis 41 (axle case 335) via the connecting bracket 46 that has the elastic bushing 45.

[0068] In contrast, the rear frame portion 173 of the mounting frame 17 is directly fixed to the chassis 41 (axle case 335) via the connecting bracket 46 (rear support portion 52). The first front frame portion 172 and the second front frame portion 175 of the mounting frame 17 are also directly fixed to the chassis 41 (front frame 32) via the first front support portion 51 and the second front support portion 53.

[0069] In this way, the driver's seat 15 is mounted on the chassis 41 via the elastic bushings 45, while the mounting frame 17 is rigidly connected to the chassis 41. The chassis 41 and the mounting frame 17 form a single rigid body. When the work vehicle 10 travels on rough roads, the mounting frame 17, which supports the tank 13, behaves in the same way as the chassis 41 and does not wobble. On the other hand, the elastic bushings 45 are interposed between the driver's seat 15 and the chassis 41, providing a comfortable ride.

[0070] The connecting bracket 46 connects the rear frame portion 173, which is a part of the mounting frame 17. The driver's seat 15 is attached to the connecting bracket 46 via an elastic bushing 45. In other words, the driver's seat 15 and the rear frame portion 173 are supported on the vehicle body 11 (chassis 41) via the connecting bracket 46. The connecting bracket 46 is used in common as an attachment member for the driver's seat 15 and part of the mounting frame 17 (the rear frame portion 173).

[0071] [Arrangement of Mounting Frame 17] The upper frame portion 171 is located above the driver's seat 15 mounted on the vehicle body 11 (see Figures 4, 5, and 9). The work vehicle 10 has a cabin 16, and the upper frame portion 171 is located above the cabin 16. The first front frame portion 172 is located forward of the driver's seat 15 (cabin 16). The tank 13 is located above the driver's seat 15 (cabin 16), in a range rearward of the first front frame portion 172 located in front of the driver's seat 15 (cabin 16). The rear frame portion 173 is located rearward of the driver's seat 15 (cabin 16). The tank 13 is located above the driver's seat 15 (cabin 16), in a range forward of the rear frame portion 173 located behind the driver's seat 15 (cabin 16). The distance between the first front frame portion 172 and the rear frame portion 173 is wide, allowing for flexibility in the installation space of the tank 13.

[0072] The tank 13 is housed in a tank case 211. The upper frame portion 171 is located above the cabin 16, and the front end 211f of the tank case 211 is located forward of the cabin 16. This arrangement allows the position of the tank 13 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle to be closer to the center of gravity of the vehicle.

[0073] The first front support portion 51 is located between the front wheels 121 and the rear wheels 122, and the first front frame portion 172 is located between the front wheels 121 and the rear wheels 122. The driver's seat 15 is mounted on the vehicle body 11 at a position rearward of the front wheels 121. The first front support portion 51 is located between the front wheels 121 and the driver's seat 15, and the first front frame portion 172 is located between the front wheels 121 and the driver's seat 15. The installation of the first front frame portion 172 effectively utilizes the space between the front wheels 121 and the rear wheels 122, and in particular, the space between the front wheels 121 and the driver's seat 15. The first front frame portions 172 (see FIGS. 2 and 6 ) are located within the vehicle width range of the front wheels 121 on both sides of the vehicle width direction. The first front frame portions 172 do not extend outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the front wheels 121.

[0074] As described above (see FIG. 3), the rear frame portion 173 is located within the range of the rear wheels 122 on both sides in the vehicle width direction. In particular, the first frame members 173a of the rear frame portion 173 are located between the rear wheels 122 on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The rear frame portion 173 (see FIG. 4) is located within the range of the rear wheels 122 in the vehicle front-rear direction. As described above, the rear frame portion 173 does not protrude outward in the vehicle width direction beyond the rear wheels 122, and does not protrude rearward beyond the rear wheels 122.

[0075] The cabin 16 (see Figures 4 and 5) has a pair of front pillars 162 on both sides in the vehicle width direction and a pair of rear pillars 163 on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The first front frame portion 172 is a separate member from the front pillars 162. The rear frame portion 173 is a separate member from the rear pillars 163. Therefore, the cabin 16 does not need to bear the weight of the tank 13, and the front pillars 162 and rear pillars 163 of the cabin 16 do not need to be made of highly rigid members.

[0076] The first front frame portion 172 is located in front of the front pillar 162. The rear frame portion 173 is located behind the rear pillar 163. There is a large gap between the first front frame portion 172 and the rear frame portion 173 in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle, and the cabin 16 is located between them. The tank unit 21 is located above the cabin 16.

[0077] In the present embodiment (see FIG. 1 ), the front pipe 22f, which is the hydrogen pipe 22, is provided along the first front frame portion 172 of the mounting frame 17. Furthermore, the front pipe 22f is provided along the inclined frame portion 174. The rear pipe 22r, which is the hydrogen pipe 22, is provided along the second frame member 173c of the rear frame portion 173. The first front frame portion 172, the inclined frame portion 174, and the rear frame portion 173 are used as members for attaching the hydrogen pipe 22. Note that it is sufficient that the hydrogen pipe 22 (front pipe 22f, rear pipe 22r) connected to the tank 13 is provided along at least one of the first front frame portion 172 and the rear frame portion 173.

[0078] [Hydrogen Gas Piping 22] Figure 11 is a side view of the work vehicle 10 shown in Figure 5 with the rear wheels 122 and first front frame portion 172 removed. Note that Figure 11 shows the first front frame portion 172 with a virtual line (two-dot chain line). The tank unit 21 has a tank 13 that stores hydrogen gas, and is provided on the vehicle body 11. The work vehicle 10 has a fuel cell 24 and a hydrogen gas filling unit 25 as hydrogen equipment mounted on the vehicle body 11. The fuel cell 24 is located in front of the tank 13. In other words, the fuel cell 24 is located closer to the front of the vehicle body 11. The filling unit 25 is located behind the tank 13. In other words, the filling unit 25 is located closer to the rear of the vehicle body 11.

[0079] The work vehicle 10 has hydrogen gas piping 22 that connects the tank 13 and the hydrogen payload (fuel cell 24, filling unit 25). The piping 22 includes a rear piping 22r that connects the filling unit 25 and the tank 13, and a front piping 22f that connects the tank 13 and the fuel cell 24.

[0080] The front piping 22f passes through a piping area 23f at the bottom and front of the tank unit 21 and is connected to the fuel cell 24. In this embodiment, the front piping 22f passes through a piping area 23f located on the bottom surface of the tank unit 21. The rear piping 22r passes through a piping area 23r at the bottom and rear of the tank unit 21 and is connected to the filling section 25. In this embodiment, the rear piping 22r passes through a piping area 23r located on the rear surface of the tank unit 21. In this manner, the piping areas 23f, 23r through which the piping 22 (front piping 22f and rear piping 22r) connected to the tank 13 pass are provided in the lower part 21b of the tank unit 21. The lower part 21b of the tank unit 21 is the portion of the tank unit 21 (tank case 211) below the central position in the up-down direction and includes the bottom surface (lower surface).

[0081] For this reason, the piping regions 23f, 23r in the tank unit 21 are located as close as possible to the hydrogen equipment (fuel cell 24, charging section 25) on the vehicle body 11, and the piping 22 is made as short as possible. In other words, the front piping 22f connecting the tank 13 to the fuel cell 24 is made as short as possible, and the rear piping 22r connecting the charging section 25 to the tank 13 is made as short as possible.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 1 , the piping region 23r for the rear piping 22r is located on the right side (first side in the vehicle width direction). The piping region 23f for the front piping 22f is located on the left side (second side in the vehicle width direction). The rear piping 22r passes through the piping region 23r at the rear right side and connects to the tank 13. The front piping 22f passes through the piping region 23f at the front left side and connects to the fuel cell 24. In the tank unit 21, the rear piping 22r and the front piping 22f are efficiently laid out. Note that the front and rear piping regions 23f, 23r may both be located on the right side or both be located on the left side.

[0083] The vehicle body 11 (see FIG. 11 ) has a cover 111 that covers the second radiator 49, which is an on-board component located toward the front of the vehicle body 11. The cover 111 has an opening 112 that allows the front pipe 22f to pass through. In the present embodiment, the opening 112 is a notch provided in a portion of the metal cover 111. The opening 112 eliminates the need for the front pipe 22f, which is connected to the fuel cell 24, to detour around the cover 111, making it possible to lay out the front pipe 22f as efficiently as possible.

[0084] As described above, the work vehicle 10 has a mounting frame 17 for mounting the tank unit 21 on the vehicle body 11. In the present embodiment (see FIG. 10 ), the rear piping 22r is attached along a portion (second frame member 173c) of the rear frame portion 173 of the mounting frame 17. The rear frame portion 173 has a clamp member 221 for fixing the rear piping 22r to the second frame member 173c. The clamp member 221 may be any component known in the art, as long as it is configured to attach the piping to a portion of the rear frame portion 173 that serves as a fixing member.

[0085] The front pipe 22f (see FIG. 11) is attached along a portion of the first front frame portion 172 of the mounting frame 17. The first front frame portion 172 has a clamp member for fixing the front pipe 22f to the portion of the first front frame portion 172. The clamp member is of the same type as the clamp member 221 for the rear pipe 22r.

[0086] In this way, the pipes 22 (front pipes 22f, rear pipes 22r) are attached along parts of the columnar frame members (first front frame portion 172, rear frame portion 173) of the mounting frame 17. The mounting frame 17 is used to support the pipes 22 between the tank unit 21 and the fuel cell 24 and the filling section 25, which are the hydrogen load components. The clamp members 221 secure the pipes 22 to the various parts of the mounting frame 17, preventing them from shifting position.

[0087] Each member constituting the mounting frame 17 is a hollow tubular member. Therefore, at least a portion of the piping 22 may be configured to pass through the tubular member. For example, the rear piping 22r (see FIG. 1) is provided outside the rear frame portion 173 and along the rear frame portion 173. As a variation thereof, a portion of the rear piping 22r may pass through the interior of a portion of the rear frame portion 173, which is a hollow tubular member. In this case, the frame material (tubular member) functions as a cover to protect the piping 22. Similarly, a portion of the front piping 22f may pass through the interior of the inclined frame portion 174 or the first front frame portion 172, which are hollow tubular members.

[0088] The rear pipe 22r has a flexible pipe 222 in a portion thereof (see FIG. 10 ). The flexible pipe 222 may be any conventionally known part as long as it is flexible and allows hydrogen gas to pass through. Similarly, the front pipe 22f has a flexible pipe in a portion thereof. This flexible pipe is of the same type as the flexible pipe 222 for the rear pipe 22r. In this way, the pipes 22 (rear pipe 22r, front pipe 22f) have flexible pipes 222 in a portion thereof, which makes it easy to attach the pipes 22 to the work vehicle 10. The flexible pipes 222 make it possible to absorb external forces acting on the pipes 22 due to vibrations or the like after the pipes 22 are attached.

[0089] [Filling Unit 25] As described above (see FIG. 10 ), the filling unit 25 has a filling port 26 to which a gas filling nozzle of a hydrogen gas supply device (not shown) installed outside the vehicle is connected when filling the tank 13 with hydrogen gas. The rear piping 22r connects from the filling unit 25 (filling port 26) to the tank 13. The work vehicle 10 has a mounting frame 17 for installing the tank 13 on the cabin 16. The rear frame portion 173 of the mounting frame 17 has a bracket 27 as an attachment portion for attaching the filling unit 25 (filling port 26).

[0090] The rear frame portion 173 is a member for fixing the rear pipe 22r and also serves as a member for attaching the filling portion 25. The rear frame portion 173 is a part of the mounting frame 17 for mounting the tank 13 on the vehicle body 11. The mounting frame 17 for mounting the tank unit 21 on the vehicle body 11 is also used as a member for attaching the filling portion 25 to the vehicle body 11.

[0091] The tank 13 is installed above the vehicle body 11, and a bracket 27 for mounting the filling unit 25 is provided at a relatively low position on a frame (rear frame portion 173) connected to the vehicle body 11. By filling the tank 13 with hydrogen gas from the filling unit 25, the hydrogen gas is supplied to the tank 13 through the rear piping 22r.

[0092] In addition to being provided on the rear frame portion 173, the bracket 27 may also be provided on another frame portion of the mounting frame 17 (not shown), or on another frame of the vehicle body 11 other than the mounting frame 17. That is, it is sufficient that the frame connected to the vehicle body 11 has an attachment portion (bracket 27) for attaching the filling unit 25 (filling port 26). The frame has frame members that stand upright from the vehicle body 11 (chassis 41). In this embodiment, the frame members are a first frame member 173a located on one side of the vehicle body 11 in the vehicle width direction, and a second frame member 173a located on the other side of the vehicle body 11 in the vehicle width direction. In this way, using a frame having the bracket 27 provides flexibility in the installation position of the filling port 26, resulting in a work vehicle 10 that facilitates the hydrogen gas filling operation.

[0093] The rear frame portion 173 having the bracket 27 is located toward the rear of the vehicle body 11. With this configuration, the filling portion 25 (filling port 26) is located at the rear of the work vehicle 10. In contrast, the fuel cell 24 is located at the front of the vehicle body 11. The filling portion 25 (filling port 26) is located away from the fuel cell 24, improving safety. The work vehicle 10 has a driver's seat 15 mounted on the vehicle body 11 and a cabin 16 with the driver's seat 15 inside. The fuel cell 24 is located in front of the cabin 16. The rear frame portion 173 having the bracket 27 is located behind the cabin 16. With this arrangement, the cabin 16 is interposed between the filling portion 25 (filling port 26) and the fuel cell 24, and the filling portion 25 (filling port 26) is located away from the fuel cell 24.

[0094] FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of the filling unit 25 attached to the bracket 27 and its surroundings. The filling unit 25 has a housing 28 that houses the filling port 26. The housing 28 has a case 28a and a lid 28b. The case 28a has walls at the top, bottom, left, right, and front, and opens at the rear. The lid 28b is openable and can close the opening of the case 28a. The filling port 26 is provided on the housing 28 so as to open toward the rear or side of the vehicle. The rear pipe 22r is connected to the filling unit 25 (filling port 26) from the front of the housing 28. With this configuration, the filling port 26 is protected by the housing 28. The rear pipe 22r is connected to the filling unit 25 from the space formed between the housing 28 and the rear of the vehicle body 11. A connection portion 29 between the rear pipe 22r and the housing 28 is not exposed to the wide space behind the vehicle, and the connection portion 29 is protected.

[0095] In this embodiment, the filling section 25 (filling port 26) is located behind the cabin 16, between the rear wheels 122 on both sides in the vehicle width direction. The filling section 25 (filling port 26) is protected from the left and right by the rear wheels 122, and is protected from the front by the cabin 16. The rear frame section 173 has a pair of first frame members 173a located on both sides in the vehicle width direction, and a beam member 173b as a third frame member that connects the pair of first frame members 173a in the vehicle width direction. The filling section 25 (filling port 26) is located below the beam member 173b. The filling section 25 (filling port 26) is protected from above by the beam member 173b.

[0096] Although not shown, an attachment portion (bracket 27) for the filling portion 25 (filling port 26) may be provided across both the first frame member 173a located on one side of the vehicle body in the vehicle width direction and the first frame member 173a located on the other side of the vehicle body in the vehicle width direction.

[0097] The work vehicle 10 of this embodiment is a tractor, and has a coupling device 43 at the rear of the vehicle body 11 (see FIG. 10 ). The coupling device 43 is a device for coupling a separate implement, such as a tiller. The bracket 27 is not located in the center of the vehicle width direction, but is positioned offset to the right side, which is one side of the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the filling port 26 is also positioned offset to the right side. Note that the bracket 27 (filling port 26) may also be positioned offset to the left side. With this configuration, when an operator performs hydrogen gas filling work, the operator can easily reach the filling port 26 even if the presence of the implement or coupling device 43 makes it difficult for the operator to approach the rear of the work vehicle 10.

[0098] When the vehicle body 11 is viewed from the rear, the filling section 25 (filling port 26) 5 is located above the coupling device 43. There are cases where a portion of the coupling device 43 moves, for example, by changing its posture or position. Even in this case, the filling section 25 (filling port 26) is unlikely to be hidden by the coupling device 43. This makes it easier to fill the hydrogen gas through the filling port 26.

[0099] As described above, the vehicle body 11 has the connecting bracket 46 for attaching the mount portion 168 of the cabin 16. The first frame member 173a of the rear frame portion 173 is connected to the connecting bracket 46. The first frame member 173a has a bracket 27 for attaching the filler portion 25 (filling port 26). In other words, the connecting bracket 46 for attaching the cabin 16 is also used as a member for attaching the filler portion 25 (filling port 26) to the vehicle body 11 via the rear frame portion 173.

[0100] [Discharge Path 35] Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram of the fuel cell 24 and the discharge path 35. The discharge path 35 is connected to the fuel cell 24 and discharges water or water vapor generated by the operation of the fuel cell 24 to the outside. The discharge path 35 has a discharge pipe 351 and a connecting pipe 353. The connecting pipe 353 is a pipe that connects the fuel cell 24 and the discharge pipe 351. The discharge pipe 351 has a discharge port 352, and water or water vapor is discharged from the discharge port 352 to the outside. The discharge port 352 opens toward the rear of the vehicle. When water or water vapor is discharged from the discharge pipe 351 while the work vehicle 10 is traveling, a headwind does not obstruct the discharge.

[0101] The following describes the longitudinal and vertical arrangement of the discharge path 35, including the discharge pipe 351. The discharge pipe 351 is located between the front and rear wheels 121 and 122, rather than at the rear of the vehicle body 11 on the rear wheel 122 side. The space between the front and rear wheels 121 and 122 is used as the installation space for the discharge pipe 351.

[0102] The fuel cell 24 is located closer to the front wheels 121 than to the rear wheels 122 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The fuel cell 24 is located above the axle of the front wheels 121. The exhaust pipe 351 is located between the front wheels 121 and the rear wheels 122. The fuel cell 24 and the exhaust pipe 351 are close to each other in the longitudinal direction, and the connecting pipe 353 is not unnecessarily long. It is possible to lay out the exhaust path 35, including the exhaust pipe 351, as efficiently as possible.

[0103] The work vehicle 10 is stable because the fuel cell 24, which is a heavy load, is located above the axle of the front wheels 121. The discharge pipe 351 is preferably installed near the fuel cell 24, but is located behind the fuel cell 24, not below it. This prevents the discharge pipe 351 from interfering with the axle of the front wheels 121.

[0104] The discharge pipe 351 is provided at a position lower than the fuel cell 24. Water generated in the discharge path 35 easily reaches the discharge pipe 351 due to its own weight. Because the discharge pipe 351 is located under the vehicle body 11 and is close to the road surface, the discharged water falls onto the road surface.

[0105] As described above, the work vehicle 10 has a mounting frame 17 for mounting the tank 13 on the vehicle body 11. The vehicle body 11 has a chassis 41 and a front support portion 51. The chassis 41 mounts the fuel cell 24 at a position closer to the front. The front support portion 51 is fixed to a part of the chassis 41 behind the fuel cell 24. The front support portion 51 supports the first front frame portion 172, which is part of the mounting frame 17, from below.

[0106] The fuel cell 24 is located in front of the first front frame portion 172 and the front support portion 51. The discharge pipe 351 is located behind the front support portion 51. In other words, the fuel cell 24 and the discharge pipe 351 are located in front of and behind the front support portion 51. The connection pipe 353 runs from the fuel cell 24, passes under the front support portion 51, and connects to the discharge pipe 351. With the above configuration, the discharge pipe 351 is located under the chassis 41 (front frame 32) and close to the road surface, and discharged water falls onto the road surface.

[0107] The connecting pipe 353 has a first connecting port 355 on the upstream side connected to the fuel cell 24 and a second connecting port 356 on the downstream side connected to the discharge pipe 351. The connecting pipe 353 has a first pipe 353a extending rearward from the fuel cell 24, a second pipe 353b extending downward from the rear end of the first pipe 353a, and a third pipe 353c extending rearward from the lower end of the second pipe 353b. The first connecting port 355 is located at the front end of the first pipe 353a, and the second connecting port 356 is located at the rear end of the third pipe 353c.

[0108] The third pipe 353c is lower than the second pipe 353b located upstream thereof, and the second pipe 353b is lower than the first pipe 353a located upstream thereof. The second connection port 356 is located lower than the first connection port 355. In this way, each section of the pipe between the first connection port 355 and the second connection port 356 is lower than the section upstream of that section. Therefore, even if water is generated in the connection pipe 353, the water will be carried to the discharge pipe 351 by its own weight. Alternatively, each section of the pipe between the first connection port 355 and the second connection port 356 may be at the same height as the section upstream of that section.

[0109] As described above (see FIGS. 7 and 13 ), the vehicle body 11 has a front frame 32 on which the fuel cell 24 and motor 31 are mounted, and a gear case 33 that is provided behind the front frame 32 and houses a gear that changes the rotation speed of the motor 31. The exhaust pipe 351 is located below the front part of the gear case 33. The space below the gear case 33 is the installation space for the exhaust pipe 351. Therefore, it is not necessary to expand the equipment layout in a plan view to accommodate the installation space for the exhaust pipe 351.

[0110] The discharge pipe 351 is located below the driver's seat 15. The position of the discharge pipe 351 does not have to be directly below the driver's seat 15. The discharge pipe 351 may be located below the driver's seat 15, and may be located offset to one side in the vehicle width direction as in this embodiment, rather than in the center in the vehicle width direction. This configuration prevents the driver's seat from getting wet.

[0111] As described above, the work vehicle 10 of this embodiment has a step 167 for the worker to get in and out of the driver's seat 15 (cabin 16) (see FIG. 5 ). The discharge pipe 351 is located below the step 167. Note that an upper portion of the discharge pipe 351 and a lower portion of the step 167 may be at the same height. In other words, the discharge pipe 351 being located below the step 167 means that the lowest portion of the discharge pipe 351 is located below the lowest portion of the step 167. The discharge pipe 351 only needs to be located below the step 167, and may be offset in the vehicle width direction as in this embodiment rather than directly below the step 167. With this configuration, the discharge pipe 351 is located close to the road surface, and discharged water falls onto the road surface and does not wet the driver's seat 15 or the step 167.

[0112] The arrangement of the discharge path 35 in the vehicle width direction on the vehicle will be described. The drive shaft 61 used for traveling of the work vehicle 10, and the gear case 33 connected to the drive shaft 61 for gear changes and the like, are located in the central region in the vehicle width direction in the lower part of the vehicle body 11 (see FIG. 7 ). Therefore, the discharge pipe 351 is positioned closer to the right side, which is one side in the vehicle width direction, than the center in the vehicle width direction. The discharge pipe 351 is installed to avoid the drive shaft 61 and the gear case 33. As described above, the discharge pipe 351 is positioned below the front of the gear case 33, closer to the right side, which is one side in the vehicle width direction, than the center in the vehicle width direction.

[0113] The battery unit 30 is located toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction. The battery unit 30 is located on the right side in the vehicle width direction. The discharge pipe 351 is located toward the center of the battery unit 30 in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the discharge pipe 351 is located between the battery unit 30 and the equipment in the center area in the vehicle width direction (the drive shaft 61 and the gear case 33). The discharge pipe 351 is installed in the empty space next to the battery unit 30.

[0114] As described above (see FIG. 8 ), the work vehicle 10 has a support structure 37 for supporting the battery unit 30 on the vehicle body 11. The support structure 37 has an auxiliary member 371 for attaching the discharge pipe 351. The support structure 37 for the battery unit 30 also serves as a member for attaching the discharge pipe 351. The specific configuration of the support structure 37 will be described later.

[0115] As described above (see FIG. 2 ), the work vehicle 10 has a positioning device 65, which acquires position information indicating the position of the work vehicle 10. The work vehicle 10 also has a control device (not shown) that controls the traveling devices 12 and the drive devices 14, etc., and the control device has a storage device made up of memory, etc. The storage device stores map information about a map that includes the positions of garages, roads, fields, etc.

[0116] The discharge path 35 (see FIG. 13 ) has a drain valve 354 and a control device 70 that controls the opening and closing of the drain valve 354. The control device 70 is configured by an ECU (Electronic Control Unit). The control device 70 controls the opening and closing operation of the drain valve 354 using the position information and the map information.

[0117] For example, the work vehicle 10 (the control device) determines whether it is in a garage or in a location outside the garage, such as a field, based on the position information and map information. If the work vehicle 10 is in a garage and water or water vapor should not be discharged to the outside, the control device 70 closes the drain valve 354. If the work vehicle 10 is on a road or in a field and water or water vapor may be discharged, the control device 70 opens the drain valve 354 and discharges the water or water vapor to the outside.

[0118] The control device 70 enables the drain path 35 to automatically discharge water or water vapor to the outside. In addition to the automatic operation by the control device 70, for example, an operation unit such as a discharge button may be provided on an operation panel installed in the cabin 16, and the control device 70 may control the opening and closing of the drain valve by the driver operating the operation unit.

[0119] [Support structure 37] The support structure 37 (see Figure 8) is a member for attaching the battery unit 30 to a position closer to the outside in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body 11. Figure 14 is a perspective view of the battery unit 30 and discharge pipe 351 supported by the support structure 37. Figure 15 is an exploded perspective view of the battery unit 30, discharge pipe 351, and support structure 37. Figure 16 is a front view of the battery unit 30 and discharge pipe 351 supported by the support structure 37. Figure 17 is a front view showing the battery unit 30 separated from the support structure 37.

[0120] The support structure 37 has a lower support 38 that supports the battery unit 30 from below, and a lateral support 39 that supports the battery unit 30 from one side (left side) in the vehicle width direction. The lateral support 39 holds a side wall 301 on one side (left side) of the battery unit 30 in the vehicle width direction. The lower support 38 and the lateral support 39 are each constructed by assembling multiple steel members by welding or the like. The battery unit 30 is located toward the outer side (right side) of the vehicle body 11 in the vehicle width direction. The battery unit 30 is attached to the vehicle body 11 while being supported from below by the lower support 38 and held in the vehicle width direction by the lateral support 39.

[0121] The horizontal support 39 (see Figures 15, 16, and 17) is divided into a fixed frame 391 and a detachable frame 392. That is, the horizontal support 39 has the fixed frame 391, the detachable frame 392, and removable fastening members that fasten the detachable frame 392 to the fixed frame 391. The fastening members are bolts (first bolts) 390. In this embodiment, the bolts 390 fasten the detachable frame 392 to the fixed frame 391 from above. Nuts 395 that engage with the bolts 390 (see Figure 17) are fixed to the underside of the fixed frame 391. Even when the bolts 390 are removed, the nuts 395 remain on the fixed frame 391. This makes it easier to re-tighten the bolts 390.

[0122] Before the battery unit 30 is attached to the support structure 37 (see FIG. 17 ), the components of the support structure 37 other than the detachable frame 392 and bolts 390 are fixed to the vehicle body 11. In this embodiment, these components are fixed to a part (gear case 33) of the chassis 41 of the vehicle body 11. Before the battery unit 30 is attached to the support structure 37, the fixing frame 391 is fixed to the vehicle body 11 (gear case 33) in advance, and the detachable frame 392 is fixed to the side wall 301 of the battery unit 30 in advance.

[0123] Bolts 390 fasten a detachable frame 392 fixed to the battery unit 30 to a fixed frame 391 fixed to the vehicle body 11. Fastening with bolts 390 is performed from above, not from the center side in the vehicle width direction (the right side in the case of Figure 17 ). This makes it easy to attach the battery unit 30 to the vehicle body 11.

[0124] Note that instead of a configuration in which the detachable frame 392 is fastened to the fixed frame 391 from above with the bolts 390, the detachable frame 392 may be fastened to the fixed frame 391 from below or from the outside in the vehicle width direction (the left side in the case of FIG. 17 ) with the bolts 390. Fastening with the bolts 390 from the center side in the vehicle width direction (the right side in the case of FIG. 17 ) is difficult. However, fastening with the bolts 390 from above, below, or from the outside in the vehicle width direction (the left side in the case of FIG. 17 ) is easy.

[0125] A junction box 75 is mounted on top of the battery unit 30. The junction box 75 is an electrical connection box for relaying and distributing the power output from the battery unit 30. The junction box 75 is mounted to the vehicle body 11 together with the battery unit 30 by the support structure 37. The junction box 75 is attached to the battery unit 30 with bolts (not shown). The junction box 75 can be removed from the battery unit 30 by removing the bolts. Removing the junction box 75 from the battery unit 30 makes it easier to fasten the bolts 390 from the space above the battery unit 30.

[0126] The detachable frame 392 has a bracket 393 positioned on top of the fixed frame 391 (see Figures 16 and 17). The bolts 390 can be used to fasten the bracket 393 to the fixed frame 391 from above. When the battery unit 30 is placed on the lower support 38, the bracket 393 is positioned above the fixed frame 391. This allows the bolts 390 to be fastened from above the bracket 393, improving workability. Because the bolts 390 are detachable, the battery unit 30 can be removed from the vehicle body 11 together with the detachable frame 392, facilitating maintenance work on the battery unit 30.

[0127] The lower support body 38 has a mounting frame 381 on which the battery unit 30 is placed, and a removable second fastening member. The second fastening member is a bolt (second bolt) 380. The bolt 380 can fasten the bottom wall 302 of the battery unit 30 to the mounting frame 381. The battery unit 30 is fixed to the lower support body 38 by the bolt 380 while placed on the lower support body 38 (see FIG. 16 ). An operator can fasten the second bolt 380 from below. Furthermore, the second bolt 380 can be removed from the mounting frame 381 to perform maintenance on the battery unit 30.

[0128] The battery unit 30 is positioned by being fastened to the mounting frame 381 by the second bolts 380. In this positioned state, the detachable frame 392 fixed to the side wall 301 is positioned so that it can be fastened to the fixed frame 391 fixed to the vehicle body 11 by the first bolts 390. In other words, the holes provided in the brackets 393 of the detachable frame 392 and the screw holes of the nuts 395 fixed to the fixed frame 391 are aligned vertically.

[0129] As described above, when the battery unit 30 is placed on the mounting frame 381 of the lower support 38 and fastened with the second bolts 380, the separated fixed frame 391 and detachable frame 392 are aligned for fastening the first bolts 390. This makes it easy to fasten the first bolts 390.

[0130] The configuration of each part of the support structure 37 will be further described. As described above, the lateral support 39 of the support structure 37 is divided into a fixed frame 391 and a detachable frame 392 (see FIG. 15 ). The fixed frame 391 has a fixed member 399 fixed to the vehicle body 11 and a first side pillar 398 that is integral with the fixed member 399. The first side pillar 398 has an elongated shape that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

[0131] The detachable frame 392 has a second side pillar 394 that is provided along and fixed to the side wall 301 of the battery unit 30, and multiple brackets 393 that are integral with the second side pillar 394. The brackets 393 rest on the first side pillar 398. The second side pillar 394 has an elongated shape that extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle. Bolts 390 are provided on top of each of the multiple brackets 393 to fasten the brackets 393 to the first side pillar 398.

[0132] Even if the side wall 301 of the battery unit 30 is long in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction, the first side pillar 398 and the second side pillar 394 are each long in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction accordingly. Furthermore, bolts 390 fasten the detachable frame 392 to the fixed frame 391 at multiple (three in the illustrated example) brackets 393 that are integral with the second side pillar 394. The brackets 393 are provided dispersed at intervals in the vehicle's fore-and-aft direction.

[0133] As described above (FIG. 8), the vehicle body 11 has a chassis 41 that is long in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and is located at the center in the width direction of the vehicle. The lower support body 38 of the support structure 37 (see FIGS. 15, 16, and 17) has a lower fixing member 382 fixed to a part of the chassis 41, a plurality of arms 383 (two in the illustrated example), and a plurality of lower pillars 384 (three in the illustrated example).

[0134] In this embodiment, the lower fixing member 382 has a mounting frame 386 fixed to a portion of the chassis 41 and multiple connecting posts 387 extending downward from the mounting frame 386. The arm 383 is connected to the connecting post 387, which is a portion of the lower fixing member 382. The arm 383 is a member that extends outward in the vehicle width direction from the lower portion of the connecting post 387. The lower post 384 is a member that connects the multiple arms 383 in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle. The lower post 384 has a mounting surface 385 on its upper surface on which the battery unit 30 is placed. Note that the arm 383 may also have the mounting surface 385 on its upper surface. In other words, one or both of the lower post 384 and the arm 383 have the mounting surface 385 on their upper surface on which the battery unit 30 is placed.

[0135] The weight of the battery unit 30, which is a heavy load, is supported by the chassis 41 via the lower support 38. The position of the arm 383 is lowered by the connecting pillar 387, making it possible to lower the position of the battery unit 30. This configuration contributes to a lower center of gravity for the work vehicle 10.

[0136] The lower support body 38 supports the discharge pipe 351 in addition to the battery unit 30. To this end, the lower support body 38 has an auxiliary member 371 for attaching the discharge pipe 351. The auxiliary member 371 is a member for attaching the discharge pipe 351 adjacent to the battery unit 30 in the vehicle width direction. The discharge pipe 351 is fixed to the auxiliary member 371 with bolts. The auxiliary member 371 is connected to a connecting column 387. This configuration of the lower support body 38 makes effective use of the space adjacent to the battery unit 30 as an installation position for the discharge pipe 351.

[0137] [Others] The second front frame portion 175 may be omitted from the mounting frame 17 for mounting the tank 13 on the vehicle body 11. The components of each part constituting the mounting frame 17 may have a shape other than that shown in the figures. The filling section 25 may have a shape other than that shown in the figures. The path of the rear pipe 22r from the filling section 25 to the tank 13 and the path of the front pipe 22g from the tank 13 to the fuel cell 24 may have a shape other than that shown in the figures. The discharge path 35 may have a shape other than that shown in the figures. The discharge pipe 351 is attached to a part of the support structure 37 that supports the battery unit 30, but may be attached to the vehicle body 11 by a separate member other than the support structure 37. The components of each part constituting the support structure 37 may have a shape other than that shown in the figures.

[0138] The above-described embodiments are illustrative in all respects and are not limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims rather than the above-described embodiments, and includes all modifications within the scope equivalent to the configurations described in the claims.

[0139] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 11 Vehicle body 24 Fuel cell 30 Battery unit 31 Motor 301 Side wall 302 Lower wall 351 Discharge pipe 37 Support structure 371 Auxiliary member 38 Lower support 380 Second fastening member 381 Mounting frame 382 Lower fixing member 383 Arm 384 Lower column 385 Mounting surface 386 Mounting frame 387 Connecting column 39 Horizontal support 390 Fastening member (bolt) 391 Fixing frame 392 Detachable frame 393 Bracket 394 Second side column 395 Nut 398 First side column 399 Fixing member 41 Chassis 75 Junction box

Claims

1. The car body and, Fuel cells and A motor driven by electricity generated by the aforementioned fuel cell, A battery unit having a battery for storing power supplied to the motor, A support structure for mounting the battery unit to a position on the outer side of the vehicle body in the width direction, It has, The aforementioned support structure is A lower support that supports the aforementioned battery unit from below, A lateral support that holds the side wall of the battery unit in the vehicle width direction, A work vehicle equipped with [specific features / equipment].

2. The aforementioned transverse support is A fixing frame that is fixed to the vehicle body, A detachable frame fixed to the aforementioned side wall, A removable fastening member fastens the aforementioned detachable frame to the aforementioned fixed frame from above, below, or from the outside in the vehicle width direction, A work vehicle according to claim 1, having the following features.

3. The detachable frame has a bracket located above the fixed frame, The fastening member is capable of fastening the bracket to the fixed frame from above the bracket. The work vehicle according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned fixed frame is It has a fixing member fixed to the vehicle body and a first side column that is integral with the fixing member and extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, The detachable frame comprises a second side column provided along the side wall and fixed to the side wall, and a plurality of brackets integrated with the second side column and resting on the first side column. The fastening member is capable of fastening each of the plurality of brackets to the first side column from above. The work vehicle according to claim 3.

5. The lower support comprises a mounting frame on which the battery unit is placed, and a removable second fastening member that fastens the lower wall of the battery unit to the mounting frame. A work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. In the position where the battery unit is fastened to the aforementioned mounting frame by the second fastening member, the detachable frame fixed to the side wall is positioned such that it can be fastened to the fixed frame fixed to the vehicle body by the fastening member. The work vehicle according to claim 5.

7. The aforementioned vehicle body has a chassis that is long in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and located in the center in the width direction of the vehicle. The aforementioned lower support is It has a lower fixing member fixed to the chassis, a plurality of arms extending outward in the vehicle width direction from a part of the lower fixing member, and a lower column connecting the plurality of arms in the vehicle front-rear direction, The lower column and the arm, or one or both thereof, have a mounting surface for the battery unit on their upper surfaces. A work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. The aforementioned lower fixing member is A mounting frame fixed to the chassis, A connecting column extending downward from the mounting frame and connecting to the arm, It has, The aforementioned arm extends outward from the connecting column in the vehicle width direction, The work vehicle according to claim 7.

9. The fuel cell has a discharge pipe for discharging water or steam generated by its operation to the outside, The lower support has an auxiliary member for attaching the discharge pipe adjacent to the battery unit in the vehicle width direction. A work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

10. The battery unit has a junction box mounted on top of it, The junction box is removable from the battery unit. A work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

11. The fastening member is a bolt, The nut that engages with the bolt is fixed to the fixing frame. A work vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 4.