Work vehicle

Abstract

A work vehicle comprising: a vehicle body; a fuel cell mounted on the vehicle body; a radiator positioned alongside the fuel cell; and a support member for supporting the radiator, wherein the support member includes a first support member connected to the vehicle body and the radiator, and a second support member connected to the fuel cell and the radiator.

Description

Work vehicles

[0001] The present disclosure relates to work vehicles such as tractors.

[0002] In recent years, in order to protect the global environment, work vehicles such as tractors have been proposed that are equipped with fuel cells that generate electricity using gaseous fuels such as hydrogen gas, and electric motors that are driven by the generated electricity, instead of internal combustion engines that use fossil fuels. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a work vehicle that has a driver's seat and a hood mounted on the vehicle body, and that houses a fuel cell, a battery that stores electricity generated by the fuel cell, and a controller that controls the electric motor under the hood. This type of work vehicle also requires a radiator to cool the fuel cell.

[0003] JP 2023-013187 A

[0004] The work vehicle of the present disclosure comprises a vehicle body, a fuel cell mounted on the vehicle body, a radiator arranged alongside the fuel cell, and a support member supporting the radiator, the support member including a first support member connected to the vehicle body and the radiator, and a second support member connected to the fuel cell and the radiator.

[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; FIG. 3 is a rear view of the work vehicle; FIG. 4 is a side view (right side view) of the work vehicle; FIG. 5 is a side view (left side view) of the work vehicle; FIG. 6 is a plan view of the work vehicle; FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the work vehicle; FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a part of the work vehicle in an exploded state; FIG. 9 is a right side view of the work vehicle with the bonnet, cover, and part of the tank case of the tank unit removed; FIG. 10 is a front view of a second radiator and its surroundings; FIG. 11 is a plan view of the second radiator and its surroundings; FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the second radiator and its surroundings as seen from the diagonally rear right; FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the second radiator and its surroundings as seen from the diagonally front left;

[0006] <Problem to be Solved by the Present Disclosure> Fuel cells have a lower cooling temperature than internal combustion engines, and the higher the load, the greater the heat generated, so a radiator with high cooling performance is required. Increasing the size of the radiator to improve cooling performance also increases its weight, so a strong support is required.

[0007] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a work vehicle that allows for strong support of a radiator.

[0008] Effect of the Present Disclosure According to the present disclosure, the radiator can be firmly supported.

[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 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a vehicle body, a fuel cell mounted on the vehicle body, a radiator arranged alongside the fuel cell, and a support member that supports the radiator, the support member including a first support member connected to the vehicle body and the radiator, and a second support member connected to the fuel cell and the radiator. With this configuration, the radiator can be firmly supported on the vehicle body and the fuel cell via the first and second support members.

[0010] (2) The work vehicle of (1) above preferably includes a fixed frame fixed to the vehicle body, and the support member includes a third support member connected to the fixed frame and the radiator. With this configuration, the radiator can be firmly supported on the fixed frame via the third support member.

[0011] (3) In the work vehicle of (2) above, preferably, electrical equipment is attached to the fixing frame. With this configuration, the fixing frame for attaching the electrical equipment can be used to support the radiator.

[0012] (4) In the work vehicle described in (3) above, the fixing frame is preferably disposed on the air intake side of the radiator. With this configuration, relatively low-temperature air passes around the electrical equipment attached to the fixing frame before passing through the radiator, thereby suppressing temperature increases in the electrical equipment.

[0013] (5) In the work vehicle of (4) above, the radiator is preferably disposed between the fuel cell and the fixed frame and has a fan that generates an airflow from the fixed frame side to the fuel cell side.

[0014] (6) In the work vehicle described in any one of (2) to (5) above, the fuel cell, the radiator, and the fixing frame are preferably arranged in this order. With this configuration, the radiator can be firmly supported from both sides by the fuel cell and the fixing frame in the direction in which the fuel cell, the radiator, and the fixing frame are arranged.

[0015] (7) The work vehicle described in any one of (1) to (6) above preferably includes a support frame that supports a fuel tank for the fuel cell, the vehicle body includes a mounting base on which the support frame is placed, and the first support member is provided on the mounting base. With this configuration, the mounting base on which the support frame for the fuel tank is placed can be used to support the radiator.

[0016] (8) In the work vehicle described in any one of (1) to (7) above, the vehicle body preferably includes a first bonnet that covers the fuel cell and a second bonnet that covers the radiator. With this configuration, only the second bonnet needs to be opened or removed when performing maintenance such as inspecting or replacing the radiator, improving maintainability.

[0017] (9) The work vehicle described in any one of (1) to (8) above preferably includes an air cleaner arranged alongside the fuel cell and the radiator to purify the air supplied to the fuel cell, the air cleaner being arranged on the air intake side of the radiator. With this configuration, relatively low-temperature, clean air before passing through the radiator can be taken into the air cleaner.

[0018] (10) In the work vehicle of (9) above, the radiator is preferably disposed between the fuel cell and the air cleaner and has a fan that generates an airflow from the air cleaner side to the fuel cell side.

[0019] <Details of the embodiment of the present disclosure> [Overall configuration of the 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 (right side view), a side view (left side view), a plan view, and a bottom view of the work vehicle shown in Fig. 1. The work vehicle 10 according to the present embodiment is a vehicle that can be used for agricultural work. The work vehicle 10 shown in Fig. 1 is a tractor. The work vehicle 10 is not limited to tractors. For example, the work vehicle 10 according to the present disclosure may be agricultural machinery other than tractors, such as construction machinery, utility vehicles, etc. Examples of agricultural machinery include harvesters, rice transplanters, transplanters, mowers, seed sowing machines, and fertilizer applicators.

[0020] The directions of the work vehicle 10 of the present disclosure are defined below. In this specification, 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 "rear," the left side of the work vehicle 10 when facing forward is defined as "left," and the right side of the work vehicle 10 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. The fore-aft direction and the vehicle width direction are horizontal directions. Therefore, in this specification, the "fore-aft direction" and "vehicle width direction" can be read as the "horizontal direction."

[0021] In each figure, orthogonal three-dimensional coordinates are shown. In each figure, the forward direction is indicated by an arrow X1, and the backward direction is indicated by an arrow X2. The left direction is indicated by an arrow Y1, and the right direction is indicated by an arrow Y2. The up direction is indicated by an arrow Z1, and the down direction is indicated by an arrow Z2.

[0022] 1 has a vehicle body 11, a traveling device 12, a driver's seat 15, a cabin 16, a tank unit 21, and a drive device 14. The traveling device 12 supports the vehicle body 11 so that it can travel. The tank unit 21 has a tank 13 that stores fuel. The drive device 14 drives the work vehicle 10 using the fuel stored in the tank 13.

[0023] In this embodiment, the fuel is hydrogen. The tank 13 is a hydrogen tank that stores hydrogen gas. The work vehicle 10 in this embodiment is a fuel cell vehicle (FCV). The work vehicle 10 runs on electricity generated by a fuel cell (fuel cell module) 24 using hydrogen and oxygen.

[0024] The drive device 14 includes a fuel cell 24, a battery unit 30, and an electric motor 31. The battery unit 30 has a battery 300 that stores the electric power generated by the fuel cell 24. The battery unit 30 supplies the stored electric power to the motor 31.

[0025] The work vehicle 10 has piping for hydrogen gas (hydrogen piping) 22 and a filling unit 25 (see FIG. 3 ). The filling unit 25 has a filling port (receptacle) 26. A filling nozzle of a hydrogen gas supply device (not shown) that is separate from the work vehicle 10 is connected to the filling port 26. Hydrogen gas is supplied from the filling port 26 through piping 22 (rear piping 22r) to the tank 13. The hydrogen gas in the tank 13 is supplied to the fuel cell 24 through piping 22 (front piping 22f). The specific configurations of the filling unit 25 and piping 22 will be described later.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the work vehicle 10 has a mounting frame 17 and a support structure 37. The mounting frame 17 is used to mount the tank unit 21 (tank 13) on the vehicle body 11. The support structure 37 is used to support the battery unit 30 on the vehicle body 11. As shown in Figure 7, the work vehicle 10 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 configuration of the mounting frame 17 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. The fender 47 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 front-to-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 is connected to the rear end of the front frame 32 and forms the rear portion of the chassis 41. The front frame 32 is formed by combining metal frame materials (plate material, bar material, etc.). 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 therein a power transmission mechanism 333 such as a clutch, a transmission, a differential gear, etc. The power transmission mechanism 333 reduces or increases the rotation speed 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).

[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 a tiller or the like.

[0030] 9 is a right side view of the work vehicle 10 with the hood 34, cover 111, and part of the tank case 211 of the tank unit 21 removed. A first radiator 48, fuel cell 24, and second radiator 49 are mounted on the chassis 41, lined up in this order from the front to the rear of the vehicle. The first radiator 48, fuel cell 24, and second radiator 49 are disposed in the center of the vehicle body 11 in the vehicle width direction.

[0031] 4 and 9, the hood (first hood) 34 and the cover (second hood) 111 cover mounted components located toward the front of the vehicle body 11. The hood 34 covers the fuel cell 24 and the first radiator 48 from above and both sides in the vehicle width direction. The cover 111 covers the second radiator 49 located behind the fuel cell 24 from above and both sides in the vehicle width direction.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 9 , 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 front side of the upper surface 24a of the fuel cell 24 is inclined obliquely downward and forward. As shown in FIG. 4 , the upper surface 111a of the cover 111 is higher than the upper surface 34a of the hood 34. The upper surface 111a of the cover 111 is 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 operator sitting in the driver's seat 15 will have an obstructed view.

[0033] [Driver's Seat 15 and Cabin 16] As shown in Fig. 1 , the driver's seat 15 and the cabin 16 are provided on the chassis 41 at a rearward position, particularly on the gear case 33. The cabin 16 has the driver's seat 15 inside. The cabin 16 is arranged around the driver's seat 15. The cabin 16 has front pillars 162 located in front of the driver's seat 15, rear pillars 163 located behind the driver's seat 15, 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] 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.

[0037] [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 (the dimension between the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the left rear wheel 122 and the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the right rear wheel 122) is larger than the maximum dimension in the vehicle width direction of the left and right front wheels 121 (the dimension between the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the left front wheel 121 and the outer end in the vehicle width direction of the right front wheel 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.

[0038] 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).

[0039] [Drive device 14] As described above, the drive device 14 has the fuel cell 24, the battery unit 30, and the motor 31. As shown in Fig. 9, the fuel cell 24 is located on the chassis 41 near the front of the vehicle body 11. As shown in Fig. 8, the motor 31 is located behind the fuel cell 24. The motor 31 is located in the center of the vehicle body 11 in the vehicle width direction. As shown in Fig. 1, the battery unit 30 is located near the outer side of the vehicle body 11 in the vehicle width direction. The battery unit 30 is attached to the chassis 41 by a support structure 37.

[0040] The fuel cell 24 generates electricity using hydrogen gas to obtain the power to rotate the motor 31. As shown in FIG. 9 , the fuel cell 24 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 a plurality of battery cells. Each battery cell has a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The plurality of single cells are stacked. The power generated by each battery cell is collected and output to the battery unit 30.

[0041] The motor 31 has a rotating rotor and a stator having a plurality of coils. As shown in Fig. 8, the output shaft of the motor 31 is connected to a power transmission mechanism 333 in the gear case 33. The motor 31 is located behind the fuel cell 24 and below the second radiator 49.

[0042] [Tank unit 21] As shown in Figure 9, the tank unit 21 has a tank (fuel 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.

[0043] 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 9 , the tank 13 is connected to a rear pipe 22r and a front pipe 22f (see FIG. 2 ) via a valve unit 212. As shown in FIG. 3 , the rear pipe 22r 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. As shown in FIG. 2 , the front pipe 22f 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.

[0046] [Mounting Frame 17] The mounting frame (support frame) 17 (see FIG. 1) is a frame structure for mounting the tank 13 on the vehicle body 11. 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 as frames for supporting the upper frame portion 171. In this embodiment, 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.

[0047] A filling section 25 (see FIG. 3) is provided on the rear frame section 173. The filling section 25 has a gas 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.

[0048] [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.

[0049] The first radiator 48 cools devices other than the fuel cell 24. The first radiator 48 is connected, via a first cooling flow path (not shown) having a circulation pump, to electrical components (heat-generating components) that require cooling, such as the motor 31, the boost circuit 80, the inverter 81, and the DC / DC converters 82 and 83. The first radiator 48 cools the coolant supplied through the first cooling flow path by heat exchange with external air.

[0050] The second radiator 49 cools the fuel cell 24. 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 the outside air.

[0051] The first radiator 48 has a first fan 481. 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, respectively, and promote heat exchange with the coolant. Note that the first radiator 48 may cool the fuel cell 24, and the second radiator 49 may cool a device other than the fuel cell 24.

[0052] [Battery Unit 30] The battery unit 30 stores power to be supplied to the motor 31. The battery unit 30 (see FIG. 9 ) 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 equipment (electrical components) 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.

[0053] [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 via a boost circuit (see FIG. 5). 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.

[0054] The work vehicle 10 has low-voltage electrical components that operate at a lower voltage than the motor 31. Electric power that has been stepped down by a step-down circuit is supplied to these low-voltage electrical components through a junction box 75. The work vehicle 10 of this embodiment has the battery unit 30, radiators 48, 49, and air conditioning device 74 as the low-voltage electrical components. The work vehicle 10 has a first DC / DC converter 82 and a second DC / DC converter 83 as the step-down circuit.

[0055] [Specific Configuration of Second Radiator 49] Fig. 10 is a front view of the second radiator and its surroundings. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the second radiator and its surroundings. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the second radiator and its surroundings as seen from the diagonally rear right. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the second radiator and its surroundings as seen from the diagonally front left.

[0056] The second radiator 49 has a radiator body 492 through which the coolant flows, and a fan (second fan) 491 that supplies airflow to the radiator body 492. The fan 491 is disposed behind the radiator body 492. The fan 491 rotates around an axis C (see FIG. 12 ) in the front-to-rear direction, generating an airflow that flows from back to front. In other words, the fan 491 generates an airflow that flows in the direction in which the second radiator 49 and the fuel cell 24 are aligned. The cabin 16 is disposed behind the second radiator 49. Because the fan 491 of the second radiator 49 generates an airflow that flows from back to front, the airflow heated by the radiator body 492 is less likely to flow toward the driver's seat 15, thereby preventing an increase in the temperature inside the cabin 16 and discomfort to the driver.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 10 , the dimension (length) of the second radiator 49 in the vehicle width direction is greater than the dimension (length) of the fuel cell 24 in the vehicle width direction. The height of the second radiator 49 is greater than the height of the fuel cell 24. Therefore, the second radiator 49 protrudes more in the vehicle width direction and upward than the fuel cell 24. The height of the second radiator 49 is greater than the height of the hood 34 that covers the fuel cell 24. The dimension (length) of the second radiator 49 in the vehicle width direction is approximately the same as the dimension (length) of the hood 34 in the vehicle width direction or is greater than the dimension (length) of the hood 34 in the vehicle width direction. The height of the cover 111 that covers the upper side and the sides in the vehicle width direction of the second radiator 49 is greater than the height of the hood 34. The dimension (length) of the cover 111 in the vehicle width direction is approximately the same as the dimension (length) of the hood 34 in the vehicle width direction or is greater than the dimension (length) of the hood 34 in the vehicle width direction.

[0058] The dimensions and height of the second radiator 49 in the vehicle width direction are larger than the dimensions and height of the fuel cell 24, respectively, so the second radiator 49 is made larger and is positioned to protrude outward and upward in the vehicle width direction beyond the fuel cell 24. This makes it less likely that the fuel cell 24 will obstruct the flow of air passing through the second radiator 49. This increases the heat exchange capacity of the second radiator 49 and improves the cooling performance of the fuel cell 24.

[0059] The second radiator 49 has a first hose 493 and a second hose 494 that connect the radiator body 492 and the fuel cell 24. The second hose 494 carries coolant that is supplied from the radiator body 492 to the fuel cell 24, and the first hose 493 carries coolant that returns from the fuel cell 24 to the radiator body 492. One ends of the first and second hoses 493, 494 are connected to the front surface of the second radiator 49, and the other ends of the first and second hoses 493, 494 are connected to the rear surface of the fuel cell 24. Therefore, the first and second hoses 493, 494 are accommodated at least within the width of the second radiator 49. In this embodiment, each hose 493, 494 is accommodated within the width of the fuel cell 24.

[0060] As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the second radiator 49 is supported on the chassis 41 of the vehicle body 11 via a first support member 61. The first support member 61 extends obliquely from a side surface of the front frame 32 of the chassis 41 toward the outside and upward in the vehicle width direction. Specifically, the first support member 61 has a front plate 611, a rear plate 612, and multiple connecting plates 613 connecting the front plate 611 and the rear plate 612, and has a generally hollow box shape. The multiple connecting plates 613 connect the front plate 611 and the rear plate 612 at the inside, outside, and upper ends in the vehicle width direction. The lower surface of the second radiator 49 is mounted on the upper surface of an upper connecting plate 613a connecting the upper ends of the front plate 611 and the rear plate 612, and is fixed with fasteners such as bolts.

[0061] A pair of mounting bases 51 extending outward in the vehicle width direction are provided on the front frame 32 of the chassis 41. As shown in FIG. 1 , the lower end of the first front frame portion 172 of the mounting frame 17 is placed and fixed on these mounting bases 51. The base end of the first support member 61 is also connected to the mounting bases 51. Therefore, the second radiator 49 is also supported by the mounting bases 51 that support the mounting frame 17 via the first support member 61.

[0062] The second radiator 49 is supported from below by the first support member 61 that protrudes upward from the chassis 41 , so that the second radiator 49 can be easily disposed at a position higher than the fuel cell 24 .

[0063] As shown in Figure 12, the second radiator 49 is supported by the fuel cell 24 via a second support member 62. The second support member 62 is a strip-shaped plate that is long in the front-to-rear direction. The front end of the second support member 62 is connected to the fuel cell 24. The rear end of the second support member 62 is connected to the second radiator 49. The second support members 62 are provided on both sides of the second radiator 49 and the fuel cell 24 in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the second radiator 49 is supported from the front by the fuel cell 24 via the second support member 62.

[0064] Because the dimension of the second radiator 49 in the vehicle width direction is larger than the dimension of the fuel cell 24 in the vehicle width direction, the connection portion of the second support member 62 to the fuel cell 24 is positioned more inward in the vehicle width direction than the connection portion to the second radiator 49. Specifically, the second support member 62 has a front plate 621 connected to the fuel cell 24, a rear plate 622 connected to the second radiator 49, and an intermediate plate 623 connecting the front plate 621 and the rear plate 622. The front plate 621 and the rear plate 622 extend in the front-to-rear direction, and the intermediate plate 623 extends in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the second support member 62 is formed in a substantially Z-shape when viewed from above.

[0065] A mounting frame (fixing frame) 65 is provided on the chassis 41 behind the second radiator 49. This mounting frame 65 is provided for mounting the cover 111 and electrical components 66. Figure 14 is a perspective view of the mounting frame 65 as seen from the diagonally front left. The mounting frame 65 has a base 651, a pair of pillars 652, a plurality of connecting plates 653, a pair of mounting stays 654, etc.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 12 , the base 651 is formed in a strip-like shape and is fixed to the upper surface of the gear case 33 of the chassis 41. The pair of pillars 652 is formed in a rod-like shape. The pair of pillars 652 extends upward from the base 651. The pair of pillars 652 are arranged side by side with a gap in the vehicle width direction. The multiple connecting plates 653 extend in the vehicle width direction and connect the upper ends of the pair of pillars 652 to each other and the middle parts in the vertical direction to each other. The pair of mounting stays 654 are formed in a rod-like shape and extend upward from the upper end connecting plates 653. As shown in FIG. 13 , a cover 111 is attached to the tip of the mounting stay 654.

[0067] The second radiator 49 is supported by the mounting frame 65 via third support members 63. As shown in FIG. 12 , the third support members 63 are provided on both sides of the mounting frame 65 in the vehicle width direction. Each third support member 63 has an arm portion 631 and a connecting portion 632. The arm portion 631 is formed in a plate shape and extends outward in the vehicle width direction from each pillar 652 of the mounting frame 65. The connecting portion 632 is also plate-shaped and extends forward from the tip of the arm portion 631. The connecting portion 632 is connected to the side surface of the second radiator 49 in the vehicle width direction. Therefore, the second radiator 49 is supported from the rear side by the mounting frame 65 via the third support members 63.

[0068] The second support member 62 and the third support member 63 are connected to a vertically intermediate portion of the second radiator 49. Therefore, the second radiator 49 is supported from below by the chassis 41 and the mounting base 51 of the vehicle body 11 via the first support member 61, and is also supported from the front-to-rear direction by fixed members (fuel cell 24, mounting frame 65) fixed to the chassis 41 via the second support member 62 and the third support member 63. Therefore, the second radiator 49 is firmly supported from three sides: below, front, and rear. Because the second radiator 49 is supported from the front and rear by the second support member 62 and the third support member 63, the second radiator 49 can be stably supported against front-to-rear forces associated with the travel of the work vehicle 10, such as inertial forces associated with acceleration and deceleration.

[0069] [Support Structure for Electrical Components 66] Electrical components 66 are attached to the mounting frame 65. The electrical components 66 include, for example, fuses, relays, terminal blocks, and control components (CPU, control board, etc.). Cables are connected to these electrical components 66.

[0070] The mounting frame 65 is disposed between the fuel cell 24 and the cabin 16 (driver's seat 15) in the front-rear direction. The mounting frame 65 is also disposed between the second radiator 49 and the cabin 16 (driver's seat 15) in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the electrical equipment 66 is also disposed between the fuel cell 24 and the second radiator 49 and the cabin 16 (driver's seat 15) in the front-rear direction.

[0071] Inside the cabin 16, various operation switches, sensors, and electrical components such as an air conditioner 74 are arranged around the driver's seat 15. These electrical components are connected to electrical equipment 66 via cables.

[0072] The electrical equipment 66 is disposed between the fuel cell 24 and the second radiator 49 and between the driver's seat 15 and the cabin 16 in the fore-and-aft direction. This allows the electrical components inside the cabin 16 to be closer to the electrical equipment 66, improving cable connectivity between them. The mounting frame 65 also positions the electrical equipment 66 at a relatively high position, for example, above the center of the second radiator 49 in the up-down direction (for example, the position of the fan axis C). This improves cable connectivity to the electrical equipment 66 and also improves maintenance, such as inspection and replacement, of the electrical equipment 66.

[0073] Electrical components such as the inverter 81 (see FIG. 5), the DCDC converters 82 and 83 (see FIG. 5), and the junction box 75 (see FIG. 4) are connected to the electrical equipment 66 via cables. The inverter 81 and the DCDC converters 82 and 83 are disposed below the cabin 16, in a position offset to one side (left side) in the vehicle width direction from the chassis 41. The junction box 75 is disposed on the lower front side of the cabin 16, in a position offset to one side (right side) in the vehicle width direction from the chassis 41. The junction box 75 is disposed between the cabin 16 (driver's seat 15) and the fuel cell 24 in the fore-and-aft direction, in a position overlapping (aligned in the vehicle width direction) with the second radiator 49 and the mounting frame 65.

[0074] The mounting frame 65 and the electrical equipment 66 are disposed in the center of the vehicle width direction of the vehicle body 11. This improves the cable connectivity between the electrical components 81, 82, 83, and 75, which are disposed unevenly on both the left and right sides of the vehicle body 11, and the electrical equipment 66.

[0075] 11 , the fan 491 of the second radiator 49 generates a back-to-front airflow. The electrical equipment 66 is disposed behind the second radiator 49, i.e., on the air intake side of the second radiator 49. Therefore, relatively low-temperature outside air before heat exchange flows around the electrical equipment 66, suppressing a rise in temperature of the electrical equipment 66. Furthermore, if the electrical equipment 66 is a heat-generating component such as a relay, the cooling of the electrical equipment 66 can be promoted.

[0076] 11 , 12 , and 13 , the work vehicle 10 is equipped with an air cleaner 68. The air cleaner 68 purifies the air that is supplied to the fuel cell 24. The air cleaner 68 has a cleaner body 681 formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, an intake port 682 that takes air into the cleaner body 681, and an exhaust port 683 that exhausts air from the cleaner body 681. One end of an exhaust hose 69 is connected to the exhaust port 683. The other end of the exhaust hose 69 is connected to the fuel cell 24.

[0077] The cleaner body 681 is disposed with the axis of its cylindrical shape facing up and down. The dimensions of the cleaner body 681 in the front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction are smaller than the dimensions in the up and down direction. The discharge port 683 is disposed on the top surface of the cleaner body 681. This makes it easy to connect the discharge hose 69 to the discharge port 683.

[0078] The intake port 682 is disposed at the lower end of the outer peripheral surface of the cleaner body 681. The intake port 682 is formed in a short tubular shape, protrudes diagonally downward and outward in the vehicle width direction from the outer peripheral surface of the cleaner body 681, and opens diagonally downward. This prevents foreign matter such as dust from entering the intake port 682. The intake port 682 may open downward (straight down) instead of diagonally downward.

[0079] 11 , the air cleaner 68 is disposed between the fuel cell 24 and the cabin 16 (driver's seat 15) in the front-rear direction. More specifically, the air cleaner 68 is disposed between the second radiator 49 and the cabin 16 (driver's seat 15) in the front-rear direction. The air cleaner 68 is disposed outward in the vehicle width direction from the chassis 41. The air cleaner 68 is disposed within the vehicle width dimension of the second radiator 49. The air cleaner 68 and the mounting frame 65 are disposed side by side in the vehicle width direction.

[0080] The air cleaner 68 is disposed in front of the left arm portion 631, which is the third support member 63, and on the inner side (right side) in the vehicle width direction of the left connecting portion 632. The air cleaner 68 is attached to and supported by the third support member 63. Therefore, the air cleaner 68 is supported by the second radiator 49 and the mounting frame 65 via the third support member 63.

[0081] The air cleaner 68 is disposed with the axis of its cylindrical shape oriented in the vertical direction. This allows for a reduction in the installation space in the front-rear and width directions of the vehicle. This allows the air cleaner 68 to be disposed in the narrow space between the second radiator 49 and the cabin 16 in the front-rear direction. In addition, the air cleaner 68 can be disposed in the narrow space between the third support member 63 and the chassis 41 in the width direction of the vehicle.

[0082] 13 , the exhaust hose 69 extends diagonally downward and forward from the exhaust port 683 of the air cleaner 68. The exhaust hose 69 is arranged across the outer side of the second radiator 49 in the vehicle width direction from the air cleaner 68 rearwardly to the fuel cell 24 in front of the second radiator 49. The exhaust hose 69 is arranged outwardly in the vehicle width direction from the connecting portion 632 of the third support member 63. The exhaust hose 69 may be supported by the third support member 63. The exhaust hose 69 extends in the vehicle width direction, passing between the second radiator 49 and the fuel cell 24 in the front-rear direction, and is connected to the rear surface of the fuel cell 24.

[0083] The air cleaner 68 is disposed behind the second radiator 49, i.e., on the air intake side of the second radiator 49. Therefore, it is possible to take in relatively low-temperature, clean air into the air cleaner 68 before passing through the second radiator 49.

[0084] 13 , the cover 111 covers the upper side and the lateral side of the second radiator 49 in the vehicle width direction. The cover 111 has a first cover member 111b and a second cover member 111c. The first cover member 111b covers the upper right side and the upper left side of the second radiator 49. The second cover member 111c covers the lower left side of the second radiator 49.

[0085] The first cover member 111b and the second cover member 111c are separated into upper and lower halves with the drain hose 69 sandwiched therebetween. Therefore, a portion of the drain hose 69 is exposed to the outside. A lower edge 111b1 of the portion of the first cover member 111b that covers the left side surface of the second radiator 49 and an upper edge 111c1 of the second cover member 111c are formed to incline diagonally downward and forward along the drain hose 69.

[0086] The cover 111 covers not only the second radiator 49 but also the air cleaner 68, the mounting frame 65, and the electrical components 66. The first cover member 111b is attached to and supported by the third support member 63 and the mounting frame 65 (mounting stays 654). The second cover member 111c is attached to and supported by the third support member 63.

[0087] As described above, the work vehicle 10 of this embodiment includes the vehicle body 11, the fuel cell 24 mounted on the vehicle body 11, the driver's seat 15 mounted on the vehicle body 11 aligned in the fore-and-aft direction with the fuel cell 24, an air cleaner 68 that purifies the air supplied to the fuel cell 24, and electrical equipment 66. The air cleaner 68 and the electrical equipment 66 are arranged between the fuel cell 24 and the driver's seat 15 in the fore-and-aft direction. The work vehicle 10 of this embodiment also has a cabin 16 arranged around the driver's seat 15, and the air cleaner 68 and the electrical equipment 66 are arranged between the fuel cell 24 and the cabin 16 in the fore-and-aft direction. Therefore, the space between the fuel cell 24 and the driver's seat 15 and the cabin 16 can be effectively used to arrange the air cleaner 68 and the electrical equipment 66.

[0088] The vehicle body 11 of this embodiment includes a hood (first hood) 34 that covers the fuel cell 24, and a cover (second hood) 111 that covers the second radiator 49, the air cleaner 68, and the electrical equipment 66. Therefore, when performing maintenance such as inspection or replacement of the second radiator 49, the air cleaner 68, and the electrical equipment 66, only the cover 111 needs to be opened or removed, improving maintainability.

[0089] The work vehicle 10 of this embodiment includes a mounting frame 65 that is arranged between the fuel cell 24 and the cabin 16 (driver's seat 15) in the fore-and-aft direction, and electrical equipment 66 is attached to the mounting frame 65. This makes it possible to arrange the electrical equipment 66 between the fuel cell 24 and the driver's seat 15.

[0090] In the work vehicle 10 of this embodiment, the electrical equipment 66 and the air cleaner 68 are arranged in positions where they overlap in the vehicle width direction, so that both the electrical equipment 66 and the air cleaner 68 can be arranged in the narrow space in the front-to-rear direction between the fuel cell 24 and the cabin 16.

[0091] Although the embodiment has been described above, it will be understood that various modifications in form and details are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. For example, the fuel cell 24 may be arranged side by side behind the cabin 16 and the driver's seat 15. In this case, the second radiator 49, the air cleaner 68, and the electrical equipment 66 are arranged behind the cabin 16 and the driver's seat 15 and in front of the fuel cell 24. The fuel cell 24, the cabin 16, and the driver's seat 15 may be arranged side by side in the vehicle width direction, with the second radiator 49, the air cleaner 68, the mounting frame 65, the electrical equipment 66, etc., arranged between them.

[0092] 10: Work vehicle 11: Vehicle body 13: Tank 17: Mounting frame (support frame) 24: Fuel cell 34: Bonnet (second bonnet) 49: Second radiator 51: Mounting base 61: First support member 62: Second support member 63: Third support member 65: Mounting frame (fixing frame) 66: Electrical equipment 68: Air cleaner 111: Cover (first bonnet) 491: Second fan

Claims

1. A work vehicle comprising a vehicle body, a fuel cell mounted on the vehicle body, a radiator arranged alongside the fuel cell, and a support member for supporting the radiator, wherein the support member includes a first support member connected to the vehicle body and the radiator, and a second support member connected to the fuel cell and the radiator.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1, comprising a fixed frame fixed to the vehicle body, wherein the support member includes a third support member connected to the fixed frame and the radiator.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 2, wherein electrical components are attached to the fixed frame.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the fixed frame is positioned on the air intake side of the radiator.

5. The work vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the radiator is positioned between the fuel cell and the fixed frame and has a fan that generates an airflow from the fixed frame side to the fuel cell side.

6. The work vehicle according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the fuel cell, the radiator, and the fixed frame are arranged in this order.

7. A work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a support frame for supporting the fuel tank for the fuel cell, the vehicle body comprising a mounting platform on which the support frame is placed, and the first support member being provided on the mounting platform described above.

8. The work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the vehicle body comprises a first bonnet covering the fuel cell and a second bonnet covering the radiator.

9. A work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising an air cleaner arranged alongside the fuel cell and the radiator for purifying the air supplied to the fuel cell, wherein the air cleaner is located on the air intake side of the radiator.

10. The work vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the radiator is positioned between the fuel cell and the air cleaner and has a fan that generates an airflow from the air cleaner side to the fuel cell side.