Console box and construction machine with same

Abstract

A console box (2L) comprises: a console base portion (3); a tilt frame portion (4) that is attached to the console base portion (3) so as to be rotatable around a first rotation axis portion (δ1); a flip-up frame portion (5) that is attached to the tilt frame portion (4) so as to be rotatable around a second rotation axis portion (δ2); and an auxiliary member (6) that has a first end portion (60) attached to the console base portion (3) forward of the first rotation axis portion (δ1) and the second rotation axis portion (δ2), and a second end portion (61) attached to the flip-up frame portion (5). The flip-up frame portion (5) is configured to tilt integrally with the tilt frame portion (4) when the tilt frame portion (4) is tilted, and the second rotation axis portion (δ2) is disposed forward of the first rotation axis portion (δ1).

Description

Console box and construction machine equipped with same

[0001] The present invention relates to a console box, particularly to a console box provided in a cab of a construction machine or the like, and to a construction machine equipped with the same.

[0002] Construction machinery such as hydraulic excavators generally has a cab (operator's compartment) where an operator can get in and out, and the cab is equipped with a driver's seat, control levers, etc. The operator operates the control levers while sitting in the driver's seat. Among such construction machinery, there is known one that has a console box that is tiltable so that the inclination of the control levers can be adjusted to the operator's preference.

[0003] Furthermore, in the construction machine described above, it is desirable that the construction machine be configured so that operation of the control lever is always disabled by, for example, cutting off the hydraulic circuit when the operator is not seated in the driver's seat, so that the construction machine will not move even if the operator touches the control lever when not seated in the driver's seat. In consideration of this point, a console box for a construction machine is known that is tiltable as described above, and that is configured to block the operator's boarding / alighting aisle when the operator is seated in the seat and enable operation of the control lever, but that can be flipped up to open the boarding / alighting aisle when the operator disembarks, and that disables operation of the control lever when flipped up (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). With such a console box, operation of the control lever is disabled when the operator opens the boarding / alighting aisle to disembark, so that operation of the control lever is always disabled when the operator is not seated in the driver's seat.

[0004] The console box described in Patent Document 1 is configured to rotate around a common pivot axis when tilting and when popping up, and includes a single torsion spring attached to the pivot axis as an auxiliary member that assists in tilting and popping up.The console box described in Patent Document 2 has separate rotation centers for tilting (tilt center) and popping up (pop-up center), and includes two auxiliary members that separately assist in tilting and popping up.

[0005] JP 2008-063891 A International Publication No. 2021 / 131556

[0006] With regard to tilt, it is desirable that the rotation angle be relatively easy to fine-tune so that the operator can adjust the inclination of the operating lever to their liking, while with regard to lift-up, it is desirable that the lift-up can be performed relatively quickly so that the operator can quickly open the boarding and disembarking aisle.

[0007] However, when the center of rotation for tilting (tilt center) and the center of rotation for popping up (pop-up center) are the same and a single auxiliary member is used to assist tilting and popping up, as in the console box described in Patent Document 1, there is a problem that it is difficult to assist tilting and popping up separately in different ways. Also, when separate auxiliary members are used to assist tilting and popping up, as in the console box described in Patent Document 2, there is a problem that manufacturing costs increase compared to when a single auxiliary member is used.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a console box and a construction machine equipped with the same that can appropriately assist tilting and lifting with a common auxiliary member, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0009] The console box according to the present invention is a console box disposed on at least one side of a driver's seat in a cab, the console box comprising: an operating lever; a console base; a tilt frame attached to the console base so as to be rotatable about a first pivot shaft and tiltable by pivoting relative to the console base; a flip-up frame attached to the tilt frame so as to be rotatable about a second pivot shaft and capable of transitioning between a normal position in which operation of the operating lever is enabled and a flip-up position in which operation of the operating lever is disabled by pivoting relative to the tilt frame; and an axially shaped auxiliary member having one end attached to the console base forward of the first and second pivot shafts and the other end attached to the flip-up frame, the auxiliary member being extendable and retractable in an axial direction and biasable in an extension direction. The flip-up frame is configured to tilt integrally with the tilt frame when the tilt frame is tilted, and the second pivot shaft is disposed forward of the first pivot shaft.

[0010] Furthermore, a construction machine according to the present invention includes the console box described above in the cab.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a portion of a construction machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the left. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the left console box according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the rear. FIG. 3 is a schematic left side view of the console box of FIG. 2, as viewed from the left. FIG. 4 is a schematic right side view of the console box of FIG. 2, as viewed from the right. FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing the interior of the console box of FIG. 2. FIG. 6 is a schematic side view showing the flip-up frame in the normal position. FIG. 7 is a schematic side view showing the flip-up frame in the flip-up position. FIG. 8 is a schematic enlarged perspective view of the tilt lock mechanism, as viewed from the front. FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing the position of the guide pin in the first groove when the pin unit is in the natural position. FIG. 10 is a diagram (1) for explaining the procedure for tilting using the tilt frame. FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing the position of the guide pin in the first groove when the tilt frame is in the unlocked state. FIG. 12 is a diagram (2) for explaining the procedure for tilting using the tilt frame. Fig. 13 is a diagram (3) illustrating a procedure for tilting using the tilt frame portion. Fig. 14 is a diagram (1) illustrating an example of a procedure for assembling the auxiliary member. Fig. 15 is a diagram (2) illustrating an example of a procedure for assembling the auxiliary member. Fig. 16 is a diagram (3) illustrating an example of a procedure for assembling the auxiliary member. Fig. 17 is a diagram (4) illustrating an example of a procedure for assembling the auxiliary member. Fig. 18 is a schematic right side view of the right console box in embodiment 1 as seen from the right. Fig. 19 is a schematic left side view of the console box of Fig. 18 as seen from the left. Fig. 20 is a schematic side view showing the interior of the console box of Fig. 18.

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the direction in which an operator facing forward while sitting in the driver's seat 14 of the construction machine 1 faces will be referred to as "forward," the direction opposite to forward will be referred to as "rear," the side to the left of the operator facing forward while sitting in the driver's seat 14 will be referred to as "left," and the direction opposite to left will be referred to as "right." In the drawings, the left is indicated by the symbol L and the right is indicated by the symbol R.

[0013] 1 is a schematic side view of a part of a construction machine 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the left. First, an overview of the construction machine 1 provided with a console box (console box 2L) according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0014] 1, the construction machine 1 is, for example, a hydraulic excavator, and includes a crawler-type lower traveling body (not shown), an upper rotating body 10 rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body, and an attachment (not shown) used for work. The construction machine 1 is configured to perform work such as excavation work using the attachment.

[0015] The upper revolving body 10 has a box-shaped cab 11 (operator's compartment) and a machine room (not shown) located behind the cab 11. The cab 11 has a seat adjustment device 13 located in the center of a floor 12, a driver's seat 14 provided above the seat adjustment device 13, a travel lever 15 located in front of the driver's seat 14, a console box 2L located to the left of the driver's seat 14, and a console box 2R (not shown in FIG. 1 ) located to the right of the driver's seat 14. In other words, the construction machine 1 has these components, including the console boxes 2L and 2R, located inside the cab 11.

[0016] The seat adjustment device 13 is configured to be able to adjust the position (for example, the position in the front-to-rear and up-to-down directions) of the driver's seat 14 relative to the floor 12. The driver's seat 14 is supported by a seat frame 140 (not shown in FIG. 1 ) attached to the seat adjustment device 13. The travel lever 15 is configured to be operable by the operator to move the undercarriage to move the construction machine 1 forward, backward, turn, etc.

[0017] The console box 2L has an operating lever 16L, and similarly, the console box 2R has an operating lever 16R (not shown in FIG. 1 ). The operating levers 16L, 16R are configured to be operable by an operator to cause the construction machine 1 to perform work using an attachment. The operator operates the operating levers 16L, 16R while sitting in the driver's seat 14. The configuration of the console boxes 2L, 2R will be described in detail later.

[0018] A boarding / alighting opening 17 for the operator to get on and off, and a door 18 for opening and closing the boarding / alighting opening 17 are provided on the left side of the cab 11. Therefore, the operator gets on and off from the left side of the cab 11. Between the front of the driver's seat 14 and the boarding / alighting opening 17, a boarding / alighting passage P for the operator to pass through when getting on and off extends in the left-right direction.

[0019] The construction machine 1 has drive system devices, such as an engine as a power source and a pump for supplying oil to a hydraulic system, which are provided inside a machine room (not shown).

[0020] The attachment is mounted on the upper rotating body 10 so as to be able to rise and fall, and includes a boom, an arm, a bucket, etc. The bucket is the part used for actual work.

[0021] <Configuration of Console Box> Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the console boxes 2L, 2R in the first embodiment of the present invention. The console boxes 2L, 2R in the first embodiment are configured to be tiltable so that the operator can adjust the inclination of the operation levers 16L, 16R to suit the operator's physique or the like.

[0022] Of the console boxes 2L, 2R, the left console box 2L, which is closer to the boarding / alighting opening 17, is configured so that when the operator is seated in the driver's seat 14, the operator's boarding / alighting aisle P is blocked and operation of the operating lever 16L is enabled so that the construction machine 1 will not move even if the operator touches the operating lever 16L when not seated in the driver's seat 14, but it can be flipped up to open the boarding / alighting aisle P when the operator disembarks, and when flipped up, operation of the operating lever 16L is disabled. Below, the configuration of the console boxes 2L, 2R that realize such a configuration will be described in detail, along with the procedures for tilting and flipping up operations, etc.

[0023] <Left-side console box> Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the left-side console box 2L in embodiment 1 as seen from the rear. Fig. 3 is a schematic left side view of the console box 2L of Fig. 2 as seen from the left. Fig. 4 is a schematic right side view of the console box 2L of Fig. 2 as seen from the right. Fig. 5 is a schematic side view showing the interior of the console box 2L of Fig. 2.

[0024] First, the configuration of the left console box 2L will be described. As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the left console box 2L includes a console base 3, a tilt frame 4, a flip-up frame 5, an auxiliary member 6 (not shown in Figures 3 and 4), and a tilt lock mechanism 7. Each of these components is covered by a decorative cover C (see Figure 1). Below, the configuration of each of these components will be described, followed by a description of the procedures for tilting and flip-up operations using each of these components.

[0025] <Console Base> As shown in Fig. 2, the console base 3 is fixed to the driver's seat 14. The console base 3 is fastened to a rectangular cylindrical left frame 141 that is part of the seat frame 140 with fastening members such as bolts. The console base 3 has a vertical plate 30 that extends in the up-down and front-rear directions to fit the shape of the corners of the left frame 141, and an upper plate 31 that extends horizontally to the right from the upper edge of the vertical plate 30, and is formed in an L-shape when viewed in the front-rear direction. The console base 3 is formed from a metal plate or the like.

[0026] A first shaft member (not shown), such as a shaft member, that forms a first pivot shaft portion δ1 extending in the left-right direction is provided on the left frame 141 so as to protrude leftward from the left side, and a through-hole (not shown) through which the first shaft member passes is formed in the vertical plate portion 30 of the console base portion 3. Note that, because the first shaft member is not visible in the figure, for convenience, the axis of the first pivot shaft portion δ1 is indicated by a dashed line.

[0027] 2 and 3 , the tilt frame portion 4 is attached to the console base portion 3 so as to be rotatable about a first rotation shaft portion δ1, and is configured to be tiltable by rotating about the first rotation shaft portion δ1 with respect to the console base portion 3. As shown in Fig. 2 , the tilt frame portion 4 has a pair of side plate portions 40, 41 arranged spaced apart in the left-right direction, a bottom plate portion 42 connecting the lower edges of the side plate portions 40, 41, and a cylindrical portion 43 extending in the left-right direction on the rear end side of the space between the side plate portions 40, 41. The tilt frame portion 4 is formed by combining metal plates or the like.

[0028] A through hole (not shown) that communicates with the inside of the cylindrical portion 43 is formed in the rear end portion of the side plate portions 40, 41. The first shaft member is inserted into the through hole of the side plate portions 40, 41 and the inside of the cylindrical portion 43 so as to be rotatable relative to the side plate portions 40, 41 and the cylindrical portion 43.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the left side plate 40 includes a main plate 401 having a window 400 formed in its front portion, which penetrates the left-right direction, and a sub-plate 402 attached to the main plate 401 so as to cover the window 400. The window 400 of the main plate 401 is formed, for example, by cutting out the front portion of the main plate 401. The sub-plate 402 is attached to the main plate 401 with fastening members such as bolts so that its position and inclination in the front-rear and up-down directions relative to the main plate 401 can be adjusted. Also as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , a limit switch SW that can be pressed from above is attached to the surface of the left side plate 40. When the limit switch SW is pressed to an ON state, operation of the operating lever 16L is enabled, whereas when the limit switch SW is released from its ON state, operation of the operating lever 16L is disabled. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, an engagement protrusion 44 with which the flip-up frame 5 can be engaged is provided on the surface side of the left side plate 40.

[0030] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the front end and rear side of the right side plate 41 is provided with an abutment surface 410 against which the flip-up frame 5 can abut. A second shaft member (not shown), such as a shaft member, is provided in the lower portion of the space between the side plates 40, 41, forming a second pivot shaft δ2 extending in the left-right direction. Because the second shaft member is not visible in the figures, the axis of the second pivot shaft δ2 is shown by a dashed line for convenience. The second shaft member is disposed forward of the first shaft member; in other words, the second pivot shaft δ2 is disposed forward of the first pivot shaft δ1.

[0031] In addition to the above configuration, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, an add-on bracket 45 that covers the space between the side plates 40, 41 from above is detachably provided on the rear end sides of the side plates 40, 41. The add-on bracket 45 has a side plate 450 that fits along the left side plate 40 and an upper plate 451 that extends horizontally to the right from the upper edge of the side plate 450, and is formed in an L-shape when viewed in the front-to-rear direction. The use of the add-on bracket 45 will be explained later together with the procedure for assembling the auxiliary member 6.

[0032] <Flip-up frame section> As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the flip-up frame section 5 is attached to the tilt frame section 4 so as to be rotatable around the second rotation shaft section δ2, and is configured to be able to transition between a normal position in which operation of the operating lever 16L is enabled and a flip-up position in which operation of the operating lever 16L is disabled by rotating around the second rotation shaft section δ2 relative to the tilt frame section 4.

[0033] Fig. 6 is a schematic side view showing the lift-up frame portion 5 in the normal position. Fig. 7 is a schematic side view showing the lift-up frame portion 5 in the lift-up position. The lift-up frame portion 5 blocks the boarding / alighting passage P in the normal position shown in Fig. 6, while opening the boarding / alighting passage P in the lift-up position shown in Fig. 7.

[0034] 2, the pop-up frame 5 has a pair of side plates 50, 51 spaced apart in the left-right direction, and a front plate 52 that connects the front edges of the side plates 50, 51 and has a mounting surface 53 for mounting the operating lever 16L. The pop-up frame 5 is formed by combining metal plates and the like.

[0035] 2 to 5, the side plate portions 50, 51 each have an insertion portion 54 formed thereon that extends in the vertical direction and is inserted between the side plate portions 40, 41 of the tilt frame portion 4. As shown in Fig. 5, a through hole 55 is formed at the tip of the insertion portion 54, and the second shaft member described above is inserted into the through hole 55 so as to be rotatable relative to the insertion portion 54.

[0036] 2 to 4, a gate bar 56 is attached to the front ends of the side plate portions 50, 51 via a link mechanism 560 so as to be able to rise and fall. When the lift-up frame portion 5 is in the normal position shown in Fig. 6, the gate bar 56 is in an upright position so as to block the boarding and alighting passage P, and when the lift-up frame portion 5 is in the lift-up position shown in Fig. 7, the gate bar 56 is in a lowered position so as to open the boarding and alighting passage P.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , a cam plate 57 is provided on the base and surface side of the insertion portion 54 of the left side plate 50. The cam plate 57 is positioned so that the limit switch SW of the tilt frame 4 is pressed from above when the lift-up frame 5 is in the normal position. A lever lock handle 58 that an operator can operate to lift the lift-up frame 5 from the normal position to the lift-up position is provided in the center of the cam plate 57. That is, the console box 2L has the lever lock handle 58. The lever lock handle 58 protrudes upward from the cam plate 57 and then extends forward to its tip, at which point it has a grip 580 that can be grasped by the operator. The front end of the grip 580 is located forward of the second pivot shaft δ2 whether the lift-up frame 5 is in the normal position or the lift-up position. Therefore, the grip 580 is located so that it can be easily grasped by the operator, i.e., is easily operated by the operator.

[0038] 3, an engagement portion 570 that can engage with the engagement protrusion 44 of the tilt frame portion 4 is formed on the front end side of the cam plate 57. The engagement portion 570 is formed in a hook shape that opens downward, and engages with the engagement protrusion 44 from above. When the engagement portion 570 engages with the engagement protrusion 44, the flip-up frame portion 5 is engaged with the tilt frame portion 4.

[0039] When the flip-up frame section 5 is flipped up, the engaging sections 570 are disengaged from the tilt frame section 4 by disengaging upward from the engaging protrusions 44, whereas when the flip-up frame section 5 is not flipped up (i.e., when in the normal position), it is in an engaged state with the tilt frame section 4. For this reason, the flip-up frame section 5 is configured to tilt integrally with the tilt frame section 4 when the tilt frame section 4 tilts.

[0040] 3 to 5, the console box 2L is provided on the front end and front surface side of the lift-up frame portion 5 and has a tilt handle 8 that can be operated by an operator to tilt the tilt frame portion 4. The tilt handle 8 is located forward of the tilt frame portion 4 when the operator tilts the tilt frame portion 4.

[0041] The tilt handle 8 is sized so that the operator can grasp the entire handle in one hand and is configured to be rotatable about a handle rotation shaft δh extending in the left-right direction. For convenience, the axis of the handle rotation shaft δh is indicated by a dashed line in the figure. As shown in Figure 4, the outer periphery of the tilt handle 8 is formed with a flat surface 80 facing forward and a curved surface 81 other than the flat surface 80. The operator can determine the orientation of the tilt handle 8 by tactilely recognizing the orientation of the flat surface 80.

[0042] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, a front stopper 510 capable of coming into contact with the contact surface 410 of the tilt frame unit 4 is provided on the front end and back side of the right side plate unit 51. The front stopper 510 is made of, for example, a rubber member, and comes into contact with the contact surface 410 when the flip-up frame unit 5 is in the normal position. Also, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, a rear stopper 511 is provided on the rear end and back side of the right side plate unit 51, and is capable of coming into contact with the upper plate unit 451 of the add-on bracket 45 of the tilt frame unit 4. The rear stopper 511 is made of, for example, a rubber member, and comes into contact with the add-on bracket 45 when the flip-up frame unit 5 is in the flip-up position.

[0043] 2 and 5, the auxiliary member 6 is axially shaped and disposed between the side plate portions 50, 51 of the pop-up frame portion 5. As shown in Fig. 5, a first end portion 60, which is one end portion of the auxiliary member 6, is attached to the console base portion 3 forward of the first rotation shaft portion δ1 and the second rotation shaft portion δ2, while a second end portion 61, which is the other end portion, is attached to the pop-up frame portion 5 above the first end portion 60. The second end portion 61 is disposed above or forward of the second rotation shaft portion δ2.

[0044] The auxiliary member 6 is configured to be expandable and contractible in the axial direction and biasable in the extension direction. The auxiliary member 6 is configured, for example, as a gas damper.

[0045] As described above, since the first end 60 is attached to the console base 3 that is fixed to the driver's seat 14, the auxiliary member 6 expands and contracts with the first end 60 as a fixed end, and the second end 61 biases the flip-up frame 5 in the expanding direction. Furthermore, as described above, since the first end 60 is disposed forward of the first rotating shaft δ1 and the second rotating shaft δ2, and the second rotating shaft δ2 is disposed forward of the first rotating shaft δ1, the first rotating shaft δ1 is disposed farther from the first end 60 than the second rotating shaft δ2.

[0046] <Tilt Lock Mechanism> Figure 8 is an enlarged schematic perspective view of the tilt lock mechanism 7, viewed from the front. Figure 9 is a schematic view showing the position of the guide pin 712 in the first groove 73 when the pin unit 71 is in its natural state (a state in which no external force is applied). The tilt lock mechanism 7 is configured to be switchable between a locked state in which rotation of the tilt frame 4 relative to the console base 3 is restricted, and an unlocked state in which rotation of the tilt frame 4 relative to the console base 3 is permitted. As shown in Figure 8, the tilt lock mechanism 7 has a groove 70, a pin unit 71, and an arm member 72.

[0047] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 , the groove 70 is formed in the front of each of the side plates 40, 41 of the tilt frame unit 4 (specifically, in the sub-plate 402 of the side plate 40). Each groove includes a first groove 73 and a second groove 74 that penetrate the tilt frame unit 4 in the left-right direction. The first groove 73 includes a guide groove 75 that extends generally vertically along the tilt direction Dt of the tilt frame unit 4 (the rotation direction that is the circumferential direction around the first rotation shaft δ1), and multiple engagement grooves 76A to 76C that extend generally forward from the guide groove 75 so as to intersect with the tilt direction Dt and are aligned at equal intervals in the tilt direction Dt, forming an E-shape overall. The second groove 74 is disposed below the first groove 73 and extends along the tilt direction Dt of the tilt frame unit 4. Hereinafter, matters common to the engagement grooves 76A to 76C may be described using the common reference numeral 76.

[0048] As shown in Figure 8, the pin unit 71 includes a shaft pin 710 inserted into the second groove portion 74 of the groove portion 70 so that the axial direction is along the left-right direction and is capable of relative movement, a support post 711 protruding upward from the longitudinal center of the shaft pin 710, a guide pin 712 extending parallel to the axial direction of the shaft pin 710 through the support post 711 and inserted into the first groove portion 73 so as to be capable of relative movement, and an abutment protrusion 713 protruding to the right from the support post 711 above the guide pin 712.

[0049] The shaft pin 710 is attached to the console base 3 so as to be rotatable about the shaft rotation shaft δs; in other words, the pin unit 71 is attached to the console base 3 so as to be rotatable about the shaft rotation shaft δs. For convenience, the axis of the shaft rotation shaft δs is indicated by a dashed line in the drawing. The support 711 of the pin unit 71 is biased forward by a biasing member (not shown). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9 , the guide pin 712 of the pin unit 71 is naturally positioned within the engagement groove 76 of the first groove portion 73.

[0050] The arm member 72 is disposed in front of the pin unit 71. The arm member 72 is attached to the front end and rear side of the flip-up frame portion 5 so as to be rotatable about the handle rotation shaft portion δh, and is configured to rotate integrally with the tilt handle 8. The arm member 72 rotates integrally with the tilt handle 8, thereby abutting against the abutment protrusion 713 of the pin unit 71 from the front. The arm member 72 is urged forward by the urging member 720, and therefore is separated from the pin unit 71 in its natural state.

[0051] The switching between locking and unlocking of the tilt frame portion 4 by the tilt lock mechanism 7 having the above configuration will be explained below together with the procedure for the tilt operation.

[0052] <Tilt Operation> Fig. 10 is a diagram (1) illustrating the procedure for tilt operation using the tilt frame unit 4. Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the position of the guide pin 712 in the first groove portion 73 when the tilt frame unit 4 is in an unlocked state. Figs. 12 and 13 are diagrams (2) and (3) illustrating the procedure for tilt operation using the tilt frame unit 4. The dashed lines in Fig. 12 conceptually show the outlines of the tilt frame unit 4 and the flip-up frame unit 5 before tilting, in order to clearly show the tilt of the tilt frame unit 4. Next, the procedure for operation by the operator to tilt the tilt frame unit 4 described above will be described.

[0053] As described above, the guide pin 712 of the pin unit 71 in the tilt lock mechanism 7 is positioned in the engagement groove 76 (the lowest engagement groove 76C in FIG. 9 ) in its natural state. At this time, even if the tilt frame unit 4 is attempted to be rotated in the tilt direction Dt, the rotation is prevented by interference between the guide pin 712 and the inner wall of the engagement groove 76, and therefore the tilt frame unit 4 is in a locked state in which rotation relative to the console base unit 3 is restricted. In other words, when the pin unit 71 of the tilt lock mechanism 7 is in its natural state, the tilt frame unit 4 is in a locked state.

[0054] Starting from the state shown in FIG. 6 , the operator first grasps the tilt handle 8 and rotates it about the handle rotation shaft δh, as shown by arrow F1 in FIG. 10 . At this time, the arm member 72 of the tilt lock mechanism 7 rotates integrally with the tilt handle 8 and abuts against the abutment protrusion 713 of the pin unit 71 from the front. As the arm member 72 abuts against the pin unit 71 at the abutment protrusion 713, the pin unit 71 rotates about the shaft rotation shaft δs so that the support 711 on which the abutment protrusion 713 is provided falls backward, as shown by arrow F2 in FIG. 10 . Due to the rotation of the pin unit 71, the guide pin 712 of the pin unit 71 moves rearward from the engagement groove 76C of the first groove portion 73 to the guide groove 75, as shown by arrow F3 in FIG. 10 .

[0055] As shown in Figure 11, when the guide pin 712 of the pin unit 71 in the tilt lock mechanism 7 is positioned within the guide groove 75 of the first groove portion 73, the guide pin 712 can move relatively in the tilt direction Dt along the guide groove 75.In other words, since the rotation of the tilt frame portion 4 is not hindered in any way, the tilt frame portion 4 is in an unlocked state in which it is allowed to rotate relative to the console base portion 3.

[0056] Next, while holding the tilt handle 8 in a rotated state, the operator pushes down or pulls up the tilt frame portion 4 (pushing down as shown by arrow F4 in FIG. 12 ), causing the tilt frame portion 4 to rotate (tilt) in a substantially vertical direction about the first rotation shaft portion δ1 relative to the console base portion 3. At this time, the flip-up frame portion 5 tilts integrally with the tilt frame portion 4, changing the inclination of the operation lever 16L attached to the flip-up frame portion 5. The operator tilts the tilt frame portion 4 to achieve a desired inclination of the operation lever 16L. As the tilt frame portion 4 tilts, the guide pin 712 of the tilt lock mechanism 7 moves relatively along the guide groove 75 of the first groove portion 73 (along the tilt direction Dt), as shown by arrow F5 in FIG. 13 . Similarly, the shaft pin 710 moves relatively along the second groove portion 74 (along the tilt direction Dt), as shown by arrow F6 in FIG. 13 .

[0057] As described above, the auxiliary member 6 expands and contracts with the first end 60 as a fixed end, and biases the second end 61 against the flip-up frame section 5 in the extension direction, so that the biasing force shown by arrow F7 in Fig. 12 tries to rotate (tilt) the tilt frame section 4 integrally with the flip-up frame section 5 about the first rotation shaft section δ1. As a result, when the operator pulls up the tilt frame section 4, in contrast to the case described above, in other words, when rotating the tilt frame section 4 along the extension direction (biasing direction) of the auxiliary member 6, it becomes possible to tilt the tilt frame section 4 with a lighter force.

[0058] On the other hand, when the operator presses down the tilt frame section 4 as shown by arrow F4, in other words when rotating the tilt frame section 4 against the biasing direction of the auxiliary member 6, it becomes possible to absorb the impact on the tilt frame section 4 with the biasing force of the auxiliary member 6. In this way, the auxiliary member 6 assists the tilt of the tilt frame section 4 with its biasing force.

[0059] After the operator tilts the tilt frame unit 4 so that the inclination of the operation lever 16L is as desired, he or she releases the tilt handle 8. At this time, although not shown, the arm member 72, which is configured to rotate integrally with the tilt handle 8, assumes its natural position and moves away from the pin unit 71, and as the pin unit 71 assumes its natural position, the guide pin 712 moves from the guide groove 75 to the nearest engagement groove 76. In this way, the tilt frame unit 4 enters a locked state with the inclination of the operation lever 16L adjusted to the operator's preference.

[0060] As described above, by performing the tilt operation using the tilt frame portion 4, the operator can adjust the inclination of the operation lever 16L to suit the operator's preference in accordance with the operator's physique, etc.

[0061] As described above, the tilt lock mechanism 7 is configured to be able to switch the tilt frame unit 4 between a locked state and an unlocked state, and the operator can switch the tilt frame unit 4 between locked and unlocked by the tilt lock mechanism 7 by operating the tilt handle 8. As described above, the tilt lock mechanism 7 is configured to be able to switch the tilt frame unit 4 from a locked state to an unlocked state in conjunction with the rotation of the tilt handle 8.

[0062] <Flip-Up Operation> Next, a description will be given of the procedure for the operator to flip up the above-described flip-up frame portion 5. The operator flips up the flip-up frame portion 5 when getting off the vehicle.

[0063] As described above, the pop-up frame portion 5 blocks the boarding / alighting passage P when in the normal position. At this time, as shown in Fig. 6, the engaging portion 570 of the pop-up frame portion 5 is engaged with the engaging protrusion 44 of the tilt frame portion 4, and the front stopper 510 of the pop-up frame portion 5 is in contact with the contact surface 410 of the tilt frame portion 4. Also, at this time, the cam plate 57 of the pop-up frame portion 5 is in a state of pressing in the limit switch SW of the tilt frame portion 4, which means that the limit switch SW is in the ON state and operation of the operating lever 16L is enabled.

[0064] 6 , the operator first grasps the grip portion 580 of the lever lock handle 58 and pulls the lever lock handle 58 upward. At this time, although not shown, the engaging portion 570 of the flip-up frame portion 5 disengages upward from the engaging protrusion 44 of the tilt frame portion 4, and the flip-up frame portion 5 is no longer engaged with the tilt frame portion 4.

[0065] Next, as shown by arrow F8 in FIG. 7 , the operator pulls up the lever lock handle 58, rotating the lift-up frame unit 5 around the second pivot shaft δ2 relative to the tilt frame unit 4 (lifting it up). At this time, the rear stopper 511 of the lift-up frame unit 5 abuts against the add-on bracket 45 of the tilt frame unit 4, stopping the lift-up frame unit 5 in the lifted position. By placing the lift-up frame unit 5 in the lifted position, the boarding / alighting passage P is opened, allowing the operator to disembark through the passage P. At this time, as the lift-up frame unit 5 is lifted up, the cam plate 57 moves away from the limit switch SW, thereby releasing the ON state of the limit switch SW and disabling the operation of the control lever 16L. In this way, when the boarding / alighting passage P is opened to allow the operator to disembark, the operation of the control lever 16L becomes invalid. Therefore, when the operator opens the boarding / alighting passage P to disembark, the operation of the control lever 16L becomes invalid. Therefore, the operation of the control lever 16L is always invalid when the operator is not seated in the driver's seat 14 (see FIG. 1 ).

[0066] Here, the auxiliary member 6 attempts to rotate (flip up) the flip-up frame portion 5 about the second rotation shaft portion δ2 by the biasing force in the extension direction, in other words, by extending the auxiliary member 6 from the length L1 shown in Fig. 6 to the length L2 shown in Fig. 7. This makes it possible to flip up the flip-up frame portion 5 with a lighter force. In this way, the auxiliary member 6 assists in flipping up the flip-up frame portion 5 by the biasing force.

[0067] As described above, by performing a flip-up operation using the flip-up frame portion 5, the boarding / alighting passage P can be opened when the operator dismounts, and the operation of the operating lever 16L can be disabled.

[0068] The procedure for lifting up the flip-up frame section 5 when the operator dismounts has been described above. Conversely, when the operator gets on, although not shown, the procedure is roughly the reverse of the above. After the operator sits in the driver's seat 14, he or she grips the lever lock handle 58 and rotates the flip-up frame section 5 to the normal position around the second rotation shaft section δ2. At this time, the front stopper 510 of the flip-up frame section 5 abuts against the abutment surface 410 of the tilt frame section 4, stopping the flip-up frame section 5 in the normal position. Finally, the operator presses the lever lock handle 58 downward and engages the engagement section 570 of the flip-up frame section 5 with the engagement protrusion 44 of the tilt frame section 4, thereby engaging the flip-up frame section 5 with the tilt frame section 4.

[0069] As described above, because the flip-up frame section 5 flips up relative to the tilt frame section 4, even if the flip-up frame section 5 flips up and returns to the normal position, there is no change in the tilt of the tilt frame section 4. This makes it possible to eliminate the need to readjust the tilt of the operating lever 16L (re-tilt) even when the flip-up frame section 5 is flipped up.

[0070] <Assembling the Auxiliary Member> Figures 14 to 17 are diagrams (1) to (4) for explaining an example of the procedure for assembling the auxiliary member 6. The dashed line in Figure 16 conceptually shows the outline of the add-on bracket 45 before attachment, in order to clearly illustrate the attachment of the add-on bracket 45. However, when the pop-up frame section 5 is in the pop-up position, the auxiliary member 6 is in a state shortened to less than the maximum length L3 of the auxiliary member 6 (i.e., the above-mentioned length L2 is shorter than the maximum length L3). Therefore, if an attempt is made to assemble the auxiliary member 6 when the pop-up frame section 5 is in the pop-up position, the assembly worker must position the auxiliary member 6 while shortening it, which may make assembling the auxiliary member 6 difficult.

[0071] Therefore, it is preferable that the auxiliary member 6 can be attached to the console base 3 and the flip-up frame 5 while maintaining the maximum length L3. In this regard, by removing the add-on bracket 45 from the tilt frame 4, the flip-up frame 5 does not stay in the flip-up position, and the auxiliary member 6 can rotate to an assembled position in which the maximum length L3 is achieved. Therefore, it is preferable to assemble the auxiliary member 6 with the add-on bracket 45 removed from the tilt frame 4. An example of the procedure for assembling the auxiliary member 6 will be described below.

[0072] First, as shown in Fig. 14 , the flip-up frame section 5 is attached to the tilt frame section 4 without the add-on bracket 45 attached. Next, as shown by arrow F9 in Fig. 15 , the flip-up frame section 5 is rotated about the second rotation shaft section δ2 to the assembled position, and then the auxiliary member 6 is attached to the console base section 3 and the flip-up frame section 5. At this time, the auxiliary member 6 can be attached to the console base section 3 and the flip-up frame section 5 in a state where it has the maximum length L3, which allows the assembly worker to easily perform positioning, etc., without having to shorten the auxiliary member 6.

[0073] Next, as shown by arrow F10 in Fig. 16, the flip-up frame unit 5 is rotated to the normal position, and then the add-on bracket 45 is attached to the tilt frame unit 4 as shown by arrow F11 in Fig. 16. Finally, as shown by arrow F12 in Fig. 17, the flip-up frame unit 5 is rotated around the second rotation shaft δ2 to the flip-up position, thereby completing the assembly of the auxiliary member 6. The above procedure is suitable not only for assembling the auxiliary member 6, but also for replacing the auxiliary member 6.

[0074] According to the console box 2L described above, the first rotating shaft δ1, which is the center of rotation (tilt center) when the tilt frame portion 4 tilts relative to the console base portion 3, and the second rotating shaft δ2, which is the center of rotation (flip-up center) when the flip-up frame portion 5 flips up relative to the tilt frame portion 4, are provided separately. This allows the tilt frame portion 4 and the flip-up frame portion 5 to rotate independently, making it possible to assist tilting and flip-up separately but in different ways.

[0075] Moreover, as described above, a single (common) auxiliary member 6 can assist the tilt of the tilt frame portion 4 and the flip-up of the flip-up frame portion 5 separately and in different ways, thereby reducing the manufacturing costs of the console box 2L compared to the prior art. Note that the auxiliary member 6 may be made up of multiple parts structurally, and may be any member that can be used for both tilting the tilt frame portion 4 and flipping up the flip-up frame portion 5.

[0076] Furthermore, as described above, because the first rotation shaft δ1 (tilt center) is disposed farther from the first end 60 than the second rotation shaft δ2 (flip-up center), the rotation angle through which the auxiliary member 6 attempts to rotate (tilt) the tilt frame unit 4 about the first rotation shaft δ1 with a constant extension is necessarily smaller than the rotation angle through which the auxiliary member 6 attempts to rotate (flip-up) the flip-up frame unit 5 about the second rotation shaft δ2 with the same constant extension. This can be inferred from the fact that, when the length through which the auxiliary member 6 attempts to extend is considered to be the base of an isosceles triangle and the distance of the auxiliary member 6 from the first end 60 is considered to be the equilateral sides, the longer the equilateral sides, the smaller the apex angle opposite to the base. In other words, the rotation angle of the tilt frame unit 4 with a constant extension of the auxiliary member 6 is necessarily smaller than the rotation angle of the flip-up frame unit 5 with the same constant extension of the auxiliary member 6. This makes it relatively easy to finely adjust the rotation angle of the tilt frame portion 4.

[0077] In other words, the rotation angle of the flip-up frame unit 5 due to a certain extension of the auxiliary member 6 is necessarily larger than the rotation angle of the tilt frame unit 4 due to the same certain extension of the auxiliary member 6, so the rotation angle of the flip-up frame unit 5 within the same time period is larger than the rotation angle of the tilt frame unit 4. This makes it possible to rotate (flip up) the flip-up frame unit 5 relatively quickly. In this way, the auxiliary member 6 can appropriately assist both the tilt of the tilt frame unit 4 and the flip-up of the flip-up frame unit 5.

[0078] In this way, with the console box 2L described above, the single auxiliary member 6 can appropriately assist both tilting and flipping up, thereby achieving the effect of reducing the manufacturing cost of the console box 2L.

[0079] Furthermore, as described above, by arranging the second end 61 above or in front of the second rotation shaft portion δ2, the extension direction (biasing direction) of the auxiliary member 6 is aligned with the vertical direction. As a result, for example, when tilting the tilt frame portion 4 substantially vertically as in the case described above, the rotation direction (tilt direction Dt) of the tilt frame portion 4 and the biasing direction of the auxiliary member 6 are roughly aligned, so that the tilt frame portion 4 can be tilted with an even lighter force, thereby improving operability by the operator.

[0080] Furthermore, as described above, since the auxiliary member 6 is composed of a gas damper, the reaction force of the gas damper can cause the pop-up frame portion 5 to pop up more quickly, thereby more efficiently assisting in the pop-up of the pop-up frame portion 5.

[0081] As described above, the floor 12 of the cab 11 is provided with the seat adjustment device 13 that can adjust the position of the driver's seat 14 relative to the floor 12, and the console base 3 is fixed to the driver's seat 14. Therefore, even if the position of the driver's seat 14 is adjusted by the seat adjustment device 13, the positional relationship between the driver's seat 14 and the console base 3, i.e., the positional relationship between the operator sitting in the driver's seat 14 and the operating lever 16L in the console box 2L, does not change. This makes it possible to eliminate the need to readjust (readjust the tilt) of the operating lever 16L even when the position of the driver's seat 14 is adjusted.

[0082] Furthermore, as described above, by providing the tilt handle 8 and the lever lock handle 58 on the lift-up frame portion 5, it becomes possible to operate the tilt handle 8 and the lever lock handle 58 separately depending on the purpose, thereby improving operability for the operator.

[0083] Furthermore, as described above, the tilt handle 8 is provided on the flip-up frame unit 5 and is located forward of the tilt frame unit 4 when the operator tilts the tilt frame unit 4, so that the tilt handle 8, which is the point of force applied when the operator tilts the tilt frame unit 4, is located farther from the first rotation shaft δ1 (tilt center) than the front end of the tilt frame unit 4. This makes it possible to tilt the tilt frame unit 4 with an even lighter force than when the tilt handle 8 is provided on the tilt frame unit 4, thereby improving operability for the operator.

[0084] Furthermore, as described above, since switching using the tilt lock mechanism 7 can be performed by the operator operating the tilt handle 8, it is possible to use a common handle to perform the switching operation of locking / unlocking the tilt frame section 4 using the tilt lock mechanism 7 and the tilt operation using the tilt frame section 4, and therefore these operations can be easily performed with one hand.

[0085] Furthermore, as described above, the tilt handle 8 is formed in a size that allows the operator to grasp the entire handle in one hand, and is configured to be rotatable around the handle rotation axis δh, and the tilt lock mechanism 7 is configured to be able to switch the tilt frame unit 4 from a locked state to an unlocked state in conjunction with the rotation of the tilt handle 8. Therefore, by grasping and rotating the tilt handle 8 with one hand, the tilt frame unit 4 can be switched from the locked state to the unlocked state, and then the tilt frame unit 4 can be rotated (tilted) while still grasping the tilt handle 8. Therefore, this series of operations can be performed with one hand and without releasing the tilt handle 8.

[0086] Furthermore, as described above, the front end of the grip portion 580 of the lever lock handle 58 is located forward of the second pivot shaft portion δ2 when the flip-up frame portion 5 is in the flip-up position, so that even when the flip-up frame portion 5 is flipped up, the grip portion 580 of the lever lock handle 58 can be left in a position that is easy for the operator to operate.

[0087] Furthermore, as described above, the left side plate 40 of the tilt frame unit 4 includes the sub-plate 402 whose position and inclination in the front-to-back and up-down directions relative to the main plate 401 are adjustable, and the groove 70 of the tilt lock mechanism 7 is formed in the sub-plate 402 of the side plate 40. Therefore, by adjusting the position and inclination of the sub-plate 402 of the side plate 40, it is possible to absorb misalignment between the grooves 70 of the side plates 40, 41 (specifically, misalignment when viewed in the left-right direction) caused by design tolerances, processing tolerances, etc. of the side plates 40, 41. As a result, when assembling the tilt frame unit 4, the grooves 70 of the side plates 40, 41 can be aligned in the left-right direction, and therefore the guide pin 712 of the tilt lock mechanism 7 can be inserted smoothly and reliably into the first groove 73 of each groove 70 of the side plates 40, 41.

[0088] The tilt handle 8 may be provided on the tilt frame portion 4. In this case, as in the above, the tilt handle 8 and the lever lock handle 58 can be operated separately depending on the purpose, which has the effect of improving operability for the operator.

[0089] <Right-Side Console Box> Fig. 18 is a schematic right side view of the right-side console box 2R in embodiment 1 as seen from the right. Fig. 19 is a schematic left side view of the console box 2R in Fig. 18 as seen from the left. Fig. 20 is a schematic side view showing the interior of the console box 2R in Fig. 18.

[0090] Next, the right-side console box 2R will be described. The right-side console box 2R differs from the above-described console box 2L in that it does not include the flip-up frame portion 5, but as shown in Figures 18 to 20, it does include a console base portion 3, a tilt frame portion 4, an auxiliary member 6 (not shown in Figures 18 and 19), a tilt lock mechanism 7, and a tilt handle 8. The configuration of each of these portions is similar to that of the console box 2L except for the fact that it is bilaterally symmetrical and that an operating lever 16R is attached to the tilt frame portion 4 instead of the operating lever 16L, and therefore a description of each of these portions will be omitted.

[0091] As in the case of the console box 2L described above, the tilt operation using the tilt frame portion 4 of the console box 2R allows the operator to adjust the inclination of the operating lever 16R to suit the operator's preference, depending on their physique, etc.

[0092] The console box according to the present invention may be located on at least one of the left and right sides of the driver's seat in the cab, and for example, in a cab where the operator gets in and out from the right side, the right console box may be configured in the same manner as the above-described console box 2L. Even in this case, the single assist member 6 can appropriately assist both tilting and flipping up, as in the case described above, thereby achieving the effect of reducing the manufacturing cost of the console box.

[0093] The above-described embodiments are illustrative in all respects and are not intended to be limiting. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be interpreted solely by the above-described embodiments and examples, but should be defined by the claims. Furthermore, all modifications and variations within the scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention.

[0094] A console box according to a first aspect of the present invention is arranged in a cab on at least one of the left and right sides of a driver's seat. The console box includes an operating lever, a console base, a tilt frame attached to the console base so as to be rotatable about a first pivot shaft and tiltable by pivoting relative to the console base, a flip-up frame attached to the tilt frame so as to be rotatable about a second pivot shaft and capable of transitioning between a normal position in which operation of the operating lever is enabled and a flip-up position in which operation of the operating lever is disabled by pivoting relative to the tilt frame, and an axial auxiliary member having one end attached to the console base forward of the first pivot shaft and the second pivot shaft and the other end attached to the flip-up frame, the auxiliary member being extendable and retractable in the axial direction and biasable in the extension direction. The flip-up frame portion is configured to tilt integrally with the tilt frame portion when the tilt frame portion tilts, and the second rotating shaft portion is disposed forward of the first rotating shaft portion.

[0095] According to the above configuration, the tilt frame portion is attached to the console base portion so as to be rotatable about the first pivot shaft portion, and the flip-up frame portion is attached to the tilt frame portion so as to be rotatable about the second pivot shaft portion, so that the first pivot shaft portion, which is the center of rotation (tilt center) when the tilt frame portion tilts relative to the console base portion, and the second pivot shaft portion, which is the center of rotation (flip-up center) when the flip-up frame portion flips up relative to the tilt frame portion, are provided separately. This makes it possible for the tilt frame portion and the flip-up frame portion to rotate independently of each other, making it possible to assist tilting and flip-up separately in different ways.

[0096] Furthermore, one end of the axially axially extendable and urging auxiliary member in the extension direction is attached to the console base, while the other end is attached to the flip-up frame. This allows the auxiliary member to extend and contract with one end (the end attached to the console base) as a fixed end, and urges the flip-up frame in the extension direction with the other end (the end attached to the flip-up frame). The auxiliary member attempts to rotate (flip up) the flip-up frame around the second pivot shaft with its urging force. This allows the flip-up frame to be flipped up with less force. In this way, the auxiliary member assists in flipping up the flip-up frame with its urging force.

[0097] Furthermore, because the flip-up frame section is configured to tilt integrally with the tilt frame section when the tilt frame section tilts, the auxiliary member attempts to rotate (tilt) the tilt frame section integrally with the flip-up frame section about the first pivot shaft section by using its biasing force. This allows the tilt frame section to be tilted with less force when the operator rotates the tilt frame section along the extension direction (biasing direction) of the auxiliary member. On the other hand, when the operator rotates the tilt frame section against the biasing direction of the auxiliary member, the biasing force of the auxiliary member can absorb impacts on the tilt frame section. In this way, the auxiliary member assists the tilt of the tilt frame section by using its biasing force.

[0098] As described above, a single (common) auxiliary member can assist the tilting of the tilt frame section and the pop-up of the pop-up frame section separately and in different ways, thereby reducing the manufacturing costs of the console box compared to the prior art.

[0099] In the console box according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is desirable that the tilt frame portion be capable of relatively easy fine adjustment of the rotation angle so that the operator can adjust the tilt of the operating lever to his / her preference, while the lift-up frame portion be capable of being lifted up relatively quickly so that the operator can quickly open the access passage. In other words, it is desirable that the tilt and lift-up functions can be appropriately assisted in different ways, respectively. Therefore, in order to appropriately assist both the tilt and lift-up functions with a single assist member, the assist member is disposed as follows relative to the first pivot shaft portion (tilt center) and the second pivot shaft portion (lift-up center).

[0100] Because one end portion, which is the fixed end of the auxiliary member, is located forward of the first and second pivot shafts, and the second pivot shaft is located forward of the first pivot shaft, the first pivot shaft (tilt center) is located farther from the fixed end of the auxiliary member than the second pivot shaft (flip-up center). Therefore, the rotation angle through which the auxiliary member attempts to rotate (tilt) the tilt frame portion around the first pivot shaft with a certain extension is necessarily smaller than the rotation angle through which the auxiliary member attempts to rotate (flip-up) the flip-up frame portion around the second pivot shaft with the same certain extension. This can be inferred from the fact that, if the extension length of the auxiliary member is considered to be the base of an isosceles triangle and the distance from the fixed end of the auxiliary member is considered to be the equilateral sides, the longer the equilateral sides, the smaller the apex angle opposite the base. In other words, the rotation angle of the tilt frame unit due to a constant extension of the auxiliary member is necessarily smaller than the rotation angle of the flip-up frame unit due to the same constant extension of the auxiliary member, which makes it relatively easy to fine-tune the rotation angle of the tilt frame unit.

[0101] In other words, the rotation angle of the flip-up frame part due to a certain extension of the auxiliary member is necessarily larger than the rotation angle of the tilt frame part due to the same certain extension of the auxiliary member, so the rotation angle of the flip-up frame part within the same time period is larger than the rotation angle of the tilt frame part. Therefore, it is possible to rotate (flip up) the flip-up frame part relatively quickly. In this way, the auxiliary member can appropriately assist both the tilt of the tilt frame part and the flip-up of the flip-up frame part.

[0102] Thus, with the above configuration, a single auxiliary member can appropriately assist both tilting and flipping up, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the console box.

[0103] A console box according to a second aspect of the present invention is the console box according to the first aspect, wherein the other end of the auxiliary member is disposed above or in front of the second pivot shaft. With this configuration, the extension direction (biasing direction) of the auxiliary member is aligned with the vertical direction. As a result, when tilting the tilt frame unit substantially vertically, for example, the rotation direction (tilt direction) of the tilt frame unit and the biasing direction of the auxiliary member are generally aligned, making it possible to tilt the tilt frame unit with even less force, thereby improving operability for the operator.

[0104] A console box according to a third aspect of the present invention is the console box according to the first or second aspect, wherein the auxiliary member is a gas damper. With this configuration, the reaction force of the gas damper can more quickly lift up the pop-up frame portion, thereby more efficiently assisting in the lift-up of the pop-up frame portion.

[0105] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the console box of any one of the first to third console boxes, a seat adjustment device is provided on the floor of the cab, which allows adjustment of the position of the driver's seat relative to the floor, and the console base may be fixed to the driver's seat. With this configuration, even if the position of the driver's seat is adjusted by the seat adjustment device, the positional relationship between the driver's seat and the console base, i.e., the positional relationship between the operator seated in the driver's seat and the control levers on the console box, does not change. This makes it unnecessary to readjust the tilt of the control levers even when the position of the driver's seat is adjusted.

[0106] A console box according to a fifth aspect of the present invention may be the console box according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, further comprising: a tilt handle provided on the tilt frame portion or the lift-up frame portion and operable by an operator to tilt the tilt frame portion; and a lever lock handle provided on the lift-up frame portion and operable by an operator to lift the lift-up frame portion from the normal position to the lift-up position. With this configuration, the tilt handle and the lever lock handle can be operated separately depending on the purpose, thereby improving operability by the operator.

[0107] A console box according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the console box according to the fifth aspect, wherein the tilt handle is provided on the lift-up frame portion and is located forward of the tilt frame portion when an operator tilts the tilt frame portion. With this configuration, the tilt handle, which is the point of force applied when the operator tilts the tilt frame portion, is located farther from the first pivot shaft portion (tilt center) than the front end of the tilt frame portion. This makes it possible to tilt the tilt frame portion with even less force than when the tilt handle is provided on the tilt frame portion, thereby improving operability for the operator.

[0108] A console box according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the console box according to the fifth or sixth aspect, further including a tilt lock mechanism that switches the tilt frame unit between a locked state in which rotation of the tilt frame unit relative to the console base unit is restricted and an unlocked state in which rotation of the tilt frame unit relative to the console base unit is permitted, and the switching of the state of the tilt frame unit by the tilt lock mechanism may be performed by an operator operating the tilt handle. With this configuration, the operation of switching between locking and unlocking the tilt frame unit by the tilt lock mechanism and the tilt operation using the tilt frame unit can be performed with a common handle, thereby making it possible to easily perform these operations with one hand.

[0109] A console box according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the console box according to the seventh aspect, wherein the tilt handle is sized to be gripped entirely by an operator with one hand and is rotatable about a handle rotation shaft, and the tilt lock mechanism is configured to switch the tilt frame unit from the locked state to the unlocked state in conjunction with rotation of the tilt handle. With this configuration, it is possible to grip and rotate the tilt handle with one hand to switch the tilt frame unit from the locked state to the unlocked state, and then rotate (tilt) the tilt frame unit while still gripping the tilt handle. Therefore, it is possible to perform this series of operations with one hand and without releasing the tilt handle.

[0110] A construction machine according to the present invention includes a console box according to any one of the first to eighth aspects provided inside the cab.

[0111] As described above, according to the present invention, tilting and lifting can be appropriately assisted by a single (common) assisting member, and therefore the manufacturing cost of the console box can be reduced.

Claims

1. A console box located in a cab on at least one side of a driver's seat, comprising: an operating lever; a console base; a tilt frame attached to the console base so as to be rotatable about a first pivot shaft and capable of tilting by pivoting relative to the console base; a flip-up frame attached to the tilt frame so as to be rotatable about a second pivot shaft and capable of transitioning between a normal position in which operation of the operating lever is enabled and a flip-up position in which operation of the operating lever is disabled by pivoting relative to the tilt frame; and an auxiliary member having a shaft shape and one end attached to the console base forward of the first pivot shaft and the second pivot shaft and the other end attached to the flip-up frame, the auxiliary member being extendable and contractible in the axial direction and biasable in the extension direction, wherein the flip-up frame is configured to tilt integrally with the tilt frame when the tilt frame is tilted, and the second pivot shaft is located forward of the first pivot shaft.

2. A console box according to claim 1, wherein the other end of the auxiliary member is disposed above or in front of the second pivot shaft portion.

3. A console box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the auxiliary member is a gas damper.

4. A console box according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the floor of the cab is provided with a seat adjustment device that can adjust the position of the driver's seat relative to the floor, and the console base is fixed to the driver's seat.

5. A console box according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: a tilt handle provided on the tilt frame section or the lift-up frame section, operable by an operator to tilt the tilt frame section; and a lever lock handle provided on the lift-up frame section, operable by an operator to lift up the lift-up frame section from the normal position to the lift-up position.

6. A console box according to claim 5, wherein the tilt handle is provided on the lift-up frame portion and is positioned forward of the tilt frame portion when the operator tilts the tilt frame portion.

7. A console box as claimed in claim 5 or 6, further comprising a tilt lock mechanism that can switch the tilt frame section between a locked state in which rotation relative to the console base section is restricted and an unlocked state in which rotation relative to the console base section is permitted, and the state of the tilt frame section can be switched by the tilt lock mechanism when the operator operates the tilt handle.

8. A console box as described in claim 7, wherein the tilt handle is formed to a size that allows an operator to grasp the entire handle in one hand and is configured to be rotatable around the handle rotation axis, and the tilt lock mechanism is configured to be able to switch the tilt frame from the locked state to the unlocked state in conjunction with the rotation of the tilt handle.

9. A construction machine having a console box according to any one of claims 1 to 8 installed inside the cab.

Images