Engine Hood and Console Box Layout to Prevent Unintended Closure
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing work vehicles face issues with unintentional closure of engine hoods during maintenance and limited, partial openings for inspection, leading to cumbersome maintenance procedures.
Innovation Solution
A work vehicle design featuring a revolving frame with an engine hood and console boxes that turn independently, where the direction of engine hood opening coincides with console box posture change, and hydraulic hoses are arranged to avoid interference, allowing easy maintenance without unintentional hood closure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the console box is caused to turn toward the rear side of the engine hood for maintenance work, then maintenance accessibility is improved, but the engine hood may be closed unintentionally
Solution Approach 1:
A counterweight is provided that generates a counterweight force to prevent the engine hood from closing unintentionally when the console box is turned. The counterweight compensates for the weight of the console box and maintains the engine hood in an open position during maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The counterweight is configured to generate the counterweight force in advance before the engine hood closes unintentionally. By providing preliminary opposing force, the system prevents the harmful effect of unintentional closure before it occurs during console box rotation.
2Device complexity
If the top panel of the main body cover and box covers are independent, then structural simplicity is achieved, but maintenance becomes troublesome requiring all covers to be opened
Solution Approach 1:
The top panel of the main body cover and the box covers are integrated to form a unified opening structure. This merging allows the entire cover assembly to be opened as a single unit, providing comprehensive access to the engine room for maintenance while maintaining relatively simple structural design.
3Volume of moving object
If the hydraulic hose is arranged close to the first shaft and second shaft to save space, then space utilization is improved, but interference with maintenance work and potential hose damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic hose is designed with flexible characteristics and arranged to extend along the inner walls of the revolving frame and engine hood. This flexible arrangement allows the hose to accommodate the rotation of the console box and opening/closing of the engine hood without interference or damage, while maintaining compact space utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydraulic hose acts as an intermediary element that connects the console box to the hydraulic system while accommodating relative movements. By routing the hose along the inner walls and allowing it to flex during operations, the system maintains both space efficiency and hose integrity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An engine hood (38) supported by a rotation shaft (71) in rear of an engine (33) is turnable about the rotation shaft (71), and turns relative to a revolving frame (31) for opening/closing. Console boxes (52) supported by hinge shafts (72) above the engine hood (38) are turnable about the hinge shafts (72). The console boxes (52) turn relative to the engine hood (38) to be changed between first posture and second posture. Hydraulic hoses (5L,5R) are connected to the console boxes (52). The console boxes (52) include work manipulation levers (37) whose manipulation is enabled while the console boxes (52) are in first posture and whose manipulation is disabled while the console boxes (52) are in second posture. A direction in which the engine hood (38) turns for opening coincides with a direction in which the console boxes (52) turn to be changed from first posture to second posture. The hydraulic hoses (5L,5R) extend along inner walls of the revolving frame (31) and the engine hood (38), and are partially close to the rotation shafts (71) and the hinge shafts (72).