Wheel Loader Engine Room Layout for Rear Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
The width constraints of a wheel loader's engine room due to tire spacing hinder the compact installation of multiple exhaust processing devices and an air cleaner, leading to reduced rear visibility when the engine room is enlarged in the front-back direction.
Innovation Solution
The air cleaner is positioned closer to the upper rear surface of a tank with a lower rear surface and an inclined surface, allowing for a compact arrangement of exhaust processing devices and the tank, thereby minimizing the engine room's size in the front-back direction and maintaining rear visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two or more exhaust processing devices are mounted on the wheel loader to meet stricter exhaust gas restrictions, then exhaust gas purification capability is improved, but the engine room size increases in the front-back direction, causing reduced visibility to the rear from the cab
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes the vertical dimension by positioning exhaust processing devices above the engine rather than only in the front-back direction. The air cleaner is disposed above the engine in front of the exhaust processing devices, creating a three-dimensional arrangement that fits multiple components within the limited engine room footprint without extending the front-back length excessively.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention nests the air cleaner within the space above the engine, positioning it in front of the exhaust processing devices. This nested arrangement allows the air cleaner to occupy vertical and front-back space efficiently, accommodating multiple exhaust processing devices and the air cleaner within the constrained engine room dimensions.
2Ease of manufacture
If the air cleaner is disposed in a row in the vehicle front-back direction with the two or more exhaust processing devices, then all components can be arranged linearly, but the engine room becomes very large in the front-back direction, reducing rear visibility from the cab
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of arranging all components in a single row in the front-back direction, the invention transitions to a multi-dimensional layout by positioning the air cleaner above the engine and in front of the exhaust processing devices. This vertical stacking approach reduces the front-back footprint while maintaining ease of assembly and maintenance access.
Data Source
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AI summary
An engine room is disposed rearward of a cab. An engine disposed inside the engine room. A first exhaust processing device and a second exhaust processing device are disposed over the engine. An air cleaner is disposed in the engine room in front of the first exhaust processing device and the second exhaust processing device. A tank is disposed between the cab and the air cleaner in the vehicle front-back direction. A rear surface of the tank has a lower rear surface part and an upper rear surface part. The upper rear surface part is disposed above the lower rear surface part and is positioned forward the lower rear surface part. At least a portion of the air cleaner is disposed facing the upper rear surface part.