Work Vehicle Charging Cover With External Access Lid

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electric work vehicles require significant effort to charge the battery due to the need to open a large and heavy cover member covering the power feed section, which increases production costs and operational inconvenience.

Innovation Solution

The vehicle is designed with a cover member that includes an opening facing the power feed section, allowing a lid to be opened to access the power feed section externally, reducing the need to open the cover member, and strategically positions the power feed section to avoid interference with other components, using a swingable lid with inclined edges for easy access and a frame-shaped portion to facilitate charging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the cover member covers the power feed section to protect it, then the protection of the power feed section is improved, but the effort required to open the cover member for charging increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection of power feed sectionVSAvoideffort to open cover member
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The cover member is segmented into two functional parts: a main cover body that protects the battery and power feed section, and a separate lid that can be opened to access the power feed section. This segmentation allows the protective function to be maintained while enabling easy access for charging operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The lid is extracted as a separate operable component from the main cover member. This extracted lid provides a dedicated access path to the power feed section, separating the protection function (main cover) from the access function (lid), thereby reducing the effort required to access the power feed section while maintaining protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the cover member is made large to cover the battery and power feed section, then the protection is improved, but the weight of the cover member increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotection of power feed sectionVSAvoidweight of cover member
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The cover member is divided into a main cover body and a separate lid. The lid, being a smaller and lighter component compared to a fully enclosed large cover, reduces the overall weight while maintaining the protective enclosure when closed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

By extracting the lid as a separate component rather than having a fully solid large cover, the weight of the cover member is reduced. The lid provides necessary access functionality without requiring the entire cover structure to be large and heavy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of operation

If the opening is positioned at the front of the cover member, then the access to power feed section is simplified, but interference with other components such as radiator occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess to power feed sectionVSAvoidinterference with radiator
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The opening is repositioned from the front of the cover member to the side portion. This spatial reconfiguration in another dimension (from front-facing to side-facing) eliminates interference with front-mounted components like the radiator while maintaining accessible connection to the power feed section through the side opening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP4644150A1Electric work vehicle
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 KUBOTA CORP
  • EP4644150A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4644150A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4644150A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An electric work vehicle includes: a battery; a motor drivable by electric power supplied from the battery; a travel device drivable by the motor; a power feed section (20) to which a charger is connectable and which is electrically connected to the battery; a cover member (12) covering the battery and the power feed section (20) and having an opening (13) at a portion facing the power feed section (20); and a lid (14) configured to block and expose the opening (13).