Patent Application
20240157742
This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-181286 filed Nov. 11, 2022, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to a structure of a front portion or a rear portion of a body frame of a work vehicle.
A work vehicle disclosed in JP 2017-13692A includes hitch attachment sections in a front portion and a rear portion of a body frame. A work device can be attached to the body frame by attaching a hitch for attaching the work device to the front or rear hitch attachment section. When a hitch for towing is attached to the rear hitch attachment section, a wagon can be towed by the work vehicle. When the work vehicle fails to travel on soft ground, it is possible to move the work vehicle from the soft ground by attaching the hitch for towing to the front or rear hitch attachment section.
JP 2017-13692A discloses an example of related art.
An obstacle sensor that detects an obstacle with use of infrared rays or ultrasonic waves or an obstacle sensor that detects an obstacle by coming into contact with the obstacle may be provided in a front portion (or a rear portion) of a work vehicle such as a golf cart.
An object of the present invention is to realize a simple structure for attaching an obstacle sensor to a body frame of a work vehicle.
A work vehicle according to the present invention includes: a body frame provided with at least one travel device; a hitch attachment section configured to enable attachment and removal of a hitch for attaching a work device and a hitch for towing, the hitch attachment section being in a front portion or a rear portion of the body frame; and a sensor support supporting at least one obstacle sensor for detecting an obstacle, and configured to be attached to the hitch attachment section and removed from the hitch attachment section.
According to the present invention, the hitch attachment section is provided in the front portion or the rear portion of the body frame, and enables attachment and removal of a hitch for attaching a work device and a hitch for towing.
According to the present invention, the at least one obstacle sensor is supported by the sensor support, and the sensor support can be attached to the body frame by removing the hitch from the hitch attachment section and attaching the sensor support to the hitch attachment section. Thus, the obstacle sensor can be attached to the front portion or the rear portion of the body frame.
When the hitch needs to be attached to the hitch attachment section, the sensor support can be removed from the hitch attachment section to attach the hitch to the hitch attachment section.
In the configuration according to the present invention, the obstacle sensor (the sensor support) can be attached to the body frame by effectively using the hitch attachment section, and accordingly, the hitch attachment section can be used for both the purpose of attaching a hitch and the purpose of attaching the obstacle sensor, and the structure for attaching the obstacle sensor to the body frame can be simplified.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the sensor support includes: a first section supporting the at least one obstacle sensor and extending along a left-right direction; and a second section attached to the first section and extending along a front-rear direction, wherein the sensor support is attached to the hitch attachment section by inserting the second section into the hitch attachment section.
According to this aspect of the present invention, in a case where the work vehicle includes a plurality of obstacle sensors, the plurality of obstacle sensors can be easily supported by the first section of the sensor support because the first section of the sensor support extends along the left-right direction.
The sensor support can be easily attached to the hitch attachment section by inserting the second section of the sensor support into the hitch attachment section.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the at least one obstacle sensor includes: a first obstacle sensor configured to detect an obstacle with use of infrared rays or ultrasonic waves, and supported by the first section; and a left second obstacle sensor and a right second obstacle sensor each configured to detect an obstacle by coming into contact with the obstacle, the left second obstacle sensor being supported by a portion of the first section on a left side of the first obstacle sensor, and the right second obstacle sensor being supported by a portion of the first section on a right side of the first obstacle sensor.
According to this aspect of the present invention, in the case where the work vehicle includes a plurality of obstacle sensors, the first obstacle sensor is supported by a center portion of the first section of the sensor support in the left-right direction, and the second obstacle sensors are provided in the right and left portions of the first section of the sensor support.
Accordingly, when the work vehicle travels in a wide work field in which the number of obstacles is relatively small, it is possible to appropriately detect an obstacle that is relatively far from the work vehicle with use of the first obstacle sensor. When the work vehicle travels in a work field such as an orchard or a forest, in which there are many obstacles, it is possible to appropriately detect an obstacle that is close to the work vehicle with use of the second obstacle sensors.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the at least one travel device includes a front travel device and a rear travel device, and, after the sensor support is attached to the hitch attachment section, the first section is in front of the front travel device or behind the rear travel device.
According to this aspect of the present invention, after the sensor support is attached to the hitch attachment section, the first section of the sensor support is in front of the front travel device (or behind the rear travel device). Therefore, when the sensor support is configured to have sufficient strength, the first section of the sensor support can function as a bumper.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the at least one travel device includes a right travel device and a left travel device, and the first section is long enough to extend from the right travel device to the left travel device.
According to this aspect of the present invention, after the sensor support is attached to the hitch attachment section, the first section of the sensor support extends from the right travel device to the left travel device. In the case where the first section of the sensor support is configured to function as a bumper, this configuration can further enhance the function of the bumper.
As shown in
A seating section 4 in which a driver and an operator ride is supported by a portion of the body frame 3 between the front wheels 1 and the rear wheels 2, and the seating section 4 is surrounded by a ROPS frame 5. The seating section 4 includes a driver's seat 6 (corresponding to a seat), a passenger seat 7 (corresponding to a seat), a floor 8, a steering handle 9 for steering the front wheels 1, and the like.
The work vehicle includes a hood 10 in front of the seating section 4 and a cargo bed 11 behind the seating section 4. The cargo bed 11 can be raised and lowered between a use position shown by solid lines in
As shown in
The first frame sections 21 extend along a front-rear direction under the seating section 4 (the floor 8). The second frame sections 22 are coupled to rear portions of the first frame sections 21 and extend upward from the rear portions of the first frame sections 21. The third frame sections 23 are coupled to upper portions of the second frame sections 22 and extend rearward from the upper portions of the second frame sections 22.
The fourth frame sections 24 are coupled to the rear portions of the first frame sections 21 and extend rearward from the rear portions of the first frame sections 21. A frame 28 extending along a left-right direction is coupled to rear portions of the right and left fourth frame sections 24. Frames 29 extending along an up-down direction are each coupled to a rear portion of one of the third frame sections 23 and a rear portion of a corresponding one of the fourth frame sections 24.
The fifth frame sections 25 are coupled to front portions of the first frame sections 21 and extend forward from the front portions of the first frame sections 21. Frames 30 extending along the up-down direction are coupled to the front portions of the first frame sections 21 and extend upward from the front portions of the first frame sections 21.
The sixth frame sections 26 are coupled to upper portions of the frames 30 and extend forward from the upper portions of the frames 30. A front guard 12 extends between front portions of the fifth frame sections 25 and front portions of the sixth frame sections 26, and is coupled to the front portions of the fifth and sixth frame sections 25 and 26.
As shown in
The seventh frame sections 27 each have a U-shape (a channel shape) in a side view, upper front portions of the seventh frame sections 27 are coupled to the front support sections 15, and upper rear portions of the seventh frame sections 27 are coupled to the rear support sections 16. The floor 8 extends between the front portions of the first frame sections 21 and lower front portions of the seventh frame sections 27, and is coupled to the front portions of the first frame sections 21 and the lower front portions of the seventh frame sections 27. Right and left side guards 40 each extending from one of the rear support sections 16 to a lower rear portion of a corresponding one of the seventh frame sections 27 are coupled to the rear support sections 16 and the lower rear portions of the seventh frame sections 27.
As shown in
An auxiliary transmission (not shown) and a rear wheel differential device (not shown) are provided inside the transmission case 17. Motive power is transmitted from the motor 18 to the auxiliary transmission, subjected to speed change, and transmitted from the rear wheel differential device to the rear wheels 2 via drive shafts 19.
The front wheels 1 are supported via a suspension mechanism (not shown) by the fifth frame sections 25 and the sixth frame sections 26, and a front wheel differential device 20 is supported by the fifth frame sections 25. Motive power diverted from between the auxiliary transmission and the rear wheel differential device in the transmission case 17 is transmitted by a transmission shaft 31 to the front wheel differential device 20, and then transmitted from the front wheel differential device 20 to the front wheels 1 via drive shafts 32.
As shown in
The first sections 5a of the ROPS frame 5 each have an inverted U-shape (an inverted channel shape) in a side view. The second section 5b of the ROPS frame 5 extending along the left-right direction is coupled to front portions of the right and left first sections 5a of the ROPS frame 5. The third section 5c of the ROPS frame 5 extending along the left-right direction is coupled to rear portions of the right and left first sections 5a of the ROPS frame 5.
Lower front portions of the first sections 5a of the ROPS frame 5 are coupled to the front support sections 15 with use of bolts (not shown), and lower rear portions of the first sections 5a of the ROPS frame 5 are coupled to the rear support sections 16 with use of bolts (not shown). With this configuration, the ROPS frame 5 is attached to the body frame 3.
The ROPS frame 5 can be removed from the body frame 3 by removing the lower front portions of the first sections 5a of the ROPS frame 5 from the front support sections 15 and removing the lower rear portions of the first sections 5a of the ROPS frame 5 from the rear support sections 16.
As shown in
A support section 33c is coupled to the upper portion of the up-down section 33a (a front portion of the front-rear section 33b) of each seat frame 33. A support section 33d is coupled to a rear portion of the front-rear section 33b of each seat frame 33.
An attachment section 21a is provided in the rear portion of each first frame section 21 of the body frame 3, and an attachment section 22a is provided in the upper portion of each second frame section 22 of the body frame 3.
A lower portion of the up-down section 33a of each seat frame 33 is attachable to the attachment section 21a of a corresponding one of the first frame sections 21 with use of a bolt 34 and removable therefrom. A rear portion of the front-rear section 33b of each seat frame 33 is attachable to the attachment section 22a of a corresponding one of the second frame sections 22 with use of a bolt 34 and removable therefrom.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The work vehicle includes a flat plate-shaped support member 38, and the backrest sections 6b and 7b of the driver's seat 6 and the passenger seat 7 are attached to the support member 38. The support member 38 is attachable to the right and left first sections 5a of the ROPS frame 5 with use of bolts 39 and removable therefrom.
With the configuration described above, the front portion of the support member 37 is supported via the support frame 35 by the seat frames 33 and a rear portion of the support member 37 is supported by the support sections 3d of the seat frames 33 in a normal use state.
Thus, the seat section 6a of the driver's seat 6 (seat) and the seat section 7a of the passenger seat 7 (seat) are supported by the seat frames 33 and supported by the body frame 3 via the seat frames 33. The backrest section 6b of the driver's seat 6 and the backrest section 7b of the passenger seat 7 are supported by the ROPS frame 5 and supported by the body frame 3 via the ROPS frame 5.
It is possible to open a region above the seat frames 33 by raising the rear portion of the support member 37 upward with the fulcrum sections 35a on the support frame 35 serving as fulcrums. The seat section 6a of the driver's seat 6 (seat) and the seat section 7a of the passenger seat 7 (seat) can be removed from the seat frames 33 by removing the bolts 36 and removing the support frame 35 from the seat frames 33.
The backrest section 6b of the driver's seat 6 and the backrest section 7b of the passenger seat 7 can be removed from the body frame 3 by removing the bolts 39 and removing the support member 38 from the ROPS frame 5.
As shown in
In the state where the battery 42 is attached to the support member 41, the battery 42 is between the up-down section 33a of each seat frame 33 and the second frame sections 22 and between the front-rear section 33b of each seat frame 33 and the first frame sections 21 in a side view.
In a plan view, a right end portion 42a of the battery 42 is outward of the right seat frame 33 in the lateral direction and closer to the center of the body frame 3 in the left-right direction than the right seventh frame section 27 and the right side guard 40 are. The right end portion 42a of the battery 42 overlaps the right seventh frame section 27 and the right side guard 40 in a side view.
In the plan view, a left end portion 42b of the battery 42 is outward of the left seat frame 33 in the lateral direction and closer to the center of the body frame 3 in the left-right direction than the left seventh frame section 27 and the left side guard 40 are. The left end portion 42b of the battery 42 overlaps the left seventh frame section 27 and the left side guard 40 in a side view.
A flat plate-shaped support member 43 is attached to the front-rear sections 33b of the right and left seat frames 33 with use of bolts (not shown) in such a manner as to be removable from the front-rear sections 33b and attachable thereto. An inverter 44 and a control device 45 are attached to the support member 43. The inverter 44 and the control device 45 are between the seat sections 6a and 7a of the driver's seat 6 and the passenger seat 7 (the support member 37) and the battery 42 (the front-rear sections 33b of the seat frames 33) in a side view.
When a driver seating in the driver's seat 6 operates a gear shift pedal (not shown), an operation position of the gear shift pedal is input by the control device 45, and the inverter 44 is operated by the control device 45 based on the operation position of the gear shift pedal. DC power output from the battery 42 is converted into AC power by the inverter 44 and supplied to the motor 18. The motor 18 operates to output motive power for travel, and the motive power for travel is supplied to the front wheels 1 and the rear wheels 2 as described above.
As shown in
Maintenance of the inverter 44 and the control device 45 can be performed by raising the support member 37. The inverter 44 and the control device 45 can be removed by removing the support member 43 from the seat frames 33. Maintenance of the battery 42 can be performed by raising the support member 37 and removing the inverter 44 and the control device 45.
When the seat section 6a of the driver's seat 6 (seat) and the seat section 7a of the passenger seat 7 (seat) are removed from the seat frames 33 by removing the support frame 35 from the seat frames 33 as described above, the seat frames 33 can be removed from the body frame 3 (the first frame sections 21 and the second frame sections 22) by removing the bolts 34.
When the seat frames 33 are removed from the body frame 3 (the first frame sections 21 and the second frame sections 22), the battery 42 can be removed from the body frame 3 (the support member 41) and attached to the body frame 3 (the support member 41).
In this case, attachment and removal of the battery 42 are facilitated when the support member 38 is removed from the ROPS frame 5 by removing the bolts 39 as described above to remove the backrest section 6b of the driver's seat 6 and the backrest section 7b of the passenger seat 7 from the body frame 3.
Attachment and removal of the battery 42 are further facilitated when the ROPS frame 5 is removed from the body frame 3 by removing the lower front portions of the first sections 5a of the ROPS frame 5 from the front support sections 15 and removing the lower rear portions of the first sections 5a of the ROPS frame 5 from the rear support sections 16 as described above, in addition to removing the backrest section 6b of the driver's seat 6 and the backrest section 7b of the passenger seat 7 from the body frame 3.
As shown in
A work device (not shown) can be attached to a front portion or a rear portion (both the front portion and the rear portion) of the body frame 3 by attaching a hitch (not shown) for attaching the work device to the hitch attachment section 46 or 47 and attaching the work device to the hitch. When the hitch is unnecessary, the hitch can be removed from the hitch attachment section 46 or 47.
When a hitch (not shown) for towing is attached to the rear hitch attachment section 47, a wagon (not shown) can be connected to the hitch and towed by the work vehicle.
When the work vehicle fails to travel on soft ground, the hitch for towing can be attached to the hitch attachment section 46 or 47. By attaching a wire (not shown) or the like to the hitch and pulling the wire or the like with use of another work vehicle (not shown), it is possible to move the work vehicle from the soft ground. When the hitch is unnecessary, the hitch can be removed from the hitch attachment section 46 or 47.
As shown in
The second sections 48b of the sensor supports 48 are inserted into the hitch attachment sections 46 and 47, and thus the sensor supports 48 are attached to the hitch attachment sections 46 and 47 and the body frame 3.
The work vehicle includes fixing members 49, and as shown in
The body 49a of each fixing member 49 is formed like a pin. The handle portion 49b to be held by a worker extends from an end portion of the body 49a in a direction intersecting with the body 49a. The receiving portion 49c like a washer is fixed to an intermediate portion of the body 49a. The retainer portion 49d is formed like a beta pin and attachable to an end portion of the body 49a and removable therefrom.
After the second sections 48b of the sensor supports 48 are inserted into the hitch attachment sections 46 and 47, the bodies 49a of the fixing members 49 are inserted into openings in the hitch attachment sections 46 and 47 and openings in the second sections 48b of the sensor supports 48 until the receiving portions 49c of the fixing members 49 abut against the hitch attachment sections 46 and 47, and the retainer portions 49d of the fixing members 49 are attached to the end portions of the bodies 49a. Thus, the sensor supports 48 can be attached and fixed to the hitch attachment sections 46 and 47.
When the retainer portions 49d of the fixing members 49 are removed from the bodies 49a and the fixing members 49 are removed from the hitch attachment sections 46 and 47, the second sections 48b of the sensor supports 48 can be pulled out from the hitch attachment sections 46 and 47 and the sensor supports 48 can be removed from the hitch attachment sections 46 and 47.
As shown in
Obstacle sensors 52 (corresponding to second obstacle sensors) are supported by portions of the first section 48a of each sensor support 48 on the right side and the left side of the obstacle sensor 51.
The obstacle sensor 51 is configured to detect obstacles with use of infrared rays or ultrasonic waves, and mainly detects obstacles spaced apart from the body frame 3 in front of (or behind) the body frame 3.
Each obstacle sensor 52 is provided with a flat plate-shaped contact body 50, and detects an obstacle in response to the contact body 50 coming into contact with the obstacle. The contact bodies 50 of the obstacle sensors 52 slightly protrude forward (rearward) from the obstacle sensor 51 in a plan view.
In the state where the sensor supports 48 are attached to the hitch attachment sections 46 and 47, the first sections 48a of the sensor supports 48 extend from the right front wheel 1 to the left front wheel 1 and from the right rear wheel 2 to the left rear wheel 2.
When the sensor supports 48 are attached to the hitch attachment sections 46 and 47, right and left portions of the first section 48a of the front sensor support 48 are in front of the right and left front wheels 1. Right and left portions of the first section 48a of the rear sensor support 48 are behind the right and left rear wheels 2.
In the state where the front sensor support 48 is attached to the hitch attachment section 46, the front sensor support 48 (the contact bodies 50 of the obstacle sensors 52) is slightly forward of a front end portion of the front guard 12 in a side view.
In the state where the rear sensor support 48 is attached to the hitch attachment section 47, the rear sensor support 48 (the contact bodies 50 of the obstacle sensors 52) is slightly forward of a rear end portion of the cargo bed 11 in the use state (the state shown by solid lines in
A configuration is also possible in which the sensor support 48 (the obstacle sensors 51 and 52) is attached to the front hitch attachment section 46 and is not attached to the rear hitch attachment section 47.
A configuration is also possible in which the sensor support 48 (the obstacle sensors 51 and 52) is attached to the rear hitch attachment section 47 and is not attached to the front hitch attachment section 46.
A configuration is also possible in which right and left hitch attachment sections 46 are provided next to each other in the left-right direction at the front end portions of the fifth frame sections 25 of the body frame 3, and right and left hitch attachment sections 47 are provided next to each other in the left-right direction at the rear end portions of the fourth frame sections 24 (the frame 28) of the body frame 3.
In this case, two second sections 48b can be attached to the first section 48a of each sensor support 48. By inserting the two second sections 48b of the sensor support 48 into the right and left hitch attachment sections 46 (the right and left hitch attachment sections 47), the sensor support 48 (the first section 48a) is firmly attached to the body frame 3.
In a case where the obstacle sensor 51 configured to detect obstacles with use of infrared rays or ultrasonic waves is provided in the first section 48a of the sensor support 48 and the contact-type obstacle sensors 52 are not provided, the length of the first section 48a of the sensor support 48 may be shorter than the width between the right and left front wheels 1 (rear wheels 2).
Crawler-type travel devices (not shown) may be provided as front travel devices, instead of the front wheels 1. Crawler-type travel devices (not shown) may be provided as rear travel devices, instead of the rear wheels 2. A front wheel 1 and a rear wheel 2 may be replaced with one crawler-type travel device (not shown).
The present invention is applicable to not only an electric work vehicle that drives a travel device with use of a motor but also a hybrid work vehicle that drives a travel device with use of an engine and a motor, as well as a work vehicle only equipped with an engine, rather than an electric work vehicle and a hybrid work vehicle.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-181286 | Nov 2022 | JP | national |
