Patent Application
20180355569
This nonprovisional application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-114418 filed on Jun. 9, 2017 with the Japan Patent Office, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a work vehicle.
Conventionally, there has been a proposed technique related to a vehicle configured to perform snow removal work and including a blade equipped with a shutter arranged so as to be freely raised and lowered, the technique being intended to open and close the shutter by operating a switch, or intended to open and close the shutter when a marker placed on a road is detected (for example, see Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 05-287715).
When snow removal work is performed by a motor grader having a blade, a windrow is formed on the side part of the motor grader so as to extend in a ridge shape in the traveling direction of the motor grader. Thus, when the motor grader travels through areas where traffic is obstructed if a windrow is formed thereon, such as an intersection or an entrance of a public facility, the shutter is closed so as to temporarily prevent formation of a windrow.
For operating the motor grader, a large number of operation devices such as a lever need to be operated as appropriate. Accordingly, it is troublesome for the operator who is aboard the motor grader performing snow removal work to manually perform an operation to open and close the shutter. Although the above-described literature proposes the technique for automatically opening and closing a shutter by detecting a marker placed on a road, it is necessary to place markers on both sides of every intersection in order to automatically open and close the shutter, which is difficult to be realized.
An object of the present invention is to provide a work vehicle allowing a simplified operation to open and close a shutter in a simple configuration.
A work vehicle according to an aspect of the present invention includes a blade, a shutter, an actuator, an input operation unit, and a controller. The blade includes a lower end. The shutter is attached to the blade. The shutter can be disposed alternatively at a first position at which the shutter protrudes forward from the lower end of the blade or at a second position at which the shutter is farther away from the lower end than at the first position. The actuator is configured to cause the shutter to move from one to the other between the first position and the second position. The input operation unit is configured to input an operation instruction to the actuator. The controller is configured to receive an input of the operation instruction from the input operation unit to move the shutter from the second position to the first position, to cause the shutter to move from the second position to the first position. After a lapse of a prescribed time period since the shutter is moved to the first position, the controller causes the shutter to move from the first position to the second position.
A work vehicle according to an aspect of the present invention includes a blade, a shutter, an actuator, an input operation unit, a sensor, and a controller. The blade includes a lower end. The shutter is attached to the blade. The shutter can be disposed alternatively at a first position at which the shutter protrudes forward from the lower end of the blade or at a second position at which the shutter is farther away from the lower end than at the first position. The actuator is configured to cause the shutter to move from one to the other between the first position and the second position. The input operation unit is configured to input an operation instruction to the actuator. The sensor is configured to detect a traveling distance of the work vehicle after the shutter is moved to the first position. The controller is configured to receive an input of the operation instruction from the input operation unit to move the shutter from the second position to the first position, to cause the shutter to move from the second position to the first position. After the work vehicle travels for a prescribed distance since the shutter is moved to the first position, the controller causes the shutter to move from the first position to the second position.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The embodiments will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same components are designated by the same reference characters. Names and functions thereof are also the same. Accordingly, the detailed description thereof will not be repeated.
As shown in
In the following description of the figures, the direction in which work vehicle 100 travels straight forward is referred to as a front-rear direction of work vehicle 100. In the front-rear direction of work vehicle 100, the direction toward the side on which front wheel 11 is disposed with respect to work implement 4 is referred to as a frontward direction. In the front-rear direction of work vehicle 100, the direction toward the side on which rear wheel 12 is disposed with respect to work implement 4 is referred to as a rearward direction. The right-left direction of work vehicle 100 is the direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction as seen in plan view. From the viewpoint in the frontward direction, the right side and the left side in the right-left direction are respectively the rightward direction and the leftward direction. The top-bottom direction of work vehicle 100 is the direction orthogonal to a plane defined by the front-rear direction and the right-left direction. In the top-bottom direction, the ground side is the lower side and the sky side is the upper side.
The front-rear direction is the front-rear direction with respect to an operator sitting on the operator's seat in operator's cab 3. The right-left direction is the right-left direction with respect to an operator sitting on the operator's seat. The right-left direction is the vehicular width direction of work vehicle 100. The top-bottom direction is the top-bottom direction with respect to an operator sitting on the operator's seat. The direction in which an operator sitting on the operator's seat faces is the frontward direction, and the backward direction with respect to an operator sitting on the operator's seat is the rearward direction. The right side and the left side with respect to an operator sitting on the operator's seat and facing frontward are respectively the rightward direction and the leftward direction. The feet side and the head side of an operator sitting on the operator's seat are respectively the lower side and the upper side.
In the figures as described below, the front-rear direction is indicated by an arrow X, the right-left direction is indicated by an arrow Y, and the top-bottom direction is indicated by an arrow Z.
Vehicular body frame 2 extends in the front-rear direction (right-left direction in
Rear frame 21 supports an exterior cover 25 and components such as an engine disposed in engine compartment 6. The engine is mounted in rear frame 21. The engine is disposed behind operator's cab 3. Exterior cover 25 covers engine compartment 6. Exterior cover 25 defines engine compartment 6 housing the engine. For example, each of four rear wheels 12 described above is supported on rear frame 21 so as to be capable of being rotatably driven with the driving force from the engine.
Front frame 22 is attached frontward of rear frame 21. Front frame 22 is coupled to rear frame 21 so as to be pivotable. Front frame 22 extends in the front-rear direction. Front frame 22 includes a base end coupled to rear frame 21 and a leading end on the opposite side to the base end. The base end of front frame 22 is coupled to the leading end of rear frame 21 via a vertical center pin.
To the front end of front frame 22, for example, two front wheels 11 described above are attached so as to be rotatable. Work vehicle 100 may be configured in a rear-wheel drive system, or may be configured in an all-wheel drive system in which each of front wheels 11 and rear wheels 12 is rotatably driven with the driving force from the engine.
Front wheels 11 are attached to front frame 22 so as to be revolvable by extension and contraction of the steering cylinder (not shown). Work vehicle 100 can change its traveling direction by extension and contraction of the steering cylinder. The steering cylinder can be extended and contracted by operating the handle or the steering control lever provided inside operator's cab 3.
Operator's cab 3 has an interior space in which an operator is aboard, and is mounted at the front end portion of rear frame 21. Inside operator's cab 3, operation units such as a handle for a revolving operation, a shift lever, a control lever of work implement 4, a brake, an accelerator pedal, and an inching pedal are provided. Operator's cab 3 has a front portion, side portions on the right and left sides, and a rear portion. The space surrounded by the front portion, the side portions and the rear portion forms an interior space in operator's cab 3. In addition, operator's cab 3 may be mounted on front frame 22.
Work implement 4 mainly includes a drawbar 40, a blade 42, and a pair of lift cylinders 44 and 45.
The front end of drawbar 40 is attached to the leading end of front frame 22 so as to be swingable. The rear end of drawbar 40 is supported by the pair of lift cylinders 44 and 45 on front frame 22.
By extension and contraction of the pair of lift cylinders 44 and 45, the rear end of drawbar 40 can be vertically raised and lowered with respect to front frame 22. By contraction of both lift cylinders 44 and 45, the height of blade 42 relative to front frame 22 and front wheels 11 is adjusted in the upward direction. By extension of both lift cylinders 44 and 45, the height of blade 42 relative to front frame 22 and front wheels 11 is adjusted in the downward direction.
Furthermore, drawbar 40 is capable of swinging upward and downward about the axis along the vehicle traveling direction as lift cylinders 44 and 45 are differently extended and contracted.
Blade 42 is disposed between front wheels 11 and rear wheels 12. Blade 42 has a shape of a curved surface that is smoothly curved as seen from the side. Blade 42 has a front surface as a surface on the inside of the curve and a rear surface as a surface on the outside of the curve. The front surface of blade 42 has a shape of a curved surface that is curved in a concave shape. The rear surface of blade 42 has a shape of a curved surface that is curved in a convex shape. Blade 42 is supported on drawbar 40. Blade 42 is supported on front frame 22 through drawbar 40.
As described above, blade 42 is configured such that it can be raised and lowered with respect to the vehicle via drawbar 40 and also can be swung about the axis along the vehicle traveling direction via drawbar 40.
A blade shutter apparatus 70 is attached to the left end of blade 42. Blade shutter apparatus 70 includes a shutter 71. Shutter 71 is configured such that it can be disposed alternatively at the first position at which shutter 71 protrudes forward from the lower end of blade 42 or at the second position at which shutter 71 is farther away from the lower end of blade 42 than at the first position. Shutter 71 shown in
Blade shutter apparatus 70 may be attached to the right end of blade 42. Blade shutter apparatus 70 may be attached to one of the left end and the right end of blade 42, or may be attached to both the left end and the right end of blade 42.
In addition to the configurations shown in
As shown in
Cylinder 78 includes a rod that has a tip end provided with a pin 79. Shutter 71 is coupled to cylinder 78 through pin 79. By extension and contraction of cylinder 78, shutter 71 is moved relative to blade 42. By contraction of cylinder 78, shutter 71 is raised and disposed at the second position shown in
Shutter 71 is disposed to face the end face of blade 42 in the right-left direction and protrude laterally from blade 42. As seen in the longitudinal direction of blade 42, shutter 71 disposed at the first position covers most of blade 42. As seen in the longitudinal direction of blade 42, shutter 71 disposed at the second position covers only a part of the vicinity of the upper end of blade 42. Blade 42 is laterally covered more by shutter 71 disposed at the first position than by shutter 71 disposed at the second position. Shutter 71 disposed at the second position does not cover the lower end of blade 42. When shutter 71 is disposed at the second position, the lower end of blade 42 is exposed laterally as shown in
Shutter 71 is not necessarily disposed to face the end face of blade 42. For example, shutter 71 may be disposed so as to face the front surface of blade 42. In this case, shutter 71 disposed at the first position may be disposed such that most of this shutter 71 faces the front surface of blade 42, whereas shutter 71 disposed at the second position may be disposed such that most of this shutter 71 does not face the front surface of blade 42. In an arrangement where windrow WR is formed on the side of work vehicle 100 while work vehicle 100 is traveling in the state where shutter 71 is disposed at the second position, but windrow WR is not formed on the side of work vehicle 100 in the state where shutter 71 is disposed at the first position, an optional arrangement of shutter 71 and optional means for attaching shutter 71 to blade 42 may be selected as appropriate.
Work vehicle 100 includes a solenoid valve 83. Solenoid valve 83 is disposed in an oil passage configured to couple a hydraulic pump (not shown) and cylinder 78. Oil passages 84 and 85 shown in
Solenoid valve 83 is controlled based on a control signal from controller 80. The hydraulic pressure supplied to cylinder 78 is adjusted by solenoid valve 83. Cylinder 78 includes a bottom-side oil chamber 78A and a head-side oil chamber 78B. Oil passage 84 is connected to head-side oil chamber 78B. Oil passage 85 is connected to bottom-side oil chamber 78A. Based on the control signal from controller 80, solenoid valve 83 can adjust the amount of oil supplied through oil passage 84 into head-side oil chamber 78B and the amount of oil supplied through oil passage 85 into bottom-side oil chamber 78A.
A rod 78C of cylinder 78 is moved by supplying the appropriate hydraulic pressure into bottom-side oil chamber 78A and head-side oil chamber 78B. Thereby, shutter 71 coupled to pin 79 at the end of rod 78C is rotated about pivot shaft 76 in either direction. Shutter 71 is moved in the direction in which shutter 71 becomes closer to the lower end of blade 42 from the second position toward the first position, or moved in the direction in which shutter 71 becomes farther away from the lower end of blade 42 from the first position toward the second position. Solenoid valve 83 and cylinder 78 constitute an actuator configured to move shutter 71 from one to the other between the first position and the second position.
Work vehicle 100 includes an input operation unit 86. Input operation unit 86 is disposed in operator's cab 3. The operator aboard operator's cab 3 inputs an operation instruction for solenoid valve 83 into input operation unit 86.
Input operation unit 86 receives an input of an operation instruction to extend cylinder 78 for lowering shutter 71 so as to be moved from the second position to the first position. In response to reception of this input, controller 80 transmits a control signal to solenoid valve 83 to supply oil into bottom-side oil chamber 78A through oil passage 85. Thereby, cylinder 78 is extended to cause shutter 71 to move from the second position to the first position.
Furthermore, input operation unit 86 is configured to be capable of receiving an input of an operation instruction to contract cylinder 78 for raising shutter 71 so as to be moved from the first position to the second position. In response to reception of this input, controller 80 transmits a control signal to solenoid valve 83 to supply oil into head-side oil chamber 78B through oil passage 84. Thereby, cylinder 78 is contracted to cause shutter 71 to move from the first position to the second position.
Input operation unit 86 in the embodiment has one push-button switch. Input operation unit 86 provided as a push-button switch is configured to be capable of alternatively performing one of a short press operation and a long press operation. The short press operation corresponds to the first operation in the embodiment. The long press operation corresponds to the second operation in the embodiment.
The short press operation is to continuously press a push-button switch for a time period relatively shorter than that in the long press operation. The long press operation is to continuously press a push-button switch for a time period relatively longer than that in the short press operation, and thus, is different from the short press operation. For example, the operation taking less than one second from when the push-button switch is pressed until when it is released may be defined as a short press operation; and the operation taking one second or more from when the push-button switch is pressed until when it is released may be defined as a long press operation.
Input operation unit 86 provided as a push-button switch is configured such that both the short press operation and the long press operation can be performed as an operation instruction to move shutter 71 from the second position to the first position.
In the case where controller 80 causes shutter 71 to move to the first position in response to reception of an input from input operation unit 86 having accepted the short press operation, when input operation unit 86 next receives an input of an operation instruction to move shutter 71 from the first position to the second position, controller 80 causes shutter 71 to move from the first position to the second position.
When controller 80 causes shutter 71 to move to the first position in response to reception of an input from input operation unit 86 having accepted the long press operation, controller 80 causes shutter 71 to move from the first position to the second position automatically after a lapse of a prescribed time period since shutter 71 is moved to the first position. Timer 81 measures the time elapsed since shutter 71 is moved to the first position. Movement of shutter 71 to the first position can be detected by a cylinder stroke sensor attached to cylinder 78, or can be detected by a proximity sensor for detecting shutter 71 itself disposed at the first position.
Input operation unit 86 is not limited to a push-button switch, but may have an optional configuration by which an operator can input an operation instruction to cylinder 78. Input operation unit 86 may have other types of switches such as a toggle switch or a rotary switch. Input operation unit 86 may have a touch panel.
For example, input operation unit 86 may be used in order to input an operation instruction to move shutter 71 from the second position to the first position, and second input operation unit 87 may be used in order to input an operation instruction to move shutter 71 from the first position to the second position. In this case, depending on whether input operation unit 86 undergoes a short press operation or a long press operation, it may be determined whether movement of shutter 71 from the first position to the second position is executed automatically or by the operation of second input operation unit 87.
Also, in a configuration example, the operation instruction to move shutter 71 from the second position to the first position may be able to be input into both input operation unit 86 and second input operation unit 87. In this case, when the operation instruction to move shutter 71 from the second position to the first position is input into input operation unit 86, input operation unit 86 may be operated once again to thereby input an operation instruction to move shutter 71 from the first position to the second position. When the operation instruction to move shutter 71 from the second position to the first position is input into second input operation unit 87, shutter 71 may be moved automatically from the first position to the second position after a lapse of a prescribed time period since shutter 71 has been moved to the first position.
Also, in a configuration example, both input operation unit 86 and second input operation unit 87 may undergo a long press operation so as to cause shutter 71 to automatically move from the first position to the second position after a lapse of a prescribed time period since shutter 71 has been moved to the first position. In this case, the time period elapsed until shutter 71 automatically starts to move from the first position to the second position may be varied between: the case where the operation instruction to move shutter 71 from the second position to the first position is input into input operation unit 86; and the case where the operation instruction to move shutter 71 from the second position to the first position is input into second input operation unit 87. The setting for the time period elapsed until shutter 71 automatically moves from the first position to the second position may also be able to be selected by operating one of input operation unit 86 and second input operation unit 87.
In the case of the configuration including speed sensor 91, the traveling speed of work vehicle 100 detected by speed sensor 91 and the elapsed time period measured by timer 81 are multiplied, so that the traveling distance of work vehicle 100 can be calculated. Controller 80 is configured to be capable of controlling shutter 71 to be automatically moved from the first position to the second position after work vehicle 100 travels for a prescribed distance since shutter 71 has been moved to the first position. Speed sensor 91 has a function as a sensor to detect the distance in which work vehicle 100 travels after shutter 71 is moved to the second position.
For example, in the case of the configuration including rotation number sensor 92 for detecting the rotation number of rear wheel 12, the length of the outer circumference of rear wheel 12 (typically, the circumferential length of a circle) as seen in side view and the rotation number of this rear wheel are multiplied, so that the traveling distance of work vehicle 100 can be calculated. In this case, the elapsed time period does not have to be measured by timer 81 for calculating the traveling distance of work vehicle 100. Controller 80 is configured to be capable of controlling shutter 71 to be automatically moved from the first position to the second position after work vehicle 100 travels for a prescribed distance since shutter 71 has been moved to the first position. Rotation number sensor 92 has a function as a sensor to detect the distance in which work vehicle 100 travels after shutter 71 is moved to the second position.
As shown in
Starting from the state where shutter 71 is closed, the first operation of input operation unit 86 is performed once again, thereby causing controller 80 to transmit a control signal to solenoid valve 83 to supply oil into head-side oil chamber 78B. Cylinder 78 having head-side oil chamber 78B supplied with oil is contracted, thereby causing shutter 71 to be moved and brought into an opened state. In this way, shutter 71 can be manually opened and closed.
Then, even if input operation unit 86 is not operated, after a lapse of a prescribed time period, or after work vehicle 100 travels for a prescribed distance, controller 80 transmits a control signal to solenoid valve 83 to supply oil into head-side oil chamber 78B. Cylinder 78 having head-side oil chamber 78B supplied with oil is contracted, thereby causing shutter 71 to be moved and automatically brought into an opened state. In this way, the operation to open shutter 71 can be automated.
The prescribed time period or the prescribed distance for which shutter 71 is kept closed can be set, for example, as a time period or a distance required for work vehicle 100 to pass through an intersection. It is desirable that the operator aboard work vehicle 100 operates shutter 71 to be closed before work vehicle 100 enters an intersection, to thereby prevent formation of windrow WR while work vehicle 100 passes through the intersection, and then, after work vehicle 100 passes through the intersection, shutter 71 is automatically returned to the opened state. In consideration of the acceleration and deceleration of work vehicle 100 after it enters an intersection, more highly precise control can be achieved by controlling shutter 71 to be automatically opened after work vehicle 100 travels for a prescribed distance.
In the case where a plurality of input operation units as described with reference to
The following will be a summarized explanation about the characteristic configuration and functions and effects of work vehicle 100 according to the above-described embodiment. The configurations in the embodiment are designated by reference numerals, which are however given by way of example.
Work vehicle 100 according to the embodiment includes an input operation unit 86 and a controller 80 as shown in
The opening operation to move shutter 71 from the first position to the second position is automated based on the lapse of the time period or the traveling distance of work vehicle 100. The operator does not necessarily have to operate input operation unit 86 for performing the operation to open shutter 71. Since the operation of the operator to operate shutter 71 can be partially omitted, the operation to open and close shutter 71 can be simplified, so that the load upon the operator can be mitigated. Shutter 71 is controlled such that the operation to close shutter 71 is manually performed, which triggers only the shutter opening operation to be automatically performed. Thus, such control can be simplified and the operation to open the shutter can be automated in a simple configuration.
Furthermore, as shown in
Also, as shown in
Also as shown in
In the embodiments as described above, a motor grader has been described as an example of work vehicle 100, but work vehicle 100 is not limited to a motor grader. For example, work vehicle 100 may be a snow removal truck equipped with a plough or a blade.
The snow removal work performed by work vehicle 100 has been described in each embodiment, but the concept of each embodiment may be applied when work vehicle 100 performs a land grading operation for leveling the road surface.
Although work vehicle 100 includes operator's cab 3 in each embodiment, work vehicle 100 does not necessarily have to include operator's cab 3. Work vehicle 100 is not limited to the configuration in which an operator aboard work vehicle 100 operates work vehicle 100, but may be a configuration in which work vehicle 100 is operated by remote control from outside. In this case, since work vehicle 100 does not require operator's cab 3 for an operator to get aboard, work vehicle 100 does not have to include operator's cab 3.
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described as above, it should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and non-restrictive in every respect. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, and is intended to include any modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the terms of the claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-114418 | Jun 2017 | JP | national |
