Construction machine

• US 20040173395A1
• Filed: 02/02/2004
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Company Limited (Kobe Steel Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Company Limited (Kobe Steel Limited)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Koichi, Iwamitsu, Hiroaki, Arai, Seigo, Tsukiana, Takashi, Ueda, Kazuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,134,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/10 Guiding or ducting cooling-air, to, or from, liquid-to-air heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/182 with multiple heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/02 Intercooler
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/04 Lubricant cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/18 Arrangements or mounting of liquid-to-air heat-exchangers such arrangements on cylinders or cylinder heads F01P3/04; relative to vehicles B60K11/04

Abstract

In a construction machine comprising an engine, hydraulic device, and heat exchanger for cooling the engine and the hydraulic device, which are all disposed in an upper rotating body of the construction machine, there is formed a maintenance passage along which maintenance portions of the engine and the hydraulic device are disposed so as to cross the upper rotating body. Exhaust air from cooling fans for sending air to the heat exchanger is discharged to the exterior of the machine body through the passage. Thus, the passage is utilized as an exhaust air passage for the heat exchanger, whereby it is possible to provide a construction machine improved in cooling efficiency for the heat exchanger.

Claims

1. A construction machine comprising:

an upper rotating body mounted rotatably on a lower traveling body;

an engine and hydraulic device disposed in the upper rotating body;

heat exchanger disposed in the upper rotating body to cool said engine and said hydraulic device, said upper rotating body having a maintenance passage for maintenance of the engine and the hydraulic device, with an intake port and an exhaust port being formed in said maintenance passage; and

a cooling device disposed face to face with said intake port to send air to said heat exchanger.

2. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said maintenance passage is formed by both a front partition wall and a rear partition wall disposed on a rotating frame of said upper rotating body.

3. The construction machine according to claim 2, further comprising:

a lid adapted to close an upper opening portion of said maintenance passage located near said heat exchanger, with an exhaust air duct being constituted by closing of said lid.

4. The construction machine according to claim 2, further comprising:

a lid adapted to close the whole of an upper opening of said maintenance passage, with an exhaust air duct being constituted by closing of said lid.

5. The construction machine according to claim 3, wherein said lid is supported openably.

6. The construction machine according to claim 4, wherein said lid is supported openably.

7. The construction machine according to claim 3, further comprising:

a noise insulating material attached to a surface of any one of said front partition wall for said maintenance passage, said rear partition wall for said maintenance passage, and said lid.

8. The construction machine according to claim 4, further comprising:

a lateral door provided openably in an entrance/exit of said maintenance passage which corresponds to a terminal end of said exhaust air duct.

9. The construction machine according to claim 8, wherein said exhaust port is formed in either said lateral door or said lid.

10. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger comprises a radiator for cooling said engine and an oil cooler for cooling hydraulic oil.

11. The construction machine according to claim 10, wherein said radiator and said oil cooler are arranged side by side, and said cooling device comprises a first cooling means for sending air to said radiator and a second cooling means for sending air to said oil cooler, and said cooling device is constructed in such a manner that exhaust air from either said first or said second cooling means passes through said maintenance passage.

12. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said engine is disposed in the width direction of said upper rotating body and said maintenance passage is formed in parallel with and in front of or behind said engine.

13. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said maintenance passage is formed so as to extend across said upper rotating body.