Change-speed control system for utility vehicle having stepless change-speed apparatus for speed-changing engine output and transmitting the speed-changed output to traveling unit

• US 7,367,247 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Inventors: Nakamura, Norimi, Bessho, Hiroki, Horiuchi, Yoshifumi, Nakatani, Yasunobu
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, TISHA D
• Application Number:
  US11/098,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20050233857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 180/89.12, 180/311, 180/312, 180/900, 746/06.R
• US Class Current: 74/606.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/103 of fluid type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18063 Creeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1819 Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/04 Features relating to lubrication or cooling or heatingin hydrokinetic gearing F16H41/30; control of lubrication or cooling in hydrostatic gearing F16H61/4165
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 180/90 Argicultural-type tractors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19149 with fluid drive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2186 Gear casings

Abstract

A change-speed control system is provided for a utility vehicle having a stepless change-speed apparatus for speed-changing an engine output and transmitting the speed-changed output to a traveling unit. The system includes an engine speed governor for adjusting speed of the engine, an accelerator controller and a change-speed control linkage device for providing operative displacements in the stepless change-speed apparatus and the engine speed governor in association with an operation of the accelerator controller. The change-speed control linkage device sets an operation amount for the stepless change-speed apparatus and an operation amount for the engine speed governor in correlation with the operation amount of the accelerator controller, such that an acceleration ratio for the engine speed is greater than an acceleration ratio for the stepless change-speed apparatus until the engine reaches a predetermined speed and also the stepless change-speed apparatus reaches a predetermined speed.

Claims

1. A work vehicle having a driver'"'"'s station comprising:

a pair of steerable front wheels and a pair of rear wheels;

a frame supported by the front and rear wheels;

an engine supported by the frame and generating power to drive at least the rear wheels, a forward end of the engine being located in a middle region between a first line that passes through each shaft of the pair of front wheels and a second line that passes through each shaft of the pair of rear wheels, when the front and rear wheels are oriented straight forward, or closer to the second line than to the first line, wherein a crank shaft of the engine extends in a longitudinal direction of the work vehicle;

a first and a second front posts supported by the frame and located in a front region of the driver'"'"'s station, the first and second posts are generally extending vertically at a location rearwardly of front axles in a side view, wherein each of the first and second front posts includes;

a) a connecting section connected to the frame,

b) a lower post section connected to the connecting section and extending forwardly and upwardly from the connecting section so that an upper region of the lower post section is located forwardly of a lower region of the lower post section,

c) a middle section connected to the lower section and extending substantially vertically from the lower section, and

d) an upper post section connected to the middle section and extending rearwardly and upwardly from the middle section so that an upper region of the upper post section is located rearwardly of a lower region of the upper post section and wherein the lower post section of each of the first and second posts extends at an angle closer to a vertical direction than to a horizontal direction and the upper post section of each of the first and second posts extends at an angle closer to the vertical direction than to the horizontal direction the upper post section; and

a first and a second rear posts supported by the frame and generally extending vertically in a rear region of the driver'"'"'s station.

2. A work vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising:

a frame section connected to the lower post sections of the first and second front posts and extending horizontally and forwardly therefrom.

3. A work vehicle according to claim 2 further comprising:

a support section connecting one of the lower section and the middle post section to the forwardly extending frame section to support the corresponding front post.

4. A work vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first connecting frame section connecting an upper end of the first front post to an upper end of the first rear post, and a second connecting frame section connecting an upper end of the second front post to an upper end of the second rear post.

5. A work vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sun shade supported by the first and second front posts and first and second rear ports for covering the driver'"'"'s station from above.

6. A work vehicle according to claim 5, wherein a forward edge of the sunshade is located behind the front axles in a side view with respect to a for-and-aft direction of the work vehicle.

7. A work vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the frame has a pair of front frames located in the bottom region of the driver'"'"'s station and a pair of rear frames extending rearwardly than the front frames at a vertical location higher than the front frames;

the work vehicle has a load carrying bed supported by the rear frames; and

wherein

a distance between an upper edge of the first connecting frame section and a lower edge of the front frame is greater than a length of the load carrying bed in the for-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

8. A work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a distance between a front edge of the first front post and a rear edge of the first rear port and a horizontal distance between a forward end of the frame and the first front post is approximately 7:

4.

9. A work vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the frame has a front frame located in a bottom region of the driver'"'"'s station, and wherein a ration of a distance between an upper edge of the first connecting frame section and a lower edge of the front frame and a distance between a front edge of the first front post and a rear edge of the firs rear post is approximately 11:

7.

10. A work vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising:

a load carrying bed wherein a ratio between a length of the load carrying bed in the for-and-aft direction of the vehicle and a distance between a front edge of the first front post and a rear edge of the first rear post is approximately 1;

1.

11. A work vehicle according to claim 9, further comprising:

a load carrying bed wherein a ratio between a length of the load carrying bed in the for-and-aft direction of the vehicle and a distance between a front edge of the first front post and a rear edge of the first rear post is approximately 1;

1.