Wheel loader

• US 8,276,705 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2007
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Inventors: Sumiyoshi, Ryohei, Suzuki, Kunihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Triggs, James
• Application Number:
  US12/282,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20090252586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• Field of Search: 180/306, 180/53.4, 180/305, 180/307, 180/168, 188/18.R, 188/72.4, 188/353, 188354-355, 188/151.A, 192/221
• US Class Current: 180/306
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/062 acting on transmission parts
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/02 Travelling-gear, e.g. associated with slewing gears drives therefor E02F9/20; for motor vehicles B60B, B60G; undercarriages for locomotives or railroad cars B61F; track-laying vehicles B62D; for cranes B66C23/18
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2037 Coordinating the movements of the implement and of the frame
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/22 Hydraulic or pneumatic drives for dipper or bucket arm position control E02F3/43, for blade position control for graders E02F3/844; for turntables E02F9/121; for fork-lift trucks B66F9/22
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2121/02 Fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2121/12 for releasing a normally applied brake, the type of actuator being irrelevant or not provided for in groups F16D2121/04 - F16D2121/10
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 65/186 with full-face force-applying member, e.g. annular

Abstract

A wheel loader having good operability. The wheel loader has a machine body travelably supported on wheels; a working device supported on the machine body, the working device having a boom swingably supported at its base end side on the machine body, an arm swingably supported at and connected to the forward end side of the boom, and a working tool swingably provided on the forward end side of the arm; travel operation means for performing travel operation of the machine body; and a brake for braking, when the travel operation means is not operated and the arm is swung, the wheels in operative association with the swing of the arm.

Claims

1. A wheel loader comprising:

a machine body travelably supported on wheels;

a work device including a boom having a base portion thereof pivotally supported to the machine body, an arm pivotally connected to the leading end of the boom, and a work implement pivotally provided to the leading end side of the arm;

a travel operating means for effecting a traveling operation of the machine body;

an arm cylinder for pivoting the arm; and

a hydraulic operating type brake for braking the wheels;

wherein when said travel operating means is effecting a travel stopping operation for stopping the machine body and work oil is fed to the arm cylinder, a portion of the work oil fed to the arm cylinder is fed to said brake, so that said brake is actuated by this work oil.

2. The wheel loader according to claim 1, wherein a work oil passageway extending from said arm cylinder to said brake incorporates therein a first switchover valve for allowing passage of the work oil from the arm cylinder to the brake when the travel operating means effects the travel stopping operation and for inhibiting said passage when the travel operating means effects the traveling operation;

and

between said first switchover valve and said arm cylinder, there is provided a second switchover valve for allowing passage of the work oil from the arm cylinder to the first switchover valve when the arm is pivoted and for inhibiting said passage when the arm is not pivoted.

3. The wheel loader according to claim 2, wherein there is provided a pressure relief circuit for relieving pressure in a pipe passage extending between the first switchover valve and the second switchover valve when the travel operating means is operated and the arm is not pivoted.

4. The wheel loader according to claim 1, wherein a work oil passageway extending from said arm cylinder to said brake incorporates therein a first switchover valve for allowing passage of the work oil from the arm cylinder to the brake when the travel operating means effects the travel stopping means and for inhibiting said passage when the travel operating means effects the traveling operation;

and

between said first switchover valve and said brake, there is provided a second switchover valve for allowing passage of the work oil from the first switchover valve to said brake when the arm is pivoted and for inhibiting said passage when the arm is not pivoted.

5. The wheel loader according to claim 2, wherein said second switchover valve is switched over in response to either a hydraulic signal sent from a pilot valve for operating an arm control valve for controlling said arm cylinder or an electric signal transmitted when an arm operating means for operating the arm is operated.

6. The wheel loader according to claim 2, wherein said second switchover valve comprises a plurality of electromagnetic valves, including an electromagnetic switchover valve which is switched over for allowing passage of work oil if said arm operating means is operated to pivot the arm in one direction, and an electromagnetic switchover valve which is switched over for allowing passage of work oil if said arm operating means is operated to pivot the arm in the other direction.

7. The wheel loader according to claim 2, wherein said brake is operable also in response to work oil fed by a traveling line brake operating means which is manually operated during traveling;

and

either the work oil fed by said traveling line brake operating means, or the work oil fed from the arm cylinder side when said travel operating means is effecting the travel stopping operation for stopping the machine body and the work oil is fed to the arm cylinder, can be fed selectively via a shuttle valve.

8. The wheel loader according to claim 1, wherein there is provided a differential device for transmitting power outputted from the engine to the right and left wheels;

and said brake brakes the power inputted to said differential device.

9. The wheel loader according to claim 4, wherein said second switchover valve is switched over in response to either a hydraulic signal sent from a pilot valve for operating an arm control valve for controlling said arm cylinder or an electric signal transmitted when an arm operating means for operating the arm is operated.

10. The wheel loader according to claim 4, wherein said second switchover valve comprises a plurality of electromagnetic valves, including an electromagnetic switchover valve which is switched over for allowing passage of work oil if said arm operating means is operated to pivot the arm in one direction, and an electromagnetic switchover valve which is switched over for allowing passage of work oil if said arm operating means is operated to pivot the arm in the other direction.

11. The wheel loader according to claim 4, wherein said brake is operable also in response to work oil fed by a traveling line brake operating means which is manually operated during traveling;

and

either the work oil fed by said traveling line brake operating means, or the work oil fed from the arm cylinder side when said travel operating means is effecting the travel stopping operation for stopping the machine body and the work oil is fed to the arm cylinder, can be fed selectively via a shuttle valve.