Work vehicle with engine, air cleaner, and battery

• US 8,499,870 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2010
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Inventors: Nakamura, Taro, Imanishi, Ryouzou, Hirooka, Yoshimi, Nakamura, Norimi, Kawamoto, Kazuyoshi, Nose, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II, J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dolak, James M
• Application Number:
  US12/873,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20110132678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.1, 180/68.2, 180/68.3, 296/37.15, 296/65.05, 297/188.1, 298/1.A, 298/17.R
• US Class Current: 180/68.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/131 Protective devices for drivers in case of overturning of tractors means for preventing overturning or tipping of tractors B62D49/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/41 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/186 for building site vehicles or multi-purpose tractors tracked vehicles B62D55/10; tractors in general B62D49/00; building site vehicles in general E02F; lift-trucks B66F
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/10 Bonnets or lids , e.g. for trucks, tractors, busses, work vehicles for truck beds B60J7/1607; for boats B63B19/12; doors arranged at the vehicle rear B60J5/10; inlet covers for vehicle fuel tanks B60K15/05; for protecting non-occupants of a vehicle B60R21/38
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 47/003 convertible in order to modify the number of seats foldable compact cars B62D31/006; convertible from one use to a different one B60P3/42
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/048 Arranging or mounting on or with respect to engines or vehicle bodies

Abstract

A work vehicle includes: a seat disposed between front wheels and rear wheels; an engine disposed between the right and left rear wheels rearward of the seat; a battery disposed in a container space positioned downward of the seat disposed frontward of the rear wheels; an air cleaner disposed in the container space and arranged proximally to the battery in a vehicle longitudinal direction; and an opening-closing lid unit for covering the air cleaner and the battery from outside in a vehicle transverse direction. An element of the air cleaner is disposed in the air cleaner so that the element is insertable and removable in the vehicle transverse direction, and a position of the air cleaner is set so that the element is accessible from outside the vehicle body.

Claims

1. A work vehicle comprising:

a pair of steerable right and left front wheels provided in a front portion of a vehicle body;

a pair of non-steerable right and left rear wheels provided in a rear portion of the vehicle body;

a seat disposed between the front wheels and the rear wheels;

an engine disposed between the right and left rear wheels rearward of the seat;

a battery disposed in a container space positioned downward of the seat disposed frontward of the rear wheels;

an air cleaner which is disposed in the container space and arranged proximally to the battery in a vehicle longitudinal direction, the air cleaner having a filter element disposed in the air cleaner so that the filter element is insertable and removable in a vehicle transverse direction, with a position of the air cleaner being set so that the filter element is accessible from outside the vehicle body; and

a lid unit configured to cover the air cleaner and the battery from outside in the vehicle transverse direction,

wherein the container space is opened outward in the vehicle transverse direction when the lid unit is moved to an opening state, and the container space is closed when the lid unit is moved to a closing state at a position outward of an opened portion of the container space.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the lid unit comprises a single lid configured to cover both the air cleaner and the battery from outside on one side in the vehicle transverse direction.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the engine is disposed below a rear frame positioned upward and rearward of a driver floor in the front portion of the vehicle body,

the driver floor is supported by a front frame disposed frontward of the rear frame, and

each of the battery and the air cleaner is disposed on an outer side of at least one of the front frame and the rear frame in the vehicle transverse direction.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

a bottom plate unit defining a lower side of the container space comprises a first sub bottom plate positioned at a higher height level and a second sub bottom plate positioned at a lower height level, the sub bottom plates being arranged in the vehicle longitudinal direction,

the air cleaner is mounted on the first sub bottom plate,

the battery is mounted on the second sub bottom plate, and

an intake opening of the air cleaner is directed to an upper side of the battery.

5. The work vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

a side plate unit defining lateral sides of the container space comprises:

a rear wall plate erecting from a rear end portion of the first sub bottom plate; and

an inner wall plate erecting from an inner end portion of the first sub bottom plate in the vehicle transverse direction,

the bottom plate unit and the side plate unit form a fixed case portion fixed to and supported by the vehicle body, and

the fixed case portion together with the opening-closing lid forms a container box that defines the container space.

6. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

a fuse box is disposed frontward of an intake opening of the air cleaner.

7. A work vehicle comprising:

a pair of steerable right and left front wheels provided in a front portion of a vehicle body;

a pair of non-steerable right and left rear wheels provided in a rear portion of the vehicle body;

a seat disposed between the front wheels and the rear wheels;

an engine disposed between the right and left rear wheels rearward of the seat;

a battery disposed in a container space positioned downward of the seat disposed frontward of the rear wheels;

an air cleaner which is disposed in the container space and arranged proximally to the battery in a vehicle longitudinal direction, the air cleaner having a filter element disposed in the air cleaner so that the filter element is insertable and removable in a vehicle transverse direction, with a position of the air cleaner being set so that the filter element is accessible from outside the vehicle body; and

A lid unit configured to cover the air cleaner and the battery from outside in the vehicle transverse direction,

wherein the battery is disposed at a lower level than the air cleaner, and

an intake opening of the air cleaner is directed to an upper side of the battery.

8. The work vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

a bottom plate unit defining a lower side of the container space comprises a first sub-bottom plate positioned at a higher height level and a second sub-bottom plate positioned at a lower height level, the sub-bottom plates being arranged in the vehicle longitudinal direction,

the air cleaner is mounted on the first sub-bottom plate, and

the battery is mounted on the second sub-bottom plate.

9. A work vehicle comprising:

a pair of steerable right and left front wheels provided in a front portion of a vehicle body;

a pair of non-steerable right and left rear wheels provided in a rear portion of the vehicle body;

a pair of right and left main frames extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction;

a seat disposed between the front wheels and the rear wheels;

an engine disposed between the right and left rear wheels rearward of the seat;

a battery disposed in a container space positioned downward of the seat disposed frontward of the rear wheels;

an air cleaner which is disposed in the container space and arranged proximally to the battery in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the air cleaner having a filter element disposed in the air cleaner so that the filter element is insertable and removable in a vehicle transverse direction, with a position of the air cleaner being set so that the filter element is accessible from outside the vehicle body; and

a container box having an lid unit configured to cover the air cleaner and the battery from outside in the vehicle transverse direction, the container box defining the container space,

wherein the container box is disposed on a lateral outer side of one of the right and left main frames in the vehicle transverse direction.

10. The work vehicle according to claim 9, further comprising:

a transmission case,

wherein the engine and the transmission case are disposed between the right and left main frames in the vehicle transverse direction.