Work vehicle with engine compartment and exhaust gas treatment arrangement

• US 8,505,661 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2011
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakagami, Hiroshi, Tsuji, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ebner, Katy M
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOLLMAN, BRODIE J
• Application Number:
  US13/389,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20120138379A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 180/309, 180/68.1, 180/68.3, 180/68.4, 180/69.2, 180/296, 165/41, 165/51, 165/122, 123/41.01, 123/41.65, 123/41.71, 296/100.09
• US Class Current: 180/68.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 11/04 Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds B60K11/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 13/04 concerning exhaust collecting exhaust gases with central suction systems not forming part of vehicles, e.g. in workshops or tunnels B08B15/002, otherwise along carriageways E01C1/005; extensions for melting snow on roads E01H5/00, E01H6/00; exhaust or silencing apparatus for internal combustion engines per se F01N; pipes, joints or supports therefor F16L
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/411 Bulldozers, Graders
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/7609 Scraper blade mounted forwardly of the tractor on a pair of pivoting arms which are linked to the sides of the tractor, e.g. bulldozers
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/00 Component parts of dredgers or soil-shifting machines, not restricted to one of the kinds covered by groups E02F3/00 - E02F7/00 laying-out or take-up devices for trailing electric cables B66C
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/1805 Fixing exhaust manifolds, exhaust pipes or pipe sections to each other, to engine or to vehicle body pipe joints in general F16L; fixing auxiliaries in motor vehicles in general B60K
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2590/08 for heavy duty applications, e.g. trucks, buses, tractors, locomotives
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/10 Guiding or ducting cooling-air, to, or from, liquid-to-air heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/16 Outlet manifold
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 5/06 Guiding or ducting air to, or from, ducted fans

Abstract

In a work vehicle, an engine compartment is disposed forwards of a cab. An exhaust gas treatment device is disposed over an engine in the engine compartment. A radiator is disposed forwards of the exhaust gas treatment device (33) in the engine compartment. A blower is configured to generate an airflow passing through the radiator from back to front of the radiator. The exhaust gas treatment device is slanted with respect to a vehicle width direction for increasing a distance between the exhaust gas treatment device and the radiator towards a first lateral face portion. Further, the first lateral face portion includes air inlets facing a space between the exhaust gas treatment device and the radiator.

Claims

1. A work vehicle, comprising:

a cab;

an engine compartment disposed forwards of the cab, the engine compartment including a first lateral face portion and a second lateral face portion, the first and second lateral face portions disposed away from each other in a vehicle width direction;

an engine disposed in the engine compartment;

an exhaust gas treatment device having a first end adjacent the first lateral face portion and a second end adjacent the second lateral face portion and being disposed over the engine in the engine compartment;

a radiator disposed forwards of the exhaust gas treatment device in the engine compartment; and

a blower configured to generate an airflow passing through the radiator from back to front of the radiator,

wherein the exhaust gas treatment device is slanted with respect to the vehicle width direction for increasing a distance between the first end of the exhaust gas treatment device and the radiator towards the first lateral face portion, and

the first lateral face portion includes an air inlet facing a space between the exhaust gas treatment device and the radiator.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

an air cleaner disposed rearwards of the exhaust gas treatment device in the engine compartment, wherein

the air cleaner and the exhaust gas treatment device are slanted to a same side with respect to the vehicle width direction.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the blower is arranged frontward of the radiator.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the first lateral face portion includes a first front cover and a first rear cover,

the second lateral face portion includes a second front cover and a second rear cover,

the first rear cover and the second rear cover are slanted with respect to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle so as to get closer to the transverse center of the vehicle body from front to rear, and

a portion of the exhaust gas treatment device disposed closer to the radiator is arranged between the first front cover and the second front cover and a portion of the exhaust gas treatment device disposed farther from the radiator is arranged between the first rear cover and the second rear cover in a top plan view.

5. The work vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the air cleaner is connected to the exhaust gas treatment device with a pipe.

6. The work vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the blower is arranged frontward of the radiator.

7. A work vehicle, comprising:

a cab;

an engine compartment disposed forwards of the cab, the engine compartment including a first lateral face portion and a second lateral face portion, the first and second lateral face portions disposed away from each other in a vehicle width direction;

an engine disposed in the engine compartment;

an exhaust gas treatment device having a first end adjacent the first lateral face portion and a second end adjacent the second lateral face portion and being disposed over the engine in the engine compartment;

a radiator disposed forwards of the exhaust gas treatment device in the engine compartment;

a blower configured to generate an airflow passing through the radiator from back to front of the radiator;

an air cleaner disposed rearwards of the exhaust gas treatment device in the engine compartment;

an exhaust pipe connected to the exhaust gas treatment device, the exhaust pipe upwardly protruding through a top face of the engine compartment; and

an intake pipe connected to the air cleaner, the intake pipe upwardly protruding through the top face of the engine compartment,

wherein the exhaust gas treatment device is slanted with respect to the vehicle width direction for increasing a distance between the first end of the exhaust gas treatment device and the radiator towards the first lateral face portion,

the first lateral face portion includes an air inlet facing a space between the exhaust gas treatment device and the radiator,

the cab includes a pair of front pillars disposed along a front face of the cab, the front pillars disposed away from each other in the vehicle width direction, and

one of the front pillars, the exhaust pipe and the intake pipe are linearly aligned in a top view.

8. The work vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the air cleaner and the exhaust gas treatment device are slanted to a same side with respect to the vehicle width direction.

9. A work vehicle, comprising:

a cab;

an engine compartment disposed forwards of the cab, the engine compartment including a first lateral face portion and a second lateral face portion, the first and second lateral face portions disposed away from each other in a vehicle width direction;

an engine disposed in the engine compartment;

an exhaust gas treatment device having a first end adjacent the first lateral face portion and a second end adjacent the second lateral face portion and being disposed over the engine in the engine compartment;

a radiator disposed forwards of the exhaust gas treatment device in the engine compartment;

a blower configured to generate an airflow passing through the radiator from back to front of the radiator; and

a connection tubing connecting the engine and the exhaust gas treatment device, wherein the exhaust gas treatment device is slanted with respect to the vehicle width direction for increasing a distance between the first end of the exhaust gas treatment device and the radiator towards the first lateral face portion,

the first lateral face portion includes an air inlet facing a space between the exhaust gas treatment device and the radiator, and

the connection tubing is connected to a part of the exhaust gas treatment device, the connected part of the exhaust gas treatment device being disposed closer to the second lateral face portion than to the first lateral face portion.

10. The work vehicle according to claim 9, wherein

the connection tubing is connected to a front part of the exhaust gas treatment device.

11. The work vehicle according to claim 9, wherein

the connection tubing is connected to a part of the engine, the connected part of the engine being disposed closer to the first lateral face portion than to the second lateral face portion.

12. The work vehicle according to claim 11, wherein

the connection tubing includes a vibration absorbing portion configured to absorb vibration.

13. The work vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

the connection tubing is connected to a part of the engine, the connected part of the engine being disposed closer to the first lateral face portion than to the second lateral face portion.

14. The work vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

the connection tubing includes a vibration absorbing portion configured to absorb vibration.