Work vehicle comprising vehicle frames

• US 8,727,062 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2010
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Yanmar Company Limited (Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ibe, Toshihiko, Hidaka, Shigemi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ebner, Katy M
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOLLMAN, BRODIE J
• Application Number:
  US13/147,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20110284306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 180/292, 180/298, 180/299, 180/300, 180/374, 180/311, 180/312, 280/781, 280/784, 280/785, 296/203.02
• US Class Current: 180/291
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/04 characterised by arrangement, location, or kind of gearing electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2005/003 the internal combustion or jet propulsion unit is arranged between the front and the rear axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 5/02 with the engine main axis, e.g. crankshaft axis, substantially in or parallel to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/221 Tractors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/41 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/02 comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members
• 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

Abstract

Outer rear end surfaces of a pair of front frames are connected to corresponding inner front end surfaces of a pair of main frames with spacers being interposed therebetween. Accordingly, a width between the front frames is independent of a width between the main frames, so that maximum steerable angles of front wheels can be increased as much as possible without increasing a mounting pitch of the front wheels. The front frames can be arranged such that at least upper regions of the rear end surfaces thereof are located forward of the mount flange, and the engine unit and the flywheel unit are supported by the vehicle frames such that at least lower portions thereof overlap the vehicle frames in a side view, and the mount flange overlap the upper regions of the rear end surfaces of the front frames in a front view.

Claims

1. A work vehicle comprising:

a pair of right and left vehicle frames that extend in a vehicle longitudinal direction, the pair of right and left vehicle frames each including a plate surface that extends substantially vertically, plate surfaces of the pair of right and left vehicle frames facing each other,

a front axle unit that is supported by the pair of vehicle frames so as to be located below the pair of vehicle frames and be along a vehicle width direction in a state where two ends thereof are positioned outward of the pair of vehicle frames in the vehicle width direction,

a pair of right and left front wheels that are supported by both ends of the front axle unit in a steerable manner,

an engine unit that is supported by the pair of vehicle frames,

a flywheel unit that is connected to a rear end surface of the engine unit, and a transmission that is disposed backward at a distance from the flywheel unit and operatively receives rotational power from the engine unit through the flywheel unit,

the pair of vehicle frames including a pair of right and left front frames that support the front axle unit, and a pair of right and left main frames that have rear ends directly or indirectly connected to side surfaces of a transmission case of the transmission respectively,

wherein an outer surface of a rear end of each of the pair of front frames is connected to an inner surface of a front end of the corresponding one of the main frames with a spacer being interposed therebetween,

wherein the engine unit includes an engine main body, an output shaft that extends backward from the engine main body, and a mount flange that extends radially outward, from a rear end of the engine main body,

wherein the flywheel unit includes a flywheel main body that is connected with the output shaft, and a flywheel cover that is connected to the mount flange so as to surround the flywheel main body,

wherein the pair of front frames are arranged such that at least upper regions in rear end surfaces thereof are located forward of the mount flange, and

wherein the engine unit and the flywheel unit are supported by the pair of vehicle frames such that at least lower portions thereof are overlapped with the pair of vehicle frames in a side view and the mount flange is overlapped with the upper regions of the rear end surfaces of the front frames in a front view.

2. A work vehicle with cabin according to claim 1,

wherein the engine unit is supported by the vehicle frames with antivibration support mechanisms being interposed therebetween, and

wherein a distance in the vehicle longitudinal direction between each of the upper regions and the mount flang is defined such that the mount flange is brought into contact with the upper regions of the rear end surfaces of the pair of front frames when the engine unit is shifted forward by a predetermined distance relative to the vehicle frames.

3. A work vehicle with cabin according to claim 2,

wherein the rear end surface of each of the pair of front frames has a backward extending region that extends backward from a lower end of the upper region, and

wherein the mount flange is overlapped with the backward extending region in a planar view seen from above.