Electric work vehicle and battery holding structure thereof

• US 9,156,341 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2012
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsumura, Yukinori, Takano, Yoshiyuki, Tajima, Hikaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Follman, Brodie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frick, Emma K
• Application Number:
  US13/982,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20130313030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 180 681- 685, 180/69.5, 180/65.1, 429/151, 429163-187
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0416 Arrangement in the rear part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/19 Switching between serial connection and parallel connection of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/412 Excavators
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/325 Backhoes of the miniature type
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/0866 Engine compartment, e.g. heat exchangers, exhaust filters, cooling devices, silencers, mufflers, position of hydraulic pumps in the engine compartment
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/207 of the type electric propulsion units, e.g. electric motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/209 adapted for prismatic or rectangular cells H01M50/216 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/249 specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A battery holding structure for an electric work vehicle equipped with a battery-driven electric motor includes a plurality of battery cases, a base frame and a plurality of pillars. The battery cases respectively have a bottom wall and front, rear, right and left sidewalls. The battery cases respectively accommodate a plurality of batteries aligned in a lateral direction. The battery cases are stacked in a vertical direction. The battery cases are installed in a rear part of the base frame. The rear sidewalls of respective ones of the battery cases are fixed to the pillars. The pillars are respectively fixed at bottom end portions thereof to a rear end portion of the base frame and extending upwardly.

Claims

1. A battery holding structure for an electric work vehicle equipped with a battery-driven electric motor, the battery holding structure comprising:

a base frame including a base plate, a plurality of vertical partition plates, and a plurality of mount parts, the vertical partition plates being arranged erectly on the base plate to extend in a longitudinal direction, the vertical partition plates being spaced laterally inward from side portions of the base plate, the mount parts being disposed on a rear end portion of the base frame in positions corresponding to the vertical partition plates such that at least a portion of the base frame extends laterally to the outside beyond each of two laterally outermost mount parts among the plurality of the mount parts;

a plurality of battery cases respectively having a bottom wall and front, rear, right and left sidewalls, each of the battery cases respectively accommodating a plurality of batteries aligned in a lateral direction, the plurality of battery cases being arranged on the rear end portion of the base frame and stacked in a vertical direction with the lateral widths of the battery cases being aligned with a lateral width of the base frame;

a plurality of pillars to which the rear sidewalls of respective ones of the stacked battery cases are fixed, the plurality of pillars being respectively fixed at bottom end portions thereof to the mount parts of the base frame and extending upwardly.

2. The battery holding structure for an electric work vehicle recited in claim 1, further comprising

a positioning structure provided in the right and left sidewalls of the plurality of battery cases, the positioning structure restricting every adjacent two of the battery cases in a stacked direction from moving relatively to each other in a back-and-forth direction.

3. The battery holding structure for an electric work vehicle recited in claim 1, further comprising

a lateral support structure supporting the right and left sidewalls of the plurality of battery cases with respect to the base frame.

4. The battery holding structure for an electric work vehicle recited in claim 1, wherein

the base plate is arranged and configured to extend in a longitudinal direction of the electric work vehicle.

5. An electric work vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body frame;

a travelling mechanism supported by the vehicle body frame;

a working machine unit including a working machine and a working machine drive part configured and arranged to drive the working machine;

an electric motor configured and arranged to drive the travelling mechanism and the working machine unit;

the battery holding structure recited in claim 1; and

a power source unit including the plurality of batteries, the power source unit configured and arranged to supply electric power to the electric motor.

6. A battery holding structure for an electric work vehicle equipped with a battery-driven electric motor, the battery holding structure comprising:

a plurality of battery cases respectively having a bottom wall and front, rear, right and left sidewalls, the plurality of battery cases respectively accommodating a plurality of batteries aligned in a lateral direction, the plurality of battery cases being stacked in a vertical direction;

a base frame with the plurality of battery cases being installed in a rear part thereof, the base frame including a plurality of vertical partition plates arranged to extend in a longitudinal direction and a plurality of mount parts disposed on a rear portion of the base frame in positions corresponding to the vertical partition plates;

a plurality of pillars to which the rear sidewalls of respective ones of the respective battery cases are fixed, the plurality of pillars being respectively fixed at bottom end portions thereof to the mount parts of the base frame and extending upwardly;

a positioning structure provided in the right and left sidewalls of the plurality of battery cases, the positioning structure restricting every adjacent two of the battery cases in a stacked direction from moving relatively to each other in a back-and-forth direction, the positioning structure being formed by convex and concave portions provided in the right and left sidewalls of respective ones of the plurality of battery cases, the convex and concave portions restricting the every adjacent two of the battery cases in an up-and-down direction from moving relatively to each other in the back-and-forth direction by causing the every adjacent two of the battery cases in the up-and-down direction to be fitted to each other.

7. An electric work vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body frame;

a travelling mechanism supported by the vehicle body frame;

a working machine unit including a working machine and a working machine drive part configured and arranged to drive the working machine;

an electric motor configured and arranged to drive the travelling mechanism and the working machine unit;

a power source unit including a plurality of batteries, the power source unit configured and arranged to supply electric power to the electric motor; and

a battery holding structure accommodating the plurality of batteries, the battery holding structure having;

a plurality of battery cases respectively having a bottom wall and front, rear, right and left sidewalls, the plurality of battery cases respectively accommodating at least a portion of the plurality of batteries with the batteries aligned in a lateral direction, the plurality of battery cases being stacked in a vertical direction,

a base frame with the plurality of battery cases being installed in a rear part thereof, the base frame including a plurality of vertical partition plates arranged to extend in a longitudinal direction and a plurality of mount parts disposed on a rear portion of the base frame in positions corresponding to the vertical partition plates, the base frame being revolvable about a revolving shaft extending in an up-and-down direction, and

a plurality of pillars to which the rear sidewalls of respective ones of the respective battery cases are fixed, the plurality of pillars being respectively fixed at bottom end portions thereof to the mount parts of the base frame and extending upwardly,

the electric motor being disposed between the revolving shaft and the battery holding structure disposed in the rear part of the base frame.

8. A battery holding structure for an electric work vehicle equipped with a battery-driven electric motor, the battery holding structure comprising:

a base frame including

a base plate arranged and configured to extend in a longitudinal direction of the electric work vehicle,

a plurality of vertical partition plates arranged erectly on the base plate and extending in the longitudinal direction,

a plurality of-mount parts disposed on a rear portion of the base frame in positions corresponding to the vertical partition plates, and

a battery accommodation compartment plate disposed on rearward portion of the base frame, the battery accommodation compartment plate forming a battery accommodation region accommodating a first plurality of batteries, each of the vertical partition plates being arranged and configured to extend into the battery accommodation region and be laterally sandwiched between a pair of batteries among the first plurality batteries accommodated in the battery accommodation region;

a plurality of battery cases each having a bottom wall and front, rear, right and left sidewalls, the plurality of battery cases being stacked in a vertical direction and arranged on a rear part of the base frame above the first plurality of batteries, the plurality of battery cases accommodating a second plurality of batteries aligned in a lateral direction; and

a plurality of pillars to which the rear sidewalls of respective ones of the respective battery cases are fixed, the plurality of pillars being respectively fixed at bottom end portions thereof to the mount parts of the base frame and extending upwardly.

9. A battery holding structure for an electric work vehicle equipped with a battery-driven electric motor, the battery holding structure comprising:

a base frame including a base plate, a plurality of vertical partition plates, and a plurality of mount parts, the vertical partition plates being arranged erectly on the base plate and extending in a longitudinal direction of the electric work vehicle, the mount parts being disposed rearward of the vertical partition plates on a rear end portion of the base frame in positions corresponding to the vertical partition plates;

a plurality of battery cases stacked in a vertical direction on a rearward portion of the base frame, each of the battery cases respectively having a bottom wall and front, rear, right and left sidewalls, each of the battery cases respectively accommodating a plurality of batteries aligned in a lateral direction; and

a plurality of pillars to which the rear sidewalls of respective ones of the stacked battery cases are fixed, bottom end portions of the plurality of pillars being respectively fixed to the mount parts of the base frame and extending upwardly,

the vertical partition plates extending continuously forward from the rear end portion of the base frame to a position beyond the front side walls of the battery cases.