Work vehicle with engine mounted rearwardly

• US 9,180,776 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2014
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kubota Corporation
• Inventors: Spitz, David, Yamada, Masahiro, Komorida, Takeshi, Shibata, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): STABLEY, MICHAEL R
• Application Number:
  US14/177,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20140158451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 280/834, 180/6.48, 123/519
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03177 made of non-metallic material, e.g. plastics, or of a combination of non-metallic and metallic material B60K15/03006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/06 characterised by fuel reserve systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/063 Arrangement of tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03118 Multiple tanks, i.e. two or more separate tanks supplementary tanks inside the fuel tank B60K2015/03105
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03151 Mechanical connection between the tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03514 with vapor recovery means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0632 the fuel tank is arranged below the front seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0638 the fuel tank is arranged in the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/223 Ridable lawn mowers

Abstract

A fuel system for a work vehicle including a fuel tank comprising a main tank body and an auxiliary tank body, a canister, and a fuel-gas introducing passage for connecting a top portion of the auxiliary tank body to the canister. The top portion of the auxiliary tank body is located higher than the main tank body when the fuel tank is installed on the work vehicle. A fuel filling pipe extends through the top portion of the auxiliary tank body and has a first end arranged outside the auxiliary tank body and a second end arranged within the auxiliary tank body.

Claims

1. A fuel system for a work vehicle comprising:

a fuel tank comprising a main tank body and an auxiliary tank body;

a canister;

a fuel-gas introducing passage for connecting a top portion of the auxiliary tank body to the canister;

the top portion of the auxiliary tank body being located higher than the main tank body when the fuel tank is installed on the work vehicle; and

a fuel filling pipe extending through the top portion of the auxiliary tank body and having a first end arranged outside the auxiliary tank body and a second end arranged within the auxiliary tank body

wherein the work vehicle is a mower and the main tank body has a larger horizontal cross-section than the auxiliary tank body.

2. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein the first end is a fuel receiving port and the second end is arranged below the top portion of the auxiliary tank body.

3. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein the fuel filling pipe is integrally formed with the auxiliary tank body and the first end is axially shorter than the second end.

4. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein the fuel gas introducing passage is arranged in a fuel gas tube.

5. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising a connecting port arranged on the top portion of the auxiliary tank body, said connecting port being connectable to the fuel-gas introducing passage.

6. The fuel system of claim 5, wherein the second end of the fuel filling pipe is arranged below the connecting port.

7. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein the second end of the fuel filling pipe is arranged above an upper end of the main tank body.

8. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein the fuel tank further comprises a transition section connecting the main tank body to the auxiliary tank body, said transition section allowing fuel introduced into the auxiliary tank body to pass into the main tank body, and said auxiliary tank body comprises an internal space arranged above each of:

the second end of the fuel filling pipe;

the main tank body; and

the transition section.

9. The fuel system of claim 1, wherein the main tank body is mounted under a driver'"'"'s seat.

10. The fuel system of claim 9, wherein the main tank body has substantially the same width as the driver'"'"'s seat, said width being measured in a direction between left and right sides of the work vehicle.

11. The fuel system of claim 9, wherein the main tank body has a length greater than that of the driver'"'"'s seat, said length being measured in a direction between front and back sides of the work vehicle.

12. The fuel system of claim 9, wherein the main tank body has a flat top surface so as to be arranged adjacent and below a lower surface of the driver'"'"'s seat.

13. The fuel system of claim 1, further comprising a valve disposed between opposite ends of the fuel-gas introducing passage.

14. The fuel system of claim 13, wherein the valve is two-way valve.

15. A fuel system for a work vehicle comprising:

a fuel tank comprising a main tank body and an auxiliary tank body;

a canister;

a fuel-gas introducing passage for connecting a top portion of the auxiliary tank body to the canister;

the top portion of the auxiliary tank body being located higher than the main tank body when the fuel tank is installed on the work vehicle; and

a fuel filling pipe extending through the top portion of the auxiliary tank body and having a first end arranged outside the auxiliary tank body and a second end arranged within the auxiliary tank body,

wherein the second end of the fuel filling pipe extends below a half-way level of the auxiliary tank body.

16. A fuel system for a work vehicle comprising:

a fuel tank comprising a main tank body and an auxiliary tank body;

a canister;

a fuel-gas introducing passage for connecting a top portion of the auxiliary tank body to the canister;

the top portion of the auxiliary tank body being located higher than the main tank body when installed on the work vehicle; and

a fuel filling pipe extending through the top portion of the auxiliary tank body and comprising;

a fuel filling first end arranged outside the auxiliary tank body; and

a second end arranged above an uppermost end of the main tank body,

wherein the fuel gas introducing passage is arranged in a fuel gas tube and wherein the main tank body and the auxiliary tank body are integrally formed with one another.

17. A fuel system for a work vehicle comprising:

a fuel tank comprising a main tank body and an auxiliary tank body;

a canister;

a fuel-gas introducing passage for connecting a top portion of the auxiliary tank body to the canister;

the top portion of the auxiliary tank body being located higher than a top portion of the main tank body when installed on the work vehicle;

a connecting port arranged on the top portion of the auxiliary tank body and being connectable to one end of the fuel-gas introducing passage; and

a fuel filling pipe extending through the top portion of the auxiliary tank body and comprising a fuel filling end arranged outside the auxiliary tank body and an opposite end located within the auxiliary tank body and below the connecting port,

wherein each of;

the opposite end of the fuel filling tube is spaced from a bottom end of the auxiliary tank body;

the fuel gas introducing passage is arranged in a fuel gas tube; and

the main tank body is larger in size than the auxiliary tank body.