JP7803231B2 - Work vehicles - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to work vehicles for agricultural, civil engineering, construction, etc.

A known work vehicle has a roof above the driver's section where the driver sits, a positioning device stay erected in front of the driver's section for attaching a positioning device, and the positioning device stay is configured to reach above the roof, with the positioning device mounted above the roof (Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-094964

However, if the positioning device shakes due to vibrations while driving, its positioning accuracy will decrease. Therefore, if the positioning device is installed at the end of a long stay that reaches high up the roof, rigidity is required to suppress vibrations, which creates problems such as making the component heavy and obstructing visibility.

The present invention takes into consideration these issues with conventional work vehicles and aims to provide a work vehicle with a positioning device that is stably mounted with a simple configuration.

The first aspect of the present invention is
In a work vehicle in which a safety frame (29) is provided behind a driver's seat (8) where the driver sits to ensure space for the driver in the event of a rollover, and a roof (30) is provided above the safety frame (29), a stay (50) for attaching a positioning device (40) is attached to the safety frame (29), the stay (50) is shaped to bypass the rear of the roof (30), and the positioning device (40) is fixed above the roof (30) at a distance from the roof (30),
The stay (50) is fixed to the rear surface of the safety frame (29), and has a lower frame (51) extending rearward so as to bypass the rear end of the roof (30), and an upper frame (52) shaped to bypass the roof (30) and wrap around from the rear to the top, and the upper frame (52) is configured so that it can be attached and detached from the top of the lower frame (51) with the roof (30) attached.
The second aspect of the present invention is
This is a first work vehicle of the present invention, characterized in that it is provided with an obstacle sensor (80) in front of the roof (30) that detects obstacles that exist in a range at least above the roof (30) and below the upper end of the positioning device (40), and a control device (20) that notifies the driver by an alarm device when the obstacle sensor (80) detects an obstacle.
According to the present invention, the roof 30 is constructed of thin materials to allow rainwater to easily flow away and to be lightweight so as not to raise the vehicle's center of gravity. Therefore, if the positioning device 40 is fixed to the roof 30, it will be susceptible to vibration. The safety frame 29 is constructed of highly rigid materials that will not deform even when the weight of the vehicle is applied in the event of a rollover. Therefore, by fixing the positioning device 40 to the safety frame 29, it can be positioned in a way that is less susceptible to vibration. Furthermore, the roof 30 can be attached from above with the lower frame 51 attached to the safety frame 29, and the upper frame 52 can be attached from above with the roof 30 attached, allowing for easy assembly.
A first invention related to the present invention is a work vehicle having a safety frame 29 behind the driver's seat 8 where the driver sits to ensure space for the driver in the event of a rollover, and a roof 30 above the safety frame 29, in which a stay 50 for attaching a positioning device 40 is attached to the safety frame 29, the stay 50 is shaped to bypass the rear of the roof 30, and the positioning device 40 is fixed above the roof 30 at a distance from the roof 30.

According to a first aspect of the present invention , the roof 30 is made of thin materials to allow rainwater to easily flow away and to be lightweight so as not to raise the center of gravity of the vehicle. Therefore, if the positioning device 40 is fixed to the roof 30, it will be susceptible to vibration. The safety frame 29 is made of highly rigid materials so that it will not deform even when the weight of the vehicle is applied when the vehicle rolls over. Therefore, by fixing the positioning device 40 to the safety frame 29, it can be positioned so that it is less susceptible to vibration.

In addition, since the roof 30 is configured to cover the safety frame 29 from above, the positioning device 40 can be installed above the roof 30 by bypassing it from the rear and separating it from the roof 30, allowing the positioning device 40 to be installed with good reception and reduced vibration.

A second invention related to the present invention is a work vehicle of the first invention related to the present invention, in which the stay 50 is fixed to the rear surface of the safety frame 29, and has a lower frame 51 extending rearward to bypass the rear end of the roof 30, and an upper frame 52 shaped to bypass the roof 30 and wrap around from the rear to the top, and the upper frame 52 is configured so that it can be attached and detached from the lower frame 51 from above with the roof 30 attached .

According to the second invention related to the present invention, in addition to the advantageous effects of the first invention related to the present invention , the roof 30 can be attached from above with the lower frame 51 attached to the safety frame 29, and the upper frame 52 can be attached from above with the roof 30 attached, thereby facilitating assembly.

A third invention related to the present invention is a work vehicle of the first invention related to the present invention, which is provided with an obstacle sensor 80 in front of the roof 30 that detects obstacles present in a range at least above the roof 30 and below the upper end of the positioning device 40, and a control device 20 that alerts the driver via an alarm device when the obstacle sensor 80 detects an obstacle.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the advantageous effects of the first aspect of the present invention , it is possible to prevent the positioning device 40 from coming into contact with an obstacle and being damaged.

1 is a side view of a tractor according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. This is a statutory representation of an embodiment of the present invention. This is a statutory representation of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a main part showing another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a rear view of the main part showing the other embodiment. FIG. 10 is a left side view of a main part showing another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a right side view of the main part showing another embodiment of the present invention.

As one embodiment of the present invention, an agricultural tractor, which is a type of work vehicle, will be described. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described below.

As shown in Figure 1, tractor 1 is an agricultural tractor that performs work in fields and the like while propelled by itself. A driver (also called an operator) rides in tractor 1 and performs predetermined work while traveling within the field.

In the following, the fore-and-aft direction of the tractor 1 refers to the straight-ahead direction of the tractor 1. The forward direction of the tractor 1 refers to the direction from the driver's seat 8 to the steering wheel 9 in the straight-ahead direction of the tractor 1, and the opposite direction is the reverse (backing) direction. The forward direction is used as the basis for the fore-and-aft direction of the tractor 1.

The left-right direction is a direction that is horizontally perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction. Here, left and right are defined with respect to the "forward" side of the front-to-rear direction. In other words, when the driver is seated in the driver's seat 8 and facing forward, the left-hand side is the "left" and the right-hand side is the "right." Furthermore, the up-down direction is a direction that is perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction and the left-to-right direction. Therefore, the front-to-rear direction, left-to-right direction, and up-to-down direction are perpendicular to each other in three dimensions.

As shown in Figure 1, the tractor 1 includes a traveling vehicle body 2. A working machine (not shown) can be connected to the rear of the tractor 1.

The vehicle body 2 includes a body frame 3, front wheels 4, rear wheels 5, a hood 6, a steering unit 7, and a transmission case 10. The body frame 3 is the main frame of the vehicle body 2.

The front wheels 4 are a pair of left and right wheels located at the front of the vehicle body 2 and rotatably connected to the axle. The rear wheels 5 are a pair of left and right drive wheels located at the rear of the vehicle body 2 and rotatably connected to the axle. Note that the front wheels 4 can also be used as drive wheels, making for a four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle.

The upper part of the rear wheel 5 is covered by a fender 22, and a grip 28 is provided at the rear of this fender 22 that the operator (driver) can grasp when getting on or off the vehicle. A PTO switch (not shown) is also provided below the grip 28 on the fender 22, and operating this PTO switch switches the on/off operation of a PTO clutch (not shown).

The hood 6 is mounted at the front of the vehicle body 2 so that it can be opened and closed freely. The hood 6 can be rotated (opened and closed) in the vertical direction around the rear portion. When closed, the hood 6 covers the engine mounted on the vehicle frame 3. The engine is the driving source of the tractor 1 and is a thermal engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine.

The control unit 7 is located on top of the traveling vehicle body 2 and includes a driver's seat 8, a steering wheel 9, a floor step 11, etc. The control unit 7 of the tractor 1 in this embodiment has a safety frame 29 at the rear, and a roof 30 that covers the driver's seat 8 is attached to the upper end of the safety frame 29.

The driver's seat 8 is where the driver sits. The steering wheel 9 can be operated by the driver to steer the front wheels 4. The operation unit 7 is equipped with a meter panel 100 in front of the steering wheel 9 that displays various information.

In addition, the control device 20, including the motor driver, main harness, interface unit, straight-line controller unit, and other wiring, is housed below the driver's seat 8.

The floor step 11 is a horizontal member on which the driver places their feet, located below the steering column 7. The floor step 11 is also fixed to the transmission case 10 via a shock absorber (mounting rubber).

The control unit 7 also includes various operation pedals, such as a brake pedal, accelerator pedal, and clutch pedal (not shown), as well as various operation levers, such as a forward/reverse lever, accelerator lever, main shift lever, and sub-shift lever. When the driver depresses the brake pedal, the braking device is activated, allowing braking to stop the rotation of the front wheels 4 and rear wheels 5.

The transmission case 10 is located below the driver's seat 8 and houses the transmission (speed change device). The transmission appropriately reduces the power (rotational power) transmitted from the engine and transmits it to the rear wheels 5 and PTO shaft.

A work implement that performs work in the field is connected to the rear of the traveling vehicle body 2, and a PTO shaft that transmits power to drive the work implement protrudes rearward from the transmission case 10. The PTO shaft transmits rotational power, appropriately reduced by the transmission, to the work implement attached to at least the rear of the traveling vehicle body 2. The work implement is a ground work implement that performs work in the field, and various types of work implements, such as a rotary tiller, can be connected interchangeably.

In addition, a lifting device 31 that raises and lowers the work equipment is provided at the rear of the traveling vehicle body 2. The lifting device 31 raises the work equipment to move it to a non-working position. In addition, the lifting device 31 lowers the work equipment to move it to a ground work position. The lifting device 31 includes a hydraulic lifting cylinder, a lift arm, a lift rod, a lower link, and a top link.

As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the safety frame 29 is a rigid, gate-shaped frame when viewed from the rear, with its base fixed to the vehicle body, and is a rollover protection device (ROPS) that protects the driver in the event of the tractor 1 tipping over. A roof 30 is provided at the upper end of the safety frame 29, covering the area above the driver's seat 8.

The tractor 1 also includes a positioning device 40 that measures the position information of the traveling vehicle body 2, and a stay 50 that supports the positioning device 40. The positioning device 40 is, for example, a GNSS, and can measure positioning and time by receiving radio waves from navigation satellites orbiting in the sky.

The stay 50 is composed of a lower frame 51 whose base is fixed with bolts 60 to mounting holes 70 provided in the horizontal frame portion 29a at the top of the safety frame 29, and an upper frame 52 whose base is fixed with bolts 61 to the rear end of the lower frame 51.

The lower frame 51 is composed of a mounting plate 51a, left and right lower support pipes 51b whose bases are welded to the left and right ends of the mounting plate 51a, and a lower connecting plate 51c that connects the rear ends of the left and right lower support pipes 51b.

The mounting plate 51a has mounting holes 71, and bolts 60 are inserted through the mounting holes 71 and mounting holes 70 in the upper horizontal frame portion 29a of the safety frame 29, fixing the stay 50 to the rear surface of the upper horizontal frame portion 29a of the safety frame 29.

The left and right lower support pipes 51b extend diagonally downward and rearward from bases welded to both left and right ends of the mounting plate 51a, and then extend horizontally rearward.

Therefore, the lower connecting plate 51c, which connects the rear ends of the left and right lower support pipes 51b, is positioned lower than the horizontal frame portion 29a at the top of the safety frame 29.

The upper frame 52 is composed of an upper connecting plate 52a, L-shaped left and right upper support pipes 52b whose bases are welded to the left and right ends of the upper connecting plate 52a, and mounting seats 52c that connect the front ends of the left and right upper support pipes 52b.

The upper connecting plate 52a contacts the lower connecting plate 51c of the lower frame 51 from above and is fixed with bolts 61, and the upper frame 52 contacts the lower frame 51 from above and is fixed with bolts 61.

The left and right upper support pipes 52b extend vertically upward from bases welded to both left and right ends of the upper connecting plate 52a to a position higher than the top surface of the roof 30, and then extend horizontally forward to a position above the roof 30.

Therefore, the mounting seat 52c connecting the front ends of the left and right upper support pipes 52b is installed horizontally above the roof 30, and the positioning device 40 is fixed to this mounting seat 52c.

In summary, the stay 50 for attaching the positioning device 40 is attached to the safety frame 29, and the stay 50 is shaped to bypass the rear of the roof 30, fixing the positioning device 40 at a distance from the roof 30 and above it.

The roof 30 is constructed from thin materials to allow rainwater to easily drain away and to be lightweight so the vehicle's center of gravity is not elevated. Therefore, if the positioning device 40 were fixed to the roof 30, it would be susceptible to vibration. The safety frame 29 is constructed from highly rigid materials that will not deform even when the weight of the vehicle is applied in the event of a rollover. Therefore, by fixing the positioning device 40 to the safety frame 29, it can be positioned in a way that is less susceptible to vibration.

In addition, since the roof 30 is configured to cover the safety frame 29 from above, the positioning device 40 can be installed above the roof 30 by bypassing it from the rear and separating it from the roof 30, allowing the positioning device 40 to be installed with good reception and reduced vibration.

Furthermore, the stay 50 is fixed to the rear surface of the safety frame 29 and has a lower frame 51 that extends rearward to bypass the rear end of the roof 30, and an upper frame 52 that loops around from the rear of the roof 30 to the top, and the upper frame 52 is configured so that it can be attached and detached from the top of the lower frame 51 with the roof 30 attached.

As a result, the roof 30 can be attached from above with the lower frame 51 attached to the safety frame 29, and the upper frame 52 can be attached from above with the roof 30 attached, making assembly easy.

In addition, an obstacle sensor 80 is provided on the upper surface of the front end of the roof 30 to detect obstacles present at least above the roof 30 and below the top end of the positioning device 40.

When the obstacle sensor 80 detects an obstacle, the control device 20 alerts the driver by sounding an alarm buzzer installed on the meter panel 100, issuing an audio alarm saying "There is an obstacle ahead of the positioning device, and if you continue on this path you will hit it," or by displaying an alarm message on the monitor.

Therefore, if there is an obstacle in front of the positioning device 40, the obstacle sensor 80 detects the obstacle and the control device 20 notifies the driver via the alarm device, preventing the obstacle from coming into contact with and damaging the positioning device 40.

On the other hand, to enable the tractor 1 to be towed on public roads (roads), the upper part of a display plate 90 is fixed with bolts to the rear surface of the horizontal frame portion 29a at the top of the safety frame 29, and the legally required markings shown in Figure 7 are affixed to the display plate 90 so that they can be seen from the rear of the vehicle. The markings affixed to the display plate 90 are positioned high enough to be seen from the rear even when the implement attached to the rear of the tractor 1 is raised.

The upper part of the second display plate 91 is fixed with bolts to the center of the left and right sides of the lower end of the display plate 90, and the legally required markings shown in Figure 8 are affixed to the second display plate 91 so that they can be seen from the rear of the vehicle. The markings affixed to the second display plate 91 are positioned high enough to be seen from the rear even when the implement attached to the rear of the tractor 1 is raised.

The left and right vertical frame portions 29b of the safety frame 29 are equipped with left and right turn signal lamps and a brake lamp 55, and the right vertical frame portion 29b is equipped with a backup light 56.

The wiring (electrical wires) for the left and right turn signal lamps, brake lamps 55, and reverse lamps 56 are passed through holes provided in the left and right vertical frame portions 29b of the safety frame 29 and into the left and right vertical frame portions 29b.

As a result, the left and right turn signal lamps, brake lamps 55, and reversing lamps 56 are mounted at a high position on the left and right vertical frame portions 29b of the safety frame 29, so the left and right turn signal lamps, brake lamps 55, and reversing lamps 56 can be seen from behind the vehicle or can properly illuminate the rear even when the implement attached to the rear of the tractor 1 is raised.

<Other embodiments>
(1) FIGS. 9 to 12 show another embodiment in which the tractor 1 is provided with only a safety frame 29 without a roof 30 .

That is, the front end of the mounting seat 52c is attached with a bolt 62 to the center of the left and right sides of the rear surface of the horizontal frame portion 29a at the top of the safety frame 29, and the positioning device 40 is attached to the mounting seat 52c.

The upper parts of the left and right L-shaped stays 55' are then fixed to the left and right sections of the rear surface of the upper horizontal frame section 29a of the safety frame 29 with bolts 63, and the left and right sections of the display plate 90 are fixed to the lower parts of the left and right L-shaped stays 55' with bolts 64. The legally required markings shown in Figure 7 are then affixed to the display plate 90 so that it can be seen from the rear of the aircraft.

The display plate 90 is suspended downward from the horizontal frame portion 29a at the top of the safety frame 29 by left and right L-shaped stays 55', so it is positioned lower than the positioning device 40, does not get in the way of the positioning device 40, and provides good visibility from the rear of the aircraft.

The markings attached to the display plate 90 are positioned high enough to be visible from behind even when the implement attached to the rear of the tractor 1 is raised.

Nuts are then welded to the center of the left and right sides of the lower end of the display plate 90, and the top of the second display plate 91 is fixed with bolts 65. The legally required markings shown in Figure 8 are then affixed to the second display plate 91 so that it can be seen from the rear of the vehicle. The markings affixed to the second display plate 91 are positioned high enough to be seen from the rear even when the implement attached to the rear of the tractor 1 is raised.

8 Driver's seat 20 Control device 29 Safety frame 30 Roof 40 Positioning device 50 Stay 51 Lower frame 52 Upper frame 80 Obstacle sensor

Claims (2)

In a work vehicle in which a safety frame (29) is provided behind a driver's seat (8) where the driver sits to ensure space for the driver in the event of a rollover, and a roof (30) is provided above the safety frame (29), a stay (50) for attaching a positioning device (40) is attached to the safety frame (29), the stay (50) is shaped to bypass the rear of the roof (30), and the positioning device (40) is fixed above the roof (30) at a distance from the roof (30),
The stay (50) is fixed to the rear surface of the safety frame (29), and has a lower frame (51) extending rearward so as to bypass the rear end of the roof (30), and an upper frame (52) shaped to bypass the roof (30) so as to wrap around from the rear to the upper side, and the upper frame (52) is configured so as to be detachable from above to the lower frame (51) with the roof (30) attached. The work vehicle described in claim 1 is provided with an obstacle sensor (80) in front of the roof (30) that detects obstacles present in an area at least above the roof (30) and below the upper end of the positioning device (40), and a control device (20) that notifies the driver via an alarm device when the obstacle sensor (80) detects an obstacle.