JP2007032478A - Vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle achieving lower cost and more compactness while ensuring the cooling of return fuel. <P>SOLUTION: A fuel return line 43 for returning return fuel from an engine 17 to a fuel tank 12 is provided in a passage for outside air sucked from an suction opening portion 37 by a fan 18, on the side of an insertion opening 34 and the suction opening portion 37 beyond a cooling package 16. Without the need for providing a fuel cooler or the like separately, the cooling fan 18 of the cooling package 16 and the insertion opening 34 and the suction opening portion 37 are effectively used to achieve lower cost and more compactness while ensuring cooling of the return fuel from the engine 17. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle including an engine that burns fuel and a fuel tank that stores fuel.

  Conventionally, this type of vehicle has an engine mounted in the vehicle body, and this engine burns fuel supplied along the shortest path from a fuel tank via a fuel line provided with a fuel filter and a water separator. By doing so, predetermined power is obtained.

  By the way, a part of the fuel supplied from the fuel tank to the engine that could not be combusted in the engine is returned to the fuel tank via the fuel return line.

  However, since the temperature of the return fuel that has once passed through the engine in this way rises, and the fuel line is generally made of a rubber hose, the temperature reduction effect due to heat radiation is hardly obtained by following the shortest path. Is returned to the fuel tank at a high temperature, the fuel temperature supplied to the engine increases as the return fuel increases.

  When the temperature of the fuel becomes excessively high in this way, bubbles are generated in the fuel, so-called boiling occurs, and stable combustion cannot be obtained by this boiling, and it is not easy to obtain a desired output.

Therefore, for example, a vehicle in which a fuel cooler is provided in the fuel return line (see, for example, Patent Document 1), and a vehicle in which the fuel return line is arranged in series with a heat exchanger such as a radiator, that is, a cooling package (for example, see Patent Document 2). )), Or a vehicle (for example, see Patent Document 3) provided with a cooling unit that is meandered in multiple stages in a fuel return line.
JP 2004-162538 A (page 4-5, FIG. 1) JP 2003-254176 A (page 2-3, FIG. 1) JP 2004-19516 A (page 3-4, FIG. 1)

  However, the vehicle described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 has a problem that a fuel cooler is separately required, and it is not easy to suppress costs.

  In addition, the vehicle described in Patent Document 2 has a problem that the cooling package is enlarged, and it is not easy to make it compact as a whole.

  Furthermore, the vehicle described in Patent Document 3 has a problem that it is necessary to enlarge the fuel return line by a cooling unit meandering in multiple stages, and compactness is not easy.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle that is reduced in cost and size while reliably cooling the return fuel.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle main body having an intake opening, an engine provided in the vehicle main body for burning fuel, fuel provided in the vehicle main body, fuel supplied to the engine, and fuel returned from the engine. A fuel tank that stores air, a fan that is provided in the vehicle main body and sucks outside air from the intake opening to the object to be cooled, and an outside air passage sucked from the intake opening by the fan to the intake opening side of the object to be cooled And a fuel return line for returning the return fuel from the engine to the fuel tank.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle according to the first aspect, the intake opening is an opening through which outside air is sucked into a cooling package for cooling as an object to be cooled by a fan.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle according to the first aspect, the working device pivotally supported by the vehicle main body is pivotally supported, the base end portion is connected to the vehicle main body side, and the distal end portion is on the working device side. And a fluid pressure actuator that swings the working device by expansion and contraction, and the intake opening is an opening into which the fluid pressure actuator is swingably inserted.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a part of the fuel return line for returning the return fuel from the engine to the fuel tank is placed closer to the intake opening than the object to be cooled in the outside air passage sucked from the intake opening by the fan. By providing it, it is possible to reduce the cost and make it compact while reliably cooling the return fuel that has passed through the engine by effectively utilizing the cooling fan and the intake opening for cooling the object to be cooled without providing a separate fuel cooler or the like. be able to.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the return fuel can be reliably cooled while effectively using the existing opening that sucks outside air into the cooling package for cooling as the intake opening.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the return fuel can be reliably cooled while effectively using the existing opening into which the hydraulic actuator is swingably inserted as the intake opening.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 4 shows a hydraulic excavator 1 that is a work machine as a vehicle. The hydraulic excavator 1 is configured of a lower traveling body 3 as a traveling body that can travel on a traveling surface by a traveling motor 2 that is a hydraulic motor as a hydraulic actuator. In the upper part, there is a work machine main body 6 as a vehicle body provided with an upper revolving body 5 as a revolving body through a revolving part 4 so as to be able to turn, and a work device 7 is operated at the front center of the upper revolving body 5. Protrusions are possible.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the upper swing body 5 includes a plate-shaped frame bottom plate 11 as a frame plate portion. On the frame bottom plate 11, a fuel tank 12 is provided at the left front portion. A cab 13 is disposed above the fuel tank 12 and covers an operator's operating section. A control valve 14 and a hydraulic oil tank 15 are disposed on the right front, and the rear of the hydraulic oil tank 15 is disposed. A cooling package 16 for cooling, which is an object to be cooled as a heat exchanger, is disposed on the left side of the cooling package 16, and an engine 17 that drives a hydraulic pump (not shown) that discharges hydraulic oil, and A cooling fan 18 and the like are provided respectively.

  A skirt portion 21 is attached to the outer peripheral edge portion of the frame bottom plate 11 over the entire circumference. On the upper part of the skirt portion 21 of the frame bottom plate 11, a side cover 22 that covers the control valve 14 and the hydraulic oil tank 15 and the like, a rear cover 23 that covers the engine 17 and the like, and a cab 13 together with the side cover 22 and the rear cover 23 and the like. A hood 24 that covers the entire upper portion of the frame bottom plate 11 is provided. Further, the frame bottom plate 11 is provided with an exhaust opening (not shown) through which air passing through the cooling package 16 passes and also serves as a maintenance opening for the upper swing body 5.

  The skirt portion 21 has a shaft support portion 32 that pivotally supports a bracket 31 that pivotally supports the base end portion of the working device 7 (FIG. 4) so as to be pivotable in the vertical direction at the center of the front portion. In addition, an insertion opening 34 in which a base end portion of a swing cylinder 33 as a fluid pressure actuator having a distal end pivotally supported by a bracket 31 is inserted is opened on the right side of the shaft support portion 32. Is formed.

  The swing cylinder 33 expands and contracts when hydraulic oil is supplied and discharged via the control valve 14, thereby swinging the work device 7 (FIG. 4) left and right via the bracket 31. The upper swing body 5 is rotatably supported by the upper swing body 5.

  The insertion opening 34 is formed in a horizontally long opening so that the swing cylinder 33 that swings in response to the swing of the work device 7 (FIG. 4) can swing in the left-right direction. The insertion opening 34 functions as an intake opening for sucking outside air into the upper swing body 5 by driving the fan 18, and extends along the inner wall of the right skirt portion 21 in the upper swing body 5. Thus, an intake passage D extending from the side of the control valve 14 to the rear and communicating with the right side of the cooling package 16 is formed.

  The side cover 22 is pivotally supported so as to be pivotable in the vertical direction with respect to the upper swing body 5, and the control valve 14 and the hydraulic oil tank 15 can be exposed to the outside of the upper swing body 5 by rotation. Further, the side cover 22 is provided with a plurality of intake openings 37 that are positioned in front of the right side of the cooling package 16 to suck outside air into the upper swing body 5 by driving the fan 18. These intake openings 37 are formed in a longitudinal shape in the front-rear direction, and are provided in a plurality in the vertical direction. The intake openings 37 are located on the right side of the upper swing body 5 and open in the horizontal direction with the side cover 22 closed. Is formed. The intake opening 37 communicates with the passage D.

  Here, the passage D is formed in a duct shape, and a flow W of air sucked from the insertion opening 34 and the intake opening 37 is formed along the passage D.

  The rear cover 23 is pivotally supported with respect to the upper swing body 5 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction, and the engine 17 and the like can be exposed to the outside of the upper swing body 5 by the rotation.

  The fuel tank 12 stores fuel supplied to the engine 17 and fuel returned without being burned by the engine 17, and is provided from the vicinity of the front end portion of the frame bottom plate 11 to the central region in the front-rear direction. It has been. Further, a tank connecting portion 41 is provided at the upper portion of the fuel tank 12, and the fuel supplying line 42 for supplying fuel to the engine 17 and the fuel supplied excessively to the engine 17, that is, the tank connecting portion 41 are provided. A fuel line 44 constituted by a fuel return line 43 for returning the fuel that could not be burned by the engine 17 to the fuel tank 12 is connected.

  The fuel supply line 42 is formed of a member having high heat dissipation such as an iron pipe, an aluminum pipe, or a copper pipe, for example, and is arranged to incline backward from the tank connecting portion 41 to the right side of the upper swing body 5. 46, a fuel filter 47 to which the tip of the fuel lead-out part 46 is connected, and an engine introduction part 48 for connecting the fuel filter 47 and the vicinity of the right end of the engine 17 are provided.

  The fuel outlet 46 is disposed substantially horizontally along the upper surface of the fuel tank 12 from the tank connector 41 to the fuel filter 47.

  The fuel filter 47 is spaced apart from the engine 17 and is located on the right side of the upper part of the frame bottom plate 11 at the lower rear side of the intake opening 37 and the lower side of the front side of the cooling package 16, that is, in the passage D.

  The engine introduction part 48 is disposed substantially horizontally over the engine 17 from the fuel filter 47 via the pump P.

  On the other hand, the fuel return line 43 is formed of a member with high heat dissipation, such as an iron pipe, an aluminum pipe, or a copper pipe, for example, and is a fuel introduction part disposed substantially parallel to the fuel supply line 42 in the vicinity of the fuel filter 47. 51, a lower extending portion 52 disposed along the inner wall of the skirt portion 21 from the vicinity of the fuel filter 47 to the front, and the left extending portion near the front end portion of the upper swing body 5 from the lower extending portion 52 And a front extension 53 that extends to the vicinity of the opening of the intake opening 37 and a front extension 53 that is folded rightward from the front extension 53 near the opening of the intake opening 37. A front extending portion 54 disposed substantially parallel to the extending portion 53, and a fuel filter 47 from the front extending portion 54 along the inner wall of the skirt portion 21 via the vicinity of the opening of the intake opening 37. A side extension 55 extending to the rear, a rear extension 56 folded forward from the side extension 55, and the rear It is curved from the portion 56 to the left and an engine deriving unit 57 connected to the left position nearer the right end portion of the engine 17.

  One end of the fuel introduction part 51 is connected to the tank connection part 41 of the fuel tank 12, is arranged substantially in parallel with the fuel lead-out part 46 of the fuel supply line 42, and the other end is the upper swing body 5. In the vicinity of the right side skirt portion 21, it is inclined downward and is located in front of the fuel filter 47.

  The lower extending portion 52 is gently curved along the frame bottom plate 11 from the rear side to the front side corresponding to the curved shape of the skirt portion 21.

  The front extending portion 53 is disposed along the left-right direction on the frame bottom plate 11, and the continuous portion with the front extending portion 54 faces the opening of the intake opening 37 so that the left and right sides of the intake opening 37 are left and right. Located in the central area in the width direction.

  The front extending portion 54 is disposed in parallel to the front extending portion 53 on the front side of the front extending portion 53 on the frame bottom plate 11.

  The side extending portion 55 is gently curved along the frame bottom plate 11 from the front side to the rear side corresponding to the curved shape of the skirt portion 21, and extends downward to the vicinity of the fuel filter 47. It is formed substantially parallel to the portion 52, and the rear end side extends to the vicinity of the rear end portion of the cooling package 16 and is slightly curved upward.

  The rear extension 56 is disposed substantially horizontally facing the lower part of the cooling package 16 on the intake opening 37 side.

  The engine lead-out portion 57 is formed so as to incline upward from the front end portion of the rear extension portion 56 toward the engine 17.

  The lower extending portion 52, the front extending portions 53 and 54, the side extending portion 55, and the rear extending portion 56 are respectively disposed along the wall surface of the passage D.

  The cab 13 is located closer to the front side of the upper swing body 5, and a seat S on which an operator sits is provided.

  The engine 17 discharges hydraulic oil stored in the hydraulic oil tank 15 to the control valve 14 by burning a fuel supplied through the fuel supply line 42 and driving a hydraulic pump (not shown). It is.

  The cooling package 16 is a unit that includes, for example, a radiator that cools cooling water for cooling the engine 17 and an oil cooler that cools hydraulic oil, and is disposed so as to face the intake opening 37. The air sucked from the opening 37 is configured to pass in the left-right direction of the excavator 1.

  The fan 18 is provided opposite to the intake opening 37 of the cooling package 16, that is, opposite to the left side, and sucks outside air into the cooling package 16 from the insertion opening 34 and the intake opening 37 by being driven to rotate.

  Returning to FIG. 4, the working device 7 includes a boom 61 whose base end is pivotally supported by the bracket 31 so as to be pivotable in the vertical direction, and an arm 62 pivotally supported by the tip of the boom 61. And a bucket 63 pivotally supported at the distal end of the arm 62, and a distal end portion of a boom cylinder 64 pivotally supported at the front end portion of the bracket 31 is pivotally supported by the front surface of the boom 61. The distal end of the arm cylinder 65 pivotally supported on the rear side of the boom 61 and pivotally supported on the rear side of the boom 61 is pivotally supported on the proximal end side of the arm 62, Further, the tip end portion of the bucket cylinder 66 whose base end portion is pivotally supported on the back side of the arm cylinder 65 is pivotally supported on the bucket 63 via the linkage 67.

  The cylinders 64, 65, and 66 are hydraulic pressures that respectively rotate the boom 61, the arm 62, and the bucket 63 by expanding and contracting by supplying and discharging hydraulic oil through the control valve 14 (FIG. 1). Actuator.

  Next, the function and effect of the embodiment will be described.

  When the engine 17 is operated, the fuel supplied from the fuel tank 12 through the fuel outlet 46, the fuel filter 47, the pump P, and the engine inlet 48 of the fuel supply line 42 is burned in the engine 17, The hydraulic pump is driven, and the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic oil tank 15 discharged by the driving of the hydraulic pump is controlled in flow rate and direction by the control valve 14, and various hydraulic pressures such as the traveling motor 2 and the cylinders 33, 64, 65, 66, etc. These hydraulic actuators are operated by being supplied to and discharged from the actuators.

  The fuel that could not be combusted in the engine 17 includes the engine lead-out portion 57, the rear extension portion 56, the side extension portion 55, the front extension portions 54 and 53, the lower extension portion 52, and the fuel return line 43. The fuel is sequentially returned to the fuel tank 12 through the fuel introduction part 51.

  At this time, the lower extending portion 52, the front extending portions 53 and 54, the side extending portion 55, and the rear extending portion 56 are in the duct-shaped passage D of air sucked from the insertion opening 34 and the intake opening 37. By being provided closer to the insertion opening 34 or the intake opening 37 than the cooling package 16, the return fuel from the engine 17 is supplied to the lower extension 52, the front extensions 53 and 54, and the side extension. When passing through the installation portion 55, the rear extension portion 56, etc., the fan 18 is driven to cool by the air flow W sucked from the insertion opening 34 and the intake opening 37, respectively, and sucked into the cooling package 16. .

  As a result, the cooling fan 18 and the insertion opening 34 and the intake opening 37 of the cooling package 16 can be effectively used without providing a fuel cooler or the like, so that the return fuel from the engine 17 can be reliably cooled and reduced. The cost can be reduced and the amount of heat radiation from the engine 17 can be suppressed, so that the size of the cooling package 16 can be reduced and the hydraulic excavator 1 can be made compact.

  Specifically, by piping the side extension portion 55 and the rear extension portion 56 of the fuel return line 43 in the passage D communicating with the intake opening 37 for sucking outside air into the cooling package 16 for cooling, The return fuel can be reliably cooled while effectively using the existing intake opening 37.

  Similarly, a lower extending portion 52, front extending portions 53, 54 and side extending portions 55 of the fuel return line 43 are provided in a passage D communicating with the insertion opening 34 into which the swing cylinder 33 is swingably inserted. By discontinuing publication, it is possible to reliably cool the return fuel while effectively using the existing insertion opening 34 as an intake opening.

  In addition, the lower extension 52, the front extension 53, 54, the side extension 55, and the rear extension 56 are piped along the wall surface of the duct-shaped passage D, so that the return fuel is more It can be cooled effectively.

  And since the return fuel can be reliably cooled in this way, bubbles are generated in the fuel, so-called boiling does not occur, stable combustion of the fuel is obtained, and a desired output can be obtained by the engine 17. In addition, it is possible to suppress a decrease in horsepower or torque generated by the engine 17, and it is particularly effective for use in a high temperature environment or in summer.

  Further, since the maximum horsepower corresponding to the labor saving of the engine 17 can be lowered, an energy saving effect can be expected.

  Further, by forming the fuel return line 43 with a member having high heat dissipation such as an iron pipe, a sufficient heat dissipation effect can be obtained in the fuel return line 43, and the cooling efficiency can be improved.

  Since the temperature inside the upper swing body 5 is lower than the upper side, the lower extension portion 52, the front extension portions 53 and 54 and the side extension portion 55 of the fuel return line 43 are framed. By piping along the bottom plate 11 side, an increase in fuel temperature can be more reliably suppressed.

  In particular, in the case of the small excavator 1, the fuel is likely to overheat, but it is not easy to ensure a dead space in the upper swing body 5, so the existing passage D is used to return only by the piping structure. By adopting a configuration for cooling the fuel, it is possible to easily cope with a small hydraulic excavator 1.

  In addition, in the said one Embodiment, it can apply also to working machines other than the hydraulic shovel 1, and as a vehicle, it can apply to various things other than working machines, such as a ship and an aircraft, for example.

  Further, the fuel return line 43 appropriately changes the piping according to the position where the intake opening is formed.

It is a top view which shows the principal part of one Embodiment of the vehicle which concerns on this invention. It is a side view which shows the principal part of a vehicle same as the above. It is a front view which shows the principal part of a vehicle same as the above. It is a side view which shows a vehicle same as the above.

Explanation of symbols

D Passage 1 Hydraulic excavator as vehicle 6 Work machine body as vehicle body 7 Work device
12 Fuel tank
16 Cooling package as an object to be cooled
17 engine
18 fans
33 Swing cylinder as a fluid pressure actuator
34 Insertion opening with intake opening function
37 Air intake opening
43 Fuel return line

Claims (3)

A vehicle body with an intake opening;
An engine provided in the vehicle main body for burning fuel;
A fuel tank provided in the vehicle body for storing fuel supplied to the engine and fuel returned from the engine;
A fan that is provided in the vehicle body and sucks outside air from the intake opening to the object to be cooled;
A part of the outside air passage sucked from the intake opening by the fan is provided on the intake opening side of the object to be cooled, and has a fuel return line for returning the return fuel from the engine to the fuel tank. Vehicle to do. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the intake opening is an opening for sucking outside air into a cooling package for cooling as an object to be cooled by a fan. A working device pivotally supported on the vehicle body;
A base end portion connected to the vehicle body side and a distal end portion connected to the work device side, and a fluid pressure actuator that swings the work device by stretching,
The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the intake opening is an opening into which the fluid pressure actuator is swingably inserted.

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