JP2024076067A - Pedal device, and work machine comprising the same - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a pedal device having a compact configuration and capable of easily realizing a locked state of prohibiting a pedal operation when a pedal is not operated, and a work machine comprising the same.SOLUTION: A pedal device 50 comprises: a regulating part 70 arranged in parallel with a first pedal 61 to regulate swinging of the first pedal 61; and a second pedal 62 supported at a rear of the first pedal 61 so as to rotate between a stored position at which the second pedal is stored above the first pedal 61 and an extended position at which the second pedal extends rearward from the first pedal 61. The regulating part 70 has a recessed portion 71 through which a protruding portion 62d provided on the second pedal 62 can advance and retreat. When the second pedal 62 is in the stored position, the protruding portion 62d which is in a stored state in the recessed portion 71 comes into contact with an upper or lower surface of the recessed portion 71, to regulate swinging of the first pedal 61.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a pedal device that is provided on the floor in front of the driver's seat of a work machine to operate a work device attached to the work machine.

Conventionally, a working machine such as an excavator is provided with a driver's seat, and on the floor in front of the driver's seat, in addition to a travel lever for driving the working machine, an operating pedal for operating a working device such as an excavator is arranged.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which an excavation machine is provided with a pedal lock device that is located in front of the driver's seat and moves between a locked position that prohibits pedal operation and an unlocked position that allows operation.

Japanese Patent No. 4091510

In the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, the pedal lock device has a stopper frame that is rotatably supported on the floor plate using a hinge member whose rotation axis is in the left-right direction. This rectangular frame, the stopper frame, is configured to rotate by the hinge member between a locked position in which it surrounds the pedal tread and an unlocked position in which it is upright in front of the pedal tread. For this reason, when an operator drives a construction machine such as an excavator in the forward-backward direction without placing his/her foot on the pedal tread, the stopper frame falls over due to the forward-backward swaying of the machine body and returns to the locked position. In other words, a problem occurs in which pedal operation is prohibited regardless of the operator's intention when pedal operation is required.

In addition, because the pedal tread needs to be contained inside the stopper frame, the stopper frame must also be made larger to increase the area of the tread. This increases the size of the pedal device, including the pedal lock device, and can impair the freedom of placement and size of other pedals, as well as operability.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a pedal device with a compact configuration that can easily achieve a locked state that prohibits pedal operation when the pedal is not being operated, and a work machine equipped with the same.

The pedal device of the present invention is a pedal device of a work machine equipped with a pedal that is operated to swing in the forward and backward directions, and is characterized in that it includes a regulating part that is arranged in parallel with the pedal and regulates the swinging of the pedal, and another pedal that is supported at the rear of the pedal so as to rotate between a storage position in which it is stored above the pedal and an extended position in which it extends rearward from the pedal, and the regulating part has a recessed part through which a protruding part provided on the other pedal can advance and retreat, and when the other pedal is in the storage position, the protruding part that is stored in the recessed part abuts against the upper or lower surface of the recessed part, thereby regulating the swinging of the pedal.

In another aspect of the present invention, the pedal device of the work machine is a pedal device of the work machine, in which the protrusion is provided at the rear end of the other pedal when the other pedal is in the stored position.

A pedal device for a work machine according to another aspect of the present invention is a pedal device for a work machine, in which the protruding portion protrudes from the side portion of the other pedal.

In another aspect of the present invention, the pedal device of the work machine is a pedal device of the work machine, in which the protrusion is provided below the other pedal when the other pedal is in the stored position.

In another aspect of the present invention, a pedal device for a work machine is a pedal device for a work machine, in which the shaft connecting the pedal to the other pedal is located above the recessed portion.

A pedal device for a work machine according to another aspect of the present invention has a support part that supports the pedal by tilting it so that the front is high and the rear is low.

A pedal device for a work machine according to another aspect of the present invention is a pedal device for a work machine, in which the other pedal has an operating piece that protrudes outward from a side portion of the other pedal and is operated when the other pedal is rotated.

The work machine according to the present invention is equipped with a pedal device for the work machine that operates a hydraulic actuator connected to a PTO service port.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a compact pedal device and easily achieve a locked state that prohibits pedal operation when the pedal is not being operated.

1 is a left side view of an excavation machine to which a pedal device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. 2 is a plan view of a floor portion illustrating the arrangement of a pedal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a hydraulic system related to the operation of an excavation machine through the operation of a pedal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a pedal device according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the upper left. 1 is a left side view of a pedal device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pedal device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between a recessed portion of the restricting portion and a protruding portion of the second pedal. FIG.

The present invention provides a pedal device that is arranged on the floor in front of the driver's seat of a construction machine, for example, and that is operated by the operator with his/her foot when operating a work device, and improves the operability of the pedal while realizing a compact pedal device by devising a pedal lock structure that realizes a locked state that prohibits operation of the pedal. The following describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the pedal device for a work machine according to the present invention will be described by taking as an example a case where it is applied to an excavation work machine (shovel), which is a rotating work vehicle. However, the pedal device for a work machine according to the present invention is not limited to excavation work machines, and can be widely applied to other construction machines such as bulldozers, crane work machines, compact track loaders, skid steer loaders, and wheel loaders, or agricultural machines such as tractors and combine harvesters.

The overall configuration of the excavation machine 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. In the following, unless a particular viewing direction is specified, the following terms will be used based on the position of the operator seated in the driver's seat of the excavation machine 1: "front side," "rear side," "left and right sides," "flat side," "upper side," "bottom side," or "lower side."

As shown in FIG. 1, the excavation machine 1 is a relatively small excavator, and includes a self-propelled running body 2 and an excavation device 3 and an earth removal device 4 as working devices attached to the running body 2.

The excavation machine 1 has a pair of left and right crawler-type running parts 5, 5, a track frame 6 that serves as a base supporting the left and right running parts 5, 5, and a rotating frame 7 that is provided on the track frame 6.

The left and right running parts 5, 5 are driven by a pair of left and right running hydraulic motors 44, 44. The running hydraulic motors 44 are hydraulic actuators that are driven by the supply of hydraulic oil. The running part 5 has a structure in which a track is wound around a rotating body such as a plurality of sprockets supported on a predetermined frame part that constitutes the track frame 6. The running part 5 has a drive sprocket 5a as a rotating body at its rear end. The track frame 6 has a center frame part 6a located between the left and right running parts 5, 5, and side frame parts 6b provided on both the left and right sides of the center frame part 6a.

The soil removal device 4 is attached to the front of the truck frame 6. The soil removal device 4 has a pair of support frames 4a extending in the front-rear direction between the left and right running sections 5, 5, and a blade 4b as a blade plate provided at the tip of the support frame 4a. The soil removal device 4 is arranged so that it can be raised, lowered, and rotated by a blade cylinder (not shown) provided between the support frame 4a and the truck frame 6.

The swivel frame 7 is configured to be approximately circular in plan view, and is mounted on the track frame 6 as a swivel support provided on the upper side of the track frame 6, allowing it to swivel in either the left or right direction around a vertical axis via a swivel bearing 6c. A counterweight 7a is provided on the lower rear part of the swivel frame 7. The swivel frame 7 is also configured to be swivelable within the left-right width of the left and right running parts 5, 5, that is, within the width between the left outer edge of the left running part 5 and the right edge of the right running part 5. This allows the excavation machine 1 to perform small turning operations.

The driving section 10 is provided on the rotating frame 7. The tank section 9 is provided to the right of the driving section 10. The tank section 9 is provided with a hydraulic oil tank 9a (see FIG. 3) that stores hydraulic oil to be supplied to hydraulic actuators such as hydraulic cylinders of the excavation machine 1. The left side of the floor section 8 of the driving section 10 is the operator's entrance to and exit from the driving section 10. In addition, an engine 12, which is a prime mover, is provided at the rear of the rotating frame 7 as a drive source. The rear and right side of the rotating frame 7 are covered by a bonnet and an exterior cover.

The driving unit 10 is for driving and operating the excavation device 3 and the traveling unit 5. A canopy 13 is provided for the driving unit 10 on the rotating frame 7. The canopy 13 has a pair of left and right support columns 36, 36 erected above the rear of the rotating frame 7, and a canopy roof section 38 supported by the support columns 36, 36 and extending forward. The canopy roof section 38 covers the driving unit 10 from above.

In the driver's section 10, a driver's seat support base 14, which is a seat mount, is provided on the rear side of the floor section 8, and a driver's seat 15 is provided on the driver's seat support base 14. In front of the driver's seat 15, a pair of left and right travel levers 16 are provided extending upward from the floor section 8. A number of operation pedals for work are arranged on both the left and right sides of the travel levers 16 on the floor section 8. In addition, in the driver's section 10, an operation panel section having various operation sections such as work operation levers 17 and switches for operating working sections such as the excavation device 3 is provided around the driver's seat 15.

The excavation device 3 is a front working device provided at the front of the excavation work machine 1. A support bracket 18 that supports the excavation device 3 protrudes forward from the center of the left and right front end of the revolving frame 7. A boom support bracket 19 that forms the base end of the excavation device 3 is supported on the support bracket 18 so that it can rotate with the vertical direction as the rotation axis direction. The excavation device 3 is arranged to swing left and right relative to the revolving frame 7 by a swing hydraulic cylinder (not shown) provided between the boom support bracket 19 and the revolving frame 7.

The excavation device 3 has a boom 21 that is bent like a boomerang in side view and forms the base side of the excavation device 3, an arm 22 connected to the tip of the boom 21, and a bucket 23 attached to the tip of the arm 22. The excavation device 3 has a boom cylinder 26 that rotates the boom 21, an arm cylinder 27 that rotates the arm 22, and a tool cylinder 28 that rotates the bucket 23. All of these cylinders are hydraulic cylinders. In the excavation device 3, other devices such as a grapple or breaker are attached instead of the bucket 23 depending on the work to be performed.

In the excavation machine 1 configured as described above, the operator seated in the driver's seat 15 appropriately operates the travel lever 16, the work operation lever 17, and the operation pedals to perform the desired operation and work.

The arrangement of the operation pedals on the floor 8 in front of the driver's seat 15 in the driver's section 10 will be explained with reference to Figure 2.

The floor section 8 is configured to include a front step section 8a on which multiple operating pedals that are operated by the operator's feet are attached, and a rear step section 8b that is connected to the rear of the front step section 8a. On the front step section 8a, a swing pedal 41, a travel pedal 42, and a pedal device 50 according to this embodiment are arranged in that order from the right side.

The travel pedals 42 are provided below a pair of left and right travel levers 16 that protrude upward in the center of the front step section 8a in front of the driver's seat 15. The pair of left and right travel pedals 42 and the pair of left and right travel levers 16 are operated when making the excavator 1 travel forward and backward in a straight line and turn left and right. The travel pedals 42 and the travel levers 16 are configured so that their movements are linked to each other.

A swing pedal 41 is disposed to the right of the travel pedal 42. The swing pedal 41 is an operating pedal for the swing cylinder 29 (see FIG. 3) that swings the boom support bracket 19, which supports the base end of the boom 21 of the excavation device 3, left and right.

A pedal device 50 is disposed to the left of the travel pedal 42. The pedal disposed to the left of the travel pedal 42 is also called the PTO pedal. The PTO pedal is an operation pedal for an attachment when, instead of the bucket 23, an additional work device (attachment) such as a grapple for clamping construction materials or a breaker for breaking up concrete by vibration is attached. The operation of the excavation work machine 1 by operating such a PTO pedal will be described with reference to FIG. 3. Note that FIG. 3 shows an overview of an example of the configuration of a hydraulic system related to the operation of the excavation work machine 1 by operating the PTO pedal. Also, in FIG. 3, the pilot line is indicated by a dashed line, and the hydraulic actuator 43 of the attachment and its pressure oil supply and discharge line are indicated by a two-dot chain line.

The excavator 1 includes, as a hydraulic system, a main pump 46 and a pilot pump 47 mechanically connected to the engine 12, and a control valve unit 48. The control valve unit 48 is configured to include a plurality of control valves that control the supply and discharge of hydraulic oil to a plurality of hydraulic actuators. The control valve unit 48 is provided with a PTO service port 49. The PTO service port 49 is a port to which a supply and discharge pipe that supplies and discharges hydraulic oil to the hydraulic actuator 43 of an attachment added to the standard specifications of the excavator is connected, for example, when the attachment is operated by the operation of the hydraulic actuator. In other words, the PTO pedal is an operating pedal for the hydraulic actuator connected to the PTO service port.

The pedal device 50 that functions as such a PTO pedal has a generally rectangular shape that is elongated in the front-to-rear direction as a whole in a plan view as shown in FIG. 2, and is configured to be able to swing up and down when operated with the operator's foot. The pedal device 50 is positioned diagonally forward and left as seen from the operator on the floor 8, and is tilted at a predetermined angle (e.g., 5 to 15 degrees) with respect to the front-to-rear direction so that the tip side faces slightly outward, from the perspective of convenience of operation with the operator's left foot.

The detailed configuration of the pedal device 50 will be described with reference to Figs. 4 to 6. In Figs. 4 to 6, the upper side (a) shows a pedal operation state in which the operator needs to operate the pedal device 50, and the lower side (b) shows a pedal non-operation state in which the operator does not need to operate the pedal device 50.

The pedal device 50 is a hydraulic pedal device equipped with a pilot valve 51 as an operation conversion unit that converts the pedal operation amount into a drive signal for a working device and outputs the signal. The pedal device 50 is equipped with a pedal section 60 that is pivotally mounted on the pilot valve 51 via a first pivot shaft 55, and a restriction section 70 that restricts the pivoting of the pedal section 60.

The pedal device 50 has a fixing plate 52 for fixing the pilot valve 51 and attaching the pedal device 50 to the floor 8. The fixing plate 52 has a hole through which the rectangular parallelepiped casing 51a of the pilot valve 51 can be inserted, and the casing 51a is inserted into the hole. The pilot valve 51 is fixed to the fixing plate 52 by screwing a flange 51b provided at the upper end of the pilot valve 51 to the fixing plate 52. As shown in FIG. 6, the shape of the fixing plate 52 has a fastening piece 58 protruding to the left and right in a plan view, in which a hole 57 for inserting a fastening bolt to the floor 8 is provided. The fixing plate 52 can have various shapes taking into account the position of a support frame (not shown) that supports the floor 8. The pilot valve 51 is disposed under the floor by attaching the fixing plate 52 to a predetermined position of the front step 8a by screwing or the like. The fixing plate portion 52 may be omitted and the flange portion 51b of the pilot valve 51 may be fixed directly to the floor portion 8.

A pedal operation transmission mechanism that transmits the amount of operation of the pedal unit 60 to the pilot valve 51 is provided above the flange unit 51b, which is above the fixed plate unit 52. The pedal operation transmission mechanism includes a first rotating shaft 55 that rotates the pedal unit 60 with the axial direction being approximately in the left-right direction. These components are covered by a bellows-shaped boot 54 made of an elastic material such as rubber to protect against dust and water.

The pedal unit 60 includes a first pedal 61 that is a pedal that is operated to swing in the forward and backward directions, and a second pedal 62 that is another pedal that is instructed at the rear position of the first pedal. More specifically, the first pedal 61 is attached to the pilot valve 51 so as to be able to swing in the forward and backward directions, and the second pedal 62 is provided at the rear position of the first pedal 61 so as to be able to rotate via a second rotating shaft 56. The pedal unit 60 is a foldable pedal that stores the second pedal 62 by stacking it on the first pedal 61 when the pedal is not operated. The first pedal 61 is connected to the upper end of the boot 54 via a support part 63 so that the pedal operation and the rotation of the first rotating shaft 55 in the boot 54 are linked. The second pedal 62 rotates between a stored position where it is stored in the first pedal 61 and a protruding position where it protrudes rearward from the first pedal 61.

The first pedal 61 has a substantially rectangular step 61a that is elongated in the front-rear direction, and a pair of left and right support pieces 61c that extend downward at a substantially right angle from the left and right edges at the rear end of the step 61a. The top surface of the step 61a is the step surface on which the operator places his/her foot F as shown in FIG. 5, and the step 61a has a hole 61b for dropping dirt or the like that adheres to the sole of the operator's shoe downward. The hole 61b also serves as an assembly opening that ensures space for operating the bolt that fixes the first pedal 61 to the pedal operation transmission mechanism inside the boot 54. Each of the pair of left and right support pieces 61c has a pivot hole through which the second rotating shaft 56 that pivots the second pedal 62 is inserted.

The first pedal 61 is supported by a support portion 63. The support portion 63 is formed by bending a metal plate so as to be roughly L-shaped in a side view, and includes a horizontal plate portion 63a that is connected to the upper end of the boot 54 by screw fastening, and an upright plate portion 63c that rises vertically from the horizontal plate portion 63a via a middle portion 63b.

The front end of the stepping plate portion 61a of the first pedal 61 is fixed to the upper end of the standing plate portion 63c of the support portion 63, and the rear end of the stepping plate portion 61a of the support portion 63 is fixed to the rear end of the horizontal plate portion 63a of the support portion 63 by welding or the like. As a result, the stepping plate portion 61a of the first pedal 61 is supported by the support portion 63. In other words, the first pedal 61 is supported by the support portion 63 in a state inclined with the front high and the rear low. The inclination angle of the stepping plate portion 61a is about 20 degrees to 30 degrees. The first pedal 61 is connected to the first rotating shaft 55 constituting the pedal operation transmission mechanism in the boot 54 via the standing plate portion 63c, and is configured to be swingable in the vertical direction. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, the support structure by the support portion 63 forms a roughly triangular frame in a side view with the left and right directions open by the first pedal 61 and the support portion 63. This allows soil and other debris that falls from the hole 61b in the step portion 61a of the first pedal 61 to be easily discharged onto the floor portion 8 on the left and right sides of the pedal device 50, preventing soil and other debris from accumulating on the step surface of the first pedal 61.

The second pedal 62 has a generally rectangular shape that is elongated in the front-to-rear direction in a plan view, and is formed by bending a metal plate. The second pedal 62 has a cover plate portion 62a formed to be slightly wider than the width of the first pedal 61, a front operation piece 62b provided to protrude to the left side in front of the cover plate portion 62a when the second pedal 62 is in a position covering the tread surface of the first pedal 61, left and right side plate portions 62c provided to extend from both the left and right ends of the cover plate portion 62a by bending them at a generally right angle, and a protrusion portion 62d provided to protrude to the left side from the left side plate portion 62c.

A hole portion corresponding to the pivot hole formed in the support piece 61c of the first pedal 61 is formed in each of the left and right side plate portions 62c at a position on the rear end side when the second pedal 62 is in a position covering the tread surface of the first pedal 61. The second pedal 62 is rotatably connected to the first pedal 61 by a second rotation shaft 56 that is provided to pass through the pivot hole on the first pedal 61 side and the hole on the second pedal 62 side.

The front operation piece 62b is a part on which the toe (thumb side) of the operator's left foot is hooked when the second pedal 62 is rotated from a position in which the second pedal 62 covers the tread surface of the first pedal 61 to a position in which the second pedal 62 opens the tread surface. In this embodiment, the front operation piece 62b is provided so as to protrude leftward from the left side plate portion 62c, but if the pedal device 50 is disposed, for example, to the right of the travel pedal 42 and the travel lever 16, it may be formed so as to protrude rightward from the right side plate portion 62c. Regarding the position of the front operation piece 62b relative to the cover plate portion 62a, from the viewpoint of avoiding interference with the travel pedal 42 and the travel lever 16 in the limited space on the floor portion 8, it is preferable that the front operation piece 62b is provided on the opposite side of the travel pedal 42 and the travel lever 16 in the left-right direction.

The protrusion 62d is provided at the rear end of the second pedal 62 when the second pedal 62 is in the stored position covering the tread surface of the first pedal 61. The protrusion 62d is also provided at the lower part of the second pedal 62 when the second pedal 62 is in the stored position. The protrusion 62d is a part that is stored in a recessed portion 71 provided in the regulating portion 70 described later. The protrusion 62d has a width that is slightly shorter than the vertical length of the recessed portion 71 so that it can be stored in the recessed portion 71, and is provided protruding to the left of the left side plate portion 62c so that the front-to-rear direction is the plate thickness direction when stored in the recessed portion 71. Furthermore, the protrusion 62d is located between the first rotating shaft 55 and the second rotating shaft 56 in the front-to-rear direction, and moves along a trajectory P when the second pedal 62 is rotated around the second rotating shaft 56.

The restricting portion 70 is a plate-like member erected on the fixed plate portion 52 with the plate thickness direction being approximately in the left-right direction, and is provided on the left side of the pedal portion 60 and forward of the second pivot shaft 56 that pivots the second pedal 62 to the first pedal 61. A recessed portion 71 that opens forward is provided at a position above the middle of the restricting portion 70 in the vertical direction. The recessed portion 71 has a shape corresponding to the protruding portion 62d of the second pedal 62 and is formed to a size slightly larger than the outer shape of the protruding portion 62d. The inner surface of the recessed portion 71 is configured to include a front inclined surface 71a whose opening widens toward the front opening side, an upper horizontal surface 71b that can abut against the upper end surface of the protruding portion 62d, and a lower horizontal surface 71c that can abut against the lower end surface of the protruding portion 62d. The front inclined surface 71a is intended to prevent the protrusion 62d from being impacted by the opening of the recessed portion 71 when the second pedal 62 rotates along the arc-shaped path P described by the protrusion 62d. This allows the protrusion 62d to easily advance and retreat relative to the recessed portion 71.

Operation by an operator of the pedal device 50 having the above-mentioned configuration will be described. Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the relationship between the recessed portion 71 of the restricting portion 70 and the protruding portion 62d of the second pedal 62, and shows the relationship between the recessed portion 71 and the protruding portion 62d when the second pedal 62 covers the step portion 61a of the first pedal 61. Figure 7(a) shows a state in which the protruding portion 62d is inserted into the recessed portion 71, Figure 7(b) shows a state in which the upper end surface of the protruding portion 62d is abutting against the upper horizontal surface 71b of the recessed portion 71, and Figure 7(c) shows a state in which the lower end surface of the protruding portion 62d is abutting against the lower horizontal surface 71c of the recessed portion 71.

When the operator does not need to operate the pedal device 50, the second pedal 62 covers the step portion 61a of the first pedal 61, i.e., the second pedal 62 is folded and stacked on top of the first pedal 61 for storage (see Figures 4(b), 5(b) and 6(b)). At this time, the second pedal 62 covers the step surface of the first pedal 61 and serves as a footrest for the operator.

In the pedal device 50, the second pivot shaft 56, which is the shaft connecting the first pedal 61 and the second pedal 62, is located above the recessed portion 71 of the restricting portion 70. That is, the pedal device 50 is configured such that when the second pedal 62 overlaps the first pedal 61 in the pedal section 60, the protruding portion 62d of the second pedal 62 fits into the recessed portion 71 of the restricting portion 70, which is located below the second pivot shaft 56. At this time, when no load is applied to the pedal section 60 from above, as shown in FIG. 7(a), the protruding portion 62d of the second pedal 62 is in a neutral position where it does not abut against either the upper horizontal surface 71b or the lower horizontal surface 71c of the protruding portion 62d of the restricting portion 70.

When the operator depresses the pedal section 60 forward while the second pedal 62 is in the storage position overlapping the first pedal 61, the upper end of the protruding portion 62d comes into contact with the upper horizontal surface 71b of the recessed portion 71, as shown in FIG. 7(b), and the forward swing of the pedal section 60 about the first rotating shaft 55 is restricted. On the other hand, when the operator depresses the pedal section 60 rearward while the second pedal 62 is in the storage position overlapping the first pedal 61, the upper end of the protruding portion 62d comes into contact with the upper horizontal surface 71b of the recessed portion 71, as shown in FIG. 7(c), and the rearward swing of the pedal section 60 about the first rotating shaft 55 is restricted. In other words, when the second pedal 62 is in the storage position and a load is applied from above to the pedal section 60, a locked state is established in which pedal operation is prohibited. In this way, the protrusion 62d is positioned within the recess 71 and is restricted from moving up and down, resulting in a locked state that restricts the pedal 60 from swinging back and forth around the first pivot shaft 55.

When rotating the second pedal 62 from the storage position when the pedal is not operated to the extended position when the pedal is operated, the operator positions the protrusion 62d in a neutral position in which there is a gap between the upper end of the protrusion 62d and the upper horizontal surface 71b of the recessed portion 71, and between the lower end of the protrusion 62d and the lower horizontal surface 71c of the recessed portion 71, as shown in Fig. 7(a). In this way, when the second pedal 62 is simply overlapping the step portion 61a of the first pedal 61, there is play between the protrusion 62d and the recessed portion 71, so there is no physical interference between the protrusion 62d and the restricting portion 70, and the second pedal 62 can be easily rotated from the storage position to the extended position. The protrusion 62d can be easily positioned in a neutral position relative to the recessed portion 71 by not applying a load from above to the pedal portion 60, so for example, when the operator does not place his/her foot on the cover plate portion 62a of the second pedal 62 in the stored position, the protrusion 62d is in a neutral position relative to the recessed portion 71. At this time, the operator can easily rotate the second pedal 62 from the stored position to the extended position by hooking the front operating piece 62b with the tip of his/her foot and pulling it toward himself/herself.

When the second pedal 62 is rotated to the extended position, the step plate portion 61a of the first pedal 61 becomes the step surface on the toe side of the operator, and the cover plate portion 62a, which has its top and bottom inverted, becomes the step surface on the heel side of the operator. At this time, the protrusion portion 62d of the second pedal 62 is located above the second rotation shaft 56 that connects the first pedal 61 and the second pedal 62. In other words, since the protrusion portion 62d of the second pedal 62 is in a state where it has retreated from the recessed portion 71 of the restricting portion 70, the swing of the pedal portion 60 is not restricted by the restricting portion 70. When the operator operates the pedal portion 60 by stepping on it in either the forward or backward direction, the pilot valve 51 is operated via the pedal operation transmission mechanism in the boot 54. As a result, an accessory work device such as a grapple attached in place of the bucket 23 is operated.

The excavation work machine 1 to which the pedal device 50 according to this embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration is applied can be said to have the following configuration. That is, the excavation work machine 1 has the pedal device 50 provided on the floor part 8 in front of the driver's seat 15 of the excavation work machine 1 in order to operate the work device attached to the excavation work machine 1.

The pedal device 50 according to this embodiment can be said to have the following configuration. That is, the pedal device 50 is a pedal device for a work machine that has a pedal that is operated to swing in the forward and backward directions, and includes a restricting portion 70 that is arranged in parallel with the pedal (first pedal 61) and restricts the swinging of the pedal (first pedal 61), and another pedal (second pedal 62) that is supported at the rear of the pedal (first pedal 61) so as to rotate between a stored position stored above the pedal (first pedal 61) and an extended position extending rearward from the pedal (first pedal 61).

The pedal device 50 also includes an operation conversion unit (pilot valve 51) that converts the amount of pedal operation into a drive signal for the working device and outputs it. The pedal unit 60 is made up of a first pedal 61 that is pivotally mounted on the operation conversion unit (pilot valve 51) via a first rotating shaft 55, and another pedal (second pedal 62) that is connected to the rear of the first pedal 61 via a second rotating shaft 56.

The restricting portion 70 has a recessed portion 71 through which the protruding portion 62d provided on the second pedal 62 can advance and retreat, and when the other pedal (the second pedal 62) is in the stored position, the protruding portion 62d, which is stored in the recessed portion 71, abuts against the upper surface (upper horizontal surface 71b) or lower surface (lower horizontal surface 71c) of the recessed portion 71, thereby restricting the rocking of the pedal portion 60. The restricting portion 70 is erected from the floor surface position of the floor portion 8.

On the other hand, the second pedal 62 can be rotated from the stored position to the extended position when the protruding portion 62d is not in contact with the upper surface (upper horizontal surface 71b) and the lower surface (lower horizontal surface 71c) of the recessed portion 71.

According to the pedal device 50 of this embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration, the pedal device 50 can be configured compactly. More specifically, by providing the second pedal 62 rotatably relative to the first pedal 61, when the pedal is not being operated, the second pedal 62 can be stored to form a footrest, thereby improving the comfort of the operator when operating the excavation machine 1. In addition, since the second pedal 62 is stored when the pedal is not being operated, it is possible to effectively utilize the space of the floor portion 8. Furthermore, when the pedal is operated, the second pedal 62 protrudes rearward, thereby enlarging the surface on which the operator's feet rest, improving the operability of the pedal.

Furthermore, with the pedal device 50 according to this embodiment, it is possible to easily achieve a locked state that prohibits pedal operation. More specifically, when the second pedal 62 is in the stored position, even if the operator accidentally steps on the pedal section 60, the rocking of the pedal section 60 is restricted by the vertical locking action between the recessed portion 71 of the restricting portion 70 and the protruding portion 62d of the second pedal 62. Therefore, when the second pedal 62 is in the stored position, the pedal operation is locked regardless of whether the pedal is stepped on in the forward or backward direction. In this way, the pedal operation can be safely locked, so that the working device will not operate unintentionally by the operator.

Furthermore, when pedal operation is required for the pedal device 50, the protruding portion 62d is placed in a neutral position where it does not come into contact with any of the inner walls of the recessed portion 71 of the restricting portion 70, thereby allowing the second pedal 62 to rotate from the stored position to a protruding position where pedal operation is possible. No special operation is required to place the protruding portion 62d in the neutral position relative to the recessed portion 71; the second pedal 62 can be easily placed in a rotatable state by simply placing the pedal portion 60 in a state where no force is applied to swing the pedal portion 60. When the second pedal 62 is rotated, the protruding portion 62d retracts from the recessed portion 71 of the restricting portion 70, allowing the pedal portion 60 to swing according to the amount of depression by the operator. In this way, the locked state that prohibits pedal operation can be easily released by rotating the second pedal 62.

In addition, in the pedal device 50 according to this embodiment, when the second pedal 62 is in the stored position, the protrusion 62d is provided at the rear end of the second pedal 62, so that the pivot point (second pivot shaft 56) for rotating the second pedal 62 to the extended position can be provided at a position further rearward on the pedal device 50. This allows the rearward projection area of the second pedal 62 to be wider when the pedal is operated, improving pedal operability. Furthermore, when the pedal is not operated, the size of the pedal device 50 in the front-rear direction can be reduced to store the second pedal 62 compactly, so that it is possible to prevent the operator from getting on and off the driver's section 10 and from being hindered from operating other operating pedals.

In addition, in the pedal device 50 according to this embodiment, the protruding portion 62d protrudes from the side portion (side plate portion 62c) of the second pedal 62, so that the protruding portion 62d does not come into contact with the operator's foot above the pedal portion 60. Therefore, when the second pedal 62 is in the extended position, the operability of the pedal is not affected, and when the second pedal 62 is in the stored position, the pedal operation can be safely locked.

In addition, in the pedal device 50 according to this embodiment, the protrusion 62d is provided on the lower part of the second pedal 62 when the second pedal 62 is in the stored position, so that when the operator uses the pedal device 50 as a footrest, the upper surface of the cover plate part 62a of the second pedal 62 can be made flat.

In addition, in the pedal device 50 according to this embodiment, the second pivot shaft 56, which is the shaft connecting the first pedal 61 and the second pedal 62, is located above the recessed portion 71. Therefore, when the second pedal 62 is rotated around the second pivot shaft 56 between the stored position and the extended position, the protruding portion 62d can be easily moved to a position below the second pivot shaft 56 where it engages with the recessed portion 71, and to a position above the second pivot shaft 56 where there is no object with which it engages. In other words, the pedal operation can be easily locked and unlocked.

In addition, in the pedal device 50 according to this embodiment, the second pedal 62 has a cover plate portion 62a that covers the tread surface on the upper side of the first pedal 61 when the second pedal 62 is in the stored position, and therefore the cover plate portion 62a covers the tread surface of the first pedal 61 when the second pedal 62 is in the stored position. This allows the second pedal 62 to be stored by stacking it on the first pedal 61, and makes it possible to configure the pedal device 50 in a compact size in the front-rear and up-down directions when the pedal is not being operated. In other words, by having the cover plate portion 62a, the second pedal 62 can serve both as a cover that covers the tread surface on the upper side of the first pedal 61 and as a stopper for locking the pedal operation, thereby realizing a compact configuration.

In addition, in the pedal device 50 according to this embodiment, the pedal section 60 includes a support section 63, and the step section 61a of the first pedal 61 is supported by the support section 63 so that it is high at the front and low at the rear. As a result, the upper surface of the first pedal 61 forms a step surface that slopes from the front to the rear. This reduces the burden on the knees and ankles of the operator, and improves the operability of the pedal.

In addition, in the pedal device 50 according to this embodiment, the second pedal 62 protrudes outward from the side plate portion 62c of the second pedal 62 and has an operating piece (front operating piece 62b) that is operated when rotating the second pedal. That is, the front operating piece 62b is provided so as to protrude outward from the left and right edges of the second pedal 62 in a plan view, so that the operator can easily rotate the second pedal 62 from the stored position to the extended position by hooking the front operating piece 62b with the tip of the foot. When rotating the second pedal 62, the operator seated in the driver's seat 15 does not need to assume an unnatural, forward-leaning posture as in the conventional case, and can operate it with only the foot, reducing the workload.

The above-described embodiment is an example of the present invention, and the pedal device 50 according to the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Therefore, even if it is an embodiment other than the above-described embodiment, various modifications are possible according to the design, etc., as long as they do not deviate from the technical idea of the present invention. Furthermore, the effects described in this disclosure are merely examples and are not limiting, and other effects may also exist.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the pedal device 50 according to the present invention is used as a pedal device for operating an attachment of an excavation work machine 1 equipped with a boomerang-shaped boom 21, but the present invention is not limited to this. In a construction machine, for example, the pedal device according to the present invention can be used as a pedal device for operating an offset boom cylinder of an excavation work machine equipped with an offset boom configured to be rotatable left and right relative to the machine body in place of the boomerang-shaped boom 21. Also, in an agricultural machine, for example, when a grass cutter operated by a hydraulic cylinder is attached to the rear of a tractor, the pedal device according to the present invention can be used as a pedal device for operating the hydraulic cylinder of the grass cutter.

In the above-described embodiment, a hydraulic pedal device has been described as an example of the pedal device 50, but this is not limiting. The pedal device may be any device that includes an operation conversion unit that can transmit the amount of pedal operation to the control valve, and the operation conversion method may be an electrical type that outputs an electric signal according to the amount of operation, or a mechanical type that mechanically transmits the operating force via a link member or the like.

The present invention can take the following forms.
(1)
A pedal device for a work machine having a pedal that is operated to swing in a forward and backward direction,
a restricting portion provided in parallel with the pedal and restricting the rocking of the pedal;
a second pedal supported at a rear position of the second pedal so as to rotate between a stored position above the second pedal and an extended position extending rearward from the second pedal,
The regulating portion has a recessed portion through which a protruding portion provided on the other pedal can advance and retreat, and when the other pedal is in the stored position, the protruding portion, which is stored in the recessed portion, abuts against an upper surface or a lower surface of the recessed portion to regulate the rocking of the pedal.
A pedal device for a work machine.
(2)
The protruding portion is provided on a rear end portion of the other pedal when the other pedal is in the stored position.
A pedal device for a work machine as described in (1).
(3)
The protruding portion protrudes from a side surface of the other pedal.
A pedal device for a work machine as described in (1) or (2).
(4)
The pedal device for a work machine according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the protrusion portion is provided below the other pedal when the other pedal is in the stored position.
(5)
A pedal device for a work machine according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein a shaft connecting the pedal to the other pedal is located above the recessed portion.
(6)
The pedal has a support portion that supports the first pedal in a front-high and rear-low inclined manner.
A pedal device for a work machine as described in any one of (1) to (5).
(7)
the other pedal has an operating piece that protrudes outward from a side surface of the second pedal and is operated when the other pedal is rotated.
A pedal device for a work machine as described in any one of (1) to (6).
(8)
A work machine equipped with a pedal device for a work machine according to any one of (1) to (7) for operating a hydraulic actuator connected to a PTO service port.

1. Excavation machine (work machine)
2 Traveling vehicle 3 Excavation device 5 Traveling section 7 Swing frame 8 Floor section 8a Front step section 8b Rear step section 15 Driver's seat 49 PTO service port 50 Pedal device 51 Pilot valve 51a Casing 51b Flange section 52 Fixing plate section 54 Boot 55 First rotating shaft 56 Second rotating shaft 60 Pedal section 61 First pedal (pedal)
61a: Stepping plate portion 61b: Hole portion 61c: Support piece portion 62: Second pedal (another pedal)
62a Cover plate portion 62b Front operation piece (operation piece)
62c Side plate portion (side surface portion)
62d: protruding portion 63: supporting portion 63a: horizontal plate portion 63b: intermediate portion 63c: standing plate portion 70: restricting portion 71: recessed portion

Claims (8)

A pedal device for a working machine having a pedal that is operated to swing in a forward and backward direction,
a restricting portion provided in parallel with the pedal and restricting the rocking of the pedal;
a second pedal supported at a rear position of the second pedal so as to rotate between a stored position above the second pedal and an extended position extending rearward from the second pedal,
The regulating portion has a recessed portion through which a protruding portion provided on the other pedal can advance and retreat, and when the other pedal is in the stored position, the protruding portion, which is stored in the recessed portion, abuts against an upper surface or a lower surface of the recessed portion to regulate the rocking of the pedal.
A pedal device for a work machine. The protruding portion is provided on a rear end portion of the other pedal when the other pedal is in the stored position.
A pedal device for a work machine according to claim 1. The protruding portion protrudes from a side surface of the other pedal.
A pedal device for a work machine according to claim 2. The pedal device for a work machine according to claim 3 , wherein the protrusion portion is provided below the other pedal when the other pedal is in the stored position. A pedal device for a work machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the shaft connecting the pedal to the other pedal is located above the recessed portion. A support portion is provided for supporting the pedal by tilting the pedal from front to rear.
A pedal device for a work machine according to claim 5. the other pedal has an operation piece that protrudes outward from a side surface of the other pedal and is operated when the other pedal is rotated;
A pedal device for a work machine according to claim 6. A work machine equipped with the pedal device of claim 1 for operating a hydraulic actuator connected to a PTO service port.

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