Fender support structure and work vehicle including same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10988185-B2
Application number	US-201816086057-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2018
Priority date	Jul 1, 2017
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

A fender support structure includes a base member that rotates in accordance with a steering of a front wheel, a cover member that is relatively rotatable with respect to the base member and that supports a front wheel fender covering the front wheel, a holding mechanism that is accommodated in the base member and the cover member and that generates a holding force to hold a relative rotational position of the cover member relative to the base member at a predetermined initial position, and a regulating mechanism that regulates a rotation of the cover member in accordance with a steering of the front wheel against the holding force when a steering angle of the front wheel becomes a predetermined value or more in a left direction and a right direction.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fender support structure comprising:
a first rotation body that rotates in accordance with a steering of a front wheel;
a second rotation body that is relatively rotatable with respect to the first rotation body and that supports a fender covering the front wheel;
a holding mechanism that is accommodated in the first rotation body and the second rotation body and that generates a holding force to hold a relative rotational position of the second rotation body relative to the first rotation body at a predetermined initial position; and
a regulating mechanism that regulates a rotation of the second rotation body in accordance with a steering of the front wheel against the holding force when a steering angle of the front wheel becomes a predetermined value or more in a left direction and a right direction;
wherein the holding mechanism includes:
a torsion spring having a main body wound in a coil shape having an axis substantially parallel to a rotation shaft of the second rotation body and both ends of the torsion spring are formed so as to protrude radially from the main body;
a first fixed portion fixed to the first rotation body and engageable with one of the both ends; and
a second fixed portion fixed to the second rotation body and engageable with the other of the both ends; and
wherein the both ends are formed so as to protrude radially inward from the main body.

2. The fender support structure according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a seal member that seals between the first rotation body and the second rotation body.

3. The fender support structure according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second rotation body is disposed so as to cover the first rotation body from above and lateral side.

4. The fender support structure according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a protective member that is accommodated in the first rotation body and the second rotation body and that covers the torsion spring from radially outward.

5. The fender support structure according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first fixed portion and the second fixed portion are formed in a bar shape substantially parallel to the rotation shaft of the second rotation body, and engage with both of the both ends in a state where the second rotation body is in the initial position.

6. The fender support structure according to claim 5 ,
wherein the both ends are formed so that a gap between the both ends becomes narrow to each other radially inward in a state where the second rotation body is in the initial position when viewed from a axial direction of the rotation shaft of the second rotation body, and
wherein the first fixed portion and the second fixed portion are disposed in the gap.

7. The fender support structure according to claim 6 ,
wherein a diameter of one of the first fixed portion and the second fixed portion, which is located radially outward, is larger than a diameter of the other of the first fixed portion and the second fixed portion, which is located radially inward.

8. A work vehicle comprising the fender support structure according to claim 7 .

9. The work vehicle according to claim 8 ,
wherein the fender is formed so that a front end of the fender is disposed at a position identical to a front end of the front wheel, or forward of the front end of the front wheel in the front and rear direction.

10. The work vehicle according to claim 8 ,
wherein the fender is formed so as to cover a half of an outer periphery of the front wheel or more.

11. The fender support structure according to claim 1 ,
wherein the both ends are formed so that a gap between the both ends becomes narrow to each other radially inward in a state where the second rotation body is in the initial position when viewed from a axial direction of the rotation shaft of the second rotation body, and
wherein the first fixed portion and the second fixed portion are disposed in the gap.

12. The fender support structure according to claim 11 ,
wherein the first fixed portion and the second fixed portion are formed in a columnar shape extending substantially parallel to the rotation shaft of the second rotation body, and
wherein a diameter of one of the first fixed portion and the second fixed portion, which is located radially outward, is larger than a diameter of the other of the first fixed portion and the second fixed portion, which is located radially inward.

13. The fender support structure according to claim 1 ,
wherein the regulating mechanism is formed so that with reference to a steering angle of the front wheel in a state where a vehicle body travels straight, a steering angle of the front wheel when a front of the front wheel rotates toward an inside of the vehicle body to regulate the second rotation body is larger than a steering angle of the front wheel when a rear of the front wheel rotates toward the inside of the vehicle body to regulate the second rotation body.

14. The fender support structure according to claim 1 ,
wherein the regulating mechanism comprises:
a first regulating portion that is fixed to the second rotation body and that comes into contact with part of the vehicle body when the front of the front wheel rotates toward the inside of the vehicle body by a predetermined steering angle to regulate a rotation of the second rotation body, and
a second regulating portion that is fixed to the second rotation body and that comes into contact with the part when the rear of the front wheel rotates toward the inside of the vehicle body by a predetermined steering angle to regulate a rotation of the second rotation body.

15. The fender support structure according to claim 14 ,
wherein the regulating mechanism further includes an adjustment mechanism capable of changing fixed positions of the first regulating portion and the second regulating portion with respect to the second rotation body.

16. The fender support structure according to claim 14 ,
wherein the part is a joint portion of a case of a front axle mechanism that transmits power to the front wheel.

17. The fender support structure according to claim 14 ,
wherein, in a state where a steering angle of the front wheel is set to a steering angle at which the vehicle body travels straight, the first regulating portion is located at a position more distant from the part in a left-right direction than the second regulating portion is.

Assignees

• Kubota Kk

Inventors

• Asada Akihiro
• Isaka Hiroki
• MURAMATSU Taichi
• SHIIBA Keisuke

Classifications

• B62D25/168

  Mud guards for utility vehicles · CPC title

• B62D25/186

  being attached or suspended laterally from the wheel (B62D25/184 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D49/00

  Tractors (of walk type B62D51/04; endless- track features B62D55/00 {; transport specially adapted for underground galleries E21F13/02}) · CPC title

• B62D25/166 Primary

  by rods or other distance-keeping devices · CPC title

• B62D25/165 Primary

  including sealing devices · CPC title