Work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11235824-B2
Application number	US-201816761293-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2018
Priority date	Dec 25, 2017
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

A work vehicle includes a plurality of traveling devices driven for traveling, a plurality of articulated link mechanisms having a plurality of links pivotally coupled to each other to provide two or more joints and configured to independently support the traveling devices to a vehicle body with allowing lifting/lowering of the traveling devices independently relative to the vehicle body, and a plurality of hydraulic cylinders capable of changing respective postures of the plurality of links included in the articulated link mechanisms. A first link located at a position nearest the vehicle body is supported to be pivotable about a body side coupling portion. A first hydraulic cylinder for operating the first link has its cylinder tube side pivotally coupled to a coupled portion on the side of the vehicle body and has its piston rod side pivotally coupled to a coupled portion on the side of the first link.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A work vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
a plurality of traveling devices driven for traveling;
a plurality of articulated link mechanisms having a plurality of links pivotally coupled to each other to provide two or more joints and configured to independently support the traveling devices to the vehicle body with allowing lifting/lowering of the traveling devices independently relative to the vehicle body; and
a plurality of hydraulic cylinders capable of changing respective postures of the plurality of links included in the articulated link mechanisms;
wherein a first link, located at a position closest to the vehicle body in the plurality of links, is supported to be pivotable about a body side coupling portion,
wherein a first hydraulic cylinder included in the plurality of hydraulic cylinders and used for operating the first link is configured to pivotally operate the first link, in association with an expansion/contraction operation thereof associated with feeding of work oil thereto from an oil source included in the vehicle body,
wherein a cylinder tube side of the first hydraulic cylinder is pivotally coupled to a coupled portion on the side of the vehicle body, and a piston rod side of the first hydraulic cylinder is pivotally coupled to a coupled portion on the side of the first link,
wherein there is provided a plurality of turning mechanisms configured to support the plurality of articulated link mechanisms respectively to the vehicle body, the plurality of turning mechanisms being also configured to allow the changing of the respective postures of the plurality of links about a vertical axis, and
wherein:
the articulated link mechanism is disposed more laterally outward than a laterally outer end of the vehicle body;
as seen in a plan view, the turning mechanism is disposed between the vehicle body and the articulated link mechanism; and
adjacent the turning mechanism, there is provided a feeding pipe holding portion for holding in position a work oil feeding pipe for feeding the work oil from the oil source to the plurality of hydraulic cylinders.

2. A work vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
a plurality of traveling devices driven for traveling;
a plurality of vehicle body supporting portions for supporting the plurality of traveling devices with allowing changes in height positions thereof relative to the vehicle body independently;
a plurality of hydraulic motors for driving the plurality of traveling devices respectively;
a plurality of hydraulic cylinders capable of changing postures of the plurality of vehicle body support portions respectively;
a first hydraulic pump for feeding pressure oil to the plurality of hydraulic motors; and
a second hydraulic pump for feeding pressure oil to the plurality of hydraulic cylinders,
wherein the first hydraulic pump is driven by an engine, and the second hydraulic pump is driven by an electric motor.

3. The work vehicle as defined in claim 2 , wherein there is provided an oil passage switching device capable of switching over between a state of pressure oil from the first hydraulic pump being fed to the plurality of hydraulic motors, and a state of pressure oil from the second hydraulic pump being fed to the plurality of hydraulic motors.

4. The work vehicle as defined in claim 2 , wherein the plurality of vehicle body supporting portions comprise an articulated link mechanism having a plurality of links pivotally coupled to provide at least two joints and configured to support the vehicle body with allowing lifting/lowering of the plurality of traveling devices.

5. A work vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
a plurality of traveling devices driven for traveling, the traveling devices being provided on front and rear sides on each of right and left sides of the vehicle body;
a plurality of articulated link mechanisms having a plurality of links pivotally coupled to each other to provide two or more joints and configured to independently support the traveling devices to the vehicle body with allowing lifting/lowering of the traveling devices independently relative to the vehicle body; and
a plurality of hydraulic cylinders capable of changing respective postures of the plurality of links included in the articulated link mechanisms,
wherein each of the plurality of hydraulic cylinders includes: a first hydraulic cylinder capable of changing a pivotal posture of a first link relative to the vehicle body and a second hydraulic cylinder capable of changing a pivotal posture of a second link relative to the first link,
wherein a cylinder tube side of the first hydraulic cylinder is pivotally coupled to a coupled portion on the side of the vehicle body, and a piston rod side of the first hydraulic cylinder is pivotally coupled to a coupled portion on the side of the first link, and
wherein a cylinder tube side of the second hydraulic cylinder is pivotally coupled to a coupled portion of the first link on the side of the vehicle body, and a piston rod side of the second hydraulic cylinder is pivotally coupled to a coupled portion of the first link on the opposite side to the vehicle body.

6. The work vehicle as defined in claim 5 , wherein a plurality of turning mechanisms are provided, the plurality of turning mechanisms being configured to support the plurality of articulated link mechanisms respectively to the vehicle body and configured to allow the changing of the respective postures of the plurality of links about a vertical axis.

7. The work vehicle as defined in claim 6 , wherein:
the articulated link mechanism is disposed more laterally outward than a laterally outer end of the vehicle body;
as seen in a plan view, the turning mechanism is disposed between the vehicle body and the articulated link mechanism; and
adjacent the turning mechanism, there is provided a feeding pipe holding portion for holding in position a work oil feeding pipe for feeding work oil from an oil source to the plurality of hydraulic cylinders.

Assignees

• Kubota Kk

Inventors

• Ishikawa Junichi
• Hiraoka Minoru

Classifications

• B62D5/12

  Piston and cylinder · CPC title

• B62D61/12 Primary

  with variable number of ground engaging wheels, e.g. with some wheels arranged higher than others, or with retractable wheels (for manoeuvring purposes only B60S) · CPC title

• B60G3/12

  the arm being essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle · CPC title

• B60G2204/422

  Links for mounting suspension elements · CPC title

• B60G2500/30

  Height or ground clearance · CPC title