Work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11498632-B2
Application number	US-201917047807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2019
Priority date	Jun 25, 2018
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

A work vehicle including: a first link having one end portion supported by a vehicle body so as to be pivotable; a second link having one end portion pivotally coupled to the other end portion of the first link so as to be pivotable, and another end portion that supports a travel wheel; a first hydraulic cylinder capable of changing a swing posture of the first link; and a second hydraulic cylinder capable of changing a swing posture of the second link relative to the first link. The action of the first hydraulic cylinder is controlled such that a swing position of the first link is located at a target position, based on the result of detection performed by a position detection sensor, and the action of the second hydraulic cylinder is controlled such that thrust has a target value, based on the results of detection performed by pressure sensors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A work vehicle comprising:
a plurality of travel wheels that are respectively located on right and left sides of front and rear portions of a vehicle body;
a plurality of bending link mechanisms that support the plurality of travel wheels on the vehicle body so as to be capable of being individually raised and lowered;
a posture change operation device capable of individually changing postures of the plurality of bending link mechanisms; and
a control unit for controlling actions of the posture change operation device,
wherein each of the bending link mechanisms includes:
a first link that has one end portion that is supported by the vehicle body so as to be pivotable about a horizontal axis, and
a second link that has one end portion that is pivotally coupled to the other end portion of the first link so as to be pivotable about a horizontal axis, and another end portion that supports a travel wheel,

the posture change operation device includes:
a first hydraulic cylinder capable of changing a swing posture of the first link relative to the vehicle body, and
a second hydraulic cylinder capable of changing a swing posture of the second link relative to the first link,

the work vehicle further comprises position detection sensors that detect swing positions of the first links, and pressure sensors that detect pressure of oil chambers of the second hydraulic cylinders, and
the control unit is configured to control actions of the first hydraulic cylinders during traveling of the work vehicle so that the swing positions of the first links equal target positions, based only on results of detection performed by the position detection sensors, and control actions of the second hydraulic cylinders during traveling of the work vehicle so that thrusts have target values, based only on results of detection performed by the pressure sensors.

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the plurality of travel wheels is provided with a hydraulic motor that drives and rotates the travel wheel.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
an auxiliary wheel is provided in a portion where the first link and the second link are pivotally coupled to each other.

4. A work vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body that is provided with a base;
a plurality of travel wheels that are respectively located on right and left sides of front and rear portions of the vehicle body;
a plurality of bending link mechanisms that support the plurality of travel wheels on the vehicle body so as to be capable of being individually raised and lowered;
a posture change operation device of a hydraulic operation type, capable of individually changing postures of the plurality of bending link mechanisms;
a hydraulic supplier that feeds out hydraulic oil to the posture change operation device; and
a supporting frame that supports the hydraulic supplier is coupled to a lower portion of the base,
wherein the hydraulic supplier is provided below the base of the vehicle body, and,
wherein the supporting frame is configured to be attachable to the base and detachable from the base by moving the supporting frame in a lateral direction of the vehicle body in a state of supporting the hydraulic supplier.

5. The work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein
the support frame is configured to be able to maintain a posture of the entire vehicle body with a lower end portion thereof being in contact with the ground.

6. The work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein
the hydraulic supplier includes an engine and a hydraulic pump that is driven by the engine.

7. The work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein
each of the bending link mechanisms includes:
a first link that has one end portion that is supported by the base so as to be pivotable about a horizontal axis, and
a second link that has one end portion that is supported by the other end portion of the first link so as to be pivotable about a horizontal axis, and another end portion that supports a travel wheel, and

the posture change operation device includes:
a first hydraulic cylinder capable of changing a swing posture of the first link relative to the base, and
a second hydraulic cylinder capable of changing a swing posture of the second link relative to the first link.

8. A work vehicle comprising:
a plurality of travel wheels that are respectively located on right and left sides of front and rear portions of a vehicle body;
a plurality of travel drive devices that individually drive the plurality of travel wheels;
raising/lowering support mechanisms that support the plurality of travel wheels on the vehicle body so as to be capable of being individually raised and lowered;
a plurality of posture change operation devices capable of individually changing postures of the plurality of raising/lowering support mechanisms;
a control unit for controlling actions of the posture change operation device; and
an idling state detection device for detecting whether or not the travel wheels are in an idling state,
wherein the control unit is configured to, upon the idling state detection device detecting that a travel wheel is in an idling state, control actions of the posture change operation devices so that a raising/lowering support mechanism lowers the travel wheel.

9. The work vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein
the travel drive devices include a hydraulic motor, and
the idling state detection device includes:
a pressure sensor that detects an internal pressure of a hydraulic oil supply path in the hydraulic motor, and
a determination device for determining that the travel wheel is in an idling state upon the internal pressure falling below a preset value, based on information detected by the pressure sensor.

10. The work vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein
the idling state detection device includes:
a drive speed detection device for detecting a drive speed of the travel drive device,
a travel speed detection device for detecting an actual travel speed of the vehicle body, and
a determination device for determining that the vehicle wheel is in an idling state when the drive speed of the travel drive device detected by the drive speed detection device is greater than the actual travel speed detected by the travel speed detection device, by a preset amount or more.

11. A work vehicle comprising:
a plurality of travel wheels that are respectively located on right and left sides of front and rear portions of a vehicle body;
a plurality of bending link mechanisms that support the plurality of travel wheels on the vehicle body so as to be capable of being individually raised and lowered;
a posture change operation device capable of individually changing postures of the plurality of bending link mechanisms;
a plurality of turning operation devices for respectively supporting the plurality of bending link mechanisms on the vehicle body such that orientations thereof can be changed about vertical axes; and
a control unit for controlling actions of the posture change operation device and the turning operation devices,
wherein the control unit is configured to, when performing an operation change orientation on either the front right and left travel wheels or the rear right and left travel wheels, controls an action of the posture change operation device so that a position of a center of gravity of the vehicle body moves toward a side opposite to a side to which the orientation change operation is performed, in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body.

12. The work vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein
the control unit is configured to control an action of the p

Assignees

• Kubota Kk

Inventors

• Ishikawa Junichi
• Hiraoka Minoru

Classifications

• B60G2400/208

  of wheel rotation · 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

• B60G5/00

  Resilient suspensions for a set of tandem wheels or axles having interrelated movements · CPC title

• B60G2202/413

  Hydraulic actuator · CPC title

• B60G2800/01

  Attitude or posture control · CPC title