Work machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025206395-A1
Application number	US-202418961584-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 27, 2024
Priority date	Dec 22, 2023
Publication date	Jun 26, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A work machine includes a front wheel, a rear wheel, an intermediate wheel between the front wheel and the rear wheel, and a transmission to receive a driving force from a drive source and transmit the driving force to the intermediate wheel and at least one of the front wheel or the rear wheel that is drivable as a driving wheel. The intermediate wheel has an outside diameter smaller than an outside diameter of the driving wheel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A work machine, comprising:
a front wheel; a rear wheel; an intermediate wheel between the front wheel and the rear wheel; and a transmission to receive a driving force from a drive source and transmit the driving force to the intermediate wheel and at least one of the front wheel or the rear wheel that is drivable as a driving wheel; wherein the intermediate wheel has an outside diameter smaller than an outside diameter of the driving wheel.

2 . The work machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a vehicle body frame including the transmission to transmit the driving force to the at least one of the front wheel or the rear wheel; and a retention frame holding the intermediate wheel such that the intermediate wheel is rotatable and capable of transmitting the driving force from the transmission to the intermediate wheel.

3 . The work machine according to claim 2 , wherein the retention frame includes:
an intermediate wheel holder holding the intermediate wheel such that the intermediate wheel is rotatable; a wheel holder holding at least one wheel out of the front wheel and the rear wheel such that the at least one wheel is rotatable; and a pivot shaft provided for an intermediate portion of the retention frame which intermediate portion is between the intermediate wheel holder and the wheel holder, the pivot shaft being coupled to the vehicle body frame.

4 . The work machine according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a wheel power transmission provided for the retention frame to transmit the driving force from the transmission to the at least one wheel held by the wheel holder; and an intermediate-wheel power transmission provided for the retention frame to transmit the driving force from the transmission to the intermediate wheel.

5 . The work machine according to claim 4 , further comprising:
an input section provided for the pivot shaft to receive the driving force from the transmission; wherein the driving force from the input section is transmitted to the wheel power transmission; and the driving force from the input section is transmitted to the intermediate-wheel power transmission.

6 . The work machine according to claim 5 , wherein the retention frame includes the wheel holder to hold the at least one wheel out of the front wheel and the rear wheel such that the at least one wheel is rotatable.

7 . The work machine according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a power transmission to receive the driving force from the transmission and transmit the driving force to the input section; wherein the power transmission is capable of being braked.

8 . The work machine according to claim 5 , wherein the wheel power transmission and the intermediate-wheel power transmission each include an endless roller chain.

9 . The work machine according to claim 5 , wherein the wheel power transmission and the intermediate-wheel power transmission each include a gear transmission section.

10 . The work machine according to claim 9 , wherein the gear transmission section is operable to change a rotation direction of power from the input section so as to cause the at least one wheel and the intermediate wheel held by the intermediate wheel holder to rotate in a direction reverse to a rotation direction of the input section, and output the power.

11 . The work machine according to claim 3 , wherein the retention frame is supported by the vehicle body frame so as to be swingable around a pivot shaft axis of the pivot shaft as a swing axis which pivot shaft axis extends along a width of a body of the work machine.

12 . The work machine according to claim 3 , wherein the wheel holder holds the rear wheel.

13 . The work machine according to claim 6 , wherein
the retention frame includes a wheel-side portion and an intermediate-wheel-side portion, the wheel-side portion extending from the intermediate portion toward the wheel holder, the intermediate-wheel-side portion extending from the intermediate portion toward the intermediate wheel holder; and
in a side view of a body of the work machine:
the wheel-side portion is higher in position than the intermediate-wheel-side portion; and
the wheel-side portion is inclined away from the intermediate portion.

14 . A work machine, comprising:
a boarding operation section provided for a rear portion of a vehicle body of the work machine; a front wheel; a rear wheel; an intermediate wheel between the front wheel and the rear wheel; and a retention frame provided laterally outward of a vehicle body frame of the work machine to hold the intermediate wheel and the rear wheel; wherein the retention frame extends in a front-rear direction below the operation section in a side view of the vehicle body.

15 . The work machine according to claim 14 , wherein the retention frame has a center in the front-rear direction which center is rearward of a center of the vehicle body frame in the front-rear direction.

16 . The work machine according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a pivot shaft including a pivot shaft axis extending in along a width of the body; wherein the retention frame is coupled to the vehicle body frame with use of the pivot shaft and held by the vehicle body frame so as to be swingable around the pivot shaft axis as a swing axis; and the intermediate wheel and the rear wheel are attached to the vehicle body frame via the retention frame in so as to be vertically swingable.

17 . The work machine according to claim 14 , further comprising:
an actuator to operate the retention frame; wherein the actuator is capable of changing the retention frame between a first posture in which the intermediate wheel and the rear wheel are grounded and a second posture in which the intermediate wheel is ungrounded.

18 . The work machine according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a coupler to couple a work device with the vehicle body so as to allow the vehicle body to tow the work device.

Assignees

• Kubota Kk

Inventors

• Yoshii Kaichiro
• Hiraoka Minoru
• Yamanaka Yukifumi
• Ishikawa Junichi
• Ida Yusuke
• Hazawa Yuhei
• JINNOUCHI Katsutoshi
• Niki Ryota
• Yamagishi Ryota
• Ikeda Yuma
• OKUMURA Taichi
• Shimazaki Tomohiro

Classifications

• B60K2007/0061

  the motor axle being parallel to the wheel axle · CPC title

• B60K2007/0046

  the motor moving together with the vehicle body, i.e. moving independently from the wheel axle · CPC title

• B60K7/0007

  the motor being electric · CPC title

• B62D65/12 Primary

  the sub-units or components being suspensions, brakes or wheel units · CPC title

• B60K17/04

  characterised by arrangement, location or kind of gearing · CPC title