Wheel loader

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9353502-B2
Application number	US-201214001353-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2012
Priority date	Oct 26, 2012
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A wheel loader includes a cab, steps provided beside the cab, an engine disposed to the rear of the cab, a vehicle body cover covering the engine, and an air cleaner. The air cleaner has a filter exchangeable by being pulled out horizontally. The air cleaner is connected to the engine via an intake pipe. The air cleaner is disposed to an outside of the vehicle body cover and to the rear of the cab, and is disposed in a slanted manner so that a side from which the filter is pulled out is further away from the cab than an opposite side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wheel loader comprising:
a cab with a driver's seat provided therein;
steps provided beside the cab to ascend to and descend from the cab;
an engine disposed to rearward of the cab in a front-back direction of the wheel loader;
a vehicle body cover covering the engine; and
an air cleaner having a filter therein, the filter being exchangeable by being pulled out from and inserted into a front end portion of the air cleaner along a horizontal direction when the wheel loader is disposed on a level surface, and the air cleaner being connected to the engine via an intake pipe,
the air cleaner being disposed outside the vehicle body cover and arranged such that at least a portion of the air cleaner is positioned rearward of the cab and at least a portion of the air cleaner is positioned farther outward in a lateral direction of the wheel loader than the cab, the air cleaner being arranged to extend in a diagonal orientation in a top plan view of the wheel loader such that the front end portion of the air cleaner is disposed farther outward in the lateral direction of the wheel loader than a rear end portion of the air cleaner.

2. The wheel loader according to claim 1 , wherein the cab has a cab body and a door supported by a rear portion of the cab body so that a front side of the door is openable and closable; and
the air cleaner is disposed at a location that does not obstruct the door when the door is fully open.

3. The wheel loader according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an operating fluid tank disposed between the cab and the engine, with the air cleaner being disposed beside the operating fluid tank.

4. The wheel loader according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rear wheel fender disposed above a rear wheel, with the air cleaner being fixed to an upper portion of the rear wheel fender.

5. The wheel loader according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an exhaust gas post-processing device disposed above the engine and including a diesel particulate filtering device and a nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst device,
the diesel particulate filtering device and the nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst device are both cylindrical and oriented such that longitudinal center axes thereof extend in a crosswise direction of the wheel loader, the longitudinal center axes being parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other in the front-back direction of the wheel loader.

6. The wheel loader according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a vehicle body frame supporting the engine; and
a supporting mechanism fixed to the vehicle body frame, with the exhaust gas post-processing device being mounted upon the supporting mechanism.

7. The wheel loader according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an air cleaner cover covering the air cleaner except for the front end portion and an air intake mouth of the air cleaner.

8. The wheel loader according to claim 2 , further comprising:
an operating fluid tank disposed between the cab and the engine, with the air cleaner being disposed beside the operating fluid tank.

9. The wheel loader according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a rear wheel fender disposed above a rear wheel, with the air cleaner being fixed to an upper portion of the rear wheel fender.

10. The wheel loader according to claim 2 , further comprising:
an exhaust gas post-processing device disposed above the engine and including a diesel particulate filtering device and a nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst device,
the diesel particulate filtering device and the nitrogen oxide reduction catalyst device are both cylindrical and oriented such that longitudinal center axes thereof to extend in a crosswise direction of the wheel loader, the longitudinal center axes being parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other in the front-back direction of the wheel loader.

11. The wheel loader according to claim 2 , further comprising:
an air cleaner cover covering the air cleaner except for the front end portion and an air intake mouth of the air cleaner.

12. The wheel loader according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a rear wheel fender disposed above a rear wheel, with the air cleaner being fixed to an upper portion of the rear wheel fender.

13. The wheel loader according to claim 4 , further comprising:
an operating fluid tank disposed between the cab and the engine, with the air cleaner being disposed beside the operating fluid tank.

Assignees

• Komatsu Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hayashi Daisuke
• Matsuyama Nobuo

Classifications

• E02F9/16

  Cabins, platforms, or the like, for drivers ({for motor vehicles in general B62D33/06}, for cranes B66C13/54) · CPC title

• F02M35/164

  Heavy duty vehicles, e.g. trucks, trains, agricultural or construction machines · CPC title

• B60K13/02

  concerning intake · CPC title

• E02F9/0866 Primary

  Engine compartment, e.g. heat exchangers, exhaust filters, cooling devices, silencers, mufflers, position of hydraulic pumps in the engine compartment · CPC title

• E02F9/0833

  Improving access, e.g. for maintenance, steps for improving driver's access, handrails · CPC title