Fuel tank and liquid tank configuration for a work vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9556772-B2
Application number	US-201514716056-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2015
Priority date	May 28, 2014
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

A work vehicle includes an engine, a fuel tank that has a fuel supply inlet and stores engine fuel, and a liquid tank that has a liquid supply inlet and stores purification liquid that is used in purification of engine exhaust gas. The liquid tank is protected by the fuel tank so that the liquid tank is not directly exposed to hot air from the engine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A work vehicle comprising:
an engine;
a fuel tank that has a fuel supply inlet and stores engine fuel; and
a liquid tank that has a liquid supply inlet and stores purification liquid used in purification of engine exhaust gas,
wherein the liquid tank is associated with the fuel tank so as to be protected by the fuel tank, whereby the liquid tank is not directly exposed to hot air from the engine,
wherein the fuel tank comprises:
a main tank section that extends along a side of a transmission along a front-rear direction of a vehicle body; and
an extension tank section that extends forward and outward from the main tank section,

the liquid tank comprises:
a columnar-shaped sub-tank chamber; and
a main tank chamber that extends in a lateral direction from said sub-tank chamber, and

the extension tank section comprises a recessed section adapted to at least partially receive therein or accommodate a portion of the main tank chamber of the liquid tank,
wherein the work vehicle further comprises a heat exchanger adapted to receive engine coolant and being arranged inside the sub tank chamber.

2. A work vehicle comprising:
an engine;
a fuel tank that has a fuel supply inlet and stores engine fuel; and
a liquid tank that has a liquid supply inlet and stores purification liquid used in purification of engine exhaust gas,
wherein the liquid tank is associated with the fuel tank so as to be protected by the fuel tank, whereby the liquid tank is not directly exposed to hot air from the engine, and
wherein the fuel supply inlet and liquid supply inlet are oriented along different directions,
wherein the liquid tank is arranged adjacent to an outer-side side surface of the fuel tank,
wherein the fuel tank comprises:
a main tank section that extends along a side of a transmission along a front-rear direction of a vehicle body; and
an extension tank section that extends forward and outward from the main tank section, and

wherein the liquid tank comprises:
a columnar-shaped sub-tank chamber; and
a main tank chamber that extends in a lateral direction from said sub-tank chamber, and

the extension tank section comprises a recessed section adapted to at least partially receive therein or accommodate a portion of the main tank chamber of the liquid tank,
the work vehicle further comprising a heat exchanger adapted to receive engine coolant and being arranged inside the sub tank chamber.

3. The work vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the liquid tank is at least partially nested into the fuel tank.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein
the fuel supply inlet is arranged in a front area or region of an extension tank section of the fuel tank, and
the liquid supply inlet is arranged in a front area or region of a main tank chamber of the liquid tank.

5. The work vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the fuel supply inlet and liquid supply inlet are arranged adjacent each other.

6. A work vehicle comprising:
an engine;
a fuel tank that has a fuel supply inlet and stores engine fuel; and
a liquid tank that has a liquid supply inlet and stores purification liquid used in purification of engine exhaust gas,
wherein the liquid tank is associated with the fuel tank so as to be protected by the fuel tank, whereby the liquid tank is not directly exposed to hot air from the engine,
wherein the fuel tank comprises:
a main tank section that extends along a side of a transmission along a front-rear direction of a vehicle body; and
an extension tank section that extends forward and outward from the main tank section,

the liquid tank comprises:
a columnar-shaped sub-tank chamber; and
a main tank chamber that extends in a lateral direction from said sub-tank chamber, and

the extension tank section comprises a recessed section adapted to at least partially receive therein or accommodate a portion of the main tank chamber of the liquid tank, wherein:
the main tank chamber comprises a bottom surface, the sub-tank chamber comprises a bottom surface, a bottom region, and a liquid reservoir,
the bottom surface of the main tank chamber is located higher than the bottom surface of the sub-tank chamber, whereby the liquid reservoir is arranged in the bottom region of the sub-tank chamber.

7. A work vehicle comprising:
an engine;
a fuel tank that has a fuel supply inlet and stores engine fuel; and
a liquid tank that has a liquid supply inlet and stores purification liquid used in purification of engine exhaust gas,
wherein the liquid tank is associated with the fuel tank so as to be protected by the fuel tank, whereby the liquid tank is not directly exposed to hot air from the engine,
wherein the fuel tank comprises:
a main tank section that extends along a side of a transmission along a front-rear direction of a vehicle body; and
an extension tank section that extends forward and outward from the main tank section,

the liquid tank comprises:
a columnar-shaped sub-tank chamber; and
a main tank chamber that extends in a lateral direction from said sub-tank chamber, and

the extension tank section comprises a recessed section adapted to at least partially receive therein or accommodate a portion of the main tank chamber of the liquid tank, wherein:
the sub-tank chamber comprises an upper wall, the main tank chamber comprises an upper wall, and the liquid supply inlet comprises a liquid supply edge,
a height level of the upper wall of the sub-tank chamber is equal to or higher than the liquid supply edge of the liquid supply inlet,
a height level of the upper wall of the main tank chamber is lower than that of the upper wall of the sub-tank chamber, and
when the liquid tank is filled with purification liquid, a space allowing expansion of the stored purification liquid remains between the upper wall of the sub-tank chamber and a liquid level.

8. A work vehicle comprising:
an engine;
a fuel tank that has a fuel supply inlet and stores engine fuel; and
a liquid tank that has a liquid supply inlet and stores purification liquid used in purification of engine exhaust gas,
wherein the liquid tank is associated with the fuel tank so as to be protected by the fuel tank, whereby the liquid tank is not directly exposed to hot air from the engine,
wherein the fuel supply inlet and liquid supply inlet are oriented along different directions,
wherein the liquid tank is arranged adjacent to an outer-side side surface of the fuel tank,
wherein the fuel tank comprises:
a main tank section that extends along a side of a transmission along a front-rear direction of a vehicle body; and
an extension tank section that extends forward and outward from the main tank section,

wherein the liquid tank comprises:
a columnar-shaped sub-tank chamber; and
a main tank chamber that extends in a lateral direction from said sub-tank chamber, and

the extension tank section comprises a recessed section adapted to at least partially receive therein or accommodate a portion of the main tank chamber of the liquid tank, wherein:
the main tank chamber comprises a bottom surface, the sub-tank chamber comprises a bottom surface, a bottom region, and a liquid reservoir,
the bottom surface of the main tank chamber is located higher than the bottom surface of the sub-tank chamber, whereby the liquid reservoir is arranged in the bottom region of the sub-tank chamber.

9. The work vehicle according to claim 8 , wherein
the fuel supply inlet is arranged in a front area or region of the extension tank section of the fuel tank, and
the liquid supply inlet is arranged in a front area or region of the main tank chamber of the liquid tank.

10. A work vehicle c

Assignees

• Kubota Kk

Inventors

• Mitobe Yoshihiro
• Hayashi Atsushi
• Matsuzaki Akihiro
• Imanaga Yuji

Classifications

• B60K13/04 Primary

  concerning exhaust · CPC title

• B60K15/03

  Fuel tanks · CPC title

• F01N3/20 Primary

  specially adapted for catalytic conversion (F01N3/22 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01N2570/14

  Nitrogen oxides · CPC title

• F01N2610/02

  the substance being ammonia or urea · CPC title