JP7724083B2 - Construction machinery cab - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cab for a construction machine, and more specifically to a cab for a construction machine equipped with an outside air intake passage for introducing outside air into the cab.

Industrial vehicles equipped with various types of work equipment, such as loading and unloading equipment and excavation equipment, generally have a cooling structure for cooling heat-generating components such as engines and electric motors. One example of a cooling structure is a simple air-cooled type, which has a louvered duct engagement part in a through hole provided in the exterior wall of the vehicle body, and the connection end of a duct (external air intake path) engages with the engagement part, allowing external air to be introduced into desired locations within the vehicle body (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Of the industrial vehicles mentioned above, construction machinery such as excavators, cranes, and pile drivers have a cab, or driver's compartment, mounted on a rotating upper body. To protect the operator inside the cab, the driver's seat is enclosed by a framework structure primarily made of hollow tubular materials, and parts such as doors and window glass are attached to this framework (see, for example, Patent Document 2). Because these box-shaped cabs are constructed with the minimum amount of space necessary for driving and operation, they tend to trap heat and are susceptible to heat transfer from adjacent engine compartments and other areas. For this reason, ventilation inside the cab is typically achieved by opening the windows.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-347435 JP 2017-114219 A

When the windows are opened for ventilation, rainwater and construction dust can easily get into the cab, and at night, insects are often attracted by the light and heat emitted by construction machinery. Therefore, ventilation inside the cab with the windows closed has become increasingly important in recent years as a way to reduce the burden and discomfort felt by the operator. However, adopting the duct structure of Patent Document 1 in cab ventilation design could potentially take up space in the driver's seat, and the need to install special louvers could also increase costs. The location of the air outlet is particularly important to the operator, and meeting such wind direction requirements places stricter requirements on placement.

The present invention aims to provide a cab for construction machinery that has a simple structure and can suppress temperature increases inside the cabin, maintaining a comfortable driving environment for the operator.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the cab of the construction machinery of the present invention is a cab mounted on the upper rotating body of the construction machinery and having a frame structure that defines an operator's cab inside, wherein the frame structure has support pipes erected at the four corners of the front, rear, left and right of the operator's cab, and a beam pipe that is suspended between the upper ends of the front and rear support pipes, and an air duct is formed inside at least one of the support pipes and the beam pipe that are connected in a piping-like manner, the support pipe is provided with a fan that creates air flow in the air duct, the beam pipe is provided with an air vent that connects the air duct and the operator's cab, an openable and closable register is attached to the air vent, and the register is provided with a switch that activates the fan in conjunction with the opening action .

The fan is an intake fan that draws in outside air from an opening at the lower end of the support pipe, and the intake fan is located on the support pipe located farthest from the rotation axis of the upper rotating body among the front, rear, left and right support pipes.

The fan is characterized in that it consists of an intake fan mounted on one of the left and right support pipes to draw in outside air through an opening at the bottom of the support pipe, and an exhaust fan mounted on the other support pipe to exhaust inside air through an opening at the bottom of the support pipe. Furthermore, the intake fan is characterized in that, of the front, rear, left, and right support pipes, the intake fan is mounted on the support pipe located farthest from the rotation axis of the upper rotating body, and the exhaust fan is mounted on the support pipe located second farthest.

In the construction machinery cab of this invention, a ventilation duct is formed by connecting support pipes and beam pipes in a piping-like manner in the framework structure that defines the cab. The support pipes are equipped with a fan for generating airflow, and the beam pipes are equipped with a vent that connects the ventilation duct to the cab. This ensures the airflow path necessary for ventilation within the cabin without the need for a dedicated duct. In other words, a cab that can prevent the temperature from rising within the cabin with a simple ventilation structure that utilizes existing hollow pipe material is achieved. Moreover, the vent located at the top of the cab makes it easier for the airflow that provides a refreshing feeling to reach the operator. Furthermore, the support pipes with vertical ventilation ducts provide a downward-facing opening, eliminating the need for measures to prevent the intrusion of rainwater, noise, etc., making this a cost-effective and highly practical product.

1 is a perspective view of a framework structure of a cab of a construction machine showing one embodiment of the present invention. This is also a side view. This is also a front view. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the mounting structure of the register. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the fan mounting structure. 1 is a perspective view of a pile driver, which is an example of a construction machine to which the present invention can be applied.

Figures 1 to 6 show an example of a cab for a construction machine of the present invention. Figure 7 shows a pile driver, an example of a construction machine to which the present invention can be applied, equipped with a different cab variation. As shown in Figure 7, the pile driver 11 has an upper rotating body 13 mounted on a crawler-equipped lower track body 12, which is rotatable around a rotation axis (rotation center) PV via a rotation mechanism. The cab 14 complies with design standards for operator visibility and safety and is equipped with a framework structure 15 that defines an operator's cab inside. It is mounted on one front side of the upper rotating body 13 (the right front side in this embodiment). In this rotating pile driver 11, the cab 14 is located forward of the rotation axis PV, improving visibility from the operator's seat and allowing the operator to easily grasp the operating status of the work equipment (not shown) attached to the front of the leader 16 and the status of the construction site.

The framework structure 15, described in detail below, is supported by a rectangular floor frame 17a that constitutes the revolving frame body 17, and various components that contribute to the appearance of the cab 14, such as the front window 18, doors 19, roof panel 20, and side panels 21, are attached to each side of the framework. The cab 14 is large from front to back so that the rear panel is in close proximity to the front of the house (equipment storage room) 22, and the outer side with the doors 19 is positioned contiguous with the outer surface of the house 22, defining the vehicle width (transport width) of the pile driver 11. The box-shaped cab 14 formed in this manner maintains an airtight interior by closing the doors 19 and windows.

While the design of the framework 15 varies depending on the specifications of the cab 14, it is generally symmetrical and, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, is primarily formed using hollow tubular materials (square pipes), which are easy to fabricate as frameworks. The size and shape of the framework 15 are roughly determined by the spacing between each component in the cab 14's longitudinal direction (indicated by arrows X1 and X2 in Figure 1), transverse direction (indicated by arrows W1 and W2 in Figure 1), and vertical direction (indicated by arrows V1 and V2 in Figure 1), forming a cab (space) S large enough to accommodate at least one operator. To facilitate understanding of the framework 15, the operator's seat is not shown in Figure 1, etc. However, from the operator's perspective, the forward direction with an open field of view is indicated by arrow X1, and the reverse direction is indicated by arrow X2. The left side of the traveling direction is indicated by arrow W1, and the right side is indicated by arrow W2.

The framework structure 15 is roughly composed of a base frame 23, which is a rectangular frame of front, rear, left, and right base tubes 23a, 23b, 23c, and 23d; a left front support tube 24, a left rear support tube 25, a right front support tube 26, and a right rear support tube 27, which are erected at the four front, rear, left, and right corners of the base frame 23 (i.e., the four corners of the driver's cab S); a left upper beam tube 28 that spans the upper ends of the left front support tube 24 and the left rear support tube 25; a right upper beam tube 29 that spans the upper ends of the right front support tube 26 and the right rear support tube 27; and a number of angle struts 30 and cross beam tubes 31 that also serve as reinforcement.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the base frame 23 has ventilation holes 32 at multiple locations on the center of the upper surface and both ends of the lower surface of the rear base pipe 23b, ensuring an airflow path necessary for ventilation of the driver's cab S when attached to the floor frame 17a.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the left and right front support pipes 24, 26 have intermediate sections that protrude slightly forward from the front end of the base frame 23, and the sections above the intermediate sections are arched and gradually curve backward. The upper and lower pipe end openings of the front support pipes 24, 26 are connected in a piping manner, with their upper ends butting up against the pipe end openings of the upper beam pipes 28, 29 and their lower ends butting up against the pipe end openings of the base pipes 23c, 23d. As a result, the interiors of the front support pipes 24, 26 and upper beam pipes 28, 29 form ventilation pipes T1, T2 with lengths and cross-sections corresponding to the piping shape, as shown in Figure 1.

Openings 33, 34 are provided at the lower ends of the left and right ventilation ducts T1, T2 by cutting out the lower plates of the corresponding base pipes 23c, 23d, and the left and right ventilation ducts T1, T2 are open to the outside through these openings 33, 34. One of the openings 33 is equipped with a fan that creates air flow in the ventilation duct T1, i.e., an exhaust fan 35 that exhausts inside air through the opening 33 of the left front support pipe 24. The other opening 34 is equipped with a fan that creates air flow in the ventilation duct T2, i.e., an intake fan 36 that draws outside air through the opening 34 of the right front support pipe 26.

As shown in Figure 6, the fans 35, 36 are small, electrically driven blowers that rotate multiple blades 35a, 36a. Each fan 35, 36 is installed at the lower front end of the framework 15 and positioned away from the power unit (engine and hydraulic equipment) located near the rotation axis PV of the pile driver 11, minimizing the thermal impact. One opening 34 draws in outside air, and the other opening 33 exhausts air from the cab S. In other words, in this embodiment of the pile driver 11, which has a cab 14 mounted on the front right portion of the upper rotating body 13, the intake fan 36 and exhaust fan 35 are positioned in the right front support pipe 26, which is the farthest from the rotation axis PV among the front, rear, left, and right support pipes 24, 25, 26, and 27, and the exhaust fan 35 is positioned in the left front support pipe 24, which is the second-furthest.

The left and right upper beam pipes 28, 29 are approximately half the length of the base frame 23, and their inner surfaces are provided with vents 37, 38 that connect the ventilation pipes T1, T2 to the operator's cab S. These vents 37, 38 are positioned facing each other near the head of the seated operator, and each is fitted with a ventilation register 39, 40.

As shown in Figure 5, the registers 39 and 40 are push-button ventilation registers that can open and close the vents 37 and 38. They have air purification filters built in and are closed when not in use. Furthermore, the push-button movable parts 39a and 40a of the registers 39 and 40 are provided with switches (ON/OFF switches) (not shown) that activate the fans 35 and 36 on the corresponding left and right sides in conjunction with the opening movement.

When the cab 14 of the pile driver 11 configured in this manner has its windows closed, ventilation of the driver's cab S is performed in the following manner. First, when the push-button movable portion 40a of the right-side register 40 is operated to the open position, the intake fan 36 is activated, as shown in Figure 1, and its suction force creates a flow as indicated by arrow A in the ventilation duct T2. Outside air is taken in through the opening 34 of the right front support pipe 26, rises through the ventilation duct T2, and is carried rearward. It is then sent out to the driver's cab S through the vent 38 of the upper right beam pipe 29 as clean air that has passed through the register 40.

This creates a gentle airflow in the cab S, moving from top to bottom as indicated by arrow B. The humid, warm air stagnating in the lower space of the cab S is pushed by the outside air brought into the room and escapes through the ventilation holes 32 in the base frame 23, before being released to the outside as a flow indicated by arrow C. In this way, by leaving only the air intake register 40 open, the air inside and outside the cab S is gradually exchanged.

Next, when the push-button 39a of the left-side register 39 is moved from the open position to the open position, the exhaust fan 35 is activated and its suction force creates a flow as shown by arrow D in the ventilation duct T1. Here, indoor air taken in through the vent 37 in the upper left beam pipe 28 is guided forward through the ventilation duct T1 and ultimately released to the outside through the opening 33 in the left front support pipe 24. In this way, by opening both the intake register 40 and the exhaust register 39, the air inside and outside the cab S is quickly exchanged.

In this way, the construction machinery cab 14 of the present invention forms ventilation ducts T1, T2 by connecting the support pipes 24, 26 and the beam pipes 28, 29 in a piping-like manner in the framework structure 15 that defines the operator's cab S. Fans 35, 36 for generating airflow are provided in the support pipes 24, 26, and vents 37, 38 are provided in the beam pipes 28, 29, connecting the ventilation ducts T1, T2 with the operator's cab S. This ensures the airflow path necessary for ventilation within the room without the need for a dedicated duct. In other words, a cab 14 is achieved that can suppress temperature increases within the room with a simple ventilation structure that utilizes existing hollow pipe material. Furthermore, the vents 37, 38 located at the top of the cab S allow for easy access to the airflow that provides a refreshing feeling to the operator, and the support pipes 24, 26 with vertical ventilation ducts T1, T2 provide downward openings 33, 34, eliminating the need to take measures to prevent the intrusion of rainwater, noise, etc., making this an inexpensive and highly practical system.

In addition, the registers 39, 40 attached to the ventilation openings 37, 38 are equipped with switches that activate the fans 35, 36 in conjunction with their opening operation. This means that ventilation operation can be started immediately by simply opening the registers 39, 40. When ventilation is not required, such as when leaving the room, the registers 39, 40 can be closed to stop the fans 35, 36, allowing for appropriate ventilation according to the conditions in the room.

Furthermore, if the fan for generating the airflow is an intake fan 36, by installing it on the support pipe 26 located farthest from the rotation axis PV of the upper rotating body 13 among the front, rear, left, and right support pipes 24, 25, 26, and 27, it is possible to eliminate the problem of unnecessary intake of heat generated by the power unit. In other words, it becomes possible to take in cool outside air that is suitable for ventilation, making the air supplied to the room more comfortable.

In addition, if the fans for generating airflow consist of an intake fan 36 and an exhaust fan 35, it is possible to promote air circulation within the cabin and actively ventilate the cabin. In particular, by separately installing the exhaust fan 35 and the intake fan 36 on the left support pipe 24 and the right support pipe 26, respectively, a wide gap equivalent to the width of the cab is ensured, preventing a short-circuit phenomenon in which air released from one opening 33 is directly sucked into the other opening 34. In this case, by installing the intake fan 36 on the support pipe 26 located farthest from the pivot axis PV and the exhaust fan 35 on the support pipe 24 located second farthest, the ventilation structure can be optimized, resulting in an air environment with minimal energy loss.

While the present invention has been described using a pile driver as an example of construction machinery, it is not limited to this and can be applied to the cabs of various types of construction machinery equipped with excavating equipment or loading and unloading devices, such as earth drills and cranes. In this case, the ventilation passage using hollow pipes in the framework structure saves space inside the cab, allowing for greater freedom in the overall design, including mounted components and hydraulic and electrical circuits, and enabling smooth model changes and new model development.

11...Pile driver, 12...Lower running body, 13...Upper rotating body, 14...Cab, 15...Frame structure, 16...Leader, 17...Swivel frame body, 17a...Floor frame, 18...Front window, 19...Door, 20...Roof panel, 21...Side panel, 22...House, 23...Base frame body, 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d...Base pipe, 24...Left front support pipe, 25...Left rear support pipe, 26...Right front support pipe, 27...Right rear support pipe, 28...Left upper beam pipe, 29...Right upper beam pipe, 30...Angle support, 31...Horizontal beam pipe, 32...Ventilation hole, 33, 34...Opening, 35, 36...Fan, 35a, 36a...Blades, 37, 38...Ventilation port, 39, 40...Register, 39a, 40a...Push movable part

Claims (4)

A cab mounted on an upper rotating body of a construction machine and having a framework structure defining an operator's cab therein,
The framework structure has support pipes erected at the four corners of the front, rear, left, and right of the cab, and beam pipes suspended between the upper ends of the front and rear support pipes, and an air duct is formed inside the support pipes that are connected to at least one of the support pipes and the beam pipe in a piping manner,
The support pipe is provided with a fan that creates an air flow in the ventilation pipe,
The beam pipe is provided with a vent hole that communicates the vent pipe line with the operator's cab ,
an openable and closable register is attached to the vent;
The register is provided with a switch that operates the fan in conjunction with the opening operation of the cab. 2. The cab according to claim 1, wherein the fan is an intake fan that draws in outside air through an opening at the lower end of the support pipe, and the intake fan is provided on the support pipe located farthest from the rotation axis of the upper rotating body among the front, rear, left, and right support pipes. 2. The cab according to claim 1, wherein the fans comprise an intake fan provided on one of the left and right support pipes to draw in outside air through an opening at the lower end of the support pipe, and an exhaust fan provided on the other support pipe to exhaust inside air through an opening at the lower end of the support pipe. 4. The cab according to claim 3, wherein the intake fan is provided in the support pipe located farthest from the rotation axis of the upper rotating body among the front, rear, left, and right support pipes, and the exhaust fan is provided in the support pipe located second farthest from the rotation axis of the upper rotating body.