Search

EP-4368010-B1 - WORK MACHINE

EP4368010B1EP 4368010 B1EP4368010 B1EP 4368010B1EP-4368010-B1

Inventors

  • ONO, KOHEI
  • AKIYAMA, Nozomu

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20231109

Claims (3)

  1. A work machine, comprising: left and right front wheels (10) and left and right rear wheels (11) as a travel device (1); a body frame (2) supported by the left and right front wheels (10) and the left and right rear wheels (11); a driver section (3) comprising a driver's seat (31) and a seat support frame (41) supporting the driver's seat (31); a tool container (40) disposed below the driver's seat (31) and configured to store a tool; a body frame (2) supporting the seat support frame (41) in such a manner that the seat support frame (41) is swingable about a lateral axis (P) under a front portion of the driver's seat (31); characterized in that the tool container (40) is defined by the driver's seat (31), the body frame (2), and a support (42) over the body frame (2); the seat support frame (41), the driver's seat (31) and the support (42) are so configured that swinging the seat support frame (41) forward tilts the driver's seat (31) forward and opens the support (42) upward; and in that the work machine further comprises: a transmission case (16) below the driver's seat (31), and a power takeoff shaft (18) protruding backward from the transmission case (16).
  2. The work machine according to claim 1, further comprising: an electric motor (M) configured to drive the travel device (1).
  3. The work machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tool container (40) is below the seat support frame (41) and above the body frame (2).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a work machine including a driver's seat in its driver section such as a tractor and a mower. Description of the Related Art Work machines of the above type involve use of predetermined tools to, for instance, attach and detach an implement to and from the body or maintain the work machine. Such tools may be stored in a dedicated toolbox and managed in a place apart from the work machine. In such cases, a worker needs to carry the toolbox to the work machine for the above work. This is troublesome, and may decrease the work efficiency. In view of that, a conventional work machine may include a roll-over protective structure (ROPS) frame at a back portion of the driver's seat and a toolbox attached to a vertically intermediate portion of the ROPS frame (see, for example, JP2019-217922 A). The driver of the above conventional work machine needs to move away from the driver's seat to backward of the body, open the toolbox, and take out a tool to use the tool for work, meaning that tools are not easily accessible to the driver. Further, the toolbox is exposed to the outside, and may suffer from, for example, a decreased durability due to rain water or the like. The above conventional work machine thus leaves room for improvement in this respect as well. The above circumstances have led to a demand for a work machine capable of storing tools in such a durable manner that ensures efficient use of the tools. A work machine according to the present invention is defined in claim 1 and includes: a driver section; a driver's seat in the driver section; and a tool container disposed below the driver's seat and configured to store a tool. US 5037155 A, US 3058771 A, JP S5537796 U, JP S5599943 U and JP S53161442 U deal with operator seats of work vehicles. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The work machine of claim 1 includes a tool container disposed below the driver's seat and configured to store a tool. This allows the driver to leave the driver's seat and readily take out a tool to start work efficiently with no trouble. The tool container is covered by the driver's seat above and receives no rain water. This prevents the tool container and tools therein from suffering from a decreased durability, and allows the tool container to store tools in a good state over an extended period of time. The work machine is therefore capable of storing tools in such a durable manner that ensures efficient use of the tools. The work machine of claim 1 further includes: a seat support frame supporting the driver's seat; and a body frame supporting the seat support frame in such a manner that the seat support frame is swingable about a lateral axis under a front portion of the driver's seat. With the above configuration, swinging the seat support frame about the lateral axis opens the space under the driver's seat. This exposes the tool container to the outside through the opening, and allows the driver to easily take out a tool from the tool container. The work machine of claim 1 further includes: a transmission case below the driver's seat; and a power takeoff shaft protruding backward from the transmission case. The above configuration allows an implement to be so connected to the power takeoff shaft backward of the transmission case as to receive motive power from the power takeoff shaft. This allows the implement to perform work while being driven on motive power from the power takeoff shaft. The implement is detachable after ending its work. A worker uses a tool to, for instance, attach and detach an implement to and from the body or couple an implement to the power takeoff shaft, which is close to the driver's seat. The worker is able to easily take out a tool for the above work, as the tool container is close to the power takeoff shaft. The work machine may preferably further include: a body; a travel device supporting the body in such a manner that enables the body to travel; and an electric motor configured to drive the travel device. With the above configuration, the work machine uses an electric motor to travel. This eliminates the need for components such as a large engine and a fuel tank, and facilitates saving a space under the driver's seat. This in turn allows the tool container to be placed in such a space for its effective use. The work machine of claim 1 is further configured such that the tool container is defined by the driver's seat, the body frame, and a support over the body frame. The work machine may preferably be further configured such that the tool container is below the seat support frame and above the body frame. The work machine of claim 1 is further configured such that swinging the seat support frame forward tilts the driver's seat forward and opens the support upward. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a left side view of a tractor.Fig. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the respective positions of components