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EP-4737171-A1 - WORK VEHICLE

EP4737171A1EP 4737171 A1EP4737171 A1EP 4737171A1EP-4737171-A1

Abstract

A work vehicle 10 includes: a vehicle body 11; a traveling device 12 including front wheels 121 and rear wheels 122 on opposite sides in a vehicle-width direction; a tank 13 configured to store hydrogen gas; a fuel cell 24 configured to generate motive power from the hydrogen gas as fuel; and a discharge path 35 through which water or water vapor generated due to operation of the fuel cell 24 is discharged externally, the discharge path 35 includes: a discharge pipe 351 having a discharge port 352 through which water or water vapor is discharged externally; and a connection pipe 353 connecting the fuel cell 24 and the discharge pipe 351, and the discharge pipe 351 is located between the front wheels 121 and the rear wheels 122.

Inventors

  • OHNISHI, Teppei

Assignees

  • Kubota Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240514

Claims (14)

  1. A work vehicle comprising: a vehicle body; a traveling device including front wheels and rear wheels on opposite sides in a vehicle-width direction; a tank configured to store hydrogen gas; a fuel cell configured to generate motive power from the hydrogen gas as fuel; and a discharge path through which water or water vapor generated due to operation of the fuel cell is discharged externally, wherein the discharge path includes: a discharge pipe having a discharge port through which water or water vapor is discharged externally; and a connection pipe connecting the fuel cell and the discharge pipe, and the discharge pipe is located between the front wheels and the rear wheels.
  2. The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the fuel cell is located nearer to the front wheels than to the rear wheels in a vehicle front-rear direction.
  3. The work vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the discharge pipe is located nearer to one side in the vehicle-width direction than to a center in the vehicle-width direction.
  4. The work vehicle according to claim 3, comprising a battery unit configured to store electric power generated by the fuel cell, wherein the battery unit is located outward in the vehicle-width direction, and the exhaust pipe is located nearer to the center of the vehicle width direction than the battery unit.
  5. The work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the vehicle body includes: a front frame on which the fuel cell and a motor are installed; and a gear case disposed rearward of the front frame and accommodating a gear configured to change a rotation speed of the motor, and the exhaust pipe is located below the gear case.
  6. The work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising: a battery unit configured to store electric power generated by the fuel cell; and a support structure with which the battery unit is supported on the vehicle body, wherein the support structure includes an auxiliary member to which the exhaust pipe is attached.
  7. The work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the discharge path includes: a drain valve; and a control device configured to control opening and closing operation of the drain valve.
  8. The work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the discharge pipe is lower in height than the fuel cell.
  9. The work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the connection pipe includes: a first connection port located on an upstream side and connected to the fuel cell; and a second connection port located on a downstream side and connected to the discharge pipe, the second connection port is lower in height than the first connection port, and a part of the connection pipe from the first connection port to the second connection port is equal in height to or lower in height than another part of the connection pipe upstream of the part.
  10. The work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the discharge port is open rearward in the vehicle.
  11. The work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising a traveling device including front wheels and rear wheels, wherein the fuel cell is located above an axle of the front wheels, and the discharge pipe is located rearward of the fuel cell.
  12. The work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising an installation frame with which the tank is installed on the vehicle body, wherein the vehicle body includes: a chassis on which the fuel cell is installed at a position close to a front of the chassis; and a front support portion fixed to a part of the chassis located rearward of the fuel cell, and supporting a part of the installation frame from below, the fuel cell is located forward of the front support portion, and the discharge pipe is located rearward of the front support portion, and the connection pipe extends from the fuel cell, passes below the front support portion, and connects to the discharge pipe.
  13. The work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising a driver's seat, wherein the discharge pipe is located below the driver's seat.
  14. The work vehicle according to claim 13, comprising a step to be used by an operator when entering and leaving the driver's seat, wherein the discharge pipe is located below the step.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a work vehicle. The present application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-107662 filed on June 30, 2023, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND ART Patent Literature 1 discloses a work vehicle including a tank configured to store hydrogen gas, a fuel cell, and a motor. The fuel cell generates electric power from the hydrogen gas supplied from the tank, and the motor rotates using the electric power. The work vehicle travels using the torque from the motor as a driving force. CITATION LIST [PATENT LITERATURE] PATENT LITERATURE 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2023-13186 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A work vehicle according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a vehicle body; a traveling device including front wheels and rear wheels on opposite sides in a vehicle-width direction; a tank configured to store hydrogen gas; a fuel cell configured to generate motive power from the hydrogen gas as fuel; and a discharge path through which water or water vapor generated due to operation of the fuel cell is discharged externally, the discharge path includes: a discharge pipe having a discharge port through which water or water vapor is discharged externally; and a connection pipe connecting the fuel cell and the discharge pipe, and the discharge pipe is located between the front wheels and the rear wheels. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [FIG. 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a work vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.[FIG. 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the work vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1.[FIG. 3] FIG. 3 is a rear view of the work vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1.[FIG. 4] FIG. 4 is a side view of the work vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1.[FIG. 5] FIG. 5 is a side view of the work vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1.[FIG. 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the work vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1.[FIG. 7] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the work vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1.[FIG. 8] FIG. 8 is a partially exploded perspective view of the work vehicle illustrated in FIG. 1.[FIG. 9] FIG. 9 is a side view of the work vehicle from which a hood and the like are removed.[FIG. 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a vehicle body from which a right rear wheel is removed.[FIG. 11] FIG. 11 is a side view of the work vehicle illustrated in FIG. 5, from which a rear wheel and a front frame portion are removed.[FIG. 12] FIG. 12 is an explanatory view of a filling unit attached to a bracket and its surroundings.[FIG. 13] FIG. 13 is an explanatory view of a fuel cell and a discharge path.[FIG. 14] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a battery unit and a discharge pipe supported by a support structure.[FIG. 15] FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of the battery unit, the discharge pipe, and the support structure.[FIG. 16] FIG. 16 is a front view of the battery unit and the discharge pipe supported by the support structure.[FIG. 17] FIG. 17 is a front view illustrating the support structure and the battery unit separated from the support structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION <Problems to be solved by the present disclosure> With regard to a work vehicle that obtains motive power from an internal combustion engine, emissions from a discharge pipe (a muffler) include particulate matter, carbon dioxide, nitrogen compounds, and the like. The discharge pipe is placed on a rear portion of the vehicle, and the emissions are discharged rearward from the vehicle. With regard to a work vehicle that obtains motive power (electric power) from a fuel cell, an emission is water or water vapor. Similarly to the internal combustion engine-equipped work vehicle, a discharge pipe is not necessarily placed on a rear portion of the vehicle. It is desirable for the work vehicle, which obtains motive power (electric power) from the fuel cell, to efficiently lay out an exhaust path including the fuel cell and the exhaust pipe as much as possible. Hence, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a novel exhaust pipe placement structure for a work vehicle configured to obtain motive power (electric power) from a fuel cell. <Advantageous effect of the present disclosure> According to a work vehicle of the present disclosure, it is possible to effectively use a space between front wheels and rear wheels as a space for placement of a discharge pipe. <Outline of embodiments of the present disclosure> An outline of below-listed embodiments of the present disclosure is described. (1) A work vehicle of the present embodiment includes: a vehicle body; a traveling device including front wheels and rear wheels on opposite sides in a vehicle-width direction; a tank configured to store hydrogen gas; a fuel cell configured to generate motive power from the hydrogen gas as fuel; and a discharge path through which water or water vapor generated due to operation of the fuel cell is discharged externally, the discharge path includes: a