US-12617258-B2 - Electric work vehicle

Abstract

An electric work vehicle includes a rear housing, a first motor to drive a first rear wheel, the first motor being supported by the rear housing, a second motor to drive a second rear wheel, the second motor being supported by the rear housing, a third motor to drive a first electric work vehicle component other than a wheel, the third motor being supported by the rear housing, and a fourth motor to drive a second electric work vehicle component other than a wheel, the fourth motor being supported by the rear housing.

Inventors

• David Kieke

Assignees

• KUBOTA CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20231207

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An electric work vehicle comprising: a rear housing; a first motor to drive a first rear wheel, the first motor being supported by the rear housing; a second motor to drive a second rear wheel, the second motor being supported by the rear housing; a third motor to drive a first electric work vehicle component other than a wheel, the third motor being supported by the rear housing; and a fourth motor to drive a second electric work vehicle component other than a wheel, the fourth motor being supported by the rear housing.
2. 2 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first electric work vehicle component includes a Power Take-Off (PTO).
3. 3 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the second electric work vehicle component includes a hydraulic system.
4. 4 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein an axis of the third motor extends through a location between the first motor and the second motor.
5. 5 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein an axis of the fourth motor extends in parallel or substantially in parallel with an axis of the first motor and an axis of the second motor.
6. 6 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein an axis of the third motor extends perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to an axis of the first motor and an axis of the second motor.
7. 7 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein an axis of the third motor is lower than an axis of the first motor and an axis of the second motor in an up-down direction of the electric work vehicle.
8. 8 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein an axis of the fourth motor is lower than an axis of the first motor and an axis of the second motor in an up-down direction of the electric work vehicle.
9. 9 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein an axis of the second motor is collinear with an axis of the first motor.
10. 10 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the third motor is located closer to one of the first motor or the second motor and farther from another one of the first motor or the second motor.
11. 11 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the third motor is larger than each of the first motor, the second motor, and the fourth motor.
12. 12 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first motor is connected to a first gearing to drive the first rear wheel; the second motor is connected to a second gearing to drive the second rear wheel; an outermost portion of the first gearing is located to an inside of the first motor in a left-right direction of the vehicle; and an outermost portion of the second gearing is located to an inside of the second motor in the left-right direction of the vehicle.
13. 13 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 12 , further comprising: a gear casing affixed to a portion of the rear housing; wherein a portion of the first gearing and a portion of the second gearing is located within the gear casing.
14. 14 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein a width of the gear casing in the left-right direction of the vehicle is thinner than a width of the rear housing in the left-right direction.
15. 15 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the first rear wheel and the second rear wheel are connected to respective rear wheel hubs which are mounted to the gear casing.
16. 16 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the first gearing and the second gearing each respectively include a plurality of interlinking gears and extend from the rear housing into the gear casing.
17. 17 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the first motor is located on a left side of the rear housing; the second motor is located on a right side of the rear housing; the third motor is located on a front side of the rear housing; and the fourth motor is located on the left side of the rear housing.
18. 18 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein the first electric work vehicle component includes a Power Take-Off (PTO); and the third motor is connected to the PTO via a PTO shaft which extends from the e-front side of the rear housing through an opening in a rear side of the rear housing.
19. 19 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 18 , wherein the PTO shaft is connected to the third motor through at least one PTO gear.
20. 20 . The electric work vehicle according to claim 19 , wherein the PTO shaft is located below an output shaft of the PTO in an up-down direction of the electric work vehicle.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is directed to an electric work vehicle (EV) such as an electric tractor. 2. Description of the Related Art Electric work vehicles (EVs) are becoming more prevalent as the industry moves from internal combustion engines towards fully electrically powered motors running on battery systems. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide an electric work vehicle such as an EV tractor. Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide an electric work vehicle. A preferred embodiment of an electric work vehicle of the present invention includes a rear housing, a first motor to drive a first rear wheel, the first motor being supported by the rear housing, a second motor to drive a second rear wheel, the second motor being supported by the rear housing, a third motor to drive a first electric work vehicle component other than a wheel, the third motor being supported by the rear housing, and a fourth motor to drive a second electric work vehicle component other than a wheel, the fourth motor being supported by the rear housing. According to preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an electric work vehicle. The above and other features, elements, steps, configurations, characteristics, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1A shows a perspective left-front view of an electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1B shows a perspective right-front view of an electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1C shows a perspective left-rear view of an electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1D shows a perspective right-rear view of an electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1E shows a front view of an electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1F shows a right side view of an electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1G shows a left side view of an electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1H shows a top view of an electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1I shows a bottom view of an electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1J shows a bottom view of an electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which certain elements have been removed for illustrative purposes. FIG. 2 shows a rear perspective view of an intermediate frame, a battery housing, a front frame, and a rear frame of an electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows a rear perspective view of a battery housing and a front frame of an electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a front perspective view of a battery housing according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5A shows a left side view of a battery housing according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5B shows a right side view of a battery housing according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5C shows a left side view of an intermediate frame, a battery housing, a front frame, and a rear frame of an electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5D shows a right side view of an intermediate frame, a battery housing, a front frame, and a rear frame of an electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows a top left perspective view of portions of a rear of a partially disassembled electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 shows a bottom right perspective view of portions of a rear of a partially disassembled electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 shows a bottom left perspective view of portions of a rear of a partially disassembled electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 shows a top perspective view of portions of a rear of a partially disassembled electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 shows a top perspective view of a rear gearing assembly of a partially disassembled electric work vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 shows a rear perspective view of a rear gearing assembly of a partially disassembled electric work vehicl