U.S. patent application number 10/511138 was filed with the patent office on 2005-08-11 for cooling device for construction machines.
This patent application is currently assigned to SHIN CATERPILLAR MITSUBISHI LTD. Invention is credited to Fujita, Kouhei, Iguchi, Masafumi, Kojima, Shigeru, Masayasu, Takao, Okudaira, Takahiro, Yamada, Kyoko, Yamakawa, Atsushi, Yokota, Kenichi.
Application Number | 20050173095 10/511138 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32588157 |
Filed Date | 2005-08-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050173095 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fujita, Kouhei ; et
al. |
August 11, 2005 |
Cooling device for construction machines
Abstract
The air conditioner capacitor is arranged at the front side of
the oil cooler or the radiator against the flow of the cooling air,
thereby carrying out maintenance of the oil cooler and/or the
radiator at the rear side without removing the air conditioner
capacitor arranged at the front side, thus improving maintenance.
The turbocharger cooler 11 is structured to change the postures so
as to swing up and down between the cooling posture in which the
turbocharger cooler 11 is arranged in parallel with the radiator 8
and an open posture in which the turbocharger cooler 11 is arranged
such that the front side of the radiator 8 is exposed. The air
conditioner capacitor 10 and the oil cooler 9 are also structured
to change the postures so as to swing horizontally between the
cooling posture in which the air conditioner capacitor 10 and the
oil cooler 9 are arranged in parallel with the radiator 8 and an
open posture in which the air conditioner capacitor 10 and the oil
cooler 9 are arranged such that the front side of the radiator 8 is
exposed.
Inventors: |
Fujita, Kouhei; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Yokota, Kenichi; (Tokyo, JP) ; Yamada,
Kyoko; (Tokyo, JP) ; Kojima, Shigeru; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Yamakawa, Atsushi; (Tokyo, JP) ;
Masayasu, Takao; (Tokyo, JP) ; Okudaira,
Takahiro; (Kobe-shi, JP) ; Iguchi, Masafumi;
(Kobe-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OLIFF & BERRIDGE, PLC
P.O. BOX 19928
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22320
US
|
Assignee: |
SHIN CATERPILLAR MITSUBISHI
LTD
10-1, Yoga 4-chome, Setagaya-ku
Tokyo
JP
158-8530
|
Family ID: |
32588157 |
Appl. No.: |
10/511138 |
Filed: |
October 14, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
September 17, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP03/11857 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/77 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60H 1/00378 20130101;
E02F 9/0858 20130101; E02F 9/0866 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/077 |
International
Class: |
F28D 001/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 13, 2002 |
JP |
2002-362435 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cooling system in a work machine, comprising a plurality of
cooling devices including, at least, an air conditioner capacitor
and another cooling device arranged to be superposed from front to
rear with respect to a flow of cooling air, wherein the air
conditioner capacitor is structured to change posture between a
cooling posture in which the air conditioner capacitor is arranged
in parallel with the another cooling device and an open posture in
which one of a front side and a rear side of the another cooling
device is exposed.
2. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 1,
further comprising a turbocharger cooler and an oil cooler, wherein
the another cooling device is, at least, a radiator and the air
conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler are arranged at
one of the front side and rear side of at least one of the oil
cooler and the radiator relative to the flow of the cooling air,
and the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler are
structured to change posture between the cooling posture in which
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler are
provided in parallel with the at least one of the oil cooler and
the radiator, and an open posture in which the front side or the
rear side of the at least one of the oil cooler and the radiator is
exposed.
3. The cooling device in a work machine according to claim 1,
further comprising a turbocharger cooler and an oil cooler, wherein
the another cooling device, is at least, a radiator and the air
conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler are arranged at
one of the front side and rear side of at least one of the oil
cooler and the radiator relative to the flow of the cooling air,
and the air conditioner capacitor is structured to change posture
between the cooling posture in which the air conditioner capacitor
is arranged in parallel with at least one of the oil cooler and the
radiator and an open posture in which the front side or the rear
side of at least one of oil cooler and/or the radiator is
exposed.
4. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 2,
wherein the oil cooler and the radiator are arranged side by side
and adjacent to each other relative to the flow of the cooling
air.
5. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 2,
wherein the oil cooler and the radiator are arranged to be
superposed front and rear relative to the flow of the cooling
air.
6. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 5,
wherein the oil cooler is structured to change posture between the
cooling posture in which the oil cooler is arranged in parallel
with the radiator and an open posture in which the oil cooler is
arranged such that one of the front side and the rear side of the
radiator is exposed.
7. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 2,
wherein at least one of the air conditioner capacitor and the
turbocharger cooler is supported by the upper part of at least one
of the radiator and the oil cooler so as to swing up and down.
8. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 2,
wherein at least one of the air conditioner capacitor and the
turbocharger cooler is supported by one of the sides of at least
one of the radiator and the oil cooler so as to swing back and
forth.
9. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 2,
further comprising a pipe, wherein the pipe is connected to one of
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler and can
be deformed in accordance with the posture changes of the one of
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler.
10. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 4,
wherein at least one of the air conditioner capacitor and the
turbocharger cooler is supported by the upper part of at least one
of the radiator and the oil cooler so as to swing up and down.
11. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 5,
wherein at least one of the air conditioner capacitor and the
turbocharger cooler is supported by the upper part of at least one
of the radiator and the oil cooler so as to swing up and down.
12. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 6,
wherein at least one of the air conditioner capacitor and the
turbocharger cooler is supported by the upper part of at least one
of the radiator and the oil cooler so as to swing up and down.
13. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 4,
wherein at least one of the air conditioner capacitor and the
turbocharger cooler is supported by one of the sides of at least
one of the radiator and the oil cooler so as to swing back and
forth.
14. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 5,
wherein at least one of the air conditioner capacitor and the
turbocharger cooler is supported by one of the sides of at least
one of the radiator and the oil cooler so as to swing back and
forth.
15. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 6,
wherein at least one of the air conditioner capacitor and the
turbocharger cooler is supported by one of the sides of at least
one of the radiator and the oil cooler so as to swing back and
forth.
16. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 4,
further comprising a pipe, wherein the pipe is connected to one of
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler and can
be deformed in accordance with the posture changes of the one of
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler.
17. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 5,
further comprising a pipe, wherein the pipe is connected to one of
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler and can
be deformed in accordance with the posture changes of the one of
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler.
18. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 6,
further comprising a pipe, wherein the pipe is connected to one of
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler and can
be deformed in accordance with the posture changes of the one of
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler.
19. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 7,
further comprising a pipe, wherein the pipe is connected to one of
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler and can
be deformed in accordance with the posture changes of the one of
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler.
20. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 8,
further comprising a pipe, wherein the pipe is connected to one of
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler and can
be deformed in accordance with the posture changes of the one of
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler.
21. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 3,
wherein the oil cooler and the radiator are arranged side by side
and adjacent to each other relative to the flow of the cooling
air.
22. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 3,
wherein the oil cooler and the radiator are arranged to be
superposed front and rear relative to the flow of the cooling
air.
23. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 22,
wherein the oil cooler is structured to change posture between the
cooling posture in which the oil cooler is arranged in parallel
with the radiator and an open posture in which the oil cooler is
arranged such that one of the front side and the rear side of the
radiator is exposed.
24. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 3,
wherein at least one of the air conditioner capacitor and the
turbocharger cooler is supported by the upper part of at least one
of the radiator and the oil cooler so as to swing up and down.
25. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 3,
wherein at least one of the air conditioner capacitor and the
turbocharger cooler is supported by one of the sides of at least
one of the radiator and the oil cooler so as to swing back and
forth.
26. The cooling system in a work machine according to claim 3,
further comprising a pipe, wherein the pipe is connected to one of
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler and can
be deformed in accordance with the posture changes of the one of
the air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler.
27. A cooling system used in a work machine, comprising: means for
creating a flow of air; a radiator positioned adjacent the means
for creating a flow of air; an oil cooler positioned at one of side
by side with the radiator and on a side of the radiator opposite
the means for creating a flow of air; an air conditioner capacitor
positioned to a side of the oil cooler opposite the means for
creating the flow of air; and a turbocharger cooler positioned to a
side of the radiator opposite the means for creating a flow of air,
wherein at least one of the oil cooler, the air conditioner
capacitor and the turbocharger cooler are mounted so as to be
pivotable at one side between a closed position in parallel to the
radiator and an open position exposing a surface of the
radiator.
28. The cooling system according to claim 27, wherein at least two
of the oil cooler, the air conditioner capacitor and the
turbocharger cooler are pivotable between closed and open
positions.
29. The cooling system according to claim 27, wherein the radiator
and the oil cooler are side by side adjacent to the means for
creating a flow of air, and at least the air conditioner compacitor
is pivotable between open and closed positions.
30. The cooling system according to claim 27, wherein the air
conditioner capacitor is mounted to the oil cooler.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a cooling device in a
construction machine such as a hydraulic shovel.
[0002] 1. Background of the Invention
[0003] Generally a construction machine such as a hydraulic shovel
is provided with a cooling device such as a radiator for cooling an
engine and an oil cooler for cooling hydraulic fluid. The radiator
and oil cooler are generally designed to be cooled with cooling air
flowing thereto by rotation of a cooling fan. In this case, the oil
cooler and the radiator are arranged to be superposed back and
forth against the flow of the cooling air (Back To Back (BTB)
method) or are arranged to be adjacent to each other from side to
side (Side By Side (SBS) Method).
[0004] Moreover, recently an increasing number of construction
machines have been installed with an air-conditioning device (air
conditioners) in order to improve the working environment of an
operator. With regards to the cooling of a capacitor for an air
conditioner, a construction machine has been known structured such
that an air conditioner capacitor is provided at the front side of
the oil cooler or radiator so that the cooling fan for cooling the
oil cooler and/or the radiator can also cool the air conditioner
capacitor (for example, see FIG. 1 of Japanese Patent Publication
No. 3223164).
[0005] Further, it is also known that a construction machine in
which cooling air from a cooling fan for cooling the oil cooler
and/or the radiator is used to cool not only the air conditioner
capacitor but also compressed air generated by the turbocharger. In
this case, the turbocharger cooler and the air conditioner
capacitor are arranged on the front face side of the oil cooler
while being adjacent to each other up and down, for example (see
Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No.
2002-201940).
[0006] 2. Disclosure of the Invention
[0007] In the configuration of the cooling device as disclosed in
Japanese Patent Publication No. 3223164, the air conditioner
capacitor is fixed to the front face side of the oil cooler via a
fitting, when maintenance such as inspection and repair of the
radiator and/or the oil cooler is performed, the air conditioner
capacitor arranged on the front face side must be removed, this is
troublesome and causes a reduction in workability.
[0008] Further, in the configuration of the cooling device as
disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No.
2002-201940 such that the air conditioner capacitor and the
turbocharger cooler are arranged up and down on the front side of
the oil cooler and the radiator, in a case where the cooling device
in this configuration is cleaned without removing the air
conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler arranged on the
front side, a cleaning worker has to insert a cleaning tool into
the space between the cooling device at the front side and the
cooling device at the rear side to clean the cooling device while
riding on the upper face of the upper structure, for example. Such
a method of cleaning makes it difficult for the cleaning worker to
directly and visually observe the core section of the cooling
device (particularly the core section of the cooling device
arranged at the lower side). This causes a problem in which there
is a risk of damaging the cooling core during cleaning. Such
problems are intended to be solved by the present invention.
[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above
present condition for the purpose of solving these problems. In
construction machinery in which a plurality of cooling devices
including an air conditioner capacitor are arranged to be
superposed back and forth against the flow of the cooling air, the
air conditioner capacitor is structured to change the postures
between a cooling posture in which the air conditioner capacitor is
arranged in parallel with another cooling device and an open
posture in which the front side or the rear side of another cooling
device is exposed.
[0010] By the configuration as described above, when maintenance
such as cleaning, inspection and repair of the cooling device is
performed, by allowing the air conditioner capacitor to have an
open posture, maintenance of another cooling devices can be
performed without removing the air conditioner capacitor, thereby
improving workability in maintenance.
[0011] In the configuration as described above, the air conditioner
capacitor and the turbocharger cooler are arranged at the front
side or at the rear side of an oil cooler and/or a radiator against
the flow of the cooling air such that the air conditioner capacitor
and the turbocharger cooler are structured to change the postures
between the cooling posture in which the air conditioner capacitor
and the turbocharger cooler are arranged in parallel with the oil
cooler and/or the radiator and an open posture in which the front
side or the rear side of the oil cooler and/or the radiator is
exposed.
[0012] The air conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler
may also be arranged at the front side or at the rear side of an
oil cooler and/or a radiator against the flow of the cooling air
such that the air conditioner capacitor is structured to change the
postures between the cooling posture in which the air conditioner
capacitor is arranged in parallel with the oil cooler and/or the
radiator and an open posture in which the front side or the rear
side of the oil cooler and/or the radiator is exposed.
[0013] Further, the above-described configuration can be adapted,
in a case where the oil cooler and the radiator are arranged
adjacent to each other from side to side against the flow of the
cooling air and in a case where the oil cooler and the radiator are
arranged to be superposed back and forth against the flow of the
cooling air, however, in a case where the oil cooler and the
radiator are arranged to be superposed back and forth against the
flow of the cooling air, the air conditioner capacitor is
structured to change the postures between the cooling posture in
which the oil cooler is arranged in parallel with the radiator and
an open posture in which the front side or the rear side of the
radiator is exposed, thereby further contributing to improvements
in maintenance.
[0014] In the configuration of the cooling device of the present
invention, the air conditioner capacitor and/or the turbocharger
cooler is/are swingably supported by the upper part of the radiator
and/or the oil cooler so as to be swing up and down, or the air
conditioner capacitor and/or the turbocharger cooler is/are
swingably supported by the left and right sides of the radiator or
the oil cooler so as to swing back and forth, thereby allowing the
turbocharger cooler and/or the air conditioner capacitor to change
the postures between the cooling posture and the open posture.
[0015] Furthermore, a pipe connected to the air conditioner
capacitor and/or the turbocharger cooler can be deformed in
accordance with the posture change of the air conditioner capacitor
and/or the turbocharger cooler, thereby preventing the pipe from
being deteriorated due to the posture change of the turbocharger
cooler and/or the air conditioner capacitor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a plane view showing a hydraulic shovel.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the main part of the cooling
device having the cooling posture in the first Embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a side view showing the main part of the cooling
device having an open posture in the first Embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the main part of the
cooling device 1 having an open posture in the first
Embodiment.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the main part of the
cooling device 1 having an open posture in the first
Embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the main part of the
cooling device 1 having an open posture in the first
Embodiment.
[0022] FIG. 7 is a side view showing the main part of the cooling
device 1 having an open posture in the second Embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 8 is a side view showing the main part of the cooling
device 1 having an open posture in the second Embodiment.
[0024] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the main part of the
cooling device 1 having an open posture in the second
Embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the main part of the
cooling device 1 having an open posture in the third
Embodiment.
[0026] FIG. 11 is a front view showing the main part of the cooling
device 1 having an open posture in the fourth Embodiment.
[0027] FIG. 12 is a front view showing the main part of the cooling
device 1 having an open posture in the fourth Embodiment.
[0028] FIG. 13 is a plane view showing the main part of the cooling
device 1 having an open posture in the fourth Embodiment.
[0029] FIG. 14 is a side view showing the main part of the cooling
device 1 having an open posture in the fourth Embodiment.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0030] The first embodiment of the present invention will be
described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 6. In the figures, the
reference numeral 1 denotes a hydraulic shovel. The hydraulic
shovel 1 is composed of a crawler-type lower structure 2, an upper
structure 3 rotatably supported by the lower structure 2; and a
front attachment 4 attached to the upper structure 3. Further, the
upper structure 3 also includes a cab 5 and a counterweight 6 or
the like as well as various devices and units such as an engine 7
as a source of power, cooling devices such as a radiator 8, an oil
cooler 9, an air conditioner capacitor 10, and a turbocharger
cooler 11 which will be described later, a hydraulic pump and a
valve device (not shown).
[0031] The radiator 8 is a cooling device for cooling the engine 7.
The oil cooler 9 is a cooling device for cooling hydraulic fluid
and the air conditioner capacitor 10 is a cooling device for
cooling and liquefying the cooling medium for cooling. The
turbocharger cooler 11 is a cooling device for cooling air
compressed by the turbocharger 12. These cooling devices 8 to 11
are structured to be cooled by cooling air flowing thereto by the
rotation of a cooling fan (not shown) connected to the one end of a
crankshaft 7a of the engine 7.
[0032] Among the cooling devices 8 to 11 the radiator 8 is placed
at the closest position to the cooling fan (i.e., the most
downstream side against the flow of the cooling air) and at the
front side of the radiator 8 (upstream side against the flow of the
cooling air), the turbocharger cooler 11 is positioned in the
upward direction and the oil cooler 9 and the air conditioner
capacitor 10 are positioned in the lower direction. The oil cooler
9 is swingably supported by one side of the left side or the right
side of the radiator 8 via the upper and lower hinge members 13 so
as to swing back and forth, whereby enabling it to change the
postures between a cooling posture in which the oil cooler 9 is
arranged in parallel with the radiator 8 so as to be cooled by the
cooling fan and an open posture in which the oil cooler 9 is swung
to the front side so that the lower half of the front face of the
radiator 8 is exposed. The air conditioner capacitor 10 is attached
to the front face of the oil cooler 9 via the leftand right fitting
brackets 14 and is structured to change the postures integrally
with the oil cooler 9. Furthermore, the turbocharger cooler 11 is
swingably supported by the upper front face of the radiator 8 via
the left and right hinge members 15 so as to swing up and down and
is structured to change the postures between a cooling posture in
which the turbocharger cooler 11 is arranged in parallel with the
radiator 8 so as to be cooled by the cooling fan and an open
posture in which the turbocharger cooler 11 is swung from the
cooling posture in the upward direction so that the lower half of
the front face of the radiator 8 is exposed.
[0033] The reference numeral 16 denotes a lock member attached to
the fitting bracket 14. The lock member 16 engages with the lock
receiving member 17 provided at the radiator 8 side, thereby
allowing the oil cooler 9 and the air conditioner capacitor 10 to
be held at a cooling posture. Further, the reference numeral 18
denotes a shroud enclosing the cooling fan, which is to improve the
flow of cooling air, thereby increasing the cooling effect.
[0034] Furthermore, the oil cooler 9 is connected with a hydraulic
pipe 19 through which hydraulic fluid flows. Because the connection
of the hydraulic pipe 19 to the oil cooler 9 is done via a swivel
joint 20, the hydraulic pipe 19 can respond to the swingable
posture change of the oil cooler 9 between the cooling posture and
the open posture. A hose 21 is connected to the air conditioner
capacitor 10, and the hose 21 has flexibility so as to respond to
the swingable posture change of the oil cooler 9 integrally with
the posture change of the air conditioner capacitor 10. Further,
the air supply pipe 22 through which air compressed by the
turbocharger 12 flows is connected to the turbocharger cooler 11,
and has a section arranged on the upper part of the shroud 18 and
the radiator 8 in a bellows-like shape so as to respond to the
posture change of the turbocharger cooler 11 between the cooling
posture and the open posture.
[0035] In the configuration of the first embodiment as described
above, the radiator 8, the oil cooler 9, the air conditioner
capacitor 10, and the turbocharger cooler 11 are cooled by cooling
air flowing thereto by the rotation of the cooling fan,
respectively. In this case, the oil cooler 9 and the turbocharger
cooler 11 arranged at the front side of the radiator 8 can change
the postures between the cooling posture in which the oil cooler 9
and the turbocharger cooler 11 are arranged in parallel with the
radiator 8 and an open posture in which the front face side of the
radiator 8 is exposed. The air conditioner capacitor 10 arranged at
the front side of the oil cooler 9 changes the postures integrated
with the posture change of the oil cooler 9.
[0036] As a result, although the radiator 8, the oil cooler 9, the
air conditioner capacitor 10, the turbocharger cooler 11 are
arranged to be superposed back and forth against the flow of the
cooling air, the oil cooler 9, the air conditioner capacitor 10,
and the turbocharger cooler 11 arranged at the front side are held
at an open posture, thereby making it possible to carry out
maintenance such as cleaning, inspection, and repair of the
radiator 8 arranged at the rear side. Maintenance of the oil cooler
9 arranged between the radiator 8 and the air conditioner capacitor
10 also can be performed by allowing the oil cooler 9 to be held at
an open posture so that the rear face side of the oil cooler 9 is
exposed. As such, maintenance of the cooling device at the rear
side can be performed without removing the cooling device arranged
at the front side, thereby improving workability in
maintenance.
[0037] Additionally, the present invention is not limited to the
first embodiment of the present invention. For example, as the
second embodiment shown in FIG. 7 through FIG. 9, as well as the
first embodiment, the present invention also can be adapted to the
configuration in which the oil cooler 9 is large sized and the
turbocharger cooler 11 and the air conditioner capacitor 10 are
arranged up and down at the front side of the oil cooler 9.
[0038] The configurations shown in the first and second embodiments
are the Back To Back (BTB) type in which the oil cooler 9 and the
radiator 8 are arranged to be superposed back and forth against the
flow of the cooling air, however, the present invention also can be
adapted to a configuration of the Side By Side (SBS) type as shown
in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 10 and the fourth embodiment
shown in FIG. 11 through FIG. 14 in which the oil cooler 9 and the
radiator 8 are arranged adjacent to each other at the left and
right sides.
[0039] In the configuration shown in the third and fourth
embodiments, on the front side of the oil cooler 9 and the radiator
8 that are arranged to be adjacent to each other at left and right
sides, the turbocharger cooler 11 is arranged at the upper part and
the air conditioner capacitor 10 is arranged at the lower part.
However, in the configuration of the third embodiment, the
turbocharger cooler 11 is swigably supported by the oil cooler 9
and the radiator 8 so as to swing up and down and is structured to
change the posture between the cooling posture and the open
posture. On the other hand, the air conditioner capacitor 10 is
supported by the oil cooler 9 so as to swing horizontally and is
structured to change the posture between the cooling posture and
the open posture.
[0040] In the configuration shown in the third embodiment,
maintenance such as cleaning, inspection, repair of the oil cooler
9 and the radiator 8 arranged at the rear side can be performed by
allowing the air conditioner capacitor 10 and the turbocharger
cooler 11 arranged at the front side to be held at an open
posture.
[0041] Further, in the fourth embodiment, it is configured such
that only the air conditioner capacitor 10 changes the postures
between the cooling posture and the open posture.
[0042] Specifically, in the configuration shown in the fourth
embodiment, the turbocharger cooler 11 is bolted to the front face
of the case frame 23 in which the oil cooler 9 and the radiator 8
are assembled via the left and right fitting brackets 24. In this
case, between the turbocharger cooler 11, the oil cooler 9 and the
radiator 8, an appropriate space S through which a cleaning worker
can visually observe the core sections of the cooling devices 8, 9,
and 11 from the lower direction of the turbocharger cooler 11 is
secured. In FIG. 11 to FIG. 14, the reference numeral 25 denote an
air supply pipe connected to the turbocharger cooler 11, however,
because in the fourth embodiment, it is structured so that the
turbocharger cooler 11 does not change the postures, thus the air
supply pipe 25 is not required to deform, the configuration of the
fourth embodiment differs from the configurations in the first
through embodiments, thereby using the conventional general-purpose
air supply pipe 25.
[0043] On the other hand, in the configuration of the fourth
embodiment, the air conditioner capacitor 10 is supported by and
fixed to a square frame-like support member 26 and a pair of upper
and lower hinge 27 are attached to the left end section of the
support member 26 at the one side. At the left side of the case
frame 23 in which the oil cooler 9 and the radiator 8 are
assembled, a first support bracket 28 protruding in the frontward
direction is fixed. At the first support bracket 28, the second
support bracket 29 protruding in the right direction is fixed. And
the pair of hinges 27 are attached to the second support bracket 29
at the other side so that the support member 26 can be pivotably
swung back and forth around the pin shaft of the hinge 27. As a
result, the air conditioner capacitor 10 is structured to change
the postures integrally with the support member 26 between the
cooling posture in which the air conditioner capacitor 10 is
arranged in parallel with the radiator 8 and the oil cooler 9 so as
to be cooled by the cooling fan and an open posture in which the
air conditioner capacitor 10 is swung from the cooling posture to
the front side so that the front face lower halves of the radiator
8 and the oil cooler 9 are opened.
[0044] The pipe 30 through which the cooling medium flows is
connected to the left end of the air conditioner capacitor 10, and
the one side of the pipe 30 to which the air conditioner capacitor
10 is connected is composed of a steel pipe 30a. A flexible hose
30b is connected to the tip end of the steel pipe 30a so as to
respond to the above-described posture change of the air
conditioner capacitor 10. The above steel pipe 30a is designed to
slightly project from the left end of the air conditioner capacitor
10 to the left outside and to bend forward, thereby preventing the
pipe 30 from interfering with other members such as the hinge 27
and the second support bracket 29 when the air conditioner
capacitor 10 has an open posture.
[0045] In FIG. 11 to FIG. 14, the reference numeral 31 denotes a
latching device with a handle 31a provided at the right side of the
support member 26, and the reference numeral 32 denotes a latch
receiving fixture provided at the third support bracket 33 fixed to
the right side part of the case frame 23 so as to be engageably
locked by the latching device 31, thereby allowing the air
conditioner capacitor 10 to be held at a cooling posture, and at
the same time allowing an operator to swing the air conditioner
capacitor 10 with a light control force.
[0046] In the configuration of the fourth embodiment as described
above, the oil cooler 9 and the radiator 8 are arranged adjacent to
each other left and right, at the front side of these oil cooler 9
and radiator 8, the turbocharger cooler 11 is placed at the upper
side and the air conditioner capacitor 10 is placed at the lower
side.
[0047] When the cooling device in this configuration is cleaned,
the air conditioner capacitor 10 is allowed to be held at an open
posture, thereby the rear face side of the air conditioner
capacitor 10, and the front face lower halves of the oil cooler 9
and of the radiator 8 are exposed, thus these parts can be easily
cleaned. On the other hand, as described above, between the
turbocharger cooler 11, the oil cooler 9, and the radiator 8, the
appropriate space S through which a cleaning worker can visually
observe the core section of the cooling devices from the lower part
of the turbocharger cooler 11 is secured. As a result, the cleaning
worker standing at ground level can visually observe from the lower
direction the core section of the cooling device by allowing the
air conditioner capacitor 10 arranged at the lower side of the
turbocharger cooler 11 to be held at an open posture, thereby
allowing the cooling devices to be cleaned easily without damaging
the core section, thus improving workability.
[0048] Additionally, in the configuration of the fourth embodiment,
only the air conditioner capacitor 10 among the cooling devices
provided at the front side of the oil cooler 9 and the radiator 8
is structured to change the postures between the cooling posture
and the open posture, and the turbocharger cooler 11 is bolted.
Thus, when repair of the oil cooler 9 and the radiator 8 is
performed, the turbocharger cooler 11 is required to be removed.
But in case of a construction machine, such as a hydraulic shovel
which works at construction site with lots of dust, cleaning of
cooling devices is required to be frequently performed, cleaning
can be performed without removing the turbocharger cooler 11 while
observing the core section.
[0049] Further in the fourth embodiment, the air conditioner
capacitor 10 which is arranged at the lower side among the cooling
devices arranged adjacent to each other at the upper and lower
sides is structured so as to change the postures. Thus, by allowing
the air conditioner capacitor 10 to be held at an open posture, an
operator responsible for cleaning can visually observe appropriate
space S between the turbocharger cooler 11, the oil cooler 9 and
the radiator 8 from the lower direction, thereby a cleaning worker
can clean at ground level (or in a condition where a cleaning
worker stands on the crawler upper face in the case of a large
construction machine) avoiding trouble such as climbing on the
upper face of the upper rotating body 3 to clean the cooling
device, thus contributing to improvements in workability.
[0050] Further, the present invention can also be adapted to a
configuration in which only the air conditioner capacitor is
arranged at the front side or at the rear side of the radiator
and/or the oil cooler or a configuration in which the air
conditioner capacitor and the turbocharger cooler are arranged to
be superposed back and forth, for example.
[0051] In the second, third and fourth embodiments, components
identical to those in the first embodiment are provided with the
same reference numerals.
Industrial Applicability
[0052] As described above, a cooling device in a construction
machine according to the present invention can be effectively used
for cooling devices including an oil cooler and a radiator that is
arranged by the Back To Back (BTB) or the Side By Side (SBS) method
in a construction machine such as a hydraulic shovel, more
specifically, the cooling device of the present invention is
particularly suitable for cooling devices in which the air
conditioner capacitor or the turbocharger cooler is arranged at the
front side of the radiator and/or the oil cooler.
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