U.S. patent application number 13/885456 was filed with the patent office on 2014-01-02 for hydraulic excavator.
This patent application is currently assigned to KOMATSU LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is Kouji Hoshi, Yoshihiko Inagaki, Ryou Kondou, Hidemichi Takagi. Invention is credited to Kouji Hoshi, Yoshihiko Inagaki, Ryou Kondou, Hidemichi Takagi.
Application Number | 20140003901 13/885456 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49396689 |
Filed Date | 2014-01-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140003901 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Takagi; Hidemichi ; et
al. |
January 2, 2014 |
HYDRAULIC EXCAVATOR
Abstract
A hydraulic excavator comprises a main valve that sits on an
upper structure to the right of a work implement, and an attachment
component that gathers a plurality of hydraulic hoses that are
connected at a first end to the main valve and fixes them on the
upper face of a boom.
Inventors: |
Takagi; Hidemichi;
(Minoo-shi, JP) ; Hoshi; Kouji; (Hirakata-shi,
JP) ; Inagaki; Yoshihiko; (Hirakata-shi, JP) ;
Kondou; Ryou; (Hirakata-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Takagi; Hidemichi
Hoshi; Kouji
Inagaki; Yoshihiko
Kondou; Ryou |
Minoo-shi
Hirakata-shi
Hirakata-shi
Hirakata-shi |
|
JP
JP
JP
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
KOMATSU LTD.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
49396689 |
Appl. No.: |
13/885456 |
Filed: |
September 5, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
September 5, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2012/072644 |
371 Date: |
May 15, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
414/687 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02F 3/30 20130101; E02F
9/0875 20130101; E02F 3/425 20130101; E02F 9/2275 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
414/687 |
International
Class: |
E02F 3/42 20060101
E02F003/42; E02F 3/30 20060101 E02F003/30 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 22, 2012 |
JP |
2012-116494 |
Claims
1. A hydraulic excavator comprising: a lower traveling unit capable
of traveling by rotating crawler belts; an upper structure
rotatably disposed on the lower traveling unit; a boom movably
attached to the upper structure to be driven in an up and down
direction around a rotary shaft by hydraulic pressure; a work tool
mounted to a distal end of the boom to perform various kinds of
work; a plurality of hydraulic cylinders provided along the boom to
drive the boom and the work tool; a main valve disposed to a side
of the boom on the upper structure; hydraulic hoses connected at a
first end to the main valve and at a second end to the hydraulic
cylinders to supply hydraulic fluid from the main valve to the
hydraulic cylinders; and an attachment component fixing a middle
portion of the hydraulic hoses to an upper face of the boom, the
attachment component having a connector that is fixed to a side
face of the boom, and a fixing part that fixes the hydraulic hoses
so that the hydraulic hoses are disposed on the upper face of the
boom.
2. The hydraulic excavator according to claim 1, wherein the
hydraulic hoses are disposed along an outer frame portion of the
upper structure in a state in which the boom has been raised as far
as the boom will go.
3. The hydraulic excavator according to claim 2, further comprising
a bracket provided at a location opposite the attachment component
and adjacent the main valve, the hydraulic hoses being disposed
linearly between the bracket and the attachment component.
4. The hydraulic excavator according to claim 1, wherein the
bracket has a seat part that is attached along a forward and
backward direction of a body, and a guide part that is disposed at
an angle to the seat part and guides the hydraulic hoses.
5. (canceled)
6. The hydraulic excavator according to claim 2, wherein the
bracket has a seat part that is attached along a forward and
backward direction of a body, and a guide part that is disposed at
an angle to the seat part and guides the hydraulic hoses.
7. The hydraulic excavator according to claim 3, wherein the
bracket has a seat part that is attached along a forward and
backward direction of a body, and a guide part that is disposed at
an angle to the seat part and guides the hydraulic hoses.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent
Application No. 2011-116494 filed on May 22, 2012, the disclosure
of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a hydraulic excavator that
is equipped with various kinds of actuator that are driven by
hydraulic fluid supplied through hydraulic lines.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Hydraulic excavators have been used in the past which
comprised an upper structure capable of revolving with respect to a
lower traveling unit that travels by rotating crawler belts, and in
which a boom, bucket, or other such work implement driven by
hydraulic pressure was installed on the upper structure.
[0006] For example, the following Japanese Laid-Open Patent
Application No. 2010-106450 (laid open on May 13, 2010) discloses a
hydraulic excavator in which hydraulic hoses connected to a main
valve disposed to the side of a work implement are disposed via an
attachment component attached to the side face of the work
implement (boom).
SUMMARY
[0007] However, the following problems were encountered with the
conventional hydraulic excavator discussed above.
[0008] Specifically, with the hydraulic excavator disclosed in the
above-mentioned publication, since the hydraulic hoses are attached
to the side face of the boom, if the outer frame portion of the
upper structure of the hydraulic excavator (such as cover of the
operating fluid tank) happens to be large in size, then when the
boom is driven up and down, there is the risk that the attachment
component of the hydraulic hoses will interfere with part of the
outer frame.
[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
hydraulic excavator with which interference between the hydraulic
hoses and part of the outer frame can be avoided even when the
outer frame of the upper structure is large, and thereby to extend
the service life of the hydraulic hoses.
[0010] The hydraulic excavator pertaining to a first aspect
comprises a lower traveling unit capable of traveling by rotating
crawler belts, an upper structure, a boom, a work tool, a plurality
of hydraulic cylinders, a main valve, hydraulic hoses, and an
attachment component. The upper structure sits on the lower
traveling unit in a revolvable state. The boom is attached on the
upper structure in a state that allows it to be driven in the up
and down direction around a rotational axis by hydraulic pressure.
The work tool is mounted to the distal end of the boom and is used
to perform various kinds of work. The hydraulic cylinders are
provided along the boom to drive the boom and the work tool. The
main valve is disposed to the side of the boom on the upper
structure. The hydraulic hoses are connected at a first end to the
main valve and at a second end to the hydraulic cylinders, and
supply hydraulic fluid from the main valve to the hydraulic
cylinders. The attachment component fixes the middle portion of the
hydraulic hoses to the upper face of the boom.
[0011] With a hydraulic excavator that performs work by supplying
hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic cylinder that drives a boom mounted
on the upper structure, or a work tool attached to the distal end
of the boom, an attachment component is provided so that the middle
portion of the hydraulic hoses, which supply hydraulic fluid from a
main valve disposed to the side of the boom on the upper structure,
to the various hydraulic cylinders, will be disposed on the upper
face of the boom.
[0012] The above-mentioned work tool includes a bucket, a ripper, a
cutter, and the like. The "upper face of the boom" means the face
on the cab side in the direction in which a boom with a box
structure is driven up and down.
[0013] Consequently, since part of the hydraulic hoses is disposed
on the upper face of the boom, the amount of bending of the
hydraulic hoses that occurs when the boom is moved up or down can
be controlled within the proper range better than with a
conventional structure in which the middle portion of the hydraulic
hoses is fixed to the side face of the boom.
[0014] As a result, even if the outer frame height of the upper
structure should increase due to the installation of more devices
on the upper structure as is common today, the hydraulic hoses can
be prevented from interfering with part of the outer frame of the
upper structure, and this extends the service life of the hydraulic
hoses.
[0015] The hydraulic excavator pertaining to a second aspect is the
hydraulic excavator pertaining to the first invention, wherein the
hydraulic hoses are disposed along the outer frame portion of the
upper structure in a state in which the boom has been raised as far
as it will go.
[0016] Here, the hydraulic hoses are disposed along the outer frame
portion of the upper structure in a state in which the boom has
been lifted to its highest position.
[0017] Consequently, the hydraulic hoses can be prevented from
interfering with the outer frame portion of the upper structure at
the boom position with the greatest amount of bending of the
hydraulic hoses.
[0018] The hydraulic excavator pertaining to a third aspect is the
hydraulic excavator pertaining to the second invention, further
comprising a bracket that is provided at a location opposite the
attachment component and near the main valve. The hydraulic hoses
are disposed linearly between the bracket and the attachment
component.
[0019] Here, the bracket is provided near the main valve in order
to linearly guide the hydraulic hoses connected at a first end to
the main valve toward the upper face (attachment component) of the
boom.
[0020] Consequently, the hydraulic hoses connected at the first end
to the main valve can easily be guided linearly via the bracket
toward the upper face (attachment component) of the boom.
[0021] The hydraulic excavator pertaining to a fourth aspect is the
hydraulic excavator pertaining to any of the first to third
inventions, wherein the bracket has a seat part that is attached
along the forward and backward direction of the body, and a guide
part that is disposed at an angle to the seat part and guides the
hydraulic hoses.
[0022] Here, a bracket is used which has a seat part that is
attached along the forward and backward direction of the body, and
a guide part that is disposed at an angle to the seat part.
[0023] The "forward and backward direction of the body" here refers
to the forward and backward direction in a state in which an
operator is sitting in the driver's seat of the cab of the
hydraulic excavator.
[0024] Consequently, the use of a bracket with a simple structure
allows the hydraulic hoses to be disposed linearly from the main
valve to the attachment component by guiding the hydraulic hoses,
which are connected at the first end to the main valve disposed to
the side of the boom, toward the upper face of the boom.
[0025] The hydraulic excavator pertaining to a fifth aspect is the
hydraulic excavator pertaining to any of the first to fourth
inventions, wherein the attachment component has a connector that
is fixed to the side face of the boom, and a fixing part that fixes
the hydraulic hoses so that they are disposed on the upper face of
the boom.
[0026] Here, an attachment component is used which has a connector
that is fixed to the side face of the boom, and a fixing part that
fixes the hydraulic hoses so that they are disposed on the upper
face of the boom.
[0027] Consequently, the fixing site of the attachment component
itself can be provided to the boom side face, and the hydraulic
hoses can be fixed to the upper face of the boom.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 is an overall oblique view of the configuration of
the hydraulic excavator pertaining to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0029] FIG. 2 is an oblique view of the internal configuration
around a work implement in a state in which the outer frame of the
hydraulic excavator in FIG. 1 has been removed;
[0030] FIG. 3 is a side view of the configuration around the work
implement of the hydraulic excavator in FIG. 1;
[0031] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the configuration around the work
implement of the hydraulic excavator in FIG. 1;
[0032] FIG. 5 is a cross section of the configuration around an
attachment component for fixing a plurality of hydraulic hoses to
the boom upper face in the hydraulic excavator in FIG. 1;
[0033] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the internal configuration around
the work implement in a state in which the outer frame of the
hydraulic excavator in FIG. 1 has been removed;
[0034] FIG. 7 is an oblique view of the configuration around a
bracket that fixes the hydraulic hoses in the configuration in FIG.
5;
[0035] FIG. 8 is an oblique view of the configuration of the
bracket in FIG. 6;
[0036] FIG. 9 is a side view of the bending state of the hydraulic
hoses when the boom of the hydraulic excavator in FIG. 1 is driven
up and down; and
[0037] FIG. 10 is an oblique view of the movement of the hydraulic
hoses when the boom of the hydraulic excavator in FIG. 1 is moved
up and down between the upper and lower ends.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0038] The hydraulic excavator 1 pertaining to an embodiment of the
present invention will now be described through reference to FIGS.
1 to 10.
[0039] The "forward and backward" and "left and right" directions
used in the following description refer to the directions as seen
by the operator seated in the seat inside the cab 10 of the
hydraulic excavator 1.
[0040] Overall Configuration of Hydraulic Excavator 1
[0041] The hydraulic excavator 1 pertaining to this embodiment is a
short rear-end swing type of hydraulic excavator, and as shown in
FIG. 1, comprises a lower traveling unit 2, an upper structure 3, a
work implement (actuator) 4, a counterweight 5, an engine
compartment 6, and a cab 10.
[0042] The lower traveling unit 2 moves the hydraulic excavator 1
forward and backward by rotating crawler belts P wrapped around the
left and right end portions in the travel direction, and has the
upper structure 3 installed in a revolvable state on top.
[0043] The upper structure 3 is able to revolve in any direction on
top of the lower traveling unit 2, and is equipped on its upper
face with the work implement 4, the counterweight 5, the engine
compartment 6, the cab 10, and a main valve 22 (see FIG. 2). As
shown in FIG. 2, the upper structure 3 has a work implement
mounting component 3a to which the end of a boom 11 included in the
work implement 4 is fixed in a rotatable state. The work implement
mounting component 3a is provided to as to protrude upward from a
main boom of the upper structure, on the upper face of the upper
structure 3, and a rotary shaft that serves as the rotational axis
of the boom 11 is mounted.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 2, the work implement 4 is attached in a
rotatable state to the work implement mounting component 3a
provided in the approximate center of the upper face of the upper
structure 3. As shown in FIG. 1, the work implement 4 has the boom
11, which is bent at its center portion, an arm 12 attached to the
distal end of the boom 11, and a bucket (work tool) 13 attached to
the distal end of the arm 12. The hydraulic excavator 1 drives
hydraulic cylinders 11a, 12a, and 13a by hydraulic fluid supplied
through hydraulic hoses 20, and thereby performs work at a
construction site, in which the boom 11, the arm 12, the bucket 13,
etc., are moved up and down while excavating dirt, gravel, etc. The
configuration around this work implement 4 will be discussed in
detail below.
[0045] The counterweight 5 consists, for example, of a box made of
sheet metal and filled with scrap iron, concrete, or the like, and
is provided to the rear of the engine compartment 6 on the upper
structure 3 to balance the body during digging or the like.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 1, the engine compartment 6 is disposed
adjacent to the counterweight 5, and has a top opening that is used
for inspection and is covered by an engine hood 14 that can be
opened and closed. The engine compartment 6 internally houses an
engine (not shown) that serves as the power source for driving the
lower traveling unit 2 and the work implement 4, a cooling core
(not shown), and so forth.
[0047] The cab 10 has an interior space in which the operator of
the hydraulic excavator 1 rides. The cab 10 has on its left side
face an access door for ingress and egress to and from the interior
space by the operator.
[0048] As shown in FIG. 2, the main valve 22 is disposed to the
side of the work implement mounting component 3a on the upper
structure 3 in order to supply hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic
pump to the hydraulic cylinders 11a, 12a, and 13a via the plurality
of hydraulic hoses 20. The disposition of the main valve 22 will be
discussed in detail below.
[0049] Because the hydraulic excavator 1 in this embodiment is a
short rear-end swing type, there is less space on the upper face
side of the upper structure 3 than with an ordinary hydraulic
excavator. Therefore, in this embodiment, the main valve 22 is
provided to the right, rather than to the rear, of the work
implement mounting component 3a on the upper face side of the upper
structure 3.
Configuration Around Work Implement 4
[0050] As discussed above, the hydraulic excavator 1 in this
embodiment has the hydraulic cylinders 11a, 12a, and 13a for
respectively driving the boom 11, the arm 12, and the bucket 13
that constitute the work implement 4.
[0051] The hydraulic cylinders 11a, 12a, and 13a are driven by
hydraulic fluid supplied from the plurality of hydraulic hoses 20,
which are each connected at one end (first end) to the main valve
22 disposed to the right of the work implement mounting component
3a on the upper structure 3, and at the other end (second end) to
the hydraulic cylinders 11a, 12a, and 13a.
[0052] As shown in FIG. 2, the hydraulic hoses 20 are connected at
their first end to the main valve 22, are fixed at their middle
portions to the upper face 11b of the boom 11, and are connected at
their second end to the hydraulic cylinders 11a, 12a, and 13a. As
shown in FIG. 3, the hydraulic hoses 20 are disposed conforming to
the shape of a outer frame portion H of the upper structure 3 so as
not to come into contact with the outer frame portion H, due to the
disposition of an attachment component 21 (discussed below), etc.,
in a state in which the boom 11 has been raised as far as it will
go. Consequently, damage to the hydraulic hoses 20 can be prevented
even when the boom 11 is repeatedly moved up and down to and from
the highest position of the boom 11 at which there is the most
bending of the hydraulic hoses 20.
[0053] The attachment component 21, which gathers and fixes the
hydraulic hoses 20, is provided at a location slightly lower than
the center of the boom 11. A bracket 23 and a hose clamp 24 that
gather the hydraulic hoses 20 and guide them to the upper face 11b
side of the boom 11 are provided to a first end side of the
hydraulic hoses 20.
[0054] As shown in FIG. 4, the attachment component 21 is provided
in order to gather the hydraulic hoses 20 and fix them on the upper
face 11b of the boom 11. As shown in FIG. 5, the attachment
component 21 has a connector 21a fixed to the side face 11c of the
boom 11, and a fixing part 21b that gathers the hydraulic hoses 20
and fixes them on the upper face 11b of the boom 11.
[0055] The connector 21a is formed from a flat steel plate, and is
fixed to the side face 11c of the boom 11 with a plurality of bolts
31. The fixing part 21b is the portion that gathers the hydraulic
hoses 20 and fixes them on the upper face 11b of the boom 11, and
is formed by bending the flat steel plate in an approximate U
shape. That is, in this embodiment, the attachment component 21
itself is fixed to the side face 11c of the boom 11 at the portion
of the flat connector 21a. On the other hand, the attachment
component 21 gathers the hydraulic hoses 20 and fixes them on the
upper face 11b of the boom 11 at the portion (the fixing part 21b)
connected to the flat connector 21a.
[0056] As shown in FIG. 6, the main valve 22 is disposed to the
side of the boom 11 on the upper structure 3. "Is disposed to the
side of the boom 11" means that it is disposed at a location that
is offset from the center line of the boom 11.
[0057] As shown in FIG. 6, the bracket 23 is provided near the main
valve 22 in order to gather the hydraulic hoses 20 connected at
their first end to the main valve 22 disposed to the right of the
work implement mounting component 3a, and guide them substantially
linearly toward the upper face 11b of the boom 11, that is, the
fixing part 21b of the attachment component 21 fixed to the boom
11. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the bracket 23 is
attached to the side face on the main valve 22 side of the work
implement mounting component 3a disposed in the forward and
backward direction of the hydraulic excavator 1. The bracket 23 is
a member obtained by bending a flat steel plate, and has a seat
part 23a and a guide part 23b, as shown in FIG. 8.
[0058] The seat part 23a is part of a flat steel plate having a
plurality of holes into which bolts are inserted, and as shown in
FIG. 7, it is fixed with these bolts to the side face of the work
implement mounting component 3a.
[0059] As shown in FIG. 8, the guide part 23b is part of a flat
steel plate formed so as to be inclined at a specific angle to the
seat part 23a fixed to the side face of the work implement mounting
component 3a, and the hose clamp 24 is attached thereto. The
bending angle of the guide part 23b with respect to the seat part
23a, as shown in FIG. 6, is set so as to gather the hydraulic hoses
20 and guide them substantially linearly toward the upper face 11b
of the boom 11. That is, the guide part 23b is set with respect to
the seat part 23a attached in the forward and backward direction of
the hydraulic excavator 1, so that it faces the direction in which
the hydraulic hoses 20 are to be guided toward the upper face 11b
of the boom 11.
[0060] As shown in FIG. 7, the hose clamp 24 is attached to the
guide part 23b in order to gather the hydraulic hoses 20 and guide
them substantially linearly toward the upper face 11b of the boom
11. That is, the hose clamp 24 is attached to the guide part 23b
that is bent at a specific angle to the seat part 23a, which allows
the hydraulic hoses 20 to be gathered and guided substantially
linearly toward the upper face 11b of the boom 11.
[0061] Movement of Hydraulic Hoses 20 as Boom 11 Moves Up and
Down
[0062] As discussed above, the hydraulic excavator 1 in this
embodiment comprises the main valve 22 installed to the right of
the work implement 4 on the upper structure 3, and the attachment
component 21 that gathers the middle portion of the hydraulic
hoses, which are connected at their first end to the main valve 22,
and fixes them on the upper face 11b of the boom 11.
[0063] Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, the amount of bending of the
hydraulic hoses 20 can be controlled so that it is within a
suitable range, from the position S1 of the boom 11 during
transportation of the hydraulic excavator 1 (see the solid lines in
the drawing), to the position S2 at which the boom 11 has been
lowered as far as it will go, and to the position S3 at which the
boom 11 has been raised as far as it will go.
[0064] Specifically, at the position S2 of the boom 11 at which the
boom 11 has been lowered as far as it will go, the distance from
the bracket 23 attached near the main valve 22 to the attachment
component 21 attached to the boom 11 is at its maximum. Therefore,
the amount of bending of the hydraulic hoses 20 is at its minimum.
At this point a suitable amount of bending of the hydraulic hoses
20 is maintained as shown in FIG. 9.
[0065] Next, at the position S1 of the boom 11 during
transportation of the hydraulic excavator 1, the distance from the
bracket 23 to the attachment component 21 is slightly shorter than
at the position S2 of the boom 11, so the amount of bending of the
hydraulic hoses 20 increases slightly, but there is not enough
bending for the hoses to come into contact with the outer frame
portion H of the upper structure 3.
[0066] Next, at the position S3 at which the boom 11 has been
raised as far as it will go, the distance from the bracket 23
attached near the main valve 22 to the attachment component 21
attached to the boom 11 is at its minimum. Therefore, the amount of
bending of the hydraulic hoses 20 is at its maximum. However, in
this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the hydraulic hoses 20 with
their greatest amount of bending can be disposed along the outer
frame portion H of the upper structure 3 even at the position S3 of
the boom 11 at which the amount of bending of the hydraulic hoses
20 is greatest.
[0067] Consequently, the amount of bending of the hydraulic hoses
20 can be kept within a suitable range during the raising and
lowering of the boom 11, and since the hydraulic hoses 20 are
disposed so as not to come into contact with the outer frame
portion H of the upper structure 3 even at the position S3 of
greatest bending, the hydraulic hoses 20 can be prevented from
coming into contact with part of the outer frame portion H as the
boom 11 moves up and down, which could damage the hydraulic hoses
20.
[0068] Also, with the hydraulic excavator 1 in this embodiment, the
range of fluctuation in the amount of bending of the hydraulic
hoses 20 accompanying the up and down movement of the boom 11 can
be kept within a suitable range without moving the attachment
position of the attachment component 21, which gathers the
hydraulic hoses 20 and fixes them on the upper face 11b of the boom
11, with respect to the boom 11 to a higher position than in the
past.
[0069] Consequently, there is no impingement on the height
restriction during transportation, when the hydraulic excavator 1
is transported in a state of being loaded onto the bed of a
trailer.
[0070] Furthermore, with the boom 11 in this embodiment, as shown
in FIG. 6, the hydraulic hoses 20 are disposed substantially
linearly from the bracket 23 disposed near the main valve 22,
toward the upper face 11b of the boom 11.
[0071] Consequently, twisting of the hydraulic hoses 20 that occurs
when the boom 11 is moved up and down can be kept to a minimum.
[0072] Also, with the hydraulic excavator 1 in this embodiment, as
shown in FIG. 3, the hydraulic hoses 20 are disposed along the
outer frame portion H so as not to come into contact with the outer
frame portion H of the upper structure 3 at the position of the
hydraulic excavator 1 that has been raised as far as it will
go.
[0073] Consequently, even when the boom 11 is repeatedly moved up
and down to the highest position of the boom 11 at which there is
the greatest amount of bending of the hydraulic hoses 20, the
hydraulic hoses 20 can be prevented from coming into contact with
the outer frame portion H of the upper structure 3, which would
damage them.
Other Embodiments
[0074] An embodiment of the present invention was described above,
but the present invention is not limited to or by the above
embodiment, and various modifications are possible without
departing from the gist of the invention.
[0075] In the above embodiment, an example was given of using the
attachment component 21, which included the connector 21a composed
of a flat steel plate, and the fixing part 21b formed by working
the flat steel plate into an approximate U shape, but the present
invention is not limited to this.
[0076] The shape of the attachment component 21 can be suitably
changed according to the number and shape of the hydraulic hoses 20
and the direction in which they are to be guided.
[0077] In the above embodiment, an example was given in which the
bracket 23 that gathered the hydraulic hoses 20 and guided them
onto the upper face 11b of the boom 11 was formed by bending a flat
steel plate, but the present invention is not limited to this.
[0078] The shape of the bracket 23 can be suitably changed
according to the number and shape of the hydraulic hoses 20 and the
direction in which they are to be guided.
[0079] In the above embodiment, an example was given of a hydraulic
excavator 1 to which a bucket 13 was mounted as a work tool
(attachment) that was attached to the distal end of the work
implement 4, but the present invention is not limited to this.
[0080] For example, the present invention may be applied to a
hydraulic excavator in which a ripper, cutter, or some other such
work tool is mounted to the distal end of the work implement.
[0081] The hydraulic excavator of the present invention has the
effect of avoiding interference between the hydraulic hoses and
part of the outer frame of the upper structure, which prevents
damage to the hydraulic hoses, so it can be widely applied to
construction machines that supply hydraulic fluid to various kinds
of actuator via hydraulic hoses.
* * * * *