Battery holding structure for vehicle

Since the battery is placed in the battery tray, the battery can stably held in place even if the battery support part of the floor panel is somewhat uneven. The battery support part (31) on which the battery (B) is supported is a part of a floor panel (30) of the vehicle (21), the number of the mounting holes (31) is at least two, the battery is placed in a battery tray (5) placed on the battery support part, the battery tray has lugs (5a) provided with holes (5b) having a diameter greater than that of the hook rods (1) and smaller than an outside diameter of the tubular spacers (3) at positions corresponding to the mounting holes, and the battery tray (5) is fastened together with the battery (B) to the battery support part (31) of the floor panel through the tubular spacers by the hook rods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a battery holding structure for holding a battery on a vehicle and, more particularly, to a battery holding structure suitable for holding a battery on a utility vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art

Utility vehicles are those suitable for various kinds of work including carrying goods on rough roads. Generally, a utility vehicle21as shown inFIG. 1has a body frame26formed by assembling metal parts, four wheels, namely, two front wheels22and two rear wheels23, a power unit, not shown, such as an engine, a driver's seat24, and a load carrying platform25disposed behind the driver's seat24. In most cases, the wheels22and23are provided with wide tires suitable for running on rough roads.

In most cases, a battery mounted on the utility vehicle21is used not only as a power source for starting, ignition and control of the engine, illumination and lighting marker lamps of the vehicle, but also as a power source for driving drive motors for driving working equipment. Therefore, a plurality of fully charged batteries are stored and the battery on the working vehicle21is replaced frequently with a fully charged one. Therefore the battery is held in a place that facilitates changing the battery, such as on a floor panel under or near the driver's seat24.

A conventional battery holding structure for holding a battery on a vehicle body will be described by way of example with reference toFIG. 5. A battery tray50is placed on a floor panel30of the body of a working vehicle, not shown. The battery tray50has a bottom wall50a, and low side walls50band50cstanding from the bottom wall50a. A battery B is mounted on the battery tray50. Positioning lugs52provided with holes52project outward from substantially middle parts of the upper edges of the front and the rear sidewall50c, respectively. Mounting holes31are formed in the floor panel30at positions respectively corresponding to the holes52aof the positioning lugs52.

A clamping plate7is placed longitudinally across a middle part of the upper surface of the battery B. Holes7bare formed in opposite end parts of the clamping plate7so as to correspond to the holes52aof the lugs52, respectively. Hook rods1having threaded upper parts1aare passed upward from below the floor panel30through the two mounting holes31, the two holes52aand the two holes7bof the clamping plate7so that the threaded upper parts1aproject upward from the clamping plate7. Nuts2are screwed on the threaded upper parts1ato hold the battery B on the floor panel30. Each of the hook rods1has an L-shaped lower part1b. The L-shaped lower parts1bengages with the edges of the mounting holes31of the floor panel30to hold the hook rods1in engagement with the floor panel30.

In a battery holding structure proposed in JP11-342809A (Paragraph No. 0020,FIGS. 2 and 5) a cover plate of a hanger is placed on the upper front edge of a battery, a bent part of a round rod welded to the cover plate is engaged in a hole formed in an upper connecting plate, bent parts of hanger bolts (hook rods) are engaged in holes formed in a lower connecting plate, and nuts are screwed on threaded parts of the hanger bolts projecting from a bolt hole to hold the battery.

In a battery holding structure proposed in JP63-47191U (Middle part of the right column in p. 2,FIG. 5), a pair of swing arms supported for turning in vertical planes in a rear part of a vehicle body are connected by a connecting plate, a battery is mounted on a tray supported on the connecting plate, and a holder is placed on a rubber pad placed on the battery, and the holder is fastened with nuts to stays (hook rods) connected by brackets to the connecting plate.

Each of the foregoing conventional battery holding structure and the prior art battery holding structures holds the battery by connecting the clamping member (clamping plate or the like) placed on the upper surface of the battery, and the battery support part (floor of the vehicle or the like) with the hook rods having the L-shaped lower parts and the threaded upper parts.

The battery of the utility vehicle inFIG. 5is held on the floor panel under the driver's seat by such a battery holding structure. The battery holding structure needs at least the two hook rods, the two hook rods need to be passed upward from below the floor panel through the holes formed in the floor panel, and the nuts are screwed on the threaded upper parts of the hook rods passed through the holes of the clamping plate disposed on the upper surface of the battery and projecting upward from the holes of the clamping plate to hold the battery firmly on the floor panel. The hook rod passed upward through the hole of the floor panel must be supported by hand until the nut is screwed on the threaded upper part so that the hook rod may not drop. Therefore, the mechanic needs to perform a troublesome work for supporting the hook rod by one of the hands and placing the clamping plate on the battery by the other hand. The floor panel of the working vehicle, in particular, is at a low height from the ground and hence the mechanic unavoidably needs to stoop during most part of the troublesome work, which puts a considerable workload on the mechanic.

The battery may be damaged if the nuts are tightened excessively and the battery may unstably held and rattle if the nuts are tightened insufficiently. Therefore, the nuts must be tightened properly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a battery holding structure for a vehicle, facilitating work for holding a battery on the vehicle, and capable of fastening a battery to the vehicle in a short time and of firmly holding a battery on the vehicle.

According to the present invention, a battery holding structure for holding a battery at a predetermined position on a vehicle, comprising: a floor panel having a battery support part for supporting a battery thereon, of a vehicle, provided with mounting holes; a clamping member provided with holes in its opposite end parts and placed on top of the battery;

hook rods each having a substantially J- or L-shaped lower part and a threaded upper part, passed from below the battery support part upward through the mounting holes of the battery support part such that the lower parts are engaged with the edges of the mounting holes of the battery support part and the threaded upper parts project upward through the holes of the battery clamping member; nuts screwed on the threaded upper parts of the hook rods to hold the battery on the battery support part; tubular spacers having an outside diameter greater than diameters of the mounting holes and a length defining distance between the clamping plate and the battery support part, and being put on the hook rods, respectively; and hook rod holding means placed inside the tubular spacers to hold the hooked rods in the tubular spacers, respectively.

When the hook rods are passed upward through the mounting holes, and the tubular spacers are put on the hook rods via the upper ends of the hook rods, the hook rod holding means hold the hook rods in the tubular spacers. Since the lower ends of the tubular spacers rest on the upper surface of the battery support part, the hook rods and the tubular spacers will not fall down even if the hook rods are not supported by hand. Thus, the battery holding structure facilitates battery mounting work. The hook rod holding means may be any suitable means capable of exerting resistance against the axial movement of the hook rods relative to the tubular spacers and permitting the axial movement of the hook rods relative to the tubular spacers, such as O rings, metal C rings, rubber rings or a high-viscosity grease.

Since the distance between the upper surface of the battery support part and the lower surface of the clamping member is determined by the tubular spacers extending between the upper surfaces of the edges of the mounting holes of the battery support part and the lower surfaces of the edges of the holes of the clamping member, and the nuts are screwed on the threaded upper end parts of the hook rods to fasten the battery to the battery support part. Thus, the excessive tightening of the nuts is prevented by the tubular spacers.

The battery holding structure prevents the hook rods from falling off the tubular spacers by the simple hook rod holding means. Thus, the battery holding structure is inexpensive and reliable.

Preferably, the hook rod holding means are O rings.

The O rings are able to exert a proper resistance against the movement of the hook rods relative to the tubular spacers.

Preferably, the battery support part on which the battery is supported is a part of a floor panel, such as a floor panel under a driver's seat, of the vehicle, the number of the mounting holes is at least two, the battery is placed in a battery tray placed on the battery support part, the battery tray has lugs provided with holes having a diameter greater than that of the hook rods and smaller than the outside diameter of the tubular spacers at positions corresponding to the mounting holes, and the battery tray is fastened together with the battery to the battery support part of the floor panel through the tubular spacers by the hook rods.

Thus, the battery and the battery tray are held firmly on the battery support part of the floor panel, for example, under the driver's seat of the work vehicle through the tubular spacers by the hook rods. Since the battery is placed in the battery tray, the battery can stably held in place even if the battery support part of the floor panel is somewhat uneven.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is a side elevation of a utility vehicle provided with a battery holding structure in a preferred embodiment according to the present invention,FIG. 2is a sectional view taken on the line A—A inFIG. 1,FIG. 3is an exploded perspective view of the battery holding structure embodying the present invention andFIG. 4is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view of the battery holding structure shown inFIG. 3holding a battery on a vehicle. Referring toFIG. 1, a utility vehicle21has a body frame26formed by assembling metal members, four wheels, namely, two front wheels22and two rear wheels23, a driver's seat24, a cabin frame27, and a load carrying platform25. More specifically, the front wheels22are suspended from a front part of the body frame26, the rear wheels23are suspended from a rear part of the body frame26, the driver's seat24is disposed behind the front wheels22, and the load carrying platform is disposed behind the driver's seat24. . . The load carrying platform25extends backward over the rear wheels23from a position near the driver's seat24. The cabin from27extends from a front part of the body frame26to a part of the body frame26between the driver's seat24and the load carrying platform25so as to cover the driver's seat24. A power unit, such as an engine, not shown, is placed in a space under the load carrying platform25. The power unit drives the rear wheels23or both the front wheels22and the rear wheels23to move the working vehicle21. The wheels22and23are provided with wide tires suitable for running on rough roads. The cabin frame27is formed by bending and welding round steel pipes. The cabin frame27is built by joining together a front frame27aand a rear frame27bwhich are formed separately.

The driver's seat24is mounted on a seat stand28formed by bending and welding steel pipes. The seat stand28is fixed to the body frame26. A flat floor panel30is extended under the driver's seat24. A battery tray5is placed on a battery support part, on one side of the utility vehicle21, of the floor panel30to hold a battery B thereon as shown inFIG. 2. The position of the battery support part is selectively determined such that the battery B held on the battery support part can easily be observed, work for replacing the battery B with another battery is not interfered with frames, devices and such, and the battery B can easily removed from and placed on the floor panel30.

Referring toFIG. 3, the battery tray5is a substantially rectangular shallow pan and has a bottom wall5dand a frame5cframing the bottom wall5d. Corresponding middle parts of the opposite long sides of the frame5care cut and bent outward to form lugs5aprojecting outward from the bottom wall5d. The lugs5aare provided with holes5b, respectively. Slots5eare formed at intervals in the bottom wall5d, and rubber pads6are applied to parts, between the slots53, of the bottom wall5d. A clamping plate7is placed on top of the battery B. Side walls of each of the opposite end parts of the clamping plate7are bent to form two L-shaped flanges7a. Holes7bare formed in the opposite end parts of the clamping plate7so as to be aligned with the holes5bof the lugs5a.

Two mounting holes31are formed through predetermined parts of the floor panel30. The battery tray5is placed on the floor panel30so that the holes5bof the lugs5aof the battery tray5are aligned with the mounting holes31, respectively. InFIGS. 1 and 2, a reference numeral32denotes a parking brake lever.

There is no substantial difference between the battery holding structure of the present embodiment and the conventional battery holding structure in respect of the foregoing matters. Members associated with hook rods and the arrangement of those members according to the present embodiment are different from those of the conventional battery holding structure.

Referring toFIG. 3, each of hook rods1included in the battery holding structure of the present embodiment, similarly to the hook rods of the conventional battery holding structure, has an L-shaped (or J-shaped) lower part1band a threaded upper part1a. Means used by the present embodiment for fastening the battery B and the battery tray5to the floor panel30is different from that used by the conventional battery holding structure. In the embodiment, the battery holding structures have a tubular spacer3to define a distance between the lug5aof the battery tray5and the clamping plate7, and an O ring (hook rod holding means)4provided between an inside hole of the tubular spacer3and an outer periphery of the hook rod. Each hook rod1is passed through the tubular spacer3, and the O ring (hook rod holding means)4is put on the hook rod1so as to lie between the hook rod1and the tubular spacer3to exert resistance against the axial movement of the hook rod1relative to the tubular spacer3. The tubular spacers3have a length corresponding to the distance between the clamping plate7and a plane including the upper surfaces6aof the rubber pads6, which corresponds to the height of the battery B placed on the battery tray5. The tubular spacers3have an inside diameter greater than the diameter of the hook rods1, and an outside diameter greater than the diameters of the holes7bof the clamping plate7and the holes5bof the lugs5a. If the battery b is mounted directly on the floor panel30without using the battery tray5, the tubular spacers3are formed in an outside diameter greater than the diameter of the mounting holes31of the floor panel30so that the tubular spacers3may not fall down through the mounting holes31. Since the O ring4is elastically deformable, the O ring r is formed in an outside diameter slightly greater than the inside diameter of the tubular space3so that the O ring4may be compressed in the tubular spacer3to exert proper resistance against the movement of the hook rod1relative to the tubular spacer3.

Referring toFIG. 4, the battery tray5is disposed at a predetermined position on the floor panel30, and the battery B is placed on the battery tray5. Then, the hook rods1are passed from below the floor panel30through the mounting holes31and the holes5bof the lugs5aof the battery tray5. Then, the O rings4are put on the two hook rods1and placed at predetermined positions on the hook rods1. Then, the tubular spacers3are put from above the hook rods1on the hook rods1. The O rings4holds the hook rods1in the tubular spacers3to restrain the hook rods1from falling down through the holes5bof the lugs5aand the mounting holes31.

Subsequently, rubber pads8are put on top of the battery B, and the clamping plate7is put on the rubber pads8so that the threaded upper parts1aof the hook rods1project upward through the holes7b. Then, the nuts2are screwed on the threaded upper parts1aof the hook rods1to fasten the battery B together with the battery tray5to the floor panel30. Since the tubular spacers3are extended between the lugs5aof the battery tray5and the clamping plate7, the battery B can be fastened to the battery tray5by an optimum fastening force by sufficiently tightening the nuts2and hence the nuts2will not loosen. Since the tubular spacers3press the battery tray5firmly against the floor panel30when the nuts2are tightened, the battery B can stably be held in place.

Although battery holding structure of the embodiment fastens the battery B together with the battery tray5to the floor panel30, the battery B may be directly mounted on the floor panel30and the battery tray5may be omitted.

When the battery holding structure is used for holding a large battery having a large capacity, the battery holding structure may include a plurality of clamping plates instead of the single clamping plate7. The clamping plate7may be placed at any suitable position on the battery B instead of the middle part of the battery B.

A C-shaped snap ring may be used as a hook rod holding means instead of the O ring. The C-shaped snap ring may be fitted in an annular groove formed in a proper part of the hook rod. A helical spring, a short sponge tube or a high-viscosity grease may be used as a hook rod holding means instead of the O ring.

Although the battery holding structure of the present invention has been described as applied to holding the battery on the floor panel under the driver's seat of the working vehicle, the same may be applied to holding a battery in the engine room of a vehicle, under the rear cargo body of a vehicle other than the working vehicle, such as a truck, or under the driver's seat of a forklift truck.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred embodiment with a certain degree of particularity, obviously many changes and variations are possible therein. It is therefore to be understood that the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.