Console Box for Construction Machine

A console box includes a unit, an exterior cover that has an opening into which the unit is fitted, and a fixing mechanism, in which the unit has an engagement piece provided at one end side, and a first through hole provided in the other end side, the exterior cover has a hole which is located on one end side of the opening and into which the engagement piece is inserted, and a second through hole provided at a position of the first through hole in a state where the unit is fitted into the opening at the other end side of the opening, the opening is inclined to cause one end side to be lower than the other end side, the fixing mechanism has an operation portion which is exposed to an external.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a console box provided in a cab of a construction machine.

BACKGROUND ART

In a cab of a construction machine such as a hydraulic excavator or a wheel loader, a console box for housing small items and the like is provided in the vicinity of a driver's seat.

The following literature discloses a conventional console box. The conventional accommodation device (console box) has the following configuration. In other words, the accommodation device has a storage body having multiple storage portions each of which is provided with the substantially same opening as an opening of a vehicle interior member, and the storage body is attached movably relative to the vehicle interior member. In the accommodation device, one of the openings of the plurality of storage portions corresponds to the opening of the vehicle interior member according to the movement of the storage body, and any one of the storage portions can be selectively used through the opening.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

PATENT LITERATURE 1: Japanese Patent No.3837349

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

Moreover, a configuration shown inFIG. 9has been known as a conventional console box different from that of Patent Literature 1 described above. This configuration will be described.FIG. 9Ais a perspective view of a console box having a conventional configuration, andFIG. 9Bis a cross-sectional view taken along a plane S1shown inFIG. 9A.FIG. 9Cis an enlarged view of an area A1shown inFIG. 9B.

A lever mounting portion400for mounting a lever operated by an operator located on a top surface of an exterior cover700forming an outer shell of a console box110. Console pockets500for storing small items and so on is located at a rear of the lever mounting portion400(in a negative direction of a Z axis).

Each of the console pockets500has a hook501to each of a front end (a positive direction of the Z axis) and a rear end (refer toFIG. 9C). Further, a locking member701for engaging with each hook501is formed inside each opening of the exterior cover700which accommodates the console pocket500. When each of the console pockets500is attached to the exterior cover700, the console pocket500is pushed downward (in a direction of a solid line arrow shown inFIG. 9C), the locking member701of the exterior cover700and the hook501abut against each other so as to be engaged with each other. As a result, the console pockets500are accommodated in the exterior cover700and fixed at both the front and rear ends.

In the console box110having the above configuration, once the console pockets500are accommodated in the exterior cover700and fixed, a curved shape of the hooks501engages with the locking member701, thereby making it difficult to move the console pockets500upwardly. In other words, the console pocket500cannot be easily removed from the exterior cover700, and if the console pocket500is to be removed, the exterior cover700needs to be disassembled and removed.

On the other hand, in the construction machine to work at construction sites, since sand and dust are likely to be accumulated inside the console pockets500more than the general passenger cars, there is a need to frequently clean the inside of the pockets. If there is a need to disassemble the exterior cover700in order to remove the console pockets500, the inside of the pockets is resultantly wiped and cleaned with the use of a hand towel or the like in consideration of the time and effort. On the other hand, if the console pockets500are removed and the console pockets500themselves are washed with water, cleaning can be performed efficiently, and a state after cleaning also becomes excellent.

In addition, the construction machines working at the construction sites and the like have many opportunities to travel on a bad road surface, and are affected by machine operations involved in a site work, so that the construction machines suffer from a greater amount of shock and vibration than general passenger cars. Therefore, there is a need to attach the console pockets500to the exterior cover700with a certain degree of rigidity so as to have a resistance to shock and vibration. Since the accommodation device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 described above is mainly intended for the general passenger cars, an ashtray member or the like corresponding to the console pocket is simply fitted into the storage portion, and a configuration for firmly attaching is not provided.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a console box in which a unit such as a console pocket is firmly and easily detachably attached to a cover.

Solution to Problem

In order to solve the above problem, according to the present invention, typically, there is provided a console box including a unit having a rectangular box-like storage pocket or a rectangular plate-like operation panel open at an upper side; an exterior cover that has an opening into which the unit is fitted, and surrounds the unit; and a fixing mechanism that fixes the unit to the exterior cover, in which the unit has one or more engagement pieces provided at one end of the unit in a longitudinal direction, and a first through hole provided in the other end in the longitudinal direction, the exterior cover has a hole which is provided at a position on one end side of the opening in the longitudinal direction and into which the engagement piece is inserted, and a second through hole provided at a position corresponding to the first through hole in a state where the unit is fitted into the opening and the engagement piece is inserted into the hole at the other end side of the opening in the longitudinal direction, the opening is inclined to cause one end side to be lower than the other end side, the fixing mechanism has a mechanism which penetrates through the first through hole and the second through hole and fixes the unit to the exterior cover, and has an operation portion which is exposed to an external and operated when the unit is detached from and attached to the exterior cover.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, the unit attached to the console box can be firmly attached to the cover and can be easily attached to and detached from the cover. The problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will be clarified by the description of the embodiments below.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

Hereinafter, a console box according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The coordinate axes of an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis shown in the respective drawings all indicate the common direction. Further, a positive direction of the X axis is leftward, a negative direction is rightward, a positive direction of the Y axis is upward, and a negative direction is downward. Also, a positive direction of the Z axis is forward, and a negative direction is backward. Each direction is defined based on a work posture ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 1is a view showing a hydraulic excavator as an example of a construction machine. A hydraulic excavator100has a pair of left and right undercarriages7and an upperstructure2disposed on the undercarriages7and configuring a main body. The hydraulic excavator100further includes a working machine3attached to the upperstructure2and including a boom3a,an arm3b,and a bucket3cwhich can be turned in a vertical direction.

A cab4is provided at a front position of the upperstructure2and a counterweight5is provided at a rear position of the upperstructure2. An engine compartment6and the like are disposed between the cab4and the counterweight5.

FIG. 2is a perspective view showing the inside of the cab4, andFIG. 3is a top view of the inside of the cab4. A right control lever40R and a left control lever40L are provided on the left and right sides of driver's seat10, respectively. The right control lever40R is a lever for performing the operation of raising and lowering the boom3aand the operation of raising and lowering the bucket3c.The left control lever40L is a lever for performing the dumping and crowding operation of the arm3band the operation of laterally rotating the upperstructure2. A correspondence between the operation direction of each lever and each operation is not limited to the above pattern.

A right side travel lever30R and a left side travel lever30L are disposed in front of the driver's seat10. A right crawler of the undercarriage7performs forward movement operation and reverse movement operation due to the forward and backward operation of the right travel lever30R. Further, a left crawler of the undercarriage7performs the forward movement operation and the reverse movement operation due to the forward and backward operation of the left side travel lever30L. When an operator simultaneously operates the left and right side levers30R and30L in the same direction, both the crawlers operate simultaneously, and the hydraulic excavator100travels straight or backward.

The right side pedal20R is disposed at a floor base of the right side travel lever30R, and interlocked with the movement of the right side travel lever30R. The left side pedal20L is disposed at the floor base of the left side travel lever30L, and interlocked with the movement of the left side travel lever30L. In other words, the right crawler and the left crawler can perform the forward and reverse movement operation even by a pedal operation on the right side pedal20R and the left side pedal20L. Further, when the operator simultaneously depresses the pedals20R and20L, the hydraulic excavator100goes straight and can control a steering of the hydraulic excavator100by providing a stepping difference.

In this way, the operator operates the lever or pedal with the limbs, so that the hydraulic excavator100is operated in accordance with operation of the operator.

A right armrest11R and a left armrest11L are provided on the left and right sides of the driver's seat10so as to pivot around the end. A console box1R is disposed below the right armrest11R. The right control lever40R is provided on a front side of the upper surface of the console box1R. A switch panel60is provided on the rear side of a top surface of the console box1R. A console box1L is disposed below the left armrest11L. The above-mentioned left control lever40L is provided on the front side of the top surface of the console box1L, and a console pocket50is provided on the rear side or the top surface.

FIG. 4is a perspective view of the console box1L. The console box1L has a structure in which the console pocket50is mounted and accommodated in the opening74of the exterior cover70. Although the exterior cover70and the console pocket50are both made of resin in the present embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above example. The console pocket50is fixed to the exterior cover70at a rear position of the lever mounting portion41serving as the mounting opening of the left control lever40L by the fixing mechanism55.

FIG. 5Ais a top view showing the entire console pocket50, andFIG. 5Bis a side view of the console pocket50. The console pocket50has a main body54for storing small items and the like, and an opening53for taking in and out the small items and the like.

The opening53has an outwardly projecting flange portion51formed substantially at right angles from a side wall surface of the main body54. The flange portion51is a plate-like frame which defines a size of an opening area, and has a convex portion51A and a fixed end51B.

The convex portion51A is one or more engagement pieces formed on a front end of the flange portion51in a longitudinal direction (Z-axis direction) of the console pocket50, and formed with two engagement pieces in the present embodiment. Although the convex portion51A has a rectangular flat plate shape in the present embodiment, the shape is not limited to the above example. The convex portions51A are provided on the respective left and right sides of a center line CL shown inFIG. 5A. Further, the convex portions51A are provided such that distances from the center line CL are the same in the left-right direction.

The fixed end51B is formed at the rear end of the flange portion51in the longitudinal direction (Z-axis direction) of the console pocket50. The fixed end51B is a portion fixed to the exterior cover70by the fixing mechanism55. The fixed end51B has a flat plate shape in the present embodiment, and a through hole52(first through hole) through which a screw penetrates is provided at the central portion. The fixed end51B and the through hole52are provided such that the centers of the fixed end51B and the through hole52are located immediately above the center line CL.

FIG. 6Ais a cross-sectional view of the console box1L, which is a cross-sectional view taken along a plane S2shown inFIG. 4.FIG. 6Bis an enlarged view of an area A2shown inFIG. 6A, andFIG. 6Cis an enlarged view of the area A3.

With the console pocket50attached to the exterior cover70, the two convex portions51A of the console pocket50are respectively inserted into a hole71provided inside the opening74of the exterior cover70. (refer toFIG. 6B). The other fixed end51B is fixed to the exterior cover70by inserting a screw57into the through hole52(refer toFIG. 6C).

As shown inFIG. 6C, the fixing mechanism55is configured by a screw57which is a metal member and a sheet metal plate58. The sheet metal plate58is provided with a screw hole for screwing with the screw57. Further, the exterior cover70is provided with a through hole72(second through hole) through which the screw57penetrates. The through hole72is provided at a position corresponding to the through hole52in a state where the console pocket50is fitted into the opening74. In other words, the through hole72of the exterior cover70and the through hole52of the fixed end51B are put on each other at the same position to provide one hole in a state in which two convex portions51A of the console pocket50is inserted into the hole71of the exterior cover70. The shaft portion of the screw57passes through the hole provided by the through hole52and the through hole72, and is screwed into a screw hole of the sheet metal plate58to be firmly tightened. As a result, the fixed end51B of the console pocket50and the exterior cover70are vertically clamped by the head56of the screw57and the sheet metal plate58, and the console pocket50is fixed to the exterior cover70. In the present embodiment, although the through hole72of the exterior cover70and the through hole52of the fixed end51B merely penetrate through the shaft portion of the screw57without being screwed with the shaft of the screw57, but the through hole72and the through hole52may be screwed with the shaft portion of the screw57.

Next, the operation of attaching the console pocket50by the operator will be described. Solid arrows shown inFIGS. 6B and 6Cindicate a moving direction of the console pocket50when the console pocket50is attached to the exterior cover70.

The operator first causes the console pocket50to enter from the rear upper side of the exterior cover70, and abuts the frame on the opening74side of the exterior cover70against the front portion of the flange portion51. After the abutment, the operator further moves the console pocket50in the forward direction while sliding on the frame of the opening74side, and inserts the convex portion51A into the hole71. After the insertion, the operator moves the fixed end51B side downward, and accommodates the entire console pocket50in the exterior cover70. With the above operation, the console pocket50is fitted into the exterior cover70to put into a state of being supported from the exterior cover70by the convex portion51A, the fixed end51B, and so on. Further, a position of the through hole52of the console pocket50is put on the position of the through hole72of the exterior cover70and the position of the screw hole of the sheet metal plate58to provide a hole through which the screw57is inserted.

Next, the operator inserts the screw57into the hole thus provided and rotates the head56of the screw57in a tightening direction with the use of a tool such as a screwdriver. As a result, the screw57penetrating through the fixed end51B of the console pocket50and the exterior cover70starts to be screwed into the sheet metal plate58. With the further rotation of the head56of the screw57in the tightening direction, the fixed end51B of the console pocket50and the exterior cover70, are clamped in the vertical direction by being sandwiched between the head56of the screw57and the sheet metal plate58.

With the above series of operations, the installation of the console pocket50is completed.

When removing the console pocket50, the operator performs the reverse operation to that described above. Broken arrows shown inFIGS. 6B and 6Cindicate the moving direction of the console pocket50when the console pocket50is removed from the exterior cover70.

When removing the console pocket50, the operator rotates the screw head56in a loosening direction with the use of a tool such as a screwdriver to remove the screw57. Then, after lifting the rear portion of the console pocket50upward, the operator moves the console pocket50backward and upward. In conjunction with the movement, the convex portion51A moves in a direction indicated by a broken line arrow inFIG. 6Band is pulled out from the hole71of the exterior cover70. As a result, the removal of the console pocket50is completed.

In the present embodiment, a set of the metal screw member and the sheet metal plate is shown as an example of the fixing mechanism. Both those components are made of a metallic member, thereby being capable of alleviating loosening of the screw and collapse of the threads due to shock or vibration. Note that one example of the fixing mechanism is not limited to the above example. The fixing mechanism may be a set of a bolt and a nut or a resin clip.

Further, as shown inFIGS. 4 and 6, the screw head56, which is an operation portion for performing the tightening operation and the loosening operation is not covered with the cover member in the present embodiment, and a configuration in which the screw head56is exposed to the outside is applied. With the above configuration, the trouble of attaching and detaching the cover member can be eliminated, and the screw57can be attached and detached immediately.

Further, when the console pocket50is attached to exterior cover70, the operator advances the console pocket50forward while sliding on the frame of the opening74. Under the present circumstances, as shown toFIG. 6Aand other figures, a configuration is applied in which the opening74of the exterior cover70is inclined so that a front of the exterior cover70in an advancing direction becomes lower, as a result of which the console pocket50can be easily advanced while utilizing the self-weight of the console pocket50.

Further, an opening surface and a bottom surface of the console pocket50are substantially parallel to each other as shown inFIG. 5B. With the above structure, when the console pocket50is attached to the exterior cover70, the bottom surface of the console pocket50is also accommodated in an inclined posture such that the front is lower (refer toFIG. 6A). Since the console pocket50is accommodated as described above, even if the sand and dust enter the console pocket50, those dusts are not distributed throughout the bottom surface, and tend to be accumulated forward, and are easily removed.

The console pocket50has, as shown inFIG. 5A, two convex portions51A which are located at the front end in the longitudinal direction and one fixed end51B which is located at the rear end, and is supported by the exterior cover70at those three points. In the case of supporting at two points, the console pocket50tends to rotate about the two points, and the opening surface cannot be determined. Further, in the case of supporting at four or more points, a gap is provided at any point due to a manufacturing error of each part or the like, or the forcible attachment tends to distort the opening surface. According to the present embodiment, since the console pocket50is supported at three points, and supported at both ends in the longitudinal direction, the console pocket50can be placed in a more stable state. Further, in the present embodiment, when two of those three points are connected to each other by a straight line, the other one point is placed at a position deviated from the straight line. For example, in the case ofFIG. 5A, when one convex portion51A and the fixed end51B are connected to each other by a straight line, the other convex portion51A is formed at a position deviated from the straight line. Further, when the two convex portions51A are connected to each other by a straight line, the fixed end51B is formed at a position deviated from the straight line. In this way, the support members are placed so that three support members form one surface, in other words, all three support members are not formed on one straight line.

Next, a mounting example in which the switch panel60shown inFIGS. 2 and 3is attached to the exterior cover70instead of the console pocket50will be described.FIG. 7is a perspective view of the console box1L when the switch panel60is attached to the exterior cover70.FIG. 8Ais a cross-sectional view of the console box1L taken along a plane S3shown inFIG. 7.FIG. 8Bis an enlarged view of an area A4shown inFIG. 8A, andFIG. 8Cis an enlarged view of an area A5.

The switch panel60has a flat plate-shaped frame61in which various buttons (not shown inFIGS. 7 and 8) and holes63for placing the various buttons are provided. An outer shape of the frame61is the same as that of the flange portion51of the console pocket50described above. In other words, the frame61has two convex portions61A at the front end and a fixed end61B at the rear end (refer toFIGS. 8B and 8C).

The convex portions61A are at the same position and with the same shape as those of the two convex portions51A shown inFIG. 5, and two convex portions61A are provided in front of the frame61. Those convex portions61A are inserted into the holes71of the exterior cover70at the time of installing the frame61(refer toFIG. 8B). The fixed end61B also has the same position and the same shape as those of the fixed end51B shown inFIG. 5, and has a through hole62(first through hole) (refer toFIG. 8C). The switch panel60is fixed to the exterior cover70by the screw57of the fixing mechanism55and the sheet metal plate58.

As described above, the outer shape of the flange portion51of the console pocket50and the outer shape of the frame61have the same shape, so that the attachment and detachment of the switch panel60with respect to the exterior cover70are performed in the same method as that of the console pocket50. In other words, when the switch panel60is attached to the exterior cover70, as shown by a solid line arrow inFIG. 8C, the operator advances the switch panel60obliquely downward from an upper side to the opening74of the exterior cover70. In conjunction with the above advancement, the convex portions61A positioned at the front end of the switch panel60is inserted into the holes71of the exterior cover70in a direction indicated by the solid line arrow inFIG. 8B. After being inserted, the operator moves the fixed end61B downward, places the switch panel60on the frame of the opening74, and fixes the switch panel60with the screw57with the use of a tool such as a screwdriver. When removing the switch panel60from the exterior cover70, the operator first removes the screw57and lifts the rear end of the switch panel60in a direction indicated by the broken line arrow shown inFIG. 8C, that is, obliquely upward. In conjunction with the above operation, the convex portions61A also move in a direction of a broken line arrow inFIG. 8Band are pulled out of the holes of the exterior cover70.

As described above, since the exterior cover70can attach both the console pocket50and the switch panel60, mutual parts replacement of the console pocket50and the switch panel60is facilitated.

In the present embodiment, the console box1L located on the left side of the driver's seat10is described as an example, but may be applied to the console box1R located on the right side of the driver's seat10. In addition, the mode of the present embodiment may be applied to a door console panel, a center console box, and so on which are mainly disposed in the general passenger car.

Further, in the present embodiment, two units of the console pocket50, which is a rectangular box-like storage pocket, and the  switch panel60having a rectangular plate-like operation panel are illustrated as the mounting units to be attached to the console box. The present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and may be a unit of any application. For example, various units can be considered, such as a unit of an operation lever, a unit including an outlet, a unit including a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector, and a unit including a touch panel display.

In the present embodiment, the hydraulic excavator has been described as the construction machine, however, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and for example, the present embodiment can be applied to a vehicle having a cab in which the console box can be placed such as a wheel loader and a dump truck.

As has been described above in detail, according to the present embodiment, the console pocket can be easily attached to and detached from the exterior cover, and the console pocket can be firmly fixed to the exterior cover by fixedly fastening with a screw or the like.

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