POWER ENGINE HOUSING

Abstract: The present invention relates to a power engine housing for a motor vehicle, said engine housing comprising at least one door arranged to allow positioning in one closed and one open position. The inside of said door is provided with steps, in order to facilitate access to the engine for the driver/mechanic.

Description: TITLE Power Engine Housing TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a power engine housing for a motor vehicle, said engine housing comprising at least one door arranged to allow positioning in one closed and one open position, according to the preamble of the appended claim 1. STATE OF THE ART On certain types of heavy motor vehicles, such as cross-country construction vehicles, the engine is located relatively high in order to obtain good ground clearance of the vehicle. In order to facilitate access to the engine for the driver/mechanic during service, one or more rungs or steps are usually provided in connection with the outside of the driver's cab, leading to a ledge adjacent to the engine, on which a mechanic can stand when servicing the engine. One problem with the above-mentioned solution is that also the steps on the outside of the cab will be too high above the ground to allow easy access to the engine for the driver/mechanic. The problem stated above is often resolved by providing the vehicle with extra steps below the regular, fixed steps in order to facilitate, in this manner, for the driver/mechanic to reach the driver's cab/power engine. One problem occurring in connection with the extra steps mentioned above, are that they will be positioned so far down that there will be a risk, during operation, especially cross-country operation, that they will bump into objects on the ground and be damaged. It occurs, however, that the above problem is resolved through carrying, instead of said extra steps, a detachable ladder on the vehicle, which can be placed on the ground when servicing the engine. This procedure, however, causes certain problems When such a ladder is not in use, it is fairly cumbersome to keep on the vehicle Furthermore, special fixtures are required on the vehicle to prevent the ladder from falling off the vehicle during operation and being lost Finally, the user may experience the ladder as unstable when used on uneven ground DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for facilitating access for the driver/mechanic to the engine of a vehicle This object is achieved by the invention described in claim 1 Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the subsequent claims The step according to the invention is provided on the inside of a door comprising a part of the housing within which the vehicle engine is arranged Said door is hereby arranged so as to allow positioning in one closed, and one open position in which at least one step can be used This means that when the door is open, the driver/mechanic may use the step for easier ascent to the engine level, at the same time as access to the engine is facilitated as said door is open The location of the step on the inside of the door further entails that the step is protected from external damage when the door is closed According to an especially preferred embodiment said door is pivotally attached to the vehicle frame about its lower horizontal long side, by means of a hinge arrangement This results in the step always being easily accessible and being independent, for its stability, of the prevailing ground conditions around the vehicle According to a further preferred embodiment, the door constitutes an end section, preferably the front section of the engine housing This enables ledges to be arranged along the sides of the engine housing, on which a mechanic may stand in connection with servicing the engine. According to a third preferred embodiment, at least one further step is provided on the inside of the door, preferably a folding one requiring only a small space, in turn allowing the thickness of the door, and thus the space requirement, to be limited. According to an alternative preferred embodiment, said door is designed like a self-supporting structure, for example made of metal, on the inside of which steps are provided. One advantage of the door according to this embodiment is that it will be of relatively simple construction and thus simpler and less costly in manufacture. Further advantages and objects of the invention can be gathered from the appended claims and the following description. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows a side view of a cross-country construction vehicle of the dumper type, equipped with a preferred embodiment of a power engine housing according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a door of the engine housing of Fig. 1, according to the present invention. Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a preferred alternative embodiment of a door of the engine housing of Fig. 1, according to the present invention. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Fig. 1 shows a side view of an articulated load-carrying vehicle, a so-called dumper 1 , in the known manner having a forward vehicle section 3 supporting the cab 2 and the power engine, and a rear, load-carrying vehicle section 4, connected via a vertical articulation shaft 5 with the forward vehicle section 3. The forward and rear vehicle sections 3 and 4 are also pivotally connected with each other about a not shown, horizontal pivot shaft, allowing relative pivoting of the vehicle sections about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. For steering of the vehicle 1 in operation, the forward vehicle section 3 is brought to pivot about the vertical articulation shaft 5 with the aid of a pair of not shown hydraulic cylinders, provided on each one side of the articulation shaft 5. The torque delivered by the engine is transferred to the front wheels 6, and to the rear wheels 7, 8 via a not shown cardan shaft. The forward vehicle section 3 is further provided with a power engine housing 9, arranged forward of the driver's cab 2, and comprising an engine casing 10, side walls 11 and a front section 12, formed like a door 13. The door 13 is pivotally attached about its lower, horizontal long side to the forward vehicle section 3 by means of a hinge arrangement 14. On the inside of the door, steps 15, 16, 17 are provided, whereof at least one step 16 is of a folding design that, when the door 13 is closed, will be substantially in a plane parallel with the door 13. As the steps 15, 16, 17 are arranged on the inside of the door 13, they will be protected from external damage during operation. With reference now to Fig. 2, a preferred embodiment of the door 13 according to the present invention will be described. In the illustrated example, the door 13 includes a girder structure consisting of two parallel girders 18, 19, between which the steps 15, 16, 17 extend. Because the lower, 15, and the upper, 17, steps are rigidly connected to the girders 18, 19, a stable frame structure is obtained. This makes the steps 15, 16, 17 stable for the driver/mechanic to step on. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, said frame structure also constitutes the support for a vehicle front grille 20, adherent to the door 13. By manufacturing the vehicle grille 20 in a plastic and/or a composite material, a strong and light design is obtained. The girders 18, 19 are pivotally attached, at the lower end of the door, to the forward vehicle section 3 (see Fig. 1 ), preferably to the vehicle framework, by means of the hinge arrangement 14a, 14b, meaning that the steps 15,16,17 will remain stable independently of the ground the vehicle is standing on. At the top end of the door, the girders 18, 19 are provided with locking devices 21a, 21b, which interact with not shown locking studs provided on the forward vehicle section 3 in order to secure the door 13 in a closed position during driving. The step 16 is pivotally attached, by means of a not shown further hinge arrangement, to the girders 18, 19, allowing it to pivot in the upwards/inwards direction so as to be, in its folded-in position, substantially in a plane parallel with the girders 18, 19 and the door 13. Due to this, the door 13 with its adherent steps 15, 16, 17 will require relatively little space. Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a preferred alternative embodiment of the door 13. Rather than having the girder structure supporting the vehicle grille 20, as was described above, the vehicle grille 20 is designed as a self- supporting structure, for example made of metal, on the inside of which steps 15, 16, 17 are provided. The door 13 is further, as was described above, pivotally attached to the forward vehicle section 3 (see Fig. 1 ), preferably to the vehicle framework, by means of the hinge arrangement 14a, 14b, and provided with locking devices 21a, 21 b, which interact with not shown locking studs provided on the forward vehicle section 3 in order to secure the door 13 in a closed position during driving. The invention will not be limited to what has been described above, but other embodiments are also conceivable. For example, said steps may be configured like horizontal recesses/apertures in the door, whereby said recesses/apertures function as air inlets to the engine housing. Further, on motor vehicles having the engine behind the driver's cab, the door may be arranged at the rear end portion of the vehicle. In the embodiment described above, only one step is foldingly arranged on the inside of the door, but it should be obvious to the person skilled in the art that also further steps might be foldingly arranged on the inside of the door. Furthermore, he door could also be equipped with a fold-down/pull-down type ladder, allowing the lowest step to be located below the lower edge of the door.

Claims: 1. A power engine housing (9) for a motor vehicle (1), said engine housing (9) comprising at least one door (13) arranged to allow positioning in one closed and one open position, characterised in that the inside of said door (13) is provided with at least one rung or step (15, 16, 17). 2. The power engine housing (9) for a motor vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that said door (13) is pivotally arranged, by means of a hinge arrangement (14a, 14b), on the motor vehicle (1). 3. The power engine housing (9) for a motor vehicle (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that said door (13) is arranged to pivot about its lower horizontal long side. 4. A power engine housing (9) for a motor vehicle (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said door (13) constitutes an end portion, preferably a front end portion, of said engine housing (9). 5. A power engine housing (9) for a motor vehicle (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said door (13) is provided with at least one lower (15) and one upper (17) step. 6. The power engine housing (9) for a motor vehicle (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that said lower (15) and upper (17) steps are rigidly attached to at least two parallel girders (18, 19) spaced from each other. 7. The power engine housing (9) for a motor vehicle (1) according to claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that said girders (18, 19) are pivotally attached, by means of hinge arrangements (14a, 14b), to the motor vehicle (1). 8. A power engine housing (9) for a motor vehicle (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said door (13) is provided with at least one additional step. 9. The power engine housing (9) for a motor vehicle (1) according to claim 8, characterised in that said other step is foldingly arranged on the inside of the door (13). 10. A power engine housing (9) for a motor vehicle (1) according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said door (13) is designed as a self-supporting structure, preferably made of metal, on the inside of which steps (15, 16, 17) are provided.

Inventors: JOHANSSON PETER, MALANDER ROGER, JOHANSSON, PETER, MALANDER, ROGER
Applicants: JOHANSSON PETER, MALANDER ROGER, VOLVO ARTICULATED HAULERS AB, JOHANSSON, PETER, MALANDER, ROGER
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B60R3
IPC codes: B60R3, B62D25