Abstract:
The present invention is directed to enable the shape of a bump stopper to be easily changed in accordance with a change in specifications, the bump stopper for performing position regulation so that, when an engine generator shakes, the generator body does not come off from an external frame. A position regulating apparatus has a generator body ( 4 ) made of an engine ( 2 ) and a generator ( 3 ) driven by the engine, and a frame ( 7 ) surrounding the periphery of the generator body ( 4 ). The frame ( 7 ) is provided with a bump stopper ( 40 ) as a rod member. The bump stopper ( 40 ) is attached to a housing ( 70 ) of the engine ( 2 ) and disposed horizontally. The bump stopper ( 40 ) regulates the position in the horizontal direction of the generator body ( 4 ) within a preset range. Receiving plates ( 60 ) disposed so as to face both end faces of the stopper body ( 41 ) are provided. The round bar as the body ( 41 ) of the bump stopper ( 40 ) has a crank shape which reduces an impact by generating bending moment.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a regulating position apparatus for an engine operating machine and, more particularly, relates to a position regulating apparatus for an engine operating machine having a structure suitable for flexibly addressing to a change or a modification in strength of each of members of the position regulating apparatus and the clearance with a frame member surrounding the operating machine. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    An operating machine driven by an engine, such as an engine generator (in the following description, typified as “engine generator”) is provided with buffer means so that an impact of external force is not directly transmitted from an external frame to the body of the engine generator or, reversibly, vibration of the engine is not transmitted to the external frame. 
         [0003]    For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 06-81897 discloses a device for mounting a generator, provided in such a manner that an elastic member such as rubber is interposed between a frame-side plate and a generator-side plate and a pin projected from the generator-side plate is positioned between a pair of stoppers provided for the frame-side plate. In the mount device, in the case where external force acts on the generator, it is buffered by the elastic member, and the pin comes into contact with the stoppers to regulate the motion of the generator. 
         [0004]    Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3,065,007 discloses an engine generator having a generator base and a common base supporting a generator and an engine, and having a structure that the generator base and the common base are loosely fit while interposing a vibration-proof rubber between the bases. In the engine generator, the generator base and the common base are attached with a sufficient space therebetween so that the generator base and the common base do not come into contact with each other and become a noise source when the engine vibrates. 
         [0005]    A mount device with buffer means or an elastic member as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 06-81897 and Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3,065,007 mainly functions as a member of fixedly supporting a lower part of an engine generator to a base member or a frame. In addition, in some cases, using a position regulating plate as a metal plate provided for an upper part of the engine generator (hereinbelow, called “bump stopper”), a shake of the upper part is regulated. Generally, the engine generator is surrounded by an external frame. For example, there is a case that the engine generator shakes in a shake width larger than that in normal operation due to vibration of a transport vehicle during transportation, shake of a transportation crane, or the like. Consequently, to prevent a part of the engine generator from being come off from the external frame to the outside, a bump stopper is provided. When the engine generator largely shakes, the bump stopper comes into contact with the external frame to regulate the position so that the engine generator does not come off from the external frame to the outside. 
         [0006]    The gap between the bump stopper and the external frame of the engine generator is set so that, when the external frame is subjected to impact from the outside, the bump stopper comes into contact with the external frame faster than the other members. With the configuration, avoiding direct contact of the engine generator body with the external frame, the engine generator is protected. 
         [0007]      FIG. 8  is a diagram showing an example of a conventional position regulating apparatus using a bump stopper. In  FIG. 8 , a bump stopper  200  is a piece of a metal plate (for example, a steel plate) and has a main part  201  and reinforcement members  202 ,  203 , and  204  orthogonal to the main part  201 . In this example, the reinforcement member  202  is an attachment part whose sectional shape is an L shape suited to attach the bump stopper  200  to an engine  205 . The bump stopper  200  is fixed to the engine  205  using a bolt  206  passed through the attachment part  202 . The reinforcement member  204  of the bump stopper  200  is disposed in a position opposed to a bracket  207 , and the bracket  207  is attached to a horizontal part of a beam  209  as a part of an external frame of an engine generator with a bolt  210  penetrated from below. 
         [0008]    With the bump stopper  200  of  FIG. 8 , in the case where the engine generator vibrates vertically or horizontally in the diagram or in the case such that the beam  209  is deformed by application of an external force F, the tip of the bump stopper  200 , that is, the reinforcement member  204  side of the bump comes into contact with the bracket  207 , so that the external force transmitted from the beam  209  is not directly transmitted to the engine  205 . Since the bump stopper  200  comes into contact with the beam  209 , even when vibration having large amplitude is applied, a movable part of the engine generator is prevented from being come off from the external frame to the outside. 
       CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature  
       [0009]    Patent Literature 1 Japanese unexamined Patent Application No. 06-81897 
         [0010]    Patent Literature 2 Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3,065,007 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
       [0011]    Each time the specification of an engine or accessories is slightly changed, the shape, layout, and the like of a bump stopper have to be changed. For example, there is a case such that, to assure necessary clearance with a member (the bracket  207 ) on the frame side corresponding to the bump stopper or to assure strength of the bracket, a large change in the thickness, shape, layout, or the like of the bump stopper is requested. In the case where such a change occurs at almost the end of product development, that is, at almost the start of mass production, it is difficult to immediately change the shape of the bump stopper and the frame facing the stopper. It causes problems such as delay in product development schedule or cost increase. 
         [0012]    In view of the problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a position regulating apparatus for an engine operating machine, which does not require a large design change in thickness, shape, layout, or the like of a related member for a slight change in an engine or accessories. 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0013]    The first feature of the present invention to accomplish aforementioned object is a position regulating apparatus for an engine operating machine that provides an operating machine body including an engine, an operating machine driven by the engine, and an external frame surrounding the periphery of the operating machine body, comprising a rod member attached to the operating machine body and disposed so that its ends project from the periphery of the operating machine body ; and receiving plates of the rod member, provided for the external frame and, to regulate position in the horizontal direction of the operating machine body in a preset range, disposed so as to face both end faces of the rod member with an interval corresponding to the range, wherein the rod member has a crank shape having bent parts provided in positions deviated to the both ends from the center. 
         [0014]    The second feature of the present invention is that the receiving plate has a vertical part opposed to an end face of the rod member and horizontal parts and orthogonal to the vertical part. 
         [0015]    The third feature of the present invention is that the operating machine is the generator driven by the engine, and the rod member is fixed to an engine block of the engine. 
         [0016]    The fourth feature of the present invention is that the operating machine further comprising stays joined to the rod member, wherein the engine block of the engine is provided with bosses and, by coupling the stays to the bosses, the rod member is fixed to the engine. 
       Advantageous Effects of Invention 
       [0017]    According to the present invention having the above-described characteristics, when an engine operating machine receives large external force and the machine body shakes, the end of a rod member collides with a receiving plate so that a change in the position of the operating machine body is regulated. Particularly, since the rod member has bent parts, when the end of the rod member collides with the receiving plate, the bending moment acts on the rod member, and the energy of the collision is absorbed and reduced. Only by changing the procedure of bending process of forming the bent parts in the rod member, a change in the strength of the rod member can be addressed. Therefore, for example, a change just before mass production of the engine operating machine is addressed, and the shape of the rod member can be easily changed. 
         [0018]    According to the present invention having the second characteristic, the end of the rod member comes into contact with a vertical member of a receiving plate in which relatively large area can be assured. Consequently, while addressing a displacement in the vertical and longitudinal directions of the operating machine body, the position regulation in the horizontal direction can be performed reliably. 
         [0019]    According to the present invention having the third characteristic, also in the case of attaching the rod member to the housing of the engine, the rod member absorbs and reduces the collision energy by the bent parts. Therefore, while avoiding damage in the housing of the engine, the position regulation can be performed. 
         [0020]    According to the present invention having the fourth characteristic, by joining stays to the rod member, the flexibility of selecting the attachment position of the rod member to the peripheral face of the housing can be increased. Therefore, for example, using an existing boss which is not used, the rod member can be attached to the engine. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is an oblique perspective figure viewing from a front left side of the engine generator having a bump stopper according to the one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a left side elevation view of the engine generator having a bump stopper according to the one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a rearward perspective view of the engine. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is an oblique perspective view of a main portion of the engine generator with having the bump stopper. 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a plane view of a main portion of the engine generator with having the bump stopper. 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a cross section taken along line A-A of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a cross section taken along line B-B of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a diagram showing an example of a conventional position regulating apparatus using a bump stopper. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0029]    Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an engine generator having a position regulating apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a side view of the engine generator. In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an engine generator  1  has a generator body  4  made by an engine  2  and a generator  3  driven by the engine  2 . 
         [0030]    In the specification, the side on which the engine  2  is disposed is called a front side of the engine generator  1 , and the side on which the generator  3  is disposed is called a rear side of the engine generator  1 . 
         [0031]    An external frame  7  surrounding the generator body  4  includes a main frame  8  made of steel pipe, lower beams  9  coupling lower right and left ends forked in the main frame  8 , two upper beams  10  coupling upper parts of the main frame  8  in the longitudinal direction, and perpendicular beams  11  each downwardly extending from a midpoint in the longitudinal direction of the upper beam  10  and joined to the lower part of the main frame  8 . The two lower beams  9  are provided at an interval in the longitudinal direction, a pair of upper beams  10  are provided so that one upper beam  10  is provided on the right side and the other upper beam  10  is provided on the left side, and a pair of perpendicular beams  11  are provided so that one perpendicular beam  11  is provided on the right side and the other perpendicular beam  11  is provided on the left side. Although only the upper beam  10  and the perpendicular beam  11  positioned on the left side of the generator body  4  are shown, the upper beam  10  and the perpendicular beam  11  on the right side are also provided in similar positions. To each of the perpendicular beams  11 , a bump stopper receiver  60  disposed in the position opposed to a bump stopper  40  is joined as a part of a position regulating apparatus which suppresses a large shake in the horizontal direction of the generator body  4 . The details of the bump stopper  40  and the bump stopper receiver  60  will be described later. 
         [0032]    A fuel tank  6  is formed so as to widely cover the entire upper part of the generator body  4 , assures large capacity, and also acts as a generator body cover which suppresses falling of water and dust from above to the generator body  4 . Two lateral pipes  12  whose both ends are coupled to the right and left upper beams  10  are provided in the lateral direction over the fuel bank  6 . The two lateral pipes  12  are coupled to each other by a bracket  13 , and a ring  14  is joined to the bracket  13 . 
         [0033]    There is provided a muffler  17  coupled to an exhaust pipe led between the engine  2  and the generator  3  and extending in the longitudinal direction above the left side of the generator  3 . The generator body  4  is mounted in the external frame  7  by mount devices  90  with buffer members fixed in four places of front, rear, right, and left places on the lower beams  9  and  9 . The mount device  90  has a buffer member (made of, for example, rubber) so that the generator body  4  can displace within a predetermined range in the horizontal and vertical directions, and can absorb vibrations accompanying operation. As the mount device  90 , a known mount device as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 6-81897 can be used. 
         [0034]    The engine  2  is an air-cooled four-cycle engine and is cooled by outside air taken from an air intake port  20  provided on the front side of the engine  2 . On the rear side or the back side of the air intake port  20 , a fan (not shown) which is coupled to the engine  2  and rotated is provided. By the rotation of the fan, flows F 1  and F 2  of air taken in the engine  2  are generated. 
         [0035]    An operation box  5  for operating the working of the engine generator  1  is provided adjacent to the engine  2  and above the front side of the air intake port  20 , and the fuel tank  6  is provided behind the operation box  5 . The operation box  5  has an operation panel  15  and a case  16  existing on the back side of the operation panel  15  and housing parts for various controls including an automatic voltage regulator (AVR) and electric wires. In the operation panel  15 , a choke button  151 , an engine switch  152 , a breaker switch  153 , a liquid crystal monitor  154 , a plurality of outlets  155 , an earth terminal  156 , and the like are disposed. 
         [0036]    Since particularly the flow Fl in the air flows Fl and F 2  is along the case  16  of the operation box  5 , the pressure in the outer periphery of the case  16 , particularly, around the lower part is lower than that in the upper part of the case  16  where there is no flow of air. Therefore, by providing an opening in each of an under face  16   a  and an upper part  16   b  of the case  16 , flow of air exhausted from the opening of the lower part of the case  16  to the outside is generated and, accompanying the flow of air, fresh air is taken from the opening in the upper part to the inside of the case  16 . Such a flow of air is continued during the operation of the engine  2 , and the inside of the case  16  of the operation box  5  is forcibly cooled by air. 
         [0037]    Particularly, the under face  16   a  of the case  16  is disposed not perpendicular to the vertical face forming the operation panel  15  but as a tilted face whose front side is low and whose rear side is high so as to obliquely face the air intake port  20 . Consequently, the flow rate of the air F 1  flowing along the under face  16   a  increases, and the pressure difference between the periphery of the lower part of the case  16  and the upper part of the case  16  can be further increased. 
         [0038]      FIG. 3  is a rearward perspective view of the engine  2 . The engine  2  is a V-type twin engine in which two cylinders  21  and  22  are disposed with a predetermined bank angle, and has a crankcase  23  supporting a crankshaft having a not-shown crank part below the cylinders  21  and  22 . From a rear face  24  (on the generator  3  side) of the crankcase  23 , an output shaft  25  extending from the crankshaft is projected. On the rear side of the cylinders  21  and  22 , exhaust ports  26  and  27  communicated with combustion chambers of the cylinders  21  and  22  are provided. Not-shown exhaust pipes coupled to the exhaust ports  26  and  27  are coupled to the muffler  17  (refer to  FIG. 1 ). 
         [0039]    An air cleaner  28  is provided above the cylinders  21  and  22 , and not-shown intake pipes for sending air to the cylinders  21  and  22  are provided on the front side of the air cleaner  28 . The engine  2  is of an electric starter type, and a starter motor  29  is disposed on the side of the crankcase  23 . Rings  30   a  and  30   b  used at the time of carrying the engine  2  are coupled to the upper part of the cylinders  21  and  22 , respectively. 
         [0040]    On the rear side of the cylinders  21  and  22 , of the case of the engine  2  or the engine block  70 , bosses  31  and  32  projected rearward in the horizontal direction are provided adjacent to the exhaust ports  26  and  27 , respectively. Screw holes  33  and  34  are opened in the bosses  31  and  32 , respectively. The bosses  31  and  32  having the screw holes  33  and  34 , respectively, can be used to attach a bump stopper which will be described later to the bosses  31  and  32  by bolts. 
         [0041]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a main part of the engine generator  1  to which a bump stopper is attached seen from rear upper left.  FIG. 5  is a plan view of the main part of the engine generator  1 .  FIG. 6  is a cross section taken along line A-A of  FIG. 5 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 7  is a cross section taken along line B-B of  FIG. 6 . The bump stopper  40  as a position regulating device has a rod-shaped stopper body (for example, a steel round bar having a diameter of 12 mm)  41 . The stopper body  41  has bent parts  41   a  and  41   b  in two places. End parts  41   c  and  41   d  of the bent parts  41   a  and  41   b  are parallel to the extension direction of a linear part  41   e  of the stopper body  41  sandwiched by the bent parts  41   a  and  41   b  and are formed in a crank shape so as to be deviated from the axis of the linear part  41   e  only by a deviation amount Δ 41 . Both ends of the bump stopper body  40  are projected from the outer peripheral face of the generator body  4  toward the external frame  7  and positioned closer to the outer frame  7  than the other parts of the generator body  4 . 
         [0043]    To the linear part  41   e  of the bump stopper body  41 , stays  42  and  43  are joined adjacent to the bent parts  41   a  and  41   b.  As can be understood from  FIG. 6 , the stays  42  and  43  are made by attachment parts  44  and  45  curved along the half of the periphery of the stopper body  41  and plane parts  46  and  47  extending from the attachment parts  44  and  45 , respectively, so as to be orthogonal to the stopper body  41 . Collars  48  and  49  are joined to the plane parts  46  and  47 , respectively. The collars  48  and  49  have through holes  48   a  and  49   a,  respectively, and are disposed and joined so that the through holes  48   a  and  49   a  are orthogonal to the plane parts  46  and  47 , respectively. The collar  48  is positioned and joined close to the bent part  41   a  and more to the left of the plane part  46 . The collar  49  is joined close to the bent part  41   b  and in an almost center position of the plane part  47 . 
         [0044]    Further, to the linear part  41   e  of the stopper body  41 , brackets  50  and  51  are joined adjacent to the stays  42  and  43 , respectively, and more to the center side. The brackets  50  and  51  have horizontal parts  50   a  and  51   a,  respectively, extending in the extension direction of the collars  48  and  49 . On the face on the stopper body  41  side (under face) of the horizontal parts  50   a  and  51   a,  nuts  52  and  56  and a nut  54  are welded, respectively. In the horizontal part  50   a,  holes  55  and  53  through which not-shown bolts to be screwed in the nuts  52  and  56  are inserted are formed. In the horizontal part  51   a,  a hole  57  through which a not-shown bolt to be screwed in the nut  54  is inserted is formed. 
         [0045]    Preferably, joining of the attachment parts  44  and  45  and the brackets  50  and  51  to the stopper body  41  and joining of the collars  48  and  49  to the plane parts  46  and  47  of the stays  42  and  43  is performed by, for example, welding. 
         [0046]    In the bump stopper  40 , the bolts  58  and  59  are inserted in the plane parts  46  and  47  of the stays  42  and  43  and the through holes  48   a  and  49   a  in the collars  48  and  49  joined to the plane parts  46  and  47 , respectively, and the bolts  58  and  59  are screwed in the bosses  31  and  32  formed in the engine  2 . In such a manner, the bump stopper  40  is fixedly supported by the engine  2 . 
         [0047]    The brackets  50  and  51  can be used, for example, to support parts and members disposed above the generator body  4  such as the fuel tank  6 . 
         [0048]    To the perpendicular beam  11  of the external frame  7 , the bump stopper receiver  60  is joined. The bump stopper receiver  60  is made of horizontal parts  61  and  62  and a vertical part  63  and is disposed so that the front face of the vertical part  63  faces end faces of the ends  41   c  and  41   d  of the stopper body  41  of the bump stopper  40 . That is, the bump stopper receiver  60  and the bump stopper  40  are disposed so that the both ends  41   c  and  41   d  of the stopper body  41  come into contact with the facing vertical parts  63  when the generator body  4  largely oscillates to right and left. 
         [0049]    The bump stopper receiver  60  is not limited to the shape shown in  FIG. 4  but may be any configuration having a vertical part with which an end of the stopper body  41  comes into contact and having horizontal parts crossing the vertical part. For example, like the bracket  207  shown in  FIG. 8 , a bump stopper receiver having a shape such that horizontal parts extend in the same direction from both ends of the vertical part may be used. A bump stopper receiver having an L shape in section obtained by eliminating the upper one of the horizontal parts of the bracket shown in  FIG. 8  can be also used. For convenience, a bracket like the bracket  207  shown in  FIG. 8  will be called a bracket having a “double L shape in section” so as to be discriminated from a bracket having a simple L-shape in section. 
         [0050]    In the case where external force is applied to the engine generator having the above configuration, the generator body  4  displaces in the vertical and horizontal directions in a movable range of the buffer member of the mount device  90 . By the vibrations generated during the normal operation, the bump stopper  40  does not come into contact with the bump stopper receiver  60  attached to the external frame  7 . 
         [0051]    However, when large external force which is not generated during the normal operation is applied, there is a case that the generator body  4  largely shakes. At this time, first, the both ends  41   c  and  41   d  of the bump stopper  40  which are closer to the external frame  7  than the other members of the generator body  4  collide with the stopper receivers  60 . By the collision, displacement of the generator body  4  is regulated, and the position is regulated to the inside of the external frame  7 . Since the stopper body  41  is formed in the crank shape by providing the bent parts  41   a  and  41   b  so that the ends of the stopper body  41  are deviated from the center part only by the displacement amount Δ 41 , bending moment occurs in the stopper body  41  with which the ends of the stopper receiver  60  collide. Therefore, energy generated by the collision can be absorbed more than the case where the ends of a rod member having no bent parts are positioned so as to be opposed to the stopper receiver. 
         [0052]    Since the stopper body  41  shown in the embodiment is obtained by bending a round bar having a simple shape, by changing the degree of bending of the bent part, the strength of the bump stopper  40  can be adjusted and the positional relation with neighboring members can be freely changed. At the time of changing, without changing the mold of a neighboring member or the bump stopper  40  itself, only by changing the procedure of forming process of the stopper body  41  of the bump stopper  40 , a change in the weight, shape, and the like of the engine generator can be addressed. Thus, flexibility also for a change just before mass production is high. 
         [0053]    Although the present invention has been described by the embodiment, the invention is not limited to the embodiment and modification is possible on the basis of the matters described in the scope of claims for patent and known techniques. For example, the position regulating device is not limited to an engine generator but can be widely applied to an engine operating machine in which an engine and an operating machine are surrounded by an external frame. Examples of the engine operating machine include not only a power generator but also a water pump driven by an engine and a high-pressure washing machine for pressure-feeding water by a water pump. 
         [0054]    Attachment of the bump stopper  40  is not limited to the bosses  31  and  32  on the sides of the engine  2 . In short, the bump stopper  40  may be attached to a member having high rigidity, that is, a member which is thick or reinforced by a stay or rib in an upper part (upper half) of the generator body  4 . For example, in addition to the engine  2 , the generator  3  has a thick block made of aluminum, so that the bump stopper  40  may be fixed to the block. 
         [0055]    The bosses  31  and  32  corresponding to the collars  48  and  49  of the bump stopper  40  may not be dedicated to attach the bump stopper  40 . For the engine  2  and the generator  3 , bosses and bolt holes for attaching peripheral parts are provided. The bosses and bolt holes are provided while varying their positions so as to be adapted to models and specifications such as destinations. However, since it is unpreferable to change the type of a block housing an engine and a generator for each of models, destinations, and the like, there is a case that a number of bosses and bolt holes are provided, a part of them is used as necessary, and bosses and bolt holes which are not used exist. Consequently, for attachment of the bump stopper  40 , such existing bosses and bolt holes which are not used may be used. In the case of using the bosses and bolt holes which are not used, the bump stopper  40  is not always horizontally mounted. However, when the bump stopper  40  is almost horizontal, it functions as the position regulating device. 
         [0056]    The stopper body  41  of the bump stopper  40  is not limited to a round bar whose cross section is a perfect circle but may be a member obtained by chamfering a round bar in the longitudinal direction to make the cross section a polygonal shape, that is, a square bar. However, since the directions in which the square bar can be easily bent are limited, the round bar is more preferable. 
       Reference Signs List 
       [0057]      1  . . . engine generator 
         [0058]      2  . . . engine 
         [0059]      3  . . . generator 
         [0060]      4  . . . generator body 
         [0061]      5  . . . operation box 
         [0062]      6  . . . fuel tank 
         [0063]      7  . . . external frame 
         [0064]      9  . . . lower beams 
         [0065]      10  . . . upper beams 
         [0066]      11  . . . perpendicular beams 
         [0067]      17  . . . muffler 
         [0068]      20  . . . air intake port 
         [0069]      26 ,  27  . . . exhaust ports 
         [0070]      28  . . . air cleaner 
         [0071]      31 ,  32  . . . boss 
         [0072]      40  . . . bump stopper 
         [0073]      41  . . . bump stopper body (bar member) 
         [0074]      42 ,  43  . . . stay 
         [0075]      48 ,  49  . . . collar 
         [0076]      60  . . . bump stopper receiver (receiving plate) 
         [0077]      61  . . . horizontal part 
         [0078]      62 ,  63  . . . vertical part