Patent Publication Number: US-2016237647-A1

Title: Arrangement of Components of a Cooling Unit in a Construction Machine

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a technical field of construction machinery such as a hydraulic shovel in which a plurality of heat exchangers is mounted together as a cooling unit. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In general, some construction machines such as hydraulic shovels are configured such that a plurality of heat exchangers such as a radiator for cooling engine cooling water, an oil cooler for cooling hydraulic oil, a supercharger cooler (also referred to as an intercooler, a charge air cooler, an after cooler, or ATTAC) for cooling compressed air generated in a turbo supercharger, and an air conditioning condenser is mounted together as a cooling unit in the construction machine, and those heat exchangers are cooled using cooling air that flows in as a result of rotation of a cooling fan. In such a construction machine, when a plurality of heat exchangers is arranged in the cooling unit, the supercharger cooler and the air conditioning condenser are preferably disposed on an upstream side in a direction in which cooling air flows because the supercharger cooler and the air conditioning condenser need to be cooled down to a lower temperature than the radiator and the oil cooler, and the supercharger cooler preferably avoids being disposed below other heat exchangers in terms of the layout of pipes connected to an engine supercharger. Thus, some construction machines have been known in which the supercharger cooler is disposed above the air conditioning condenser and in which the supercharger cooler and the air conditioning condenser are arranged upstream side of the radiator and the oil cooler in the cooling air flowing direction (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). 
     The cooling unit is disposed in a building cover of the construction machine, and air intakes for taking in air serving as cooling air are formed in an upper surface portion and a side surface portion of the building cover located upstream of the cooling unit in the cooling air flowing direction. In this case, a space between the air intake and the cooling unit, that is, the space located upstream of the cooling unit in the cooling air flowing direction, may remain an empty space if the machine body has a sufficient space (see, for example, Patent Literature 2). However, if the machine body has an insufficient space as in the case of a slewing hydraulic shovel, the space located upstream of the cooling unit may be used as a disposition space for a member such as an air cleaner (see, for example, Patent Literature 3). 
     Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-196191 
     Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-28873 
     Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2010-77634 
     However, if the member such as an air cleaner is disposed in the space located upstream of the cooling unit in the cooling air flowing direction as in the case of Patent Literature 3, the flow of cooling air may be hindered to make the amount of air flowing to the heat exchangers insufficient depending on the member disposed on the upstream side in the cooling air flowing direction. In particular, even though the supercharger cooler is disposed on the upstream side in the cooling air flowing direction because the supercharger cooler needs to be cooled down to a lower temperature than the radiator and the oil cooler, the member disposed upstream of the supercharger cooler may prevent an intended amount of cooling air from being provided. Moreover, an insufficient amount of cooling air flowing to the supercharger cooler may disadvantageously lead to an insufficient amount of cooling air flowing to the heat exchangers disposed downstream of the supercharger cooler in the cooling air flowing direction, which results in the problem to be solved by the present invention. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     With the foregoing in view, the present invention has been created in order to solve these problems. An invention of claim  1  is a construction machine in which a plurality of heat exchangers including a supercharger heat exchanger is disposed in a building cover as a cooling unit, and air intakes are formed in an upper surface portion and a side surface portion of the building cover located upstream of the cooling unit in a cooling air flowing direction, wherein the plurality of heat exchangers in the cooling unit is arranged in such a manner that upstream side heat exchangers including the supercharger heat exchanger are disposed most upstream in the cooling air flowing direction and that the supercharger heat exchanger is disposed at a highest position among the upstream side heat exchangers, and a current plate is provided below the supercharger heat exchanger, the current plate regulating a flow of cooling air flowing in through the air intake located upstream of the supercharger heat exchanger in the cooling air flowing direction and toward below the supercharger heat exchanger to introduce the cooling air into the supercharger heat exchanger. 
     An invention of claim  2  is the construction machine of claim  1 , wherein the current plate is attached to an upper end portion of an attachment member for attaching the heat exchanger disposed below the supercharger heat exchanger to a frame of the cooling unit. 
     An invention of claim  3  is the construction machine of claim  1  or claim  2 , wherein a regulation plate is provided above the supercharger exchanger, for regulating a flow of cooling air flowing in through the air intake in the upper surface portion of the building cover and toward above the supercharger heat exchanger to introduce the cooling air into the supercharger heat exchanger. 
     An invention of claim  4  is the construction machine of claim  3 , wherein the air intake in the upper surface portion of the building cover is formed in a grating installed on the upper surface portion of the building cover, and the regulation plate is attached to the grating. 
     An invention of claim  5  is the construction machine of any one of claims  1  to  4 , wherein a louver for directing cooling air flowing in through the air intake toward the supercharger heat exchanger is provided in the air intake in the side surface portion of the building cover located upstream of the supercharger heat exchanger in the cooling air flowing direction. 
     An invention of claim  6  is the construction machine of any one of claims  1  to  5 , wherein a louver for directing cooling air flowing in through the air intake toward the supercharger heat exchanger is provided in the air intake in the upper surface portion of the building cover. 
     An invention of claim  7  is the construction machine of claim  6 , wherein the air intake in the upper surface portion of the building cover is formed by a gap between flat bars of a grating installed on the upper surface portion of building cover, and the flat bars are tilted to form the louver. 
     According to the invention of claim  1 , the current plate allows cooling air flowing in through the air intake located upstream of the supercharger heat exchanger in the cooling air flowing direction to be restrained from flowing toward below the supercharger heat exchanger. This enables the cooling air to be introduced into the supercharger heat exchanger. As a result, a needed amount of cooing air can be reliably supplied to the supercharger heat exchanger. 
     The invention of claim  2  allows the current plate to be provided utilizing the attachment member for the heat exchanger disposed below the supercharger heat exchanger without the need for a dedicated attachment member or space for the current plate. The invention of claim  2  can contribute to simplifying the structure of the construction machine and reducing the costs of the construction machine. 
     According to the invention of claim  3 , the regulation plate allows prevention of waste of a flow, toward above the supercharger heat exchanger, of cooling air flowing in through the air intake in the upper surface portion of the building cover. This enables an increase in the amount of cooling air supplied to the supercharger heat exchanger. 
     The invention of claim  4  allows the regulation plate to be provided utilizing the grating without the need for a dedicated attachment member or space for the regulation plate. The invention of claim  4  can contribute to simplifying the structure of the construction machine and reducing the costs of the construction machine. 
     The invention of claim  5  allows cooling air flowing in through the air intake in the side surface portion of the building cover to be reliably supplied to the supercharger heat exchanger. 
     The invention of claim  6  allows cooling air flowing in through the air intake in the upper surface portion of the building cover to be reliably supplied to the supercharger heat exchanger. 
     The invention of claim  7  allows the louver to be formed using the flat bars of the grating without the need for a separate member or space for the louver. The invention of claim  7  can contribute to simplifying the structure of the construction machine and reducing the costs of the construction machine. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of an upper slewing body. 
         FIG. 2  is a view of a left portion in an engine room as viewed from a rear side of the engine room. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the left portion in the engine room. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a side door. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective plan view of the left portion of the engine room (an engine hood is omitted). 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing how a current plate is disposed. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. In the figures, reference numeral  1  denotes an upper slewing body of a hydraulic shovel, an example of a construction machine. The upper slewing body  1  includes a front work section  2  axially supported at a base end portion of the front work section  2  in a laterally central portion of a front half side of the upper slewing body  1  so as to allow the front work section  2  to rise and lie freely, a cab  3  mounted in a left portion of the front half side, and an equipment housing chamber  4 , a fuel tank  5 , a hydraulic oil tank  6 , and the like disposed in a right portion of the front half side; equipment such as a control valve (not shown in the drawings) is housed in the equipment housing chamber  4 . Moreover, the upper slewing body  1  includes an engine room  7  disposed on a rear half side of the upper slewing body  1  and a counterweight  8  installed behind the engine room  7 . A front-rear direction and a lateral direction in the description below correspond to the front-rear direction and lateral direction of the machine body (upper slewing body  1 ). 
     The engine room  7  includes an engine  9  housed in a laterally central portion of the engine room  7 , a hydraulic pump  10  housed on a right side of the engine  9  and driven by the engine  9 , and a cooling unit  11  housed on a left side of the engine  9 . The engine  9  includes a supercharger (not shown in the drawings) that compresses air sucked into the engine  9 . 
     The cooling unit  11  includes a plurality of heat exchangers assembled to a frame  12 . According to the embodiment, the plurality of heat exchangers provided in the cooling unit includes a supercharger cooler (corresponding to a supercharger heat exchanger according to the present invention)  13  for cooling air compressed by the supercharger, an air conditioning condenser  14 , a radiator  15  for cooling engine cooling water, and an oil cooler  16  for cooling hydraulic oil. These heat exchangers are adapted to be cooled by cooling air that flows in as a result of rotation of a cooling fan  17  connected to a crank shaft of the engine  9 . In the figures, reference numeral  17   a  denotes a shroud that surrounds an area between the cooling fan and the frame  12  to regulate a flow of cooling air. Furthermore, reference numeral  13   a  denotes a pipe that connects the supercharger cooler  13  and the supercharger together. The pipe  13   a  is disposed so as to pass above the supercharger cooler  13 , the radiator  15 , and the oil cooler  16  to the supercharger for the engine  9 . 
     In this case, the plurality of heat exchangers in the cooling unit  11  is arranged as follows. The supercharger cooler  13  and the air conditioning condenser  14  are juxtaposed to each other in the vertical direction so that the supercharger cooler  13  lies above the air conditioning condenser  14 . The supercharger cooler  13  and the air conditioning condenser  14  are positioned on the upstream side in the cooling air flowing direction. The radiator  15  and the oil cooler  16  are positioned downstream of the supercharger cooler  13  and the air conditioning condenser  14  (closer to the cooling fan  17  than the supercharger cooler  13  and the air conditioning condenser  14 ). The supercharger cooler  13  and the air conditioning condenser  14  correspond to upstream side heat exchangers according to the present invention. 
     On the other hand, reference numeral  19  denotes an openable and closable side cover (corresponding to a building cover side surface portion according to the present invention) forming a left surface portion of the engine room  7 . The side cover  19  is positioned upstream of the cooling unit  11  in the cooling air flowing direction. An air cleaner  20  is disposed between the side cover  19  and the supercharger cooler  13 , that is, in a space located upstream of the supercharger cooler  13  in the cooling air flowing direction. The air cleaner  20  separates dust from air to supply clean air to the supercharger for the engine  9 . The air cleaner  20  is cylindrical and is disposed so as to incline to the supercharger cooler  13 . A cylindrical base of the air cleaner  20  positioned on a front side of the machine body lies in proximity to the supercharger cooler  13 . A cylindrical base of the air cleaner  20  positioned on a rear side of the machine body lies in proximity to the side cover  19 . Reference numeral  20   a  denotes a pre-cleaner. 
     The side cover  19  includes a first air intake  19   a,  a second air intake  19   b,  and a third air intake  19   c  formed in the side cover  19  and through which cooling air is taken into the engine room  7 . The first, second, and third air intakes  19   a,    19   b,  and  19   c  each include a plurality of horizontally long slits arranged in juxtaposition in the vertical direction and in the horizontal direction. The first and second air intakes  19   a  and  19   b  are formed in an upper half side of the side cover  19 , that is, upstream of the supercharger cooler  13  in the cooling air flowing direction and in juxtaposition in the vertical direction. The third air intake  19   c  is formed in a lower half side of the side cover  19 , that is, upstream of the air conditioning condenser  14  in the cooling air flowing direction. Furthermore, the first and second air intakes  19   a  and  19   b  are long in the horizontal direction, and the third air intake  19   c  is formed to be narrower than the first and second air intakes  19   a  and  19   b  in the horizontal direction. Moreover, louvers  21  inclined such that a leading end of each of the louvers  21  faces upward are attached to lower sides of the first and second air intakes  19   a  and  19   b,  respectively, provided upstream of the supercharger cooler  13  in the cooling air flowing direction, to direct cooling air flowing in through the first and second air intakes  19   a  and  19   b  toward the supercharger cooler  13 . The louvers  21  allow cooling air to flow toward the supercharger cooler  13 , enabling cooling air flowing in through the first and second air intakes  19   a  and  19   b  to be reliably supplied to the supercharger cooler  13 . On the other hand, the air conditioning condenser  14  disposed below the supercharger cooler  13  is supplied with cooling air flowing in through the third air intake  19   c.  In the figures, reference numeral denotes  21   a  denotes a louver attachment section for attaching the louver  21  to the side cover  19 . Furthermore, the louver  21  attached to the lower side of the first air intake  19   a  is divided into two portions at a horizontally intermediate portion of the first air intake  19   a  in order to avoid interference with the air cleaner  20 . 
     On the other hand, an upper side of the engine room  7  is covered with an openable and closable engine hood  22  located above the engine  9  and the cooling unit  11 . A grating  23  is installed on an upper surface portion of the engine room  7  (corresponding to an upper surface portion of a building cover according to the present invention) extending from the left of the engine hood  22  to the side cover  19 . The grating  23  includes a frame body  23   a  in which a plurality of parallel flat bars  23   b  is incorporated with gaps present between the flat bars  23   b.  The gaps between the flat bars  23   b  form air intakes  23   c  through which air is taken into the engine room  7 . Thus, the air intakes  23   c  are formed in the upper surface portion of the engine room  7  located upstream of the cooling unit  11  in the cooling air flowing direction. In this case, in order to direct cooling air flowing in through the air intakes  23   c  between the flat bars  23   b  toward the supercharger cooler  13 , each of the flat bars  23   b  is inclined such that a leading end side of the flat bar  23   b  faces the supercharger cooler  13  and is formed to have a larger vertical length than the frame body  23   a.  The inclined flat bars  23   b  allow cooling air to flow toward the supercharger cooler  13 , enabling cooling air flowing in through the air intakes  23   c  in the upper surface portion of the engine room  7  to be reliably supplied to the supercharger cooler  13 . According to the embodiment, the inclined flat bars  23   b  of the grating  23  correspond to a louver provided on the air intake in the upper surface portion of the building cover according to the present invention. 
     Furthermore, in front of the grating  23 , an air cleaner attachment section  24  is formed integrally with the grating  23 . The air cleaner attachment section  24  is penetrated by a pipe  20   b  extending from the pre-cleaner  20   a  to the air cleaner  20 . The pre-cleaner  20   a  is arranged above the air cleaner attachment section  24 , and the air cleaner  20  is attached to and supported by a lower side of the air cleaner attachment section  24 . 
     Moreover, a support plate  25  opposite and parallel to the upper surface portion  13   b  of the supercharger cooler  13  via a gap is attached to the right side frame body  23   a  of the grating  23 . A left edge portion of the openable and closable engine hood  22  abuts against an upper surface of the support plate  25  from above. The support plate  25  includes a regulation plate  26  formed integrally with the support plate  25  and extending to the upper surface portion  13   b  of the supercharger cooler  13  to close the gap between the support plate  25  and the supercharger cooler  13  upper surface portion  13   b.  The regulation plate  26  restrains cooling air flowing in through the air intakes  23   c  of the grating  23  from escaping toward above the supercharger cooler  13  through the gap between the support plate  25  and the supercharger cooler  13  upper surface portion  13   b  without passing through the supercharger cooler  13 . Furthermore, the cooling air restrained by the regulation plate  26  from flowing upward is introduced into the supercharger cooler  13 . In this manner, the regulation plate  26  is provided above the supercharger cooler  13  to regulate a flow of cooling air flowing in through the air intakes  23   c  of the grating  23  and toward above the supercharger cooler  13  to introduce the cooling air into the supercharger cooler  13 . 
     On the other hand, reference numeral  27  denotes an attachment plate (corresponding to an attachment member according to the present invention) for attaching the air conditioning condenser  14  disposed below the supercharger cooler  13  to the frame  12  of the cooling unit  11 . The attachment plate  27  includes a left attachment side  27   a  and a right attachment side  27   b  to which a left end and a right end of the air conditioning condenser  14  are attached, and an upper side  27   c  that couples upper portions of the left attachment side  27   a  and the right attachment side  27   b  together. Moreover, the attachment plate  27  includes a current plate  28  integrally attached to an upper end portion of an upper side  27   c  of the attachment plate  27  and projecting horizontally toward the side cover  19 . The current plate  28  restrains cooling air flowing in through the first and second air intakes  19   a  and  19   b  in the side cover  19  and the air intakes  23   c  in the grating  23 , provided upstream of the supercharger cooler  13  in the cooling air flowing direction, from flowing toward below the supercharger cooler  13 . Furthermore, cooling air restrained from flowing downward by impinging on the current plate  28  is introduced into the supercharger cooler  13 . As described above, the current plate  28  is provided below the supercharger cooler  13  to restrain a flow of cooling air flowing in through the first and second air intakes  19   a  and  19   b  in the side cover  19  and the air intakes  23   c  in the grating  23  and toward below the supercharger cooler  13  to introduce the cooling air into the supercharger cooler  13 . 
     In this way, cooling air flowing in through the air intakes  23   c  in the grating  23  installed on the upper surface portion of the engine room  7  is directed toward the supercharger cooler  13  by the inclined flat bars  23   b.  Furthermore, cooling air flowing in through the first and second air intakes  19   a  and  19   b  in the side cover  19  is directed toward the supercharger cooler  13  by the louver  21 . Moreover, the regulation plate  26  provided above the supercharger cooler  13  regulates the flow of cooling air flowing in through the air intakes  23   c  in the grating  23  and toward above the supercharger cooler  13 . Additionally, the current plate  28  provided on the lower side of the supercharger cooler  13  regulates the flow of cooling air flowing in through the air intake  23   c  in the grating  23  and the first and second air intakes  19   a  and  19   b  in the side cover  19  and toward below the supercharger cooler  13 . This allows a needed amount of cooling air to be supplied to the supercharger cooler  13  even when the air cleaner  20  is disposed upstream of the supercharger cooler  13  in the cooling air flowing direction. 
     In the embodiment configured as described above, the hydraulic shovel  1  includes the plurality of heat exchangers such as the supercharger cooler  13 , the air conditioning condenser  14 , the radiator  15 , and the oil cooler  16  disposed together in the engine room  7  as the cooling unit  11 , and the air intakes  23   c  formed in the upper surface portion of the engine room  7  (the upper surface portion of the building cover) located upstream of the cooling unit  11  in the cooling air flowing direction and the air intakes  19   a ,  19   b,  and  19   c  formed in the side cover  19  (the side surface portion of the building cover) (the air intakes  23   c  formed in the grating  23  installed on the upper surface portion of the engine room  7  and the first, second, and third air intakes  19   a,    19   b,  and  19   c  formed in the side cover  19 ). The plurality of heat exchangers in the cooling unit  11  is arranged as follows. The supercharger cooler  13  and the air conditioning condenser  14  are disposed most upstream in the cooling air flowing direction, and the supercharger cooler  13  is disposed above the air conditioning condenser  14 . Furthermore, the current plate  28  is provided below the supercharger cooler  13  to regulate the flow of cooling air flowing in through the air intakes  23   c,    19   a,  and  19   c  positioned upstream of the supercharger cooler  13  in the cooling air flowing direction (the air intakes  23   c  formed in the grating  23  installed on the upper surface portion of the engine room  7  and the first and second air intakes  19   a  and  19   b  formed on the upper half side of the side cover  19 ) and toward below the supercharger cooler  13  to introduce the cooling air into the supercharger cooler  13 . 
     As a result, the current plate  28  allows cooling air flowing in through the air intakes  23   c,    19   a,  and  19   c  located upstream of the supercharger cooler  13  in the cooling air flowing direction to be restrained from flowing toward below the supercharger cooler  13  so that the cooling air can be introduced into the supercharger cooler  13 . Thus, even when a member obstructing the flow of cooling air, like the air cleaner  20  in the embodiment, is disposed upstream of the supercharger cooler  13  in the cooling air flowing direction, a needed amount of cooling air can be reliably supplied to the supercharger cooler  13 . When the needed amount of cooling air is supplied to the supercharger cooler  13 , a needed amount of cooling air can also be supplied to the radiator  15  and the oil cooler  16  both disposed downstream of the supercharger cooler  13  in the cooling air flowing direction. 
     In the embodiment, the current plate  28  is attached to the upper end portion of the attachment plate  27  used for attaching, to the frame  12  of the cooling unit  11 , the air conditioning condenser  14  disposed below the supercharger cooler  13 . Thus, the current plate  28  can be easily provided utilizing the attachment plate  27  for the air conditioning condenser  14  without the need for a dedicated attachment member or space for attachment of the current plate  28 . The embodiment can contribute to simplifying the structure of the construction machine and reducing the costs of the construction machine. 
     In the embodiment, the regulation plate  26  is provided above the supercharger cooler  13  to regulate the flow of cooling air flowing in through the air intakes  23   c  in the upper surface portion of the engine room  7  and toward above the supercharger cooler  13  to introduce the cooling air into the supercharger cooler  13 . Thus, the regulation plate  26  allows prevention of waste of a flow, toward above the supercharger cooler  13 , of cooling air flowing in through the air intakes  23   c  in the upper surface portion of the engine room  7 . This enables an increase in the amount of cooling air supplied to the supercharger cooler  13 . 
     In the embodiment, the air intakes  23   c  in the upper surface portion of the engine room  7  are formed in the grating  23  installed on the upper surface portion of the engine room  7 , and the regulation plate  26  is attached to the grating  23 . As a result, the regulation plate  26  can be easily provided utilizing the grating  23  without the need for a dedicated attachment member or space for attachment of the regulation plate  26 . The embodiment can contribute to simplifying the structure of the construction machine and reducing the costs of the construction machine. 
     In the embodiment, the first and second air intakes  19   a  and  19   b  in the side cover  19  are provided with the louvers  21  for directing cooling air flowing in through the first and second air intakes  19   a  and  19   b  toward the supercharger cooler  13 . As a result, the supercharger cooler  13  can be reliably supplied with cooling air flowing in through the first and second air intakes  19   a  and  19   b  in the side cover  19  positioned upstream of the supercharger cooler  19  in the cooling air flowing direction. 
     In the embodiment, the air intakes  23   c  in the upper surface portion of the engine room  7  are provided with the louvers (inclined flat bars  23   b ) for directing cooling air flowing in through the air intakes  23   c  toward the supercharger cooler  13 . As a result, the supercharger cooler  13  can be reliably supplied with cooling air flowing in through the air intakes  23   c  in the upper surface portion of the engine room  7  located upstream of the supercharger cooler  19  in the cooling air flowing direction. 
     Moreover, the louvers provided in the air intakes  23   c  in the upper surface portion of the engine room  7  are formed by inclining the flat bars  23   b  of the grating  23  forming the air intakes  23   c.  As a result, the louvers can be formed using the flat bars  23   b  of the grating  23  without the need for a separate member or space for the louvers. The embodiment can contribute to simplifying the structure of the construction machine and reducing the costs of the construction machine. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The present invention can be utilized for a case where a construction machine such as a hydraulic shovel includes a plurality of heat exchangers including a supercharger heat exchanger and mounted together in the construction machine as a cooling unit. 
     EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       7  Engine room 
       11  Cooling unit 
       12  Frame 
       13  Supercharger cooler 
       14  Air conditioning condenser 
       15  Radiator 
       16  Oil cooler 
       19  Side cover 
       19   a,    19   b,    19   c  First, second, and third air intakes 
       20  Air cleaner 
       21  Louver 
       23  Grating 
       23   b  Flat bar 
       23   c  Air intake 
       26  Regulation plate 
       27  Attachment plate 
       28  Current plate