Forklift

{
  "publication_number": "US2011308869A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Forklift",
  "abstract": "A forklift configured so that an increased amount air flows into a radiator. A forklift is provided with a front axle (1) functioning as the drive shaft for front wheels, a rear axle functioning as the rotation shaft for rear wheels, an engine (2) for generating driving force of the front axle (1), a transmission (3) for transmitting power from the engine (2) to the front axle (1), a radiator (4) mounted behind the engine (2), a hydraulic pipe insertion plate (5) provided below the radiator (4) and having formed therein a through-hole for a hydraulic pipe, and a shroud-equipped air delivery fan (6) provided in front of the radiator (4) and sending air to the radiator (4). A flow regulating member (10) is provided on the front surface side of the hydraulic pipe insertion plate (5), and the flow regulating member (10) is mounted so as not to interfere with the hydraulic pipe and causes air which flows rearward of the vehicle body when the engine is operated to flow toward the shroud-equipped air delivery fan (6).",
  "claims": [
    "1. A forklift comprising: a front axle which functions as a drive shaft for front wheels; a rear axle which functions as a rotation shaft for rear wheels; an engine which generates drive force of the front axle; a transmission which transmits power from the engine to the front axle; a radiator which is mounted behind the engine; a hydraulic pipe insertion plate which is provided below the radiator and has a through-hole formed therein for a hydraulic pipe; and a air delivery fan which is provided in front of the radiator and sends air to the radiator, wherein the flow regulating member is mounted so as not to interfere with the hydraulic pipe and causes air flowing rearward of the vehicle body when the engine is operated to flow toward the air delivery fan. 2. The forklift according to claim 1, wherein the flow regulating member partially covers the through-hole formed in the hydraulic pipe insertion plate for the hydraulic pipe. 3. The forklift according to claim 1, wherein the flow regulating member is formed integrally with a vehicle body cross plate and is processed by bending. 4. The forklift according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic pipe insertion plate is formed by arranging a pair of C-shaped plates so that openings of the C-shaped plates face with each other to form the through-hole of the hydraulic pipe insertion plate, the through-hole having an approximately rectangular cross-sectional shape. 5. The forklift according to claim 4, wherein the flow regulating member is arranged so as to cover one of the pair of C-shaped plates of the hydraulic pipe insertion plate. 6. The forklift according to claim 1, wherein the hydraulic pipe insertion plate is formed integrally with a vehicle body frame and installed upright with respect to a horizontal surface. 7. The forklift according to claim 1, wherein the flow regulating member is a block-shaped member. 8. The forklift according to claim 7, wherein the block-shaped member has a front surface that is inclined so as to function as a flow regulating surface. 9. The forklift according to claim 8, wherein the block-shaped member is formed into a column having a polygonal cross-sectional shape and a fixing member is arranged on both ends of the block-shaped member in a width direction so as to fix the block-shaped member after being installed. 10. The forklift according to claim 8, wherein the flow regulating member includes a plate-like under cover which is arranged below the engine and under the vehicle body and has a dust cover function. 11. The forklift according to claim 10, wherein the under cover has such a width as to cover only an installation side of the radiator in a width direction of the vehicle. 12. The forklift according to claim 10, wherein the undercover has such a width as to cover an entire width of the vehicle. 13. The forklift according to claim 10, wherein the undercover is made of a material having aeration property and has a filter function to keep the dust from entering. 14. The forklift according to claim 10, wherein an air channel is formed by the under cover and an engine cover which covers a top surface side of the engine. 15. The forklift, wherein the flow regulating member is mounted so as not to interfere with the hydraulic pipe and causes air flowing rearward of the vehicle body when the engine is operated to flow toward the air delivery fan and the flow regulating member of claim 10 is integrally fanned. 16. The forklift according to claim 13, wherein an air channel is formed by the under cover and an engine cover which covers a top surface side of the engine. 17. The forklift according to claim 11, wherein the undercover is made of a material having aeration property and has a filter function to keep the dust from entering. 18. The forklift according to claim 12, wherein the undercover is made of a material having aeration property and has a filter function to keep the dust from entering. 19. The forklift according to claim 11, wherein an air channel is formed by the under cover and an engine cover which covers a top surface side of the engine. 20. The forklift according to claim 12, wherein an air channel is formed by the under cover and an engine cover which covers a top surface side of the engine."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field of the Invention\n\nThe present invention relates to a forklift equipped with a fork for transporting a load, in particular to regulate a flow of cooling air toward a radiator.\n\n2. Description of the Related Art\n\nAs a forklift equipped with a fork for transporting a load, there is a forklift which is capable of preventing exhaust warm air from flowing back in again, has a high cooling performance of the radiator and is easy to assemble. One example is shown in Patent Document 1.\n\nThe forklift described in Patent Document 1 is illustrated in FIG. 5 and comprises an air delivery fan 100, a radiator 101 for cooling engine cooling water, a counter weight 102 mounted behind the radiator 101, and a muffler provided between the radiator 101 and the counter weight 102. The counter weight 102 has a through- hole 102 a formed therein. The exhaust air S is blown by the air delivery fan 100 through the radiator 101 so as to be heated, and the exhaust warm air S having been heated is discharged through the through- hole 102 a. With this configuration, the forklift is capable of preventing the exhaust warm air from flowing back in and improving the cooling performance of the radiator 101 and is easy to assemble.\n\nHowever, Patent Document 1 disclosing the above forklift does not consider the air flow on an upstream side of the air delivery fan 100. Thus, in such a case that the flow of the air passing through the radiator 101 is deficient, the radiator 101 may not show its full performance.",
  "cpc": [
    "F01P 11/10",
    "B60K 11/04",
    "B60K 11/08",
    "B60Y 2200/15",
    "B66F 9/07595",
    "F01P 2050/00",
    "F01P 5/06"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B60K 11/04",
    "B66F 9/075",
    "F01P 11/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Isamu Hirota",
    "Shinjiro Murata",
    "Shunta Takahashi"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2009-09-25",
  "publication_date": "2011-12-22",
  "priority_date": "2009-03-25",
  "application_number": "US-200913254418-A",
  "family_id": "42780404",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US4109956A",
    "US4304314A",
    "US4854278A",
    "US5526872A",
    "US5709175A",
    "US6745860B2",
    "US6755267B2",
    "US7014007B2",
    "US20080142285A1"
  ]
}