Utility vehicle

Abstract

A utility vehicle includes an open driver section including a driver's seat for a driver to sit on; a hermetically sealable space disposed in the driver section and having a door; and a terminal in the hermetically sealable space.

Claims

1. A utility vehicle, comprising: an open driver section comprising a driver's seat; a hermetically sealable space disposed in the driver section and comprising a door; and a terminal in the hermetically sealable space.

2. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: the terminal is connectable to a cable extendable from an inner wall of the hermetically sealable space in the hermetically sealable space, and the terminal is capable of being taken out of the hermetically sealable space while connected to the cable.

3. The utility vehicle according to claim 2, wherein: the door comprises a notch and is provided with an elastic member along an edge of the notch, and with the door closed and the terminal outside the hermetically sealable space, the cable is in close contact with and held by the elastic member.

4. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: the door is on a driving panel faced by the driver on the driver's seat, and the hermetically sealable space is embedded in the driving panel.

5. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: the door is on a driving panel faced by the driver on the driver's seat, the hermetically sealable space is embedded in the driving panel, and the terminal is on an inner wall of the hermetically sealable space.

6. The utility vehicle according to claim 5, wherein: the hermetically sealable space is off a center of a body of the utility vehicle in a width direction of the body, and the width direction is orthogonal to a direction in which the utility vehicle travels, and the terminal is on an inner wall of the hermetically sealable space which inner wall is on a side toward the center.

7. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the hermetically sealable space is a glove box.

8. The utility vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the terminal is a USB terminal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a left side view of a utility vehicle with an example configuration.

(2) FIG. 2 is a rear view of a driving panel with an example configuration.

(3) FIG. 3 is a view of a glove box, illustrating an example configuration of a terminal in the glove box.

(4) FIG. 4 is a view of a glove box, illustrating an example of how a terminal is disposed with the glove box door closed.

(5) FIG. 5 is a view of a glove box for an alternative embodiment, illustrating an example configuration of a terminal in the glove box.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) The description below deals with an embodiment of the present invention with reference to drawings. The description below refers to FIG. 1, which shows arrow F indicating the forward direction of the vehicle body and arrow B indicating the backward direction of the body. The left side relative to arrow F corresponds to the leftward direction of the body, whereas the right side relative to arrow F corresponds to the rightward direction of the body.

(7) Overall Configuration of Utility Vehicle

(8) FIG. 1 illustrates the configuration of a utility vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. The utility vehicle includes a body 1, a hood 2, a driver section 3 for an occupant (driver) to get in, a dump-type carrier box 4, a water-cooling engine E, and a transmission section 5. The body 1 includes a body frame 6 and a travel device 7.

(9) The travel device 7 includes left and right front wheels 7F drivable and capable of being turned and left and right rear wheels 7B drivable and incapable of being turned. The travel device 7 is switchable between a two-wheel drive mode, in which only the rear wheels 7B are driven, and a four-wheel drive mode, in which both the front wheels 7F and the rear wheels 7B are driven.

(10) The hood 2 is forward of the driver section 3, and covers components such as a radiator 8 configured to cool cooling water for the engine E.

(11) The driver section 3 includes a steering section 9 (which corresponds to the driving panel), a seat 10 (which corresponds to the driver's seat), and a ROPS 11 for occupant protection. The carrier box 4 is backward of the driver section 3. The engine E and the transmission section 5 are under the carrier box 4. The transmission section 5 is on a power transmission path along which the engine E transmits its motive power to the travel device 7. The transmission section 5 includes a belt-type continuously variable transmission device 12 and a transmission device 13. The continuously variable transmission device 12 is configured to continuously vary the motive power from the engine E.

(12) The transmission device 13 is connected to left and right rear axles 7Ba, and is configured to transmit motive power thereto. The transmission device 13 transmits its motive power to the rear wheels 7B via the rear axles 7Ba. The transmission device 13 functions as a rear differential device.

(13) The body 1 is provided with a front differential device 14 configured to transmit motive power from the transmission device 13 to the front wheels 7F. The body 1 is also provided with a power transmission shaft 15 extending from the transmission device 13 to the front differential device 14 and configured to transmit motive power from the transmission device 13 to the front differential device 14. The front differential device 14 is connected to left and right front axles 7Fa, and is configured to transmit motive power thereto. The front differential device 14 transmits its motive power to the front wheels 7F via the front axles 7Fa.

(14) Steering Section

(15) As illustrated in FIG. 2, the steering section 9 includes a steering wheel 24 for use to turn the front wheels 7F (see FIG. 1) and various operation tools such as a shift lever 25 for use to shift gears. The steering wheel 24 is in front of the seat 10 (see FIG. 1) for a driver (operator). The steering section 9 also includes a glove box 26 at a portion on the dashboard side at which portion the steering wheel 24 is not disposed.

(16) USB Terminal

(17) The glove box 26 is a hermetically sealable space embedded in the steering section 9, and includes a door 26A capable of being opened and closed. Closing the door 26A causes it to be flush with the outer surface of the steering section 9 and hermetically seals the space. Opening the door 26A causes it to protrude from the steering section 9. The glove box 26 is off the center line CL of the body 1 in the width (left-right) direction of the body 1, which is orthogonal to the direction in which the utility vehicle travels. Specifically, the glove box 26 is to the right of the center line CL, that is, on the side of the passenger's seat, while the steering wheel 24 is to the left of the center line CL, that is, on the side of the driver's seat.

(18) As illustrated in FIG. 3, the glove box 26 contains a USB terminal 30 (which corresponds to the terminal).

(19) The glove box 26, which is a hermetically sealable space, does not easily let in rain water, earth, or sand. Containing the USB terminal 30 in the glove box 26 reduces the risk of rain water, earth, sand, dust, and the like reaching the USB terminal 30, thereby protecting the USB terminal 30 against rain water, earth, sand, and the like without use of a cap.

(20) The USB terminal 30 may be at any position inside the glove box 26, and is, for example, provided for an inner side wall 26B (which corresponds to the inner wall) of the glove box 26 on its left side (that is, on the side of the center line CL). Providing the USB terminal 30 for the inner side wall 26B allows the USB terminal 30 to be away from a lateral side portion of the body 1. This protects the USB terminal 30 more effectively against rain water, earth, sand, and the like entering the glove box 26 from a lateral side of the body 1. Providing the USB terminal 30 for an inner side wall of the glove box 26 on its right side (that is, on the side opposite to the center line CL) may not allow the driver to reach and use the USB terminal 30. Placing the USB terminal 30 near the driver (specifically, connecting the USB terminal 30 to the inner side wall 26B of the glove box 26 on its left side) allows the driver to easily use the USB terminal 30 while remaining on the seat 10 (that is, the driver's seat) as compared to the case of a USB terminal 30 being at a right-side portion of the glove box 26. The USB terminal 30 should preferably be provided for a portion of the inner side wall 26B which portion is near the door 26A to reduce the risk of the inner side wall 26B hindering the use of the USB terminal 30 (that is, the USB terminal 30 being invisible to the driver behind the inner side wall 26B and not easily reachable by the driver).

(21) The USB terminal 30 is on a cable 31 extending from the inner side wall 26B of the glove box 26. The cable 31 is long enough for the USB terminal 30 to be outside the glove box 26. This allows a device connected with the USB terminal 30 to be used not only inside but also outside the glove box 26.

(22) The cable 31 may be fixed to the inner side wall 26B of the glove box 26, or may alternatively be configured to be stored inside the steering section 9 behind the inner side wall 26B when not in use and drawn out from the inner side wall 26B for use. This alternative configuration allows the cable 31 to be disposed inside the glove box 26 in such a manner as not to hinder storage of an object in the glove box 26.

(23) As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the door 26A of the glove box 26 should preferably have a notch 32. The notch 32 allows the cable 31 to extend therethrough with the door 26A closed when a device connected with the USB terminal 30 is used outside the glove box 26. Closing the door 26A of the glove box 26 can prevent rain water, earth, sand, and the like from entering the glove box 26 while the USB terminal 30 is in use.

(24) The door 26A may be provided with an elastic member 33 made of, for example, rubber along the edge of the notch 32. The elastic member 33 allows the cable 31 to come into close contact with that portion of the door 26A which defines the notch 32 and to thereby be held by the door 26A stably. The elastic member 33 also prevents a gap from being formed between the cable 31 and that portion of the door 26A which defines the notch 32, and can thereby prevent rain water, earth, sand, and the like from entering the glove box 26 through the notch 32. Further, forming a notch 32 in a portion of the door 26A which portion is near the center line CL of the body 1 can prevent rain water, earth, sand, and the like from entering the glove box 26 from a lateral side of the body 1.

Alternative Embodiments

(25) (1) The embodiment described above may be altered such that the USB terminal 30 is disposed directly on an inner portion of the glove box 26, that is, without the cable 31 in-between. The embodiment may be altered, for instance, to include a USB terminal 30A on the inner side wall 26B of the glove box 26 as illustrated in FIG. 5.

(26) This alternative embodiment includes a USB terminal 30A on an inner portion of the glove box 26, which is a hermetically sealable space that does not easily let in rain water, earth, sand, or the like. This simple configuration can protect the USB terminal 30A against rain water, earth, sand, and the like.

(27) This alternative embodiment may be configured such that the cable 31 is detachably attachable to the USB terminal 30A on the inner side wall 26B. This allows the user to select depending on the situation between directly using the USB terminal 30A on the inner side wall 26B and drawing the cable 31 out of the glove box 26 to use the USB terminal 30.

(28) This alternative embodiment is specifically configured such that the cable 31 has a first end provided with the USB terminal 30 and a second end provided with a connection terminal connectable to the USB terminal 30A. The cable 31, when used, is connected to the USB terminal 30A to allow the USB terminal 30 on the cable 31 to be usable.

(29) The cable 31 being attachable and detachable as described above allows either of the USB terminals 30 and 30A to be used conveniently depending on the state of use of a desired device while appropriately protecting the USB terminals 30 and 30A.

(30) (2) The embodiments described above may each be altered such that at least either of the USB terminals 30 and 30A is not in the glove box 26 but in another hermetically sealable space that is in the steering section 9 and that is capable of being opened and closed.

(31) This alternative embodiment does not limit the respective positions of the USB terminals 30 and 30A, and allows the USB terminals 30 and 30A to be positioned for more convenient use.

(32) This alternative embodiment may, for instance, have a hermetically sealable space near the seat 10 (driver's seat). In this case, providing the USB terminals 30 and 30A for an inner side wall of the hermetically sealable space which inner side wall is near the center line CL still more likely allows the driver to easily reach the USB terminals 30 and 30A than in the case of providing the USB terminals 30 and 30A for the inner side wall 26B of the glove box 26. This configuration reduces the possibility of an inner side wall of a hermetically sealable space hindering the driver's use of the USB terminals 30 and 30A, thereby allowing the driver to use the USB terminals 30 and 30A more easily while remaining on the seat 10 (driver's seat).

(33) (3) The embodiments described above may each further include a terminal other than the USB terminals 30 and 30A such as a cigarette lighter socket in a hermetically sealable space such as the glove box 26 in addition to or instead of the USB terminals 30 and 30A.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(34) The present invention is applicable to utility vehicles including a steering section that may be exposed to wind and rain.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

(35) 3 Driver section 9 Steering section (driving panel) 10 Seat (driver's seat) 26 Glove box (hermetically sealable space) 26A Door 26B Inner side wall (inner wall) 30 USB terminal 30A USB terminal 31 Cable 32 Notch 33 Elastic member CL Center line of the body