Construction machine, drive device for construction machine, and drive unit for construction machine

Abstract

A construction machine includes: a drive device outputting torque centered on a rotational axis perpendicular to a reference axis extending in upper and lower directions of a travelable vehicle body; and a boom having a first end portion coupled to the vehicle body, the boom being rotated around the rotational axis by the torque from the drive device. When viewed in a first direction parallel to the rotational axis, the boom is rotatable to both one side and other side with respect to the reference axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A construction machine comprising:
 a drive device outputting torque centered on a rotational axis orthogonal to a reference axis extending in upper and lower directions of a travelable vehicle body; and   a boom having a first end portion coupled to the vehicle body, the boom being rotated around the rotational axis by the torque from the drive device,   wherein, when viewed in a first direction parallel to the rotational axis, the boom is rotatable to both one side and other side with respect to the reference axis.   
     
     
         2 . The construction machine of  claim 1 , wherein, when viewed in the first direction, the boom is rotatable by 90 degrees or more to the one side and the other side with respect to the reference axis. 
     
     
         3 . The construction machine of  claim 1 , wherein the drive device is a first drive device, and the rotational axis is a first rotational axis,
 the construction machine further comprising:   a second drive device outputting torque centered on a second rotational axis, the second rotational axis being parallel to the first rotational axis and passing through a second end portion of the boom opposite to the first end portion of the boom;   an arm having a first end portion coupled to the second end portion of the boom, the arm rotating around the second rotational axis by the torque from the second drive device;   a third drive device outputting torque centered on a third rotational axis, the third rotational axis being parallel to the first rotational axis and passing through a second end portion of the arm opposite to the first end portion of the arm; and   an attachment having a first end portion coupled to the second end portion of the arm, the attachment rotating around the third rotational axis by the torque from the third drive device,   wherein, when viewed in the first direction, the arm is rotatable to both one side and other side with respect to an imaginary straight line connecting the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis, and the attachment is rotatable to both one side and other side with respect to an imaginary straight line connecting the second rotational axis and the third rotational axis.   
     
     
         4 . The construction machine of  claim 2 , wherein, when viewed in the first direction, the vehicle body has an inclined surface that is sloped such that it approaches the reference axis toward an upward direction, and a top surface that is connected to an uppermost edge of the inclined surface and is orthogonal to the reference axis, and
 wherein the first end portion of the boom is coupled to the vehicle body at the top surface.   
     
     
         5 . The construction machine of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a slewing device outputting torque centered on a slewing axis parallel to the reference axis; and
 a connecting member interposed between the vehicle body and the boom, the connecting member being rotated about the slewing axis by the torque from the slewing device, 
 wherein the connecting member is rotatable through 360 degrees about the slewing axis. 
   
     
     
         6 . The construction machine of  claim 5 , wherein the vehicle body is formed in a truncated conical shape such that its cross-sectional area orthogonal to the reference axis decreases toward an upward direction, and
 wherein the first end portion of the boom is coupled to a top surface of the vehicle body, the top surface being a surface on the upper side.   
     
     
         7 . The construction machine of  claim 1 , wherein the first end portion of the boom is disposed at a central of the vehicle body in a direction orthogonal to both the rotation axis and the reference axis. 
     
     
         8 . The construction machine of  claim 1 , wherein the drive device is a first drive device, and the rotational axis is a first rotational axis,
 the construction machine further comprising:   a second drive device outputting torque centered on a second rotational axis, the second rotational axis being parallel to the first rotational axis and passing through a second end portion of the boom opposite to the first end portion of the boom;   an arm having a first end portion coupled to the second end portion of the boom, the arm rotating around the second rotation axis by the torque from the second drive device;   a third drive device outputting torque centered on a third rotational axis, the third rotational axis being parallel to the first rotational axis and passing through a second end portion of the arm opposite to the first end portion of the arm; and   an attachment having a first end portion coupled to the second end portion of the arm, the attachment rotating around the third rotational axis by the torque from the third drive device,   wherein the attachment is two buckets having openings respectively, and   wherein the openings of the two buckets face away from each other and are arranged in a circumferential direction about the third rotational axis.   
     
     
         9 . The construction machine of  claim 8 , wherein each bucket includes a box-shaped bucket body having the opening and a tooth protruding from an edge of the opening of the bucket body,
 wherein, when viewed in a direction parallel to the third rotational axis, the tooth of each bucket protrudes from the edge that is farthest from the third rotational axis among edges of the opening, and   wherein, when the attachment is rotated once around the third rotational axis with the arm being in a fixed position, a rotational trajectory of a distal end of the tooth of one of the two buckets overlaps a rotational trajectory of a distal end of the tooth of the other of the two buckets when viewed in the direction parallel to the third rotation axis.   
     
     
         10 . The construction machine of  claim 1 , wherein the drive device is a first drive device, and the rotational axis is a first rotation axis,
 the construction machine further comprising:   a second drive device outputting torque centered on a second rotational axis, the second rotational axis being parallel to the first rotational axis and passing through a second end portion of the boom opposite to the first end portion of the boom;   an arm having a first end portion coupled to the second end portion of the boom, the arm rotating around the second rotation axis by the torque from the second drive device;   a third drive device outputting torque centered on a third rotational axis, the third rotational axis being parallel to the first rotational axis and passing through a second end portion of the arm opposite to the first end portion of the arm; and   an attachment having a first end portion coupled to the second end portion of the arm, the attachment rotating around the third rotational axis by the torque from the third drive device,   the arm is rotatable to a position in which the third rotational axis is placed on a half-straight line extending from the second rotational axis and intersecting the first rotational axis.   
     
     
         11 . The construction machine of  claim 1 , wherein the drive device is a first drive device, and the rotational axis is a first rotation axis,
 the construction machine further comprising:   a second drive device outputting torque centered on a second rotational axis, the second rotational axis being parallel to the first rotational axis and passing through a second end portion of the boom opposite to the first end portion of the boom;   an arm having a first end portion coupled to the second end portion of the boom, the arm rotating around the second rotation axis by the torque from the second drive device;   a third drive device outputting torque centered on a third rotational axis, the third rotational axis being parallel to the first rotational axis and passing through a second end portion of the arm opposite to the first end portion of the arm;   an attachment having a first end portion coupled to the second end portion of the arm, the attachment rotating around the third rotational axis by the torque from the third drive device; and   a control device controlling the first drive device, the second drive device, and the third drive device,   wherein the control device is capable of executing a process of switching between: a first posture in which, the boom is rotated to the one side with respect to the reference axis when viewed in the first direction and the third rotational axis is situated opposite to the first rotational axis with respect to the second rotational axis in a direction orthogonal to both the first rotational axis and the reference axis; and a second posture in which, the boom is rotated to the other side with respect to the reference axis when viewed in the first direction and the third rotational axis is situated opposite to the first rotational axis with respect to the second rotational axis in the direction orthogonal to both the first rotational axis and the reference axis, and   wherein, during the switching between the first posture and the second posture, the control device causes the arm to rotate across a half-line extending from the second rotational axis and intersecting the first rotational axis, when viewed in the first direction.   
     
     
         12 . A construction machine comprising:
 a first slewing device outputting torque centered on a first slewing axis extending in upper and lower directions of a travelable vehicle body;   a boom having a first end portion coupled to the vehicle body, the boom being rotated around the first slewing axis by the torque from the first slewing device;   a second slewing device outputting torque centered on a second slewing axis, the second slewing axis being parallel to the first slewing axis and passing through a second end portion of the boom opposite to the first end portion of the boom;   an arm having a first end portion coupled to the second end portion of the boom and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the arm rotating around the second slewing axis by the torque from the second slewing device; and   an attachment coupled to the second end portion of the arm.   
     
     
         13 . The construction machine of  claim 12 , wherein the attachment is an electric extendable device that is extendable and retractable along an operating axis parallel to the first slewing axis. 
     
     
         14 . A construction machine comprising two work mechanisms, wherein each work mechanism includes:
 a first drive device outputting torque centered on a first rotational axis orthogonal to a reference axis extending in upper and lower directions of a travelable vehicle body;   a boom having a first end portion coupled to the vehicle body, the boom being rotated around the first rotational axis by the torque from the first drive device;   a second drive device outputting torque centered on a second rotational axis, the second rotational axis being parallel to the first rotational axis and passing through a second end portion of the boom opposite to the first end portion of the boom;   an arm having a first end portion coupled to the second end portion of the boom and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the arm rotating around the second rotational axis by the torque from the second drive device; and   an attachment coupled to the second end portion of the arm,   wherein, when viewed in a direction parallel to the first rotation axis of a first work mechanism of the two work mechanisms, the two work mechanisms are disposed on one side and other side respectively with respect to a center of the vehicle body in a direction orthogonal to both the first rotational axis and the reference axis of the first work mechanism.