Control system for construction machine

• US 10,435,863 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2016
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ishihara, Shinji, Hita, Masafumi, Imura, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr, Fadey S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kazimi, Mahmoud M
• Application Number:
  US15/555,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20180238018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 701 22
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/412 Excavators
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/32 working downwardly and towards the machine, e.g. with backhoes
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/435 for dipper-arms, backhoes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/437 providing automatic sequences of movements, e.g. linear excavation, keeping dipper angle constant
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/123 Drives or control devices specially adapted therefor E02F9/125 and E02F9/128 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2037 Coordinating the movements of the implement and of the frame
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2075 of the hybrid type for vehicles in general B60W20/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2095 Control of electric, electro-mechanical or mechanical equipment not otherwise provided for, e.g. ventilators, electro-driven fans control of hydraulic driven equipment E02F9/22
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/22 Hydraulic or pneumatic drives for dipper or bucket arm position control E02F3/43, for blade position control for graders E02F3/844; for turntables E02F9/121; for fork-lift trucks B66F9/22
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2246 Control of prime movers, e.g. depending on the hydraulic load of work tools
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2292 Systems with two or more pumps
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2296 Systems with a variable displacement pump
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 11/16 with two or more servomotors
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/20515 Electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/20523 Internal combustion engine
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/20576 with multiple pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6336 representing a state of the output member, e.g. position, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6651 Control of the prime mover, e.g. control of the output torque or rotational speed
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6655 Power control, e.g. combined pressure and flow rate control
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/7051 Linear output members
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/7058 : Rotary output members
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/7135 : Combinations of output members of different types, e.g. single-acting cylinders with rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/7142 : the output members being arranged in multiple groups
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/782 : Concurrent control, e.g. synchronisation of two or more actuators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A control system for a construction machine maintains operability of a swing combined operation even when the power supplied from an engine or storage device varies. The control system includes a target path computation section that receives an operation amount of the front implement operation device, an operation amount of the swing operation device, a speed of the front implement drive unit detected, and an angular speed of the swing structure drive unit, and that computes a target path of a claw tip position of the front implement drive unit; and an actuator power computation section that regulates power supplied to the front implement drive unit or the swing structure drive unit in such a manner that a claw tip of the front implement drive unit follows the target path the front implement operation device and the swing operation device are operated simultaneously.

Claims

1. A construction machine, comprising:

an engine;

a hydraulic pump driven by the engine;

a front implement driven by a hydraulic actuator and including a boom, an arm and a bucket;

a swing structure driven by a swing motor;

a front implement operation device for operating the front implement; and

a swing operation device for operating the swing structure,

wherein the construction machine further comprises;

a front implement speed detector that detects a speed of the front implement and comprises a cylinder stroke sensor or a boom angle sensor;

a swing structure speed detector that detects an angular speed of the swing structure and comprises a swing angle sensor or an inverter; and

a controller configured to;

receive an operation amount of the front implement operation device, an operation amount of the swing operation device, the speed of the front implement detected by the front implement speed detector, and the angular speed of the swing structure detected by the swing structure speed detector,

compute a target path of a claw tip position of the bucket, and

regulate power supplied to the hydraulic actuator that drives the front implement or the swing structure in such a manner that a claw tip of the bucket follows the target path computed when the front implement operation device and the swing operation device are operated simultaneously,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

compare power actually output by the engine with power capable of being outputted by the engine thereby calculating first suppliable power, and

when the first suppliable power can be additionally supplied by the engine, compare a front implement speed that is the speed of the front implement with a swing speed that is the speed of the swing structure and increase the power supplied to the front implement or the swing structure having the speed delayed behind a speed of the claw tip of the bucket calculated from the target path, and

when the first suppliable power cannot be additionally supplied by the engine, suppress the power supplied to the front implement or the swing structure having the speed preceding the speed the claw tip of the bucket calculated from the target path.

2. The construction machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a motor generator that enables a torque to be transferred between the motor generator and the engine; and

a storage device that transmits and receives electric power to and from the motor generator,

wherein the controller is further configured to;

compare power actually output by the engine and the motor generator with power capable of being outputted by the engine and the motor generator thereby calculating second suppliable power, and

when the second suppliable power can be additionally supplied by the engine and the motor generator, compare the front implement speed with the swing speed and increase the power supplied to the front implement or the swing structure having the speed delayed behind the speed of the target path, and

when the second suppliable power cannot be additionally supplied by the engine and the motor generator, suppress the power supplied to the front implement or the swing structure having the speed preceding the speed of the target path.

3. The construction machine according to claim 2,

wherein the swing motor makes a combined use of a hydraulic swing motor driven by a hydraulic fluid supplied from the hydraulic pump and an electric swing motor that transmits and receives the electric power to and from the storage device, and

wherein the controller is further configured to:

compare power actually output by the electric swing motor with power that can be output by the electric swing motor and that is determined in response to a remaining amount of the electric power stored in the storage device thereby calculating electric swing motor suppliable power, and

when the swing structure is accelerating;

(a) increase output power of the electric swing motor if the swing speed is delayed behind a target speed determined from the target path and there is a margin for the electric swing motor suppliable power,

(b) increase output power of the hydraulic swing motor if the swing speed is delayed behind the target speed, there is no margin for the electric swing motor suppliable power, and there is a margin for the second suppliable power,

(c) suppress output power of the front implement if the swing speed is delayed behind the target speed and there is no margin for both the electric swing motor suppliable power and the second suppliable power,

(d) increase the output power of the front implement if the front implement speed is delayed behind the target speed and there is the margin for the second suppliable power,

(e) suppress the output power of the hydraulic swing motor if the front implement speed is delayed behind the target speed and there is no margin for the second suppliable power, and

(f) suppress the output power of the electric swing motor if the front implement speed is still delayed behind the target speed after suppressing the output power of the hydraulic swing motor by the (e).

4. The construction machine according to claim 2, wherein

wherein the swing motor is an electric swing motor that transmits and receives the electric power to and from the storage device, and

wherein the controller is further configured to:

compare power actually output by the electric swing motor with power that can be output by the electric swing motor and that is determined in response to a remaining amount of the electric power stored in the storage device thereby calculating electric swing motor suppliable power, and

wherein when the swing structure is accelerating, the controller

(a′

) increase output power of the electric swing motor if the swing speed is delayed behind a target speed determined from the target path and there is a margin for the electric swing motor suppliable power,

(b′

) increase the output power of the electric swing motor by causing the motor generator to generate electric power if the swing speed is delayed behind the target speed, there is no margin for the electric swing motor suppliable power, and there is a margin for the first suppliable power,

(c′

) suppress output power of the front implement if the swing speed is delayed behind the target speed and there is no margin for both the electric swing motor suppliable power and the second suppliable power,

(d′

) increase the output power of the front implement if the front implement speed is delayed behind the target speed and there is a margin for the second suppliable power, and

(e′

) suppress the output power of the electric swing motor if the front implement speed is delayed behind the target speed and there is no margin for the second suppliable power.