Actuator control device and work vehicle

• US 10,640,334 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tadano Limited
• Original Assignee: Tadano Limited
• Inventors: Kawabuchi, Naoto, Yoshida, Naofumi, Masuda, Naotaka, Fukumori, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiltey, Nicholas K
• Application Number:
  US15/549,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20180044143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,680 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/18 Control systems or devices exclusively for rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms B66D1/40
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/20 for non-electric drives transmitting control pulses B66C13/40
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/56 Arrangements of handles or pedals
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/36 mounted on road or rail vehicles; Manually-movable jib-cranes for use in workshops; Floating cranes with pneumatic or hydraulic motors B66C23/54; vehicle or ship aspects B60 - B63
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 23/54 with pneumatic or hydraulic motors, e.g. for actuating jib-cranes on tractors
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2012 Setting the functions of the control levers, e.g. changing assigned functions among operations levers, setting functions dependent on the operator or seat orientation
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2253 Controlling the travelling speed of vehicles, e.g. adjusting travelling speed according to implement loads, control of hydrostatic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 11/02 Systems essentially incorporating special features for controlling the speed or actuating force of an output member
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 19/002 Calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/082 with different modes
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/087 Control strategy, e.g. with block diagram
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/30525 Directional control valves, e.g. 4/3-directional control valve
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/3144 the positions being continuously variable, e.g. as realised by proportional valves
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/327 electrically or electronically
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/50554 the pressure control means controlling a pressure downstream of the pressure control means, e.g. pressure reducing valve
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/5151 being connected to a pressure source and a directional control valve
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6346 representing a state of input means, e.g. joystick position
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/665 Methods of control using electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6654 Flow rate control
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6658 Control using different modes, e.g. four-quadrant-operation, working mode and transportation mode
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/75 : Control of speed of the output member
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 7/04 : altering the ratio of motion or force between controlling member and controlled member as a function of the position of the controlling member

Abstract

An actuator control device performs a reception process in which designations of a minimum operation amount and maximum operation amount of an operation unit for driving an actuator, and a maximum driving speed which is the actuator driving speed corresponding to the maximum operation amount are received. It also performs a determination process in which a function representing a characteristic line that links a first point, which corresponds to the minimum operation amount and the driving speed of 0, and a second point, which corresponds to the maximum operation amount and the maximum driving speed, is stored in a storage unit as a drive control characteristic and a drive control process in which, in response to operation of the operation unit, the actuator is driven at a driving speed corresponding to the operation amount specified by the drive control characteristic stored in the storage unit.

Claims

1. An actuator control device comprising:

an actuator,

an input device configured to provide a continuously variable signal in response to an operator'"'"'s operation of driving the actuator,

a memory device that stores a drive control characteristic which is represented by a characteristic line monotonically increasing on a two-dimensional plane defined by a first axis which represents the operation amount of the input device and a second axis which is orthogonal to the first axis and represents the driving speed of the actuator, the drive control characteristic representing the driving speed corresponding to the operation amount, and

a computer processor configured to drive the actuator based on the drive control characteristic stored in the memory device,

wherein the computer processor performs;

a first reception process in which inputs of values of a minimum operation amount and a maximum operation amount of the input device on the first axis for driving the actuator, and a value of a maximum driving speed on the second axis, which is the actuator driving speed corresponding to the maximum operation amount, are received,

a second reception process in which designations of the shape of the characteristic line are received,

a determination process in which the computer processor determines a function representing a characteristic line that links a first point, which corresponds to the minimum operation amount and the driving speed of 0, and a second point, which corresponds to the maximum operation amount and the maximum driving speed to form the designated shape, and stores the function in the memory device as the drive control characteristic,

a drive control process is performed in which, in response to operation of the input device, the actuator is driven at the driving speed corresponding to the operation amount specified by the drive control characteristic stored in the memory device, and

the characteristic line which is designated in the second reception process is limited to the group consisting of a single straight line and a curve which does not include an inflection point.

2. The actuator control device according to claim 1,

wherein the actuator is a hydraulic cylinder expanded and contracted by hydraulic oil supplied from a hydraulic pump, and

in the drive control process, the driving speed controlled by the computer processor is the flow rate per unit time of hydraulic oil passing through a switching valve disposed in an oil

passage extending from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic cylinder.

3. A work vehicle comprising:

a lower traveling body,

an upper work body which operates supported by the lower traveling body, and

an actuator control device according to claim 1 for operating the upper work body.