WORKING MACHINE

• US 20100326058A1
• Filed: 06/18/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: ISHIKAWA, Kouji, EZAWA, Masanori, KOWATARI, Yoichi, TSUKADA, Hidenobu, NAKAMURA, Kazunori, KAMIYA, Shohei, SHIBAMORI, Kazuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,429,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/295
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/1606 Particle filter loading or soot amount
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/023 using means for regenerating the filters, e.g. by burning trapped particles by electrically controlling the supply of combustible mixture or its constituents only F02D41/0235
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0232 removing incombustible material from a particle filter, e.g. ash
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 9/002 of filter regeneration, e.g. detection of clogging
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/228 Warning displays
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0812 Particle filter loading
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/702 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/029 the exhaust gas treating apparatus being a particulate filter
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

Disclosed is a working machine capable of preventing damage to a filter due to excessive accumulation of particulate matter (PM), even under a situation that requires, prior to compulsory regeneration of the filter, moving the machine to a place in which to perform the regeneration work.

The working machine that includes an exhaust treatment device 4 having a filter 6 to trap the PM, a regeneration control section 31 for compulsorily regenerating the filter, and a regeneration instruction device 23 for instructing the regeneration control section 31 to start the compulsory regeneration. Further, when a deposition quantity estimating element determines that an actual PM deposition quantity has reached a deposition alarm level, an alarm device 12 notifies an operator that the time has come to start the movement of the working machine to the place of regeneration.

Claims

1. A working machine comprising:

a diesel engine;

an exhaust treatment device having a filter to trap particulate matter (PM) contained in exhaust gases of the engine;

regeneration control means that compulsorily elevates an exhaust temperature by allowing a certain quantity of fuel to stay in the exhaust gases of the engine to compulsorily regenerate the filter;

regeneration instruction means that instructs the regeneration control means to start the compulsory regeneration;

means for estimating an actual quantity of PM deposition in the filter;

means in which is stored a reference quantity of deposition that indicates regeneration timing of the filter in terms of the quantity of PM deposited in the filter;

means for estimating a movement-associated quantity of PM likely to be deposited during movement of the working machine to a place where is suitable for the compulsory regeneration of the filter, in the basis of a predicted value of either a time required for movement of the working machine to the place of regeneration, or a distance to the place of regeneration;

means for determining whether the actual quantity of PM deposition, estimated by the actual-deposition quantity estimating means, has reached a deposition alarm level derived by subtracting the movement-associated PM deposition quantity from the reference quantity of deposition; and

an alarm device for notifying an operator of a time to start the movement of the working machine to the place of regeneration when the deposition quantity estimating means determines that the actual quantity of PM deposition has reached the deposition alarm level.

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

means for instructing the regeneration control means to prohibit the compulsory regeneration;

wherein the movement-associated deposition quantity estimating means estimates the movement-associated deposition quantity, only when the prohibition of the compulsory regeneration is instructed by the regeneration-prohibiting means.

3. The working machine according to claim 1, wherein:

the storage means further contains the predicted value of either the time required for the movement of the working machine to the place of regeneration, or the distance thereto; and

the movement-associated deposition quantity estimating means estimates the movement-associated deposition quantity from the predicted time requirement or distance stored within the storage means.

4. The working machine according to claim 3, further comprising:

means for detecting an outside air temperature;

wherein the movement-associated deposition quantity estimating means corrects the movement-associated deposition quantity in accordance with the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection sensor.

5. The working machine according to claim 3, further comprising:

means for detecting an exhaust temperature at an inlet of the filter;

wherein the movement-associated deposition quantity estimating means corrects the movement-associated deposition quantity in accordance with the exhaust temperature detected by the exhaust temperature detection sensor.

6. The working machine according to claim 3, further comprising:

means for detecting a rotational speed of the engine;

wherein the movement-associated deposition quantity estimating means corrects the movement-associated deposition quantity in accordance with the engine speed detected by the engine speed detection sensor.

7. The working machine according to claim 2, wherein:

the storage means further contains the predicted value of either the time required for the movement of the working machine to the place of regeneration, or the distance thereto; and

the movement-associated deposition quantity estimating means estimates the movement-associated deposition quantity from the predicted time requirement or distance stored within the storage means.