CONTROL DEVICE FOR HYBRID CONSTRUCTION MACHINE

• US 20110265467A1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KYB Corp.
• Original Assignee: Kayaba Industry Company Limited (KYB Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawasaki, Haruhiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,833,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/420
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2075 of the hybrid type for vehicles in general B60W20/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2235 including an electronic controller
• 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 21/14 Energy-recuperation means
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/20515 Electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/20523 Internal combustion engine
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/20546 variable capacity
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/20576 with multiple pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/265 Control of multiple pressure sources
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/30555 Inlet and outlet of the pressure compensating valve being connected to the directional control valve
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/88 Control measures for saving energy

Abstract

A control device for a hybrid construction machine includes a discharge pressure introduction passage that leads a discharge pressure from a variable volume pump to a regulator, and a load pressure introduction passage that leads one of a maximum load pressure of respective actuators and a load pressure of a hydraulic motor to the regulator. A controller, having determined that the actuators are in an inoperative condition on the basis of a detection result from an operating condition detector, excites a solenoid of a solenoid pilot control valve such that a discharge oil from the variable volume pump is led to the hydraulic motor, and controls the regulator such that a differential pressure between the discharge pressure of the variable volume pump and the load pressure of the hydraulic motor is kept constant.

Claims

1. A control device for a hybrid construction machine, comprising:

a variable volume pump rotated by a driving force from a prime mover;

a regulator that controls a tilt angle of the variable volume pump;

a plurality of operation valves that control a flow of a working oil led to respective actuators from the variable volume pump;

an operating condition detector that detects an operating condition of the operation valves;

a regenerative hydraulic motor rotated by a discharge oil from the variable volume pump;

a power generator connected to the hydraulic motor;

a flow control valve provided in a flow passage connecting the variable volume pump to the hydraulic motor, an opening of which is controlled by an action of a pilot pressure led to a pilot chamber thereof;

a solenoid pilot control valve for controlling the pilot pressure that acts on the pilot chamber of the flow control valve;

a discharge pressure introduction passage that leads a discharge pressure of the variable volume pump to the regulator;

a load pressure introduction passage that leads one of a maximum load pressure of the respective actuators and a load pressure of the hydraulic motor to the regulator; and

a controller which, having determined that the actuators are in an operative condition on the basis of a detection result from the operating condition detector, controls the regulator such that a differential pressure between the discharge pressure of the variable volume pump and the maximum load pressure of the respective actuators is kept constant, and having determined that the actuators are in an inoperative condition, excites a solenoid of the solenoid pilot control valve such that the discharge oil from the variable volume pump is led to the hydraulic motor and controls the regulator such that a differential pressure between the discharge pressure of the variable volume pump and the load pressure of the hydraulic motor is kept constant.

2. The control device for a hybrid construction machine as defined in claim 1, further comprising a battery that is charged with power generated as the hydraulic motor rotates,

wherein the controller, having determined that the actuators are in the inoperative condition, controls a current applied to the solenoid of the solenoid pilot control valve in accordance with an amount of charge of the battery.

3. The control device for a hybrid construction machine as defined in claim 2, wherein the controller, having determined that the actuators are in the inoperative condition, calculates a required amount of charge on the basis of the amount of the charge of the battery, determines a discharge flow of the variable volume pump corresponding to the calculated required amount of charge, and controls the current applied to the solenoid of the solenoid pilot control valve such that the discharge flow of the variable volume pump reaches the determined discharge flow.

4. The control device for a hybrid construction machine as defined in claim 1, further comprising an assist pump that is coupled to the hydraulic motor so as to rotate coaxially therewith and supplies a discharge oil to a discharge side of the variable volume pump,

wherein the controller, having determined that the actuators are in the operative condition, calculates a discharge flow of the variable volume pump from the tilt angle thereof, and after determining that the calculated discharge flow of the variable volume pump has reached a predetermined maximum discharge flow, controls a discharge flow of the assist pump on the basis of the differential pressure between the discharge pressure of the variable volume pump and the maximum load pressure of the respective actuators.

5. The control device for a hybrid construction machine as defined in claim 4, further comprising a rotation speed detector that detects a rotation speed of the prime mover,

wherein the controller, having determined that the actuators are in the operative condition, calculates the discharge flow of the variable volume pump from the tilt angle thereof, and after determining that the calculated discharge flow of the variable volume pump has reached the predetermined maximum discharge flow, controls the discharge flow of the assist pump on the basis of the differential pressure between the discharge pressure of the variable volume pump and the maximum load pressure of the respective actuators and the rotation speed detected by the rotation speed detector.

6. The control device for a hybrid construction machine as defined in claim 4, wherein the controller controls the discharge flow of the assist pump by controlling at least one of a regulator for controlling a tilt angle of the assist pump and a rotation speed of the power generator.