DRIVE CONTROL DEVICE FOR WORKING VEHICLE

• US 20120277944A1
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kaneko, Satoru, Ikimi, Takashi, Moriki, Hidekazu, Ito, Noritaka
• Application Number:
  US13/508,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20120277944A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/10 using propulsion power supplied by engine-driven generators, e.g. generators driven by combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/207 of the type electric propulsion units, e.g. electric motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2075 of the hybrid type for vehicles in general B60W20/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2079 Control of mechanical transmission for hydrostatic transmission or hydraulic torque converter E02F9/2253
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2091 Control of energy storage means for electrical energy, e.g. battery or capacitors energy recovery arrangements in hydraulic or pneumatic drives E02F9/2217
• 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: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

Provided is a drive control device for a working vehicle, this device controlling motive power to be virtually invariant, even during switching of traveling drive devices, and having high-efficiency characteristics.

The working vehicle has a first traveling drive device 12 including an engine 1, an electric power generator 2, a hydraulic pump 11, a torque converter 5, and a transmission 6, and a second traveling drive device 13 for driving an electric motor 8 to make the vehicle travel. Driving-force switching means 20A2 switches the first traveling drive device 12 and the second traveling drive device 13. A traveling means switcher 20A2 selects one of the two traveling drive devices, depending upon a traveling speed of the vehicle, so as to make the vehicle travel while being driven in a high-speed region with the first traveling drive device and in a low-speed region with the second traveling drive device.

Claims

1. A drive control device used for a working vehicle including an engine, an electric power generator driven by the engine, a hydraulic pump driven by the engine and serving as a driving source for a hydraulic working implement provided on a front section of the vehicle, a first traveling drive device for transmitting motive power of the engine to a driving wheel via a torque converter and a transmission so as to make the vehicle travel, and a second traveling drive device for driving an electric motor by means of the generator-output electrical energy and then transmitting motive power of the motor to the driving wheel so as to make the vehicle travel, the drive control device comprising:

driving-force switching means for switching a driving force between the first traveling drive device and the second traveling drive device,

wherein the driving-force switching means includes a traveling means switcher for selecting, depending upon a traveling speed of the vehicle, one of the two traveling drive devices so as to make the vehicle travel while being driven in a high-speed region with the first traveling drive device and in a low-speed region with the second traveling drive device.

2. The drive control device according to claim 1, wherein:

when the traveling means switcher conducts switching from the second traveling drive device to the first traveling drive device, the switcher uses the electric power generator to control at least a rotational speed of the engine, torque of the motor, and a flow rate of a fluid from the hydraulic pump, for suppressed variations in the rotational speed of the engine, in travel driving force of the working vehicle, and in driving force of the working implement.

3. The drive control device according to claim 2, wherein:

the driving-force switching means further includes an operational state detector;

the operational state detector detects a current operating point of travel driving, operating point of the engine, and motive power of the working implement, based upon information relating to at least an accelerator pedal opening angle, a brake pedal opening angle, a control lever actuating quantity for the working implement, a pressure and flow rate of the fluid from the hydraulic pump, a rotational speed of the engine, a rotational speed and torque of the motor, and the speed of the vehicle.

4. The drive control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the driving-force switching means further includes a variation compensator;

when switching from the second traveling drive device to the first traveling drive device takes place, the variation compensator estimates a variation in torque that occurs between the two traveling drive devices during the switching, gives the torque variation as a torque command targeted for the motor, and reduces the torque command in asymptotic form, and zeroes the torque command after a predefined time.

5. The drive control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electricity storage device for storage of traveling regenerative electrical energy output from the motor, as well as the electrical energy output from the electric power generator;

the storage device optionally releasing the stored electrical energy.

6. The drive control device according to claim 5, further comprising:

an electricity storage device controller,

wherein the electricity storage means controller controls charging/discharging of the electricity storage device to ensure storage of at least an electrical energy quantity needed to assist torque of the engine, an electrical energy quantity needed to suppress a variation during switching from the second traveling drive device to the first traveling drive device, and a charge/discharge quantity of the traveling regenerative electrical energy, into the electricity storage device.

7. The drive control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the driving-force switching means includes a traveling drive device select switch;

the traveling drive device select switch, when manually operated, stops switching between the first traveling drive device and the second traveling drive device, and conducts any one of traveling operation based upon the first traveling drive device only, and traveling operation based upon the second traveling drive device only.