Control circuit for a construction machine

• US 5,692,376 A
• Filed: 09/30/1996
• Issued: 12/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Sarl (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hirano, Makoto, Yamagishi, Yoshinori, Miki, Masatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopez, F. Daniel
• Application Number:
  US08/723,870
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 60/328, 60/368, 60/445, 60/449, 91/432
• US Class Current: 60/328
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2235 including an electronic controller
• 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

Abstract

Each attachment for a hydraulically actuated device includes a digitally coded connector which informs a control device about its identity. The control device includes a library which relates the digitally coded identity with fluid parameters of pressure and flow rate required for operation of the hydraulically operated device. The control device outputs signals which control the accelerator of an engine, and also controls pump operations to establish the fluid parameters appropriate for the hydraulically actuated device. When a second device is actuated simultaneously with the original device, the control device automatically compensates with adjusted fluid parameters to permit optimum operation of both devices at the same time.

Claims

1. A control circuit of a machine having at least an attachment and an actuator comprising:

at least one pump for feeding hydraulic fluid to said attachment and said actuator;

a first control valve controlling said flow of said hydraulic fluid to said attachment;

a second control valve controlling said flow of said hydraulic fluid to said actuator;

a control device for controlling discharge rate of said at least one pump;

a control criteria selecting means in said control device for selecting from among at least first and second pump control criteria;

said first pump control criterion corresponding to a first attachment, and said second pump control criterion corresponding to a second, different attachment;

a coding device uniquely associated with each of said first and second attachments; and

means connected to said control device and associated with said coding device, for detecting which specific one of said first attachment and said second attachment is affixed to said machine, and for selecting the related one of said first and second pump control criteria.

2. A control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said coding device includes a first connector attached to said first attachment and a second connector attached to said second attachment;

said first and second connectors each having a plurality of cables;

a pattern of grounding said first and second connectors in different bit patterns to provide unique identification of the associated attachment; and

the connector attached to the currently used attachment being connected to said control device of said construction machine.

3. A control circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

means for detecting operation of said actuator;

said pump control criteria further containing at least one correction value to the already chosen pump control criteria; and

adjusting the selected pump control criteria to accommodate said at least one correction value, whereby both said attachment and said actuator are operable together.

4. A control circuit of a construction machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pump control criteria includes control criteria for said at least one pump and control criteria for controlling a position of an accelerator of an engine that drives said at least one pump.

5. A control circuit for a machine having at least a first and a second attachment attachable to said machine, comprising:

a first coding device affixed to said first attachment;

a second coding device affixed to said second attachment;

said first coding device being attached to said control circuit when said first attachment is installed on said machine;

said second coding device being attached to said control circuit when said second attachment is installed on said machine;

means in said control device for detecting a unique code in said first or second coding device;

said control device including at least a first control criteria related to said first attachment, and at least a second control criteria related to said second attachment; and

means for applying said first control criteria to control said first attachment when said unique code identifies said first attachment, and for applying said second control criteria to control said second attachment when said unique code identifies said second attachment.

6. A control circuit according to claim 5, wherein said first and second control criteria each include at least a fluid flow and an accelerator setting.