Method and device for controlling a construction machine

• US 6,119,054 A
• Filed: 02/20/1998
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Sarl (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miki, Masatoshi, Hikiyama, Mitsuru, Ega, Regis
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, PAUL L
• Application Number:
  US09/026,858
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 37/234, 37/348, 172/812, 172/2, 172/3, 701/36, 701/56, 701/53, 701/50, 700/275, 700/1, 700/56, 700/17
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2025 Particular purposes of control systems not otherwise provided for E02F3/16, E02F3/26, sub-groups of E02F3/43, E02F3/651, sub-groups of E02F3/84, E02F3/907, E02F5/145 take precedence
• 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 9/2282 Systems using center bypass type changeover valves
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2296 Systems with a variable displacement pump

Abstract

A signal sending device 21 which stores therein proper data, such as an accelerator position and a pump output, concerning operating conditions, such as supply hydraulic pressure and flow rate, appropriate for a working attachment to be attached to the front part of a hydraulic excavator or the like is mounted on the working attachment. The body of a hydraulic excavator is provided with a controller 11 adapted to control the hydraulic sources by receiving and storing proper data sent from the signal sending device 21. The signal sending device 21 includes a ROM 31 for storing proper data for each working attachment, a CPU 32 for retrieving proper data from the ROM 31, and a data communication interface (COM) 33 for receiving command signals sent from the controller 11 of a machine body to the CPU 32 and sending to the controller 11 proper data which have been retrieved from ROM 31 by the CPU 32.

Claims

1. A method for controlling operation of a working attachment removably connected to a construction machine, said method comprising

storing proper data of operation conditions characteristic to the working attachment in the working attachment,

transmitting from the working attachment, responsive to a command signal sent from a controller in the construction machine to said working attachment, the proper data stored in said working attachment as an input to said controller, and

outputting from the controller, based on said proper data input thereto, control function signals to control construction machine hydraulic sources which feed working fluid from the construction machine to the working attachment.

2. A construction machine control device for controlling working fluid feed to a working attachment attached to the construction machine by controlling hydraulic sources carried on the construction machine, comprising

a signal sending means carried on the working attachment, said signal means storing proper data of operation conditions characteristic to the working operation of the working attachment, and

a controller carried on the construction machine, said controller being operable to command the signal sending means to transmit the proper data as a signal input to said controller for storage of said proper data in said controller, said controller operating to output control function signals based on said proper data to control construction machine hydraulic sources which feed working fluid from the construction machine to the working attachment.

3. A construction machine control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the signal sending means includes a data storage device for storing proper data of operating conditions characteristic to the working operation of each of a plurality of working attachments, a central processing device for retrieving proper data from said data storage device, and a transmitting means effective to receive retrieval command signals sent from the controller to said central processing device and send to the controller proper data which have been retrieved from the data storage device by the central processing device.

4. A construction machine control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the signal sending means includes a data storage device for storing proper data of operating conditions characteristic to the working operation of each of a plurality of working attachments, and a transmitting means effective to receive clock pulse signals from the controller of the construction machine and send proper data stored in said data storage device to the controller.