Hydraulic drive system for construction machine

• US 6,164,069 A
• Filed: 06/23/1998
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Genroku, Takahashi, Ei
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopez, F. Daniel
• Application Number:
  US09/102,628
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 60/421, 60/429, 91/6, 91/536
• US Class Current: 60/421
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2239 using two or more pumps with cross-assistance
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2282 Systems using center bypass type changeover valves
• 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

Arranged on a side of a first pump are a flow control valve for controlling a first boom cylinder, a flow control valve for an arm, said flow control valve being connected in tandem with said flow control valve and being adapted to control an arm cylinder, and a flow control valve for a second boom, said flow control valve being connected to a downstream side of the flow control valve and being adapted to control a second boom cylinder. On a side of a second pump, an additional flow control valve for the arm, said additional flow control valve being adapted to control the arm cylinder, an additional flow control valve for controlling the first boom cylinder, and a reserve flow control valve for controlling an attachment-driving actuator are connected in parallel with each other, and a shuttle valve is also arranged to output a pilot pressure, which is normally used to change over the flow control valve for the second boom, to the flow control valve for the arm, whereby the flow control valve for the arm is changed over to permit feeding hydraulic pressure from the first pump to the flow control valve for the second boom.

Claims

1. A hydraulic drive system for a construction machine, said hydraulic drive system being provided with:

a first pump and second pump of a variable displacement type,

a first hydraulic cylinder for turning a first elongated member, a second hydraulic cylinder for turning a second elongated member connected to said first elongated member, a third hydraulic cylinder for turning a third elongated member connected to said second elongated member, and an actuator for driving an attachment connectable to said third elongated member,

a primary first flow control valve having a center bypass passage and capable of controlling a flow of pressure fluid delivered from said first pump to feed said pressure fluid delivered from said first pump to feed said pressure fluid to said first hydraulic cylinder, a second flow control valve capable of controlling a flow of pressure fluid delivered from said first pump to feed said pressure fluid to said second hydraulic cylinder, and a primary third flow control valve having a center bypass passage, connected downstream of said primary first flow control valve and capable of controlling a flow of pressure fluid delivered from said first pump to supply said pressure fluid to said third hydraulic cylinder, and

an additional third flow control valve capable of controlling a flow of pressure fluid delivered from said second pump to feed said pressure fluid to said third hydraulic cylinder, an additional first flow control valve capable of controlling a flow of pressure fluid delivered from said second pump to feed said pressure fluid to said first hydraulic cylinder, and a reserve flow control valve capable of controlling a flow of pressure fluid delivered from said second pump to feed said pressure fluid to said actuator,

said additional third flow control valve, said additional first flow control valve and said reserve flow control valve being connected to said second pump in parallel with each other, wherein;

said second flow control valve is arranged downstream of said primary third flow control valve; and

a guide device is arranged to guide pressure fluid, which is delivered from said first pump, to said second flow control valve upon changing over said second flow control valve,

wherein said construction machine is a hydraulic excavator;

said first elongated member is a first boom, said second elongated member is a second boon, said third elongated member is an arm, said hydraulic cylinder for said first elongated member is a first boom cylinder, said hydraulic cylinder for said second elongated member is a second boom cylinder, and said hydraulic cylinder for said third elongated member is an arm cylinder;

said primary first flow control valve is a primary flow control valve for said first boom;

said additional first flow control valve is an additional flow control valve for said first boom;

said second flow control valve is a flow control valve for said second boom;

said primary third flow control valve is a primary flow control valve for said arm; and

said additional third flow control valve is an additional flow control valve for said arm, and wherein said guide device comprises a first line through which said primary flow control valve for said first boom and said flow control valve for said second boom are connected to said first pump in parallel with each other.

2. The hydraulic drive system according to claim 1, wherein:

said flow control valve for said second boom and said primary flow control valve for said arm are flow control valves of a hydraulic pilot-operated type; and

said guide device comprises a shuttle valve for outputting a pilot pressure, which is normally used to change over said flow control valve for said second boom, to a control compartment of said primary flow control valve for said arm so that said primary flow control valve for said arm is changed over.

3. The hydraulic drive system according to claim 2, further comprising a directional control valve, which is changed over in response to said pilot pressure outputted from said shuttle valve so that feeding of pressure fluids, which are delivered from said first pump and said second pump, to said arm cylinder is selectively stopped.

4. The hydraulic drive system according to claim 3, further comprising a second line which communicates a line, which is in communication with said first pump, with an upstream side of said additional flow control valve for said arm so that pressure fluid delivered from said first pump can be fed to said additional flow control valve for said arm.

5. The hydraulic drive system according to claim 4, wherein said second line is provided with a fixed restrictor.

6. The hydraulic drive system according to claim 4, wherein said second line is provided with a variable restrictor.