Pump controller for construction machine

• US 6,282,892 B1
• Filed: 04/20/1999
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Company Limited (Kobe Steel Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Company Limited (Kobe Steel Limited)
• Inventors: Arai, Seigo
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG M
• Application Number:
  US09/294,030
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 604/45, 604/50, 604/52
• US Class Current: 60/450
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/03 by means of valves
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/08 Regulating by delivery pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 31/02 using pumps with pistons or plungers working in cylinders

Abstract

The invention provides a pump controller for a construction machine that allows an operator to set the maximum speed of a specific actuator arbitrarily without altering the negative control and acquire a smooth operation. The pump controller comprises a plurality of control valves to supply actuators with a controlled pressure oil, a variable displacement hydraulic pump to supply the plural control valves with the pressure oil in parallel, a center bypass connected in parallel to the control valves, and a restrictor to generate a control pressure for negatively controlling the variable displacement hydraulic pump installed at a terminal end of the center bypass. The pump controller further comprises pressure sensors to recognize the operation of the actuator, a controller that sets a pump discharge characteristic individually to the control valve for the actuator in accordance with the operation state of the actuator, calculates a pump discharge corresponding to the control pressure using the set pump discharge characteristic, and controls the angle of inclination of a regulator.

Claims

1. A pump controller for a construction machine, said construction machine including a variable displacement hydraulic pump, a plurality of control valves connected in series to a center bypass attached to said variable displacement hydraulic pump, and a plurality of actuators to receive and drive a pressure oil whose flow rate and direction are controlled by said control valves, said controller comprising:

means for generating a control pressure for negatively controlling a discharge from said variable displacement hydraulic pump, said means for generating a control pressure being installed at a terminal part of a center bypass line extending from a discharge port of said variable displacement hydraulic pump and passing through said center bypass;

recognition means for recognizing an operation of each of said actuators;

a sensor that converts said control pressure into an electric signal and outputs said electric signal;

pump characteristic setting means for storing a pump discharge characteristic for each of said actuators, selecting said pump discharge characteristic corresponding to the recognition of said recognition means and setting said selected pump discharge characteristic;

pump discharge calculation means for obtaining a pump discharge in accordance with said electric signal outputted from said sensor and said pump discharge characteristic set by said pump characteristic setting means; and

variable discharge means for converting said pump discharge obtained by said pump discharge calculation means into a pump control signal and outputting said pump control signal to said variable displacement hydraulic pump.

2. The pump controller for a construction machine set forth in claim 1, wherein said recognition means is comprised of a pressure sensor that detects a remote control pressure introduced at a pilot port of said control valve, and detects a manipulated variable and direction of said actuator for each thereof.

3. The pump controller for a construction machine set forth in claim 1, wherein said pump characteristic setting means sets a basic pump discharge characteristic, with regard to the actuator whose maximum speed is desirably suppressed, and sets an extra increment pump discharge characteristic made by continuously increasing a maximum discharge point from a specific point on said basic pump discharge characteristic, with regard to the actuator whose maximum speed is desirably secured.

4. A pump controller for a construction machine, said construction machine including a plurality of variable displacement hydraulic pumps, a plurality of control valves connected in series to center bypasses attached to each of said variable displacement hydraulic pumps and a plurality of actuators to receive and drive a pressure oil whose flow rate and direction are controlled by said control valves, said controller comprising:

means for generating a control pressure for negatively controlling a discharge from said variable displacement hydraulic pump, said means for generating a control pressure being installed at a terminal part of a center bypass line extending from a discharge port of each of said variable displacement hydraulic pumps and passing through said center bypass, wherein, with regard to a specific one of said actuators, pressure oils discharged from a plurality of said variable displacement hydraulic pumps are combined through a confluent valve;

recognition means for recognizing an operation of each of said actuators;

a sensor that converts said control pressure into an electric signal and outputs said electric signal;

pump characteristic setting means for setting a basic pump discharge characteristic, when said specific actuator does not receive a confluent flow, and setting an extra increment pump discharge characteristic made by continuously increasing a maximum discharge point from a specific point on said basic pump discharge characteristic, when said specific actuator receives said confluent flow;

pump discharge calculation means for obtaining a pump discharge in accordance with said electric control signal outputted from said sensor and said pump discharge characteristic set by said pump characteristic setting means; and

variable discharge means for converting said pump discharge obtained by said pump discharge calculation means into a pump control signal and outputting said pump control signal to said variable displacement hydraulic pump.

5. A pump controller for a construction machine, said construction machine including a variable displacement hydraulic pump, a plurality of control valves connected in series to a center bypass attached to said variable displacement hydraulic pump and an actuator to receive and drive a pressure oil whose flow rate and direction are controlled by said control valve, said controller comprising:

means for generating a control pressure for negatively controlling a discharge from said variable displacement hydraulic pump, said means for generating a control pressure being installed at a terminal part of a center bypass line extending from a discharge port of said variable displacement hydraulic pump and passing through said center bypass;

recognition means for recognizing an operation of each of said actuators;

a sensor that converts said control pressure into an electric signal and outputs said electric signal;

second recognition means for recognizing that a load mounted on said actuator is replaced by a different load;

pump characteristic setting means for setting a pump discharge characteristic made by continuously increasing or decreasing a maximum discharge from a specific point on a normal pump discharge characteristic to the actuator with said different load mounted thereon, when said load is replaced by said different load;

pump discharge calculation means for obtaining a pump discharge in accordance with said electric control signal outputted from said sensor and said pump discharge characteristic set by pump characteristic setting means; and

variable discharge means for converting said pump discharge obtained by said pump discharge calculation means into a pump control signal and outputting said pump control signal to said variable displacement hydraulic pump.