Signal processing system for construction machine

• US 7,020,553 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2003
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Kazunori, Arai, Yasushi, Watanabe, Hiroshi, Kowatari, Yoichi, Hirata, Toichi, Yasuda, Gen
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US10/500,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 417/212, 417/222.1, 604/31, 604/45, 172/2, 172/3, 373/48, 373/82, 372/34, 701/50, 701 99-115
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/04 peculiar to engines driving pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/05 driven by internal-combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2201/1202 Torque on the axis
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/002 Hydraulic systems to change the pump delivery
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/065 and making use of computers
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 11/165 for adjusting the pump output or bypass in response to demand
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 11/167 using pilot pressure to sense the demand
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/20523 Internal combustion engine
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/20553 with pilot circuit, e.g. for controlling a swash plate
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/20584 Combinations of pumps with high and low capacity
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/30505 Non-return valves, i.e. check valves
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/30525 Directional control valves, e.g. 4/3-directional control valve
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/3056 Assemblies of multiple valves
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/3116 the pump port being open in the centre position, e.g. so-called open centre
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/31576 having a single pressure source and a single output member
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/329 actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/50536 using unloading valves controlling the supply pressure by diverting fluid to the return line
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/50563 the pressure control means controlling a differential pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/575 Pilot pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6054 using shuttle valves
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/63 : Electronic controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6355 : having valve means
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/66 : Temperature control methods
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/71 : Multiple output members, e.g. multiple hydraulic motors or cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/865 : Prevention of failures
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/88 : Control measures for saving energy

Abstract

A machine body controller 70A includes a modification control unit 70Ab for computing a torque modification value based on detected signals from environment sensors 75 to 83, and modifies a maximum absorption torque of a hydraulic pump controlled by a basic control unit 70Aa. An engine controller 70B includes a modification control unit 70Bb for computing an injection modification value based on detected the signals from the environment sensors 75 to 83, and modifies a fuel injection state of a fuel injection device 14 controlled by a basic control unit 70Ba. The controllers 70A, 70B further include computation element altering units 171, 181. A communication controller 70C downloads alteration data obtained from an external terminal 150 to the computation element altering units 171, 181, whereby corresponding computation elements contained in the modification control units 70Ab, 70Bb are altered. As a result, it is possible in any environments to approprately modify the maximum absorption torque of the hydraulic pump and the fuel injection state of the injection device, and to sufficiently develop the performance of a construction machine.

Claims

1. A signal processing system for a construction machine comprising a prime mover, a variable displacement hydraulic pump driven by said prime mover, a fuel injection device for controlling fuel injection in said prime mover, input means for commanding a target revolution speed of said prime mover, revolution speed detecting means for detecting an actual revolution speed of said prime mover, fuel injection control means for controlling a fuel injection state of said fuel injection device in accordance with the target revolution speed commanded from said input means and the actual revolution speed detected by said revolution speed detecting means, and pump torque control means for controlling a maximum absorption torque of said hydraulic pump in accordance with the target revolution speed commanded from said input means and the actual revolution speed detected by said revolution speed detecting means, wherein said signal processing system further comprises:

a plurality of environment detecting means for detecting status variables related to environments of said prime mover or said hydraulic pump and outputting respective corresponding detected environment signals;

environment modifying means for receiving the detected environment signals and modifying, in accordance with the detected environment signals, at least one of the fuel injection state of said fuel injection device controlled by said fuel injection control means and the maximum absorption torque of said hydraulic pump controlled by said pump torque control means;

communication control means for obtaining, from an external terminal via communication, alteration data for altering one or more computation elements contained in at least one of said fuel injection control means, said pump torque control means and said environment modifying means;

computation element altering means for altering the computation elements based on the alteration data obtained by said communication control; and

information collecting means for collecting various items of information including the detected environment signals from said environment detecting means,

wherein said communication control means outputs the various items of information obtained by said information collecting means to said external terminal via communication, and said communication control means performs communication with respect to said external terminal in a wireless manner.

2. A signal processing system for a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein:

said environment modifying means is pump torque modifying means for modifying the maximum absorption torque of said hydraulic pump, which is controlled by said pump torque control means, in accordance with the detected environment signals by using a predetermined computation element for torque modification; and

said communication control means is means for obtaining, from said external terminal, alteration data for altering the computation element for torque modification, and said computation element altering means is means for altering the computation element for torque modification based on the obtained alteration data.

3. A signal processing system for a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein:

said environment modifying means is fuel injection modifying means for modifying the fuel injection state of said fuel injection device, which is controlled by said fuel injection control means, in accordance with the detected environment signals by using a predetermined computation element for injection modification; and

said communication control means is means for obtaining, from said external terminal, alteration data for altering the computation element for injection modification, and said computation element altering means is means for altering the computation element for injection modification based on the obtained alteration data.

4. A signal processing system for a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein:

said environment modifying means includes pump torque modifying means for modifying the maximum absorption torque of said hydraulic pump, which is controlled by said pump torque control means, in accordance with the detected environment signals by using a predetermined computation element for torque modification, and fuel injection modifying means for modifying the fuel injection state of said fuel injection device, which is controlled by said fuel injection control means, in accordance with the detected environment signals by using a predetermined computation element for injection modification; and

said communication control means is means for obtaining, from said external terminal, alteration data for altering the computation element for torque modification and the computation element for injection modification, and said computation element altering means are means for altering the computation element for torque modification and the computation element for injection modification based on the obtained alteration data.

5. A signal processing system for a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein:

said pump torque control means is means for controlling the maximum absorption torque of said hydraulic pump based on the target revolution speed and the actual revolution speed by using a predetermined computation element for torque control; and

said communication control means is means for obtaining, from said external terminal, alteration data for altering the computation element for torque control, and said computation element altering means is means for altering the computation element for torque control based on the obtained alteration data.

6. A signal processing system for a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein:

said fuel injection control means is means for controlling the fuel injection state of said fuel injection device based on the target revolution speed and the actual revolution speed by using a predetermined computation element for injection control; and

said communication control means is means for obtaining, from said external terminal, alteration data for altering the computation element for injection control, and said computation element altering means is means for altering the computation element for injection control based on the obtained alteration data.

7. A signal processing system for a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein:

said pump torque control means is means for controlling the maximum absorption torque of said hydraulic pump based on the target revolution speed and the actual revolution speed by using a predetermined computation element for torque control;

said fuel injection control means is means for controlling the fuel injection state of said fuel injection device based on the target revolution speed and the actual revolution speed by using a predetermined computation element for injection control; and

said communication control means is means for obtaining, from said external terminal, alteration data for altering the computation element for torque control and the computation element for injection control, and said computation element altering means are means for altering the computation element for torque control and the computation element for injection control based on the obtained alteration data.

8. A signal processing system for a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein:

said signal processing system further comprises operation detecting means for detecting status variables related to the operating state of said prime mover or said hydraulic pump and outputting corresponding detected signals; and

said information collecting means is means for collecting various items of information including the detected environment signals from said environment detecting means and detected operation signals from said operation detecting means.

9. A signal processing system for a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said environment detecting means are means for detecting at least one of environment factors including an intake pressure, an intake temperature, an exhaust temperature, an exhaust pressure, a cooling water temperature, a lubricant pressure and a lubricant temperature of said prime mover, an atmospheric pressure, a fuel temperature, and a hydraulic fluid temperature.