Construction machinery

• US 7,143,859 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2003
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Ohtsukasa, Naritoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): RESTIFO, JEFFREY J
• Application Number:
  US10/658,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20040222000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.2, 180/307, 180/53.8, 604/13, 604/14, 604/17, 604/20, 604/31, 373/48, 374/14
• US Class Current: 180/307
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2075 of the hybrid type for vehicles in general B60W20/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2217 with energy recovery arrangements, e.g. using accumulators, flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 41/00 Engines characterised by special means for improving conversion of heat or pressure energy into mechanical power
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/06 for pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 75/02 Engines characterised by their cycles, e.g. six-stroke
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/14 Measures for saving energy, e.g. in green houses

Abstract

Construction machinery which is capable of improving fuel efficiency of the engine and also capable of effectively utilizing surplus energy in a light-load mode. The construction machinery includes an engine, a hydraulic pump driven by the engine, and actuators driven by oil pressure supplied from the hydraulic pump. In the light-load mode where the engine torque at the intersection point of an iso-horsepower curve of the necessary horsepower and a governor characteristic curve of the engine is smaller than that of a rated output point of the engine, the number of revolutions of the engine is reduced while the engine torque is increased with respect to the intersection point, and the horsepower is made to exceed the iso-horsepower curve. With surplus torque generated therefrom, a power generator is operated so as to generate electric power, which is stored in a power accumulation apparatus.

Claims

1. Construction machinery comprising:

an engine.

a hydraulic pump driven by the engine; and

an actuator driven by oil pressure supplied from the hydraulic pump;

wherein

in a case of a load mode where an engine torque at an intersection point of an iso-horsepower curve of a necessary horsepower and a governor characteristic curve of the engine is less than that of a rated output point of the engine, the number of revolutions of the engine is reduced and the engine torque is increased with reference to the intersection point, and the engine is allowed to run with a horsepower exceeding the iso-horsepower, and with use of a surplus torque generated therefrom, a power generator is operated so as to generate an electric power, which is accumulated in a power accumulation apparatus.

2. The construction machinery as claimed in claim 1, wherein

in a case of a load mode where the iso-horsepower curve of the necessary horsepower and the governor characteristic curve of the engine do not generate an intersection point, the engine is driven at a point approximate to the rated output point while the power generator functioning as an electric motor is operated by the power accumulation apparatus so that assist running for providing a torque shortage is performed.

3. The construction machinery as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein

the power accumulation is performed by the power generator at the number of revolutions at which the power generator is in a high efficiency state.

4. The construction machinery as claimed in claim 2, wherein

assist running is performed by the power generator at the number of revolutions at which the power generator functioning as an electric motor is in a high efficiency state.