Engine control device of construction machinery

• US 7,191,758 B2
• Filed: 12/25/2003
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2003
• 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: Umezu, Yoshiyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): SOLIS, ERICK R
• Application Number:
  US10/544,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20060137652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: 123/397, 123/198.D, 123/198.DB, 123/198.DC
• US Class Current: 123/397
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2062 Control of propulsion units for control of the prime mover depending on the load in a hydraulic or pneumatic drive E02F9/2246
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 17/04 rendering engines inoperative or idling, e.g. caused by abnormal conditions dependent on lubricating conditions F01M1/22; dependent on cooling F01P5/14
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/00 Controlling engines, such controlling being peculiar to the devices driven thereby, the devices being other than parts or accessories essential to engine operation, e.g. controlling of engines by signals external thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/04 peculiar to engines driving pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 11/025 Shortening the ignition when the engine is stopped to prevent damage to the coil F02P3/0556

Abstract

A controller of a engine control device according to the present invention is configured to activate an automatic stop control of an engine when there is met a condition that an open state of a gate lever is detected by a limit switch and a rotation speed of the engine detected by a rotation sensor is equal to or lower than a predetermined engine stop rotational speed.

Claims

1. An engine control device for a construction machine comprising an engine, engine rotational speed instructing means for instructing a rotational speed of said engine, a gate lever for opening and closing a gateway for an operator, a gate lever position detecting means for detecting an open or closed state of said gate lever, an engine rotational speed detecting means for detecting the rotational speed of said engine, and engine control means, wherein

said engine control means is configured to automatically stop said engine when there is met a condition that the open state of said gate lever is detected by said gate lever position detecting means, and the rotation speed of said engine detected by said engine rotational speed detecting means is equal to or lower than a predetermined engine stop rotational speed.

2. The engine control device for the construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said engine rotational speed detecting means is a rotation sensor for directly detecting the rotational speed of said engine.

3. The engine control device for the construction machine according to claim 1, wherein a throttle lever operated by the operator is provided as said engine rotational speed instructing means, an operation amount detecting sensor for detecting an operation position of said throttle lever is provided as said engine rotational speed detecting means, and said engine control means is configured to obtain the engine rotational speed based upon the operation position of said throttle lever detected by said operation amount detecting sensor thereby determining whether the condition is met or not.

4. The engine control device for the construction machine according to claim 1, further comprising a deceleration switch for instructing a rotational speed equal to or lower than the engine stop rotational speed, said engine control means being configured to regard that said engine rotational speed detecting means detects the engine rotational speed equal to or lower than the engine stop rotational speed upon said deceleration switch being operated, and thus to determine that the condition is met.

5. The engine control device for the construction machine according to claim 1, further comprising notifying means for, upon the condition being not met, issuing a notice that the condition is not met.

6. The engine control device for the construction machine according to claim 5, wherein said engine control means is configured to wait for a rotational speed decelerating instruction by said engine rotational speed instructing means after the notice issued by said notifying means.

7. An engine control device for a construction machine comprising an engine, a gate lever for opening and closing a gateway for an operator, and engine rotational speed detecting means for detecting a rotational speed of said engine, further comprising:

alarming means for comparing the rotational speed detected by said engine rotational speed detecting means and a predetermined engine stop rotational speed with each other upon said gate lever being opened, and outputting an alarm upon the rotational speed being equal to or more than the engine stop rotational speed.

8. An engine control device for a construction machine comprising an engine, an deceleration switch adapted to output a signal instructing that a rotational speed of said engine is equal to or lower than a predetermined engine stop rotational speed, a gate lever for opening and closing a gateway for an operator, gate lever position detecting means for detecting an open or closed state of said gate lever, and engine control means, wherein said engine control means automatically stops said engine when there is met a condition that the open state of said gate lever is detected by said gate lever position detecting means, and that said deceleration switch is operated.