Self-propelled working machine

• US 7,305,778 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2004
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Norikazu, Kawakami, Toshiaki, Wakitani, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Will; Thomas B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mitchell; Joel F
• Application Number:
  US10/980,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20050097788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 372/44, 372/45, 372/46, 372/49, 372/57, 373/48, 373/82, 374/14, 172/2, 172/3, 172/4, 172/4.5, 56/102.R, 56/102.A, 56/102.G, 56/102.H, 56D/IG.15, 701/50, 604/22, 340/684
• US Class Current: 37/245
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 5/04 Apparatus propelled by animal or engine power; Apparatus propelled by hand with driven dislodging or conveying levelling elements, conveying pneumatically for the dislodged materialE01H5/10, E01H5/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/042 for stopping the engine

Abstract

A self-propelled working machine has a pair of transporting parts, a working part, an engine for driving at least the working part, and a main switch for turning the engine on and off. A locomotion preparation switch produces a command for moving the transporting parts when turned on and produces a stop command for stopping movement of the transporting parts when turned off. A locomotion speed setting member orders a target locomotion speed of the transporting parts. A work switch switches the working part on and off. A control part stops the engine when a first condition that the main switch is on, a second condition that the locomotion preparation switch is off, a third condition that the transporting parts have stopped moving and the target locomotion speed ordered by the locomotion speed setting member is zero, and a fourth condition that the work switch is off, are satisfied.

Claims

1. A self-propelled working machine, comprising:

a pair of transporting parts;

a working part;

an engine for driving at least the working part;

a main switch for turning the engine on and off;

a locomotion preparation switch that produces a command for moving the transporting parts when turned on and that produces a stop command for stopping movement of the transporting parts when turned off;

a locomotion speed setting member for ordering a target locomotion speed of the transporting parts;

a work switch for switching on and off the working part; and

a control part for stopping the engine when a first condition that the main switch is on, a second condition that the locomotion preparation switch is off, a third condition that the transporting parts have stopped moving and the target locomotion speed ordered by the locomotion speed setting member is zero, and a fourth condition that the work switch is off, are satisfied.

2. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 1;

wherein the transporting parts are deemed to have stopped moving when the actual speed of the transporting parts is less than a preset fixed lower limit threshold value.

3. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 2;

wherein the lower limit threshold value is a value consisting of a locomotion speed such that the transporting parts are stopped or in effect nearly stopped.

4. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 1;

further comprising electric motors for supplying motive power to the transporting parts and a battery for supplying electrical power to the electric motors;

wherein under the fourth condition the control part performs control to stop the engine when a detected voltage of the battery is greater than a preset lower limit threshold value.

5. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 1;

wherein after the control part stops the engine, among the states where the main switch is on, the locomotion preparation switch is on, and the work switch is on, the control part performs control to restart the engine at least when the locomotion preparation switch is turned on.

6. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 1;

wherein the transporting parts comprise wheels.

7. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 1;

wherein the transporting parts comprise crawlers.

8. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 1;

wherein the engine drives the transporting parts.

9. A self-propelled working machine comprising:

a pair of transporting parts;

a working part;

an engine for driving at least the working part;

a first switch for turning the engine on and off;

a second switch that produces a command for moving the transporting parts when the second switch is turned on and that produces a stop command for stopping movement of the transporting parts when the second switch is turned off;

a speed setting member for setting a target speed of the transporting parts;

a third switch for switching on and off the working part; and

a control part for stopping the engine when the first switch is on, the second switch is off, the target speed set by the speed setting member is zero, and the third switch is off.

10. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 9;

wherein the transporting parts stop moving when an actual speed of the transporting parts is less than a preset fixed lower limit threshold value.

11. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 10;

wherein the lower limit threshold value is a speed value such that the transporting parts are stopped or nearly stopped.

12. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 9;

further comprising electric motors for supplying motive power to the transporting parts and a battery for supplying electrical power to the electric motors;

wherein when the third switch is off, the control part stop the engine when a detected voltage of the battery is greater than a preset lower limit threshold value.

13. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 9;

wherein after the control part stops the engine, the control part restarts the engine at least when the second switch is turned on.

14. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 9;

wherein the transporting parts comprise one of wheels and crawlers.

15. A self-propelled working machine comprising:

a pair of transporting parts;

a working part;

an engine for driving at least the working part;

a first switch for turning the engine on and off;

a second switch that produces a command for moving the transporting parts when the second switch is turned on and that produces a stop command for stopping movement of the transporting parts when the second switch is turned off;

speed setting means for setting a target speed of the transporting parts;

a third switch for switching on and off the working part;

first determining means for determining that the transporting parts have stopped moving; and

control means for stopping the engine when the conditions of the first switch being on, the second switch being off, the first determining means having determined that the transporting parts have stopped moving, and the third switch being off are satisfied.

16. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 15;

further comprising second determining means for determining that the target speed of the transporting parts set by the speed setting means is zero; and

wherein the control means stops the engine under the additional condition that the second determining means has determined that the target speed of the transporting parts set by the speed setting means is zero.

17. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 16;

further comprising means for executing the first and second determining means simultaneously by series processing or by time-allocated processing.

18. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 15;

further comprising electric motors for supplying motive power to the transporting parts and a battery for supplying electrical power to the electric motors;

wherein when the third switch is off, the control means stop the engine when a detected voltage of the battery is greater than a preset lower limit threshold value.

19. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 15;

wherein after the control means stops the engine, the control means restarts the engine at least when the second switch is turned on.

20. A self-propelled working machine according to claim 15;

wherein the transporting parts comprise one of wheels and crawlers.