Construction machine with fuel use indication

• US 7,395,870 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Hoshi, Kouji, Matsuda, Mitsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartmann; Gary S
• Application Number:
  US10/919,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20050150142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 172/2, 172/3, 172/6, 172/9, 373/48, 373/82, 701/50
• US Class Current: 172/2
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/14 Measures for saving energy, e.g. in green houses

Abstract

To provide a construction machine capable of encouraging an operator to perform the driving and the operation for enhancing fuel efficiency. The construction machine includes information providing means 30 to notify the operator of the information such as the operation and/or an operational method or the like to enhance the fuel efficiency. The present construction machine provides the information by monitor display on a monitor screens 26 that is provided in an operator'"'"'s cabin 11. When operating machine levers 19 and 20 are positioned at a neutral position, if an engine 40 has the idle revolution number not less than a predetermined time, the information providing means 30 provides the information such as the operation or the like to enhance the fuel efficiency.

Claims

1. A construction machine comprising:

a lock lever having a function to lock an operation of an implement;

a revolution sensor coupled to a control means;

a detector, connected to the control means, for detecting whether said lock lever is operated to a lock side; and

an information providing means for notifying an operator of information to enable the operator to increase fuel efficiency, the information being provided to the operator only when two conditions are detected, the two conditions being that an engine of the construction machine is idling and that said lock lever is operated to the lock side.

2. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein said construction machine provides the information by monitor display on a monitor screen (26) that is disposed in an operator'"'"'s cabin (11).

3. The construction machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said construction machine comprises a voice generator and provides the information to the operator by voice attention by means of said voice generator.

4. The construction machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said construction machine transmits the information from the outside of the machine to notify the operator of this information.

5. The construction machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said construction machine provides the information upon stalling of an engine.

6. The construction machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said information providing means (30) can switch between an ON state to provide the information and an OFF state not to provide the information.

7. The construction machine according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein, upon detecting that operating machine levers are positioned at a neutral position and that a number of revolutions of an engine is the number of idling revolutions, then, after this number of idling revolutions extends longer than a predetermined time, said construction machine provides the information to the operator to enhance the fuel efficiency upon idling.

8. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the lock lever is operated by a pulling-up operation.

9. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the information to enable the operator to increase fuel efficiency when an engine of die construction machine is idling is a command.

10. The construction machine according to claim 2, wherein the detector comprises a switch.

11. The construction machine according to claim 2, wherein the switch actuates a solenoid valve.