Construction machinery

• US 7,483,814 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2004
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Hoshi, Kouji, Matsuda, Mitsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Raymond; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Charioui; Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US10/570,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20060287841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• Field of Search: 702/32, 702/41, 702/44, 702/57, 702/122, 702/145, 702/182, 702/184, 702/193, 701/22, 701/51, 701/53, 701/123
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 77/083 relating to maintenance, e.g. diagnostic device relating to lubrication F01M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/00 Measuring volume flow relative to another variable, e.g. of liquid fuel for an engine

Abstract

Construction machinery is capable of prompting an operator to control or operate the machinery to improve fuel consumption. The fuel consumption per time or the fuel consumption per work amount is measured, and an image showing a difference between the measured fuel consumption per time and a set fuel consumption per time or between the measured fuel consumption per work amount and a set fuel consumption per work amount is displayed on a display device (30). When the measured fuel consumption per time is larger than the preset fuel consumption per time or the measured fuel consumption per work amount is larger than the set fuel consumption per work amount, an indication for prompting the operator to improve the fuel consumption is displayed on the display device (30).

Claims

1. A construction machine comprising:

a detecting means for measuring a fuel consumption ratio of the construction machine, said fuel consumption ratio being the fuel consumption per mechanical machine work done, and

an indicating means for providing a first indication for communicating a difference between the measured fuel consumption ratio and a set fuel consumption ratio.

2. The construction machine according to claim 1,

wherein the construction machine includes a traveling unit and a working machine mounted on the traveling unit, and

wherein said fuel consumption ratio is fuel consumption per mechanical machine work done by the working machine.

3. The construction machine according to claim 2, wherein when the measured fuel consumption ratio is larger than the set fuel consumption ratio, the indicating means provides a second indication for prompting an improvement of fuel consumption.

4. The construction machine according to claim 3, wherein the second indication for prompting the improvement of fuel consumption includes a display displayed on a monitor screen which is provided in an operator cab of the construction machine.

5. The construction machine according to claim 4, wherein the second indication for prompting the improvement of fuel consumption includes a voice presentation by a voice generator which is provided in an operator cab of the construction machine.

6. The construction machine according to claim 3, wherein the second indication for prompting the improvement of fuel consumption includes a voice presentation by a voice generator which is provided in an operator cab of the construction machine.

7. The construction machine according to claim 1, wherein when the measured fuel consumption ratio is larger than the set fuel consumption ratio, the indicating means provides a second indication for prompting an improvement of fuel consumption.

8. The construction machine according to claim 7, wherein the second indication for prompting the improvement of fuel consumption includes a display displayed on a monitor screen which is provided in an operator cab of the construction machine.

9. The construction machine according to claim 8, wherein the second indication for prompting the improvement of fuel consumption includes a voice presentation by a voice generator which is provided in an operator cab of the construction machine.

10. The construction machine according to claim 7, wherein the second indication for prompting the improvement of fuel consumption includes a voice presentation by a voice generator which is provided in an operator cab of the construction machine.

11. A method of enhancing the efficiency of fuel consumption of a construction machine, the method including the steps of:

measuring a fuel consumption ratio of the construction machine, the fuel consumption ratio being the fuel consumption per mechanical machine work done; and

providing a first indication for communicating a difference between the measured fuel consumption ratio and a set fuel consumption ratio.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the construction machine includes a traveling unit and a working machine, and wherein the fuel consumption ratio is the fuel consumption per mechanical machine work done by the working machine.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein when the measured fuel consumption ratio is larger than the set fuel consumption ratio, the method further includes the step of providing a second indication for prompting an improvement of fuel consumption.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein when the measured fuel consumption ratio is larger than the set fuel consumption ratio, the method further includes the step of providing a second indication for prompting an improvement of fuel consumption.

15. A construction machine comprising:

measurement means for measuring a fuel consumption ratio corresponding to mechanical machine work done;

storage means for storing a plurality of reference fuel consumption ratios which are set in advance, corresponding to different work loads;

selection means for selecting the reference fuel consumption ratio which corresponds to the work load from the storage means;

comparison means for comparing the fuel consumption ratio measured by the measurement means and the reference fuel consumption ratio selected by the selection means; and

output means for outputting the result of comparison by the comparison means.

16. The construction machine according to claim 15, further comprising:

control means which has a plurality of selective work modes having respectively different reference load values, for controlling an operation of the construction machine so that the work load thereof matches the reference load value corresponding to the selected work mode.

17. A method of enhancing the efficiency of fuel consumption of a construction machine, the method including the steps of:

measuring a fuel consumption ratio of the construction machine, the fuel consumption ratio corresponding to mechanical machine work done;

storing in a storage means a plurality of reference fuel consumption ratios which are set in advance, corresponding to different work loads;

selecting the reference fuel consumption ratio which corresponds to a particular work load from the reference fuel consumption ratios stored in the storage means;

comparing the measured fuel consumption ratio with the selected reference fuel consumption ratio; and

outputting the comparison result.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

providing a control means which has a plurality of selective work modes having respectively different reference load values, for controling an operation of the construction machine so that the work load thereof matches the reference load value corresponding to the selected work mode, the storage means storing the reference fuel consumption ratios which correspond to the work modes; and

selecting the reference fuel consumption ratio which corresponds to the selected work mode.

19. A construction machine, comprising:

measurement means which measures a fuel consumption ratio;

storage means which stores a plurality of reference fuel consumption ratios which are set in advance, corresponding to different work loads;

selection means which selects the reference fuel consumption ratio which corresponds to the work load from the storage means;

comparison means which compares the fuel consumption ratio measured by the measurement means and the reference fuel consumption ratio selected by the selection means;

output means which outputs the result of comparison by the comparison means, and

control means which has a plurality of selective work modes having respectively different reference load values, and controls an operation of the construction machine so that the work load thereof matches the reference load value corresponding to the selected work mode,

wherein the storage means stores the reference fuel consumption ratios which correspond to the work modes; and

the selection means selects the reference fuel consumption ratio which corresponds to the selected work mode.