Control device of engine, control device of engine and hydraulic pump, and control device of engine, hydraulic pump, and generator motor

• US 8,424,302 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Morinaga, Jun, Kawaguchi, Tadashi, Inoue, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazo, Thomas E
• Application Number:
  US12/084,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20090320461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,370 Days
• Field of Search: 604/22, 604/23, 604/31
• US Class Current: 60/431
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/22 Hydraulic devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/04 peculiar to engines driving pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/001 Electric control of rotation speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to operate the working machine etc. with satisfactory responsiveness as intended by the operator while enhancing engine efficiency, pump efficiency, and the like, where a first engine target revolution ncom1 adapted to a current pump target discharge flow rate Qsum is set, and when determined that the current pump target discharge flow rate Qsum is greater than a predetermined flow rate (10 (L/min)), a revolution nM (e.g., 1400 rpm) greater than an engine low idle revolution nL is set as a second engine target revolution ncom2 determining that operation levers 41 to 44 switched from a non-operation state to an operation state. The engine revolution is controlled so that the second engine target revolution ncom2 is obtained if the second engine target revolution ncom2 is equal to or greater than the first engine target revolution ncom1.

Claims

1. A control device of an engine comprising:

a hydraulic pump driven by the engine;

hydraulic actuators supplied with pressurized fluid discharged from the hydraulic pump;

an operation unit for operating each hydraulic actuator;

a detection unit for detecting an operation amount of the operation unit;

a target flow rate calculating unit for calculating a target flow rate of the hydraulic pump based on the operation amount of the operation unit;

a first target revolution calculating unit for calculating a first target revolution of the engine according to the target flow rate;

an operation state determining unit for determining a switch of the operation unit from a non-operation state to an operation state;

a second target revolution setting unit for setting the target revolution of the engine to a second target revolution which is higher than a low idle revolution when determined that switch is made to the operation state by the operation state determining unit; and

a revolution control unit for controlling the engine revolution to match the higher target revolution of the first target revolution and the second target revolution.

2. The control device of the engine according to claim 1, wherein the operation state determining unit determines that switching is made to the non-operation state when the operation amount of the operation unit is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, and determines that switching is made to the operation state when the operation amount of the operation unit is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

3. The control device of the engine according to claim 1, wherein the operation state determining unit determines that switching is made to the non-operation state when the target flow rate of the hydraulic pump is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, and determines that switching is made to the operation state when the target flow rate of the hydraulic pump is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

4. A control device of an engine and a hydraulic pump comprising:

a hydraulic pump driven by the engine;

a plurality of hydraulic actuators supplied with pressurized fluid discharged from the hydraulic pump;

an operation unit for operating each hydraulic actuator;

a detection unit for detecting an operation amount of the operation unit;

a first target revolution setting unit for setting a first target revolution of the engine according to the operation amount obtained by the detection unit;

a determining unit for determining a work pattern of the plurality of hydraulic actuators by using the operation amounts of each operation unit and a load pressure of hydraulic pump;

a horsepower limit value setting unit for setting a horsepower limit value of the hydraulic pump according to each work pattern;

a second target revolution setting unit for setting a second target revolution of the engine according to the horsepower limit value of the hydraulic pump;

a capacity control unit for controlling a capacity of the hydraulic pump to obtain a pump absorption torque corresponding to the smaller target revolution of the first target revolution and the second target revolution; and

a revolution control unit for controlling the engine revolution to match the smaller target revolution of the first target revolution and the second target revolution.

5. A control device of an engine and a hydraulic pump comprising:

a hydraulic pump driven by the engine;

a plurality of hydraulic actuators supplied with pressurized fluid discharged from the hydraulic pump;

an operation unit for operating each hydraulic actuator;

a detection unit for detecting an operation amount of the operation unit;

a unit for setting an engine revolution by fuel dial;

a first target revolution setting unit for setting a first target revolution of the engine according to the set value of the fuel dial;

a determining unit for determining a work pattern of the plurality of hydraulic actuators by using the operation amounts of each operation unit and a load pressure of the hydraulic pump;

a horsepower limit value setting unit for setting a horsepower limit value of the hydraulic pump according to each work pattern;

a second target revolution setting unit for setting a second target revolution of the engine according to the horsepower limit value of the hydraulic pump;

a capacity control unit for controlling a capacity of the hydraulic pump to obtain a pump absorption torque corresponding to the smaller target revolution of the first target revolution and the second target revolution; and

a revolution control unit for controlling the engine revolution to match the smaller target revolution of the first target revolution and the second target revolution.

6. A control device of an engine, a hydraulic pump, and a generator motor comprising:

a hydraulic pump driven by the engine;

hydraulic actuators supplied with pressurized fluid discharged from the hydraulic pump;

a generator motor connected to an output shaft of the engine;

an electrical storage device for accumulating power generated by the generator motor and supplying power to the generator motor;

a calculating unit for calculating a requested power generation amount of the generator motor according to a storage state of the electrical storage device;

an engine target revolution setting unit for setting a target revolution of the engine;

a maximum torque curve setting unit for setting a maximum torque curve indicating a maximum absorption torque which can be absorbed by the hydraulic pump according to the target revolution of the engine;

a revolution control unit for controlling the engine revolution so that the engine revolution matches a current engine target revolution;

a capacity control unit for controlling a capacity of the hydraulic pump to obtain a pump absorption torque having a pump absorption torque on the maximum torque curve corresponding to the current engine target revolution as an upper limit;

a determining unit for determining whether or not to operate an engine-torque-assist of the generator motor; and

a generator motor control unit that operates the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor when determined to be in the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor by the determining unit, and that operates a power-generation of the generator motor according to the requested power generation amount when determined not to be in the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor.

7. The control device of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and the generator motor according to claim 6, wherein the determining unit determines to operate the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor when an absolute value of a deviation between the engine target revolution and an actual revolution of the engine is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, and determines not to operate the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor when the absolute value of the deviation between the engine target revolution and the actual revolution of the engine is smaller than a predetermined threshold value.

8. The control device of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and the generator motor according to claim 7, further comprising a storage amount calculating unit for calculating the storage amount currently stored in the electrical storage device, wherein

the determining unit determines not to operate the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor when the storage amount calculated by the storage amount calculating unit is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold value.

9. The control device of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and the generator motor according to claim 7, further comprising:

a rotation motor for rotating an upper rotation body of a construction machine;

a rotation operation unit for operating a turn-operation of the upper rotation body;

a control unit for controlling the rotation motor according to the turn-operation of the rotation operation unit;

an output calculating unit for calculating a current output of the rotation motor; and

a calculating unit for calculating a requested power generation amount of the generator motor according to the storage state of the electrical storage device and the driving state of the rotation motor, wherein

the determining unit determines not to operate the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor when the current output of the rotation motor is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.

10. The control device of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and the generator motor according to claim 9, further comprising:

a torque control unit for controlling the torque of the generator motor in a range of equal to or smaller than a torque upper limit value during engine torque assist operation of the generator motor; and

a torque upper limit value setting unit for gradually decreasing the torque upper limit value with increase in the current output of the rotation motor from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value greater than the first predetermined value.

11. The control device of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and the generator motor according to claim 9, further comprising:

a torque control unit for controlling the torque of the generator motor in a range of equal to or smaller than a torque upper limit value during engine torque assist operation of the generator motor; and

a torque upper limit value setting unit for gradually decreasing the torque upper limit value with increase in the current output of the rotation motor from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value greater than the first predetermined value, and gradually increasing the torque upper limit value with decrease in the current output of the rotation motor from a third predetermined value to a fourth predetermined value smaller than the third predetermined value when increasing the torque upper limit value after once decreased.

12. The control device of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and the generator motor according to claim 6, wherein the generator motor control unit controls an output torque of the generator motor so that the engine revolution becomes the same revolution as the engine target revolution by adding an axial torque of the engine on a torque curve diagram of the engine when the current engine revolution is smaller than the engine target revolution, and controls the output torque of the generator motor so that the engine revolution becomes the same revolution as the engine target revolution by absorbing the axial torque of the engine on the torque curve diagram of the engine when the current engine revolution is greater than the engine target revolution.

13. The control device of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and the generator motor according to claim 6, further comprising:

a torque control unit for controlling the torque of the generator motor in a range of equal to or smaller than a torque upper limit value during engine torque assist operation of the generator motor; and

a torque upper limit value setting unit for gradually decreasing the torque upper limit value with decrease in the storage amount of the electrical storage device from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value.

14. The control device of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and the generator motor according to claim 6, further comprising:

a torque control unit for controlling the torque of the generator motor in a range of equal to or smaller than a torque upper limit value during engine torque assist operation of the generator motor; and

a torque upper limit value setting unit for gradually decreasing the torque upper limit value with decrease in the storage amount of the electrical storage device from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value, and gradually increasing the torque upper limit value with increase in the storage amount of the electrical storage device from a third predetermined value to a fourth predetermined value greater than the third predetermined value when increasing the torque upper limit value after once decreased.

15. The control device of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and the generator motor according to claim 6, wherein

the generator motor control unit performs a control to gradually change the power generation torque of the generator motor from the torque at the termination of assistance to the power generation torque corresponding to the requested power generation amount of the generator motor, immediately after switching the generator motor from the engine torque assist operation to the power generating operation.

16. A control device of an engine, a hydraulic pump, and a generator motor comprising:

a hydraulic pump driven by the engine;

hydraulic actuators supplied with pressurized fluid discharged from the hydraulic pump;

a generator motor connected to an output shaft of the engine;

an electrical storage device for accumulating power generated by the generator motor and supplying power to the generator motor;

a calculating unit for calculating a requested power generation amount of the generator motor according to a storage state of the electrical storage device;

an engine target revolution setting unit for setting a target revolution of the engine;

a first maximum torque curve setting unit for setting a first maximum torque curve indicating a maximum absorption torque which can be absorbed by the hydraulic pump according to the target revolution of the engine;

a second maximum torque curve setting unit for setting a second maximum torque curve in which a maximum absorption torque becomes large in an engine low rotation region with respect to the first maximum torque curve;

a revolution control unit for controlling the engine revolution so that the engine revolution matches a current engine target revolution;

a determining unit for determining whether or not to operate an engine-torque-assist of the generator motor;

a pump capacity controlling unit for selecting the second maximum torque curve as a maximum torque curve and controlling the capacity of the hydraulic pump so as to obtain an upper limit which is a pump absorption torque having the pump absorption torque on the second maximum torque curve corresponding to the current engine target revolution when determined to be in the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor by the determining unit, and selecting the first maximum torque curve as the maximum torque curve and controlling the capacity of the hydraulic pump so as to obtain an upper limit which is a pump absorption torque having the pump absorption torque on the first maximum torque curve corresponding to the current engine target revolution when determined not to be in the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor by the determining unit; and

a generator motor control unit that operates the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor when determined to be in the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor by the determining unit, and that operates a power-generation of the generator motor according to the requested power generation amount when determined not to be in the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor.

17. The control device of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and the generator motor according to claim 16, wherein the determining unit determines to operate the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor when an absolute value of a deviation between the engine target revolution and an actual revolution of the engine is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, and determines not to operate the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor when the absolute value of the deviation between the engine target revolution and the actual revolution of the engine is smaller than a predetermined threshold value.

18. The control device of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and the generator motor according to claim 16, wherein the generator motor control unit controls an output torque of the generator motor so that the engine revolution becomes the same revolution as the engine target revolution by adding an axial torque of the engine on a torque curve diagram of the engine when the current engine revolution is smaller than the engine target revolution, and controls the output torque of the generator motor so that the engine revolution becomes the same revolution as the engine target revolution by absorbing the axial torque of the engine on the torque curve diagram of the engine when the current engine revolution is greater than the engine target revolution.

19. The control device of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and the generator motor according to claim 16, further comprising:

a torque control unit for controlling the torque of the generator motor in a range of equal to or smaller than a torque upper limit value during engine torque assist operation of the generator motor; and

a torque upper limit value setting unit for gradually decreasing the torque upper limit value with decrease in the storage amount of the electrical storage device from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value.

20. The control device of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and the generator motor according to claim 16, further comprising:

a torque control unit for controlling the torque of the generator motor in a range of equal to or smaller than a torque upper limit value during engine torque assist operation of the generator motor; and

a torque upper limit value setting unit for gradually decreasing the torque upper limit value with decrease in the storage amount of the electrical storage device from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value, and gradually increasing the torque upper limit value with increase in the storage amount of the electrical storage device from a third predetermined value to a fourth predetermined value greater than the third predetermined value when increasing the torque upper limit value after once decreased.

21. A control device of an engine, a hydraulic pump, and a generator motor comprising:

a hydraulic pump driven by the engine;

hydraulic actuators supplied with pressurized fluid discharged from the hydraulic pump;

a generator motor connected to an output shaft of the engine;

an electrical storage device for accumulating power generated by the generator motor and supplying power to the generator motor;

a calculating unit for calculating a requested power generation amount of the generator motor according to a storage state of the electrical storage device;

an engine target revolution setting unit for setting a target revolution of the engine;

a first maximum torque curve setting unit for setting a first maximum torque curve indicating a maximum absorption torque which can be absorbed by the hydraulic pump according to the target revolution of the engine;

a second maximum torque curve setting unit for setting a second maximum torque curve in which a maximum absorption torque becomes large in an engine low rotation region with respect to the first maximum torque curve;

a revolution control unit for controlling the engine revolution so that the engine revolution matches a current engine target revolution;

a determining unit for determining whether or not to operate an engine-torque-assist of the generator motor;

a generator motor control unit for operating the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor when determined to be in the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor by the determining unit, and for operating the power-generation of the generator motor according to the requested power generation amount when determined not to be in the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor;

a third pump maximum absorption torque calculating unit for calculating a third maximum torque in which the maximum absorption torque of the hydraulic pump gradually decreases with decrease in a torque upper limit value in time of assist operation of the generator motor from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value; and

a pump capacity control unit for controlling a capacity of the hydraulic pump with the smaller of the pump absorption torque on the second maximum torque curve corresponding to the current engine target revolution and the third pump maximum absorption torque calculated by the third pump maximum absorption torque calculating unit as an upper limit of the pump absorption torque when determined to be in the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor by the determining unit, and for controlling the capacity of the hydraulic pump to obtain a pump absorption torque having the pump absorption torque on the first maximum torque curve corresponding to the current engine target revolution as an upper limit when determined not to be in the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor by the determining unit.

22. A control device of an engine, a hydraulic pump, and a generator motor comprising:

a hydraulic pump driven by the engine;

hydraulic actuators supplied with pressurized fluid discharged from the hydraulic pump;

a generator motor connected to an output shaft of the engine;

an electrical storage device for accumulating power generated by the generator motor and supplying power to the generator motor;

a calculating unit for calculating a requested power generation amount of the generator motor according to a storage state of the electrical storage device;

an engine target revolution setting unit for setting a target revolution of the engine;

a first maximum torque curve setting unit for setting a first maximum torque curve indicating a maximum absorption torque which can be absorbed by the hydraulic pump according to the target revolution of the engine;

a second maximum torque curve setting unit for setting a second maximum torque curve in which a maximum absorption torque becomes large in an engine low rotation region with respect to the first maximum torque curve;

a revolution control unit for controlling the engine revolution so that the engine revolution matches a current engine target revolution;

a determining unit for determining whether or not to operate an engine-torque-assist of the generator motor;

a generator motor control unit for operating the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor when determined to be in the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor by the determining unit, and for operating a power-generation of the generator motor according to the requested power generation amount when determined not to operate the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor;

a third pump maximum absorption torque calculating unit for calculating a third maximum torque in which the maximum absorption torque of the hydraulic pump gradually decreases with decrease in a torque upper limit value in time of assist operation of the generator motor from a first predetermined value to a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value; and

a pump capacity control unit for controlling a capacity of the hydraulic pump with the smaller of the pump absorption torque on the second maximum torque curve corresponding to the current engine target revolution and the third pump maximum absorption torque calculated by the third pump maximum absorption torque calculating unit as an upper limit of the pump absorption torque when determined to be in the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor by the determining unit, controlling the capacity of the hydraulic pump to obtain a pump absorption torque having the pump absorption torque on the first maximum torque curve corresponding to the current engine target revolution as an upper limit when determined not to be in the engine-torque-assist of the generator motor by the determining unit, and gradually changing from a pump maximum absorption torque before switching to a pump maximum absorption torque after switching when selection of the maximum absorption torque of the hydraulic pump is switched.

23. The control device of the engine, the hydraulic pump, and the generator motor according to claim 22, wherein a time constant of changing from the pump maximum absorption torque before switching to the pump maximum absorption torque after switching is set to a large value in a case where the pump maximum absorption torque before switching is greater than the pump maximum absorption torque after switching than in a case where the pump maximum absorption torque before switching is smaller than the pump maximum absorption torque after switching.