Control device for hybrid construction machine

• US 8,807,155 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: KYB Corp.
• Original Assignee: Kayaba Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Kawasaki, Haruhiko, Egawa, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCALISTER, WILLIAM M
• Application Number:
  US13/133,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20110240146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/50, 604/22, 604/50, 604/52, 137/102, 137/110, 137/115.13, 137/115.25, 137/565.13, 137/565.14, 137/565.16
• US Class Current: 137/115.25
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/20 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/188 Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2025 Particular purposes of control systems not otherwise provided for E02F3/16, E02F3/26, sub-groups of E02F3/43, E02F3/651, sub-groups of E02F3/84, E02F3/907, E02F5/145 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2075 of the hybrid type for vehicles in general B60W20/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2217 with energy recovery arrangements, e.g. using accumulators, flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2235 including an electronic controller
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2296 Systems with a variable displacement pump
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/082 with different modes
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/14 Energy-recuperation means
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/20553 with pilot circuit, e.g. for controlling a swash plate
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/20576 with multiple pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/31535 having multiple pressure sources and a single output member
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/45 Control of bleed-off flow, e.g. control of bypass flow to the return line
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6346 representing a state of input means, e.g. joystick position
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/665 Methods of control using electronic components
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6652 Control of the pressure source, e.g. control of the swash plate angle
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6658 Control using different modes, e.g. four-quadrant-operation, working mode and transportation mode
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/7058 Rotary output members
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/7135 Combinations of output members of different types, e.g. single-acting cylinders with rotary motors
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/7142 : the output members being arranged in multiple groups
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/85 : Control during special operating conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/264 : Electrical control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 : Electrically actuated valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8601 : And pilot valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86027 : Electric

Abstract

A regulator that performs control such that a tilt angle of a variable volume pump increases as a pilot pressure in a pilot flow passage decreases is provided, and when a controller determines that all of a plurality of operation valves for controlling a flow of a discharged oil that is led from the variable volume pump to respective actuators are in a neutral position, the controller supplies the discharged oil from the variable volume pump to a regenerative hydraulic motor by setting a solenoid valve in an open position and sets a pilot flow passage change-over solenoid valve in a blocking position such that the pilot pressure led to the regulator through the pilot flow passage is reduced by a pressure reducing valve.

Claims

1. A control device for a hybrid construction machine, comprising:

a variable volume pump;

a plurality of operation valves for controlling a flow of a discharged oil that is led from the variable volume pump to respective actuators;

a neutral flow passage for leading the discharged oil from the variable volume pump to a tank when the operation valves are in a neutral position;

a pilot pressure generating throttle provided in the neutral flow passage on a downstream side of the operation valves;

a pilot flow passage into which a pressure generated on an upstream side of the pilot pressure generating throttle is led;

a regulator for performing control such that a tilt angle of the variable volume pump increases as a pilot pressure in the pilot flow passage decreases;

an operation condition detector for detecting an operation condition of the operation valves;

a regenerative hydraulic motor rotated by the discharged oil from the variable volume pump;

a solenoid valve for opening and closing a flow passage connecting the variable volume pump to the hydraulic motor;

a power generator connected to the hydraulic motor;

a pilot flow passage change-over solenoid valve for switching the neutral flow passage and the pilot flow passage between a communicating state and a blocked state;

a pressure reducing valve for reducing the pilot pressure led to the regulator through the pilot flow passage when the neutral flow passage and the pilot flow passage are blocked by the pilot flow passage change-over solenoid valve; and

a controller that determines whether or not all of the operation valves are in the neutral position on the basis of a detection result from the operation condition detector, and when all of the operation valves are determined to be in the neutral position, supplies the discharged oil from the variable volume pump to the hydraulic motor by setting the solenoid valve in an open position and sets the pilot flow passage change-over solenoid valve in a blocking position.

2. The control device for a hybrid construction machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the pressure reducing valve and the pilot flow passage change-over solenoid valve are provided in parallel in the pilot flow passage.

3. The control device for a hybrid construction machine as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a sub-pilot flow passage connected to the pilot flow passage; and

a pilot pressure source that supplies a pilot pressure oil to the pilot flow passage through the sub-pilot flow passage,

wherein the pressure reducing valve is provided in the sub-pilot flow passage, and

the pilot flow passage change-over solenoid valve connects the neutral flow passage or the sub-pilot flow passage to the pilot flow passage selectively.

4. The control device for a hybrid construction machine as defined in claim 1, further comprising a parallel flow passage connected in parallel to the neutral flow passage and provided with the pressure reducing valve,

wherein the pilot flow passage change-over solenoid valve connects the neutral flow passage or the parallel flow passage to the pilot flow passage selectively.

5. The control device for a hybrid construction machine as defined in claim 1, further comprising a neutral flow passage change-over solenoid valve that is provided in the neutral flow passage upstream of the pilot pressure generating throttle and is capable of switching between a throttle position and a fully open position,

wherein the controller sets the neutral flow passage change-over solenoid valve in the throttle position when all of the operation valves are determined to be in the neutral position.

6. The control device for a hybrid construction machine as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a prime mover for driving the variable volume pump; and

a rotation speed detector for detecting a rotation speed of the prime mover,

wherein the controller supplies the discharged oil from the variable volume pump to the hydraulic motor by setting the solenoid valve in an open position when all of the operation valves are determined to be in the neutral position, and sets the pilot flow passage change-over solenoid valve in a blocking position when all of the operation valves are determined to be in the neutral position and the rotation speed detected by the rotation speed detector is equal to or lower than a predetermined set rotation speed.

7. The control device for a hybrid construction machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the operation condition detector is a pressure detector for detecting the pressure in the pilot flow passage, and

the controller determines that all of the operation valves are in the neutral position when the pressure detected by the pressure detector is equal to or greater than a predetermined set pressure.