Hybrid construction machine

• US 9,057,173 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hiroki, Takenori, Edamura, Manabu, Sugiura, Manabu, Ishikawa, Kouji, Satake, Hidetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazo, Thomas E
• Application Number:
  US13/698,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20130243557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0084 relating to control modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/128 Braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/20 Drives; Control devices gearings in general F16H; controlling in general G05; electric multi-motor drives H02K, H02P
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2075 of the hybrid type for vehicles in general B60W20/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2095 Control of electric, electro-mechanical or mechanical equipment not otherwise provided for, e.g. ventilators, electro-driven fans control of hydraulic driven equipment E02F9/22
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/537 using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Provided is a hybrid construction machine capable of letting the operator immediately stop the swing structure by performing a stopping operation for ordinary construction machines even when the swing structure moves differently from the operator'"'"'s will for some reason. The hybrid construction machine comprises: an inverter controller which outputs a PWM signal to an inverter and thereby controls the revolution speed of an electric motor; a first electric circuit including blocking means which blocks the PWM signal outputted from the inverter controller to the inverter in response to either an immobilization selection inputted through a gate lock lever switch or an OFF selection inputted through an ignition switch; and a second electric circuit including a swing brake solenoid valve which activates a swing brake in response to either the immobilization selection inputted through the gate lock lever switch or the OFF selection inputted through the ignition switch.

Claims

1. A hybrid construction machine having a prime mover, an ignition switch for starting and stopping the prime mover, a hydraulic pump which is driven by the prime mover, a swing structure, an electric motor for driving the swing structure, an electricity storage device which is connected to the electric motor, an inverter for driving the electric motor, hydraulic actuators which are driven by the hydraulic pump, a swing brake which is driven by hydraulic pressure and stops the rotation of the swing structure, a gate lock lever switch which is used for selecting whether to mobilize or immobilize the hydraulic actuators, and a swing control lever device which is used for commanding the driving of the swing structure, wherein the hybrid construction machine comprises:

an inverter controller which outputs a PWM signal to the inverter and thereby controls the revolution speed of the electric motor;

a first electric circuit including blocking means which blocks the PWM signal outputted from the inverter controller to the inverter in response to either an immobilization selection inputted through the gate lock lever switch or an OFF selection inputted through the ignition switch; and

a second electric circuit including a swing brake solenoid valve which activates the swing brake in response to either the immobilization selection inputted through the gate lock lever switch or the OFF selection inputted through the ignition switch.

2. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a hydraulic motor for driving the swing structure; and

a control device which drives the swing structure with total torque of the electric motor and the hydraulic motor by driving both the electric motor and the hydraulic motor when the swing control lever device is operated.

3. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 2, wherein the swing brake driven by hydraulic pressure includes:

normal stop means which starts braking operation a certain time period after detecting a neutral position of the swing control lever device; and

emergency stop means which starts braking operation in a shorter time period, compared to the certain time period after the detection by the normal stop means, in response to a signal from emergency stop detecting means.

4. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the swing brake-driven by hydraulic pressure includes:

normal stop means which starts braking operation a certain time period after detecting a neutral position of the swing control lever device; and

emergency stop means which starts braking operation in a shorter time period, compared to the certain time period after the detection by the normal stop means, in response to a signal from emergency stop detecting means.