Hybrid construction machine

• US 9,217,239 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2014
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Company Limited (Kobe Steel Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Company Limited (Kobe Steel Limited)
• Inventors: Hirozawa, Mitsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, HAU VAN
• Application Number:
  US14/464,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20150086315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.21, 180/65.22, 180/65.265, 180/65.27, 180/65.285
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/22 characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/128 Braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2075 of the hybrid type for vehicles in general B60W20/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2091 Control of energy storage means for electrical energy, e.g. battery or capacitors energy recovery arrangements in hydraulic or pneumatic drives E02F9/2217
• 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: E02F 9/2217 with energy recovery arrangements, e.g. using accumulators, flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

Provided is a hybrid construction machine capable of preventing overcharge, comprising: an engine; a generator-motor; a hydraulic pump; a hydraulic actuator to be operated by the hydraulic pump as a hydraulic pressure source; an actuator regeneration section to make a regenerative action of generating actuator regenerated-electric-power through return fluid from the hydraulic actuator; an electric storage device; a charging-rate detector; and a control section. The control section performs: causing the electric storage device to be charged with electric power generated by the generator-motor and the actuator regenerated-electric-power; causing the generator-motor to make a motor action through electric power stored in the electric storage device to assist the engine; and a regeneration control including stopping the generator action and restricting the actuator regenerated-electric-power, when a detected charging rate of the electric storage device is not smaller than a preset charging-rate limitation value.

Claims

1. A hybrid construction machine comprising:

an engine;

a generator-motor configured to make a generator action and a motor action;

a hydraulic pump configured to be driven by the engine;

a hydraulic actuator configured to be operated by the hydraulic pump as a hydraulic pressure source;

an actuator regeneration section configured to make a regenerative action of generating actuator regenerated-electric-power through return fluid from the hydraulic actuator;

an electric storage device capable of being charged and discharging electric power stored therein;

a charging-rate detector configured to detect a charging rate of the electric storage device; and

a control section configured to perform;

causing the electric storage device to be charged with electric power generated by the generator-motor through the generator action and the actuator regenerated-electric-power generated by the actuator regeneration section through the regenerative action;

causing the generator-motor to make the motor action through electric power stored in the electric storage device to thereby assist the engine; and

a regeneration control of stopping the generator action of the generator-motor and restricting the actuator regenerated-electric-power to be generated by the actuator regeneration section when the charging rate of the electric storage device detected by the charging-rate detector is equal to or greater than a preset charging-rate limitation value,

wherein the actuator regeneration section includes;

a regeneration circuit connected to the hydraulic actuator to allow return fluid from the hydraulic actuator to be flowed therein;

a regeneration motor provided in the regeneration circuit to be rotationally driven by the return fluid from the hydraulic actuator;

a flow regulating value configured to regulate a regeneration-flow-rate which is a flow rate of the return fluid flowing in the regeneration circuit; and

a regeneration generator configured to be driven by the regeneration motor to generate regenerated-electric-power, wherein the control section is configured to perform the regeneration control through the regulation of the regeneration-flow-rate by the flow regulating valve.

2. The hybrid construction machine as defined in claim 1, which further comprises a lower traveling body, an upper slewing body slewably mounted on the lower traveling body, and a working attachment mounted to the upper slewing body and including a boom and a boom cylinder for moving the boom, wherein the hydraulic actuator includes the boom cylinder;

the regeneration circuit is connected to one side of the boom cylinder, from which side the return fluid is flowed out, so as to generate boom-lowering regenerated-electric-power as the actuator regenerated-electric-power through the return fluid from the boom cylinder, during a boom-lowering operation; and

the control section is configured to perform the regeneration control with respect to the boom-lowering regenerated-electric-power.

3. The hybrid construction machine as defined in claim 2, which further comprises a slewing drive unit for slewing the upper slewing body, the slewing drive unit being configured to make a regenerative action of generating slewing regenerated-electric-power and a slewing braking action of braking the slewing of the upper slewing body, during slewing braking, wherein the electric storage device is configured to be charged with the slewing regenerated-electric-power generated through the regenerative action, and the control section is configured to perform the regeneration control during a combined slewing and boom-lowering operation in which the electric storage device is charged with both of the slewing regenerated-electric-power and the boom-lowering regenerated-electric-power.

4. The hybrid construction machine as defined in claim 3, wherein the control section is configured to derive an allowable regenerated-electric-power with which the electric storage device can be charged, from the detected charging rate, and derive an allowable boom-lowering regenerated-electric-power which is a boom-lowering regenerated-electric-power with which the electric storage device can be charged, from the allowable regenerated-electric-power and the slewing regenerated-electric-power, the control section being configured to perform the regeneration control in such a manner as to obtain the allowable boom-lowering regenerated-electric-power.