Control system for construction machine

• US 9,260,838 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2012
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Kouji, Satake, Hidetoshi, Nishikawa, Shinji, Ooki, Takatoshi, Sawada, Shingo
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Truc M
• Application Number:
  US14/111,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20140039768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/22, 701/50, 701/51, 701/54, 701/102, 701/114
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/22 Hydraulic or pneumatic drives for dipper or bucket arm position control E02F3/43, for blade position control for graders E02F3/844; for turntables E02F9/121; for fork-lift trucks B66F9/22
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2235 including an electronic controller
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2246 Control of prime movers, e.g. depending on the hydraulic load of work tools
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2296 Systems with a variable displacement pump
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/04 peculiar to engines driving pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/04 Special measures taken in connection with the properties of the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 21/082 with different modes
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/20523 Internal combustion engine
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/20546 variable capacity
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 2211/6651 Control of the prime mover, e.g. control of the output torque or rotational speed
• 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 2211/88 Control measures for saving energy

Abstract

A fuel-efficient hydraulic fluid has a lower viscosity than a standard hydraulic fluid, a pressure loss decreases, and thus, when control based on a standard model is exercised, the speeds of various actuators increase. However, the speeds need not be increased beyond the speeds of the standard model. Instead, it is preferred that fuel efficiency be improved. As a result, an engine revolution speed decreases by 50 rpm and a pump torque decreases by 5%. This reduces an engine output. Therefore, when a hydraulic fluid is changed from the standard hydraulic fluid to the fuel-efficient hydraulic fluid, the fuel efficiency can be improved while maintaining operability equivalent to that of the standard model. Hence, the fuel efficiency can be improved while maintaining the operability when an item affecting the fuel consumption is replaced. In addition, the settings can be changed with ease by a service technician.

Claims

1. A control system for a construction machine having a plurality of items including an engine, a hydraulic pump driven by the engine, an actuator driven by a hydraulic fluid discharged from the hydraulic pump, and a member driven by the actuator, where at least two items of the plurality of items are each selectively changeable among a plurality of respective item states, the control system comprising:

an interface to respectively select one of the respective item states for each of the at least two items simultaneously; and

a controller configured to set an engine revolution speed and a pump torque in accordance with the respective item states selected according to the interface,

wherein, when the respective item states that have been selected for each of the at least two items have changed, the controller is further configured to set amounts of increase and decrease of the engine revolution speed and amounts of increase and decrease of the pump torque corresponding to the respective item states for the at least two items so that a sum of the increase and decrease of the engine revolution speed and a sum of the increase and decrease of the pump torque do not exceed a predefined upper limit and a predefined lower limit.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the at least two items include items that affect fuel consumption of the construction machine.

3. The control system according to claim 2, wherein the at least two items include items that affect weight of a vehicle body.

4. The control system according to claim 2, wherein the at least two items include at least one item affecting fluid resistance of the hydraulic fluid.

5. The control system according to claim 4, wherein the at least one item affecting the fluid resistance of the hydraulic fluid is a type of hydraulic fluid.

6. The control system according to claim 4, wherein the at least one item affecting the fluid resistance of the hydraulic fluid is a hydraulic fluid conduit.

7. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the interface includes a monitor device and a display screen to respectively select the respective item states for each of the at least two items.