Engine output control via auto selection of engine output curve

• US 7,774,117 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Ozawa, Godo, Nishida, Harushige
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patton; Spencer
• Application Number:
  US10/546,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,133 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 701/55, 701/56, 701/61, 701/65, 701/51, 701/52, 701/53, 701/54, 701/102, 172/2, 172/3, 172/4, 172/5
• US Class Current: 701/54
• 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: F02D 11/105 characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2422 Selective use of one or more tables

Abstract

An engine output controller provided in a bulldozer includes an output curve storage device storing a plurality of output curves of an engine and an output curve changing device selecting and shifting to one of the plurality of output curves. The output curve changing device, when a pressure of a blade tilt cylinder is equal to or more than a predetermined value, calls and shifts to a higher output curve from the output curve storage device. When an oil pressure is supplied to the tilt cylinder to tilt a blade and an operation is performed without reducing a soil pressing speed in this condition, the output curve changing device shifts the current output curve to the higher output curve to drive the engine. However, in many other cases, the output curve is automatically switched to a lower output curve to reduce an output of the engine. Thus, the fuel consumption is improved.

Claims

1. An engine output controller for a bulldozer, comprising:

means for storing a plurality of output curves of an engine, an operation-mode correspondence table including a plurality of operation modes of the bulldozer, and an output curve correspondence table, in which each of the operation modes is linked with one of the output curves, the operation-mode correspondence table including a plurality of different combinations of a blade height of the bulldozer, a shift position of a transmission to transmit a driving force of the engine, a position of an engine throttle lever of the bulldozer, and a position of a deceleration pedal of the bulldozer, and an operation mode associated with each different combination, the plurality of operation modes comprising excavation work, soil carrying work, slope climbing, and backward movement wherein the shift position of the transmission is a reverse position;

means for receiving the blade height of the bulldozer, the shift position of the transmission to transmit the driving force of the engine, the position of the engine throttle lever of the bulldozer, and the position of the deceleration pedal of the bulldozer and then automatically judging an operation mode of the bulldozer by inputting the blade height of the bulldozer, the shift position of the transmission to transmit the driving force of the engine, the position of the engine throttle lever of the bulldozer, and the position of the deceleration pedal of the bulldozer to the operation-mode correspondence table in order to retrieve therefrom the operation mode of the bulldozer associated with the input combination of the blade height of the bulldozer, the shift position of the transmission to transmit the driving force of the engine, the position of the engine throttle lever of the bulldozer, and the position of the deceleration pedal of the bulldozer; and

means for selecting one of the plurality of output curves in accordance with the judged operation mode and the output curve correspondence table;

wherein the engine output controller is configured to control an output of the engine of the bulldozer in accordance with the selected output curve; and

wherein the means for selecting one of the plurality of output curves comprises;

means for, when the operation mode is excavation work, selecting a higher output curve from the means for storing;

means for, when the operation mode is soil carrying work, selecting a medium output curve from the means for storing;

means for, when the operation mode is slope climbing, selecting the higher output curve from the means for storing; and

means for, when the operation mode is backward movement wherein the shift position of the transmission is the reverse position, selecting a lower output curve from the means for storing.

2. The engine output controller according to claim 1, wherein the means for selecting one of the plurality of output curves further comprises:

means for, when a pressure of a blade tilt cylinder is equal to or more than a predetermined pressure value, selecting a higher output curve from the means for storing;

means for, when the shift position of the transmission is shifted from a forward second-speed range to a forward first-speed range and when the position of the engine throttle lever is in a state of full throttle and when the deceleration pedal of the bulldozer is not depressed, selecting the higher output curve from the means for storing;

means for, when the blade height of the bulldozer is equal to or lower than a predetermined height value and when the shift position of the transmission is at the forward first-speed range or the forward second-speed range and when the position of the engine throttle lever is in the state of full throttle, selecting the higher output curve from the means for storing; and

means for, when the blade height of the bulldozer is higher than the predetermined height value and when the shift position of the transmission is at the forward first-speed range or the forward second-speed range and when the position of the engine throttle lever is in the state of full throttle, selecting a medium output curve from the means for storing.

3. The engine output controller according to claim 2, wherein the lower output curve is used as a default setting when the engine starts.

4. An engine output controller for a bulldozer, comprising:

means for storing a plurality of output curves of an engine, an operation-mode correspondence table including a plurality of operation modes of the bulldozer, and an output curve correspondence table, in which each of the operation modes is linked with one of the output curves;

means for receiving the blade height of the bulldozer, the shift position of the transmission to transmit the driving force of the engine, the position of the engine throttle lever of the bulldozer, and the position of the deceleration pedal of the bulldozer and then automatically judging an operation mode of the bulldozer by inputting the blade height of the bulldozer, the shift position of the transmission to transmit the driving force of the engine, the position of the engine throttle lever of the bulldozer, and the position of the deceleration pedal of the bulldozer to the operation-mode correspondence table in order to retrieve therefrom the operation mode of the bulldozer;

means for selecting one of the plurality of output curves in accordance with the judged operation mode and the output curve correspondence table;

wherein the means for receiving and judging comprises;

means for detecting when a shift position of a transmission to transmit a driving force of the engine is shifted from a forward second-speed range to a forward first-speed range;

means for detecting when a position of an engine throttle lever of the bulldozer is in a state of full throttle; and

means for detecting when a deceleration pedal of the bulldozer is not depressed;

wherein the means for selecting selects a higher output curve from the means for storing when it has been detected that a shift position of a transmission to transmit a driving force of the engine is shifted from a forward second-speed range to a forward first-speed range, a position of an engine throttle lever of the bulldozer is in a state of full throttle, and a deceleration pedal of the bulldozer is not depressed; and

wherein the engine output controller is configured to control an output of the engine of the bulldozer in accordance with the selected higher output curve.