Hybrid construction machine

• US 8,818,648 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2009
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Construction Machinery Sales Company Limited (Sumitomo Heavy Industries Limited), Sumitomo Heavy Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries Limited, Sumitomo (S.H.I.) Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. (Sumitomo Heavy Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Takanashi, Kyoko, Yuasa, Hideaki, Sano, Kiminori
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith, Jack W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chuong P
• Application Number:
  US13/131,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20110264337A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,729 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36, 701/49, 701/50, 180/65.21, 180 65265- 6529, 172/1, 172/2, 172/25, 379/02, 903/902
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/021 Means for detecting failure or malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/035 Bringing the control units into a predefined state, e.g. giving priority to particular actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/04 Monitoring the functioning of the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/412 Excavators
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/123 Drives or control devices specially adapted therefor E02F9/125 and E02F9/128 take precedence
• 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 9/2058 Electric or electro-mechanical or mechanical control devices of vehicle sub-units for vehicles in general B60W
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2075 of the hybrid type for vehicles in general B60W20/00
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2246 Control of prime movers, e.g. depending on the hydraulic load of work tools
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/268 with failure correction follow-up actions
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 3/06 with compression ignition compression ignition engines using air or gas for blowing fuel into compressed air in cylinder F02B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/04 peculiar to engines driving pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/902 Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors

Abstract

A hybrid construction machine includes a hydraulic pressure work element driven by hydraulic pressure generated by driving power of an internal combustion engine or a motor generator, and also includes an electric-motor work element driven by an electric motor. A superordinate control unit generates a control command which controls drive of the hydraulic pressure work element and the electric-motor work element. A subordinate control unit controls drive of the hydraulic pressure work element and the electric-motor work element based on the control command generated by the superordinate control unit. The subordinate control unit monitors an error in the superordinate control unit.

Claims

1. A hybrid construction machine including a hydraulic pressure work element driven by hydraulic pressure generated by driving power of an internal combustion engine or a motor generator, and an electric-motor work element driven by an electric motor, the hybrid construction machine comprising:

a superordinate control unit configured to generate a control command which is configured to control drive of the hydraulic pressure work element and the electric-motor work element; and

a plurality of subordinate control units configured to control the drive of the hydraulic pressure work element and the electric-motor work element based on the control command generated by the superordinate control unit, wherein the subordinate control units are configured to monitor an error in the superordinate control unit.

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

a plurality of the hydraulic pressure work elements; and

a plurality of the electric-motor work elements,

wherein each of the subordinate control units is arranged in each of one or the plurality of hydraulic pressure work elements and one or the plurality of electric-motor work elements in the hybrid construction machine, and each of the subordinate control units is configured to perform, when the error in the superordinate control unit is detected, an error-corrective control process in response to an operational status of a corresponding one of the hydraulic pressure work elements or the electric-motor work elements.

3. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 2,

wherein the superordinate control unit comprises a plurality of superordinate control modules which are configured to correspond to the subordinate control units respectively.

4. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 3,

wherein the superordinate control unit comprises an electricity accumulating system superordinate control module which is configured to generate a control command which is configured to control drive of an electricity accumulating system in the hybrid construction machine, which module is one of the plurality of superordinate control modules is included, and one of the subordinate control units is an electricity accumulating system subordinate control unit which is configured to control the drive of the electricity accumulating system based on the control command generated by the electricity accumulating system superordinate control module, and, when an error in the electricity accumulating system superordinate control module is detected, the electricity accumulating system subordinate control unit is configured to stop charging/discharging control of the electricity accumulating system after a predetermined time is elapsed.

5. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 4,

wherein the superordinate control unit comprises a rotary machine superordinate control module which is configured to generate a control command which is configured to control drive of a rotary machine among the electric-motor work elements, which module is one of the superordinate control modules, and one of the subordinate control units is a rotary machine subordinate control unit which is configured to control the drive of the rotary machine based on the control command generated by the rotary machine superordinate control module, and when an error in the rotary machine superordinate control module is detected, the rotary machine subordinate control unit is configured to stop the drive of the rotary machine.

6. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 4, further comprising:

a hydraulic pump output subordinate control unit which is configured to control an output of a hydraulic pump which is configured to generate hydraulic pressure which drives the hydraulic pressure work element,

wherein the superordinate control unit further comprises a hydraulic pump superordinate control module which is configured to generate a control command which is configured to control the output of the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic pump output subordinate control unit, and, when an error in the hydraulic pump superordinate control module is detected, the hydraulic pump output subordinate control unit is configured to reduce the output of the hydraulic pump to a predetermined output.

7. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 3,

wherein the superordinate control unit comprises a rotary machine superordinate control module which is configured to generate a control command which is configured to control drive of a rotary machine among the electric-motor work elements, which module is one of the superordinate control modules, and one of the subordinate control units is a rotary machine subordinate control unit which is configured to control the drive of the rotary machine based on the control command generated by the rotary machine superordinate control module, and when an error in the rotary machine superordinate control module is detected, the rotary machine subordinate control unit is configured to stop the drive of the rotary machine.

8. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 3,

wherein the superordinate control unit comprises a lifting magnet superordinate control module which is configured to generate a control command which is configured to control drive of a lifting magnet among the electric-motor work elements, which module is one of the superordinate control modules, and one of the subordinate control units is a lifting magnet subordinate control unit which is configured to control the drive of the lifting magnet based on the control command generated by the lifting magnet superordinate control module, and when an error in the lifting magnet superordinate control module is detected, the lifting magnet subordinate control unit is configured to inhibit attraction operation of the lifting magnet if the lifting magnet is not in an attraction state, and holds attraction operation of the lifting magnet if the lifting magnet is in an attraction state.

9. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 3,

wherein the superordinate control unit comprises an engine superordinate control module which is configured to generate a control command which is configured to control drive of the internal combustion engine, which module is one of the superordinate control modules, and one of the subordinate control units is an engine subordinate control unit which is configured to control the drive of the internal combustion engine based on the control command generated by the engine superordinate control module, and when an error in the engine superordinate control module is detected, the engine subordinate control unit is configured to continue the drive of the internal combustion engine.

10. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 3, further comprising:

a cooling system subordinate control unit which is configured to control drive of an electric cooling pump which is configured to circulate cooling water in an electric power system of the hybrid construction machine,

wherein the superordinate control unit further comprises a cooling system superordinate control module which is configured to generate a control command which is configured to control the drive of the electric cooling pump to the cooling system subordinate control unit, and, when an error in the cooling system superordinate control module is detected, the cooling system subordinate control unit is configured to continue the drive of the electric cooling pump.

11. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 3, further comprising:

a hydraulic pump output subordinate control unit which is configured to control an output of a hydraulic pump which is configured to generate hydraulic pressure which drives the hydraulic pressure work element,

wherein the superordinate control unit further comprises a hydraulic pump superordinate control module which is configured to generate a control command which is configured to control the output of the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic pump output subordinate control unit, and, when an error in the hydraulic pump superordinate control module is detected, the hydraulic pump output subordinate control unit is configured to reduce the output of the hydraulic pump to a predetermined output.

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

a control unit which is configured to control a driver unit including an inverter unit which drives the electric-motor work element, the control unit comprising;

a housing having an airtight structure;

an electronic part provided in the housing; and

a first fan provided in the housing to agitate air in the housing.

13. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 12,

wherein the electronic part, provided in the housing, includes a superordinate control module which is configured to control a CPU which is configured to function as the subordinate control unit which is configured to control the driver unit, and the first fan is arranged to generate an air flow directed to the superordinate control module.

14. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 13,

wherein the electronic part, provided in the housing, includes a CPU which is configured to function as the subordinate control unit, and the first fan is arranged to generate an air flow directed to a CPU which is configured to function as the superordinate control module and the subordinate control unit.

15. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 13,

wherein the control unit further comprises a temperature sensor which is configured to measure a temperature of the CPU and the superordinate control module, and the first fan is controlled based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

16. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 12,

wherein the control unit further comprises:

a power supply unit configured to supply electric power to the electronic part; and

a second fan provided in the housing configured to generate an air flow directed to the power supply unit.

17. A hybrid construction machine including a hydraulic pressure work element driven by hydraulic pressure generated by driving power of an internal combustion engine or a motor generator, an electric-motor work element driven by an electric motor, and an electricity accumulating system element for accumulating electricity, the hybrid construction machine comprising:

a superordinate control unit configured to generate a control command which is configured to control drive of the electric-motor work element and the electricity accumulating system element; and

a plurality of subordinate control units configured to control drive of the electric-motor work element and the electricity accumulating system element based on the control command generated by the superordinate control unit, wherein the subordinate control units are configured to monitor an error in the superordinate control unit.

18. The hybrid construction machine according to claim 17,

wherein the electric-motor work element includes a plurality of electric-motor work elements,

the electricity accumulating system element includes a plurality of electricity accumulating system elements, and

each of the subordinate control units is arranged in each of one or the plurality of electric-motor work elements and one or the plurality of the electricity accumulating system elements in the hybrid construction machine, and each of the subordinate control units is configured to perform, when the error in the superordinate control unit is detected, an error-corrective control process in response to an operational status of a corresponding one of the electric-motor work elements or the electricity accumulating system elements.