Construction machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10161330-B2
Application number	US-201615346861-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2016
Priority date	Nov 20, 2015
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

A cooling time computing unit computes, based on a temperature detected by a temperature detection unit, a cooling time during which an injection unit is cooled by driving of an engine. A notification control unit uses a notification unit to notify an operator of a necessity of cooling before the engine is stopped, during the cooling time computed by the cooling time computing unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A construction machine equipped with an exhaust purification function, the construction machine comprising:
an engine;
an injector which injects a reducing agent for removing nitrogen oxides in exhaust gas discharged from the engine;
an after treatment device comprising at least one of an apparatus containing a catalyst capable of reducing nitrogen monoxide, a DPF apparatus and an SCR apparatus, which after treatment device is connected to the injector and which purifies the exhaust gas discharged from the engine using the injected reducing agent;
a temperature sensor which detects a temperature of the after treatment device;
a cooling time computing unit comprising a controller which computes a cooling time based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, the cooling time being a period of time during which a temperature of the exhaust gas discharged from the engine drops to or below a certain value; and
a sound or image emitter which notifies an operator of a necessity of cooling before stopping the engine during the cooling time computed by the cooling time computing unit, wherein
the cooling time computing unit increments the cooling time by a prescribed increment value when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is higher than a prescribed temperature and decrements the cooling time by a prescribed decrement value when the temperature detected by the temperature sensor is lower than the prescribed temperature.

2. The construction machine according to claim 1 , further comprising
a cabin to be boarded by the operator, wherein
the sound or image emitter includes a monitor which is provided inside the cabin and which notifies a necessity of the cooling.

3. The construction machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an actuator;
an accelerator dial or pedal to which is applied an operation to adjust a number of revolutions of the engine;
an apparatus including a lever to which is applied an operation to move the actuator;
a first operation amount detecting sensor which detects an operation amount which is an amount of the operation applied to the accelerator dial or pedal; and
a second operation amount detecting sensor which detects an operation amount which is an amount of the operation applied to the apparatus including the lever, wherein
when the operation amount detected by the second operation amount detecting sensor indicates that no operation is applied to the apparatus including the lever and the number of revolutions of the engine in accordance with the operation amount detected by the first operation amount detecting sensor is larger than a prescribed value, the cooling time computing unit increases the decrement value as compared to when the number of revolutions of the engine is not larger than the prescribed value.

4. The construction machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an actuator;
an accelerator dial or pedal to which is applied an operation to adjust a number of revolutions of the engine;
an apparatus including a lever to which is applied an operation to move the actuator;
a first operation amount detecting sensor which detects an operation amount which is an amount of the operation applied to the accelerator dial or pedal; and
a second operation amount detecting sensor which detects an operation amount of the apparatus including the lever, wherein
when the operation amount detected by the first operation amount detecting sensor indicates that no operation is applied to the accelerator dial or pedal and the operation amount detected by the second operation amount detecting sensor indicates that no operation is applied to the apparatus including the lever, the cooling time computing unit reduces the cooling time.

5. The construction machine according to claim 2 , wherein
the sound or image emitter further includes a buzzer which is provided inside the cabin and which notifies a necessity of the cooling by an alarm tone.

6. The construction machine according to claim 2 , wherein the monitor notifies the cooling time.

7. The construction machine according to claim 1 , wherein when an operation to stop the engine is detected before the cooling time lapses despite the sound or image emitter has notified a necessity of the cooling, the sound or image emitter issues a warning.

8. The construction machine according to claim 7 , wherein when an operation to stop the engine is detected before the cooling time lapses despite the sound or image emitter has notified a necessity of the cooling, the sound or image emitter notifies the fact that the notification was previously ignored at a time of next start up of the engine.

9. A construction machine equipped with an exhaust purification function, the construction machine comprising:
an engine;
an injector which injects a reducing agent for removing nitrogen oxides in exhaust gas discharged from the engine;
an after treatment device comprising at least one of an apparatus containing a catalyst capable of reducing nitrogen monoxide, a DPF apparatus and an SCR apparatus, which is connected to the injector and which purifies the exhaust gas discharged from the engine using the injected reducing agent;
a temperature sensor which detects a temperature of the after treatment device;
a cooling time computing unit comprising a controller which computes a cooling time based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, the cooling time being a period of time during which a temperature of the exhaust gas discharged from the engine drops to or below a certain value; and
a sound or image emitter which notifies an operator of a necessity of cooling before stopping the engine during the cooling time computed by the cooling time computing unit, further comprising:
a state detection sensor which detects a state of the construction machine; and
a prediction unit comprising the controller which predicts a stoppage of the engine when the state detected by the state detection sensor satisfies a prescribed condition, wherein
the sound or image emitter notifies the operator of a necessity of cooling when a stoppage of the engine is predicted by the prediction unit.

10. The construction machine according to claim 9 , further comprising
an accelerator dial or pedal to which may be applied an operation to adjust a number of revolutions of the engine, wherein
the state detection sensor being a first operation amount detecting sensor which detects an operation amount which is an amount of the operation applied to the accelerator dial or pedal, and
the prediction unit predicts a stoppage of the engine when the operation amount detected by the first operation amount detecting sensor indicates that no operation is applied to the accelerator dial or pedal.

11. The construction machine according to claim 10 , further comprising:
an actuator; and
an apparatus including a lever to which may be applied an operation to move the actuator, wherein
the state detection sensor is a second operation amount detecting sensor which detects an operation amount which is an amount of the operation applied to the apparatus including the lever, and
the prediction unit predicts a stoppage of the engine when the operation amount detected by the second operation amount detecting sensor indicates that no operation is applied to the apparatus including the lever.

Assignees

• Kobelco Constr Mach Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tsurumi Toshiki
• Kimitani Tsukasa
• Terasaka Joji
• Sasai Shintaroh

Classifications

• F02D2041/0265

  to decrease temperature of the exhaust gas treating apparatus · CPC title

• F01N3/2066

  Selective catalytic reduction [SCR] · CPC title

• B66C13/18

  Control systems or devices (exclusively for rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms B66D1/40) · CPC title

• F01N2590/08

  for heavy duty applications, e.g. trucks, buses, tractors, locomotives · CPC title

• B66C13/16

  Applications of indicating, registering, or weighing devices (in crane hooks B66C1/40; in safety gear B66C15/00; weighing-apparatus G01G; remote indicating in general G08) · CPC title