Construction machine starting assist system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10815950-B2
Application number	US-201515553851-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2015
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a construction machine starting assist system including: an engine of a construction machine; an input unit which receives a key-on signal and a key-off signal of the engine; a hydraulic pump which is operated by the engine; an actuator which is operated by hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump; a regeneration valve which is switched so that a part or an entirety of the hydraulic oil returned from the actuator; an accumulator which is charged with the hydraulic oil supplied from the regeneration valve; a charging valve which is controlled so that the hydraulic oil is discharged from the accumulator when the key-on signal is inputted into the input unit; and a hydraulic motor connected to the engine and configured to assist in starting the engine.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A construction machine starting assist system comprising:
an engine of a construction machine;
an input unit configured to receive a key-on signal and a key-off signal of the engine;
a hydraulic pump which is operated by the engine;
an actuator which is operated by hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump;
a regeneration valve which is switched so that a part or an entirety of the hydraulic oil returned from the actuator and a part or an entirety of the hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump are supplied for regeneration;
an accumulator configured to be charged with the hydraulic oil supplied from the regeneration valve;
a charging valve configured to discharge the hydraulic oil from the accumulator when the key-on signal is inputted into the input unit;
a hydraulic motor which is operated by the hydraulic oil discharged from the charging valve, and is connected to the engine and configured to assist in starting the engine;
a solenoid valve configured to receive the hydraulic oil from the accumulator and configured to adjust a swash plate angle of the hydraulic motor;
a controller configured to control the regeneration valve and the solenoid valve; and
a pressure sensor configured to detect a hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic oil with which the accumulator is charged,
wherein the controller determines the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic oil with which the accumulator is charged by the pressure sensor; and
wherein the input unit receives the key-off signal when the hydraulic pressure of the accumulator is below a predetermined value, causing the controller to operate the engine to charge the accumulator with the hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump until the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic oil with which the accumulator is charged reaches the predetermined value, and
wherein when the hydraulic pressure of the accumulator is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the controller turns off the engine after receiving the key-off signal,
wherein the solenoid valve adjusts the swash plate angle of the hydraulic motor in accordance with the amount of the hydraulic oil supplied from the accumulator through a regulator, and a shuttle valve supplies the hydraulic oil from the solenoid valve to the regulator,
wherein when the engine is turned off, the controller closes the solenoid valve to cut off the flow of the hydraulic oil to the regulator.

2. The construction machine starting assist system of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic oil charged in the accumulator remains in the accumulator after the engine is turned off.

3. The construction machine starting assist system of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic motor assists in starting the engine by generating assistive starting torque using the hydraulic oil supplied from the accumulator.

4. A method comprising:
receiving, by an input unit, a first key-on signal at a first time;
in response to receiving the key-on signal, starting an engine of a construction machine, wherein the engine is configured to operate a hydraulic pump;
receiving, by a regeneration valve, hydraulic oil, from the hydraulic pump;
charging, by the regeneration valve, an accumulator with the hydraulic oil while the engine is operating;
receiving, by the input unit, a key-off signal at a second time after the first time;
in response to receiving the key-off signal, determining whether the amount of the hydraulic oil charged in the accumulator is equal to or greater than a predetermined value;
determining that the amount of the hydraulic oil charged in the accumulator is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value;
operating the engine to charge the accumulator with the hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump until the amount of the hydraulic oil in the accumulator reaches the predetermined value, and
in response to the determination, turning off the engine, wherein the hydraulic oil charged in the accumulator remains in the accumulator after the engine is turned off,
receiving, by the input unit, a second key-on signal at a third time after the second time;
supplying the hydraulic oil from the accumulator to a solenoid valve to open the solenoid valve, wherein a shuttle valve supplies the hydraulic oil from the solenoid valve to a regulator;
receiving, by the regulator, the hydraulic oil from the accumulator when the solenoid valve is opened;
adjusting, by the regulator, a swash plate angle of a hydraulic motor connected to the engine in accordance with the amount of the hydraulic oil supplied from the accumulator;
determining whether the engine is restarted; and
in response to determining the engine is not restarted, maintaining the engine in a standby state to start the engine at a later time.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the regeneration valve is further configured to receive the hydraulic oil from an actuator.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the hydraulic oil charged in the accumulator is supplied to the hydraulic motor to generate assistive starting torque for assisting in starting the engine when the swash plate angle of the hydraulic motor is adjusted.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising restarting the engine at a fourth time after the third time using the assistive starting torque generated by the hydraulic motor.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
determining that the engine is restarted;
in response to the determination that the engine is restarted, closing the solenoid valve to cut off the hydraulic oil from the accumulator to the hydraulic motor.

Assignees

• Doosan Infracore Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ahn Hyeon Sik

Classifications

• E02F9/2066 Primary

  of the type combustion engines · CPC title

• F02N9/00

  Starting of engines by supplying auxiliary pressure fluid to their working chambers · CPC title

• E02F9/2228

  including an electronic controller · CPC title

• F02D29/04

  peculiar to engines driving pumps · CPC title

• E02F9/2292

  Systems with two or more pumps · CPC title