Construction machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10947699-B2
Application number	US-201816461491-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2018
Priority date	Mar 30, 2017
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

A construction machine incorporates a hydraulic closed circuit system capable of suppressing, even where a selector valve is stuck in an open state by a failure of the selector valve or a control system therefor, unintended operation of a hydraulic actuator and continuing operation of a machine body. The construction machine includes first sensors that detect open-closed states of a plurality of switching valves, first compulsory valve closing devices that change over the plurality of switching valves to a closed position irrespective of open-close control by a machine body controller, and a valve device controller that controls, when it is detected based on the open-closed states of the plurality of selector values detected by the first sensors that one of the plurality of selector values is stuck in an open state, the first compulsory valve closing device such that other selector valve connected to one of the plurality of closed circuit pumps to which the one selector valve is connected is closed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A construction machine comprising:
a plurality of closed circuit pumps;
a plurality of hydraulic actuators;
a plurality of operation levers corresponding to the plurality of hydraulic actuators;
a plurality of switching valves capable of connecting each of the plurality of closed circuit pumps to one of the plurality of hydraulic actuators by closed circuit connection; and
a machine body controller that performs open-close control of the plurality of switching valves and flow-rate control of the plurality of closed circuit pumps in response to an operation of the plurality of operation levers;
wherein the construction machine comprises:
a first sensor that detects open-closed states of the plurality of switching valves;
a first compulsory valve closing device that changes over the plurality of switching valves to a closed position irrespective of the open-close control by the machine body controller; and
a valve device controller that is configured to, when detecting based on the open-closed states of the plurality of switching valves that one selector valve of the plurality of switching valves is sticked at an open position against a command by the machine body controller, control the first compulsory valve closing device such that other switching valves except the one selector valve, the other switching valves being connected to one closed circuit pump of the plurality of closed circuit pumps, the one closed circuit pump being connected to the one selector valve, are closed.

2. The construction machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a pilot hydraulic fluid source; wherein
each of the plurality of switching valves includes a poppet valve that is provided in one of lines that connect the plurality of closed circuit pumps and the plurality of hydraulic actuators to each other, is biased to a closed side by spring force, and is driven to an open side by a pilot pressure introduced thereto from the pilot hydraulic fluid source, and a solenoid valve that is provided in a line that introduces the pilot pressure from the pilot hydraulic fluid source to the poppet valve, is biased to the closed side by spring force, and is driven to the open side in accordance with a control signal from the machine body controller;
the first sensor includes a pilot pressure sensor that detects a pilot pressure outputted from the solenoid valve included in each of the plurality of switching valves, and
when a pressure detected by the pilot pressure sensor is higher than a predetermined pressure, a selector valve corresponding to the pilot pressure sensor among the plurality of switching valves is detected to be open, and
when a pressure detected by the pilot pressure sensor is lower than the predetermined pressure, the selector valve corresponding to the pilot pressure sensor among the plurality of switching valves is detected to be open.

3. The construction machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the first sensor includes a pump pressure sensor that detects a pressure of each of the plurality of closed circuit pumps and a load pressure sensor that detects a pressure of each of the plurality of hydraulic actuators; and
when a pressure difference between the pressure detected by the pump pressure sensor and the pressure detected by the load pressure sensor is greater than a predetermined pressure difference, a selector valve included in the plurality of switching valves and disposed in a line that connects one closed circuit pump of the plurality of the closed circuit pumps, the one closed circuit pump corresponding to the pump pressure sensor, and one hydraulic actuator of the plurality of hydraulic actuators, the one hydraulic actuator corresponding to the load pressure sensor, to each other is detected to be closed; and
when the pressure difference between the pressure detected by the pump pressure sensor and the pressure detected by the load pressure sensor is smaller than the predetermined pressure difference, the selector valve provided in the line that connects the closed circuit pump corresponding to the pump pressure sensor and the hydraulic actuator corresponding to the load pressure sensor to each other is detected to be open.

4. The construction machine according to claim 1 , wherein,
when two switching valves of the plurality of switching valves, the two switching valves being connected to one closed circuit pump of the plurality of closed circuit pumps, are detected to be open simultaneously through the first sensor, one selector valve of the two switching valves is detected to be sticked in an open state.

5. The construction machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a neutral detection switch that detects whether or not the plurality of operation levers are neutral; wherein
the valve device controller is configured to
detect, when detecting through the plurality of neutral detection switches that all of the plurality of operation levers are neutral and detecting through the first sensor that one selector valve of the plurality of switching valves, the one selector valve being connected to one closed circuit pump of the plurality of closed circuit pumps, is open, that the one selector valve is sticked in an open state, and
detect, when detecting through the plurality of neutral detection switches that at least one of the plurality of operation levers is not neutral and detecting through the first sensor that two switching valves of the plurality of switching valves, the two switching valves being connected to one closed circuit pump of the plurality of closed circuit pumps, are open simultaneously, that one selector valve of the two switching valves is sticked in an open state.

6. The construction machine according to claim 2 , wherein
the first compulsory valve closing device is an electric relay that is provided on a control signal line that connects the machine body controller and a solenoid valve included in each of the plurality of switching valves to each other, the electric relay including switchably a ground side contact for enabling transmission of a control signal and an open side contact for disabling transmission of a control signal; and
the valve device controller is configured to, when detecting that the one selector valve is sticked in an open state, switch the electric relay provided on a control signal line connected to a solenoid valve provided in each of the other switching valves except the one selector valve to the open side contact to close the other switching valves.

7. The construction machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of hydraulic actuators include a plurality of single rod type hydraulic cylinders,
the construction machine further comprising:
a plurality of open circuit pumps whose flow rates are controlled by the machine body controller;
a plurality of assist lines that connect the plurality of open circuit pumps to lines that connect the plurality of closed circuit pumps and cylinder heads of the plurality of single rod hydraulic cylinders to each other;
a plurality of assist valves that are provided on the plurality of assist lines and are open-close controlled by the machine body controller;
a second sensor that detects open-closed states of the plurality of assist valves; and
a second compulsory valve closing device that changes over the plurality of assist valves to a closed position irrespective of open-close control of the machine body controller; and
the valve device controller is configured to, when detecting based on the open-closed states of the plurality of assist valves that one assist valve of the plurality of assist valves is sticked at an open position against a command from the machine body controller, control the second compulsory valve closing

Assignees

• Hitachi Construction Mach Co

Inventors

• SAITOH Teppei
• KAI Takamasa
• Hiraku Kenji
• Takahashi Hiromasa
• Shimizu Juri

Classifications

• E02F9/2296

  Systems with a variable displacement pump · CPC title

• F15B2211/30595

  with additional valves between the groups of valves for multiple output members · CPC title

• F15B13/0431

  the electrical control resulting in an on-off function · CPC title

• F15B20/008

  Valve failure · CPC title

• F15B2211/5753

  for closing a valve · CPC title