Work machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12065805-B2
Application number	US-202218026146-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2022
Priority date	Mar 9, 2021
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

A work machine includes a second pilot line that introduces a hydraulic fluid from a pilot hydraulic fluid source to a pilot valve bypassing a first gate lock valve, a second gate lock valve that is disposed on the second pilot line and that is configured to be switched to an open position for allowing the supply of the hydraulic fluid to the pilot valve or a closed position for interrupting the supply of the hydraulic fluid, and a controller that controls the second gate lock valve on the basis of a second remote operation signal transmitted from a remote operation apparatus and that controls the pilot valve according to a first remote operation signal transmitted from the remote operation apparatus. In a state where the first gate lock valve is at a closed position, the second gate lock valve is allowed to be controlled by the controller when stairs are in a retracted state, and is kept at the closed position irrespective of the second remote operation signal when the stairs are in an extended state.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A work machine comprising
an operation room into which a worker gets,
stairs that are able to be switched to an extended state where the stairs allow the worker to get into and out of the operation room or a retracted state where the stairs are retracted so as not to interrupt work,
a hydraulic actuator that is driven by supply of a hydraulic fluid,
a hydraulic-pilot type control valve that controls a flow of the hydraulic fluid supplied to the hydraulic actuator,
a pilot valve that generates a pilot pressure for driving the control valve, by using a pressure from a pilot hydraulic fluid source as a source pressure,
a first pilot line that introduces the hydraulic fluid from the pilot hydraulic fluid source to the pilot valve,
a first gate lock valve disposed on the first pilot line, the first gate lock valve being configured to be switched to either an open position for allowing supply of the hydraulic fluid from the pilot hydraulic fluid source to the pilot valve or a closed position for interrupting the supply of the hydraulic fluid from the pilot hydraulic fluid source to the pilot valve,
a first operation device that is arranged in the operation room and that is used to operate the hydraulic actuator, and
a first gate lock device that is arranged in the operation room and that is used to operate the first gate lock valve,
the work machine being capable of being remotely operated by a remote operation apparatus at a location away from the operation room,
the work machine comprising:
a second pilot line that introduces the hydraulic fluid from the pilot hydraulic fluid source to the pilot valve bypassing the first gate lock valve;
a second gate lock valve disposed on the second pilot line, the second gate lock valve being configured to be switched to either an open position for allowing the supply of the hydraulic fluid from the pilot hydraulic fluid source to the pilot valve or a closed position for interrupting the supply of the hydraulic fluid from the pilot hydraulic fluid source to the pilot valve;
an operation mode selector that is switched manually by the worker to either an operation position for a remote operation mode or an operation position for an in-machine operation mode, the remote operation mode representing a mode for a remote operation by the remote operation apparatus, the in-machine operation mode representing a mode for an operation by the worker who is in the operation room;
a selector valve disposed on the second pilot line, the selector valve being configured to be switched, by the switching operation of the operation mode selector, to either an open position for allowing the supply of the hydraulic fluid from the pilot hydraulic fluid source to the pilot valve or a closed position for interrupting the supply of the hydraulic fluid from the pilot hydraulic fluid source to the pilot valve; and
a controller that controls an opening of the pilot valve according to a first remote operation signal transmitted by the remote operation apparatus and that controls the second gate lock valve such that the second gate lock valve is caused to be at either the open position or the closed position on a basis of a second remote operation signal transmitted by the remote operation apparatus, the remote operation apparatus including a second operation device that outputs the first remote operation signal for remotely operating the hydraulic actuator and a second gate lock device that outputs the second remote operation signal for giving an instruction for enabling or disabling of the remote operation by the second operation device, wherein
in a state where the first gate lock valve has been switched to the closed position, the second gate lock valve is allowed to be controlled by the controller when the stairs are in the retracted state and is kept at the closed position irrespective of the second remote operation signal when the stairs are in the extended state.

2. The work machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a signal circuit switching device that switches a signal circuit to a connection state or a disconnection state, the signal circuit being for outputting a control signal of the controller to the second gate lock valve; and
a sensor that senses the retracted state of the stairs, wherein
the second gate lock valve is configured to be at the closed position when the signal circuit is in the disconnection state, and
the signal circuit switching device is configured to switch the signal circuit to the connection state when the sensor senses the retracted state of the stairs, and to switch the signal circuit to the disconnection state when the sensor does not sense the retracted state of the stairs.

3. The work machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor that senses the retracted state of the stairs, wherein
the controller is configured to
determine whether the stairs are in the retracted state or in the extended state, on a basis of a sensing result of the sensor,
control, when determining that the stairs are in the retracted state, the second gate lock valve such that the second gate lock valve is caused to be at the closed position or the open position according to the second remote operation signal, and
control, when determining that the stairs are in the extended state, the second gate lock valve such that the second gate lock valve is caused to be at the closed position while ignoring the second remote operation signal.

4. The work machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an operation mode sensor that senses the operation position of the operation mode selector, wherein
the controller switches, when a switching operation of the first gate lock device is sensed, the second gate lock valve to the closed position while ignoring the second remote operation signal, even if determining on a basis of a sensing result of the operation mode sensor that the operation position of the operation mode selector is the operation position for the remote operation mode.

Assignees

• Hitachi Construction Mach Co

Inventors

• SAITOH Teppei
• Fujita Kouji
• Itou Hideaki
• Ishimoto Hidefumi
• Narikawa Ryu
• Nishizawa Tadashi

Classifications

• E02F9/226

  Safety arrangements, e.g. hydraulic driven fans, preventing cavitation, leakage, overheating · CPC title

• E02F9/0833

  Improving access, e.g. for maintenance, steps for improving driver's access, handrails · CPC title

• E02F9/2267

  Valves or distributors (position of valves arrangements on upper-structures E02F9/0875) · CPC title

• E02F9/16

  Cabins, platforms, or the like, for drivers ({for motor vehicles in general B62D33/06}, for cranes B66C13/54) · CPC title

• E02F3/32

  working downwardly and towards the machine, e.g. with backhoes · CPC title