Construction machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12583289-B2
Application number	US-201917296478-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2019
Priority date	Nov 22, 2018
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

To provide a construction machine capable of reducing the time and labor of an operator and reliably preventing deterioration of cooling efficiency of a heat exchanger unit. A construction machine includes a heat exchanger unit having a plurality of heat exchangers, a cooling fan configured to supply cooling air to the heat exchanger unit during a forward rotation thereof, a controller configured to control an operation of the cooling fan, a timer configured to count an operation time period of forward rotation of the cooling fan, and a reverse rotation signal output switch configured to output to the controller a reverse rotation signal for causing the cooling fan to rotate in the reverse direction in response to an applied manual operation. The controller causes the cooling fan to rotate in the reverse direction for a second predetermined time period and resets the timer at the time of finishing the reverse rotation of the cooling fan, if the operation time period of forward rotation counted by the timer reaches a first predetermined time period, and controller causes the cooling fan to rotate in the reverse direction for the second predetermined time period when the reverse rotation signal is output from the reverse rotation signal output switch, and resets the timer at the time of finishing the reverse rotation of the cooling fan, even if the operation time period of forward rotation counted by the timer has not reached the first predetermined time period.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A construction machine comprising:
a heat exchanger unit disposed in an engine room of the construction machine, having a plurality of heat exchangers including an oil cooler, a radiator, and an aftercooler; a cooling fan disposed adjacent to the heat exchanger unit in the engine room and configured to rotate in a forward rotation or a reverse direction, and supply cooling air to the heat exchanger unit during the forward rotation; a plurality of temperature sensors, sensing a hydraulic oil temperature of hydraulic oil passing through the oil cooler, an engine cooling water temperature of engine cooling water passing through the radiator, and an air temperature sensor sensing compressed air temperature passing through the aftercooler; a timer configured to count an operation time period of forward rotation of the cooling fan; a reverse rotation signal output switch configured to output a reverse rotation signal an automatic mode switch configured to output an automatic mode signal; a reverse rotation warning indicator; and a controller configured to:
rotate, in response to receipt of the automatic mode signal, the cooling fan in the reverse direction for a second predetermined time period and reset the timer, if the operation time period of forward rotation counted by the timer reaches a first predetermined time period,
rotate, in response to the reverse rotation signal, the cooling fan in the reverse direction for the second predetermined time period and reset the timer,
disable the cooling fan from rotating in the reverse direction and activate a warning, when a temperature signal received by any of the plurality of temperature sensors determining that any of the hydraulic oil temperature, the engine cooling water temperature, and the compressed air temperature of the construction machine are above a threshold temperature.

2 . The construction machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant for an air conditioner; and a condenser configured to condense the refrigerant compressed by the compressor, wherein the heat exchanger unit includes the condenser, and the controller is further configured to stop the operation of the compressor when the cooling fan rotates in the reverse direction.

3 . The construction machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a filter disposed on the upstream side of the heat exchanger unit.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Sarl

Inventors

• Hara Keigo
• Yokoyama Yutaka
• Imatani Takaaki
• Toyoda Mitsuhiro
• Hiraoka Ken
• Shimizu Hiroyuki

Classifications

• F01P2005/046

  with electrical pump drive · CPC title

• F01P5/043 Primary

  Pump reversing arrangements · CPC title

• B60H2001/327

  related to a compressing unit · CPC title

• B60H1/00271

  HVAC devices specially adapted for particular vehicle parts or components and being connected to the vehicle HVAC unit · CPC title

• B60H1/3205 Primary

  Control means therefor · CPC title