The present invention is applied to a construction machine on which a work machine is mounted. The present invention relates to a rotation control device and a rotation control method each for controlling a rotation of a rotary body driven by an electric motor, the invention also relating to a construction machine of which rotary body is rotated by an electric motor.
There has been developed a hybrid electric rotary excavator of which a rotary body is driven by an electric motor while a work machine and a carrier thereof are driven by a hydraulic actuator (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
In such an electric rotary excavator, the rotary body is rotated by the electric motor. Even when the rotary body is rotated at the same time of an elevation of a boom or an arm which is hydraulically driven, the movement of the rotary body is not affected by the elevation of the boom or the arm. Hence, the energy efficiency is better as compared to a case in which the rotary body is also driven hydraulically, since energy loss through a control valve and the like can be reduced.
[Patent Document 1] JP2001-11897A
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
However, when the electric rotary excavator is on a slant, the rotary body in a rotation toward the lower side of the slant cannot be completely stopped even when the rotary body is operated to be stopped, because the rotary body continues to move due to the weight of the boom or the arm to a lowest position. The rotary body coasts, though a rotation lever is returned to the neutral position to maintain the rotary body in a stationary state.
An object of the present invention is to provide a rotation control device, a rotation control method and a construction machine which can reliably maintain a rotary body in a stationary state.
Means for Solving the Problems
A rotation control device according to an aspect of the invention is applied to a construction machine on which a work machine is mounted. The rotation control device controls a rotation of a rotary body driven by an electric motor. The rotation control device includes: a control command generating means which generates and outputs a control command for the electric motor; a target speed judging means which judges whether or not a target speed of the rotary body which is generated based on an operation amount of an operating section is smaller than a predetermined threshold value; and a control-system changing means which changes a control system of the rotation control device in accordance with the judgment result by the target speed judging means.
In a rotation control device according to an aspect of the invention, the control-system changing means may preferably make a change in a control law of the control command generating means from a speed control to a position control or a change from a proportional control to a proportional-plus-integral control as a change of the control system.
In a rotation control device according to an aspect of the invention, the control-system changing means may preferably change a speed gain of the control command generating means as a change of the control system.
In a rotation control device according to an aspect of the invention, the control-system changing means may preferably change the speed gain from a small gain to a large gain.
A rotation control method according to an aspect of the invention is applied to a construction machine on which a work machine is mounted. The rotation control method controls a rotation of a rotary body driven by an electric motor. The rotation control method includes: a step for generating and outputting a control command for the electric motor; a step for judging whether or not a target speed of the rotary body which is generated based on an operation amount of an operating section is smaller than a predetermined threshold value; and a step for changing a control system of the rotation control method when the target speed is judged to be smaller than the predetermined threshold value.
In a rotation control method according to an aspect of the invention, in the step for changing the control-system of the rotation control method, a control law in the step for generating and outputting the control command may preferably be changed from a speed control to a position control or from a proportional control to a proportional-plus-integral control as a change of the control system.
In a rotation control method according to an aspect of the invention, in the step for changing the control-system of the rotation control method, a speed gain in the step for generating and outputting the control command may preferably be changed as a change of the control system.
A construction machine according to an aspect of the invention includes: a rotary body rotated by an electric motor; and a rotation control device according to an aspect of the invention for controlling the rotary body.
According to the aspects of the invention, when the target speed of the rotary body generated based on the operation amount of the operating section is judged to be smaller than the predetermined threshold value, the control law or the control parameter is changed as a change of the control system of the rotation control device. Hence, a larger braking torque than that of a normal control can be generated. Thereby, the rotary body can be reliably maintained in a stationary state.
1: electric rotary excavator (construction machine), 4: rotary body, 5: electric motor, 10: rotation lever (operating section), 100: rotation control device, 130: control command generating means, 140: target speed judging means, 150: control-system changing means, K: speed gain (control gain)
[1-1] Overall Structure
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.
In
In
As shown in
The fuel dial 11 is for controlling an amount of fuel to be supplied (injected) to the engine. The mode selection switch 12 is for changing an operation mode. An operator operates the fuel dial 11 and the mode selection switch 12 in accordance with operating conditions of the electric rotary excavator 1.
The target speed setting device 13 sets a target speed of the rotary body 4 based on a setting of the fuel dial 11, a setting of the mode selection switch 12 and an inclination angle of the rotation lever 10 (which is generally also used as a work machine lever for operating the arm 7), the target speed being output to the rotation control device 100.
The engine 14 drives the power-generating motor 15 and the hydraulic pump 19 that is the hydraulic pressure source for the hydraulic cylinders 21 to 23. The hydraulic pressure generated by the hydraulic pump 19 is used by the boom cylinder 21 to drive the boom 6 (see
The power-generating motor 15, the inverter 16 and the capacitor 17 serve in combination as an electric power source for the electric motor 5. Note that the power-generating motor 15 also works as an electricity generator with functions of an electric motor.
The electric motor 5 rotates the rotary body 4 via the swing circle 3. The rotation speed sensor 18 is attached to the electric motor 5. The rotation speed sensor 18 detects a rotation speed of the electric motor 5 and feeds the detected rotation speed back to the rotation control device 100.
The rotation control device 100 conducts a speed control through a P-control (a proportional control) with a speed gain K (a control gain) based on the target speed of the rotary body 4 set by the target speed setting device 13 and the rotation speed of the electric motor 5 detected by the rotation speed sensor 18. The rotation control device 100 generates a torque command value (a control command) to the electric motor 5. In the first embodiment, the rotation control device 100 is an inverter that inverts the torque command value to a current value and a voltage value to output to the electric motor 5, thereby controlling a torque output of the electric motor 5.
Note that the rotation control device 100 may not be an inverter as long as the rotation control device 100 can provide a command for driving the electric motor, for example, by switching.
When the electric rotary excavator 1 is speed-controlled on a slant as shown in
When the rotation lever 10 is completely returned to the neutral where the operation amount is “0”, the target speed setting device 13 sets the target speed so as to become “0” at the point indicated by arrow B. Thus, the actual speed of the rotary body 4 is lowered to “0”. However, in the above-described speed control, since the weight of the boom 6 or the arm 7 is very large, the weight may exceed the braking torque, resulting in that the rotary body 4 coasts toward the lower side, making a slow rotation shown in the dashed-one dotted line. The braking torque is continuously generated during the slow rotation based on a small deviation between the actual speed shown in the dashed-one dotted line and the target speed “0”. Still, since the speed gain K is set to be relatively small in consideration of the controllability of the electric rotary excavator 1, the weight of the boom 6 or the arm 7 may exceed the braking torque even when a maximum braking torque for the deviation is generated.
The rotation control device 100 of the first embodiment changes the control law from the speed control to a position control at the point (indicated by arrow C) where the target speed becomes smaller than a speed threshold value V as shown in
As shown in
[1-2] Structure of Rotation Control Device 100
A control structure of the rotary body 4 by the rotation control device 100 will be described below with reference to
The rotation control device 100 includes a rotation position output means 110, the control command generating means 130, the target speed judging means 140, the control-system changing means 150, a reference position storage means 120 and a reference position updating means 160.
The rotation position output means 110 integrates the rotation speed of the electric motor 5 from the rotation speed sensor 18 to output the integration result as a rotation position information of the rotary body 4.
The reference position storage means 120, which may be a RAM (Random Access Memory), stores an output value by the rotation position output means 110 as a reference position. The reference position stored in the reference position storage means 120 is updated with each rotation position of the rotary body 4 in accordance with the judgment result by the target speed judging means 140.
The control command generating means 130 generates and outputs a control command for the electric motor 5. As shown in
In the speed control, the control command generating means 130 compares the target speed set by the target speed setting device 13 with the rotation speed of the electric motor 5 fed back to the rotation control device 100. The control command generating means 130 then multiplies the deviation therebetween by the speed gain K to generate a torque command value (a control command) to the electric motor 5. The speed gain K herein is set in consideration of the controllability of the electric rotary excavator 1. If the speed gain K is too large, the torque is output too rapidly, which may cause non-smooth movement of the rotary body 4. A too small speed gain K may cause too slow movement of the rotary body 4.
Thus, the torque command value of the electric motor 5 is generated in accordance with the deviation between the target speed and the fed-back rotation speed of the electric motor 5. When the actual rotation speed is not increased even by greatly inclining the rotation lever 10, the control command generating means 130 increases the torque command value so as to raise the actual speed toward the target speed. Note that such a control is a normal speed control using the P-control.
When the control law is changed by the control-system changing means 150, the control command generating means 130 conducts the position control. In
The target speed judging means 140 judges whether or not the operator demands to stop the rotary body 4. Specifically, the target speed judging means 140 judges whether or not the target speed of the electric motor 5 generated by the target speed setting device 13 becomes smaller than the predetermined threshold value.
In accordance with the judgment result by the target speed judging means 140, the control-system changing means 150 makes a change in the control law of the control command generating means 130 as a change of the control system of the rotation control device 100.
This change of the control law by the target speed judging means 140 and the control-system changing means 150 will be described in detail later.
The reference position updating means 160 updates the reference position stored in the reference position storage means 120 in accordance with the judgment result by the target speed judging means 140. Specifically, the reference position updating means 160 updates by replacing the reference position stored in the reference position storage means 120 with the output value from the rotation position output means 110 in a normal operation by the operator other than stopping of the rotary body 4. After the target speed judging means 140 judges that the target speed is “0”, the reference position is not updated but maintains the same value. This reference position is the position at which the rotary body 4 is to be stopped, that is, a target position of the rotary body.
[1-3] Controlling by Rotation Control Device 100
Now the change of the control law of the rotation control device 100, especially the change of the control law by the target speed judging means 140 and the control-system changing means 150 will be described with reference to
When the rotation lever 10 is returned to the neutral in the operation for stopping the rotary body 4, the target speed judging means 140 judges whether or not the target speed is equal to or smaller than the speed threshold value V (Step 11; “Step” will be abbreviated as “S” in the description below and in the figures). That is , whether or not the rotation lever 10 is returned to the neutral by the operator, that is, whether or not the operator demands to stop the rotary body 4 is judged.
When the target speed is equal to or smaller than the speed threshold value V, the control-system changing means 150 changes the control law of the control command generating means 130 from the speed control to the position control (S12). Note that the control command is generated in the speed control and the position control in the same manner as described above with reference to
Herein, the reference position updating means 160 maintains the reference position stored in the reference position storage means 120 (S14).
When the target speed is not equal to or smaller than the speed threshold value V, the control-system changing means 150 does not change the control law of the control command generating means 130 and continues the speed control (S13). When the operation for rotating the rotary body 4 starts, the control law is changed to the speed control from the position control.
Herein, the reference position updating means 160 updates the reference position stored in the reference position storage means 120 (S15).
[1-4] Advantages and Effects of First Embodiment
The first embodiment provides following advantages and effects.
(1) In rotating the rotary body 4 of the electric rotary excavator 1, the control-system changing means 150 of the rotation control device 100 changes the control law from the speed control to the position control when the target speed is judged to be smaller than the speed threshold value V. Hence, a larger braking torque can be output to the electric motor 5 as compared with a case in the speed control, whereby reliably maintaining the rotary body 4 in a stationary state.
(2) However, the speed gain K is not increased to generate the larger braking torque output in the electric motor 5, so that a too large torque is not generated in a normal rotating operation, thereby preventing non-smooth movement of the electric rotary excavator 1 and providing a comfortable ride and the good controllability of the electric rotary excavator 1.
In the second embodiment, the control-system changing means 150 of the rotation control device 100 makes a change of the control law of the control command generating means 130 from the speed control using the P-control to a speed control using a PI control (PI: Proportional Integral) as a change of the control system of the rotation control device 100. The second embodiment does not employ the position control, so that the rotation position output means, the reference position storage means and a reference position storage means updating means of the first embodiment are not provided. The other structure is the same as the first embodiment.
According to the second embodiment, in the normal speed control with the P-control, the deviation between the target speed and the actual speed after the target speed becomes “0” is regarded as a remaining deviation. Accordingly, the actual speed does not become the target speed “0” and it is difficult to maintain the stationary state. However, in the speed control with the PI-control by the control command generating means 130, a small remaining deviation temporally accumulates to a predetermined amount. On reaching the predetermined amount, the torque command is added to eliminate the deviation. Hence, the rotation control device 100 can output a larger braking torque as compared with the normal control, thereby reliably maintaining the rotary body 4 in a stationary state.
Further, since the speed gain K remains the same, a comfortable ride and the good controllability can be maintained.
As shown in
In the third embodiment, the control law of the control command generating means 130 is not changed. As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The control-system changing means 150 makes a change of the speed gain in accordance with the judgment results by the operating-state judging means 170 and the target speed judging means 140 as a change of the control system of the rotation control device 100. Herein, in accordance with an output signal by the gradient output means 180, the control-system changing means 150 calls a value of the speed gain K appropriate to the gradient from the control gain storage means 190 to replace the current speed gain K with the called speed gain K. A table or a map is stored in the control gain storage means 190, in which gradients and speed gains are associated to each other.
Note that the control command generating means 130 of the third embodiment conducts the same speed control as the control command generating means 130 of the first embodiment. Similarly, the target speed judging means 140 is the same as the first embodiment. Hence, no description is given here for the control command generating means 130 and the target speed judging means 140. In addition, since the third embodiment does not employ the position control, the rotation position output means, the reference position storage means and the reference position storage means updating means of the first embodiment are not provided.
Advantages and effects of the rotation control device 100, especially of the target speed judging means 140, the operating-state judging means 170 and the control-system changing means 150 will be described below with reference to
In
However, also in the third embodiment, the control-system changing means 150 changes the speed gain K to a larger value in order to output a larger braking torque when the ongoing operation is the stopping operation, thereby maintaining the rotary body 4 in a stationary state.
Since the speed gain K is changed to a larger value only when the ongoing operation is judged to be the stopping operation, the speed gain K can be small in the rotation operation other than the stopping operation, thereby preventing degradation in comfort of the ride and the controllability.
A particular arrangement according to the third embodiment provides further advantages and effects as described below.
(3) The speed gain K is changed in the stopping operation to a value selected depending on the gradient of the slant. When the gradient of the slant is large, a speed gain K having a very large value is called and used. When the gradient is small, the speed gain K having a slightly larger value than the current value is used, the slightly larger value being the minimum value to handle the gradient. Thus, an accurate control in accordance with the degree of the gradient can be provided.
It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the aforesaid embodiments but includes other arrangements and the like through which an object of the invention can be attained. The invention also includes modifications exemplified below.
For example, in the aforesaid embodiments, the control law or the speed gain K is changed when the target speed judging means 140 judges that the target speed is smaller than the speed threshold value V. However, as shown in
In such an alternative arrangement, as shown in
In this modification example, it is assumed that the target speed is lowered toward “0” after the certain period of time has passed. The assumption is satisfied by judging whether or not the rotation lever 10 is at the neutral in S41. Although the timer period judging means does not monitor the target speed directly, the timer period judging means indirectly judges that the target speed of the rotary body 4 becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold value based on the elapse of the time. Hence, the timer period judging means is a judging means according to the present invention.
In the aforesaid embodiments, changing a control parameter is explained by exemplifying the speed gain K (the control gain). However, the arrangement is not limited thereto. As another example, in the electric rotary excavator 1 that includes a mechanical braking device and is controlled such that a braking device actuating command is automatically output in five seconds counted from a time point when the target speed becomes “0” in a normal control, a parameter for output timing may be changed such that the actuating command is output at an earlier timing (for example, in two seconds or less) when the electric rotary excavator 1 is on a slant. In this exemplary arrangement, by providing the gradient output means 180, it is possible to judge whether or not the timing is to be changed and it is possible to change the timing in accordance with the gradient.
In addition to the case in which the target speed becomes smaller than the speed threshold value V, the control law or the control parameter may be changed when the actual speed becomes smaller than a speed threshold value for the actual speed, the actual speed threshold value being set in advance. If the control law or the control parameter has been changed by the time when the target speed becomes “0”, such arrangement is also an aspect of the invention.
The control law to be used after the change, the control parameter to be changed, the way for timing the change and the like are not limited to the above-described combinations, but any combination may be employed in order to embody the invention.
Although the best modes, ways and the like for implementing the invention have been disclosed above, the present invention is not limited thereto. In other words, some aspects of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and have been described above in detail by exemplifying the certain embodiments, but it is obvious that a skilled person in the art can add various changes to the aforesaid embodiments without departing from the technical idea and the scope of the invention.
The present invention may be applied to any construction machine of which rotary body is rotated by an electric motor.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2004-143644 | May 2004 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP05/08760 | 5/13/2005 | WO | 11/13/2006 |