Patent Application
20090055056
The present invention relates to a swing drive system for a construction machine and particularly to a swing drive system for a construction machine using an electric motor as an actuator.
Hydraulic actuators have widely been used in the field of construction machine because the component can be reduced in size and weight irrespective of its output power. The hydraulic actuator has lower energy efficiency than the electric actuator; therefore, mounting the electric actuator has recently been studied. In particular, an actuator that drivingly swings the upperstructure of a construction machine relative to the undercarriage is frequently used and is of a rotary type. Therefore, it is effective to replace the hydraulic actuator with an electric actuator.
A swing drive system using an electric actuator was experimentally manufactured and researched. However, it was revealed that a problem with safety is likely to occur if the swing drive system using the electric actuator is operated in the same manner as the swing drive system using the hydraulic actuator because of a difference in output characteristic between the electric actuator and the hydraulic actuator. Concretely, the following was revealed. The swing drive system using the electric actuator is controlled by a speed command or torque command. When swing is operatively started and then operatively stopped, the swing drive system using the electric actuator controlled by a torque command is not stopped in the same way as the swing drive system using the hydraulic actuator. Thus, the travel distance until the stoppage is great. If so, a front attachment or the like connected to the upperstructure is liable to collide with an obstacle present in the swing direction, lowering safety. On the other hand, the swing drive system using the electric actuator controlled by a speed command is rapidly stopped as compared with the swing drive system using the hydraulic actuator when swing is operatively started and then operatively stopped. If an arm is rapidly stopped, then heavy goods such as stones and rocks put in a bucket may be scattered in some cases, lowering safety.
There is known a swing drive system for a construction machine which controls torque characteristics of an electric actuator during starting and during braking by resembling the hydraulic actuator in torque characteristics during those. In addition, this swing drive system uses the electric motor characteristic of an electric motor during swing acceleration and uses the generator characteristics of the electric motor during swing deceleration. In this way, the swing drive system uses torque characteristics different from each other between during swing acceleration and during swing deceleration (refer to e.g. patent document 1).
However, the description in patent document 1 only defines the relationship between the rotating speed and torque of the electric motor during acceleration and during deceleration independently. It does not define the relationship between a command from an input device such as a lever or the like and torque at all. The swing drive system described in patent document 1 is started up at maximum torque when a minute input is applied by the input device such as a lever or the like in the electric motor stop state as well as when a large input is applied. Thus, there arises a problem in that operation intended by an operator cannot be executed.
It is an object of the present invention is to provide a swing drive system for a construction machine which can execute operation intended by an operator and enhances safety.
(1) To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a swing drive system for a construction machine including an upperstructure and a undercarriage, the swing drive system swingably driving the upperstructure relative to the undercarriage by using an electric motor as an actuator. The swing drive system includes control means, in response to an input amount of a lever device giving a swing drive command, for calculating acceleration torque and braking torque when a pseudo-swing drive system is composed of a hydraulic pump, a directional control valve and a hydraulic motor, and for taking a difference between the acceleration torque and the braking torque as driving torque of the electric motor.
With such a configuration, operation intended by an operator can be enabled and safety can be enhanced.
(2) In the above (1), preferably, the control means takes an input amount of the lever device and an actual rotating speed of the electric motor as inputs, has a lever input amount-torque table and an actual rotating speed-torque table, and takes a minimum value of torque values derived from the tables as the acceleration torque.
(3) In the above (1), preferably, the control means takes an input amount of the lever device and an actual rotating speed of the electric motor as inputs, has a lever input amount-meter-out restriction area table and an actual rotating speed-relief torque table, calculates meter-out torque by using a meter-out restriction area derived from the lever input amount-meter-out restriction area table and an actual rotating speed of the electric motor, and takes a minimum value of the meter-out torque and the relief torque as the braking torque.
(4) In the above (1), preferably, the control means takes an input amount of the lever device and an actual rotating speed of the electric motor as inputs, has an actual rotating speed-relief torque table, and takes relief torque derived from the actual rotating speed-relief torque table as driving torque when a rotation direction instructed by the input of the lever device is opposite to an actual rotation direction.
(5) In the above (1), preferably, the swing drive system includes an output adjustment dial which can change output, and the control means reduces a value of the acceleration torque in proportion to a command value of the output adjustment dial.
According to the present invention, operation intended by an operator can be enabled and safety can be enhanced.
A description will hereinafter be made of the configuration and operation of a swing drive system for a construction machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention with reference to
A configuration of the construction machine using the swing drive system for a construction machine according to the present embodiment is described with reference to
A undercarriage 10 includes a pair of crawlers 11 and a pair of crawler frames 12 (one of them is depicted in the figure). The crawlers 11 are independently controllably driven by a pair of respective travel-purpose electric motors 13, 14 described later with
An upperstructure 20 includes a main frame 21, an engine 22, a generator 23, batteries 24, a swing-purpose electric motor 25 and a swing mechanism 26. The engine 22 serving as a power source is mounted on the main frame 21. The generator 23 is driven by the engine 22. Electric power generated by the generator 23 is stored in the battery 24. The swing-purpose electric motor 25 is driven by electric power from the generator 23 or battery 24 and used as a driving source to swing the upperstructure 20 in a horizontal direction. The swing mechanism 26 includes a speed-reducing mechanism which reduces the rotating speed of the swing-purpose electric motor 25. The swing mechanism 26 is used to swingably drive the upperstructure 20 (the main frame 21) relative to the undercarriage 10 by the dividing force of the swing-purpose electric motor 25.
A front attachment 30 is mounted on the upperstructure 20. The front attachment 30 includes a boom 31 which can be raised and laid, a boom cylinder 32 for driving the boom 31, an arm 33 pivotally supported by the near-tip end of the boom 31, an arm cylinder 34 for driving the arm 33, a bucket 35 pivotally supported by the tip end of the arm 33, and a bucket cylinder 36 for driving the bucket 35. Further, a hydraulic control mechanism 40 is mounted on the main frame 21 of the upperstructure 20. The hydraulic control mechanism 40 includes a hydraulic pump 41 and hydraulic control valves provided for every cylinder for drivingly controlling the boom cylinder 32, arm cylinder 34 and bucket cylinder 36.
A description is next made of a configuration of a drive control unit of the construction machine including the swing drive system according to the present invention with reference to
The driving force of the engine 22 is transmitted to the hydraulic pump 41. In response to an operation command from operating means not shown, the hydraulic control valve 42 controls the flow rate and direction of hydraulic fluid fed to the boom cylinder 32, arm cylinder 34 and bucket cylinder 36. The driving force of the engine 22 is transmitted to the generator 23 via a speed increase mechanism 29. The generator 23 generates prescribed AC electric power, which is converted into DC current by a converter 27 and is stored in the battery 24.
On the other hand, DC electric power from the converter 27 or battery 24 is converted into a AC electric power with prescribed voltage and frequency by a swing-purpose inverter 28a controlled by a control unit 55, and the electric power is inputted to the swing-purpose electric motor 25. Likewise, DC electric power from the converter 27 or battery 24 is converted into AC electric powers with prescribed voltage and frequency by a rightward traveling inverter 28b and a leftward traveling inverter 28c controlled by the control unit 55, and the electric power are inputted to the rightward travel-purpose electric motor 13 and to the leftward travel-purpose electric motor 14. The electric motors 13, 14 and 25 are each used on generator characteristics during deceleration so that electric power regenerated by each of the electric power motors 13, 14, 25 is converted into DC electric power, which is stored in the battery 24.
An operating device 54 includes a swing control lever which instructs right-hand and left-hand swings and travel control levers which instructs forward and backward travels. Incidentally, the travel control levers are composed of a rightward travel lever and a leftward travel lever. The swing control lever is usually at a neutral position and is tilted rightward from the neutral position to instruct rightward swing and leftward from the neutral position to instruct leftward swing. The amount of rightward or leftward tilt from the neutral position is inputted as rightward or leftward swing operation signal to the control unit 55. The travel control lever is usually at a neutral position and is tilted forward from the neutral position to instruct forward movement and backward from the neutral position to instruct backward movement. The amount of forward or backward tilt is inputted as forward or backward movement operation signal to the control unit 55.
The control unit 55 controls, based on the leftward/rightward swing operation signal from the swing control lever of the operating device 54, the voltage and frequency of a AC electric power outputted by the swing-purpose inverter 28a so that torque T of the swing-purpose electric motor 25 becomes prescribed torque. The swing-purpose electric motor 25 is equipped with a rotating speed detector 25s for detecting the rotating speed of its output shaft. The rotating speed detector 25s uses e.g. a resolver. The output signal of the rotating speed detector 25s is inputted to the control unit 55. The control unit 55 controls the output torque T of the swing-purpose electric motor 25 in response to the rotating speed N of the swing-purpose electric motor 25 detected by the rotating speed detector 25s.
The control unit 55 controls, based on the forward/backward movement operation signal from the travel control lever of the operating device 54, the voltage and frequency of a AC electric power outputted by the rightward and leftward traveling inverters 28b and 28c so that the torque T of the rightward travel-purpose electric motor 13 or leftward travel-purpose electric motor 14 becomes prescribed torque. The rightward and leftward travel-purpose electric motors 13 and 14 are equipped with rotating speed detector 13s and 14s for detecting the rotating speeds of their output shafts, respectively. The rotating speed detectors 13s and 14s use e.g. a resolver. The output signals of the rotating speed detectors 13s and 14s are inputted to the control unit 55. The control unit 55 controls the output torque T of the rightward and leftward travel-purpose electric motors 13 and 14 in response to the rotating speeds N of the rightward and leftward travel-purpose electric motor 13 and 14 detected by the rotating speed detectors 13s and 14s, respectively.
In the embodiment described above, the hydraulic pump 41 which drives the boom, arm, and bucket is driven by the engine 22. However, the hydraulic pump 41 may be driven by an electric motor.
The configuration and operation of the swing drive system for the construction machine according to the present embodiment is next described with reference to
Swing control means 55A, included in the control unit 55 shown in
A description is here made of a hydraulic swing drive system for a construction machine with reference to a hydraulic diagram of
Referring to
To effectively utilize the output power of a driving source not shown, the hydraulic pump 24 has a displacement volume-discharge pressure characteristic as shown in
When being at a neutral position 25a where a pilot command from the lever device 54A is not operated, the directional control valve 25 delivers the full volume of the hydraulic fluid to the working oil tank 23 from the hydraulic pump 24. When the lever device 54A is laid maximally rightward, the directional control valve 25 is switched to a right position 25b to lead the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump 24 to the port 22b of the swing motor 22. The hydraulic fluid is then discharged from the port 22a and returned to the working oil tank 23 via the directional control valve 25. When the lever device 54A is laid maximally leftward, the directional control valve 25 is switched to a left position 25c to lead the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump 24 to the port 22a of the swing motor 22. The hydraulic fluid is then discharged from the port 22b and returned to the working oil tank 23 via the directional control valve 25.
When the lever device 54A is rightward laid to a half position, the directional control valve 25 is switched to an intermediate position between the neutral position 25a and the right position 25b. In this state, both a hydraulic line communicating from the hydraulic pump 24 at the neutral position 25a to the working oil tank 23 and a hydraulic line from the hydraulic pump 24 at the right position 25b to the swing motor 22 are restricted. In such a state, in response to the command value of the lever device 54A, the pump delivery pressure is prescribed according to the lever command-maximum pressure characteristic shown in
It is apparent from the above that the pressure of the hydraulic pump 24 which powers the swing motor 22 is a minimum value selected from the pump delivery pressure determined from the flow rate through
On the other hand, when the lever device 54A is laid rightward, the relationship shown in
The relief valves 27a and 27b have a flow rate-pressure characteristic shown in
In the state where the lever device 54A is laid rightward to drive the swing motor 22, when the lever device 54A is moved to the neutral direction, pressure P can be determined from the following equation (1):
P=α(Q/A)2 (1)
where Q is a flow rate generated by the rotation of the swing motor 22, A is the opening area of the meter-out hydraulic line obtained by
The output torque of the swing motor 22 can be seen from the differential pressure between the respective pressures Pa, Pb of the ports 22a, 22b of the swing motor 22 obtained as above and the displacement volume of the motor 22.
A description is next made of the configuration and operation of the swing drive system for the construction machine according to the present embodiment with reference to
In the present embodiment, following the procedure for deriving the respective pressures Pa, Pb at the ports 22a, 22b of the swing motor 22 with
The swing control means 55A includes a swing operation amount-meter-in (M/I) torque table 11 corresponding to
The arithmetic processing for acceleration torque Taccsw is first described. The swing control means 55A derives M/I torque Tmisw from the lever input Pisw from the lever device 54A by using the swing operation amount-meter-in (M/I) torque table 11 corresponding to
The arithmetic processing for braking torque Tbrksw is next described. The swing control means 55A derives M/O opening Amosw from the lever input Pisw from the lever device 54A by using the swing operation amount-meter-out (M/O) opening table 15 corresponding to
The swing control means 55A derives relief torque Trelsw from the actual rotating speed Nrelsw from the rotating speed detector 25s of the electric motor by using the actual rotating speed-relief torque table 110 corresponding to
However, when the lever device 54A is returned to the neutral position, the M/O opening Amosw derived from the swing operation amount−M/O opening table 15 becomes zero, which disadvantageously produces zero-division in the divider 17. To avoid this disadvantage, only when the M/O opening is zero, switches 111 are used to bypass the divider 17, squarer 18 and proportioner 19 and the substitution device 112 installed is used to provide Tmosw=Trelswmax. The set value Trelswmax shall be a value greater than the maximum value of the relief torque Trelsw derived from the actual rotating speed-relief torque table 110.
With this procedure described above, braking torque Trelswmax=relief torque Trelsw can be provided at any time when lever operation amount Pisw=0.
Further the subtractor 113 is used to provide a difference between the acceleration torque Taccsw and braking torque Tbrksw of the electric motor, that is, to calculate command torque Tcomsw, which is outputted to the swing-purpose inverter 28a.
With the configuration according to the present embodiment described above, the construction machine that uses an electric motor as an actuator to swingably drive the upperstructure relative to the undercarriage can provide the same operational feeling as that of the hydraulic swing drive system. Thus, even if an operator performs swing-drive operation in the same manner as the hydraulic swing drive system, swing operation can be done in the same manner as that of the hydraulic swing drive system. Over-shooting movement of the upperstructure including a front attachment can be prevented and also sudden stopping of the upperstructure can be prevented, enhancing safety. In addition, an operator who has changed from the construction machine equipped with a hydraulic swing drive system can operate the construction machine using the electric motor as an actuator without discomfort.
Incidentally, for simplification of the above description, the swinging direction is positive. However, actual computation is done taking into consideration leftward and rightward swing directions.
A description is next made of the configuration and operation of a swing drive system for a construction machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention with reference to
Swing control means 55B, included in the control unit 55 shown in
When the lever device 54A shown in
Accordingly, if the command direction of the lever device 54A is direct opposite to the rotational direction of the swing motor 22, torque generated by the swing motor 22 depends on the characteristics of the relief valves 27a and 27b.
The swing control means 55B includes the swing control means 55A described with
The swing control means 55A calculates normal lever command torque Tcomsw as described with
On the other hand, the swing control means 55B calculates the relief torque Trelsw from the actual rotating speed Nrelsw from the rotating speed detector 25s of the electric motor by using the actual rotating speed-relief torque table 110. Then, the swing control means 55B uses the sign inversion device 31 to invert the sign of the relief torque Trelsw and calculates reverse lever command torque Tcomsw.minus.
The reverse lever judging device 32 judges, based on the lever input Pisw from the lever device 54A and the actual rotating speed Nrelsw from the rotating speed detector 25s, whether or not the sign of the lever input Pisw is the same as that of the actual rotating speed Nrelsw. If they are the same, the judgment is made as the normal lever. If they are different from each other, the judgment is made as the reverse lever. For the normal lever, the reverse lever judging device 32 calculates, as the command torque Tcomswpm, the normal lever command torque Tcomsw calculated by the swing control means 55A and outputs it to the swing inverter 28a. For the reverse lever, the reverse lever judging device 32 calculates, as the command torque Tcomswpm, the reverse lever command torque Tcomsw.minus calculated by the actual rotating speed-relief torque table 110 and sign inversion device 31 and outputs it to the swing-purpose inverter 28a.
With the configuration according to the present embodiment described above, even if an operator performs swing-drive operation in the same manner as the hydraulic swing drive system, swing operation can be done in the same manner as that of the hydraulic swing drive system. Over-shooting movement of the upperstructure including a front attachment can be prevented and also sudden stopping of the upperstructure can be prevented, enhancing safety. In addition, an operator who has changed from the construction machine equipped with a hydraulic swing drive system can operate the construction machine using the electric motor as an actuator without discomfort.
Further even when the lever input command of the lever device is opposite in direction to the actual rotating speed of the electric motor (the reverse lever), the operator can obtain the operational feeling comparable to that of the hydraulic swing drive system. An operator who has changed from the construction machine equipped with a hydraulic swing drive system can operate the construction machine using the electric motor as an actuator without discomfort.
A description is next made of the configuration and operation of a swing drive system for a construction machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention with reference to
Swing control means 55A′, included in the control unit 55 shown in
An output adjustment dial 54B is included in the operating device 54 and is operated by an operator to output an optionally set dial angle Adial.
The divider 43 divides a dial angle Adial set by the output adjustment dial 54B by the maximum dial angle Adialmax set by the maximum dial angle output device 42 to output a factor not greater than 1. The multiplier 44 multiplies the selection result of the minimum value selector 14 by the calculation result factor of the divider 43 and outputs the acceleration torque Taccsw as the calculation result.
The command torque Tcomsw can be changed by the operator adjusting the output adjustment dial 54B, which consequently provides swing operation meeting the operator's choice.
With the configuration according to the present embodiment described above, even if an operator performs swing-drive operation in the same manner as the hydraulic swing drive system, swing operation can be done in the same manner as that of the hydraulic swing drive system. Over-shooting movement of the upperstructure including a front attachment can be prevented and also sudden stopping of the upperstructure can be prevented, enhancing safety. In addition, an operator who has changed from the construction machine equipped with a hydraulic swing drive system can operate the construction machine using the electric motor as an actuator without discomfort.
Further, the swing operation that meets the operator's choice in response to the command of the output adjustment dial can be provided.
Incidentally, the above description has made of the swing drive system for the construction machine; however, the invention is not limited to this and the following modification can be made. For example, the invention is applied to a travel drive system instead of the swing drive system. The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments described above unless the characteristic functions of the invention are impaired.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-24919 | Feb 2006 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2006/325659 | 12/22/2006 | WO | 00 | 8/15/2007 |
