IP Library Granted Patent US 12680271
Granted Patent B2
US 12680271 · App. 18/256,537 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Control system for work machine, control method for work machine, and work machine

Inventors: Hiroaki Ikeda (Tokyo, JP); Shinichi Kitao (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
E02F9/2083B60T7/12E02F9/2004E02F9/2025E02F9/2079
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12680271
App. No.
18/256,537
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control system for a work machine includes a controller. The work machine includes work equipment, a traveling device, and a parking brake. The controller is configured to output a control command to control the parking brake based on at least an operation state of the work equipment.

Claims (101)

1 . A control system for a work machine including a vehicle body, work equipment operated with respect to the vehicle body, a traveling device configured to cause the work machine to traverse a ground surface, and a parking brake configured to stop travel of the traveling device, the work machine being configured to work by cooperation between operation of the work equipment and the travel of the traveling device, the control system comprising:

a controller configured to output a control command to control the parking brake based on at least a motion state of the work equipment with respect to the vehicle body, the motion state being detected based on a load or an angle of the work equipment with respect to the vehicle body.

2 . The control system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a work equipment operation device operable by an operator,

the controller being configured to output the control command based on at least an operation state of the work equipment operation device.

3 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to

receive a signal indicating an operation state from the work equipment operation device,

determine the operation state of the work equipment operation device based on the signal, and

output the control command to control the parking brake to be in an engaged state or a disengaged state, at least when the controller determines that the work equipment operation device is in a non-operation state.

4 . The control system according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a vehicle speed adjustment device operable by the operator to adjust a vehicle speed of the work machine;

a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect the vehicle speed of the work machine; and

a braking operation device operable by the operator to operate a braking device of the work machine,

the controller being configured to

receive a signal indicating an operation state from the vehicle speed adjustment device,

receive a vehicle speed signal from the vehicle speed sensor,

receive a signal indicating an operation state from the braking operation device, and

output the control command to control the parking brake to be in the engaged state when the controller

determines that the work equipment operation device is in the non-operation state,

determines that the vehicle speed adjustment device is in a non-operation state,

determines that the vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined threshold, and

determines that the braking operation device is in the operation state.

5 . The control system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a forward/rearward movement switching operation device operable by an operator to switch a traveling state of the work machine to a forward movement, neutral, or a rearward movement,

the controller being configured to

receive a signal indicating an operation state from the forward/rearward movement switching operation device, and

output the control command when the controller determines that the forward/rearward movement switching operation device is in an operated state for the forward movement or the rearward movement.

6 . The control system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a forward/rearward movement switching operation device operable by an operator to switch a traveling state of the work machine to a forward movement, neutral, or a rearward movement,

the controller being configured to

receive a signal indicating an operation state from the forward/rearward movement switching operation device, and

output the control command when the controller determines that the forward/rearward movement switching operation device is in an operated state for the forward movement.

7 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is configured to output the control command to control the parking brake to be in an engaged state when a holding function of the parking brake is set to be in an enabling state.

8 . The control system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an operator presence detection sensor configured to detect whether or not an operator operating the work equipment is present,

the controller being configured to

receive a signal indicating a detection result from the operator presence detection sensor, and

output the control command to control the parking brake to be in an engaged state when the controller determines that the presence of the operator is detected.

9 . The control system according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is further configured to output a second control command in order to interrupt power transmission to the traveling device when controlling the parking brake to be in an engaged state.

10 . The control system according to claim 4 , wherein

the controller is configured to output the control command to control the parking brake to be in the disengaged state when the controller

determines that the work equipment operation device is in the non-operation state,

determines that the vehicle speed adjustment device is in the operation state, and

determines that the braking operation device is in a non-operation state.

11 . The control system according to claim 5 , wherein

the controller is configured to output the control command to control the parking brake to be in a disengaged state when

the parking brake is controlled to be in an engaged state, and

the forward/rearward movement switching operation device is operated for the rearward movement.

12 . A control method for a work machine including a vehicle body, work equipment operated with respect to the vehicle body, a traveling device configured to cause the work machine to traverse a ground surface, and a parking brake configured to stop travel of the traveling device, the work machine being configured to work by cooperation between operation of the work equipment and the travel of the traveling device, the control method comprising:

outputting a control command to control the parking brake based on at least motion state of the work equipment with respect to the vehicle body, the motion state being detected based on a load or an angle of the work equipment with respect to the vehicle body.

13 . The control method according to claim 12 , wherein

information indicating the operation state of the work equipment includes at least information indicating an operation state of a work equipment operation device operated by an operator to operate the work equipment,

the control method further comprises:

receiving a signal indicating an operation state from the work equipment operation device;

determining the operation state of the work equipment operation device based on the signal;

receiving a signal indicating an operation state from a vehicle speed adjustment device operated by the operator to adjust a vehicle speed of the work machine;

receiving a vehicle speed signal from a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect the vehicle speed of the work machine; and

receiving a signal indicating an operation state from a braking operation device operated by the operator to operate a braking device of the work machine,

the control command is output to control the parking brake to be in an engaged state or a disengaged state when at least the work equipment operation device is determined to be in a non-operation state, and

the control command is output to control the parking brake to be in the engaged state when

the work equipment operation device is determined to be in the non-operation state,

the vehicle speed adjustment device is determined to be in a non-operation state,

the vehicle speed is determined to be lower than a predetermined threshold, and

the braking operation device determined to be in an operation state.

14 . The control method according to claim 12 , wherein

when a holding function of the parking brake is set to be in an enabling state, the control command is output to control the parking brake to be in an engaged state.

15 . The control method according to claim 13 , wherein

the control command is output to control the parking brake to be in the disengaged state when

the work equipment operation device is determined to be in the non-operation state,

the vehicle speed adjustment device is determined to be in an operation state, and

the braking operation device is determined to be in a non-operation state.

16 . A work machine comprising:

a vehicle body:

work equipment operated with respect to the vehicle body;

a traveling device configured to cause the work machine to traverse a ground surface;

a parking brake configured to stop travel of the traveling device; and

a controller configured to output a control command to control the parking brake based on at least a motion state of the work equipment with respect to the vehicle body, the motion state being detected based on a load or an angle of the work equipment with respect to the vehicle body,

the work machine being configured to work by cooperation between operation of the work equipment and the travel of the traveling device.

17 . The work machine according to claim 16 , wherein

information indicating the operation state of the work equipment includes at least information indicating an operation state of a work equipment operation device operated by an operator to operate the work equipment, and

the controller is configured to

receive a signal indicating an operation state from the work equipment operation device,

determine the operation state of the work equipment operation device based on the signal,

receive a signal indicating an operation state from a vehicle speed adjustment device operated by the operator to adjust a vehicle speed of the work machine,

receive a vehicle speed signal from a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect the vehicle speed of the work machine,

receive a signal indicating an operation state from a braking operation device operated by the operator to operate a braking device of the work machine;

output the control command to control the parking brake to be in an engaged state or a disengaged state when the controller determines that at least the work equipment operation device is in a non-operation state, and

output the control command to control the parking brake to be in the engaged state when the controller

determines that the work equipment operation device is in the non-operation state,

determines that the vehicle speed adjustment device is in a non-operation state,

determines that the vehicle speed is lower than a predetermined threshold, and

determines that the braking operation device is in an operation state.

18 . The work machine according to claim 16 , wherein

when a holding function of the parking brake is set to be in an enabling state, the control command is output to control the parking brake to be in an engaged state.

19 . The work machine according to claim 17 , wherein

the control command is output to control the parking brake to be in the disengaged state when

the work equipment operation device is determined to be in the non-operation state,

the vehicle speed adjustment device is determines to be in an operation state, and

the braking operation device is determined to be in a non-operation state.