IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,401,695
Granted Patent B2
US 11,401,695 · App. 17/272,673 · Granted Aug 2, 2022

Work machine

Inventors: Koji Hyodo (Kasumigaura, JP); Masaki Yoshikawa (Kasama, JP); Kazuyuki Ito (Kobe, JP); Tetsuji Tanaka (Abiko, JP); Kouji Shimazaki (Akashi, JP); Isamu Aoki (Tsukuba, JP)
Assignee: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
E02F9/26B60K11/02F01P5/04F01P11/16E02F3/283
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,401,695
App. No.
17/272,673
Granted
Aug 2, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a work machine capable of notifying that maintenance is necessary due to continuation of clogging in a cooling device or decrease in cooling performance. A wheel loader 1 including a radiator 31 and an oil cooler 32 comprises a controller 5, 5 A configured to determine a clogging continuation state of the radiator 31 or the oil cooler 32 . The controller 5, 5 A determines whether clogging is occurring in the radiator 31 or the oil cooler 32 based on outside air temperature AW and cooling water temperature CW or hydraulic oil temperature HW, determines whether the clogging continues based on a clogging occurrence ratio R 1 , R 2 while an engine 30 is operating, and outputs a notification command signal for providing the alarm buzzer 61 and the user management system 62 with a command to notify that maintenance is necessary when it is determined that the clogging continues.

Claims (34)

1. A work machine comprising:

a main body;

an engine mounted on the main body;

a working device attached to the main body and driven by hydraulic pressure;

a cooling device configured to cool at least cooling water for cooling the engine or hydraulic oil for actuating the working device; and

a cooling fan configured to introduce outside air and blow the outside air toward the cooling device,

wherein

the work machine further comprises:

an outside air temperature sensor configured to detect outside air temperature;

a fluid temperature sensor configured to detect at least cooling water temperature or hydraulic oil temperature;

a controller configured to determine a clogging continuation state in the cooling device; and

a notification device configured to notify that maintenance of the cooling device is necessary due to continuation of the clogging in the cooling device, and

the controller is further configured to:

determine whether clogging is occurring in the cooling device based on the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature sensor and fluid temperature detected by the fluid temperature sensor;

determine whether the clogging continues in the cooling device based on a clogging occurrence ratio in the cooling device while the engine is operating; and

in a case of determining that the clogging continues in the cooling device, output a notification command signal for providing the notification device with a command to notify that maintenance of the cooling device is necessary.

2. The work machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a cooling fan drive device configured to drive the cooling fan,

wherein the controller is configured to:

count the cumulative number of times a reverse rotation command signal for switching a rotation direction of the cooling fan from a forward direction to a reverse direction is output to the cooling fan drive device while the engine is operating, and the number of times of clogging signal output that is the number of times the reverse rotation command signal is output to the cooling fan drive device while it is determined that the clogging is occurring in the cooling device, respectively; and

based on a ratio of the number of times of clogging signal output relative to the cumulative number of times of reverse rotation command signal output, determine whether the clogging continues in the cooling device.

3. The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is further configured to:

measure an operating time of the engine and a clogging determination time during which it is determined that the clogging is occurring in the cooling device, respectively; and

based on a ratio of the clogging determination time relative to the operating time, determine whether the clogging continues in the cooling device.

4. The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is further configured to calculate the clogging occurrence ratio in the cooling device while the engine is operating based on an operating time of the engine per day or per month.

5. The work machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a cooling fan drive device for driving the cooling fan,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

output a switching command signal to the cooling fan drive device to rotate the cooling fan in a forward direction and a reverse direction at a normal interval time which has been initially set after the engine is started; and

in a case of determining that the clogging is occurring in the cooling device, output the switching command signal to the cooling fan drive device to rotate the cooling fan in the forward direction and the reverse direction at an interval time which is shorter than the normal interval time.

6. The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is further configured to determine that the clogging is occurring in the cooling device in a case where the fluid temperature reaches a predetermined first fluid temperature threshold under a low temperature condition in which the outside air temperature is lower than a predetermined outside air temperature threshold, or in a case where the fluid temperature reaches a predetermined second fluid temperature threshold that is higher than the predetermined first fluid temperature threshold under a high temperature condition in which the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined outside air temperature threshold.

7. The work machine according to claim 6 wherein

each of the predetermined first fluid temperature threshold and the predetermined second fluid temperature threshold is set lower than temperature at which the cooling water or the hydraulic oil overheats.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 2, 2021
From: HYODO, KOJI; YOSHIKAWA, MASAKI; ITO, KAZUYUKI; TANAKA, TETSUJI; SHIMAZAKI, KOUJI; AOKI, ISAMU
To: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 055450/0824 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2019-060857 · Mar 27, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210270016A1 · Sep 2, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,576,828