IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,729,513
Granted Patent B2
US 12,729,513 · App. 19/110,621 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Work machine

Inventors: Kota Abe (Tsuchiura, JP); Teruki Igarashi (Tsuchiura, JP); Akihiro Narazaki (Tsuchiura, JP)
Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
E02F9/2203E02F3/32E02F3/437E02F9/2242E02F9/2296E02F9/262E02F9/2285E02F9/2292
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,729,513
App. No.
19/110,621
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a work machine capable of performing tasks with high precision by preventing the deterioration of speed responsiveness of the hydraulic cylinder driving the working device, as well as preventing the hydraulic cylinder from surging or deviating. To achieve this, the controller calculates the correction value for the target operating pressure of the flow control valve to keep the meter-out pressure of the hydraulic cylinder, measured while driving the hydraulic cylinder to perform a predetermined operation on the working device, within a range from a predetermined first lower limit to a predetermined first upper limit, and corrects the target operating pressure according to the correction value.

Claims (39)

1 . A work machine comprising:

a vehicle body;

a working device rotatably attached to the vehicle body;

a hydraulic cylinder for driving the working device;

an operating device for operating the working device;

a hydraulic pump;

a flow control valve for controlling a flow rate of a hydraulic oil supplied from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic cylinder;

a solenoid valve for generating an operating pressure of the flow control valve; and

a controller that calculates a target speed of the hydraulic cylinder based on an operating variable of the operating device so that an operating range of the working device is limited to a target surface and above, calculates a target operating pressure of the flow control valve based on the target speed, and controls the solenoid valve according to the target operating pressure, wherein

the work machine further includes a pressure sensor for measuring a meter-out pressure of the hydraulic cylinder, and

the controller calculates a correction value of the target operating pressure to keep the measured meter-out pressure within a range from a predetermined first lower limit value to a predetermined first upper limit value while driving the hydraulic cylinder to perform a predetermined operation on the working device, and corrects the target operating pressure according to the correction value.

2 . The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller calculates the correction value so that the target operating pressure decreases if a minimum value of the meter-out pressure measured while performing the predetermined operation on the working device is below the first lower limit value;

the controller calculates the correction value so that the target operating pressure increases if a maximum value of the meter-out pressure measured while performing the predetermined operation on the working device exceeds the first upper limit value; and

the controller corrects the target operating pressure by increasing or decreasing it according to the correction value.

3 . The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller calculates an average value of the meter-out pressure measured while performing the predetermined operation on the working device; and

the controller calculates the correction value so that the target operating pressure decreases if the average value is below a predetermined second lower limit value, and calculates the correction value so that the target operating pressure increases if the average value exceeds a predetermined second upper limit value.

4 . The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein

the pressure sensor detects a meter-in pressure of the hydraulic cylinder, and

the controller calculates a measured value of the meter-out pressure by multiplying the meter-in pressure detected by the pressure sensor by a pressure receiving area ratio of the hydraulic cylinder.

5 . The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein

the work machine further includes a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the hydraulic oil, and

the controller calculates the correction value when the temperature of the hydraulic oil detected by the temperature sensor is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold.

6 . The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein

the working device includes a boom rotatably attached to the vehicle body, an arm rotatably attached to a distal end of the boom, and a bucket rotatably attached to a distal end of the arm;

the hydraulic cylinder is a boom cylinder for driving the boom or an arm cylinder for driving the arm;

the predetermined operation is a leveling operation that draws the bucket along the target surface set parallel to a ground with a tip of the bucket.

7 . The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein

the working device includes a boom rotatably attached to the vehicle body, an arm rotatably attached to a distal end of the boom, and a bucket rotatably attached to a distal end of the arm;

the hydraulic cylinder is a boom cylinder for driving the boom;

the predetermined operation is a boom raise operation that raises the boom without operating the arm or the bucket.

8 . The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein

the working device includes a boom rotatably attached to the vehicle body and an arm rotatably attached to a distal end of the boom;

the hydraulic cylinder includes a boom cylinder for driving the boom and an arm cylinder for driving the arm;

the hydraulic pump includes a variable capacity first hydraulic pump that preferentially supplies the hydraulic oil to the boom cylinder and a variable capacity second hydraulic pump that preferentially supplies the hydraulic oil to the arm cylinder;

the flow control valve includes a first flow control valve that controls the flow rate of the hydraulic oil supplied from the first hydraulic pump to the boom cylinder and a second flow control valve that controls the flow rate of the hydraulic oil supplied from the second hydraulic pump to the arm cylinder;

the solenoid valve includes a first solenoid valve that generates the operating pressure of the first flow control valve and a second solenoid valve that generates the operating pressure of the second flow control valve;

the controller calculates the correction value of the target operating pressure of the first solenoid valve when the predetermined operation is an operation that drives only the first flow control valve, and calculates the correction value of the target operating pressure of the second solenoid valve when the predetermined operation is an operation that drives only the second flow control valve.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 21, 2025
From: ABE, KOTA; IGARASHI, TERUKI; NARAZAKI, AKIHIRO
To: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 070582/0556 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-158978 · Sep 30, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20260092431A1 · Apr 2, 2026
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