IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,435,493
Granted Patent B2
US 12,435,493 · App. 17/840,235 · Granted Oct 7, 2025

Working machine

Inventor: Hiroshi Horii (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
E02F9/2296E02F9/123E02F9/2203E02F9/2225E02F9/2228F15B11/042F15B11/163E02F9/121F15B2211/20553F15B2211/30555F15B2211/3111F15B2211/351F15B2211/40507F15B2211/7053F15B2211/7058F15B2211/7135F15B2211/7142F15B2211/75F15B2211/781
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,435,493
App. No.
17/840,235
Granted
Oct 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A working machine includes: a plurality of hydraulic actuators including a high-load hydraulic actuator and a low-load hydraulic actuator whose hydraulic pressure for actuation thereof is lower than that of the high-load hydraulic actuator; a plurality of direction switching valves each of which switches a direction of a hydraulic fluid for a corresponding one of the hydraulic actuators, the plurality of direction switching valves including a low-load direction switching valve that switches a direction of hydraulic fluid for the low-load hydraulic actuator; and a dummy-load forming unit that forms a dummy load in the low-load direction switching valve to suppress a variation in an actuation speed of the low-load hydraulic actuator between a time when the high-load hydraulic actuator and the low-load hydraulic actuator are operated in combination and a time when the low-load hydraulic actuator is operated singly.

Claims (37)

1. A working machine comprising:

a plurality of hydraulic actuators including a high-load hydraulic actuator and a low-load hydraulic actuator, a hydraulic pressure required for actuation of the low-load hydraulic actuator being lower than a hydraulic pressure required for actuation of the high-load hydraulic actuator;

a plurality of direction switching valves that are provided so as to correspond to the plurality of hydraulic actuators, respectively, and each of which switches a direction of hydraulic fluid for a corresponding one of the hydraulic actuators, the plurality of direction switching valves including a low-load direction switching valve that switches a direction of hydraulic fluid for the low-load hydraulic actuator; and

a plurality of dummy-load forming units that each forms a dummy load in the low-load direction switching valve to suppress a variation in an actuation speed of the low-load hydraulic actuator between a time when the high-load hydraulic actuator and the low-load hydraulic actuator are operated in combination and a time when the low-load hydraulic actuator is operated singly,

wherein the low-load direction switching valve includes a first flow passage through which a hydraulic fluid flows to a one-side port of the low-load hydraulic actuator, and a second flow passage through which a hydraulic fluid flows to an other-side port of the low-load hydraulic actuator,

a high-load direction switching valve that is one of the direction switching valves and switches a direction of hydraulic fluid for the high-load hydraulic actuator, includes a first fluid passage through which a hydraulic fluid flows to a one-side port of the high-load hydraulic actuator, and a second fluid passage which is different from the first fluid passage and through which a hydraulic fluid flows to an other-side-port of the high-load hydraulic actuator,

one of the plurality of dummy-load forming units includes a first throttle that is provided in the first flow passage and another one of the plurality of dummy-load forming units includes a second throttle that is provided in the second flow passage, and

the first fluid passage and the second fluid passage are not provided with a throttle.

2. The working machine according to claim 1 , comprising:

a first control valve that controls the high-load hydraulic actuator and that includes a pressure compensation valve that sets a pressure difference between a pressure of a hydraulic fluid that is introduced thereinto and a pressure of a hydraulic fluid output therefrom to be constant; and

a second control valve that controls the low-load hydraulic actuator and that includes the low-load direction switching valve and a flow-rate prioritizing valve that prioritizes a flow rate of a hydraulic fluid output to the low-load hydraulic actuator via the low-load direction switching valve.

3. The working machine according to claim 1 , comprising:

a machine body that is capable of swiveling around a vertical axis;

a swivel motor that swivels the machine body;

a boom that is provided on a front part of the machine body so as to be swingable upward and downward; and

a boom cylinder that swings the boom upward and downward,

wherein the high-load hydraulic actuator includes the boom cylinder, and

wherein the low-load hydraulic actuator includes the swivel motor.

4. The working machine according to claim 1 , comprising:

a variable displacement pump that delivers a hydraulic fluid for actuating the plurality of hydraulic actuators; and

a load sensing system that controls the pump so that a pressure difference between a delivery pressure of the pump and a highest load pressure of the plurality of hydraulic actuators is a constant pressure.

5. A working machine comprising:

a plurality of hydraulic actuators including a high-load hydraulic actuator and a low-load hydraulic actuator, a hydraulic pressure required for actuation of the low-load hydraulic actuator being lower than a hydraulic pressure required for actuation of the high-load hydraulic actuator;

a plurality of direction switching valves that are provided so as to correspond to the plurality of hydraulic actuators, respectively, and each of which switches a direction of hydraulic fluid for a corresponding one of the hydraulic actuators, the plurality of direction switching valves including a low-load direction switching valve that switches a direction of hydraulic fluid for the low-load hydraulic actuator;

a dummy-load forming unit that forms a dummy load in the low-load direction switching valve to suppress a variation in an actuation speed of the low-load hydraulic actuator between a time when the high-load hydraulic actuator and the low-load hydraulic actuator are operated in combination and a time when the low-load hydraulic actuator is operated singly;

a first control valve that controls the high-load hydraulic actuator and that includes a pressure compensation valve that sets a pressure difference between a pressure of a hydraulic fluid that is introduced thereinto and a pressure of a hydraulic fluid output therefrom to be constant; and

a second control valve that controls the low-load hydraulic actuator and that includes the low-load direction switching valve and a flow-rate prioritizing valve that prioritizes a flow rate of a hydraulic fluid output to the low-load hydraulic actuator via the low-load direction switching valve,

wherein the low-load direction switching valve has a flow passage through which a hydraulic fluid flows toward the low-load hydraulic actuator,

wherein the dummy-load forming unit includes a throttle that is provided in the flow passage,

wherein the flow-rate prioritizing valve includes

a spool that is movable between a first position in which the spool increases a flow rate of a hydraulic fluid output from the low-load direction switching valve and a second position in which the spool reduces the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid output from the low-load direction switching valve, and

a pressing member that presses the spool toward the first position,

wherein the low-load direction switching valve includes a first flow passage that is the flow passage through which a hydraulic fluid flows to one side of the low-load hydraulic actuator, and a second flow passage that is the flow passage through which a hydraulic fluid flows to the other side of the low-load hydraulic actuator, and

wherein the dummy-load forming unit includes a first throttle that is the throttle provided in the first flow passage and a second throttle that is the throttle provided in the second flow passage.

6. The working machine according to claim 5 ,

wherein the low-load direction switching valve includes a pump port to which a hydraulic fluid is supplied, a delivery port from which a hydraulic fluid is output to the flow-rate prioritizing valve, a connection fluid passage that connects the pump port and the delivery port, and a flow passage throttle that is provided in the connection fluid passage, and

wherein a pressure loss due to the first throttle and a pressure loss due to the second throttle are larger than a pressure loss due to the flow passage throttle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 19, 2022
From: HORII, HIROSHI
To: KUBOTA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060551/0878 →
Priority Claims (3)
JP 2019-238285 · Dec 27, 2019 · national
JP 2019-238286 · Dec 27, 2019 · national
JP 2019-238290 · Dec 27, 2019 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2020048557 · Dec 24, 2020
Related Publication 20230021137A1 · Jan 19, 2023
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