Power supply system of construction machine
The power supply system for construction machinery addresses unnecessary battery consumption by setting a timer for shutdown, resetting during operation, and automatically turning off the system, enhancing battery efficiency.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2024063932
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-04-11
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-24
AI Technical Summary
Construction machinery with power units can waste battery power if the system is left running unintentionally, leading to unnecessary consumption.
A power supply system with a controller that sets a threshold time for shutdown, resets the timer upon operation, and shuts down the system when the time is reached, featuring a touch panel for setting and canceling this time.
Prevents unnecessary battery consumption by automatically shutting down the system after a set time, ensuring user-friendly operation without interfering with machinery functionality.
Smart Images

Figure 2025161056000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply system for a construction machine, and more particularly to a power supply system for a construction machine that is equipped with a power unit as a power source. [Background technology]
[0002] Construction machinery such as pile drivers, cranes, and hydraulic excavators are equipped with exhaust gas purification devices in the exhaust systems of the engines that make up the power units, and comply with stricter exhaust gas regulations (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Furthermore, from the perspective of zero emissions, battery-powered construction machinery is sometimes required at construction sites. Battery-powered construction machinery does not have an engine or fuel tank, but instead has an electric motor that drives a hydraulic pump and a power storage device such as a battery that supplies power to the motor (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-177457 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-139350 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] In construction machinery equipped with a power unit, the system may be turned on only to check the machine's status, such as operating time and fuel. However, if the key switch is forgotten to be turned off, the system may be left running, and if left in this state for a long period of time, the battery may be wasted.
[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a power supply system for construction machinery that can prevent unnecessary battery consumption caused by leaving the power on. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the power supply system for a construction machine of the present invention is a power supply system for a construction machine comprising a working device provided at the front of a base machine, a power unit that serves as a power source for the working device, a controller that receives power from a battery and executes a control program for the power unit on an operating system, a start-up switch that starts the controller, and an operation unit that sets a threshold time that is the waiting time until shutdown of the operating system begins and cancels said setting, wherein after setting the threshold time, the controller starts a timer if the power unit is in a stopped state, shuts down the operating system when the time measured by the timer reaches said threshold time, stops and resets the timer if the power unit transitions from a stopped state to an operating state while the timer is measuring, and restarts the timer if the power unit returns from an operating state to a stopped state.
[0007] The operation unit is a touch panel screen having an up arrow key and a down arrow key and a display area that changes the display content based on the operation of the up and down arrow keys, and the display content is characterized by comprising a display indicating a time that is periodically repeated by increasing or decreasing the threshold time, and a display indicating the cancellation of the setting of the threshold time. [Effects of the Invention]
[0008] According to the power supply system for construction machinery of the present invention, after setting a threshold time required for shutdown, when the time measured by the timer reaches the threshold time, the operating system is shut down. On the other hand, if the power unit is operated while the timer is measuring, the timer is stopped and reset each time. This makes it possible to realize a user-friendly power supply system that reduces unnecessary battery consumption caused by leaving the power on and yet does not interfere with the operation of the construction machinery. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a pile driver showing an example of a construction machine according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a side view of the main part of the base machine. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing the arrangement of the devices. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the equipment configuration of the system. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing an outline of an electric circuit for power management. [Figure 8] 10 is a diagram showing the display of the setting invalidity on the setting display screen of the automatic shutdown function. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the display of threshold times. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the shutdown process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] 1 to 10 show an example of an application of the present invention to a pile driver, which is an example of construction machinery. As shown in FIG. 1, the pile driver 11 is a dual-purpose machine that can switch between steel pipe pile driving and ground improvement work. It includes a base machine (machine body) 15 consisting of a lower track body 12 equipped with crawlers and an upper rotating body 14 rotatably mounted on the lower track body 12 via a slewing bearing 13. It also includes a leader 16 erected at the front of the upper rotating body 14 and a boom-raising cylinder 17 supporting the leader 16 from the rear. A leader support 18 is also provided at the front of the upper rotating body 14 to support the leader 16 so that it can be raised or lowered. Stabilizing jacks 19 are provided at four locations on the front, rear, left, and right of the upper rotating body 14, and a counterweight 20 is mounted at the rear end of the upper rotating body 14 to balance the pile driver 11.
[0011] The leader 16 is made up of multiple leader members detachably connected to one another, with a top sheave 21 attached to the upper end and a lower guide 22 attached to the lower end, and an auger 23, an example of a work device, attached to the front of the leader 16 so that it can be raised and lowered. The flange members at the upper and lower ends of each leader member are detachably connected to each other with bolts and nuts. When transporting the pile driver 11, the leader 16 thus formed is transported separately from the machine body, with the upper leader member removed in accordance with the transport conditions. In this case, heavy objects such as the auger 23 and counterweight 20 are removed from the machine body as necessary, and the leader 16 is tilted backward for transport (not shown).
[0012] The auger 23 is centered around a device body 23a equipped with a rotatable drive shaft 24, and is provided with a pair of left and right guide gibs 23b, 23b that protrude rearward and slide against guide pipes 25, 25 of the leader 16. An elevating chain 28 is stretched between a drive sprocket 26 provided at the lower end of the leader 16 and a driven sprocket 27 provided at the upper end. Attached to the top and bottom of the auger 23 are both ends of a chain-type auger elevating device. The auger elevating device rotates the drive sprocket 26 with a hydraulic motor, and moves the elevating chain 28, which is stretched around the drive sprocket 26 and the driven sprocket 27, in the vertical direction, thereby raising and lowering the auger 23 along the front surface of the leader 16.
[0013] When the pile driver 11 is used to bury a steel pipe pile, a steel pipe pile 29 is used as the construction member. The steel pipe pile 29 is connected to the lower end of the drive shaft 24 via a rod cap 30. Then, at the start of operation with all four jacks 19 on the ground, the auger drive hydraulic motor 23c is driven to rotate the drive shaft 24 while lowering the auger 23, thereby pressing the steel pipe pile 29 into the ground.
[0014] On the other hand, when the pile driver 11 is used for the purpose of ground improvement, a hollow rod (not shown) is used as the construction member. The hollow rod is attached by passing through the device body 23a, and a ground improvement agent injection hose (grout hose) 31 is connected to the upper end via a swivel, and a drilling head with a drilling blade and agitating blades is attached to the lower end. The injection hose 31 is a hose for supplying ground improvement agent pumped from a batcher plant (not shown). As shown in Figure 2, the injection hose 31 is introduced from the rear side of the pile driver 11 and installed along one side of the machine body, and is raised at the front of the machine body where the flow meter 32 is installed, and then routed along the leader 16. Then, with all four jacks 19 in the ground at the start of work, the hollow rod is rotated and driven to move down along the leader 16, and the soil improvement agent sent through the hollow rod is sprayed from the tip of the excavation head into the borehole, so that the soil excavated by the excavation blades of the excavation head and the soil improvement agent are mixed by the mixing blades of the excavation head.
[0015] 3, the upper rotating body 14 includes a frame body integrally joined to a rectangular box-shaped main frame 33 on the underside of which the swing bearing 13 is attached, and floor frames 34, 35 which are framed on both widthwise sides of the main frame 33. This frame body has a vertical swing axis PV that passes through the center of the swing bearing 13 in the main frame 33, and the swing radius R at the rear end of the upper rotating body 14 is determined by this swing axis PV and the rear end position of the counterweight 20. Furthermore, of the four jacks 19 located at the front, rear, left, and right, the two rear jacks 19 are arranged inside an arc having the swing radius R at the rear end of the upper rotating body 14. When all four jacks 19 are in a state where they are in contact with the ground, four support points are formed at the front, rear, left, and right of the upper rotating body 14, and a stable region that is rectangular in plan view is formed by connecting these points. The center of gravity of the pile driver 11 is always placed within the stable area, but the center of gravity of the counterweight 20 is placed outside the rear of the stable area, and for example, during main construction when the auger 23 is driven, the counterweight 20 plays a role in improving pile extraction performance.
[0016] An operator's cab 36, where an operator sits and performs driving operations, is provided at the front of the right floor frame 34. An equipment storage room 38 that stores hydraulic equipment such as a hydraulic oil tank 37 is provided at the rear of the right floor frame 34. Meanwhile, a power unit (hydraulic power source device) that receives drive from an electric motor 39 and supplies pressurized oil, and a storage structure 40 that stores this power unit, are provided on the left floor frame 35.
[0017] Within the operator's cab 36, devices such as operation levers and pedals for driving the machine, swinging the machine, raising and lowering the jack 19 and auger 23, various operation switches, and a touch panel display 41 are all arranged in a concentrated manner near the operator's seat 42 for ease of operation. As shown in Figure 5, these operation devices are connected by wire to a controller 43 that provides overall control of the pile driver 11 system.
[0018] The controller 43 is mainly composed of a CPU that performs various calculation processes based on the operation commands of the operator and the status of the pile driver 11, and is equipped with various wired and wireless communication interfaces, etc. The wireless communication interface includes a communication module that performs wireless communication compliant with a communication standard such as LTE (Long Term Evolution) with an external server (e.g., a cloud server) that constitutes the operation management system.
[0019] The memory (storage area) built into the controller 43 includes, for example, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and a flash memory. The flash memory stores various data such as an operating system (OS), various control programs, a driver ID (identification) that is identification information unique to the driver, and settings for a power supply system (described later). The driver ID is, for example, an apparatus number assigned to each driver 11. The controller 43 executes a control program on the operating system to perform predetermined control, such as control of the operation of the power unit (power supply management) and data communication with a server.
[0020] Information acquired by various sensors included in the vehicle control device 44 (for example, information indicating the operating status of the auger 23) is input as construction-related information into a construction management device installed in the driver's cab 36. The construction management device is configured to be able to execute a control program for controlling the construction method to be carried out based on the construction plan, such as the precast pile method, the cast-in-place pile method, or the ground improvement method, and includes an external storage device that stores various data during construction at the construction site, and a display 41 equipped with a touch panel screen (operation unit) that allows the operator to check the execution results of the control program and input data by touch operation.
[0021] An air conditioning unit (air conditioning device) is provided behind the driver's seat 42 in the driver's cab 36. As shown in FIG. 3, the air conditioning unit 45 includes an electric compressor 46 (see also FIG. 5) installed on the ceiling of the equipment housing room 38, and forms a heat exchange cycle in which a refrigerant circulates through the electric compressor 46, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator, which are connected by a closed pipe. As a result, while the refrigerant is circulating, the evaporator removes heat from the surrounding area to cool the driver's cab 36. On the other hand, during heating operation, the cooling water of the power unit is used as the heat medium. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, an electric heater 49 is provided in a cooling water circuit (closed pipe) 48 that circulates cooling water by operating a water pump 47. While the cooling water is circulating, the cooling water heated by the electric heater 49 is dissipated in a heating core (air heating section) built into an air conditioning unit 45, and the air (air from the blower) passing through this heating core becomes warm air and heats the driver's cab 36.
[0022] As shown in Figures 2 to 6, the power unit is mainly composed of an electric motor 39, a hydraulic pump (multiple pump) 50 connected to and driven by the electric motor 39, an inverter 51 that controls the electric motor 39, and an electric circuit including an inverter power supply circuit 52 that supplies power to the inverter 51, and is housed in the housing structure 40 together with a high-voltage battery (hereinafter referred to as the first battery) 53 that serves as the power source.
[0023] The electric motor 39 is a water-cooled electric motor equipped with a water circuit that indirectly cools the interior with cooling water, and is mounted in a vibration-isolated state on the floor frame 35 with the tip of its output shaft facing rearward in the fore-and-aft direction of the upper rotating body (to the right in FIG. 2). In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, the water circuit of the electric motor 39 constitutes part of a cooling water circuit 48, which is a heat medium circuit.
[0024] The coolant circuit 48 is provided with a first DC step-down converter (a water-cooled DC-DC converter equipped with a water circuit) 54 connected in parallel to the electric motor 39 in the discharge-side flow path of the water pump 47, and a water cooler 55 connected in parallel to the electric heater 49 in the suction-side flow path of the water pump 47. The water cooler 55 is a heat exchanger equipped with an electric fan, and is configured to send air through a heat-dissipating cooling core to dissipate heat from the coolant that has passed through the electric motor 39 and the first DC step-down converter 54, and to return the cooled coolant to the electric motor 39 and the first DC step-down converter 54, thereby maintaining the temperatures of these devices within appropriate ranges.
[0025] The discharge-side flow path of water pump 47 is provided with a flow control valve (not shown) that ensures a constant amount of coolant for electric motor 39, and is configured to be able to branch into a motor-side branch flow path 48a that supplies coolant to electric motor 39 and a step-down converter-side branch flow path 48b that supplies coolant to first DC step-down converter 54. On the other hand, the suction-side flow path of water pump 47 is configured to be able to branch into a cooler-side branch flow path 48c that supplies returning coolant to water cooler 55 and a heater-side branch flow path 48d that supplies coolant to electric heater 49.
[0026] A cooling water tank (expansion tank) 56 is provided in cooler-side branch flow path 48c, and when the cooling water thermally expands, cooling water (overflow) is guided and stored from air vent flow paths 48e, 48f connected to the upstream and downstream sides of water cooler 55, respectively. When the pressure inside cooling water tank 56 exceeds a set pressure, air is vented to the outside through an air vent cap (not shown) provided at the upper end of cooling water tank 56. Cooling water discharged from cooling water tank 56 passes through water supply flow path 48g to join the returning cooling water. Although not shown, a water temperature sensor is provided in water cooler 55 and a water level sensor is provided in cooling water tank 56 as status monitoring means, and signals from each sensor can be input to controller 43.
[0027] Here, the coolant that has been heated after passing through the water circuits of the devices 39, 54 is returned to the water pump 47 through the cooler-side branch flow path 48c. However, when the electric heater 49 is energized, that is, when the air conditioning unit 45 is using heating, a valve (not shown) is opened, and a flow of coolant is generated through the heater-side branch flow path 48d, and the coolant is heated by the heat of the electric heater 49. The heated coolant is then introduced into the heating core in the air conditioning unit 45, where heat is exchanged between the coolant and the air (blowing air) passing through the heating core. In this way, the coolant circulating through the coolant circuit 48 is used as a heat medium for heating.
[0028] As shown in Fig. 5 and other figures, the first battery 53 is an electricity storage module including a plurality of chargeable and dischargeable battery packs 57, a battery management unit 58, and a switch (contactor) 59. In this embodiment, 21 battery packs 57 are used, each consisting of lithium-ion batteries with a capacity of approximately 40 Ah. For example, when the battery packs 57, each with a working voltage of approximately 32.4 V, are connected in series, the first battery 53 can output a DC voltage of approximately 680 V.
[0029] The battery management section 58 may be, for example, a BMU (Battery Management Unit). The BMU stores and manages a data log that indicates operation information of the battery pack 57. The data log includes the voltage, temperature, remaining capacity SOC (State Of Charge), and degradation state SOH (State Of Health) of the battery pack 57. The BMU transmits the data log to the controller 43 as operation information (operation data) of the pile driver 11, and controls the opening and closing of the contacts of the switch 59 in response to commands from the controller 43.
[0030] The DC power stored in the first battery 53 is supplied to various devices such as the electric compressor 46 and the electric heater 49 based on commands from the controller 43, and power converted from DC to AC by the inverter 51 is supplied to the electric motor 39. This discharges the first battery 53. On the other hand, when the remaining charge SOC of the first battery 53 decreases, power converted from AC to DC by a stabilized power supply (AC-DC converter) 60 is supplied while the commercial power source (AC power supply source) and the first battery 53 are electrically connected. This charges the first battery 53.
[0031] Such use of a commercial power source is achieved by providing a circuit breaker 61 and a watt-hour meter 62 in the electrical circuit, and then extracting power by splitting it from, for example, a power outlet at a facility managing the pile driver 11 or a high-voltage line at the construction site. Specifically, a power transmission cable 65 is run from an AC step-up transformer (charger) 63 at the management facility and from a stationary cubicle (AC step-down transformer) 64 at the construction site to the pile driver 11, and power is supplied (for example, to a battery) by connecting the power transmission cable 65 with a connector (commercial power connection portion) 66. Note that separate power transmission cables 65 are provided, for example, for use during construction (power supply cable) that supplies large amounts of power, and for use during charging (charging cable) that supplies small amounts of power. The power transmission cable 65 used during construction is, for example, approximately 20 meters or longer, depending on the scale of the construction site.
[0032] The circuit breaker 61 cuts off the power supply from the commercial power source in the event of a load short circuit or overload. The watt-hour meter 62 is an electronic watt-hour meter with communication capabilities, a so-called multimeter, and measures the integrated amount of power supply (the amount of power supply obtained by integrating the amount of power supply per fixed time period over a predetermined unit period) exchanged between the commercial power source and the pile driver 11, and transmits the measurement value to the controller 43 as operation information (operation data) of the pile driver 11. This operation information includes various data such as the measurement time and other information related to the power supply (power supply voltage, power supply current, power supply).
[0033] The power supply control by the controller 43 is also performed for a lead battery (hereinafter referred to as a second battery) 67 provided separately from the first battery 53. The controller 43 selects either the first battery 53 or the stabilized power supply 60 as the power source to be used based on, for example, the remaining charge SOC of the first battery 53, the connection state of the power transmission cable 65, or an arbitrary selection by the operator, and performs control to supply DC power from the selected power source to the second battery 67.
[0034] The second battery 67 stores DC power supplied from the first battery 53 or the stabilized power supply 60 via the first DC step-down converter (DC-DC converter) 54, and supplies the DC power as a control power source for various devices other than high-voltage devices such as the electric motor 39, such as the operating power sources for the water cooler 55, the oil cooler 68, and the water pump 47, the controller 43, the inverter 51, and the battery management unit 58, which receives power via the second DC step-down converter (DC-DC converter) 69.
[0035] Inverter power supply circuit 52 includes a switch circuit that switches between first battery 53 and a commercial power source to connect inverter 51. The switch circuit is configured to use, for example, a plurality of relays to control the opening and closing of contacts of a switchgear (contactor) and switch between AC power and DC power input to inverter 51. The procedure for switching based on the operator's selection will be described below with reference to FIGS. 5 and 7.
[0036] 7 shows the electrical circuit (low-voltage circuit) of the operation input system for power supply management. This electrical circuit includes a start switch 70 for starting the system, a charge switch 71 for obtaining commercial power and charging the first battery 53 and the second battery 67, an on / off switch 72 for starting and stopping the electric motor 39, a rotation setting switch 73 for setting a target value (target rotation speed) for the rotation speed of the electric motor 39, and an operation mode selection switch 74 for switching the operation mode of the power unit between battery power and commercial power power. The electrical circuit also includes a main power supply circuit PL and a control power supply circuit CL for operating a power supply relay 75 provided between the main power supply circuit PL and a power line 76 of the controller 43. The start switch 70 and the charge switch 71 are provided in parallel in the control power supply circuit CL.
[0037] The switches 70, 71, 72, 73, and 74 are mainly installed independently of one another in the driver's cab 36. For example, the start switch 70, charge switch 71, and run / stop switch 72 are self-resetting push button switches, and the run / stop switch 72 is a two-point push button switch consisting of a run button and a stop button. The rotation setting switch 73 is a variable resistor type volume switch that can change the rotation position of the knob continuously or in steps. The operation mode selection switch 74 is a selector switch that changes the contact point of the switch by rotating the knob.
[0038] When the start switch 70 is pressed to turn it on, the power relay 75 is switched, and the power line 76 of the controller 43 is energized, activating the controller 43. At this time, a lamp 70a attached to the start switch 70 lights up in response to a command from the controller 43, and the power relay 75 is held in a switched state. The controller 43 then starts up the operating system and executes a predetermined control program on the operating system. This enables the inverter power supply circuit 52 (not shown in FIG. 7 ) incorporated in the electrical circuit to be switched on and controlled by a command from the controller 43, i.e., the inverter 51 enters a startup state in which power can be supplied. In this startup state, the screen of the display 41 displays, for example, either the transport mode or the construction mode as the operation mode selected by the operation mode selection switch 74. In other words, the controller 43 executes either the transport mode or the construction mode in response to the on-operation of the start switch 70. In this case, the transport mode corresponds to battery power, and the construction mode corresponds to commercial power power.
[0039] When the transport mode is selected, the controller 43 activates the inverter power supply circuit 52 to maintain a circuit connection (conductive state) between the first battery 53 and the inverter 51, and issues a command to the battery management unit 58 to close the switch 59. This switches the switch 59 to the closed state, allowing power from the first battery 53 to be supplied to the inverter 51.
[0040] Here, when the operation button of the operation / stop switch 72 is pressed to turn it on, an operation input is made to the controller 43, and a lamp 72a attached to the operation button lights up. Then, in the inverter 51, while receiving power from the first battery 53, the control circuit operates in accordance with commands from the controller 43, and the rotation of the electric motor 39 is controlled in accordance with the target rotation speed (e.g., low rotation) of this command. When the hydraulic pump 50 is driven by the electric motor 39 in this way, the hydraulic circuit of the pile driver 11 is able to supply hydraulic pressure to, for example, the hydraulic motor of the lower traveling body 12 and the hydraulic cylinder of the jack 19, and the pile driver 11 can be self-propelled and construction setup work can be performed by battery power.
[0041] On the other hand, when the installation mode is selected after the power transmission cable 65 has been connected, the controller 43 activates the inverter power supply circuit 52 to maintain a circuit connection (conductive state) between the cubicle 64 and the inverter 51. This allows power from the commercial power source to be supplied to both the inverter 51 and the regulated power supply 60.
[0042] Here, when the operation button of the run / stop switch 72 is pressed to turn it on, an operation input is made to the controller 43, as in the transport mode described above. Then, while receiving power from a commercial power source, the inverter 51 operates a control circuit in accordance with commands from the controller 43, and controls the rotation of the electric motor 39 in accordance with the target rotation speed (e.g., high rotation) of the command. When the hydraulic pump 50 is driven by the electric motor 39 in this way, the hydraulic circuit of the pile driver 11 is able to supply hydraulic pressure to, for example, the auger drive hydraulic motor 23c, enabling the pile driver 11 to perform construction work while driven by the commercial power source. Note that when the construction mode is selected, power is distributed according to the load, and the first battery 53 and the second battery 67 can each be charged via the regulated power supply 60.
[0043] Furthermore, even when the pile driver 11 is in a resting state (for example, in a garage), the first battery 53 and the second battery 67 can be charged by making the battery 11 capable of receiving power from a commercial power source (cable-connected state). In this case, when the charging switch 71 is pressed to turn it on, the power supply relay 75 is switched on, and the power supply line 76 of the controller 43 is energized, activating the controller 43. In response to the on-operation of the charging switch 71, the controller 43 executes a charging mode, which is prepared separately from the operation mode. At this time, in response to a command from the controller 43, the lamp 71a attached to the charging switch 71 is turned on, and the power supply relay 75 is held in the switched state.
[0044] The controller 43 issues a command to the battery management unit 58 to close the switch 59, which switches the switch 59 to the closed state. Then, while the stabilized power supply 60 is receiving power from the commercial power source, the control circuit operates in accordance with the command from the controller 43 to charge the first battery 53. When the first battery 53 is fully charged (fully charged), the controller 43 issues a command to the battery management unit 58 to open the switch 59 and controls the first DC step-down converter 54 to charge the second battery 67 for a predetermined charging time. When the charging switch 71 is turned on, the batteries 53, 67 can be charged by the charging current controlled by the stabilized power supply 60 and the first DC step-down converter 54, allowing the pile driver 11 to operate continuously under battery power.
[0045] The arrangement of the various components will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. The power unit storage structure 40 comprises a box body installed on the floor frame 35, and the ceiling portion equipped with multiple handrails 40a also serves as a foothold for ascending and descending from the front side of the upper rotating body 14, and therefore the overall rigidity is increased by reinforcing materials. The interior of the box body is formed with storage spaces that are divided into approximately two equal parts in the front-rear direction of the upper rotating body (left-right direction in FIG. 3) by a vertical plane S in the width direction of the upper rotating body that passes through the rotation axis PV. The outer surface of the box body is provided with a pair of front and rear openings corresponding to each storage space, and flip-up doors 40b, 40b are attached to these openings. Furthermore, the inner surface of the box body (the surface facing the main frame 33) is designed to be disassembled for maintenance, etc.
[0046] The front storage space is provided with an electrical compartment 77 made of a waterproof and dustproof housing. The electrical compartment 77 occupies a large portion of the front storage space, and the bottom of the housing is recessed inside the floor frame 35. As shown in FIG. 4, the electrical compartment 77 is attached in a vibration-isolating manner via brackets 78 equipped with vibration-isolating rubber 78a. The interior of the housing is primarily equipped with a first battery 53, an inverter 51, and a stabilized power supply 60. Although not shown, the controller 43 is made up of a main and a sub controller, and is appropriately installed in the electrical compartment 77 taking into consideration the placement of other equipment.
[0047] The size (external shape) of the first battery 53 is such that the dimension in the width direction of the upper rotating body is smaller than the dimension in the vertical direction, and in the fore-and-aft direction of the upper rotating body, three battery packs 57 stacked in six levels are arranged side by side, with a battery pack 57 stacked in three levels at the forefront, for a total of 21 integrated battery packs 57. In addition, below the three-level stacked battery packs 57, a space equivalent to two levels is left in the vertical direction, and this space is used to place a stabilized power supply 60.
[0048] The inverter 51 has an operation unit 51a provided on the front of its rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is disposed outside the first battery 53, with its back to the first battery 53. As a result, the first battery 53 and the inverter 51 are disposed side by side in the width direction of the upper rotating body, and even when the electric room 77 is installed, the operation unit 51a of the inverter 51 and the like can be easily accessed by removing the outer surface panel that constitutes the outer surface of the housing. On the other hand, the first battery 53 and the like can be easily accessed by removing the inner surface panel that constitutes the inner surface of the housing.
[0049] In the rear accommodation space, the electric motor 39 and hydraulic pump 50 are arranged to fill the entire fore-and-aft direction, and accessories such as the water pump 47 and first DC step-down converter 54 are arranged around them in consideration of the connection of the water circuit. The upper part of the rear accommodation space is connected to an upper equipment accommodation space formed by covering the ceiling opening of the accommodation structure 40 with a flat, box-shaped cover 79, and accessories such as the water cooler 55, cooling water tank 56, and oil cooler 68 are arranged in this upper equipment accommodation space. The water cooler 55 and the oil cooler 68 are both installed with the axes of their electric fans facing vertically, and when they are operating, an updraft is created in the rear accommodation space.
[0050] An opening / closing hatch (not shown) that allows access to the cooling water tank 56 is provided on the top surface of the cover 79, and punched metal openings with numerous holes are provided on the four front, rear, left, and right sides of the cover 79. When the power unit is in operation, outside air introduced into the rear housing space of the housing structure 40 through the floor frame 35 passes through the cooling cores of the water cooler 55 and the oil cooler 68, and becomes warm air (exhaust air) that is discharged to the outside through the opening in the cover 79.
[0051] Of the various devices arranged in this manner, the first battery 53, the electric motor 39, and the hydraulic pump 50 are basically arranged side by side in the fore-and-aft direction of the upper rotating structure, and in terms of their relative positions, they are arranged in the order of the hydraulic pump 50, the electric motor 39, and the first battery 53, from the rear to the front. In terms of their positions relative to the rotating axis PV, the first battery 53 is arranged in front of the vertical plane S, and the electric motor 39 and the hydraulic pump 50 are arranged in the rear. Furthermore, the first battery 53, the electric motor 39, and the hydraulic pump 50 are all arranged within a stable region formed by the four support points of the jack 19, and the weight balance in the arrangement of each part, particularly the weight balance in the fore-and-aft direction of the upper rotating structure, is taken into consideration.
[0052] A space of a size suitable for power transmission, oil transmission, etc. is provided within the accommodation structure 40. In this space, for example, as shown in Fig. 3, a lead-in cable 80 is installed from a connector 66 to the power unit. The connector 66 is located at a position corresponding to the right-hand jack 19, of the two rear jacks 19 where the driver's cab 36 is located, for example, above the jack 19, and is removably connected to a power transmission cable 65 suspended in a loop shape by a hanger 81 (see also Fig. 2), thereby relaying between the power transmission cable 65 and the lead-in cable 80.
[0053] The lead-in cable 80 forms a pair with the power transmission cable 65 to form a conductive path for the stabilized power supply 60, the inverter 51, etc. This conductive path is formed, for example, by attaching a connector 66 to the outer surface of a cable entrance chamber 82 installed between the equipment housing room 38 and the counterweight 20, and the cable is introduced from the outside into the cable entrance chamber 82 via the connector 66, and then passes through a cable relay room 83 installed between the housing structure 40 and the counterweight 20. This cable relay room 83 is equipped with equipment such as a circuit breaker 61 and a watt-hour meter 62. The lead-in cable 80 is specifically routed by crossing the front space of the counterweight 20 from one side (right side) to the other side (left side) in the width direction of the upper rotating body, passing through the circuit breaker 61 and the watt-hour meter 62, and then being drawn into the housing structure 40, and extending from the rear housing space to the front housing space where the electrical room 77 is located.
[0054] The following describes how to move the pile driver 11 and use it on site. First, when moving (transporting) between construction sites, the transport mode is selected as the operating mode of the power unit, and the driving operation, for example, when loading and unloading from the bed of a transport vehicle, is performed using battery power. In other words, the power unit is operated using power obtained from the first battery 53 mounted on the pile driver 11. After the pile driver 11 is transported to the construction site, the leader 16 is raised from a horizontal position following a predetermined procedure, and the pile driver 11 is self-propelled by following the instructions on the guidance screen of the display 41 to move from the current position to the construction position (target pile core position).
[0055] After stopping the pile driver 11 at the construction position, all four jacks 19 are grounded to stably support the upper rotating body 14. Then, the power transmission cable 65 is pulled from the cubicle 64 to the pile driver 11, and a conduction path between the power transmission cable 65 and the inverter 51 is secured via the connector 66. The operation mode selection switch 74 is then operated to switch from transportation mode to construction mode. That is, the power supply to the inverter 51 is switched from the first battery 53 to a commercial power source. For example, when driving steel pipe piles (FIG. 1), the rotation and lifting of the auger 23 are driven by the commercial power source. That is, the power unit is operated by obtaining electric power from the commercial power source, which is an external power source. In this way, the power unit controls the rotation of the electric motor 39 to adjust the amount of hydraulic oil supplied to the auger drive hydraulic motor 23c and other components, thereby maintaining the rotation of the auger 23 at a speed appropriate for the ground conditions.
[0056] When extending the steel pipe pile 29, various operations such as the jack 19 and rotation are performed in a predetermined sequence. During operations other than the main construction, the power transmission cable 65 is temporarily disconnected. However, while the power transmission cable 65 remains connected, the first battery 53 is charged, and the remaining SOC of the first battery 53, which has decreased due to self-propulsion and construction setup work, is restored. After the predetermined pile extension work is completed, the auger 23 is again driven to rotate and advance the steel pipe pile 29, thereby embedding the steel pipe pile 29 deep into the ground. At this time, the construction management device associates various acquired data (e.g., construction torque for each depth) with the pile number of the construction target and sequentially stores them in an external storage device. When construction is completed, the power transmission cable 65 is disconnected, the operation mode is switched from construction mode to transportation mode, and the vehicle travels to the next construction location using battery power. The operation mode can be selected not only manually by an operator, but also automatically by detecting the connection state of the power transmission cable 65, for example.
[0057] For convenience and economy, the pile driver 11 of this embodiment is provided with an independent start switch 70 and an on / off switch 72 ( FIG. 7 ). This allows the operating system to be turned on for maintenance purposes or for frequent switching between on and off of the power unit during main construction. However, while the independence of the switches 70 and 72 offers advantages, it also has a disadvantage in that the operating system is likely to be left running. In particular, in a quiet battery-powered pile driver 11, if the operator mistakenly interprets the power unit's shutdown as the system being shut down, the system may be left running, and if this state continues for a long period of time, the battery 67 may be wasted. Therefore, the pile driver 11 is equipped with a power supply system that can prevent the battery 67 from being wasted due to the power being left on.
[0058] The power supply system of the pile driver 11 will be described below with reference to the screens shown in Figures 8 and 9 and the flowchart shown in Figure 10. The power supply system executes a control program with an automatic shutdown function from a menu selected by touch operation on the touch panel screen (operation unit) of the display 41, and displays a setting display screen 91, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, on which the threshold time required for shutting down the operating system can be set and the setting can be canceled. This setting display screen 91 can be configured, for example, as a separate screen transitioned from the menu screen or as a pop-up screen, and either screen has a confirm button (not shown) for confirming the setting conditions and returning to the original screen state.
[0059] The setting display screen 91 has a pair of upper and lower keys, an up arrow key 92 and a down arrow key 93 (each shown as a triangular image), located in the center of the screen, and a display area 94 located between the up and down arrow keys 92, 93, whose display content changes based on key operation. The display content consists of a display showing a time that is periodically repeated by increasing or decreasing the threshold time at predetermined time intervals, as shown in Fig. 9, and a display showing the cancellation of the threshold time setting, as shown in Fig. 8.
[0060] For example, when the threshold time setting is canceled, "Invalid" is displayed as the initial setting, meaning that the automatic shutdown function is disabled (FIG. 8). From this state, touching the up arrow key 92 displays the reference time of "5 minutes" (FIG. 9). Thereafter, each time the up arrow key 92 is touched, the time increases in 1-minute intervals to 6 minutes, 7 minutes, 8 minutes, and so on, returning to "Invalid" when it reaches 60 minutes. When the down arrow key 93 is touched, the series of displayed contents are periodically changed in the reverse order of the operation of the up arrow key 92. Then, when the confirm button is touched in the desired display state, the setting is stored in the memory of the controller 43 and is used as initial setting data, for example, the next time the control program is executed.
[0061] Hereinafter, a situation will be described in which the threshold time is set to, for example, 15 minutes after the controller 43 has been started by turning on the start switch 70. As shown in Fig. 10, the controller 43 determines that the automatic shutdown function is enabled based on the setting state of the threshold time (15 minutes) (S1, YES), and determines whether the power unit is in an operation stop state, that is, whether the electric motor 39 is in a stopped (stopped rotation) state (S2). Then, because the power unit is in an operation stop state (S2, YES) and the timer has not been started yet (S3, NO), the timer is started (S4).
[0062] While the time measured by the timer has not reached the threshold time (15 minutes) (S5, NO), the timer has already started (S3, YES), so the controller 43 repeats the series of decisions (S1 to S3, YES). Then, when the time measured by the timer reaches the threshold time (15 minutes) (S5, YES), the controller 43 executes a process to shut down the operating system (S6). That is, after terminating other running control programs, the controller 43 turns off the power.
[0063] If the power unit transitions from a stopped state to an operating state while the timer is running (S2, NO), i.e., if the operation button of the operation / stop switch 72 is turned on, the controller 43 stops and resets the timer at that timing (S7). In this case, the determination of whether the timer has already started (S3) is not made, and the timer remains stopped. Then, if the power unit returns from an operating state to a stopped state (S2, YES), i.e., if the stop button of the operation / stop switch 72 is turned on, the timer has not already started (S3, NO), so the timer is restarted (S4).
[0064] Thus, while the time measured by the timer has not reached the threshold time (15 minutes), the controller 43 repeats the series of decisions (S1 to S3, YES) and does not proceed to the process of shutting down the operating system (S6). If the threshold time is changed from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, the changed threshold time (30 minutes) is applied and a decision is made based on this (S5).
[0065] Furthermore, regardless of the current mode of the pile driver 11, there may be cases where it is desired to disable the automatic shutdown function for operational reasons. In such cases, it is sufficient to simply cancel the threshold time setting by operating the keys on the setting display screen 91 (Fig. 8). Based on the status of the cancellation of the threshold time setting, the controller 43 determines that the automatic shutdown function is not enabled (S1, NO), and stops and resets the timer (S7). In this case, the determination (S2) of whether the electric motor 39 is stopped (stopped rotation) or not is not made, and the timer remains stopped.
[0066] In this way, according to the power supply system for construction machinery of the present invention, after setting a threshold time, which is the waiting time until the shutdown operation begins, the operating system is shut down when the time measured by the timer reaches the threshold time.On the other hand, if the power unit is operated while the timer is measuring, the timer is stopped and reset each time.This makes it possible to realize a user-friendly power supply system that prevents unnecessary consumption of the battery 67 by leaving the power on, and yet does not interfere with the operation of the construction machinery.
[0067] Furthermore, the threshold time can be easily set or canceled by operating the up and down directional keys 92, 93, and the display content that changes with key operation consists of a display showing the time that is periodically repeated by increasing or decreasing the threshold time, and a display showing the cancellation of the threshold time setting, so that a suitable operation unit (setting display screen 91) can be configured that combines the operability of key operation with the visibility of the display area 94.
[0068] Furthermore, the threshold time can be set or canceled as desired, and the state can be stored in memory, making the power supply system highly convenient, versatile, and practical. In particular, the touch panel type operation unit can be shared with a construction management device that inputs various data and displays the calculation results, which has the advantage of allowing the power supply system to be applied at low cost.
[0069] The present invention is not limited to the above-described exemplary embodiment, and various configurations and processes of the power supply system are possible. For example, the power supply system may be applied to construction machinery equipped with not only battery-powered but also engine-powered power units. In this case, the system is also effective for maintenance compliance with the exhaust gas regulations described in Patent Document 1. Furthermore, while the battery-powered power unit in the embodiment is determined to be in an on-state or stopped state by detecting the ON / OFF switch or the rotation of the electric motor, in the case of an engine-powered power unit, the power supply system can be determined by detecting, for example, engine rotation, power generation, fuel supply, or hydraulic pressure. Furthermore, while a pile driver is used as an example of construction machinery, the power supply system is not limited to this. The power supply system can also be applied to foundation construction machinery such as earth drills and obstacle removers equipped with a rotary drive (kelly drive) similar to that of an auger. [Explanation of symbols]
[0070] 11...pile driver, 12...lower running body, 13...swivel bearing, 14...upper swivel body, 15...base machine, 16...leader, 17...derailing cylinder, 18...leader support, 19...jack, 20...counterweight, 21...top sheave, 22...lower guide, 23...auger, 23a...device body, 23b...guide gib, 23c...auger drive hydraulic motor, 24...drive shaft, 25...guide pipe, 26...drive sprocket, 27...driven sprocket, 28...lifting chain, 29...steel pipe pile, 30...rod cap, 31...injection hose, 32...flow meter, 33...main frame, 34, 35...floor frame, 36...operator's cab, 37...hydraulic oil tank, 38...equipment housing, 39...electric motor, 40...housing structure, 40a...handrail, 40b...door, 41...display, 42...driver's seat, 43...controller, 44...vehicle control equipment, 45...air conditioning unit, 46...electric compressor, 47...water pump, 48...coolant circuit, 48a...motor side branch flow path, 48b...step-down converter side branch flow path, 48c...cooler side branch flow path, 48d...heater side branch flow path, 48e, 48f...air bleed flow path, 48g...water supply Flow path, 49...electric heater, 50...hydraulic pump, 51...inverter, 51a...operation unit, 52...inverter power supply circuit, 53...high voltage battery (first battery), 54...first DC step-down converter, 55...water cooler, 56...cooling water tank, 57...battery pack, 58...battery management unit, 59...switch, 60...stabilized power supply (AC-DC converter), 61...circuit breaker, 62...energy meter, 63...AC step-up converter (charger), 64...cubicle (AC step-down converter), 65...power transmission cable, 66...connector, 67...lead battery (second battery), 68...oil Cooler, 69... Second DC step-down converter (DC-DC converter), 70... Start switch, 70a... Lamp, 71... Charging switch, 71a... Lamp, 72... Run / Stop switch, 72a... Lamp, 73... Rotation setting switch, 74... Operation mode selection switch, 75... Power relay, 76... Power line, 77... Electrical compartment, 78... Bracket, 78a... Anti-vibration rubber, 79... Cover, 80... Lead-in cable, 81... Hanger, 82... Cable entry compartment, 83... Cable relay compartment, 91... Setting display screen, 92... Up arrow key, 93... Down arrow key, 94... Display area
Claims
1. a work device provided at the front of the base machine; a power unit that serves as a power source for the working device; a controller that receives power from a battery and executes a control program for the power unit on an operating system; a start switch for starting the controller; an operation unit for setting and canceling a threshold time, which is a waiting time until shutdown of the operating system is started; A power supply system for a construction machine comprising: The controller After setting the threshold time, if the power unit is in an operation shutdown state, start a timer; shutting down the operating system when the time measured by the timer reaches the threshold time; If the power unit transitions from a stopped state to an operating state during the measurement of the timer, the timer is stopped and reset; A power supply system for a construction machine, characterized in that when the power unit returns from an operating state to a stopped state, the timer is restarted.
2. The operation unit includes: Up and down arrow keys; a display area that changes display content based on the operation of the up and down direction keys; A touch panel screen having The display content is: a display showing a time that is periodically repeated by increasing or decreasing the threshold time; a display indicating cancellation of the setting of the threshold time; 2. The power supply system for a construction machine according to claim 1, comprising:
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Work vehicle
JP2020139350A
Construction machine
JP2023177457A