Work machinery

Abstract

To provide a work machine for reducing burden of cleaning or the like by preventing dust deposition.SOLUTION: A work machine comprises an engine, a fan for blowing air to the engine, and a detection part for detecting dust in an atmosphere adjacent to the work machine, and controls the fan in accordance with detected information indicating a detection result by the detection part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a work machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, construction machinery such as hydraulic excavators serving as work machinery is provided with a cooling fan that takes in air from the external environment of the construction machinery to cool the engine. When the cooling fan takes in air from the external environment, a dust prevention device including a dust prevention net is provided upstream of the engine. This prevents dust from entering the area around the engine (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-122319 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, for example, at industrial waste disposal sites, fine dust often flies into the air. This dust occurs when loads are disassembled or lifted by hydraulic excavators.

[0005] If the cooling fan takes in air from the external environment while dust is floating around, the dust may adhere to the inside of the shovel. For example, as in Patent Document 1, if a dustproof net is provided upstream of the engine, the dust will adhere to the dustproof net. If dust continues to adhere to the internal components of the shovel, such as the dustproof net, the dust will harden, increasing the burden of cleaning.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention provides a technology that can reduce the burden of cleaning by suppressing adhesion of dust (including powder dust) inside a work machine. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A work machine according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: A work machine comprising a lower traveling body and an upper rotating body rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body, The engine and provided on the upper rotating body, and blowing air against the engine 、 a fan, and a fan provided on the upper rotating body; The aforementioned a detection unit that detects dust in the air near the work machine, The aforementioned According to the detection information indicating the detection result by the detection unit, The aforementioned Control the fan. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, adhesion of dust (including powder dust) can be suppressed, thereby reducing the burden of cleaning. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a shovel according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the inside of a house of an upper rotating body in the excavator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing peripheral devices connected to the controller of the excavator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the concept of the structure of the dust sensor according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for controlling the cooling fan based on detection information from the dust sensor in the controller according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view schematically showing the inside of a house of an upper rotating body in a shovel according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are merely examples and do not limit the invention, and all features and combinations described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention. In addition, identical or corresponding components in each drawing are designated by identical or corresponding reference numerals, and descriptions thereof may be omitted.

[0011] In the following embodiment, a shovel is used as an example of a work machine. However, the following embodiment does not limit the work machine to a shovel, and may be applied to various work machines such as a wheel loader.

[0012] (First embodiment) 1 shows a left side view of a shovel (excavator) according to a first embodiment. In this embodiment, a hydraulic shovel will be taken as an example of the shovel 100 to be described.

[0013] The excavator 100 is mainly composed of a lower traveling body 1, an upper rotating body 2, and an attachment 3. The upper rotating body 2 is rotatably mounted on the upper part of the lower traveling body 1, and the attachment 3 is attached to the front side of the upper rotating body 2. The attachment 3 includes an excavation attachment composed of a boom 4, an arm 5, and a bucket 6. Note that the bucket 6 is an example of an end attachment, and instead of the bucket 6, other end attachments, such as a grapple, a fork, or a harvester including a chainsaw, may be attached to the tip of the arm 5 depending on the work content, etc.

[0014] In this specification, the front side of the upper rotating body 2 refers to the side where the boom 4 is attached when viewed from the center of the upper rotating body 2. The left side refers to the side of the upper rotating body 2 that is located to the left when the operator faces forward (in the X1 direction). The right side refers to the side of the upper rotating body 2 that is located to the right when the operator faces forward (in the X1 direction).

[0015] The lower traveling body 1 is mainly composed of a pair of left and right crawlers, and is configured to move the shovel forward or backward.

[0016] The upper rotating body 2 is mainly composed of a cab 2a, a rotating frame 2b, a house frame 2c, and a house cover 2d. The cab 2a is installed on the front left side of the upper rotating body 2. The rotating frame 2b forms the bottom of the upper rotating body 2 and supports the cab 2a. The house frame 2c forms the framework of the house (building) located on top of the rotating frame 2b and behind the cab 2a. The house cover 2d forms the outer shell of the top and sides of the house.

[0017] A boom 4 is pivotally mounted to the front center of the upper rotating body 2 so as to be able to tilt up and down, and an arm 5 is connected to the tip of the boom 4 so as to be able to rotate up and down. Furthermore, a bucket 6 is attached to the tip of the arm 5 so as to be able to rotate up and down.

[0018] The spatial recognition device 80 recognizes objects present in the three-dimensional space around the shovel 100, and acquires spatial recognition information for measuring (calculating) positional relationships such as the distance from the spatial recognition device 80 or the shovel 100 to the recognized object. Furthermore, the spatial recognition device 80 may recognize objects around the shovel 100 and measure the positional relationship between the recognized object and the spatial recognition device 80 or the shovel 100 based on the acquired spatial recognition information. The spatial recognition device 80 may include, for example, an ultrasonic sensor, a millimeter-wave radar, a monocular camera, a stereo camera, a LIDAR (Light Detecting and Ranging), a distance image sensor, an infrared sensor, etc.

[0019] When the spatial recognition device 80 is a monocular camera or a stereo camera, the spatial recognition information may be, for example, image data of an image of the surroundings of the shovel 100.

[0020] The spatial recognition device 80 is configured to detect a predetermined object within a predetermined area set around the excavator 100. The spatial recognition device 80 includes a forward recognition sensor 80F attached to the front end of the top surface of the cab 2a, a rear recognition sensor 80B attached to the rear end of the top surface of the upper rotating body 2, a left recognition sensor 80L attached to the left end of the top surface of the upper rotating body 2, and a right recognition sensor 80R attached to the right end of the top surface of the upper rotating body 2. In addition, an upward recognition sensor that recognizes objects present in the space above the upper rotating body 2 may be attached to the excavator 100.

[0021] The spatial recognition device 80 may be configured to identify at least one of the type, position, and shape of an object as a predetermined object to be detected. For example, the spatial recognition device 80 may be configured to distinguish between a person and a non-human object. The spatial recognition device 80 may also be configured to identify the type of terrain around the shovel 100. Examples of types of terrain include holes, slopes, and rivers. The spatial recognition device 80 may also be configured to identify the type of obstacle. Examples of types of obstacles include power lines, utility poles, people, animals, vehicles, work equipment, construction machinery, buildings, and fences.

[0022] The spatial recognition device 80 may also be configured to be able to identify the type or size of the dump truck. The spatial recognition device 80 may also be configured to detect a person by recognizing at least one of a helmet, a safety vest, work clothes, etc. The spatial recognition device 80 may also be configured to detect a person by recognizing predetermined identification information (e.g., a mark, a QR code (registered trademark)) on at least one of the helmet, the safety vest, work clothes, etc.

[0023] Four spatial recognition devices 80 are provided so as to be able to recognize the entire periphery of the shovel 100. In this embodiment, the spatial recognition devices 80 provided for each direction are referred to as a forward recognition sensor 80F, a left recognition sensor 80L, a rearward recognition sensor 80B, and a right recognition sensor 80R.

[0024] The dust sensor S1 (an example of a detection unit) detects the degree of dust present in the air near the shovel 100. The detailed configuration will be described later.

[0025] Four cooling fans 12A, 12B, 12C, and 12D (hereinafter, when referring to any cooling fan, they may also be referred to as cooling fan 12) are provided inside a house on the left side of the upper rotating body 2 of the excavator 100 to cool the engine.

[0026] 2, fan motors 16A, 16B, 16C, and 16D (hereinafter, any fan motor may be referred to as fan motor 16) for rotating the fans are connected to the cooling fans 12A, 12B, 12C, and 12D, respectively. Fan motor 16 operates by receiving power from battery 70.

[0027] Fig. 2 is a plan view that schematically shows the inside of the house of the upper revolving body 2. Fig. 2 shows a state in which the house cover 2d has been removed.

[0028] 2, the interior of the house of the upper rotating body 2 is divided into an engine room 7A and an air cleaner room 7B, and the engine room 7A houses a diesel engine 11 (hereinafter also simply referred to as the engine 11), four cooling fans 12A-12D, four fan motors 16A-16D, a heat exchanger 13, a turbocharger 61, an exhaust gas treatment device 63, a battery 70, etc. Specifically, the four cooling fans 12A-12D and the fan motors 16A-16D are installed on the left side (Y1 side) of the engine 11, the turbocharger 61 is installed in front of the engine 11 (X1 side), and the exhaust gas treatment device 63 is installed on the right side (Y2 side) of the engine 11. In addition, the heat exchanger 13, which includes a radiator 13A, an oil cooler 13B, an intercooler 13C, a fuel cooler 13D, an air conditioner condenser 13E, etc., is installed on the left side (Y1 side) of the cooling fan 12. Furthermore, a dustproof net N1 is installed on the left side (Y1 side) of the heat exchanger 13.

[0029] An air cleaner 9, a hydraulic oil tank 18, etc. are installed in the air cleaner room 7B. Furthermore, a cab 2a and a fuel tank 19 are installed in front of the air cleaner room 7B (X1 side), and a storage space 20 in which tools and the like can be stored is installed in front of the fuel tank 19 (X1 side). Furthermore, the cab 2a is installed on the left side (Y1 side) of the boom 4, and the fuel tank 19 and the storage space 20 are installed on the right side (Y2 side) of the boom 4.

[0030] The air cleaner 9 takes in air through an air inlet 9a formed on its outer periphery. The air taken in forms a spiral flow around the cylindrical filter 9b and moves to the left (Y1 side). During this process, centrifugal force acts on dust (particles, etc.) in the air, separating the air from the dust. Specifically, the dust in the spiral flow is pressed against the inner wall of the air cleaner 9, moves along the inner wall, and is collected in a vacuator valve (described below). When the dust collected in the vacuator valve reaches a predetermined weight and opens, it is discharged downward. Meanwhile, the air in the spiral flow enters the cylindrical filter 9b when it reaches the end on the left side (Y1 side) of the cylindrical filter 9b. The air that has entered the cylindrical filter 9b is then discharged through the air outlet 9c and supplied to the centrifugal compressor of the turbocharger 61.

[0031] The house cover 2d has opening / closing covers 2d1 and 2d2 on its left side. The hatched shapes in Fig. 2 represent the opening / closing covers 2d1 and 2d2 in the closed state, and the dashed lines represent the opening / closing covers 2d1 and 2d2 in the open state.

[0032] The dustproof net N1 is provided to prevent dust (an example of dust) from entering a space on the right side (Y2 side) of the dustproof net N1 in the engine compartment 7A.

[0033] Fan motors 16A-16D connected to the four cooling fans 12A-12D, respectively, are driven to rotate, causing the four cooling fans 12A-12D to rotate and send air toward the engine 11. The fan motors 16A-16D are driven to rotate in response to signals from a controller 30, which will be described later. Note that, although the present embodiment will be described with respect to a case where the number of cooling fans and fan motors is four, the number is not limited to four and may be three or less, or five or more.

[0034] When opening / closing cover 2d1 is open, four cooling fans 12A-12D rotate, causing the air taken in from the opening / closing cover 2d1 side to pass through dustproof net N1 and reach engine 11, thereby cooling engine 11. Dust and dirt contained in the air taken in from the opening / closing cover 2d1 side adheres to dustproof net N1. As a result, the air, from which the dust and dirt has been removed, is sent to engine 11.

[0035] Incidentally, at industrial waste disposal sites and the like, it is common for work to be carried out to disassemble the load, and for the load to be lifted by the shovel 100 to contain materials that tend to become airborne, such as rice husks or wood chips. For this reason, fine dust tends to become airborne while the shovel 100 is working.

[0036] If the excavator 100 continues to work under such an environment, a large amount of dust will continue to adhere to the dustproof net N1. If dust continues to adhere to the dustproof net N1, the dust will tend to stick to the dustproof net N1. When this situation occurs, the burden of cleaning the dustproof net N1 increases. Furthermore, the flow rate of the atmosphere (outside air) passing through the dustproof net N1 and sent to the engine 11 decreases.

[0037] If this situation continues, the dust will adhere and the air permeable area of ​​the dustproof net N1 will decrease significantly. If the air permeable area decreases significantly, the engine 11 (including the radiator 13A) will not be sufficiently cooled, and the engine 11 may overheat. As a specific example, if the air permeable area of ​​the dustproof net N1 decreases, the interior of the engine 11 may become an enclosed space. If the engine compartment becomes an enclosed space, it will become difficult to release the gas heated by the engine 11. If the heated gas cannot be released in this way, the engine 11 may not be sufficiently cooled. In this way, even if a change in the external environment of the excavator 100 (for example, the generation of fine dust) is temporary, the performance of the engine 11 may be continuously reduced.

[0038] Therefore, in this embodiment, an example will be described in which the controller 30 adjusts the rotation speeds of the cooling fans 12A to 12D depending on the degree of dust present in the air.

[0039] 3 is a block diagram showing peripheral devices connected to the controller 30 of the shovel 100 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the controller 30 is connected to various peripheral devices via a communication network such as a Controller Area Network (hereinafter referred to as CAN) or a Local Interconnect Network (hereinafter referred to as LIN).

[0040] For example, the controller 30 is a controller for controlling the entire excavator 100, and controls the connected peripheral devices. The controller 30 is connected to the image display device 40, the dust sensor S1, the four cooling fans 12, the engine control device 74, and the control valve 60 via a communication network such as CAN or LIN.

[0041] The image display device 40 is connected to the controller 30 via a communication network such as CAN or LIN. The image display device 40 may also be connected to the controller 30 via a dedicated line.

[0042] The image display device 40 also includes a conversion processing unit 40a that generates an image to be displayed on the image display unit 41. In this embodiment, the conversion processing unit 40a generates an image to be displayed on the image display unit 41 based on the output of the spatial recognition device 80. For this reason, the spatial recognition device 80 is connected to the image display device 40 via, for example, a dedicated line.

[0043] Furthermore, the conversion processing unit 40a converts into an image signal the data to be displayed on the image display unit 41 out of the data input to the image display device 40. Note that the data input to the image display device 40 includes, for example, spatial recognition information (e.g., image data) output by each of the forward recognition sensor 80F, the left recognition sensor 80L, the rear recognition sensor 80B, and the right recognition sensor 80R.

[0044] Furthermore, the conversion processing unit 40a generates an image to be displayed on the image display unit 41 based on the output of the controller 30. In this embodiment, the conversion processing unit 40a converts data to be displayed on the image display unit 41, among data input to the controller 30, into an image signal. Note that the data input to the controller 30 includes, for example, data indicating the temperature of engine coolant, data indicating the temperature of hydraulic oil, data indicating the remaining amount of urea water, data indicating the remaining amount of fuel, and data indicating the degree of dust (an example of dust) present in the atmosphere.

[0045] Then, the conversion processing unit 40a outputs the converted image signal to the image display unit 41, and causes the image display unit 41 to display the corresponding image.

[0046] The conversion processing unit 40a may be realized as a function of the controller 30, rather than as a function of the image display device 40. In this case, the spatial recognition device 80 is connected to the controller 30, rather than to the image display device 40.

[0047] The image display device 40 also includes a switch panel 42 as an input unit 42. The switch panel 42 is a panel including various hardware switches. In this embodiment, the switch panel 42 includes a light switch 42a, a wiper switch 42b, and a window washer switch 42c as hardware buttons. The light switch 42a is a switch for switching on and off lights attached to the exterior of the cabin 10. The wiper switch 42b is a switch for switching on and off the operation of the wipers. The window washer switch 42c is a switch for spraying window washer fluid.

[0048] The image display device 40 operates by receiving power from a battery 70. The battery 70 is charged with power generated by an alternator 11a (generator) of the engine 11. The power of the battery 70 is also supplied to electrical components 72 of the excavator 100 other than the controller 30 and the image display device 40. The starter 11b of the engine 11 is driven by power from the battery 70 to start the engine 11.

[0049] The engine 11 is controlled by an engine control unit (ECU) 74. The ECU 74 constantly transmits various data indicating the state of the engine 11 (for example, data indicating the coolant temperature (physical quantity) detected by the water temperature sensor 11c) to the controller 30. Therefore, the controller 30 can store this data in a temporary storage unit (memory) 30a and transmit it to the image display device 40 when necessary.

[0050] The controller 30 is supplied with various data in addition to data indicating the cooling water temperature (physical quantity) detected by the water temperature sensor 11c, and stored in the temporary storage unit 30a of the controller 30.

[0051] For example, data indicating the swash plate angle is supplied to the controller 30 from a regulator 14a of the main pump 14, which is a variable displacement hydraulic pump. Data indicating the discharge pressure of the main pump 14 is also sent to the controller 30 from a discharge pressure sensor 14b. These data (data indicating physical quantities) are stored in a temporary storage unit 30a. An oil temperature sensor 14c is provided in the pipeline between the main pump 14 and a hydraulic oil tank 18, which stores the hydraulic oil to be drawn into the main pump 14, and data indicating the temperature of the hydraulic oil flowing through the pipeline is supplied from the oil temperature sensor 14c to the controller 30.

[0052] The operating device 26 is a device used by an operator to operate the actuators. The actuators include at least one of a hydraulic actuator and an electric actuator. In this embodiment, the operating device 26 is a hydraulic operating device that supplies hydraulic oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port of the corresponding spool valve in the control valve unit 17 via a pilot line. The pressure of the hydraulic oil supplied to each pilot port (pilot pressure) corresponds to the operation direction and operation amount of the operating device 26 corresponding to each hydraulic actuator. The operating device 26 includes, for example, a left operating lever, a right operating lever, and a travel operating device. The travel operating device includes, for example, a travel lever and a travel pedal. The operating device 26 may also be an electric operating device.

[0053] The operation pressure sensor 29 detects the operation of the operation device 26 by the operator. In this embodiment, the operation pressure sensor 29 detects the operation direction and operation amount of the operation device 26 corresponding to each actuator in the form of pressure (operation pressure), and outputs the detected value to the controller 30. The operation of the operation device 26 may be detected using a sensor other than the operation pressure sensor.

[0054] The engine speed adjustment dial 75 is a dial for adjusting the rotation speed of the engine 11. The engine speed adjustment dial 75 outputs data related to the setting state of the engine speed to the controller 30. The engine speed adjustment dial 75 is configured to switch the engine speed among four modes: SP mode, H mode, A mode, and idling mode. The SP mode is a rotation speed mode selected when prioritizing the amount of work and uses the highest engine rotation speed. The H mode is a rotation speed mode selected when prioritizing both the amount of work and fuel economy and uses the second highest engine rotation speed. The A mode is a rotation speed mode selected when prioritizing fuel economy and operating the excavator 100 with low noise and uses the third highest engine rotation speed. The idling mode is a rotation speed mode selected when idling the engine 11 and uses the lowest engine rotation speed. The engine 11 is controlled to maintain a constant engine rotation speed corresponding to the rotation speed mode set by the engine speed adjustment dial 75.

[0055] The control valve 60 is configured to switch the operating device 26 between an enabled state and an disabled state. The enabled state of the operating device 26 is a state in which the operator can operate the hydraulic actuator using the operating device 26. The disabled state of the operating device 26 is a state in which the operator cannot operate the hydraulic actuator using the operating device 26. In this embodiment, the control valve 60 is a gate lock valve configured to operate in response to a command from the controller 30. Specifically, the control valve 60 is disposed in a pilot line connecting the pilot pump 15 and the operating device 26, and is configured to switch between open and closed states of the pilot line in response to a command from the controller 30. The operating device 26 is enabled, for example, when a gate lock lever (not shown) is pulled up to open the gate lock valve, and is disabled, when the gate lock lever is pushed down to close the gate lock valve.

[0056] The dust sensor S1 is disposed on the upper surface of the upper rotating body 2 and detects the degree of dust present in the air near the excavator. Note that the position of the dust sensor S1 in this embodiment is shown as an example, and it may be disposed in any position where it can detect dust present in the air, such as inside the upper rotating body 2.

[0057] Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the concept of the structure of the dust sensor S1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the dust sensor S1 has an inlet S1F for taking in air and an outlet S1H for discharging the air. The dust sensor S1 is also formed with a flow path S1G that connects the inlet S1F and the outlet S1H. The dust sensor S1 according to this embodiment detects the level of dust contained in the air passing through the flow path S1G.

[0058] The dust sensor S1 is provided with a fan S1C. The fan S1C discharges air in the direction of arrow 401, so that air and dust particles in the air continuously flow in from an inlet S1F as shown by arrow 402, and air and dust particles in the air continuously flow out from an outlet S1H as shown by arrow 403.

[0059] The dust sensor S1 is provided with a light emitting diode (LED) S1A and a photodiode S1B.

[0060] A flow path S1G exists between the photodiode S1B and the light-emitting diode S1A. A dustproof net S1D is provided between the light-emitting diode S1A and the flow path S1G, and a dustproof net S1E is provided between the photodiode S1B and the flow path S1G. This prevents dust from adhering to the photodiode S1B and the light-emitting diode S1A.

[0061] Then, along with the atmosphere, dust particles contained in the atmosphere also pass through the flow path S1G. Therefore, the light output from the light-emitting diode (LED) S1A is reflected by the dust particles present in the flow path S1G and becomes scattered light. The degree to which the light becomes scattered light increases according to the degree to which dust particles are present in the flow path S1G.

[0062] The photodiode S1B receives the light output from the light-emitting diode (LED) S1A via the flow path S1G. As described above, if dust is present in the flow path S1G, the light output from the light-emitting diode (LED) S1A becomes scattered light, and the light received by the photodiode S1B is attenuated compared to the light output from the light-emitting diode (LED) S1A. The rate of light attenuation changes depending on the degree of dust present in the flow path S1G.

[0063] Therefore, the dust sensor S1 of this embodiment outputs information based on the attenuation rate between the light output by the light emitting diode (LED) S1A and the light received by the photodiode S1B to the controller 30 as detection information representing the detection result of the degree of dust presence.

[0064] As a result, the controller 30 can recognize the degree of dust present in the air by receiving detection information from the dust sensor S1.

[0065] In this embodiment, a method for recognizing the degree of dust presence based on the attenuation rate of light from the dust sensor S1 has been described, but this method is not limited to this, and any method that can recognize the degree of dust presence may be used.

[0066] For example, the controller may recognize the degree of dust presence based on image data captured by the spatial recognition device 80. One method for recognizing the degree of dust presence based on image data captured by the spatial recognition device 80 involves creating a learning model for determining whether or not dust is present and storing the created learning model in the controller. The controller may then input image data acquired from the spatial recognition device 80 into the learning model to determine the degree of dust presence. The learning model may be one that has learned judgment conditions for determining the presence or absence of dust based on a dataset including the presence or absence of dust itself, information indicating dust present in the atmosphere, and image data of the atmosphere. Another learning model may be one that has learned judgment conditions for determining the presence or absence of dust based on a dataset including the presence or absence of dust in the work environment, image data of the work environment, and the clarity of the imaged work environment.

[0067] Returning to this embodiment, the controller 30 outputs rotation control signals to the four fan motors 16 in response to the detection information indicating the detection result by the dust sensor S1. In this way, the controller 30 controls the rotation speeds of the four cooling fans 12.

[0068] When the degree of dust presence in the air (e.g., the rate of light attenuation) calculated based on the detection information is equal to or less than a first threshold, the controller 30 outputs rotation control signals to the four fan motors 16 to rotate the four cooling fans 12 at a predetermined rotation speed. Note that the predetermined rotation speed at which the cooling fans 12 rotate is a value determined depending on the embodiment, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The first threshold is a threshold determined depending on the embodiment as a criterion for dust adhesion to the dustproof net, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0069] On the other hand, when the degree of dust presence in the atmosphere indicated by the detection information (for example, the rate of light attenuation) is greater than a first threshold, the controller 30 stops the rotation of the four cooling fans 12. Note that, although an example of stopping the rotation will be described in this embodiment, the present invention is not limited to a method of stopping the rotation, and it is sufficient if the rotation speed can be reduced compared to a predetermined rotation speed.

[0070] Next, a description will be given of the control procedure of the cooling fan 12 in the controller 30 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the control procedure of the cooling fan 12 in the controller 30 according to the first embodiment based on detection information from the dust sensor S1.

[0071] First, the controller 30 outputs a rotation control signal to the fan motor 16, thereby starting rotation control of the cooling fan 12 at a predetermined rotation speed (S501).

[0072] Next, the controller 30 acquires detection information indicating the detection result of dust contained in the air from the dust sensor S1 (S502).

[0073] The controller 30 determines whether the degree of dust presence in the atmosphere (for example, the rate of light attenuation) indicated in the acquired detection information is greater than a first threshold value (S503).

[0074] If the controller 30 determines that the degree of dust present in the atmosphere (e.g., the rate of light attenuation) is greater than the first threshold (S503: Yes), it outputs a stop control signal to the fan motor 16, thereby controlling the cooling fan 12 to stop (S504).

[0075] Furthermore, in accordance with an instruction from the controller 30, the image display device 40 displays a message indicating that the cooling fan 12 has been stopped, as well as the temperature of the coolant that cools the engine 11 (S506), and then proceeds to the processing of S507. The controller 30 acquires the temperature of the coolant from the water temperature sensor 11c that detects the temperature of the coolant.

[0076] On the other hand, if the controller 30 determines that the degree of dust present in the atmosphere (e.g., the rate of light attenuation) is equal to or less than the first threshold (S503: No), the controller 30 controls the rotation of the cooling fan 12 by outputting a rotation control signal to the fan motor 16 (S505), and proceeds to the process of S507. Specifically, if the cooling fan 12 is stopped, the controller 30 outputs a control signal to the fan motor 16 to start rotation at a predetermined rotation speed, and if the cooling fan 12 is rotating, the controller 30 outputs a control signal to the fan motor 16 to continue rotation control. Furthermore, the controller 30 may rotate the cooling fan 12 during the period in which the operation of the shovel 100 is stopped next after the dust detection. Immediately after the operation of the shovel 100 is stopped, it is highly likely that work was being carried out immediately before, resulting in a dusty state. For this reason, it is preferable that the controller 30 rotates the cooling fan 12 after a predetermined time has elapsed after the operation of the shovel 100 has stopped, in other words, after the dust in the atmosphere has settled.

[0077] Thereafter, the controller 30 determines whether or not the control of the shovel 100 has ended (S507). If it is determined that the control has not ended (S507: No), the process is repeated from S502. The control of the shovel 100 ends, for example, when the operator performs control to stop the engine 11.

[0078] On the other hand, when it is determined that the control of the shovel 100 has ended (S507: Yes), the controller 30 ends all control.

[0079] As described above, the controller 30 according to this embodiment controls the rotation of the cooling fan 12 via the fan motor 16 in accordance with the level of dust present in the atmosphere. For example, when the level of dust present in the atmosphere is high, stopping the rotation of the cooling fan 12 can prevent dust from adhering to the dustproof net N1. This reduces the burden of cleaning the dustproof net N1 and also prevents a decrease in the cooling performance for the engine 11 due to clogging of the dustproof net N1.

[0080] Furthermore, although an example in which the dustproof net N1 is provided has been described in this embodiment, the dustproof net N1 does not have to be provided. In other words, even if the dustproof net N1 is not provided, when the level of dust in the atmosphere is high, the adhesion of dust to the periphery of the engine 11 can be suppressed by stopping the rotation of the cooling fan 12. This reduces the cleaning burden. In particular, when performing work that places a low load on the engine 11, even when the rotation of the cooling fan 12 is stopped, continuous operation is possible by simply naturally releasing heated gas within the engine compartment. Therefore, continuous operation is sufficient even if the cooling performance for the engine 11 is low.

[0081] (Modification 1 of the first embodiment) In the above-described embodiment, the rotation control of the cooling fan 12 is described while the shovel 100 is working. However, the rotation control of the cooling fan 12 is not limited to when the shovel 100 is working.

[0082] For example, when the control device 26 is disabled by the control valve (gate lock valve) 60, reverse rotation of the cooling fan 12 (rotation in the direction opposite to the normal rotation that cools the engine 11) may be permitted. In other words, when the control device 26 is disabled by the control valve (gate lock valve) 60, no work is performed by the excavator 100, and therefore no dust is scattered. In such a situation, the controller 30 outputs a control signal for reverse rotation of the fan motor 16 so that the cooling fan 12 rotates in the reverse direction, thereby removing dust adhering to the dustproof net N1. This is because the direction of the wind passing through the dustproof net N1 is reversed. When the control device 26 is disabled, any condition may be satisfied for reverse rotation of the cooling fan 12. For example, the operator may set reverse rotation, or the controller 30 may periodically control the cooling fan 12 to rotate in the reverse direction. Note that similar control may be performed in the following embodiments.

[0083] (Modification 2 of the first embodiment) Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which whether or not to rotate the cooling fan 12 is switched depending on whether or not the level of dust in the atmosphere is equal to or lower than a first threshold. However, the present invention is not limited to the method of setting only one threshold as in the above-described embodiment, and multiple thresholds may be set.

[0084] For example, when the controller 30 determines that the level of dust in the air has exceeded the smaller of two thresholds, it outputs a control signal to the fan motor 16 to reduce the rotation speed of the cooling fan 12. If the level of dust in the air subsequently increases and the controller 30 determines that the level has exceeded the larger of the two thresholds, it outputs a control signal to the fan motor 16 to stop the rotation of the cooling fan 12. The number of thresholds is not limited to two, and three or more may be provided.

[0085] The controller 30 according to this modification performs the above-described control, thereby making it possible to simultaneously cool the engine 11 and prevent dust from adhering to the dustproof net N1.

[0086] (Second embodiment) The first embodiment does not take into consideration what happens after dust has adhered to the dustproof net N1. Therefore, the second embodiment will describe a case where control is performed to remove dust that has adhered to the dustproof net.

[0087] Fig. 6 is a plan view schematically showing the inside of the house of the upper revolving body 2 in the excavator according to the second embodiment. Fig. 6 shows a state in which the house cover 2d has been removed. Note that the same reference numerals are assigned to the same components as those in the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0088] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6, the dustproof net N2 is provided upstream (on the left side) of the battery 70 and inside the opening / closing cover 2d1. That is, when the opening / closing cover 2d1 is open, the dustproof net N2 forms part of the left side surface of the upper revolving body 2. Note that, for clarity, Fig. 6 illustrates the dustproof net N2 on the outside (left side) of the opening / closing cover 2d1 in the closed state, but in reality, the dustproof net N2 is disposed inside (right side) the opening / closing cover 2d1 in the closed state.

[0089] As the four cooling fans 12A to 12D rotate, the air (cooling air) reaches the engine 11 through the dustproof net N2, thereby cooling the engine 11.

[0090] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the dustproof net N2 is provided with vibration members V1 and V2.

[0091] The vibration members V1 and V2 are, for example, vibration motors, and function as vibration sources in response to instructions from the controller 30.

[0092] That is, the vibrating members V1 and V2 can vibrate in response to instructions from the controller 30. When the vibrating members V1 and V2 vibrate, dust adhering to the dustproof net N2 can be dropped. Since the dustproof net N2 according to this embodiment forms part of the left side surface of the upper revolving body 2, the dust adhering to the dustproof net N2 drops to the ground.

[0093] When a dustproof net is installed inside the upper rotating body 2, if a vibration source causes dust to fall from the dustproof net, the dust will accumulate on the floor of the upper rotating body 2. In this situation, when the cooling fan 12 is rotated, the dust that has accumulated on the floor may adhere to the dustproof net again. In other words, the same dust will adhere to the dustproof net again.

[0094] In contrast to this, the excavator 100 according to this embodiment is provided with the dustproof net N2 so as to form part of the left side surface of the upper revolving body 2, and therefore it is possible to prevent the same dust from adhering to the dustproof net N2 again.

[0095] In this embodiment, the controller 30 instructs whether to vibrate the vibrating members V1 and V2 based on the detection information from the dust sensor S1. For example, when the level of dust in the air (e.g., the attenuation rate of light) indicated by the detection information from the dust sensor S1 is greater than a first threshold, the controller 30 outputs an instruction to the vibrating members V1 and V2 to vibrate. As a result, when the level of dust in the air increases, the vibrating members V1 and V2 vibrate, thereby preventing dust from adhering to the dustproof net N2.

[0096] It should be noted that this embodiment does not limit the timing at which the vibrating members V1 and V2 are vibrated, and for example, the vibrating members V1 and V2 may be vibrated at all times.

[0097] Also in this embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the controller 30 controls the rotation of the cooling fan 12 based on the detection information from the dust sensor S1.

[0098] That is, in this embodiment, when the level of dust in the air increases, the vibration members V1 and V2 are vibrated while the rotation of the cooling fan 12 is stopped, thereby preventing dust from adhering to the dustproof net N2. Since no dust is adhering to the dustproof net N2, the air can reach the engine 11 through the dustproof net N2. This allows the engine 11 to be cooled.

[0099] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the rotation of the cooling fan 12 is suppressed and the vibrating members V1 and V2 are vibrated when the level of dust in the air increases, but the present invention is not limited to this combination of controls, and other controls may be combined. Furthermore, when the level of dust in the air increases, the controller 30 may only control the vibrating members V1 and V2 to vibrate without stopping the rotation of the cooling fan 12.

[0100] (Third embodiment) In the second embodiment, an example was described in which the dustproof net N2 was vibrated to remove dust adhering to the dustproof net N2. However, the method for removing dust adhering to the dustproof net N2 is not limited to the method of vibrating the dustproof net N2. Therefore, in the third embodiment, a method for removing dust adhering to the dustproof net N2 by controlling the rotation of the cooling fan 12 will be described.

[0101] As in the second embodiment, this embodiment is an example in which the dustproof net N2 is provided to form part of the left side surface of the upper revolving body 2. In this embodiment, the vibration members V1 and V2 do not necessarily have to be provided on the dustproof net N2.

[0102] The controller 30 according to this embodiment, like the above-described embodiment, determines whether the degree of dust present in the atmosphere (e.g., the attenuation rate of light) is greater than a first threshold value based on the detection information. If it is determined that the degree of dust present in the atmosphere (e.g., the attenuation rate of light) is greater than the first threshold value, the controller 30 stops the rotation of the four cooling fans 12 or reduces the rotation speed.

[0103] Then, after stopping the rotation or reducing the rotation speed of the four cooling fans 12, the controller 30 determines whether the degree of dust presence in the atmosphere (for example, the rate of light attenuation) in the detection information has become smaller than a second threshold value. The second threshold value is a value smaller than the first threshold value and is set as a criterion for determining that the atmosphere does not contain dust.

[0104] Then, when the controller 30 determines that the degree of dust present in the atmosphere (for example, the rate of attenuation of light) has become smaller than the second threshold, it starts controlling the rotation of the four cooling fans 12 in the reverse direction compared to before the determination based on the first threshold.

[0105] When the controller 30 determines that the difference is smaller than the second threshold, it starts controlling the rotation of the four cooling fans 12 so that air flows from the engine 11 to the dustproof net N2. In other words, the controller 30 controls the rotation of the cooling fans 12 so that the air blows dust adhering to the dustproof net N2 outward (to the left).

[0106] In this embodiment, when the level of dust in the air exceeds a first threshold, dust is floating in the air, and the controller 30 stops the cooling fans 12 to prevent clogging of the dustproof net N2. If the level of dust in the air subsequently falls below a second threshold, the controller 30 determines that the amount of dust floating in the air has decreased, and controls the four cooling fans 12 to rotate in reverse to remove dust adhering to the dustproof net N2. After a predetermined time has elapsed, the controller 30 again controls the rotation of the cooling fans 12 to allow air to flow from the dustproof net N2 to the engine 11.

[0107] In this embodiment, the controller 30 performs the above-described control, thereby making it possible to prevent dust from adhering to the dustproof net N2 and causing clogging.

[0108] (Modification of the third embodiment) In the third embodiment described above, in a situation where the engine 11 is cooled, the dustproof net N2 is provided at a position upstream of the engine 11. However, the position at which the dustproof net is provided is not limited.

[0109] In a modified example of the third embodiment, an example will be described in which a second dustproof net is provided at a position downstream of the engine 11 in a situation where the engine 11 is cooled.

[0110] The second dustproof net may be provided at a position downstream of the engine 11 so as to form part of the right side surface of the upper rotating body 2. As in the second embodiment, the first dustproof net N2 is provided at a position upstream of the engine 11.

[0111] When the cooling fan 12 blows air to the engine 11 as usual, dust adheres to the first dustproof net N2, thereby preventing the dust from flowing into the engine compartment 7A.

[0112] As in the third embodiment, after the degree of dust presence in the atmosphere increases and the rotation of the four cooling fans 12 is stopped or the rotation speed is reduced, the controller 30 determines whether the degree of dust presence in the atmosphere (e.g., the rate of light attenuation) has become smaller than the second threshold value.

[0113] When the controller 30 determines that the degree of dust in the atmosphere (for example, the rate of attenuation of light) is smaller than the second threshold, the controller 30 starts controlling the rotation of the four cooling fans 12 while rotating them in reverse, thereby removing dust adhering to the first dustproof net N2.

[0114] In this case, the airflow is reversed. In this situation, the second dustproof net is located upstream of the engine 11. In other words, because the second dustproof net is located upstream of the engine 11, dust can be prevented from reaching the engine 11 and the cooling fan 12 even when the cooling fan 12 is rotated in the reverse direction.

[0115] In the above-described embodiment and modified examples, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the dustproof net provided upstream of the engine 11. This reduces the burden of cleaning the dustproof net. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent clogging of the dustproof net, thereby preventing a decrease in the cooling efficiency of the engine 11.

[0116] Furthermore, even if a dustproof net is not provided, the rotation of the cooling fan 12 can be controlled according to the degree of dust present in the atmosphere, thereby preventing dust from adhering to the engine 11, etc., thereby reducing the cleaning burden.

[0117] While the embodiments of the work machine according to the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various changes, modifications, substitutions, additions, deletions, and combinations are possible within the scope of the claims. These changes also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0118] 100 Shovel 1 Undercarriage 2 Upper rotating body 3 Attachments 4. Boom 5 Arm 6 buckets 11. Diesel engine 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D cooling fans 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D Fan motors 30 Controllers 80 Spatial recognition device S1 Dust Sensor N1, N2 dustproof net

Claims

1. A work machine comprising a lower running body and an upper rotating body rotatably mounted on the lower running body, an engine provided on the upper rotating body; a fan provided on the upper rotating body and configured to send air to the engine; a detection unit provided on the upper rotating body that detects dust in the air near the work machine; and controlling the fan in accordance with detection information indicating the detection result by the detection unit; Work machinery.

2. When it is determined that the degree of dust present in the air indicated by the detection information is greater than a first threshold, the rotation speed of the fan is reduced or the fan is stopped.

2. The work machine according to claim 1.

3. A dustproof net is attached to the upper rotating body and is located upstream of the fan.

2. The work machine according to claim 1.

4. The dustproof net is attached to a side surface of the upper rotating body of the work machine.

4. The work machine according to claim 3.

5. The dustproof net further includes a vibration source attached thereto and vibrating the dustproof net; controlling the vibration source in response to the detection information; A work machine according to claim 3 or 4.

6. when it is determined that the degree of dust present in the air detected by the detection information is smaller than a second threshold, switching the rotation control of the fan so as to send air from the engine toward the dustproof net. A work machine according to any one of claims 3 to 5.

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