Construction machinery

Abstract

To provide a construction machine which enables improvement of maintainability of a structure which functions as a detector for detecting a foreign object in a lubrication oil stored in a casing of a gear device.SOLUTION: A construction machine 1 includes a speed reducer 32 serving as a gear device which transmits power of a rotary drive source 31. The speed reducer 32 includes an adsorbent 51 which is detachably attached to a casing 40 and capable of adsorbing foreign objects made of a magnetic material and contained in a lubrication oil. The adsorbent 51 is attached to the casing 40 at a position higher than an oil surface F when the lubrication oil is stored in the casing. The speed reducer 32 has supply members 61 which are provided at a first carrier 35c of gear mechanisms 34, 35, 36 and configured to move between a position lower than the oil surface F and a position higher than the oil surface F as the first carrier 35c rotates. Each supply member 61 moves from the position lower than the oil surface F to the higher position to supply a part of the lubrication oil stored in the casing 40 to the adsorbent 51.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a construction machine, and more particularly, to a construction machine provided with a gear device that transmits rotation from a rotary drive source. [Background Art]

[0002] Some construction machines such as hydraulic excavators and wheel loaders are equipped with a speed reducer as a gear device that transmits rotation from a rotary drive source such as a hydraulic motor. The speed reducer accommodates components such as gears and bearings in a casing, and lubricating oil for lubricating the gears, bearings and the like is sealed in the casing. In the speed reducer, foreign matters such as metal powder and broken fragments generated by wear of components such as gears may mix into the lubricating oil. If foreign matters are contained in the lubricating oil, there is a concern that damage may be caused to gears, bearings, oil seals and the like.

[0003] To address such concerns, a technique for detecting foreign matters mixed in lubricating oil sealed in a casing of a speed reducer is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the abnormality alarm device for a gear box described in Patent Document 1, a chip detector that detects metal powder generated in the gear box is provided so as to protrude from the bottom of the gear box case into an oil sump. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-67467 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0005] In gearboxes like the one described in Patent Document 1, where a sensor (chip detector) capable of detecting foreign matter (magnetic material) mixed in the lubricating oil is mounted so as to protrude from the bottom of the reduction gear case into the oil reservoir, when performing maintenance or inspection on the sensor, it is necessary to drain the oil stored in the case before removing the sensor from the case. This extra step increases the maintenance workload, so ease of sensor maintenance is required.

[0006] The present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its objective is to provide a construction machine that can improve the maintainability of a component that functions as a detector for detecting foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil stored in the casing of a gear device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention includes multiple means for solving the above problems. To give one example, a construction machine comprising a gear device for transmitting power from a rotary drive source, wherein the gear device includes a plurality of rotating members for transmitting the rotation of the rotary drive source, a casing that houses the plurality of rotating members and is capable of storing lubricating oil for lubricating the plurality of rotating members, and an adsorbent that is detachably attached to the casing and capable of adsorbing magnetic foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil, wherein the adsorbent is attached to the inside of the casing at a position higher than the oil level in which the lubricating oil is stored, and the gear device is connected to a first rotating member which is one of the plurality of rotating members. multiple Established, Scraping member arranged so that the suction body and the gear device are in the same axial position. Having the above scraping member This is done by moving from a position lower than the oil level to a position higher, thereby supplying a portion of the lubricating oil stored inside the casing to the adsorbent. It is configured as a plate that protrudes radially from the radially outer end face of the first rotating member and is aligned with the axial direction of the gear device, and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the first rotating member to scrape up the lubricating oil stored inside the casing. It is characterized by being constructed in this way. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, since the adsorbent is attached to the casing at a position higher than the oil level inside the casing, the procedure of draining the lubricating oil from the casing during maintenance of the adsorbent is unnecessary, improving the maintainability of the adsorbent. Furthermore, since the supply member provided on the first rotating member of the gear device supplies lubricating oil from the casing to the adsorbent by moving from a position lower than the oil level to a position higher than the oil level, it is possible to detect foreign matter in the lubricating oil even if the adsorbent is attached at a position higher than the oil level. Other issues, configurations, and effects will be clarified by the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is an external view showing a hydraulic excavator as a construction machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the construction machine according to the first embodiment, taken from the direction of arrow II-II. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the reduction gear of a construction machine according to the first embodiment, as seen from the direction of arrow III-III. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the foreign object detection sensor and the supply member on the first carrier, viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the reduction gear. [Figure 5] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a reduction gear for a construction machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention, taken from the same direction as the longitudinal cross-sectional view of the reduction gear shown in Figure 2. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a first example of the structure of a guide plate in a reduction gear for a construction machine according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing a second example of the structure of a guide plate in a reduction gear for a construction machine according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an enlarged view of the positional relationship between the foreign object detection sensor and the guide plate in the reduction gear of a construction machine according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9]It is a schematic cross-sectional view of a speed reducer for construction machinery according to a third embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the same arrow direction as the cross-sectional view of the speed reducer shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 10] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of a speed reducer for construction machinery according to a modified example of a fourth embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the same arrow direction as the cross-sectional view of the speed reducer shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 11] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of a speed reducer for construction machinery according to a modified example of the fourth embodiment, viewed from the same arrow direction as the cross-sectional view of the speed reducer shown in FIG. 3.

[0010] It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a speed reducer for construction machinery according to a third embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the same arrow direction as the longitudinal cross-sectional view of the speed reducer shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 12] It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a speed reducer for construction machinery according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the same arrow direction as the longitudinal cross-sectional view of the speed reducer shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 13] It is a schematic perspective view showing a second carrier of a second planetary gear mechanism in the speed reducer for construction machinery according to the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 12. [Figure 14] It is a configuration diagram showing a network of a plurality of computers used by construction machinery according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] It is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure of lubricating oil diagnosis processing for a speed reducer performed by a server of the network shown in FIG. 14. [Figure 16] It is a diagram showing an example of a change in the detected amount of foreign matter in lubricating oil with respect to operating time by a foreign matter detection sensor for construction machinery according to the sixth embodiment. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the construction machine of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a hydraulic excavator will be described as an example of a construction machine. Note that the front-rear, left-right directions described in the present specification indicate directions as viewed from an operator boarding the construction machine.

[0012] [First Embodiment] First, a schematic configuration of a hydraulic excavator as a construction machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is an external view showing a hydraulic excavator as a construction machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] In FIG. 1, a hydraulic excavator 1 as a construction machine includes a self-propelled lower traveling body 2, an upper rotating body 3 pivotably mounted on the lower traveling body 2, and a front working device 4 provided on the front side of the upper rotating body 3 so as to be capable of lifting and lowering. The hydraulic excavator 1 is configured to perform operations such as earth and sand excavation through the operation of the front working device 4.

[0014] The lower traveling body 2 is, for example, of a crawler type, and includes a track frame 11 serving as a base. The track frame 11 has side frames 12 extending in the front-rear direction on the left and right sides (only the left side is shown). An idler wheel 13 is rotatably supported on one end side in the longitudinal direction of each side frame 12, and a drive wheel 14 is rotatably supported on the other end side in the longitudinal direction of each side frame 12. An endless crawler belt 15 is wound around the idler wheel 13 and the drive wheel 14. The drive wheel 14 is configured to transmit power from a travel drive device 30 described later (see FIG. 2 described later).

[0015] The upper rotating body 3 includes a cab 17 where an operator rides, and a machine room 18 that accommodates various devices. The machine room 18 accommodates, for example, various hydraulic devices constituting a hydraulic system that supplies pressure oil to a hydraulic motor 31 of the travel drive device 30 described later. The upper rotating body 3 is mounted with a controller 90 that performs processing for diagnosing an abnormality of a speed reducer 32 included in the travel drive device 30 described later based on the state of lubricating oil, and a wireless communication device 91 for mutual communication between data processed by the controller 90 and an external terminal. The controller 90 includes a processor (e.g., CPU) and a storage device (e.g., memory), and the processor executes various processes based on a program stored in the storage device.

[0016] The front work device 4 is a multi-jointed work device composed of multiple driven members rotatably connected. The multiple driven members consist of, for example, a boom 21, an arm 22, and a bucket 23 as a work tool (attachment). The attachment can be replaced with various types such as a grapple, breaker, and lifting magnet.

[0017] Next, the configuration of the travel drive system for the lower traveling body in the construction machine according to the first embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the construction machine according to the first embodiment shown in Figure 1, viewed from the direction of arrow II-II.

[0018] In Figure 2, the lower traveling body 2 is equipped with a traveling drive unit 30 that rotates the drive wheels 14. The traveling drive unit 30 includes a hydraulic motor 31 as a rotational drive source and a reduction device 32 that reduces the rotation of the hydraulic motor 31 and transmits power to the drive wheels 14.

[0019] The hydraulic motor 31 outputs power from pressurized oil supplied from a hydraulic pump or the like, which is housed in the machine room 18 of the upper rotating body 3, and has an output shaft 31a. A male spline 12b is formed on the output shaft 31a of the hydraulic motor 31. The hydraulic motor 31 is attached to the casing 40 of the reduction gear 32, which will be described later, and the output shaft 31a extends through the casing 40 into the interior.

[0020] The reduction gear 32, as a gear device, comprises a plurality of gear mechanisms that reduce and transmit the rotation of the hydraulic motor 31, and a casing 40 that houses the plurality of gear mechanisms inside. The plurality of gear mechanisms consist of, for example, a reduction gear mechanism 34 to which the rotation of the hydraulic motor 31 is transmitted, a first-stage planetary gear mechanism 35 to which the rotation of the reduction gear mechanism 34 is transmitted, and a second-stage planetary gear mechanism 36 to which the rotation of the first-stage planetary gear mechanism 35 is transmitted. The casing 40 has a first case 41 and cover 42 that house the reduction gear mechanism 34, a second case 43 that houses the first-stage planetary gear mechanism 35, and a third case 44 that houses the second-stage planetary gear mechanism 36. The first case 41, the second case 43, and the third case 44 extend along the rotation axis of the drive wheel 14. The reduction gear 32 is attached to the other longitudinal end (the end on the drive wheel 14 side) of the side frame 12 (see Figure 1) via a bracket 12a.

[0021] The reduction gear mechanism 34 consists of a small-diameter drive gear 34a (pinion) rotatably supported in the first case 41 via a bearing 34c, and a large-diameter driven gear 34b rotatably mounted in the first case 41 via a bearing 34d, which meshes with the drive gear 34a. The drive gear 34a is mounted on the output shaft 31a of the hydraulic motor 31 and configured to rotate integrally with the output shaft 31a. The drive gear 34a is spline-coupled, for example, to the male spline 31b of the output shaft 31a. The driven gear 34b is mounted on the shaft portion of the first sun gear 35a of the first stage planetary gear mechanism 35, which will be described later.

[0022] The first-stage planetary gear mechanism 35 is arranged coaxially with the rotation axis of the driven gear 34b of the reduction gear mechanism 34. The planetary gear mechanism 35 includes a first sun gear 35a spline-coupled to the driven gear 34b, a plurality of first planetary gears 35b (only one shown) that mesh with the first sun gear 35a and the internal teeth 43a of the ring gear described later (part of the second case 43), and a first carrier 35c that rotatably supports the first planetary gears 35b. The first planetary gears 35b rotate on their own axis while revolving around the first sun gear 35a. The first carrier 35c is fixed to a pin inserted into the rotation center of the first planetary gear 35b and is configured to rotate at the orbital speed of the first planetary gear 35b. The first carrier 35c is spline-coupled to the second sun gear 36a of the second-stage planetary gear mechanism 36 described later. The first carrier 35c has a radially outer end face 35c1 that faces the inner circumferential surface of the second case 43.

[0023] The second-stage planetary gear mechanism 36 is arranged coaxially with the driven gear 34b of the reduction gear mechanism 34 and the rotation axis of the first-stage planetary gear mechanism 35. The second-stage planetary gear mechanism 36 includes a second sun gear 36a spline-coupled to the first carrier 35c of the first-stage planetary gear mechanism 35, a plurality of second planetary gears 36b (only one shown) that mesh with the second sun gear 36a and the internal teeth 44a of the ring gear described later (part of the third case 44), and a second carrier 36c that rotatably supports the second planetary gears 36b. The second planetary gears 36b rotate on their own axis while revolving around the second sun gear 36a. The second carrier 36c is fixed to a pin inserted into the rotation center of the second planetary gears 36b and is configured to rotate at the orbital speed of the second planetary gears 36b. The second carrier 36c has a radially outer end face 36c1 facing the inner circumferential surface of the third case 44, an axial side surface 36c2 formed on the drive wheel 14 side and facing the second space S2 described later, and an axial side surface 36c3 facing the first carrier 35c of the first stage planetary gear mechanism 35. The second carrier 36c is coupled to a rotating shaft 37 that is coaxial with the first and second stage planetary gear mechanisms 35, 36.

[0024] The rotating shaft 37 transmits power from the reduction gear 32 to the drive wheel 14. Specifically, one axial side of the rotating shaft 37 is spline-coupled to the center of the drive wheel 14, and the other axial side is spline-coupled to the second carrier 36c of the second-stage planetary gear mechanism 36. The axial intermediate portion of the rotating shaft 37 is rotatably supported by a bracket 12a of the side frame 12 via a bearing 38.

[0025] The first case 41 has a cylindrical peripheral wall portion extending along the rotation axis of the driven gear 34b of the reduction gear mechanism 34, and a mounting flange provided on the peripheral edge of one axial side (the side closer to the drive wheel 14) of the peripheral wall portion. A cover 42 is attached to the other axial side of the peripheral wall portion of the first case 41 so as to close the opening of the peripheral wall portion. The first case 41 is attached to the second case 43 via the mounting flange portion. A hydraulic motor 31 is attached to the cover 42.

[0026] The second case 43 has a cylindrical circumferential wall portion extending along the rotation axis of the first-stage planetary gear mechanism 35, and a mounting flange provided on the circumferential edge of one axial side (the side closer to the drive wheel 14) of the circumferential wall portion. The first case 41 is attached to the other axial side of the circumferential wall portion of the second case 43. The mounting flange of the second case 43 is attached to the other axial side (the side further from the drive wheel 14) of the third case 44. Internal teeth 43a that mesh with the first planetary gear 35b of the first-stage planetary gear mechanism 35 are provided along the entire circumference of the inner circumferential surface of the circumferential wall portion of the second case 43, in the portion closest to the first case 41. In other words, the second case 43 functions as a ring gear for the first-stage planetary gear mechanism 35. In the peripheral wall portion of the second case 43, where internal teeth 43a are not formed, a first space S1 is formed between it and the radially outer end face 35c1 of the first carrier 35c of the first stage planetary gear mechanism 35.

[0027] The third case 44 is configured as a cylindrical body extending along the rotation axis of the second-stage planetary gear mechanism 36. One axial side of the third case 44 is fixed to the bracket 12a of the side frame 12. The mounting flange of the second case 43 is attached to the other axial side of the third case 44 (the side further from the drive wheel 14). On the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion of the third case 44 closest to the second case 43, internal teeth 44a that mesh with the second planetary gear 36b of the second-stage planetary gear mechanism 36 are provided around the entire circumference. In other words, the third case 44 functions as a ring gear for the second-stage planetary gear mechanism 36. In the peripheral wall portion of the third case 44 where the internal teeth 44a are not formed (the portion close to the drive wheel 14), a second space S2 is formed between it and the portion of the second carrier 36c of the second-stage planetary gear mechanism 36 that is coupled to the rotation axis 37.

[0028] The casing 40 also has the function of storing lubricating oil to lubricate the components of the reduction gear mechanism 34 and the first and second stage planetary gear mechanisms 35 and 36. The oil level F of the lubricating oil is at a position that reaches the height of the first sun gear 35a, the second sun gear 36a, and the rotating shaft 37, for example, in order to lubricate the splines of the first sun gear 35a, the second sun gear 36a, and the rotating shaft 37 while reducing stirring resistance.

[0029] A foreign matter detector 51 (hereinafter referred to as a sensor) is detachably attached to the casing 40 of the speed reducer 32 to detect magnetic foreign matter (for example, wear particles from the components of the speed reducer 32) contained in the lubricating oil stored inside the casing 40. The sensor 51 is, for example, a magnetic type. Specifically, the sensor 51 comprises an adsorbent that attracts magnetic foreign matter by magnetic force, and a circuit that outputs a detection signal according to the amount of foreign matter attracted by the adsorbent. The sensor 51 is electrically connected to the controller 90 and outputs the detection data to the controller 90.

[0030] Next, the configuration and structure of the sensor for detecting foreign objects in the reduction gear of the construction machine according to the first embodiment will be explained using Figures 2 to 4. Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the reduction gear of the construction machine according to the first embodiment shown in Figure 2, viewed from the direction of arrow III-III. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the sensor shown in Figure 3 and the supply member on the carrier, viewed in a cross-section along the axis of the reduction gear.

[0031] The sensor 51 in this embodiment detects magnetic foreign matter (for example, wear particles from the components of the reduction gear 32) contained in the lubricating oil stored inside the casing 40, and a magnetic type sensor is used. Specifically, the sensor 51 comprises an adsorbent that attracts magnetic foreign matter by magnetic force, and a circuit that outputs a detection signal corresponding to the amount of foreign matter attracted by the adsorbent. The sensor 51 is configured to detect the amount of foreign matter attracted to its tip, particularly the tip surface 51a (see Figure 3).

[0032] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the sensor 51 is detachably attached to the second case 43 of the casing 40 at a position higher than the lubricating oil level F (upper position). More specifically, a mounting hole 43b for attaching the sensor 51 is provided at the highest point of the portion of the second case 43 where the first space S1 without internal teeth 43a is formed. The sensor 51 is attached to the second case 43 with the sensor 51 inserted into the mounting hole 43b of the second case 43. The sensor 51 is attached to the second case 43 such that the sensor surface 51a faces the direction of the rotation axis of the planetary gear mechanisms 35 and 36.

[0033] A sensor seal 52 is sandwiched between the sensor 51 and the mounting hole 43b of the second case 43. The sensor seal 52 is, for example, an O-ring and seals off the lubricating oil inside the casing 40 from leaking out through the mounting hole 43b of the sensor 51. The second case 43 is fitted with a sensor case 53 that covers the sensor 51 when it is mounted in the mounting hole 43b. The sensor case 53 protects the sensor 51 and the cable (not shown) extending from the sensor 51.

[0034] Since the sensor 51 is mounted on the casing 40 (in this embodiment, on the top of the second case 43) at a position above the oil level F of the lubricating oil, it is not immersed in the lubricating oil inside the casing 40. Therefore, in this embodiment, the supply member 61 is provided on the radially outer end face 35c1 of the first carrier 35c of the first stage planetary gear mechanism 35, which is located radially inward of the second case 43 to which the sensor 51 is mounted, at a position facing the sensor surface 51a of the sensor 51. In other words, the sensor 51 and the supply member 61 are arranged so that their positions in the axial direction of the first stage planetary gear mechanism 35 overlap. The supply member 61 is formed as a projection that protrudes radially outward from the radially outer end face 35c1 of the first carrier 35c. The supply member 61 is configured to move between a position lower and a position higher than the oil level F of the lubricating oil as the first carrier 35c rotates, and has the function of supplying a portion of the lubricating oil stored inside the casing 40 to the sensor 51.

[0035] More specifically, the supply member 61 is a scraping member that rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the first carrier 35c, thereby scraping up the lubricating oil inside the casing 40 in a rotational direction toward the radially outward direction of the first carrier 35c. The supply member 61 is, for example, integrally formed with the first carrier 35c, and as shown in Figure 3, multiple supply members 61 (12 in Figure 3) are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the first carrier 35c. Each supply member 61 as a scraping member is a plate-shaped structure, for example, as shown in Figure 4, where the circumferential direction of the first carrier 35c (reduction device 32) is the thickness direction and the axial direction of the first carrier 35c (reduction device 32) is the width direction. Furthermore, the supply member (scraping member) 61 is configured such that its outer peripheral edge (radially outward tip) 61a extends substantially parallel to the axial direction of the first carrier 35c (reduction device 32). It is desirable that the supply member (scraping member) 61 be brought close to the sensor surface 51a of the sensor 51, such that its outer peripheral edge 61a does not come into contact with it.

[0036] Furthermore, the supply member 61 can be processed separately from the first carrier 35c and joined to the first carrier 35c by welding or screws. Also, the supply member 61 can be configured as a single unit. Additionally, as shown in Figure 4, the supply member (scraping member) 61 can be configured such that its outer peripheral edge 61b (the part indicated by the dashed line in Figure 4) extends inclined with respect to the axial direction of the first carrier 35c (reduction device 32).

[0037] Next, the operation and effects of the construction machine according to the first embodiment will be explained using Figures 1 to 3.

[0038] When the operator of the hydraulic excavator 1 shown in Figure 1 performs a travel operation, pressurized oil is supplied to the hydraulic motor 31 of the travel drive unit 30 shown in Figure 2, causing the hydraulic motor 31 to rotate. In the reduction gear 32, when the drive gear 34a rotates due to the rotation of the output shaft 31a of the hydraulic motor 31, the rotation of the drive gear 34a is reduced in this order by the driven gear 34b, the first-stage planetary gear reduction mechanism 35, and the second-stage planetary gear reduction mechanism 36. That is, the rotation speed of the first carrier 35c of the first-stage planetary gear reduction mechanism 35 becomes lower than the rotation speed of the driven gear 34b, and the rotation speed of the second carrier 36c of the second-stage planetary gear reduction mechanism 36 becomes lower than the rotation speed of the first carrier 35c. The rotation reduced by the reduction gear 32 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 37, causing the drive wheel 14 to rotate with a large torque. The drive wheels 14 are driven by the rotation of the rotating shaft 37, causing the tracks 15 shown in Figure 1 to rotate in a circular motion. This allows the hydraulic excavator 1 to move.

[0039] When the reduction gear 32 shown in Figure 2 is driven, the lubricating oil stored in the casing 40 is used to lubricate the components of the reduction gear 32 and circulates back to the bottom of the casing 40. However, as the gears 34a, 34b, 35a, 35b, 36a, and 36b of the reduction gear 32 mesh and rotate, each gear 34a, 34b, 35a, 35b, 36a, and 36b wears down over time, and wear particles (magnetic material) settle to the bottom of the casing 40 of the reduction gear 32. These wear particles are scraped up along with the lubricating oil by a protruding supply member (scraping member) 61 provided on the radially outer surface of the first carrier 35c of the first stage planetary gear reduction mechanism 35 shown in Figures 2 and 3, which rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the first carrier 35c. Some of the scraped-up lubricating oil reaches and adheres to the sensor 51. If the lubricating oil that reaches the sensor 51 contains wear particles, the wear particles are attracted to the tip surface 51a of the sensor 51 by the sensor's magnetic adsorbent. The sensor 51 outputs a detection signal corresponding to the amount of adsorbed wear particles to the controller 90 shown in Figure 1. The controller 90 stores the detection data output from the sensor 51 in a storage device.

[0040] The data detected by the sensor 51 and the abnormality diagnosis of the reduction gear 32 based on said detected data can be performed by the controller 90 of the hydraulic excavator 1 or by an external terminal such as a computer. When an external terminal such as a computer performs the operation, the transfer of detected data can be performed, for example, by sequentially transmitting it to the external terminal via a wireless communication device 91 mounted on the hydraulic excavator 1, or by periodically having a service technician copy or transfer the detected data to a recording medium. When the controller 90 or external terminal counts the amount of foreign matter based on the detected data from the sensor 51, it is preferable to pre-determine the counting period (i.e., the data acquisition period) (for example, 60 seconds).

[0041] In this embodiment, the sensor 51 is not placed in the lubricating oil but is positioned above the oil level F. This is because if the sensor 51 were installed at the bottom of the casing 40 of the reduction gear 32 (below the oil level F of the lubricating oil), when performing maintenance or inspection of the sensor 51, it would be necessary to drain the lubricating oil stored in the casing 40 before removing the sensor 51 from the casing 40, thus avoiding an increase in maintenance man-hours. Furthermore, when the hydraulic excavator 1 is in motion, obstacles such as rocks on the ground may come into contact with the bottom of the reduction gear 32, and there is a concern that the casing 40 may deform due to this contact with obstacles, causing lubricating oil to leak from the mounting portion of the sensor 51.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by providing a supply member 61 to the first carrier 35c of the first stage planetary gear reduction mechanism 35 of the reduction gear 32, lubricating oil can be supplied to the sensor 51, making it possible to determine the amount of wear particles contained in the lubricating oil. In other words, it is possible to diagnose the condition of the lubricating oil in the reduction gear 32 without installing the sensor 51 in the lubricating oil. Also, since the amount of wear particles contained in the lubricating oil can be constantly determined by the sensor 51, it is possible to detect early whether or not there is any damage to the gears 34a, 34b, 35a, 35b, 36a, 36b, bearings, etc. that constitute the reduction gear 32. In addition, based on the abnormality diagnosis of the reduction gear 32 by the controller 90, an appropriate inspection timing for the reduction gear 32 can be set.

[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sensor 51 is mounted on the casing at a position higher than the oil level F, and a supply member 61 is provided on the first carrier 35c of the first-stage planetary gear reduction mechanism 35 to detect the amount of wear particles contained in the lubricating oil. This configuration can be implemented by modifying an existing drive system, and has the advantage of being easy to introduce.

[0044] As described above, the hydraulic excavator 1 (construction machine) according to the first embodiment is equipped with a reduction gear 32 as a gear device that transmits power from a hydraulic motor 31, which is a rotational drive source. The reduction gear 32 (gear device) includes gear mechanisms 34, 35, 36 (multiple rotating members) that transmit the rotation of the hydraulic motor 31 (rotational drive source), a casing 40 that houses the gear mechanisms 34, 35, 36 (multiple rotating members) and is capable of storing lubricating oil for lubricating the gear mechanisms 34, 35, 36 (multiple rotating members), and a sensor 51 that is detachably attached to the casing 40 and has an adsorbent capable of adsorbing magnetic foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil. The adsorbent of the sensor 51 is attached inside the casing 40 at a position higher than the oil level F in which the lubricating oil is stored. The reduction gear 32 (gear device) is provided on the first carrier 35c (first rotating member) of the first stage planetary gear mechanism 35, which is one of the gear mechanisms 34, 35, and 36 (multiple rotating members), and has a supply member 61 configured to move between a position lower than the oil level F and a position higher than the oil level F as the first carrier 35c (first rotating member) rotates. The supply member 61 is configured to supply a portion of the lubricating oil stored inside the casing 40 to the adsorbent of the sensor 51 by moving from a position lower than the oil level F to a position higher than the oil level F.

[0045] With this configuration, the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 is attached to the casing 40 at a position higher than the oil level F inside the casing 40. This eliminates the need to drain the lubricating oil from the casing 40 during maintenance of the sensor 51, including the adsorbent body, thus improving the maintainability of the sensor 51, including the adsorbent body. Furthermore, since the supply member 61 provided on the first carrier 35c (first rotating member) of the reduction gear 32 (gear device) supplies lubricating oil from the casing 40 to the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 by moving from a position lower than the oil level F to a position higher than the oil level F, even if the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 is attached at a position higher than the oil level F, foreign matter can be detected by the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 adsorbing foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 and the supply member 61 are arranged so that their positions in the axial direction of the reduction gear 32 (gear device) overlap. In addition, the supply member 61 is provided on the radially outer end face 35c1 or the side surface on one axial side of the first carrier 35c (first rotating member) and is formed in a protruding shape, and is configured to rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the first carrier 35c (first rotating member) to scoop up the lubricating oil stored inside the casing 40.

[0047] With this configuration, the lubricating oil in the casing 40 is supplied to the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 by simply providing a protruding supply member 61 on the first carrier 35c (first rotating member) among the gear mechanisms 34, 35, and 36 (multiple rotating members) of the reduction gear 32 (gear device), thus avoiding complexity in the structure of the reduction gear 32 (gear device).

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the reduction gear 32 (gear device) includes a planetary gear mechanism 35 having a first sun gear 35a (sun gear), a first planetary gear (planetary gear), and a first carrier 35c (carrier). The first rotating member on which the supply member 61 is provided is the first carrier 35c (carrier) of the planetary gear mechanism 35.

[0049] This configuration makes it possible to apply a configuration that provides a supply member 61 to an existing reduction gear (gear device) including a planetary gear mechanism.

[0050] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the adsorbent constitutes part of the sensor 51 (detector) that detects foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil, and the sensor 51 (detector) including the adsorbent is detachably attached to the casing 40.

[0051] With this configuration, since the sensor 51 (detector) is detachably attached to the casing 40, the condition of the lubricating oil in the reduction gear (gear device) can be diagnosed without removing the sensor 51 (detector).

[0052] [Second Embodiment] Next, a construction machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described using Figures 5 to 8. Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the reduction gear of a construction machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention, taken from the same direction as the longitudinal cross-sectional view of the reduction gear shown in Figure 2. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a first example of the structure of the guide plate in the reduction gear of a construction machine according to a second embodiment shown in Figure 5. Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a second example of the structure of the guide plate in the reduction gear of a construction machine according to a second embodiment shown in Figure 5. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing an enlarged view of the positional relationship between the foreign object detection sensor and the guide plate in the reduction gear of a construction machine according to a second embodiment shown in Figure 5. Note that in Figures 5 to 8, parts with the same reference numerals as those in Figures 1 to 4 are similar parts, so a detailed explanation of them will be omitted.

[0053] The construction machine according to the second embodiment shown in Figure 5 differs from the first embodiment in that a guide member 62 is attached to the inner circumferential surface of the casing 40 of the reduction gear 32A at a position adjacent to the sensor 51. The guide member 62 adheres to oil droplets of lubricating oil scraped up by a protruding supply member 61 provided on the first carrier 35c of the first stage planetary gear reduction mechanism 35, and guides the attached oil droplets toward the sensor 51 by causing them to flow downward.

[0054] Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, the guide member 62 is located within the first space S1, which is formed radially outward from the first carrier 35c, and is adjacent to the sensor 51 in the axial direction (the direction in which the rotation axis extends) of the reduction gear 32A. The guide member 62 is located, for example, between the side surface 36c3 on the other axial side (first space S1 side) of the second carrier 36c of the second stage planetary gear reduction mechanism 36 and the sensor 51.

[0055] As a first example of the guide member 62, as shown in Figure 6, it is composed of a plate-shaped main body 62a and an overhanging portion 62b that extends from the surface of the main body 62a. The main body 62a is designed to adhere oil droplets of lubricating oil scraped up by the supply member 61 to the plate-shaped surface. The overhanging portion 62b extends in the width direction of the main body 62a and is inclined such that one end 62b1 is at a higher position than the other end 62b2. As shown in Figure 8, the guide member 62 is positioned such that the other end 62b2 of the overhanging portion 62b is closer to the sensor 51 than the one end 62b1. That is, the overhanging portion 62b is inclined to be located downward as it approaches the sensor 51, thereby guiding the oil droplets attached to the main body 62a toward the sensor 51. The guide member 62 can be configured with the overhanging portion 62b provided on both sides of the plate-shaped main body 62a or on only one surface. Furthermore, the guide member 62 can be configured with one or more protruding portions 62b on the main body portion 62a.

[0056] A second example of the guide member 62 is a configuration in which a groove 62c is formed on the surface of a plate-shaped main body 62a, as shown in Figure 7. The groove 62c extends in the width direction of the main body 62a and is inclined such that one end 62c1 is at a higher position than the other end 62c2. As shown in Figure 8, the guide member 62 is positioned such that the other end 62c2 of the groove 62c is closer to the sensor 51 than the one end 62c1. That is, the groove 62c is inclined to be located downward as it approaches the sensor 51, thereby guiding oil droplets adhering to the main body 62a toward the sensor 51. The guide member 62 can be configured with grooves 62c on both sides of the plate-shaped main body 62a or on only one surface. Furthermore, the guide member 62 can be configured with one groove 62c on the main body 62a or with multiple grooves 62c.

[0057] In the first or second example, the guide member 62 can be configured such that the width direction of the main body 62a is aligned with the axial direction of the reduction device 32A, or so that the width direction of the main body 62a is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the reduction device 32A.

[0058] In this embodiment, a protruding supply member 61 provided on the first carrier 35c of the first stage planetary gear reduction mechanism 35 of the reduction device 32A shown in Figure 5 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the first carrier 35c, thereby scooping up lubricating oil. A portion of the scooped-up lubricating oil reaches and adheres to the sensor 51 and the guide member 62. The oil droplets adhering to the guide member 62 flow down along the protruding portion 62b or groove 62c and are guided to the sensor 51 via the other end portions 62b2 and 62c2 of the protruding portion 62b or groove 62c. As a result, even if the oil droplets of the scooped-up lubricating oil do not directly adhere to the sensor 51, they adhere to the guide member 62, enabling the sensor 51 to detect foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil.

[0059] According to the second embodiment described above, similar to the first embodiment described above, the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 is attached to the casing 40 at a position higher than the oil level F inside the casing 40. Therefore, the procedure of draining the lubricating oil during maintenance of the sensor 51 including the adsorbent body is unnecessary, improving the maintainability of the sensor 51 including the adsorbent body. Furthermore, since the supply member 61 provided on the first carrier 35c (first rotating member) of the reduction gear 32A (gear device) is configured to supply lubricating oil from the casing 40 to the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 by moving from a position lower than the oil level F to a position higher than the oil level F, even if the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 is attached at a position higher than the oil level F, foreign matter can be detected by the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 adsorbing foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil.

[0060] Furthermore, the reduction gear 32B (gear device) of the hydraulic excavator 1 (construction machine) according to this embodiment further includes a guide member 62 attached to the inner circumferential surface of the casing 40 at a position adjacent to the adsorption body of the sensor 51. The guide member 62 is configured to guide oil droplets of lubricating oil adhering to the guide member 62 to the adsorption body of the sensor 51.

[0061] With this configuration, the lubricating oil supplied by the supply member 61 can be guided to the adsorbent of the sensor 51 by the guide member 62. As a result, lubricating oil other than that directly adhering to the adsorbent of the sensor 51 is supplied to the adsorbent of the sensor 51, making it possible to further detect foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the guide member 62 has an overhanging portion 62b or groove 62c that is inclined to be located downward as it approaches the adsorption body of the sensor 51.

[0063] With this configuration, the guidance of the lubricating oil supplied by the supply member 61 to the adsorbent of the sensor 51 can be achieved by a guide member 62 with a simple structure.

[0064] [Third Embodiment] Next, a construction machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 9. Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the reduction gear of a construction machine according to the third embodiment of the present invention, taken from the same direction as the cross-sectional view of the reduction gear shown in Figure 3. In Figure 9, parts with the same reference numerals as those shown in Figures 1 to 8 are the same parts, so their detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0065] The construction machine according to the third embodiment shown in Figure 9 differs from the first embodiment in that the oil receiving member 63 is attached to the inner circumferential surface of the casing 40 of the reduction gear 32B via a support member 64 below the tip 51a of the sensor 51. The oil receiving member 63 receives and stores oil droplets of lubricating oil that are scraped up by the protruding supply member 61 provided on the first carrier 35c. Foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil stored in the oil receiving member 63 is adsorbed onto the tip surface 51a of the sensor 51. That is, oil droplets of lubricating oil scraped up by the supply member 61 reach the sensor 51 either when they directly adhere to the sensor 51 or when they are received and stored in the oil receiving member 63. Therefore, the sensor 51 can detect foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil stored in the oil receiving member 63, in addition to oil droplets that directly adhere to itself 51.

[0066] According to the third embodiment described above, similar to the first embodiment described above, the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 is attached to the casing 40 at a position higher than the oil level F inside the casing 40. Therefore, the procedure of draining the lubricating oil is unnecessary when maintaining the sensor 51 including the adsorbent body, and the maintainability of the sensor 51 including the adsorbent body is improved. Furthermore, since the supply member 61 provided on the first carrier 35c (first rotating member) of the reduction gear 32B (gear device) is configured to supply lubricating oil from the casing 40 to the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 by moving from a position lower than the oil level F to a position higher than the oil level F, even if the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 is attached at a position higher than the oil level F, foreign matter can be detected by the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 adsorbing foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil.

[0067] [Fourth Embodiment] Next, a construction machine according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 10. Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the reduction gear of the construction machine according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, taken from the same direction as the cross-sectional view of the reduction gear shown in Figure 3. In Figure 10, parts with the same reference numerals as those shown in Figures 1 to 9 are the same parts, so their detailed explanation will be omitted. In Figure 10, the thick arrow indicates the rotation direction of the first carrier 35c of the first stage planetary gear reduction mechanism 35.

[0068] The construction machine according to the fourth embodiment shown in Figure 10 differs from the first embodiment in that the mounting position of the sensor 51 on the casing 40 of the reduction gear 32C is different. Specifically, in the reduction gear 32 of the first embodiment, a mounting hole 43b is provided at the highest point of the region where the first space S1 is formed in the second case 43 of the casing 40, and the sensor 51 is mounted in the mounting hole 43b (see Figure 2). In contrast, in the reduction gear 32C of this embodiment, a mounting hole 43c is provided at a position lower than the highest point of the region where the first space S1 is formed in the second case 43 of the casing 40, and higher than the oil level F of the lubricating oil, and the sensor 51 is mounted in the mounting hole 43c. In the region where the first space S1 is formed in the second case 43, space can be secured to accommodate both the protruding supply member 61 provided on the first carrier 35c and the sensor 51.

[0069] The sensor 51 is mounted at a high position, inclined at approximately 45° with respect to the lubricating oil level F, as shown in Figure 10, for example. The angle of inclination of the sensor 51 with respect to the lubricating oil level F is arbitrary, as long as the mounting position of the sensor 51 in the second case 43 is higher than the lubricating oil level F. The sensor 51 is mounted so that its tip surface 51a, which attracts foreign matter, faces the rotation axis of the first carrier 35c of the first stage planetary gear reduction mechanism 35. The sensor 51 is also mounted, for example, on the side of the second case 43 opposite to the forward direction of the hydraulic excavator 1 (the reverse direction side). This is intended to reduce the chances of contact between the sensor 51 and obstacles when the hydraulic excavator 1 is moving forward.

[0070] In this embodiment, the sensor 51 is mounted on the second case 43 at a position higher than the oil level F of the lubricating oil in the second case 43 and lower than the highest point. When the first carrier 35c rotates in the first rotational direction (thick arrow) in response to the forward movement of the hydraulic excavator 1 operator, the lubricating oil is stirred up in the first rotational direction by the supply member 61 provided on the first carrier 35c and reaches the sensor 51. Since the sensor 51 in this embodiment is closer to the lubricating oil level F than in the first embodiment, oil droplets of lubricating oil stirred up by the supply member 61 can reach it more easily.

[0071] According to the fourth embodiment described above, similar to the first embodiment described above, the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 is attached to the casing 40 at a position higher than the oil level F inside the casing 40. Therefore, the procedure of draining the lubricating oil is unnecessary when maintaining the sensor 51 including the adsorbent body, and the maintainability of the sensor 51 including the adsorbent body is improved. Furthermore, since the supply member 61 provided on the first carrier 35c (first rotating member) of the reduction gear 32C (gear device) is configured to supply lubricating oil from the casing 40 to the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 by moving from a position lower than the oil level F to a position higher than the oil level F, even if the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 is attached at a position higher than the oil level F, foreign matter can be detected by the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 adsorbing foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil.

[0072] [Modified version of the fourth embodiment] Next, a construction machine relating to a modified example of the fourth embodiment will be described using Figure 11. Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the reduction gear of the construction machine relating to a modified example of the fourth embodiment, taken from the same direction as the cross-sectional view of the reduction gear shown in Figure 3. In Figure 11, parts with the same reference numerals as those shown in Figures 1 to 10 are the same parts, so their detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0073] The construction machine according to the modified version of the fourth embodiment shown in Figure 11 differs from the fourth embodiment in the mounting orientation of the sensor 51 attached to the second case 43 of the casing 40 of the reduction gear 32D. Specifically, in the reduction gear 32C of the fourth embodiment, the sensor 51 is attached to the second case 43 of the casing 40 so that its tip surface 51 faces the rotation axis of the first carrier 35c of the first stage planetary gear reduction mechanism 35 (see Figure 10). In contrast, in the reduction gear 32D of this modified version, the sensor 51 is attached to the second case 43 of the casing 40 so that its tip surface 51 faces the oil level F of the lubricating oil inside the casing 40. That is, the tip surface 51a of the sensor 51 faces downward in the vertical direction.

[0074] Specifically, a sensor case 53D is mounted in a mounting hole 43d located lower than the highest point of the second case 43 and higher than the oil level F of the lubricating oil. The sensor case 53D is a cylindrical case extending vertically and has a lid on its upper side. A female thread is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the sensor case 53D. The sensor 51 has a male thread 51b. The sensor 51 is mounted inside the sensor case 53D by screwing the male thread 51b into the female thread of the sensor case 53D, so that the tip portion including the tip surface 51a protrudes into the inside of the second case 43. As a result, the tip surface 51a of the sensor 51 is positioned so that it faces downward in the vertical direction and towards the oil level F of the lubricating oil inside the casing 40. A sensor seal 52 is sandwiched between the sensor case 53D and the sensor 51. This configuration makes it easier for oil droplets of lubricating oil, which are scraped up in the first rotational direction (thick arrow) by the supply member 61 provided on the first carrier 35c, to adhere to the tip surface 51a of the sensor 51, and also makes it easier for oil droplets adhering to parts of the sensor 51 other than the tip surface 51a to flow down to the tip surface 51a.

[0075] In the modified version of the fourth embodiment described above, similar to the fourth embodiment described above, the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 is attached to the casing 40 at a position higher than the oil level F inside the casing 40. This eliminates the need to drain the lubricating oil during maintenance of the sensor 51 including the adsorbent body, thus improving the maintainability of the sensor 51 including the adsorbent body. Furthermore, since the supply member 61 provided on the first carrier 35c (first rotating member) of the reduction gear 32D (gear device) is configured to supply lubricating oil from the casing 40 to the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 by moving from a position lower than the oil level F to a position higher than the oil level F, even if the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 is attached at a position higher than the oil level F, the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 can adsorb foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil, making it possible to detect foreign matter.

[0076] [Fifth Embodiment] Next, a construction machine according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 12 and 13. Figure 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the reduction gear of the construction machine according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, taken from the same direction as the longitudinal cross-sectional view of the reduction gear shown in Figure 2. Figure 13 is a schematic perspective view showing the second carrier of the second planetary gear mechanism in the reduction gear of the construction machine according to the fifth embodiment shown in Figure 12. In Figures 12 and 13, parts with the same reference numerals as those shown in Figures 1 to 11 are the same parts, so their detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0077] The construction machine according to the fifth embodiment shown in Figure 12 differs from the first embodiment in that the mounting position of the sensor 51 on the casing 40 of the reduction gear 32E is different. In the first embodiment, the reduction gear 32 has the sensor 51 mounted in the area where the first space S1 is formed in the second case 43 of the casing 40 (see Figure 2). In contrast, in this embodiment, the reduction gear 32E has the sensor 51 mounted in the area where the second space S2 is formed in the third case 44 of the casing 40.

[0078] Specifically, as shown in Figure 12, the sensor 51 is detachably attached to the third case 44 of the casing 40 at a position higher than the oil level F of the lubricating oil (upper position). More specifically, a mounting hole 44e for attaching the sensor 51 is provided at the highest point of the portion of the third case 44 where the second space S2 without internal teeth 44a is formed. The sensor case 53E is attached to the mounting hole 44e. The sensor case 53E is a cylindrical case with a lid on the upper side. A female thread is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the sensor case 53E. The sensor 51 has a male thread 51b. The sensor 51 is attached inside the sensor case 53E by screwing the male thread 51b into the female thread of the sensor case 53E, so that the tip portion including the tip surface 51a protrudes into the second space S2 inside the third case 44. For example, the tip surface 51a of the sensor 51 is oriented in the direction of the rotation axis of the planetary gear mechanism 35, 36. A sensor seal 52 is sandwiched between the sensor case 53E and the sensor 51.

[0079] In this embodiment, a supply member 61E is provided on one axial side surface 36c2 of the second carrier 36c of the second stage planetary gear mechanism 36 located inside the third case 44 to which the sensor 51 is attached. This supply member 61E supplies a portion of the lubricating oil stored inside the casing 40 to the sensor 51. The supply member 61E is configured to move between a position below and above the oil level F of the lubricating oil as the second carrier 36c rotates. Specifically, as shown in Figure 13, the supply member 61E is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a first opening 61E1 that opens in the first rotation direction and a second opening 61E2 that opens in the rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction. The supply member 61E has a partition in the cylindrical middle section so that the first opening 61E1 and the second opening 61E2 do not communicate with each other. The supply member 61E with this configuration rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the second carrier 36c shown in Figure 12, and functions as a pumping member that pumps up a portion of the lubricating oil stored inside the casing 40 from the first opening 61E1 or the second opening 61E2 by moving from a position lower than the oil level F to a position higher than the oil level F. The bottomed cylindrical supply member 61E, which functions as a pumping member, is arranged in multiples (six in Figure 13) at intervals in the circumferential direction of the second carrier 36c, as shown in Figure 13. The supply member 61E can be formed integrally with the second carrier 36c or separately. The supply member 61E, which functions as a pumping member, is positioned radially outward from the tip surface 51a of the sensor 51, as shown in Figure 12. It is possible to provide at least one supply member 61E on the second carrier 36c. Since the shape of the supply member 61E, which functions as a pumping member, is complex, it is preferable to attach a separately processed one to the second carrier 36c, and it is possible to manufacture it using a metal 3D printer. Furthermore, the supply member 61E, which serves as the pumping member, can be configured not only as the cylindrical shape shown in Figure 13, but also as a roughly rectangular protrusion with an opening that opens in the rotational direction.

[0080] In the region where the second space S2 is formed in the third case 44, as shown in Figure 12, it is possible to secure space to accommodate both the supply member (pumping member) 61E and the sensor 51 provided on the second carrier 36c.

[0081] An oil receiver 66 for receiving lubricating oil is attached to the sensor case 53E or the third case 44. The oil receiver 66 has a roughly L-shaped cross-section, with the L-shaped axial projection extending from the drive wheel 14 side toward one axial side 36c2 of the second carrier 36c of the second stage planetary gear mechanism 36. The oil receiver 66 is positioned such that the tip of the L-shaped axial projection is located radially inward of the cylindrical supply member (pumping member) 61E provided on the second carrier 36c, and the middle position of the projection is located radially inward of the tip surface 51a of the sensor 51. The L-shaped axial projection of the oil receiver 66 has a structure that slopes downward from the tip to the base.

[0082] In this embodiment, when the second carrier 36c shown in Figure 13 is rotated in the first rotational direction (thick arrow), the supply member 61E, which is a pumping member provided on the second carrier 36c, rotates and passes through the lubricating oil stored in the casing 40 shown in Figure 12, thereby pumping up a portion of the lubricating oil through the first opening 61E1. When the supply member 61E, which has pumped up the lubricating oil, moves above the oil level F of the lubricating oil, the pumped-up lubricating oil gradually spills out from the first opening 61E1. At this time, the oil receiver 66 receives and stores the lubricating oil flowing out from the supply member 61E. The lubricating oil stored in the oil receiver 66 reaches the tip surface 51a of the sensor 51. If the lubricating oil contains foreign matter, the tip surface 51a of the sensor 51 attracts the foreign matter, and the sensor 51 detects the foreign matter.

[0083] According to the fifth embodiment described above, since the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 is attached to the casing 40 at a position higher than the oil level F inside the casing 40, the procedure of draining the lubricating oil during maintenance of the sensor 51 including the adsorbent body is eliminated, improving the maintainability of the sensor 51 including the adsorbent body. Furthermore, since the supply member 61E, which acts as a pumping member provided on the second carrier 36c (first rotating member) of the reduction gear 32E (gear device), is configured to supply lubricating oil from the casing 40 to the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 by moving from a position lower than the oil level F to a position higher than the oil level F, even if the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 is attached at a position higher than the oil level F, foreign matter can be detected by the adsorbent body of the sensor 51 adsorbing foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil.

[0084] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the supply member 61E provided on the second carrier 36c (first rotating member) has openings 61E1 and 61E2 that open in the rotational direction of the second carrier 36c (first rotating member), and is configured to pump up a portion of the lubricating oil stored inside the casing 40 from the openings 61E1 and 61E2 as it moves from a position lower than the oil level F to a position higher than the oil level F.

[0085] With this configuration, even when the rotation speed of the second carrier 36c (first rotating member) is low, the supply member 61E provided on the second carrier 36c (first rotating member) can pump up lubricating oil from the openings 61E1 and 61E2 and supply it to the adsorption body of the sensor 51.

[0086] [Sixth Embodiment] Next, a construction machine according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described using Figures 14 to 16. In Figures 14 to 16, parts with the same reference numerals as those shown in Figures 1 to 13 are similar parts, so their detailed explanation will be omitted. Figure 14 is a configuration diagram showing a network of multiple computers used by the construction machine according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[0087] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 14, in addition to the controller 90, a server computer 101, a service computer 111, and an administrator computer 112 are used. The arrows in Figure 14 indicate the flow of data. Each computer 101, 111, and 112, like the controller 90, is equipped with a processor (e.g., CPU) and a storage device (e.g., memory), and is configured so that the processor can execute various processes based on the programs stored in the storage device.

[0088] The controller 90 of the hydraulic excavator 1 collects detection data from a foreign object detection sensor and transmits it to a server computer 101 (hereinafter referred to as the server) via a wireless communication device 91 or the like. Based on this data, the server 101 diagnoses the lubricating oil of the hydraulic excavator 1 and transmits the diagnosis results to a service computer 111 and an administrator computer 112.

[0089] Here, we will explain the flow of lubrication oil diagnosis performed on server 101 using Figure 15. Figure 15 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for diagnosing the lubrication oil of the speed reducer performed by the server in the network shown in Figure 14.

[0090] The flow shown in Figure 15 is a repetitive process. Processing begins after the operation of the hydraulic excavator 1, and data detected by the sensor 51 is sent to the server 101 at predetermined time intervals set by a timer, for example, every hour. Based on this data, the server 101 performs diagnostic processing.

[0091] First, the server 101 (processor (the same applies to the following processes)) starts measuring the amount of foreign matter attached to the sensor 51 of the hydraulic excavator 1 (step S10).

[0092] Next, the server 101 starts counting the amount of foreign matter in the lubricating oil based on the detection data from the sensor 51, and determines whether the change index value, which indicates the degree of change from the amount of foreign matter counted in the past to the amount of foreign matter counted this time, exceeds a preset threshold (step S20). As the change index value, for example, the difference between the previous measurement value and the current measurement value, the number of changes in measurement values ​​per hour obtained by dividing the difference by the operating time, or the moving average of the most recent predetermined number of measurement values ​​can be used.

[0093] Figure 16 shows an example of foreign matter measurement using a foreign matter detection sensor. Figure 16 is a diagram showing an example of the change in the amount of foreign matter detected in lubricating oil with respect to operating time by a foreign matter detection sensor. In the example shown in Figure 16, the amount of foreign matter Q tends to increase with increasing operating time T. Furthermore, the slope of the amount of adhesion changes significantly at a certain operating time.

[0094] In this embodiment, the server 101 is configured to diagnose an abnormality if the change index value increases by more than 10% compared to the previous value. If the change in the change index value exceeds 10%, the process proceeds to step S30. On the other hand, if the change in the change index value is 10% or less, the server 101 determines that the state of the reduction gear 32 is normal (no damage to the gears) and proceeds to step S40.

[0095] In step S30, the server 101 notifies the service computer 111 and the administrator computer 112 that an abnormality has occurred in the reduction gear 32 of the hydraulic excavator 1. As a result, the operation of the hydraulic excavator 1 is stopped. The reduction gear 32 is disassembled and the condition of the gears is checked.

[0096] Meanwhile, in step S40, the server 101 saves the measured value of the foreign object and waits until the next processing start timing.

[0097] As described above, performing anomaly diagnosis on the server 101 allows for early detection of abnormalities in the reduction gear 32, thereby suppressing an increase in the downtime of the hydraulic excavator 1.

[0098] Furthermore, the processing related to the flow in Figure 15 can also be executed by the controller 90. Alternatively, the processing related to the flow in Figure 15 can be executed by a microcomputer mounted within the sensor 51.

[0099] [Other embodiments] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the first to sixth embodiments and their variations described above, but includes various variations. The above embodiments are described in detail for the purpose of explaining the present invention in an easy-to-understand manner, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. For example, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace parts of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

[0100] For example, it is possible to combine the configurations of the first and fifth embodiments described above. That is, it is possible to mount the sensor 51 on both the second case 43 and the third case 44 of the reduction gear casing 40. In this case, a scraping member 61 as a supply member is provided on the first carrier 35c of the first stage planetary gear mechanism 35, and a suction member 61E as a supply member is provided on the second carrier 36c of the second stage planetary gear mechanism 36.

[0101] Furthermore, it is possible to replace the configuration of the fifth embodiment described above with the configuration of the first embodiment. Specifically, the second carrier 36c can be configured to be provided with the supply member 61 as a scraping member of the first embodiment, rather than the supply member 61E as a pumping member of the fifth embodiment.

[0102] Furthermore, in the embodiments and their modifications described above, examples were shown in which the reduction gears 32, 32A, 32B, 32C, 32D, and 32E have a sensor 51. However, the present invention can be applied not only to reduction gears but also to gear devices such as speed increasers that include multiple rotating members such as gears.

[0103] In the embodiments and their modifications described above, examples of configurations in which the sensor 51 is attached to the casing 40 of the speed reducer were shown. However, instead of attaching the sensor 51 to the casing 40 of the speed reducer, it is also possible to attach an adsorbent capable of adsorbing foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil to the casing 40. Even in this configuration, it is possible to diagnose whether there is any abnormality in the lubricating oil of the speed reducer by removing the adsorbent from the casing 40 and visually checking the foreign matter adsorbed on the adsorbent.

[0104] Furthermore, the configurations of the controller 90 and server 101 in the above-described embodiment, as well as the functions and execution processes of each configuration, may be partially or entirely implemented in hardware (for example, by designing the logic for executing each function using an integrated circuit). Also, the configurations of the controller 90 and server 101 may be implemented as programs (software) whose functions are realized by being read and executed by an arithmetic processing unit (e.g., a CPU). Information related to such programs can be stored, for example, in semiconductor memory (flash memory, SSD, etc.), magnetic storage devices (hard disk drives, etc.), and recording media (magnetic disks, optical disks, etc.). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0105] 1...Hydraulic excavator (construction machine), 32, 32A, 32B, 32C, 32D, 32E...Reduction gear (gear device), 35...First stage planetary gear mechanism (planetary gear mechanism), 35a...First sun gear (sun gear), 35b...First planetary gear (planetary gear), 35c...First carrier (carrier, first rotating member), 36...Second stage planetary gear mechanism (planetary gear mechanism), 36a...Second sun gear (sun gear), 36b...Second planetary gear (planetary gear), 36c...Second carrier (carrier, first rotating member), 40...Casing, 43...Second case, 44...Third case, 51...Foreign object detector (detector), 61...Supply member, 61E...Supply member, 61E1, 61E2...Opening, 62...Guide member, 62b...Protrusion, 62c...Groove

Claims

1. Equipped with a gear system that transmits power from a rotary drive source, The gear device is Multiple rotating members that transmit the rotation of the aforementioned rotational drive source, A casing that houses the plurality of rotating members and is capable of storing lubricating oil for lubricating the plurality of rotating members, In a construction machine comprising an adsorbent that is detachably attached to the casing and capable of adsorbing magnetic foreign matter contained in lubricating oil, The adsorbent is installed inside the casing at a position higher than the oil level where the lubricating oil is stored. The gear device has multiple scraping members provided on a first rotating member, which is one of the plurality of rotating members, and is arranged so that the positions of the adsorbent and the gear device in the axial direction overlap. The scraping member is configured to supply a portion of the lubricating oil stored inside the casing to the adsorbent by moving from a position lower than the oil level to a position higher than the oil level. It is configured to protrude radially from the radially outer end face of the first rotating member and to be plate-shaped along the axial direction of the gear device, and to scrape up the lubricating oil stored inside the casing by rotating in conjunction with the rotation of the first rotating member. A construction machine characterized by the following features.

2. A gear device for transmitting power from a rotary drive source, The gear device is Multiple rotating members that transmit the rotation of the aforementioned rotational drive source, A casing that houses the plurality of rotating members and is capable of storing lubricating oil for lubricating the plurality of rotating members, In a construction machine comprising an adsorbent that is detachably attached to the casing and capable of adsorbing magnetic foreign matter contained in lubricating oil, The adsorbent is installed inside the casing at a position higher than the oil level where the lubricating oil is stored. The gear apparatus has a supply member provided on a first rotating member, which is one of the plurality of rotating members, and configured to move between a position lower than the oil level and a position higher than the oil level as the first rotating member rotates. The supply member is configured to supply a portion of the lubricating oil stored inside the casing to the adsorbent by moving from a position lower than the oil level to a position higher than the oil level. The supply member has an opening that opens in the direction of rotation of the first rotating member, and is configured to draw up a portion of the lubricating oil stored inside the casing from the opening by moving from a position lower than the oil level to a position higher than the oil level. A construction machine characterized by the following features.

3. In the construction machine according to claim 1 or 2, The gear device includes a planetary gear mechanism having a sun gear, planetary gears, and a carrier. The first rotating member is the carrier of the planetary gear mechanism. A construction machine characterized by the following features.

4. In the construction machine according to claim 1 or 2, The gear device further includes a guide member attached to the inner circumferential surface side of the casing at a position adjacent to the adsorbent, The guide member is configured to guide oil droplets of lubricating oil adhering to the guide member to the adsorbent. A construction machine characterized by the following features.

5. In the construction machine described in claim 4, The guide member has a protruding portion or groove that is inclined to be located downward as it approaches the adsorbent. A construction machine characterized by the following features.

6. In the construction machine according to claim 1 or 2, The adsorbent body constitutes part of a detector that detects foreign matter contained in the lubricating oil. The detector, including the adsorbent, is detachably attached to the casing. A construction machine characterized by the following features.

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