# US 12,000,118 B2 · Construction machine

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- Number: US 12,000,118 B2
- Document ID: US12000118B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/765,570
- Filed: 2020-09-30
- Published: 2022-11-17
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2019-10-03
- Assignees: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Juri Shimizu; Kenji Hiraku; Hiromasa Takahashi; Teppei Saitoh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000118B2

## CPC

- E02F 9/265: {with follow-up actions (e.g. control signals sent to actuate the work tool)}
- E02F 3/425: {Drive systems for dipper-arms, backhoes or the like}
- E02F 3/436: {for keeping the dipper in the horizontal position, e.g. self-levelling}
- E02F 3/437: {providing automatic sequences of movements, e.g. linear excavation, keeping dipper angle constant}
- E02F 9/2228: {including an electronic controller}
- E02F 9/2235: {including an electronic controller}
- E02F 9/2267: {Valves or distributors (position of valves arrangements on upper-structures E02F9/0875)}
- E02F 9/2289: {Closed circuit}
- E02F 9/2292: {Systems with two or more pumps}
- E02F 9/2296: {Systems with a variable displacement pump}
- E02F 9/2217: {with energy recovery arrangements, e.g. using accumulators, flywheels}
- F15B 7/006: {Rotary pump input}
- F15B 2211/20523: Internal combustion engine
- F15B 2211/20538: constant capacity
- F15B 2211/20546: variable capacity
- F15B 2211/20561: reversible
- F15B 2211/20569: capable of working as pump and motor
- F15B 2211/20576: with multiple pumps
- F15B 2211/27: Directional control by means of the pressure source
- F15B 2211/3059: having multiple valves for multiple output members
- F15B 2211/327: electrically or electronically
- F15B 2211/41572: being connected to a pressure source and an output member
- F15B 2211/426: electrically or electronically
- F15B 2211/613: Feeding circuits
- F15B 2211/6336: representing a state of the output member, e.g. position, speed or acceleration
- F15B 2211/6346: representing a state of input means, e.g. joystick position
- F15B 2211/6652: Control of the pressure source, e.g. control of the swash plate angle
- F15B 2211/6654: Flow rate control
- F15B 2211/6658: Control using different modes, e.g. four-quadrant-operation, working mode and transportation mode
- F15B 2211/7053: Double-acting output members
- F15B 2211/7142: the output members being arranged in multiple groups
- F15B 2211/785: Compensation of the difference in flow rate in closed fluid circuits using differential actuators
- E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00)
- F15B: SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A construction machine makes it possible for an operator to linearly push a bucket by operating an arm in a pushing direction. A controller is configured to, in case a straight locus is selected by a bucket locus selecting device, calculate a constant flow rate ratio according to a boom initial angle that is an angle of a boom sensed by a boom angle sensor at a time point when an arm is operated in a pushing direction by an operation device, and control the delivery flow rate of a first hydraulic pump such that a hydraulic fluid is discharged from a boom cylinder cap chamber at a flow rate obtained by multiplying a flow rate of a flow supplied to an arm cylinder cap chamber by the flow rate ratio while the arm is operated in the pushing direction and there is no boom operating instruction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A construction machine comprising:
a boom;
an arm pivotably attached to the boom;
a bucket pivotably attached to the arm;
a boom cylinder that drives the boom in a raising direction by extending operation, and drives the boom in a lowering direction by retracting operation;
an arm cylinder that drives the arm in a pushing direction by extending operation, and drives the arm in a crowding direction by retracting operation;
an operation device that operates the boom and the arm;
a bidirectionally tiltable first hydraulic pump that can be connected to the boom cylinder to form a closed circuit;
a bidirectionally tiltable second hydraulic pump that can be connected to the arm cylinder to form a closed circuit; and
a controller that, according to operation of the operation device, controls a flow rate of a hydraulic fluid supplied from the first hydraulic pump to the boom cylinder and a flow rate of the hydraulic fluid supplied from the second hydraulic pump to the arm cylinder, wherein
the construction machine includes
a boom angle sensor that senses an angle of the boom, and
a bucket locus selecting device that selects either one of an arc locus and a straight locus as a movement locus of the bucket, the movement locus being according to operation of the arm in the pushing direction, and
the controller is configured to,
in a case where the straight locus is selected by the bucket locus selecting device, calculate a constant flow rate ratio according to a boom initial angle that is the angle of the boom sensed by the boom angle sensor at a time point when the arm is operated in the pushing direction by the operation device, and control a delivery flow rate of the first hydraulic pump such that the hydraulic fluid is discharged from a cap chamber of the boom cylinder at a flow rate obtained by multiplying a rate of a flow supplied to a cap chamber of the arm cylinder by the flow rate ratio while the arm is operated in the pushing direction by the operation device and there is not an instruction for operation of the boom, and
control a delivery flow rate of the second hydraulic pump such that the hydraulic fluid is absorbed from the cap chamber of the arm cylinder by the second hydraulic pump at a flow rate according to input of the operation device independently of a selection state of the bucket locus selecting device while the arm is operated in the crowding direction by the operation device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The construction machine according to claim 1, further comprising:
an arm angle sensor that senses an angle of the arm, wherein
the controller is configured to calculate the flow rate ratio on a basis of the boom initial angle and an arm initial angle that is the angle of the arm sensed at the arm angle sensor at a time point when the arm is operated in the pushing direction by the operation device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The construction machine according to claim 2, further comprising:
a pushing angle instructing device that gives an instruction for a ground angle that is an angle of the straight locus relative to a ground, wherein
the controller is configured to decide the flow rate ratio on a basis of the boom initial angle, the arm initial angle, and the ground angle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The construction machine according to claim 1, comprising:
a plurality of hydraulic actuators including the boom cylinder and the arm cylinder;
a plurality of hydraulic pumps including the first hydraulic pump and the second hydraulic pump; and
a plurality of selector valves that can switch states of connection between the plurality of hydraulic actuators and the plurality of hydraulic pumps.