# US 2013/0239558 A1 · Work vehicle and method for controlling a work vehicle

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- Number: US 2013/0239558 A1
- Document ID: US20130239558A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/702,731
- Filed: 2012-05-09
- Published: 2013-09-19
- Earliest claimed: 2012-03-15
- Assignees: Komatsu Ltd.
- Inventors: Atsushi Shirao
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130239558A1

## CPC

- E02F 9/20: Drives; Control devices (gearings in general F16H; controlling in general G05; electric multi-motor drives H02K, H02P)
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/30: including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
- E02F 9/2246: {Control of prime movers, e.g. depending on the hydraulic load of work tools}
- E02F 9/2253: {Controlling the travelling speed of vehicles, e.g. adjusting travelling speed according to implement loads, control of hydrostatic transmission}
- E02F 9/2289: {Closed circuit}
- E02F 9/2292: {Systems with two or more pumps}
- E02F 9/2296: {Systems with a variable displacement pump}
- F16H 61/421: Motor capacity control by electro-hydraulic control means, e.g. using solenoid valves
- F16H 61/468: for achieving a target input torque
- B60W 2510/0638: Engine speed
- B60W 2710/0666: Engine torque
- B60W 2710/1088: pressure of working fluid
- B60Y 2200/412: Excavators
- F16H 2059/6861: {the pressures, e.g. high, low or differential pressures}
- E02F: DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING (winning peat E21C49/00)
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- F16H: GEARING
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY

## Abstract

In a work vehicle, a control section increases the displacement of a hydraulic motor for travel when the drive circuit pressure becomes larger than a target pressure determined according to the engine rotational speed, and reduces the displacement of the hydraulic motor when the drive circuit pressure becomes smaller than the target pressure. The control section increases the target pressure of the hydraulic motor for travel when changing the matching point of the absorption torque curve of the hydraulic pump with respect to the output torque curve of the engine.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A work vehicle comprising:
an engine;
a variable displacement type hydraulic pump for travel driven by the engine;
a variable displacement type hydraulic motor for travel driven by a hydraulic oil ejected from the hydraulic pump for travel;
a pressure detecting section configured to detect a drive circuit pressure which is the pressure of the hydraulic oil fed from the hydraulic pump for travel to the hydraulic motor for travel;
an engine controller configured to adjust an output torque from the engine, and
a control section configured to increase a displacement of the hydraulic motor for travel when the drive circuit pressure becomes larger than a target pressure determined according to an engine rotational speed, to reduce the displacement of the hydraulic motor for travel when the drive circuit pressure becomes smaller than the target pressure, and to increase the target pressure of the hydraulic motor for travel when changing a matching point of an absorption torque curve of the hydraulic pump for travel with respect to an output torque curve of the engine from a high rotational speed side to a low rotational speed side.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
the control section is configured to set the target pressure based on a target pressure curve that stipulates the target pressure with respect to the engine rotational speed,
the target pressure curve includes a first target pressure curve, and a second target pressure curve that stipulates the target pressure larger than the first target pressure curve at the same engine rotational speed, and
the control section is configured to change the target pressure curve for setting the target pressure from the first target pressure curve to the second target pressure curve, when changing the matching point from the high rotational speed side to the low rotational speed side.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein,
the control section is configured to reduce the target pressure of the hydraulic motor for travel, when changing the matching point from the low rotational speed side to the high rotational speed side.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The work vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising
an accelerator operating member operated by an operator,
a vehicle speed detecting section configured to detect a vehicle speed, and
the control section is configured to change the matching point from the low rotational speed side to the high rotational speed side, when a first condition of satisfying that the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a prescribed speed, that an amount of operation of the accelerator operating member is equal to or more than a prescribed amount, that the engine rotational speed is equal to or lower than a prescribed rotational speed, and that the drive circuit pressure is equal to or more than a prescribed pressure, is satisfied.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The work vehicle according to claim 1, wherein
the control section is configured to change the matching point from the high rotational speed side to the low rotational speed side, when a second condition that a vehicle speed or the drive circuit pressure becomes equal to or lower than a prescribed value is satisfied.

### Claim 6

A method of controlling a work vehicle including an engine, a variable displacement type hydraulic pump for travel driven by the engine, a variable displacement type hydraulic motor for travel driven by a hydraulic oil ejected from the hydraulic pump for travel, and a pressure detecting section that detects a drive circuit pressure which is a pressure of the hydraulic oil fed from the hydraulic pump for travel to the hydraulic motor for travel, the method of controlling comprising:
increasing a displacement of the hydraulic motor for travel when the drive circuit pressure becomes larger than a target pressure determined according to an engine rotational speed, and reducing the displacement of the hydraulic motor for travel when the drive circuit pressure becomes smaller than the target pressure, and
increasing the target pressure of the hydraulic motor for travel when changing a matching point of an absorption torque curve of the hydraulic pump for travel with respect to an output torque curve of the engine from a high rotational speed side to a low rotational speed side.