JP2005133811A - Automatic grease supply device for construction machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a structure capable of supplying grease on the basis of a specific standard without affected by a level of skill and individual difference by integrating an operation time of a construction machine and automatically supplying the grease when the operation time becomes a specific time. <P>SOLUTION: This automatic grease supply device for the construction machine comprises a grease supply pump 26 for supplying the grease to a place P needing the supply of grease, of the construction machine, a controller part 22 for controlling the start and stop of the grease supply pump 26, and a hour meter 23 for integrating the operation time of the construction machine. The controller part 22 drives the grease supply pump 26 for a predetermined time when the operation time integrated by the hour meter 23 becomes a predetermined time to automatically supply the necessary amount of grease. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic greasing apparatus for a construction machine, and more particularly to an automatic greasing apparatus for a construction machine that automatically supplies a lubricant to a pin bearing or the like that requires greasing of the construction machine. .

The construction machine includes a boom, an arm, a bucket, and a plurality of cylinders for swinging them, and these are supported by a pin so as to be swingable. By swinging in the vertical direction using the pin support as a fulcrum, Each member is free to be refracted. Accordingly, a lubricant such as grease or oil is supplied to these pin support portions and the like to prevent the generation of abnormal noise and seizure. (For example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).
JP-A-4-351400. JP-A-8-159386.

  In the inventions described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, when an operator operates a manual switch at a position away from the pin support portion, the greasing device operates and the lubricant supply to the pin support portion is automatically performed. It is structured to be done. However, it is entirely up to the operator to determine when to operate the manual switch. That is, conventionally, an operator makes a judgment by checking operating time, visual observation, sound, and the like, and greasing is performed by operating a manual switch.

  Therefore, when a plurality of construction machines are used while being switched by a large number of workers, it is difficult to grasp the operation time of each machine. Further, the lubrication varies depending on the skill level of the operator and the judgment criteria. For this reason, when the supply timing is delayed, insufficient lubrication occurs and a load is imposed on the machine. On the other hand, when the timing is too early, the lubricant leaks and stains the area around the greasing portion. Furthermore, the loss due to such a leakage of the lubricant has been large.

  In addition, the timing of lubricant supply depends on the usage conditions, for example, in cold regions and in extremely hot regions, or in droughts and in wetlands, and the working conditions such as soil quality and specific gravity. change. Furthermore, it varies depending on working conditions such as a usage mode, for example, a mode in which the mode is used continuously for a long time, or a mode in which the mode is used in small increments. Conventionally, however, all changes due to these work conditions are left to the operator's judgment, and the judgment varies.

  Therefore, the operating hours of the construction machine are added up so that the greasing is automatically performed when the working time reaches a predetermined time, and the greasing is performed on a constant basis without being affected by the skill level or individual differences. Therefore, a technical problem to be solved arises in order to achieve the above, and the present invention aims to solve this problem.

  The present invention has been proposed to achieve the above-described object, and a controller for controlling the start and stop of the greasing unit, which supplies a lubricant to a location where construction equipment needs to be lubricated. And an operating time integrating unit that integrates the operating time of the construction machine, and the controller unit sets the greasing unit in advance when the time accumulated by the operating time integrating unit reaches a preset accumulated time. An automatic greasing device for a construction machine that is driven for a predetermined time is provided.

  According to this configuration, the operation time integration means integrates the operation time of the construction machine and sends the time information to the controller unit. If it is determined that the operation time accumulated by the operation time accumulation means is a preset integration time, the controller unit drives the lubrication unit for a preset time and requires lubrication. The required amount of lubricant is automatically supplied to the location.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic greasing apparatus for a construction machine in which the controller section can arbitrarily adjust the setting of the accumulated time required until the greasing section is driven next time.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to arbitrarily adjust the setting of the optimum operation accumulated time according to work conditions such as a use environment and a use form.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic greasing apparatus for a construction machine, wherein the controller unit can arbitrarily adjust the setting of the time during which the greasing unit is driven.

  According to this structure, according to work conditions, such as a use environment and a usage form, the setting of the time when the greasing part is greasing can be adjusted arbitrarily.

  In the first aspect of the present invention, the controller unit drives the greasing unit for a predetermined time based on the operating time accumulated by the operating time accumulating means, and the lubricant is lubricated by the greasing unit. Regardless of the skill level of the operator and the variation in the judgment criteria, it is possible to automatically perform the required amount of lubrication at the required time. As a result, the construction machine can be protected and the loss of lubricant can be prevented.

  Since the invention according to claim 2 can arbitrarily set the optimum integration time from the previous lubrication to the next lubrication by the greasing unit, for example, according to the use environment and the use form of the construction machine, In addition to the effect of the first aspect of the invention, the construction machine can be further protected and the loss of the lubricant can be prevented.

  Since invention of Claim 3 can set arbitrarily the time during which greasing is performed by the greasing part, for example according to the use environment and use form of construction machinery, Claim 1 or 2 In addition to the effects of the invention, the construction machine can be further protected and the loss of lubricant can be prevented.

  A lubrication pump that supplies lubricant to a location that requires lubrication of a construction machine, a controller unit that controls start and stop of the grease pump, and an hour meter that integrates the operation time of the construction machine, When the operating time accumulated by the hour meter reaches a preset time, the controller unit drives the grease pump for a predetermined time, and a required amount of grease is automatically performed. .

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a hydraulic excavator as a construction machine to which the automatic greasing apparatus of the present invention is applied, and an automatic greasing apparatus incorporated in the hydraulic excavator.

  In FIG. 1, an excavator 10 has an upper swing body 13 mounted on a lower traveling body 11 via a swing mechanism 12 so as to be rotatable. The upper swing body 13 is provided with a cab 14 on one front side thereof, and a boom 15 is attached to the front center portion so as to be able to be raised and lowered. An arm 16 is attached to the tip of the boom 15 so as to be rotatable up and down, and a bucket 17 is attached to the tip of the arm 16. The boom 15, the arm 16, and the bucket 17 are supported so as to be swingable by pins, and each pin support portion needs to be lubricated.

  The automatic greasing device includes a greasing unit 21 that supplies grease as a lubricant to a location of the pin support portion that requires lubrication of a construction machine (for example, a location indicated by symbol P in the figure), and the greasing It comprises a controller unit 22 for controlling the start and stop of the unit 21, an hour meter 23 as an operating time integrating means for integrating the operating time of the construction machine, and an external input unit 30.

  The grease supply section 21 includes a grease tank 24 containing grease and a grease pump 26 that sends the grease in the grease tank 24 through the oil passage pipe 25 to a place P that needs to be greased. The oil and fat pump 26 is composed of a pump body 26a and a pump motor 26b, and a direct current motor is used for the pump motor 26b. When the oil pump 26 is supplied with power to the pump motor 26b and the pump motor 26b is rotated, the pump body 26a is operated by the rotation of the pump motor 26b. When the pump motor 26b is operated, the grease in the grease tank 24 is sucked into the oil passage pipe 25, and is sent through the oil passage pipe 25 to the point P that requires oil supply.

  The hour meter 23 has a function of integrating the operation time of the construction machine, in particular, the operation time of the place P requiring lubrication and outputting the integration result. Information on whether or not the portion P requiring lubrication is operating can be obtained from, for example, a sensor provided in each cylinder operating the boom 15, the arm 16, and the bucket 17. it can.

  The controller unit 22 includes a control circuit 27 and a relay 28 controlled by the control circuit 27.

  The control circuit 27 is a microcomputer (commonly referred to as “microcomputer”), and controls the operation of the pump motor 26b of the greasing section 21 via the relay 28 in accordance with a preprogrammed procedure. The operating time information accumulated by the hour meter 23 is input to the control circuit 27. The control circuit 27 controls the relay 28 so that power is supplied from a battery (not shown) for a certain period of time when the operation integration time reaches a preset operation time T.

  Note that the time T until the control circuit 27 operates the relay 28, that is, the operation time T and the time t during which the relay 28 is supplied with power can be arbitrarily set in advance using the external input unit 30, respectively. It is like that. The external input unit 30 is a numeric key switch, for example. That is, by using the external input unit 30, depending on the use environment, for example, in cold regions and in extremely hot regions, or in drought regions and in wet regions, the working conditions such as target soil quality and specific gravity. Thus, the optimum integration time T from the previous lubrication to the next lubrication can be arbitrarily set. In addition, the optimum integrated time T from the previous lubrication to the next lubrication is arbitrarily selected according to the working conditions such as the form of use, for example, the form of continuous use for a long time, or the form of use of small increments for a short time. Can be set to

  The relay 28 includes a solenoid 28a, a movable contact piece 28b that is switched by the solenoid 28a, and fixed contacts 28c and 28d to which the movable contact piece 28b is switched and connected. Normally, when the power supply to the solenoid 28a is cut off, the movable contact piece 28b is connected to the fixed contact 28c side to cut off the power supply to the pump motor 26b. On the other hand, when power is supplied to the solenoid 28a and the solenoid 28a operates, the movable contact piece 28b is switched and connected to the fixed contact 28d side to supply power to the pump motor 26. Further, when the power supply to the solenoid 28a is cut off, the pump motor 26b is stopped again by being connected to the fixed contact 28c side. In the circuit, a fuse 29 is provided as means for preventing an overcurrent from flowing in the circuit.

  Next, operation | movement of the automatic greasing apparatus of this invention is demonstrated according to the flowchart of FIG. When the location P that requires lubrication of the construction machine is driven, operation information is input to the hour meter 23 through a sensor or the like. The hour meter 23 adds up the operating time and sends information on the operating time to the control circuit 27. Based on the information from the hour meter 23, the control circuit 27 monitors whether or not the operating time has reached a set time T (for example, 500 hours) (step S1). When the set time T is not reached, the control circuit 27 maintains a state where the power supply to the solenoid 28a is cut off. Therefore, the pump motor 26b and the pump main body 26a of the greasing unit 21 are also stopped, and no lubrication is performed.

  On the other hand, when the set time T is reached, the control circuit 27 permits power supply from a battery (not shown) to the solenoid 28a of the relay 28. As a result, the solenoid 28a is driven, the movable contact piece 28b is switched from the connection with the fixed contact 28c to the connection with the fixed contact 28d (step S2), and power is supplied to the pump motor 26b. Thereby, the pump motor 26b rotates and the grease pump 26 is driven (step S3).

  When the grease pump 26 is driven, the grease in the grease tank 24 is sent into the oil passage pipe 25, and this grease passes through the oil passage pipe 25 and is sent to the place P where it is necessary to supply the grease. Is done.

  When the time during which power is supplied to the solenoid 28a reaches a preset time t (for example, 5 minutes), the control circuit 27 cuts off the power supply to the solenoid 28a. As a result, the movable contact piece 28b is switched from the connection with the fixed contact 28d to the connection with the fixed contact 28c (steps S4 and S5), the power supply to the pump motor 26b is also cut off, and the grease pump 26 stops ( Step S6). Thereby, the grease supply is also stopped and the automatic lubrication is completed. Then, the hour meter 23 newly starts operation time accumulation, and the control circuit 27 repeats the same operation when the set time T is reached based on the information from the hour meter 23.

  In the automatic greasing apparatus according to the present embodiment configured as described above, the control circuit 27 of the controller unit 22 controls the pump motor of the greasing unit 21 on the basis of the working time T accumulated by the hour meter 23 which is the working time integrating means. 26b is driven for a set time t and grease, which is a lubricant, is supplied, so that it is possible to automatically supply grease when needed regardless of the level of skill of the operator and variations in judgment criteria. . As a result, the construction machine can be protected and the loss of lubricant can be prevented.

  Also, the accumulated operation time T from the previous grease supply to the next grease supply and the time t during which the grease pump 26 is driven to supply the grease are optimal depending on, for example, the use environment and use form of the construction machine. Therefore, the construction machine can be protected and the lubricant can be prevented from being lost.

  It should be noted that the present invention can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention naturally extends to the modified ones.

The figure shows an embodiment of the present invention.
The whole block diagram which shows the circuit structure of the automatic greasing apparatus in this invention, and the external appearance structure of a hydraulic shovel. The flowchart which shows an example of the control procedure of a control circuit.

Explanation of symbols

21 greasing part 22 controller part 23 hour meter (operating time integrating means)
24 Grease tank 25 Oil passage pipe 26 Grease pump 26a Pump body 26b Pump motor 27 Control circuit 28 Relay 30 External input section

Claims (3)

  A lubrication section that supplies lubricant to a location where construction equipment needs to be lubricated, a controller section that controls the start and stop of the lubrication section, and an operation time integration means that integrates the operation time of the construction machine. An automatic greasing device for a construction machine, wherein the controller unit drives the greasing unit for a preset time when the time accumulated by the operating time integrating means reaches a preset accumulated time. .   2. The automatic greasing apparatus for a construction machine according to claim 1, wherein the controller unit can arbitrarily adjust the setting of the accumulated time required until the greasing unit is driven next time.   The automatic greasing apparatus for a construction machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller unit can arbitrarily adjust the setting of the time during which the greasing unit is driven.

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