JP2011106425A - Engine start control device of working machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem that conventionally-known fuel property detection technology cannot inhibit start of an engine securely even when fuel is determined as abnormal fuel as a result of property detection. <P>SOLUTION: When it is determined that a weight of a fuel tank reaches a predetermined value or more based on a detection signal from a tank weight measuring device 206, a fuel property in the fuel tank is identified by using an output of a fuel property sensor 204. According to the result, when the fuel is determined as the abnormal fuel, an identification result is transmitted to a remote operation instruction center 272. In response to a remote operation signal transmitted from the operation instruction center 272, a lock instruction signal is output from a control circuit 220 to a rotation lock mechanism 216. Thereby, rotation operation of an engine start key 208 is inhibited. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling start of an engine mounted on a work machine.

  Fuel supplied to the fuel tank prior to starting the engines mounted on construction machines such as excavators, wheel loaders, crawler cranes (defined by the Japan Construction Machinery Manufacturers Association) or various work machines such as material transporting machines There is known a technique for discriminating whether the fuel is illegal fuel or regular fuel by detecting the property of the fuel.

In Patent Document 1, a measurement chamber for storing a part of fuel that has been supplied is provided in a fuel tank, and when the fuel cap is detected by a fuel cap sensor, or when the fuel remaining amount sensor detects a fuel remaining amount. It is described that the fuel property is measured using a fuel property detection sensor when an increase in the amount is detected or when the engine is started.
Further, although it does not detect the properties of gasoline or light oil, Patent Document 2 discloses that when various types of sensors detect that the driver has entered the vehicle, liquid reduction is performed before the engine is started and the vehicle starts running. Techniques for measuring the concentration of the agent are described.

JP 2008-14741 A JP 2006-138275 A

  However, this type of property detection technology known in the past has a problem that even if it is determined that the fuel is illegal as a result of the property detection, it is not possible to reliably prohibit engine starting. .

The work machine according to the present invention includes a fuel property sensor attached to a fuel tank of the work machine, a cap open / close sensor for detecting opening / closing of a fuel cap attached to a fuel inlet of the fuel tank, and the fuel tank A weight measuring device for measuring the weight of the fuel tank through a vibration absorbing member attached to the bottom of the outer surface of the fuel tank, and detecting the opening of the fuel inlet by monitoring the output of the cap open / close sensor An opening detecting means, and a determining means for determining whether or not the weight of the fuel tank has reached a predetermined value or more based on an output of the weight measuring device when the opening detecting means detects that the fuel inlet has been opened; If the determination means determines that the weight of the fuel tank has reached a predetermined value or more, the output from the fuel property sensor is A property identifying means for identifying the fuel property in the fuel tank, a transmitting means for transmitting the identification result by the property identifying means to a remote work command station, and a remote operation signal transmitted from the work command station. When the receiving means for receiving and the remote operation signal obtained from the receiving means are signals for permitting engine start of the work machine, engine start is permitted, and for signals for prohibiting engine start, engine start is prohibited. Engine control means. Further, when the property identifying means identifies that the fuel in the fuel tank is illegal fuel, a signal for notifying that the fuel is illegal is sent to notification means provided inside or outside the cab. Notification control means can also be provided.
In response to a remote operation signal transmitted from the work command center, the engine control means may be configured to prohibit the rotation of the engine start key with respect to a lock mechanism that disables operation of the engine start key. . Alternatively, in response to a remote operation signal transmitted from the work command center, the engine control means can instruct the fuel supply system that controls the fuel supply amount to the engine to stop the fuel supply.

  According to the present invention, the remote operation signal corresponding to the fuel property identification result is received from the outside, and the engine start is permitted or prohibited based on the remote operation signal. Starting can be reliably prohibited.

1 is a side view showing an entire hydraulic excavator according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the engine starting control apparatus mounted in the hydraulic shovel of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which drew typically the relationship between the tank weight measuring device shown in FIG. 2, and a fuel tank. 3 is a flowchart showing a main routine executed by a control circuit of the engine start control device shown in FIG. 2. It is a flowchart which shows the unauthorized fuel processing routine shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing another main routine executed by the control circuit of the engine start control device shown in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing another main routine executed by the control circuit of the engine start control device shown in FIG. 2. FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a side view showing an entire hydraulic excavator according to an embodiment of the present invention. The hydraulic excavator shown in the figure includes an articulated front working unit 140 having a boom, an arm, and a bucket that rotate in a vertical direction, an upper revolving unit 100, and a lower traveling unit 150. A driver's cab (cab) 120 is provided at the left front portion of the upper swing body 100.

  A display unit 170 with a speaker is provided in the cab 120 to notify the operator that the fuel supplied is illegal (described in detail later). On the roof of the cab 120, an antenna for communicating with a remote work command center (described in detail later) is installed. Further, an oil supply cylinder 112 provided with a mounting base (not shown) of a fuel tank cap (hereinafter simply referred to as a cap) 110 protrudes from the upper swing body 110. Although a fuel tank is provided below the fuel supply cylinder 112, it is not drawn in FIG. 1 (the fuel tank 310 is shown in FIG. 3). Further, a warning light 160 is provided near the refueling cylinder 112. This warning lamp 160 is intermittently turned on when the fuel supplied is identified as an illegal fuel (details will be described later).

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the engine start control device 200 among the various control devices mounted on the hydraulic excavator. In this figure, 202 is a cap open / close sensor, and the cap 110 is attached to the oil supply cylinder 112 by turning on / off a push button type switch (not shown) attached to the inside of the cap 110 (see FIG. 1). It is possible to detect whether or not the fuel tank 112 is removed. A push button switch for detecting the opening and closing of the cap is known as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-189035, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted. The cap opening / closing sensor 202 outputs a cap opening / closing signal to a control circuit 220 (described in detail later).

  A fuel property sensor 204 is screwed (not shown) to the inner bottom surface of the fuel tank below the refueling cylinder 112. Various properties such as density (= specific gravity), kinematic viscosity, residual carbon, moisture, sulfur content, vanadium, sodium, asphaltene, octane number, cetane number, and hydrocarbon plasticity are known as fuel properties. In this embodiment, a density meter is used as the fuel property sensor 204 in order to detect whether it is regular light oil or illegal light oil. A sensor output lead wire (not shown) connected to the fuel property sensor 204 is led out from the upper portion of the fuel supply cylinder 112 along the side surface in the fuel tank. It should be noted that, instead of screwing to the inner bottom surface of the fuel tank, a through hole may be provided on the inner bottom surface of the fuel tank or a side surface near the bottom surface, and the fuel property sensor 204 may be attached to the through hole. When this attachment method is adopted, the sensor output lead wire can be directly attached to the connection terminal exposed to the outside of the fuel tank. A property detection signal is output from the fuel property sensor 204 to the control circuit 220.

  Reference numeral 206 denotes a tank weight measuring device that detects the weight of the entire tank including the weight of the fuel tank itself and the weight of the fuel supplied, and outputs a weight detection signal. The positional relationship between the tank weight measuring device 206 and the weight tank is shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 3, reference numeral 310 denotes a fuel tank, and a fuel supply cylinder 112 is provided on the upper part. A cap 110 is attached to the fuel filler port of the fuel filler tube 112. A circle in the fuel tank 310 represents the fuel property sensor 204 described above. A flat vibration absorbing plate (for example, a rubber plate or a gel-like flat plate) 320 is attached to the outer bottom surface of the fuel tank 310. Further, a plurality of springs 330 are attached between the vibration absorbing plate 320 and the tank weight measuring device 206 in order to absorb fine movement of the fuel tank 310.

Returning to FIG. 2 again, each block will be described.
An engine start key 208 sends an ignition start signal to the control circuit 220 when the operator manually turns it. However, when the rotation lock, which will be described in detail later, is applied, the rotation of the engine start key itself is locked, so that an ignition start signal is not transmitted.

  Reference numeral 210 denotes an engine unit, which starts the engine when a logical product (= output of the AND gate AND) of the start permission signal and the ignition signal output from the control circuit 220 becomes a logical one. Note that if it is determined that the fuel is illegal fuel as a result of the fuel property identification described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the start permission signal is not transmitted from the control circuit 220.

  A transmission unit 212 transmits a property identification representing a result of the fuel property identification (described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5) from the antenna 130 to the management center 270 via the communication satellite 250. Reference numeral 214 denotes a receiving unit that receives a remote operation signal from the remote operation command center 272 in the management center 270 via the communication satellite 250.

  Reference numeral 216 denotes a rotation lock mechanism for locking the rotation of the engine start key 208. The rotation lock mechanism 216 locks the rotation of the engine start key 208 when a lock instruction signal (described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5) is output from the control circuit 220.

  The control circuit 220 outputs a cap open / close signal output from the cap open / close sensor 202, a property detection signal output from the fuel property sensor 204, a weight detection signal output from the tank weight measuring device 206, and an ignition start key 208. An input interface (not shown) for receiving an ignition start signal and a remote control signal output from the receiving unit 212 is provided. Similarly, the control circuit 220 includes a start permission signal and an ignition signal for the engine unit 210, a display control signal and an audio signal for the display unit 170 with a speaker (see FIG. 1), a lighting signal for the warning lamp 160, and a property identification for the transmission unit 212. An output interface (not shown) for sending a signal and a lock instruction signal for the rotation lock mechanism 216 is provided. Furthermore, the control circuit 220 includes a CPU 222 and a memory 224 for executing the control procedure shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a main routine executed by the control circuit 220. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the unauthorized fuel processing routine shown in FIG. First, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the engine has been started. In the present embodiment, control is transferred to step S2 and subsequent steps only when the engine is stopped (S1: YES).

  In step S2, the control circuit 220 monitors the cap opening / closing signal output from the cap opening / closing sensor 202 to determine that the cap 110 has been opened (S2: YES). In this step S2, once the cap 110 is opened, control is transferred to the next step S3 even if the cap 110 is subsequently closed. In other words, it is not necessary for the cap 110 to remain open in order to execute the next step S3. When the cap 110 is not opened (S2: NO), the control returns to step S1.

  In step S <b> 3, the control circuit 220 monitors the weight detection signal output from the tank weight measuring device 206, thereby determining whether or not the weight exceeds a preset specified weight. As a result of the determination, when the weight does not exceed the preset specified weight (S3: NO), the process waits until fuel refueling is performed in step S4. Whether or not fuel supply has been performed is determined by monitoring the weight detection signal by the control circuit 220. When an increase in the tank weight is detected by monitoring the weight detection signal, it is determined that fuel supply has been performed (S4: YES), and the determination process in step S3 is executed again.

  If it is determined in step S3 that the tank weight has reached or exceeded a preset specified weight, step S5 is executed. In step S5, the property of the fuel is measured by monitoring the property detection signal output from the fuel property sensor 204. As described above, in this embodiment, since the density meter is used as the fuel property sensor 204, it is determined in step S6 whether or not the measured density (= specific gravity) is within an appropriate range. If it is determined in step S6 that the measurement result of the fuel property is included in the appropriate range (S6: YES), the control moves to step S7.

In step S <b> 7, a start permission signal is output from the control circuit 220 to the engine unit 210. At this time, the lock instruction signal supplied to the rotation lock mechanism 216 is disabled.
As can be seen from FIG. 2, when the start permission signal is not output, even if the ignition signal is output from the control circuit 220, the engine unit 210 does not start the engine. In other words, safer engine start control is realized by taking the logical product of the ignition signal and the start permission signal. In FIG. 2, the AND gate AND is drawn outside the engine unit 210 for convenience of explanation, but may be included in the engine unit 210. Similarly, it goes without saying that an AND gate may be included in the control circuit 220.

  In step S7, it may be transmitted from the transmission unit 220 that the fuel property measurement result is within an appropriate range. As a result, the remote management center 270 can record the fuel properties for each refueling.

  In step S6, when it is determined that the measurement result of the fuel property is not included in the appropriate range (S6: NO), that is, when it is determined that the refueled fuel is illegal fuel, the subroutine of step S8 is executed. Execute. Step S8 is an illegal fuel processing routine for executing the processing of FIG. Next, the illegal fuel processing routine will be described with reference to FIG.

  In step S11, the display control signal is output from the control circuit 220 to display that the fuel is illegal on the display unit 170 with the speaker placed in the cab 120. Simultaneously with this display, an audio signal is output from the control circuit 220, so that a warning sound indicating that the fuel is illegal is emitted from the speaker. However, when the operation of the lock lever (not shown) in the cab 120 is not detected, or when there is no output from other switches / sensors (not shown), the operator is not getting in. Therefore, the warning lamp 160 (see FIG. 1) is turned on intermittently. It is also possible to always execute simultaneously the indication that the fuel is illegal and the intermittent lighting of the warning lamp 160.

  In step S12, the property identification result is transmitted to the remote management center 270 via the transmission unit 212 and the antenna 130. In step S12, the fact that the fuel is illegal is transmitted as the property identification result. The management center 270 that has received this property identification result transmits a remote operation signal for prohibiting engine start from the remote operation command center 272 in the center. The remote operation command station 272 may be a fully automatic response by the host computer in addition to a manual response by the operation manager.

  In step S13, the receiving unit 214 waits until a remote operation signal is received. When a remote operation signal is received from the remote operation command center 272 (S13: YES), in step S14, it is determined whether or not the content of the remote operation signal is an engine start prohibition instruction.

  When it is determined that the content of the remote operation signal is an engine start prohibition instruction (S14: YES), the control moves to step S15, and the control circuit 220 sends a lock instruction signal (lock instruction =) to the rotation lock mechanism 216. Enable) is output. As a result, the rotation of the engine start key 208 is locked.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S14 that the content of the remote operation signal is not an engine start prohibition instruction (S14: NO), a preset error process is performed in step S16. That is, in this case, there is some trouble in the communication between the excavator body and the management center, or there are other circumstances (for example, circumstances in which the measurement result of the fuel property sensor 204 is negligible). As a result, an error message indicating that the management center should be contacted is displayed.

-Effects and effects of the embodiment-
According to the present embodiment, the following actions and effects can be achieved.
(1) A fuel property sensor 204 installed in the fuel tank 310 of the work machine, a cap opening / closing sensor 202 for detecting the opening / closing of the fuel cap 110 attached to the fuel inlet of the fuel tank 310, and the fuel tank 310 The fuel inlet was opened by monitoring the output of the weight measuring device 206 for measuring the weight of the fuel tank 310 and the cap opening / closing sensor 202 via the vibration absorbing plate 320 and the spring 330 attached to the bottom of the outer surface. When the control circuit 220 (step S2) for detecting fuel and the control circuit 220 (step S2) detects that the fuel inlet has been opened, it is determined whether the weight of the fuel tank 310 has reached a predetermined value or more. The control circuit 220 (step S3) and the control circuit 220 (step Control circuit 220 (step S5) for identifying the fuel property in the fuel tank 310 using the output from the fuel property sensor 204 when it is determined in step S3) that the weight of the fuel tank 310 has reached a predetermined value or more. , A transmission unit 212 that transmits the identification result by the control circuit 220 (step S5) to the remote work command station 272, a reception unit 214 that receives a remote operation signal transmitted from the work command station 272, and a reception unit 214. Is provided with a control circuit 220 (steps S14 and S15) for prohibiting the engine start of the work machine in response to the remote operation signal obtained from the above, so that it is possible to reliably prohibit the engine start when an illegal fuel is detected. .

  (2) When the fuel in the fuel tank 310 is identified as illegal fuel, the control circuit 220 outputs a signal for notifying that the fuel is illegal in the display unit 170 provided outside the driver's cab or outside the driver's cab. Since the warning light 160 is sent out, not only the operator but also other people at the work site can be notified that the illegal fuel has been supplied.

  (3) The control circuit 220 sends a lock instruction signal for prohibiting the rotation of the engine start key 208 in response to the remote operation signal transmitted from the remote operation command center 272. The operation itself can be prohibited.

-Modification in the embodiment-
The hydraulic excavator described above can be modified as follows.
(1) The engine start control device shown in FIG. 2 is configured to supply a lock instruction signal to the rotation lock mechanism 216 in order to lock the rotation operation of the engine start key 208. Instead of use, the fuel supply itself can be stopped. That is, the control circuit 220 instructs the fuel supply system (not shown) for controlling the fuel supply amount to the engine to stop the fuel supply in response to the remote operation signal transmitted from the remote operation command center 272. Can do. For example, it can be realized by supplying a cutoff instruction signal to the fuel ignition cutoff system.

  (2) In the engine start control device shown in FIG. 2, a density meter is used as the fuel property sensor 204. However, a kinematic viscometer or a moisture meter can be used instead of the density meter. Furthermore, it is also possible to install a plurality of types of fuel property sensors in the fuel tank and take in a plurality of types of property detection signals to the control circuit 220. In this case, a plurality of types of property identification signals can be transmitted from the transmission unit 212 to the management center 270. Then, the remote work place 272 in the management center can perform determination processing for a plurality of types of property identification signals based on preset criteria. For example, even if an abnormality is found in one of the three types of property identification signals, it is possible to select whether or not to give permission to start the engine.

  (3) Although the engine start control device shown in FIG. 2 is premised on communication via the communication satellite 250, it is needless to say that any communication method is possible, not limited to wired / wireless.

  (4) Although the engine start control device shown in FIG. 2 is an example mounted on a hydraulic excavator, it can be applied to various work machines such as a construction machine such as a wheel loader and a crawler crane or a material transport machine.

  (5) A so-called multi-monitor can be used as the display unit 170 shown in FIG.

  (6) The tank weight measuring device 206 shown in FIG. 3 supports the fuel tank 310 via both a vibration absorbing plate 320 such as a rubber plate or a gel-like flat plate and a plurality of springs 330. As a vibration absorbing member attached to the bottom of the outer surface, either one of a vibration absorbing spring and a vibration absorbing plate may be used.

  (7) Instead of the main routine shown in FIG. 4, the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 can be used. The difference from FIG. 4 is that steps S72, S73, S74, and S75 are newly provided. That is, in step S72, the property identification result is transmitted to the remote management center 270 via the transmission unit 212 and the antenna 130. In step S72, the fact that the fuel property is appropriate is transmitted as the property identification result. The management center 270 that has received the property identification result transmits a remote operation signal for permitting engine start from the remote operation command center 272 in the center. The remote work command station 272 may be a fully automatic response by the host computer in addition to the manual response by the operation manager, as in FIG.

  In step S73, the receiving unit 214 on the excavator side stands by until a remote operation signal is received. When a remote operation signal is received from the remote operation command center 272 (S73: YES), in step S74, it is determined whether or not the content of the remote operation signal is an engine start permission instruction.

  When it is determined that the content of the remote operation signal is an engine start permission instruction (S74: YES), the control moves to step S7, and a start permission signal is output from the control circuit 220 to the engine unit 210. At this time, the lock instruction signal supplied to the rotation lock mechanism 216 is disabled.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S74 that the content of the remote control signal is not an engine start permission instruction (S74: NO), a preset error process is performed in step S75. That is, in this case, there is some trouble in the communication between the excavator main body and the management center, or there may be other circumstances, so an error display indicating that the management center 270 should be contacted is displayed. .

The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications unless the features of the present invention are impaired.
It is also possible to combine the embodiment and one of the modified examples, or to combine the embodiment and a plurality of modified examples.
It is possible to combine the modified examples in any way.
Furthermore, other forms conceivable within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention are also included in the scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Upper revolving body 110 Fuel tank cap 112 Refueling cylinder 120 Driver's cab 130 Antenna 140 Front working part 150 Lower traveling body 160 Warning light 170 Display unit 200 with a speaker Engine start control device 202 Cap opening / closing sensor 204 Fuel property sensor 206 Tank weight measuring device 208 Engine start key 210 Engine unit 212 Transmission unit 214 Reception unit 216 Rotation lock mechanism 220 Control circuit 222 CPU
224 Memory 250 Communication satellite 270 Management center 272 Remote command center 310 Fuel tank 320 Vibration absorbing plate 330 Spring

Claims (5)

A fuel property sensor mounted in the fuel tank of the work machine;
A cap opening / closing sensor for detecting opening / closing of a fuel cap attached to a fuel inlet of the fuel tank;
A weight measuring device for measuring the weight of the fuel tank via a vibration absorbing member attached to the bottom of the outer surface of the fuel tank;
An opening detecting means for detecting that the fuel inlet is opened by monitoring an output of the cap opening / closing sensor;
A determination means for determining whether the weight of the fuel tank has reached a predetermined value or more based on an output of the weight measuring device when the opening detection means detects that the fuel inlet is opened;
When it is determined by the determination means that the weight of the fuel tank has reached a predetermined value or more, property identification means for identifying the fuel property in the fuel tank using an output from the fuel property sensor;
Transmitting means for transmitting the identification result by the property identifying means to a remote work command center;
Receiving means for receiving a remote control signal transmitted from the work command center;
Engine control means for permitting engine start when the remote control signal obtained from the receiving means is a signal for permitting engine start of the work machine, and for prohibiting engine start when the signal is for prohibiting engine start. An engine start control device for a work machine. The engine start control device for a work machine according to claim 1, further comprising:
Notification control for sending a signal for notifying that the fuel is illegal when the property identification means identifies that the fuel in the fuel tank is illegal fuel to notification means provided inside or outside the cab An engine start control device for a working machine, characterized by comprising means. The engine start control device for a work machine according to claim 1 or 2,
In response to a remote operation signal transmitted from the work command center, the engine control means prohibits rotation of the engine start key with respect to a lock mechanism that disables operation of the engine start key. Engine start control device for work machines. The engine start control device for a work machine according to claim 1 or 2,
In response to a remote operation signal transmitted from the work command center, the engine control means instructs a fuel supply system that controls a fuel supply amount to the engine to stop fuel supply. Engine start control device. The engine start control device for a work machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
An engine start control device for a working machine, wherein one or both of a vibration absorbing spring and a vibration absorbing plate are used as the vibration absorbing member attached to the bottom of the outer surface of the fuel tank.

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