JP2023050724A - Work machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a work machine for reducing burden of cleaning or the like by preventing dust deposition.SOLUTION: A work machine comprises an engine, a fan for blowing air to the engine, and a detection part for detecting dust in an atmosphere adjacent to the work machine, and controls the fan in accordance with detected information indicating a detection result by the detection part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to work machines.

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a construction machine such as a hydraulic excavator as a working machine is provided with a cooling fan for taking in air from the environment outside the construction machine to cool the engine. A dustproof device including a dustproof net is provided on the upstream side of the engine when the cooling fan takes in air from the external environment. This prevents dust from entering around the engine (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2017-122319 A

By the way, for example, at industrial waste processing sites, etc., fine dust is often scattered in the atmosphere. The reason why the dust flies is that the load objects are disassembled or the load objects are lifted by a hydraulic excavator at the processing site.

If the air from the outside environment is taken in by the cooling fan while dust is flying, dust may adhere to the inside of the excavator. For example, when a dust-proof net is provided upstream of the engine as in Patent Document 1, dust adheres to the dust-proof net. If the dust continues to adhere to the internal structure of the shovel, such as the dustproof net, the dust will stick to the shovel, increasing the burden of cleaning.

One aspect of the present invention provides a technology that can reduce the burden of cleaning by suppressing the adhesion of dust (including dust particles) inside a working machine.

A work machine according to one aspect of the present invention includes an engine, a fan that blows air to the engine, and a detection unit that detects dust in the atmosphere near the work machine, and a detection result of the detection unit is obtained. The fan is controlled according to the indicated detection information.

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the burden of cleaning by suppressing adhesion of dust (including fine dust).

FIG. 1 is a side view of the excavator according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the inside of the house of the upper revolving body in the excavator according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing peripheral devices connected to the excavator controller according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the concept of the structure of the dust sensor according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a cooling fan control procedure based on detection information from a dust sensor in the controller according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a plan view schematically showing the inside of the house of the upper revolving body in the excavator according to the second embodiment.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Moreover, the embodiments described below are examples rather than limiting the invention, and not all features and combinations thereof described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. In addition, in each drawing, the same or corresponding configurations are denoted by the same or corresponding reference numerals, and description thereof may be omitted.

The embodiment shown below describes an example in which a shovel is applied as an example of a working machine. However, the embodiments shown below are not intended to limit the working machine to a shovel, and may be applied to various working machines such as a wheel loader, for example.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows a left side view of a shovel (excavator) according to the first embodiment. In this embodiment, a hydraulic excavator will be described as an example of the excavator 100 .

The excavator 100 is mainly composed of a lower running body 1, an upper revolving body 2, and an attachment 3. As shown in FIG. An upper revolving body 2 is rotatably mounted on the upper part of the lower traveling body 1, and an attachment 3 is attached to the front side of the upper revolving body 2. - 特許庁Attachment 3 includes a digging attachment consisting of boom 4 , arm 5 and bucket 6 . The bucket 6 is an example of an end attachment, and at the tip of the arm 5, in place of the bucket 6, other end attachments, such as a grapple, a fork, a harvester including a chain saw, etc., may be attached depending on the type of work. may be attached.

Further, in this specification, the front side of the upper rotating body 2 is the part on the side where the boom 4 is attached when viewed from the center of the upper rotating body 2 . The left side is the left side of the upper rotating body 2 when the operator faces forward (X1 direction). Further, the right side is the side located on the right side of the upper revolving body 2 when the operator faces forward (X1 direction).

The undercarriage 1 is mainly composed of a pair of left and right crawlers, and is configured to move the shovel forward or backward.

The upper revolving body 2 is mainly composed of a cab 2a, a revolving frame 2b, a house frame 2c, and a house cover 2d. The cab 2 a is installed on the front left side of the upper revolving body 2 . The revolving frame 2b constitutes the bottom of the upper revolving body 2 and supports the cab 2a. The house frame 2c constitutes the frame of a house (building) arranged behind the cab 2a on the revolving frame 2b. The house cover 2d constitutes the top and side shells of the house.

A boom 4 is pivotally attached to the front central portion of the upper rotating body 2 so as to be able to be raised and lowered. Furthermore, a bucket 6 is attached to the tip of the arm 5 so as to be vertically rotatable.

The space recognition device 80 recognizes objects existing in a three-dimensional space around the excavator 100, and measures (calculates) a positional relationship such as a distance from the space recognition device 80 or the excavator 100 to the recognized object. Get recognition information. Further, the space recognition device 80 may recognize objects around the excavator 100 and measure the positional relationship between the recognized object and the space recognition device 80 or the excavator 100 based on the acquired space recognition information. . The space recognition device 80 can include, for example, an ultrasonic sensor, millimeter wave radar, monocular camera, stereo camera, LIDAR (Light Detecting and Ranging), distance image sensor, infrared sensor, and the like.

If the space recognition device 80 is a monocular camera or a stereo camera, the space recognition information may be, for example, image data obtained by imaging the surroundings of the excavator 100 .

The space recognition device 80 is configured to detect a predetermined object within a predetermined area set around the excavator 100 . The space recognition device 80 includes a front recognition sensor 80F attached to the front end of the upper surface of the cab 2a, a rear recognition sensor 80B attached to the rear end of the upper surface of the upper rotating body 2, and a left sensor attached to the left end of the upper surface of the upper rotating body 2. A recognition sensor 80L and a right side recognition sensor 80R attached to the right end of the upper surface of the upper swing body 2 are included. Further, an upper recognition sensor that recognizes an object existing in the space above the upper swing body 2 may be attached to the excavator 100 .

The space recognition device 80 may be configured to be able to identify at least one of the type, position, shape, etc. of the object as the predetermined object to be detected. For example, the space recognition device 80 may be configured to be able to distinguish between humans and objects other than humans. Further, the space recognition device 80 may be configured to identify the type of terrain around the excavator 100 . Terrain types are, for example, holes, slopes, or rivers. Further, the space recognition device 80 may be configured to identify the type of obstacle. Types of obstacles may include, for example, power lines, utility poles, people, animals, vehicles, work equipment, construction machinery, buildings, fences, and the like.

Further, the space recognition device 80 may be configured to identify the type, size, or the like of the dump truck. Moreover, the space recognition device 80 may be configured to detect a person by recognizing at least one of a helmet, a safety vest, work clothes, and the like. In addition, the space recognition device 80 detects a person by recognizing predetermined identification information (e.g., mark, QR code (registered trademark)) on at least one of a helmet, a safety vest, work clothes, and the like. It may be configured as

Four space recognition devices 80 are provided so that the entire circumference of the excavator 100 can be recognized. In this embodiment, the space recognition devices 80 provided for each direction are referred to as a front recognition sensor 80F, a left recognition sensor 80L, a rear recognition sensor 80B, and a right recognition sensor 80R.

A dust sensor S<b>1 (an example of a detection unit) detects the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere near the excavator 100 . A detailed configuration will be described later.

Inside the housing on the left side of the upper revolving body 2 of the excavator 100, there are four cooling fans 12A, 12B, 12C, and 12D (hereinafter also referred to as cooling fan 12 when referring to any cooling fan) for cooling the engine. ) is provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the cooling fans 12A, 12B, 12C, and 12D is provided with a fan motor 16A, 16B, 16C, and 16D for rotating the fan. (also called a fan motor 16) is connected. The fan motor 16 operates by being supplied with power from the battery 70 .

FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the interior of the house of the upper revolving body 2. As shown in FIG. FIG. 2 shows the state with the house cover 2d removed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the inside of the house of the upper revolving body 2 is divided into an engine room 7A and an air cleaner room 7B. Fans 12A to 12D, four fan motors 16A to 16D, a heat exchange section 13, a turbocharger 61, an exhaust gas processing device 63, a battery 70, and the like are installed. Specifically, four cooling fans 12A to 12D and fan motors 16A to 16D are installed on the left side (Y1 side) of the engine 11, and a turbocharger 61 is installed on the front side (X1 side) of the engine 11, An exhaust gas treatment device 63 is installed on the right side of the engine 11 (Y2 side). A heat exchange section 13 including a radiator 13A, an oil cooler 13B, an intercooler 13C, a fuel cooler 13D, an air conditioner condenser 13E and the like is installed on the left side (Y1 side) of the cooling fan 12 . Furthermore, a dust-proof net N1 is installed on the left side (Y1 side) of the heat exchange section 13 .

An air cleaner 9, a hydraulic oil tank 18 and the like are installed in the air cleaner room 7B. A cab 2a and a fuel tank 19 are installed on the front side (X1 side) of the air cleaner room 7B, and a storage space 20 for storing tools and the like is installed on the front side (X1 side) of the fuel tank 19. The cab 2a is installed on the left side of the boom 4 (Y1 side), and the fuel tank 19 and the storage space 20 are installed on the right side of the boom 4 (Y2 side).

The air cleaner 9 takes in air through an air introduction portion 9a formed on the outer periphery. The air taken inside advances to the left side (Y1 side) while forming a spiral flow around the cylindrical filter 9b. In this process, centrifugal force acts on the dust (such as dust) in the air, so the air and the dust are separated. Specifically, the dust in the spiral flow is pushed against the inner wall of the air cleaner 9, travels along the inner wall, and is collected in a vacuator valve (described later). The dust collected in the vacuator valve is discharged downwards when its weight reaches a predetermined weight and the vacuator valve opens. On the other hand, the air in the spiral flow enters the cylindrical filter 9b when it reaches the left (Y1 side) end of the cylindrical filter 9b. The air entering the cylindrical filter 9b is discharged through the air discharge portion 9c and supplied to the centrifugal compressor of the turbocharger 61. As shown in FIG.

Further, the house cover 2d has open/close covers 2d1 and 2d2 on the left side. The hatched figures in FIG. 2 represent the opening/closing covers 2d1 and 2d2 in the closed state, and the figures shown in dashed lines represent the opening/closing covers 2d1 and 2d2 in the open state.

The dust-proof net N1 is provided to prevent dust (an example of dust) from entering a space on the right side (Y2 side) of the dust-proof net N1 in the engine room 7A.

Fan motors 16A to 16D connected to the four cooling fans 12A to 12D are rotationally driven to rotate the four cooling fans 12A to 12D to send air to the engine 11. FIG. The fan motors 16A to 16D are rotationally driven according to signals from a controller 30, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the number of cooling fans and fan motors is four, but the number is not limited to four and may be three or less or five or more.

When the opening/closing cover 2d1 is open, the four cooling fans 12A to 12D rotate so that the air taken in from the opening/closing cover 2d1 side reaches the engine 11 via the dustproof net N1. , to achieve cooling of the engine 11 . Dust and dirt contained in the atmosphere taken in from the side of the opening/closing cover 2d1 adhere to the dustproof net N1. As a result, air from which dust and dirt have been removed is sent to the engine 11 .

Incidentally, at an industrial waste disposal site or the like, there are cases where objects to be loaded are being disassembled, and objects to be loaded that are lifted by the shovel 100 may include objects that are likely to float in the air, such as shavings or wood chips. many. For this reason, fine dust tends to float in the air while the shovel 100 is working.

If the excavator 100 continues to work under such an environment, a large amount of dust continues to adhere to the dustproof net N1. If dust continues to adhere to the dustproof net N1, the dust tends to adhere to the dustproof net N1. If such a situation occurs, the burden of cleaning the dustproof net N1 will increase. Furthermore, the flow rate of the atmosphere (outside air) sent to the engine 11 through the dustproof net N1 is reduced.

If such a situation continues, the air permeation area of the dust-proof net N1 will be greatly reduced due to adhesion of dust. If the air permeation area is greatly reduced, the engine 11 (including the radiator 13A) may not be sufficiently cooled and the engine 11 may overheat. As a specific example, if the air permeation area of the dust-proof net N1 is reduced, the interior of the engine 11 may become a closed space. If the engine room were to become a closed space, it would be difficult to release the gas warmed by the engine 11 as well. If the warmed gas is no longer released, the engine 11 may not be sufficiently cooled. In this way, even though the change in the external environment of the shovel 100 (for example, the generation of fine dust) is temporary, there is a possibility that the performance of the engine 11 will continue to deteriorate.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the controller 30 adjusts the rotation speeds of the cooling fans 12A to 12D according to the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing peripheral devices connected to the controller 30 of the excavator 100 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the controller 30 is connected to various peripheral devices via a communication network such as a Controller Area Network (hereinafter referred to as CAN) or a Local Interconnect Network (hereinafter referred to as LIN).

For example, the controller 30 is a controller for controlling the entire excavator 100 and controls connected peripheral devices. The controller 30 is connected to the image display device 40, the dust sensor S1, the four cooling fans 12, the engine control device 74, and the control valve 60 via a communication network such as CAN or LIN.

The image display device 40 is connected to the controller 30 via a communication network such as CAN or LIN. Note that the image display device 40 may be connected to the controller 30 via a dedicated line.

The image display device 40 also includes a conversion processing section 40 a that generates an image to be displayed on the image display section 41 . In this embodiment, the conversion processing unit 40 a generates an image to be displayed on the image display unit 41 based on the output of the space recognition device 80 . Therefore, the space recognition device 80 is connected to the image display device 40 via, for example, a dedicated line.

Further, the conversion processing section 40a converts the data to be displayed on the image display section 41 among the data input to the image display device 40 into an image signal. The data input to the image display device 40 is, for example, spatial recognition information (for example, image data).

Further, the conversion processing section 40 a generates an image to be displayed on the image display section 41 based on the output of the controller 30 . In this embodiment, the conversion processing unit 40a converts the data to be displayed on the image display unit 41 among the data input to the controller 30 into an image signal. The data to be input to the controller 30 are, for example, data indicating the temperature of the engine cooling water, data indicating the temperature of the hydraulic oil, data indicating the remaining amount of urea water, data indicating the remaining amount of fuel, and data indicating the remaining amount of fuel. It includes data indicating the degree to which dust (an example of dust) exists inside.

Then, the conversion processing section 40a outputs the converted image signal to the image display section 41, and causes the image display section 41 to display the corresponding image.

Note that the conversion processing unit 40 a may be realized as a function of the controller 30 instead of the function of the image display device 40 . In this case, the spatial recognition device 80 is connected to the controller 30 instead of the image display device 40 .

The image display device 40 also includes a switch panel 42 as an input section 42 . The switch panel 42 is a panel containing various hardware switches. In this embodiment, the switch panel 42 includes a light switch 42a, a wiper switch 42b, and a window washer switch 42c as hardware buttons. The light switch 42 a is a switch for switching on/off of a light attached to the outside of the cabin 10 . The wiper switch 42b is a switch for switching operation/stop of the wiper. A window washer switch 42c is a switch for injecting the windshield washer liquid.

Also, the image display device 40 operates by being supplied with power from the battery 70 . The battery 70 is charged with electric power generated by the alternator 11 a (generator) of the engine 11 . The electric power of the battery 70 is also supplied to the electrical components 72 of the excavator 100 other than the controller 30 and the image display device 40 . A starter 11 b of the engine 11 is driven by electric power from the battery 70 to start the engine 11 .

The engine 11 is controlled by an engine control unit (ECU) 74 . Various data indicating the state of the engine 11 (for example, data indicating the cooling water temperature (physical quantity) detected by the water temperature sensor 11 c ) are constantly transmitted to the controller 30 from the ECU 74 . Therefore, the controller 30 can accumulate this data in the temporary storage section (memory) 30a and transmit it to the image display device 40 when necessary.

In addition to data indicating the cooling water temperature (physical quantity) detected by the water temperature sensor 11c, various data are supplied to the controller 30 and stored in the temporary storage unit 30a of the controller 30. FIG.

For example, data indicating the swash plate angle is supplied to the controller 30 from the regulator 14a of the main pump 14, which is a variable displacement hydraulic pump. Data indicating the discharge pressure of the main pump 14 is sent to the controller 30 from the discharge pressure sensor 14b. These data (data representing physical quantities) are stored in the temporary storage section 30a. Further, an oil temperature sensor 14c is provided in a pipe line between the main pump 14 and a hydraulic oil tank 18 in which the hydraulic oil sucked by the main pump 14 is stored. is supplied to the controller 30 from the oil temperature sensor 14c.

The operating device 26 is a device used by an operator to operate the actuator. The actuator includes at least one of a hydraulic actuator and an electric actuator. In this embodiment, the operating device 26 is a hydraulic operating device, and supplies the hydraulic oil discharged by the pilot pump 15 to the corresponding pilot port of the spool valve in the control valve unit 17 via a pilot line. The pressure (pilot pressure) of hydraulic fluid supplied to each of the pilot ports is a pressure corresponding to the operation direction and amount of operation of the operating device 26 corresponding to each of the hydraulic actuators. The operating device 26 includes, for example, a left operating lever, a right operating lever, and a travel operating device. The travel operation device includes, for example, a travel lever and a travel pedal. The operating device 26 may be an electric operating device.

The operating pressure sensor 29 detects details of the operation of the operating device 26 by the operator. In this embodiment, the operation pressure sensor 29 detects the operation direction and the operation amount of the operation device 26 corresponding to each actuator in the form of pressure (operation pressure), and outputs the detected value to the controller 30 . The operation content of the operation device 26 may be detected using a sensor other than the operation pressure sensor.

The engine speed adjustment dial 75 is a dial for adjusting the speed of the engine 11 . The engine speed adjustment dial 75 outputs data regarding the set state of the engine speed to the controller 30 . The engine speed adjustment dial 75 is configured to switch the engine speed in four stages of SP mode, H mode, A mode and idling mode. The SP mode is a rotation speed mode that is selected when it is desired to give priority to the amount of work, and utilizes the highest engine speed. The H mode is a rotational speed mode that is selected when it is desired to achieve both work load and fuel efficiency, and utilizes the second highest engine rotational speed. The A mode is a rotational speed mode selected when it is desired to operate the excavator 100 with low noise while giving priority to fuel efficiency, and uses the third highest engine rotational speed. The idling mode is a rotational speed mode that is selected when the engine 11 is to be in an idling state, and uses the lowest engine rotational speed. The engine 11 is controlled so that the engine speed corresponding to the speed mode set by the engine speed adjustment dial 75 is constant.

The control valve 60 is configured to switch between a valid state and an invalid state of the operating device 26 . The valid state of the operating device 26 is a state in which the operator can operate the hydraulic actuators using the operating device 26 . The disabled state of the operating device 26 is a state in which the operator cannot operate the hydraulic actuators using the operating device 26 . In this embodiment, the control valve 60 is a gate lock valve configured to operate in response to commands from the controller 30 . Specifically, the control valve 60 is arranged in a pilot line that connects the pilot pump 15 and the operating device 26 and is configured to switch between disconnection and communication of the pilot line according to a command from the controller 30 . The operating device 26 is, for example, enabled when a gate lock lever (not shown) is pulled up to open the gate lock valve, and disabled when the gate lock lever is pushed down to close the gate lock valve. .

The dust sensor S1 is arranged on the upper surface of the upper revolving body 2 and detects the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere near the shovel. Note that the position of the dust sensor S1 in the present embodiment is shown as an example, and any position where dust existing in the atmosphere can be detected, such as being provided inside the upper rotating body 2, can be used.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the concept of the structure of the dust sensor S1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the dust sensor S1 has an inlet S1F for taking in air and an outlet S1H for discharging the air. A flow path S1G connecting the inlet S1F and the outlet S1H is formed in the dust sensor S1. The dust sensor S1 according to this embodiment detects the degree of dust contained in the atmosphere passing through the flow path S1G.

The dust sensor S1 is provided with a fan S1C. The fan S1C discharges the air in the direction of the arrow 401, so that the air and dust in the air continue to flow in as indicated by the arrow 402 from the inlet S1F, and are shown by the arrow 403 from the outlet S1H. Air and atmospheric dust continue to be emitted continuously.

The dust sensor S1 is provided with a light emitting diode (LED) S1A and a photodiode S1B.

A flow path S1G exists between the photodiode S1B and the light emitting diode S1A. A dust-proof net S1D is provided between the light-emitting diode S1A and the flow path S1G, and a dust-proof net S1E is provided between the photodiode S1B and the flow path S1G. This can prevent dust from adhering to the photodiode S1B and the light emitting diode S1A.

Dust contained in the atmosphere also passes through the flow path S1G together with the atmosphere. Therefore, the light output from the light-emitting diode (LED) S1A is reflected by the dust present in the flow path S1G and becomes scattered light. The degree of scattered light increases according to the degree of dust present in the flow path S1G.

The photodiode S1B receives the light output from the light emitting diode (LED) S1A through the flow path S1G. As described above, when dust exists in the flow path S1G, the light output from the light emitting diode (LED) S1A becomes scattered light. It is attenuated compared to the output light. The light attenuation rate changes according to the degree of dust present in the flow path S1G.

Therefore, the dust sensor S1 according to the present embodiment uses information based on the attenuation rate between the light output by the light emitting diode (LED) S1A and the light received by the photodiode S1B as the detection result of the degree of dust presence. is output to the controller 30 as detection information.

Accordingly, the controller 30 can recognize the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere by receiving the detection information from the dust sensor S1.

In this embodiment, a method for recognizing the degree of dust presence based on the light attenuation rate of the dust sensor S1 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this method, and the degree of dust presence can be recognized. Any method may be used as long as it is a method.

For example, the controller may recognize the degree of presence of dust based on image data captured by the space recognition device 80 . As a method of recognizing the degree of presence of dust based on image data captured by the space recognition device 80, a learning model for determining whether or not dust is present is created in advance, and the created learning model is used. Store in the controller. A controller may input image data acquired from the space recognition device 80 to the learning model to determine the degree of presence of dust. The learning model may learn the determination conditions for determining the presence or absence of dust according to the data set including the presence or absence of dust itself, information indicating the presence of dust in the atmosphere, and image data of the atmosphere. good. In addition, as another learning model, a judgment condition for determining the presence or absence of dust is learned according to a data set including the presence or absence of dust in the work environment, image data of the work environment, and the clarity of the imaged work environment. good.

Returning to the present embodiment, the controller 30 outputs rotation control signals to the four fan motors 16 according to detection information indicating the detection result of the dust sensor S1. Thereby, the controller 30 controls the rotational speeds of the four cooling fans 12 .

The controller 30 causes the four cooling fans 12 to rotate a predetermined number of times when the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere (for example, the attenuation rate of light) calculated based on the detection information is equal to or lower than the first threshold value. A rotation control signal is output to the four fan motors 16 so as to rotate the fan by a certain number. Note that the predetermined number of revolutions for rotating the cooling fan 12 is a numerical value determined according to the embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted. Description of the first threshold is omitted as a threshold determined according to the embodiment as a reference for dust adhering to the dustproof net.

On the other hand, the controller 30 stops the rotation of the four cooling fans 12 when the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere (for example, attenuation rate of light) indicated by the detection information is greater than the first threshold. . In this embodiment, an example of stopping the rotation will be described, but the method is not limited to the method of stopping the rotation, as long as the number of rotations can be reduced compared to a predetermined number of rotations.

Next, a control procedure for the cooling fan 12 in the controller 30 according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a control procedure of the cooling fan 12 based on detection information from the dust sensor S1 in the controller 30 according to the first embodiment.

First, the controller 30 outputs a rotation control signal to the fan motor 16 to start rotation control of the cooling fan 12 at a predetermined rotation speed (S501).

Next, the controller 30 acquires detection information indicating the detection result of dust contained in the atmosphere from the dust sensor S1 (S502).

The controller 30 determines whether the degree of presence of dust in the air (for example, the attenuation rate of light) indicated in the acquired detection information is greater than a first threshold (S503).

When the controller 30 determines that the degree to which dust exists in the atmosphere (for example, the attenuation rate of light) is greater than the first threshold value (S503: Yes), it outputs a control signal to stop the fan motor 16. By doing so, the stop control of the cooling fan 12 is performed (S504).

Further, according to the instruction from the controller 30, the image display device 40 displays that the cooling fan 12 has stopped and displays the temperature of the cooling water for cooling the engine 11 (S506), and proceeds to the processing of S507. The temperature of the cooling water is obtained by the controller 30 from the water temperature sensor 11c that detects the temperature of the cooling water.

On the other hand, when the controller 30 determines that the degree to which dust exists in the atmosphere (for example, the attenuation rate of light) is equal to or less than the first threshold value (S503: No), it sends a rotation control signal to the fan motor 16. By outputting, rotation control of the cooling fan 12 is performed (S505), and the process proceeds to S507. Specifically, when the cooling fan 12 is stopped, the controller 30 outputs a control signal to the fan motor 16 to start rotating at a predetermined number of revolutions, and the cooling fan 12 is rotating. In this case, a control signal is output to the fan motor 16 to continue the rotation control. Further, the controller 30 may rotate the cooling fan 12 during the period in which the operation of the excavator 100 is stopped next after the detection of dust. Immediately after the operation of the excavator 100 is stopped, there is a high possibility that work was being performed until immediately before, and dust is flying. Therefore, it is preferable that the controller 30 rotates the cooling fan 12 after a predetermined period of time has passed since the operation of the excavator 100 was stopped, in other words, after the dust in the atmosphere has settled.

After that, the controller 30 determines whether or not the control of the excavator 100 has ended (S507). If it is determined that the control has not ended (S507: No), the process is repeated from S502. When the control of the excavator 100 ends is, for example, when the operator performs stop control of the engine 11 .

On the other hand, when the controller 30 determines that the control of the excavator 100 has ended (S507: Yes), it ends all the control.

As described above, the controller 30 according to this embodiment controls the rotation of the cooling fan 12 via the fan motor 16 according to the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere. For example, when there is a large amount of dust in the air, stopping the rotation of the cooling fan 12 can prevent the dust from adhering to the dust-proof net N1. As a result, it is possible to reduce the burden of cleaning the dust-proof net N1 and to suppress the deterioration of the cooling performance for the engine 11 due to the clogging of the dust-proof net N1.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, an example in which the dust-proof net N1 is provided has been described, but the dust-proof net N1 may not be provided. In other words, even if the dust-proof net N1 is not provided, if there is a large amount of dust in the air, stopping the rotation of the cooling fan 12 can prevent the dust from adhering to the periphery of the engine 11 or the like. . Thereby, cleaning burden can be reduced. In particular, when the load on the engine 11 is small, even if the cooling fan 12 stops rotating, it is possible to continue the operation only by spontaneous release of warmed gas in the engine compartment. Therefore, even if the cooling performance for the engine 11 is low, continuous operation is sufficiently possible.

(Modification 1 of the first embodiment)
In the above-described embodiment, rotation control of the cooling fan 12 during work by the excavator 100 has been described. However, the rotation control of the cooling fan 12 is not restricted during the work by the excavator 100 .

For example, when the operating device 26 is disabled by the control valve (gate lock valve) 60, reverse rotation of the cooling fan 12 (rotating in the direction opposite to normal rotation for cooling the engine 11) is permitted. good too. In other words, when the operation device 26 is disabled by the control valve (gate lock valve) 60, the shovel 100 does not perform any work, and dust does not fly. In such a situation, the controller 30 outputs a control signal for reverse rotation of the fan motor 16 so that the cooling fan 12 rotates in the reverse direction, thereby removing dust adhering to the dustproof net N1. This is because the direction of the wind passing through the dustproof net N1 is reversed. The conditions for rotating the cooling fan 12 in the reverse direction when the operation device 26 is disabled may be any conditions. The controller 30 may be controlled to periodically rotate in the reverse direction. In addition, you may perform the same control also in subsequent embodiment.

(Modification 2 of the first embodiment)
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which whether or not to rotate the cooling fan 12 is switched depending on whether or not the degree of dust presence in the air is equal to or less than the first threshold value. However, the method is not limited to the method of providing only one threshold as in the above-described embodiment, and a plurality of thresholds may be provided.

For example, when the controller 30 determines that the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere exceeds the smaller one of the two thresholds, the controller 30 instructs the fan motor 16 to reduce the rotational speed of the cooling fan 12. Output a control signal. After that, when the controller 30 determines that the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere is greater than the larger one of the two thresholds as a result, the rotation of the cooling fan 12 is stopped. A control signal is output to the fan motor 16 . Also, the number of thresholds is not limited to two, and three or more may be provided.

The controller 30 according to the present modification can achieve both cooling of the engine 11 and suppression of adhesion of dust to the dust-proof net N1 by performing the control described above.

(Second embodiment)
The first embodiment is not an embodiment that considers after dust has adhered to the dustproof net N1. Therefore, in the second embodiment, a case will be described in which control is performed to remove dust adhering to the dustproof net.

FIG. 6 is a plan view schematically showing the inside of the house of the upper revolving body 2 in the excavator according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 shows the state in which the house cover 2d is removed. In addition, the same code|symbol is assigned about the structure similar to 1st Embodiment, and description is abbreviate|omitted.

In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the dustproof net N2 is provided upstream (left side) of the battery 70 and inside the opening/closing cover 2d1. That is, the dustproof net N2 forms a part of the left side surface of the upper revolving body 2 when the opening/closing cover 2d1 is opened. In FIG. 6, for the sake of clarity, the dustproof net N2 is shown on the outside (left side) of the open/close cover 2d1 in the closed state. It is arranged inside (on the right side) of the cover 2d1.

As the four cooling fans 12A to 12D rotate, air (cooling air) reaches the engine 11 through the dustproof net N2. Thereby, the engine 11 can be cooled.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vibration members V1 and V2 are provided on the dustproof net N2.

The vibration members V1 and V2 are vibration motors, for example, and function as vibration sources according to instructions from the controller 30 .

That is, the vibrating members V1 and V2 can vibrate according to instructions from the controller 30. FIG. Then, when the vibrating members V1 and V2 vibrate, the dust adhering to the dustproof net N2 can be dropped. Since the dustproof net N2 according to this embodiment forms a part of the left side surface of the upper revolving structure 2, the dust adhering to the dustproof net N2 falls to the ground.

When a dust-proof net is provided inside the upper revolving body 2 , the dust will accumulate on the floor surface of the upper revolving body 2 if the dust falls from the dust-proof net due to the vibration source. If the cooling fan 12 is rotated in such a situation, there is a possibility that the dust accumulated on the floor will adhere to the dustproof net again. In other words, the same dust adheres to the dustproof net again.

On the other hand, in the excavator 100 according to the present embodiment, the dust-proof net N2 is provided so as to form a part of the left side surface of the upper revolving body 2, so that the dust-proof net N2 is prevented from adhering to the same dust again. can.

In this embodiment, the controller 30 instructs whether or not to vibrate the vibrating members V1 and V2 based on the detection information from the dust sensor S1. For example, the controller 30 controls the vibrating members V1 and V2 when the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere (for example, the attenuation rate of light) indicated by the detection information from the dust sensor S1 is greater than the first threshold. Outputs an instruction to vibrate. Accordingly, when the degree of presence of dust in the air increases, the vibrating members V1 and V2 vibrate, thereby suppressing adhesion of dust to the dust-proof net N2.

The present embodiment does not limit the timing of vibrating the vibrating members V1 and V2. For example, the vibrating members V1 and V2 may vibrate all the time.

Also in this embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the controller 30 controls the rotation of the cooling fan 12 based on the detection information from the dust sensor S1.

In other words, in the present embodiment, when the degree of presence of dust in the air increases, the rotation of the cooling fan 12 is stopped and the vibrating members V1 and V2 are vibrated so that the dust adheres to the dust-proof net N2. can be suppressed. Since no dust adheres to the dust-proof net N2, the air can reach the engine 11 through the dust-proof net N2. Thereby, the engine 11 can be cooled.

In the present embodiment, the rotation of the cooling fan 12 is suppressed and the vibrating members V1 and V2 are vibrated when the degree of presence of dust in the air increases. , and may be combined with other controls. Furthermore, when the degree of presence of dust in the air increases, the controller 30 may only perform control to vibrate the vibrating members V1 and V2 without stopping the rotation of the cooling fan 12 .

(Third Embodiment)
In the second embodiment, an example has been described in which the dust-proof net N2 is vibrated in order to remove dust adhering to the dust-proof net N2. However, the method for removing dust adhering to the dustproof net N2 is not limited to the method of vibrating the dustproof net N2. Therefore, in the third embodiment, a technique for removing dust adhering to the dustproof net N2 by controlling the rotation of the cooling fan 12 will be described.

In this embodiment, as in the second embodiment, the dustproof net N2 is provided so as to form a part of the left side surface of the upper revolving body 2. As shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the vibrating members V1 and V2 may not be provided on the dustproof net N2.

The controller 30 according to the present embodiment, similarly to the above-described embodiments, determines whether the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere (for example, the attenuation rate of light) in the detection information is greater than the first threshold. . Then, when it is determined that the degree to which dust exists in the air (for example, the attenuation rate of light) is greater than the first threshold value, the rotation of the four cooling fans 12 is stopped or the number of rotations is reduced.

Then, after stopping the rotation of the four cooling fans 12 or after reducing the number of rotations, the controller 30 determines that the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere (for example, the attenuation rate of light) in the detection information is , is smaller than the second threshold. The second threshold is a value smaller than the first threshold and is a value set as a reference for determining that the atmosphere does not contain dust.

Then, when the controller 30 determines that the degree of presence of dust in the air (for example, the attenuation rate of light) is smaller than the second threshold, the controller 30 turns off the four cooling fans 12 before the determination based on the first threshold. Rotation control is started with reverse rotation compared to .

When the controller 30 determines that the second threshold value is exceeded, the controller 30 starts rotation control of the four cooling fans 12 so that air flows from the engine 11 to the dustproof net N2. In other words, the rotation of the cooling fan 12 is controlled so as to blow the dust adhering to the dustproof net N2 to the outside (to the left) with the wind.

In the present embodiment, if the degree of presence of dust in the air exceeds the first threshold value, dust is flying in the air. , the cooling fan 12 is stopped. After that, when the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere becomes smaller than the second threshold value, the controller 30 reversely rotates the four cooling fans 12 on the assumption that the amount of dust in the atmosphere has decreased. A cooling fan 12 is controlled so as to remove dust adhering to the dustproof net N2. After a predetermined period of time has passed, the controller 30 controls the rotation of the cooling fan 12 again so that air flows from the dustproof net N2 to the engine 11. FIG.

In the present embodiment, the controller 30 performs the control described above, so that the dust-proof net N2 can be prevented from being clogged with dust.

(Modification of the third embodiment)
Further, in the above-described third embodiment, an example in which the dust-proof net N2 is provided upstream of the engine 11 when the engine 11 is cooled has been described. However, it does not limit the position where the dustproof net is provided.

In the modified example of the third embodiment, an example in which the second dustproof net is provided at a position downstream of the engine 11 when the engine 11 is cooled will be described.

As for providing the second dustproof net at a position downstream of the engine 11 , it is conceivable to provide it so as to form a part of the right side surface of the upper revolving body 2 . As in the second embodiment, a first dustproof net N2 is provided upstream of the engine 11. As shown in FIG.

As usual, when the cooling fan 12 blows air to the engine 11, dust adheres to the first dustproof net N2, thereby preventing the dust from flowing into the engine room 7A.

As in the third embodiment, after the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere increases and the rotation of the four cooling fans 12 is stopped or after the rotation speed is reduced, the controller 30 It is determined whether the degree to which dust exists (for example, the attenuation rate of light) is smaller than the second threshold.

Then, when the controller 30 determines that the degree of presence of dust in the air (for example, the attenuation rate of light) is smaller than the second threshold value, the controller 30 rotates the four cooling fans 12 in the reverse direction to rotate the four cooling fans 12 in the reverse direction. Rotation control of the fan 12 is started. As a result, dust adhering to the first dustproof net N2 can be removed.

In this case, the wind flow is reversed. Under such circumstances, a second dustproof net exists upstream of the engine 11 . That is, since the second dustproof net is provided upstream of the engine 11, it is possible to prevent dust from reaching the engine 11 and the cooling fan 12 even when the cooling fan 12 is reversely rotated.

In the embodiment and modification described above, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the dustproof net provided upstream of the engine 11 . As a result, the burden of cleaning the dustproof net can be reduced. Furthermore, since clogging of the dustproof net can be suppressed, reduction in the cooling efficiency of the engine 11 can be suppressed.

In addition, even if no dust-proof net is provided, by controlling the rotation of the cooling fan 12 in accordance with the degree of dust in the atmosphere, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the engine 11 or the like. The cleaning burden can be reduced.

Although the embodiments of the working machine according to the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes, modifications, substitutions, additions, deletions, and combinations are possible within the scope of the claims. These also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

100 Excavator 1 Undercarriage 2 Upper swing body 3 Attachment 4 Boom 5 Arm 6 Bucket 11 Diesel engine 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D Cooling fan 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D Fan motor 30 Controller 80 Space recognition device S1 Dust sensor N1 , N2 dustproof net

Claims (6)

engine and
a fan that blows air to the engine;
a detection unit that detects dust in the air near the work machine,
controlling the fan according to detection information indicating a detection result by the detection unit;
working machine. reducing the number of rotations of the fan or stopping the fan when it is determined that the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere indicated by the detection information is greater than a first threshold;
A work machine according to claim 1. Having a dustproof net upstream of the fan,
A working machine according to claim 1 or 2. The dust-proof net is attached to the side surface of the upper revolving body of the working machine,
A working machine according to claim 3. further comprising a vibration source for vibrating the dustproof net;
controlling the vibration source according to the detection information;
A working machine according to claim 3 or 4. When it is determined that the degree of presence of dust in the atmosphere detected by the detection information is smaller than a second threshold, switching the rotation control of the fan so as to send air from the engine to the dust-proof net side;
A working machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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