JP4684972B2 - Construction machinery fuel management system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel management apparatus for construction machines, and more particularly to a fuel management apparatus for construction machines that makes it possible to grasp the actual state of fuel used in construction machines.

  In recent years, typical construction machines such as hydraulic excavators, bulldozers, forklifts, hydraulic cranes, etc. are very expensive and are not necessary for construction and civil engineering companies to own construction machines. A method of borrowing construction machines from rental companies and performing work (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  This type of construction machine uses a diesel engine, and only fuel oil is allowed. However, as it actually works with kerosene and heavy oil, there is a possibility that kerosene and heavy oil with low fuel prices may be used, or kerosene and heavy oil may be mixed with light oil. An engine failure has also occurred, which is a problem.

In particular, when rental companies rent construction machines to a third party and receive a return, the actual state of the fuel used by the user is determined only by hearing from the user. Without a declaration, it is difficult to grasp the fuel used, and it is highly likely that it is difficult to investigate the cause of engine failure.
Japanese Patent No. 3697151.

  As described above, conventionally, there is no means for easily grasping the type of fuel used in construction machinery by a method other than hearing from the user, and it is difficult to investigate the cause when an engine failure or the like occurs. There was a problem. In addition, when rental companies rent construction machines to a third party, there were users who maliciously used cheap fuel such as kerosene and heavy oil, and there was no way to effectively prevent them. .

  Therefore, there is a technical problem to be solved in order to be able to easily grasp the fuel used and to suppress the use of unauthorized fuel with malicious intent, and the present invention solves this problem. The purpose is to do.

  The present invention has been proposed in order to achieve the above object, and the invention according to claim 1 is a fuel management apparatus for a construction machine including a fuel supply device for supplying fuel from a fuel tank to an engine. There is provided a used fuel management apparatus for a construction machine provided with a used fuel sampling means for automatically sampling and storing the fuel passing through the fuel supply line in a fuel supply line connecting the fuel tank and the engine.

  According to this configuration, when the construction machine is used, the used fuel passing through the fuel supply line is automatically sampled and stored. Therefore, after the construction machine is used, it is used by examining the stored sampling fuel. You can easily grasp the type of fuel.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a used fuel management device for a construction machine according to the first aspect, wherein the used fuel sampling means is provided in a return line connecting the fuel injection device and the fuel tank.

  According to this configuration, since the fuel that has not been injected by the fuel injection device is automatically sampled and stored from the return line, the used fuel is checked by examining the stored sampling fuel after using the construction machine. The type of can be easily grasped.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the used fuel sampling means includes a sampling tank for storing fuel sampled from the fuel supply line or return line, and the fuel supply line or return line. The sampling tank is switched between a sampling mode in which the fuel passing through the fuel supply line or a return line flows into the sampling tank and a non-sampling mode in which the fuel does not flow into the sampling tank. Provided is a fuel management device for a construction machine comprising a possible switching valve and a control means for controlling the switching operation by the switching valve.

  According to this configuration, when the switching valve controlled by the control means switches the connection between the fuel supply line or the return line and the sampling tank to the sampling mode, it is in the fuel supply line or the return line. The fuel used is flowing in a sampling tank separate from the fuel tank, sampled, and automatically stored in the sampling tank.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the construction machine is used, the used fuel passing through the fuel supply line is automatically sampled and stored. Therefore, when it seems that the engine failure has occurred using the unauthorized fuel. Even without hearing from the user, it is possible to easily grasp whether or not non-permitted fuel has been used from the sampled fuel. Thereby, measures can be taken quickly. In addition, even if an unauthorized fuel such as kerosene or heavy oil is used maliciously, it is recognized by the user that fraud can be detected easily. The effect can be expected.

  Since the invention according to claim 2 automatically samples and stores the uninjected fuel passing through the return line when the construction machine is used, the engine using the non-permitted fuel as in the invention according to claim 1 is used. When it seems that a failure has occurred, it is possible to easily grasp whether or not unauthorized fuel has been used from the sampled fuel without hearing from the user. Thereby, measures can be taken quickly. In addition, even if an unauthorized fuel such as kerosene or heavy oil is used maliciously, it is recognized by the user that fraud can be detected easily. The effect can be expected.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, when the switching valve is automatically controlled by the control means and the connection between the fuel supply line or the return line and the sampling tank is switched to the sampling mode, the fuel is Since used fuel or uninjected fuel flowing in the supply line or the return line flows into a sampling tank different from the fuel tank, is sampled, and is automatically stored in the sampling tank. In addition to the effect of the invention of item 1 or 2, an effect that the sampling operation can be simplified can be expected.

  Construction equipped with a fuel supply device that supplies fuel from the fuel tank to the engine in order to achieve the objective of easily grasping the fuel used and suppressing the use of unauthorized fuel with malicious intent, etc. In the fuel management device for a machine, the fuel passing through the fuel supply line or the return line is automatically supplied to a fuel supply line connecting the fuel tank and the engine or a return line connecting the fuel injection device and the fuel tank. This was achieved by providing a means for sampling the fuel used for sampling and storing in a standard manner.

  Hereinafter, the fuel management apparatus for construction machinery according to the present invention will be described with reference to preferred embodiments. FIG. 1 shows an example of a hydraulic excavator that is a typical example of a construction machine. In the hydraulic excavator shown in FIG. 1, an upper swing body 2 is mounted on a crawler-type lower traveling body 1 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis, and a cab 3 is placed on one front side of the upper swing body 2. A boom 4 is attached to the front center portion by a boom cylinder 5 so as to be movable up and down. Further, the arm 6 is pivotally attached to the tip of the boom 4 by an arm cylinder 7 and the bucket 8 is pivotally attached to the tip of the arm 6 by a bucket cylinder 9. .

  FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the internal combustion engine mounted on the hydraulic excavator shown in FIG. 1, and includes a diesel engine 11, a fuel supply device 12, and a used fuel sampling device 13.

  The fuel supply device 12 includes a fuel tank 14, a water separator 15, a fuel injection device 17, and the like. Light oil as fuel is stored in the fuel tank 14, and the fuel in the fuel tank 14 is sent to the fuel injection device 17 by the feed pump 16.

  The fuel in the fuel tank 14 flows to the water separator 15 through a fuel supply pipe 18 that is a fuel supply line. The water mixed in the fuel is separated by the water separator 15 and sent to the used fuel sampling device 13. Then, after passing through the switching valve 23 of the used fuel sampling device 13, the dust is removed from the feed pump 16 through the filter 19 and is sent to the fuel injection device 17 after being removed by the filter 19.

  The used fuel sampling device 13, which is a used fuel sampling means provided between the water separator 15 and the feed pump 16, controls the switching valve 23 provided in the middle of the fuel supply pipe 18 and the opening and closing of the switching valve 23. The control part 24 as a control means to perform, the tank 22 for sampling, etc. are provided.

  The switching valve 23 switches between a sampling mode in which the fuel passing through the fuel supply pipe 18 is sent to the sampling tank 22 and a non-sampling mode in which the fuel is sent to the fuel injection device 17 via the feed pump 16 and is switched by a solenoid 23a. . As shown in the figure, when current is not supplied from the control unit 24 to the solenoid 23a, the fuel supply pipe 18 is connected to the feed pump 16 to send fuel to the fuel injector 17, and current is supplied to the solenoid 23a. In this case, the switching valve 23 is switched, and the fuel supply pipe 18 is connected to the branch pipe 25 so that the fuel in use is sampled and stored in the sampling tank 22. The opening / closing of the switching valve 23 is periodically controlled by the control unit 24. The control unit 24 is mainly composed of a microcomputer (commonly called “microcomputer”), and controls the switching valve 23 according to a procedure programmed in advance in the microcomputer.

  Further, the fuel injection device 17 includes a fuel injection pump 20 that compresses the fuel supplied from the feed pump 16 at a high pressure, and a fuel injection that injects the fuel compressed at a high pressure by the fuel injection pump 20 into each cylinder of the diesel engine 11. Nozzle 21 (only one cylinder is shown).

  In the fuel injection device 17, the supplied fuel is high-pressure compressed by the fuel injection pump 20, led to the fuel injection nozzle 21 installed in each cylinder of the diesel engine 11, and the high-pressure compressed fuel is supplied from the fuel injection nozzle 21. It is injected into each cylinder. The fuel that could not be injected from the fuel injection nozzle 21 returns to the fuel tank 14 through a leakage pipe 26 and a pipe line (return pipe) 27 that form a return line. On the other hand, surplus fuel in the fuel injection pump 20 returns from the pipe 28 to the fuel tank 14 through the pipe 27.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example in which the control unit 24 of the used fuel sampling device 13 controls the operation of the switching valve 23. The operation of the used fuel sampling apparatus 13 will be described using the flowchart. When the solenoid current is not flowing from the control unit 24 to the solenoid 23a of the switching valve 23, the switching valve 23 is in the “non-sampling mode”. In this case, the fuel passing through the fuel supply pipe 18 is sent to the feed pump 16 side. Therefore, it does not flow into the sampling tank 22.

  On the other hand, when a certain time T (for example, several hours) has elapsed since the start of the diesel engine 11, the control unit 24 energizes the solenoid 23a of the switching valve 23 with a solenoid current for a certain time t (several seconds), thereby switching the switching valve. 23 is switched to “sampling mode”. In this case, the fuel passing through the fuel supply pipe 18 is not sent to the feed pump 16 side but is sent to the sampling tank 22 through the branch pipe 25.

  While the switching valve 23 is switched to the “sampling mode”, the fuel (about several cc) passing through the fuel supply pipe 18 is automatically stored in the sampling tank 22 as sampling fuel. When the predetermined time t has elapsed, the solenoid current to the solenoid 23a of the switching valve 23 is cut off, the switching valve 23 returns to the “non-sampling mode”, and the sampling ends. This operation is repeated periodically while the construction machine is in use.

  The sampling fuel stored in the sampling tank 22 is confirmed at a later date when the use of the unauthorized fuel is suspected or when the machine is returned to determine whether the unauthorized fuel is being used. Used when. Note that whether the type of sampling fuel is light oil, kerosene, or heavy oil can be easily determined from the specific gravity or the like.

  Therefore, according to the construction machine according to the present embodiment, since the fuel used is automatically sampled and stored when the construction machine is used, the type of fuel can be simplified by examining the stored fuel used later. Can grasp.

  In addition, when the construction machine is used, the fuel passing through the fuel supply pipe 18 that is a fuel supply line is automatically sampled and stored, so that when it is considered that an unauthorized fuel is used and an engine failure has occurred, Even without hearing from the user, it is possible to easily grasp whether or not the non-permitted fuel has been used from the sampled fuel, and measures can be taken quickly.

  Furthermore, even if you try to use non-permitted fuel such as kerosene or heavy oil that is maliciously malicious, the user is aware that fraud can be easily detected, leading to suppression of unauthorized fuel use and prevention of fraud The effect can be expected.

  Further, in the structure of the present embodiment, the switching valve 23 is provided in the fuel supply pipe 18 between the water separator 15 and the feed pump 16 to configure the used fuel sampling device 13. The used fuel sampling device 13 may be provided in the middle of the pipe line 27 forming the return line to sample the fuel.

  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.

1 is a side view of a hydraulic excavator to which a fuel management apparatus according to the present invention is applied. It is a schematic block diagram of the internal combustion engine provided with the used fuel management apparatus which concerns on this invention. The flowchart which shows an example of operation | movement of the use fuel management apparatus which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

11 Diesel Engine 12 Fuel Supply Device 13 Fuel Sampling Device (Used Fuel Sampling Means)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 14 Fuel tank 15 Water separator 16 Feed pump 17 Fuel injection apparatus 18 Fuel supply piping 21 Fuel injection nozzle 22 Sampling tank 23 Switching valve 24 Control part 27 Pipe line (return pipe)

Claims (3)

In a used fuel management device for a construction machine equipped with a fuel supply device for supplying fuel from a fuel tank to an engine,
A fuel used for a construction machine, characterized in that a fuel supply line connecting the fuel tank and the engine is provided with a fuel sampling means for automatically sampling and storing the fuel passing through the fuel supply line. Management device.   2. The used fuel management device for construction machinery according to claim 1, wherein the used fuel sampling means is provided in a return line connecting the fuel injection device and the fuel tank.   The fuel sampling means comprises a sampling tank for storing fuel sampled from the fuel supply line or return line, and a connection between the fuel supply line or return line and the sampling tank, the fuel supply A switching valve capable of switching between a sampling mode in which the fuel passing through the line or the return line flows into the sampling tank and a non-sampling mode in which the fuel does not flow into the sampling tank, and the switching operation by the switching valve is controlled The fuel management apparatus for construction machinery according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

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