Komatsu Corporation

Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho

Kunihiko Imanishi

Minpei Shoda

Shigeru Yamamoto

Nobuki Hasegawa

Takao Nagai

Kenzo Kimoto

Taku Murakami

Kazunori Kuromoto

Jiro Akagi

Sadachika Akiyama

Kazuo Otsuka

Jin Yogita

Haruo Hashimoto

Noritaka Nagata

Hideaki Saito

A plurality of on-board controllers are provided within a construction machine. The plurality of on-board controllers are connected with freedom to communicate with each other by means of a serial communications line allowing communications in accordance with a predetermined communications protocol. Also, an information management controller which manages information about the inside of the construction machine is provided. Further, a monitoring station which mmanages information relating to at least one construction machine including the construction machine is provided on the outside of the construction machine. Also, the serial communications line inside the construction machine and the monitoring station are connected with freedom to communicate with each other via the information management controller. Data acquired by the plurality of on-board controllers is gathered, processed and stored by the information management controller, and the stored data is sent to the monitoring station. In this way, detailed information obtained by collating data gathered by each of the different controllers in the construction machine can be easily acquired without the need for complicated communications processing.

Information management device for construction machinery

Only snapshot data necessary for monitoring faults are collected from machine such as vehicles, allowing faults to be more accurately monitored, and the amount of data and the memory storage volume at a monitoring station to be reduced. The values of a plurality of (A), (B), (C), and (D) operating parameters (engine rotational speed, lever operating position, vehicle speed, and tractive force) which change during the operation of the machine are sequentially detected for each machine. The fault detection history data are thus updated every time a fault (drop in engine oil pressure, overheating) is detected during the operation of the machine. Thus, when a fault (drop in engine oil pressure) is detected during the operation of the machine, it is determined on the basis of the history data whether or not to send to the monitoring station the sequential values of the operating parameters ((A) engine rotational speed, (B) lever operating position, (C) vehicle speed, (D) tractive force) from within a prescribed period of time (from 10 min. before to 5 min. after) around the point in time t0 at which the fault was detected. When it is determined that they should be sent, the type of detected fault (0001 (drop in engine oil pressure)), the values detected ((A) 2, (B) 3, (C) 3, (D) 2) at the time the fault was detected, as well as the sequential values of the operating parameters from within a prescribed period of time (from 10 min. before to 5 min. after) around the time the fault was detected are transmitted to the monitoring station. When it is determined that they should not be sent, on the other hand, the type of detected fault (0001 (drop in engine oil pressure)) and the values detected ((A) 2, (B) 3, (C) 3, (D) 2) at the time the fault was detected are sent to the monitoring station.

Machine fault monitoring apparatus and method

Maintenance due times of components of a machine are determined according to the status of user-performed in-house maintenance and according to the occurrence of abnormalities during machine operation. A subtraction point (20 points) associated with an abnormality (overheating) detected during machine operation is subtracted from the score (80 points) of a corresponding component (engine) in the machine. An addition point (50 points) associated with the type of maintenance (overhaul performed by in-house maintenance) indicated in maintenance information is added to the score (80 points). Thus, at the time where the value resulting from subtractions from and additions to the score for that component (engine) reaches a prescribed value (10 points) indicating maintenance due time, it is determined that the maintenance due time for that component (engine) has been reached.

Method and apparatus for determining machine maintenance due times

Workload detecting system for excavating and loading apparatus

An apparatus for detecting an amount of metal powder in a hydraulic circuit for supplying a drain pressurized oil from a hydraulic pump driven by an engine is characterized by comprising a metal powder amount detection sensor (9) disposed in a flow passage of the pressurized oil and adapted to transmit a signal in proportion to an adhering amount of the metal powder and a controller (11) for calculating the metal powder amount from the signal outputted from the metal powder detection sensor and displaying the calculated amount.

Apparatus for detecting metal powder amount in hydraulic circuit

A control system for operating two engines (3, 4) is installed on a construction machine, such as a hydraulic shovel, to provide for the operation of either engine or both of the engines, to improve operability and to reduce the stress on the operator. The control system has a governor controller (5, 6) for each engine, a dial potentiometer (1) for providing a throttle signal representing the desired revolution rates of the engines from a low speed to a high speed, and a selector switch (2) having a plurality of control positions (F, N and R) for selecting an individual engine or a combination of the engines. In a first control position (F), the selector switch (2) connects the dial potentiometer (1) to only the governor controller (5) of the first engine (3); in the second control position (N), the selector switch (2) connects the dial potentiometer (1) to the governor controllers (5 and 6) of both engines (3 and 4); and in the third control position (R), the selector switch (2) connects the dial potentiometer (1) to only the governor controller (6) of the second engine (3). The selector switch circuit can employ a relay (Re) to actuate relay switches (Re.sub.1, Re.sub.2) to provide the desired switching.

Control system for multiple engines

Growing community of inventors

Hirakata, Japan

Kunihiko Imanishi