Komatsu Corporation

Noriaki Namiki

Nobuhisa Kamikawa

Shigeru Yamamoto

Toshikazu Okada

Norihisa Matsumoto

Hidekazu Nagase

Naomi Kobayashi

Hiroshi Itogawa

Tractive force control apparatus and method for construction equipment

A bulldozer blade (10) is automatically reset to a predetermined excavating pitch while the bulldozer (20) is traveling backwardly after it has completed an operation of excavating, carrying, or dumping earth. The bulldozer blade (10) can be set to an excavating pitch, a carrying pitch, or a dumping pitch when excavating, carrying, or dumping earth while the bulldozer is traveling forwardly, the bulldozer blade being attached to the leading ends of frame members (15A, 15B) which are pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the vehicle body (20a) in such a manner that the bulldozer blade can swing longitudinally. The rotational angles of left and right lifting cylinders (21A, 21B), which are attached to the bulldozer blade, are detected by first detectors (23a, 23b) while the bulldozer is traveling backwardly after it has completed an operation of excavating, carrying, or dumping earth, and the bulldozer blade is automatically reset to a predetermined excavating pitch from the carrying pitch or the dumping pitch in response to a command issued by a controller (50) which receives detection signals from the first detectors.

Bulldozer blade pitch control method and controller for the same

A hydraulic drive system for the pitch cylinders (4A, 4B) of a bulldozer blade apparatus can include (a) main hydraulic pumps (30A, 30B) and an assistant hydraulic pump (31) to make up the assistant hydraulic circuit, (b) variable displacement hydraulic pumps (21A, 21B), or (c) fixed displacement hydraulic pumps (30A, 30B) and a plurality of solenoid selector valves such that the pitch cylinders can be connected in series. The assistant hydraulic pump (31) is connectable to delivery lines of the main hydraulic pumps through an assistant solenoid selector valve (32) which is controlled by an external signal. The blade (10) can be formed so that a line (14) tangential to the lower edge of the curved panel of the blade is inclined rearwardly with respect to the front face (13) of the blade edge member (12). Earth-moving work can be performed by inclining the blade (10) rearwardly by an angle (.theta..sub.1) with respect to its posture in digging work, and earth-dumping work can be performed by inclining the blade (10) forwardly by an angle (.theta..sub.2) with respect to its posture in digging work. The coupling positions of the two pitch cylinders (4A4B) can be in asymmetrical relation to each other. Control signals can be provided by a blade lever (23), tilt/pitch changeover switch (24), and pitch speed changeover switch (25). The tilt/pitch changeover switch (24) and pitch speed changeover switch (25) can be replaced by pitch-dump selector switch (25A) and pitch-back selector switch (24A).

Blade apparatus and its control method in bulldozer

A hydraulic drive system for the pitch cylinders (4A, 4B) of a bulldozer blade apparatus can include (a) main hydraulic pumps (30A, 30B) and an assistant hydraulic pump (31) to make up the assistant hydraulic circuit, (b) variable displacement hydraulic pumps (21A, 21B), or (c) fixed displacement hydraulic pumps (30A, 30B) and a plurality of solenoid selector valves such that the pitch cylinders can be connected in series. The assistant hydraulic pump (31) is connectable to delivery lines of the main hydraulic pumps through an assistant solenoid selector valve (32) which is controlled by an external signal. The blade (10) can be formed so that a line (14) tangential to the lower edge of the curved panel of the blade is inclined rearwardly with respect to the front face (13) of the blade edge member (12). Earth-moving work can be performed by inclining the blade (10) rearwardly by an angle (.theta..sub.1) with respect to its posture in digging work, and earth-dumping work can be performed by inclining the blade (10) forwardly by an angle (.theta..sub.2) with respect to its posture in digging work. The coupling positions of the two pitch cylinders (4A, 4B) can be in asymmetrical relation to each other. Control signals can be provided by a blade lever (23), tilt/pitch changeover switch (24), and pitch speed changeover switch (25). The tilt/pitch changeover switch (24) and pitch speed changeover switch (25) can be replaced by pitch-dump selector switch (25A) and pitch-back selector switch (24A).

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Kyoto, Japan

Noriaki Namiki