Patents by Inventor Kenji Hiraku

Kenji Hiraku has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11946224
    Abstract: The object of the present invention resides in provision of a construction machine in which a hydraulic cylinder can be driven in a high efficiency by an accumulator. To this end, the construction machine including: a hydraulic cylinder; a first accumulator that accumulates return fluid from the hydraulic cylinder with a first set pressure; a tank that stores hydraulic fluid therein; a first hydraulic pump that delivers the hydraulic fluid sucked from the tank; a hydraulic actuator that is driven by the first hydraulic pump; and a second accumulator that accumulates return fluid from the hydraulic actuator with a second set pressure, includes a first control valve placed in a first hydraulic line that connects the first accumulator and the hydraulic cylinder to each other, and a second control valve placed in a second hydraulic line that connects the second accumulator and the hydraulic cylinder to each other. The second set pressure is set to a value higher than that of the first set pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Hijikata, Yasutaka Tsuruga, Kenji Hiraku, Masatoshi Hoshino
  • Patent number: 11859367
    Abstract: Provided is a construction machine on which a hydraulic closed circuit for driving a single rod-type hydraulic cylinder and a swing hydraulic motor is mounted and that has good swing deceleration responsiveness. In this construction machine that drives each of a single rod-type hydraulic cylinder and a swing hydraulic motor in a closed circuit, a minimum passage area from a second flushing valve to a tank in a case the second flushing valve is fully open is smaller than a minimum passage area from a first flushing valve to the tank in a case the first flushing valve is fully open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teppei Saitoh, Hiromasa Takahashi, Kenji Hiraku
  • Publication number: 20230349132
    Abstract: Provided is a construction machine in which travel operability is not impaired when a combined operation is performed in which a single-rod hydraulic cylinder is driven during a travel operation. A hydraulic excavator includes a controller that controls the delivery direction and delivery flow rate of a closed-circuit pump, opens and closes a travel switching valve and an assist switching valve, and controls the delivery flow rate of the open-circuit pump, according to a travel operation lever and a work operation lever. The controller holds the assist switching valve in a closed position irrespective of whether or not the work operation lever is operated in a case where the travel operation lever is operated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Shohei SUGIKI, Kenji HIRAKU, Hiromasa TAKAHASHI, Teppei SAITOH, Juri SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20230105014
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a construction machine that can use the return oil from a hydraulic actuator effectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Seiji HIJIKATA, Yasutaka TSURUGA, Kenji HIRAKU, Masatoshi HOSHINO
  • Publication number: 20230085648
    Abstract: The object of the present invention resides in provision of a construction machine in which a hydraulic cylinder can be driven in a high efficiency by an accumulator. To this end, the construction machine including: a hydraulic cylinder; a first accumulator that accumulates return fluid from the hydraulic cylinder with a first set pressure; a tank that stores hydraulic fluid therein; a first hydraulic pump that delivers the hydraulic fluid sucked from the tank; a hydraulic actuator that is driven by the first hydraulic pump; and a second accumulator that accumulates return fluid from the hydraulic actuator with a second set pressure, includes a first control valve placed in a first hydraulic line that connects the first accumulator and the hydraulic cylinder to each other, and a second control valve placed in a second hydraulic line that connects the second accumulator and the hydraulic cylinder to each other. The second set pressure is set to a value higher than that of the first set pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Seiji HIJIKATA, Yasutaka TSURUGA, Kenji HIRAKU, Masatoshi HOSHINO
  • Publication number: 20230084767
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a construction machine capable of efficiently driving a hydraulic cylinder by an accumulator. Thus, the construction machine includes a first control valve disposed in a first hydraulic fluid line connecting a bottom-side fluid chamber of a hydraulic cylinder with an accumulator, and a second control valve disposed in a second hydraulic fluid line connecting a rod-side fluid chamber of the hydraulic cylinder with a tank. The construction machine further includes a third control valve disposed in a third hydraulic fluid line connecting the rod-side fluid chamber with the accumulator, and a fourth control valve disposed in a fourth hydraulic fluid line connecting a line part of the first hydraulic fluid line, which connects the bottom-side fluid chamber with the third control valve, and a line part of the third hydraulic fluid line, which connects the rod-side fluid chamber with the third control valve, with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Seiji HIJIKATA, Yasutaka TSURUGA, Kenji HIRAKU, Masatoshi HOSHINO
  • Publication number: 20220364337
    Abstract: A construction machine that makes it possible for an operator to linearly push a bucket simply by operating an arm in a pushing direction is provided. A controller 50 is configured to, in a case where a straight locus is selected by a bucket locus selecting device 52, calculate a constant flow rate ratio ? according to a boom initial angle that is an angle of a boom 2 sensed by a boom angle sensor 33 at a time point when an arm 4 is operated in a pushing direction by an operation device 51, and control the delivery flow rate of a first hydraulic pump 12 such that a hydraulic fluid is discharged from a cap chamber 1a of a boom cylinder 1 at a flow rate Qb obtained by multiplying a flow rate Qa of a flow supplied to a cap chamber 3a of an arm cylinder 3 by the flow rate ratio ? while the arm 4 is operated in the pushing direction by the operation device 51 and there is not an instruction for operation of the boom 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: Juri SHIMIZU, Kenji HIRAKU, Hiromasa TAKAHASHI, Teppei SAITOH
  • Patent number: 11499296
    Abstract: To provide a construction machine that has a hydraulic system mounted thereon in which a closed-circuit pump, and an open-circuit pump and a proportional valve are arranged as a pair, and that makes it possible to use an unused open-circuit pump or proportional valve to accelerate the speed of a single rod hydraulic cylinder when the single rod hydraulic cylinder and a hydraulic motor are driven simultaneously. A controller (51) controls a cap-side selector valve (46) and a rod-side selector valve (47) such that a particular open-circuit pump (15) not connected to a single rod hydraulic cylinder (3) is connected to the single rod hydraulic cylinder, and controls an opening area of a particular proportional valve (49) provided on a flow line that connects a delivery port of the particular open-circuit pump to a tank, when the single rod hydraulic cylinder and a hydraulic motor (7) are driven simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takamasa Kai, Juri Shimizu, Kenji Hiraku, Hiromasa Takahashi, Teppei Saitou
  • Publication number: 20220282448
    Abstract: Provided is a construction machine configured such that a hydraulic actuator is driven by a hydraulic pump for a closed circuit, by which oil film breakage of the hydraulic pump for a closed circuit is prevented to improve the reliability and a high operation rate can be obtained. The construction machine includes a switching valve that is provided in a branch hydraulic line connecting one of suction/delivery ports of a closed circuit pump and a charge line to each other and is opened and closed according to a control signal from a controller. The controller is configured to, in a case where a state in which a delivery volume of the closed circuit pump is kept to zero continues for a predetermined time period or more, open the switching valve and keep the delivery volume of the closed circuit pump to a predetermined delivery volume or more, the predetermined delivery volume being greater than zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Kenji HIRAKU, Akira NAKAYAMA, Teppei SAITOH
  • Patent number: 11319693
    Abstract: To make it possible to prevent a decrease in work speed due to a decrease in the speed of a given actuator when an operator unintentionally performs a fine operation of the control lever of the other actuator in a state in which the given actuator is driven by the hydraulic fluid delivered from a plurality of pumps, a controller (41) sets, as a composite dead zone line serving as a boundary of a composite dead zone, a composite dead zone line such that as an operation amount in one direction of a control lever (12L) or (13L) of a control lever device (12) or (13) is increased, the width of the composite dead zone corresponding to an operation amount in the other direction of the control lever is widened, and corrects the operation amount in the other direction such that the demanded flow rate of an actuator increases from zero, when the control lever is operated in the other direction in a state in which the operation amount in the one direction of the control lever remains within a range of the composite dea
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromasa Takahashi, Kenji Hiraku, Teppei Saitoh, Syouhei Sugiki
  • Publication number: 20220074170
    Abstract: To provide a construction machine that has a hydraulic system mounted thereon in which a closed-circuit pump, and an open-circuit pump and a proportional valve are arranged as a pair, and that makes it possible to use an unused open-circuit pump or proportional valve to accelerate the speed of a single rod hydraulic cylinder when the single rod hydraulic cylinder and a hydraulic motor are driven simultaneously. A controller (51) controls a cap-side selector valve (46) and a rod-side selector valve (47) such that a particular open-circuit pump (15) not connected to a single rod hydraulic cylinder (3) is connected to the single rod hydraulic cylinder, and controls an opening area of a particular proportional valve (49) provided on a flow line that connects a delivery port of the particular open-circuit pump to a tank, when the single rod hydraulic cylinder and a hydraulic motor (7) are driven simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Takamasa KAI, Juri SHIMIZU, Kenji HIRAKU, Hiromasa TAKAHASHI, Teppei SAITOU
  • Publication number: 20220056667
    Abstract: Provided is a construction machine on which a hydraulic closed circuit for driving a single rod-type hydraulic cylinder and a swing hydraulic motor is mounted and that has good swing deceleration responsiveness. In this construction machine that drives each of a single rod-type hydraulic cylinder and a swing hydraulic motor in a closed circuit, a minimum passage area from a second flushing valve to a tank in a case the second flushing valve is fully open is smaller than a minimum passage area from a first flushing valve to the tank in a case the first flushing valve is fully open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Teppei SAITOH, Hiromasa TAKAHASHI, Kenji HIRAKU
  • Publication number: 20220042279
    Abstract: To make it possible to prevent a decrease in work speed due to a decrease in the speed of a given actuator when an operator unintentionally performs a fine operation of the control lever of the other actuator in a state in which the given actuator is driven by the hydraulic fluid delivered from a plurality of pumps, a controller (41) sets, as a composite dead zone line serving as a boundary of a composite dead zone, a composite dead zone line such that as an operation amount in one direction of a control lever (12L) or (13L) of a control lever device (12) or (13) is increased, the width of the composite dead zone corresponding to an operation amount in the other direction of the control lever is widened, and corrects the operation amount in the other direction such that the demanded flow rate of an actuator increases from zero, when the control lever is operated in the other direction in a state in which the operation amount in the one direction of the control lever remains within a range of the composite dea
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Hiromasa TAKAHASHI, Kenji HIRAKU, Teppei SAITOH, Syouhei SUGIKI
  • Patent number: 11214941
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a construction machine having a good engine starting property in a low temperature environment. The construction machine of the present invention includes: an electric pump having a delivery port connected to a line part of a pilot line, the line part connecting a pilot pump with a pilot control valve; a motor that drives the electric pump; and a temperature sensor that measures a temperature of a hydraulic working fluid delivered from the pilot pump. A controller starts driving of the motor in the case where a key switch is operated from a key OFF state to a key ON state and where the temperature of the hydraulic working fluid measured by the temperature sensor is lower than a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teppei Saitoh, Kenji Hiraku, Mitsuo Aihara
  • Patent number: 11118328
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a construction machine capable of suppressing lugging down of an engine irrespective of contents of operation of an operator and the load state of a hydraulic actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Juri Shimizu, Kenji Hiraku, Hiromasa Takahashi, Teppei Saitou, Shouhei Sugiki
  • Patent number: 11111651
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a construction machine that has a hydraulic closed-circuit system mounted therein and capable of selectively connecting some of a plurality of hydraulic pumps driven by two engines to any one of a plurality of hydraulic actuators and that can downsize the engines while maintaining high work efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Juri Shimizu, Kenji Hiraku, Hiromasa Takahashi, Teppei Saitou
  • Publication number: 20210262201
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a construction machine having a good engine starting property in a low temperature environment. The construction machine of the present invention includes: an electric pump having a delivery port connected to a line part of a pilot line, the line part connecting a pilot pump with a pilot control valve; a motor that drives the electric pump; and a temperature sensor that measures a temperature of a hydraulic working fluid delivered from the pilot pump. A controller starts driving of the motor in the case where a key switch is operated from a key OFF state to a key ON state and where the temperature of the hydraulic working fluid measured by the temperature sensor is lower than a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Teppei SAITOH, Kenji HIRAKU, Mitsuo AIHARA
  • Publication number: 20210246634
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a construction machine capable of suppressing lugging down of an engine irrespective of contents of operation of an operator and the load state of a hydraulic actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Juri SHIMIZU, Kenji HIRAKU, Hiromasa TAKAHASHI, Teppei SAITOU, Shouhei SUGIKI
  • Publication number: 20210230839
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a construction machine that has a hydraulic closed-circuit system mounted therein and capable of selectively connecting some of a plurality of hydraulic pumps driven by two engines to any one of a plurality of hydraulic actuators and that can downsize the engines while maintaining high work efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: Juri SHIMIZU, Kenji HIRAKU, Hiromasa TAKAHASHI, Teppei SAITOU
  • Patent number: 10947699
    Abstract: A construction machine incorporates a hydraulic closed circuit system capable of suppressing, even where a selector valve is stuck in an open state by a failure of the selector valve or a control system therefor, unintended operation of a hydraulic actuator and continuing operation of a machine body. The construction machine includes first sensors that detect open-closed states of a plurality of switching valves, first compulsory valve closing devices that change over the plurality of switching valves to a closed position irrespective of open-close control by a machine body controller, and a valve device controller that controls, when it is detected based on the open-closed states of the plurality of selector values detected by the first sensors that one of the plurality of selector values is stuck in an open state, the first compulsory valve closing device such that other selector valve connected to one of the plurality of closed circuit pumps to which the one selector valve is connected is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teppei Saitoh, Takamasa Kai, Kenji Hiraku, Hiromasa Takahashi, Juri Shimizu