Patents by Inventor Koji Hyodo

Koji Hyodo 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: 8855870
    Abstract: A clutch control device for an industrial vehicle includes: a braking force detection device that detects braking force of the industrial vehicle; a speed stage detection device that detects a set speed stage of a transmission; a clutch control device that controls engage/release of a forward clutch so that the forward clutch is released when a clutch cut off condition is judged to be satisfied based upon braking force of the industrial vehicle detected by the braking force detection device; and a switching device that automatically switches the clutch cut off condition in the clutch control device based upon a set speed stage of the transmission detected by the speed stage detection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Takashi Takeyama, Akira Shimohira
  • Publication number: 20140288787
    Abstract: A clutch control device for a work vehicle includes a determination unit that determines as to whether or not a clutch cutoff condition has been established based upon whether or not the accelerator pedal is being operated, as determined by the accelerator pedal operation determination unit, the vehicle speed of the work vehicle detected by the vehicle speed detection unit and the braking force of the work vehicle detected by the braking force detection unit; and a clutch control unit that controls engagement/release of a clutch so as to release the clutch when the determination unit determines that the clutch cutoff condition has been established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Tetsuji Tanaka, Isamu Aoki, Keigo Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8777808
    Abstract: A working vehicle control apparatus includes: a selection device that selects a power mode or an economy mode; a determination device that determines whether or not a speed restriction condition and a load pressure have been established; an engine rotational speed restriction device that restricts a maximum rotational speed of the motor upon selection of the economy mode to a lower speed side than a maximum rotational speed of the motor upon selection of the power mode when it is determined that the speed restriction condition has been established; and a vehicle speed restriction device that restricts a maximum vehicle speed upon selection of the economy mode to a lower speed side than a maximum vehicle speed upon selection of the power mode when it is determined that a speed restriction condition has not been established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Hiroki Nakazono, Hirofumi Oouchi, Atsushi Shimazu
  • Patent number: 8775034
    Abstract: A shift control system for an industrial vehicle includes: a vehicle speed detection device that detects a vehicle speed; a transmission device that shifts up and shifts down a speed stage of a transmission; a shift control device that permits shift up when a vehicle speed becomes equal to or greater than a shift up permission vehicle speed; a height position detection device that detects a height position of a working machine device; a forward/backward switch device that switches the industrial vehicle between forward travel and backward travel; and a shift up control switch selection device that switches between normal control, in which shift up is performed by the transmission device when the vehicle speed becomes equal to or greater than the shift up permission vehicle speed, and delay control, in which shift up timing is delayed with respect to the normal control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Atsushi Shimazu, Hirofumi Oouchi, Tadayoshi Aoki
  • Patent number: 8744702
    Abstract: A work vehicle control device includes: a rotation speed control unit that controls an engine rotation speed in correspondence to an accelerator pedal operation quantity indicating an operating extent of an accelerator pedal; a speed ratio detection unit that detects a ratio of speed at an input shaft and at an output shaft of a torque converter, which is disposed between the engine and wheels; a decision-making unit that makes a decision that a fuel efficiency deteriorating condition exists if the torque converter speed ratio is less than a predetermined value or if the torque converter speed ratio is equal to or greater than the predetermined value and a target engine rotation speed corresponding to an operation of the accelerator pedal is greater than a preset value; and an informing unit that informs results of the decision made by the decision-making unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Masaki Yoshikawa, Ei Takahashi, Katsutaka Hara
  • Patent number: 8671673
    Abstract: There are provided: a first circuit for traveling HC1, formed through a closed circuit connection of a variable displacement hydraulic pump 2 and a variable displacement hydraulic motor 3, that includes a motor control unit 10, 11 that controls a displacement of the hydraulic motor 3; a second circuit for working HC2 that drives a work hydraulic actuator 114, 115 by pressure oil from a work hydraulic pump 4; and a maximum value control unit that controls a maximum displacement of the hydraulic motor 3 in accordance with load pressure Pf in the second circuit HC2. The maximum value control unit decreases the maximum displacement to a minimum limit q1 corresponding to a maximum load pressure Pr in the second circuit when load pressure Pf in the second circuit exceeds a predetermined value Ps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Kazuo Chonan, Yasuo Yamazaki, Nobuhiro Suzuki, Koji Takano, Genichiro Ishimaru, Nobuyuki Hidaka, Masaki Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8668624
    Abstract: A motor control device for a working vehicle includes: a travel drive device that transmits rotation of a motor to wheels through a torque converter; a first selection device to be operated so as to select one of a power mode and an economy mode; a second selection device that is different from the first selection device; a mode switching device that switches from the economy mode to the power mode if the second selection device is operated in a state where the economy mode has been selected by the first selection device; and a speed restriction device that, when the economy mode is set, restricts a maximum rotational speed of the motor to a lower speed side than that when the power mode is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Masaki Yoshikawa, Kazuo Chounan
  • Patent number: 8655557
    Abstract: A working vehicle motor control device includes: a rotational speed control device that controls a motor rotational speed in accordance with an operation amount of an accelerator pedal; a travel drive device that transmits rotation of the motor to wheels through a torque converter and a transmission; a speed ratio detection device that detects a speed ratio of an input shaft and an output shaft of the torque converter; and a speed restriction device that restricts a maximum rotational speed of the motor in accordance with a speed ratio detected by the speed ratio detection device. In the working vehicle motor control device, the speed restriction device restricts the maximum rotational speed when a detected speed ratio is in an acceleration region of the motor rotational speed to less than the maximum rotational speed when a detected speed ratio is in a non-acceleration region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Hiroki Nakazono, Masaki Yoshikawa, Tadayoshi Aoki, Isamu Aoki
  • Publication number: 20140003900
    Abstract: A wheel loader includes a vehicle body having wheels a work implement including an arm, a bucket, and an arm cylinder and a bucket cylinder that drive the arm and the bucket, respectively, and a work implement control device that directs an operation of the work implement. The work implement control device includes an arm control lever disposed on the right of a driver's seat, the arm control lever controlling operations of the arm, and two kickdown switches disposed at an upper surface and a left side surface, respectively, of a grip of the arm control lever. Operability can thereby be improved even further.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Masaki Yoshikawa, Ei Takahashi, Wataru Isaka
  • Publication number: 20140005900
    Abstract: To provide a drive control system for a working vehicle, which can prevent engine stall with certainty even when a large load suddenly acts on a vehicle-mounted engine and which is also excellent in environment friendly performance. When a vehicle speed of a wheel loader (1) is determined to be not higher than a reference value (Yes) in step S4 and a forward/reverse command means (40) is determined to have been switchingly operated (Yes) in step S5, the routine advances to step S6 where an increment ?N of engine speed according to an engine load factor is determined. In step S7, the increment ?N of engine speed is then added to a target engine speed Na corresponding to a depression stroke of an accelerator pedal (38), the thus-determined Na=Na+?N is set as a new target engine speed Na, and a target engine speed command i1 is sent to an engine controller (37).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Tetsuji Tanaka, Koji Hyodo, Isamu Aoki, Keigo Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20130319786
    Abstract: A construction machine includes a condenser 24 for cooling refrigerant for an air conditioner; a fan 21 for cooling the condenser 24 by using forward cooling air produced during normal-rotation drive; other cooled objects such as a radiator 25 and the like disposed under the lee of the forward cooling air with respect to the condenser 24; a refrigerant pressure detector 27 for detecting the pressure of the refrigerant flowing in the condenser 24; and a controller 136 for executing reverse-rotation stop processing for returning the fan 21 to the normal-rotation drive when the pressure P of the air conditioner refrigerant detected by the refrigerant pressure detector 27 reaches a preset normal-rotation return pressure P1 during reverse-rotation drive of the fan 21. Thus, the lowering of the cooling effect of an air conditioner can be suppressed while reducing the burden of cleaning an engine room.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keigo Kikuchi, Koji Hyodo, Isamu Aoki, Tetsuji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8567186
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a working vehicle includes a travel circuit HC1 formed through a closed circuit connection of a variable displacement hydraulic pump driven by an engine and a variable displacement hydraulic motor, a work circuit HC2 that includes a work hydraulic pump driven by the engine and a work hydraulic actuator that operates by pressure oil from the work hydraulic pump, a relief valve that relieves high pressure oil of the travel circuit HC1, a rotation speed control unit that controls the engine rotation speed in correspondence to an accelerator pedal operation amount, a state detection unit that detects a vehicle state of high load travel and high load work, and a speed limitation unit that reduces an engine rotation speed upper limit when the vehicle state of high load travel and high load work is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Nobuyuki Hidaka, Masaki Yoshikawa, Tsuyoshi Takeyama, Kazuo Chonan, Yasuo Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8468818
    Abstract: There are provided: an HST hydraulic circuit that is formed through a closed circuit connection of a variable displacement hydraulic pump 2 and first and second variable displacement hydraulic motors 3 and 4; a charge pump 6 that replenishes the HST hydraulic circuit with hydraulic oil; a cooling circuit through which an excess of the hydraulic oil that has been replenished from the charge pump 6 to the HST hydraulic circuit is returned to a reservoir through the hydraulic pump 2, the first hydraulic motor 3, and the second hydraulic motor 4; a hydraulic source 7 that supplies hydraulic oil to an hydraulic device other than the first and second hydraulic motors; and a merge circuit through which a portion of hydraulic oil from the hydraulic source 7 is merged into an intermediate oil line 22 that lies downstream of the first hydraulic motor 3 and upstream of the second hydraulic motor 4 in the cooling circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Kazuo Ishida, Tsuyoshi Takeyama, Tadayoshi Aoki, Takehiko Katsuragi, Shoroku Kawahara
  • Publication number: 20130092366
    Abstract: A work machine includes a thermostat provided upon a path that conducts the cooling water to the radiator, and that opens and closes the path according to a temperature of the cooling water, a fan device that blows external air at the radiator, an output changeover switch that changes over output of the engine between high and low, a rotational speed setting unit that sets a rotational speed for the fan device according to the temperature of the cooling water, and a rotational speed adjustment unit that adjusts rotational speed of the fan device, wherein, within a temperature range for the cooling water in which the thermostat is fully opened from fully closed, the rotational speed of the fan device to be lower when the output changeover switch is changed over so as to limit the output of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Kazuo Chounan, Tetsuji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8423247
    Abstract: A speed change control system for industrial vehicle, includes: a speed ratio detecting unit that detects a speed ratio of speeds of an input shaft and of an output shaft of a torque converter; speed changer for operating based on the torque converter speed ratio that shifts up or down a speed stage of a transmission in response to the detected speed ratio; a braking detection unit that detects an operation of a braking device for traveling; and a downshift limit unit that permits a downshift to a 1st speed by the speed changer when a non-operation of the braking device is detected by the braking detection unit and limits a lowest speed stage upon downshift by the speed changer to a 2nd speed when an operation of the braking device is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Tetsuji Tanaka, Eiichi Sakai
  • Patent number: 8380408
    Abstract: A speed change control system for an industrial vehicle includes: a speed ratio detecting unit that detects a speed ratio of speeds of an input shaft and of an output shaft of a torque converter; a torque converter speed ratio-based speed changer that shifts up or shifts down a speed stage of a transmission 3 in response to the detected speed ratio; a vehicle speed detection unit that detects a speed of the vehicle; a mode selection unit that selects any one of an L-mode and an H-mode; and a speed change control unit that permits an upshift provided that the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a first predetermined value when the L-mode is selected whereas permits the upshift provided that the vehicle speed is higher than another predetermined value which is larger that the predetermined value when the H-mode is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Tetsuji Tanaka, Eiichi Sakai, Nobuhiro Suzuki, Koji Takano
  • Publication number: 20120296530
    Abstract: A clutch control device for an industrial vehicle includes: a braking force detection device that detects braking force of the industrial vehicle; a speed stage detection device that detects a set speed stage of a transmission; a clutch control device that controls engage/release of a forward clutch so that the forward clutch is released when a clutch cut off condition is judged to be satisfied based upon braking force of the industrial vehicle detected by the braking force detection device; and a switching device that automatically switches the clutch cut off condition in the clutch control device based upon a set speed stage of the transmission detected by the speed stage detection device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Takashi Takeyama, Akira Shimohira
  • Publication number: 20120296531
    Abstract: A shift control system for an industrial vehicle includes: a vehicle speed detection device that detects a vehicle speed; a transmission device that shifts up and shifts down a speed stage of a transmission; a shift control device that permits shift up when a vehicle speed becomes equal to or greater than a shift up permission vehicle speed; a height position detection device that detects a height position of a working machine device; a forward/backward switch device that switches the industrial vehicle between forward travel and backward travel; and a shift up control switch selection device that switches between normal control, in which shift up is performed by the transmission device when the vehicle speed becomes equal to or greater than the shift up permission vehicle speed, and delay control, in which shift up timing is delayed with respect to the normal control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Atsushi Shimazu, Hirofumi Oouchi, Tadayoshi Aoki
  • Patent number: 8315783
    Abstract: There are provided: a pedal operation amount detection unit 12 that detects an operation amount s of the accelerator pedal 11; a speed ratio detection unit 14, 15 that detects a speed ratio e of an input shaft and an output shaft of the torque converter 2; a load pressure detection unit 16 that detects a load pressure P of the hydraulic pump 6; a speed stage detection unit 18 that detects a low speed stage of a transmission 3 capable of varying a speed stage between a low speed stage and a high speed stage; and a speed limiting unit 10 that limits a maximum speed of the engine 1 to a lower speed upon satisfaction of following speed limitation conditions: at least a pedal operation amount s is equal to or greater than a predetermined value s1, a speed ratio e is equal to or less than a predetermined value ea, a load pressure P is equal to or greater than a predetermined value Pa, and the low speed stage of the transmission has been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Hiroki Nakazono, Nobuhiro Suzuki, Atsushi Shimazu, Masaki Yoshikawa, Kentaro Itoga, Kazuo Chonan, Tomoo Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8277364
    Abstract: A first motor 3 and a second motor 4 of variable displacement type are in parallel to each other connected to a hydraulic pump 2 in a closed circuit, through which the output torque from the first motor 3 is transmitted to an output shaft 6. A clutch control unit 10 controls a clutch device 15 as: when the engine speed is N1, which is the case where the accelerator pedal is fully depressed, the clutch is disengaged at the vehicle speed v1. When the engine speed is N3(<N1), which is the case where the accelerator pedal is half depressed, the clutch is disengaged at the vehicle speed v3(<v1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hyodo, Nobuhiro Suzuki, Koji Takano, Genichiro Ishimaru, Kazuo Ishida, Kazuo Chonan