Patents by Inventor Shinya Imura

Shinya Imura 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).

  • Publication number: 20190111773
    Abstract: It becomes possible to prevent deterioration of an electric storage device due to overdischarge of the electric storage device and engine stalling due to insufficient assist or disabled assist when a charge amount of the electric storage device falls, ensure that work is continuously conducted, suppress an operator from feeling discomfort in operation, and ensure favorable operability. A pump target output power computing section (21) computes present pump demanded power on the basis of work related information, limits the present pump demanded power in response to a degree of reduction of a state of charge of an electric storage device (12a) when the state of charge is lower than a preset threshold, and computes the limited present pump demanded power as present pump target output power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Applicant: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji NISHIKAWA, Shinya IMURA, Masafumi HITA, Hiroaki AMANO
  • Patent number: 10253479
    Abstract: When option attachment has not been attached, a reserve flow/direction control valve 8 is made to operate as a center bypass cut valve. When an option attachment has been attached, switching control is performed. In the switching control, when the option attachment is not used, the reserve flow/direction control valve 8 is made to operate as a center bypass cut valve for adjusting composite opening area of a center bypass and thereby controlling the flow rate of hydraulic fluid flowing into an actuator. When the option attachment is used, the reserve flow/direction control valve 8 is made to operate so as to supply the hydraulic fluid to an option hydraulic actuator 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Tomoaki Kaneta, Kouji Ishikawa, Hidetoshi Satake, Shinya Imura
  • Patent number: 10227997
    Abstract: To provide a hydraulic drive system for a work machine capable of securing a favorable operability in the case where hydraulic fluid discharged from a hydraulic actuator is regenerated for driving other hydraulic actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Hijikata, Kouji Ishikawa, Shinya Imura
  • Patent number: 10221871
    Abstract: The Construction machinery includes at least two actuators, a main pump that generates hydraulic energy for driving the actuators, control valves disposed between the main pump and the actuators, a hydraulic pump motor driven by the generator motor that generates energy to be added to the hydraulic energy, and a controller that reduces hydraulic energy generated by the main pump when the hydraulic pump motor driven by the generator-motor generates energy. The construction machinery further comprises changeover valves that selectively change a location at which the energy from the hydraulic pump motor driven by the generator-motor is to be added according to the actuators. The controller changes a reduction rate of the hydraulic energy generated by the main pump depending on a specific actuator to which the energy is to be added.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Imura, Hidetoshi Satake, Kouji Ishikawa, Seiji Hijikata, Takatoshi Ooki, Shinji Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20190063039
    Abstract: A hydraulic energy regeneration system for a work machine for boosting a pressure of a return hydraulic fluid of a hydraulic cylinder and regenerating the hydraulic fluid, prevents a bottom pressure from reaching an overload relief set pressure and suppresses a changeover shock to ensure favorable operability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji HIJIKATA, Kouji ISHIKAWA, Shinya IMURA
  • Publication number: 20190055716
    Abstract: A construction machine capable of achieving favorable operability in a combined operation is provided. A hybrid excavator includes: a boom cylinder 10 driven by hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic pump 16b; a swing hydraulic motor 5 driven by hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump 16b; a swing electric motor 6 connected mechanically with the swing hydraulic motor 5; an inverter 19 that controls operation of the swing electric motor 6; and a controller 21 that outputs to the inverter 19 a torque command value for controlling electric driving torque or electricity generating torque of the swing electric motor 6.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Shinji ISHIHARA, Shinya IMURA, Shinji NISHIKAWA, Hiroaki AMANO
  • Patent number: 10161108
    Abstract: Provided is a hydraulic fluid energy recovery system for a work machine equipped with a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic actuator for driving the work machine, an operating device for operating the hydraulic actuator, and a regenerating device for recovering a return fluid flowing back from the hydraulic actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Hijikata, Kouji Ishikawa, Takatoshi Ooki, Shinya Imura
  • Patent number: 10150465
    Abstract: A motor generator (27) is connected mechanically to an engine (21) and a hydraulic pump (23). The hydraulic pump (23) delivers pressurized oil to cylinders (11D) to (11F) in a working mechanism (11), a traveling hydraulic motor (25) and a revolving hydraulic motor (26). The revolving hydraulic motor (26) drives a revolving device (3) in cooperation with a revolving electric motor (33). The motor generator (27) and the revolving electric motor (33) are connected electrically to an electricity storage device (31). An HCU (36) sets a target electricity storage rate (SOC0) of the electricity storage device (31) and a pump output limit (POL0) of the hydraulic pump (23) corresponding to a mode selected by a mode selection device (38). The HCU (36) controls the engine (21), the motor generator (27), the revolving electric motor (33) and the electricity storage device (31) corresponding to the target electricity storage rate (SOC0) and the pump output limit (POL0).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Hita, Seiji Ishida, Ken Takeuchi, Shinya Imura
  • Publication number: 20180282968
    Abstract: The lifetime of an electrical storage device is prolonged by reducing a speed of at least relevant one of hydraulic actuators for a specific operation to be performed by a work machine. This hybrid work machine includes a limit control section. When at least one specific operation defined as predetermined one or more among a plurality of work operations performed by the hybrid work machine is performed under condition of a degree of tendency to deterioration of the electrical storage device becoming higher, the limit control section reduces a speed of at least relevant one of the hydraulic actuators at a rate preset for the specific operation depending on the degree of tendency to deterioration of the electrical storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Masafumi HITA, Shinya IMURA, Hidekazu MORIKI
  • Publication number: 20180274208
    Abstract: Provided is a construction machine allowing regeneration of a return hydraulic fluid at the time of both a boom raising operation and a boom lowering operation with a small number of valves, making it possible to secure a satisfactory operability at the time of both the boom raising operation and the boom lowering operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Seiji HIJIKATA, Kouji ISHIKAWA, Shinya IMURA
  • Publication number: 20180258613
    Abstract: A hybrid work machine that can suppress excessive limiting on pump absorption power even in a situation in which supply of electric power to an electric motor is limited is provided. The hybrid work machine includes: an engine 22; an assist generator motor 23 connected to the engine 22 in such a manner that a torque can be transmitted to the engine 22; an electric storage device 24 that supplies electric power to the assist generator motor 23; a monitoring device 28 that monitors the electric storage device 24 and that acquires electric storage device information; a hydraulic pump 41 driven by the engine 22 and the assist generator motor 23; and a pump regulator 43 that regulates a delivery flow rate of the hydraulic pump 41.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroaki AMANO, Shinya IMURA, Ryouhei YAMASHITA, Shinji ISHIHARA, Shinji NISHIKAWA, Masafumi HITA
  • Patent number: 10066368
    Abstract: The hydraulic fluid energy recovery apparatus includes a fluid communication line for holding a bottom-side hydraulic fluid chamber and a rod-side hydraulic fluid chamber of a hydraulic cylinder in fluid communication with each other, a fluid communication valve connected to the fluid communication line for adjusting the pressure and/or flow rate of a hydraulic fluid passing through the fluid communication line in a manner that allows for adjustment of a degree of opening of the fluid communication valve, first pressure detecting means for detecting a signal indicative of pressure at the bottom-side hydraulic fluid chamber of the hydraulic cylinder, an amount-of-operation detecting means for detecting an amount of operation of the operating means, and a control device for capturing the signal of pressure at the bottom-side hydraulic fluid chamber of the hydraulic cylinder detected by the first pressure detecting means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Hijikata, Hidetoshi Satake, Shinya Imura, Shinji Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 10060095
    Abstract: A hybrid work machine includes a controller and a temperature sensor that detects an electric storage device temperature. In a case where (Tp+Tc)?Te_min, the controller carries out a first comparison in which the controller compares a value of [(Tp+Tc)?Te_min] with a value of Ta_SOC, and the controller then selects a lower value of the first comparison. The controller then carries out a second comparison in which the controller compares the selected lower value of the first comparison with a value of [(Tp+Tc)?Te_max)]. The controller then sets a higher value of the second comparison as the torque of the assist motor Ta, wherein Tc is an accessory torque, Ta_SOC is an adjustment assist motor torque based on a current state of charge of the electric storage device, Ta is the torque of the assist motor, and Te_max is an engine maximum torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Imura, Masafumi Hita, Hiroaki Amano, Seiji Ishida, Ken Takeuchi, Itaru Naya, Chiaki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20180238025
    Abstract: Regeneration control is exercised and energy saving is realized even when an abnormality occurs to pressure sensors for hydraulic actuators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Shinya IMURA, Seiji HIJIKATA
  • Publication number: 20180238018
    Abstract: A control system for a construction machine maintains operability of a swing combined operation even when the power supplied from an engine or storage device varies. The control system includes a target path computation section that receives an operation amount of the front implement operation device, an operation amount of the swing operation device, a speed of the front implement drive unit detected, and an angular speed of the swing structure drive unit, and that computes a target path of a claw tip position of the front implement drive unit; and an actuator power computation section that regulates power supplied to the front implement drive unit or the swing structure drive unit in such a manner that a claw tip of the front implement drive unit follows the target path the front implement operation device and the swing operation device are operated simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Shinji ISHIHARA, Masafumi HITA, Shinya IMURA
  • Patent number: 10047501
    Abstract: A control device of construction machine that performs tasks by driving a hydraulic pump by means of an electric motor that is driven by electric power of a battery device that is capable to charge and discharge and an engine that is mechanically coupled to the electric motor, includes: a charging/discharging control unit that controls the charging/discharging of the battery device in such a manner that, in case that a heavy load task where an output of the hydraulic pump is large and a light load task where the output of the hydraulic pump is small are alternately performed, when the output of the hydraulic pump during the heavy load task is increased or a time proportion of the heavy load task in the unit period is increased, an average value of charging current of the battery device per the unit period increases, and when the output of the hydraulic pump during the heavy load task is further increased or the time proportion of the heavy load task in the unit period is further increased, then the average va
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Ishida, Shinya Imura, Masafumi Hita
  • Patent number: 10030361
    Abstract: A controller sets a target flow rate of a regenerative hydraulic motor at zero or a low flow rate within an extent in which hydraulic pressure in a regeneration hydraulic line does not become negative pressure when a detected pressure PS detected by a pressure sensor is lower than a first set value previously set by overload relief valves, sets the target flow rate of the regenerative hydraulic motor at a value corresponding to the detected pressure when the detected pressure is higher than or equal to the first set value, and controls the revolution speed of a generator/motor in such a manner that a flow rate through the regenerative hydraulic motor equals the target flow rate. With such features, excellent operability equivalent to that in the conventional technology can be secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Hijikata, Kouji Ishikawa, Takatoshi Ooki, Shinya Imura
  • Patent number: 10030363
    Abstract: A hybrid work machine has an engine, an assist motor, a hydraulic pump which is driven by the total torque of the engine and the assist motor, and an electric storage device which accumulates electric power generated by the assist motor and supplies the electric power when the assist motor performs electric discharge. The continuous electric discharge from the electric storage device due to continuous operation at high load pressure can be suppressed without an operator experiencing an unusual operational characteristic. To this end, a pump flow rate correction control unit judges whether each hydraulic pump is in a high load operation state or not based on the output horsepower and/or the delivery pressure of each hydraulic pump and performs control such that the delivery flow rate gradually decreases when the hydraulic pump is in the high load operation state and this state continues beyond a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Imura, Shinji Nishikawa, Masafumi Hita, Hiroaki Amano
  • Patent number: 10030355
    Abstract: A hydraulic control system for a construction machine has a hydraulic actuator that drives an arm, a meter-out channel through which hydraulic fluid discharged from the hydraulic actuator flows, a variable restrictor provided in the meter-out channel, an operating device, and a controller that controls an opening area of the variable restrictor. A posture calculation unit calculates an angle made by the arm with respect to a horizontal direction, a meter-out opening area calculation unit calculates the opening area of the variable restrictor based on the angle made by the arm with respect to the horizontal direction and a time rate of change of the angle, and a meter-out control unit outputs a command signal to a solenoid valve used for adjusting the opening area of the variable restrictor, based on the opening area of the variable restrictor calculated by the meter-out opening area calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryouhei Yamashita, Shinya Imura
  • Patent number: 10006473
    Abstract: This invention provides a hybrid construction machine including a swing structure, a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic swing motor driving the swing structure using hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump, an electric swing motor driving the swing structure in conjunction with the hydraulic swing motor, a boom cylinder operated simultaneously with the swing structure at times and driven by the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump, a first directional control valve controlling flow of the hydraulic fluid supplied from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic swing motor, a second directional control valve controlling the flow of the hydraulic fluid returning from the hydraulic swing motor, and a controller and solenoid pressure reducing valves which prevent operation of the second directional control valve when the boom cylinder is operated simultaneously with the swing structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Nishikawa, Kouji Ishikawa, Hidetoshi Satake, Shinya Imura, Shiho Izumi