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).

  • Patent number: 10006472
    Abstract: A construction machine includes: a swing structure (50); a hydraulic pump (1); a hydraulic motor (3) for driving the swing structure (50) using hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump (1); an electric motor (14) for driving the swing structure (50) with or without the aid of the hydraulic motor (3); and a hydraulic actuator (16) driven by the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump 1, the hydraulic actuator can be operated together with the swing structure (50). When the swing structure (50) is operated together with the hydraulic actuator (16), only the electric motor (14) is used to swing the swing structure (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Nishikawa, Hidetoshi Satake, Shinya Imura, Shiho Izumi, Kouji Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20180163374
    Abstract: The first engine speed or a work machine is higher than the minimum engine speed, and the second engine speed is higher than the first engine speed and lower than the maximum engine speed. The ratio of the change in the target engine speed to the change in the operation amount of the engine speed instructing device when the operation amount of the engine speed instructing device is changed from the operation amount for instructing the minimum speed to the operation amount for instructing the first engine speed is larger than the ratio of the change in the target engine speed to the change in the operation amount of the engine speed instructing device when the operation amount of the engine speed instructing device is changed from the operation amount for instructing the second engine speed to the operation amount for instructing the maximum speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Shinya IMURA, Shinji NISHIKAWA, Manabu EDAMURA, Kouji ISHIKAWA, Masatoshi HOSHINO, Shinji ISHIHARA
  • Patent number: 9951797
    Abstract: Provided is a work machine including: a variable-displacement pump 2; an actuator 5 driven by a hydraulic fluid delivered from the pump 2; a flow control valve 4 of an open-center type that controls a flow rate of the hydraulic fluid supplied to the actuator 5; a bleed-off line 8a connecting the actuator flow control valve 4 to a tank 6; a bleed-off flow control valve 8 disposed in the bleed-off line 8a; an operating device 3 that specifies operation of the actuator 5; a bleed-off control device 14 that controls a degree of opening of the bleed-off flow control valve 8 in accordance with an amount of manipulation of the operating device 3; and a pump control device 15 that controls, in accordance with the degree of opening of the bleed-off flow control valve 8, a pump flow rate by correcting a reference pump flow rate that is based on the amount of manipulation of the operating device 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Imura, Kouji Ishikawa, Hidetoshi Satake, Tomoaki Kaneta
  • Publication number: 20180106278
    Abstract: A hydraulic excavator is equipped with: an arm cylinder driven by a hydraulic working fluid from a hydraulic pump; a meter-out passage through which the hydraulic working fluid discharged from the arm cylinder flows; a control valve controlling the hydraulic fluid flow rate of the meter-out passage; a pressure sensor detecting a load acting on the arm cylinder; a pressure sensor detecting an operation amount of an operation device operating the arm cylinder; and a controller. The controller alternatively selects a normal operation mode in which the opening area of the control valve is controlled based on an actuator load and the operation amount, and a substitution operation mode in which the opening area of the control valve is controlled based on the operation amount. When the substitution operation mode is selected, a delivery flow rate of the hydraulic pump is further increased as compared with the normal operation mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroaki AMANO, Shinya IMURA, Ryouhei YAMASHITA, Shinji NISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20180066416
    Abstract: A hydraulic drive system 100A for a work machine includes: a boom cylinder 4; an arm cylinder 8; a hydraulic pump device 51; a control valve 5; a regenerative device 61; a first operation device 41; a second operation device 42; a sensor device 71; and a controller 27. The sensor device 71 includes at least one of pressure sensors 23, 24, 25, and 26. The controller 27 includes an abnormality detection part 142 and a first control part. The abnormality detection part 142 determines whether or not the sensor device 71 is abnormal. If the sensor device 71 is abnormal, the first control part controls the regenerative device 61 such that the hydraulic fluid returning from the boom cylinder 4 is not supplied to the arm cylinder 8 even if the values measured by the sensor device 71 satisfy regenerative conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Seiji HIJIKATA, Kouji ISHIKAWA, Shinya IMURA
  • Publication number: 20180058042
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for a work machine includes a first hydraulic pump driving a swing hydraulic motor; a second hydraulic pumps driving a boom cylinder; a first pump displacement increase valve controlling a volume of the first hydraulic pump; a swing pilot pressure sensor detecting a swing operation amount; a boom raising pilot pressure sensor detecting a boom raising operation amount; and a controller controlling a control signal to the first pump displacement increase valve on the basis of the swing operation amount and the boom raising operation amount. The controller controls the control signal in such a manner that a delivery rate of the first hydraulic pump becomes higher as the swing operation amount is larger and an increasing rate of the delivery rate of the first hydraulic pump becomes lower as the boom raising operation amount is larger during a swing boom raising operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Hidekazu MORIKI, Shinya IMURA, Shiho IZUMI, Hiroaki AMANO, Kouji ISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20180051720
    Abstract: A hydraulic fluid energy regeneration apparatus of a work machine includes: a regeneration hydraulic motor driven by a return hydraulic fluid; a first hydraulic pump mechanically connected to the regeneration hydraulic motor; a second hydraulic pump that delivers a hydraulic fluid for driving a hydraulic actuator; a confluence line that causes the hydraulic fluid delivered from the first hydraulic pump to join the hydraulic fluid delivered from the second hydraulic pump; a first adjuster configured to adjust the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid of the first hydraulic pump; and a second adjuster configured to adjust the delivery flow rate of the second hydraulic pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Seiji HIJIKATA, Kouji ISHIKAWA, Takatoshi OOKI, Shinya IMURA
  • Publication number: 20180051444
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hydraulic control system of a construction machine capable of achieving a reduction in meter-out pressure loss in accordance with variation of a negative load acting on a hydraulic actuator and capable of preventing deterioration in operability even when an abnormal condition arises in a pressure sensor detecting the magnitude of a negative load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Ryohei YAMASHITA, Shinya IMURA, Kouji ISHIKAWA, Hidekazu MORIKI, Hiroaki AMANO
  • Publication number: 20180044890
    Abstract: A hydraulic fluid energy regeneration system for a work machine capable of securely maintaining a brake pressure even when a solenoid valve or the like is erroneously rendered open by an electrical failure is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji HIJIKATA, Kouji ISHIKAWA, Shinya IMURA
  • Publication number: 20180038079
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hydraulic drive system capable of improving the fuel efficiency of a work machine by reducing the pressure loss and drag loss of a hydraulic pump. There are provided an electric motor M; a third pump P3 driven by the electric motor; a third pump hydraulic line L3 to which the delivered hydraulic fluid from the third pump is supplied; a third directional control valve V4 provided in the third pump hydraulic line, switch-operated by an arm operation device 19, and controlling the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid supplied to the arm cylinder 8 from the third hydraulic pump; and a controller 18 drive-controlling the electric motor, wherein the controller drives the third pump by the electric motor when a swing/arm combined operation is detected by pilot pressure sensors S6, S7, S10, S11.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroaki AMANO, Kouji ISHIKAWA, Shinya IMURA, Hidekazu MORIKI, Ryohei YAMASHITA, Seiji HIJIKATA
  • Publication number: 20180030690
    Abstract: An output command calculating section (40) of an HCU (36) restricts a battery discharge power from an electricity storage device (31) based upon a battery electricity storage rate (SOC) and a current square integrating rate (Risc) of the electricity storage device (31). Thereby, the HCU (36) transfers from a normal mode (NMODE) to a low speed mode (LSMODE) to lower a movement speed of a hydraulic actuator. A monitor display amount calculating section (50) of the HCU (36) calculates a maximum speed reduction rate (DRs) based upon a battery discharge power limit value (Plim0) and an engine output upper limit value (Pemax) from the output command calculating section (40). A monitor device (39) displays a reduction rate of the movement speed of the hydraulic actuator in the low speed mode (LSMODE) based on the maximum speed reduction rate (DRs).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi HITA, Shinya IMURA, Shinji NISHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 9863123
    Abstract: A construction machine is characterized by including: a track structure 10; a swing structure 20 provided on the track structure 10 in a swingable manner; swing motors 25, 27 that drive and swing the swing structure; a boom 31 connected to the swing structure 20; a boom cylinder 32 that moves the boom 31 vertically; a swing operation system 72 that instructs a swing operation of the swing structure 20; a boom operation system 78 that instructs a vertical movement of the boom 31; a detector 74d that detects a bottom pressure of the boom cylinder 32; and a controller 80 that reduces swing speed of the swing structure 20 according to a signal from the detector 74d with respect to a reference swing speed according to a signal of the swing operation, while signals of the swing operation and a boom raising operation are being inputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Kaneta, Kouji Ishikawa, Hidetoshi Satake, Shinya Imura
  • Publication number: 20170356163
    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 (12D) to (12F) in a working mechanism (12), 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). An HCU (36) reduces outputs of the revolving electric motor (33), the revolving hydraulic motor (26), the boom cylinder (12D) and the like such that a ratio of a revolving speed of an upper revolving structure (4) and a movement speed of raising a boom (12A) is held to a ratio in a normal mode (NMODE) at the time of performing a compound movement of a revolving movement and a boom-raising movement in a low speed mode (LSMODE).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Masafumi HITA, Shinya IMURA, Shiho IZUMI, Hidekazu MORIKI, Hiroaki AMANO
  • Patent number: 9822803
    Abstract: A work machine is adapted for reduced fuel consumption in regions where swinging by a hydraulic motor is prone to deterioration in efficiency, such as when the operating stroke of the swinging is small. The work machine includes an engine, a hydraulic pump, a swing structure, an electric motor for driving the swing structure, and a hydraulic motor for driving the swing structure, the hydraulic motor being driven by the hydraulic pump, and includes a swing control lever device that commands the swing structure to be driven. A control device operates in either an electric swing mode in which the swing structure is driven mainly by torque of the electric motor or a hydraulic swing mode in which the swing structure is driven mainly by torque of the hydraulic motor, depending on an operating stroke of the control lever device and/or a swing speed of the swing structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya Imura, Kouji Ishikawa, Hidetoshi Satake, Shinji Nishikawa, Tomoaki Kaneta, Shiho Izumi
  • Publication number: 20170298590
    Abstract: When hydraulic fluid discharged from a hydraulic actuator is to be recovered for driving a different hydraulic actuator, the recovery frequency is increased to achieve further energy saving. To this end, a pressure increasing circuit 36 is provided in which a communication pressure increasing valve 12 is disposed in a communication passage 26 that connects a bottom side line 23 of and a rod side line 24 a boom cylinder 4. A recovery control valve 11 is controlled such that, when a first operation unit 5 is operated in a boom lowering direction (own weight falling direction of the boom) and a second operation unit 6 is operated simultaneously, only if the pressure at the bottom side of the boom cylinder 4 is higher than the pressure at the arm cylinder side that is a recovery destination of hydraulic fluid, the recovery control valve 11 is opened to recover the flow rate discharged from the bottom side of the boom cylinder 4 to the arm cylinder side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Seiji HIJIKATA, Kouji ISHIKAWA, Takatoshi OOKI, Shinya IMURA
  • Publication number: 20170291501
    Abstract: Provided is hybrid construction machine that can charge/discharge an electrical storage device appropriately and can suppress stop of an engine accompanying sharp increase of a load. The present invention includes a hybrid controller 22 that controls power of a hydraulic pump 17 and electric power of an inverter 15 in response to storage battery characteristics of the electrical storage device 16, and an output command unit 22F of the hybrid controller 22 is configured to control at least either one of the power of the hydraulic pump 17 and the electric power of the inverter 15 on the basis of at least either one of electric current or voltage of the storage battery characteristics and at least either one of temperature or a state of charge of the storage battery characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: Chiaki TAKAHASHI, Shinya IMURA, Ken TAKEUCHI, Seiji ISHIDA, Itaru NAYA, Masafumi HITA
  • Patent number: 9777463
    Abstract: A construction machine, comprising a hydraulic pump, a swing hydraulic motor, a swing electric motor, a delivery capacity regulating device, and a control unit which controls the driving/braking of the swing structure, is configured to comprise an operation amount detection device for detecting the operation amount of the swing control lever and a speed detection device for detecting the speed of the swing electric motor. The control unit includes a hydraulic pump output reduction control unit which takes in an operation amount signal representing the operation amount of the swing control lever detected by the operation amount detection device and a speed signal representing the speed of the swing electric motor detected by the speed detection device and controls the delivery capacity regulating device by calculating a reduction rate of the output of the hydraulic pump based on the detection signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shiho Izumi, Shinya Imura, Hidetoshi Satake, Kouji Ishikawa, Tomoaki Kaneta, Hiroaki Amano, Shinji Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20170274891
    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: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Masafumi HITA, Seiji ISHIDA, Ken TAKEUCHI, Shinya IMURA
  • Publication number: 20170275852
    Abstract: Provided is a hydraulic control system for a construction machine, including: a control valve (31) for controlling supply and discharge of hydraulic fluid to and from an arm cylinder (4); an operation lever (6) for controlling the position of a spool of the control valve (31); a meter-out flow passage (34) for passing therethrough hydraulic fluid discharged from the arm cylinder; a variable restrictor (23a) provided in the meter-out flow passage; pressure sensors (41, 42) for detecting a magnitude of a negative load applied by an external force to the arm cylinder in a same direction as an actuation direction of the arm cylinder; and a controller (45) for reducing an opening area of the variable restrictor (23a) according to an increase in the magnitude of the negative load calculated with a detection value from the pressure sensors (41, 42).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Ryohei YAMASHITA, Shinya IMURA, Kouji ISHIKAWA, Hidekazu MORIKI
  • Publication number: 20170276155
    Abstract: Provided is a hydraulic drive system for a work machine configured with a single solenoid proportional valve for a regeneration circuit, wherein substantially the same actuator speed can be secured irrespective of whether or not hydraulic fluid discharged from a hydraulic actuator is regenerated for driving of another hydraulic actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Seiji HIJIKATA, Kouji ISHIKAWA, Shinya IMURA