Shovel, control device for shovel

Abstract

The present application provides a technique capable of reducing the burden on an operator when the upper swing body of a shovel is aligned with a target work surface. A shovel (100) according to an embodiment of the present application includes a controller (30) that performs alignment control for causing a swing hydraulic motor (2A) to operate in such a manner that the upper swing body (3) is aligned with a target work surface, based on information related to the target work surface and information related to the orientation of the upper swing body (3), and the controller (30) performs the alignment control in such a manner that the upper swing body (3) is maintained in an aligned state with the target work surface. In a shovel according to another embodiment, the controller (30) starts the alignment control when the upper swing body (3) is rotated in a direction in which an attachment approaches the target work surface.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the application filed on November 14, 2019, with application number 201980075721.X and invention title "Excavator, Control Device for Excavator". Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to an excavator, etc. Background Technology

[0003] For example, there are known technologies that enable operators to identify whether the upper rotating body of an excavator is facing a target construction surface such as a slope (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] Previous technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese International Publication No. 2017 / 026469 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0008] However, when the excavator is not directly facing the target construction surface, the operator needs to perform slewing operations to orient the excavator towards the target surface. Therefore, the operator may find the process of orienting the excavator towards the target construction surface cumbersome each time.

[0009] Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned issues, the object of the present invention is to provide a technique that can reduce the cumbersome experience for the operator when aligning the upper rotating body of the excavator directly with the target construction surface.

[0010] means for solving technical problems

[0011] To achieve the above objectives, in one embodiment of the present invention, an excavator is provided, comprising:

[0012] Lower walking body;

[0013] The upper rotating body is rotatably mounted on the lower walking body;

[0014] An actuator capable of changing the orientation of the upper rotating body; and

[0015] The control device is capable of performing the following direct control: based on information related to the target construction surface and information related to the orientation of the upper rotating body, it causes the actuator to operate such that the upper rotating body is directly facing the target construction surface.

[0016] The control device performs the alignment control in a manner that maintains the upper rotating body facing the target construction surface.

[0017] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present invention, an excavator is provided, comprising:

[0018] Lower walking body;

[0019] The upper rotating body is rotatably mounted on the lower walking body;

[0020] An auxiliary device is installed on the upper rotating body;

[0021] An actuator capable of changing the orientation of the upper rotating body; and

[0022] The control device can perform the following direct control: based on information related to the target construction surface and information related to the orientation of the upper rotating body, the actuator is activated such that the upper rotating body is directly facing the target construction surface.

[0023] When the upper rotating body is rotated in the direction of the auxiliary device toward the target construction surface, the control device begins the facing control.

[0024] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present invention, a control device for an excavator is provided. The excavator includes a lower traveling body, an upper rotating body rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body, and an actuator capable of changing the orientation of the upper rotating body. The control device for the excavator is configured to perform orientation control in such a way that the actuator is activated so that the upper rotating body faces the target construction surface, based on information related to the target construction surface and information related to the orientation of the upper rotating body, and the orientation control is performed in such a way that the upper rotating body faces the target construction surface.

[0025] Furthermore, in another embodiment of the present invention, a control device for an excavator is disclosed. The excavator includes a lower traveling body, an upper rotating body rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body, an auxiliary device installed on the upper rotating body, and an actuator capable of changing the orientation of the upper rotating body. In the control device for the excavator,

[0026] The device is configured to perform the following orientation control: based on information related to the target construction surface and information related to the orientation of the upper rotating body, the actuator is operated such that the upper rotating body is facing the target construction surface, and the orientation control is initiated when the upper rotating body is rotated in a direction approaching the target construction surface towards the auxiliary device.

[0027] Invention Effects

[0028] According to the above embodiments, a technology can be provided that reduces the cumbersome experience for operators when aligning the upper rotating body of an excavator directly with the target construction surface. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a side view of an excavator.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a diagram that roughly represents an example of the structure of an excavator.

[0031] Figure 3 This is another example of a diagram that roughly represents the structure of an excavator.

[0032] Figure 4A This is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the relative positional relationship between an excavator and the target construction surface.

[0033] Figure 4B This is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the relative positional relationship between an excavator and the target construction surface.

[0034] Figure 5 This is a diagram that roughly illustrates an example of the structure of an excavator's hydraulic system.

[0035] Figure 6A This is a diagram illustrating an example of the structural components of the operating system related to the boom in the hydraulic system of an excavator.

[0036] Figure 6B This is a diagram illustrating an example of the structural components of the operating system related to the bucket in the hydraulic system of an excavator.

[0037] Figure 6C This is a diagram illustrating an example of the structural components of the operating system related to the upper rotating body in the hydraulic system of an excavator.

[0038] Figure 7 This is a flowchart that roughly illustrates an example of the direct processing performed by the excavator's controller.

[0039] Figure 8A This is a top view showing an example of the action sequence of an excavator performing a frontal processing operation.

[0040] Figure 8B This is a top view showing an example of the action sequence of an excavator performing a frontal processing operation.

[0041] Figure 9 This is a top view showing another example of the action sequence of an excavator performing a frontal processing operation.

[0042] Figure 10 This is a flowchart that roughly represents another example of the positive processing performed by the excavator's controller.

[0043] Figure 11 This is a flowchart that roughly illustrates another example of the direct processing performed by the excavator's controller.

[0044] Figure 12A This is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure related to the autonomous operation function of an excavator.

[0045] Figure 12B This is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure related to the autonomous operation function of an excavator.

[0046] Figure 12C This is a diagram illustrating an example of the structure related to the autonomous operation function of an excavator.

[0047] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an excavator management system. Detailed Implementation

[0048] The embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0049] [Overview of Excavators]

[0050] First, refer to Figure 1 An overview of the excavator 100 involved in this embodiment will be described.

[0051] Figure 1 This is a side view of the excavator 100, which is the excavator involved in this embodiment.

[0052] In addition, Figure 1 In the diagram, the excavator 100 is located on a horizontal plane facing the upward inclined surface ES of the construction object, and an example of the target construction surface described later, namely the upward slope BS (i.e., the slope shape after construction on the upward inclined surface ES), is also recorded.

[0053] The excavator 100 according to this embodiment includes a lower traveling body 1; an upper rotating body 3 that is rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body 1 via a rotating mechanism 2; a boom 4, a stick 5 and a bucket 6 constituting an auxiliary device (construction machine); and an operator's cab 10.

[0054] The lower traveling body 1 moves the excavator 100 by hydraulically driving a pair of tracks on the left and right sides by traveling hydraulic motors 1L and 1R respectively. That is, a pair of traveling hydraulic motors 1L and 1R (an example of traveling motors) drive the lower traveling body 1 (tracks) which is the driven part.

[0055] The upper rotating body 3 is driven by a rotary hydraulic motor 2A, thereby rotating relative to the lower traveling body 1. That is, the rotary hydraulic motor 2A is a rotary drive unit that drives the upper rotating body 3, which is the driven part, and can change the orientation of the upper rotating body 3.

[0056] Alternatively, the upper rotating body 3 can be electrically driven by an electric motor (hereinafter referred to as "rotation electric motor") instead of the rotary hydraulic motor 2A. That is, similar to the rotary hydraulic motor 2A, the rotation electric motor is a rotation drive unit that drives the upper rotating body 3, which is a non-drive unit, and can change the orientation of the upper rotating body 3.

[0057] The boom 4 is pivotally mounted at the front center of the upper slewing body 3, and the stick 5 is pivotally mounted at the front end of the boom 4, allowing it to rotate up and down. The bucket 6, serving as an end attachment, is pivotally mounted at the front end of the stick 5, allowing it to rotate up and down. The boom 4, stick 5, and bucket 6 are hydraulically driven by the boom cylinder 7, stick cylinder 8, and bucket cylinder 9, respectively, which are hydraulic actuators.

[0058] In addition, the bucket 6 is an example of an end-connection accessory. Depending on the work content, other end-connection accessories such as slope buckets, dredging buckets, and breakers can be installed at the front end of the boom 5 instead of the bucket 6.

[0059] The operator's cab 10 is the driver's cab for the operator and is located on the front left side of the upper rotating body 3.

[0060] The excavator 100 operates the actuators according to the operation of the operator sitting in the control room 10, and drives the lower walking body 1, upper slewing body 3, boom 4, stick 5 and bucket 6 and other moving parts (driven parts).

[0061] Furthermore, the excavator 100 can be configured to be operated by a person in the control room 10, or alternatively, it can be configured to be remotely operated by a person using a designated external device (e.g., the support device 200 or management device 300 described later). In this case, the excavator 100 can, for example, send the image information (camera image) output by the camera device S6 described later to the external device. Also, various information images (e.g., various setting screens) displayed on the display device 40 of the excavator 100 described later can also be displayed on the display device installed on the external device. Thus, the operator can, for example, remotely operate the excavator 100 while checking the content displayed on the display device installed on the external device. Moreover, the excavator 100 can activate actuators and drive the movement components such as the lower traveling body 1, upper slewing body 3, boom 4, stick 5, and bucket 6 based on the remote operation signal received from the external device indicating the remote operation content. When the excavator 100 is remotely operated, the interior of the control room 10 can also be unmanned. The following description assumes that the operation of the operator includes at least one of the operation of the operating device 26 by the operator in the control room 10 and the remote operation of the external device by the operator.

[0062] Furthermore, the excavator 100 can also automatically operate the hydraulic actuators without relying on the operator's input. Thus, the excavator 100 achieves the function of automatically operating at least a portion of its moving parts, such as the lower traveling body 1, the upper slewing body 3, the boom 4, the stick 5, and the bucket 6 (hereinafter referred to as "automatic operation function" or "mechanical control function").

[0063] The automatic operation function may include a function that automatically actuates motion elements (hydraulic actuators) other than the motion elements (hydraulic actuators) of the object being operated, based on operator operation of the operating device 26 or remote operation (so-called "semi-automatic operation function"). Furthermore, the automatic operation function may include a function that automatically actuates at least a portion of multiple driven elements (hydraulic actuators) even without operator operation of the operating device 26 or remote operation (so-called "fully automatic operation function"). In the excavator 100, when the fully automatic operation function is active, the operator's cab 10 may be unmanned. Furthermore, the automatic operation function may include a function that the excavator 100 recognizes hand gestures from personnel or others around the excavator 100 and automatically actuates at least a portion of multiple driven elements (hydraulic actuators) based on the content of the recognized hand gestures ("gesture operation function"). Moreover, the semi-automatic operation function, the fully automatic operation function, and the gesture operation function may include a method of automatically determining the motion content of the motion elements (hydraulic actuators) of the object being automatically operated according to pre-defined rules. Furthermore, the semi-automatic operation function, fully automatic operation function, and gesture operation function may include the excavator 100 autonomously making various judgments and, based on the judgment results, autonomously determining the action content of the action elements (hydraulic actuators) of the object to be automatically operated (the so-called "autonomous operation function").

[0064] [Structure of an excavator]

[0065] Next, besides Figure 1 In addition, also refer to Figure 2 Figure 4 illustrates the specific structure of the excavator 100 involved in this embodiment.

[0066] Figure 2 , Figure 3 These are figures that roughly illustrate one example and another example of the structure of the excavator 100 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 , Figure 3 The excavator 100 has the same structure except for the structural differences in the device guide 50 included in the controller 30 (described later). Figure 4 ( Figure 4A , Figure 4B This diagram illustrates a specific example of the relative positional relationship between the excavator 100 and the target construction surface. Specifically, Figure 4AThis diagram illustrates an example of an excavator 100 whose upper rotating body 3 is not directly facing the target construction surface. Figure 4B This is a diagram showing an example of the state in which the upper rotating body 3 of the excavator 100 is facing the target construction surface.

[0067] In addition, Figure 2 , Figure 3 In the diagram, the mechanical power system, working oil pipeline, pilot line, and electrical control system are represented by double lines, solid lines, dashed lines, and dotted lines, respectively. Furthermore, in... Figure 4A , Figure 4B In the diagram, the completed construction area CS represents the area where the construction of the target construction surface (e.g., the upward slope BS) on the upward inclined surface ES of the construction object has been completed, i.e., the target construction surface is finished. The unconstructed area NS represents the area where construction has not yet begun, i.e., the target construction surface is not yet finished. Furthermore, in... Figure 4A , Figure 4B In the diagram, the cylindrical body CB is positioned such that its axis is aligned with the normal direction relative to the target construction surface, and represents the normal direction of the target construction surface.

[0068] The drive system of the excavator 100 according to this embodiment includes an engine 11, a regulator 13, a main pump 14, and a control valve 17. Furthermore, as described above, the hydraulic drive system of the excavator 100 according to this embodiment includes hydraulic actuators such as travel hydraulic motors 1L and 1R, a swing hydraulic motor 2A, a boom cylinder 7, a stick cylinder 8, and a bucket cylinder 9, which respectively hydraulically drive the lower traveling body 1, the upper slewing body 3, the boom 4, the stick 5, and the bucket 6.

[0069] Engine 11 is the main power source in the hydraulic drive system, for example, mounted at the rear of the upper rotating body 3. Specifically, under the direct or indirect control of the controller 30 described later, engine 11 rotates at a constant target speed set in advance, and drives the main pump 14 and the pilot pump 15. Engine 11 is, for example, a diesel engine that uses light oil as fuel.

[0070] Regulator 13 controls the discharge volume of main pump 14. For example, regulator 13 adjusts the angle (deflection angle) of the ramp of main pump 14 according to control commands from controller 30. As described later, regulator 13 includes, for example, regulators 13L and 13R.

[0071] The main pump 14, for example, is mounted at the rear of the upper rotating body 3, similar to the engine 11, and supplies working oil to the control valve 17 via a high-pressure hydraulic line. As described later, the main pump 14 is driven by the engine 11. The main pump 14 is, for example, a variable-capacity hydraulic pump, which, as described above, adjusts the deflection angle of the swashplate via the regulator 13 under the control of the controller 30, thereby adjusting the piston stroke and controlling the discharge flow rate (discharge pressure). As described later, the main pump 14 includes, for example, main pumps 14L and 14R.

[0072] Control valve 17, for example, is mounted in the central part of the upper rotating body 3, and is a hydraulic control device that controls the hydraulic drive system according to the operation of the operating device 26 by the operator or remote operation. As described above, control valve 17 is connected to the main pump 14 via a high-pressure hydraulic line, and selectively supplies working oil from the main pump 14 to the hydraulic actuators (travel hydraulic motors 1L and 1R, swing hydraulic motor 2A, boom cylinder 7, stick cylinder 8, and bucket cylinder 9) according to the operation or remote operation status of the operating device 26. Specifically, control valve 17 includes control valves 171 to 176 that control the flow rate and flow direction of the working oil supplied from the main pump 14 to each hydraulic actuator. More specifically, control valve 171 corresponds to travel hydraulic motor 1L, control valve 172 corresponds to travel hydraulic motor 1R, and control valve 173 corresponds to swing hydraulic motor 2A. Furthermore, control valve 174 corresponds to bucket cylinder 9, control valve 175 corresponds to boom cylinder 7, and control valve 176 corresponds to stick cylinder 8. Furthermore, as described later, control valve 175 includes, for example, control valves 175L and 175R, and as described later, control valve 176 includes, for example, control valves 176L and 176R. Details regarding control valves 171 to 176 will be described later (see reference). Figure 5 ).

[0073] The operating system of the excavator 100 according to this embodiment includes a pilot pump 15 and an operating device 26. Furthermore, the operating system of the excavator 100, as a structure related to equipment control functions performed by the controller 30 (described later), includes a reciprocating valve 32.

[0074] The pilot pump 15 is mounted, for example, at the rear of the upper rotating body 3, and supplies pilot pressure to the operating device 26 via pilot lines. The pilot pump 15 is, for example, a fixed-capacity hydraulic pump, as described above, driven by the engine 11.

[0075] The operating device 26 is located near the operator's seat in the control room 10 and serves as the input mechanism for the operator to operate various motion components (lower traveling body 1, upper slewing body 3, boom 4, stick 5, and bucket 6, etc.). In other words, the operating device 26 is the input mechanism for the operator to operate the hydraulic actuators that drive the various motion components (i.e., traveling hydraulic motors 1L and 1R, slewing hydraulic motor 2A, boom cylinder 7, stick cylinder 8, bucket cylinder 9, etc.).

[0076] like Figure 2 , Figure 3As shown, the operating device 26 is a hydraulically piloted type. The operating device 26 is connected to the control valve 17 directly or indirectly via a reciprocating valve 32 (described later) located on the secondary side pilot line. Thus, a pilot pressure corresponding to the operating states of the lower traveling body 1, upper slewing body 3, boom 4, stick 5, and bucket 6 can be input to the control valve 17. Therefore, the control valve 17 can drive each hydraulic actuator according to the operating state of the operating device 26.

[0077] Furthermore, the operating device 26 can be an electrical type that outputs an electrical signal (hereinafter referred to as "operation signal") corresponding to the operation content, rather than a hydraulically piloted type that outputs pilot pressure. In this case, the electrical signal from the operating device 26 is input to the controller 30, and the controller 30 controls each of the control valves 171 to 176 in the control valve 17 according to the input electrical signal, thereby realizing the operation of various hydraulic actuators corresponding to the operation content of the operating device 26. For example, the control valves 171 to 176 in the control valve 17 can be electromagnetic solenoid spool valves driven by commands from the controller 30. Furthermore, for example, a hydraulic control valve (hereinafter referred to as "operation control valve") that operates according to the electrical signal from the controller 30 can also be arranged between the pilot pump 15 and the pilot port of each control valve 171 to 176. The operation control valve can be, for example, a proportional valve 31, and the reciprocating valve 32 can be omitted. At this time, if manual operation is performed using the electric operating device 26, the controller 30 controls the hydraulic control valve for operation and increases or decreases the pilot pressure based on the electrical signal corresponding to the operation amount (e.g., the joystick operation amount). Thus, the controller 30 can activate each control valve 171 to 176 according to the operation of the operating device 26. The following explanation assumes that the operating control valve is a proportional valve 31.

[0078] The operating device 26 includes, for example, a joystick device for operating the boom 5 (boom cylinder 8). Furthermore, the operating device 26 includes, for example, joystick devices 26A to 26C (refer to FIG. 6) for operating the boom 4 (boom cylinder 7), the bucket 6 (bucket cylinder 9), and the upper slewing body 3 (slewing hydraulic motor 2A). Additionally, the operating device 26 includes, for example, joystick devices or pedal devices for operating the left and right pairs of tracks (travel hydraulic motors 1L and 1R) of the lower traveling body 1.

[0079] The reciprocating valve 32 has two inlet ports and one outlet port, and outputs working oil with the higher of the pilot pressures input to the two inlet ports to the outlet port. One of the two inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32 is connected to the operating device 26, and the other port is connected to the proportional valve 31. The outlet port of the reciprocating valve 32 is connected to the pilot port of the corresponding control valve in the control valve 17 via a pilot line (see Figure 4 for details). Therefore, the reciprocating valve 32 enables the higher of the pilot pressure generated by the operating device 26 and the pilot pressure generated by the proportional valve 31 to act on the pilot port of the corresponding control valve. That is, the controller 30, described later, can control the corresponding control valve and thus control the operation of each actuating element by outputting a pilot pressure from the proportional valve 31 that is higher than the pilot pressure output from the secondary side of the operating device 26, without relying on the operator's operation of the operating device 26. As described later, the reciprocating valve 32 includes, for example, reciprocating valves 32AL, 32AR, 32BL, 32BR, 32CL, and 32CR.

[0080] The control system of the excavator 100 involved in this embodiment includes a controller 30, a discharge pressure sensor 28, an operating pressure sensor 29, proportional valves 31 and 33, a display device 40, an input device 42, a sound output device 43, a storage device 47, a boom angle sensor S1, a stick angle sensor S2, a bucket angle sensor S3, a body tilt sensor S4, a slewing state sensor S5, a camera device S6, a positioning device P1, and a communication device T1.

[0081] The controller 30 (an example of a control device) is installed, for example, in the operator's cab 10 and performs drive control of the excavator 100. The controller 30 can implement its functions through any hardware, software, or a combination thereof. For example, the controller 30 is configured around a microcomputer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory device such as RAM (Random Access Memory), a non-volatile auxiliary storage device such as ROM (Read Only Memory), and various input / output interface devices. The controller 30 implements various functions, for example, by executing various programs installed on the non-volatile auxiliary storage device on the CPU.

[0082] For example, the controller 30 sets the target speed according to the working mode preset by the operator or the like through the prescribed operation of the input device 42, and performs drive control to make the engine 11 rotate at a constant speed.

[0083] Furthermore, for example, the controller 30 outputs control commands to the regulator 13 as needed and changes the discharge volume of the main pump 14.

[0084] Furthermore, for example, when the operating device 26 is electric, as described above, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31 and realize the operation of the hydraulic actuator corresponding to the operation content of the operating device 26.

[0085] Furthermore, for example, the controller 30 can use the proportional valve 31 to remotely operate the excavator 100. Specifically, the controller 30 can output a control command corresponding to the remote operation content specified by the remote operation signal received from an external device to the proportional valve 31. Moreover, the proportional valve 31 can use working oil supplied from the pilot pump 15 to output a pilot pressure corresponding to the control command from the controller 30, and cause this pilot pressure to act on the pilot port of the corresponding control valve in the control valve 17. Thus, the content of the remote operation is reflected in the action of the control valve 17, and the action of various action elements (driven elements) according to the content of the remote operation can be realized by the hydraulic actuator.

[0086] Furthermore, for example, the controller 30 performs control related to the perimeter monitoring function. In the perimeter monitoring function, based on information acquired by the camera device S6, the entry of objects into a predetermined area (hereinafter referred to as the "monitoring range") around the excavator 100 is monitored. The determination and processing of the entry of objects into the monitoring range can be performed by the camera device S6 or by means of an external device (e.g., the controller 30). Objects monitored may include, for example, people, trucks, other construction machinery, utility poles, hoisted goods, marker towers, and buildings.

[0087] Furthermore, for example, the controller 30 performs control related to the object detection notification function. In the object detection notification function, when the perimeter monitoring function determines that an object to be monitored exists within the monitoring range, the presence of the monitored object is notified to the operator in the control room 10 or to the area around the excavator 100. The controller 30 may, for example, use a display device 40 or a sound output device 43 to implement the object detection notification function.

[0088] Furthermore, for example, the controller 30 performs control related to the motion restriction function. In the motion restriction function, for example, when the perimeter monitoring function determines that an object being monitored exists within the monitoring range, the movement of the excavator 100 is restricted. The following explanation focuses on the case where the monitored object is a person.

[0089] The controller 30 can be configured such that, for example, before the actuator operates, if, based on information acquired by the camera device S6, it is determined that an object such as a person is within a specified range (monitoring range) from the excavator 100, the operator can set the actuator's operation to be disabled or restricted to a low-speed state by operating the operating device 26. Specifically, when it is determined that a person is within the monitoring range, the controller 30 can prevent the actuator from operating by locking the door lock valve. In the case of the electrical operating device 26, the actuator can be prevented from operating by invalidating the signal from the controller 30 to the operating control valve (proportional valve 31). The same applies to other types of operating devices 26, where a pilot pressure corresponding to the control command from the controller 30 is output and applied to the pilot port of the corresponding control valve within the control valve 17. When it is desired to set the actuator's operation to a low speed, the actuator's operation can be kept in a low-speed state by limiting the control signal from the controller 30 to the operating control valve (proportional valve 31) to a value corresponding to a relatively small pilot pressure. Thus, if it is determined that an object being monitored is within the monitoring range, the actuator will not be driven even if the operating device 26 is operated, or it will be driven at a speed lower than the speed corresponding to the operating input to the operating device 26 (low speed). Furthermore, even when the operator is operating the operating device 26, if it is determined that an object being monitored, such as a person, is within the monitoring range, the actuator's operation can be stopped or slowed down regardless of the operator's actions. Specifically, when it is determined that a person is within the monitoring range, the actuator can be stopped by locking the door lock valve. When using a pilot pressure corresponding to a control command from controller 30, and applying this pilot pressure to the pilot port of the corresponding control valve within the control valve, the actuator can be prevented from operating or restricted to a very low speed by either disabling the signal from controller 30 to the operating control valve (proportional valve 31) or outputting a deceleration command to the operating control valve. Furthermore, when the detected monitored object is a truck, controls related to stopping or decelerating the actuator can be omitted. For example, the actuator can be controlled to avoid the detected truck. Thus, the type of detected object can be identified, and the actuator can be controlled based on this identification.

[0090] Furthermore, the controller 30 can also apply the same motion restriction function as the operation device 26 to the case of remote operation of the excavator 100.

[0091] Furthermore, for example, controller 30 performs equipment guidance functions related to the manual operation of excavator 100 by the operator. Also, controller 30 performs automatic support functions related to the manual operation of excavator 100 by the operator. That is, controller 30, as a functional unit related to both equipment guidance and equipment control functions, includes an equipment guidance unit 50.

[0092] Furthermore, some of the functions of controller 30 can also be implemented by other controllers (control devices). That is, the functions of controller 30 can also be implemented in a distributed manner by multiple controllers. For example, equipment guidance functions and equipment control functions can also be implemented by dedicated controllers (control devices).

[0093] Discharge pressure sensor 28 detects the discharge pressure of the main pump 14. A detection signal corresponding to the discharge pressure detected by discharge pressure sensor 28 is input to controller 30. As described later, discharge pressure sensor 28 includes, for example, discharge pressure sensors 28L and 28R.

[0094] As described later, the operating pressure sensor 29 detects the pilot pressure on the secondary side of the operating device 26, that is, the pilot pressure in the operating device 26 corresponding to the operating state (e.g., operating direction or operating amount) related to each actuating element (i.e., hydraulic actuator). The detection signal of the pilot pressure in the operating device 26 detected by the operating pressure sensor 29, corresponding to the operating state of the lower traveling body 1, upper slewing body 3, boom 4, stick 5, and bucket 6, is input to the controller 30. As described later, the operating pressure sensor 29 includes, for example, operating pressure sensors 29A to 29C.

[0095] Alternatively, instead of the operating pressure sensor 29, other sensors that can detect the operating status of each actuator in the operating device 26 can be installed, such as encoders or potentiometers that can detect the amount of operation (tilting amount) or tilting direction of the joystick devices 26A to 26C. Furthermore, when the operating device 26 is electrical, the operating pressure sensor 29 can be omitted.

[0096] A proportional valve 31 is provided in the pilot line connecting the pilot pump 15 and the reciprocating valve 32. The proportional valve 31 is configured, for example, to change its flow area (the cross-sectional area through which the working oil can flow). The proportional valve 31 operates according to control commands input from the controller 30. Thus, even when the operator does not operate the operating device 26 (specifically, the joystick devices 26A to 26C), the controller 30 can supply the working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port of the corresponding control valve within the control valve 17 via the proportional valve 31 and the reciprocating valve 32. As described later, the proportional valve 31 includes, for example, proportional valves 31AL, 31AR, 31BL, 31BR, 31CL, and 31CR.

[0097] A proportional valve 33 is provided in the pilot line connecting the operating device 26 and the reciprocating valve 32. The proportional valve 33 is configured, for example, to allow for changes in its flow path area. The proportional valve 33 operates according to control commands input from the controller 30. Therefore, when the operator operates the operating device 26 (specifically, the joystick devices 26A-26C), the controller 30 can forcibly reduce the pilot pressure output from the operating device 26. Thus, even when the operating device 26 is operated, the controller 30 can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the hydraulic actuator corresponding to the operation of the operating device 26. Furthermore, for example, even when the operating device 26 is operated, the controller 30 can reduce the pilot pressure output from the operating device 26, making it lower than the pilot pressure output from the proportional valve 31. Therefore, by controlling the proportional valves 31 and 33, the controller 30 can reliably apply the desired pilot pressure to the pilot port of the control valve within the control valve 17, regardless of the operation of the operating device 26. Therefore, the controller 30 controls, for example, proportional valve 33 in addition to proportional valve 31, thereby enabling more appropriate automatic operation or remote operation of the excavator 100. As described later, proportional valve 33 includes proportional valves 33AL, 33AR, 33BL, 33BR, 33CL, and 33CR.

[0098] The display device 40 is positioned within the control room 10 in a location easily visible to the operator. Under the control of the controller 30, it displays various information images. The display device 40 can be connected to the controller 30 via an in-vehicle network such as CAN (Controller Area Network), or via a dedicated one-to-one line.

[0099] The input device 42 is located within the reach of the operator sitting in the control room 10, receives various operation inputs from the operator, and outputs signals corresponding to the operation inputs to the controller 30. The input device 42 includes a touch panel mounted on the display of the display device 40 that displays various information images, a rotary switch located at the front end of the joystick section of the joystick devices 26A-26C, push-button switches, joysticks, toggle keys, and rotary dials located around the display device 40. Signals corresponding to the operation performed on the input device 42 are input to the controller 30.

[0100] The sound output device 43 is installed, for example, inside the control room 10 and connected to the controller 30, and outputs a specified sound under the control of the controller 30. The sound output device 43 is, for example, a speaker or a buzzer. The sound output device 43 outputs various information based on the sound output commands from the controller 30.

[0101] Storage device 47 is installed, for example, within the control room 10, and stores various information under the control of controller 30. Storage device 47 is, for example, a non-volatile storage medium such as semiconductor memory. Storage device 47 can store information output by various devices during the operation of the excavator 100, or information acquired by various devices before the excavator 100 begins operation. Storage device 47 can also store, for example, data related to the target construction surface acquired via communication device T1 or set via input device 42. This target construction surface can be set (saved) by the operator of the excavator 100 or by the construction manager, etc.

[0102] A boom angle sensor S1 is mounted on the boom 4 and detects the pitch angle of the boom 4 relative to the upper rotating body 3 (hereinafter referred to as the "boom angle"). For example, it detects the angle formed by the straight line connecting the two fulcrums of the boom 4 with respect to the plane of rotation of the upper rotating body 3 when viewed from the side. The boom angle sensor S1 may include, for example, a rotary encoder, an accelerometer, an angular velocity sensor, a six-axis sensor, an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), etc. Furthermore, the boom angle sensor S1 may also include a potentiometer utilizing a variable resistor, a cylinder sensor that detects the stroke of the hydraulic cylinder (boom cylinder 7) corresponding to the boom angle, etc. The same applies to the stick angle sensor S2 and the bucket angle sensor S3. The detection signal corresponding to the boom angle detected by the boom angle sensor S1 is input to the controller 30.

[0103] A stick angle sensor S2 is installed on the stick 5 to detect the rotation angle of the stick 5 relative to the boom 4 (hereinafter referred to as the "stick angle"). For example, it detects the angle formed by the straight line connecting the two ends of the stick 5 to the straight line connecting the two ends of the boom 4 when viewed from the side. The detection signal corresponding to the stick angle detected by the stick angle sensor S2 is input to the controller 30.

[0104] A bucket angle sensor S3 is installed on the bucket 6 to detect the rotation angle of the bucket 6 relative to the stick 5 (hereinafter referred to as the "bucket angle"). For example, it detects the angle formed by the straight line connecting the fulcrum of the bucket 6 and the front end (tip) relative to the straight line connecting the fulcrums at both ends of the stick 5 when viewed from the side. The detection signal corresponding to the bucket angle detected by the bucket angle sensor S3 is input to the controller 30.

[0105] The tilt sensor S4 detects the tilt state of the excavator (upper rotating body 3 or lower traveling body 1) relative to the horizontal plane. The tilt sensor S4 is, for example, mounted on the upper rotating body 3, and detects the tilt angles (hereinafter referred to as "front-back tilt angle" and "left-right tilt angle") of the excavator 100 (i.e., the upper rotating body 3) around two axes in the front-back and left-right directions. The tilt sensor S4 may include, for example, a rotary encoder, an accelerometer, an angular velocity sensor, a six-axis sensor, and an IMU. The detection signals corresponding to the tilt angles (front-back tilt angle and left-right tilt angle) detected by the tilt sensor S4 are input to the controller 30.

[0106] The rotation state sensor S5 outputs detection information related to the rotation state of the upper rotating body 3. The rotation state sensor S5, for example, detects the rotation angular velocity and rotation angle of the upper rotating body 3. The rotation state sensor S5 may include, for example, a gyroscope sensor, a resolver, and a rotary encoder. The detection signal corresponding to the rotation angle or rotation angular velocity of the upper rotating body 3 detected by the rotation state sensor S5 is input to the controller 30.

[0107] The camera device S6 captures images of the periphery of the excavator 100. The camera device S6 includes a camera S6F that captures images of the front of the excavator 100, a camera S6L that captures images of the left side of the excavator 100, a camera S6R that captures images of the right side of the excavator 100, and a camera S6B that captures images of the rear of the excavator 100.

[0108] Camera S6F is installed, for example, in the ceiling of the operator's cab 10, i.e., inside the operator's cab 10. Alternatively, camera S6F can also be installed on the exterior of the operator's cab 10, such as on the roof or the side of the boom 4. Camera S6L is installed, for example, on the left end of the upper surface of the upper rotating body 3; camera S6R is installed, for example, on the right end of the upper surface of the upper rotating body 3; and camera S6B is installed, for example, on the rear end of the upper surface of the upper rotating body 3.

[0109] The camera device S6 is an example of a spatial recognition device for acquiring information about the state around the excavator 100. The camera device S6 (cameras S6F, S6B, S6L, S6R) can be, for example, a monocular wide-angle camera with a very wide field of view. Furthermore, the camera device S6 can also be a stereo camera or a distance imaging camera, etc. The images captured by the camera device S6 are input to the controller 30 via the display device 40.

[0110] Furthermore, the camera device S6 can also function as an object detection device to detect objects around the excavator 100 based on the acquired image information. In this case, the camera device S6 can detect objects present around the excavator 100. These objects may include, for example, people, animals, vehicles, construction machinery, buildings, and holes. The camera device S6 can also calculate the distance from the camera device S6 or the excavator 100 to the detected object. The camera device S6, as an object detection device, may include, for example, a stereo camera, a distance image sensor, etc. In addition to the camera device S6, other spatial recognition devices or object detection devices may be provided, such as ultrasonic sensors, millimeter-wave radar, LIDAR (Light Detecting and Ranging), and infrared sensors.

[0111] In addition, the camera device S6 can also be directly and communicatively connected to the controller 30.

[0112] Positioning device P1 measures the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 3. Positioning device P1, for example, is a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) compass, which detects the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 3, and the detection signal corresponding to the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 3 is input to controller 30. Furthermore, the function of detecting the orientation of the upper rotating body 3 in positioning device P1 can also be replaced by an azimuth sensor installed on the upper rotating body 3.

[0113] The communication device T1 communicates with external devices through a defined network, including a mobile communication network with a base station as a terminal, a satellite communication network, and the Internet. The communication device T1 may be, for example, a mobile communication module corresponding to mobile communication standards such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G (4th Generation), and 5G (5th Generation), or a satellite communication module for connecting to a satellite communication network.

[0114] The equipment guidance unit 50, for example, performs control of the excavator 100 related to the equipment guidance function. The equipment guidance unit 50, for example, transmits work information such as the distance between the target construction surface and the working part of the auxiliary device, specifically the termination attachment, via a display device 40 or a sound output device 43 to the operator. As described later, data related to the target construction surface is, for example, pre-stored in a storage device 47. The data related to the target construction surface is, for example, expressed in a reference coordinate system. The reference coordinate system is, for example, the World Geodetic System. The World Geodetic System is a three-dimensional rectangular XYZ coordinate system with the origin placed at the Earth's center of gravity, the X-axis taken in the direction of the intersection of the Greenwich Meridian and the equator, the Y-axis taken in the direction of 90 degrees east longitude, and the Z-axis taken in the direction of the North Pole. The operator can set any point on the construction site as a reference point and, through the input device 42, set the target construction surface according to its relative position to the reference point. The working parts of the bucket 6 include, for example, the tip of the bucket 6 and the back of the bucket 6. Furthermore, as an end-connection accessory, when a breaker is used instead of the bucket 6, the front end of the breaker corresponds to the working part. The equipment guidance unit 50 notifies the operator of work information through the display device 40, the sound output device 43, etc., and guides the operator to operate the excavator 100 through the operating device 26.

[0115] Furthermore, the equipment guide unit 50, for example, performs control of the excavator 100 related to equipment control functions. For instance, when the operator performs excavation operations manually, the equipment guide unit 50 can automatically move at least one of the boom 4, stick 5, and bucket 6 to align the target working face with the front end of the bucket 6.

[0116] The equipment guidance unit 50 acquires information from the boom angle sensor S1, stick angle sensor S2, bucket angle sensor S3, body tilt sensor S4, slewing state sensor S5, camera device S6, positioning device P1, communication device T1, and input device 42. Furthermore, based on the acquired information, the equipment guidance unit 50 calculates the distance between the bucket 6 and the target work surface, and notifies the operator of the degree of distance via sound from the sound output device 43 and an image displayed on the display device 40, or automatically controls the operation of auxiliary devices to align the front end of the auxiliary devices (specifically, the working part such as the tip or back of the bucket 6) with the target work surface. The equipment guidance unit 50, as a detailed functional structure related to the equipment guidance and control functions, includes a position calculation unit 51, a distance calculation unit 52, an information transmission unit 53, and an automatic control unit 54.

[0117] The position calculation unit 51 calculates the position of the specified positioning object. For example, the position calculation unit 51 calculates the coordinate points in the reference coordinate system of the working parts such as the tip or back of the bucket 6 at the front end of the auxiliary device. Specifically, the position calculation unit 51 calculates the coordinate points of the working parts of the bucket 6 based on the pitch angles (boom angle, stick angle, and bucket angle) of the boom 4, stick 5, and bucket 6.

[0118] The distance calculation unit 52 calculates the distance between two positioning objects. For example, the distance calculation unit 52 calculates the distance between the working part of the auxiliary device, specifically the tip or back of the bucket 6, and the target construction surface. Furthermore, the distance calculation unit 52 can also calculate the angle (relative angle) between the back of the bucket 6, which is the working part, and the target construction surface.

[0119] The information transmission unit 53 transmits (notifies) various information to the operator of the excavator 100 through a notification mechanism such as the display device 40 or the sound output device 43. The information transmission unit 53 notifies the operator of the magnitude (degree) of various distances, etc., calculated by the distance calculation unit 52. For example, it transmits the distance (magnitude) between the front end of the bucket 6 and the target construction surface to the operator using at least one of visual information displayed by the display device 40 and auditory information output by the sound output device 43. Furthermore, the information transmission unit 53 can also transmit the relative angle (magnitude) between the back of the bucket 6 (as the working part) and the target construction surface to the operator using at least one of visual information displayed by the display device 40 and auditory information output by the sound output device 43.

[0120] Specifically, the information transmission unit 53 uses intermittent tones output by the sound output device 43 to transmit the distance (e.g., vertical distance) between the working part of the bucket 6 and the target construction surface. The information transmission unit 53 can be configured such that the interval between the intermittent tones shortens as the vertical distance decreases, and the interval lengthens as the vertical distance increases. Furthermore, the information transmission unit 53 can use continuous tones, or it can represent different vertical distances by changing the pitch and intensity of the sound. Additionally, when the front end of the bucket 6 is below the target construction surface (i.e., exceeds the target construction surface), the information transmission unit 53 can also issue an alarm via the sound output device 43. This alarm is, for example, a continuous tone much longer than the intermittent tones.

[0121] Furthermore, the information transmission unit 53 can also display work information such as the distance between the working part of the front end of the auxiliary device, specifically the bucket 6, and the target construction surface, or the relative angle between the back end of the bucket 6 and the target construction surface, on the display device 40. Under the control of the controller 30, the display device 40 can, for example, simultaneously display image data received from the camera device S6 and work information received from the information transmission unit 53. The information transmission unit 53 can also, for example, use images from an analog device or a bar indicator to transmit the vertical distance to the operator.

[0122] The automatic control unit 54 automatically supports manual operation of the excavator 100 by causing the actuators to operate automatically. Specifically, as described later, the automatic control unit 54 can individually and automatically adjust the pilot pressure of the control valves (specifically, control valves 173, 175L, 175R, and 174) corresponding to the multiple hydraulic actuators (specifically, the swing hydraulic motor 2A, the boom cylinder 7, and the bucket cylinder 9). Thus, the automatic control unit 54 can cause each hydraulic actuator to operate automatically. For example, the control related to the equipment control function performed by the automatic control unit 54 can be executed when a predetermined switch included in the input device 42 is pressed. This predetermined switch is, for example, an equipment control switch (hereinafter referred to as the "MC (Machine Control) switch"), and can also be provided as a rotary switch at the front end of the handle held by the operator on the operating device 26 (e.g., a joystick device corresponding to the operation of the boom 5). Hereinafter, the description assumes that the equipment control function is effective when the MC switch is pressed.

[0123] For example, when the MC switch or the like is pressed, the automatic control unit 54 automatically extends or retracts at least one of the boom cylinder 7 and bucket cylinder 9 according to the movement of the stick cylinder 8 to support excavation or shaping work. Specifically, when the operator manually performs the stick 5 closing operation (hereinafter referred to as "stick closing operation"), the automatic control unit 54 automatically extends or retracts at least one of the boom cylinder 7 and bucket cylinder 9 to align the target working surface with the working part such as the tip or back of the bucket 6. At this time, the operator can close the stick 5 while aligning the tip of the bucket 6 with the target working surface by performing the stick closing operation only on the control lever device corresponding to the operation of the stick 5.

[0124] Furthermore, when the MC switch or the like is pressed, the automatic control unit 54 can also automatically rotate the rotary hydraulic motor 2A (an example of an actuator) to ensure that the upper rotary body 3 is aligned with the target construction surface. Hereinafter, the control performed by the controller 30 (automatic control unit 54) to align the upper rotary body 3 with the target construction surface will be referred to as "alignment control." Thus, operators can align the upper rotary body 3 with the target construction surface simply by pressing a designated switch, or by operating the joystick device 26C (described later) corresponding to the rotation operation while the switch is pressed. Furthermore, by simply pressing the MC switch, operators can align the upper rotary body 3 with the target construction surface and begin equipment control functions related to the excavation work at the target construction surface.

[0125] For example, the upper rotating body 3 of the excavator 100 is positioned facing the target construction surface such that, according to the operation of the auxiliary device, the front end of the auxiliary device (e.g., the tip or back of the bucket 6 as the working part) can move along the inclined direction of the target construction surface (upward slope BS). Specifically, as Figure 4B As shown, the upper rotating body 3 of the excavator 100 is facing the target construction surface in a state where the operating surface of the auxiliary device (the operating surface of the auxiliary device) AF, which is perpendicular to the rotating plane SF of the excavator 100, includes the normal to the target construction surface corresponding to the cylindrical body CB (in other words, the state along the normal).

[0126] like Figure 4A As shown, when the operating surface AF of the excavator 100's auxiliary device is not in a state where the normal to the target construction surface corresponding to the cylindrical body CB is not included, the front end of the auxiliary device cannot move in the inclined direction of the target construction surface. Therefore, as a result, the excavator 100 cannot properly construct the target construction surface. In contrast, the automatic control unit 54 automatically rotates the rotary hydraulic motor 2A, as... Figure 4B As shown, the upper rotating body 3 is positioned directly opposite. Therefore, the excavator 100 can appropriately construct on the target work surface.

[0127] In the orientation control, for example, when the vertical distance between the coordinate point of the left end of the bucket 6 tip and the target construction surface (hereinafter referred to as "left end vertical distance") and the vertical distance between the coordinate point of the right end of the bucket 6 tip and the target construction surface (hereinafter referred to as "right end vertical distance") are equal, the automatic control unit 54 determines that the excavator is facing the target construction surface. Furthermore, when the left end vertical distance and the right end vertical distance are not equal (i.e., the difference between the left end vertical distance and the right end vertical distance is zero), but the difference is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the automatic control unit 54 can also determine that the excavator 100 is facing the target construction surface.

[0128] Furthermore, in the orientation control, the automatic control unit 54 can, for example, operate the rotary hydraulic motor 2A based on the difference between the left and right vertical distances. Specifically, if the control lever 26C corresponding to the rotation operation is operated while a specified switch such as the MC switch is pressed, it determines whether the control lever 26C has been operated in the direction that makes the upper rotating body 3 face the target construction surface. For example, when the control lever 26C is operated in the direction that increases the vertical distance between the tip of the bucket 6 and the target construction surface (upward slope), the automatic control unit 54 does not perform orientation control. On the other hand, when the rotation control lever is operated in the direction that decreases the vertical distance between the tip of the bucket 6 and the target construction surface (upward slope), the automatic control unit 54 performs orientation control. As a result, the automatic control unit 54 can operate the rotary hydraulic motor 2A in a way that reduces the difference between the left and right vertical distances. Then, if the difference becomes below a predetermined value or zero, the automatic control unit 54 stops the rotary hydraulic motor 2A. Furthermore, the automatic control unit 54 can also set the rotation angle at which the difference becomes below a predetermined value or zero as a target angle, and control the operation of the rotary hydraulic motor 2A in a manner that makes the angle difference between this target angle and the current rotation angle (specifically, the detection value based on the detection signal from the rotation state sensor S5) zero. At this time, the rotation angle is, for example, the angle of the front and rear axes of the upper rotary body 3 relative to the reference direction.

[0129] Furthermore, as will be described later, when a rotary electric motor is mounted on the excavator 100 instead of the rotary hydraulic motor 2A, the automatic control unit 54 sets the rotary electric motor (an example of an actuator) as the controlled object and performs direct control.

[0130] And, as Figure 3 As shown, the equipment guide unit 50 may also include a rotation angle calculation unit 55 and a relative angle calculation unit 56.

[0131] The rotation angle calculation unit 55 calculates the rotation angle of the upper rotating body 3. This allows the controller 30 to determine the current orientation of the upper rotating body 3. For example, the rotation angle calculation unit 55 calculates the angle between the front and rear axes of the upper rotating body 3 and a reference direction based on the output signal of the GNSS compass included in the positioning device P1. Furthermore, the rotation angle calculation unit 55 can also calculate the rotation angle based on the detection signal of the rotation state sensor S5. Moreover, when a reference point is set at the construction site, the rotation angle calculation unit 55 can also set the direction from which the reference point is observed from the rotation axis as the reference direction.

[0132] The rotation angle represents the direction in which the operating surface of the auxiliary device extends relative to the reference direction. The operating surface of the auxiliary device is, for example, an imaginary plane that longitudinally transcribes the auxiliary device and is arranged perpendicular to the rotation plane. The rotation plane is, for example, an imaginary plane including the bottom surface of the rotating frame perpendicular to the rotation axis. For example, when it is determined that the operating surface of the auxiliary device includes the normal to the target construction surface, the controller 30 (equipment guide 50) determines that the upper rotating body 3 is facing the target construction surface.

[0133] The relative angle calculation unit 56 calculates the rotation angle (relative angle) required to make the upper rotating body 3 face the target construction surface. The relative angle is, for example, the angle between the direction of the front-rear axis of the upper rotating body 3 when it faces the target construction surface and the current direction of the front-rear axis of the upper rotating body 3. The relative angle calculation unit 56 calculates the relative angle, for example, based on data related to the target construction surface stored in the storage device 47 and the rotation angle calculated by the rotation angle calculation unit 55.

[0134] If the joystick 26C corresponding to the rotation operation is operated while the specified switch, such as the MC switch, is pressed, the automatic control unit 54 determines whether a rotation operation has been performed in the direction that aligns the upper rotating body 3 with the target construction surface. When it is determined that a rotation operation has been performed in the direction that aligns the upper rotating body 3 with the target construction surface, the automatic control unit 54 sets the relative angle calculated by the relative angle calculation unit 56 as the target angle. Furthermore, when the change in rotation angle after operating the joystick 26C reaches the target angle, the automatic control unit 54 can determine that the upper rotating body 3 is now aligned with the target construction surface and stops the operation of the rotation hydraulic motor 2A. Thus, the automatic control unit 54... Figure 3 The structure shown is designed to ensure that the upper rotating body 3 is directly facing the target construction surface.

[0135] Hydraulic system of an excavator

[0136] Next, refer to Figure 5 The hydraulic system of the excavator 100 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0137] Figure 5 This is a diagram that schematically illustrates an example of the structure of the hydraulic system of the excavator 100 according to this embodiment.

[0138] In addition, Figure 5 In the middle, the mechanical power system, working oil pipeline, pilot line and electrical control system are... Figure 2 Similarly, the same situations are represented by double lines, solid lines, dashed lines, and dotted lines, respectively.

[0139] The hydraulic system implemented through this hydraulic circuit circulates working oil from the main pumps 14L and 14R driven by the engine 11 through the central bypass oil lines C1L and C1R, and the parallel oil lines C2L and C2R to the working oil tank.

[0140] The central bypass oil circuit C1L starts from the main pump 14L and passes through the control valves 171, 173, 175L and 176L arranged in the control valve 17 in sequence, and reaches the working oil tank.

[0141] The central bypass oil circuit C1R starts from the main pump 14R, passes through control valves 172, 174, 175R, and 176R arranged in control valve 17, and reaches the working oil tank.

[0142] Control valve 171 is a slide valve that supplies working oil discharged from main pump 14L to travel hydraulic motor 1L and discharges working oil discharged from travel hydraulic motor 1L to working oil tank.

[0143] Control valve 172 is a slide valve that supplies working oil discharged from main pump 14R to travel hydraulic motor 1R and discharges working oil discharged from travel hydraulic motor 1R to working oil tank.

[0144] Control valve 173 is a slide valve that supplies working oil discharged from main pump 14L to rotary hydraulic motor 2A and discharges working oil discharged from rotary hydraulic motor 2A to working oil tank.

[0145] Control valve 174 is a slide valve that supplies working oil discharged from main pump 14R to bucket cylinder 9 and discharges working oil in bucket cylinder 9 to working oil tank.

[0146] Control valves 175L and 175R are slide valves that supply working oil discharged by the main pumps 14L and 14R to the boom cylinder 7 and discharge the working oil in the boom cylinder 7 to the working oil tank, respectively.

[0147] Control valves 176L and 176R supply working oil discharged by main pumps 14L and 14R to the boom cylinder 8 respectively, and discharge the working oil in the boom cylinder 8 to the working oil tank.

[0148] Control valves 171, 172, 173, 174, 175L, 175R, 176L, and 176R adjust the flow rate of the working oil supplied to the hydraulic actuator or switch the flow direction according to the pilot pressure acting on the pilot port.

[0149] Parallel oil passage C2L, in parallel with the central bypass oil passage C1L, supplies working oil to the main pump 14L to control valves 171, 173, 175L, and 176L. Specifically, parallel oil passage C2L is configured to branch off from the central bypass oil passage C1L upstream of control valve 171, and can supply working oil to the main pump 14L in parallel with control valves 171, 173, 175L, and 176L. Thus, when the flow of working oil through the central bypass oil passage C1L is restricted or cut off due to any of the control valves 171, 173, and 175L, parallel oil passage C2L can supply working oil to more downstream control valves.

[0150] Parallel oil passage C2R, in parallel with the center bypass oil passage C1R, supplies working oil to the main pump 14R to control valves 172, 174, 175R, and 176R. Specifically, parallel oil passage C2R is configured to branch off from the center bypass oil passage C1R upstream of control valve 172, and can supply working oil to the main pump 14R in parallel with control valves 172, 174, 175R, and 176R. When the flow of working oil through the center bypass oil passage C1R is restricted or cut off due to any of the control valves 172, 174, and 175R, parallel oil passage C2R can supply working oil to more downstream control valves.

[0151] Regulators 13L and 13R, under the control of controller 30, adjust the deflection angle of the swashplates of main pumps 14L and 14R, thereby adjusting the discharge volume of main pumps 14L and 14R.

[0152] Discharge pressure sensor 28L detects the discharge pressure of main pump 14L, and the detection signal corresponding to the detected discharge pressure is input to controller 30. The same applies to discharge pressure sensor 28R. Thus, controller 30 can control regulators 13L and 13R based on the discharge pressures of main pumps 14L and 14R.

[0153] In the central bypass oil circuits C1L and C1R, negative control throttles (hereinafter referred to as "negative control throttles") 18L and 18R are installed between the downstream control valves 176L and 176R and the working oil tank. Thus, the flow of working oil discharged by the main pumps 14L and 14R is restricted by the negative control throttles 18L and 18R. Furthermore, the negative control throttles 18L and 18R generate control pressures (hereinafter referred to as "negative control pressures") for controlling the regulators 13L and 13R.

[0154] Negative control pressure sensors 19L and 19R detect negative control pressure, and the detection signal corresponding to the detected negative control pressure is input to controller 30.

[0155] The controller 30 can control the regulators 13L and 13R and adjust the discharge volume of the main pumps 14L and 14R based on the discharge pressure detected by the discharge pressure sensors 28L and 28R. For example, the controller 30 can control the regulator 13L and adjust the swashplate deflection angle of the main pump 14L based on an increase in the discharge pressure of the main pump 14L, thereby reducing the discharge volume. The same applies to the regulator 13R. Thus, the controller 30 can control the total horsepower of the main pumps 14L and 14R in such a way that the absorbed horsepower of the main pumps 14L and 14R, expressed as the product of the discharge pressure and the discharge volume, does not exceed the output horsepower of the engine 11.

[0156] Furthermore, the controller 30 can control the regulators 13L and 13R based on the negative control pressure detected by the negative control pressure sensors 19L and 19R, thereby adjusting the discharge volume of the main pumps 14L and 14R. For example, the controller 30 controls the discharge volume of the main pumps 14L and 14R as follows: the higher the negative control pressure, the lower the discharge volume of the main pumps 14L and 14R; the lower the negative control pressure, the higher the discharge volume of the main pumps 14L and 14R.

[0157] Specifically, when the hydraulic actuator in the excavator 100 is in a standby state without any operation ( Figure 5 In the state shown, the working oil discharged from the main pumps 14L and 14R reaches the negative control throttle valves 18L and 18R through the central bypass oil passages C1L and C1R. Then, the flow of the working oil discharged from the main pumps 14L and 14R increases the negative control pressure generated upstream of the negative control throttle valves 18L and 18R. As a result, the controller 30 reduces the discharge volume of the main pumps 14L and 14R to the minimum permissible discharge volume, suppressing the pressure loss (suction loss) of the discharged working oil as it passes through the central bypass oil passages C1L and C1R.

[0158] On the other hand, when any hydraulic actuator is operated, the working oil discharged from the main pumps 14L and 14R flows into the hydraulic actuator of the operated object via the control valve corresponding to the hydraulic actuator of the operated object. Then, the flow of working oil discharged from the main pumps 14L and 14R reduces or eliminates the amount reaching the negative control throttle valves 18L and 18R, lowering the negative control pressure generated upstream of the negative control throttle valves 18L and 18R. As a result, the controller 30 increases the discharge of the main pumps 14L and 14R, allowing the working oil to circulate sufficiently in the hydraulic actuator of the operated object, thereby reliably driving the hydraulic actuator of the operated object.

[0159] [Detailed description of the structures related to equipment control functions in the hydraulic system of an excavator]

[0160] Next, refer to Figure 6 ( Figures 6A to 6C This section provides a detailed description of the structures related to equipment control functions within the hydraulic system of the excavator 100.

[0161] Figures 6A to 6C This diagram schematically illustrates an example of the structural components of the operating system related to the boom 4, bucket 6, and upper slewing body 3 within the hydraulic system of the excavator 100 according to this embodiment. Specifically, Figure 6A This diagram illustrates an example of the pilot circuit for the control valves 175L and 175R, which apply pilot pressure to hydraulically control the boom cylinder 7. Furthermore, Figure 6B This diagram illustrates an example of the pilot circuit for the control valve 174, which applies pilot pressure to hydraulically control the bucket cylinder 9. Furthermore, Figure 6C This diagram illustrates an example of the pilot circuit of the control valve 173 that applies pilot pressure to hydraulically control the rotary hydraulic motor 2A.

[0162] For example, such as Figure 6A As shown, the joystick device 26A is used by operators to operate the boom cylinder 7 corresponding to the boom 4. The joystick device 26A uses the working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to output pilot pressure corresponding to the operation to the secondary side.

[0163] The two inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32AL are respectively connected to the pilot line of the secondary side of the control lever device 26A corresponding to the operation in the lifting direction of the boom 4 (hereinafter referred to as "boom lifting operation") and the pilot line of the secondary side of the proportional valve 31AL. The outlet port is connected to the pilot port on the right side of the control valve 175L and the pilot port on the left side of the control valve 175R.

[0164] The two inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32AR are respectively connected to the pilot line of the secondary side of the control lever device 26A corresponding to the operation in the lowering direction of the boom 4 (hereinafter referred to as "boom lowering operation") and the pilot line of the secondary side of the proportional valve 31AR, and the outlet port is connected to the pilot port on the right side of the control valve 175R.

[0165] That is, the joystick device 26A applies a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation content (e.g., operation direction and operation amount) to the pilot ports of control valves 175L and 175R via reciprocating valves 32AL and 32AR. Specifically, when the boom is raised, the joystick device 26A outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation amount to one of the inlet ports of reciprocating valve 32AL, and applies it to the right pilot port of control valve 175L and the left pilot port of control valve 175R via reciprocating valve 32AL. Furthermore, when the boom is lowered, the joystick device 26A outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation amount to one of the inlet ports of reciprocating valve 32AR, and applies it to the right pilot port of control valve 175R via reciprocating valve 32AR.

[0166] The proportional valve 31AL operates according to the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, the proportional valve 31AL uses the working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to output a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current input from the controller 30 to another inlet port of the reciprocating valve 32AL. Thus, the proportional valve 31AL can adjust the pilot pressure acting on the right pilot port of the control valve 175L and the left pilot port of the control valve 175R via the reciprocating valve 32AL.

[0167] The proportional valve 31AR operates according to the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, the proportional valve 31AR uses the working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to output a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current input from the controller 30 to another inlet port of the reciprocating valve 32AR. Thus, the proportional valve 31AR can adjust the pilot pressure acting on the right pilot port of the control valve 175R via the reciprocating valve 32AR.

[0168] That is, the proportional valves 31AL and 31AR can adjust the pilot pressure output to the secondary side in a manner that allows the control valves 175L and 175R to be stopped at any valve position without relying on the operating state of the lever device 26A.

[0169] The proportional valve 33AL operates according to the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, when no control current is input from the controller 30, the proportional valve 33AL directly outputs the pilot pressure corresponding to the boom raising operation of the joystick device 26A to the secondary side. On the other hand, when a control current is input from the controller 30, the proportional valve 33AL reduces the pilot pressure in the pilot circuit of the secondary side corresponding to the boom raising operation of the joystick device 26A to a level corresponding to the control current, and outputs the reduced pilot pressure to one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32AL. Thus, even when the boom is raised using the joystick device 26A, the proportional valve 33AL can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the boom cylinder 7 corresponding to the boom raising operation as needed. Furthermore, even when the boom is raised using the joystick device 26A, the proportional valve 33AL can ensure that the pilot pressure acting on one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32AL is lower than the pilot pressure acting from the proportional valve 31AL to the other inlet port of the reciprocating valve 32AL. Therefore, the controller 30 is able to control the proportional valves 31AL and 33AL and reliably apply the desired pilot pressure to the pilot ports on the boom lifting side of the control valves 175L and 175R.

[0170] The proportional valve 33AR operates according to the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, when no control current is input from the controller 30, the proportional valve 33AR directly outputs the pilot pressure corresponding to the boom lowering operation of the joystick device 26A to the secondary side. On the other hand, when a control current is input from the controller 30, the proportional valve 33AR reduces the pilot pressure in the pilot circuit of the secondary side corresponding to the boom lowering operation of the joystick device 26A to a level corresponding to the control current, and outputs the reduced pilot pressure to one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32AR. Thus, even when the boom lowering operation is performed using the joystick device 26A, the proportional valve 33AR can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the boom cylinder 7 corresponding to the boom lowering operation as needed. Furthermore, even when the boom lowering operation is performed using the joystick device 26A, the proportional valve 33AR can ensure that the pilot pressure acting on one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32AR is lower than the pilot pressure acting from the proportional valve 31AR to the other inlet port of the reciprocating valve 32AR. Therefore, the controller 30 is able to control the proportional valves 31AR and 33AR and reliably apply the desired pilot pressure to the pilot ports on the boom lowering side of the control valves 175L and 175R.

[0171] Thus, proportional valves 33AL and 33AR can forcibly suppress or stop the movement of boom cylinder 7 corresponding to the operating state of control lever device 26A. Furthermore, proportional valves 33AL and 33AR reduce the pilot pressure acting on one of the inlet ports of reciprocating valves 32AL and 32AR, and can assist the proportional valves 31AL and 31AR by reliably acting on the pilot ports of control valves 175L and 175R through reciprocating valves 32AL and 32AR.

[0172] Alternatively, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31AR instead of the proportional valve 33AL, thereby forcibly suppressing or stopping the operation of the boom cylinder 7 corresponding to the boom raising operation of the joystick device 26A. For example, when performing a boom raising operation using the joystick device 26A, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31AR and apply a predetermined pilot pressure from the proportional valve 31AR via the reciprocating valve 32AR to the pilot ports of the control valves 175L and 175R on the boom lowering side. Thus, in a manner that resists the pilot pressure applied from the joystick device 26A via the reciprocating valve 32AL to the pilot ports of the control valves 175L and 175R on the boom raising side, the pilot pressure acts on the pilot ports of the control valves 175L and 175R on the boom lowering side. Therefore, the controller 30 can forcibly bring the control valves 175L and 175R close to the neutral position, thereby suppressing or stopping the operation of the boom cylinder 7 corresponding to the boom raising operation of the joystick device 26A. Similarly, the controller 30 can also control the proportional valve 31AL instead of the proportional valve 33AR, thereby forcibly suppressing or stopping the action of the boom cylinder 7 corresponding to the boom lowering operation of the joystick device 26A.

[0173] The operating pressure sensor 29A detects the operation performed by the operator on the joystick device 26A in the form of pressure (operating pressure), and the detection signal corresponding to the detected pressure is input to the controller 30. Thus, the controller 30 can determine the operation performed on the joystick device 26A.

[0174] The controller 30 can supply working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the right pilot port of the control valve 175L and the left pilot port of the control valve 175R via the proportional valve 31AL and the reciprocating valve 32AL, independently of the operator's operation of raising the boom of the joystick device 26A. Furthermore, the controller 30 can supply working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the right pilot port of the control valve 175R via the proportional valve 31AR and the reciprocating valve 32AR, independently of the operator's operation of lowering the boom of the joystick device 26A. In other words, the controller 30 automatically controls the raising and lowering of the boom 4, thereby enabling automatic operation or remote operation functions of the excavator 100.

[0175] And, as Figure 6B As shown, the joystick device 26B is used by the operator to operate the bucket cylinder 9 corresponding to the bucket 6. The joystick device 26B uses the working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to output pilot pressure corresponding to the operation to the secondary side.

[0176] The two inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32BL are respectively connected to the pilot line of the secondary side of the control lever device 26B corresponding to the operation of the closing direction of the bucket 6 (hereinafter referred to as "bucket closing operation") and the pilot line of the secondary side of the proportional valve 31BL, and the outlet port is connected to the pilot port on the left side of the control valve 174.

[0177] The two inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32BR are respectively connected to the pilot line of the secondary side of the control lever device 26B corresponding to the operation of the opening direction of the bucket 6 (hereinafter referred to as "bucket opening operation") and the pilot line of the secondary side of the proportional valve 31BR, and the outlet port is connected to the pilot port on the right side of the control valve 174.

[0178] That is, the joystick device 26B applies a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation to the pilot port of the control valve 174 via reciprocating valves 32BL and 32BR. Specifically, when a bucket closing operation is performed, the joystick device 26B outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation amount to one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32BL, and applies it to the left pilot port of the control valve 174 via the reciprocating valve 32BL. Furthermore, when a bucket opening operation is performed, the joystick device 26B outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation amount to one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32BR, and applies it to the right pilot port of the control valve 174 via the reciprocating valve 32BR.

[0179] The proportional valve 31BL operates according to the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, the proportional valve 31BL uses the working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to output a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current input from the controller 30 to another pilot port of the reciprocating valve 32BL. Thus, the proportional valve 31BL can adjust the pilot pressure acting on the left pilot port of the control valve 174 via the reciprocating valve 32BL.

[0180] The proportional valve 31BR operates according to the control current output by the controller 30. Specifically, the proportional valve 31BR uses the working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to output a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current input from the controller 30 to another pilot port of the reciprocating valve 32BR. Thus, the proportional valve 31BR can adjust the pilot pressure acting on the right pilot port of the control valve 174 via the reciprocating valve 32BR.

[0181] That is, the proportional valves 31BL and 31BR can adjust the pilot pressure output to the secondary side in a manner that allows the control valve 174 to be stopped at any valve position without relying on the operating state of the lever device 26B.

[0182] The proportional valve 33BL operates according to the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, when no control current is input from the controller 30, the proportional valve 33BL directly outputs the pilot pressure corresponding to the bucket closing operation of the joystick device 26B to the secondary side. On the other hand, when a control current is input from the controller 30, the proportional valve 33BL reduces the pilot pressure in the pilot circuit of the secondary side corresponding to the bucket closing operation of the joystick device 26B to a level corresponding to the control current, and outputs the reduced pilot pressure to one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32BL. Thus, even when the bucket closing operation is performed using the joystick device 26B, the proportional valve 33BL can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the bucket cylinder 9 corresponding to the bucket closing operation as needed. Furthermore, when the bucket opening operation is performed using the joystick device 26B, the proportional valve 33BL can also make the pilot pressure acting on one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32BL lower than the pilot pressure acting from the proportional valve 31BL on the other inlet port of the reciprocating valve 32BL. Therefore, the controller 30 is able to control the proportional valves 31BL and 33BL and reliably apply the desired pilot pressure to the pilot port on the bucket closing side of the control valve 174.

[0183] The proportional valve 33BR operates according to the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, when no control current is input from the controller 30, the proportional valve 33BR directly outputs the pilot pressure corresponding to the bucket opening operation of the joystick device 26B to the secondary side. On the other hand, when a control current is input from the controller 30, the proportional valve 33BR reduces the pilot pressure in the pilot circuit of the secondary side corresponding to the bucket opening operation of the joystick device 26B to a level corresponding to the control current, and outputs the reduced pilot pressure to one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32BR. Thus, even when the bucket opening operation is performed using the joystick device 26B, the proportional valve 33BR can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the bucket cylinder 9 corresponding to the bucket opening operation as needed. Furthermore, even when the bucket opening operation is performed using the joystick device 26B, the proportional valve 33BR can ensure that the pilot pressure acting on one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32BR is lower than the pilot pressure acting from the proportional valve 31BR to the other inlet port of the reciprocating valve 32BR. Therefore, the controller 30 is able to control the proportional valves 31BR and 33BR and reliably apply the desired pilot pressure to the pilot port on the bucket opening side of the control valve 174.

[0184] Thus, proportional valves 33BL and 33BR can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the bucket cylinder 9 corresponding to the operating state of the control lever device 26B. Furthermore, proportional valves 33BL and 33BR can assist by reducing the pilot pressure acting on one of the inlet ports of reciprocating valves 32BL and 32BR, and by ensuring that the pilot pressure of proportional valves 31BL and 31BR reliably acts on the pilot port of control valve 174 through reciprocating valves 32BL and 32BR.

[0185] Alternatively, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31BR instead of the proportional valve 33BL, thereby forcibly suppressing or stopping the operation of the bucket cylinder 9 corresponding to the bucket closing operation of the joystick device 26B. For example, when the bucket closing operation is performed using the joystick device 26B, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31BR and apply a predetermined pilot pressure from the proportional valve 31BR via the reciprocating valve 32BR to the pilot port of the control valve 174 on the bucket opening side. Thus, in resistance to the pilot pressure applied from the joystick device 26B via the reciprocating valve 32BL to the pilot port of the control valve 174 on the bucket closing side, the pilot pressure acts on the pilot port of the control valve 174 on the bucket opening side. Therefore, the controller 30 can forcibly bring the control valve 174 close to the neutral position to suppress or stop the operation of the bucket cylinder 9 corresponding to the bucket closing operation of the joystick device 26B. Similarly, the controller 30 can also control the proportional valve 31BL instead of the proportional valve 33BR, thereby forcibly suppressing or stopping the action of the bucket cylinder 9 corresponding to the bucket opening operation of the control lever device 26B.

[0186] The operating pressure sensor 29B detects the operation performed by the operator on the joystick device 26B in the form of pressure (operating pressure), and the detection signal corresponding to the detected pressure is input to the controller 30. Thus, the controller 30 can grasp the operation of the joystick device 26B.

[0187] The controller 30 can supply working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port on the left side of the control valve 174 via the proportional valve 31BL and the reciprocating valve 32BL, independently of the operator's operation of closing the bucket on the joystick device 26B. Furthermore, the controller 30 can supply working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port on the right side of the control valve 174 via the proportional valve 31BR and the reciprocating valve 32BR, independently of the operator's operation of opening the bucket on the joystick device 26B. In other words, the controller 30 automatically controls the opening and closing of the bucket 6, thereby enabling automatic operation or remote operation of the excavator 100.

[0188] And, for example, such as Figure 6CAs shown, the joystick device 26C is used by operators to operate the rotary hydraulic motor 2A corresponding to the upper rotary body 3 (rotation mechanism 2). The joystick device 26C uses the working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to output pilot pressure corresponding to the operation to the secondary side.

[0189] The two inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32CL are respectively connected to the pilot line of the secondary side of the control lever device 26C corresponding to the left-hand rotation operation (hereinafter referred to as "left rotation operation") of the upper rotating body 3 and the pilot line of the secondary side of the proportional valve 31CL, and the outlet port is connected to the pilot port on the left side of the control valve 173.

[0190] The two inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32CR are respectively connected to the pilot line of the secondary side of the control lever device 26C corresponding to the right-hand rotation operation (hereinafter referred to as "right rotation operation") of the upper rotating body 3 and the pilot line of the secondary side of the proportional valve 31CR, and the outlet port is connected to the pilot port on the right side of the control valve 173.

[0191] That is, the joystick device 26C applies a pilot pressure corresponding to its operation to the pilot port of the control valve 173 via the reciprocating valves 32CL and 32CR. Specifically, when a left turn operation is performed, the joystick device 26C outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation amount to one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32CL, and applies it to the left pilot port of the control valve 173 via the reciprocating valve 32CL. Similarly, when a right turn operation is performed, the joystick device 26C outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation amount to one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32CR, and applies it to the right pilot port of the control valve 173 via the reciprocating valve 32CR.

[0192] The proportional valve 31CL operates according to the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, the proportional valve 31CL uses the working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to output a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current input from the controller 30 to another pilot port of the reciprocating valve 32CL. Thus, the proportional valve 31CL can adjust the pilot pressure acting on the left pilot port of the control valve 173 via the reciprocating valve 32CL.

[0193] The proportional valve 31CR operates according to the control current output by the controller 30. Specifically, the proportional valve 31CR uses the working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to output a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current input from the controller 30 to another pilot port of the reciprocating valve 32CR. Thus, the proportional valve 31CR can adjust the pilot pressure acting on the right pilot port of the control valve 173 via the reciprocating valve 32CR.

[0194] That is, the proportional valves 31CL and 31CR can adjust the pilot pressure output to the secondary side in a manner that allows the control valve 173 to be stopped at any valve position without relying on the operating state of the lever device 26C.

[0195] The proportional valve 33CL operates according to the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, when no control current is input from the controller 30, the proportional valve 33CL directly outputs the pilot pressure corresponding to the leftward rotation operation of the joystick device 26C to the secondary side. On the other hand, when a control current is input from the controller 30, the proportional valve 33CL reduces the pilot pressure in the pilot circuit of the secondary side corresponding to the leftward rotation operation of the joystick device 26C to a level corresponding to the control current, and outputs the reduced pilot pressure to one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32CL. Thus, even when performing a leftward rotation operation using the joystick device 26C, the proportional valve 33CL can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the rotary hydraulic motor 2A corresponding to the leftward rotation operation as needed. Furthermore, even when performing a leftward rotation operation using the joystick device 26C, the proportional valve 33CL can ensure that the pilot pressure acting on one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32CL is lower than the pilot pressure acting from the proportional valve 31CL on the other inlet port of the reciprocating valve 32CL. Therefore, the controller 30 is able to control the proportional valves 31CL and 33CL and reliably apply the desired pilot pressure to the pilot port on the left-hand side of the control valve 173.

[0196] The proportional valve 33CR operates according to the control current input from the controller 30. Specifically, when no control current is input from the controller 30, the proportional valve 33CR directly outputs the pilot pressure corresponding to the right-hand rotation operation of the joystick device 26C to the secondary side. On the other hand, when a control current is input from the controller 30, the proportional valve 33CR reduces the pilot pressure in the pilot circuit of the secondary side corresponding to the right-hand rotation operation of the joystick device 26C to a level corresponding to the control current, and outputs the reduced pilot pressure to one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32CR. Thus, even when performing a right-hand rotation operation using the joystick device 26C, the proportional valve 33CR can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the rotary hydraulic motor 2A corresponding to the right-hand rotation operation as needed. Furthermore, even when performing a right-hand rotation operation using the joystick device 26C, the proportional valve 33CR can ensure that the pilot pressure acting on one of the inlet ports of the reciprocating valve 32CR is lower than the pilot pressure acting from the proportional valve 31CR on the other inlet port of the reciprocating valve 32CR. Therefore, the controller 30 is able to control the proportional valves 31CR and 33CR and reliably apply the desired pilot pressure to the pilot port on the right-hand side of the control valve 173.

[0197] Thus, proportional valves 33CL and 33CR can forcibly suppress or stop the operation of the rotary hydraulic motor 2A corresponding to the operating state of the control lever device 26C. Furthermore, proportional valves 33CL and 33CR can assist by reducing the pilot pressure acting on one of the inlet ports of reciprocating valves 32CL and 32CR, and by ensuring that the pilot pressure of proportional valves 31CL and 31CR reliably acts on the pilot port of control valve 173 through reciprocating valves 32CL and 32CR.

[0198] Alternatively, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31CR instead of the proportional valve 33CL, thereby forcibly suppressing or stopping the operation of the rotary hydraulic motor 2A corresponding to the left-turn operation of the joystick device 26C. For example, when performing a left-turn operation using the joystick device 26C, the controller 30 can control the proportional valve 31CR and apply a predetermined pilot pressure from the proportional valve 31CR through the reciprocating valve 32CR to the pilot port of the right-turn side of the control valve 173. Thus, in opposition to the pilot pressure applied from the joystick device 26C through the reciprocating valve 32CL to the pilot port of the left-turn side of the control valve 173, the pilot pressure acts on the pilot port of the right-turn side of the control valve 173. Therefore, the controller 30 can forcibly bring the control valve 173 close to the neutral position, thereby suppressing or stopping the operation of the rotary hydraulic motor 2A corresponding to the left-turn operation of the joystick device 26C. Similarly, the controller 30 can also control the proportional valve 31CL instead of the proportional valve 33CR, thereby forcibly suppressing or stopping the operation of the rotary hydraulic motor 2A corresponding to the right-hand rotation operation of the joystick device 26C.

[0199] The pressure sensor 29C detects the operator's control of the joystick 26C by measuring pressure, and the detection signal corresponding to the detected pressure is input to the controller 30. Thus, the controller 30 can understand the operation of the joystick 26C.

[0200] The controller 30 can supply working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port on the left side of the control valve 173 via the proportional valve 31CL and the reciprocating valve 32CL, regardless of the operator's left-right rotation operation of the joystick device 26C. Furthermore, the controller 30 can supply working oil discharged from the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port on the right side of the control valve 173 via the proportional valve 31CR and the reciprocating valve 32CR, regardless of the operator's right-right rotation operation of the joystick device 26C. In other words, the controller 30 automatically controls the left-right rotation of the upper slewing body 3, thereby enabling automatic operation or remote operation of the excavator 100.

[0201] Furthermore, the excavator 100 may also have a structure for automatically opening and closing the boom 5 and a structure for automatically moving the lower walking body 1 forward and backward. In this case, in the hydraulic system, the structural parts related to the operating system of the boom cylinder 8, the structural parts related to the operating system of the travel hydraulic motor 1L, and the structural parts related to the operating system of the travel hydraulic motor 1R can be configured as structural parts related to the operating system of the boom cylinder 7, etc. Figures 6A to 6C The same applies. Therefore, the controller 30 automatically controls the movement of the boom 5 or the walking motion of the lower walking body 1 by outputting control current to the corresponding proportional valve 31 or proportional valve 33, thereby realizing the automatic operation function or remote operation function of the excavator 100.

[0202] [Positive processing]

[0203] Next, refer to Figures 7-11 The control process performed by the controller 30 to align the upper rotating body 3 with the target construction surface (hereinafter referred to as "alignment process") will be explained.

[0204] <An example of a positive treatment>

[0205] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the orientation processing performed by the controller 30 of the excavator 100 according to this embodiment. Figure 8 ( Figure 8A , Figure 8B ), Figure 9 These are diagrams illustrating one and another example of the actions of an excavator performing a direct-action process. Specifically, Figure 8A , Figure 8B This diagram illustrates the movement sequence (hereinafter referred to as the "translation sequence") of the excavator 100 as it moves from the completed construction area CS to a position facing the unconstructed area NS along the orientation of the target construction surface (i.e., the direction in which the target construction surface extends) to the next construction position after completing construction on the upward-sloping surface ES. Figure 9 This diagram illustrates the process of excavator 100 rotating in the direction separating from the target construction surface during construction, discharging the sand and soil contained in bucket 6 to a position separating from the upward inclined surface ES of the construction object, then rotating in the direction approaching the target construction surface, and resuming construction on the target construction surface (hereinafter referred to as the "soil discharge process").

[0206] For example, when the MC switch is pressed and the upper rotating body 3 has not yet rotated in the direction of separation from the target construction surface by the auxiliary device, the process is repeated according to the prescribed cycle. Figure 7The flowchart is then processed. At this point, as described later, the controller 30 can determine, for example, whether the auxiliary device is approaching or separating from the target construction surface based on whether the vertical distance between the tip of the bucket 6 and the target construction surface (upward slope) increases.

[0207] In step ST1, the equipment guide unit 50 determines whether a deviation from the target orientation has occurred. For example, the equipment guide unit 50 determines whether a deviation from the target orientation has occurred based on information related to the target construction surface pre-stored in the storage device 47 and the output of the positioning device P1, which is an orientation detection device. The information related to the target construction surface includes information related to the orientation of the target construction surface (in other words, the direction in which the target construction surface extends). The positioning device P1 outputs information related to the orientation of the upper rotating body 3. Specifically, as described above... Figure 4A As shown, for example, when the operating surface AF of the auxiliary device does not include the normal to the target construction surface, the equipment guide unit 50 determines that there is a direct deviation between the target construction surface and the upper rotating body 3 of the excavator 100. In other words, the state in which there is a direct deviation between the target construction surface and the upper rotating body 3 of the excavator 100 corresponds to the state in which the angle between the line segment representing the orientation of the target construction surface and the line segment representing the orientation of the upper rotating body 3 (i.e., the front and rear axles of the upper rotating body 3) is not 90 degrees. Therefore, the equipment guide unit 50 can determine whether there is a direct deviation based on the angle between the line segment representing the orientation of the target construction surface and the line segment representing the orientation of the upper rotating body 3. When a direct deviation occurs, the equipment guide unit 50 proceeds to step ST2; when no direct deviation occurs, it ends the current processing.

[0208] In step ST2, the equipment guidance unit 50 determines whether there are obstacles around the excavator 100. For example, the equipment guidance unit 50 performs prescribed image recognition processing on the camera image captured by the camera device S6 to determine whether there is an image related to a prescribed obstacle within the camera image. Prescribed obstacles include, for example, people, animals, other construction machinery, buildings, and on-site materials. Furthermore, when it is determined that there is no image related to a prescribed obstacle within the image related to a predetermined range set around the excavator 100, the equipment guidance unit 50 determines that there are no obstacles around the excavator 100. For example, when the excavator 100 is operated to make the upper rotating body 3 face the target construction surface, the predetermined range is the area where objects that might come into contact with the excavator 100 may exist, and this range can be predetermined.

[0209] In step ST3, the equipment guide unit 50 performs orientation control. For example, when the upper rotating body 3 is aligned with the target construction surface by rotating it to the left, the equipment guide unit 50 (automatic control unit 54) controls the proportional valve 31CL (reference valve). Figure 6CThe system outputs control commands (e.g., control current as a current command). Correspondingly, the proportional valve 31CL generates a pilot pressure corresponding to the control current using the working oil supplied from the pilot pump 15, and applies it to the left pilot port of the control valve 173 via the reciprocating valve 32CL. The control valve 173, having received the pilot pressure through the left pilot port, displaces to the right, causing the working oil discharged by the main pump 14L to flow into the first port 2A1 of the rotary hydraulic motor 2A, and causing the working oil flowing from the second port 2A2 to flow into the working oil tank. As a result, the rotary hydraulic motor 2A rotates forward, and the upper rotary body 3 rotates to the left around the rotation axis. Then, if it is determined that the excavator 100 is facing forward, the automatic control unit 54 stops the output of the control current to the proportional valve 31CL and reduces the pilot pressure acting on the left pilot port of the control valve 173. If the pilot pressure acting on the left pilot port decreases, the control valve 173 shifts to the left and returns to the neutral position, cutting off the flow of working oil from the main pump 14L to the first port 2A1 of the rotary hydraulic motor 2A, and cutting off the flow of working oil from the second port 2A2 to the working oil tank. As a result, the rotary hydraulic motor 2A stops rotating forward, and the upper rotary body 3 stops rotating to the left. The same applies when the upper rotary body 3 rotates to the right. Thus, the equipment guide 50 enables the upper rotary body 3 of the excavator 100 to be in a position directly facing the target construction surface.

[0210] Thus, in this embodiment, for example, when the MC switch or the like is pressed, and the upper slewing body 3 has not yet rotated in the direction separating from the target construction surface, the controller 30 (equipment guide unit 50) repeats the facing-up process. That is, when the equipment control function is active and the upper slewing body 3 has not yet rotated in the direction separating from the target construction surface, the controller 30 maintains the excavator 100 facing the target construction surface. Therefore, even if various motion components (lower traveling body 1, upper slewing body 3, boom 4, stick 5, and bucket 6, etc.) are activated, the controller 30 can automatically maintain the upper slewing body 3 facing the target construction surface.

[0211] For example, when the equipment control function is used and the auxiliary device is activated in order to carry out construction on the target construction surface according to the stick operation performed by the operator, the excavator 100 may experience posture vibration depending on the ground condition where the lower walking body 1 is located.

[0212] In contrast, in this embodiment, when the auxiliary device is activated (i.e., driven by at least one of the boom cylinder 7, stick cylinder 8, and bucket cylinder 9), the controller 30 performs orientation control to maintain the upper slewing body 3 facing the target construction surface. Therefore, when the auxiliary device is activated, the controller 30 can maintain the upper slewing body 3 facing the target construction surface. Consequently, the excavator 100 can more appropriately construct on the target construction surface. Furthermore, since the excavator 100 does not require operator intervention to maintain the upper slewing body 3 facing the target construction surface, the hassle for operators is reduced.

[0213] And, for example, such as Figure 8A , Figure 8B As shown, the target construction surface is sometimes curved when viewed from above, meaning its orientation varies depending on the location. In such cases, operators need to manually adjust the movement of the excavator 100 during its translation process to match the direction of movement of the lower traveling body 1 with the change in the orientation of the target construction surface. Therefore, even if the upper traveling body 3 is positioned directly opposite the target construction surface before the excavator 100 begins to move, the possibility of this alignment being eliminated due to movement increases. Furthermore, even if the orientation of the target construction surface does not change, it is not easy to ensure that the direction of movement of the lower traveling body 1 is perfectly aligned with the orientation of the target construction surface, resulting in the possibility that the alignment of the upper traveling body 3 with the target construction surface may be eliminated.

[0214] In contrast, in this embodiment, when the lower traveling body 1 moves (i.e., when it is driven by at least one of a pair of traveling hydraulic motors 1A and 1B), specifically, when the lower traveling body 1 translates (walks) along the direction of the target construction surface, the controller 30 performs orientation control to maintain the upper rotating body 3 facing the target construction surface. Therefore, when the lower traveling body 1 moves, the controller 30 can maintain the upper rotating body 3 facing the target construction surface. Thus, as... Figure 8A , Figure 8B As shown, even when the orientation of the target construction surface changes depending on the location, or when the movement direction of the lower traveling body 1 cannot be aligned with the orientation of the target construction surface, the excavator 100 can maintain the upper rotating body 3 facing the target construction surface throughout the process of completing construction at a certain location, translating, and restarting construction. Furthermore, during the translating process of the excavator 100, maintaining the upper rotating body 3 facing the target construction surface does not require operator intervention, thus reducing the complexity experienced by operators.

[0215] Furthermore, for example, in a control method that performs orientation control after translation and upon reaching the next construction position, there may be a waiting time from the completion of orientation control at the next construction position. However, in this embodiment, such waiting time can be suppressed.

[0216] And, as Figure 8B As shown, in the translation process of the excavator 100, the controller 30 can control the travel track of the excavator 100 in addition to the direct control.

[0217] The controller 30 can generate a target (hereinafter referred to as "target travel track") TT for the travel path of the lower traveling body 1 based on the target construction surface. The travel track of the lower traveling body 1 can be a track drawn by a predetermined part of the lower traveling body 1 as it travels. Specifically, the controller 30 can generate the target travel track TT in a manner that allows the working part of the bucket 6 to move along the target construction surface from the top of the slope TS to the bottom of the slope FS. Furthermore, the target travel track TT can be generated from the start position to the end position of the work on the slope of the construction object. For example, the controller 30 can generate the target travel track TT in a manner that includes the top of the slope TS and the bottom of the slope FS of the target construction surface between the upper limit UL and the lower limit LL of the inclined operable range (hereinafter referred to as "Att operable range") OR of the front end of the auxiliary device AT (the working part of the bucket 6) along the slope of the target construction surface. Thus, no matter which construction position the excavator 100 moves to, the front end of the auxiliary device AT (the working part of the bucket 6) can move along the entire length of the target construction surface from the top of the slope TS to the bottom of the slope FS. Therefore, it can improve the workability of slope construction by excavator 100.

[0218] The controller 30 sets intermediate target positions TP1 to TP4 on the target travel track TT, which extends from the start position to the end position of the work on the slope of the construction object, corresponding to the positions where the excavator 100 is working. Furthermore, the controller 30 automatically controls the tracks 1CL and 1CR to move along the target travel track TT from the intermediate position corresponding to the current work position to the intermediate position corresponding to the next work position, based on the operator's walking operation. Specifically, the controller 30 realizes the automatic operation function (equipment control function) of the lower traveling body 1 by controlling the proportional valves 31 corresponding to the control valves 171 and 172 that drive the travel hydraulic motors 2ML and 2MR.

[0219] Furthermore, the controller 30 can set an allowable range (hereinafter referred to as the "allowable error range") TR for the error relative to the target travel track TT. This is because, for example, the road surface at the construction site may have relatively large unevenness, and even with relatively high precision control, it may not be possible to travel along the target travel track TT. Specifically, the controller 30 can set the allowable error range TR based on the positional relationship between the Att operable range OR corresponding to the target travel track TT and the top TS and bottom FS of the target construction surface. Thus, the controller 30 can control the travel track of the excavator 100 in a manner that allows for a certain degree of error relative to the target travel track TT and ensures that the top TS and bottom FS of the slope are within the Att operable range OR.

[0220] And, for example, such as Figure 9 As shown, when construction begins at a certain location, even if the upper rotating body 3 is aligned directly with the target construction surface, this alignment will be eliminated if the soil removal process is performed. Therefore, when the soil removal process is completed, the operators need to align the upper rotating body 3 directly with the target construction surface again.

[0221] In contrast, in this embodiment, after the controller 30 discharges sand and other materials from the bucket 6, it starts facing the target construction surface when the upper rotating body 3 rotates (starts rotation) according to the operator's rotation operation. That is, when the upper rotating body 3 rotates towards the target construction surface, the controller 30 initiates facing control. In other words, except when the excavator 100 rotates the upper rotating body 3 in a direction away from the target construction surface during the soil discharge process, or when performing a soil discharge operation afterwards (i.e., when the operation does not want to maintain the upper rotating body 3 facing the target construction surface), the controller 30 maintains the upper rotating body 3 facing the target construction surface. Therefore, as... Figure 9 As shown, during the soil removal process, even if the upper rotating body 3 rotates in a direction separating from the target construction surface and the state of being directly facing the target construction surface is eliminated, the excavator 100 can return to a state where the upper rotating body 3 is directly facing the target construction surface again. Furthermore, during the rotation of the upper rotating body 3 towards the target construction surface, the excavator 100 ensures that the upper rotating body 3 is directly facing the target construction surface in a manner that supports operations performed by operators, thus reducing the complexity experienced by operators.

[0222] Furthermore, for example, in a control method that performs direct control after the soil removal process is completed and the rotation of the upper rotating body 3 stops, there may be a waiting time until the construction work resumes. However, in this embodiment, such a waiting time can be suppressed.

[0223] <Another example of positive treatment>

[0224] Figure 10 This is a flowchart that roughly illustrates another example of the alignment process performed by the controller 30 of the excavator 100 according to this embodiment. The alignment process based on this flowchart begins, for example, when the equipment control function is active and the excavator 100 begins the translation process. At this time, the controller 30 (equipment guide unit 50) can determine whether the excavator 100 (lower traveling body 1) has started moving towards the next construction position along the target construction surface based on the operation status of the operating device 26 or the image captured by the camera device S6.

[0225] Steps ST11 to ST13 and Figure 7 The processing of steps ST1 to ST3 is the same, so the explanation is omitted.

[0226] After the processing in step ST13, or if the conditions in steps ST11 and ST12 are not met (if "No" in step ST11 or "No" in step ST12), in step ST14, the device guidance unit 50 determines whether the device control function is valid and whether the translation continues. If the condition is met, the device guidance unit 50 returns to step ST11 and repeats the processing based on this flowchart; if the condition is not met, the processing based on this flowchart ends.

[0227] Thus, with Figure 7 The situation differs. Specifically, the controller 30, based on whether the excavator 100 has begun to move along the target construction surface, can maintain the upper rotating body 3 facing the target construction surface during the translation process. That is, when the lower traveling body 1 performs an action corresponding to the translation process, the controller 30 performs orientation control by maintaining the upper rotating body 3 facing the target construction surface. Thus, the excavator 100 and the applicable... Figure 7 Similarly, in the case of direct alignment, during the process of completing construction at a certain location, moving the excavator 100, and starting construction again, the upper rotating body 3 can always be kept directly aligned with the target construction surface. Furthermore, during the translation process of the excavator 100, the upper rotating body 3 can be kept directly aligned with the target construction surface without the need for operator intervention, thus reducing the hassle for operators.

[0228] <Another example of positive treatment>

[0229] Figure 11 This is a flowchart that roughly illustrates another example of the orientation processing performed by the controller 30 of the excavator 100 according to this embodiment. The processing based on this flowchart begins, for example, when the equipment control function is active and the upper rotating body 3 begins to rotate in the direction of approaching the target construction surface.

[0230] Steps ST21 to ST23 and Figure 7 Steps ST1 to ST3 are the same, so the explanation is omitted.

[0231] After the processing in step S23, or if the conditions in steps ST21 and ST22 are not met (either "No" in step ST21 or "No" in step S22), in step ST24, the equipment guidance unit 50 determines whether the equipment control function is invalid or whether the upper rotating body 3 has started rotating in the direction separating from the target construction surface. In step ST24, if the condition is not met (i.e., the equipment control function is valid and the upper rotating body 3 has not yet started rotating in the direction separating from the target construction surface), the equipment guidance unit 50 returns to step ST21 and repeats the processing based on this flowchart. On the other hand, if the condition is met (i.e., the equipment control function is invalid or the upper rotating body 3 has started rotating in the direction separating from the target construction surface), the equipment guidance unit 50 ends the processing based on this flowchart.

[0232] Thus, with Figure 7 The difference lies in the controller 30's determination of whether the excavator 100's upper rotating body 3 has performed a rotational movement (rotation operation) in the direction approaching the target construction surface and in the direction separating from the target construction surface. Based on its determination, the controller 30 begins orientation control when the upper rotating body 3 has performed a rotational operation in the direction approaching the target construction surface (i.e., when the rotational movement in the direction approaching the target construction surface begins). Furthermore, the controller 30 can continue orientation control and maintain the upper rotating body 3's orientation relative to the target construction surface until subsequent construction procedures performed by the auxiliary device result in a rotational operation of the upper rotating body 3 in the direction separating from the target construction surface (i.e., until the upper rotating body 3 begins rotation in the direction separating from the target construction surface). Thus, the excavator 100 and the applicable... Figure 7 Similarly, in the case of direct alignment, when constructing on the target construction surface, the upper rotating body 3 can be kept in a directly aligned position when the auxiliary device is activated. Therefore, the excavator 100 can more effectively construct on the target construction surface. Furthermore, since the excavator 100 does not require operator intervention to maintain the upper rotating body 3 in a directly aligned position relative to the target construction surface, it reduces the workload for operators. Moreover, the excavator 100 is compatible with... Figure 7Similarly, in the case of direct alignment, during the soil removal process, even if the upper rotating body 3 rotates in a direction separating from the target construction surface and the direct alignment with the target construction surface is eliminated, it can return to a state where the upper rotating body 3 is directly facing the target construction surface again. Furthermore, during the rotation of the upper rotating body 3 towards the target construction surface, the excavator 100 ensures that the upper rotating body 3 is directly facing the target construction surface in a manner that supports operations performed by operators, thus reducing the complexity experienced by operators.

[0233] [Structure related to the autonomous operation function of an excavator]

[0234] Next, refer to Figure 12 ( Figures 12A-12C The structure of the excavator 100 related to its autonomous operation function is described.

[0235] Figures 12A-12C This diagram illustrates an example of the structure related to the autonomous operation function of the excavator 100. Specifically, Figure 12A This is a diagram showing an example of a structural part of the lower walking body 1 that is related to autonomous operation. Figure 12B , Figure 12C This is a diagram showing an example of the structural parts of the upper rotating body 3 and the auxiliary device AT that are related to the autonomous operation function.

[0236] In this example, the controller 30 is configured to receive signals output from at least one of the posture detection device, input device 42, camera device S6, positioning device P1, and anomaly detection sensor 74, perform various calculations, and output control commands to proportional valves 31 and 33. The posture detection device includes a boom angle sensor S1, a stick angle sensor S2, a bucket angle sensor S3, a body tilt sensor S4, and a swing state sensor S5.

[0237] The controller 30 includes a target construction surface setting unit F1, a work completion target position setting unit F2, a walking target track generation unit F3, an anomaly monitoring unit F4, a stop determination unit F5, a posture detection unit F6, an intermediate target setting unit F7, a position calculation unit F8, a comparison unit F9, an object detection unit F10, a movement command generation unit F11, a speed calculation unit F12, a speed limit unit F13, and a flow command generation unit F14. Furthermore, the controller 30 includes an Att target track update unit F15, a current shovel tip position calculation unit F16, a next shovel tip position calculation unit F17, a shovel tip speed command value generation unit F18, a shovel tip speed command value limiting unit F19, a command value calculation unit F20, a boom current command generation unit F21, a boom valve core displacement calculation unit F22, a boom angle calculation unit F23, a stick current command generation unit F31, a stick valve core displacement calculation unit F32, a stick angle calculation unit F33, a bucket current command generation unit F41, a bucket valve core displacement calculation unit F42, a bucket angle calculation unit F43, a slewing current command generation unit F51, a slewing valve core displacement calculation unit F52, and a slewing angle calculation unit F53.

[0238] The target construction surface setting unit F1 sets the target construction surface based on the output of the input device 42, i.e., the operation input received through the input device 42. The target construction surface setting unit F1 can also set the target construction surface based on information received from an external device (e.g., the management device 300 described later) through the communication device T1.

[0239] The work completion target position setting unit F2 is configured to set a target position (hereinafter referred to as "work completion target position") related to the autonomous movement of the excavator 100 (lower walking body 1) that corresponds to the specified work completion position. For example, Figure 8B As shown, the work completion target position setting unit F2 can autonomously move the excavator 100 alongside the target construction surface while setting the work completion target position on the slope of the construction object during slope construction work. The work completion position can be included in the information related to the target construction surface input from the input device 42, or it can be automatically generated based on the target construction surface.

[0240] The target trajectory generation unit F3 generates a target trajectory for the excavator 100 (lower walking body 1) related to autonomous movement based on the shape of the target construction surface and the target location after the work is completed. (For example, ...) Figure 8B The target trajectory TT). Furthermore, the target trajectory generation unit F3 can also set the permissible error range for the generated target trajectory (e.g., Figure 8B The permissible error range (TR).

[0241] The anomaly monitoring unit F4 is configured to monitor anomalies in the excavator 100. In this example, the anomaly monitoring unit F4 determines the degree of anomaly in the excavator 100 based on the output of the anomaly detection sensor 74. The anomaly detection sensor 74 may include at least one of the following: a sensor for detecting anomalies in the engine 11, a sensor for detecting anomalies related to the temperature of the working oil, and a sensor for detecting anomalies in the controller 30.

[0242] The stop determination unit F5 is configured to determine whether it is necessary to stop the excavator 100 based on various information. In this example, the stop determination unit F5 determines whether it is necessary to stop the excavator 100 that is autonomously moving based on the output of the anomaly monitoring unit F4. Specifically, for example, when the anomaly level of the excavator 100 determined by the anomaly monitoring unit F4 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the stop determination unit F5 determines that it is necessary to stop the excavator 100 that is autonomously moving. At this time, the controller 30, for example, brakes the travel hydraulic motor 2M, which is a travel actuator, and decelerates or stops the rotation of the travel hydraulic motor 2M. On the other hand, for example, when the anomaly level of the excavator 100 determined by the anomaly monitoring unit F4 is below the predetermined threshold, the stop determination unit F5 determines that it is not necessary to stop the excavator 100 that is autonomously moving, that is, the autonomous movement of the excavator 100 can continue. Furthermore, when a person (operator) is riding in the excavator 100, the stop determination unit F5 can determine whether to deactivate autonomous movement in addition to determining whether it is necessary to stop the excavator 100.

[0243] The posture detection unit F6 is configured to detect information related to the posture of the excavator 100. Furthermore, the posture detection unit F6 can also determine whether the posture of the excavator 100 has become a walking posture. The posture detection unit F6 can also be configured to allow autonomous walking of the excavator 100 when it is determined that the posture of the excavator 100 has become a walking posture.

[0244] The intermediate target setting unit F7 is configured to set the intermediate target position of the excavator 100 in relation to autonomous movement (e.g., Figure 8B (Intermediate target positions TP1 to TP4). In this example, when the posture detection unit F6 determines that the posture of the excavator 100 has become a walking posture, and the stop determination unit F5 determines that the excavator 100 does not need to be stopped, the intermediate target setting unit F7 can set one or more intermediate target positions on the walking target track.

[0245] The position calculation unit F8 is configured to calculate the current position of the excavator 100. In this example, the position calculation unit F8 calculates the current position of the excavator 100 based on the output of the positioning device P1. When the excavator is working on a slope, the work end target position setting unit F2 can also set the end position of the slope work as the final target position. Furthermore, the intermediate target setting unit F7 can divide the slope work from the start position to the end position into multiple intervals and set the end point of each interval as an intermediate target position.

[0246] The comparison unit F9 is configured to compare the intermediate target position set by the intermediate target setting unit F7 with the current position of the excavator 100 calculated by the position calculation unit F8.

[0247] The object detection unit F10 is configured to detect objects present around the excavator 100. In this example, the object detection unit F10 detects objects present around the excavator 100 based on the output of the camera device S6. Furthermore, when an object (e.g., a person) is detected in the direction of travel of the autonomously moving excavator 100, the object detection unit F10 generates a stop command to stop the autonomous movement of the excavator 100.

[0248] The movement command generation unit F11 is configured to generate commands related to the movement of the lower traveling body 1. In this example, the movement command generation unit F11 generates commands related to the movement direction or the movement speed (hereinafter referred to as "speed commands") based on the comparison result of the comparison unit F9. For example, the movement command generation unit F11 may be configured to generate a larger speed command as the difference between the intermediate target position and the current position of the excavator 100 is greater. Furthermore, the movement command generation unit F11 is configured to generate speed commands that bring the difference close to zero.

[0249] Thus, the controller 30, for example, enables the excavator 100 to autonomously travel to each intermediate target position and perform prescribed work at that position, while repeatedly moving to the next intermediate position, executing travel control until reaching the target position. Furthermore, when it is determined, based on pre-input terrain-related information and the detection value of the positioning device P1, that the excavator 100 is on a slope, the movement command generation unit F11 can change the value of the speed command. For example, when it is determined that the excavator 100 is on a downhill slope, the movement command generation unit F11 can also generate a speed command value corresponding to a speed reduced compared to the normal speed. The movement command generation unit F11 can also acquire terrain-related information such as ground tilt based on the output of the camera device S6. Moreover, when the object detection unit F10 determines, based on the output of the camera device S6, that the road surface has significant unevenness (for example, when it is determined that there are many stones on the road surface), similarly, the movement command generation unit F11 can also generate a speed command value corresponding to a speed reduced compared to the normal speed. Thus, the movement command generation unit F11 can also change the speed command value based on road surface information obtained along the travel path. For example, in river-occupied land, when the excavator 100 moves from sandy land to a gravel road, the movement command generation unit F11 can automatically change the speed command value. Therefore, the movement command generation unit F11 can change the travel speed according to the road surface conditions. Furthermore, the movement command generation unit F11 can also generate speed command values ​​according to the operation of auxiliary devices. For example, when the excavator 100 is working on an incline (specifically, when the auxiliary device is performing finishing work from the top to the bottom of the slope), when it is determined that the bucket 6 has reached the bottom of the slope, the intermediate target setting unit F7 can determine to start moving to the next intermediate target position. Therefore, the movement command generation unit F11 can generate a speed command up to the next intermediate target position. Furthermore, after the bucket 6 reaches the bottom of the slope, when it is determined that the boom 4 has been raised to a predetermined height, the intermediate target setting unit F7 can determine to start moving to the next intermediate target position. Furthermore, the movement command generation unit F11 can also generate a speed command up to the next intermediate target position. Thus, the movement command generation unit F11 can also set a speed command value in accordance with the operation of the auxiliary device.

[0250] Furthermore, the controller 30 may also be equipped with a mode setting unit for setting the operating mode of the excavator 100. In this case, when a crane mode or a low-speed mode such as a low-speed high-torque mode is set as the operating mode of the excavator 100, the movement command generation unit F11 generates a speed command value corresponding to the low-speed mode. Thus, the movement command generation unit F11 can also change the speed command value (travel speed) according to the state of the excavator 100.

[0251] The speed calculation unit F12 is configured to calculate the current travel speed of the excavator 100. In this example, the speed calculation unit F12 calculates the current travel speed of the excavator 100 based on the change in the current position of the excavator 100 calculated by the position calculation unit F8.

[0252] The arithmetic unit CAL is configured as the speed difference between the travel speed corresponding to the speed command generated by the calculation and movement command generation unit F11 and the current travel speed of the excavator 100 calculated by the speed calculation unit F12.

[0253] The speed limiting unit F13 is configured to limit the travel speed of the excavator 100. In this example, the speed limiting unit F13 is configured to output a limit value instead of the speed difference when the speed difference calculated by the calculation unit CAL exceeds the limit value, and to directly output the speed difference when the speed difference calculated by the calculation unit CAL is below the limit value. The limit value can be a pre-registered value or a dynamically calculated value.

[0254] The flow command generation unit F14 is configured to generate a command related to the flow rate of the working oil supplied from the main pump 14 to the travel hydraulic motor 2M. In this example, the flow command generation unit F14 generates a flow command based on the speed difference output by the speed limiting unit F13. Basically, the flow command generation unit F14 can be configured to generate a larger flow command as the speed difference increases. Furthermore, the flow command generation unit F14 can be configured to generate a flow command that makes the speed difference calculated by the calculation unit CAL close to zero.

[0255] The flow command generated by the flow command generation unit F14 is a current command for the proportional valves 31 and 33. The proportional valves 31 and 33 operate according to this current command, changing the pilot pressure acting on the pilot port of the control valve 171. Therefore, the flow rate of the working oil flowing into the travel hydraulic motor 2ML is adjusted to correspond to the flow command generated by the flow command generation unit F14. Furthermore, the proportional valves 31 and 33 operate according to this current command, changing the pilot pressure acting on the pilot port of the control valve 172. Therefore, the flow rate of the working oil flowing into the travel hydraulic motor 2MR is adjusted to correspond to the flow command generated by the flow command generation unit F14. As a result, the travel speed of the excavator 100 is adjusted to correspond to the travel speed generated by the movement command generation unit F11. The travel speed of the excavator 100 includes the concept of travel direction. This is because the travel direction of the excavator 100 is determined based on the rotational speed and direction of the travel hydraulic motor 2ML and the rotational speed and direction of the travel hydraulic motor 2MR.

[0256] Furthermore, this example shows a flow command generated by the flow command generation unit F14 being output to proportional valves 31 and 33, but the controller 30 is not limited to this structure. For example, normally, when the excavator 100 is performing a traveling motion, actuators other than the travel hydraulic motor 2M, such as the boom cylinder 7, do not operate. Therefore, the flow command generated by the flow command generation unit F14 can be output to the regulator 13 of the main pump 14. At this time, the controller 30 can control the traveling motion of the excavator 100 by controlling the discharge volume of the main pump 14. Moreover, the controller 30 can also control the steering of the excavator 100 by controlling the discharge volumes of the regulators 13L and 13R respectively, that is, by controlling the discharge volumes of the main pumps 14L and 14R. Furthermore, the controller 30 can also control the steering of the traveling motion by controlling the supply volume of working oil to the travel hydraulic motors 2ML and 2MR respectively through the proportional valve 31, and control the traveling speed by controlling the regulator 13.

[0257] In this way, the controller 30 can enable the excavator 100 to work at the intermediate target position while simultaneously enabling the excavator 100 to move autonomously from the current position to the target position where the work is completed.

[0258] The Att target track updating unit F15 is configured to generate a target track for the working part (e.g., the tip) of the bucket 6, the front end of the auxiliary device. Specifically, the Att target track updating unit F15 can update the target track of the working part of the bucket 6 according to the position of the excavator 100 after movement (intermediate target position) or the relative shape of the target construction surface as viewed from that position, as the excavator 100 moves autonomously. For example, the Att target track updating unit F15 can generate a target track that the tip of the bucket 6 needs to follow, based on the shape of the target construction surface, the current position of the excavator 100, and the output (object data) of the object detection unit F10.

[0259] The current shovel tip position calculation unit F16 is configured to calculate the current shovel tip position of the bucket 6. In this example, the current shovel tip position calculation unit F16 can calculate the coordinates of the shovel tip of the bucket 6 as the current shovel tip position based on the output of the posture detection unit F6 (e.g., boom angle β1, stick angle β2, bucket angle β3, and swing angle α1) and the output of the position detection unit F8 (the current position of the excavator 100). The current shovel tip position calculation unit F16 can also utilize the output of the body tilt sensor S4 when calculating the current shovel tip position.

[0260] The next shovel tip position calculation unit F17 is configured to calculate the next shovel tip position that will become the target on the target track of the shovel tip of the bucket 6. In this example, the next shovel tip position calculation unit F17 calculates the shovel tip position after a predetermined time as the target shovel tip position based on the content of the operation command corresponding to the autonomous operation function, the target track generated by the Att target track update unit F15, and the current shovel tip position calculated by the current shovel tip position calculation unit F16.

[0261] The next shovel tip position calculation unit F17 can determine whether the deviation between the current shovel tip position and the target track of the bucket 6 shovel tip is within an allowable range. In this example, the next shovel tip position calculation unit F17 determines whether the distance between the current shovel tip position and the target track of the bucket 6 shovel tip is below a predetermined value. Furthermore, when the distance is below the predetermined value, the next shovel tip position calculation unit F17 determines that the deviation is within an allowable range and calculates the target shovel tip position. On the other hand, when the distance exceeds the predetermined value, the next shovel tip position calculation unit F17 determines that the deviation is outside the allowable range and, regardless of the operating command corresponding to the autonomous operation function, slows down or stops the actuator's operation. Therefore, the controller 30 can prevent the autonomous control from continuing when the shovel tip position has deviated from the target track.

[0262] The tip speed command value generation unit F18 is configured to generate command values ​​related to the tip speed. In this example, the tip speed command value generation unit F18 calculates the tip speed required to move the current tip position to the next tip position within a specified time, based on the current tip position calculated by the current tip position calculation unit F16 and the next tip position calculated by the next tip position calculation unit F17, and uses this as the command value related to the tip speed.

[0263] The tip speed command value limiting unit F19 is configured to limit the command value related to the tip speed. In this example, when the current tip position calculated by the current tip position calculation unit F16 and the output of the object detection unit F10 determine that the distance between the tip of the bucket 6 and a specified object (e.g., a dump truck) is less than a specified value, the tip speed command value limiting unit F19 limits the command value related to the tip speed using a specified upper limit value. Therefore, the controller 30 can decelerate the tip speed when the tip approaches a dump truck or similar object.

[0264] The command value calculation unit F20 is configured to calculate the command value used to actuate the actuator. In this example, in order to move the current blade tip position to the target blade tip position, the command value calculation unit F20 calculates the command value β related to the boom angle β1 based on the target blade tip position calculated by the next blade tip position calculation unit F17. 1r Command value β related to stick angle β2 2rCommand value β related to bucket angle β3 3r and the command value α related to the rotation angle α1 1r .

[0265] The boom current command generation unit F21, stick current command generation unit F31, bucket current command generation unit F41, and swing current command generation unit F51 are configured to generate current commands output by proportional valves 31 and 33. In this example, the boom current command generation unit F21 outputs a boom current command to the proportional valve 31 corresponding to control valve 175. The stick current command generation unit F31 outputs a stick current command to the proportional valve 31 corresponding to control valve 176. The bucket current command generation unit F41 outputs a bucket current command to the proportional valve 31 corresponding to control valve 174. The swing current command generation unit F51 outputs a swing current command to the proportional valve 31 corresponding to control valve 173. Furthermore, the boom current command generation unit F21, stick current command generation unit F31, bucket current command generation unit F41, and swing current command generation unit F51 can output a pressure reduction command to the proportional valve 33 to reduce the pilot pressure output from the operating device 26.

[0266] The boom valve core displacement calculation unit F22, the stick valve core displacement calculation unit F32, the bucket valve core displacement calculation unit F42, and the swing valve core displacement calculation unit F52 are configured to calculate the displacement of the valve core constituting the spool valve. In this example, the boom valve core displacement calculation unit F22 calculates the displacement of the boom valve core constituting the control valve 175 associated with the boom cylinder 7 based on the output of the boom valve core displacement sensor S7. The stick valve core displacement calculation unit F32 calculates the displacement of the stick valve core constituting the control valve 176 associated with the stick cylinder 8 based on the output of the stick valve core displacement sensor S8. The bucket valve core displacement calculation unit F42 calculates the displacement of the bucket valve core constituting the control valve 174 associated with the bucket cylinder 9 based on the output of the bucket valve core displacement sensor S9. The rotary valve core displacement calculation unit F52 calculates the displacement of the rotary valve core of the control valve 173, which is associated with the rotary hydraulic motor 2A, based on the output of the rotary valve core displacement sensor S2A.

[0267] The boom angle calculation unit F23, stick angle calculation unit F33, bucket angle calculation unit F43, and slewing angle calculation unit F53 are configured to calculate the rotation angles (posture angles) of the boom 4, stick 5, bucket 6, and upper rotating body 3. In this example, the boom angle calculation unit F23 calculates the boom angle β1 based on the output of the boom angle sensor S1. The stick angle calculation unit F33 calculates the stick angle β2 based on the output of the stick angle sensor S2. The bucket angle calculation unit F43 calculates the bucket angle β3 based on the output of the bucket angle sensor S3. The slewing angle calculation unit F53 calculates the slewing angle α1 based on the output of the slewing state sensor S5. That is, the boom angle calculation unit F23, stick angle calculation unit F33, bucket angle calculation unit F43 and slewing angle calculation unit F53 are included in the posture detection unit F6, and their calculation results (boom angle β1, stick angle β2, bucket angle β3 and slewing angle α1) can be output to the current shovel tip position calculation unit F16.

[0268] The boom current command generation unit F21 essentially makes the command value β generated by the command value calculation unit F20... 1r The boom current command for the proportional valve 31 is generated such that the difference between the boom angle β1 calculated by the boom angle calculation unit F23 and the boom angle β1 is zero. At this time, the boom current command generation unit F21 adjusts the boom current command so that the difference between the target boom spool displacement derived from the boom current command and the boom spool displacement calculated by the boom spool displacement calculation unit F22 is zero. Then, the boom current command generation unit F21 outputs its adjusted boom current command to the proportional valve 31 corresponding to the control valve 175.

[0269] The proportional valve 31 corresponding to control valve 175 Figure 6A The proportional valves 31AL and 31AR change their opening area according to the boom current command, and apply a pilot pressure corresponding to the size of the opening area to the pilot port of the control valve 175. The control valve 175 moves the boom spool according to the pilot pressure, allowing working oil to flow into the boom cylinder 7. The boom spool displacement sensor S7 detects the displacement of the boom spool and feeds back the detection result to the boom spool displacement calculation unit F22 of the controller 30. The boom cylinder 7 extends and retracts according to the inflow of working oil, causing the boom 4 to move up and down. The boom angle sensor S1 detects the rotation angle of the boom 4 during its up-and-down movement and feeds back the detection result to the boom angle calculation unit F23 of the controller 30. The boom angle calculation unit F23 feeds back the calculated boom angle β1 to the boom current command generation unit F21.

[0270] The boom current command generation unit F31 essentially makes the command value β generated by the command value calculation unit F20... 2rThe stick current command relative to the proportional valve 31 is generated in such a way that the difference between the stick angle β2 calculated by the stick angle calculation unit F33 and the stick angle β2 is zero. At this time, the stick current command generation unit F31 adjusts the stick current command in such a way that the difference between the target stick valve core displacement derived from the stick current command and the stick valve core displacement calculated by the stick valve core displacement calculation unit F32 is zero. Then, the stick current command generation unit F31 outputs its adjusted stick current command to the proportional valve 31 corresponding to the control valve 176.

[0271] The proportional valve 31, corresponding to the control valve 176, changes its opening area according to the boom current command, and applies a pilot pressure corresponding to the size of the opening area to the pilot port of the control valve 176. The control valve 176 moves the boom valve core according to the pilot pressure, allowing working oil to flow into the boom cylinder 8. The boom valve core displacement sensor S8 detects the displacement of the boom valve core and feeds back the detection result to the boom valve core displacement calculation unit F32 of the controller 30. The boom cylinder 8 extends and retracts according to the inflow of working oil to open and close the boom 5. The boom angle sensor S2 detects the rotation angle of the opened and closed boom 5 and feeds back the detection result to the boom angle calculation unit F33 of the controller 30. The boom angle calculation unit F33 feeds back the calculated boom angle β2 to the boom current command generation unit F31.

[0272] The bucket current command generation unit F41 essentially makes the command value β generated by the command value calculation unit F20... 3r The bucket current command corresponding to the proportional valve 31 of the control valve 174 is generated in such a way that the difference between the bucket angle β3 calculated by the bucket angle calculation unit F43 and the bucket angle β3 is zero. At this time, the bucket current command generation unit F41 adjusts the bucket current command in such a way that the difference between the target bucket valve core displacement derived from the bucket current command and the bucket valve core displacement calculated by the bucket valve core displacement calculation unit F42 is zero. Then, the bucket current command generation unit F41 outputs its adjusted bucket current command to the proportional valve 31 corresponding to the control valve 174.

[0273] The proportional valve 31 corresponding to control valve 174 Figure 6BThe proportional valves 31BL and 31BR change their opening area according to the bucket current command, and apply a pilot pressure corresponding to the size of the opening area to the pilot port of the control valve 174. The control valve 174 moves the bucket valve core according to the pilot pressure, allowing working oil to flow into the bucket cylinder 9. The bucket valve core displacement sensor S9 detects the displacement of the bucket valve core and feeds back the detection result to the bucket valve core displacement calculation unit F42 of the controller 30. The bucket cylinder 9 extends and retracts according to the inflow of working oil to open and close the bucket 6. The bucket angle sensor S3 detects the rotation angle of the opened and closed bucket 6 and feeds back the detection result to the bucket angle calculation unit F43 of the controller 30. The bucket angle calculation unit F43 feeds back the calculated bucket angle β3 to the bucket current command generation unit F41.

[0274] The slewing current command generation unit F51 basically makes the command value α generated by the command value calculation unit F20... 1r The rotation current command corresponding to the proportional valve 31 of the control valve 173 is generated in such a way that the difference between the rotation angle α1 calculated by the rotation angle calculation unit F53 and the rotation current command is zero. At this time, the rotation current command generation unit F51 adjusts the rotation current command in such a way that the difference between the target rotation valve core displacement derived from the rotation current command and the rotation valve core displacement calculated by the rotation valve core displacement calculation unit F52 is zero. Then, the rotation current command generation unit F51 outputs its adjusted rotation current command to the proportional valve 31 corresponding to the control valve 173.

[0275] The proportional valve 31 corresponding to control valve 173 Figure 6C The proportional valves 31CL and 31CR change their opening area according to the rotation current command, and apply a pilot pressure corresponding to the size of the opening area to the pilot port of the control valve 173. The control valve 173 moves the rotary valve spool according to the pilot pressure, allowing working oil to flow into the rotary hydraulic motor 2A. The rotary valve spool displacement sensor S2A detects the displacement of the rotary valve spool and feeds back the detection result to the rotary valve spool displacement calculation unit F52 of the controller 30. The rotary hydraulic motor 2A rotates according to the inflow of working oil, causing the upper rotary body 3 to rotate. The rotation state sensor S5 detects the rotation angle of the upper rotary body 3 and feeds back the detection result to the rotation angle calculation unit F53 of the controller 30. The rotation angle calculation unit F53 feeds back the calculated rotation angle α1 to the rotation current command generation unit F51.

[0276] Thus, the controller 30 forms a three-stage feedback loop for each working element. Specifically, the controller 30 forms a feedback loop related to the valve core displacement, a feedback loop related to the rotation angle of the working element, and a feedback loop related to the shovel tip position. Therefore, the controller 30 can control the movement of the working part (e.g., the shovel tip) of the bucket 6 with high precision and achieve autonomous operation of the excavator 100 to perform specified work at each intermediate target position (e.g., construction work on the slope of the target construction surface).

[0277] Excavator Management System

[0278] Next, refer to Figure 13 This document describes the SYS excavator management system.

[0279] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram representing an example of the excavator management system SYS.

[0280] like Figure 13 As shown, the excavator management system SYS includes an excavator 100, a support device 200, and a management device 300. The excavator management system SYS is a system for managing one or more excavators 100.

[0281] Managers and other excavator operators can share information acquired by excavator 100 through the excavator management system SYS. The excavator 100, support device 200, and management device 300 constituting the excavator management system SYS can be one unit or multiple units. In this example, the excavator management system SYS includes one excavator 100, one support device 200, and one management device 300.

[0282] The support device 200 is typically a mobile terminal device, such as a laptop computer, tablet computer, or smartphone carried by workers at a construction site. The support device 200 can also be a mobile terminal carried by the operator of the excavator 100. The support device 200 can also be a fixed terminal device.

[0283] The management device 300 is typically a fixed terminal device, such as a server computer (a so-called cloud server) located in a management center outside the construction site. Alternatively, the management device 300 may also be an edge server located at the construction site. Furthermore, the management device 300 may also be a mobile terminal device (e.g., a laptop computer, tablet computer, or smartphone).

[0284] At least one of the support device 200 and the management device 300 may also include a display and a remote operation device. In this case, the operator using the support device 200 or the management device 300 can also use the remote operation device to operate the excavator 100. The remote operation device can be communicatively connected to the controller 30 mounted on the excavator 100 via a wireless communication network such as a short-range wireless communication network, a mobile phone communication network, or a satellite communication network.

[0285] Furthermore, various information images (e.g., images showing the state around the excavator 100 or various setting screens) displayed on the display device 40 located in the control room 10 can also be displayed via a display device connected to at least one of the support device 200 and the management device 300. The image information showing the state around the excavator 100 can be generated based on the image captured by the camera device S6. Thus, the operator using the support device 200 or the manager using the management device 300 can remotely operate the excavator 100 or make various settings related to the excavator 100 while checking the state around the excavator 100.

[0286] For example, in the excavator management system SYS, the controller 30 of the excavator 100 can also send at least one of the following information to at least one of the support device 200 and the management device 300: the time and position when the autonomous walking switch is pressed, the target path used when the excavator 100 moves autonomously (autonomous walking), and the trajectory actually followed by a specified part during autonomous walking. At this time, the controller 30 can also send the output of a spatial recognition device such as the camera device S6 (e.g., the image captured by the camera device S6) to at least one of the support device 200 and the management device 300. The image can be multiple images captured during autonomous walking. Furthermore, the controller 30 can also send at least one of the following information to at least one of the following: data related to the actions of the excavator 100 during autonomous walking, data related to the posture of the excavator 100, and data related to the posture of the excavating attachment. Thus, the worker using the support device 200 or the manager using the management device 300 can obtain information related to the excavator 100 during autonomous walking.

[0287] In this way, the excavator management system SYS enables managers and other excavator operators to share information related to the excavator 100 acquired during autonomous movement.

[0288] [Transformation / Change]

[0289] The embodiments have been described in detail above, but the present invention is not limited to this specific embodiment and various modifications and alterations can be made within the scope of the spirit described in the technical solution.

[0290] For example, in the above embodiment, the controller 30 can also perform orientation control when a specified switch included in the input device 42 is operated. Specifically, the controller 30 can perform orientation control, for example, when the MC switch is operated, or when the operation continues, i.e., when the MC switch remains pressed. In this case, the operator can automatically orient the upper rotating body 3 towards the target construction surface by simply operating the MC switch to start the equipment control function. That is, the controller 30 can perform orientation control as part of the equipment control function. Therefore, when the controller 30 starts construction on the target construction surface through the equipment control function, it can reduce the cumbersome process for the operator to orient the upper rotating body 3 of the excavator 100 towards the target construction surface, and can improve the working efficiency of the excavator 100.

[0291] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments and variations, even when performing direct control, the controller 30 can stop direct control when the joystick device 26C corresponding to the rotation action of the upper rotating body 3 is operated. This allows for priority manual operation by operators.

[0292] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments and variations, even if the controller 30 determines in steps ST1, ST11, and ST12 that a positive deviation has occurred, it may not perform positive control if the positive deviation is large. Specifically, the automatic control unit 54 may also not perform positive control if the angle of the deviation at the point at which a positive deviation is determined to have occurred is greater than a predetermined threshold. Thus, even if the operating device 26 is not operated, it is possible to prevent the excessive increase in the amount of movement (rotation of the upper rotating body 3) of the excavator 100 based on the equipment control function, which could cause anxiety to the operator or others.

[0293] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments and variations, the controller 30 can also operate other actuators instead of the rotary hydraulic motor 2A to make the upper rotating body 3 face the target construction surface. For example, the controller 30 can also automatically operate the travel hydraulic motors 1L and 1R (an example of actuators) to make the upper rotating body 3 face the target construction surface. This is because the travel hydraulic motors 1L and 1R rotate in opposite directions, thereby changing the orientation of the upper rotating body 3. Specifically, when it is necessary to change the orientation of the upper rotating body 3 to the left, the controller 30 rotates the travel hydraulic motor 1R corresponding to the right track in the forward direction and rotates the travel hydraulic motor 1L corresponding to the left track in the reverse direction. Thus, the excavator 100 performs a pivotal rotation (i.e., rotation) based on the lower travel body 1, changing the orientation of the upper rotating body 3 to the left to face the target construction surface.

[0294] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-214162, filed on November 14, 2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0295] Symbol Explanation

[0296] 1-Lower traveling body; 1L, 1R-Traveling hydraulic motors (actuators, traveling motors); 2-Slewing mechanism; 2A-Slewing hydraulic motor (actuator, slewing drive unit); 3-Upper slewing body; 4-Boom; 5-Stick; 6-Bucket; 7-Boom cylinder; 8-Stick cylinder; 9-Bucket cylinder; 26-Operating device; 26A~26C-Handle control device; 29, 29A~29C-Operating pressure sensors; 30-Controller (control device); 31, 31AL, 31AR, 31BL, 31BR, 31CL, 31CR-Proportional valves; 32, 32AL, 32AR, 32BL, 32BR, 32CL, 32CR - Reciprocating valves; 33, 33AL, 33AR, 33BL, 33BR, 33CL, 33CR - Proportional valves; 50 - Equipment guide unit; 54 - Automatic control unit; 100 - Excavator; S1 - Boom angle sensor; S2 - Stick angle sensor; S3 - Bucket angle sensor; S4 - Body tilt sensor; S5 - Swing status sensor; S6 - Camera device (spatial recognition device); S6B, S6F, S6L, S6R - Cameras; P1 - Positioning device; T1 - Communication device.

Claims

1. An excavator, comprising: Lower walking body; The upper rotating body is rotatably mounted on the lower walking body; The boom is pivotally mounted on the upper rotating body, allowing it to pitch. The boom is mounted on a pivot at the front end of the boom, allowing it to rotate up and down. The bucket is mounted on a pivot at the front end of the boom that allows it to rotate up and down. Boom cylinder, which drives the boom; The boom cylinder drives the boom; Bucket cylinder, which drives the bucket; An actuator capable of changing the orientation of the upper rotating body; and The control device is capable of performing the following direct control: based on information related to the target construction surface and information related to the orientation of the upper rotating body, it causes the actuator to operate such that the upper rotating body is directly facing the target construction surface. The control device performs the alignment control in a manner that maintains the upper rotating body facing the target construction surface. It also has a pair of walking motors to drive the lower walking body. When the lower traveling body begins to travel continuously along the target construction surface, the control device can, during travel, cause the actuator to operate by changing the orientation of the upper rotating body, so as to maintain the upper rotating body facing the target construction surface. The walking is performed to move to the next construction location after construction at a certain location is completed.

2. The excavator according to claim 1, wherein, The actuator capable of changing the orientation of the upper rotating body is a rotation drive unit that drives the upper rotating body.

3. The excavator according to claim 1, wherein, The actuator capable of changing the orientation of the upper rotating body is a rotary motor.

4. The excavator according to claim 1, comprising: Spatial recognition device identifies the surrounding conditions of the excavator. Before the actuator starts to operate, if the control device determines, based on the information obtained by the spatial identification device, that there is a person within a specified range of the excavator, it prevents the actuator from operating.

5. The excavator according to claim 1, comprising: Spatial recognition device to identify the surrounding conditions of the excavator; and The operating device receives the operation of the actuator. If the control device determines, based on the information obtained by the spatial identification device, that there is a person within a specified range from the excavator before the actuator starts to operate, then even if the operating device is operated, the actuator will not be driven.

6. A control device for an excavator, the excavator comprising a lower traveling body, an upper rotating body rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body, a boom pivotally mounted on the upper rotating body, a stick pivotally mounted on the front end of the boom, a bucket pivotally mounted on the front end of the stick, a boom cylinder for driving the boom, a stick cylinder for driving the stick, a bucket cylinder for driving the bucket, and an actuator capable of changing the orientation of the upper rotating body, wherein the control device for the excavator... The device is configured to perform direct control, namely, to actuate the actuator so that the upper rotating body is directly facing the target construction surface, based on information related to the target construction surface and information related to the orientation of the upper rotating body. Furthermore, the alignment control is performed in a manner that maintains the upper rotating body facing the target construction surface. When the lower traveling body begins to travel along the continuous direction of the target construction surface, the actuator can be activated to change the orientation of the upper rotating body during travel, so as to maintain the upper rotating body facing the target construction surface. The walking is performed to move to the next construction location after construction at a certain location is completed.

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