Turning regulation device and construction machine
The swing restriction device uses a lock pin and controller to manage rotation, addressing the issue of unintended upper body rotation and preventing damage in construction machines by ensuring the lock pin is contracted when necessary, thus simplifying the system and reducing hydraulic complications.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023092294
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-06-05
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-17
AI Technical Summary
Conventional construction machines face issues with unintentional rotation of the upper revolving body, which can cause damage due to the lock pin interfering with the lower traveling body, and the hydraulic system complexity and oil leaks when pilot pressure is controlled to prevent turning.
A swing restriction device with a lock pin that is extendable and retractable, a rotation angle sensor, and a controller to manage the lock pin's expansion/contraction based on the upper body's turning angle, preventing damage by ensuring the lock pin is contracted when excessive rotation occurs.
The device effectively prevents unintended rotation of the upper revolving structure while maintaining a simple configuration, avoiding damage to both the upper and lower structures and reducing hydraulic system complications.
Smart Images
Figure 2024174461000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a swing restricting device and a construction machine. [Background technology]
[0002] For example, a mobile construction machine such as a crane includes a lower traveling body and an upper rotating body that is mounted on the lower traveling body so as to be able to rotate horizontally. When such a construction machine is being transported or when the construction machine is in a standby state where it is not being operated, a construction machine having a rotation restricting device to prevent the upper rotating body from rotating unintentionally is known (see, for example, JP 2012-241338 A).
[0003] A simple method for securing the upper rotating body to the lower running body is, for example, to insert a locking pin from the upper rotating body into the lower running body to physically restrict the rotation of the upper rotating body. However, with this physical restriction method, there is a risk that the locking pin will interfere with the lower running body and damage the upper rotating body, or both, if, for example, the locking pin is displaced from its original locking position and lowered onto the lower running body when the upper rotating body is rotated, or if the locking pin is not locked properly and the upper rotating body continues to rotate in this state.
[0004] In this regard, in the above-mentioned conventional construction machine, the supply of pilot pressure to the communication switching valve is cut off when the upper rotating body is in a stopped state, thereby preventing unintended rotation of the upper rotating body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-241338 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0006] In the above-mentioned conventional construction machinery, although damage to the upper rotating body or lower running body can be prevented, the pilot pressure is controlled to prevent the upper rotating body from rotating, which complicates the hydraulic system, increasing manufacturing costs and raising the risk of oil leaks.
[0007] The present disclosure has been made based on the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a rotation restriction device that can restrict the rotation of an upper rotating body with a simple configuration while preventing damage to the upper rotating body or lower running body, and a construction machine that uses this rotation restriction device. [Means for solving the problem]
[0008] A swing restriction device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a swing restriction device that restricts the swing of an upper swing body relative to the lower running body in a construction machine that includes a lower running body, an upper rotating body mounted on the lower running body so as to be rotatable horizontally, and a power source that drives the upper swing body, and is equipped with a lock pin that can be extended and retracted toward the lower running body using the upper swing body as a base point, a swing angle sensor that detects the swing angle of the upper swing body relative to the lower running body, a lock pin extension / retraction detector that detects the extended or retracted state of the lock pin, and a controller that controls the extension and retraction of the lock pin, wherein the controller controls the lock pin to be retracted when the power source is started and the lock pin extension / retraction detector does not detect the retracted state of the lock pin and the amount of swing of the upper swing body based on the swing angle becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.
[0009] A construction machine according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a lower traveling body, an upper rotating body mounted on the lower traveling body so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction, and a swing restricting device according to the present disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]
[0010] The swing restricting device and construction machine of the present disclosure can restrict the swing of the upper swing body with a simple configuration while preventing damage to the upper swing body or the lower running body. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a construction machine according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing a lower carrier of the construction machine shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a swing restricting device of the construction machine shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the system configuration of the turning restriction device shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the system operation of the turning restriction device shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] [Description of the embodiments of the present disclosure] First, embodiments of the present disclosure will be listed and described.
[0013] A swing restriction device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a swing restriction device that restricts the swing of an upper swing body relative to the lower running body in a construction machine that includes a lower running body, an upper rotating body mounted on the lower running body so as to be rotatable horizontally, and a power source that drives the upper swing body, and is equipped with a lock pin that can be extended and retracted toward the lower running body using the upper swing body as a base point, a swing angle sensor that detects the swing angle of the upper swing body relative to the lower running body, a lock pin extension / retraction detector that detects the extended or retracted state of the lock pin, and a controller that controls the extension and retraction of the lock pin, wherein the controller controls the lock pin to be retracted when the power source is started and the lock pin extension / retraction detector does not detect the retracted state of the lock pin and the amount of swing of the upper swing body based on the swing angle becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.
[0014] This swing restricting device focuses on the rotation of the upper rotating body when the power source is running, and if the amount of rotation of the upper rotating body is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it determines that this is the intended operation of the upper rotating body, and controls the lock pin to retract if it is not in a retracted state. This prevents the lock pin from interfering with the lower traveling body and damaging either the upper rotating body or the lower traveling body, or both. On the other hand, if the amount of rotation of the upper rotating body is less than a predetermined value, the lock pin is not controlled to retract. This prevents the rotation of the upper rotating body from being restricted by the lock pin, preventing unintended rotation of the upper rotating body. This swing restricting device has a simple configuration, as it controls the extension and retraction of the lock pin based on the rotation of the upper rotating body.
[0015] The lock pin extension / contraction detector may preferably have a lock pin extension detection unit that detects the extended state of the lock pin. By providing the lock pin extension detection unit that detects the extended state of the lock pin in the lock pin extension / contraction detector in this way, it is possible to definitively detect that the lock pin is not in a retracted state because it is in an extended state.
[0016] The lock pin extension / retraction detector may preferably have a lock pin retraction detection unit that detects the retracted state of the lock pin. By providing the lock pin extension / retraction detector with a lock pin retraction detection unit that detects the retracted state of the lock pin in this way, it is possible to detect not only when the lock pin is in an extended state but also when the lock pin is in an intermediate state between extended and retracted, including when the lock pin is not in a retracted state. This more reliably prevents the lock pin from interfering with the undercarriage.
[0017] The upper rotating body may have a swing lever for controlling its swing, and the controller may control the extension and retraction of the lock pin when the swing lever is in a position for swinging the upper rotating body. By using the position of the swing lever in this way, it can be more reliably determined that the swing of the upper rotating body is the intended operation of the upper rotating body.
[0018] The controller may vary the predetermined value stepwise or continuously in response to the rotation speed of the upper rotating body. By decreasing the predetermined value when the rotation speed increases, the lock pin can be reliably brought into the contracted state before it interferes with the lower traveling body. Furthermore, by increasing the predetermined rotation speed when the rotation speed is low, malfunctions can be reduced.
[0019] The construction machine is equipped with an attachment that can be raised and lowered at the front of the upper rotating body, and the magnitude of the impact that occurs when the lock pin interferes with the lower traveling body varies depending on the angle at which the attachment is raised and lowered, the length of the attachment, the weight of the load lifted via the attachment, or a combination thereof, so by reducing the predetermined value under conditions where the impact is large, damage to the upper rotating body or the lower traveling body can be more reliably prevented. Also, by increasing the predetermined value under conditions where the impact is small, malfunctions can be reduced.
[0020] A construction machine according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes a lower traveling body, an upper rotating body mounted on the lower traveling body so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction, and a swing restricting device according to the present disclosure.
[0021] Since the construction machine is equipped with the swing restriction device of the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent the swing of the upper swing body with a simple configuration while preventing damage to the upper swing body or the lower running body.
[0022] Here, "a state in which the power source is running" includes a state in which it can be started immediately by operating a swing lever, for example. For example, if the power source is an engine, this includes an idling state and an idling-stop state. "Swing angle" is the angle that represents the direction in which the upper swing body is facing. For example, when the front of the upper swing body faces the traveling direction of the lower running body, it is set to 0 degrees, and can be expressed as one rotation of 360 degrees clockwise. Furthermore, "swing amount" refers to the angular difference between a certain reference direction of the upper swing body and the direction in which the upper swing body faces as a result of swinging. It is equal to the angle obtained by subtracting the swing angle in the reference direction from the swing angle after swinging, and the value can be positive or negative depending on the swing direction. "Swing speed" refers to the absolute value of the time derivative of the swing amount.
[0023] [Details of the embodiments of the present disclosure] Hereinafter, a turning restriction device and a construction machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate.
[0024] [Construction machinery] The construction machine 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a lower running body 2, an upper rotating body 3 mounted on the lower running body 2 so as to be rotatable horizontally, an attachment 4 attached to the upper rotating body 3 so as to be able to rise and fall, a hook 5, a wire rope 6 that hangs down the hook 5 from the tip of the attachment 4, an engine 7, and a swing restriction device 10 of the present disclosure.
[0025] <Undercarriage> As shown in FIG. 2, the lower traveling body 2 includes a pair of crawler units 8 spaced apart in the vehicle width direction, and a car body 9 to which the crawler units 8 are detachably attached.
[0026] (crawler unit) The crawler unit 8 is a traveling device of the lower traveling body 2, and as shown in FIG. 1, has a crawler frame 8a and a crawler 8b disposed on the crawler frame 8a.
[0027] (Car body) The car body 9 has a slewing bearing 9a for supporting the upper rotating body 3 and rotating the upper rotating body 3, and a frame 9b that is bridged between the pair of crawler units 8. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the car body 9 may be provided with car body weights 9c at the front and rear.
[0028] <Upper rotating body> The upper rotating body 3 is mounted on the lower running body 2 so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. The upper rotating body 3 has an operator's cabin 3a adjacent to the attachment 4 mounting portion, a rotating lever 3b, and a hoisting winch (not shown) for raising and lowering the attachment 4.
[0029] Of these, the operator's cabin 3a is a place where the operator gets in and operates the construction machine 1.
[0030] The rotation lever 3b controls the rotation of the upper rotating body 3. The rotation lever 3b is provided in the operator's compartment 3a and can be operated by the operator. The rotation lever 3b shown in FIG. 1 is a stick type, and is configured so that when pulled toward you, for example, the upper rotating body 3 rotates, and the rotation speed changes depending on the amount of pulling. Note that the rotation lever 3b shown in FIG. 1 is an example, and the rotation lever 3b is not limited to this configuration.
[0031] <Attachment> The attachment 4 is attached to the front of the upper rotating body 3 so that it can be raised and lowered (it can swing to lay down at the front and stand up at the rear), and the construction machine 1 is able to lift a load via this attachment 4. The attachment 4 has a boom, and may also have a jib, mast, etc. In the construction machine 1 shown in Figure 1, the attachment 4 (boom) does not extend or retract, but the attachment 4 may also be extendable. In addition, the attachment 4 has a sheave at its tip that guides the wire rope 6.
[0032] <hook> The hook 5 is fixed to the lower end of the wire rope 6 and is used to lift or lower a load.
[0033] <Wire rope> The wire rope 6 is passed through a sheave at the tip of the attachment 4 and wound around a winch (not shown) installed on the upper rotating body 3. The winch may also be installed on the back side of the attachment 4 (the side that is on top when the attachment 4 is laid down).
[0034] <Engine> The engine 7 is a power source of the construction machine 1 and drives the lower traveling body 2 and the upper rotating body 3.
[0035] The engine 7 has an engine body, a cooling fan that draws in air from the outside, and a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with the air. The engine 7 also has a hydraulic oil tank that stores hydraulic oil, a group of hydraulic pumps that operate hydraulic equipment, a power divider that drives the group of hydraulic pumps, and a muffler that reduces exhaust noise and intake noise.
[0036] The engine 7 operates as follows. First, hydraulic oil stored in the hydraulic oil tank is sent to the hydraulic pump group, where it is pressurized. The main valve is operated to change the destination of the hydraulic oil supply, and operations such as rotating the upper rotating body 3, changing the position of the attachment 4 using the hydraulic oil, moving the load suspended by the hook 5, and traveling of the construction machine 1 are performed.
[0037] [Turning restriction device] The turning restriction device 10 itself is one aspect of the present disclosure. The turning restriction device 10 restricts the turning of the upper turning body 3 relative to the lower running body 2. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the turning restriction device 10 includes a lock pin 11, a turning angle sensor 12, a lock pin extension / retraction detector 13, and a controller 14.
[0038] <Lock pin> The lock pin 11 is extendable from the upper rotating body 3 to the lower traveling body 2. The lock pin 11 shown in Figures 2 and 3 is cylindrical, but may have other shapes, such as a square pillar shape.
[0039] When the lock pin 11 is extended, it fits into a recess 15 provided in the lower track body 2, thereby restricting the rotation of the upper rotating body 3 relative to the lower track body 2. The recess 15 is shaped so that it can fit into the lock pin 11 and fix the lock pin 11. It is preferable that the recess 15 has some play. The play of the recess 15 is preferably such that the lock pin 11 can rotate within a range of 3 degrees to 5 degrees. By providing this play, even if the upper rotating body 3 is intentionally rotated while the rotation of the upper rotating body 3 is restricted by the engagement of the lock pin 11 with the recess 15, the rotation restricting device 10 can prevent damage to the lock pin 11 and the recess 15.
[0040] 2, when the upper rotating body 3 is fixed facing forward in the traveling direction of the lower traveling body 2, the lock pin 11 is configured to be located on the rear side of the upper rotating body 3, but the position of the lock pin 11 is not limited to this and can be provided in any position. The recess 15 is provided at a position where the lock pin 11 fits when the upper rotating body 3 is fixed facing forward in the traveling direction of the lower traveling body 2.
[0041] As shown in Fig. 3, the lock pin 11 can be extended and retracted using a hydraulic cylinder 16 and a spring 17. For example, when the lock pin 11 is in a contracted state, the spring 17 can be configured to have its natural length, and hydraulic pressure can be applied to the hydraulic cylinder 16 to extend it, thereby extending the lock pin 11, and the hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic cylinder 16 can be reduced to retract the lock pin 11 due to the elastic force of the spring 17.
[0042] <Rotation angle sensor> The swing angle sensor 12 detects the swing angle of the upper swing body 3 relative to the lower running body 2 .
[0043] The swing angle sensor 12 can be, for example, a potentiometer mounted at the center of swing of the upper swing body 3 as shown in Figure 2. The orientation of the upper swing body 3 (for example, the angle with respect to the forward traveling direction) can be determined from the voltage from the potentiometer. Then, the swing amount and swing direction of the upper swing body 3 can be determined from the angle difference between the orientation of the upper swing body 3 at the start of swing detected by the potentiometer and the orientation of the upper swing body 3 at the current time. Alternatively, the swing amount and swing direction may be calculated from the rotation angle of a swing motor that swings the upper swing body 3, or may be detected from the amount of rotational movement of a swing bearing.
[0044] <Lock pin extension / retraction detector> The lock pin extension / contraction detector 13 detects the extended or contracted state of the lock pin 11. The lock pin extension / contraction detector 13 has a lock pin extension detection unit 13a and a lock pin contraction detection unit 13b.
[0045] The lock pin extension detection unit 13a detects the extended state of the lock pin 11. The lock pin retraction detection unit 13b detects the retracted state of the lock pin 11. The lock pin extension detection unit 13a and the lock pin retraction detection unit 13b can be magnetic sensors that can detect a rod inside the hydraulic cylinder 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the lock pin extension detection unit 13a is disposed on the lower side of the hydraulic cylinder 16, and the lock pin retraction detection unit 13b is disposed on the upper side of the hydraulic cylinder 16. It is preferable that the central axis direction of the hydraulic cylinder 16 as seen from the lock pin extension detection unit 13a (a perpendicular line dropped from the lock pin extension detection unit 13a to the central axis) and the central axis direction of the hydraulic cylinder 16 as seen from the lock pin retraction detection unit 13b (a perpendicular line dropped from the lock pin retraction detection unit 13b to the central axis) are not parallel to each other to avoid interference between the magnetic sensors.
[0046] The lock pin extension / contraction detector 13 is not limited to a magnetic sensor, and may be, for example, a mechanical limit switch or may detect the state of the lock pin 11 by analyzing an image taken by a camera.
[0047] <Controller> The controller 14 controls the extension and contraction of the lock pin 11. The controller 14 can be configured by, for example, a microcomputer having an arithmetic and control function.
[0048] When the engine 7 is running, the lock pin extension / retraction detector 13 does not detect the retracted state of the lock pin 11, and the amount of rotation of the upper rotating body 3 based on the rotation angle exceeds a predetermined value, the controller 14 controls the lock pin 11 to be retracted. The control method for restricting the rotation of the lock pin 11 by the controller 14 will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 5. The control method includes a first determination step S1, a second determination step S2, a third determination step S3, a fourth determination step S4, a lock pin retraction step S5, and a fifth determination step S6.
[0049] (1st judgment step) In the first determination step S1, it is determined whether or not the engine 7 is starting. If the engine 7 is not starting, the rotation of the upper rotating body 3 is not an intended operation, and the following processing is not performed. The first determination step S1 is repeated and the system waits until the engine 7 is started. On the other hand, if the engine 7 is starting, the system performs the processing of the second determination step S2.
[0050] Note that even if the engine 7 is starting, if the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle sensor 12 indicates a position where the lock pin 11 is locked in the recess 15, the process may be ended without performing the processing of the second determination step S2. In this case, even if the lock pin 11 is in an extended state, it is considered that the lock pin 11 is in a normally locked state, and therefore the locked state will be maintained unless the driver intentionally releases the lock. This makes it possible to prevent unintentional unlocking due to an erroneous operation by the driver.
[0051] Conversely, the processing of the second determination step S2 may be performed even if the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle sensor 12 indicates a position where the lock pin 11 is locked in the recess 15. In this case, when the upper rotating body 3 rotates, the lock is released, and even if the upper rotating body 3 is normally locked and the operator rotates the upper rotating body 3 while forgetting to release the lock, damage to the upper rotating body 3 or the lower running body 2 can be prevented.
[0052] Furthermore, the system may be configured to switch between ending the process or performing the process of the second determination step S2 when the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle sensor 12 indicates a position where the lock pin 11 is locked in the recess 15. This makes it possible to select the most appropriate process depending on the usage state of the construction machine 1, etc.
[0053] (Second judgment step) In the second determination step S2, it is determined whether the rotation lever 3b has been turned. "The rotation lever 3b has been turned" means that the operator has started to rotate the upper rotating body 3. In other words, by determining whether the rotation lever 3b has been turned, it is possible to determine whether the rotation of the upper rotating body 3 is intentional by the operator or whether it is an unintentional rotation caused by, for example, a slope of the ground, wind, or the like.
[0054] If the swing lever 3b is not engaged, the swing of the upper swing body 3 is not an intended operation, and the following processing is not performed. The process returns to the first determination step S1. On the other hand, if the swing lever 3b is engaged, the processing of the third determination step S3 is performed. In this way, in the swing restriction device 10, the controller 14 controls the extension and retraction of the lock pin 11 when the swing lever 3b is in a position that swings the upper swing body 3. By using the position of the swing lever 3b, it is possible to more reliably determine that the swing of the upper swing body 3 is the intended operation of the upper swing body 3. Furthermore, even if the lock pin 11 is not in the contracted state, by keeping the lock pin 11 in that state until the swing lever 3b is engaged, unintended swing due to, for example, a slope of the ground or wind can be prevented.
[0055] Whether the swing lever 3 is engaged can be determined, for example, as follows: (1) The orientation (angle) of the swing lever 3b is detected, and if it exceeds a predetermined displacement, it is determined that the swing lever 3b is engaged. (2) It is determined based on the operating state of the hydraulic valve that is actuated by the movement of the swing lever 3b. (3) It is determined based on the pressure in the piping of the oil that flows due to the operation of the hydraulic valve. (4) It is determined based on whether the swing motor has started or rotated. (5) If the swing lever 3b is an electric lever, it is determined based on the current or voltage generated by operating the swing lever 3b.
[0056] When the controller 14 first detects that the rotation lever 3 is turned on, it extracts and stores the rotation angle in the direction based on the direction of the upper rotating body 3 at that time as the reference rotation angle.
[0057] (Third judgment step) In the third determination step S3, it is determined whether the lock pin 11 is in the retracted state. If it is in the retracted state, the upper rotating body 3 is not restricted from rotating, so the following processing is not performed and the process returns to the first determination step S1. On the other hand, if the lock pin 11 is not in the retracted state, the process of the fourth determination step S4 is performed.
[0058] In the swing restriction device 10, the lock pin extension / retraction detector 13 has a lock pin extension detection unit 13a and a lock pin retraction detection unit 13b, and is therefore capable of determining the following states: When the lock pin extension detection unit 13a detects the extended state, it is determined that the lock pin 11 is in an extended state and is in a position where it can restrict the swing of the upper swing body 3; when the lock pin retraction detection unit 13b detects the retracted state, it is determined that the lock pin 11 is in a retracted state and the swing of the upper swing body 3 is not restricted; when the lock pin extension detection unit 13a and the lock pin retraction detection unit 13b do not detect their respective states, it is determined that the lock pin 11 is in an intermediate position between extended and retracted. In this case, it may be determined that the lock pin 11 is in the retracted state or not; however, it is preferable to determine that the lock pin 11 is not in the retracted state because the lock pin 11 in the intermediate position may interfere with the lower running body 2 due to the swing of the upper swing body 3. In principle, it is impossible for the lock pin extension detection unit 13a and the lock pin contraction detection unit 13b to detect each of the states.
[0059] (4th judgment step) In the fourth determination step S4, it is determined whether the amount of rotation of the upper rotating body 3 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value based on the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle sensor 12. The amount of rotation can be calculated as the angle difference between the current rotation angle and the reference rotation angle stored in the second determination step S2.
[0060] If the amount of upper swing is smaller than the predetermined value, it is determined that the upper swing body 3 or the lower traveling body 2 is within a range where damage cannot occur, and the following processing is not performed, and the process returns to the first determination step S1.
[0061] On the other hand, if the amount of rotation is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, and the restriction on the rotation of the upper rotating body 3 by the lock pin 11 is maintained, the rotation force of the upper rotating body 3 may cause damage to the upper rotating body 3 or the lower traveling body 2. Alternatively, the lock pin 11 itself may be damaged. For this reason, the following lock pin retraction step S5 is performed.
[0062] The predetermined value is a value that determines whether the rotation of the upper rotating body 3 is a rotation amount that should be restricted. It is considered that whether or not the lock pin 11, the upper rotating body 3, or the lower traveling body 2 is damaged is determined by the absolute value of the rotation amount and the impact force (speed, acceleration, mass, etc.). Therefore, the predetermined value may vary depending on the structure and strength of the lock pin 11 and other components of the construction machine 1, the rotation speed of the upper rotating body 3, etc., but the predetermined value is preferably 5 degrees or less. If the predetermined value is set too large, the lock pin 11 will not transition to a retracted state even if the upper rotating body 3 rotates significantly, resulting in a collision with a component of the lower traveling body 2, increasing the risk of damage to the upper rotating body 3 or the lower traveling body 2. From this perspective, it is preferable to set the predetermined value small. Conversely, if the predetermined value is set too small, slight rotation due to vibrations or the like of the construction machine 1 may be mistakenly determined to be the intended rotation of the upper rotating body 3. If such an erroneous determination occurs, it will be impossible to restrict unintended rotation of the upper rotating body 3. From this viewpoint, it is preferable to set the predetermined value large. An appropriate value is selected for the predetermined value from these viewpoints.
[0063] The controller 14 may vary the predetermined value stepwise or continuously in response to the rotation speed (angular velocity) of the upper rotating body 3. By decreasing the predetermined value when the rotation speed increases, the lock pin 11 can be easily brought into a contracted state before it interferes with the lower traveling body 2. Furthermore, by increasing the predetermined value when the rotation speed is low, it is possible to reduce malfunctions.
[0064] The controller 14 may vary the predetermined value stepwise or continuously depending on the hoisting angle of the attachment 4, the length of the attachment 4 (when the attachment 4 is extendable), the weight of the load being lifted via the attachment 4, or a combination thereof. The magnitude of the impact generated when the lock pin 11 interferes with the lower track 2 varies depending on the hoisting angle of the attachment 4, the length of the attachment 4, the weight of the load, or a combination thereof. Therefore, by decreasing the predetermined value under conditions where the impact is large, damage to the upper track 3 or the lower track 2 can be more reliably prevented. Furthermore, by increasing the predetermined value under conditions where the impact is small, malfunctions can be reduced. The optimum predetermined value can be calculated by taking into account the working radius (the horizontal distance from the center of rotation to the load) calculated from the hoisting angle of the attachment 4 and the length of the attachment 4, the weight of the load, the mass of the upper track 3, the mass of the attachment 4, etc.
[0065] (Lock pin shrinking process) The lock pin retraction step S5 is performed when the engine 7 is running, the lock pin extension / retraction detector 13 does not detect the retracted state of the lock pin 11, and the amount of rotation of the upper rotating body 3 based on the rotation angle becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Specifically, in the lock pin retraction step S5, the controller 14 controls the lock pin 11 to be retracted.
[0066] (5th judgment step) In the fifth determination step S6, it is determined whether the lock pin 11 is in the contracted state. If the lock pin 11 is in the contracted state, the process ends. On the other hand, if the lock pin 11 is not in the contracted state, the process of the lock pin contraction step S5 continues.
[0067] When the process is completed, the lock pin 11 is in a contracted state. After that, when the operation of the upper rotating body 3 is completed and the lock pin 11 is extended again to the lower traveling body 2, the process starts from the first determination step S1.
[0068] <Advantages> The swing restricting device 10 focuses on the swing of the upper swing body 3 while the engine 7 is running, and if the amount of swing of the upper swing body 3 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it determines that this is the intended movement of the upper swing body 3, and controls the lock pin 11 to be retracted if it is not in a retracted state. This prevents the lock pin 11 from interfering with the lower track body 2 and damaging either the upper swing body 3 or the lower track body 2, or both. On the other hand, if the amount of swing of the upper swing body 3 is less than a predetermined value, the lock pin 11 is not controlled to be retracted. This prevents the swing of the upper swing body 3 from being restricted by the lock pin 11, preventing unintended swing of the upper swing body 3. The swing restricting device 10 has a simple configuration because it controls the extension and retraction of the lock pin 11 according to the swing of the upper swing body 3.
[0069] The construction machine 1 is equipped with the swing restricting device 10 of the present disclosure, and therefore can restrict swing of the upper swing body 3 with a simple configuration while preventing damage to the upper swing body 3 or the lower running body 2.
[0070] [Other embodiments] The above-described embodiments do not limit the configuration of the present invention. Therefore, the above-described embodiments may include omissions, substitutions, or additions of components based on the description in this specification and common general technical knowledge, and all of these should be construed as falling within the scope of the present invention.
[0071] In the above embodiment, a construction machine having a boom as an attachment was used as an example, but a boom is not an essential component, and the swing restriction device of the present disclosure can also be used in construction machines that do not have a boom.
[0072] In the above embodiment, a crane has been described as the construction machine, but other types of construction machines may be used, such as a hydraulic excavator or a wheel loader.
[0073] In the above embodiment, the power source of the construction machine is an engine, but the power source is not limited to an engine and may be, for example, an electric motor driven by a battery, a fuel cell, etc.
[0074] In the above embodiment, the traveling device of the construction machine is a crawler, but the traveling device may be a wheel.
[0075] In the above embodiment, the lock pin extension / contraction detector has a lock pin extension detection portion and a lock pin contraction detection portion, but the lock pin extension / contraction detector may have only one of them.
[0076] When the lock pin extension / retraction detector has only a lock pin extension detection unit, it detects that the lock pin is in the extended state, and the controller determines that the lock pin is not in the retracted state. On the other hand, when the lock pin extension / retraction detector has only a lock pin retraction detection unit, it cannot detect that the lock pin is in the retracted state, and therefore the controller determines that the lock pin is not in the retracted state. The two systems differ in that, when the lock pin is in an intermediate state between extended and retracted, if only the lock pin extension detection unit is included, the controller determines that the lock pin is in the retracted state, whereas if only the lock pin retraction detection unit is included, the controller determines that the lock pin is not in the retracted state. Therefore, when the lock pin extension / retraction detector is provided with a lock pin extension detection unit that detects the extended state of the lock pin, it can reliably detect that the lock pin is not in the retracted state because the lock pin is in the extended state. On the other hand, when the lock pin extension / retraction detector is provided with a lock pin retraction detection unit that detects the retracted state of the lock pin, it can detect not only that the lock pin is in the extended state but also that the lock pin is in an intermediate state between extended and retracted, including when the lock pin is not in the retracted state, thereby more reliably preventing the lock pin from interfering with the undercarriage.
[0077] In the above embodiment, the controller controls the extension and retraction of the lock pin when the rotation lever is in a position that rotates the upper rotating body. However, it is not essential to control the extension and retraction of the lock pin based on the position of the rotation lever, and the control may be performed regardless of the position of the rotation lever. In this case, if the engine (power source) is started, the subsequent processing may be performed assuming that the rotation of the upper rotating body is intended.
[0078] Alternatively, whether the rotation of the upper rotating body is intended may be determined using the rotation speed. If the rotation of the upper rotating body is unintentional, the rotation speed is considered to be slow. On the other hand, if the rotation of the upper rotating body is intentional, the rotation is performed by the power of the engine (power source), and therefore the rotation speed is considered to be faster than the unintentional rotation. By focusing on this difference in rotation speed, it can be determined whether the rotation is one that should be restricted or is a rotation due to an intended operation. Specifically, a threshold value may be set, and if the rotation speed is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the rotation of the upper rotating body may be determined to be intentional, and subsequent processing may be performed.
[0079] In either process, it is advisable to extract the reference turning angle immediately before entering the third determination step.
[0080] The control method by the controller is not limited to the flow shown in Fig. 5. In the flow shown in Fig. 5, for example, if it is determined in the fourth determination step that the turning amount is less than a predetermined value, the process returns to the first determination step, but it may also return to the third determination step, or the fourth determination step may be repeated.
[0081] In addition, in the above embodiment, the reference rotation angle is extracted when it is first detected in the second determination step that the rotation lever is in the closed position, but the reference rotation angle may also be extracted when the lock pin is not in the retracted state in the third determination step. [Industrial Applicability]
[0082] As described above, the swing restricting device and construction machine of the present invention can restrict swing of the upper swing body with a simple configuration while preventing damage to the upper swing body or the lower running body. [Explanation of symbols]
[0083] 1. Construction machinery 2 Undercarriage 3 Upper rotating body 3a Pilot's cabin 3b Swivel lever 4 Attachments 5 Hooks 6 Wire Rope 7 Engine 8 Crawler Unit 8a Crawler frame 8b Crawler 9 Car Body 9a bearing 9b frame 9c car bodyweight 10 Turning control device 11 Lock pin 12 Rotation angle sensor 13 Lock pin extension detector 13a Lock pin extension detector 13b Lock pin contraction detection unit 14 Controller 15 recess 16 Hydraulic cylinder 17 Spring
Claims
1. A turning restriction device for restricting turning of an upper rotating body relative to a lower traveling body in a construction machine including a lower traveling body, an upper rotating body mounted on the lower traveling body so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction, and a power source for driving the upper rotating body, comprising: A lock pin that is extendable from the upper rotating body to the lower traveling body; a swing angle sensor for detecting a swing angle of the upper swing body relative to the lower traveling body; a lock pin extension / retraction detector that detects the extension or contraction state of the lock pin; A controller for controlling the extension and contraction of the lock pin; Equipped with A rotation restriction device in which the controller controls the lock pin to be in a retracted state when the power source is started, the lock pin extension / retraction detector does not detect the retracted state of the lock pin, and the rotation amount of the upper rotating body based on the rotation angle becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.
2. 2. The turning restricting device according to claim 1, wherein the lock pin extension detector has a lock pin extension detecting portion that detects an extension state of the lock pin.
3. 3. The turning restricting device according to claim 1, wherein the lock pin extension / retraction detector has a lock pin contraction detector that detects a contracted state of the lock pin.
4. The upper rotating body has a rotating lever for controlling the rotation thereof, 2. The rotation restricting device according to claim 1, wherein the control of the extension and contraction of the lock pin by the controller is performed when the rotation lever is in a position that allows the upper rotating body to rotate.
5. 2. The swing restricting device according to claim 1, wherein the controller changes the predetermined value stepwise or continuously with respect to the swing speed of the upper swing body.
6. The construction machine includes an attachment that is movably attached to a front part of the upper rotating body, A turning restriction device as described in claim 1 or claim 5, wherein the controller changes the predetermined value stepwise or continuously in response to the elevation angle of the attachment, the length of the attachment, the weight of the load lifted via the attachment, or a combination thereof.
7. A lower running body; An upper rotating body is mounted on the lower traveling body so as to be rotatable in a horizontal direction; The turning restriction device according to claim 1 , Construction machinery equipped with
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Revolving type work machine
JP2012241338A