Work machine

Abstract

To provide a work machine which can prevent falling caused by carelessness and erroneous travel operation of an operator.SOLUTION: A travel control device 20 sets areas where a lower travel body 2 may travel, as travel areas 31a and 31b, on the basis of relative angle information from a relative angle detection device 10, sets an area where approach of the lower travel body 2 is inhibited as an approach inhibition area 30 on the basis of surrounding environment information from an environment recognition device 17, and invalidates the operation of a travel operation device 9 when an overlapped region exists between the travel areas 31a and 31b and the approach inhibition area 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a work machine including a lower traveling body and an upper rotating body. [Background technology]

[0002] In a work machine having a lower traveling body and an upper rotating body, the front of the upper rotating body does not match the front of the lower traveling body due to the relative angle between the lower traveling body and the upper rotating body. Therefore, there may be a case where the operator mistakenly performs the traveling operation for forward and reverse. In addition, the place where the work is performed is not necessarily flat, and when the work is performed on a slope or at a high place, the machine may fall over due to an erroneous operation of the traveling operation. Patent Document 1 proposes a method of preventing erroneous operation by displaying the relative angle (swing angle) of the upper rotating body to the lower traveling body in a position where the operator can easily see it. Meanwhile, Patent Document 2 proposes a method of extracting information on slopes and cliffs around the machine using a stereo camera attached to the machine and notifying the operator of the information. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-73414 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6386213 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to Patent Documents 1 and 2, the relative angle between the lower traveling body and the upper rotating body or information on surrounding slopes and cliffs can be easily recognized by the operator by displaying it on a display device or the like. However, the operator does not always look at the display device, and is often concentrating on the operation of the work machine. Therefore, only displaying it to the operator cannot prevent a fall due to an incorrect traveling operation. In addition, if all traveling operations are prohibited when there are slopes or cliffs in the vicinity, it will not be possible to travel in a direction with a lower risk, which will result in a problem of reduced safety.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has an object to provide a work machine that is capable of preventing tipping over due to the operator's carelessness or incorrect driving operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a work machine comprising a lower running body, an upper rotating body rotatably mounted on the lower running body, a running operation device that instructs the operation of the lower running body, and a running control device that controls the operation of the lower running body in accordance with operation of the running operation device, the work machine being equipped with a relative angle detection device that detects the relative angle of the upper rotating body relative to the lower running body, and an environmental recognition device that recognizes the environment around the work machine, the running control device setting an area into which the lower running body may run as a running area based on relative angle information from the relative angle detection device, and setting an area into which the lower running body is prohibited from entering as a no-entry area based on surrounding environment information from the environmental recognition device, and invalidating the operation of the running operation device if there is an overlapping area between the running area and the no-entry area.

[0007] According to the present invention configured as described above, when the operator is unaware of the existence of a no-entry area or when the operator recognizes the existence of the no-entry area but performs an incorrect travel operation, it is possible to prevent the undercarriage from entering the no-entry area. This makes it possible to prevent the vehicle from tipping over due to the carelessness of the operator or an incorrect travel operation. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the working machine of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the working machine from tipping over due to carelessness of the operator or an error in driving operation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a hydraulic excavator according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a top view of the hydraulic excavator. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a travel control system mounted on a hydraulic excavator. [Figure 4] 11 is a diagram showing an example of an entry-prohibited area set by an entry-prohibited area setting unit; FIG. [Diagram 5] 11 is a diagram showing an example of a travel area when the relative angle of the upper rotating body to the lower traveling body is 0 degrees. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a travel area when the relative angle of an upper rotating body to a lower traveling body is 180 degrees. [Figure 7] 13 is a flowchart showing a process of a travel determination unit. [Figure 8] 11 is a diagram illustrating a method for determining whether or not there is an overlapping area between a travel area and a no-entry area. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a method for setting a no-entry area in the second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, a hydraulic excavator will be described as an example of a work machine according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same members, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted as appropriate. EXAMPLES

[0011] Fig. 1 is a side view of a hydraulic excavator according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1, the hydraulic excavator 1 includes a lower traveling body 2, an upper rotating body 3 mounted on the lower traveling body 2 so as to be capable of rotating 360 degrees, and a working device 4 connected to the front side of the upper rotating body 3 so as to be capable of rotating up and down and front and rear directions. The upper rotating body 3 is driven to rotate in the left and right directions by a rotating device 5. The lower traveling body 2 is capable of traveling in the front and rear directions by a traveling device 6. The traveling device 6 is driven by a traveling drive device 7 (shown in Fig. 3) such as a hydraulic motor.

[0012] A cab 8 is provided on the front left side of the upper rotating body 3. A travel operation lever 9 for instructing the operation of the lower traveling body 2, and a work operation lever (not shown) for instructing the operation of the upper rotating body 3 and the work device 4 are arranged in the cab 8. An angle sensor 10 is attached near the rotation axis X of the upper rotating body 3 as a relative angle detection device that detects the relative angle (rotation angle) of the upper rotating body 3 with respect to the lower traveling body 2. In this embodiment, the relative angle when the front of the lower traveling body 2 and the front of the upper rotating body 3 coincide (the state shown in FIG. 1 ) is set to 0 degrees.

[0013] The working device 4 has a boom 11 connected to the front center of the upper rotating body 3 so that it can rotate in the vertical direction, an arm 12 connected to the tip of the boom 11 so that it can rotate in the vertical and front-to-rear directions, a bucket 13 connected to the tip of the arm 12 so that it can rotate in the vertical and front-to-rear directions, a boom cylinder 14 that drives the boom 11, an arm cylinder 15 that drives the arm 12, and a bucket cylinder 16 that drives the bucket 13.

[0014] 2 is a view of the hydraulic excavator 1 as viewed from above. An environment recognition device 17 is installed near each of the upper corners of the upper rotating body 3. The environment recognition device 17 is disposed so that an object detection range 18 covers the periphery of the upper rotating body 3. The environment recognition device 17 is constituted by, for example, a distance measurement sensor (such as LiDAR), and can measure the topography around the hydraulic excavator 1. The number and arrangement of the environment recognition devices 17 may be changed depending on the vehicle size, work environment, etc.

[0015] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a travel control system mounted on the hydraulic excavator 1. In Fig. 3, the travel control system 100 is composed of a travel device 6, a travel drive device 7, a travel operation device 9, a relative angle detection device 10, an environment recognition device 17, a travel restriction function setting device 19, and a travel control device 20. The travel control device 20 has a no-entry area setting unit 21, a travel area setting unit 22, a travel determination unit 23, and a travel drive control unit 24. The travel control device 20 has, for example, a CPU, a memory, a storage device, an input / output interface, etc., and the CPU executes a program stored in the storage device to realize the functions of each of the processing units 21 to 24.

[0016] The no-entry area setting unit 21 sets areas (such as steep slopes and holes) into which the vehicle may tip over if the lower running body 2 enters as no-entry areas based on the surrounding environment information from the environment recognition device 17. An example of a no-entry area is shown in Fig. 4. In the example shown in Fig. 4, a no-entry area 30 is set behind the upper rotating body 3. Here, the no-entry area 30 is a two-dimensional area obtained by projecting three-dimensional data of a terrain portion where the vehicle may tip over onto a plane (rotating plane) perpendicular to the rotation axis X.

[0017] Returning to FIG. 3, the travel area setting unit 22 calculates an area (travel area) into which the lower traveling body 2 can enter, and sets it as the travel area. FIG. 5 shows an example of the travel area when the relative angle is 0 degrees, and FIG. 6 shows an example of the travel area when the relative angle is 180 degrees. In FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the travel area is composed of a forward area 31a and a backward area 31b. The forward area 31a is a two-dimensional area obtained by projecting onto a turning plane a three-dimensional area into which the lower traveling body 2 can enter when a forward traveling operation is instructed by the traveling operation device 9. The backward area 31b is a two-dimensional area obtained by projecting onto a turning plane a three-dimensional area into which the lower traveling body 2 can enter when a backward traveling operation is instructed by the traveling operation device 9. The shapes and sizes of the travel areas 31a and 31b are appropriately set in consideration of the traveling mode (high speed, low speed) of the lower traveling body 2, environmental conditions, etc. In the examples shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the travel areas 31a and 31b are set in a fan shape in consideration of the meandering of the lower traveling body 2. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the forward and backward directions of the upper rotating body 3 coincide with the forward and backward directions of the lower traveling body 2, so the forward and backward directions 31a and 31b are set in front of the upper rotating body 3 and behind the upper rotating body 3, respectively. In this case, the forward and backward directions as seen by the operator coincide with the forward and backward directions of the lower traveling body 2, so the operator is less likely to make a mistake in the traveling operation. On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 6, the forward and backward directions of the upper rotating body 3 are inverted with respect to the forward and backward directions of the lower traveling body 2, so the backward and forward directions 31b and 31a are set in front of the upper rotating body 3 and behind the upper rotating body 3, respectively. In this case, the forward and backward directions as seen by the operator do not coincide with the forward and backward directions of the lower traveling body 2, so the operator is more likely to make a mistake in the traveling operation.

[0018] Returning to Fig. 3, when the travel limiting function is set to be enabled by the travel limiting function setting device 19, the travel determination unit 23 determines whether the forward travel operation and the reverse travel operation are enabled / disabled based on the positional relationship between the travel areas 31a, 31b and the no-entry area 30. The travel limiting function here is a function that limits the travel operation of the hydraulic excavator 1 in accordance with the surrounding environment. The travel limiting function setting device 19 is an input interface that instructs the travel control device 20 to enable / disable the travel limiting function, and is composed of a switch, a touch panel, etc., arranged in the cab 8.

[0019] When the travel determination unit 23 determines that the forward travel operation is valid, the travel drive control unit 24 controls the travel drive device 7 so that the travel device 6 is driven according to the forward side operation amount of the travel operation device 9, and when the forward travel operation is determined to be invalid, the travel drive control unit 24 controls the travel drive device 7 so that the forward side drive of the travel device 6 is stopped. Similarly, when the reverse travel operation is determined to be valid, the travel drive device 7 is controlled so that the travel device 6 is driven according to the reverse side operation amount of the travel operation device 9, and when the reverse travel operation is determined to be invalid, the travel drive control unit 24 controls the travel drive device 7 so that the reverse side drive of the travel device 6 is stopped.

[0020] 7 is a flowchart showing the process of the traveling determination unit 23. Each step will be described below in order.

[0021] The traveling determination unit 23 first determines whether the traveling restriction function is enabled or not (step S101). If it is determined as NO (the traveling restriction function is disabled) in step S101, it determines that the traveling operation is enabled (step S102) and ends the flow. As a result, the traveling drive control unit 24 controls the traveling drive device 7 so that the traveling device 6 is driven according to the operation amount of the traveling operation device 9.

[0022] If it is determined that the result of step S101 is YES (the driving restriction function is enabled), it is determined whether or not the entry-prohibited area 30 has been set by the entry-prohibited area setting unit 21 (step S103). If it is determined that the result of step S103 is NO (the entry-prohibited area 30 has not been set), it is determined that the driving operation is enabled (step S102), and the flow ends. As a result, the driving drive control unit 24 controls the driving drive device 7 so that the driving device 6 is driven according to the amount of operation of the driving operation device 9.

[0023] If the result of the determination in step S103 is YES (the entry-prohibited area 30 is set), it is determined whether or not there is an overlapping area between the forward area 31a and the entry-prohibited area 30 (step S104). Here, a method for determining whether or not there is an overlapping area between the travel area (forward area 31a and backward area 31b) and the entry-prohibited area 30 will be described with reference to FIG. 8. The travel areas 31a and 31b are set in a coordinate system based on the lower travel unit 2, while the entry-prohibited area 30 is set in a coordinate system based on the upper rotating unit 3. Therefore, when determining whether or not there is an overlapping area between the travel areas 31a and 31b and the entry-prohibited area 30, it is necessary to align the reference coordinate system to one of them. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the travel areas 31a and 31b are rotated by a relative angle θ around the rotation axis X to determine whether or not there is an overlapping area between the travel areas 31a and 31b and the entry-prohibited area 30 in the coordinate system based on the upper rotating unit 3. In the example shown in FIG. 8, there is an overlapping area between the backward movement area 31b and the no-entry area 30. In the example shown in FIG.

[0024] 7, if the result of step S104 is NO (there is no overlapping area between the forward area 31a and the no-entry area 30), the forward travel operation is determined to be valid (step S105). As a result, when a forward travel operation is instructed by the travel operation device 9, the travel drive control unit 24 controls the travel drive device 7 so that the travel device 6 is driven according to the amount of operation.

[0025] If the result of step S104 is YES (there is an overlapping area between the forward area 31a and the no-entry area 30), the forward travel operation is determined to be invalid (step S106). As a result, the travel drive control unit 24 stops driving the travel drive device 7 when a forward travel operation is instructed by the travel operation device 9.

[0026] Following step S105 or step S106, it is determined whether or not there is an overlapping area between the backward movement area 31b and the entry prohibition area 30 (step S107).

[0027] If the result of step S107 is NO (there is no overlapping area between the reverse area 31b and the no-entry area 30), the reverse travel operation is determined to be valid (step S108), and the flow ends. As a result, when a reverse travel operation is instructed by the travel operation device 9, the travel drive control unit 24 controls the travel drive device 7 so that the travel device 6 is driven according to the amount of operation.

[0028] If the result of step S107 is YES (there is an overlapping area between the reverse area 31b and the no-entry area 30), the reverse travel operation is determined to be invalid (step S109), and the flow ends. As a result, the travel drive control unit 24 controls the travel drive device 7 to stop the travel device 6 when the travel operation device 9 commands a reverse travel operation.

[0029] (summary) In this embodiment, the work machine 1 includes a lower running body 2, an upper rotating body 3 rotatably attached on the lower running body 2, a running operation device 9 that instructs the operation of the lower running body 2, and a running control device 20 that controls the operation of the lower running body 2 in accordance with the operation of the running operation device 9. The work machine 1 is also provided with a relative angle detection device 10 that detects the relative angle θ of the upper rotating body 3 relative to the lower running body 2, and an environmental recognition device 17 that recognizes the environment around the work machine 1. The running control device 20 sets areas where the lower running body 2 may run as running areas 31a, 31b based on relative angle information from the relative angle detection device 10, and sets areas where the lower running body 2 is prohibited from entering as no-entry area 30 based on surrounding environment information from the environmental recognition device 17, and invalidates operation by the running operation device 9 if there is an overlapping area between the running areas 31a, 31b and the no-entry area 30.

[0030] According to the present embodiment configured as described above, when the operator is unaware of the existence of the no-entry area 30 or when the operator performs an incorrect traveling operation while recognizing the existence of the no-entry area 30, it is possible to prevent the lower traveling body 2 from entering the no-entry area 30. This makes it possible to prevent the lower traveling body 2 from tipping over due to the carelessness of the operator or an incorrect traveling operation.

[0031] In addition, the travel control device 20 in this embodiment sets, as the travel areas 31a and 31b, a forward area 31a into which the lower travel body 2 may enter when the travel operation device 9 instructs the lower travel body 2 to move forward, and a backward area 31b into which the lower travel body 2 may enter when the travel operation device 9 instructs the lower travel body 2 to move backward. If there is an overlapping area between the forward area 31a and the entry prohibited area 30, the forward travel operation by the travel operation device 9 is invalidated, and if there is an overlapping area between the backward area 31b and the entry prohibited area 30, the backward travel operation by the travel operation device 9 is invalidated. As a result, only the travel operation in the direction of entering the entry prohibited area 30 is restricted, and travel operation in the direction not entering the entry prohibited area 30 is permitted, so that a decrease in work efficiency can be suppressed. EXAMPLES

[0032] A hydraulic excavator 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0033] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a method for setting the no-entry area 30 in this embodiment. In FIG. 9, the environment recognition device 17 is composed of a distance measurement sensor such as LiDAR, and is installed on the upper part of the upper rotating body 3 at an angle toward the ground surface 40 of the lower traveling body 2. The traveling control device 20 sets the space below the machine body 41 at a predetermined height H below the ground surface 40, sets the overlapping space between the space below the machine body 41 and the space in which no object is detected in the object detection range 18 as the no-entry space 42, and sets the two-dimensional area obtained by projecting the no-entry space 42 onto the rotating plane as the no-entry area 30 (shown in FIG. 4). In the example shown in FIG. 9, a slope exists behind the upper rotating body 3, and the no-entry space 42 is set at a location that is a predetermined height H below the slope.

[0034] (summary) The environment recognition device 17 in this embodiment is a distance measuring sensor that measures the distance to objects present around the work machine 1.

[0035] According to this embodiment configured as described above, in a work machine 1 equipped with a distance measuring sensor as the environment recognition device 17, it is possible to achieve the same effects as in the first embodiment.

[0036] Furthermore, the distance measuring sensor 17 in this embodiment is installed on the upper rotating body 3 at an angle toward the ground contact surface 40 of the lower traveling body 2, and the traveling control device 20 sets the area where the distance measuring sensor 17 was unable to measure the distance as the no-entry area 30. As a result, the area where the distance measuring sensor 17 failed to report is set as the no-entry area 30, so that it is possible to prevent omission of setting the no-entry area 30 due to a failure of the distance measuring sensor 17 to report.

[0037] Furthermore, the travel control device 20 in this embodiment sets the area lower than the ground contact surface 40 of the lower traveling body 2 as the space below the machine body 41, sets the overlapping space between the space below the machine body 41 and the space to which the distance measurement sensor 17 was unable to measure the distance as the no-entry space 42, and sets the two-dimensional area obtained by projecting the no-entry space 42 onto a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis X of the upper rotating body 3 as the no-entry area 30. By setting the space below the machine body 41 below the lower traveling body 2 by a height that will not cause the work machine 1 to tip over, travel operation is restricted only on slopes and steps that may cause tipping over, thereby suppressing a decrease in work efficiency.

[0038] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications are included. For example, the application of the present invention is not limited to hydraulic excavators, and can be applied to all working machines equipped with a lower traveling body and an upper rotating body. In addition, the above-mentioned embodiments have been described in detail to easily explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those equipped with all of the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to add a part of the configuration of one embodiment to the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to delete a part of the configuration of one embodiment, or to replace it with a part of another embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1...hydraulic excavator (working machine), 2...lower traveling body, 3...upper rotating body, 4...working equipment, 5...rotating device, 6...traveling equipment, 7...traveling drive device, 8...cab, 9...traveling operation lever (traveling operation device), 10...angle sensor (relative angle detection device), 11...boom, 12...arm, 13...bucket, 14...boom cylinder, 15...arm cylinder, 16...bucket cylinder, 17...distance measurement sensor (environmental recognition device), 18...object detection range, 19...traveling restriction function setting device, 20...traveling control device, 21...no-entry area setting unit, 22...traveling area setting unit, 23...traveling determination unit, 24...traveling drive control unit, 30...no-entry area, 31a...forward area (traveling area), 31b...reverse area (traveling area), 40...ground surface, 41...space below machine body, 42...no-entry space, 100...traveling control system.

Claims

1. A lower running body; An upper rotating body rotatably attached on the lower traveling body; A travel operation device that instructs the operation of the lower traveling body; A working machine including a travel control device that controls the operation of the lower traveling body in response to an operation of the travel operation device, a relative angle detection device for detecting a relative angle of the upper rotating body with respect to the lower traveling body; an environment recognition device that recognizes an environment around the work machine, The driving control device includes: setting an area in which the undercarriage may travel as a travel area based on the relative angle information from the relative angle detection device; setting an area into which the undercarriage is prohibited from entering as a no-entry area based on the surrounding environment information from the environment recognition device; When an overlapping area exists between the travel area and the no-entry area, the operation by the travel operation device is invalidated. A working machine characterized by:

2. 2. The work machine according to claim 1, the travel control device sets, as the travel area, a forward area into which the undercarriage may enter when a forward travel operation of the undercarriage is instructed from the travel operation device, and a reverse area into which the undercarriage may enter when a reverse travel operation of the undercarriage is instructed from the travel operation device, When an overlapping area exists between the forward movement area and the no-entry area, the forward movement operation by the traveling operation device is invalidated, When an overlapping area exists between the reverse movement area and the no-entry area, the reverse movement operation by the traveling operation device is invalidated. A working machine characterized by:

3. 2. The work machine according to claim 1, The environment recognition device is a distance measuring sensor that measures the distance to an object present around the work machine. A working machine characterized by:

4. 4. The work machine according to claim 3, the distance measuring sensor is installed on the upper rotating body at an incline toward the ground contact surface of the lower traveling body, The driving control device sets an area where the distance measurement sensor is unable to measure the distance as the no-entry area. A working machine characterized by:

5. 5. The working machine according to claim 4, The driving control device includes: A region lower than the ground contact surface of the lower running body is set as a space below the aircraft body, An overlapping space between the space below the aircraft body and the space where the distance measurement sensor could not measure the distance is set as a no-entry space; A two-dimensional area obtained by projecting the no-entry space onto a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis of the upper rotating body is set as the no-entry area. A working machine characterized by:

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