Work support system for great-depth excavator

Abstract

To provide a highly convenient work support system for a great-depth excavator that enables an operator to properly grasp a work status.SOLUTION: A system 20 that supports excavation work in a great-depth pit D by using an excavator 1 equipped with a bucket 10, includes: a photographing device 21 that is installed in the pit D; an image display part 22 that displays images photographed by the photographing device 21; and a control part 25 that is supplied with information about the photographed images from the photographing device 21 and supplies information about the images to be displayed on the image display part 22 to the image display part 22. The photographing device 21 is disposed so as to photograph a position to be excavated by the bucket 10 in the pit D. If the position to be excavated by the bucket 10 is photographed by the photographing device 21, an operator can visually confirm an excavation status, thereby providing support for the excavator 1 to perform excavation work appropriately.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a work support system for a deep excavator. [Background technology]

[0002] In various civil engineering and construction works, excavators such as crawler cranes equipped with buckets are used to excavate vertical holes (see Patent Document 1). When such excavators are used, the bucket is lowered into the vertical hole to excavate, but if the vertical hole is deep, the operator of the excavator cannot directly see the excavation status of the bucket. For this reason, the operator grasps the status of the bucket by feeling the slack in the wire suspending the bucket and the impact caused by the bucket landing. In other words, the operator must rely on his / her intuition and experience to grasp the excavation status, and thus must be skilled in operating the excavator. Even if the operator is skilled in operating the excavator, it is difficult for the operator to perform accurate excavation because he / she cannot directly see the excavation status.

[0003] In order to perform accurate excavation even when the operator cannot directly see the excavation status, Patent Document 2 discloses a technology that detects the excavation status from signals from a plurality of various sensors attached to the excavator and visually displays information on the detected excavation status on a display in the operator's cabin. However, in Patent Document 2, the height of the crab bucket and the excavation status are merely estimated by the operator based on signals from the sensors, and the operator cannot accurately grasp the height of the crab bucket and the excavation status.

[0004] Meanwhile, a technology has been disclosed in which a camera is provided on the boom or hook of a crane or the like, and the state of the hook of the crane or the like and the suspended load are confirmed from images captured by the camera, making it possible to grasp the work situation and whether there is any danger to the worker, etc. If an operator can confirm the state of the hook of the crane or the like and the suspended load from images captured by the camera as in this technology, the operator can properly grasp the work situation, etc., compared to grasping the work situation, etc., based only on signals from a sensor. However, even with this technology, only images captured from above of the hook of the crane or the suspended load can be obtained, making it difficult to properly grasp the height of the hook, the suspended load, etc. from the ground, etc., and their relationship to the ground, etc.

[0005] Patent Document 6 discloses a technology for capturing images of the work situation using a camera installed in a location other than the boom or hook of the crane, and providing the images captured by the camera on an operator's operation screen. This technology discloses capturing images of the work situation using multiple cameras, such as a stationary camera, a camera mounted on a wearable device worn by a person, or a camera mounted on a drone or the like. It also discloses a technology for a control device to switch and display images displayed on the operator's operation screen depending on the state of the crane, and for displaying multiple images on the operation screen depending on the state of the crane. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-127371 [Patent Document 2] JP 2001-64993 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2022-16497 A [Patent Document 4] JP 2022-82974 A [Patent Document 5] JP 2022-143224 A [Patent Document 6] Utility Model Registration No. 3226637 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, when the control device switches between and displays a plurality of images depending on the state of the crane as in Patent Document 6, the image that the operator wants to confirm is not necessarily selected by the control device and displayed on the operation screen. In addition, if multiple images are displayed simultaneously on the operation screen, there is a possibility that the image that the operator wants to see is included among them, but the operator must check various instruments and indicators in addition to the images, and the display of multiple images is not necessarily helpful for the operator to understand the work situation, and the display of multiple images may cause the operator to make a mistaken understanding. In particular, the more images there are, the higher the possibility that the operator will make a mistaken understanding. In other words, the technology of Patent Document 6 does not necessarily provide sufficient support for the operator to grasp the work status of the crane, and there is a demand for a work support system that enables the operator to properly grasp the work status when working with a crane, etc., and that is also highly convenient.

[0008] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a highly convenient work support system for a deep excavator that allows an operator to properly grasp the work situation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The work support system for a deep excavator of the first invention is a system that supports the excavation of a deep vertical shaft by an excavator equipped with a bucket, and comprises a photographing device installed in the vertical shaft, an image display unit that displays an image photographed by the photographing device, and a control unit that receives information about the image photographed from the photographing device and supplies information about the image to be displayed on the image display unit to the image display unit, and is characterized in that the photographing device is positioned in the vertical shaft so as to photograph the position to be excavated by the bucket. The second invention of the work support system for a deep excavator is characterized in that, in the first invention, the photographing device is provided alone in the vertical shaft and is movably provided within the vertical shaft. The third invention is a work support system for a deep excavator, which is characterized in that, in the first invention, the control unit is equipped with a distance measuring device provided on the bucket for measuring the distance below the bucket, and has a function of displaying the distance measured by the distance measuring device on the image display unit or an operation screen used when operating the excavator. The work support system for a deep excavator of the fourth invention is characterized in that, in the third invention, the bucket comprises a pair of shells that open and close, and a frame on which the pair of shells are swingably mounted, and the distance measurement device is located on the frame above the pair of shells when the pair of shells are closed, and is installed in a position where the pair of shells retreat from below the distance measurement device when the pair of shells are opened. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the first aspect of the present invention, by photographing the position to be excavated by the bucket with the photographing device, the operator can visually confirm the excavation status at the excavation position, thereby providing support for appropriate excavation work by the excavator. According to the second aspect of the present invention, since only one image is obtained by the photographing device, the operator can easily grasp the state of the excavation situation. According to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, the operator can grasp the position of the bucket based on the distance measured by the distance measuring device. This allows the operator to check the image only when necessary, making it easier for the operator to operate the excavator and check the excavation status. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1A is a schematic block diagram of a work support system 20 for a deep excavator, and FIG. 1B is a schematic explanatory diagram of an image display unit 22. FIG. [Diagram 2]FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of an excavation operation by an excavator 1 equipped with a work support system 20 for a deep excavator. [Diagram 3] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams illustrating a bucket 10, in which (A) is a plan view and (B) is a side view. [Figure 4] 1A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a bucket 10 with a pair of shells 11, 11 of the bucket 10 in a closed state, and FIG. 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view of a bucket 10 with a pair of shells 11, 11 of the bucket 10 in an open state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] The work support system for a deep excavator in this embodiment is a system that supports excavation work by a deep excavator, and is characterized by enabling safe and efficient excavation of the ground in a deep shaft, for example, 40 m or more deep.

[0013] <Excavator 1> First, before describing the details of the work support system for a deep excavator of this embodiment, an excavator 1 that uses the work support system for a deep excavator of this embodiment will be described.

[0014] As shown in Figure 2, an excavator 1 utilizing the deep excavator work support system of this embodiment includes an excavator body 2, a boom 5 provided on the excavator body 2, and a bucket 10 suspended from the boom 5 by a wire 6.

[0015] The excavator body 2 is equipped with a driving crawler 2c. A base end of a boom 5 is connected to the excavator body 2. Specifically, the boom 5 is connected to the excavator body 2 so as to be able to swing left and right and up and down, and the position of the tip of the boom 5, that is, the position where the bucket 10 is arranged, can be adjusted by swinging the boom 5. Note that the excavator body 2 and the boom 5 may have a configuration equivalent to that of a general crane or the like, and there are no particular limitations on their structure or shape.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 2, bucket 10 is suspended from the tip of boom 5 by wire 6, and its lifting and lowering are controlled by wire 6. Specifically, wire 6 is reeled out from drum 3 provided on excavator body 2 and wound around sheave 10a (see Fig. 3) provided on bucket 10, and one end of wire 6 is fixed to the tip of boom 5. Therefore, bucket 10 can be raised and lowered relative to the tip of boom 5 by reeling out and reeling in wire 6 by drum 3.

[0017] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the bucket 10 has a pair of shells 11, 11 with claws 11a at their tips, and the pair of shells 11, 11 are attached to a shaft 13 provided on a frame 12 so as to be able to swing independently. The pair of shells 11, 11 are capable of swinging independently in the vertical direction by a pair of hydraulic cylinders 15, 15 provided between the pair of shells 11 and the frame 12. In other words, the pair of shells 11, 11 of the bucket 10 can be opened and closed by operating the pair of hydraulic cylinders 15, 15 (see Figures 4(A) and (B)).

[0018] With the above-described structure, by operating the excavator 1 as described below, it is possible to excavate the ground of the pit D and discharge the excavated soil, etc.

[0019] First, the excavator 1 is placed near the pit D where excavation work is to be performed, and the boom 5 is swung to place the tip of the boom 5 above the pit D. In other words, the bucket 10 is placed above the pit D. By letting out the wire 6 from this state, the bucket 10 can be lowered into the pit D.

[0020] When the bucket 10 descends to a predetermined height, the pair of shells 11, 11 of the bucket 10 are opened, and if the bucket 10 is further lowered with the pair of shells 11, 11 open, the claws 11a of the pair of shells 11, 11 will be stuck into the ground. If the pair of shells 11, 11 are then closed, the ground of the pit D can be excavated and the excavated soil can be stored in the bucket 10.

[0021] Once soil or the like is placed in the bucket 10, the wire 6 is wound up to raise the bucket 10. Then, when the bucket 10 leaves the pit D, the boom 5 is swung to move the bucket 10 onto the bed of a truck or the like placed near the pit D. In this state, if the pair of shells 11, 11 of the bucket 10 are opened, the soil or the like in the bucket 10 can be loaded onto the bed of the truck or the like.

[0022] When the loading of soil or the like onto the bed of the truck or the like is completed, the pair of shells 11, 11 are closed, and the boom 5 is swung again to position the tip of the boom 5 above the pit D. Then, by repeating the above-mentioned operations, the ground of the pit D can be excavated.

[0023] <Work support system 20 for deep excavator according to this embodiment> When performing excavation work of the ground in the pit D by the excavator 1 as described above, if the pit D is deep, for example, if the pit D is 40 m or deeper, it is difficult for the worker operating the excavator 1 to directly visually confirm the state of the bucket 10, that is, the height of the bucket 10 from the ground of the pit D and the relative position of the pair of shells 11, 11 of the bucket 10 and the ground in the pit D. Therefore, in the work support system 20 for a deep excavator of this embodiment, a camera device 21 for grasping the state of the pit D is provided, so that the worker operating the excavator 1 can grasp the state of the bucket 10 in the pit D.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1(A), the work support system 20 for a deep excavator includes a photographing device 21 installed in a vertical hole D, an image display unit 22 that displays images photographed by the photographing device 21, and a control unit 25 that controls the images displayed on the image display unit 22.

[0025] <Camera Unit 21> As shown in Fig. 2, the photographing device 21 is provided at a position where it can photograph the location in the vertical hole D where excavation is to be performed by the bucket 10. This photographing device 21 is a device equipped with a general camera 21a (for example, a CCD camera or an image element, etc.). Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1(A), the photographing device 21 is equipped with the camera 21a in a frame 21b, control equipment 21c (power supply, controller, etc.) required for the operation of the camera 21a, and communication equipment 21d that transmits images photographed by the camera 21a (hereinafter sometimes referred to as site images) to the control unit 25.

[0026] <Image display unit 22> The image display unit 22 is provided in the operator's room of the excavator 1. This image display unit 22 is a display device provided separately from the operation screen of the excavator 1, and displays the site image 22a of the photographing device 21 as shown in FIG. 1(B). If the operation screen of the excavator 1 has a function for displaying the site image 22a, the site image 22a may be displayed on the operation screen of the excavator 1. However, if the image display unit 22 is provided separately from the operation screen of the excavator 1, the operator can freely set the display size and display location of the site image 22a, making it easier for the operator to grasp the site image 22a.

[0027] <Control unit 25> The control unit 25 has a function of receiving the on-site image 22a supplied from the photographing device 21 and displaying the received on-site image 22a on the image display unit 22. For example, when the on-site image 22a is supplied from the photographing device 21, the control unit 25 has a function of displaying the on-site image 22a on the image display unit 22 almost in real time.

[0028] The control unit 25 also includes a distance measuring device 26 that measures the distance below the bucket 10. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the distance measuring device 26 is provided on the frame 12 of the bucket 10. More specifically, the distance measuring device 26 is located above the pair of shells 11, 11 when the pair of shells 11, 11 are closed, and is installed at a position where the pair of shells 11, 11 retreat from below the distance measuring device 26 when the pair of shells 11, 11 are opened. In other words, the distance measuring device 26 is provided at a position where the distance to the ground of the pit D can be measured when the pair of shells 11, 11 are opened.

[0029] The control unit 25 also has a function of calculating the distance from the bucket 10 to the ground surface of the pit D based on the measurement result of the distance measuring device 26, and displaying the calculated distance on the image display unit 22 or the operation screen. For example, as shown in FIG. 1(B), the control unit 25 also has a function of displaying the distance from the bucket 10 to the ground surface of the pit D on the distance display unit 22b of the image display unit 22.

[0030] <Work support system for deep excavators 20> Since the work support system 20 for the deep excavator has the above-mentioned configuration, the operator can check the excavation state as an image by checking the site image 22a displayed on the image display unit 22. Therefore, since it is possible to check as an image how the pair of shells 11, 11 of the bucket 10 contacts the ground of the pit D, the excavation work by the excavator 1 can be appropriately supported.

[0031] Moreover, since the distance measuring device 26 is provided and the operator can grasp the position of the bucket 10 as a specific numerical value, the operator can appropriately operate the bucket 10. In other words, the lifting and lowering of the bucket 10 and the opening and closing of the pair of shells 11, 11 of the bucket 10 can be appropriately performed. For example, the lifting and lowering of the bucket 10 can be grasped by the amount of wire 6 that is fed out and wound up, but when the bucket 10 approaches the ground of the pit D, the amount of wire 6 that is fed out and wound up cannot accurately grasp the distance between the bucket 10 and the ground of the pit D. However, if the pair of shells 11, 11 of the bucket 10 are opened in a state where the distance between the bucket 10 and the ground of the pit D approaches to a certain degree, the distance measuring device 26 can accurately grasp the distance between the bucket 10 and the ground of the pit D. Then, the operator can control the excavation by the bucket 10 by using both the distance measured by the distance measuring device 26 and the site image 22a, so that the excavation work by the excavator 1 can be appropriately supported.

[0032] <About the imaging device 21> The control device 21c of the photographing device 21 may be configured to constantly transmit the on-site image 22a photographed by the camera 21a to the control unit 25, or may be configured to transmit the on-site image 22a photographed in response to a signal from the control unit 25 to the control unit 25.

[0033] The camera device 21 may be placed directly on the ground in the pit D as shown in FIG. 2, or may be placed on the ground using a holding device such as a tripod. If the bottom surface of the frame 21b is made to be a somewhat large box shape and placed so that this bottom surface is placed directly on the ground in the pit D, it becomes easier to prevent the camera device 21 from moving due to vibrations or the like that occur when the bucket 10 excavates. In other words, it becomes easier to prevent the camera device 21 from shifting due to vibrations or the like that occur when the bucket 10 excavates, so that the operator can stably grasp the excavation situation. It is preferable that the camera device 21 has a size and weight that can be easily carried by the operator while satisfying the above conditions.

[0034] If the photographing device 21 transmits the site image 22a to the control unit 25 by wireless communication, the site image 22a can be supplied to the control unit 25 regardless of the depth of the pit D, and the location of the photographing device 21 in the pit D can be freely set. However, the photographing device 21 may be connected to the control unit 25 by a communication line as long as the depth of the pit D is within a certain depth.

[0035] 1 and 2, a case is described in which only one photographing device 21 is provided in the pit D, and only the site image 22a supplied from the photographing device 21 is displayed on the image display unit 22. In this case, since the operator visually recognizes only one site image 22a, the task of checking the site image 22a becomes easy, and the operator can easily grasp the situation of the excavation situation using the site image 22a. On the other hand, a plurality of photographing devices 21 may be provided, and a plurality of site images 22a may be displayed on the image display unit 22. For example, two photographing devices 21 may be provided, and two site images 22a may be displayed. In this case, if the two photographing devices 21 are arranged so that the optical axes of the cameras 21a of both photographing devices 21 are substantially perpendicular to each other, the operator can grasp the working status of the bucket 10 in detail. For example, if one photographing device 21 is installed so as to photograph the bucket 10 substantially from the side (see FIG. 3(B)) and the other photographing device 21 is installed so as to photograph the bucket 10 substantially from the front (see FIG. 4), the operator can grasp the working status of the bucket 10 in detail.

[0036] <About control unit 25> In the above example, the control unit 25 has a function of displaying the site image 22a supplied from the photographing device 21 on the image display unit 22 in almost real time. The control unit 25 may display the site image 22a on the image display unit 22 when the site image 22a supplied from the photographing device 21 satisfies a certain condition. For example, the site image 22a may be displayed on the image display unit 22 when the distance measured by the distance measuring device 26 reaches a certain distance. In addition, in the case where the distance measuring device 26 is provided as described above, the site image 22a may be displayed on the image display unit 22 after the pair of shells 11, 11 of the bucket 10 are completely opened, that is, at the stage where the distance to the ground of the pit D can be measured by the distance measuring device 26.

[0037] The distance measuring device 26 is not particularly limited, and may be any device that has the function of measuring the position where the distance measuring device 26 is installed, that is, the distance from the frame 11 of the bucket 10 to the ground surface of the pit D. For example, a laser distance meter, an ultrasonic distance meter, a rotary encoder, or the like can be used.

[0038] The number of distance measuring devices 26 is not particularly limited, and one or more may be provided. For example, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, four distance measuring devices 26 can be provided. By providing a plurality of distance measuring devices 26, the distance between the bucket 10 and the ground of the pit D can be properly grasped by the distances measured by the plurality of distance measuring devices 26, so that the excavation work can be properly performed. For example, the distances measured by the plurality of distance measuring devices 26 can be averaged to be the distance between the bucket 10 and the ground of the pit D. In addition, if the ground of the pit D has unevenness or a large bulge or depression in a part, the distances measured by some distance measuring devices 26 may be significantly different from the distances measured by other distance measuring devices 26. In this case, the average value of the other measured values ​​can be used as the distance between the bucket 10 and the ground of the pit D, excluding the measured values ​​that are significantly different from the distances measured by the other distance measuring devices 26.

[0039] Furthermore, although the control unit 25 does not necessarily have to have the distance measuring device 26, if the control unit 25 has the distance measuring device 26, the operator can grasp the position of the bucket 10, that is, the distance from the ground surface of the pit D to the bucket 10. Then, it is only necessary to check the distance from the bucket 10 to the ground surface of the pit D and check the site image when a necessary situation arises, which reduces the operator's effort in checking the excavation image. [Industrial Applicability]

[0040] The work support system for a deep excavator of the present invention is suitable as a system for supporting excavation work in deep vertical tunnels at construction sites such as those for recovering leftover material. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1. Excavator 10 Buckets 11. Shell 12 Frames 20 Systems 21 Imaging Device 22 Image display unit 25 Control Unit 26 Distance measuring device D Pit

Claims

1. A system for supporting an excavation operation in a deep vertical hole by an excavator equipped with a bucket, comprising: an imaging device installed in the pit; an image display unit that displays an image captured by the image capture device; a control unit to which information on a captured image is supplied from the photographing device and which supplies information on an image to be displayed on the image display unit to the image display unit, The imaging device is is positioned in the shaft to photograph the location being excavated by the bucket A work support system for a deep excavator.

2. The imaging device is One is provided in the vertical hole, and is provided movably within the vertical hole.

2. The work support system for a deep excavator according to claim 1.

3. The control unit is A distance measuring device is provided on the bucket to measure a distance below the bucket, The distance measured by the distance measuring device is displayed on the image display unit or on an operation screen used when operating the excavator.

2. The work support system for a deep excavator according to claim 1.

4. The bucket is A pair of shells that open and close, a frame on which the pair of shells are swingably mounted, The distance measuring device is In the frame, the pair of shells is located above the pair of shells when the pair of shells are closed, and is installed at a position where the pair of shells retreat from below the distance measuring device when the pair of shells are opened.

4. The work support system for a deep excavator according to claim 3.

Images