Work machine

Abstract

To improve safety.SOLUTION: A work machine has: an attachment; and a controller that, in an operation when an object is lifted by the attachment, identifies a dangerous area where the degree of danger increases if the object falls, and visualizes the identified dangerous area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to work machines. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art There is a known technique for displaying a no-entry area on the road surface around a heavy construction machine, and for performing work while moving the displayed no-entry area as the heavy construction machine moves. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-193928 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above-mentioned conventional techniques do not take into consideration, for example, the task of lifting and moving an object. In the task of lifting and moving an object, if the lifted object falls, the object does not necessarily fall into a conventional restricted area, and therefore further improvement in safety is desired.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to improve safety. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A work machine according to an embodiment of the present invention has an attachment and a control device that identifies a danger area where the degree of danger increases if an object falls during an operation of lifting and moving an object with the attachment, and visualizes the identified danger area. Effect of the Invention

[0007] Safety can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of a management system for a shovel. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a drive system of a shovel. [Diagram 3] 13 is a flowchart illustrating the processing of a controller of the shovel. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a first diagram showing an example of how a lighting device irradiates light. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a second diagram showing an example of how the lighting device irradiates light. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display on the display device when the operation mode of the shovel is a normal operation mode. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display on the display device in which the operation mode of the shovel is switched from a normal operation mode to a crane mode. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a remote control room. [Figure 9] 11 is a diagram showing an example of how the lighting device irradiates light when the work machine is a traveling crane device. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a system configuration of a management system for an excavator. The management system SYS for an excavator of this embodiment includes an excavator 100 and a management device 200. In the following description, the management system SYS for an excavator will be simply referred to as the management system SYS.

[0010] In the management system SYS of this embodiment, the shovel 100 and the management device 200 are connected via a network or the like. The shovel 100 is an example of a work machine. The management system SYS of the shovel 100 may include a lighting device 300 and a remote control room RC.

[0011] The management device 200 may be, for example, a cloud server installed outside the work site of the shovel 100, or may be an edge server or a computer terminal installed at the work site of the shovel 100.

[0012] The lighting device 300 is connected to the shovel 100 and the management device 200 via a network or the like. The lighting device 300 emits light that can be seen by workers working around the shovel 100, an operator operating the shovel 100, and the like, in response to a lighting instruction from the shovel 100 or the management device 200. The lighting device 300 of this embodiment may be provided on an aircraft flying in the sky above the work site, for example, or may be installed in advance at a position where it can illuminate the work site. The lighting device 300 may also be included in the shovel 100.

[0013] The remote control room RC is connected to the shovel 100 and the management device 200 via a network or the like. The remote control room RC may be provided, for example, in the same place as the place (facility) where the management device 200 is installed, or may be set in an area physically separated from the management device 200. The remote control room RC is provided with an operation device or the like for remotely operating the shovel 100 therein, and enables remote operation of the shovel 100 by transmitting an operation signal generated in the remote control room RC to the shovel 100.

[0014] In other words, the remote control room RC is a driver's cab for the shovel 100 separate from the cabin 10 , and the operation device in the remote control room RC is an external operation device for the shovel 100 provided outside the shovel 100 .

[0015] A shovel 100 according to the present embodiment is an example of a work machine. Fig. 1 shows a side view of a shovel 100 as an example of a work machine.

[0016] The excavator 100 in this embodiment comprises a lower running body 1, an upper rotating body 3 mounted on the lower running body 1 so as to be freely rotatable via a rotating mechanism 2, a boom 4, an arm 5, and a bucket 6 which are operating elements that constitute an attachment (work machine), and a cabin 10.

[0017] The lower traveling body 1 allows the excavator 100 to travel by hydraulically driving a pair of left and right crawlers 1C (1CL, 1CR) by traveling hydraulic motors 2M (2ML, 2MR), respectively. That is, the pair of traveling hydraulic motors 2ML, 2MR (an example of a traveling motor) drive the lower traveling body 1 (crawlers) as a driven part.

[0018] The upper rotating body 3 is driven by a swing hydraulic motor 2A (see FIG. 2) to swing relative to the lower traveling body 1. In other words, the swing hydraulic motor 2A is a swing drive part that drives the upper rotating body 3 as a driven part, and can change the orientation of the upper rotating body 3.

[0019] The upper rotating body 3 may be electrically driven by an electric motor (hereinafter, "electric motor for rotation") instead of the hydraulic motor for rotation 2A. In other words, the electric motor for rotation is a rotation drive part that drives the upper rotating body 3 as a driven part, similar to the hydraulic motor for rotation 2A, and can change the orientation of the upper rotating body 3.

[0020] The boom 4 is pivotally attached to the front center of the upper rotating body 3 so as to be able to tilt up and down, an arm 5 is pivotally attached to the tip of the boom 4 so as to be able to rotate up and down, and a bucket 6 as an end attachment is pivotally attached to the tip of the arm 5 so as to be able to rotate up and down. The boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6 are hydraulically driven by a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8, and a bucket cylinder 9, each of which serves as a hydraulic actuator.

[0021] The bucket 6 is an example of an end attachment, and other end attachments, such as a slope bucket, a dredging bucket, a breaker, etc., may be attached to the tip of the arm 5 instead of the bucket 6 depending on the work content, etc.

[0022] The rod side end of the bucket cylinder 9 and the bucket 6 are connected by a bucket link 6a. Specifically, the upper end side of the bucket link 6a is rotatably connected to the rod side end of the bucket cylinder 9 and an arm link 6c via a bucket cylinder top pin 6b. The lower end side of the bucket link 6a is rotatably connected to a bracket on the back surface of the bucket 6 via a bucket pin 6d. In addition, a hook 6e for crane work is attached to the bucket link 6a so as to be retractable and rotatable.

[0023] During excavation work, the hook 6e is stored in a hook storage section 6f that is mainly composed of the bucket link 6a so as not to interfere with the operation of the bucket 6. On the other hand, during crane work, the hook 6e is configured so that its tip protrudes from the hook storage section 6f.

[0024] The hook storage section 6f may be provided with a detection device (not shown) that detects the storage state of the hook 6e. For example, the detection device is a switch that is in a conductive state when the hook 6e is present in the hook storage section 6f and is in a cut-off state when the hook 6e is not present in the hook storage section 6f, and is provided in the hook storage section 6f in which the hook 6e is stored. The detection signal of the detection device is input to the controller 30, which will be described later.

[0025] The cabin 10 is a cab in which an operator sits, and is mounted on the front left side of the upper rotating body 3.

[0026] In response to the operation of an operator in the cabin 10, the shovel 100 operates actuators (e.g., hydraulic actuators) to drive operating elements (driven elements) such as the lower running body 1, upper rotating body 3, boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6.

[0027] The shovel 100 may automatically operate the actuators regardless of the contents of the operation by the operator. This allows the shovel 100 to realize a function of automatically operating at least some of the operating elements such as the lower traveling body 1, the upper rotating body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6 (hereinafter, referred to as an "automatic driving function" or a "machine control function").

[0028] The automatic driving function may include a function (so-called "semi-automatic driving function") that automatically operates operation elements (actuators) other than the operation target operation element (actuator) in response to an operator's operation of the operation device 26 or remote operation. The automatic driving function may also include a function (so-called "fully automatic driving function") that automatically operates at least a part of the multiple operation elements (actuators) on the premise that there is no operation of the operation device 26 or remote operation by the operator.

[0029] When the fully automatic driving function is enabled in the shovel 100, the inside of the cabin 10 may be unmanned. The automatic driving function may include a function ("gesture operation function") in which the shovel 100 recognizes gestures of people, such as workers, around the shovel 100 and automatically operates at least a part of a plurality of operating elements (hydraulic actuators) according to the contents of the recognized gesture.

[0030] The semi-automatic driving function, the fully automatic driving function, and the gesture operation function may include a mode in which the operation content of the operation element (hydraulic actuator) that is the target of the automatic driving is automatically determined according to a predefined rule. The semi-automatic driving function, the fully automatic driving function, and the gesture operation function may include a mode in which the excavator 100 autonomously makes various decisions and autonomously determines the operation content of the operation element (hydraulic actuator) that is the target of the automatic driving according to the decision results (so-called "autonomous driving function").

[0031] The control system of the shovel 100 includes a controller 30, a spatial recognition device 70, an orientation detection device 71, an information input device 72, a positioning device 73, a display device 40, an audio output device 50, a boom angle sensor S1, an arm angle sensor S2, a bucket angle sensor S3, a machine body inclination sensor S4, and a turning angular velocity sensor S5.

[0032] The spatial recognition device 70 is configured to recognize objects present in a three-dimensional space around the shovel 100, and measure (calculate) a positional relationship such as a distance from the spatial recognition device 70 or the shovel 100 to the recognized object. The spatial recognition device 70 may include, for example, an ultrasonic sensor, a millimeter wave radar, a monocular camera, a stereo camera, a LIDAR (Light Detecting and Ranging), a distance image sensor, an infrared sensor, etc. The spatial recognition device 70 may be communicably connected to the controller 30.

[0033] In this embodiment, the spatial recognition device 70 includes a forward recognition sensor 70F attached to the front end of the upper surface of the cabin 10, a rear recognition sensor 70B attached to the rear end of the upper surface of the upper rotating body 3, a left recognition sensor 70L attached to the left end of the upper surface of the upper rotating body 3, and a right recognition sensor 70R attached to the right end of the upper surface of the upper rotating body 3. In addition, an upward recognition sensor that recognizes objects present in the space above the upper rotating body 3 may be attached to the excavator 100.

[0034] The communication device T1 communicates with external devices through a predetermined network including a mobile communication network with a base station as a terminal, a satellite communication network, the Internet, etc. The communication device T1 is, for example, a mobile communication module compatible with mobile communication standards such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G (4th Generation), and 5G (5th Generation), or a satellite communication module for connecting to a satellite communication network.

[0035] The communication device T1 may also communicate with a remote control room RC and operate in response to an operation signal received by the communication device T1 from the remote control room RC. In this case, the excavator 100 may operate actuators in response to the operation signal to drive operating elements such as the lower traveling body 1, the upper rotating body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6.

[0036] When the excavator 100 is remotely operated, the inside of the cabin 10 may be unmanned. In the following description, it is assumed that the operation of the operator includes at least one of the operation of the operating device 26 by the operator in the cabin 10 and the remote operation by the operator in the remote operation room RC.

[0037] The orientation detection device 71 detects information regarding the relative relationship between the orientation of the upper rotating body 3 and the orientation of the lower running body 1 (for example, the rotation angle of the upper rotating body 3 with respect to the lower running body 1).

[0038] The orientation detection device 71 may include, for example, a combination of a geomagnetic sensor attached to the lower running body 1 and a geomagnetic sensor attached to the upper rotating body 3. The orientation detection device 71 may also include a combination of a GNSS receiver attached to the lower running body 1 and a GNSS receiver attached to the upper rotating body 3.

[0039] In addition, the orientation detection device 71 may include a rotary encoder, a rotary position sensor, etc. capable of detecting the relative rotation angle of the upper rotating body 3 with respect to the lower running body 1, that is, the above-mentioned rotation angular velocity sensor S5, and may be attached, for example, to a center joint provided in association with the rotation mechanism 2 that realizes relative rotation between the lower running body 1 and the upper rotating body 3.

[0040] Furthermore, the orientation detection device 71 may include a camera attached to the upper rotating body 3. In this case, the orientation detection device 71 detects an image of the lower traveling body 1 included in the input image by applying known image processing to an image (input image) captured by the camera attached to the upper rotating body 3.

[0041] The orientation detection device 71 may use a known image recognition technology to detect an image of the lower traveling body 1, thereby identifying the longitudinal direction of the lower traveling body 1, and derive the angle formed between the direction of the front-rear axis of the upper rotating body 3 and the longitudinal direction of the lower traveling body 1. In this case, the direction of the front-rear axis of the upper rotating body 3 can be derived from the mounting position of the camera. In particular, since the crawler 1C protrudes from the upper rotating body 3, the orientation detection device 71 can identify the longitudinal direction of the lower traveling body 1 by detecting an image of the crawler 1C.

[0042] In addition, when the upper rotating body 3 is configured to be rotated by an electric motor instead of the rotation hydraulic motor 2A, the direction detection device 71 may be a resolver.

[0043] The information input device 72 is provided within reach of an operator seated in the cabin 10, accepts various operational inputs by the operator, and outputs signals corresponding to the operational inputs to the controller 30. For example, the information input device 72 may include a touch panel mounted on the display of a display device that displays various information images.

[0044] The controller 30 is a calculation device that executes various calculations. In this embodiment, the controller 30 is configured with a microcomputer including a CPU and a memory. Various functions of the controller 30 are realized by the CPU executing a program stored in the memory.

[0045] Furthermore, for example, the information input device 72 may include a button switch, a lever, a toggle, etc., which are provided around the display device 40. Furthermore, the information input device 72 may include a knob switch provided on the operation device 26. A signal corresponding to the operation content on the information input device 72 is input to the controller 30.

[0046] Furthermore, the information input device 72 may include a mode changeover switch for switching the operation mode of the shovel 100. The operation mode means the type of work performed by the shovel 100, and includes, for example, a crane mode, a normal operation mode, etc. The operation modes of the shovel 100 will be described in detail later.

[0047] The mode changing switch may be a software switch on a touch panel placed on the screen of the display device 40, or a hardware switch installed near the display device 40, or a switch installed in another location within the cabin 10.

[0048] The positioning device 73 measures the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 3. The positioning device 73 is, for example, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) compass, which detects the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 3, and a detection signal corresponding to the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 3 is input to the controller 30. Furthermore, the function of detecting the orientation of the upper rotating body 3, which is one of the functions of the positioning device 73, may be substituted by a direction sensor attached to the upper rotating body 3.

[0049] The display device 40 is provided in a location that is easily visible to an operator seated in the cabin 10, and displays various information images under the control of the controller 30. The display device 40 may be connected to the controller 30 via an in-vehicle communication network such as a Controller Area Network (CAN), or may be connected to the controller 30 via a one-to-one dedicated line.

[0050] The audio output device 50 is provided, for example, in the cabin 10, connected to the controller 30, and outputs audio under the control of the controller 30. The audio output device 50 is, for example, a speaker or a buzzer. The audio output device 50 outputs various types of information by audio in response to an audio output command from the controller 30.

[0051] The boom angle sensor S1 is attached to the boom 4 and detects the elevation / depression angle of the boom 4 relative to the upper rotating body 3 (hereinafter referred to as the "boom angle"), for example, the angle formed by a straight line connecting the fulcrums at both ends of the boom 4 relative to the rotation plane of the upper rotating body 3 in a side view. The boom angle sensor S1 may include, for example, a rotary encoder, an acceleration sensor, a six-axis sensor, an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), etc., and the same applies to the arm angle sensor S2, bucket angle sensor S3, and machine body inclination sensor S4 below. A detection signal corresponding to the boom angle by the boom angle sensor S1 is input to the controller 30.

[0052] The arm angle sensor S2 is attached to the arm 5 and detects the rotation angle of the arm 5 relative to the boom 4 (hereinafter referred to as the “arm angle”), for example, the angle formed by a line connecting the fulcrums at both ends of the arm 5 with respect to a line connecting the fulcrums at both ends of the boom 4 in a side view. A detection signal corresponding to the arm angle by the arm angle sensor S2 is input to the controller 30.

[0053] The bucket angle sensor S3 is attached to the bucket 6 and detects the rotation angle of the bucket 6 with respect to the arm 5 (hereinafter referred to as the “bucket angle”), for example, the angle formed by a line connecting the fulcrum of the bucket 6 and the tip (blade tip) with respect to a line connecting the fulcrums of both ends of the arm 5 in a side view. A detection signal corresponding to the bucket angle by the bucket angle sensor S3 is input to the controller 30.

[0054] The machine body tilt sensor S4 detects the tilt state of the machine body (e.g., the upper rotating body 3) with respect to a horizontal plane. The machine body tilt sensor S4 is attached, for example, to the upper rotating body 3, and detects the tilt angles around two axes in the forward / backward and left / right directions (hereinafter, "fore / aft tilt angle" and "left / right tilt angle") of the shovel 100 (i.e., the upper rotating body 3). The machine body tilt sensor S4 may include, for example, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor (angular velocity sensor), a six-axis sensor, an IMU, etc. A detection signal corresponding to the tilt angle (fore / aft tilt angle and left / right tilt angle) by the machine body tilt sensor S4 is input to the controller 30.

[0055] The turning angular velocity sensor S5 is attached to the upper rotating body 3 and outputs detection information related to the turning state of the upper rotating body 3. The turning angular velocity sensor S5 detects, for example, the turning angular velocity and turning angle of the upper rotating body 3. The turning angular velocity sensor S5 includes, for example, a gyro sensor, a resolver, a rotary encoder, etc.

[0056] If the vehicle tilt sensor S4 includes a gyro sensor, a six-axis sensor, an IMU, or the like capable of detecting angular velocities around three axes, the turning state (e.g., turning angular velocity) of the upper rotating body 3 may be detected based on the detection signal of the vehicle tilt sensor S4. In this case, the turning angular velocity sensor S5 may be omitted.

[0057] A boom rod pressure sensor S7R and a boom bottom pressure sensor S7B are attached to the boom cylinder 7. An arm rod pressure sensor S8R and an arm bottom pressure sensor S8B are attached to the arm cylinder 8. A bucket rod pressure sensor S9R and a bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B are attached to the bucket cylinder 9.

[0058] The boom rod pressure sensor S7R, the boom bottom pressure sensor S7B, the arm rod pressure sensor S8R, the arm bottom pressure sensor S8B, the bucket rod pressure sensor S9R and the bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B are collectively referred to as the "cylinder pressure sensors."

[0059] The boom rod pressure sensor S7R detects the pressure in the rod side oil chamber of the boom cylinder 7 (hereinafter referred to as the "boom rod pressure"), and the boom bottom pressure sensor S7B detects the pressure in the bottom side oil chamber of the boom cylinder 7 (hereinafter referred to as the "boom bottom pressure").

[0060] The arm rod pressure sensor S8R detects the pressure in the rod side oil chamber of the arm cylinder 8 (hereinafter referred to as the "arm rod pressure"), and the arm bottom pressure sensor S8B detects the pressure in the bottom side oil chamber of the arm cylinder 8 (hereinafter referred to as the "arm bottom pressure").

[0061] The bucket rod pressure sensor S9R detects the pressure in the rod side oil chamber of the bucket cylinder 9 (hereinafter referred to as the "bucket rod pressure"), and the bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B detects the pressure in the bottom side oil chamber of the bucket cylinder 9 (hereinafter referred to as the "bucket bottom pressure").

[0062] Next, a description will be given of the operation modes of the shovel 100 of this embodiment. The operation modes of the shovel 100 of this embodiment include, for example, a crane mode and a normal operation mode.

[0063] In the crane mode, the controller 30 sets a predetermined rotation speed of the engine 11. Specifically, in the crane mode, the rotation speed is set to a lower speed than the rotation speed of the engine 11 in the normal operation mode in which excavation work is performed.

[0064] For this reason, in the crane mode, the operating speed of the actuators is limited compared to the normal operation mode. For example, the rotation speed of the upper rotating body 3 when a rotation operation lever (not shown) is operated in the crane mode is limited to be smaller than the rotation speed of the upper rotating body 3 when the rotation operation lever is operated by the same operation amount in the normal operation mode. The same applies to the operating speeds of the left traveling hydraulic motor 2ML, the right traveling hydraulic motor 2MR, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6.

[0065] Furthermore, in the crane mode, the controller 30 prevents the bucket 6 from opening. Specifically, the controller 30 prevents the pilot pressure from reaching the control valve 174 even if an operation to open the bucket 6 is performed. This prevents the bucket 6 from operating in the opening direction.

[0066] In the crane mode, the shovel 100 of this embodiment mainly performs work of lifting and moving an object. At that time, the shovel 100 of this embodiment specifies a danger area in consideration of a case where the lifted object falls, and irradiates the danger area with light of a predetermined color by the lighting device 300.

[0067] Specifically, when an operation to lift and move the suspended load 101 is started in the crane mode, the controller 30 identifies a danger area and instructs the lighting device 300 to illuminate the danger area. The process of identifying the danger area in the controller 30 will be described in detail later.

[0068] In this embodiment, this allows surrounding workers to be aware of the danger area in case the lifted object falls. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to urge the workers to retreat to a safe area where safety is ensured even if the lifted object falls, thereby improving safety.

[0069] The configuration of the drive system of the shovel 100 will be described below with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the drive system of a shovel. In Fig. 2, a mechanical power system, a high-pressure hydraulic line, a pilot line, and an electric control system are indicated by double lines, thick solid lines, dashed lines, and dotted lines, respectively.

[0070] The drive system of the excavator 100 mainly includes an engine 11, a regulator 13, a main pump 14, a pilot pump 15, a control valve 17, an operating device 26, a discharge pressure sensor 28, an operating pressure sensor 29, a controller 30, a proportional valve 31, a work mode selection dial 32, etc.

[0071] The engine 11 is a driving source of the excavator. In this embodiment, the engine 11 is, for example, a diesel engine that operates to maintain a predetermined rotation speed. An output shaft of the engine 11 is connected to input shafts of a main pump 14 and a pilot pump 15.

[0072] The main pump 14 supplies hydraulic oil via a high-pressure hydraulic line to the control valve 17. In this embodiment, the main pump 14 is a swash plate type variable displacement hydraulic pump.

[0073] The regulator 13 controls the discharge amount of the main pump 14. In this embodiment, the regulator 13 controls the discharge amount of the main pump 14 by adjusting the swash plate tilt angle of the main pump 14 in response to a control command from the controller 30.

[0074] The pilot pump 15 supplies hydraulic oil via a pilot line to various hydraulic control devices including the operating device 26 and the proportional valve 31. In this embodiment, the pilot pump 15 is a fixed displacement hydraulic pump.

[0075] The control valve 17 is a hydraulic control device that controls the hydraulic system in the excavator. The control valve 17 includes control valves 171-176 and a bleed valve 177. The control valve 17 can selectively supply the hydraulic oil discharged by the main pump 14 to one or more hydraulic actuators through the control valves 171-176.

[0076] The control valves 171-176 control the flow rate of hydraulic oil flowing from the main pump 14 to the hydraulic actuators and the flow rate of hydraulic oil flowing from the hydraulic actuators to the hydraulic oil tank. The hydraulic actuators include a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8, a bucket cylinder 9, a left traveling hydraulic motor 2ML, a right traveling hydraulic motor 2MR, and a swing hydraulic motor 2A.

[0077] The bleed valve 177 controls the flow rate of hydraulic oil (hereinafter referred to as the “bleed flow rate”) that flows to the hydraulic oil tank without passing through the hydraulic actuator, out of the hydraulic oil discharged by the main pump 14. The bleed valve 177 may be installed outside the control valve 17.

[0078] The operating device 26 is a device used by an operator to operate the hydraulic actuators. In this embodiment, the operating device 26 supplies the hydraulic oil discharged by the pilot pump 15 to pilot ports of the control valves corresponding to each of the hydraulic actuators via a pilot line. The pressure of the hydraulic oil supplied to each of the pilot ports (pilot pressure) is a pressure according to the operation direction and operation amount of a lever or pedal (not shown) of the operating device 26 corresponding to each of the hydraulic actuators.

[0079] The discharge pressure sensor 28 detects the discharge pressure of the main pump 14. In this embodiment, the discharge pressure sensor 28 outputs the detected value to the controller 30.

[0080] The operating pressure sensor 29 detects the operation content of the operator using the operating device 26. In this embodiment, the operating pressure sensor 29 detects the operation direction and operation amount of the lever or pedal of the operating device 26 corresponding to each hydraulic actuator in the form of pressure (operating pressure), and outputs the detected value to the controller 30. The operation content of the operating device 26 may be detected using a sensor other than the operating pressure sensor.

[0081] The controller 30 is a control unit that controls the entire shovel 100. The functions of the controller 30 in this embodiment will be described in detail later.

[0082] The proportional valve 31 operates in response to a control command output by the controller 30. In this embodiment, the proportional valve 31 is a solenoid valve that adjusts the secondary pressure introduced from the pilot pump 15 to a pilot port of a bleed valve 177 in the control valve 17 in response to a current command output by the controller 30. The proportional valve 31 operates such that, for example, the larger the current command, the larger the secondary pressure introduced to the pilot port of the bleed valve 177 becomes.

[0083] The work mode selection dial 32 is a dial for the operator to select a work mode, and allows switching between a number of different work modes. In addition, data indicating the setting state of the engine speed and the setting state of the acceleration / deceleration characteristics according to the work mode is constantly transmitted from the work mode selection dial 32 to the controller 30.

[0084] The work mode selection dial 32 allows the work mode to be switched among a plurality of stages including the SP mode, the H mode, the A mode, and the IDLE mode. In other words, the work mode selection dial 32 of the present embodiment allows the setting conditions of the shovel 100 to be switched.

[0085] The SP mode is an example of the first mode, and the H mode is an example of the second mode. Fig. 2 shows a state in which the SP mode is selected by the work mode selection dial 32.

[0086] The SP mode is a work mode selected when the amount of work is to be prioritized, and uses the highest engine speed and the highest acceleration / deceleration characteristics. The H mode is a work mode selected when both the amount of work and fuel economy are to be achieved, and uses the second highest engine speed and the second highest acceleration / deceleration characteristics.

[0087] The A mode is a work mode selected when it is desired to operate the excavator with low noise by slowing down the acceleration and deceleration characteristics of the hydraulic actuator corresponding to the lever operation, improving accurate operability and safety, and using the third highest engine speed and the third highest acceleration and deceleration characteristics. The IDLE mode is a work mode selected when it is desired to put the engine 11 into a low idling state, using the lowest engine speed and the lowest acceleration and deceleration characteristics.

[0088] Here, when the operation of each actuator is stopped while the engine is running in each work mode (high idling state), the controller 30 causes the engine 11 to maintain the rotation speed set for each work mode. If the high idling state continues for a predetermined time, the controller 30 may switch the engine rotation speed to a low idling state. The idling state includes a high idling state and a low idling state.

[0089] In the above description, the names of the stages of the work mode are SP mode, H mode, A mode, and IDLE mode, but the names of the stages are not limited to these. For example, the names of the SP mode, H mode, and A mode may be POWER mode, STD mode, ECO mode, and IDLE mode (low idling state), respectively. The work mode is not limited to this embodiment, and may be set to five or more stages.

[0090] The engine 11 is controlled to a constant engine speed at the work mode set by the work mode selection dial 32. In addition, the opening of the bleed valve 177 is controlled based on the bleed valve opening characteristics of the work mode set by the work mode selection dial 32.

[0091] Next, a description will be given of the functions of the controller 30 of this embodiment. The controller 30 of this embodiment includes an input receiving unit 301, a dangerous region identifying unit 302, and an irradiation instruction unit 303.

[0092] The input receiving unit 301 receives input of information used for identifying a danger area by the danger area identifying unit 302. The danger area identifying unit 302 identifies a danger area using the information received by the input receiving unit 301. The danger area in this embodiment is an area where the degree of danger increases if a lifted object falls in the crane mode of the excavator 100. More specifically, the danger area is an area where there is a high possibility of contact with a fallen object when the lifted object falls. Details of the processing by the danger area identifying unit 302 will be described later.

[0093] Furthermore, the danger area identifying unit 302 may identify a caution area and a safety area in addition to the danger area. The caution area is an area where there is a possibility of contact with a fallen object, although the possibility is lower than that of the danger area. The safety area is an area where there is a low possibility of contact with a fallen object. Note that the caution area and the safety area do not have to be identified, and in this embodiment, only the danger area may be identified.

[0094] Furthermore, the danger area identifying unit 302 of this embodiment may have a function of identifying an area where the degree of danger increases during the turning operation of the shovel 100 as a danger area when the suspended load 101 is not being lifted.

[0095] The state in which the shovel 100 is not lifting the load 101 is a state in which the operating mode of the shovel 100 is in a normal operating mode, and the area in which the degree of danger is increased during the rotation operation of the shovel 100 may be an area in which there is a possibility of contact with an attachment.

[0096] The danger area identifying unit 302 of this embodiment may determine a danger area when the shovel 100 is not lifting the suspended load 101 as a first area, and may determine a danger area when the shovel 100 is lifting the suspended load 101 as a second area having a range different from the first area. Furthermore, the danger area identifying unit 302 may switch the danger area between the first area and the second area depending on whether the shovel 100 is lifting the suspended load 101 or not.

[0097] In this manner, in this embodiment, the range of the danger area can be changed depending on the operation of the shovel 100.

[0098] The irradiation instruction unit 303 outputs an irradiation instruction to the lighting device 300 to visualize the danger area. The irradiation instruction instructs the lighting device 300 to irradiate the danger area identified by the danger area identifying unit 302 with light, and includes information indicating the danger area identified by the danger area identifying unit 302.

[0099] The illumination instruction of the present embodiment may include information indicating the range of the caution area and information indicating the range of the safety area. In the present embodiment, the color of light illuminating the danger area, the color of light illuminating the caution area, and the color of light illuminating the safety area may be set in advance. When the danger area, caution area, and safety area are identified by the danger area identification unit 302, the illumination instruction unit 303 of the present embodiment may output an illumination instruction including information indicating the range of each area and information indicating the color of light to be illuminating each area to the lighting device 300.

[0100] In other words, the illumination instruction of this embodiment may include information indicating the range of each of the danger area, caution area, and safety area, and information indicating the color of light to be illuminated to each of the danger area, caution area, and safety area.

[0101] Next, the processing of the controller 30 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the processing of the controller of the shovel.

[0102] When the shovel 100 starts an operation in the crane mode, the controller 30 of this embodiment receives, via the input receiving unit 301, an input of information used to identify a dangerous area (step S301).

[0103] Next, the controller 30 specifies a danger area by the danger area specifying unit 302 using the information received by the input receiving unit 301 (step S302). At this time, the danger area specifying unit 302 also specifies a caution area and a safety area.

[0104] Here, a description will be given of the processing of the risk region identifying section 302. The risk region identifying section 302 of this embodiment may identify a risk region by, for example, any of the following three methods.

[0105] The first method is to specify a range input by an operation of the operator of the shovel 100 or the like as a dangerous area.

[0106] In this case, when an operator or the like performs an operation to specify the range of the danger area using the information input device 72, the input receiving unit 301 receives input of information indicating the specified range. Then, the danger area identifying unit 302 identifies the specified range as the danger area. In the first method, the ranges of the caution area and the safety area may also be specified by the operator.

[0107] More specifically, the controller 30 may hold image data showing an overhead image of each work site, and may receive a selection of the work site and cause the display device 40 to display the overhead image data showing the overhead image of the selected work site.

[0108] Specifically, the controller 30 may cause an input screen including an overhead image of the selected work site to be displayed on the display device 40. Then, when the input receiving unit 301 receives a designation of a range to be a danger area in the overhead image, the input receiving unit 301 may pass information indicating the designated range to the danger area identifying unit 302 as information indicating the range of the danger area.

[0109] In this embodiment, by having the operator specify the dangerous area in this manner, it is possible to identify the dangerous area without having the controller 30 perform any processing, and the load on the controller 30 can be reduced.

[0110] The second method is to analyze information about the suspended load 101 and information indicating the topography of the work site, and identify an area where there is a possibility of contact with the dropped load 101 as a dangerous area. In this case, the dangerous area identifying unit 302 functions as an analyzing unit that analyzes an area that becomes a dangerous area using information about the suspended load 101 and information indicating the topography of the work site. The information about the suspended load 101, in other words, indicates the characteristics of the suspended load 101.

[0111] In this case, the input receiving unit 301 receives input of information relating to the suspended load 101 and information indicating the topography of the work site.

[0112] Specifically, the input receiving unit 301 receives input of information indicating the length and weight of the suspended load 101 (characteristics of the suspended load 101). The input receiving unit 301 also acquires, as information indicating the topography of the work site, information indicating the distance (height) from the suspended load 101 to the location where the worker is working, and image data indicating an image of the work site captured by an imaging device serving as the spatial recognition device 70.

[0113] The length and weight of the suspended load 101 and the height from the suspended load 101 to the location where the worker is working are input in advance by an operator, etc. In this embodiment, for example, when the excavator 100 is set to the crane mode, an input screen for inputting the length and weight of the suspended load 101 may be displayed on the display device 40.

[0114] The input screen may include, for example, an input field for inputting the length and weight of the suspended load 101, and an input field for inputting the height from the suspended load 101 to the location where the worker is working.

[0115] Furthermore, the controller 30 may hold information indicating a list of types of the suspended load 101, and the input screen may display the list for selecting the type of the suspended load 101. When a type of suspended load 101 is selected from the list, the input receiving unit 301 may pass the information indicating the type of the suspended load 101 together with the length and weight of the suspended load 101 to the hazardous area identifying unit 302. In other words, the information regarding the suspended load 101 may include information indicating the type of the suspended load 101. The type of suspended load 101 may include, for example, a log, a steel frame, a metal plate, etc.

[0116] In the information showing a list of types of the suspended load 101, the type of the suspended load 101 may be previously associated with an index value indicating the ease of rolling of the suspended load 101. The index value indicating the ease of rolling may be, for example, a value indicating that the closer the shape of the suspended load 101 is to a cylinder, the easier it is to roll, and that the closer the shape of the suspended load 101 is to a square prism, the harder it is to roll.

[0117] When the type of the suspended load 101 is selected, the input receiving unit 301 may pass an index value of the ease of rolling corresponding to the selected type to the dangerous area identifying unit 302. In other words, the information on the suspended load 101 may include an index value indicating the ease of rolling corresponding to the type of the suspended load 101. Furthermore, the information on the suspended load 101 may include information indicating the number of suspended loads 101 to be lifted at one time.

[0118] When the dangerous area identifying unit 302 receives input of information related to the suspended load 101 and information indicating the topography of the work site, it performs an analysis (simulation) of how the suspended load 101 will roll if it falls at the work site. Then, based on the analysis result, the dangerous area identifying unit 302 identifies an area that may come into contact with the dropped load 101 if the suspended load 101 falls.

[0119] More specifically, the danger area identification unit 302 may construct a virtual space that reproduces the environment around the shovel 100 based on information indicating the topography of the work site, information related to the suspended load 101, and operation information indicating the operating status of the shovel 100, and use the virtual space to perform a simulation of dropping the suspended load 101 to identify the danger area.

[0120] In this way, by performing a simulation using a virtual space, it is possible to identify dangerous areas with high accuracy.

[0121] Furthermore, the danger area identifying unit 302 identifies a caution area and a safety area based on the analysis results. Specifically, for example, the danger area identifying unit 302 may include the danger area and set a certain range on the periphery of the danger area as the caution area. Furthermore, the danger area identifying unit 302 may set an area where the possibility of contact with a dropped suspended load 101 is less than a predetermined value as the caution area. Furthermore, the danger area identifying unit 302 may set a certain range on the periphery of the caution area as the safety area.

[0122] Also, the danger area identifying unit 302 may identify a danger area, a caution area, and a safety area, for example, on the ground surface, with a point at which the direction of gravity from the hook 6e of the shovel 100 intersects as a center. Furthermore, the danger area identifying unit 302 may identify a danger area, a caution area, and a safety area, with a point at which the direction of gravity from the hook 6e intersects as a center, on the ground surface, when the arm 5 of the shovel 100 is fully opened.

[0123] At this time, the identified area may be identified as a two-dimensional area on the ground surface, or may be identified as a three-dimensional space. For example, the dangerous area identifying unit 302 may determine whether or not there is an object around the shovel 100 with which it is undesirable for the load 101 to come into contact, based on image data input as information indicating the topography of the work site, and if such an object is present, identify the dangerous area as a three-dimensional space. The object with which it is undesirable for the load 101 to come into contact may be, for example, a building, equipment, another work machine, a vehicle, etc.

[0124] In this embodiment, by identifying danger areas based on information about the suspended load 101 and information indicating the topography of the work site, it is possible to identify appropriate danger areas according to the conditions of the work site and the suspended load 101.

[0125] The third method is to identify a dangerous area using a trained model that estimates how the suspended load 101 will fall. In this case, the dangerous area identification unit 302 has a trained model and functions as an estimation unit that estimates how the suspended load 101 will fall using the trained model.

[0126] Estimation of the manner of falling includes, for example, estimating the way in which the dropped load 101 rolls after reaching the ground surface, and estimating the trajectory that the dropped load 101 follows until it reaches the ground surface.

[0127] In this case, the input receiving unit 301 receives input of image data of the suspended load 101 and image data of the work site. The image data of the suspended load 101 and the image data of the work site may both be captured by an imaging device serving as the spatial recognition device 70.

[0128] In this embodiment, for example, when the shovel 100 is switched to crane mode, the input receiving unit 301 may automatically acquire image data of the suspended load 101 captured by an imaging device serving as the spatial recognition device 70 and image data of the work site.

[0129] Furthermore, in this embodiment, image data of the suspended load 101 and image data of the work site do not need to be input separately, and image data of an image including an image of the suspended load 101 and an image of the work site may be input.

[0130] Specifically, for example, image data may be acquired by an imaging device provided on an aircraft serving as the lighting device 300 and input to the input receiving unit 301.

[0131] In this case, when the shovel 100 is set to the crane mode, the controller 30 may transmit an acquisition request for image data to the flying object. Upon receiving the acquisition request, the flying object may acquire image data of the work site including the shovel 100 in a state in which the shovel 100 is lifting the load 101 by an imaging device included in the flying object, and transmit the image data to the shovel 100.

[0132] The input receiving unit 301 receives input of image data received from an aircraft and passes it to the danger area identifying unit 302 .

[0133] When the risk area identification unit 302 acquires image data from the input receiving unit 301, it inputs the acquired image data into a trained model and acquires information indicating the range that is a risk area from the trained model.

[0134] Here, the trained model will be described. The trained model in this embodiment is a trained model that has learned the relationship between the combination of the suspended load 101 and the work site and the area (danger area) where there is a high possibility of contact with the dropped suspended load 101, using image data of the suspended load 101, image data of the work site, and image data showing the state of the work site after the suspended load 101 has fallen as a data set.

[0135] The danger area identification unit 302 of this embodiment stores this trained model in advance, inputs image data of the suspended load 101 and the work site into the trained model, and obtains information indicating the range of the danger area output from the trained model.

[0136] In addition, the trained model of this embodiment may, for example, identify caution areas and safety areas in addition to danger areas, and output information indicating the ranges of each.

[0137] In this embodiment, by using the trained model in this manner, it is possible to identify dangerous areas in the event that the suspended load 101 falls simply by obtaining image data of the suspended load 101 and the work site, and it is possible to easily identify dangerous areas with high accuracy.

[0138] Furthermore, when the shovel 100 is in a normal operation mode rather than the crane mode, the danger area identifying unit 302 may identify danger areas, caution areas, and safety areas with the center of rotation of the shovel 100 as the central point, and may cause the lighting device 300 to irradiate light thereon. A case where the operation mode of the shovel 100 is not the crane mode may be a state where the load 101 is not suspended from the hook 6e (a state where no object is being lifted).

[0139] In this embodiment, when the operation mode of the shovel 100 is switched from the normal operation mode to the crane mode, the danger area identification unit 302 may switch the danger area, caution area, and safety area to an area centered on a point that intersects with the direction of gravity from the hook 6e on the ground surface.

[0140] In other words, when the state of the shovel 100 changes from a state in which the load 101 is not being lifted to a state in which the load 101 is being lifted, the danger area identification unit 302 of this embodiment may switch the danger area, caution area, and safety area from an area (first area) centered on the center of rotation of the shovel 100 to an area (second area) centered on a point that intersects with the direction of gravity from the hook 6e on the ground's surface.

[0141] The lighting device 300 may switch the area to be irradiated with light in response to switching between a danger area, a caution area, and a safety area.

[0142] In this way, by automatically switching the ranges of the danger area, caution area, and safety area depending on the state of the shovel 100, the worker can understand that each area changes depending on the work content of the shovel 100.

[0143] When the danger area is identified in step S302 as described above, the controller 30 of this embodiment outputs a light irradiation instruction including information indicating the range of the danger area to the lighting device 300 via the irradiation instruction unit 303 (step S303). At this time, the output irradiation instruction may include information indicating the range of the caution area and the safety area, and information indicating the color of the light to be irradiated to each area.

[0144] In this manner, the controller 30 of the present embodiment identifies a danger area in the event that the suspended load 101 falls during the operation of lifting and moving the suspended load 101, and visualizes the identified danger area.

[0145] Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to allow a worker performing work around the shovel 100 to visually recognize the danger area and to urge him or her to evacuate from the danger area. Furthermore, the controller 30 of the shovel 100 in this embodiment may stop the operation of the shovel 100 when, for example, an object such as a person is detected within the caution area or the danger area. In this way, the safety of the work can be improved.

[0146] Next, a method of irradiating light by the illumination device 300 will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a first diagram showing an example of a method of irradiating light by the illumination device.

[0147] Fig. 4 shows a method of irradiating light when the lighting device 300 is an airborne vehicle. In the example of Fig. 4, the danger area 201, the caution area 202, and the safety area 203 are irradiated with light of different colors, respectively. Specifically, the danger area 201 may be red, the caution area 202 may be yellow, and the safety area 203 may be green. In this embodiment, by irradiating each area with light of a different color in this way and making it visible, a worker working around the shovel 100 can know whether or not he or she is in a safe place.

[0148] Fig. 5 is a second diagram showing an example of how the lighting device 300 irradiates light. The example in Fig. 5 shows a case where the lighting device 300 is installed near the bucket link 6a of the excavator 100. Fig. 5 also shows a state where the point where the hook 6e intersects with the direction of gravity on the ground surface is inclined. In this case, when the suspended load 101 falls, the suspended load 101 rolls down the slope, and most of the slope is identified as a dangerous area 201.

[0149] In this manner, in this embodiment, it is possible to identify dangerous areas according to the topography of the work site.

[0150] Furthermore, in the shovel 100 of this embodiment, the danger area, caution area, and safety area identified by the danger area identifying unit 302 may be displayed on the display device 40.

[0151] 6 and 7, a display example of the display device 40 of the shovel 100 will be described below. In the following explanation, a display example of the display device 40 when the operation mode of the shovel 100 is switched from the normal operation mode to the crane mode will be described.

[0152] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a display on the display device when the operation mode of the shovel is the normal operation mode. In other words, Fig. 6 shows an example of a display on the display device in a state where the shovel 100 is not lifting the load 101.

[0153] The display device 40 shown in Fig. 6 has an image display unit 41 and an input device 42. The image display unit 41 is a screen on which various images are displayed. The input device 42 may be a part of the information input device 72. In Fig. 6, a main screen is displayed on the image display unit 41.

[0154] First, a description will be given of the image display unit 41. As shown in Fig. 6, the image display unit 41 includes a date and time display area 41a, a driving mode display area 41b, an attachment display area 41c, a fuel efficiency display area 41d, an engine control state display area 41e, an engine operation time display area 41f, a coolant temperature display area 41g, a remaining fuel amount display area 41h, a rotation speed mode display area 41i, a remaining urea water amount display area 41j, a hydraulic oil temperature display area 41k, an air conditioner operation state display area 41m, an image display area 41n, and a menu display area 41p.

[0155] The travel mode display area 41b, the attachment display area 41c, the engine control state display area 41e, the rotation speed mode display area 41i, and the air conditioner operation state display area 41m are areas that display setting state information, which is information about the setting state of the excavator 100. The fuel consumption display area 41d, the engine operation time display area 41f, the coolant temperature display area 41g, the remaining fuel amount display area 41h, the remaining urea water amount display area 41j, and the hydraulic oil temperature display area 41k are areas that display operating state information, which is information about the operating state of the excavator 100.

[0156] Specifically, the date and time display area 41a is an area for displaying the current date and time. The driving mode display area 41b is an area for displaying the current driving mode. The attachment display area 41c is an area for displaying an image representing the currently attached attachment. The fuel efficiency display area 41d is an area for displaying fuel efficiency information calculated by the controller 30. The fuel efficiency display area 41d includes an average fuel efficiency display area 41d1 for displaying lifetime average fuel efficiency or section average fuel efficiency, and an instantaneous fuel efficiency display area 41d2 for displaying instantaneous fuel efficiency.

[0157] The engine control status display area 41e is an area that displays the control status of the engine 11. The engine operating time display area 41f is an area that displays the accumulated operating time of the engine 11. The coolant temperature display area 41g is an area that displays the current temperature state of the engine coolant. The remaining fuel amount display area 41h is an area that displays the remaining amount of fuel stored in the fuel tank.

[0158] The rotation speed mode display area 41i is an area that displays, by an image, the current rotation speed mode set by the work mode selection dial 32. The urea water remaining amount display area 41j is an area that displays, by an image, the remaining amount of urea water stored in the urea water tank. The hydraulic oil temperature display area 41k is an area that displays the temperature state of the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic oil tank.

[0159] The air conditioner operation status display area 41m includes an air outlet display area 41m1 that displays the current air outlet position, an operation mode display area 41m2 that displays the current operation mode, a temperature display area 41m3 that displays the current set temperature, and an air volume display area 41m4 that displays the current set air volume.

[0160] The image display area 41n is an area for displaying an image captured by the imaging device S6. In the example of Fig. 6, the image display area 41n displays an overhead image FV and a rear image CBT. The overhead image FV is, for example, a virtual viewpoint image generated by the display control unit 66, and is generated based on images captured by the rear camera S6B, the left camera S6L, and the right camera S6R.

[0161] Moreover, a shovel figure GE corresponding to the shovel 100 is arranged in the center of the overhead image FV. This is to allow the operator to intuitively grasp the positional relationship between the shovel 100 and objects existing around the shovel 100. The rear image CBT is an image that shows the space behind the shovel 100, and includes an image GC of the counterweight. The rear image CBT is a real viewpoint image generated by the control unit 40a, and is generated based on an image acquired by the rear camera S6B.

[0162] Further, the image display area 41n has a first image display area 41n1 located above and a second image display area 41n2 located below. In the example of Fig. 6, the overhead image FV is arranged in the first image display area 41n1, and the rear image CBT is arranged in the second image display area 41n2. However, the image display area 41n may arrange the overhead image FV in the second image display area 41n2, and the rear image CBT in the first image display area 41n1.

[0163] In addition, although the overhead image FV and the rear image CBT are arranged adjacent to each other vertically in the example of Fig. 6, they may be arranged with a gap therebetween. In addition, in the example of Fig. 6, the image display area 41n is a vertically elongated area, but the image display area 41n may be a horizontally elongated area.

[0164] When the image display area 41n is a horizontally long area, the image display area 41n may have an overhead image FV arranged on the left side as the first image display area 41n1 and a rear image CBT arranged on the right side as the second image display area 41n2. In this case, they may be arranged with a gap between them on the left and right, or the positions of the overhead image FV and the rear image CBT may be interchanged.

[0165] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an icon image 41x is displayed in each of the first image display area 41n1 and the second image display area 41n2. The icon image 41x is an image that represents the relative relationship between the position of the imaging device S6 and the orientation of the attachment of the upper rotating body 3.

[0166] The icon image 41x of this embodiment includes an image 41xM of the shovel 100, an image 41xF showing the front of the shovel 100, and an image 41xB showing the rear of the shovel 100. The icon image 41x also includes an image 41xL showing the left side of the shovel 100, an image 41xR showing the right side of the shovel 100, and an image 41xI showing the inside of the cabin 10.

[0167] The images 41xF, 41xB, 41xL, 41xR, and 41xI correspond to the front camera S6F that captures an image in front of the shovel 100, the rear camera S6B that captures an image behind the shovel 100, the left camera S6L that captures an image to the left of the shovel 100, and the right camera S6R that captures an image to the right of the shovel 100. In addition, the image 41xI corresponds to a camera inside the cabin 10.

[0168] In this embodiment, when an image associated with a camera is selected in the icon image 41x, image data captured by the camera corresponding to the selected image is displayed in the image display area 41n.

[0169] 6, in the first image display area 41n1, the display manner of the images 41xB, 41xL, and 41xR is different from the display manner of the images 41xF and 41xI. Therefore, it can be seen that the first image display area 41n1 displays an overhead image represented by image data synthesized from image data captured by the rear camera S6B, left camera S6L, and right camera S6R corresponding to the images 41xB, 41xL, and 41xR, respectively.

[0170] 6, images showing the danger area, the caution area, and the safety area identified by the danger area identification unit 302 are displayed in the first image display area 41n1. Specifically, an image 61 is an image showing the danger area, an image 62 is an image showing the caution area, and an image 63 is an image showing the safety area. In the example of FIG. 6, it can be seen that each of the areas shown by the images 61, 62, and 63 is an area having the center point at the center of rotation of the excavator 100.

[0171] Each of the images 61, 62, and 63 may be, for example, an image captured of light emitted from an aircraft serving as the lighting device 300. Each of the images 61, 62, and 63 may be an image generated by the controller 30 and superimposed on the overhead image FV.

[0172] In addition, in the second image display region 41n2, the display mode of the image 41xB is different from the display modes of the images 41xF, 41xL, 41xR, and 41xI. Therefore, it can be seen that the image represented by the image data captured by the rear camera S6B corresponding to the image 41xB is displayed in the second image display region 41n2.

[0173] The menu display area 41p has tabs 41p1 to 41p7. In the example of Fig. 6, the tabs 41p1 to 41p7 are arranged at intervals from each other on the left and right at the bottom of the image display section 41. Icon images for displaying various types of information are displayed on the tabs 41p1 to 41p7.

[0174] In the tab 41p1, a menu detailed item icon image for displaying a menu detailed item is displayed. When the operator selects the tab 41p1, the icon images displayed in the tabs 41p2 to 41p7 are switched to icon images associated with the menu detailed items.

[0175] An icon image for displaying information related to the digital level is displayed on the tab 41p4. When the operator selects the tab 41p4, the rear image CBT is switched to a screen showing information related to the digital level. However, the screen showing information related to the digital level may be displayed by superimposing the information on the rear image CBT or by reducing the rear image CBT.

[0176] In addition, the overhead image FV may be switched to a screen showing information related to the digital level, or the screen showing information related to the digital level may be displayed by superimposing it on the overhead image FV or by reducing the overhead image FV.

[0177] The tab 41p5 displays an icon image for transitioning the main screen displayed on the image display unit 41 to a loading work screen. When the operator selects the input device 42 corresponding to the tab 41p5 (described later), the main screen displayed on the image display unit 41 transitions to the loading work screen. At this time, the image display area 41n continues to be displayed, and the menu display area 41p switches to an area for displaying information related to the loading work.

[0178] An icon image for displaying information on information-based construction is displayed on the tab 41p6. When the operator selects the tab 41p6, the rear image CBT is switched to a screen showing information on information-based construction. However, a screen showing information on information-based construction may be displayed by superimposing the rear image CBT or by reducing the rear image CBT. Also, the overhead image FV may be switched to a screen showing information on information-based construction, or a screen showing information on a digital level may be displayed by superimposing the overhead image FV or by reducing the overhead image FV.

[0179] An icon image for displaying information related to the crane mode is displayed on the tab 41p7. When the operator selects the tab 41p7, the rear image CBT is switched to a screen showing information related to the crane mode, and the operation mode of the excavator 100 may be switched from the normal operation mode to the crane mode.

[0180] In this embodiment, a screen showing information about the crane mode may be displayed by superimposing it on the rear image CBT or by reducing the rear image CBT. Also, the overhead image FV may be switched to a screen showing information about the crane mode, or a screen showing information about the crane mode may be displayed by superimposing it on the overhead image FV or by reducing the overhead image FV.

[0181] In this embodiment, when the operation mode of the shovel 100 is switched from the normal operation mode to the crane mode, the danger area, the caution area, and the safety area displayed in the first image display area 41n1 may be switched from an area having the center point of the rotation center to an area having the center point of a point intersecting with the direction of gravity from the hook 6e on the ground surface. Details of a display example when the operation mode of the shovel 100 is changed to the crane mode will be described later.

[0182] No icon image is displayed on the tabs 41p2 and 41p3, so that even if the operator operates the tabs 41p2 and 41p3, the image displayed on the image display unit 41 does not change.

[0183] The icon images displayed on the tabs 41p1 to 41p7 are not limited to the above examples, and icon images for displaying other information may be displayed.

[0184] Next, a description will be given of the input device 42. As shown in Fig. 6, the input device 42 is composed of one or more button-type switches that allow the operator to select tabs 41p1 to 41p7, input settings, and the like.

[0185] 6, the input device 42 includes seven switches 42a1 to 42a7 arranged in an upper row and seven switches 42b1 to 42b7 arranged in a lower row. The switches 42b1 to 42b7 are arranged below the switches 42a1 to 42a7, respectively.

[0186] However, the number, type, and arrangement of the switches of the input device 42 are not limited to the above example, and may be, for example, a type in which the functions of multiple button-type switches are combined into one using a jog wheel, jog switch, or the like, or the input device 42 may be separate from the display device 40. Also, a method in which the tabs 41p1 to 41p7 are directly operated using a touch panel in which the image display unit 41 and the input device 42 are integrated may be used.

[0187] The switches 42a1 to 42a7 are arranged below the tabs 41p1 to 41p7 in correspondence with the tabs 41p1 to 41p7, and function as switches for selecting the tabs 41p1 to 41p7, respectively.

[0188] Since the switches 42a1 to 42a7 are arranged below the tabs 41p1 to 41p7 in correspondence with the tabs 41p1 to 41p7, respectively, the operator can intuitively select the tabs 41p1 to 41p7.

[0189] In Fig. 6, for example, when the switch 42a1 is operated, the tab 41p1 is selected, the menu display area 41p is changed from a single-row display to a double-row display, and icon images corresponding to the first menu are displayed in the tabs 41p2 to 41p7. In addition, in response to the menu display area 41p being changed from a single-row display to a double-row display, the size of the rear image CBT is reduced. At this time, the size of the overhead image FV is maintained without being changed, so that the visibility when the operator checks the surroundings of the excavator 100 is not deteriorated.

[0190] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the display on the display device when the operation mode of the shovel is switched from the normal operation mode to the crane mode. In other words, Fig. 7 shows an example of the display on the display device 40 when the state of the shovel 100 changes from a state in which the load 101 is not being lifted to a state in which the load 101 is being lifted.

[0191] In Figure 7, it can be seen that in the first image display area 41n1, the danger area, caution area, and safety area have each been switched from areas centered on the center of rotation to areas centered on a point on the ground surface where the gravity direction from the hook 6e of the shovel 100 intersects.

[0192] More specifically, it can be seen that the images 61, 62, and 63 have been moved to positions centered on the point at which they intersect with the direction of gravity from the hook 6e of the shovel 100.

[0193] The second image display area 41n2 also includes a display area 64 in which information related to the crane mode is displayed. In the display area 64, the type and weight of the suspended load 101 are displayed as information related to the crane mode. Note that the display area 64 may display information other than the information shown in FIG.

[0194] Thus, in this embodiment, when the operation mode of the shovel 100 is switched from the normal operation mode to the crane mode, a danger area corresponding to the position of the load 101 being lifted in the crane mode can be displayed on the display device 40.

[0195] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the excavator 100 is switched from the crane mode to the normal operation mode, the danger area returns from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG.

[0196] Therefore, in this embodiment, the operator of the shovel 100 can be made aware that the danger area changes depending on the work content of the shovel 100.

[0197] Next, with reference to FIG. 8, a case will be described in which the functions of the controller 30 of this embodiment are provided in a control device in the remote control room RC and the danger area, caution area, and safety area are displayed on a display device in the remote control room RC.

[0198] 8 is a diagram illustrating the remote control room. A remote controller 30A, a sound output device 50A, an indoor imaging device C2, a display device D, a communication device T2, etc. are installed in the remote control room RC. A driver's seat DS where an operator who remotely operates the excavator 100 sits is also installed in the remote control room RC.

[0199] The remote controller 30A is a calculation device that executes various calculations. In this embodiment, the remote controller 30A is configured with a microcomputer including a CPU and a memory, similar to the controller 30. Various functions of the remote controller 30A are realized by the CPU executing a program stored in the memory.

[0200] Moreover, the remote controller 30A of the present embodiment may have the functions of the controller 30 of the shovel 100. Specifically, the remote controller 30A may have an input receiving unit 301, a dangerous area identifying unit 302, and an irradiation instructing unit 303.

[0201] The audio output device 50A is configured to output sound. In this embodiment, the audio output device 50A is a speaker and is configured to play back sounds collected by a sound collection device attached to the shovel 100.

[0202] The indoor imaging device C2 is configured to capture an image of the inside of the remote control room RC. In this embodiment, the indoor imaging device C2 is a camera installed inside the remote control room RC, and is configured to capture an image of an operator seated in the driver's seat DS.

[0203] The communication device T2 controls wireless communication with the communication device T1 attached to the shovel 100. In this embodiment, the communication device T1 and the communication device T2 are configured to transmit and receive information via a fifth generation mobile communication line (5G line), an LTE line, a satellite line, or the like.

[0204] In this embodiment, the driver's seat DS has a structure similar to that of a driver's seat installed in the cabin 10 of a normal excavator 100. Specifically, a left console box 120L is disposed on the left side of the driver's seat DS, and a right console box 120R is disposed on the right side of the driver's seat DS.

[0205] A left operation lever is disposed at the front end of the top surface of the left console box 120L, and a right operation lever is disposed at the front end of the top surface of the right console box 120R. In addition, a travel lever and a travel pedal are disposed in front of the driver's seat DS.

[0206] Furthermore, a work mode selection dial 32A is disposed in the center of the upper surface of the right console box 120R. Also, an operation switch 27a and an operation switch 27b are disposed on the upper surface of the right console box 120R.

[0207] In this embodiment, a remote control lever 27c is provided near the right console box 120R.

[0208] The left and right operating levers, the travel lever, the travel pedal, the remote control lever 27c, the work mode selection dial 32A, and the operation switches 27a and 27b are all included in the operating device 27.

[0209] The work mode selection dial 32A is a dial for adjusting the rotation speed of the engine 11, and is configured to be able to switch the engine rotation speed in four stages, for example.

[0210] The operation switch 27a is an operation member for instructing the remote controller 30A to stop. When the operation switch 27a is pressed, the remote controller 30A of the present embodiment generates an operation signal indicating a stop command for the operating elements of the shovel 100 and transmits the operation signal to the shovel 100.

[0211] When the controller 30 of the shovel 100 receives this operation signal, the stop command generating unit 33 generates a stop command and transmits the stop command to each operating element of the shovel 100.

[0212] In this embodiment, by providing an operating member for issuing a stop command inside the remote control room RC, for example, the operator of the remote control room RC can immediately stop the operation of the shovel 100 even if the shovel 100 is operating autonomously.

[0213] Therefore, in this embodiment, for example, even when the operation of the shovel 100 under autonomous driving is not suitable for the conditions at the work site, safety at the work site can be maintained and safety can be improved.

[0214] The operation switch 27b is an operating member for switching the operation signal used to control the shovel 100 from an operation signal generated in the remote control room RC to an operation signal generated by an operation device 26 provided in the cabin 10.

[0215] When the operation switch 27b is operated, the remote controller 30A may transmit to the shovel 100 an operation signal including a request to switch to operation by the operation device 26 in the cabin 10. The controller 30 of the shovel 100 may receive this operation signal, stop receiving the operation signal from the remote control room RC, and control the operating elements of the shovel 100 by the operation signal corresponding to the operation in the cabin 10.

[0216] In this embodiment, by having an operating member that switches from remote operation to operation within the cabin 10, the operation of the shovel 100 can be switched from remote operation to operation within the cabin 10 at the discretion of the operator in the remote operation room RC.

[0217] The remote control lever 27c is an operating member for switching the operation signal used to control the shovel 100 from an operation signal generated by the autonomous control function of the controller 30 to an operation signal generated in the remote control room RC.

[0218] In this embodiment, when the remote control lever 27c is tilted in the remote operation room RC while the shovel 100 is operating autonomously, the remote controller 30A may transmit a control request by remote operation to the shovel 100. Upon receiving this control request, the controller 30 stops generating operation signals and controls the operating elements of the shovel 100 by the operation signals received from the remote operation room RC.

[0219] The display device D is configured to display information related to the situation around the shovel 100. In this embodiment, the display device D is a multi-display made up of nine monitors in three vertical rows and three horizontal columns, and is configured to be able to display the state of the space in front of, to the left of, and to the right of the shovel 100. Each monitor is a liquid crystal monitor, an organic EL monitor, or the like. However, the display device D may be made up of one or more curved monitors, or may be made up of a projector.

[0220] The display device D may be a display device that can be worn by an operator. For example, the display device D may be a head-mounted display configured to transmit and receive information to and from the remote controller 30A by wireless communication. The head-mounted display may be connected to the remote controller 30A by wire. The head-mounted display may be a transparent head-mounted display or a non-transparent head-mounted display. The head-mounted display may be a monocular head-mounted display or a binocular head-mounted display.

[0221] The display device D is configured to display an image that enables the operator in the remote control room RC to visually recognize the surroundings of the shovel 100. In other words, the display device D displays an image so that the operator can confirm the surroundings of the shovel 100 as if he or she were in the cabin 10 of the shovel 100, despite being in the remote control room RC.

[0222] In this embodiment, the display device D is a multi-display consisting of nine monitors arranged in three vertical rows and three horizontal columns, as shown in Fig. 8. Specifically, the display device D includes a central monitor Da, an upper monitor Db, a lower monitor Dc, a left monitor Dd, a right monitor De, an upper left monitor Df, an upper right monitor Dg, a lower left monitor Dh, and a lower right monitor Di.

[0223] The central monitor Da is configured to display an image capturing the situation of the space in the central range. The upper monitor Db is configured to display an image capturing the situation of the space represented by the upper range. The lower monitor Dc is configured to display an image capturing the situation of the space represented by the lower range. The left monitor Dd is configured to display an image capturing the situation of the space represented by the left range. The right monitor De is configured to display an image capturing the situation of the space represented by the right range. The same is true for the upper left monitor Df, the upper right monitor Dg, the lower left monitor Dh, and the lower right monitor Di.

[0224] However, the display device D may be a multi-display consisting of, for example, six monitors arranged in two vertical rows and three horizontal rows. In this case, the range in which an image is projected on the display device D may be divided into six ranges corresponding to the six monitors. Alternatively, the display device D may be a multi-display consisting of five monitors, a center monitor, an upper monitor, a left monitor, a lower monitor, and a right monitor. In this case, the display of images capturing the respective situations of the upper left range, the upper right range, the lower left range, and the lower right range may be omitted. Alternatively, the display device D may be a multi-display in which multiple monitors are arranged in any other arrangement mode.

[0225] In the above-described embodiment, the display device D is installed in front, on the left front, and on the right front of the operator, but may be installed in a rectangular tube shape or a cylindrical shape so as to surround the operator. That is, the display device D may include a monitor installed behind the operator. Alternatively, the display device D may be installed in a hemispherical shape so as to surround the operator. That is, the display device D may include a monitor installed directly above the operator.

[0226] Furthermore, in this embodiment, any one of the multiple monitors included in the display device D may be caused to display images of the shovel 100 that is the target of remote operation, and the danger area, caution area, and safety area identified for the shovel 100.

[0227] In the example of FIG. 8, an image of the shovel 100, an image 61 indicating a danger area, an image 62 indicating a caution area, and an image 63 indicating a safety area are displayed on the lower right monitor Di.

[0228] In this embodiment, by displaying the danger area that would occur if something lifted by the shovel 100 were to fall on the display device D of the remote control room RC, the operator performing operations in the remote control room RC can be made aware of the danger area around the shovel 100 that he or she is operating.

[0229] Next, a case where the work machine is a traveling crane apparatus will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of how the lighting device irradiates light when the work machine is a traveling crane apparatus.

[0230] 9 includes a traveling section 410 that travels on, for example, a rail R, a fixed section 420 provided on the traveling section 410, a rotating section 430 provided rotatably on the fixed section 420, a cab 440 provided on the rotating section 430, and a jib 450 (attachment) provided on the rotating section 430. The fixed section 420 has a cylindrical body 420A at least in an upper portion thereof.

[0231] The traveling crane device 400 has a hoisting tool t for hoisting a load, a wire rope w for winding up and lowering the hoisting tool t, and a drum (not shown) for winding up and letting out the wire rope w. The drum is connected to a motor (not shown) or the like and rotates by the driving force of the motor. The hoisting tool t is raised by winding up the wire rope w by the drum, and conversely, the hoisting tool t is lowered by letting out the wire rope w by the drum. In other words, the hoisting tool t, the wire rope w, and the drum constitute a loading / unloading section that performs loading and unloading work on the load.

[0232] The traveling crane apparatus 400 can travel on the rails R by driving the traveling part 410. The traveling crane apparatus 400 can travel on the rails R to move close to a load to be handled, and can transport the load by traveling on the rails R with the load suspended by the hoisting tool t.

[0233] The traveling crane apparatus 400 can adjust the position of the hoisting gear t by raising and lowering the jib 450. In other words, by increasing the angle of the jib 450 from the horizontal plane, the hoisting gear t can be brought closer to the crane body (composed of the traveling section 410 and the fixed section 420), and conversely, by decreasing the angle of the jib 450 from the horizontal plane, the hoisting gear t can be moved away from the crane body. In addition, the traveling crane apparatus 400 can adjust the angle of the hoisting gear t (angle when viewed from above) with the crane body as the center by rotating the swivel section 430 relative to the fixed section 420.

[0234] Near the rail R on which the traveling crane apparatus 400 travels, workers walk and trailers and transport carts travel. It is difficult for the driver to visually check the area around the traveling section 410 from the driver's cab 440, making it difficult to check the workers, trailers, etc. Therefore, the traveling crane apparatus 400 has an imaging unit 460 for checking the area around the traveling section 410.

[0235] Furthermore, the traveling crane device 400 of this embodiment is provided with a lighting device 300 at the tip of the jib 450. A controller 30B is provided inside the cab 440, and the controller 30B has an input receiving unit 301, a dangerous area identifying unit 302, and an illumination instructing unit 303.

[0236] 9, the traveling crane device 400 is performing work near the building 500, and therefore the danger area identifying unit 302 of the controller 30B identifies danger areas on the wall surface 510 of the building 500 that are likely to come into contact with the suspended load 101 when the suspended load 101 falls. The danger area identifying unit 302 of the controller 30B also identifies caution areas 202 on the wall surface 510 of the building 500 that are likely to come into contact with the suspended load 101 when it falls.

[0237] Then, the traveling crane device 400 causes the lighting device 300 to irradiate the identified danger area 201 and caution area 202 with light of different colors.

[0238] In this embodiment, light indicating that a danger area is present can also be irradiated onto the wall surfaces of buildings, etc. Therefore, in this embodiment, when a work machine is performing work of lifting and moving an object, workers, etc. around the work machine can be made to visually recognize the danger area and the workers, etc. can be urged to move to a safe location, thereby improving work safety.

[0239] In the above-described embodiment, the input receiving unit 301, the danger area identification unit 302, and the irradiation instruction unit 303 are described as being provided in the controller 30 of the shovel 100, the remote controller 30A of the remote operation room RC, and the controller 30B of the traveling crane device 400, but the input receiving unit 301, the danger area identification unit 302, and the irradiation instruction unit 303 may be provided in the management device 200.

[0240] In this case, the management device 200 may have programs installed therein for realizing the input receiving unit 301, the danger area identification unit 302, and the irradiation instruction unit 303, and the CPU of the management device 200 may realise the functions of each unit by reading and executing the installed programs.

[0241] In addition, when the danger area identification unit 302 of the management device 200 identifies an area input by operation of the operator of the shovel 100, etc., as a danger area, the input receiving unit 301 of the management device 200 may receive information indicating the range of the danger area input by operation of the operator of the shovel 100, and the danger area may be identified by the danger area identification unit 302.

[0242] The information indicating the extent of the danger area may be input by an administrator who operates the management device 200, or the like.

[0243] In addition, when the danger area identification unit 302 of the management device 200 analyzes the range that becomes a danger area based on information about the suspended load 101 (characteristics of the suspended load 101) and information indicating the topography of the work site, the input receiving unit 301 receives input of information about the suspended load 101 and information indicating the topography of the work site.

[0244] Specifically, the input receiving unit 301 may acquire information about the suspended load 101 input by an operator of the shovel 100 and information indicating the topography of the work site from the shovel 100. In addition, the input receiving unit 301 may receive input of information about the suspended load 101 and information indicating the topography of the work site from an input device of the management device 200.

[0245] Furthermore, when the danger area identifying unit 302 of the management device 200 identifies a danger area using a trained model that estimates the rolling manner of the suspended load 101, the input receiving unit 301 may receive input of image data of the suspended load 101 acquired by the shovel 100 and image data of the work site. Furthermore, the input receiving unit 301 of the management device 200 may acquire image data of the suspended load 101 and image data of the work site that are directly input to the management device 200.

[0246] In this embodiment, by identifying the danger area in the management device 200 in this manner, the processing load on the controller 30 of the shovel 100 can be reduced, and the configuration of the shovel 100 can be simplified.

[0247] In addition, in this embodiment, the shovel 100 and the traveling crane device 400 are taken as examples of the work machine, but the work machine is not limited to this. The present invention can be applied to any work machine that lifts and moves objects, such as a forklift or a crane of a type other than the traveling crane device 400.

[0248] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications, substitutions, etc. may be applied to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, features described separately may be combined unless technical contradictions arise. [Explanation of symbols]

[0249] 1 Undercarriage 2 Swivel mechanism 3. Upper rotating body 4. Boom 5 Arm 6 Bucket 30, 30B Controller 30A Remote Controller 30 100 Shovel 200 Management device 301 Input reception section 302 Danger Area Identification Section 303 Irradiation instruction section 300 Lighting Equipment 400 Traveling crane device

Claims

1. Attachment and a control device that identifies a danger area where the degree of danger increases if the object falls during an operation of lifting and moving an object with the attachment, and visualizes the identified danger area.

2. The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein the danger area is an area where there is a high possibility of contact with the fallen object when the object falls.

3. The control device includes: Image data showing an overhead view of each work site is stored, Accepting the selection of the work site, and displaying the overhead image data showing the overhead image of the selected work site on the display device; 3. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein when a designation of a range to be a danger area in the displayed overhead image is accepted, the designated range is identified as the danger area.

4. The control device includes:

3. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein the danger area is identified based on information relating to the object characteristics and a topography of a work site of the work machine.

5. The control device includes: constructing a virtual space that reproduces the environment around the work machine based on the characteristics of the object, information on the topography of the work site of the work machine, and operation information showing the operating state of the work machine; 3. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein the danger area is identified by a simulation using the virtual space.

6. The control device includes: a trained model that has learned a relationship between a combination of an object and a work site and an area that is likely to come into contact with a fallen object from a data set that associates image data of an object, image data of a work site of a work machine, and image data showing a state of the work site after the object has fallen; 3. The work machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein image data including an image of the object and an image of the work site is input to the trained model, and an area output from the trained model is identified as the danger area.

7. the work machine is a shovel, The control device includes: A region in which there is a high possibility of contacting the attachment during a swing operation of the shovel when the operation mode of the shovel is a normal operation mode is defined as a first region; When the operation mode of the shovel is a crane mode, an area where there is a high possibility of contact with a dropped object during an operation of lifting the object with the attachment and moving it is defined as a second area, 3. The work machine according to claim 1, wherein the range of the danger area is switched between the first area and the second area depending on an operation mode of the shovel.

Images