Remote controller

Abstract

To provide an ideal remote controller for the travelling operation of an industrial machine equipped with crawlers on both the right and left sides of a machine body.SOLUTION: If the coordinate of a left stick 24 is (X:-255, Y:0), then its coordinate in the polar coordinate system is (r:255, θ:-90°). In this case, a rotational speed difference between right and left crawlers 2 is set to maximum and each rotate in the opposite direction at the same speed. Therefore, a crawler crane 1 performs an ultra-pivotal turn counterclockwise at the maximum speed. The rotational speed difference is not set to the right and left crawlers 2 and the crawler crane 1 moves forward at the maximum speed because the coordinate (X:0, Y:+255) corresponds to (r:255, θ:0°) in the polar coordinate. If the input value of the left stick 24 is (X:122, Y:122), then its coordinate in the polar coordinate system is approximately (r:255, θ:45°). In this case, the crawler crane rotates a left crawler 2L at the maximum speed, stops a right crawler 2R, and performs the ultra-pivotal turn clockwise.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a remote control for an industrial machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a lever has been used as a travel control device for industrial machines equipped with crawler devices on the left and right sides of the machine body, which can be pushed back and forth to rotate the left and right crawler devices forward or backward independently. However, in the case of such a travel control device, since the left and right crawler devices operate independently, a certain level of proficiency is required for the worker to freely move the industrial machine forward, backward, and turn. In addition, both hands must be used to operate the machine when traveling, making it difficult to change gears, turn on the horn, etc. while operating the travel lever.

[0003] The difficulty of such traveling operation can be alleviated by using a remote controller. For example, if a remote controller such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1 is made compatible with the above-mentioned lever operation, the worker can operate the gear shift switch while operating the toggle switch with his / her fingers. However, many remote controllers, including the remote controller disclosed in Patent Document 1, are configured specifically for operating the work machine, and are not necessarily configured suitable for traveling operation.

[0004] In particular, a remote control device having the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a momentary switch for operating the work equipment, so if an operating method similar to lever operation is applied, only straight travel, pivot turns, or super pivot turns can be performed, and skill is required to freely travel the industrial machinery. Therefore, it is conceivable to use a remote control equipped with a joystick on the operation section for driving operations, as disclosed in Patent Document 2. Such a remote control enables operations such as turning by generating a speed difference between the left and right crawlers, which is not possible with a switch type that allows only ON-OFF control, and thus improves operability. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-081260 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2017-030924 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, an operating method in which left and right levers correspond one-to-one to left and right crawlers is not necessarily intuitive because turning operations must be performed not only by operating the lever or joystick forward and backward. Also, the operator must still use both hands to operate it. Therefore, even if lever operation is simply applied to a joystick-type remote control device, skill is still required to operate the industrial machine freely.

[0007] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a remote control device suitable for operating the traveling of industrial machinery that has crawlers on both the left and right sides of the body. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A first invention is a remote control device for operating an industrial machine having crawlers on each of the left and right sides of a body, the remote control device comprising: a joystick capable of operating the industrial machine to travel; and a signal generating unit that generates an operation command signal for operating the industrial machine; The signal generating unit is a remote control device that can be set to a first operation mode in which the signal generating unit sets the rotational speed of the crawler in proportion to the magnitude of tilt of the joystick and generates an operation command signal in which the rotational direction and rotational speed difference between the left and right crawlers are set corresponding to the direction of tilt of the joystick.

[0009] In a second aspect of the present invention, the joystick according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a first axis and a second axis which are perpendicular to each other as detection axes for the magnitude and direction of the tilt, This remote control device is characterized in that a turning redundant area is set in a predetermined range where the input value of the first axis is a negative value, in which a rotational speed difference is generated between the left and right crawlers while maintaining the same rotation direction as when a positive value is input to the first axis.

[0010] A third invention is a remote control device characterized in that the predetermined range in which the turning redundant region described in the first invention is set is between a position where the input value of the first axis is 0 and a position where the input value of the first axis is a predetermined value between 10% and 12% of the maximum value of the first axis.

[0011] A fourth invention is a remote control device according to the third invention, characterized in that a dead zone in which no rotational speed difference is generated between the left and right crawlers regardless of the input value of the second axis is set in a predetermined range where the input value of the first axis becomes a negative value and borders the turning redundant zone.

[0012] A fifth invention is a remote control device characterized in that the predetermined range in which the insensitive area described in the second or fourth invention is set is between an end of the turning redundant area and a position where a predetermined value is between 14% and 16% of the maximum value of the first axis.

[0013] A sixth invention is a remote control device in which the industrial machine described in the first to fifth inventions is capable of changing the width between the left and right crawlers, and further includes an input unit capable of outputting a width widening signal and a width narrowing signal, and the signal generating unit generates an operation command signal that widens the width between the left and right crawlers when a width widening signal is output from the input unit, and narrows the width between the left and right crawlers when a width narrowing signal is output.

[0014] A seventh invention is a method for manufacturing an industrial machine according to any one of the first to fifth inventions, wherein a width between the left and right crawlers is changeable, and the remote control device includes a first stick and a second stick, The first stick is the joystick, and the second stick has a third axis and a fourth axis as detection axes for detecting the amount of operation. The signal generating unit corresponds to one of the crawlers with one detection axis of the first stick and the other of the crawlers with one detection axis of the second stick, and generates an operation command signal with the positive and negative input values ​​in a Cartesian coordinate system representing the direction of rotation and the magnitude of the absolute value of the input value representing the high and low rotational speed. The remote control device is characterized in that it can be set to a second operation mode in which an operation command signal is generated that widens the width between the left and right crawlers when an axis in the first stick or the second stick that is not assigned to operate the direction and speed of rotation of the crawlers is tilted outward, and narrows the width between the left and right crawlers when the axis is tilted inward. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a remote control device suitable for operating the travel of industrial machinery that has crawlers on both the left and right sides of the body. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a crawler crane equipped with a traveling device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram of an operation section of the crawler crane shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a remote control for a crawler crane according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of a control valve of the crawler crane according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a crawler crane and a remote control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram showing the correspondence between inputs and aircraft operations in a first operation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] 7 is a diagram showing the correspondence between the input value of the left stick in FIG. 6 and the detailed operation of the crawler crane. FIG. [Figure 8] 8 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the input value (X+255, Y0) in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the correspondence between inputs and aircraft operations in a second operation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, taking as an example a crawler crane, which is a type of work machine and has crawlers on the left and right sides of its body. In the description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and duplicated explanations are omitted. It should be noted that the drawings are schematic. Therefore, it should be noted that the relationship between thickness and planar dimensions, ratios, etc. may differ from the actual ones, and the drawings also include parts with different dimensional relationships and ratios. In addition, the embodiments shown below are examples of devices and methods for embodying the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and the technical idea of ​​the present invention does not specify the materials, shapes, structures, displays, etc. of the components to the embodiments below.

[0018] In the following explanations and drawings relating to the configuration of the work machine, unless otherwise specified, the direction in which the machine moves forward will be referred to as the "front side of the machine" or simply the "front side", and the direction in which the machine moves backward will be referred to as the "rear side of the machine" or simply the "rear side". Additionally, the left hand side of the machine to the operator will be referred to as the "left side of the machine" or simply the "left side", and the right hand side will be referred to as the "right side of the machine" or simply the "right side". Similarly, "upper side" and "lower side" are defined based on the operator. When no particular direction is specified, they may be referred to as the "fore-and-aft direction of the machine", "left-right direction of the machine", or "up-and-down direction of the machine". Unless otherwise specified, the crawler crane will be described as being in a traveling state with the crane equipment rotated to a position facing rearward along the fore-and-aft direction of the machine body, the boom reclined to a horizontal angle, and the outrigger equipment stored.

[0019] <Crawler crane structure> As shown in Fig. 1, crawler crane 1 is provided with a pair of crawlers 2 on the left and right lower parts of the machine body, the tracks of which circulate in the fore-and-aft direction of the machine body by the rotation of a hydraulic motor M. When it is necessary to distinguish between the left and right, the crawler 2 may be described as being divided into a left crawler 2L and a right crawler 2R (not shown in Fig. 1). An outrigger unit 4 and a crane unit 5 are provided on the upper side of the machine body. An operating unit 10 shown in Fig. 2 is provided at the rear part 6 of the machine body. Although not shown, if the crawler crane 1 is a large model, a driver's seat for an operator may be provided at the rear part 6 of the machine body.

[0020] The crane apparatus 5 comprises a column 7 that can rotate around an axis along the vertical direction of the machine body, and a telescopic boom 8 that is supported on the upper end of the column 7 so that it can be raised and lowered around a horizontal axis, and a hook HO connected to a wire rope extending from a winch built into the column 7 is suspended from the tip of the telescopic boom 8.

[0021] The crawler crane 1 according to this embodiment is capable of changing the width between the left and right crawlers 2. Although not shown, a hydraulic cylinder that expands and contracts along the width direction of the machine body is built into the lower part of the machine body, and by expanding and contracting this hydraulic cylinder, the machine body can move from a width approximately the same as the width of the machine body to a position that protrudes from the left and right sides of the machine body. In this way, by making the width between the left and right crawlers 2 variable, the width can be narrowed to allow entry when traveling on narrow ground, and the width can be widened on rough ground to ensure stability.

[0022] 5, the crawler crane 1 is equipped with a controller 40. The controller 40 includes a receiving unit 41, a control unit 42, and a storage unit 43, and operates the control valve C by a control signal transmitted from the control unit 42 to operate the left crawler 2L and the right crawler 2R. The storage unit 43, which will be described in detail later, stores information on the ranges in which the turning redundant area 50 and the insensitive area 60 are set.

[0023] <Structure of the control unit> Next, the operation section of the crawler crane 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The crawler crane 1 is provided with an operation unit 10 at the rear body 6 shown in FIG. 1, in which a left lever 11, a right lever 12, an accelerator lever 13, and a two-speed changeover switch 14 are all arranged together. The left lever 11 and the right lever 12 are attached to the center of the operation unit 10, with the stand lever 15 disposed on the left side and the lock lever 16 disposed on the right side. The accelerator lever 13 is disposed further to the right of the lock lever 16, and the two-speed changeover switch 14 is disposed further to the left of the stand lever. Therefore, the operator operates the left lever 11 and the two-speed changeover switch 14 with his left hand, and the right lever 12 and the accelerator lever 13 with his right hand. By operating the two-speed changeover switch 14, the crawler crane 1 can be switched between a single-speed traveling mode and a two-speed traveling mode. The stand lever 15 and the lock lever 16 are safety devices for fixing the left lever 11 and the right lever 12 when the crawler crane 1 is changed from the traveling position to the working position.

[0024] Although not shown, when the crawler crane 1 is equipped with a driver's seat, an accelerator pedal is disposed to the right of the right lever 12 on the floor surface of the driver's seat, and a two-speed changeover switch 14 is disposed to the left of the left lever 11. Therefore, the operator operates the accelerator pedal with his right foot and the two-speed changeover switch 14 with his left foot.

[0025] <Remote Control Device> Next, the remote control which is the operating section of the crawler crane 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. The remote controller 20 includes a grip portion 21 and a main body portion 22. A battery pack (not shown) is inserted into the grip portion 21 as a power source.

[0026] The main body 22 is provided with an information display section 23 that displays information such as the driving mode, and the lower section is provided with a left stick 24, a right stick 25, and a setting switch 26, which are the operating sections on the remote control device. The left stick 24 and right stick 25 are used not only for operating the mobile crane 1 to travel as described below, but also for operating work equipment such as the crane unit 5 and the outrigger unit 4. The operator can freely change the operation target by operating the setting switch 26 and changing the setting.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 5, the left stick 24 and the right stick 25 are equipped with a two-axis sensor as an axis for detecting the magnitude and direction of tilt. The two-axis sensor is made up of X-axis sensors 27L, 27R for detecting left-right tilt and Y-axis sensors 28L, 28R for detecting up-down tilt, and detects the direction and magnitude of the tilt of the stick in the form of coordinate values ​​on the X and Y axes. In addition, when no external force is applied, a biasing force is applied so that the stick automatically returns to the origin position where the input values ​​on both the X and Y axes are 0. With regard to the correspondence with the claims, the left stick 24 is the "first stick," the right stick 25 is the "input section" and the "second stick," the Y axis of the left stick 24 is the "first axis," the X axis is the "second axis," the Y axis of the right stick 25 is the "third axis," and the X axis is the "fourth axis."

[0028] The detected values ​​of the X-axis sensors 27L, 27R and the Y-axis sensors 28L, 28R are quantified in the range of -255 to +255, specifically, as positions in an orthogonal coordinate system with a horizontal line passing through the origin position as the X-axis and a vertical line as the Y-axis. For example, when the left stick 24 is tilted to the upper right by about half of the movable range, it is quantified as left stick (X: +122, Y: +122). When the left stick 24 is tilted significantly to the left and slightly downward, it is quantified as left stick (X = -200, Y = -30).

[0029] The remote controller 20 also includes a signal generating unit 29 and a transmitting unit 30. Input values ​​detected by the X-axis sensors 27L, 27R and the Y-axis sensors 28L, 28R are transmitted to the signal generating unit 29 and converted into operation command values ​​for operating the crawler crane 1. The input values ​​are then wirelessly transmitted from the transmitting unit 30 to the receiving unit 41 of the controller 40 described above as operation command signals.

[0030] <Generation of control signals> The control unit 42 refers to the information in the storage unit 43 and judges whether the operation command signal received by the receiving unit 41 has entered the range of the turning redundant area 50 or the insensitive area 60. If it has entered neither range, the input value is used as the operation command value, and if it has entered either area, the input value is subjected to special processing for each area, which will be described later, before being used as the operation command value.

[0031] <Remote control device operation method> The remote controller 20 can be switched between two operation modes: a first operation mode in which driving control is possible using only the left stick 24, and a second operation mode in which driving control is performed using both the left stick 24 and the right stick 25. These operation modes can be arbitrarily switched by the operator by operating the setting switch 26 shown in Fig. 3 to change the settings. A specific setting method is to press the setting switch 26, use the left stick 24 to select an icon from the menu displayed on the information display unit 23, and press the setting switch 26 again to confirm. Note that the setting method may also be a long press of the setting switch 26.

[0032] In order to operate the crawler crane 1 using the remote controller 20, the crawler crane 1 is set to a radio-controlled operation mode at the start of work, and paired with the remote controller 20. When pairing is complete, the remote control valves 101-104, which are solenoid valves shown in Fig. 4, operate to supply pressure oil to the double-acting cylinders DCL, DCR for operating the spool valves SL, SR connected to the lever and hydraulic motor. Thereafter, the double-acting cylinders DCL, DCR are operated by controlling the opening and closing of the remote control valves 101-104 based on an operation command signal, which operates the spool valves SL, SR and operates the left crawler 2L and right crawler 2R. Incidentally, while the remote controller 20 is being operated, the lever also operates in conjunction with the operation of the spool valves SL, SR, and if the lever is operated when the remote controller 20 is not being operated, the operation of the hydraulic motor M is stopped. This type of interlock mechanism prevents malfunction of the remote controller 20 while it is in use.

[0033] (First operation mode) In the first operation mode shown in FIG. 6, the left stick 24 is assigned the operations of moving forward, moving backward, and turning. The X-axis of the right stick 25 is assigned to the widening and narrowing movement of the crawler 2. Specifically, when the input value is +X, a widening movement is performed, and when the input value is -X, a narrowing movement is performed.

[0034] The detailed correspondence between the input of the left stick 24 and the operation of the crawler crane 1 in the first operation mode will be described with reference to Figs. When the input value of the left stick 24 is converted into a polar coordinate system, the magnitude of the tilt is the radius r, and the direction of the tilt is the angle θ with respect to the +Y axis on the +X side. The angle θ is set as +θ for the tilt on the +X side and −θ for the tilt on the -X side. 5 sets the rotational speed of the crawler 2 in proportion to the magnitude of the radius r, and sets the rotational speed difference between the left and right crawlers 2 in response to the angle θ. The rotational speed difference is set to 0 when θ=0° and θ=180°, and is maximum when θ=90° and θ=-90°.

[0035] Therefore, for example, if the coordinates of the left stick 24 are (X:-255, Y:0), then in the polar coordinate system it becomes (r:255, θ:-90°), the difference in rotational speed between the left and right crawlers 2 is set to the maximum, and they rotate in opposite directions at the same rotational speed. As a result, the crawler crane 1 makes a pivot turn counterclockwise at maximum speed. Also, if (X: 0, Y: +255), then in the polar coordinate system it is (r: 255, θ: 0°), so no difference in rotational speed is set between the left and right crawlers 2, and the crawler crane 1 moves forward at maximum speed.

[0036] When both forward / reverse movement and turning operation command values ​​are input, for example when the input value of the left stick 24 is (X: 122, Y: 122), it becomes approximately (r: 255, θ: 45°) in the polar coordinate system. When θ = 45°, the command value for the rotational speed difference becomes an intermediate value. That is, in this case, it is intermediate between a straight movement in which the left and right crawlers 2 rotate in the same direction at a uniform speed, and a pivot turn in which they rotate in the opposite direction at the same speed, and the crawler crane 1 rotates the left crawler 2L at maximum speed and stops the right crawler 2R to perform a pivot turn in the clockwise direction.

[0037] When an operation command value is input that results in an angle θ other than the above-mentioned values, the crawler crane 1 rotates by operating the left crawler 2L and the right crawler 2R at different speeds. Specifically, if 1°≦θ≦44°, the rotational direction of the left crawler 2L and the right crawler 2R is set to the forward side, and the right crawler 2R is rotated slower than the left crawler 2L, in order to make a gentle right turn while moving forward. If 46°≦θ≦89°, the rotational direction of the left crawler 2L is set to the forward side and the rotational direction of the right crawler 2R is set to the reverse side, and the right crawler 2R is rotated slower than the left crawler 2L, in order to make a right turn of more than a pivot turn while moving forward. If 91°≦θ≦134°, then in order to make a right turn of more than a pivot turn while reversing, the rotation direction of the left crawler 2L is set to the reverse side and the rotation direction of the right crawler 2R is set to the forward side, and the right crawler 2R is rotated at a slower speed than the left crawler 2L. If 136°≦θ≦179°, then in order to make a gentle right turn while reversing, the rotation directions of the left crawler 2L and right crawler 2R are set to the reverse side, and the right crawler 2R is rotated at a slower speed than the left crawler 2L.

[0038] The angle θ when turning left is -1°≧θ≧-44° and -46°≧θ≧89° on the forward movement side, and -91°≧θ≧-134° and -136°≧θ≧-179° on the reverse movement side. Each angle θ corresponds to the angle θ when turning right, which has the same absolute value. When an operation command value that results in such angle θ is input, the left crawler 2L and right crawler 2R perform operations that are reversed from those when turning right. In the above example, the tilt of the left stick 24 is maximum at r:255, but when the tilt is gentler, only the speed of each movement changes.

[0039] In addition, in the predetermined range of Y<0, a turning redundant area 50 and an insensitive area 60 are set so that when an input value is within the area, a predetermined process is performed on the input value before generating an operation command value. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 8, the turning redundant area 50 is set in the range of 0 ≥ Y > -30 shown in the Cartesian coordinate system, and the insensitive area 60 is set in the range of -30 ≥ Y ≥ -40. The size of each region can be changed. Specifically, when the set range is 0≧Y>α, the turning redundant region 50 can be set in the range of -25≧α≧-30, and when the set range is β≧Y≧γ, the insensitive region 60 can be set in the range of -25≧β≧-30 and -35≧γ≧-40. In this embodiment, the maximum input value on the 0>Y side is -255, so -25 is 10% of the maximum value, -30 is 12%, -35 is 14%, and -40 is 16% (rounded off to the first decimal place). However, even in such a case, it is set such that the end on the Y < 0 side of the turning redundant region 50 is in contact with the end on the 0 < Y side of the dead zone 60.

[0040] (Turning redundant region) Within the region of the turning redundant region 50, the rotation direction of the crawler is set to be the same as -90° ≤ θ ≤ 90° (Y+ side in the rectangular coordinate system). If the turning redundant region 50 is not set, when the input value is (X: 254, Y: 22), in the polar coordinate system, it becomes (r: 255, θ: 87°), and the crawler crane 1 turns in a substantially over-reliance turn clockwise. And if the input value is (X: 254, Y: -22), in the polar coordinate system, it becomes (r: 255, θ: 93°), and the crawler crane 1 makes a substantially over-reliance turn counterclockwise when viewed from above. In this operation method, in order to make the operation of the crawler crane 1 intuitive and easy to understand, it is set to turn the body in the direction in which the joystick is tilted. However, the clockwise turn is a right turn on the forward side and a left turn on the reverse side. Without special processing, the rotation direction of the crawler 2 reverses across Y = 0.

[0041] Therefore, by setting the turning redundant region 50, the turning direction near Y: 0 is aligned with the +Y side. Even when the operator is performing a certain operation, there is a deviation during actual operation. Therefore, the input to the Y-axis during over-reliance turning vibrates slightly between + and -. If the crawler rotation direction during over-reliance turning reverses between the +Y side and the -Y side, when the operation command value vibrates between the +Y side and the -Y side, the rotation direction of the crawler crane 1 will reverse unintentionally by the operator, causing the body to vibrate greatly or imposing a large load on the crawler 2. To prevent such a situation, in this embodiment, the region for turning on the forward side, which is used more frequently compared to reverse, is extended.

[0042] (Dead zone) Within the range of the dead zone 60, the input value to the X-axis sensor 27L is ignored, and the dead zone 60 is set so that only the input value to the Y-axis sensor 28L is used for signal generation. Specifically, the input value within the area of the dead zone 60 is converted to (-30≧r≧-40, θ: -180°). Therefore, while the input value is within the range of the dead zone 60, the crawler crane 1 only moves backward at a very slow speed.

[0043] (Width expansion / contraction operation) Width expansion and contraction are assigned to the right joystick 25. When a +X input is made to the right joystick 25, a width expansion signal is output, and a hydraulic cylinder (not shown) built into the lower part of the machine body extends. Then, the left crawler 2L moves toward the left side of the machine body, and the right crawler 2R moves toward the right side of the machine body. Therefore, the width between the left crawler 2L and the right crawler 2R becomes wider. When a -X input is made to the right joystick 25, a width contraction signal is output, the hydraulic cylinder (not shown) built into the lower part of the machine body contracts, and each of the left crawler 2L and the right crawler 2R moves toward the center of the machine body. Therefore, the width between the left crawler 2L and the right crawler 2R narrows, and the width of the machine body of the crawler crane 1 also narrows.

[0044] (Second operation mode) The second is the second operation mode shown in FIG. 9, which is an operation method in which the lever operation that has been conventionally used is made to correspond to the remote controller 20. The left crawler 2L corresponds to the operation of the left joystick 24, and the right crawler 2R corresponds to the operation of the right joystick 25. In this operation method, when the joystick is tilted forward and the operation command value becomes 0 <Y, the crawler 2 rotates in the forward direction, and when Y <0, it rotates in the backward direction. Also, the rotation speed is set in proportion to the absolute value of the input value. Therefore, when going straight, the left joystick 24 and the right joystick 25 are tilted in the same direction to the same angle. When turning, the tilt of the joystick on the side where turning is to be performed is loosened to decelerate, and a rotational speed difference is generated in the crawler. When performing a super-close turning, the left joystick 24 and the right joystick 25 are tilted in opposite directions.

[0045] In this operation method, the X-axis of the left stick 24 and the right stick 25 is assigned to widening and narrowing the crawler 2. Specifically, the widening operation is assigned to the -X input of the left stick 24 and the +X input of the right stick 25, and the narrowing operation is assigned to the +X input of the left stick 24 and the -X input of the right stick 25. That is, tilting either the left stick 24 or the right stick 25 outward in the left-right direction of the remote controller 20 results in a widening operation, and tilting it inward in the left-right direction results in a narrowing operation. In other words, the second operation mode is an operation method in which the remote controller 20 is regarded as the crawler crane 1 and the left stick 24 and the right stick 25 are regarded as the crawler 2.

[0046] <Effects> By using the remote controller according to the present invention, an operator can intuitively control the running of industrial machinery with one hand, which allows the operator to operate the horn or transceiver while the industrial machinery is running, thereby improving safety while the machinery is running.

[0047] Between Y=0 and the boundary with the insensitive area 60, a turning redundant area 50 is set up to a position of about 12% of the maximum operation amount, so even if the direction in which the left stick 24 is tilted shifts due to shaking while performing a pivot turn, continuity of the movement direction can be ensured, and good operability can be demonstrated. Furthermore, since the turning redundant area 50 is set, the joystick does not immediately enter the insensitive area 60, and the pivot turn can be continued, thereby providing good operability.

[0048] When causing the crawler crane 1 to perform a super precision slewing, the rotation directions of the left and right crawlers are reversed between the 0 < Y side and the Y < 0 side. Therefore, when the moving direction of the machine body is simply made to correspond to the operation direction of the left joystick 24, if the joystick is tilted to the 0 < Y side to perform super precision slewing and the operation shakes, or if it seems to be tilted to the Y < 0 side, the operation will suddenly reverse contrary to the operator's intention. In particular, since the joystick is provided in the remote controller and is sized such that the operator can operate it with a finger, the operation command value is likely to change even with a slight shake, and such problems are likely to occur. Therefore, the remote controller according to the present invention is set to perform the same operation as the 0 < Y side in the range from Y = 0 to the dead zone 60. With this setting, even if the input value of the left joystick 24 vibrates between the + Y side and the - Y side when performing super precision slewing, the direction of super precision slewing will not reverse. Also, if the joystick enters the dead zone 60 during super precision slewing, the machine body moves backward at a very low speed, so the operator can sense that they have accidentally entered the dead zone 60 and correct the operation. Such a setting for smoothly performing the operation for super precision slewing is suitable for industrial machines that often travel in narrow areas, and is particularly suitable for the crawler crane 1 as shown in the embodiment.

[0049] In the present invention, the dead zone 60 is set in the range from Y: - 30 to Y: - 40 and does not include Y: 0. Therefore, since it does not enter the dead zone 60 especially during the main operation of forward movement, good operability can be exhibited. Also, since the rotation of the crawler 2 does not stop even within the dead zone 60, the operability during backward movement is not significantly deteriorated.

[0050] The remote controller 20 according to the present invention can switch between the first and second operation modes by changing the settings. Therefore, when a person unfamiliar with the operation of the crawler crane 1 operates the crawler crane 1, the first operation mode can be set, and when a skilled person operates the crawler crane 1, the second operation mode can be easily switched to. It is also possible to select the less burdensome first operation method during normal movement operations, and switch to the second operation method when delicate operation is required, such as when moving in narrow spaces or loading onto a transport vehicle.

[0051] In the first operation mode according to the present invention, the driving operation and the width increasing and decreasing operations are assigned to different sticks, respectively, so that it is easy to perform the width increasing and decreasing operations while performing the driving operation. Therefore, by simultaneously expanding and contracting the width while traveling the crawler crane 1, wear on the crawler 2 can be suppressed.

[0052] <Modification> In the embodiment, the first operation method and the second operation method are switchable, but in the practice of the present invention, it is not necessarily required to be switchable to the second operation method. Therefore, a simple operating device that can be operated only by the first operation method may be used to operate the crawler crane 1. In that case, the burden on the operator can be reduced because the time and effort required for setting and checking the operation method can be eliminated, and manufacturing costs can also be reduced.

[0053] In the embodiment, the crawler crane 1 is capable of changing the width between the left crawler 2L and the right crawler 2R, but in implementing the present invention, it is not necessarily required to be possible to change the width of the crawler 2. Therefore, both the first operation method and the second operation method do not necessarily need to be assigned operations for performing width expansion and contraction operations.

[0054] In the embodiment, the remote controller 20 is a handheld type, but it may be a large remote controller that is worn on the waist, for example. When using such a remote controller and the left stick 24 is large and the influence of shaking is smaller than that of a joystick, the range of the turning redundant area 50 may be narrowed to 0≧Y>-25, and the range of the insensitive area 60 may be set to -25≧Y≧-35. By setting it in this way, a wide range in which normal operation is possible can be secured, and operability can be further improved. In this case, even if the joystick is a lever-shaped operating means, there is no problem in applying the present invention.

[0055] In the embodiment, the left stick 24 is assigned to the traveling operation of the crawler crane 1, but in the application of the present invention, the traveling operation may be assigned to the right stick 25. In addition, whether the driving operation is assigned to the left stick 24 or the right stick 25 may be set during the manufacture of the remote controller 20 or by the operator's operation. By allowing the operator to select either the left or right stick for driving operation, the operator can operate the robot according to his / her dominant hand, improving operability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1...crawler crane, 2...crawler, 10...operation unit, 11...left lever, 12...right lever, 20...remote control device, 24...left stick, 25...right stick, 26...setting switch, 27L, 27R...X-axis sensor, 28L, 28R...Y-axis sensor, 50...swing redundancy area, 60...insensitive area

Claims

1. A remote control device for operating an industrial machine having crawlers on each of the left and right sides of the machine body, a joystick capable of operating the industrial machine; a signal generating unit that generates an operation command signal for operating the industrial machine, The signal generating unit is capable of setting a first operation mode in which the signal generating unit sets the rotational speed of the crawler in proportion to the magnitude of tilt of the joystick and generates an operation command signal in which the rotational direction and rotational speed difference between the left and right crawlers are set in response to the direction of tilt of the joystick.

2. the joystick includes a first axis and a second axis which are perpendicular to each other as detection axes for the magnitude and direction of the tilt, 2. The remote control device according to claim 1, wherein a turning redundant region is set in a predetermined range in which an input value of the first axis is a negative value, in which a rotational speed difference is generated between the left and right crawlers while maintaining the same rotation direction as when a positive value is input to the first axis.

3. 3. The remote control device according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined range in which the turning redundant region is set is between a position where the input value of the first axis is 0 and a position where the input value of the first axis is a predetermined value between 10% and 12% of the maximum value on the other side of the first axis.

4. 3. The remote control device according to claim 2, wherein a blind area in which no rotational speed difference is generated between the left and right crawlers regardless of the input value of the second axis is set in a predetermined range in which the input value of the first axis becomes a negative value and borders the turning redundant area.

5. 5. The remote controller according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined range in which the insensitive region is set is between an end of the turning redundant region and a position where a predetermined value is between 14% and 16% of a maximum value on the other side of the first axis.

6. The industrial machine is capable of changing a width between the left and right crawlers, Further, an input unit capable of outputting a width increasing signal and a width decreasing signal is provided.

6. The remote control device according to claim 1, wherein the signal generation unit generates an operation command signal that increases the width between the left and right crawlers when a width increase signal is output from the input unit, and that decreases the width between the left and right crawlers when a width decrease signal is output from the input unit.

7. The industrial machine is capable of changing a width between the left and right crawlers, The remote controller includes a first stick and a second stick, the first stick is the joystick, the second stick has a third axis and a fourth axis as detection axes for an operation amount, 6. The remote control device according to claim 1, wherein the signal generation unit is capable of being set to a second operation mode in which one of the crawlers corresponds to one detection axis of the first stick and the other of the crawlers corresponds to one detection axis of the second stick, and generates an operation command signal with the positive or negative input value in a Cartesian coordinate system representing the rotation direction and the magnitude of the absolute value of the input value representing the rotation speed, and generates an operation command signal that increases the width between the left and right crawlers when an axis in the first stick or the second stick to which operation of the rotation direction and rotation speed of the crawlers is not assigned is tilted outward and decreases the width between the left and right crawlers when the axis is tilted inward.

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