Guidance system and method for a mechanical stirring device

Abstract

To improve construction efficiency by presenting information for guiding the movement of heavy equipment.SOLUTION: The calculation / display means includes a guidance screen 30 showing the vicinity of a construction area in a plan view, and includes, in the image, a construction area display section 32 showing the construction area divided into a plurality of squares 34 arranged vertically and horizontally, a stirring device display section 40 showing the position and orientation of the stirring device, and a crawler display section 42 showing the position and orientation of the crawler. Thus, the operator can adjust the orientation of the crawler and the like while checking the construction region display section 32 and the crawler display section 42. For this reason, the direction of the crawler can be adjusted to a direction in which the heavy machine can be easily shifted in the lateral direction or the front-rear direction, thereby improving the construction efficiency.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a guiding system and a guiding method for guiding a mechanical stirring device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, information and communication technology (ICT) construction has been utilized at construction sites to improve productivity and quality. For example, ICT construction in ground improvement work using a mixer requires two functions: a position guidance function that guides the mixer to the target construction position, and a construction history function that records the history of the mixer's position information during construction. Of these, position guidance functions are broadly divided into two types: a machine guidance function that presents guidance information for the mixer to the operator like a car navigation system, and a machine control function that automatically guides the mixer. The machine guidance function that guides the mixer calculates and presents guidance information based on the position information of the heavy equipment to which the mixer is attached and the posture of the work machine (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-120883 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In ground improvement work, for example, the mixer attached to the heavy machinery's work equipment is inserted into the ground. After the mixer is inserted into a certain construction position and removed, the machine's posture is changed without changing its position, and the mixer is inserted into the next adjacent construction position in the forward / backward direction. After completing construction at multiple construction positions without changing the heavy machinery's position, the machine is shifted sideways and construction is continued at multiple more construction positions. This process is repeated until the entire construction area is completed. Therefore, it is important for the machine guidance function not only to guide the mixer, but also to provide information to guide the movement of the heavy machinery. The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to present information for guiding the movement of heavy machinery and improve construction efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] (Aspects of the invention) The following embodiments of the present invention are examples of the configuration of the present invention, and are described in terms to facilitate understanding of the various configurations of the present invention. Each term does not limit the technical scope of the present invention, and while taking into consideration the best mode for carrying out the invention, some of the components of each term may be replaced or deleted, or other components may be added, and these may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0006] (1) A guidance system for guiding a mechanical agitator, which includes a heavy machine equipped with a main body that moves by crawlers and rotates on the crawlers, and a work implement extending from the main body, and an agitator attached to the tip of the work machine and penetrates into the ground, and which includes: a position measurement means for measuring the position of the main body; an attitude measurement means for measuring the attitude of the work implement; pre-set device information including the size of the heavy machine and the agitator, and construction information including the size and position of the construction area, and a calculation display means for calculating and displaying guidance information to an operator of the heavy machine based on the measurement results of the position measurement means and the attitude measurement means, and the calculation display means has a guidance screen that shows the vicinity of the construction area in a planar view, and in the image, a construction area display unit that shows the construction area divided into a plurality of squares arranged vertically and horizontally, with one rectangular square for each penetration target location of the agitator; an agitator display unit that shows the position and orientation of the agitator; and a crawler display unit that shows the position and orientation of the crawler.

[0007] The guidance system for a mechanical agitator described in this section guides a heavy machine including a crawler, a main body, and a working machine, and a mechanical agitator that includes an agitator attached to the tip of the working machine, and specifically includes a position measurement means, an attitude measurement means, and a calculation and display means. The position measurement means measures the position of the main body that moves by the crawler, and the attitude measurement means measures the attitude of the working machine to the tip of which the agitator is attached.

[0008] The calculation and display means calculates and displays guidance information for the operator of the heavy equipment based on preset equipment information and construction information and the measurement results of each of the measuring means. The equipment information preset in the calculation and display means includes the size of the heavy equipment and the size of the agitator, and the construction information includes the size and position of the construction area to be constructed by the mechanical agitator. The calculation and display means is provided with a guidance screen that shows the vicinity of the construction area in a planar view, and the image of this guidance screen includes a construction area display section, an agitator display section, and a crawler display section as guidance information.

[0009] The construction area display unit shows the construction area in plan view divided into a plurality of rectangular squares arranged vertically and horizontally, and each of these rectangular squares corresponds to the target location for the penetration of the mixing device. In other words, the mixing device that penetrates the ground for ground improvement works in a roughly rectangular range in plan view at each penetration location, and a rectangular square is set as the penetration target location, adjusted to the size of the roughly rectangular construction range by the mixing device. Then, the construction area is divided into a plurality of squares arranged vertically and horizontally as one rectangular square for each penetration target location, and is displayed as the construction area display unit. In this case, for example, compared to when the construction range at each penetration location by the mixing device is circular in plan view, the above-mentioned roughly rectangular construction range covers the entire construction area without waste, and the construction area display unit also makes it easier to divide the construction area into a plurality of rectangular squares.

[0010] The agitator display unit indicates the position and orientation of the agitator on the guidance screen. Therefore, the operator controls the movement of the heavy equipment and the attitude of the work machine while checking the construction area display unit and the agitator display unit, and then adjusts the position of the agitator toward the penetration target location where the agitator will penetrate. The crawler display unit indicates the position and orientation of the crawler on the guidance screen. Therefore, the operator operates the crawler while checking the construction area display unit and the crawler display unit so that the orientation of the crawler displayed by the crawler display unit is parallel to the vertical or horizontal arrangement of the squares in the construction area display unit. This aligns the orientation of the crawler in a direction that makes it easy to shift the heavy equipment sideways or forward and backward, thereby improving construction efficiency.

[0011] (2) In the above paragraph (1), the calculation display means is a guidance system for a mechanical agitator that, when the agitator display unit approaches each of the plurality of squares of the construction area display unit as the agitator moves, enlarges and displays the periphery of the agitator display unit on the guidance screen. The guidance system for a mechanical agitator described in this section enlarges the display on the guidance screen when the operator adjusts the position of the agitator while checking the construction area display unit and the agitator display unit. That is, the calculation display means enlarges and displays the periphery of the agitator display unit on the guidance screen when the agitator display unit approaches each of the multiple squares in the construction area display unit as the operator moves the agitator. This allows the operator to adjust the position and orientation of the agitator so that the agitator display unit overlaps with the square of the next penetration target while checking the enlarged guidance screen, thereby improving construction accuracy.

[0012] (3) In the above paragraph (1), the calculation and display means further includes, in the image of the guidance screen, a main body display unit that shows the position and orientation of the main body unit by the general shape of the main body unit in a planar view, a linear main body direction guide display unit that is displayed near the main body display unit and extends in a lateral direction of the main body unit, perpendicular in a planar view to the front-to-back direction of the main body unit determined by the seating direction of the operator, and a linear agitator direction guide display unit that is displayed near the agitator display unit and extends in a lateral direction of the agitator parallel to the lateral direction of the main body unit.

[0013] The guidance system for a mechanical agitator described in this section further includes a main body display unit, a main body direction guide display unit, and an agitator direction guide display unit as guidance information displayed on the guidance screen by the calculation and display means. The main body display unit indicates the position and orientation of the main body unit on the guidance screen, and by displaying the position and orientation of the main body unit as a rough outline of the main body unit in a plan view, the position and orientation of the main body unit can be easily grasped intuitively. Furthermore, while the orientation of the operator relative to the agitator (the orientation of the driver's seat of the main body where the operator sits) is usually constant due to the relationship between the agitator and the main body unit connected via a work machine, the orientation of the operator relative to the crawler changes, and this can be easily adjusted using the crawler display unit and the main body display unit.

[0014] The main body direction guide display unit is displayed near the main body display unit and is linear, extending in the lateral direction of the main body unit. Here, the lateral direction of the main body unit is a direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction of the main body unit, which is determined by the operator's seating direction, in a plan view. The agitator direction guide display unit is also displayed near the agitator display unit and is linear, extending in the lateral direction of the agitator. As described above, the orientation of the main body unit relative to the agitator is constant, and the lateral direction of the agitator is a direction parallel to the lateral direction of the main body unit. These guide displays allow the operator to adjust the orientation of the main body unit and the agitator so that the linear main body direction guide display unit and the agitator direction guide display unit are parallel to the arrangement direction of the multiple squares in the construction area display unit, making the adjustment work easier and further improving construction accuracy.

[0015] (4) In the above (1), the calculation and display means displays the crawler display unit as a schematic shape of the crawler in a plan view. In the guidance system for a mechanical stirring device described in this section, the calculation and display means displays a crawler display section on the guidance screen that shows the position and orientation of the crawler as a schematic shape of the crawler in a plan view. That is, for example, if the crawler includes two tracks, the crawler display section is displayed using a schematic shape showing the two tracks. This makes it easier to intuitively grasp the position and orientation of the crawler, and allows for more efficient adjustment of the orientation of the crawler.

[0016] (5) The guidance system for a mechanical agitator according to the above item (1), further comprising a rotation angle grasping means for grasping the rotation angle of the main body with respect to the crawler. The guidance system for a mechanical agitator described in this section further includes a turning angle grasping means for grasping the turning angle of the main body that turns on the crawler relative to the crawler. As a result, when the calculation display means calculates the orientation of the crawler to be used in the crawler display unit, etc., the turning angle grasped by the turning angle grasping means is used, thereby enabling the orientation of the crawler to be calculated efficiently.

[0017] (6) In the above paragraph (1), the working machine has four parts: a boom connected to the main body, a first arm, a second arm, and a tip part to which the agitator is attached, and the posture measurement means includes an inclinometer attached to each of the four parts of the working machine and an inclinometer that measures the tilt angle of the main body. In the guidance system for a mechanical agitator described in this section, the heavy machinery work machine has four parts: a boom connected to the main body, a first arm, a second arm, and a tip end to which the agitator is attached. The bending angle of each of these parts is adjusted using a hydraulic cylinder or the like. Therefore, the posture measurement means for measuring the posture of the work machine includes an inclinometer attached to each of the four parts of the work machine. Furthermore, the posture measurement means also includes an inclinometer for measuring the tilt angle of the main body. This makes it possible to accurately grasp the position and posture of the work machine and the agitator even when using a two-piece backhoe or other heavy machinery.

[0018] (7) A guidance method for guiding a mechanical agitator including a heavy machine having a main body that moves by crawlers and rotates on the crawlers, and a work implement extending from the main body, and an agitator that is attached to the tip of the work implement and penetrates into the ground, wherein the position of the main body and the attitude of the work implement are measured, and guidance information is calculated and displayed to an operator of the heavy machine based on device information including the sizes of the heavy machine and the agitator, construction information including the size and position of the construction area, and the measurement results of the position of the main body and the attitude of the work implement, and the guidance information is displayed to an operator of the heavy machine, and the guidance information is displayed on a guidance screen that shows the vicinity of the construction area in a planar view, with the construction area divided into multiple squares arranged vertically and horizontally, with one rectangular square for each penetration target location of the agitator, an agitator display unit that shows the position and orientation of the agitator, and a crawler display unit that shows the position and orientation of the crawler.

[0019] (8) In the above item (7), a method for guiding a mechanical agitator, in which when the agitator display unit approaches each of the plurality of squares in the construction area display unit as the agitator moves, the periphery of the agitator display unit is enlarged and displayed on the guidance screen. (9) In the above paragraph (7), a method for guiding a mechanical agitator further includes, as the guidance information, displaying a main body display unit on the guidance screen that indicates the position and orientation of the main body unit in a rough shape in a plan view of the main body unit, displaying a linear main body direction guide display unit near the main body display unit that extends in a lateral direction of the main body unit and is perpendicular in a plan view to the front-to-back direction of the main body unit determined by the seating direction of the operator, and displaying a linear agitator direction guide display unit near the agitator display unit that extends in a lateral direction of the agitator that is parallel to the lateral direction of the main body unit.

[0020] (10) The method for guiding a mechanical agitator according to the above (7), wherein the crawler display unit is displayed as a rough shape of the crawler in a plan view. (11) The method for guiding a mechanical agitator according to the above (7), wherein the rotation angle of the main body with respect to the crawler is determined in order to calculate the orientation of the crawler.

[0021] (12) In the above paragraph (7), the working machine has four parts: a boom connected to the main body, a first arm, a second arm, and a tip part to which the agitator is attached, and an inclinometer is attached to each of the four parts of the working machine to measure the attitude of the working machine, and an inclinometer is attached to the main body to measure the tilt angle of the main body. Furthermore, the methods for guiding a mechanical agitator described in paragraphs (7) to (12) are each carried out using the guiding systems for a mechanical agitator described in paragraphs (1) to (6) above, and thereby achieve the same effects as those of the guiding systems for a mechanical agitator described in paragraphs (1) to (6) above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] Since the present invention has the above-described configuration, it is possible to present information for guiding the movement of heavy machinery, thereby improving construction efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a guidance system for a mechanical stirring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a mechanical agitator to which a guidance system for a mechanical agitator according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied; [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a monitor image diagram showing an example of the configuration of a guidance screen displayed by a calculation and display means. [Figure 4] 1 is a flow chart showing an example of a procedure for a method for guiding a mechanical stirring device according to an embodiment of the present invention and a mechanical stirring method using the same. [Figure 5] 5 is an image diagram showing an example of guidance information displayed by a calculation and display means during the construction of FIG. 4 in time series. FIG. [Figure 6] 5 is an image diagram showing another example of guidance information displayed by the calculation and display means during the construction of FIG. 4 in time series. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, detailed descriptions of parts that are the same as or corresponding to those in the prior art will be omitted, and the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to indicate the same or corresponding parts. Fig. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a guide system 10 for a mechanical agitator according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a mechanical agitator 70 to which the guide system 10 for a mechanical agitator is applied. First, with reference to Fig. 2, the configuration of the mechanical agitator 70 used in, for example, a mid-layer mixing treatment method will be briefly described.

[0025] 2, the mechanical agitator 70 includes a heavy machine 72 and an agitator 90. In this embodiment, the heavy machine 72 is a two-piece backhoe, and includes a main body 74 equipped with an operator's cabin, a crawler 76 for moving and rotating the main body 74, and an articulated work implement 78 extending from the main body 74. The work implement 78 is roughly composed of four parts: a boom 80, a first arm 82, a second arm 84, and a tip 86, and the agitator 90 is attached to the tip 86. The four parts 80, 82, 84, and 86 of the work implement 78 are connected at three locations via joints that allow bending operations, and the main body 74 and the boom 80 are also connected via a joint that allows bending operations of the boom 80 relative to the main body 74.

[0026] The agitator 90 is a long device with a pair of rotating agitator blades 92 at its tip, and is attached to the tip 86 of the work machine 78 and penetrates the ground to agitate a construction area that is roughly rectangular in plan view. Although not described in detail here, the agitator 90 may also be equipped with, in addition to the rotating agitator blades 92, piping and a discharge outlet for supplying improvement material for ground improvement near the agitator blades 92, a spiral pipe for releasing internal pressure in the ground that increases due to the supply of improvement material toward the ground surface, a bending mechanism for bending the agitator 90 midway, an axial rotation mechanism for rotating the agitator 90 around its axis, a sampling device for taking ground samples, and the like.

[0027] Returning to FIG. 1 , a guidance system 10 for a mechanical agitator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a position measurement means 12, an attitude measurement means 14, a rotation angle determination means 18, and a calculation and display means 20. The position measurement means 12 measures the position of a main body 74 of a heavy machine 72, and in this embodiment, the position of the main body 74 is measured using a GNSS antenna (not shown) attached to the main body 74. Furthermore, in this embodiment, GNSS antennas are attached to two locations on the main body 74, so that the orientation of the main body 74 can also be determined. However, the position measurement means 12 may measure the position of the main body 74 using equipment other than a GNSS antenna. The measurement results by the position measurement means 12 are transmitted to the calculation and display means 20.

[0028] The attitude measurement means 14 measures the attitude of the work implement 78 of the heavy equipment 72 and includes four inclinometers 16 in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2 , these four inclinometers 16 are attached to four components of the work implement 78, namely, the boom 80, the first arm 82, the second arm 84, and the tip 86. The attitude measurement means 14 of this embodiment also includes an inclinometer 16 that measures the tilt angle of the main body 74, for a total of five inclinometers 16. Each inclinometer 16 measures the tilt angle of the component to which it is attached, and any inclinometer capable of such measurement may be used. The tilt angles of the components 80, 82, 84, and 86 of the work implement 78 and the main body 74 measured by the five inclinometers 16 are transmitted to the calculation and display means 20. The attitude measurement means 14 is not limited to a configuration including inclinometers 16 and may have any configuration as long as it measures the attitude of the work implement 78 and the tilt angle of the main body 74.

[0029] The turning angle determining means 18 is for determining the turning angle of the main body 74 relative to the crawler 76. The turning angle determining means 18 may, for example, use an inclinometer attached to the crawler 76 to determine the turning angle of the main body 74 relative to the crawler 76. However, the turning angle determining means 18 may have any configuration as long as it determines the turning angle of the main body 74 relative to the crawler 76. The turning angle determined by the turning angle determining means is transmitted to the calculation and display means 20.

[0030] The calculation and display means 20 calculates guidance information for guiding the mechanical agitator 70 and displays it to the operator of the heavy equipment 72 (mechanical agitator 70). The calculation and display means 20 includes a guidance screen 30 (see FIG. 3 ) that displays a planar view of the construction area and its vicinity, for displaying various pieces of guidance information. The calculation of the guidance information, which will be described in detail later, is performed based on equipment information and construction information preset in the calculation and display means 20, as well as the measurement results of the position measurement means 12, the attitude measurement means 14, and the swing angle determination means 18. The preset equipment information includes the size of the main parts of the heavy equipment 72, including the sizes of each part 80, 82, 84, and 86 of the work implement 78; the range of possible bending angles at each joint of the work implement 78; the size of the agitator 90 attached to the tip 86 of the work implement 78; and the size of the construction area per penetration point of the agitator 90. The preset construction information also includes the size and position of the construction area targeted by the mechanical agitator 70, as well as various design values ​​according to the construction content.

[0031] As described above, the calculation and display means 20 uses the measurement results of the position measurement means 12, the attitude measurement means 14, and the turning angle determination means 18, and is therefore in a connection environment in which it is in constant communication with these measurement or determination means 12, 14, and 18. Such a connection environment may be established by any wired or wireless connection means, and in FIG. 1, an image of such a connection relationship is shown by solid lines connecting the calculation and display means 20 and each measurement or determination means 12, 14, and 18. The calculation and display means 20 is configured by any computer, such as a tablet or notebook computer, installed in the operator's room of the main body 74 of the heavy equipment 72, for example. Note that the calculation and display means 20 and the position measurement means 12 are not shown in FIG. 2.

[0032] Next, Fig. 3 shows various examples of guidance information to be displayed to the operator by the calculation and display means 20 using a guidance screen 30 that shows the vicinity of the construction area in a plan view. Specifically, the image of the guidance screen 30 in Fig. 3 includes, as guidance information, a construction area display section 32, an agitator display section 40, a crawler display section 42, a main body display section 44, a work implement display section 46, a main body direction guide display section 48, and an agitator direction guide display section 50. Each display section on the guidance screen 30 is preferably displayed in multiple colors within a range that can be supported by the computer that constitutes the calculation and display means 20, and each display section or each display section may be color-coded.

[0033] The construction area display unit 32 displays the construction area divided into a plurality of rectangular cells 34 arranged vertically and horizontally based on construction area information preset in the calculation and display means 20. The size of each rectangular cell 34 corresponds to the size of the construction area per penetration point where the agitator 90 penetrates the ground, and the position of each cell 34 corresponds to the penetration target point of the agitator 90. The penetration target point of the agitator 90 (the position of each cell 34) may be preset in the calculation and display means 20 as construction information. In this embodiment, among the plurality of cells 34 in the construction area display unit 32, cells 34 in which the agitator 90 has already penetrated and construction has been completed are displayed in different colors from cells 34 in which construction has not yet been completed. In the guidance screen 30 of FIG. 3, the plurality of cells 34 located in the upper left corner are displayed in color (hatched) as cells 34 in which construction has been completed. Note that the construction area display unit 32 is displayed diagonally in the guidance screen 30 of FIG. 3; the reason for this will be described later.

[0034] The agitator display unit 40 indicates the position and orientation of the agitator 90, and is calculated based on the position and orientation of the main body 74 measured by the position measurement means 12, the attitude of the work implement 78 and the tilt angle of the main body 74 measured by the attitude measurement means 14, and the preset sizes of the work implement 78 and the agitator 90. The agitator display unit 40 in this embodiment is represented by a rectangle, and the size of this rectangle corresponds to the size of the construction area per penetration location where the agitator 90 is penetrated into the ground for construction. In other words, the size of the rectangle on the agitator display unit 40 and the size of each of the multiple rectangular boxes 34 on the construction area display unit 32 are approximately equal.

[0035] Here, when the agitator 90 is moved by an operator and the agitator display unit 40 approaches one of the multiple squares 34 of the construction area display unit 32 on the guidance screen 30, the calculation display means 20 enlarges and displays the periphery of the agitator display unit 40 together with other display elements, including the square 34 that the agitator display unit 40 has approached. At this time, the target squares 34 that the agitator display unit 40 has approached, which serve as trigger elements for the enlarged display, may be limited to squares 34 for which construction has not yet been completed. In this case, the enlarged display may be displayed only when the agitator display unit 40 approaches a square 34 for which construction has not yet been completed.

[0036] The crawler display unit 42 indicates the position and orientation of the crawler 76, and the position of the crawler 76 is calculated based on the position of the main body unit 74 measured by the position measurement means 12, a preset positional relationship between the main body unit 74 and the crawler 76, and the like. The orientation of the crawler 76 is calculated based on the turning angle of the main body unit 74 relative to the crawler 76, and the like, which is grasped by the turning angle grasping means 18. The crawler display unit 42 of this embodiment is shown as the outline shape of the crawler 76 in a plan view, and is shown as two long, roughly rectangular shapes on the guidance screen 30 of FIG. 3.

[0037] The main body display 44 indicates the position and orientation of the main body 74, and is calculated based on the position and orientation of the main body 74 measured by the position measurement means 12, the preset size of the main body 74, and the like. In this embodiment, the main body display 44 is shown as a schematic shape of the main body 74 in a plan view. The work implement display 46 indicates the position and orientation of the work implement 78, and is calculated based on the position and orientation of the main body 74 measured by the position measurement means 12, the preset sizes of the main body 74 and the work implement 78, and the like. In this embodiment, the work implement display 46 is shown as a schematic shape of the work implement 78 in a plan view, and is displayed so that the main body display 44 and the agitator display 40 are connected, similar to the configuration of the actual machine. In other words, the side of the main body display 44 to which the work implement display 46 is connected corresponds to the front side of the main body 74, which is determined by the operator's seating direction.

[0038] Furthermore, due to the connection relationship between the main body 74, the work implement 78, and the agitator 90, the orientations of the main body display 44, the work implement display 46, and the agitator display 40 are always the same. Furthermore, on the guidance screen 30 in FIG. 3, the front side of the main body display 44 is used as a reference, and the front side of the main body display 44 is always displayed facing upward within the screen 30. Therefore, in a state such as FIG. 3 where the construction area display 32 is displayed at an angle, the orientations of the main body 74 and the agitator 90 are tilted relative to the arrangement direction of the multiple squares 34. Also, in FIG. 3, the crawler display 42 is tilted relative to the main body display 44, which indicates that the main body 74 is rotating relative to the crawler 76.

[0039] The main body direction guide display unit 48 is located near the main body display unit 44 and displays a guide for the orientation of the main body unit 74. It is shown as a straight line extending in the lateral direction of the main body unit 74, and in Fig. 3 is displayed superimposed on the main body display unit 44. The lateral direction of the main body unit 74 is a direction that is perpendicular in a plan view to the front-to-back direction of the main body unit 74, which is determined by the seating direction of the operator in the operator's room of the main body unit 74. For this reason, on the guidance screen 30 in Fig. 3, where the front side of the main body display unit 44 is always displayed facing upward, the straight line of the main body direction guide display unit 48 is always displayed in an orientation extending in the left-to-right direction.

[0040] Similarly, the agitator direction guide display unit 50 displays a guide for the orientation of the agitator 90 near the agitator display unit 40, and is shown as a straight line extending in the lateral direction of the agitator 90, and is displayed superimposed on the agitator display unit 40 in Fig. 3. The lateral direction of the agitator 90 is parallel to the lateral direction of the main body unit 74 because the orientation of the agitator 90 and the main body unit 74 is always the same. Therefore, on the guidance screen 30 in Fig. 3, where the front side of the main body unit display unit 44 is always displayed facing upward, the straight line of the agitator direction guide display unit 50 is always displayed in an orientation extending in the left-right direction.

[0041] The guidance system 10 for a mechanical agitator according to an embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above-described configuration and may have other configurations depending on the situation. For example, the calculation and display means 20 is not limited to a computer with an integrated calculation unit and display unit, such as a tablet computer, but may have a calculation unit, such as a computer main body, and a display unit, such as a display device, separated from each other. Furthermore, the heavy equipment 72 of the mechanical agitator 70 to which the guidance system 10 for a mechanical agitator is applied is not limited to a backhoe and may be any heavy equipment having a work machine 78 to which the agitator 90 can be attached. Furthermore, each display element shown in FIG. 3 may have any shape as long as it indicates the position and orientation of the object it represents. Display elements other than those shown in FIG. 3 may also be displayed as guidance information.

[0042] Next, a method for guiding a mechanical agitator according to an embodiment of the present invention, which utilizes the guiding system 10 for a mechanical agitator shown in FIG. 1, and a mechanical agitation method using this guiding method, will be described with reference to the flow diagram shown in FIG. 4. For the configuration of the guiding system 10 for a mechanical agitator and the mechanical agitator 70, please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2 as appropriate. Note that the flow diagram shown in FIG. 4 shows only an example of a procedural flow, and the guiding method for a mechanical agitator according to an embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the flow diagram shown in FIG. 4. For example, some of the steps shown in FIG. 4 may be deleted, modified, or added as appropriate depending on the configuration and circumstances of the guiding system 10 for a mechanical agitator.

[0043] S10 (Measurement): The current state is measured using each measurement or grasping means. That is, the position of the main body 74 is measured using the position measurement means 12, the attitude of the work implement 78 and the tilt angle of the main body 74 are measured using the inclinometer 16 of the attitude measurement means 14, and the swing angle of the main body 74 relative to the crawler 76 is grasped using the swing angle grasping means 18. These measurements and grasping are performed continuously at any cycle. S20 (Calculation of Guidance Information): The calculation and display means 20 calculates each piece of guidance information for guiding the mechanical agitator 70 based on the measurement results in S10 and various pieces of preset information. Specifically, the calculation includes the position and orientation of the crawler 76, the attitude of the work machine 78, and the position of the agitator 90. These calculations are performed continuously at an arbitrary cycle.

[0044] S30 (Display of Guidance Information): Based on the calculation results in S20 and various preset information, the calculation and display means 20 displays various pieces of guidance information using a guidance screen 30 showing the vicinity of the construction area in a plan view, as shown in FIG. 3. That is, the calculation and display means 20 displays a construction area display section 32 showing the construction area divided into multiple cells 34, an agitator display section 40 showing the position and orientation of the agitator 90, a crawler display section 42 showing the position and orientation of the crawler 76, a main body display section 44 showing the position and orientation of the main body 74, a work machine display section 46 showing the position and orientation of the work machine 78, a main body direction guide display section 48 showing the approximate orientation of the main body 74, and an agitator direction guide display section 50 showing the approximate orientation of the agitator 90. These displays are performed continuously so that the display content on the guidance screen 30 is updated at any desired interval.

[0045] S40 (heavy equipment movement determination): The operator determines whether or not it is necessary to move the heavy equipment 72 from its current position in order to penetrate the agitator 90 into the next penetration target location. As a result, if it is determined that it is necessary to move the heavy equipment 72 (YES), the process proceeds to S50, and if it is determined that it is not necessary to move the heavy equipment 72 (NO), the process proceeds to S60. 5 shows an example of guidance information displayed by the calculation and display means 20 in chronological order, with the construction area display section 32 in FIG. 5 being divided into 18 cells 34 arranged in 3 rows and 6 columns. In each of FIGS. 5(a) to 5(e), the positional relationship between the construction area display section 32 and the main body display section 44 and the agitator display section 40, i.e., the positional relationship between the actual construction area and the main body 74 and the agitator 90, can be confirmed.

[0046] First, FIG. 5(a) shows the agitator display unit 40 aligned with the square 34 in the lower left corner, and the agitator 90 being inserted into the penetration target location corresponding to that square 34. Next, FIG. 5(b) shows the agitator display unit 40 aligned with the square 34 in the upper left corner and performing construction, and FIG. 5(c) shows the agitator display unit 40 aligned with the square 34 between the lower left and upper left corners and performing construction. Then, in FIGS. 5(a) to 5(c), the position of the main body display unit 44 has not changed; in other words, the main body 74 has not moved, and the position of the agitator 90 has been adjusted only by controlling the attitude of the work machine 78. That is, in the example of FIG. 5, construction is performed for each of the three squares 34 arranged vertically without moving the main body 74, and when the three squares 34 adjacent to the right of the three squares 34 for which construction has been completed are constructed, the main body 74 is shifted to the right. FIG. 5(d) shows the state in which construction has been completed in this manner for the 12 cells 34 in the four left-hand rows.

[0047] 5(a) to (c), while construction is being carried out at the penetration target locations corresponding to the three vertically adjacent cells 34, it is determined in step S40 that there is no need to move the heavy equipment 72, and the process proceeds to S60. Then, when construction is completed at the penetration target locations corresponding to the three vertically adjacent cells 34 and construction is to be carried out at the penetration target location corresponding to the cell 34 adjacent to the right of them, it is determined in step S40 that there is a need to move the heavy equipment 72, and the process proceeds to S50. In FIG. 5(e), the orientation of the crawler display unit 42 is tilted with respect to the arrangement direction of the multiple cells 34 in the construction area display unit 32, and the orientation of the crawler 76 is tilted with respect to the actual construction area. This would require multiple steering turns, which is inefficient, so in the example of Figure 5, it is preferable to make the crawler display unit 42 parallel to the horizontal arrangement direction of the multiple squares 34, as shown in Figures 5(a) to (d), so that the main body unit 74 can be shifted sideways.

[0048] S50 (movement of heavy equipment): The operator operates the heavy equipment 72 and moves it via the crawler 76 to a position suitable for inserting the agitator 90 into the next insertion target location. At this time, the operator moves the heavy equipment 72 while checking the guidance information displayed by the calculation and display means 20 in S30 above, such as that shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 5. S60 (adjust agitator position): The operator operates the heavy equipment 72 to control the attitude of the work machine 78 and adjust the position of the agitator 90 attached to the work machine 78 so that the agitator 90 penetrates the next penetration target location. At this time, the operator adjusts the position of the agitator 90 while checking the guidance information displayed by the calculation and display means 20 in S30 above, such as that shown in Fig. 3 or 5.

[0049] S70 (Agitator Penetration): The operator operates the heavy machine 72 and rotates the two agitator blades 92 while controlling the attitude of the work machine 78 to penetrate the agitator 90 into the ground at the penetration target location. At this time, the agitator 90 may be penetrated while supplying improvement material or the like. S80 (pulling out the agitator): The operator operates the heavy machine 72 to rotate the two agitator blades 92 while controlling the attitude of the work machine 78, and pulls out the agitator 90 from the ground. S90 (Construction continuation determination): The operator determines whether construction has been completed at all planned construction positions (penetration target locations). At this time, it may be determined whether all the squares 34 corresponding to the planned construction positions are colored in the construction area display unit 32 as shown in Figures 3 and 5, for example. As a result, if it is determined that construction has been completed at all planned construction positions (YES), the explanation in the flow chart of Figure 4 ends, and if it is determined that construction has not been completed at all planned construction positions (NO), the process returns to S10 above. In other words, the above steps S10 to S90 are repeatedly executed until construction is completed at all planned construction positions.

[0050] Next, referring to FIG. 6, a brief description will be given of a construction method when, for example, due to site constraints, the lateral shift movement described in FIG. 5 is not possible. The construction area display unit 32 in FIG. 6 is divided into 24 squares 34 arranged in 8 rows and 3 columns. The heavy equipment 72 is operated so that the crawler display unit 42 is basically parallel to the vertical arrangement direction of the squares 34. First, FIG. 6(a) shows the agitator display unit 40 aligned with the third square 34 from the top in the leftmost column, and the agitator 90 penetrating the penetration target location corresponding to that square 34. Next, FIG. 6(b) shows the agitator display unit 40 aligned with the square 34 in the upper left corner and performing construction, and FIG. 6(c) shows the agitator display unit 40 aligned with the square 34 below that and performing construction. In Figures 6(a) to (c), the position of the main body display unit 44 does not change; in other words, the position of the stirring device 90 is adjusted only by controlling the attitude of the work machine 78, without moving the main body 74.

[0051] In contrast, in FIG. 6(d), the position of the main body display unit 44 has changed from the state in FIG. 6(c). In other words, after moving the main body unit 74, the agitator 90 is aligned with the penetration target location corresponding to the third square 34 from the top in the rightmost column. The movement of the main body unit 74 at this time is achieved not by shifting it sideways, but by backing up or moving forward with the crawler 76 at an angle. For this reason, the crawler display unit 42 in FIG. 6(d) is tilted relative to the arrangement direction of the multiple squares 34. Then, without changing the position of the main body unit 74, construction is performed at the penetration target locations corresponding to the three vertically adjacent squares 34, and this is repeated to complete the construction area. FIG. 6(e) shows the state in which construction has been completed in this manner for the 18 squares 34 in the top six rows. Even in construction such as that shown in Figure 6, the operator operates the heavy equipment 72 while checking the construction area display unit 32, the agitator display unit 40, the crawler display unit 42, the main body display unit 44, the work equipment display unit 46, the main body direction guide display unit 48, and the agitator direction guide display unit 50.

[0052] According to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above, the following advantageous effects can be obtained. That is, the guidance system 10 for a mechanical agitator according to the embodiment of the present invention guides a mechanical agitator 70 including a heavy machine 72 including crawlers 76, a main body 74, and a work implement 78, and an agitator 90 attached to the tip of the work implement 78, as shown in FIG. 2, for example. Specifically, the guidance system 10 for a mechanical agitator according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a position measurement means 12, an attitude measurement means 14, and a calculation and display means 20, as shown in FIG. 1. The position measurement means 12 is for measuring the position of the main body 74 moved by the crawlers 76, and the attitude measurement means 14 is for measuring the attitude of the work implement 78 having the agitator 90 attached to the tip thereof.

[0053] The calculation and display means 20 calculates and displays guidance information for the operator of the heavy equipment 72 based on preset equipment information and construction information and the measurement results of the above-mentioned measuring means 12, 14. The equipment information preset in the calculation and display means 20 includes the size of the heavy equipment 72 and the size of the agitator 90, and similarly, the construction information includes the size and position of the construction area to be constructed by the mechanical agitator 70. The calculation and display means 20 is provided with a guidance screen 30 that displays the vicinity of the construction area in a planar view, as shown in Fig. 3, for example, and the image of this guidance screen 30 includes, as guidance information, a construction area display section 32, an agitator display section 40, and a crawler display section 42 (see also Figs. 5 and 6).

[0054] The construction area display unit 32 shows the construction area in plan view divided into a plurality of rectangular squares 34 arranged vertically and horizontally, and each of these rectangular squares 34 corresponds to the target location for penetration of the mixing device 90. That is, the mixing device 90, which penetrates the ground for ground improvement, constructs an approximately rectangular area in plan view at each penetration location, and a rectangular square is set as the penetration target location, adjusted to the size of the approximately rectangular construction range by the mixing device 90. Then, the construction area is divided into a plurality of squares 34 arranged vertically and horizontally as one rectangular square for each penetration target location, and is displayed as the construction area display unit 32. In this case, for example, compared to when the construction range at each penetration location by the mixing device 90 is circular in plan view, the above-mentioned approximately rectangular construction range can cover the entire construction area efficiently, and the construction area display unit 32 also makes it easier to divide the construction area into a plurality of rectangular squares 34.

[0055] The agitator display unit 40 indicates the position and orientation of the agitator 90 on the guidance screen 30. Therefore, while checking the construction area display unit 32 and the agitator display unit 40, the operator can control the movement of the heavy equipment 72 and the attitude of the work machine 78, and then adjust the position of the agitator 90 so that it faces the target penetration location. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 3 , if the agitator display unit 40 is represented by a rectangle of approximately the same size as each of the rectangular cells 34 of the construction area display unit 32, alignment of the cells can be more easily performed. Furthermore, the crawler display unit 42 indicates the position and orientation of the crawler 76 on the guidance screen 30. Therefore, while checking the construction area display unit 32 and the crawler display unit 42, the operator can operate the crawler 76 so that the orientation of the crawler 76 represented by the crawler display unit 42 is parallel to the vertical or horizontal arrangement of the cells 34 of the construction area display unit 32. This allows the orientation of the crawler 76 to be adjusted to a direction that makes it easier to shift the heavy machine 72 sideways or forward and backward, thereby improving construction efficiency.

[0056] Furthermore, the guidance system 10 for the mechanical agitator according to the embodiment of the present invention enlarges the display on the guidance screen 30 when the operator adjusts the position of the agitator 90 while checking the construction area display unit 32 and the agitator display unit 40. That is, the calculation display means 20 enlarges and displays the periphery of the agitator display unit 40 on the guidance screen 30 when the agitator display unit 40 approaches each of the multiple squares 34 of the construction area display unit 32 as the operator moves the agitator 90. This allows the operator to adjust the position and orientation of the agitator 90 so that the agitator display unit 40 overlaps with the square 34 of the next penetration target location while checking the enlarged guidance screen 30, thereby improving construction accuracy.

[0057] Furthermore, the guidance system 10 for a mechanical agitator according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes a main body display unit 44, a main body direction guide display unit 48, and an agitator direction guide display unit 50, as guidance information displayed on the guidance screen 30 by the calculation and display means 20, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6. The main body display unit 44 indicates the position and orientation of the main body unit 74 on the guidance screen 30, and by displaying this as a schematic shape of the main body unit 74 in a plan view, the position and orientation of the main body unit 74 can be easily grasped intuitively. Furthermore, due to the relationship between the agitator 90 and the main body unit 74 connected via the work machine 78, the orientation of the operator relative to the agitator 90 (the orientation of the driver's seat of the main body unit 74 where the operator is seated) is usually constant, while the orientation of the operator relative to the crawler 76 changes. This can be easily adjusted using the crawler display unit 42 and the main body display unit 44.

[0058] The main body direction guide display 48 is displayed near the main body display 44 and is linear, extending in the lateral direction of the main body 74. Here, the lateral direction of the main body 74 is a direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction of the main body 74, which is determined by the operator's seating direction, in a plan view. The agitator direction guide display 50 is displayed near the agitator display 40 and is linear, extending in the lateral direction of the agitator 90. As described above, the orientation of the main body 74 relative to the agitator 90 is constant, and the lateral direction of the agitator 90 is parallel to the lateral direction of the main body 74. These guide displays 48, 50 allow the operator to adjust the orientation of the main body 74 and the agitator 90 so that the linear main body direction guide display 48 and the agitator direction guide display 50 are parallel to the arrangement direction of the multiple squares 34 in the construction area display 32. This makes adjustment work easier and further improves construction accuracy.

[0059] Additionally, in the guidance system 10 for a mechanical agitator according to an embodiment of the present invention, the calculation and display means 20 displays the crawler display section 42, which indicates the position and orientation of the crawler 76 on the guidance screen 30, as a schematic shape of the crawler 76 in a plan view, as shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6. That is, for example, in the case where the crawler 76 includes two tracks, as in the heavy equipment 72 of Figure 2, the crawler display section 42 is displayed using a schematic shape indicating the two tracks. This makes it easier to intuitively grasp the position and orientation of the crawler 76, and enables more efficient adjustment of the orientation of the crawler 76.

[0060] 1, the guidance system 10 for a mechanical agitator according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes a turning angle grasping means 18, which grasps the turning angle of the main body 74, which turns on the crawler 76, relative to the crawler 76 (for example, by using an inclinometer, etc.). As a result, when the calculation display means 20 calculates the orientation of the crawler 76 to be used in the crawler display unit 42, etc., it can efficiently calculate the orientation of the crawler 76 by using the turning angle grasped by the turning angle grasping means 18.

[0061] In addition, in the mechanical agitator guidance system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, the work implement 78 of the heavy equipment 72 has four parts: a boom 80 connected to the main body 74, a first arm 82, a second arm 84, and a tip 86 to which the agitator 90 is attached. The bending angle of each of these parts is adjusted by a hydraulic cylinder or the like. For this reason, the posture measurement means 14 that measures the posture of the work implement 78 includes an inclinometer 16 attached to each of the four parts of the work implement 78, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Furthermore, the posture measurement means 14 also includes an inclinometer 16 for measuring the tilt angle of the main body 74. This makes it possible to accurately grasp the position and posture of the work implement 78 and the agitator 90 even when a two-piece backhoe or the like is used as the heavy equipment 72.

[0062] On the other hand, the induction method for a mechanical agitator according to an embodiment of the present invention can be carried out using the induction system 10 for a mechanical agitator according to an embodiment of the present invention as described above, thereby achieving the same effects as those of the induction system 10 for a mechanical agitator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 10: Guidance system for mechanical agitator, 12: Position measurement means, 14: Attitude measurement means, 16: Inclinometer, 18: Swing angle grasping means, 20: Calculation and display means, 30: Guidance screen, 32: Construction area display unit, 34: Multiple squares, 40: Agitator display unit, 42: Crawler display unit, 44: Main body display unit, 48: Main body direction guide display unit, 50: Agitator direction guide display unit, 70: Mechanical agitator, 72: Heavy equipment, 74: Main body, 76: Crawler, 78: Work machine, 80: Boom, 82: First arm, 84: Second arm, 86: Tip, 90: Agitator

Claims

1. A guidance system for guiding a mechanical agitator, the system comprising: a heavy machine having a main body that moves by crawlers and rotates on the crawlers, and a working implement extending from the main body; and an agitator attached to the tip of the working implement and inserted into the ground, a position measuring means for measuring the position of the main body; an attitude measuring means for measuring the attitude of the work machine; a calculation and display means for calculating and displaying guidance information for an operator of the heavy equipment based on preset equipment information including the sizes of the heavy equipment and the mixing device, and construction information including the size and position of the construction area, and measurement results of the position measurement means and the attitude measurement means; The calculation display means is provided with a guidance screen that displays the vicinity of the construction area in a plan view, and the image includes: A construction area display unit that divides the construction area into a plurality of squares arranged vertically and horizontally, with each square being a rectangular square for each penetration target location of the stirring device; an agitator display unit that indicates the position and orientation of the agitator; and a crawler display unit that indicates the position and orientation of the crawler.

2. The guidance system for a mechanical agitator as described in claim 1, characterized in that the calculation display means enlarges and displays the periphery of the agitator display unit on the guidance screen when the agitator display unit approaches each of the multiple squares of the construction area display unit as the agitator moves.

3. The calculation display means further displays, in the image of the guidance screen, a main body display unit that displays the position and orientation of the main body unit by a schematic shape of the main body unit in a plan view; a main body direction guide display unit that is displayed near the main body display unit and that extends in a linear direction to the side of the main body unit and is perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction of the main body unit, which is determined by the seating direction of the operator, in a plan view; 2. The mechanical agitator guidance system according to claim 1, further comprising: a linear agitator direction guide display unit displayed near the agitator display unit and extending in a lateral direction of the agitator parallel to the lateral direction of the main body unit.

4. 2. The guidance system for a mechanical agitator according to claim 1, wherein the calculation and display means displays the crawler display portion as a schematic shape of the crawler in a plan view.

5. 2. The guiding system for a mechanical agitator according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation angle grasping means for grasping a rotation angle of said main body portion relative to said crawler.

6. The work machine has four parts: a boom connected to the main body, a first arm, a second arm, and a tip end to which the agitator is attached; 2. The guidance system for a mechanical agitator according to claim 1, wherein the posture measurement means includes an inclinometer attached to each of the four parts of the work machine and an inclinometer that measures the inclination angle of the main body.

7. A method for guiding a mechanical agitator including a heavy machine having a main body that moves by crawlers and rotates on the crawlers, and a working implement extending from the main body, and an agitator attached to a tip of the working implement and inserted into the ground, measuring the position of the main body and the attitude of the work machine; Calculating guidance information based on equipment information including the sizes of the heavy equipment and the mixing device, construction information including the size and position of the construction area, and measurement results of the position of the main body and the attitude of the work machine, and displaying the guidance information to the operator of the heavy equipment; As the guidance information, on a guidance screen showing the vicinity of the construction area in a plan view, A construction area display unit that divides the construction area into a plurality of squares arranged vertically and horizontally, with each square being a rectangular square for each penetration target location of the stirring device; an agitator display unit that indicates the position and orientation of the agitator; A crawler display unit that indicates the position and orientation of the crawler.

8. The method for guiding a mechanical agitator according to claim 7, characterized in that, on the guidance screen, when the agitator display unit approaches each of the plurality of squares in the construction area display unit as the agitator moves, the periphery of the agitator display unit is enlarged and displayed.

9. As the guidance information, the guidance screen further displays: a main body display unit that indicates the position and orientation of the main body unit is displayed as a schematic shape of the main body unit in a plan view; a main body direction guide display unit having a linear shape extending in a lateral direction of the main body unit and perpendicular to the front-rear direction of the main body unit determined by the seating direction of the operator in a plan view is displayed near the main body display unit; The method for guiding a mechanical agitator according to claim 7, characterized in that a linear agitator direction guide display unit extending in a lateral direction of the agitator parallel to the lateral direction of the main body unit is displayed near the agitator display unit.

10. 8. The method for guiding a mechanical agitator according to claim 7, wherein the crawler display portion is displayed by a schematic shape of the crawler in a plan view.

11. 8. The method for guiding a mechanical agitator according to claim 7, wherein a rotation angle of the main body with respect to the crawler is determined in order to calculate the orientation of the crawler.

12. The work machine has four parts: a boom connected to the main body, a first arm, a second arm, and a tip end to which the agitator is attached; The method for guiding a mechanical agitator according to claim 7, characterized in that an inclinometer is attached to each of the four parts of the work machine to measure the attitude of the work machine, and an inclinometer is attached to the main body to measure the tilt angle of the main body.

Images